por ion in them and not bee transformed to a spirituall state and frame of soule to love and delight in holy things and to despise that which is contrary And when he is in such a state what is all the world to him What cares he for riches or pleasures or honours when the soule sees incomparable better things Whom have I in heaven but thee and what doe I desire on earth in comparison of thee saith David When hee had a little meditated of the vanity of earthly things and saw the goodnesse of God to his children It is good for mee to draw neere unto God It is a speech of conviction the soule is convinced that it is good and best to draw neare to God in holy meanes and in holy duties to keep close to him and then it cries out whom have I in heaven but thee Therefore let us never rest in such a knowledge of holy things as doth not convince us of the goodnesse of them and of our interest in them so farre as may draw and worke upon our affections to imbrace those things When we finde our hearts and affections wrought on that holy things as they are excellent in themselves so they have an answerable place in our hearts that as they are holy and high and best so they have a high place in our hearts then a man is in the estate of a Christian or else a man may very well doubt of his estate when he can heare of heaven and happinesse and of the excellency of the children of God that they are heires of heaven c. and his heart bee not affected with these things he may well question himselfe doe I believe these things here are rich and precious promises but where is my precious faith to close with and to imbrace these things doe I believe them If Idoe how is it that I am no more affected with them and so let us stand in the meditation of the excellencies of Religion so long till our hearts be affected and warmed with them This will follow affections a desire to thinke oft of them as David joynes both together Oh! how doe I love thy law it is my meditation continually That that a man loves hee oft thinks of that stirres up love and love makes him oft consider of it and when it is thus with a man hee is in such 〈◊〉 condition as these holy Patriarchs fit to live and die by his faith They saw them and were perswad of them and imbraced them Therefore I say we may know whether we have this spirituall light whether wee have true faith or no if we have these imbracings if wee be so perswaded of them that wee imbrace them with delight and desire and love and joy if we make choyse of them and esteeme them highly and cleave constantly to that which is revealed to us then it is a divine light and perswasion because wee imbrace them Certainely there is nothing in religion divine unlesse the affections bee carried with it True faith carries the whole soule to whole Christ out of a mans whole selfe It carries the understanding to see and the will to chuse and to cleave it carries the affections to joy and delight and love it carries all Therefore those that when holy things 〈◊〉 discovered they have not a high esteem of them that they priâ—…e them not above earthly things that they cleave not to them with a disesteeme of other things that they joy not in them as their best portion that they doe not imbrace them there is no true faith at all for where there is true faith there is this imbracing God hath made the soule as I said for these heavenly things and when the soule and they close together there is a sweet imbracing then the soule is raysed above it selfe the soule is quieted and stilled and satisfied There is nothing in the world else will better the soule but the imbracing of these things nothing else will beautifiâ—… and adorne the soule in Godâ—… sight our soules are made forthem our desires are made to imbrace them our love and oâ—… joy to delight in them our wills to cleave to them and â—…ke choyse of them above other things We abuse our soules they are not made 〈◊〉 close and graspe with the world they are noâ—… made for thâ—…se things that are baseâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selves we abase our soules A coveâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himselfe wo sethan â—…is 〈◊〉 he is called the world because hee hath nothing in him better than the world If we imbrace Christ and the promises of salvation the things of anotherlife the imbracing of these rayseth the soule to bee excellent like the things and it doth 〈◊〉 and rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the heavic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middle pâ—…int of the earth and light bodies rest 〈◊〉 to their 〈◊〉 So the soule it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith resting in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule â—…rying it to the thing it is made for 〈◊〉 these holy men in all the â—…yles and 〈◊〉 bles of tho world in all confusions thâ—… soules of these blessed 〈◊〉 rested in Christ. We may say of all earthly things as 〈◊〉 hath this sentence of them Micah 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence here is not your rest so we may say to the soule concerning riâ—…hes and honours and friends here is 〈◊〉 yours rest You were not made to imbrace and to cleave to these things Our rest is in Christ and in the good things we have by him These good 〈◊〉 imbraced him with their whole soule This shewes that many men have not faith they know not what it meanes Where there is trâ—…e faith there is alway love and joy and delight in the things believed it carries the soule with it In what measure we apprehend the goodnesse of a thing in that measure our love is to it In what measure wee apprehend the greatnesse and fitnesse of a thing in that measure our affections are carried to it The understanding reports it to the affections of love and liking and they are naturally carried to that which the soule makes report of to bee usefull the understanding makes them follow it therfore it is a signe our understandings are not perswaded our eyes are not opened when wee love not good persons and good things when wee cleave not to them above all things Those that do not imbrace and cleave in their will and affections to good things let them say what they will they doe not believe If there were but a light conjecture in men if there were but a guessing that there were such a happinesse and that there were such horrible â—…orments for sinners that live in sinne they would live otherwise then they doe Therefore deadnesse in the affections discovers Atheisme in the judgment and heart it shewes there is unbeliefe for how is it possible that a man
love is discovered to us the more we shall love him Therefore let us be constant in attending upon good meanes we shall alway heare something that will either strengthen our faith in the promises of God or shew us our duty to God againe we shall have something discovered whereby the spirit will bee effectuall to help this imbracing Let us go to reading and hearing with this scope and intention Now I come to heare I come to have my soule wrought on I come to heare some message from heaven to heare some good thing to draw my minde from the world and worldly things and upon hearing our duty to God to walke lowly in thankefulnesse for those good things that wee have and that wee hope for in another world It is no wonder that men lose their affections that are carelesse in the use of meâ—…nes and if they loose them will they not loose all The best man living if he be care lesse in using the meanes of salvation and give himselfe to the world altogether or to his calling things not in themselves unlawfull his affections will be dead he shal loose them for God hath ordained that our affections should be quickned by heavenly meanes and GOD knoweth better than wee our selves that hath sanctified these meanes to this purpose In attending upon the meanes we shall heare a discovery of good things and heare comforts and have our light strengthened by new discovery of new Scripture or by old Scriptures lively applyed something to increase the life of our perswasion at every Sermon and reading good bookes and by every good company and that which increaseth knowledge and perswasion makes our affection and imbracing stronger I beseech you let us take these courses or else all is to no purpose the maine thing in religion is the will and affections and when the wil and affections are wrought on the worke is done in the matter of grace And there is no other way to know whether the former worâ—… of the understanding and perswasion bee effectuall and to purpose or no but this to know whether the will choose and cleave to good things and whether our affections joy and delight in them there is the tryall of the maine worke The worke indeed is especially in the judgment when it heares soundly and supernaturally of the ills that are to bee avoyded and of the good things that are to be imbraced buâ—… where is the tryall of the judgement but when it carries the whole soule with it when it carries the sterne of the soule with it Now that which is immediate to our soules is our affection of joy and delight and the the like Therefore let us take to heart these things and never think we are any thing in religion till our hearts and affections be wrought upon till our knowledge be such as may sway that whole inward man Againe consider the excellency of these good things that we have discovered to us in the Gospell that are the object of our imbracing together with the necessity of them that without them we are wretched creatures there is no hope for us Let us every day consider what ground of hope wee have though the things be not yet possest whether the things be true that we hope for whether they bee confirmed to be true or no and how we rest on them for let things be never so excellent and necessary unlesse the soule conceive of them as things attainable as things belonging to us all is to no purpose this effect of imbracing will not bee wrought in the soule Therefore consider more and more the hopefulnes of them that may help this imbracing A Christian when he believes and hopes for that happines that shall be revealed to him the things promised what a world of grounds of hope hath he for it hee hath the word of God for an inheritance immortall and 〈◊〉 he hath the will of Christ Father I will thâ—… where I am they may bee Ioh. 17. his prayer to his father is his will and his will must be performed for he lives for ever to make good his own legacy to his Church And he is now in heaven preparing that happinesse for us that we so imbrace with faith And he hath left us here his spirit to be a pledge that he will come againe he hath left his spirit and hath taken our flesh to heaven to strengthen our hope that this shall follow Our flesh is in heaven in him already and his spirit is in earth in 〈◊〉 as a mutuall depositum in trust betweene him and us and all to strengthen the hope of that happinesse that is reserved Besides the Seale of the Sacrament the end of which is to cherish hopefulnesse of Christ and of all the good we have by him His oath is added to his promise that all things might be immutable and unchangeable of the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting c. Now especially when we find our hearts 〈◊〉 sinke downward and not to have that life 〈◊〉 they should have by meditating on these things of their excellency and necessitie and to conceive in Scripture the grounds of hope of them it will quicken us Adde likewise for our owne interest what worke of the spirit we have and then what singular promises we have that where GOD hath begun he will make an end For why is the worke of the spirit called an earnest but that God will make good the bargaine Consider what worke of the spirit we have for whatsoever is spirituall is eternall in a man what joy is spirituall what love is spirituall what knowledge is spirituall it shall be made up in perfection it shall never be taken away See then how the spirit seales us by the worke of it and what earnest wee have in peace of conscience and the work of it This will cherrish hope for that is part of this imbracing to imbrace them with faith and hope And this should be a daily course to work upon the affections to estrange them from all things and from the meditation of all things else And as I said before to consider the love of God to us and to love him again And consider likewise the hopefulnesse of good things that nothing in the world is so made good to us as the things of a better life the things of grace and glory And God hath borrowed from all assurance amongst men terms to shew the assurance of the good things we have in hope and faith The pledge of the spirit the earnest of the spirit the seale of the spirit the witnesse of the spirit What termes are there used among men that may confirme any thing that you have not used to strengthen this supernaturall assurance of these supernaturall good things GOD herein succours our weakenesse knowing how prone we are to call these things into question And consider especially our owne unworthinesse our vilenesse and basenesse that we deserve none of
should not be carried in his affections to a good that he is perswaded of and how is it possible he should not loath ill and dest 〈◊〉 things If he were perswaded that hell were such as it is and that these courses lead to hell and destruction and estrange him from the favour of God whose loving kindnesse is better then life it self if men were perswaded of 〈◊〉 things in any strength their soules would not be affected as they are Therefore if wee would know whether nature be corrupted or no we may do it by this You have some men that are conceited especially when they are in their ruffe and have all things plenty Divines talke much of the corruption of nature and such things they think all is well O! but do but lay these things together the excellency of the things promised and the terrour of the things threaâ—…ed and our â—…ndisposition to these things in regard of perswasion that we live as if we did not think these things to be true What a disposiâ—…on oâ—… soule is that that cals divine truths into question To believe the lies of our owne hearts and the temptations of the devill and the world that lies in mischiefe before the 〈◊〉 ved truth of GOD it selfe that is sealed 〈◊〉 the oath of God And yet the heart of man 〈◊〉 naturally carried to believe these things moâ—… than God himselfe Witnesse the lives of meâ—… who have dead carâ—… base affections 〈◊〉 regard of heavenly things they shew 〈◊〉 they are not perswaded of them notwithstanding all the sweete arguments and perswasions that the Scripture hath They doe not professe that they call them in question yet they live as if they made no doubt that they are all false It is a folly not to believe those things that are sealed by so many evidences as divine things are but it is more desperate folly to live as if wee did not believe them at all If these things were digested they would make us out of love with our owne naturall estate and to labour for a spirit of faith to perswade our soules both that those things are so indeed that God hath revealed and to get assured perswasion of our part and interest in them Indeed a dead faith is no faith at all it is the effect of the whole Epistle of S. Iames that it is no faith that is dead it doth not worke upon the heart and affections nor the life and conversation a dead faith is no faith at all Let us shame our selves therefore Lord doe I professe I see things above nature that I see Christ in heaven and see my selfe there and do I professe that I am perswaded that the word of God is true and am I no more affected where is my love where is my joy where is my comfort doth my heart runne after other things that professe my selfe to bee perswaded of better things Let us never rest but bee angry and wroth with our hearts and affections for they are made for these promises our precious faith is made to imbrace precious promises and to carry the whole soule to them And let us helpe this with complaining of our selves and with prayer Lord thou hast discovered excellent things in thy word and hast perswaded me Lord open my heart the heart is thy throne the heart and will and affections thou dealest with especially Lord incline my heart inlarge my heart The LORD hath promised in the new covenant to teach our bowels to love Lord teach my heart to love thee Thou hast opened my understanding to conceive holy things or else I had never beene able to understand thee and thy truth teach my bowels also to love teach them to cleave to the things take off my love my joy and delight from earthly things and plant them where they should be inlarge them the right way fill my heart with thy selfe as thou hast made it for thy selfe This should be our desire What be the affections wherby the soule imbraceth these good things it is perswaded of The soule imbraceth these things in the affections of faith and hope in the first place for faith is an emptiegrace in it selfe it is carried to somewhat out of it selfe that it imbraceth and layeth hold on and hope is with faith alway Together with the work of faith and hope there is a sanctifyed affection of the imbracing soule there is a love of the things promised which is imbracing and a love of the meanes and likewise joy and delight in them expressed by thankfulnesse As you see the Patriarchs in the story of Genesis when God discovered holy things to them aâ—…resh that he would give them the land of Canaan and the Messias to come and all that happinesse there was thankfulnesse presently they built Altars to God And which alway accompanies thankfulnesse humility As Abraham Genesis 17. 3. downe he falls when God made him such a large promise he fals downe on his face as if he were unworthy of such a thing so this disposition alway accompanies a soule that imbraceth together with faith and hope that leads the affections after them there is love expressed in a constant obedience and care of duty to God many wayes As it is an affection that will not bee concealed And joy and delight with thankfulnesse and humility considering the excellency of the things and our unworthinesse that we cannot but have this disposition alway thankfulnes and humility And likewise contentment to end our dayes a disposition that followes imbracing in faith for where imbracing of faith and love is in an imperfectestate there will be joy when that comes that makes way to full imbracing that is in heaven it selfe as Simeon rejoyced when hee imbraced Christ in his armes what did the old man thinke we when he came to heaven when Christ and he met there And Abraham rejoyced to see CHRISTS day with the eye of faith and likewise imbraced it with faith and that wrought joy What did Abraham then when he came to heaven when he see all ended there I say death that makes way to full enjoyning and imbracing in this very respect it is not only patiently entertained of Gods children but comfortably as letting them in to the good things that they esteeme above all the world besides to the possession of Christ to heaven and happinesse Let us consider of these things To come to direct us a little about this imbracing in faith and hope and love and joy and the whole soule when the soule as it were goes out to the things wee are perswaded of How shall this be wrought upon the soule This imbracing wee see it followes upon perswasion and perswasion followes seeing they saw them farre off and were perswaded of them and thereupon they imbraced them Therefore let us labour for a cleare understanding of divine things That which the eye sees the heart grieves for in ill and that that
the eye sees the heart imbraceth in good And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer and our perswasion stronger in that measure our imbracing is lovely and full of joy and delight Therefore let us labour to grow in knowledge in supernaturall spirituall knowledge and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more for answerable to that our affections will grow and will be carried to the things discovered And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this that it is a meanes to work a holy and heavenly disposition and temper in us especially if it be spirituall And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of let us dwell upon things still to work them upon the will and affections let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule are these things so doe I know these things and am I perswaded of these things that they are so how is my disposition answerable then am I so affected as I should be is my love so hote and my joy so working and spiritly and quicke as it should or no and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves and to checke our owne soules Alas that I should have such things discovered and that I should see such things in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times And if we find our affections any thing working that wee are disposed to imbrace these things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed together with the excellency of the things themselves to shew us our portion by his holy spirit to enlighten our understandings and to perswade us let us blesse God for this for it is a worke above nature And withall because the soule cannot close with and imbrace these things but it must let loose other things for you know in imbracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe if we would gripe these things in our affection and will we must have them only we must not think to graspe the world and them together the things here below and them together as wee shall see after in that point they accounted themselves strangers to earthly things Therefore this is one way to come to this imbracing to come to the sight of the vanity and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment the insufficiencie of workes and merit and such like in the matter of justification the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall And so in matter of conversation to see the insufficiency and empâ—…nesse and vanity yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and affections what are all to these and effectually thinke so thinke what should draw a mans affections after it beauty or strength consider what will become of these ere long And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body and soule in heaven if we carry our selves as wee should doe and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition let us lay these things together and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other If it be for honour and favour of the world consider the vanity of them and how short a time wee may enjoy them and the things themselves are subject to alteration And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life in death and for ever And so for riches and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left and how the soule is larger then all these things if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have and that our soules that are more large and more excellent they are not made for these things but for better and what use we shal have of better things when these faile the soule being immortall and eternall This will make us let goe earthly things in our affections and hold them in their place in a secondary place as things serviceable in the way to heaven and not to graspe them in our affections for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation And if we would be affected as we should be to good things let us keepe our affections tender and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne that may work feares and doubts for together with sin goes feares and doubts they are bred in sinne naturally therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing oh let us keepe our soules as we keepe our understandings cleare so keepe our affections tender by all meanes and keepe our consciences unspotted that so our affections of joy and delight and love may bee ready prest to good things even to the best things Another way is in particular to meditate of the love of Christ the love of GOD in Christ and of his imbracing of us For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswasion of Gods imbracing of us We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe this imbracing of Christ and heaven it is a mutuall imbracing and it is a second reflexive imbracing wee imbrace God and Christ because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love therefore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections Therefore let us attend upon the meanes upon private reading of the word and upon the ministry for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together they are friends of the Bridegroome to discove CHRISTS love to us and his lovelinesse his lovelinesse in himselfe his riches in himselfe and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST the ministery is for this end especially to draw Christ and the foule together And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it but to discover to us the excellen ciâ—… of Christ and the good things we have by him his love good intention to our soules Now hearing these things in the ministery they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ and Christs love to us God having made our soules for love to himselfe and friendship with himselfe and the nearest and sweetest conjugall friendship now therefore the more his
therfore all Christians are reverent creatures they doe all in feare they passe the whole time of their conversation here in feare they make an end of their salvation with fearâ—… and trembling they enjoy their liberties in feare Saint Iude makes mention of a number of wretched people in his time that eate without feare you may know a man that hath not this grace of God in his heart by his unreverent carriage hee never thinkes of the presence and All-seeing eye of God A Christian that hath God to his God knowes that wheresoever hee is hee is in the eye of heaven therefore he is jealous even of his owne most secret corruptions he knowes that they are lawlesse of themselves and therefore he alwayes sets himselfe in the presence of God he is full of reverence full of feare even in the enjoying of his Christian liberties So likewise for the affection of love if God be thy God thou hast grace given thee to love him above all things with whom God is graciously reconciled he giveth them his Spirit to be reconciled backe againe to him He loveth us and we love him againe for wee are by nature enemies to God as hee is to us there is no wicked man in the world can love God indeed as God is a God that promiseth salvation he loveth him hee would faine have that and therefore would faine be in his favour but hee cannot love God as he is in all respects but he hateth him and hee hateth his children hee trifleth with his name by oaths and blasphemy and the like hee scorned God hee wisheth that there were no God can this man say that God is his God when he doth not carry himselfe backe againe to him in his affection as his God no such matter he is Gods enemie and God is his enemie So if God be our God if hee have set his love upon us wee cannot but love him againe if hee be reconciled to us wee are reconciled to him This is a sure signe that God is our God if we love him above all Now that may be knowne if wee be zealous when God is dishonored any way for whatsoever we make our God wee will not endure to have touched if a man make his lust his God if that be touched hee is all in a chafe when that which a man loveth is touched experience shews it hee is presently all on a fire And here the best Christians have cause to be abased hath God their love when they can heare him disgraced and his name abused without being greatly mooved and yet notwithstanding in the meane time will not endure their owne credit to be touched but they are as I said all on a fire where there is no zeale there is no love certainely when vvee can heare Gods children misused and Religion indangered and profession scoffed at c. and yet not be affected nor cannot take Gods cause to heart this is great fault in our love And so for joy and delight wee make God our God when we joy in him above all things in the world when wee make him our boast all the day long as it is Psalm 44. 8. when we make him our glory as he is called our Glory in Ierem. 2. 11. They changed their glory God is our glory if hee be our God wee count it our chiefest glory that we are his that he is ours whatsoever our estates be we glory in God and not in our selves a Christian when he would joy and glory hee goeth out of himselfe to God He is his joy But doe not men joy in the creature and delight in it ofttimes more then in God It is a great shame for us and that for which even the best of us all may be abased to consider what a deale of delight and comfort wee take in the creature more then in God We see Ionah a good man when his Gourd was taken from him that God raised up to be a shelter for him a poore simple defence it was and yet we see how pettish the good man was all the comfort he had could not keepe him from anger and fretting when the Gourd was gone and yet God was his God So many men whereas they should joy in God above all things yet if God take outward comforts from them they are as if there were no God in heaven no comfort there as if there were no providence to rule theworld as if they â—…ad no Father in covenant with them I say this is a great shame for us Againe if God be our God wee will trust in him relye and depend upon him above all things for whatsoever our trust is most in that is our God now if our conscience tell us that wee trust most in God more then in wealth or friends and will not to displease God please any man it is a signe that we have make God our God because we trust in him And surely if we would examine our selves the best of us all it would bring us on our knees make our faces be confounded to consider what a deale of Atheisme there is in our hearts though we are not altogether Atheists yet what a deale there is that must be mortified and subdued For if an honest man and that we know is faithfull should say to us I will be yours I will take upon me to provide for you to defend you to protect you to stand by you against all adversaries wee beleeve and hope that hee will doe it but doe we so to God hath he our trust and affiance Alas no so farre forth I meane as wee are not subdued to God a Christian indeed in some measure is inabled to make God his trust and confidence but there remaines abundance of Atheisme even in the best of us If God be our God why doe we not trust in him depend upon him for all things depend upon him for protection and deliverance from all ill spirituall ill specially from sin Satan hell and wrath depend upon him for all good the good of grace specially for the change of our nature and the forgivenesse of our sinnes for spirituall priviledges adoption and sonneship for the inheritance of heaven c. It is a signe I say that God is our God when wee trust in him above all the world and trust other things onely from him and for him I will trust man but man may deceive me I will not trust him therefore with an absolute confidence no that were to make a God of him What is the reason that God confoundeth proud men at last David shewes the reason this man he tooke not the Lord for his God when men will in contempt of Religion set up themselves and somewhat else to relye on besides God God at the last brings it to passe that the world shall note them out this man trusted in his greatnesse he trusted in his policy in his wit in his friends this man tooke not the Lord for
his God Againe if we make God our God we may know it by our obedience especially by the obedience of the inward man when the inward man is vowed to God when a man yeeldeth inward obedience to God it is a signe that God is his God when a man can araigne his thoughts and desires before God when lusts rise in his heart contrary to the Spirit he checks them presently this becommeth not those that are Gods it beseemeth not those that walke after God that have Gods Spirit for their leader therefore he is ashamed presently of base tentations A Christian can performe the first and last Commandements which are the most spirituall Commandements hee can make God his God in his affections his affections are placed upon him alone as I have shewed before he can yeeld up all his inward affections of feare and love and joy and such like unto God which is the summe of the first Commandement and hee can be content not to have his lusts rage and range suppresses his very thoughts and desires will not suffer any thing to rise in his heart unchecked and uncountrouled which is the summe of the tenth Commandement I meane he can doe it in some measure And there is a inward passive obedience too It is God as David and other Saints said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes I am Gods and he shall dispose of me the soule that knoweth God to be his God hath an inward obedience of contentation with his estate God is my portion and it is large enough the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof therefore I will be content to be at his disposing whether it be more or lesse and if any murmuring arise in his heart against God in respect of his estate or otherwise he presently suppresseth it as being contrary to the blessed government that a Christian is under that should resigne his whole soule unto God Thus by our affections by the tryall of them wee may know whether God be our God if wee give him the affections of the heart which Religion most stands in when we make the whole inward man stoope and bow and bend unto him when we make him our King and give him the supremacy when we set the Crowne upon his head when hee hath our feare our joy and delight our love our trust I meane when he hath the supreame of all for we may love man as God deriveth good to us by him and so for the rest but God must be supreme others must be loved and feared c. in him and for him but hee chiefely when wee depend upon him for all deliverance out of ill and for all good and shew our dependance on him by our subjection to him in all his wayes by our yeelding to him obedience answerable to all this and especially when we shall shew it by performing inward worship to him when we walke before him pefectly sincerely as it is in the beginning of this Chapter I am God All-sufficient walke before me and be perfect By this we may know that God is our God I need not enlarge it the practise of the first Commandement will teach us what is our God whatsoever we give the supremacy of the inward man to whatsoever we love most whatsoever wee trust most whatsoever we feare most whatsoever we joy and delight most whatsoever wee obey most that is our God I am the Lord thy God in the first Commandement there is the ground what followes Thou shalt have no other Gods but me that is thou shalt love nothing in the world nor feare nothing nor trust in nothing nor joy in nothing more then me no nor with me but all things else thou shalt trust them and feare them c. in me and for me otherwise what is our love is our God what is our trust is our God what is our greatest feare is our God if wee feare man feare him to doe ill man is our God if we love the creature or sinne that is our God if wee cracke our consciences for wealth the covetous mans wealth is his God if wee cracke our consciences for pleasures or for our bellies our pleasures and our bellies and our lusts are our God we make not God our God except we give him the supremacy of the inward man But to proceed and to come to some few familiar signes more that will try us though these may try us in the intercourse that is betweene God and us Whosoever hath God for their God they have the spirit of supplication prayer to cry unto God to run unto him specially in extremity all Gods children have the spirit of adoption to crie Abba Father they have the spirit to give them boldnesse to God when otherwise their nature and likewise trouble joyning with nature and tentations would make them runne from God yet the Spirit of God in them makes them bold to goe to God in Jesus Christ Gods children that are in Covenant vvith him can at all times pray to God if they cannot pray they can chatter and sigh to God there is somewhat they can doe there is a spirit in them that groaneth and sigheth as Rom. 8. and God heareth the voyce of his owne Spirit they are cryes in his eares My groanes and sighs are not hid from thee saith the Psalmist The spirit of supplication vvill shevv God to be our God because if he vvere not ours vvee could not be bold to goe to him in the time of extremity especially this signe you have in the 13. Zach. last They shall call upon my name and I will heare them they shall be my people and I will be their God Invocation prayer is a signe that God is our God vvhen vvee goe to God presently in all our vvants and necessities by prayer Pharaoh and reprobate spirits say to Moses pray you for me but as for a spirit of supplication in themselves they have not they may speake of prayer but they cannot pray whosoever is Gods he can crie to God a child wee know the first voyce it uttereth as soone as it is borne it cryes so Gods new borne children they can crie unto God Paul in the 9. Acts you shall find him praying as soone as ever he was coverted and certainely those that use not to pray morning and evening and upon all occasions that acquaint not themselves with God God is not their God if he were their God they would seeke to him and be acquainted with him the Spirit will teach them to goe unto God as to a Father Againe wee may know that God is our God by this by our separating from all others in our selves and out of our selves there is a separation in our selves for there is the first separation God whose God hee is hee giveth them his Spirit and that like fire severeth the drosse and gathered the sold together and as heate in the body that severeth
the knowledge of being in a good estate 1 To humble us Quest. Answ. How to know Gods children in losse of assurance Psalme 73. Vsually Gods children have particular perswasion Quest. Answ. If perswasion be not supernaturall 1 There will not be obedience 2 No holding out 3 No fruitfulnes Quest. Answ. Perswasion wrought by the spirit Quest. Answ. How the spirit perswades The manner of working this perswasion 1. Sweetly 2. strongly A strong work to perswade the soule Deut. 29. Use. To labour for spirituall perswasion 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. To begge the spirit Luke 11. Use. To desire God to perswade us God perswades with enlightning Evidence that we are not perswaded Faith makes much of what it hath Imbracing followes perswasion Triall of our estate by imbracing 2. Branches of faith To trie our està te by our affections Faith carries the whole soule The soule made for heavenly things Love of earthly things abaseth the soule What quiets the soule Micah 2. Want of faith scene by want of affections How to know nature is corrupted To shame our selves in want of affections To pray for affections Quest. Answ. What affections imbrace good things Gen. 17. 3. Quest. Answ. How this imbracing is wrought 1. By supernaturall knowledge To let goe other things Keepe the affections tender To meditate of Gods love in Christ. The excellency and necessitie of the good we hope for The hopefulnesse of them Iohn 17. Case Sol. Why the affections of Gods children are somtimes dead Scope of the words Difference betweene pilgrims and strangers Doct. Gods people strangers on earth Christians borne anew from heaven Heaven a Christians Country 1 Chron. 29. 15. August Christ a stranger on earth Iohn 1. We must have affection of strangers The Patriarchs strangers 1. In their owne esteeme Psal. 39. 12. 2. In Gods esteeme 3. In the worlds esteeme Object Answ. Wicked men how strangers here The carriage oâ—… him that is a stranger 1. He is going toward his country 2. Hee is contented Jerem. 45. 3. Patient 4. Thankefull The way to heaven smoother to some 5. He is glad of company 6. They minde their journies end 7. Though he step out of his way he comes in againe 8. He provides for all incumbrances 9. Inquires of the way 10. He useth things as they may help in his journey Indifferent things Apparent sins I Peter 2. 11. Hâ—… values not himselfe by outward things Dependance of the words A Christian dead how Life of a Christian hidden Psal 73. 7. Object Answer Question Answer 2 Cor. 4. Question Answer Iohn 17. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rom. 8. Quest. Answer 1 Cor. 15. Quest. Answer Simile 1 Tim. 6. 13. 2 1 Pet. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Simile Simile Simile Iohn 14. 1. Quest. Answer Revel 1. Act. 9. 1 Cor. 15. Rom. 5. 1. Quest. Answer Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Observ. 1. The righteous die as well as the wicked Vse 1. To improoveâ—… the short time of life Vse 2. To use the world moderatly Observ. 2. The soule continues after death Life of the soule double 1 Reason It crosses the desires of the bodie 2 Reason It operates most in the bodies weakenesse 3 Reason It projects for the time to come Vse To use our soules to the end they were given Worldly men out live their happinesse Observ. 3. Great difference between the death of the godly and the wicked 1 The godly happy in life 2 In death 1 In disposition 2 In condition * See the Sermons on Philip 3. 21. 3 After death Three degrees of life Vse Who truly wise Godly mans end what Vse 2. To labour to partake of this happinesse Righteous man who A wicked man may know the happy estate of Gods children Reason 1. To justify God in their condemnation Reason 2. To restraine their malice Degrees of wicked men Vse Not to refuse all that ill men say Vse 2. To go beyond wicked men in our desires Difference of desires in true Christians others 1 They are notâ—… constant 2 They are not from an inward principle 5 They are not growing desires Cant. 1. 6 They are not strong Desires the best character of a christian 7 They desire happines not holinesse Wicked men desire not heaven aright Simile Conviction of such as come short of Balaam Directionshow to have holy desires 1 Beg the spirit of revelation Simile See what hinders good desires To â—…cherish good motions To renewe our covenants Question Answer Quest. Answer Why men want comfort in death Objection Answer When God accepts the will for the deed Objection Answer God leaves not good desires Gal. 2. Zach. 13. Gen 15. 1. Psal. 84. 1. The Arke a figure of Baptism in divers respects 2. Parts of the Text. 2. Parts of Baptisme The Devill carries to extreames Men prone to give too much to outward worship Psal. 50. Isay 1. Isay ult Reason outward performances easie and glorious 2. They dawbe Conscience Vse To performe inward service 2 Tim. 3. Vse 2. Ministers duty Christ the foundation of the Covenant of Grace Observ. There must be somewhat in us to make use of that is in Christ. Reas. 1. From the nature of the Covenant Reas. 2. Where agreement is there is a like disposition Vse To search our hearts for the evidence of our estate Covenant of grace why so called Demand of conscience proceedes from the answer of it Good conscience what Three degrees of a good conscience A troubled good Conscience 2. A peaceable good Conscience 3. A gracious good Conscience Heb. 13. Double ground of comfort Quest. Ans. How to know a good Conscience though troubled 1. If it answer God in trouble 2. By allowing Gods truth 3. By acknowledging Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. Quest. Ans. A man may know when he doth things graciously Ans. How to know what we doe from a good Conscience 1. It answeres towards God 2. From an inward principle Object Ans. Why Children are Baptised Simile Baptisme binds when we come to yeares Covenant in Baptisme Those that live in sins against Conscience renounce their Baptisme Exhortation to get this answer of a good Conscience Marke 9. Cant. 6. Psal. 51. How to get the answer of a good Conscience To make use of our Baptism 1. Against temptations to sin 2. In temptations to discouragment Ier. 3. 2. To distrust Comfort from the answer of a good Conscience Levit. 26. Verse 5. Psal. 41. Gal. 4. Psal. 109. Colos. 3. Simile Prov. 12. 18.
of greatest importance do so sweetly set before our eyes that recompence of reward reserved for us in heaven that I hope many of that brood of travellers the generation of those that seekâ—… Gods face and favour here on earth shall find them a great helpe to the finishing of their course with Ioy and others shall be wakened that are too ready to slumber and forget whither they are going to strive to enter in at the strait gate and not to content themselves with a lazy Balaams wish which Reader let us seeke from him who onely gives the blessing to whose Grace I commenâ—… thee resting still Thine in the hearty desire of thy Spirituall welfare Arthur Jackson THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE REVEL 16. 14. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which goe forth to the Kings of the earth LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS REVEL 17. 7. For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast untill the Word of God shall be fulfilled THE occasion of this daies solemnity hath beene long and well known and we have often in this place spoken of it and it were a thing not unseasonable for the day to set out in its lively colours that facinorous act which will scarcely bee credible to posterity it exceeds my conceit to set it out in the right colours I have therefore taken a text tending that way and serving for our present purpose It pleaseth our blessed Saviour out of his love to his Church not only to give directions what to doe and what not to doe what to believe and what not to believe but to foretell likewise al future calamities that so the Church might be fore-armed and might not be surprised with terror upon the sight of some sudden or strange accident as especially the flourishing estate of Antichrist Hee therefore foretels all both the beginning the growth the strength the proceeding and at last the destruction of that Man of Sin The Church in this world is alwayes under some prophesie it is alwayes under somewhat that is unfulfilled for untill wee come to heaven there is not an accomplishment of all prophesies This Booke is a setting downe of prophesies of future events to the end of the world This Chapter sets out in lively colours the state of the Pontificality the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome the Pope and not the state of Rome under the Heathen Emperours It sets downe likewise the judgement of God in this life upon this Beast and upon the Whore that sits upon the Beast The description is large in the former part of the Chapter it would take up a great deale of time to unfold that but because I have divers other things to speake of I will passe that by The judgement of God upon the Beast and Whore is set downe partly in the verse before the Text The ten Hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast c. Here the Iudgement is set downe what it is and by whom it shall be by the ten Hornes that is the ten Kings and secondly what they shall doe and that is set downe in order First these ten Hornes these ten Kings Western Kings They shall hate the Whore Hatred is the beginning of all actions that are offensive for it is the strongest and stiffest affection of ill as love is the strongest of good affections They shall hate the Whore It is not only anger but hatred They shall make her desolate and naked that is the second degree they shall leave her they shall strip this Strumpet of her ornaments and strength whereby she set out her selfe They shall eat her flesh that 's the third that is what they have given her before to inrich her withall that which made her in such well liking that which commended her that whâ—…ch is her living the riches of the Popes Clergie gotten most of it by ill meanes they shall take from her But that is not all but there is a higher degree then all this They shall burne the Whore with fire So that in the foregoing verse you see is set downe what the Iudgement is and who shall bthe Executioners of this judgement But why must all this come to passe Hee riseth to the highest cause God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree with one consent to give their kingdomes to the Beast God afterwards put into their minds to hate the Beast So that in this verse is the severity and the mercy of God his justice and his goodnesse His severity in putting into the hearts of these Kings to agree with one consent to give up their kingdomes to the Beast A great Iudgement so to besot them but here is a limitation of that severity at last till the time come untill the Word of God shall bee fulfilled that is untill they shall cease to be thus deluded by the Bishop of Rome and then they shall begin to hate the Whore as much as ever they were deluded by her and shall eate her flesh and consume her with Fire For the explication of these words they being somewhat hard I will spend a little time to unfold them And first I must shew who is this Beast For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast The Beast is mentioned in three places in the Revelation in the ninth Chapter there is mention of the Beast comming out of the bottomlesse Pit and in the 13. of the Beast that rose out of the Sea and here in this 17. of a scarlet coloured Beast having seven heads and ten hornes The Beast in a word is the state of Rome sometime under the heathenish Emperours sometime under the Pontificality the Question is whether the Beast here spoken of bee the state of Rome under the Roman persecuting Emperours before Christianity prevailed much or the state of Rome under the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome I answer undoubtedly it is here meant of the state of Rome as it is upheld the Whore The Beast that Beast For it is meant here of one that seduced by lying miracles of one that should come in a mysterie of one that should deale with fornication and such courses Now heathenish
to hate the Whore and to eat her flesh that is to overthrow the Monasteries those Cages of uncleane Birds and those Peter-pence those exactions for indeed the Pope made England his Asse to beare his burthens It would move any mans patience to see how pittifully the Popes of Rome have abused this Iland so that we may now truly say as Christ saith If the Son make you free you are free indeed Christ hath made us free the Gospel hath made us free and ever since the comming of the Gospel wee have flourished King Henry shooke off the yoke first and after him King Edward and after him Elizabeth of blessed memory and now our gracious King So that this Vntill it begun long since to hate the Beast and to eat her flesh one thing therâ—… is yet undone To burne her with fire if they hate the Beast and eat her flesh this will câ—…me toâ—… to burne her with fire even the ten Kings that were subject to her before shall doe that Wee see wickednesse shall not thrive alwayes it shall not alwayes bee night but the Sunne shall arise at the last Impostures shal not alwayes abuse the world their madnesse shall be made manifest at length as Paul saith 2 Tim. This is our Comfort that there is an Vntill a time prefixed of God to discover and to lay open all Impostures And now the time is come that most of this should be fulfilled some of these words of God are fulfilled the Beast is hated and now the Beast is known to bee the Beast to bee cruell witnesse the blood of Saints the Murther of Kings those horrible acts that are allowed from Rome The Beast I say is now discovered and hated The Affections that are due to the Beast is hatred If ever we hatred any thing we may hate the state of Rome It is a Beast and the object of hatred and ever was and if ever I say wee hated any thing that was deserveable of our hatred it is that why do we not hate a Harlot doe we not hate an old Strumpet an old painted Strumpet doe wee not hate her that is a Bawd there was never Bawd there was never Whore that did the thousand part of that harme that this Bawd this Beast this Whore of Rome hath done drawing so many thousand soules to hell Of all the Iudgements that ever were since the beginning of the Christian world that God hath visited the pride and wickednesse of men with there was none so grievous as to suffer this Man of sinne to rule in the Church the spirituall judgement of the Papacie it is the greatest judgement of God that was ever inflicted upon any We hate them that misuse us under the pretence of love that cheat and cozen us and we delight in their punishment there was never Cheater never Cozener like this And surely so God hath fulfilled his word that shee is hated even in our Children that know but the grounds of Religion to whom Christ hath shined by the evidences of his thuth that have the Spirit of God in them they hate those Impostures those abuses of Christian Religion with which this Beast hath deluded the Christian world which shewes that they have a contrary spirit to the Spirit of God and indeed so they have for besides their own base government they maintaine the corruptions of men feeding the pride and vanity of mens natures with outward formall empty things so that the very weake ones even Children now they hate the Whore hate her Impostures hate her Cruelty hate her Lying and all I see the time is past I can goe no further â—…ut will draw to an end only a little to still us up Shall God then reveale and discover this painted Strumpet this Bawd and shall wee labour to conceale her ill shall we dawbe shall we make her better then she is shall we hinder Gods purpose Gods word is that shee shall be revealed the Princes shall hate her and consume her with fire Let every one of our purposes helpe Gods purpose and Providence and decree in this point that this shall be it is Gods purpose and whosoever stops it certainely they bring the judgement of God upon them those that would reare up â—…ericho againe wee know what befell them and they that reare up Rome that begins now to bee discovered they bring the Iudgement of God upon them God will performe this as well as he performed the other as he put it into the hearts of these Kings to betray their Kingdomes to the Beast so hee will put into their hearts to hate the Whore Now that we may hate her let every one labour in his place Ministers in their place to lay open their Impostures their cousenings and all their filthinesse whereby they deceive the people Magistrates in their place to ocuntenance the Ministers to see the lawes executed as they may These that through ignorance are seduced that are not Iesuited for there is no hope of them but others their persons many times in the policie of state may have favour but not their Religion Let us all take heed that wee grow in knowledge Let us labour to make more of the Gospel of Christ the more Christ appears in glory the more Antichrist will appeare in shame Let us labour by prayer and not give God over by prayer to plant the love of the truth in our hearts to entertaine the truth with love to value it according to the respect it deserves at our hands and let us labour to be molded into that truth to obey it else though we have it yet if wee doe not love it if wee be not transformed into it though our wits and parts be never so great we may be seduced to errour God gave over these Kings men of great place and of great parts because they did not love the truth to beleeve lies My purpose was to have shewed the danger if we do not further Gods purpose in discovering this wicked Antichrist A state wherin the Devill the Dragon is effectuall and this Book wonderoâ—…sly sets downe the danger It is another manner of danger now to relapse and to apostatize after the appearing of the glorious Gospel of Christ then it was a hundred years agoe under darkenesse and we know it to bee so of all the judgements in this world it is the greatest for God to give up a man to decay in his love to the truth to affect this cursed Religion that the sentence of God hath past upon and it must be fulfilled That they shall hate the Whore and burne her with fire that she shall be left desolate and naked But you may object Alas how is that likely to be when wee see now what strength the Beast hath gotten and how he ruâ—…fleth in the world at this time how he triumpheth and trampleth the poore Church under his feet Well it is but a living before death undoubtedly Babylon is fallen it is fallen saith Iohn
there be a sutablenesse of obedience to the word thereafter as the word is Let us have a spirituall desire to these things to imitate the holy man of God as we desire to share in his comforts I will follow this point of the answerablenesse of obedience a little further and then come to the particular of seeking Let our obedience bee every way answerable first let the heart thinke what God saith what God commands and promiseth let the heart take the word of God the second time and ruminate on it and goe over it againe Let us looke into the word and see what is commanded and what is promised and then let the heart goe over it againe And then upon that all eage it to God Put case a man be in trouble Lord thou hast commanded Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will bâ—…re thee Psal. 50. Let the heart thinke of it and goe over that incouragement it is rather an incouragement then a command though indeed God lay a command on us to be good to our own soules it is a duty to love our selves Therefore he commands us to goe to him to seeke his face as though wee wronged him by disobedience when wee injure our selves by our peevishnesse as indeed we doe God loves us better then we love our selves let us thinke of the command and invitation thou hast commanded mee Lord and incouraged mee to come I am now in trouble experience teacheth me I come to thee thou hast said He that sitteth in darknesse and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord. I am in darkenesse and see no light now I trust in thy name let the heart thinke of the promise and then alleage it to God and come with an obedient answer and cast it self upon him and trust in him We are in want perhaps and see no issue no supply thinke of Gods gracious promise I will not faile thee nor forsake thee I come to thee and claim this promise I am in covenant with thee c. So wee should take the promise thou hast said At what time soever a sinner comes to thee with a repentant heart thou wilt forgive his iniquities and though his sins were 〈◊〉 scarlet thou wilt make them as snow and white as wooll my soule thinkes of that command and I come to thee Thou hast bid all that are wearie and 〈◊〉 laden in soule that are troubled in conscience with the sense of their sins to come unto thee my heart thinkes of thy command and invitation I come to thee I am weary and heavie laden First let us thinke of the incouragement that is our warrant and then yeeld present obedience And then what will bee the issue what will spring from it when the heart and obedience joyn with the command that there is a meeting that they concentrate the heart and obedience God bids the heart obey the heart saith I doe obey when these meet the issue must bee exceeding comfortable it cannot be otherwise When the obedient heart meets God in his command in his promise In all perplexity of busines Commit thy way to the Lord and hee shall establish thy thoughts Prov. 3. Prov. 13. and other places Lord I commit my wayes to thee establish my thoughts and designes agreeable to thy will because thou hast bid mee commit my wayes to thee In the houre of death let us commend our selves to God as to a gracious and mercifull Creator 1 Pet. 4. Lord I commend to thee my soule who art the Creator of my soule and the Redeemer of it here is an obedience answerable what can be the issue of it but comfort Therefore let us learne by the example of this blessed man that when he had but a hint from God seeke yee my face answers Thy face Lord will I seeke Faith will see light at a little crevice when it sees an incouragement once a command it will soone answer and when it sees a promise halfe a promise it will welcome it it is an obedient thing The obedience of faith it beleeves and upon beleeving it goes to God As the servants of the King of Assyria they catch the word presently Thy servant Benhadad so faith it catcheth the word To put God in mind it is an excellent thing with the Prophet whosoever penned the 119. Psalme whether David or some other Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust As it is Nehem. 1. Remember Lord hee puts God in mind of his promise and so it is good often to put God in mind Lord thou hast made such and such promises I know thou canst not deny thy selfe if thou shâ—…uldest deny thy word thou must deny thy selfe thy word is thy selfe Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust If I be deceived thou hast deceived mee for thou hast given me this promise and this command This is an excellent way to deale with God as it were to wrastle with him By tâ—… promise thou hast quickned me Psal. 119. Wheâ—… I was dull and dead hearted then I thought oâ—… such and such a promise I alleage that promise and apply it by a spirit of faith and that quickned me And indeed as I said God hath made us fit to answer him and wee should study in all things to returne unto him by his spirit whatsoever God doth the heart should returne back againe love for love knowledge for knowledge seeking for seeking chusing for chusing He begins with us he chuseth us he loves us he seekes us and wee if ever we intend to be friends with God and to entertaine a holy communion as all that shall be saved must doe we should labour to have our hearts to returne to God what wee find from God first Thy face Lord will I seeke To come more particularly to this seeking which is the particular of the obedience and of the application Thy face Lord will I seeke Seeking implies that our happinesse is out of our selves it implies that there is somewhat in our selves in the application to which there must be some happinesse therefore wee goe out of our selves to seeke It is a motion and it is out of an apprehension of some want a man seekes out of some want or out of some losse or out of some duty Ether hee hath losse and therefore hee seekes or else hee wants and therefore he seeks or else he owes respect and dutie and therefore he seekes it is somewhat without a man that moves his seeking God need not seeke the creature hee hath all fulnesse in himselfe Indeed his love makes him seeke for our love to bee reconciled to him But the creature because his happinesse is out of himselfe in communion with God the Fountaine of all good he must seeke Christians must be Seekers This is the generation of Seekers Psal. 24. All mankind if ever they will
the truth of the promises then the will and affections they joyne and imbrace those things the will makes choyse of them and cleaves to them the affection of desire extends it selfe to them the affection of love imbraceth them the affection of joy delights in them Spirituall conviction alwayes drawes affection For God hath framed the soule so that upon discovery of a good oâ—… of it selfe it doth stretch out it selfe to imbrace that object the good thing presented it cannot be otherwise We see the eye it cannot but delight in beautifull objects so the understanding of itselfe it delights in true things and the will in things that are good that are delightfully good or spiritually and conveniently good to the person it cannot but be so The author of nature God doth not overthrow nature but preserves it in its owne worke therefore where hee gives a light to discover and perswade both of the truth in generall and of our particular interest in those things hee gives grace likewise to the will and affections to that part of the soule that is carried to good things to imbrace them and upon discovery of evill in that part of the soule that is affected to evill there is an aveâ—…sation and loathing of things that are in convenient and â—…itfull it must needs 〈◊〉 in the light of reason We may know whether the spirit of God have wrought any thing in 〈◊〉 by oâ—… imbracing of good things for as I said Godhath made our soules thus when the soule 〈◊〉 convinced of the truth and goodnesse of a thing and isperswaded the affections will alway follow that that is shewed to be the best Now when the spirit of God discovers to the soule the excellencies of religion to bee above all other excellencies whatsoever That the favourof God is better than life itselfe and discovers to the soule the vanity of all other things then comes the soule to imbrace them for the soule cannot but 〈◊〉 which the understanding being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best and best for me in comparison of all other things this is now at this time all things considered best for mee to doe hereupon comes imbracing alwayes the affections follow spirituall perswasion There bee two maine branches of faith One is spirituall conviction and perswasion that things are so good and that they belong to us Another branch of faith is to goe out and close and meet with the things Vpon discovery of the excellency of the things the heart opens it selfe to let in those things It is in grace as it is in nature the heart is open upwards and pointed downeward 〈◊〉 the heart and soule of a man opens to heaven ward when those things are discovered by the spirit to bee best the spirit opens and closeth with those things A man may know what he is in religion by his affections by his affection of love for the affection of love will open to the things that are discovered to bee best whereof heeis perswaded and his affection of joy hâ—… will delight in those thingâ—… and his affection of griefe his heart will bee shut to things that are contrary and his affection of zeale in the pâ—…sute of the meanes and in opposing that that is an enemy to that good it is alway so the heart imbraceth what wee are perswaded of God hath made the affections of the soule for supernaturall things hee 〈◊〉 made our understanding to conceive of the heavenly light and those prerogatives and priviledges and hee hath made our affections to imbrace those heavenly things And then a man is in his right subordination in his right state under God he is framed as he should be he is in a right frame of soule when his soule is convinced of the excellency of the best things and when his affections of joy and love and delight of zeale and trust and all are set on those things For then a man is raysed above the condition of an ordinary man such a man is come to his perfection hee is come out of that cursed estate that naturally all are in for now the soule is set upon things that make it better than it selfe For the soule is as the things are it is carryed to when the soule is perswaded of heavenly things and of its interest in them and is carryed to them by the sway and weight of the affections of love and joy and delight which is called here im bracing then the things imbraced transforme the soule to be like them as they be heavenly and glorious and excellent there is nothing in the world to be named with them all else is â—…g and drosse then a man comes to bee holy and heavenly and spirituall hee is raysed in a condition farre above others above all othermen though hee bee never so meane in the world when his soule is enlightned and answerable to the light there is heate when there is light in the understanding and heate in the affections accordingly to imbrace then the soule is in a right temper a man is a holy and happy man therefore no wonder if upon perswasion and sight they imbraced those things Let us trie the truth of our estate by our affections by our imbracing of good things by opening our hearts to the best things by our joy and delight in them Is there a holy wonderment at them Oh! how I love thy 〈◊〉 and one day in thy courts is better than tenne thousand elsewhere and Oh the depth of his mercie and one thing have I desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life When the soule stands in admiration of God and good things when it is ready to welcome Christ and heavenly things and the state of religion now away all former vanities away all lusts of youth away all confidence in beauty and strength and riches all these are but dung to the soule the soule hath seene better things there is a discovery of better things and now the respect of all other things falls downe in the soule when there is a discovery of better things The soule cannot doe otherwise when it is convinced supernaturally the same spirit that discovers better things opens the soule to â—…low them it is so with every soule that hath the true worke and stampe of the spirit in it it is set upon heavenly things it saith with Saint Paul I account all dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. There is an attractive a drawing magneticall power in heavenly things when they are propoâ—…nded to the soule by the spirit to draw the affections and to make us spirituall like themselves Let us therefore labour more and more to have our affections wrought upon As wee are in our affections we are in religion It is impossible that a Christian should be spiritually convinced that there are such excellent things belong to religion and that hee hath his part and
this when conscience is once awaked to know aright our owne unworthinesse then we shall find it a difficult thing to believe these things Therefore it is a worke worthy our daily indeavour to search the Scriptures which applyes it selfe to our capacity and confers al the help in the world to increase our grounds of hope of the best things and then our disposition is as it should be And let us deepely consider of the necessitie of heavenly things and the foulenesse of sinne and the danger of our naturall condition and this will make us imbrace better things He that sees himselfe in danger of drowning will imbrace that that may stay him He that sees himselfe in danger to be pulled away from that that upholds him from sinking he will claspe about it fast Let us consider what a many things we have in this world to pull us away from God and good things and to loose our gripe that wee may not lay such hold of them The devill envies our imbracing of these things and there are many things to loose our affections from them consider the danger and withall the necessitie of these good things that if they be lost we doe not only loose them but we loose them with the losse of our soules with eternall damnation in the world to come we do not simply lose them but we plunge our selves into the contrary Let us consider of this and it will make us claspe fast and keepe our hold by all meanes possible In that measure that we apprehend the danger in that measure we shall imbrace these excellent things Now to answer a doubt and a case or two by the way How happens it then that Gods children sometime when their judgment is convinced yet their affections are not so quick they are somthing flat in their affections As Gods people complaine sometimes alas that I should believe such a happinesse as heaven is and such glory and yet find my affections no more stirred Is it possible that I should be the child of God and believe these things and find my selfe no more affected Indeed this troubles the peace of Gods children sometimes and good reason for we see here after sight comes perswasion then imbracing the will and affections cannot but entertaine that good they are perswaded of and so there is great ground for the objection But there may be some mistake in this for sometimes the judgment may be convinced and yet the affections not bee so quick because there may bee a diversion at the same time there may perhaps bee some present crosse that may be fall thee or some present thing lawfully loved that takes up the affections at that time As for example the presence of Father Mother Wife or children or of other friends may take up the affections for the time now the affections running that way at that time perhaps not sinfully neither they are not so inlarged to heavenly things God knowes our capacity and what our affections can doe Then againe there may bee some present griefe upon them that God to humble a man may take up his affections so that at that time he shall not be so affected with good things though ordinarily he comfort himselfe with the best things and so he doth afterward when he hath given his griefe and his present affections some libertie There is a love of intention of valuing a man may be deceived that way A man values his child more than a stranger that he entertaines yet for the present he may give a stranger better lookes and better entertainment Though he set moâ—… value on his child or his deare friend that 〈◊〉 hath secured himselfe of yet hee will not shew such countenance to them as to a stranger on the sudden So it is here Gods children their constant joy is in the best things and they are judiciously carryed to the best things but on the sudden there may be an entertaining of some other thing and perhaps not unlawful neither perhaps it may be sinfull to humble Gods children but that is but but on the sudden his course is to carry his affections above all earthly things Againe in another case Gods children are deceived this way sometimes for they think they have no affections when they have affections How is that seene in case of opposition let God and Christ and heavenly things be opposed and you shall see then that they have affections Those that for want of stiring up the grace of God in them or for want of good meanes or by indisposition of body seemed to be dull in their affections let religion be disgraced or opposed any way and you shall finde then their affections deepe in their hearts to heavenly things but they appeared not before because there was no opposition These and such like thoughts we may have to content the soule that is disquieted this way But the rule is certaine that a mans affections are as his perswasion is and his perswasion as his light is As he hath a heavenly light discovering heavenly things so is his perswasion of a better estate then the world can yeeld and answerable to his perswasion his soule is raysed up to delight in the best things This is his course if it fall out to be otherwise there be reasons for it which we must discreetly judge of and not trouble the peace of a good conscience To goe on They confessed they were strangers and pilgrims 〈◊〉 earth Theâ—…e words containe what they were in regard of earthly things their disposition and carriage to all things besides the promises to the things below they were strangers and pilgrims in regard of their condition below Itsets downe how they apprehended themselves to be and how they discovered themselves to the world to be They were in regard of heaven indeed heirs of happinesse heirs of a kingdome in regard of the world and earthly things they were strangers and pilgrims And as they were so they made themselves to be no better than they were they confessed it they were not ashamed of it they apprehended themselves to bee as they were and they carried themselves answerable their life and course spake as much as their tongues they confessed both in word and in deed that they were strangers and pilgrims Now in the words I say you have their disposition and their profession their condition and their confession Their disposition and carriage and state and condition they were strangers and pilgrims The discovery of it they confessed they were so And this confession is double Their confession was either verball as Iacob confessed when he came before Pharaoh few and evill have the dayes of the life of my pilgrimage beene saith old Iacob Or it was a reall confession discovered by their carriage that they were strangers their course spake louder then their words Those that in the whole course of their life shew a weaned affection to earthly things though they talke not gloriously
from heaven to earth and here he conversed as a stranger he dwelt in his body here as a tabernacle which he layd aside for a while to work the worke of out redemption and then after to dwell in it for ever He was the prime stranger of all strangers he that makes us all strangers here and Citizens of heaven he was a stranger on earth He was not indeed a stranger for hee was Lord of heaven and earth yet in regard of his state of exaltation that was to come after in regard of dispensation he was here as a servant he lived here as a stranger And indeed he was as strangely used for hee came among his owne and his owne knew him not as it is in Iohn 1. he was not knowne among his owne Countrie men the Iewes hee was a stranger on earth He conversed with us here and was among us as a stranger you see how his speech and carriage and conversation on earth it was as a strangers He was talking alway of his fathers house and of the kingdome of heaven When he speakes of the estate of the Church which is the only company of people here in whom God rules by his spirit yet because they are ordained for the kingdome of heaven he calls them strangers here and termes them by that that they are ordained to All his minde was of the kingdome of heaven we see after he was risen the matter of his discourse as the Gospell tells it was of the kingdome of heaven he talked of things that belonged to the kingdom of God all his speeches were that way and his comparisons were fetched that way The kingdome of heaven is like to such a thing and such a thing And all his worke was to draw men from the earth As it was his grand work to redeem men from the earth that is from hell and from their cursed condition so the matter of his teaching was answerable to his work to draw men to heaven all the paines that he tooke before and after his death till he was taken into heaven it tended that way He came from heaven to earth to wooe us to be a spouse to himselfe he came from heaven into a strange countrie to take us for his spouse to take our nature and in our nature to winne us to die for us he carried himselfe as a stranger every way he regarded not earthly things Now answerable to our head Christ must all Christians bee in their affections and dispositions we must be conformable to him we must be strangers as he was All that looke to die in the faith of Christ and to be happy for ever they must witnesse their believing and loving of better things by an answerable carriage to all things here below they must have the affection of strangers and travailers Faith doth enforce this It is the nature of the soule from a principle and ground of nature that when the soule is carried up one way it is shut another when it cleaves unto and imbraceth better things when it is open to heaven the point of the soule is shut to the earth and wee looke upon these things as strangers and pilgrims only for necessary use These holy men the Patriarchs were strangers Strangers in their owne esteeme As Abraham and Iacob they confesse they were sojourners and David though he were a King yet he saith he was a stranger as all his fathers were So all the Patriarchs they professed themselves to be strangers and sojourners and they did it not in word only but in deed they shewed it by dwelling in tabernacles and tents poore things fit for strangers heaven was their house Tabernacles are moveable weak things that have no foundation So they knew their life was like a tabernacle here And their manner of life shewed what they looked for they carried themselves as those that hoped and looked for better things They were strangers in their dispositions they affected things above and cared no more for these things then for necessary use to helpe them to serve God in their places and those that are strangers in their dispositions they desire to be at home Againe they were strangers in GODS esteeme God termed them so and so it is with all that believe in Christ when we once believe and are new creatures new borne to a better inheritance presently at the same time we are strangers here Strangers likewise in the esteeme of the world The world used them as strangers strangely When a man leaveth the world and cleaveth to God presently the world setteth on him by reproaches and all they can because they think he will disgrace them by his change therefore they labour to make him as black as they may that way they use all strangely that breake from them God will have it so because he will have his children not to love the world therefore he will have the world hate them So they are strangers in that respect they think it strange that they doe not as they did formerly that they doe not as they doe wicked men thinke it strange that they runne not with them into the same excesse of ryot so they are strangers in the esteem of wicked men So they are strangers in regard of their place heaven is their hope they are begotten to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. they live in a place where they are strangers they are every way strangers But you will say wicked men are strangers and pilgrims too I answer they are indeed so for in regard of the shortnesse of their lives and the uncertaintie of the things they injoy for they out-live all their happines here they are snatched hence before they bee aware therefore they are but travellers here but they goe from ill to worse yet in regard of their affections they are no strangers but account themselves at home from a spirit of infidelity and pride and earthlinesse Therefore they are called men of the earth and those that dwell on the earth in the Revelation because they looke no furtherthen the earth and here they roote and fix their affections upon this earth they do not fix their hearts and affections upon the things above they looke not after them they care not for them they value them not nor esteeme them Therefore answerable to their thoughts and bent of their soule and mind is their discourse their speech and carriage and thereupon they are called men of the earth and called the world because they love nothing but the world they are as it were changed into the things they love they are earth as the Prophet saith Oh earth earth c. and they are the world because their affection of love joynes them to these earthly things The Church in the Revelation is called heaven but the beast is said to rise out of the earth for that which bred the carnall religion of Popery it was nothing but earth and
labour to get assurance of another a better country for what made these holy men confesse themselves strangers and pilgrims here They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and in that measure they were assured of a better condition they carryed themselves as strangers and pilgrims here To wind up all in a word you see here their disposition I beseech you make this text your patterne to be molded into you see how these blessed men long agoe lived in faith when their light was lesse then ours is and they died in faith and will welcome us when we shall come to heaven we shall goe to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the rest of the Patriarchs and holy men It will bee a blessed time when all the blessed men that have gone before shall welcome us to heaven If we looke to be happy as they are we must live as they did and die as they did though we cannot so strongly as they did see that with the eye of faith that no eye else can see yet let us desire God to perswade us of these truths more strongly then the devill of our own lusts shall perswade us to the contrary let us desire God to set on his truths so strongly that all other things may not hinder us that we may imbrace them with our best affections of love of desire of contentment that we may witnesse all this by our demeanour to earthly things by our base esteem of them and carry our selves as pilgrims and strangers on earth If we do thus live in faith and die in faith we shal live with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven eternally FINIS THE HIDDEN LIFE In two Funerall Sermons upon COL 3. 3 4. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 JOHN 3. 2. Beloved now yee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what wee shall bee LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. THE HIDDEN LIFE COLLOS 3. 3 4. For yee are dead your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glory THE dependance of these words in a word is this The Apostle after he had laid the grounds of some Doctrines hee doth frame the building of a holy life and conversation It is in vaine to believe well unlesse a man worke accordingly hee that lives against his faith shall be damned as he that believes against it Thereupon in this Chapter hee comes to raise their affections to be Heavenly minded and stirres them up to subdue what soever is contrary to Heavenly mindednesse And because it is a duty of great moment to be heavenly minded and to subdue base affections he inserts weighty reasons betweene If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And among other reasons theâ—… 〈◊〉 this yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God And therupon he forceth seeking of the things that are above and the mortifying of earthly members For the duties of Christianity â—…e to be applyed two wayes to be heavenly affected to subdue that which is contrary to be heavenly minded to mortifie our earthly members Now how shall we doe both For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God c. You see the first proposition yee are dead with whom with Christ in God A Christian is dead many wayes He is dead to the law to the morall law he lookes not to have comfort and salvation by it by the law he is dead to the law and so flyes to Christ. A Christian is dead also to the ceremonâ—…ll law now in the glorious lustre of the Gospell what have we to doe with those 〈◊〉 element that were for Children A ceremoâ—… disposition is opposite to the glory and lustre of the Gospell as the Apostle speakes in the former Chapter He is dead likewise to sinne having communion with Christ when he dyed for sinne hee is dead to sinne He that hath communion in the death of Christ hath the same affection to sinne that Christ had Christ hated it infinitely when he suffered for it so every Christian thinkes that Christ dyed for my sinnes and by union with Christ he hath the same affection to it he is dead to it And because this is but an inchoation and beginning a Christian is not perfectly dead to sinne hee stands in need of afflictions and in regard of afflictions he is dead they must help the worke of mortification And because no affliction can sufficiently worke mortification but death it self which is the accomplishment of mortification we are dead in respect of death it selfe which is the accomplishment of all though we live here for a time we are dead in regard of the sentence that is passed on us as wee say a man is dead when the sentence is passed on him in that respect wee are dead men for our life is but a dead life besides the sentence that is passed upon us death siezeth upon us in the time of our life in sicknesses c. And so they prepare us to death thus and many other wayes we are dead The second proposition is Our Life is hid with Christ in God We are dead and yet we have a life A Christian is a strange person hee is both dead and alive he is miserable and glorious he consists of contraries he is dead in regard of corruption and miseries and such like but he is alive in regard of his better part and he growes two wayes at onâ—… it is a strange thing that a Christian doth hee growes downewards and upwards at the same time for as he dyes in sin and misery and naturall death approaching so he lives the life of grace and growes more and more till he end in Glory This life is said to be a hidden life It is hid with Christ in God The life of a Christian which is his glorious spirituall life it is hid among other respects It is hid to the world to worldly men because a Christian is an unknown man to them because they know not the Father that begets therefore they know not them that are begotten as S. Iohn saith they know not the advancement of a Christian he is raysed into a higher ranck then they Therefore as a beast knowes not the things of a man no more doth a carnal man in any excellency know the things of the spirit for they are spiritually discerned therefore it is a hidden life in the eyes of the world a wordly man sees not this life in regard of the excellency he passeth scornes and contempts of it of folly and the like A Christian in respect of
common field but when the sunne shines and appeares then the hearbs appeare in their lustre so it is with a Christian there is light and immortality and happinesse sowne for him when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare then we shall appeare with him in glory As wee may say of all things below they have a hidden life the plants and the flowers in the winter they live by the roote and when the Sunne appeares then they also appeare with the Sunne in glory So it is with the Righteous they have a hidden life it is hid now in the roote in their head in this life when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare when the spring comes when the resurrection comes then we shall appeare with him in glory and so I come to speak of that verse When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee appeare also with him in Glory Our life is now hid our happinesse is vayled over there are many things betweene us and our life but shall it alwayes bee so Oh no When Christ who is our Life shall appeare wee shalt appeare also with him in Glory hee meets with a secret objection The parts here to be stood on are these First Christ hee is our Life hee shall appeare in Glory as our Life This is taken for granted it is a supposed truth When Christ who is our Life shall appeare it is taken for granted that he shall appeare in glory The next thing is that wee shall appeare likewise with Christ. Christ shall appeare and wee And then the consequence how these depend one upon another because Christ appears in Glory therefore we when Christ who is our life shall appeare The Apostle cannot mention Christ without an addition of comfort and the Christian soule loves Christ it sees such matter of comfort and such righteousnesse in him that it cannot thinke of Christ without a comfortable addition of Lord Saviour Life Hope Glory c. Christ carryes with him all comforts hee is food the bread of life the water of life all that is good to the soule therefore the Apostle gives this sweet addition Christ out life How is Christ our life He is every way the cause of the Life of Grace and of Glory And not only so the cause but the roote and spring in whom it is wee have it from Christ and in Christ wee have it in Christ as a root and from Christ as a working cause and by Christ as a Mediator For Christ procured Life at Gods hands by his Sactifice and Death Wee have it in Christ as a head from him as a cause together with both the other persons and through him as Mediator who by his death made way to life appeasing the wrath of God so we are reconciled and pardoned by the death of Christ. Christ is not only our Life so but as the matter of our life that wee seed on when hee hath wrought spirituall life in us then the Soule lives by Faith in Christ still and seedes upon him hee is our life because wee feed on him for as food nourisheth the body so the Soule being every day set on by fresh temptations and afflictions and troubles and fresh discomforts the Soule of necessity is forced to looke to Christ every day and to feed upon Christ to feed upon his blood afâ—…esh which runnes conti nually for hee is a Mediator for ever and he is in Heaven to make good that hee hath done by his death and wee looke upon him every day and feed on him and so hee maintaines the life he hath begun Christ is our life thus More particularly for memorie sake Christ when by faith wee have union with him once as we can have no communion without union with him when wee are one with him once by faith wee have life from Christ the life of reconciliation in law opposite to our death in law and in sentence for by nature we are all dead and damned as soone as we are borne for our owne sins and the sins of our first parents wee are dead in sentence Now by Christ there is a reversion of this sentence Christ by his obedience and suffering hath satisfied his father so by our union with Christ wee are alive in sentence we are absolved in GODS court of justice for hee will not punish sin twice And then after the life of justification being justified by faith we have the life of sanctification and holinesse for GOD out of his love when he hath pardoned our sin he gives his spirit as the best fruit of his love and we having our consciences absolved and acquitted by the spirit of GOD through the obedience of Christ wee love GOD. GOD so loveth us when he is appeased by Christ that the barre being taken away our sinnes being pardoned and the sluce of mercy open there is way made for another life the life of sanctification by the spirit upon pardon of our sinnes he gives the spirit and we feeling that love have love wrought in us to him againe and that love stirs up every Christian to obedience In the next place after he hath acquitted us by his Alsufficient satisfaction being God and Man and hath given us his spirit there is another life the life of comfort which is the life of our life in peace of conscience and joy unspeakable and glorious this life issues from the former for when we find our conscience appeased that God saith to our soules hee is their salvation and find a newnesse wrought in our nature by the spirit of God and some strength to obey him then we begin to have a sweet peace as the Children of God find in themselves and joy unspeakable and glorious This is the life of this life having union with Christ and his Righteousnesse and spirit wee have this peace which is the way to Glory and the beginning of it For besides that Christ is our life in Glory afterwards in this life he is our life Answerable to our servile feare as wee are dead in law we have a life in justification As wee are dead in nature so we have a life in sanctification wee are dead in despaire and runne into terrours of Conscience so wee have a life in joy and peace But all those in this life are imperfect because there is only an union of Grace here till wee come to the union of Glory in Heaven and then at the day of judgement there will bee a perfect justifying of us wee shall not only be acquitted in our conscience as we are now but wee shall bee acquitted before Angels and Divels and Men and Christ will acknowledge us these are they for whom I dyed these are they for whom I made intercession in Heaven we shall be acquitted there and there wee shall be acknowledged And then the life of sanctification that is now in part shall then be perfect and likewise the peace that now passeth understanding shall then bee
an increase of peace comes You see what a good conscience is here in this place the answer of a good conscience I will not speake largely of it To come a little further to the point How know we that a man hath a good conscience a peaceable good conscience when it is troubled For here is the difficultie a conscience is never so peaceable and gracious but there is a principle of rebellion in us the flesh that casts in doubtings and stirres up objections as indeed our flesh is full of objections against Gods divine truth there be seeds of infidelitie to every promise and of rebellion to every command in the word How shall a man know that hee hath a peaceable good Conscience in the middest of this rebellion Let him looke if the conscience answer God in the middest of opposition and rebellion my flesh and blood saith thus my sins are great and Sathan layes it hard to my charge yet notwithstanding because God hath promised and commanded I cast my selfe upon God Let us aske our owne hearts and consciences what they say to God what is the answere to God Wee see what Iob saith Though he kill me yet I will trust in him flesh and blood would have shewed its part in Iob as if God had neither respected nor loved him yet when Iob recovered himselfe Though hee kill me I will trust in him So a man may know though conscience be somewhat troubled yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience if peace get the upper hand and grace subdue corruption when the conscience so farre as it is enlarged by Gods spirit can check it selfe Why art thou disquieted oh my soule why art thou troubled trust in God trust in God reconciled now in Christ when conscience can lay a charge upon it selfe and check it selfe thus it is a signe that conscience hath made this gracious answer Againe one may know though conscience be troubled somewhat yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience when it alwayes allowes of the truth of God in the inward man Whatsoever the flesh say the word is good the commandement is good the promise is good as St. Paul saith I allow the law of God in my inward man by this a man may know though his peace be somewhat troubled that yet notwithstanding there is the answer of a good conscience Againe when a man can breake out of trouble and such an estate as the Divell weakens our faith by for he useth the troubles of the Church and our owne troubles to shake our faith as if God did not regard us now when conscience can rise out of this as in Psal. 73. Yet God is good to Israel yet my soule keepe silence to the Lord though things seeme to goe contrarie to a man as if God were not reconciled as if he had not part in Christ Yet my soule keepe silence and God is good to Israel This conflict shews that there is a gracious part in the soule and that conscience is a gracious conscience It is said here it is the answer of a good conscience Towards God For conscience indeed hath reference to God and that will answer another question for conscience as it performes holie duties as it is a gracious conscience it lookes to God whether may a man know or how shall he know that he doth things of conscience whether he be in the state of grace and doth things graciously He may for why is conscience set in man but to tell him what he doth with what mind he doth it in what state he is this is a power of the soule which conscience shewes A man may know what estate he is in and whether he performe things graciously or no Now how shall a man know whether he doth things of conscience or no First whatsoever the answer of conscience is it is towards God if a man doe things from reasons of Religion if a man be charitable to his neighbour if he be just and good if it be from reasons of Religion because God commands him this is a good conscience A good conscience respects God and his command What we doe for company or for custome is not from a good conscience A good conscience doth things from God with reasons from God because he commands it it is Gods deputie in our hearts Againe what we doe from a good conscience we doe from the inward man from an inward principle from the inward judgement because we thinke it is so and from an inward affection When we have not a right judgement of what we doe and doe it not out of love and from the inward man we doe it not out of a good conscience what is done out of conscience is done from the inner man Therefore in all our performances let us examine our selves not what we doe but upon what ground we doe it in conscience to God to obey him in all things I cannot dwell upon these things The answer of a good conscience that saves us together with Baptisme when there is the answer of a good conscience then Baptisme seales salvation To come more neere to the answer of a good conscience in Baptisme You will object if the answer of a good conscience in Baptisme doe all and not the outward washing of the body why are Children Baptised then they cannot make the answer of a good conscience I answer the place must be understood of those of yeares of discretion For infants that dye in their infancie we have a double ground of comfort concerning them First they are within the Covenant have they not received the seale of the Covenant which is Baptisme And how-ever they actually answer not the Covenant of grace by actuall beleeving yet they have the seed of beleeving the spirit of God in them and God doth comprehend them by his mercie being not able to comprehend him nay we that are at yeares of discretion are saved by Gods comprehending and imbracing us we are comprehended of him as the Child is of the nurse or of the Mother The Child holds the nurse and the nurse the Child the Child is more safe from falling by the nurse and the Mothers holding of it then by its holding of them Those that are at yeares must claspe and graspe about Christ but Christ holds and comprehends them much more doth God comprehend those that are Children that are not able to comprehend him For those that live to yeares of discretion their Baptisme is anngagement and obligation to them to beleev because they have undertaken by those that answered for them to beleeve when they come to yeares and if when they come to yeares they answer not the Covenant of grace and the answer of a good conscience if they doe not beleeve and renounce Sathan all is frustrate their Baptisme doth them no good if they make not good their Covenant by beleeving and renouncing It is
the Apostle speakes of what a comfort is this in the worst times Those that live in Rebellion and make no Conscience of their vowes and covenants to God that they have made and repeated oft-times and renewed in taking of the Lords Supper but goe on still in their sinnes alas what comfort can such as these have how can they look for an answer from God if any promise that hee hath made when their lives are rebellious their conscience tels them that their lives doe not witnesse for God in keeping covenant with him but they rebell against him their hearts tell them they cannot look to heaven for comfort they carry a hell in their bosome a guilty Conscience they doe not labour to be purged by the blood of Christ nor labour for the spirit of God to sanctifie them in renewing them to holy obedience to God Those that have their conscience thus stained especially that purpose to live in sin they can looke for nothing but vengeance from God It is not knowne now who are the wisest people In the times of trouble and at the houre of death at such times it will be knowne that they are the wisest people that have made Conscience of keeping their Covenant with God of renewing their Covenant with God first in all things that they would serve him better and then when they have renewed their Covenants with God as we have cause now indeed if ever to renew them when wee are warned by publike dangers or when wee have cause to take occasion to renew our Covenants that we made with God in Baptisme to bind our Consciences to closer obedience and those that have renewed their Covenant and have grace to keepe it those are wise people Wee see in the current of Scripture in dangerous times there was still renewing of their Covenants with God And those that God delights in he puts his spirit into them that they shall be able by the helpe of his spirit to keep their Covenant in some comfortable measure and those God will chuse and marke out in the worst times FINIS THE SWORD OF THE WICKED In two SERMONS Being the leading Sermons to that Treatise called The SOULES Conflict BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE PSAL. 57. 4. Their Tongue is a sharpe Sword LONDON Printed by E. P. for N. B. and R. H. 1639. THE SWORD OF THE WICKED PSAL. 42. 10. As with a Sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say unto me daily where is thy GOD THE Psalmes are as it were the Anatomy of a holy man they lay the inside of a true devout man outward even to the view of others If the Scripture be compared to a body the Psalmes may well bee the heart they are so full of sweet and holy affections and passions In other portions of Scripture God speakes to us in the Psalmes holy men especially David who was the pen-man of most of them speakes to God wherein we have the passages of a broken humble soule to God Among the rest in this Psalme David layes open varietie of passions His condition at this time was such as that he was an exiled man from his owne house and his owne friends and which grieved him worst of all from the Tabernacle the house of God It was upon the occasion of Saules persecution or of Absaloms his sonne but I take it rather of Sauls that hunted him as a partrich in the wildernes Hereupon you have a discovery how this holy man of God stood affected with this case and condition of his First hee layes open his griefe his griefe ariseth from his desire hee that loves most and desireth most he alwayes grieves most and all other affections have their scantling from love which is the first borne affection of the soule Therefore before he layes out his griefe he sets out his desire to the house of God the want whereof grieved him most of all As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soule after thee Oh God As the chased Hart panteth after water so the soule thirsteth for God for the living God â—…h when shall I come and appeare before God Then after his desire he layes forth his grief My teares have bin my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God Grievances never come alone but as Iobs Messengers they come one after another even to Gods Children when he is disposed to correct them they are multiplyed therefore here is not only a griefe of want that he was debarred of those sweet comforts which hee had before in the Tabernacle but here is likewise a griefe from the reproach of his enemies that tooke occasion from his disconsolate estate to upbraid him Where is thy God My teares have bin my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God He dissolves the cloude of his griefe into the showr of teares my teares have bin my meat They were so plentifull that they did feed his soule as it were Then he sets downe another ground of his grief from the remembrance of his former happinesse as usually that doth make the griefe raw and more sensible for fâ—…ix miser maxime miser he that hath binne happy in former time and now is miserable is most miserable of all because his former happinesse makes him most sensible therefore of all men in hel the torment of great men is most because they had most sence of comfort in this world mighty men shall be mightily tormented that is all the privilege they shall have in hell Therefore to aggravate his griefe oh saith he when I remember what comfort I had formerly in the house of God I poure out my soule It was not enough that he poured out his teares or words but I poâ—…re out my soule for in former times I went with the multitude to the house of God and lead a goodly traine to the house of God The picture of a good Magistrate and a good master of a family hee goes not alone to the house of God but hee leads his traine he is attended on by his servants David went not alone into the house of God but with the multitude with the voyce of them that kept holiday Well hee had griefe enough his heart was full of griefe Now in the next verse he takes up his soule and expostulates with himselfe why are thou so sad oh my soule and why are thou disquieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance So you see here he is not so flat in his griefe that he gives over-long way to it but hee even fals a chiding of his soule why art thou cast downe oh my soule why art thou disquieted within me oh but yet griefe will not be so stilled affliction is not