humiliation is wrought in thy soul and therefore thank God for this and go forward to perfection get faith and love which casteth out fear the Spirit of adoption instead of the spirit of bondage Goon then to beleeve for thou both mayst shouldst having the fear of God thus in thy heart and being in a constant course of obedience according to thy abilitie that faith was never boldnesse nor presumption that is joyned with fear and obedience and that keeps to the precepts as well as to the promises It is an ordinarie policie of Satan and we should not be ignorant of his wiles but observe his stratagems that those who have no interest in the Promises as being void both of fear and obedience these I say he puffes up with Presumption and makes them boldly to claim and lean to that wherein they have no right As long as a man makes no conscience of his wayes he lets him beleeve his fill such a belief as it is when indeed he should not lay hold nor claim to the Promises as is clear by that Psal 50.16 17. But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee When a man again hath forsaken his wicked wayes and thoughts makes conscience of his courses and begins to fear the Lord at which time he may should lay hold on the Promises as is clear by that remarkable and comfortable place Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is a clear warrant and a sweet invitation for a person in such a case to beleeve and lay hold and yet I say no sooner fares it thus with a man but Satan and his own corruption incontinently bear him back from beleeving Observe this then and resist the devill and the corruption of infidelity that is in thine own heart bear back no longer If bearing back and withdrawing were an allowable cause for thee in such a course thy heart would not be so much given unto it we are ever to suspect the way of our own heart and to judge it wrong that we are most given unto namely the point in hand infidelity being so sibbe to us and which hangs so fast on thee as thou wast given in the time of thy securitie through the way of thine own heart to presume and lay hold when thou shouldest not now this way of thy own heart was clearly wrong So now the way of thy own heart being to misdoubt and draw back why shouldst thou not suspect it and resist it Hold to thy comfortable warrant thou fearest the Lord at least thou desirest to fear his Name for even to such the Scripture allows comfort thou obeyest the voice of his servants or art willing to obey so far as thou art able then obey this also Trust in the Lord and go on in a constant course of fear and obedience and fear not to beleeve this is the Lords seal to depart from iniquity Make your calling and election sure by well doing If ye do these things an entrance shall be ministred unto yâ—u a undantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1.11 If thou fear yea desire to fear if thou obey yea be willing and obedient even willing to be obedient Finally for thy further comfort and for the comfort of all those who are troubled because they are not satisfied in this point about the sense of their own guiltinesse let this be considered and examined as towards the promiâ—es there is a true faith and beleeving of them without sense which gives rest to the soul and produces good effects So may there also be a tâ—â—â— faith of the threatnings producing a true fear and câ—re and consequently a true humiliation although it be not joyned with sense All this is spoken not that you ought to rest upon this degree of humiliation for as you ought to go on from faith to faith and from grace to grace so from humiliation to humiliation Moreover the work of humiliation namely in regard of the sight and sense of our own guiltinesse and deservings is the very ground-work of the work of our salvation and sanctification and therefore should be well layed greatly laboured for and we should strive to have it deeply seated and stamped in our hearts and memories For as any may feel by experience according to the lively sense of this point goes on the livelinesse of all other points of Religion this point being lively unto us to wit the sight and sense of our own deservings it makes us accordingly hearty to confesse our sins and humbly to walk with our God it chases us earnestly to lay hold on the means of our deliverie to lay hold on the mercie of God the promises the Covenant c. It makes us flie in to the very bosome of Christ for shelter as to our City of refuge our horn of salvation And lastly faith being on foot and lively withall it is a whetstone and serves to quicken and set an edge upon our love and consequently upon our godly sorrow our zeal our obedience c. for then do we love most when we are most sensible how much is forgiven us so great are the consequents of this point So then I say what I have spoken for your comfort in this point is not that I would have you rest altogether upon the degree of humiliation alreadie acknowledged by you Onely this I would not have it hid from your eyes what you have received but that you should see it and acknowledge it that the Lord may not want his thankfulnesse nor you your comfort And that Satan may not prevail against you by that great and admirable policie of his as he hath done with many to bear you back from faith and laying hold on the Promises without the which there can be no comfort in a Christian soul yea no cheerfull no acceptable service to the Lord Without faith it is impossible to please him yea the heart wants courage to do it either to pâ—eâ—se him to praise him or to honour him Now his policie is this which is the doubt and hold-back to many Obj. I am not sufficiently humbled and therefore should not beleeve nor lay hold on the Promises for humiliation going before faith and beleeving Ans To this I say thou art not indeed sufficiently humbled in regard of and in reference to the work of thy sanctification nor ever shalt be so long as thou art here but I say the case standing so with thee as we were speaking that is thou fearing and obeying c. thou art sufficiently humbled to lay hold upon the Promises and to be bold to believe them and claim thy interest in them thou fearest the Lord
to be neglected but greatly to be laboured for for being joyned with the former it fortifies it strengthens the anchor of the soul it fils a man with Christian courage comfort and cheerfulnesse and makes him fruitfull in good works as is evident 2 Pet. 1.8 and 10. Onely about these two assurances we are to beware of these two things 1. That we betake us not to this last assurance onely for thus we will deceive our selves for it cannot be upright unlesse we have the other first we may well have a shew or form of it for we may have some change of life without faith but no true change without it we should not then betake us to it onely for then we both mistake the nature of faith and as I was saying cannot but deceive our selves which is most dangerous 2. We should also beware that we betake us not to this second assurance in the first roome for then we mistake the order of things and shall but discourage our selves and bewilder our selves in the point of our first assurance and hold our selves back from beleeving for the first assurance being to beleeve and the second to know that we beleeve how shall we know that we beleeve untill it first be and yet this is the course that many take they will first know that they beleeve before they do labour to beleeve they will needs have the second assurance before they have the first though it is evident that they must first have the first for the second flows from the first yea and not at the first but from it being somewhat strengthened they will not have the first assurance unlesse they have first or at least with all the second whereas they shall never have the second untill first of all they have the first and that in some good measure But this point of mistaking the order of things will be clearer being spoken of in the termes we did propose You say that you misse many of the Marks of Faith feel not your heart purified from corruption find not the love of God repentance and so forth and therefore this troubles you discourages you and weakens you that ye cannot or dare not apply the Promises or Means of faith unto you I answer this comes from mistaking the order of things if these Marks ye misse were of things that either go before or accompany faith you had it may be some reason for this complaint but seeing they come from these things that follow faith and are the effects of faith why should the want of them discourage you to beleeve yea rather they should stir you up to beleeve that so you may come by them for they being the effects of faith how shall ye think to obtain them unlesse ye first beleeve that is take and apply the promises I pray you wherehence flows victory over corruption but from faith Is it not faith that purifies the heart And wherehence flows the love of God but even also from faith apprehending the love of God towards us according to that of the Apostle We love him because he loved us first And for repentance or godly sorrow it flows from that love and is according to the measure of that love as our love is according to the measure of our faith so outward acts of obedience faith works by love so then to suspend our faith and beleeving till we get these is the high way never to get faith Further whence are all these things to be gotten the want whereof discourages us to beleeve are they any other where to be gotten but from Christ or any other way to be gotten from him but by faith can we get the bloodie issue of our corruptions any otherwayes cured but by drawing vertue from Christ and the power of his death Can we get our spirituall wants otherwayes supplyed then out of Christ his fulnesse or our spirituall weaknesse otherwayes helped and strengthened I am able to de all things through Christ that strengthens me So then I say we must not delay our beleeving that is applying of the Promises to our selves till we find these things redressed but on the contrary we must beleeve that we may have these things helped thou wilt not beleeve and apply the Promises untill thou findest these things but thou shalt never find these things untill thou first beleeve and apply we would rather have some worthinesse in our selves then come by faith to Christ but we can have none Further observe that these things do not onely flow from faith but from faith somewhat strengthened A tree cannot bring forth fruit at the first untill the time it be well fastned and take some rooting Now these things ye speak of being the fruits of faith how think ye shall they be produced without faith somewhat rooted how shall ye expect them as long as ye hold the tree of your faith thus shaking and tossing through your own default suffer it not to take root So then to conclude I would advise all those who feel the want or weaknesse of Faith not to run presently to the Marks of Faith I mean those which are taken from the effects of Faith for this will but encumber their faith and weaken their applying this will also make them to stagger at the promise but I would advise them I say to flie to the Means and to apply the Promises what ever their corruptions or wants be even to do as Abraham the father of the faithfull did he looked not to any insufficiencie in himself but to the power and faithfulnesse of the promiser he considered not the deadnesse of his body c. and therefore staggered not at the promise but being strong in faith he gave glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Even so should we we should not at first look to these discouragements that present themselves unto us from the deadnesse and diseases of our own souls for then we shall never beleeve for these will never cease untill we first beleeve But let us look to the promise of a true and powerfull God that he is both faith full who hath promised and that he is able to perform what he hath promised This was the ground and prop of Abrahams and Sarahs faith the parents and patterns of the faithfull Rom. 4.21 Heb. 11.8 And these should be the props of our faith But we will have a way of beleeving of our own and such is our mischievous infidelitie that we cannot rest upon God alone his promise his power and his truth unlesse we find something in our selves It is both remarkable and comfortable Heb. 6. that the Spirit of God there allows us not onely confidence simply and consolation but even a strong consolation and that from no ground in our selves but onely from God his great truth in his oath and promise Further let this be added to the advise to wit that those who find their faith weak
and take deeper root in the same then any care of the things of the life to come So if they seek the kingdom of heaven at all yet it cannot be said that they keep the rule Seek first or chiefly the kingdom of heaven 2. They be not diligent but slothfull desires wishing to dye the death but not willing to be at the pains to live the life of the righteous either they do nothing at all for it or at least not all that they should do they may perhaps leave many sins as was to be seen in Herod not do all that is commanded as is to be seen in the young man in the Gospel notwithstanding he did seem to have a very forward and fervent desire of salvation still they stick and stand at something and howsoever they seek the kingdom of heaven yet adde they not this and the righteousnesse thereof 3. They be not stable nor constant desires but fits and starts unconstant motions like the morning dew so that if they work at all yet do they not work out their salvation So that you have no reason to be put by the comfort of this point because of any desires in the wicked and unregenerate this way your desires being 1. deep and serious such as could not be put off but with satisfaction in some measure in the point it self 2. You seeking first the kingdom of heaven your heart running more upon this point of your own salvation and it going neerer unto your heart then the things of this 〈◊〉 3. You seeking the kingdom of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and that ye have a respect to all Gods Commandments declining no duty entertaining no sin and in thus doing ye shall not be ashamed Lastly thy desires being stable and constant although it may be not in a like degree thou working out the work of thy salvation Q. The time was sometimes indeed that I could have said so much of the desires of my salvation that they were serious that they were not slothfull that I wrought out my salvation with fear and trembling but now I finde such slacknesse remissenesse security that makes me greatly doubt that my desires have not been such as they should A. This is indeed an ill to be regrated prayed and striven against even this great and ordinary ill of security But for your comfort understand that one and the same degree of desire and diligence is not to be expected alwayes no not in the best of Gods children especially their desires being more sharp their care their fear their diligence more great in the beginning of their conversion that as ye heard before they may be well entred in the course of Christianitie and well buckled with all Christian duties but many times afterwards there will be a falling away from their first care and diligence even the wise Virgins will slumber Christs own Spouse sleeped when her heart waked But herein stands the difference betwixt the instabilitie and inconstancie of the wickeds desires and of the godlies That the godly although they remit sometimes somewhat of the degree of their desires and cares this way yet do they never altogether return to their former securitie which they had before their wakening and conversion they may fal from their first care and diligence but not from all care and diligence the wise Virgins did slumber but were not dead the Spouse slept but her heart waked there will be ever something wakening and stirring the hearts of Gods children whereas the wicked grow altogether as secure and sluggish yea more like water heated which grows colder then before This no doubt if you apply it to your self will give you some resolution and comfort And thus far for this point 2. Now for the second point it is also true that the wicked and unregenerate may have a sight of their own corruptions wickednesse and sinfulnesse but it is also far from the degree and kind of that sight of sin and corruption which the regenerate and Gods own children have who have gotten the eye-salve the speciall illumination of the Spirit and are inlightned by that true light who lighteneth every man that cometh into the world they see more then flesh and blood can reveal unto them The difference may be especially seen in these foure particulars 1. The wicked and unregenerate although by the light of nature or a generall illumination they see some outward grosse corruptions corruptions of their flesh as fornication murther c. yet see they not their inward secret corruptions no lesse reigning and raging in them and no lesse odious unto God their pride their hypocrisie their infidelity their impatience their spirituall idolatry and whoring after the creature they see not the filthinesse of the spirit 2 Cor. 7. 2. Although they see sin in the branches and fruit yet see they it not in the root and fountain they see not into that originall corruption of their nature the blindnesse errour and vanity of their minds the great aversnesse and rebellion of their wils the inordinatenesse and earthlinesse of their affections the deadnesse of their consciences the hardnesse whoring hypocrisie and desperate wickednesse of their hearts they see not that body of death Rom. 7.24 3. They see not all their spirituall wants but think themselves as is to be seen in the Church of Laodicea to be rich and to have need of nothing to beleeve in Christ as well as any to love God as well as any c. 4. And lastly they see not the manifold imperfections of their best services but with the Pharisee rest upon the bare outward performance not pondering their own hearts nor considering that the Lord ponders them the wayes of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the heart whereas the children of God on the contrary acknowledge all their righteousnesse to be but a menstruous cloth In a word the naturall and unregenerate mans light and sight of sin is but like an ordinary light whether candle-light or day-light while entring into a roome will discover any great or grosse filthinesse whereas the light of the regenerate is like the light of the Sun-beams which entring into a place discovers the very small moats in it This is clearly to be seen in Paul Rom. 7. before his regeneration and the coming in of the light of Gods Spirit by the Law he had a good conceit of himself he saw not concupiscence to be sin but afterwards he gets afar other sight of sin and of himself For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Thou then who 1. seest thy inward corruptions thy secret and spirituall ones as well as the outward and grossest 2. Who seest the corruption of thy nature as wel as thy actuall transgressions 3. Who seest thy spirituall wants that thou art poore miserable and naked 4. And who seest a great imperfection in thy best services that they are
a word they may know grosser sins but not lesser as we may see by Christs interpretation of the Law compared with that of the Pharisees yea Paul sayes I knew not concupiscence to be sin but by the Law the naturall mans light or sight of sin is like an ordinarie light which discernes grosse palpable filthines but will not discover moats But the spirituall mans light is like the light of the Sun which discovers very moats which an ordinarie light will not discover 2. The Spirit gives to a man a sight of his gracelesnesse and wants they see their faith love repentance fear to be weak I beleeve Lord help my unbelief I love Lord help my love Lord increase our faith Thus they be poore in spirit The wicked and naturall men are not so but as it is to be seen in the Church of Laodicea they think they have need of nothing so look to the ordinarie course of men O why fear I not love I not God c. 3. The Spirit when he works he gives to a man a sight of his unrighteousnesse even of the imperfections of his best actions Our righteousnesse is like a menstruous cloth saies the Prophet When ye have done all that ye can do say that ye are unprofitable servants they know that the Lord pondereth the heart and they see so manifold imperfections defects corruptions in their best actions â—o that instead of meriting by them they think it a mercie not to be punished for them their heart rests not till they flie to the righteousnesse which is by faith to him who hath taken upon him the iniquitie of our holy things who perfumes the very prayers of his Saints with the incense of his merits and intercession The ungodly not so the hypocrite pleases himself with the work done the form of godlinesse cares not for the manner according to that The wayes of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord ponders the heart As the Pharisee not onely pleased but puft up with good service I fast twice in the week c. The Papists think to merit no lesse then heaven by them and that to others Now the Application is easie 1. for comfort First of all hast thou gotten indeed a sight of thy sinfulnesse corruptions of the flesh and spirit corruptions of the several faculties of thy sinfull nature so that from the heart condiscending upon particulars thou can say that thou aâ—â— sinfull O then thou art in case for the Phisitian The whole needs not the Phisitian but these that are sick And â—ee their spirituall sicknesses thou art one whom Christ calleth I came not to call the righteous in their own eyes but sinners to repentance that is that see themselves to be sinners Be of good comfort behoâ—d he calleth thee 2. Hast thou gotten a sight of thy owne gracelesnesse and wants O then thou art poor in spirit and so blessed thou art in a better case then those of Laodicea 3. Seest thou the imperfection of thy best services thou art not like the naturall man or Hypocrite who contents himself with the work done who 1. Ponders not the heart and therefore his waies seeme good in his own eyes 2. A token thou resâ—s not upon the forme of godlinesse but dost labour after the power 3. Thou worshipest in spirit and truth Now for câ—nviction O but thou who 1. seest not thy sinfulnesse and corruptions mayest well for the fashion confesse thy selfe to be a sinner but canst not condiscend to particulars or if to any it is but to outward grosse ones which the naturall mind may see but seest not the whoreing of the heart unthankfulnesse impenitency c. 2. Thou who thinkest that thou beleevest lovest fearest sufficienly and didst never finde the weaknesse of these thou hast not so much as attained to the very first degree of blessednesse thou art not poore in spirit c. Thou hast not the very first work of the spirit thou hast not gotten the eye-salve And thirdly thou who findest no fault with thy services for the manner of them when thou hast done them no great difficulty to get them rightly performed when thou art about them 1. Thou I say ponderest not the heart and therfore thy waies seeme good in thy owne eyes 2. Thou hast but the forme of godlinesse but wantest the power thereof 3. Thou worshipest not in spirit and truth but in shew and in hypocrisie and drawest â—eer with the lipps c. II. The second Mark of true humiliation and of that preparatory work of the spirit going before faith is from the sence of sin and of ones own guiltinesse and the feare of Gods justice anger threatnings judgments against him for them feare goes before faith the spirit of bondage before the spirit of adoption The Lord he first puts his feare in the hearts of these in whom he works effectuaâ—ly by his Spirit even the fear of his justice for otherwaies they would never prise his mercy and the merits of his Son they would never be humbled for by-past sinnes to fly to the mercy of God and merits of Christ for forgivenesse and so could not be saved according to that Come unto me all that are wearie and heavie laden As also that No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him And also they would not stand in aw for time to come which is the other maine end why the Lord works this work of humiliation and feare in the hearts of men according to that I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me See then if ye have this feare which is a point of the Covenant and so a token that one is in the Covenant Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but take heed that it be the true and constant feare of God spoken of and promised in the Covenant for even a wicked man may have some feare of committing sin and yet not the right feare Now try it by the two marks in the words of the Covenant 1. If it be Gods fear I will put my fear 2. If it be the constant fear of God and they shall not depart from me the wicked man I say he may have some feare of committing sin but this his feare 1. Is not the feare of God but the fear of man and therefore he stands not to committ small sins that men count smal I mean as to ban swear be prophane in discourse miscall his neighbour and he stands not also to commit secret sins entertaines sin in his thoughts omit secret duties though both these be offensive to the Lord who sees not then that this his feare is a feare of men and not of God doest thou commiâ— little sins doest thou entertaine any secret siâ— though but in thy thoughts thou hast never had this feare which is aâ—mâ—ke going before faith Then shâ—ll I not be ashamed wheâ— I have respect to all thy Commandements Againe a wicked man
against it judge thy self for it thou hast reason indeed to sorrow for it but not to dispair or be discouraged yea rather get more faith that thou maiest get a further victorie and purification And thirdly For that predominant corruption that thou canst not get ridd of but in all thy doings it cleaves unto thee pollutes thy best services this should not discourage thee for 1. This is the case of Gods children they have sin that hangeth fast on them yea even Paul saies When I would do good evill is present with me and cries out against the body of death And 2. But if thou fall out with and loath thy sin if thou regard it not if thou judge thy self for it fear not thou shalt not be judged for it if thou cry to God against it thou shalt not be found guilty no more then the woman under the Law it is not thou but sin that dwelleth in thee If thou think it strange that the Lord should exercise thee with such strong corruptions so displeasing to himself he doth it for good ends 1. To cure a more dangerous corruption to bring thee out of conceit of thy own righteousnesse to chase thee to his Christ for expiation and to the holy Ghost for mortification of corruption to exercise thee in praier and in thy Christian warfare were it not for this we would not so often and so fully feele the necessity and sweetnesse of Christs sufferings intercession and righteousnesse we would not make so much of the sanctifying subduing power of the holy Ghost nor have so oft recourse unto it where would be the exercise of our faith and patience about the performance of the promise of sanctification what would stir us up to fervent and sincere prayer where should be the matter of our Christian warfare Obj. I do not finde the hatred and loathing of sin and this doth puzzle me in this point I find indeed that I do not entertain it but I think it to be more out of fear of punishment then out of hatred of sin A. Doth not thy heart rise against sin even in others to whose sin thou art not accessarie which cannot flow from fear but from hatred yea doest thou not hate those who are profain and wicked although they have other recommending and insinuating parts as on the contrary thou lovest those who are good and holy say not then that thou art altogether voyd of this point of the hatred of sin further though we finde not all that we would have yet should not we faile to be both thankfull and incouraged in regard of the things that we finde the Lord gives us to find many things that we may be exercised in thankfulnesse and to misse some things that we may be exercised in prayer pray then that the Lord more and more would make thee partaker of his divine nature and of his holinesse that so the hatred of sin may grow more and more sensible in you for he is of purer eyes then that he can behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 He loveth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse Psa 55.7 A fourth Mark faith worketh by love Wherefore observe two things of faith 1. That it worketh it is operative and not idle it brings with it a spirituall life unto the soul of man and this spirituall life brings out spiritual operations when faith is put in the heart of a man there is a stirring disposition put in his heart also he is not his own man in his own element finds not quietnesse in his mind unlesse he be sometimes working and well employed Faith ever worketh towards God I mean immediately for all our works are to him as to our last end in being about the points of his worship in obeying his acceptable will in glorifying his Name advancing his kingdom seeing to the doing of his will by others so far as opportunitie and our callings permit Sometimes towards our selves in that great work of our salvation Sometimes towards our Neighbours in the works of charitie yea of spirituall charitie so necessary and so often recommended Exhort instruct edifie comfort admonish one another and yet neglected much want of compassion to the poore soul So their faith is ever working which clearly cuts off those who please themselves that they abstain from ill yea from some few grosse ills that they are no theeves murtherers adulterers c. although they never do a good deed not remembring the doome of the unfruitfull tree and unprofitable servants But secondly as it worketh so it worketh by love there is much working upon wrong motives which is all lost labour like building without a foundation there is nothing we should look more unto then this what is the motive of our obedience for it is the thing the Lord looks most unto He pondereth the heart yea doth not man so also if he can know it Now the motive most acceptable to God the disposition and affection of the heart which he requires which is here a Mark of Faith is the motive of love the Lord cares not a whit for our obedience if it come not from love yea he reckons it not for obedience therefore Love is the summe of the Law it fulfils the Law it is the end of the Law Even love out of a puâ—â— heart c. He shews mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandments If I give my body to be burnt and bestow all my goods upon the poore without love it profiteth nothing Love is the soul the salt of all obedience and without it it is but a dead unsavoury carkasse Hence is it that the Lord doth begin his Law the summe of all our obedience with the remembrance and the rehearsall of a main temporall favour and deliverance typifying a far greater even that great salvation which shews that he would have the obedience rendered unto his Commandments to flow from love This is also the way of the Gospel even the way of love and the commands thereof are rather requests then commands I beseech you by the mercies of God Rom. 12.1 We beseech you exhort you by the Lord Jesus c. and in sundrie other places So that the Gospel doth require a lovely obedience and would draw us by the cords of love And this certainly makes our obligation of obedience the greater and our guiltines the greater if we obey not If one who may command will yet intreat the disobedience is so much the fouler and more odious And this is indeed to sin against the Gospel and to neglect that great salvation to wit when we are intreated and besought by him who hath all power and right to command us and that not by common favours but by the mercies of God and sufferings of Christ and yet refuse to obey But to the point Wouldst thou then render an acceptable obedience let the sense of the Lords great and many temporall and spirituall favours and deliverances be ever fresh and firm in
notorious sinners were under hazard of damnation that at least the most part of these who are in the bosome of the Church should be saved O but now he sees and considers that many are called and few chosen that few there be that enter in at the gate of life this stirres and startles him makes him to worke out his salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 makes him give all diligence to make his calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. v. 10. nor can he ever be quiet or his mind be at rest untill he get some measure of satisfaction this way about his Spirituall condition and indeed to do otherwayes is fearfull security Before he thought it an easie thing to come to the Kingdome of heaven that some little time some few words of prayer in the end of his life Lord have mercy upon me Lord forgive me my sins and such like for so thinke many would serve his turn O but now he thinks all his time and all that he can do in his time but little enough he sees and considers that the Kingdome of heaven must be taken by violence that there must be a striving to enter in at the strait and right gate that there must be wrestling running fighting for the crown and prise and therefore he bestirres himself to the purpose he hath a respect to all Gods Commandments Psal 119.6 keeps his precepts diligently ver 4. makes haste and delayes not to keep his Commandments vers 60. he shunnes all sin whatsoever declines no paines no duty what shall I do to be saved what will he not do to be saved yea the truth is in such a case the care that a man hath of his own salvation hath taken such an impression in his minde and his thoughts are so carried about it that in all the meanes and duties of Religion although it should not be so it goes nearer his heart then the very service of God and untill his feares be rectified by faith and love that which withholds him from sinne which puts him on to the use of all the meanes and of all holy duties is chiefely and principally fear and care of his own salvation Now that the Lord puts such a fray and a stir and an awakening in the hearts of his own in the beginning of their conversion is not without good and speciall reason to wit that by this means he may have them well fitted for the strait and narrow way well buckled with all the duties of obedience well accustomed with Christs yoake and willing to beare it all which unles this goade were in their sides this prick in their hearts they could hardly be brought unto want of custom and aversenesse of heart being such mighty impediments besides the tentations of Satan and generall corruptions of our natures Appl. Try then thy self by this third Mark and part of humiliation if ever thou hast found such a change or disposition as this didst thou ever come to cry What shal I do to be saved didst thou indeed work out thy salvation with fear and trembling was taking of the Kingdom of heaven so pursued by thee that thou wast not quieted untill thou hadst got some measure of satisfaction about thy spirituall condition whereas sometimes thou wast sleeping deeply in security in regard of this great and important point 2 Didst thou ever take the matter to heart in such a measure or manner as that the care of it made thee and still makes thee renounce every known sin decline no known duty carefully and conscienciously frequently and constantly go about the means of thy salvation private and publick what ever men shall think of thee 3. Did and doth the thoughts and cares of thy own salvation and of Gods service more possesse thee then the thoughts and cares of this life and of the world whereas before they were taken up with many things now thou art chiefly about the one thing which is necessary and art â—eeking the Kingdom of heaven first So that in a word thy desire of salvation is and hath been 1. A serious desire 2. A setled desire and constant 3. A diligent desire then mayest thou apply with comfort this Mark and point of humiliation to thy self for the desires of the hypocrite or unregenerate they be not of this kinde for 1. They be not serious but weak faint and feeble desires and therefore easily born down extinguished and choaked with cares or pleasures of this present life 2. They be not setled or constant desires but starts fits and flashes or like the morning dew so that if they work at all yet do they not work out their salvation 3. and lastly they be not diligent desires but sluggish and heartlesse wishes with Balaam they desire to dye the death of the righteous they would be at the kingdom of heaven but have no minde to seek it and the righteousnesse thereof But by the contrary foundst thou never such a change such a fraâ— such a fear in thy heart and soul 2. Doth the thought of the things of this life go nearer thy heart than those of the life to come so that thy thoughts this way thy own conscience being made witnesse have neither been frequent and many nor sad and serious 3. Hast thou truce with any known sin or declinest thou any known duty Then thou wantst the comfort of this Mark and hast never been sufficiently humbled begge therefore earnestly that the Lord would work this awakening in thee especially if thou be negligent in the use of the means that prayest not in secret readest not meditatest not conferrest not repentest not c. RESOLUTIONS for the weak 1 THES 5. v. 14. Comsort the feeble minded support the weak Q. BVt may not all these three main works and parts of 〈…〉 fâ—und in a reprobate or 〈◊〉 1 〈…〉 the â—guâ—tinesse disâ—â—ve 〈…〉 them and fear 〈…〉 jusâ—ice and 〈…〉 their 〈…〉 are they not many times deepâ—y 〈…〉 ed and wakened in their conscience 2. Have they not also discovered unto them their corruptions sinfulnesse and wants 3. And have they not also their own desires of salvation as it fared with the young man in the Gospel What shall I do to inherit eternall life A. They have but not in that measure and manner degree and kinde as Gods children have mark therefore the difference and ye shall see the distinction clear And first of all to begin at the last point The desires of salvation that the wicked and unregenerate have as hath been alreadie shewed 1. They are not deep and serious desires hence it is that without satisfaction in the point they are easily stilled and put off with other things with the trifles and toyes of the world like little children because their desires are not deep and sufficiently rooted therefore is it that they are easily choaked by the cares and pleasures of this world and so come not to perfection and so the things of this life go nearer their heart
that the Lord requires and if ye pray unto God for them Look to the sixth Commandment and see whether or no thine heart doth not often rise in anger against thy neighbour without or for a very small cause and thy mouth doth not break out into miscalling of him yea perhaps in cursing him which is the very height of murther And remember what our Saviour saith He that is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgement Or whosoever shall say to his brother thou fool or any thing as ill as this is in danger of hell fire Consider also the seventh Command and remember how it also is to be extended to thy heart and to thy speeches and so meets with all thy unclean thoughts and unclean speeches And look how thou hast carried and doest carry thy self in the other points of sobriety in thy drinking in thy eating a point certainly that many fail in and few consider yea and in thy wearing Consider the eight Command and see if perhaps thou hast not wronged thy neighbour in his goods but how hast thou imployed thy own how wilt thou clear thy accounts to him who will take account of the talents he hath committed to thee hast thou not spent much superfluously and unnecessarily when the members of Jesus Christ have been like to starve for want Look to the ninth Command which forbids thee to speak to the disgrace of thy neighbours name whether it be true or false that thou speakest for love should cover imperfections and we are commanded to do as we would be done to And see the propension of thy heart to break this Commandment nothing so incident to us as in our discourses to fall upon our neighbours imperfections and to talk of them with delight a signe we want that love which is the summe of all As for the tenth Command those that see any thing cannot but see that body of death I have gone briefly through the Commandments touching onely these things that I think people are most guilty of so to lead you to the knowledge of sin without which there can be no humiliation no repentance no amendment I beseech you take heed to the particulars and apply them to your selves and pray the Lord more and more to give you the eye-salve and to open your eyes that ye may see the wonderfull things of the Law that ye may see what is displeasing to him and dangerous to your own souls II. Secondly having thus applyed the Law to your selves for the knowledge and discovery of sin Then in the second place apply the threatnings and curses of the Law to your self for your humiliation and to this end consider the severitie and greatnesse of them the universalitie and extent of them they are certainly exceeding great and fearfull they extend to the body to the minde to the temporal and spiritual care of a man to this life and to the life to come and they are very fearfull in all these respects Consider chiefly the universalitie of these threatnings in regard of their object every one great and small young and old he or she are lyable to the curses of the Law we should consider this for we are exceeding prone to make an exception and to blesse our selves in our hearts when God curses and to slip the choller But what saith the Scripture Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things c. And tribulation and anguish is on every soul that dâ—th evill c. We should also consider the truth of him that hath pronounced these threatnings even God that cannot lye Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jâ—t of his Word shall passe away Now all this is little enough to move us for we are wonderfully given to this to shift the threatnings of the Law off from our selves although we cannot deny that the Lord is true that hath pronounced them yet indirectly our unbeleeving shifting hearts do it like those of whom the Prophet Jeremy speaks Chap. 5.12 They have bolyed the Lord saith he and said this evill shall not come upon us What else do they that walk in their sins and yet think that the threatnings of the Law shall not over-take them but even give the Lord the lye And again although the threatnings and curses of the Law be so generall and univerfall as ye may see Deut. 29. the Lord fore-sets that there shall be some and alas would to God that the most part were not so who when they hear the curses of the Law shall neverthelesse blesse themselves in their own hearts and shall say I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart how many are there of this kind that ban swear and drink and rail and break the Sabbath securely and yet neverthelesse blesse themselves in their own hearts think that no such thing shall overtake them all secure sinners are of this sort O but what saies the Lord to such a soul The Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses of his book shall come upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name under heaven O that secure finners would consider this But what shall I say of the slownesse of men and women to beleeve the Lords threatnings the curses of the Law they are so senslesse and stupid that when they see them executed upon others yea when they feel them upon themselves diseases upon their bodies grief upon their minds c. yet they conceive not they consider not that it is by vertue of the Lords threatnings that this comes upon them so to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God This the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 5. sets down to have been the senslesse condition of the people of his time Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast confumed them but they have not received correction And he concludes Surely they are poore they are foolish they know not the wayes of the Lord nor the judgement of their God This is a lamentable case and yet a common case we should pray the Lord to save us from this senslesnesse They are happy that when adversitie comes upon them get grace from God to acknowledge it to be for their sins and so humble themselves and are not condemned with the wicked world for so they prevent the wrath which is to come But happie were we if we would beleeve Gods threatnings without feeling of them for then we should prevent afflictions also would we judge our selves we should not be judged c. Now there be two things especially that stand in the way and hinder the threatnings of Gods Law from having their due operation upon the hearts of men and women and makes men and women to be secure notwithstanding of the peremptory threatnings of the Law And I beseech you take heed unto them that ye be not also lulled
thy minde but especially the sense of that great deliverance that great salvation so dearly purchased that these may stir up thy love and love may be the motive of thy obedience And by reason that love flows from faith above all labour to hold thy faith stirring and in action Thus did David Psal 26. Thy loving kindnesse is ever before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Thus doth Paul The love of Christ constraineth me to this end be earnest with the Lord that according to his promise he would circumcise thy heart and cause thee to love him with the whole heart that by the holy Ghost his love may be shed abroad in thy soul Rom. 5. that he would give unto thee to be rooted and grounded in love Ephes 3. Obj. I find not my self right in this point for I find not this love and cheerfulnesse but rather do because I dare not do otherwise A. This Mark indeed should be wisely considered by weak Christians who are in their beginning especially or under tentation desertion affliction Nor is it a sensible Mark for all Christians at all times but a mark of Faith somewhat strengthened when the heart is beset with tentations desertion or affliction This working by love wil not be sensible although it be secret further especially in the beginnings of Christianitie it is not sensible for the understanding wherof consider that there is three sorts of motives of obedience 1. One altogether wrong having no eye to God So to eschew the ill opinion of man many do sundrie good duties and become neighbour like in outward duties of outward obedience Others to win the praise of man will go beyond their neighbours yea possibly beyond good Christians There be sundry other by-respects and many by-roads in the hearts of naturall men and hypocrites The second sort of Motives is that which is in the hearts of beginning Christians which is not altogether right and yet some way right as introductorie to right as having an eye to God and as joyned with some weak faith and some insensible love this is the Motive of fear flowing from the spirit of bondage which having taken a deep impression in them and their faith being but weak and staggering as yet prevails with them and is the most sensible motive that puts them on they do because they dare not do otherwise because they fear Gods justice and have a wakening in their own conscience And yet this is not altogether wrong for the respects aforesaid For why doth the Lord denounce so many threatnings and judgements but for this and that all these should have their own place with us yea why is our obedience so often wakened up by rods crosses and afflictions if this sort of fear were altogether wrong But as faith and love grows strong by little and little they cast out fear And so comes the third Motive even that acceptable motive of love This is that which St. John 1.4 v. 18. hath Pâ—â—fect love casteth out fear and again He that feareth is not made perfect in love So that to work out of fear doth not argue no love and so no faith but onely that thou art not made perfect in love because of the weaknesse of thy faith Labour then to strengthen thy faith that it may have more love for it flows from faith and is according to the measure of thy faith grows as faith grows and do not give place to that main policie of Satan and ordinarie and incident weaknesse of many Christians to darken thy faith because thou findest thy love weak But as for thee that either workest not at all or if thou doest any thing it arises from wrong motives and ends from custome and not from conscience to please men and not to please God neither fearest him nor lovest him thou hast no faith and so art in a miserable condition A fifth Mark and effect of Faith is spirituall peace and joy for peace being justified by faith We have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For joy In whom beleeving we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious And both together Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with jâ—y and peace in beleeving Q. But hath not the wicked and the naturall man peace A. True but it is far unlike the peace of the beleever and of the godly and may be discerned by sundry Marks but clearly and plainly by these two 1. The peace of the beleever is after great unquietnesse and trouble and much hard war as we say ere he get unto it as we see in Paul the Jaylor the Converts in the Acts and these sayings Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden The whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Thus fares it with many yea in all there must be something of this kind else this peace and Christ the Prince of peace and purchaser of this peace could never be either sufficiently sought to or prized But the naturall mans peace hath been a continuall peace a token that the strong man is not yet cast out for he will not be cast out without some sensible unquietnesse a token that the New birth hath not been for it will not be without some pain Q. But may not even a naturall man have a touch of conscience and afterwards fall into securitie instead of a true peace A. He may and therfore a man should look how his peace hath been purchased how he carried himself in the time of his unquietnesse if he betook him to wrong means and by them did strive to smother and drive away his unquietnesse and not to the right means of the Word and Prayer to cure his unquietnesse and wounded conscience then certainly his peace is not a right peace he hath but smothered the fire which will afterwards break out more violently he hath but skinned over the wound which will afterwards break forth more fearfully But on the other side if a man in the time of his wounding and wakening hath not striven to drive away his humiliation but rather to entertain and increase it in so much as he did conceive it to be a wholsome work of Gods Spirit and did not tend to infidelitie and desperation and did labour to cure it by the right means and did come by it by the Lords means this is a safe and a well grounded peace But moreover for the further clearing of this point take in the other difference between the naturall mans peace and the beleevers peace The naturall man as he hath alwayes peace so he hath altogether and in all respects peace But the beleever is not so he hath peace with God but not with the devill peace in regard of the guiltinesse of sin I mean in regard of the main battell but wants not skirmishes which the wicked have not for he hath a tender and so a combating conscience but hath not peace in regard of the corruption of sin for the
to me A. For this I give no other Answer but what I gave to that doubt concerning the Promises for what is the Covenant but a bundle of Promises As ye heard of the Promises they are to you and to your seed Even so the Covenant I am your God and the God of your seed Consider the other Answer Q. O but I am so unworthy guiltie sinfull gracelesse I cannot think that it belongs to me A. For this consider the second property the freenesse of this Covenant it is altogether free from the Lords free favour without any respect to any thing in thee it looks at nothing in thee no worth in thee can procure it no unworthinesse in thee can hinder it so that whatsoever thy condition be thou needst not fear to lay hold on it Now this freenesse of this new Covenant is clear and may be specified by these particulars 1. It is free because it doth not require any prevenient grace or worthinesse in us Isa 55. where this Covenant is set down Ho every one that thirsteth come and buy without money c. So Rev. last Drink of the water of life freely Rev. 3 the poore the miserable naked spiritually are invited and counselled to come Hâ—s 14. I will love them freely Rom. 3. All have sinned and come short c. being justified freely by his grace Nothing the Lord stands more upon then the freedom of his grace that all the glory and the thanks may be to him 2. It is free not onely because it doth not prerequire or presuppose any worthinesse in us but it doth also take off former guilt we should remember that it is made for the behoof of sinners I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance We are saved by beleeving in him who justifies the ungodly But I say this Covenant takes off even exceeding great by-past guiltinesse as is clear from Isa 55. where the Covenant is mentioned I will abundantly pardon Isa 1. although they were never so great though as red as scarlet Isa 43. although they were never so many Ye have wearied me with your transgressions c. Yet I am he c. This is a worthy saying and by all means to be received by thee that Jesus Christ came to save sinners yea and the chief of sinners and not onely Paul but him to be a pattern to others who afterwards should beleeve in him Now all these tends to the further manifestation of the riches of his grace and mercy Hence it is said Isa 43. For his Names sake be pardons iniquitie now the greater and the more thy sins have been the greater shall be the name of his mercy and the freenesse of his grace 3. This Covenant stands not onely with by-past guiltinesse but which shews the freenesse thereof with much present sinfulnesse and wretchednesse if felt and mourned for This is clear from Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7 8 9. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood c. Yet even then I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Then I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away the blood from thee c. So we see how that sinfulnesse of disposition doth not let the Lord to enter into this Covenant with us and should not discourage us to lay hold on the Covenant See Ezek. 36. where there is mention of the Covenant more then once Not for your sakes O house of Israel be it known unto you Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes but for my Names sake And he tels them that they were a stiffe-necked and a rebellious people rather worse then better then other people And surely there are not more rough pieces of work and greater sinners then many on whom the Lord bestows grace that so the glory of his mercie and power of his grace even divine power may be better known So then neither thy works nor thy by-past guiltinesse nor thy present sinfulnesse of disposition ought to hinder thee from laying hold on this Covenant seeing it is in all these respects a free Covenant but as ye shall hear it is the onely way to get all these redressed Obj. O but this Covenant promises that I shall have a new heart be cleansed from my filthinesse c. these things I find not hence is it that justly I doubt that the Promises of remission of sins belongs not to me seeing the other Promises of sanctification be not accomplished A. Thou wilt not beleeve that they may be accomplished think you that all the conditions of the Covenant shall be performed to you or can become yours untill by faith you lay hold on the Covenant untill by faith you subscribe the Covenant and set to thy seale that God is true thou hast not entred into the Covenant nor cannot be said to have done it untill thou subscribe it by beleeving and so no wonder thou hast not reaped the benefits of the Covenant go to then and enter thy self in the Covenant subscribe it seale it by beleeving and then shalt thou find the vertue and benefit of these promises of Sanctification and go not to suspend thy beleeving because thou findest not the accomplishment of the promises for ye heard it is faith that brings forth holinesse and Sanctification But the next and last property of this Covenant is able to give you satisfaction and it is the absolutenesse and compleatnesse of this Covenant I call it a compleat Covenant because the Lord hath undertaken in it to fullfill both his own part and our part what could be wished for more so that whatsoever it requireth of thee it promises to give the same unto thee as faith repentance the grace of prayer the fear of God victory over corruptions and finally strength to walke outwardly in the waies of the Lords obedience Hence I call it an absolute Covenant because it not onely hath conditionall on all promises promising eternall life remission of sins such and such things to those who beleeve repent love fear God c. But it hath in it absolute promises which properly be the new Covenant promising even these very conditions to wit faith repentance c. What can be more sweet and comfortable certainly there is not any point in Christian Religion more comfortable or more considerable by us then is this of the absolute promises and of the compleatnesse of the new Covenant and how that the Lord hath undertaken both for his own part and our part herein for want of considering of this many poore Christian soules are holden back mightily and are discouraged for they thinke with themselves many things and amongst the rest remission of sins to be promised to those that fear and love God that beleive and repent that seek by prayer c. But alas I want these conditions and so have no interest in the promises
Now would such persons consider that these very conditions be promised to be wrought in them and that so the Lord hath undertaken to do them for us both his part and ours and hath undertaken and promised that we shall beleeve repent fear love seek by prayer so that we have no more to do but by faith and patience to cleave unto it and to wait for the inheriting of those precious promises when it shall please the Lord to accomplish them unto us and in us what can be more comfortable then this it gives rest to the soul and indeed were it not thus what should be the excellency and comfort of the doctrine and tenour of the Gospel for it is as hard and impossible as far without the compasse of our power as is the tenour of the Law it is as hard and impossible for us to beleeve and repent this being the condition and tenour of the Gospel as it is to fullfill the whole Law But herein stands the comfort of the Gospel above the Law of the new Covenant above the old that the Law promises upon condition but does not promise nor give strength to perform the condition Whereas the Gospel and new Covenant not onely promises upon condition but also promises and gives strength to perform the condition it self to wit faith repentance the grace and gift of prayer the fear the love of God and these be the absolute promises Hence it is that it is said Heb. 8. to be established upon better promises to wit because here in this new Covenant the Lord gives vnto us absolute promises not onely upon condition but even the very condition it self promises not onely to do his own part but our part also these be indeed better promises And hence is it that in the same place he saith they abode not in that Covenant to wit in the old Covenant and why Because they undertook fairly for themselves We will do all that the Lord commands us But what saith the Lord knowing their weaknesse and the rather of their undertaking O that there were such a heart within them but for this Covenant it shall not be so with them for I will do their part also they shall abide in it They shall not depart from me I will write my Law in their hearts And hence is it that Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant this so main a point should be more taught and more considered for it is the very upholding of a Christian soul a notable encouragement in the course of Sanctification for now thou hast no more to do but to look carefully what grace thou wantest and then to look for the promise of such a grace and having found the promise thou shouldest labour with all humility to beleive it and then with that measure of faith that God bestows thou shouldest present thy daily Petitions to God in the name of Jesus Christ for that grace to be given unto thee out of the fulnesse of Jesus by the operation of the holy Spirit patiently confidently fervently and constantly prosecuting thy Suite from day to day untill the Lord satisfie thee which he will not fail to do if thou thus continue onely thou shouldest be carefull to do these two things to wit to beleive and fervently to seeke for these two the Lord requires Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 18.10 to wit in an enlarged desire And 2. by faith to receive it as I conceive it Ezek. 36.37 I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them this is subjoyned to all these precious promises of the new Covenant in that Chapter So that it is not enough for us to have the Promises but we must use the Means of earnest Prayer and seeking Ye receive not because ye ask not at least not so fervently and uprightly as ye should The prayer of the faithfull availeth much if it be fervent If thou beleeve all things are possible Obj. O but I fail in these two I cannot beleeve nor pray as I should and therefore I fear to come short of these precious promises A. Indeed we fail all too much in the fervencie of our seeking and it is hard to beleeve miracles and wonders for so indeed is the performance of these Promises whether it be the subduing of our strong fast hanging on corruptions or the supplying of our wants especially to those who are sensible either of the one or of the other and have continued long under such a sense O when shall I get such a corruption subdued when such a grace wrought not considering that God is able to do execeding abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think Able to make all grace to abound towards us for his power And then for his willingnesse more willing to bestow then we are readie to seek gives liberally to all and upbraids none counsels thee to come to him and get fine gold c. These be the two notable props of thy Faith in this point But for the point in hand thou canst not come to beleeve nor to seek as thou shouldest and therefore thou fearest thou shalt come short of the Promises Even these two amongst the rest are promised to wit the grace of faith and the grace of prayer Prayer is clearly promised Zach. 12.10 Jer. 29.12 A sweet place also Psal 10.17 So Rom. 8.26 Faith is promised Joh. 12.32 I will draw all men unto me this drawing is causing them to beleeve for he is the Author and finisher of our faith No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him So Psal 89.26 He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the rock of my salvation So Jer. 3.19 Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not depart from me Repentance is promised the godly sorrow Zach. 12.43 turning with the whole heart Jer. 24.7 the fear of God Jer. 32.39 Further in this Covenant is promised what thy heart could wish for sanctification or for strengthening of thy Faith and making thy calling and election sure Thou findest and feelest an hard and unsound heart the sinfulnesse of thy nature and this holds thee back from beleeving here a new heart is promised Feelest thou strong corruptions I will cleanse you from all your filthinesse c. Thou feelest and fearest thy want of outward obedience it is promised also I will put my Spirit within you c. And so we see it to be an absolute and compleat Covenant the Lord in it undertaking both for his own part and ours and in it promising not onely upon condition but even the very condition it self which is very comfortable To conclude then this point of the Covenant Go to then O thou of little faith what hinders thee to beleeve the remission of thy sins seeing the Lord God hath not onely promised it to thee but even solemnly covenanted with thee and then hath made with thee for it