with an everlasting former love not beginning at that instant discoverie thereof Vse 1 The Use heereof is first of all against those who measure Gods love and favour by their owne feeling because as God loved them before so hee loves them as well and as dearely still when he hideth his face from them as when hee suffered his loving kindnesse to shine most comfortably upon them Hee loved Christ as dearely when he hanged on the tree in torment of soule and body as hee did when he said This is my beloved sonne Mat. 3.17 in whom I am well pleased yea and when hee received him up into glory The Sunne shineth as cleerely in the darkest day as it doth in the brightest The difference is not in the Sunne but in some clouds which hinder the manifestation of the light thereof So God loveth us as well when he shineth not in the brightnesse of his countenance upon us as when he doth Iob 42.7 Iob was as much beloved of God in the middest of his miseries as he was afterwards when he came to enjoy the aboundance of his mercies I will love them freely c. The last Point which we gather from hence Observ as a speciall ground of comfort is this That this free love and favour of God is the cause of all other mercies and free favours whereby hee discovereth his love unto us 1. It is the cause of election Rom. 5.11 even so then as this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace So 2. For Vocation when the Apostle had shewed that the Ephesians were saved by Grace Ephe. 5.7 hee adds that in the ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his grace In his kindnesse towards us through Christ Iesus hee afterwards sheweth when this grace began first to have being Ephe. 2.10 For wee are his workemanship created vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that wee should walke therein 3. Forgivenesse of sinnes In whom we have a redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinns Ephe. 1.7 according to the riches of his grace So 4. For the grace of Love Wee love him 1 Joh. 4.19 because he loved us first 5. For Justification and Sanctification It is said that Christ hath loved us Rev. 1.5 why For he hath washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood and Saint Iohn saith He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father 1. Kings to fight against the world the flesh and the divell 2. Priests to teach instruct reprove and comfort our selves and others by the word of God and then to offer up the sacrifice of a broken heart in prayers and praises All comes from freedome of love 6. So every good Inclination comes hence For it is God which worketh in us Hos 5.14 Phil. 1.13 both to will and to doe of his good pleasure So 7. Every good Worke For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which he had before ordained that we should walke therein For by grace ye are saved saith he through faith Ephe. 2.8.10 So 8. For Eternall life the Apostle sheweth It is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. This should teach us in the first place to bee humbled in that we are so miserable naughty servants doing so little worke nay nothing as we should yet should have so good wages 1 Cor. 4.7 Ephes 2.9 but God loves us freely c. It should rather humble us the more then puffe us up in pride in regard that there was nothing in us which might deserve any thing at Gods hand Vse 2 And hence also it followeth infallibly Ioh. 17.23 24. that if he loved us from everlasting with a free love in a sort as he loved Christ that therefore the effects of his love towards us shall never faile as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Faith and Repentance being fruits of his love wrought in us shall hold out therfore the weakenesse of these graces as they shall not hinder our salvation no more should they discourage us or hinder the comfort of our profession Because that Faith and Repentance which wee have is not any worke of ours but the worke of Gods free love in us therefore they shall bee continued and accepted For our Perseverance doth not stand in this that wee have strength in our selves to continue faithfull to God but because he out of his free love continueth faithfull to us and will never faile nor forsake them whom he hath once taken into his everlasting favour on whom hee hath set his everlasting free love as the Apostle speakes of Christ Who also shall confirme you unto the end 1 Cor. 1.8 9. that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ but upon what ground God is faithfull by whom wee were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. So that if any of the Elect should fall away God should be unfaithfull The case in Perseverance is not how faithfull wee are but how faithfull God is who guides us heere with his Counsell in all things Psal 73.24 and afterwards receiveth us into glory So in another place after the Apostle had prayed Now the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholy 1 Thess 5.23 24. and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ What maketh he the ground of this his Prayer Faithfull is hee that calleth you who also will doe it Vse 3 If then wee would have God to manifest his free love to us let us strive to be obedient to his Commandements and stirre up our hearts by all meanes to love him who hath so freely loved us Quest Now how should we manifest our love to God Answ How to manifest our love to God First in loving his Word as Psal 19. Psal 119. Secondly in loving his people 1 Ioh. 5.1 2. Thirdly in longing for and loving his second comming Revel 22.20 Now followeth the Reason of the discoverie of this free love shewed now in time to them For mine Anger is turned away from him Here is the third Branch of Gods answer to their Petition Mine Anger is turned away from him which is included and implied in the former I will heale their backsliding how could hee doe this if he were Angrie No he saith I will love them freely which argues that his anger was appeased God knoweth that variety of words and expressions are all little enough to raise up and comfort a doubting wounded galled soule which when it is touched with a sense of sinne and of his displeasure cannot heare words enough of comfort This God knowes well enough and therefore hee adds expression upon expression I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely for
God Doe good to us spirituall that needs no limitation because wee cannot more honour God then to depend upon him for all spirituall good things Thou art wiser and knowest what is good for us better then we our selves beggars ought to be no choosers therefore Doe good to us for the particulars wee leave them to thy wisedome O Beloved it is a happy and blessed priviledge to be under the conduct of so wise and All-sufficient a God who is good and as hee is good knowes best what is good for us We would have riches liberty and health I but it may bee it is not good for us Doe good to us Thou Lord knowest what is best doe in thine owne wisedome what is best Vse Which should teach us not to limit the Holy one of Israel in our desires of any outward thing whatsoever Especially desire forgivenesse and spirituall good things leaving the rest to his wise disposing Yet notwithstanding out of the sense of paine and griefe wee may pray either for the mitigation or remooving of a crosse if God bee so pleased because hee hath put in us selfe-love not sinnefull but love of preserving our nature therefore he permits us if it may stand with his good pleasure to desire the good of our outward man as Lord give us bodily health for we cannot else bee instruments of serving thee With reservation of Gods good pleasure wee may desire such and such things conditionally that when we see God will have it otherwise we rest contented sit downe quietly knowing that whatsoever health sicknesse or crosses hee sends it comes from his goodnesse and love and shall turne to our good at length if wee love God all shall worke for good Take away our iniquity and doe us good wee should make this petition for the Church and our selves pardon our sinnes and doe good to us to our persons to the state to the times wherein we live to the Church at home and abroad doe good to all How to know when blessings enjoyed come from Gods love Anâ— we may observe this from the order and know what good wee have it comes from God in love when it comes after forgivenesse of sinnes How then may wee take comfort of all the good things we have enjoyed having seene many good daies enjoyed many good blessings in health wealth good Magistracie Ministery Peace plenty and the like If all this goodnesse of God leade us to God and draw us neerer unto him after forgivenesse of sinnes grounded on the former evidences I spake of then they come in love But never let us thinke to have true comfort with a blessing or any good thing we enjoy till wee have assurance of Gods love and mercy in the forgivenesse of sinnes least God strip us naked of all the good things wee have and make us as naked as Dives in Hell who had not any thing that was good to refresh his body or soule So that all good things wee enjoy here without this will onely aggravate our condemnation Let us observe therefore how all our good things are joyned with spirituall good whether wee our selves are made better by them or not having our sinnes pardoned I beseech you let us renew our requests for forgivenesse of sinnes every day making our accounts even with God desiring grace to set our soules in a holy and sanctified frame with God that our selves may bee good our conversation good and that then he would doe good to us all other waies and sanctifie all other things This is the Method of Gods Spirit in setting us right onwards in our heavenly journey first to have forgivenesse of sins then sanctification to be better our selves and then to looke for peaceable and comfortable daies in this world if God see it good What can bee more Take away all iniquity and doe us good all manner of good Therefore since all good comes from God the first and chiefe good let us labour to have communion with him by all sanctified meanes that so hee may take away our ill and doe us every way good to our soules bodies conditions O what a blessed thing is it for a Christian to keepe a strict and neere communion with the fountaine of goodnesse who can doe more for us then all the world besides When we are sick on our death beds or when conscience is throughly awaked then to speake peace comfortably to us in this great extremitie is more worth then all this world Therefore let us labour to keepe communion with God that he may speake peace to our soules when nothing else can I beseech you therefore let us take heed how we breake or walke loosely with God seeing wee can have no further comfort of any good thing we enjoy then wee are carefull to keepe and maintaine our peace and communion with him at all times and when we run into arrerages with God then bee sure we lie not in sinne but say Take away all iniquity and doe good to us labouring to bee in such an estate as God may give us his holy Spirit both to make us good and sanctifie unto us all other good There bee good things which are are good of themselves and which make all other things good Thus by communion with God we our selves are made good and all other things likewise are made good to us all his waies being mercy and truth unto those who feare him Therefore resigne we our selves and all that we have unto his wisedome and disposing because oftimes there is good where wee imagine the worst of evills to be as it is sometimes good to have a veine opened Simile to be purged the Physitian thinkes so when yet the Patient impatient of Reasons issue thinkes not so But as the Physitian is wiser then the Patient to know what is best for him so God is wiser then man to know what is good for him who intends us no hurt when he purgeth us by affliction All our care therefore should be to annihilate our selves to come with empty poore soules to God Doe good to us In which case it is no matter what our ill bee if hee doe us good who hath both pardon and rich grace to remoove the evill of sinne and convey all grace unto us out of his rich Treasurie So will we render the calves of our lips Here is the Restipulation or promise they Returne backe againe to God for there is no friendship maintained without rendring when God hath entred into Covenant with us then there is a kinde of friendship knit up betwixt him and us he becomming our friend We must not therefore be like graves to swallow up all and returne nothing for then the inter-course betwixt God and us is cut off Therefore the same Spirit which teaches them to pray and to Take to them words teacheth them likewise to take unto them words of Praise that there may bee a Rendring according to Receiving without which we are worse then
Lebanon IT was a good speech of S. Austin those that are to petition great persons they will obtaine some who are skilfull to frame their Petitions least by their unskillfullnesse they provoke Anger insteed of carrying away the benefit desired So it is here with Gods people being to deale with the great God and not being able to frame their owne petitions God as we heard before doth it for them and answers them gratiously with the same mercies which he had suggested them to aske his answer being exact to their petitions I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely c. wherein God exceeds all Physitians in the world whatsoever for they have nature to helpe them Physicke is the mid-wife of Nature helping it to doe that which it cannot doe of it selfe Physick can doe nothing to a dead man but God is so great a Physitian that hee first gives life and after that spirituall Life is in some degrees begun by little and little he heales more and more I will heale their backslidings We have an error crept in amongst some of the meaner ignorant sort of people who thinke that God sees no sinne when he hath once pardoned men in Justification who falsely smooth themselves in this wicked sensuall conceit thinke they can commit no sinne offensive to God as though God should frame such a Justification for men to blindfold him and cast dust as it were in his eyes or justifie men to make them loose and idle No it is false as appeareth by this place for how can God heale that he sees not He sees it not to be revenged on them for it but hee sees sinne to correct it and to heale it He sees it not after a revengefull wrathfull justice to cast us into Hell and damne us for it but he sees it after a sort to make us smart and lament for it and to have many times a bitter sense of his wrath and forsaking as men undone without a new supply of comfort and peace from Heaven Let a man neglect Sanctification daily sorrow and confession of sinne and now and then even craving new pardon for sinnes past casting all upon a fantasticke conceit of faith in their justification what followes but Pride Hardnesse of heart Contempt of others and neglect of better then themselves and pronenesse out of Gods judgement to fall from ill to worse from one error to another In this case the heart is false and deceitfull for whilst it pretends a glorious faith to looke back to Christ to live by faith and lay all on him by justification it windes it selfe out of all taskes of Religion sets the heart at liberty neglects Sanctification and Mortification of lusts and beautifying the image of God in them giving too much way to the flesh Therefore away with this false and selfe-conceited opinion which drawes poyson out of that which God speakes to confirme and stablish us That hee sees no iniquity in Iaakob c. Whence from these Hyperbolicall speeches they thinke that God seeth not that which we our selves see But hee heales our backslidings therefore hee sees them for how can he heale a wound if he see it not He sees it but not to their destruction who are freely justified by his grace But we will leave this point it being too much honour to them to spend time in confutation of it and will rather say unto it as Isay speakes of a menstruous cloth get thee hence Isa 30.22 Now as God is a most gratious God never weary of well doing and comforting his people because it is his nature to be mercifull So hee hath suteable expressions of it hee goes on with mercy upon mercy loving kindnesse upon loving kindnesse Hee had promised before I will heale their Backeslidings take in summe all their Apostacie all shall bee healed But this is not all hee answers all the accusations and doubts of Satan who is still objecting against us our unworthinesse miserie wretchednesse to have such favours conferred on such filthy creatures Therefore hee takes of all with this which followeth as they had prayed Receive us gratiously So the answer is full and suitable to their request I will love them freely Put case they out of conscience of their own guilt should see no worth in themselves or cause why they should bee respected yet I see reason in mine owne love I will love them freely Quest But may some say How can God love freely Answ Aske thy selfe doth not a father and a mother love their child freely what doth the child deserve of the father and mother a great while Nothing but the mother hath many a weary night and foule hand with it Hath God planted an affection in us to love our children freely and shall not God much more who gives this love and plants it in us bee admitted to love freely But indeed there is absurdity and infidelity in distrust For it is against reason to deny the mighty God that which wee have in our selves If hee did not love freely how could hee love at all what could hee fore-see in us to love us for before hand the very manhood of Christ deserved not the grace of union it was freely given I will love them freely That which first of al we observe hence is this much Observ That God loves his people freely So Rom. 5.8 9. Saith the Apostle God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being justified by his blood wee shall bee saved from wrath through him The like wee have in Ezekiell saith God Ezek. 36.22 Therefore say unto the house of Israell thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israell but for mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the heathen whether ye went Adam when hee had sinned that maine great sinne what did hee fly from God run away Gen. 3.12 13. and when God called to him and debated the matter with him he accused God and excused himselfe Yet for all this God pittied him and cloathed him and made him that promise of the blessed seed What desert was there here in Adam nay rather the quite contary yet God loved him freely The same may bee said of Saint Paul for the time past a persecuter what deserving was therein him none at all yet hee found Gods free love in his conversion Act. 9.15 for saith God to Ananias Hee is a chosen vessell unto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles Heere was no deserving in Saint Paul Act. 9.5 but Gods free election which in time tooke place and so wee may say of the Prodigall having spent all Luk. 15.20 his Father pardoned all and loved him freely Reason 1 The Reason hereof is 1. Because it is his name and nature to bee gratious Exo. 34.6 and to loue freely and whatsoever is Gods nature that hath a freedome in the working
Reason 2 2. Because no creature can deserve any thing at Gods hands 1. Because by nature wee are all Gods enemies and therefore what can enemies deserve nothing but wrath and vengeance 2. If we have any graces they are the gift of God and therefore wee deserve nothing by them they being of his owne gift So saint Iames speakes Iam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning And Saint Paul saith That of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11.36 what should follow heereupon To whom be glory for ever Vse 1 This in the first place serves for reproofe of our adversaries of the Romish Church who say that God loves us for something foreseene in us which is good or for somewhat which in time wee would doe to deserve favour at his hands but both are false the cause of love is free from himselfe for when wee have done our best Luk. 17.10 yet saith the Holy Ghost wee are unprofitable servants Vse 2 Secondly It is for reproofe of Gods owne deare children who because they finde no deserving in themselves are therefore discouraged at the sight of their owne unworthinesse whereas quite contrary the sight of our owne unworthinesse should make us the more fit subjects for Christs free love which hath nothing to doe with them that stand upon deserving Many of Gods deare children are troubled with temptations doubts and feares of Gods love and favour towards them because they expect to finde it in the fruits of Grace and not in free Grace it selfe If wee would have any sound peace let us look for it in free Grace Therefore the blessed Apostle in the entrance of his salutations in his Epistles still joyneth Grace and then Peace to shew us that if wee looke for sound Peace wee can no where finde it but in Grace Wee would finde Peace in the Grace that is in us but it is labour in vaine for wee shall never finde it but in free Grace Vse 3 Hence wee may also bee comforted in the certainety of our salvation for that grace and love and favour whereby wee are saved is in God not in us Now whatsoever is in him is immutable and sure So saith the Apostle Neverthelesse the foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim 2.19 having this seale the Lord knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Where speaking of election which comes from the free love of God hee makes that a sure foundation to build on if there bee a reformation to depart from iniquity wee may be comfortably assured of our salvation And as it is with Election so is it with all the other fruits of God love Vocation Rom. 3.24 Joh. 13.1 Adoption Iustification and Perseverance the foundation of God fastly sealed in the way of holinesse stands good and sure in all Vse 4 This further teacheth us Thankfulnesse unto God who hath so freely loved us for if there were deserving on our part what place were left for thankfulnesse We know one who deserves nothing and hath small matters bestowed upon him at least will be thankfull for such favours But when one is so farre from deserving any thing that by the contrary hee deserveth all plagues and punishments hath yet many and aboundant mercies bestowed freely upon him this doth exceedingly provoke especially a generous spirit to a suitable thankfulnesse as much as may be Vse 5 And let it likewise breed Confidence in us to God in all our miseries both for pardon of sinne helpe in distresse and comfort in sorrowes because he loves us freely and did love us whilst we were enemies make therefore upon all occasions the Apostles use of it For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God Rom. 5.10 by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life I will love them freely In the next place from hence we observe another point which necessarily followeth upon the former Observ That God did not then begin to love them when he said I will love them freely but to discover that love unto them which hee carried unto them from all eternity For instance hereof Saint Paul was beloved of God ere God manifested his love unto him as hee testifieth of himselfe that the discoverie of this free love was Gal. 1.15.16 when it pleased God who seperated me from my mothers wombe and called mee by his Grace to reveale his sonne in mee c. So Ephes 1.3 4. The Apostle blesseth God in his salutation unto them who had blessed them with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ But whence fetcheth hee the ground hereof According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and unblameable before him in love Ephe. 1.4 Wee need not multiply places more to prove it our adversaries would faine seeme to cleere God onely in all and so shrowd their arguments under such needlesse pretences shift of all places name wee never so many with their strong heads distinctions and sophismes But God will one day give them no thankes for their labour the will of God how unequall soever in our eyes who cannot with our shallow conceits sound the depth of such misteries being ground enough to justifie all his actions whatsoever Wee will therefore come to some Reasons of the point Reason 1 Because Whatsoever is in God manifested in time is eternall and everlasting in him without beginning and ending for wh tsoever is in God is God 1 Joh. 4.8 Joh. 14.6 God is not loving but Love and he is not onely true but Truth it selfe hee is not wise onely but Wisdome it selfe And therefore his love discovered in time must needs bee from all eternity Reason 2 Secondly Jf God did then first begin to love us when he manifested his love unto us then there should be a change in God because hee should love them now that hee did not formerly love As wee see those who loved Paul after his Conversion loved him not before there was then a change in the Church in which case if God should so love hee should bee changeable and so be like unto man Reason 3 And then againe Christs Prayer Iohn 17. makes it cleere that the love of God beginneth not with the manifestation thereof for Christ there knowing all the Fathers secrets as comming out of the bosome of the Father intimates the contrary where he makes one end of his prayer for them to be Ioh. 17.23 That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Now how he loved Christ is also shewed a little after For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Joh. 17.24 Therefore the Saints and Children of God are loved
and alter our former lewd courses our sinnes are not yet forgiven For wheresoever God takes away sinne and loves freely there also he gives the best fruits of his love bestowes the dew of his grace to worke upon and alter our natures Christ came not by blood alone to die for us but by water also to sanctifie us He will not onely love freely but he will be as the dew where he loves freely therefore if we have not sanctifying grace we have not as yet pardoning grace For we know the Prophet joynes them both together Psa 32.1 1. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile If we retaine a guilefull false spirit our sinnes are not forgiven we see both these are put together Vse 2 And seeing all these good things come from God it is necessary to take notice of what hath beene said of Gods goodnesse that we doe not rob God of his due glory nor our selves of the due comfort that we may draw thence The Egyptians had the river Nylus that overflowed the land every yeere caused by anniversary winds which so blew into the mouth of the river that it could not discharge it selfe into the sea whereupon it overflowed the bankes and left a fruitfull slime upon the ground so that they needed not nine as other Countries because it was watered with Nylus Hereupon they did not depend upon Gods blessing nor were so holy as they should but were proud of their river as is intimated by Moses unto the people Deut. 11.10 11. But the land whether thou goest in to possesse it is not as the land of Egypt from whence yee came out where thou sowest thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbes But the land whether yee goe to possesse it is a land of hills and valleyes and drinketh water of the raine of heaven a land which the Lord thy God careth for c. They having more immediately raine from Heaven saw Gods hand in watering it whereas the Egyptians did not And what makes a Papist to be so unthankfull He thinks he can with his owne industry water his owne ground with somewhat in himselfe What makes another man thankfull on the other side Because he knoweth he hath all things by dependance from the first cause for as in nature Act. 17.28 In God wee live moove and have our beeing much more in grace we have all our nourishment spirituall being Mal. 4.2 mooving and life from the dew of Heaven all our heate is from the Sunne of Righteousnesse which makes a Christian life to be nothing else but a gratious dependance Phil. 4.13 I can do all things saith Saint Paul big and great words O! but it is through Christ that strengthens me These things must not be forgotten for a child of the Church is a child of grace by grace he is what he is he hath all from Heaven Eze. 29.9 Suitable to the former place is that in Ezekiel And the land of Aegypt shall be desolate and waste and they shall know that I am the Lord because hee hath said the river is mine and I have made it He shall be desolate because he boasts and brags of his river and depends not upon God for the sweet showers of the former and the latter raine they boasted because it was a fat fruitfull countrie which the Romans called their granary But wee must looke for all from Heaven God by his Spirit will be as the dew You know in Paradise there were foure rivers that watred the Garden of God that sweet place That the head whence all blessing come is in Heaven and made it fruitfull but the heads of all these rivers were out of Paradise So it is with the Church of God Psal 46.4 There is a River the streames whereof makes glad the Citie of God as the Psalmist speakes many pretious comfortable graces the particulars whereof follow but where is the head-spring of that river it is in Heaven We have all from God through Christ the Mediator So though we have of the Water and Dew yet notwithstanding the head and spring of all is from without the Church in Heaven in Christ in the Mediator And therefore in all the excellent things we enjoy in the Church let us looke to the Originall first cause Christ by his Spirit He is as the Dew to his Church Vse 3 This affoords likewise an Vse of Direction Quest How to come to have grace to sanctifie and alter our natures Answ How to have grace to sanctifie our natures Doe as the Church doth heere desire it of God Lord teach me to see and know my sinnes Lord Take away all iniquity and receive me gratiously Heale my soule for I have sinned against thee O love mee freely Turne away thy angry face from my sinnes and be as the Dew unto my barren soule my dead soule O quicken it make good thy promise come swiftly come speedily come unresistably like raine upon the mowen grasse Psal 72.6 as showers to water with the dew of grace and fructifie my drie parched soule Thus we should be earnest with God for grace for our selves and for the Churches abroad for our Church and State at home Therefore let such an use be made of it generally as God and not other forraigne helps may especially bee trusted in for it is the onely way to destruction to let God alone and to trust to this bodie and that bodie for in this case many times God makes those we thus trust in our destruction as the Assyrians and Babylonians were the ruine of the ten Tribes But begin alwaies first in Heaven set that great wheele a working and he will make all things comfortable especially for our soules then we shall not onely finde him to make good this promise I will be as the Dew unto Israell but the residue which follow after He shall grow as the Lillie c. Those unto whom God is Dew a double blessing he will make them grow and so grow as they shall grow up as the Lillie Thistles and nettles and ill weeds grow apace also but not as Lillies but Gods children are Lillies and then they grow as Lillies Quest Answ Christians grow like Lillies How doe Christians grow like Lillies First for beauty and glory There is such a kinde of glory and beauty in that plant that it is said by our Saviour 1. In regard of beauty and glory Mat. 5.29 That Salomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of these because his was a borrowed glory from the creature but the Lillie hath a native beauty of its owne Againe 2. In regard of sweet fragrant smell the Lillie hath a sweet and fragrant smell so have Christians a sweetnesse and shining exprest in their conversation as we have it a little after His smell shall bee as Lebanon c. And
good 1. To know Gods free grace First labour to know God and his free Grace in Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.18 Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ they goe both together the more we grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Grace of God in him the more grace and rootednesse wee shall have For that which the soule doth cleerely apprehend it fastens upon in that measure it apprehendeth it Cleerenesse in the understanding breeds earnestnesse in the affections and fastnesse too So the more wee grow in knowledg the more we roote our selves in that we know And therefore the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that they might have the Spirit of Revelation c. That they might know the height breadth depth and length of Gods love that passeth knowledge Ephes 3.14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the whole family of Heaven and Earth is named that he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner-man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love in the sense of Gods love to us and so of our love to him againe for we are not rooted in love to God till we be rooted in the sense of Gods love to us that you may bee able to comprehend with all Saints the height and breadth c. 1. Labour to know the Promises And withall labour to know the gratious Promises of Christ for we are knit to him by vertue of his word and Promises which like himselfe are Yea and Amen JEHOVAH yesterday to day the same for ever 2 Cor. 1.20 So al his Promises made in him they are Yea and Amen in themselves firme and firme to us in him They are Yea and Amen that is they are made and performed in Christ in whom they are sure to be performed and thereupon they are firme too God made them who is JEHOVAH and they are made in Christ that is JEHOVAH So God the Father JEHOVAH he promiseth and he makes them good in Christ JEHOVAH who is unchangeable But this is not enough 3. Our hearts must be stablished on that which is firme wee must labour to have our hearts stablished that they may rely firmely on that which is firme For if a thing be never so firme except we rely firmely on it there is no stability or strength from it Now when there is strength in the thing and strength in the soule that strength is impregnable and unconquerable strength In Christ they are Yea and Amen in whom he stablisheth us annoints us seales us and gives us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts How doth God stablish us upon the Promises How God doth stablish us The rest which followeth is an explication of this when he gives us the earnest of the Spirit and seales us to be his in token he meanes to make good the bargaine then we are established But we are never firmely established till we get the assurance of salvation Then as the Promises are Yea and Amen in themselves so we are stablished upon them when we are sealed and have the earnest of the Spirit Let us labour therefore to grow in the knowledge of Gods love in Christ to know the height breadth depth and length of it and to grow in all the gratious Promises which are made in Christ who is Amen himselfe as his Promises are and then when we are sealed and annointed by the Spirit we shall be so stablished that nothing shall moove us Therefore let us use all meanes for the establishing of growth in us the Word and Sacraments especially For as Baptisme admits us into the house of God so by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the blessed food of the soule wee are strengthened In the use of these meanes let us make suite unto God to make good his gratious Promise unto us that wee shall grow as Lillies and take roote as the Cedars in Lebanon Let us know that we ought every day to labour to be more and more rooted do we know what times may befall us We have need to grow every day to grow upward and in breadth and in depth If wee considered what times we may live to it should force us to grow every way especially in humility that roote and mother or graces to grow downeward in that to grow in knowledge and faith untill wee be filled with the fullnesse of God Object A poore Christian ofttimes makes this Objection O I doe not grow therefore I feare my state I am oft shaken therefore this Promise is not fulfilled to me Answ To this I answer Christians may be deceived for they doe grow ofttimes in firmenesse strength and stability though they doe not spread out they may grow in refinednesse that that which comes from them may bee more pure and lesse mixed with naturall corruption Pride Selfe-love and the like This is a temptation that old men are subject too especially in whom the heate of nature decayes who thinke withall that grace decayes But it is not so for ofttimes when grace is carried with the heate of nature it makes a greater shew being helpt by nature The demonstration but not the truth of grace is thus helpt Therfore this clause of the Promise is made good in old Christians they are every day more and more rooted firme stable and judicious and more able in those graces which belong to their place and condition Therefore they should not be discouraged though they be not carried with the streame and tide of nature help'd with that vigour that sometime was in them They grow in judiciousnesse mortifiednesse in heavenly-mindednesse and in ability to give good counsell to others This is well for we grow not in grace one way but divers waies not onely when wee grow in outward demonstration and in many fruits and actions but when wee grow in refinednesse and judiciousnesse as was said then wee are said to grow likewise Yet notwithstanding it should be the indeavour of all to grow what they can in grace when if they grow not so fast as others let them know that there are severall ages in Christ A young Christian cannot be so planted and so deepely rooted as another that is of a greater standing This should not discourage any seeing there are babes in Christ as well as strong men Therefore where there is truth of heart with indeavour to grow better and better and to use all meanes let no man be discouraged Remember alway this for a truth that we may grow and we ought to grow and the children of God ordinarily have growne more and more both in fruitfullnesse and stedfastnesse every way but not with a like growth in measure or time Therefore labour to make use of these Promises and not to favour our selves in an ungrowing
Praisinâ— of God the incouragements to it page 60 c. Praise an honour to God page 60. Praise a gainefull trade page 60 61. Praise a noble act of Religion page 61. Praise a larger Sacrifice then Prayer page 61. Praise an heavenly action page 62. Praising God brings joy page 62 63. Praise how to know when it is accepted page 63. Promises Promises of Christ knowne worke grace in us p. 238 239. Promises how God stablisheth us in them page 239. Prudence See Wisdome Heavenly Prudence definition of it page 430. Providence The waies of Gods Providence are right page 442. R Returning Of Returning to the Lord page 8 c. How to know whether wee have Returned page 10 11. Reformation Reformation of life must be joyned with Prayer and Praise p. 66 Repentance True Repentance is of the particular sin we are most addicted too page 67. Repentance a tryall of it page 68. Repentance not to be delayed page 139. Repentance turnes away Gods anger page 188 c. Reproofe Reproofes for sin patiently endured is an evidence of the pardon of our sins page 315 316. Reproofe of sin how to be ordered page 317 318. S Sacrifices Sacrifices of Christians under the Gospell page 45 c. Salvation Our Salvation is certaine p. 175 God willing to Save men page 143 c. No Salvation out of the Church page 267. Stability Stability of Saints whence it ariseth page 228 250 251. Comforts arising from Saints Stability page 234. State State of Gods children firme page 232. State of the wicked unstable page 232 333. Difference betwixt our State in Adam and in Christ page 407. Sincerity Sincerity makes a Christian page 290. Serve It is not in vaine to Serve the Lord page 419. Sinne. All Sinnes alike hated by a sincere Christian page 25. All Sinne why to bee prayed against page 25. Sin brings judgement page 12. Sinne hatefull to a conscience awakened page 26. Sinnes formerly committed to be remembred page 28. Sinnes how to know they are forgiven page 29 c. Sinnes bitternesse causeth Repentance page 9â— Sinne is a disease p. 131 c. All Sinnes God is willing to pardon page 145 146. Sinnes neglected prove incurable page 133. Sinnes being diseases are presently to be cured page 138 139. Sin to be searched out p. 151. Sin subdued is an evidence of the pardon of sinne page 156. Sin why suffered to remaine in us page 161 162. Sin is the object of Gods anger page 183 c. Sinne contrary to Gods nature page 184. Sinne must not onely bee left but hated page 310. Sinne how knowne to be hated page 311 c. Sinne truly hated when it is universally hated page â—11 312. Sinne truly hated when implacably hated page 312 313. Sin truly hated when chiefely hated in our selves p. 313 314. Great Sinnes must bee hated in the greatest measure p. 314 315. Not to love to be flattered in our Sinnes is a signe of the true hatred of our sins page 316. Sinne the occasions of it to bee avoided page 316. Sinne how wee may come to hate it page 321 c. Sinne set forth as it is in its owne nature will make us hate it page 322. Sinne is the bane of all our comforts page 324. Sinne the onely object of the hatred of Gods children page 367. Sinne helps to make us hate it page 368. Sinne the cause of all ill page 368. Sin our greatest enemy p. 369 Sin renounced will make God heare our prayers page 375. Want of Conviction of Sinne makes us carelesse of sin p. 40. Sinner Impenitent Sinners not to be envied page 138. Sinners unrepenting their dangerous condition page 323. Soule Soule diseases how to know them page 134 c. Soule God is willing to save page 142 c. Suffer They who will not Suffer for Christ make Christ an Idoll page 349. T Thankefullnesse Assurance of Gods love works Thankefullnesse in us pag. 53 54. Thankesgiving See Praise Thankesgiving verball ought to be justified by deeds p. 49 50. Thankesgiving how to know it is accepted page 63. V Vengeance Vengeance neere those that profit not by the meanes of salvation page 255. Vnworthinesse Sight of our Vnworthinesse should not discourage us p. â—75 Vowes Vowes their use page 42. Vpright See Iust. W Wayes Wayes of God right page 443. Wayes of God wherein hee walkes to us page 441. Wayes which God prescribes to us page 442. Wayes of Gods providence all right and just page 442. Man ought not to be a prescriber of his owne Way page 44. To justifie Gods Wayes in evill times a note of Gods elect page 459 c. Before men can walke in Gods Wayes they must have spirituall life page 461. Walking in Gods Wayes justifies men to bee true Christians page 462. Wayes of God must be walkt in and not only talkt of p. 474. Having our end in our eye will enable us to walke resolutely in Gods Wayes page 468 469. To walk on in the right Wayes of God we must walke wisely page 469 c. In walking in Gods Wayes what we must avoid p. 472. Wayes of God the safest waies page 472. Wayes of God the pleasantest waies page 473. Wayes of God the most holy and cleane waies page 473. Walking in Gods Wayes what it implies page 493 464. How to know we walk on in Gods Waies p. 464 465 c. Who will walke aright in Gods Wayes must be resolute against all opposition p. 466. And pray to God for strength page 467. Good company a meanes to enable us to walk resolutely and constantly in Gods Wayes p. 467. Walkers in Gods Wayes their happinesse page 474. Warre Warre the lawfullnesse of it page 77 78. Water Water every yeare turned into wine page 222. Weake Weake Christians not to be discouraged page 289 290. Warning God gives Warning before he smites page 6. Wicked Wicked mens condition is fading page 234 c. Wicked men abhominable to God page 260 261. Wicked men most miserable in that they have not God for a shelter page 387. Will. How men make their owne Wills and wits Idols p. 346 c. Will worship no sleight matter page 338. Wise Truely Wise but few p. 426 427 All men naturally desire to bee thought Wise page 428. Wisedome Heavenly Wisedome the definition of it page 429. Heavenly Wisedome the signes of it page 432 c. Word Word of God is perfect p. 445. Word of God to be beleeved page 446 447. The Word without the Spirit is uneffectuall page 434 435. The same Word of God that is a Word of life to the Godly is a Word of perdition to the wicked page 476. Word of God not to bee loved the worse because wicked men are made the worse by it p. 477. Words why used in prayer p. 22 Works Want of of good VVorks ought not to hinder our Conversion or Justification page 452 453. Good VVorks why they cannot merit Page 405. VVorld VVorld not able to deprive us of Gods Spirit and grace page 414 415. VVrath VVrath of God makes crosses curses page 141 142. FINIS