time c. But do not persevere and hold out will be doubly miserable in the day of vengeance Perseverance is the accomplishment of every Grace without it he that fights cannot hope to overcome and he that for the present doth overcome cannot look for the Crown unless he still perseveres and goes on conquering and to conquer till he findes all his enemies slain before him Thirdly That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation is An abiding You must persevere and hold fast the faith of the Gospel without wavering in it or startling from it You must be as the Center or as Mount Sion stedfast and unmoveable or continuing in the Word or Doctrine of Christ John 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you 1 John 2. 14. I have written unto you yong men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you Vers 24. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 2 John vers 9. Whosoever tranfgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son None shall receive the end of The Tabernacle was covered over with red and the purple feathers tell us that they take that habit for the same intent to note That we must defend the truâ—h and abide by the truth even to essusion of blood their Faith the Salvation of their Souls but those that hold fast the Doctrine of Faith foundly sincerely and entirely to the end John 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed It is the End that crowns the action as the Evening crowns the day as the last act commends the whole Scene It is not enough to begin well except we end well the beginning of Christians is not so considerable as the end Manasseh and Paul began ill but ended well Neroes first five years were famous but afterwards who more cruel Judas and Demas began well but ended ill It is not the knowledge of the Doctrine of Christ nor the commending of the Word of Christ but the abiding in Christs Word the continuing in Christs Doctrine that accompanies Life and Glory and that will render a man happy at last Such that with Hymeneus and Alexander put away 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 5. or make shipwrack of the Doctrine of Faith of the Word of Faith shall by the Lord or his people or by both be delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Usually the end of such is worse then the beginning Double 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. 2 Tim 3. 13. damnation attends those that begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Fourthly and lastly That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation is A Perseverance in holy and gracius Phil. 3. 10-14 Isa 40. ult Actions and Motions it is a continuing in Pious Duties and Religious Services The life of Christian consists in Motion Non progrediest regredi Not to go forwards is to go backwards not in Session A Christians Emblem should be an House moving towards Heaven he must never stand still he must alwayes be a going on from Faith to Faith and from strength to strength When Saints have done their work in this life they shall sit upon Thrones in a better life Perseverance Acts 13. 43. 14. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a continuance in Prayer and Supplication with an invincible and strong constancy There was a Temple of Concord among the Heathens and shall it not be found among Christians that are the Temple of the Holy Ghost is a going on a holding out in ways of piety and sanctity Acts 1. 14. These all continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Chap. 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Vers 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking Bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart 1 Tim. 5. 5. Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in Supplications and Prayers night and day Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Christians must work hard in a Wilderness before they sit down in paradise They must make a constant progress in holiness before they enter into happiness It is the excellency of Perseverance that it keeps a Christian still in motion God-wards Heaven-wards Holiness-wards It is a Grace that quickens a man to motion to action it keeps a man still going still doing And Motion is the excellency of the Creature and the more excellent any Creature is the more excellent is that Creature in its motions as you may see in the motions of the Celestial Bodies the Sun Moon and Stars Perseverance is a perpetual motion in ways of Grace and Holiness Perseverance will Psal 44. 16 17 18 19 20. make a man hold up and hold on in the work and ways of the Lord in the face of all impediments discouragements temptations tribulations and persecutions As the Moon holds on her motion though the dogs bark so Perseverance will make a Christian hold on in his holy and heavenly Motions though vain men bark and bite c. And thus I have shewed you what Perseverance that is that accompanies Salvation Now in the Eighth place I shall The eighth and last thing that accompanies Salvation is Hope I shall gather up what I have to say concernâ—ng Hope into as narrow a compass as I can being unwilling to tire the Readers patience and my own spirits The Philosophers excluded Hope out of their Catalogues of vertues numbering it among the perturbations but God by his Werd hath taught us better shew you very briefly First That Hope doth accompany Salvation Secondly What that Hope is that doth accompany Salvation First That Hope doth accompany Salvation these Scriptures speak it out Rom. 8. 24. For we are saved by hope Gal. 5. 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Ephes 1. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints 1 Thes 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the brest-plate of Faith and Love and for an helmet the Hope of Salvation Tit. 3. 7. That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Chap. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began By all these Scriptures it doth fully
how sweet was the Jonah 2 2. light to Jonah that had been in the belly of hell so is Assurance to those that through slavish fears and unbeliefe have made their beds in hell as the Psalmist speaks Gold that is Psal 139. 8. far fetched and dearly bought is Socrates prized the Kings countenance above his coyn his good looks above his gold so do Saints prize Assurance above all worldly enjoyments most highly esteemed so that Assurance that costs the soule most paines and patience most waiting and weeping most striving and wrestling is most highly valued and most wisely improved As by the want of temporals God teaches his people the better to prize them and improve them when they enjoy them so by the want of spirituals God teaches his people the better to prize them and improve them when they enjoy them Numb 14. 33. 34. Exod. 11. Ezra 1. Ah how sweet was Canaan to those that had been long in a wildernesse How precious was the gold and ear-rings to Israel that had been long in Egypt and the gifts and Jewels to the Jewes that had been long in Babylon so is Assurance to those precious souls The longer I stay for the Empire said the Emperors son the greater it will be So the longer a Saint stayes for Assurance the greater at last it will be that have been long without it but at last come to enjoy it After the Trojans had been wandring a long time in the Mediterranean Sea as soon as they espied land they cryed out with exulting joy Italy Italy so when poore soules shall come to enjoy Assurance who have been long tossed up and downe in a sea of sorrow and trouble how will they with joy cry out Assurance Assurance Assurance The sixth reason why God denies Assurance to his dearest ones at Humility is Conservatrix virtutum saith Onâ—â— least for a time is that they bee kept humble and low in their owne eyes as the enjoyment of mercy glads us so the want of mercy humbles us Davids heart was never more low then when he had a Crowne onely in hope but not in hand No sooner was the Crowne set upon his head but his blood rises with his outward good and in the pride of his heart he sayes I shall never be removed Hezekiah was Psal 30. 6. 2 Chron. 32. The whole Chapter is worthy of reading a holy man yet hee swels big under mercy No sooner doth God lift up his house higher then others but hee lifts up his heart in pride higher then others When God had made him As I get good by my sins so I get hurt by my graces said Mr. Fox they being accidental occasions of pride to him high in honours riches victories I and in spiritual experiences then his heart flyes high and he forgets God and forgets himselfe and forgets that all his mercies were from free mercy that all his mercies were but borrowed mercies Surely it is better to want any mercy then an humble heart it is better to have no mercy then want an humble heart A little Augustine saith that the first second and third vertue of a Christian is humility little mercy with an humble heart is far better then the greatest mercies with a proud heart I had rather have Pauls coat with his humble heart then Hezekiahs lifted up heart with his rich Treasures and royal Robes Well Christians remember this God hath two strings to his bow if your hearts will not lye humble and low under the sense of sinne and misery he will God hath two hands a hand open and a hand shut and he makes use of both to keep souls humble make them lye low under the want of some desired mercy The want of Assurance tends to bow and humble the soul as the enjoyment of Assurance doth to raise and rejoyce the soule and therefore doe not wonder why precious soules are so long without assurance why Christs Charet Assurance Judg. 5 28. is so long a coming The seventh and last reason why God denies Assurance for a time even to his dearest ones is that they may live cleerly and fully upon Jesus Christ that Jesus Christ may be seen Col. 3. 11. Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good Christ is all things to a Christian he is bread to feed them a fountaine to refresh them a Physitian to heal them a rock to shelter them a light to guide them and a crown to crown them to bee all in all It is naturall to the soule to rest upon every thing below Christ to rest upon creatures to rest upon graces to rest upon duties to rest upon divine manifestations to rest upon celestial consolations to rest upon gracious evidences and to rest upon sweet Assurances Now the Lord to cure his people of this weaknesse and to bring them to live wholly and solely upon Jesus Christ denies comfort and denies assurance c. and for a time leaves his children of light to walk in darknesse Christians this you are alwayes to remember that though the enjoyment of assurance makes most for your consolation yet the living purely upon Christ in the want of assurance makes most for his Heb 11. 27. Isa 60. 19. Mic. 7. 3. 9. Iohn 20. 28 29 exaltation No Christian to him that in the want of visibles can live upon an invisible God that in thicke darknesse can live upon God as an everlasting light Hee is happy that beleeves upon seeing upon feeling but thrice happy are those soules that beleeve when they doe not see that love when they doe not know that they are beloved and that in the Christ is omniâ— super omnia want of all comfort and assurance can live upon Christ as their onely all He that hath learned this holy art cannot bee miserable hee that is ignorant of this art cannot bee happy The second Proposition is this That the Scripture hath many sweet significant words to expresse that well-grounded Assurance by which beleevers may attaine to in this life sometimes it is called a perswasion Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither 1 There is a natural perswasion namral principles may perswade a man that there is a God and that this God is a great God a beauteous God c. but this will not make a man happy 2 There is a moral perswasion 3 There is a traditional perswasion death nor life c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is â—n Christ Jesus our Lord. It is rendred a perspicuous and peculiar manifestation of Christ to the soul John 14. 21 22 23 24. It is often rendred to know as in that 1 John 3. chap. 2. 14. 19. 24. verses and chap. 5. 13. 19 c. but the word that the Scripture doth most fully expresse this by is plerophoria full assurance that is when the soule by the Spirit and word
is so fully perswaded of its eternal happinesse and blessednesse that it s carried like 4 There is a divine perswasion that flows from divine principles and causes Noahs Arke above al waves doubts and fears and Noah-like fits still and quiet and can with the Apostle Paul triumph over sinne hell wrath death and devill This is sometimes called Col. 2. 2. Heb. 6 11. 18 19 cha 10. 22. full assurance of understanding sometimes it is called full assurance of hope and sometimes it is called full assurance of faith because these are the choice and pleasant springs from whence assurance flows Now though this full assurance is earnestly desired and highly This full Assurance is the maximum quod sic the highest pinacle of Assurance prized and the want of it much lamented the injoyment of it much endevoured after by al Saints yet t is only obtained by a few Assurance is a mercy too good for most mens hearts it is a Crowne too weighty for most mens heads Assurance is optimum maximum the best and greatest mercy and therefore God will onely give it to his best and dearest friends Augustus in his solemne feasts gave trifles to some but gold to others honours and riches c. are trifles that God gives to the worst of men Rev. 3. 18. But Assurance is that tryed gold that God onely gives to tried friends Among those few that have a share or Most Saints I beleeve can give aloud testimony to this truth I shall rejoyce when their experiences shall confute â—r portion in the special love and favour of God there are but a very few that have an assurance of his love It is one mercy for God to love the soule and another mercy for God to assure the soule of his love God writes many a mans name in the Book of life and yet will not let him know it till his houre of death as the experience of many precious soules doth cleerly evidence Assurance is a flower of Paradise that God sticks but Rom. 8. 16 17. in a few mens bosomes It is one thing to be an heire of heaven and another thing for a man to know or see himselfe an heire of heaven The childe in the arms may be heire to a Crown a Kingdome and yet not understand it so many a Saint may bee heire to a Crowne a Kingdome of glory and yet not know it As the babes that passes the pangs of the first birth do not presently cry Father Father so the new borne Babes in Christ that have 1 Pet. 2. 2. past the pangs of the second birth doe not presently cry Abba Father they doe not presently cry out Heaven Heaven is ours Glory Glory is ours The third Proposition is this That The third Proposition a man may have true grace that hath not Assurance of the love and favour The blinde man in the Gospel called his faith unbeleef of God or of the remission of his sins and salvation of his soule A man may be truly holy and yet not have assurance that he shall be eternally happy A man may be Gods and yet he not know it his estate may be good and yet he not see it he may Mat. 15. 22. 29. be in a safe condition when he is not in a comfortable condition All may be well with him in the Court of glory when hee would give a thousand worlds that all were but well in the court of conscience The Canaanite woman shewed much love wisdome zeale humility and faith yea such strength of faith as makes Christ admire her and yeeld to her grace her and gratifie her and yet shee had no assurance that wee read of So Paul speaking of the beleeving Eph 1. 13. They that honour God by sealing to his truth those God will honour by sealing them with his Spirit Ephesians saith In whom ye also trusted after that yee heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that yee beleeved yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise First They heard the word and then secondly they beleeved and then thirdly they were sealed that is fully assured of a heavenly inheritance of a Saints have eternal life 1 In praetio 2 In promisso 3 In primitiis purchased possession So 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternal life and that yee may beleeve on the name of the Son of God So in that Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God So in that Mich. 7. 8. 9. verses Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will bear the indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and Zagnaph Signifies vehement anger with a sad and lowring countenance Dan. 1. 10. vide Merâ— execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousnesse Asaph was a very holy man a man eminent in grace and yet without assurance as may bee seen at large in that 77. Ps Heman doubtlesse was a very precious soule and yet from his youth up hee was even distracted with terrours Psalm 88. There are thousand Christians that are in a state of grace and shall bee Isa 8. 17. Chap. 49. 14 15 16. Ch. 54 6 7 8 9 10 11. saved that want assurance and the proper effects of it as high joy pure comfort glorious peace and vehement longings after the coming of Christ Assurance is requisite to the well-being of a Christian but not to the being it is requisite to the consolation of a Christian but not to the salvation of a Christian it is requisite to the well-being of Grace but not to the meer being of Grace Though a man cannot be saved without faith yet he may bee saved without assurance God hath in many places of the Scripture declared that without faith God never said except you be assured I will pardon you I will never pardon you except you are assured I will save you I will never save you this is language God never spoke and why then should men speak it there is no salvation but God hath not in any one place of Scripture declared that without assurance there is no salvation A man must first bee saved before he can be assured of his salvation for he cannot be assured of that which is not and a man must have saving grace before he can bee saved for hee cannot be saved by that which hee hath not Againe a man must be ingrafted into Christ before
loathsom Dungeon the pavement whereof was sharp shells and his bed to lie on a bundle of thorns All which this blessed Martyr received without so much as a groan breathing out his spirit in these words Vincentius is my name and by the grace of God I will be still Vincentius inspight of all your torments Persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other for while it kills the body it crowns the soul The most cruel Martyrdom is but a crafty trick to escape death to pass from life to life from the prison to paradise from the cross to the crown Justin Martyr says that when the Romans did immortalize their Emperors as they called it they brought one to swear that he see him go to Heaven out of the fire But we may see by an eye of Faith the blessed Souls of suffering Saints flie to Heaven like Elias in his fiery Judg. 13. 20. chariot like the Angel that appeared to Manoah in the flames John Hus Martyr had such choice discoveries of God and such sweet in-comes of the Spirit as made his patience and constancy A patient man under reproaches is like a man with a Sword in one hand and a Salve in the other he could wound but he will heal invincible When he was brought forth to be burned they put on his head a Triple Crown of Paper painted over with ugly Devils but when he saw it he said My Lord Jesus Christ for my sake did were a Crown of Thorns why should not I then for his sake wear this light crown be it never so ignominious truly I will do it and that willingly And as they tied his neck with a chain to the stake smiling he said That he would willingly receive the The Motto of patient souls is plura pro Christo toleranda we must suffer more then so for Christ same chain for Jesus Christs sake who he knew was bound with a far worse chain for his sake Well remember this their names that by a patient suffering are written in Red Letters of blood in the Churches Calender are written in Golden Letters in Christs Register in the Book of Life A second Reason why the Lord Reas 2 lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in suffering times and that is for the confirmation of some for the conversion of others and for the greater conviction and confusion of their adversaries who wonder and are like men amazed when they see the comfort and the courage of the Saints in suffering times Pauls choice carriage in his bonds was the Phil. 1. 14. vide Estius confirmation of many And many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear And as the sufferings of the Saints do contribute to the confirmation of some so by the blessing of God they contribute to the conversion of others I beseech thee says Paul for Philem. v. 10. my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds It was a notable saying of Luther Ecclesia totum mundum convertâ—t sanguine oratione The Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayer Basil affirms That the They knew it could be but a days journey between the cross and paradise between that short storm and an eternal calm Primitive Saints shewed so much comfort and courage so much Heroick zeal and constancy that many of the Heathens turned Christians so that choice spirit that the Saints have shewed in their sufferings when Christ hath overshadowed them with his love and stayed them with flagons and comforted them with apples hath madded grieved vexed and extreamly It would be too tedious to give you an account of all particular persecutors in this case whom the courage faith and patience of the Saints have tyred out tormented and made weaty of their lives and also bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers tormented their tormentors Lactantius boasts of the braveness of the Martyrs in his time our children and women not to speak of men do in silence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot so much as fetch a sigh from them Hegesippus reports an observation of Antoninus the Emperor viz. That the Christians were most couragious and confident always in Earth-quakes whilest his own Heathen Souldiers were at such accidents most fearful and dis-spirited Certainly no Earth-quakes can make any Heart-quakes among the suffering Saints so long as the countenance of God shines upon their face and his love lies warm upon their Hearts The suffering Saint may be assaulted but not vanquished he may be troubled but can never be conquered he may lose his head but he cannot lose his Crown which the 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. righteous Lord hath prepared and laid up for him The suffering Saint shall still be master of the day though they Mori posse vinci non posse kill him they cannot hurt him he may suffer death but never conquest And they overcame him by the blood of Rev. 12. 11. the Lamb and by the word of their testimony O Lord Jesus said one I love thee plusquam mea plusquam meos plusquam me more then all my goods more then all my friends yea more then my very life and they loved not their lives unto the death They love not their lives that love Christ and his truth more then their lives they that slight contemn and despise their lives when they stand in competition with Christ may be truly said not to love their lives In these words you see that the Saints by dying do overcome They may kill me said Socrates of his enemies but they cannot hurt me A Saint may say this and more The Herb Heliotropium doth turn about and open it self according to the motion of the Sun so do the Saints in their sufferings according to the internal motions of the Sun of Righteousness upon them A third Reason Why the Lord Reas 3 causes his goodness to pass before his people and his face to shine upon his people in suffering times and that is for the praise of his own Grace and for the glory of his own Name God would lose much of his own glory if he should not stand by his people and comfort them and strengthen them in the day of their sorrows Ah the dirt the scorn the contempt that Exod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 13. vain men would cast upon God Look as our greatest good comes thorow the sufferings of Christ so Gods greatest glory that he hath from his Saints comes thorow their sufferings If ye be reproached for the name of Christ. 1 Peâ— 4. 14. Vide Bezam happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified It makes much for the glory of God that his people are cleared and comforted quickned and raised spiritualized and elevated in
as cannot be exprest as cannot be declared Christ in this Ordinance opens such boxes of precious Oyntments as fill the Saints with a spiritual savor he gives them a cluster of the Grapes of Num. 13. 23 24 25. Canaan that makes them earnestly look and long to be in Canaan The Cypr. l 4. ep 6 Aug. in John Tract 27 c. Christians in the Primitive times upon their receiving the Sacrament were wont to be filled with that zeal and fervor with that joy and comfort with that faith fortitude and assurance that made them to appear before the Tyrants with transcendent boldness and cheerfulness as many Writers do testifie Now there are these Reasons why God is pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people when they are a hearing the Word of Life and a breaking the Bread of Life First That they may highly prize Reas 1 the Ordinances the choice Discoveries that God makes to their souls in them works them to set a very high Psal 63. 2 3. Cant 2 3. Psal 19. 10. This age is full of careless Gallioes Acts â—8 17. that care not for these things price upon them O say such souls we cannot but prize them we cannot but affect them for what of God we have enjoyed in them Many there are that are like old Barzillai that had lost his taste and hearing and so cared not for Davids feasts and musick so many there are that can see nothing of God nor taste nothing of God in Ordinances they care not for Ordinances they slight Ordinances O but souls Psal 84. 10 11. that have seen and heard and tasted of the goodness of the Lord in Ordinances they dearly love them and highly prize them I have esteemed thy Word says Job above my necessary food Job 23. 12. Better that the Sun shine not then that Chrysostom Preach not And David sings it out The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver Luther prized the Word at such a high rate that he saith He would not live in Paradise if he might without the Word At cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere but with the Word he could live in Hell it self Secondly God lifts up the light of Reas 2 his countenance upon his people in Ordinances that he may keep them Psal 27. 4. close to Ordinances and constant in Ordinances the soul shall hear good news from Heaven when it is waiting at Wisdoms door God will acquaint Prov. 8. 34 35. the soul with Spiritual Mysteries and feed it with the droppings of the Honey Comb that the soul may cleave to them as Ruth did to Naomi Ruth 1. 15 16 17. and say of them as she said of her Where these go I will go where these lodge I will lodge and nothing but death shall make a separation between Ordinances and my soul After Joshua Josh 1. 5. had had a choice presence of God with his spirit in the service he was put upon he makes a Proclamation Chuse you whom you will serve I and my Josh 24. 15. houshold will serve the Lord. Let the issue be what it will I will cleave to the service of my God I will set my soul under Gods spout I will wait for him Mal. 3. 1. in his Temple I will look for him in Revel 2. 1. the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks I have found him a good Master I will live and dye in his service I have found his work to be better then wages I have found a reward not onely for keeping but also in keeping his Commandments as the Psal 19. 11 Psalmist speaks The good words the sweet aspects the choice hints the heavenly intercourse that hath been between the Lord Jesus and my soul in his service hath put such great and glorious engagements upon my soul that I cannot but say with the servant in the Law I love my Master Exod. 21. 5. Deut. 15. 16 17. and I will not quit his service because it is well with me my ear is bored and I will be his servant for ever The third Reason Why the Lord Reas 3 causes the beams of his love and the brightness of his glory to shine forth upon his people in Ordinances is To fence and strengthen their souls against all those temptations that they may meet with from Satan and his Ephes 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies cogging with a Dy such slights as cheaters and false-gamesters use at Dâ—ce instruments that lie in wait to deceive and by their cunning craftiness endeavor with all their might to work men first to have low thoughts of Ordinances and then to neglect them and then to despise them Now the Lord Chrysostom saith That by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are so armed against Satans temptations that he fleeth from us as if we were so many Leones ignem expuentes Lyons that spit fire by the sweet discoveries of himself by the kisses and love tokens that he gives to his people in Ordinances does so indear and engage their hearts to them that they are able not onely to withstand temptations but also to triumph over temptations thorow him that hath loved them and in Ordinances manifested his presence and the riches of his grace and goodness to them the sweet converse the blessed turns and walks that the Saints have with God in Ordinances makes them strong in resisting and happy in conquering of those temptations that tend to lead them from the Ordinances which are Christs bankquetting-house Can 2. 4. Beith Haiin is Domus vini the House of Wine where he sets before his people all the dainties and sweet-meats of Heaven and bids them eat and drink abundantly there being no danger of surfeiting in eating or drinking of Christs delicates Truly many a soul hath surfeited of the worlds dainties and died for ever but there is not a soul that hath had the honor and happiness to be brought into Christs bankquetting-house and to eat and drink of his dainties but they have lived for ever The fourth Reason Why the Lord Reas 4 is pleased to give his people some sense of his love and some tastes of Heaven in Ordinances is That he may fit and ripen them for Heaven and make them look and long more after a perfect compleat and full enjoyment of God Souls at first conversion are but roughcast but God by visiting of them Isa 64. 5. and manifesting of himself to them in his ways doth more and more fit those Vessels of Mercy for Glory Ah Christians tell me do not those Holy Influences those Spiritual Breathings those Divine In-comes that you meet with in Ordinances make your souls cry out with David As the Hart panteth after the water Psal 42. 1 2. The Greeks derive their word for desire from a root that signifieth to burn Now if one should
the world that there is no such worth and vertue no such power and Una guâ—tula plus valet quam caelum terra Luther efficacy in the blood of Christ as indeed there is O how will you answer this to Christ in that day wherein his blood shall speak and plead not onely with the profane that have trodden it under their feet but also with despairing Heb. 10. 29. souls that have undervalued the power vertue and merit of it Hath not the blood of Jesus Christ washed 1 John 1. 7 8 9. away the sins of a world of notorious sinners and is it not of vertue to wash away the sins of one sinner Hath it Sanguis Christi clavis coeli The blood of Christ is the Key of Heaven that hath let in millions Revel 7 9. Isai 66 8. A nation shall be born in a day When the Jews shall be converted a very glorious converting power shall accompany the means of salvation that Christ may rain from Sea to Sea c. had that vertue and power in it as to bring many thousands to glory already and is there not so much vertue left in it as to bring thy soul to glory Hath it actually delivered such a multitude from wrath to come as cannot be numbred and is the vertue of it so far spent as that it cannot reach to thy deliverance Are there not yet millions of thousands that shall hereafter be actually saved and justified by this blood Why then shouldst thou despair of being justified and saved from wrath to come by the vertue and power of this precious blood There were five Monks that were studying what was the best means to mortifie sin One said To meditate on death the second To meditate on judgement the third To meditate of the joyes of Heaven the fourth To meditate on the torments of Hell the fifth To meditate on the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ and certainly the last is the choicest and strongest motive of all to the mortifying of sin O despairing souls despairing souls if ever you would cast off your despairing thoughts and get out of your present hell then dwell much muse much and apply much this precious blood to your own souls So shall sorrow and mourning flee Isai 5. 11. 56. 5. 60. 19 20. 62. 4 5. away and everlasting joy shall rest upon you and the Lord shall give you an everlasting name and be everlasting light and glory to you and you shall be no more called Forsaken for the Lord will rejoyce over you and be a wel-spring John 4. 21 23. of life unto you and make his abode with you and turn your sighing into singing your trembling into rejoycing and your prison into a paradise of pleasure so that your souls shall be able to stand up and say O blessed be God for Jesus Christ blessed be God for that precious blood that hath justified our persons and quieted our consciences and scattered our fears and answered our doubts and given us to triumph over Sin Hell and Death Who is Rom 8. 33 to 38. he that condemneth it is Christ that died The Apostle upon the account of Christs death of Christs blood cryes out Victory Victory he looks upon all his Enemies and sings it sweetly out Over all these we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Supervincimus We do over-overcome are more then conquerors or above conquerors O despairing souls to all your former sins do not adde this Of making light and slight of the blood of Christ as there is no blood that saves souls like the blood of Christ so there is no blood that sinks souls like the blood of Christ a drop of this blood upon a mans head at last will make him miserable for ever but a drop of it upon a mans heart at last will make him happy for ever In the day of vengeance the Exod. 12. 7. destroying Angel will spare you if this blood be found upon the door posts of your hearts otherwise you are lost for ever Lastly I can tell you O despairing souls that God hath brought some out of the very gulf of despair out of the very belly of hell and therefore thou mayest hope that thy sins that are thy present burden shall not be thy future ruine Doth not Asaph resemble the despairing soul to the life My soul Psal 77. refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favorable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever and will his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Now out of this gulf God delivers him Verse 10. And I said This is my infirmity or this maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me sick as it is in the Original Here Asaph checks himself for casting the cordials the comforts of the Spirit against the wall and for his having such hard sad and black thoughts of God And in the thirteenth Verse he speaks like one dropt out of Heaven Thy way O God is in the sanctuary who is so great a God as our God Formerly the thoughts of God troubled him and overwhelmed him but now at last the thoughts of the greatness of God and of his interest in God is matter of admiration and consolation to him So Heman sighs it out thus My Psal 88. All conclude that he was very holy and his soul very happy even while he was in this gulf of misery soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps Thy wrath lieth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have cut me off And yet for all this Hemans state was good his soul was safe and happy he calls God in the same Psalm The God of his salvation So Jonah when he was in the belly of Jonah 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Garash signifies to expulse and cast out as Adam was expulsed out of paradise Gen 3. 24. It signifies an ignominious expulsion Hell concludes That he was cast out of the sight of God The sense of his sin and of Gods anger and wrath was so eminent and transcendent upon him that it even distracts him and makes him speak like a despairing soul I am cast out from the presence of the Lord I am expulsed out of Gods sight as Moses was expulsed out of Egypt God hath cast me out as one in whom he can take no pleasure nor delight as a Husband
doth a Wife that hath been false and unfaithful to him and yet Gods heart and love is so set upon Jonah that he will save him by a miracle rather then he shall not be saved Jonah was much in the heart of God and God made his faith at last victorious To these I shall adde some other famous instances In King James his time there was one Mistress Honiwood of Kent an ancient and religious Gentlewoman who lived many years in much horror and terror of Conscience for want of assurance of the favor of God and of her eternal wel-being She would very often cry out She was damned she was damned Several men of eminent piety and parts left no means unattempted whereby her doubts might be answered her conscience pacified and her soul satisfied and cheared yet she being strongly under the power of despair persisted in crying out O she was damned she was damned When these Gentlemen The truth of this whole story is notoriously known were about to depart she called for a Cup of Wine for them which being brought she drank to one of them a glass of the Wine and as soon as she had done in an extream passion she threw the Venice-glass against the ground saying As sure as this glass will break so surely am I damned The glass rebounded from the ground without any harm which one of the Ministers suddenly caught in his hand and said Behold a miracle from Heaven to confute your unbelief O tempt God no more tempt God no more Both the Gentlewoman and all the company were mightily amazed at this strange accident and all glorified God for what was done and the Gentlewoman by the grace and mercy of God was delivered out of her Hell of despair and was filled with much comfort and joy and lived and died full of peace and assurance Take another instance There lived lately at Tilbury in Essex a Gentleman who was a long time under such an eminent degree of despair that he rejected all comfort that was tendered to him by any hand and would not suffer any to pray with him nay he sent to the Ministers and Christians that lived near him and did desire them that as they would not increase his torments in Hell they would cease praying for him he would not suffer any religious service to be performed in his family though formerly himself was much in the use of them yet God gave him at last such inward refreshings and by degrees filled him with such abundance of heavenly comsorts as he told all that came to him that it was impossible for any tongue to utter or heart to imagine that did not feel them at last God gave him the new name and the white stone that none knows but he that hath it He lived about three quarters of a year enjoying Heaven upon Earth and then breathed out his last in the bosom of Christ Poor I that am but of yesterday have known some that have been so deeply plunged in the gulf of despair that they would throw all the Spiritual Cordials that have been tendered to them against the walls they were strong in reasoning against their own souls and resolved against every thing that might be a comfort and support unto them they have been much set against all Ordinances and Religious Services they have cast off holy Duties themselves and peremptorily refused to joyn with others in them yea they have out of a sense of sin and wrath which hath lain hard upon them refused the necessary comforts of this life even to the overthrow of natural life And yet out of this horrible Pit this Hell upon Earth hath God delivered their souls and given them such manifestations of his grace and favor that they would not exchange them for a thousand worlds O despairing souls despairing souls you see that others whose conditions have been as bad if not worse then yours have obtained mercy God hath turned their Hell into a Heaven he hath remembred them in their low estate he hath pacified their raging consciences and quieted their distracted souls he hath wiped all tears from their eyes and he hath been a well-spring of life unto their hearts Therefore be not discouraged O despairing souls but look up to the Mercy-seat remember who is your Rest and kick no more by despair against the bowels of Divine love Now the second Impediment to 2. Impediment 2 Sam. 14. 19. Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this You know how to apply it assurance is Mens entring into the lists of dispute with Satan about those things that are above their reach as about the Decrees and Counsel of God O by this Satan keeps many precious souls off from assurance since God hath cast him out of paradise and bound him in chains of darkness he will make use of all his skill power and experience to draw men into the same misery with himself and if he cannot prevent their entring at last into paradise above he will labor might and main to make their life a wilderness here below And to this purpose Eorum qua scire nec datur nec fas est docta est ignorantia scientiae appetentis insaniae species Aug. he will busie their thoughts and hearts about the Decrees of God and about their particular elections as whether God hath decreed them to Eternal Happiness or chosen them to Everlasting Blessedness c. That so by this means he may keep them from that desirable assurance that may yeeld beleevers two Heavens a Heaven of joy and comfort here and a Heaven of felicity and glory hereafter It is said of Marcellus the Roman General that he could not be quiet nec victor nec victus neither conquered nor conqueror Such a one is Satan if he be conquered by Faith yet he will be assaying if he conquers he will be roaring and triumphing Satans great design is eternally to ruine souls and where he cannot do that there he will endeavor to discomfit souls by busying them about the secret Decrees and Counsels of God if the soul break thorow his temptations as Davids â— Sam. 24. Worthies did break thorow the Hosts of the Philistims and snap his snares Judg. 15. 13 14. in sunder as Samson did his Cords then his next shift is to engage them in such debates and disputes that neither men nor Angels can certainly and infallibly determine that so he may spoil their comforts when he cannot take away their Crown Now thy wisdom and thy work O doubting soul lieth not in disputing but in believing praying and waiting on God No way to Heaven no way to assurance like this Adam disputes with Satan and falls and loses Paradise Job believes and resists Satan and stands and conquers upon the Dunghil When Satan O trembling soul would engage thee in disputes about this or that say to him Satan Deut. 29. 29. Revealed things belong to me but secret things belong to the
and feeling so much as upon the Scripture therefore let the Word be always the man of thy counsel No way to assurance and joy to settlement and establishment like this If you are resolved to make Sense and Feeling the Judge of your conditions you must resolve to live in fears and lie down in tears The seventh Impediment to Assurance 7. Impediment is Mens remisness carelesness laziness and overliness in Religious Services and in the Exercise of their graces Ah how active and lively are men The active Christian goes to Heaven Alacri animo ac plena fiducia in pursuing after the world but how liveless and unactive in the ways of Grace and Holiness Ah doubting Christians remember this That the promise of Assurance and Comfort is made over not to lazy but laborious Christians not to idle but to active Labor omnia vincit Christians not to negligent but to diligent Christians John 14. 21 22 23. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And he that loveth me shall be loved of Non amat qui non zelat Aug. my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Now Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not to the world Jesus answered and said unto him If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So in that 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Wherefore the rather Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a significant word it signifies all manner of earnestness scriousness and continuance in doing Also it signifies a speedy and swift putting of things in execution give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure For if you do these things ye shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ A lazy Christian shall always want four things viz. Comfort and Content Confidence and Assurance God hath made a separation between Joy and Idleness between Assurance and Laziness and therefore it is impossible for thee to bring these together that God hath put so far a sunder Assurance and Joy are choice Donatives that Christ gives onely to laborious Christians The lazy Christian hath his mouth full of complaints when the active Christian hath his heart full of comforts God would have the hearts of his children to be hot in Religious Services be fervent or seething hot as it is in the Rom. 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies seething hot Original in spirit serving the Lord. That service that hath not heavenly heat that hath not Divine fire in it is no service it is lost service A lazy spirit is always a losing spirit O! Remember lazy Christians that God is a pure act therefore he loves activeness in Religious services Remember the Angels those Princes of Ezek. 1 6. Marth 18. 10. glory are full of life and activity and they always behold the Fathers face in glory Remember he that will finde rich Minerals must dig deep he that Prov. 2. 4 5 6. will be rich must sweat for it he that will taste the Kirnel must crack the shell he that will have the Marrow must break the bone he that will wear the Garland must run the race he that will ride in triumph must get the victory so he that will get Assurance must be active and lively in duty It is onely fervent prayer that is effectual Jam â— 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The working prayer prayer it is onely the working prayer that works wonders in Heaven and that brings down wonderful Assurance into the heart Cold prayers shall never have any warm Answers God will suit his returns to our requests liveless services shall have liveless Answers when men are dull God will be dumb Elias prayed earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He prayed in prayer or as it is in the Greek He prayed in prayer and God answered him Most men have more heat in their brains then in their hearts and services and therefore it is that they walk in darkness that they want assurance Many there be that pray but they do not pray in prayer they are not lively and earnest with God in prayer and therefore Justice shuts out their prayers When one desired to know what kinde of man Basil was there was saith the History presented to him in a dream a Pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one all on a light fire for God Ah lazy doubting Christians were you all on a light fire in hearing in praying c. It would not be long before the Windows of Heaven would be open before God would rain down Manna before he would drop down Assurance into your bosoms My advice to you lazy Christians is this Cease complaining of the want of Assurance and be no more formal slight and superficial in Religious God shot Anastasius the Emperor to death with a thunder-bolt for his lukewarmness saith the Historian services but stir up your selves and put out all your might and strength in holy actions and you shall experimentally finde that it will not be long before you shall have such good news from Heaven as will fill you with joy unspeakable and full of glory The eighth Impediment to Assurance 8. Impediment is Mens living in the neglect of some Ordinance or in the omission Omission of Diet breeds diseases and makes the life uncomfortable yea sometimes a burâ—en to a man So the omission of holy duties and services breeds many fears doubts and questions in the soul about its own sincerity about its interest in Christ about its finding audience and acceptance with God and so makes the life of a Christian very uncomfortable yea a burden to him of some Religious duties they seek Christ in some of his ways but not in all they wait upon him in this and that Ordinance but not in every Ordinance Are there not many doubting souls that wait upon God in hearing the Word of Life and yet neglect and make light of waiting upon Christ in breaking the Bread of Life Are there not many that are very careful daily to perform Family duties and yet are very rarely found in Closet services Some there be that are all ear all for hearing and others there be that are all tongue all for speaking and praying and others there be that are all eye all for believing all for searching all for enquiring into this and that and others there be that are all hand all for receiving the Lords Supper c. And seriously when I consider these things I cease wondering that so many want Assurance and do rather wonder that any obtain Assurance considering how few there be that are conscientious and ingenuous in waiting upon God in every way and service wherein he
Rom. 8. John 14. he is the great Comforter and the onely Sealer up of souls to the day of Redemption If you set him a mourning Eph. 1. 13. by your wilful sinnings that alone can glad you by whom will you be gladed Verily Christians when you turn your back upon the Spirit he will not turn his face upon your souls your vexing of the Spirit will Isai 63. 10. be but the disquieting of your selves Look as all lights cannot make up the want of the light of the Sun so all Creatures cannot make up the want of the testimony of the Spirit Let me speak to you as God once spake to his people in that of Exod. 23. 20 21 This Angel is the Lord Jesus as Expositors do generally agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22 23. Behold sayes God I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in thy way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will Malachi which Hebrew word is here rendered Angel is by transposition of letters Michael as some of the Rabbins have observed not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him â— So I say Behold the Spirit of the Lord that is your guide and guard he also is onely able to make a soul satisfying report of the love and favor of the Father to you therefore as ever you would have assurance beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for if you do by wilful transgressions he will neither comfort you nor counsel you he will neither be a sealing nor a witnessing spirit unto you nay he will raise storms and tempests in your souls he will present to you the Father frowning and your Saviour bleeding and himself as grieving and these sights will certainly rack and torture your doubting souls The Spirit of the Lord is a delicate thing a holy thing a blessed guest that makes every soul happy where he lodges Therefore Epâ—es 4. 30. This phrase is Tropically to be understood The Greek cannot be fully exprest in our tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Spirit the holy of that God To shew the transcendent excellency and glory of the Holy Spirit grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption You will not grieve your guests your friends but courteously and friendly entertain them Why then do you make so little conscience of grieving that holy Spirit that alone can stamp the Image of the Father upon you and seal you up to life and glory Ah Christians the way to assurance is Not to sit down sighing and complaining of the want of assurance but it lies in your eying of the Spirit in your complying with the Spirit in your cleaving to the Spirit in your following of the Spirit in your welcoming of the Spirit and in your honoring and obeying of the Spirit As he said of the sword of Galiah none like to that So I say no mans like to this to gain a wel-grounded Assurance of a mans Happiness and Blessedness And as he said If there be any way to Heaven on horse-back it is by Prayer So I say If there be any way in the world to assurance it is by being fearful to offend and careful to please the Spirit of the Lord whose office it is to witness to poor souls the remission of their sins and the salvation of their souls Fourthly If you would obtain Assurance Means 4. then be sincere be diligent and constant in assuring Ordinances He that will meet the King must wait Isai 64. 5. Revel 2. 1. on him in his walks Christs Ordinances are Christs walks and he that would see the beauty of Christ and taste of the sweetness of Christ and be ravished with the love of Christ must wait at Wisdoms door they Prov. 8. 34 35. must attend Christ in his own appointments and institutions that comfort and assurance that flowes not in thorow the Golden Pipes of the Sanctuary Hos 6. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 24. will not better the soul nor long abide with the soul it will be as the morning dew and as the flower of the field that soon fadeth away I have in the former Discourse shewed at large How the Lord is graciously pleased to cause his love and glory to beam forth upon souls in Ordinances and therefore I shall say no more unto this particular at this time The fifth Means to obtain Assurance Means 5. is wisely and seriously to observe What gift of God there is in thee that brings thee within the compass of the promises of eternal mercy Now let the gift be this or that if it be a gift that brings thee within the compass of the promise of Eternal Mercy that gift is an infallible evidence of thy Salvation For the better and further opening of this Truth premise with me these two things First No man can have any sure evidence to himself of his Happiness and Blessedness from absolute promises Absolute promises do not describe to whom Salvation and all Eternal Isai 42. 6. 49. 8. Joel 2. 28. Ezek. 36. 26 27. Jere. 32. 40. Heb. 8 10 11 12. Isai 23. 25. Blessings do belong the promise of giving Christ of giving the Spirit of giving a new heart and of pardoning and blotting out sin are all absolute promises Now God is free to make good these to whom he pleases therefore he often steps over the rich and chuses the poor the learned and chuses the ignorant the 1 Cor. 1. 25 26 27 28 29. strong and chuses the weak the noble and chuses the ignoble the sweet nature and chuses the rugged nature c. That no flesh may glory and that all may shout out Grace Grace Secondly Though no man can have any sure evidence of his Happiness and Blessedness from absolute promises because absolute promises do not describe the persons to whom Salvation and all Eternal Blessings do belong yet absolute promises are of most choice and singular use First In that they discover to us that our Salvation is onely from Free-grace and not from any thing in us or done by us Secondly They are a most sure and glorious foundation for the very worst of sinners to stay their filthy guilty wearied burdened perplexed souls upon seeing that God looks not for any peny or peniworth for Isai 55. 1 2. any portion or proportion in the Creature to draw his love but he will justifie pardon and save for his Name sake seeing all the Motives that moves God to shew mercy are in his Deut. 7. 7 8. Psal 68. 18 own bosom seeing they are all within doors there is no reason why the vilest of sinners should sit down and say There is no hope there is no help Thirdly Absolute promises may and doubtless often are choice Cordials to many precious souls who happily have lost the
They know that it is not their profession but living up to their principles that will effectually stop the mouths and convince the consciences of vain men 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the Will of God that by wel-doing that is by living up to your own principles you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men There is no such way in the world to still and silence wicked men to make them dumb and speechless to muzzle and tie up their mouths as the Greek word notes as by living up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to your own principles The lives of men convince more strongly then their words the tongue perswades but the life commands thirdly They know by living up to their principles they cast a general glory upon Christ and Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. his ways This makes Christ and his ways to be well thought on and well spoke on fourthly They know that the ready way the onely way to get 2 Pet. 1 5. to 13. and keep Assurance Joy Peace c. is to live up to their principles fifthly They know that by their living below their own principles or contrary to their own principles they do but gratifie Satan and provoke wicked men to blaspheme that worthy Name by which they are called They know Jam. 2. 7. The very Heathen as Salvian observes did thus reproach Christians that walked contrary to their principles Where is that good law which they do believe they read and hear the holy Scriptures and yet are drunk and unclean they follow Christ and yet disobey Christ they profess a Holy Law and yet do lead impure lives that by their not living up to their own principles they do but multiply their own fears and doubts and put a sword into the hand of Conscience and make sad work for future Repentance Now these and such like Considerations do exceedingly stir and provoke Believers to labor with all their might to live up to their own principles to get to the very top of Holiness to be more and more a pressing towards the mark and to think that nothing is done till they have attained to the highest perfections that are attainable in this life It is true many Hypocrites may go up some rounds of Jacobs Ladder such as make for their Gen. 28. 12. profit pleasure applause c. and yet tumble down at last to the bottom of Hell as Judas and others have done Hypocrites do not look nor like nor love to come up to the top of Jacobs Ladder to the top of Holiness as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees and all other Hypocrites that the Scripture speaks of Thirdly It is their greatest desire and endeavor that sin may be cured rather then covered Sin most afflicts a gracious soul David cryes not perii Psal 51. out peccavi not I am undone but I have done foolishly Daniel complains Dan. 9. 5. not we are reproached and oppressed but we have rebelled Paul cryes not Rom. 7 23. If a Snake should sting thy dearly beloved Spâ—use to deaâ—h wouldst thou preserve it alive warm it at the fire hug it in thy bosom and not rather stab it wâ—th a thousand wounds You are wise and know how to apply it out of his Persecutors but of the law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde A gracious soul grieves more that God by his sin is grieved and dishonored then that for it he is afflicted and chastned The heart feeling within her the operation of the Serpents poyson runs from the thorns and thickets and runs over he green and pleasant Pastures that she may drink of the Fountain and be cured So gracious souls being sensible of the poyson and venom of sin runs from the Creatures that are but as thorns and thickets and runs over their own duties and righteousness which are but as pleasant Pastures to come to Christ the Fountain of Life that they may drink of those Waters of Consolation of those Wells of Salvation that be in him and cast up and cast out their spiritual poyson and be cured for ever Believers know that their sins do most pierce and grieve the Lord they lie hardest and heaviest Amos 2. 13. upon his heart and are most obvious to his eye The sin of Judah is written Jere. 17. 1. with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond their sins are When Brutus went to stab Julius Caesar he cried out What thou my sen Brutus c. So may God well cry out what thou my Son what wilt thou stab me wâ—th thy sins is it not enough that others stab my honor but wilâ— thou my Son against beams of strongest light they are against the bowels of tenderest mercy they are against the manifestations of greatest love they are against the nearest and dearest relations they are against the choicest and highest expectations And this makes believing souls cry out O a cure Lord a cure Lord O give me purging grace give me purging grace though I should never taste of pardoning mercy yet give me purging grace It was a notable Speech of Câ—smus Duke oâ— â—lorence I have read saith he that I must forgive my enemies but never that I must forgive my friends The sins of Gods friends of Gods people provoke him most and sad him most and this makes them sigh and groan it out Who shall deliver us from this body of death O but now wicked men labor not that sin may be cured but onely that sin might be covered and that the consequents of sin viz. Afflictions and the stingings Hosea 7. 10. to ult of Conscience may be removed as you may see in Cain Saul Judas and divers others In their affliction they Hosea 5. 14 15. will seek me early saith God they wâ—ll then seek to be rid of their affliction but not to be rid of their sins that hath brought down the affliction upon them Like the patient that would fain be rid of his pain and torment under which he groans but cares not to be rid of those evil habits that hath brought the pain and torment Sin doth ill in the eye worse in the tongue worser in the heart but worst of all in the life upon them Psal 78. 34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the High God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant In these words Ah England England as face answers faee so doth thy carriâ—ge towards God answer the carriage of these people whose baseness and falseness God hath put upon record to this very day c. you see plainly that these people are very early and earnest in
all the world yea Ten thousand worlds When the Spanish Ambassador boasted that his Master was King of such a place and of such a place and of such a place c. The French Ambassador answered My Master is King of France K. or France K. of France signifying thereby that France was as much or more worth then all the Kingdoms under the power of the King of Spain Ah Christians when the men of the world shall cry out O their riches O their honors O their preferments c. You may well cry out O Assurance Assurance Assurance there being more real worth and glory in that then is to be found in all the wealth and glory of the world therefore do not envy the outward prosperity and felicity of worldly men c. Thirdly If God hath given you Use 3 Assurance then give no way to slavish fears fear not the scorn and reproaches of men Fear not wants God will Saul had but five pence to give the Seer the Seer after much good chear gives him freely the Kingdom 1 Sam. 9. 8. 10. 1. So God deals with his not deny him a crust to whom he hath given a Christ he will not deny him a crumb upon whom he hath bestowed a Crown he will not deny him a less mercy upon whom he hath bestowed Assurance which is the Prince of mercies Fear not death for why shouldst thou fear death that hast Assurance of a better life c. Fourthly If God hath given you a Use 4 wel-grounded Assurance of your Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness then question his love no more God doth not love to have his love at every turn called in question by those that he hath once assured of his love He doth expect that as no sin of ours doth Psal 89. 30 31 32 33 34 35. Jere. 31. 3. make any substantial alteration in his affections to us so none no not his sharpest dispensations should make any alteration in our thoughts and affections towards him Fifthly and lastly If God hath given Use 5 Eccles 9. 8. Revel 3. 4. Matth. 5. 16. Vive ut vivas Live that thou mayest live Live in such sort saith Periander King of Corinth that thou mayest have honor by thy life and that after thy death men may account thee happy you Assurance then live holily live angelically keep your garments pure and white walk with an even foot be shining lights Your Happiness here is your Holiness and in Heaven your highest Happiness will be your perfect Holiness Holiness differs nothing from Happiness but in name Holiness is Happiness in the bud and Happiness is Holiness at the full Happiness is nothing but the quintessence of Holiness The more holy any man is the more the Lord loves him John 14. 21 23. Augustine doth excellently observe in his Tract on John the first and the 14. That God loved the humanity of Christ more then any man because he was Grace and Truth then any man The Philosopher could say That God was but an empty name without vertue so are all our professions without Holiness Holiness is the very marrow and quintessence of Ille non est bonus qui non vnlt esse melior The loose walking of many Christians was as Salvian complains made by the Pagans the reproach of Christ himself saying If Christ had taught holy doctrine surely his followers had led better lives all Religion Holiness is God stamped and printed upon the Soul it is Christ formed in the Heart it is our Light our Life our Beauty our Glory our Joy our Crown our Heaven our All. The holy Soul is happy in Life and blessed in Death and shall be transcendently glorious in the Morning of the Resurrection when Christ shall say Lo here am I and my holy Ones who are my Joy Lo here am I and my holy Ones who are my Crown and therefore upon the Heads of these holy Ones will I set an Immortal Crown Even so Amen Lord Jesus FINIS Imprimatur Joseph Caryl ERRATA PAge 7. Margent adde can be p. 37. Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 41. Marg. r. opera p. 56. l. 4. adde a p. 60. l. 13. r. done p. 67. l. 5. adde a l. 11. r. preparations pag. 80. l. 28. r. let p. 103. Marg. r. crux p. 110. l. 12. r. cheared p. 113. l. 25. dele of p. 115. l. 3. adde the p. 117. l. 21. r. renewing p. 135. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 138. Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 144. l 5. r. liveless p. 152. l. 22. r. foiling p. 159. r. infinite p. 162. l. 2. dele the p. 164. l. 2. adde that p. 184. l. 20. r. doubled p. 186. l. 18. dele a p. 230. l 4. r. spittle p. 258. l. 22. r. daring p. 275. Marg. r. affectibus p. 276. Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 279. l. 28. r. means p. 304. l. 15. r. him p. 318. Marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 334 l. 11. r. coveting p. 344. Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 363. Marg. r. mediatum p. 404. l. 21. add as p. 436. l. 5. r. if There is another Book lately published by Mr. Thomas Brooks entituled Pretious Remedies against Satans Devices or Salve for Believers and Unbelievers sores being a Companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ that slight or neglect Ordinances under a pretence of living above them that are growing in Spirituals or decaying that are tempted or deserted c. Sold by John Hancock at the entring into Popes-head Alley