or less that we have of these things if it be but a little Oyl in the Cruse and a hand-full of meal in the Barrel assurance of a Covenant interest in God will make it enough to us and render it good for want of this poor hearts are full of fears and cares and discontents even in the midst of abundance of outward things which they possess but this I say will sweeten our enjoyments to us for being assured of God we know that what we have comes from love and is a pledge of greater love and is that which our God sees to be good for us and is blessed to us 3 This assurance will give the foul boldness to come unto God and make it familiar with him and much sweeten and heighten Communion This will fill us with comfort in our approaches to the Throne of Grace when we can confidently call God Father Am I in great straights or do I lye under some sore afflictions is this or that wanting to me what a comfort is it now that I have a God to go to a God in Covenant with me that can succour and deliver me that can supply my wants and is able to do for me exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or think 4 Assurance of a Covenant interest in God will take off the fear of Death a true believer that applies the covenant with assurance of Faith doth not put the day of Death far from him as being loath to see it and even affraid to think of it no but he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ he knows that Death is Vltimus morborum medicus that which cures all diseases cures the Pride and Covetousness and Hardness and Frowardness and Unbelief and sluggishness of the heart cures the body of the Dropsie Scurvie Gout Stone c. frees it from all diseases pains and griefs he knows that Death will let him into a clear full and everlasting enjoyment of God and therefore he is glad when his glass is run whereas the awakned Soul that hath no upprehension of an interest in God cannot but be troubled at the thoughts of Death and even affrighted at the grimm countenance of that King of Terrours As one of the Kings of England once in his straights cryed out A Kingdom for a Horse a Kingdom for a Horse So will an awakned Soul cry out when Death presents it self Oh a Kingdom a World ten thousand Worlds if I had them for assurance of an interest in the Covenant of Grace but Oh how comfortable and delightfully may an assured Soul think of Death which is a passage to his everlasting rest and happiness in the nearest sweetest fullest enjoyment of his God and Saviour for evermore 5. The thoughts of the Judgment to come will be sweet to those that have a known interest in the Covenant of Gods his love for the Judge is their friend their brother their head their husband and the day of Judgment Acts 3.19 Eph. 4.30 shall be to them the time of refreshing the day of their Redemption of their full Deliverance from all misery and corruption the day of their publick absolution and perfect justification and the time of the manifestation of Gods love to them in the fullest measure 6. He that is certain of his interest in Gods Covenant is certain of his interest in Salvation and so the thoughts of Heaven must needs be delightful to him while he is certain that it is the blessed rest prepared for him the place of his everlasting abode in happiness yea this assurance gives the Soul a present possession of Heaven brings Heaven down as I may say into the bosom of a believer while he is upon Earth Faith is the sâ—bstance Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistance of things hoped for it gives a real existance or being to that which is held forth in the promise an assured Soul hath Heaven within it Thus you see the benefit of assurance some special advantages and comforts that thence accrue to the Soul which should be a great inducement to put us upon care and pains to get it doth it not bring a sufficient reward with it Doth not the profit and comfort that comes by it far exceed the greatest profit in the World and the greatest comfort that Earth affords Therefore though the Covenant may be savingly applyed by Faith where assurance is not yet let us strive to assurance that we may live and die comfortably in assurance of God his everlasting love towards us in Christ Jesus Now I shall shew you how assurance may be attained and how it may be discerned from presumption Way to assurance 1. Concerning the way and means to attain assurance We must be much in exercising and acting all Grace must be diligent in trading with our stock of Grace that we may attain to the riches of assurance Col. 2.2 as the Apostle calls it The diligent hand maketh rich That we may have comfort and assurance we must beware of negligence and sluggishness and laziness in duty and of remisseness in the exercise and actings of Grace True is that which a reverend Doctor now with God hath told us in a Treatise of his That it is the lazie Christian commonly that wants assurance and that the way of painful dutie is the way of fullest comfort Sloth and idleness stops the fountain of comfort causeth Christ to with-hold his comforts Parents are not wont to smile but frown upon their Children when they are negligent and careless of their duty and neglective of their observance toward them All the honour that God hath from us is from the exercise and actings of Grace and the more we strive to honour God the more will he comfort us with the manifestations of himself and the revelations of his love in our hearts Active Christians shall have most of Gods love and of the manifestation of his Grace to them He that hath my Commandements Joh. 14.21 and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be beloved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self tâ— him Again sloath and negligence causeth want of peace and comfort for this reason because Grace is not sensible apparent and evident to the Soul but in the exercise and actings of it as the fire that is in the flint is not discernable till you smite and force it out In acting Faith upon Jesus Christ and the promises of God and in acting love toward God and Christ you will know that you have the grace of Faith and Love will know that ye believe and that ye love God and so will know that God loveth you for we love God because he loved us first and our believing is a fruit of the promise of Grace 2. We must be much in the application of the Covenant with a faith of adherence and innitency cleaving to the promises and casting our selves by Faith
through Christ upon the mercy and grace of a Covenanting God till the love and grace of God be revealed from faith to faith 3. We must take heed that we do not greive but please the spirit of God the Comforter that reporteth the love of the Father unto Souls and sealeth them up to the day of Redemption The way to assurance of Gods love is to comply with and give content to the witnessing sealing Spirit 4. If we desire that God should bestow upon us the riches of full assurance then let us be thankful for the least glimps of Light that he maketh to shine into us let us not look at any of the consolations of God as small but let us be thankful for any pledge of his favour The Lord in making out his love to the Soul deals saith one as Boaz dealt with Ruth he first gave her liberty to glean in his fields then to glean even among the sheaves then invited her to eat bread with him and to dip her morsels in the vinegar and at last he took her to be his Wife to lye in his bosome so doth God discover his love to believers first more sparingly and as at greater distance then draws nearer and reveals himself more clearly shewing himself more friendly to them and familiar with them and then at length he gives his Spirit into their bosom to assure them of his love and of their interest in all his grace Now the ready way to attain all this to have such manifestations of Gods love to us is to be truly thankful for the least appearance of Grace Then will God say to such a Soul art thou so thankful for a beam of Light I will fill thee with the fountain of Light art thou thus thankful for crumbs that fall under the board I will feast thee with marrow and fatness at my Table 5. One other great means conducing to a certainty of our interest in Gods Covenant is a serious trial of our hearts and of the state of our Souls by and according to the Word of God the Scripture tells us who are the people of God his Covenanted ones what are their qualifications and properties therefore let us see what the Scripture holds forth in this point and then let us diligently prove our selves whether we be such persons so qualified that by this means we may come to a certainty of our estate Now for direction herein to make short work of it know this that where holiness is there is the Covenant of God his love Holy Beloved Col. 3.12 all holy Souls are beloved of God prove your selves then whether there be a true work of Grace wrought in you by the spirit of God whether you are of the number of Gods holy ones Qu. How may this be known who are holy ones An. Where corruption is by Grace so far subdued that sin reigns not there is holiness when a Soul is delivered not wholly from sin that will not be in this life but from the law of sins so that sin hath not dominion over him The Apostle saith Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lust thereof he doth not say ne sit let not sin be in you though we must not allow it in our selves or suffer it to be quiet but ne regnat let not sin reign in you Sin reigneth when it hath the wil 's consent the hearts delight and commands the whole man when a man is a willing servant of sin and as the Apostle saith yields his members weapons of unrighteousness unto sin is in a readiness to obey sins commands and to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Sin cannot be said to reign when a man doth unwilling service to sin bewailes and hates the evil that is in him and the evil that is done by him and wars against sin and prays against Sin and desires and endeavours to shake off the yoke of sin I say here sin cannot properly be said to reign though it exerciseth a Tyrannical power forcing a poor soul many times to do its commands and where this reign of sin is not there is holiness but where sin reigneth there is no Saintship 2. He that is universal and serious in his desires to be good and do good having respect to all Gods commands that truly desires to be filled with the knowledg of Gods will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding and to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing and to be fruitful in every good work that desires and endeavours to order his conversation aright in the fear of God and to keep his Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men to be conformed to the mind of God in internal as well as external holiness and righteousness he is a holy man though he may have many infirmities falling short of his duty and doing oft times that which is displeasing to God 3. If a man be sincerely diligent in using the means of Grace setting his heart to seek God in them aiming at the profiting and perfecting of himself by them and bewailing his unprofitableness and barrenness under them such a person is to be numbred among holy ones true desires of Grace and cadeavours to get Grace are a sign of the truth of Grace but where the means of Grace are slighted and neglected and God is not songht unto for Grace there is no Grace no work of Holiness yet wrought in the Soul for Grace is such a good thing such a precious thing and Holiness is so desirable so comfortable and delightful that he who hath any thing of it desires more and thinks that he can never have enough Well thus prove your real spiritual estate that hereby you may come to a knowledge of your relative estate This is the way to assurance of an interest in the Covenant of Gods love Thus much briefly touching the way to assurance the means by which it may be attained Marks of assurance Now for some marks or evidences of the assurance of Faith to shew you how it may be discerned from Presumption 1. The presuming heart is a proud heart that is lifted up in it self and makes no humble acknowledgment of the grace of God but the assured soul is humble in it self and admires the love of God toward it in Christ Jesus Ah Lord who am I that thou shouldst thus manifest thy self to me Oh what a mercy is this and what manner of love is this that thou shouldst thus embrace me in thine armes and take me into thy bosom and kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth O my God what rich grace is this that thou shouldst give me assurance of my interest in thee of my Union and Communion with thee of thine everlasting love toward me 2. The presuming soul resteth satisfied with that of God which he presumeth he hath but a true Believer earnestly longeth after a fuller enjoyment of God and
souls in the bosome of Gods Covenant that there we may see how God loves us with the truest and fullest and most constant and most advantagious love it would not then be a hard matter to have our hearts with God and surely when the heart is with him it is where it should be and where it finds the sweetest being Thus you have seen the fruits of acting faith upon the Covenant the improvement of the Covenant thereby to such sweet advantages of the soul thus our Covenant interest in God will be improveed 1. To the sweetning of our thoughts of God 2. To a holy boldness in our approaches to God 3. To the sweetning of all mercies to us 4. Unto patience and chearfullness in afflictions 5. To contentedness with our conditions 6. To a firm setled dependance on God 7. Unto love and obedlence 8. Unto consolation of the heart in tribulations 9. To a lively hope of Salvation 10. The heavenly mindedness and a heavenly conversation Now to proceed to a Ninth counsel If you have applyed Gods Covenant Couns 9. so that you have a feeling apprehension of your interest in it then let not the enjoyments and outward supposed felicity of men in the World be an eye-sore to you or move you to envy Alass they are not to be envyed but to be pittied because they have not such an inheritance as you have their enjoyments are but small heaps of dust whereas the believers enjoyments and hopes are great Mountains of Gold O happy believers if they know their own happiness in such an interest We read in History That when the Spanish Ambassador boasted of the largeness of his Masters Dominitions and his many Titles that he was King of this and that and the other Kingdom and Prince of such a place aâ—d Duke of such a place The French Ambassadour answered My Master is King of France King of France King of France intimating that France was more worth than all places under the King of Spain his Power When the men of the World shall boast that this is theirs and that is theirs and shall cry out O their riches O their honours now let the believer make his boast in the Lord his God and cry Oh the Covenant Oh! the Covenant of Grace Oh! the Covenant of Gods Love is mine why this is more worth than all the riches and glory of the World 10. Hath God been pleased to make a Covenant with us Couns 1â— and to give it so confirmed to us oh let us then more and more break off the Covenant and disanul the agreement between our Nature and the Devil and let us break off the league which hath been and is between our souls and any lust or vanity let us renounce all for God and as he vouchsafeth to become our God so let us give up our selves more and more unto him as his People as he is a Covenanting Covenant-keeping God so let us be a Covenanting Covenant-keep in People Let us with all our hearts accept the Lord to be our God solemnly and cordially entering into Covenant with him and yielding our selves up unto him to be wholly at his disposal resolving that we will not be led by the Devil or the World or the Flesh any more but that our God shall lead us and order us in all things And let us see that we prove not unfaithful in the Covenant which we have made unto God wherein we have promised to renounce the Devil and the World and the Flesh and to serve our God only Oh let us labour to keep Covenant strictly with the Lord our God Let us not conform our selves to the World Let us not willingly give one affection or thought unto any lust Let us labour to work our hearts to and keep them in an abhorrency of the Devil and all his works and let us be still warring against the Devil and the World and the Flesh and let us labour to become daily more spiâ—tâ—â—l anâ— holy and heavenly 〈…〉 God and more 〈…〉 â—o him endeavoring thâ—◠〈◊〉 may be found in all things to the praise and glory of God Oh that we may love him and delight in him and walk with him and live to him who hath loved us and set his eyes and his heart upon us and hath given the Covenant of his love into the bosom of our souls It is so that the Covenant confirmed to Abraham is confirmed to all belivers to the Worlds end confirmed I say as by Gods Word and Oath and Seals so by the death of Christ by his perfect all-sufficient satisfaction Oh then what a feast of comfort what a banquet of sweet-meats is here for believers Here is that which is sweeter than the honey and the honey-combe Believers The Covenant wherein you are interested that is so confirmed to you is most comprehensively comfortable carrying in it all matter of sweet consolation so that from this confirmed Covenant Gods Covenanted ones may fetch sufficient consolation against any thing that may put in for their discomfort This Covenant is comfortable against sin and all self unworthiness for what saith God in his Covenant I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their transgressions will I not remember any more Oh how many and how great have my sins been saith the poor soul how exceedingly aggravated I have sinned against God who wonderfully made me and hath graciously preserved me and plentifully provided for me I have sinned against the bowels of Gods mercies against the bloud of Jesus Christ against the riches of Gods free Grace are there any sins like to my sins now is there any pardon any mercy any hope for such a sinner Now let a sinner fasten mediation upon this branch of the Covenant which is confirmed by the death of Christ and consider here is pardon of sin offered in the promise and it is Gods pardon and it is a Free pardon and it is a Final pardon never revoked Here is admirable comfort for humble souls that are pressed down even to the Gates of Hell under the sense of their own sinfullness and guilt The Covenant of Grace confirmed to believers is comfortable against sin And hence it follows that it is comfortable against the wrath of God and the threatnings of the Law and against Death I might shew you how this Covenant answers all objections against and removes all impediments of the believers happiness and Salvation how it is set up against the guilt and filth and power of sin against the curse and condemnation of the Law against discouragement from weakness of graces and imperfection of duties against death and Devil and whatsoever may be supposed to hinder the Salvation and Happiness of Gods Covenant-people Would I stand further to instance in the several positive priveledges and blessings of the Covenant I might shew you what abundant comfort flows from each of them How great is the comfort of Redemption and Reconciliation and Justification
Christ after clearer and fuller Manifestations of his Psa 63.1 O God thou art my God saith David here is Faith apprehending an interest in God and applying the Covenant of his love well hath David enough of God No see what followes Early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee 3. The presuming Soul is still quiet it is all peace with such a one the Devil doth not at all trouble him but lets him alone and laughs at him to see how he disceives himself and how he is Devil deluded and befooled but where true faith is taking up the Covenant the Devil assaults the Soul and seeks to disturb and destroy its peace as he buffeted Paul after that he wâ—s wrapt up into the third Heavens and had seen such visions of Glory The Devil rageth against the Soul that hath any measure of assurance because this is that which doth excellently fit the soul to do God service They who have no experience of Satans onsets have reason to question the truth of their assurance if they pretend to any such matter 4. Presumption will not bear up the spirit under afflictions troubles and crosses against dangers and deaths but assurance will David was assured of Gods mercy and love toward him he saith therefore Psal 23. That though he walk thorow the valley of the shadow of Death he will fear no evil The Apostle writing to Believers saith Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods known in your selves that you have a better and more enduring substance 5. The presuming Souâ—â—s bold with sin and goes on in sin but a well grounded assurance of Gods love breeds a distance betwixt the Soul and sin and arms and strengthens the Soul against sin it makes a man to loath sin Sin is hateful to the assured Soul How shall I do this thing and sin against my God who loveth me and hath shed abroad his love in my heart shall I dishonour him and grieve him and dispise his Commands and be found a rebel against him The assured Soul fears the Lord and his goodness fears to offend him Psa 85.8 because he is a good God his good God God will speak peace to his people but let them return no more to folly when peace is Preached in any ones heart this is the use which naturally flows from that Doctrine now return no more to folly 6. If we say that we have assurance of Sonship and of an interest in Christ and in the Covenant of Gods love let us examine whence we have it by what Testimony we are assured As Christ said to some of his Disciples upon a certain occasion ye know not what Spirit ye are of so we may say to many that are ready to boast of their assurance that they know not from what Spirit it comes or whence they had it There is a dangerous ill grounded peace and false perswasion that many have which comes from an evil Spirit from the Devil that old deceiver the beguiling Serpent and from a vain carnal loose spirit of their own Qu. What then is the true witness from whose Testimony true assurance is had An. The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 una testatur cum spiritu nostro hâc ratione duo erunt testes nempe Spiritus Dei Spiritus noster certior ab eo factus The Spirit it self bears witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God that same spirit which he called the Spirit of God ver 14. and the Spirit â—f Adoption ver 15. that same Spirit beareth witness with our Spirit so that there is the Testimony of the Spirit of God and the Testimony of our Spirit and they both agree in one First the Spirit of God witnesseth bringing this assurance to the Soul We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Cor. 2.12 Now the Spirit of God witnesseth and giveth such assurance by working and by speaking The Spirit of God witnesseth Sonship by his Works which hâ— effecteth which he createth in the Soul upon which the promise cometh This way of witnessing is first in order of nature The Spirit brings in the nature of Gods Child working so great a change that it is called the renewing of the holy Ghost and the subject of this change thâ— soul thus changed is called a new Creature 2. There is the Word of the Spirit testifing to the spirit of a Christian that he is the child of God by promise I say there is the Spirits Word viz. a full sensible clear conviction which the Spirit of God brings to the heart of a believer perswading him that the promise belongs to him This Word of the Spirit comes upon the work of the spirit so that where the Spirits work it not which is a work of renewing the heart and delivering it up to a conformity in some good measure to the mind of God there the Spirits word comes not to witness Gods love to the Soul therefore let people take heed of mistakes herein The Spirit of God never told you that you are in Gods favour unless he hath put into your hearts Gods fear he never gave you the name of Sons or Daughters or suggested to you your interest in the inheritance of Sons unless he hath brought in the nature of Sons and stamped the image of God upon you Now because mistakes about this are too ordinary and very dangerous I shall give you more distinctly some clear difference between the true assuring report and testimony of the spirit of God and the false deluding testimony of another spirit 1. The Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing to Souls the love of God is not given by extraordinary immediate Revelation or an audible voice from Heaven as the Devil makes people to believe and as some pretend to have assurance they way while they slight and despise the word and promises those sacred Oracles of God to which believers should have recourse for their comfort and villifie and mock at that perswasion which believers have in Gods way of perswading Souls that is from the operation of the Spirit working true Grace and Holiness in them and thereupon speaking comfortably to them perswading them of God's love toward them and of their interest in his Covenant These poor Souls are deluded by Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light and imitating God in those extraordinary wayes wherein he hath been woâ—â— heretofore to manifest himself to his people The witnessing word of the Spirit of God is a word coming upon and through his working in us and it is an inward voice a secret whispering that makes report within us of the love of God to us powerfully perswading us and sensibly convincing us of our Covenant interest in God 2. The Testimony of the Spirit of God comforting Souls by reporting Gods love to them and assuring them of their interest
in God is not given to any but those that fear the Lord and walk holily So Cornelius a devout man Acts 10.2 3 one that feared God which gave much almes to the People and prayed always to him while he was praying an Angel of God appeared telling him that his Prayâ—rs and his Almes were come up in remâ—mbrance before God While Daniel was praying confessing his sins and the sins of the People Dan. 9â— and presenting his supplications before the Lord for the holy Mountain of his God in the time of prayer euen at the beginning of his supplication an Angel comes and tells him Isa 64.5 That he is greatâ—y belâ—ved Thou meetest him that Rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness those that remember thee in thy wâ—ys To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvatiâ—â— of God he shall sâ—e my Salvatioâ— with the eye of Faith and my Spirit shall witâ—â—ss to him my acceptance of him and give him assured hope 〈◊〉 eternal happinâ—ss The holy Spirit never witnesseâ—â— the love of God to any Soul out 〈◊〉 thy way of holinâ—ss therefore iâ— peace be spoken and the love 〈◊〉 God reported to ungodly persoâ— who walk loosly and carâ—lâ—sly thâ—â— is from the Dâ—vil this is the hiâ—â—â—â—â— of the old Serpent and not thâ— whispâ—ring of the good Spirit 3. The good Spirit of God alwayes witnesseth according to thâ— word of God there is always aâ— agreement betwixt those two wiâ—nesses which are both of God viâ— his word the outward witness aâ— his spirit the inward If the test mâ—ny of the Spirit should cross thâ— Testimony of the word then thâ— Spirit should contradict himself sâ— the Scriptures were indited by tâ—â— holy Spirit so that the word it sâ— is the Spirits testimony he doâ— not immediately testifie any thing contrary to that testimony which he hath given in the world where the word bindeth the Spirit doth not lose where the word condemneth the spirit doth not acquit where the Word proclaimeth war and threatneth Destruction the spirit doth not there whisper peace and promise Salvation the Spirit doth not bless any whom the Word curseth Now the Word saith Rom. 8.14 That they are the Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God that they are the children of promise who are changed by the spirit of promise and made new Creatures and that walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham and to none but these doth the spirit witness their adoption and their interest in the Covenant of Gods love That Testimony which crosseth the Testimony of the word speaking peace to a carnal unbelieveing impenitent graceless heart I say that testimony comes from the lying spirit of Hell 4. The Spirit of God is a holy Witness as formally and originally so efficiently holy he maketh a gracious and holy Soul The holy Spirit sealing peace and the love of God to the Soul doth strongly engage the Soul unto holiness and maketh it to encrease in holyness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle Christ his love manifested to us hath power over our Souls and rules us over to the mind of Christ The Testimony of the holy Spirit maketh a Christian fearful to offend God and careful to please him and circumspect in walking before him That Testimony and speaking of peace to the Soul which makes a man bold with sin and lose in his walkinâ— that breedeth a neglect of holy duties and a despising or slighting of God his ordinances surely that testimony is from the Devil It is clear that the Spirit of God guideth those that are the Sons of God to whom he giveth this testimony that they are Sons now this Spirit leads from Sin and leadeth unto holiness and righteousness Thus you have seen which is the first witness from whose testimony true assurance is taken up and I have given you some rules for discerning between the true and false Witness whereby people may judge whether they have taken up true assurance or be possessed with a false perswasion and confidence Secondly The spirit of a Christian is another Witness that assures him of his interest in the Covenant of Gods love The spirit of a man of a Christian witnesseth with the spirit of God by reception and expression by taking in the effects of the Covenant of promise as knowledge faith and Love and all graces and thence witnessing to him his interest in the Covenant Object But is there any trusting to the Testimony of our own Spirit can that be a true witness in which we may confide Qâ—id corde humano fallacius Is not mans heart deceitful above all things Answ It not is our own carnal Spirit our own natural spirit that is the assuring witness Spiritus noster est cornostrum regeneratum Par. but our own Regenerate Spirit the new Spirit which God giveth now of this Spirit the Apostle John speaketh saying If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence toward God Dictamen cordis regeneratiest infallibile saith Pareus Now it is Good for us to understand and note the difference between the testimonies that proceed from those two different witnesses different spirits that in this great matter we may not be deceived by our own hearts I shall therefore briefly shew you the difference between the testimony of a caâ—nal heart and the testimony of a renewed pirit 1. The carnal heart takes up its evidence confusedâ—y and groundlessly not heeding whether there be any gracious saving work of the Spirit of God upon the heart which in order of nature necessarily preceds the Testimony of that good spirit whisperings to witness the love of God to the Soul But the Regenerate new spirit takes up its evidence and gives forth its testimony within the Soul to the Conscience orderly and upon good ground observing herein the order of the spirit of God and grounding its testimony upon the work of the holy Spirit in the Soul Ye have not saith the Apostle received the Spirit of bondâ—ge again to fear Rom. 8.15 but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Fâ—ther The Spirit that brings in peace hath caused a man to see himself lost in himself so that he hath seen his bondage and miserable condition by sin before he came to apprehend his liberty by Christ and his happiness in the enjoyment of God his favour 2. The testimony of a carnal heart will be without the Word and contrary to the word justifiing where the Wâ—rd condemneth speaking peace to a formal Hypocrite or loose-liver or a carnal earthly minded worldling such a one may have a spirit that speaâ—eth good speaketh peace to him but it is a carnal lying spirit that speaks falsly but the Regenerate Spirit which is the true witness within a man gives evidence concerning a mans condition and speaks comfort by and according to the word a Regenerate Spirit will not flatter will not falsifie
give him praise makinâ— it not only the labour of our lips but the work of our hearts powâ—ing out our very souls unto him who hath manifested the gracious pâ—rpose of his heart towards us it the Covenant of Life and Salvation which â—e hath given us 5. Praising of God for the Covenant of his mercy and love shalâ— be the constant etâ—rnal work of Saints in Heaven when they shâ—â—â— bâ— fully made partakers of 〈◊〉 blessings of the Covenant being taken up to the fullest fruition of their God and made full of joy with the light of his countenance and is not Heaven work to be beguâ— by us here do we not pray that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven now this will argue a heavenly Spirit to be taken up with heavenly employment and action and this will be a means to make the heart more heavenly Oh let us now enure our selves to our everlasting work and labour to be as like as may be here to what we shall be hereafter 6. The more we let our hearts out to God in thankfulness for the grace of the Covenant praising him for the free donation of himself to us as prising him above all the more will he let himself out to us and communicate his goodness clearing up to us our interest in him shedding abroad his love in our hearts Psa 50.23 so making us glad with the Light of his Countenance Qu. How shall we shew our selves thankful to God for the Covenant of promise the Covenant of his love Ans In cleansing our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God This is the return which God expects from us for his love toward us that we declare our selves on his side against sin which is his great enemy that we freely give up our selves to him who hath engaged himself to us that as he is become our God so we should be his people a people of his holiness and that we strive to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing 2. Let us declare to others the preciousness of the Covenant and the comfort and sweetness of a Covenat interest in God tell them that this is infinitely more worth than all other interests and enjoyments seeking thus to draw souls unto God this is thankfulness for exhibiting grace cordially and affectionately to commend both the gift and the giver 3. 〈◊〉 us thankfully and with enlarged hearts bless God for the Lord Jesus Christ the root of the Covenant as I may say and the Mediator of the Covenant By his Blood the Covenant was purchased for us and by his mediation it is performed to us therefore let us set the name of Christ to all this grace God the Father delighteth to have his son honoured and he that honours not the Son honours not the Father therefore let Christ be great with us upon this account that he hath procured the love of his Father to us 4. Our prizing of the Covenant and our thankfulness for it will be shewn in our longing for a nearer communion with God and a fuller fruition of him in the accomplishment of all the promises of the Câ—venant We are not thankful to God for the Covenant whereby he is become our God unless we make him our â—rd our portion our treasure and have our hearts set upon him and desire carried to him O Lord thou art my God why have I no more enjoyment of thee why is my soul at such a distance from thee it contents me not to see thy back parts O shew me thy face O let the time hasten when I shall see as I am seen Thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee O blessed day when I shall come to appear before my God in Sion Thus you have had a seventh Counsel and some directions about it 8thly Let us constantly act faith upon the Covenant which God hath given us Couns 8. Act faith upon the Covenant and upon God in Christ covenanting with us This is the way to fetch sweetness from the Covenant to suck out the hony that is in it I shall hold forth some exciting considerations Incitements some arguments to perswade to the acting of Faith upon God and upon his Covenant of Promise 1. Consider that as God reâ—aires this so he is greatly delighted with the actings of precious faith upon such a precious object as himself who is the believers and and happiness This is very pleasing to God because it gives him the glory of his goodness and of his all sufficiency and of the truth and certainty of his Covenant by acting saith upon God's Covenant of promise and so fetching our comfort from thence we set to our Seal that God is good and that he is sufficient for us and that he is truâ— â—â—e real in Covenanting and faithful in performing his Covenant to his people now I say it must needs he that God is delighted with thesâ— actings of Faith while the soul rowl's it self upon him and fetches its comforts from him and satisfies its self with him because thus the sould gives him the glory of his precious Attributes which are so dear to him 2. This is a most sweet pleasant and delightful life to the believer himself to lie sucking by faith at the fuâ—l breasts of consolation to drink in the pure waters of the Fountain of Life to feed upon the marrow and fatness the honey and sweetness of the sweet Covenant of grace to be satisfied with God to have all in him There is a vast difference between Faiths repasts and the worlds refreshings between Covenant comforts which are received by faith and creature comforts which are apprehended and taken in by senses Oh how do they differ in respect of pureness and fullness and durableness and universality or extensiveness 1. In respect of pureness there is a mixture of wax in the most clarified honey of earthly delights there is some bitterness in the sweetest morsels of sublunary contentments they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter-sweets there is a mixture of dreggs in the purest liquors of the worlds comforts but the comfort of a Covenant interest in God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere this is honey without wax it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet indeed without any bitterness in it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure indeed liquor without any dregs 2. Great is the difference betwixt the comfort which the faith of a believer fetcheth from Gods Covenant and that which a worldling fetcheth from the Creature in respect of fullness Alass the bâ—st comforts which the world yields do rather provoke than fill the appetite do rather enerense than quench thirst no inferious good no sublunary enjoyment is adequate or proportionable to the capacity or desire of the Soul When Hannah wept before the Lord because she was Childless said Eâ—kanah to her Why weepest thou am not
the soul that is in Covenant with him 3. God hath tied himself by â—ovenant to his People to heal â—â—m and help them and to give â—â—m all needful good things and to be all in all to them I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 that I will not turn away from them to do them good yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good Now the Soul knows that God is no Covenant breaker and therefore in remembrance of this tye which God hath laid upon himself while faith is awake and active the believer hath a dependance on his God O Lord thou art my God I will trust in thee I shall not perish I shall not want there is wisdom enough and power enough and goodness enough in my God and these Attributes of his are engaged to me that I may stay my self upon them Oh Christians the acting of faith with strength and vigour upon Gods Covenant would make us to depend on him and have confidence in him even in a Sea of miseries in the deepest affliction casting our selves upon the power and mercy and faithfullness of our God when our condition seems to be desperate Is it thus and thus with me are maters brought to this pass yet I will not let go the Covenant I will not lose my hold on God I know God will deliver me one way or other even in that way which he sees to be best for me This well be one happy improvement of our interest in the Covenant by acting faith upon it 7. By this means our interest in the Covenant would be improved unto love toward God and obedience to him I put them together as for hafts sake so in regard of their necessary connection and conjunction they being insâ—perable in as much as obedience doth naturally flow from love I say the more constant and the stronger the actings of faith upon the Covenant are the more affectionâ—tly will the Soul love God and the more chearfully and constantly obey him True faith is a loving faith which carries the affection of love unto God who hath given the Covenant of his love unto us and it is a lively working faith which moves and acts the soul towards God and gives it up to him who hath not with-held himself from us but hath bestowed himself upon us A clear apprehension of an excelling good and a knowledge of my interest in it must needs draw my affection to it Relation hath ever been a ground of affection where loveliness is apprehended Now the Lord full of all glorious excellencies transcendently good is my God my Father my Husband he love's me with an abounding immense constant everlasting love oh how can I chuse but love him yea love him much while he vouchsafes to give himself full of all goodness and blessedness into my bosome and so satisfies my soul fills me with himself I cannot chuse but love a satisfying good and oh I truly desire to please him my soul is grieved for any unkindness of mine toward him or disobedience to him Gospel-grace the grace of the Covenant which appeareth bringing salvation teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 and to live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world This is another notable effect and fruit of acting Faith upon the Covenant of grace 8. By this means our interest in the Covenant will be improved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that strong consolation spoken of in the sext Therefore God with whom the soul is in Covenant is called the God of all consolation 2 Cor. 13. Now they are as hath been said pure full sure comforts that are fetcht from the Covenant by the extractory vertue and power of Faith which is a rare Chymist indeed God comforteth the believer acting faith upon him shall tribulations in every pressing pinching condition This is my Comfort in affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.50 for thy word hath quickned me When the believer is damped in spirit and as it were dead in regard of spiritual operations and affections faith reviveth him drawing lift out of the word of promise from the Covenant of God Though it be thus and thus with me yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant The sence hereof doth not only support the soul but rejoyce it The soul is comforted against sin and Satan and death and Hell and amidst sorrows and afflictions in the world when a Christian remembreth what he hath in the Covenant and how he stands related to God and are these consolations of God small 9. Faith acted upon the Covenant leads the soul as it were to the top of an exceeding high hill or mountain and thence shews it the kingdome of heaven and the glory thereof And saith All this will God the Father give thee this is thy inheritance thy God hath given in thee in promise and will give it thee in hand for his Covenant is sure Faith acted upon the promise of God giveth the soul a lively hope of salvation verily there remaineth a rest to the people of God it is certain to them by the certainty of God's promise God's Covenant gives believers a right to it and it is certain to them as to their fruition of it by God's unchangeable decree Though it be to be enjoyed upon condition of enduring to the end of persevering in faith and new obedience yet in as much as that condition is likewise absolutely promised and Christ hath undertaken to be the worker and finisher of our faith and perfecter of our salvation this salvation is still absolutely certain upon promise Hope O my Soul saith faith hope to the end for the salvation which is to be brought to thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ Wilt thou distrust God hast thou not his promise to rest upon hath he not given thee his Covenant and Oath for thy assurance rance When the flesh hath nothing wherein it may rejoyce yet do thou O believing soul keep the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end 10. A lively acting of faith upon the Covenant will raise the Christian to heavenly mindedness to have his heart much in heaven with his God who is his portion and his treasure when faith reads the love and goodness and desirableness of God as he hath expressed himself in the lines of the Covenant and gives the soul a true account of it now the soul must needs love where it is thus loved and where there is such lovliness for this is attractive of love Now anima est ubi amat the heart the soul is where it loveth if the treasure be in Heaver there will the heart be therefore if we would have our hearts to be in Heaven let us keep them still possessed with true believing thoughts and apprehensions of the free abounding grace and love of God toward us expressed in the Covenant which he hath given us Oh if we could by faith lodge our
is best for me now I know that it shall be otherwise vvith me vvhen God sees another condition to be better for me And what a stay and support wil this be to the heart of a poor creature â—midst all the storms that arise upon him in the troublesome Sea of this World When considering his interest in In Jesus Christ can say-I know that my Redemer my Deliverer my Saviour liveth I know that there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness 2. Consider that where Christ is given there is a gracious gift of other things together with him not onely they are given and given freely beside and contrary to our deserts but they are given in good will so that there is love in all Gods dispensations to us This we may be sure of if God hath once given us Christ for God doth not love to day and hate to morrow but having once loved he loveth to the end If the first the great gift were a gift of grace so are all the rest they all flow from one Fountain viz. the love and Grace of God Now surely the love of God is admirablie made out to souls in giving them his Son therefore there is love in the rest Therefore get Christ make sure of him and so make sure of the love God in all other gifts 3. Consider that Christ is a full good a most comprehensive good all in all to the soul that enjoys him 1. He is all in respect of sufficiencie a man needs no more then Christ to make him happie 2. He is all in respect of Efficiencie he brings to the souls of Believers all those priviledges that â—rs spoken of in the Word of grace He of God is made to them Wisdome Righteousnses 1 Cor. 1.30 Sanctification and Redemption and in him all things are theirs Now when a man can have all things wrought up in one is it not wisdom for him to seek to possess himself of that thing if it may be had Why Christ is that great all comprehending good once get him and ye have in him Whatsoever good the believer hath he hath from and through Christ and whatsoever he expecteth it is by Christ In Christ are all the treasures of hol ness happiness and if he be thine all that is his is thine Therefore beloved lay out for Christ and lay about you to make sure of him Directions for the getting Christ Now I shall shew you briefly what is requisit and necessary to your getting of Christ shall give some few directions concerning the way by which you may come to be possessed of him 1. You must be convinced of your spiritual poverty nakedness and misery of your lost and undone condition without Christ that so you may be prepared for him being taken off from other foundations from resting on any thing else you must see the need you have of Christ that you may desire him and may be ready to reach out the hand of the Soul to receive him when he is offered to you 2. You must be perswaded of the worth of Jesus Christ believe his excellency Ignoti nulla cupido that he is valuable above all other things that so desire may be carried to him and that you may be willing to take this gift of God as he is willing to bestow it Oh if souls were once otherwise perswaded of the desirableness of Christ and of the usefullness of Christ and of the fullness that is in him and did duly weigh his excellencies then they would account all things lost for Christ and would esteem all things as dung that they may win Christ and would cry out with that blessed Mar None but Christ none but Christ 3. Think often and seriously upon Christ what he is and of what advantage to souls that Adoption and Righteousness and Grace and Glory come vvith him and by him let this I say be often thought upon and probably by this means the soul may be vvrought upon to look more after Christ and the heart may be prepared to close vvith him this means hath been successful in Isa 52. there is a speech of the exaltation of Christ in the hearts of People and an intimation of the means by vvhich they should be vvrought to entertain such high thoughts of Christ that vvhich had not been told them Isa 52.13.15 shall they see and that vvhich they had not heard shall they consider it shall it shall be discovered to them what that Christ is whom they have despised and now they shall speak against him no more but shall condemne themselves for contemning him and shall be willing with all their hearts to embrace him 4. If you have any apprehension of the excellencie of Christ and any desire to enjoy him then you must be willing to take him upon God's termes must let go self let go the World let go Lusts let go Pleasures and Profits when any of these stand in competition with Christ must part with all for Christ The Merchant man that will have the Pearle of great price must sel all to make purchase of that All must be sold in our judgment and in our affection and in respect of our confidence and in respect of a full resignation of all up unto God so that we must not set a high price upon these worthless things must not cleave in affection to them must not trust in these things must be willing to let go al when God will have it from us and s rely there is nothing lost by exchanging all other things for Christ if all worldly trash go for this true Treasure it should be no ill bargaine It is better to be with out all other things then to be without Christ and it must needs be a great gain to get Christ with the loss of other things because God hath treasured up all riches in him and hath appointed him to be instead of all other things yea and far better then all other enjoyments But now people stick at this when Christ self Christ lusts Christ and pleasures Christ and profits stand in competition so that if they vvill have Christ they must let go these things they like not to deal upon such tearmes They see not so much in Christ as they do in other things therefore they will not be perswaded to part from these things for Christ many are kept off from Christ by a conceit of self wisdome and self-righteousness and by carnal interests and advantages in the World and by the love of lusts so that they are ready to say as those Trees in the Parable Judg. 9. Shall I leave my fatness saith one Shall I leave my sweetness saith another to be promoted over the trees What shall I get by Christ saith the carnal heart shall I leave my pleasure and take my self off from my advantages in the World to take a naked Christ What gain is there in this Are there not many
of the Spirit is Spirit The children of God are led by the Spirit of God which leadeth from sin unto duty and acteth the soul toward God not as though we vvere meerly passive so acted as not at all active but Christ acting the soul puts spiritual holy activity into the soul he worketh in us both to wiland to do there is the willing and working of that soul which is acted by Christ by his Spirit 2. As the Sun is in the World to give light and to give heat and to cause fruitfulness so that precious things are brought forth by the Sun Deut. 33.14 and to make beauty and glory upon the Earth So Christ is in the Soule by his pirit scattering darkness bringing in spiritnal light rendering those things visibl and evident which before were hidden yea making those souls to be light in the Lord Ephes. 5.8 which which his coming to them were darkness it it self it is the Spirit of Truth Joh. 16.13 which is the Spirit of Christ that leadeth into all truth and Christ by his Spirit brings in heavenly heat and makes the heart within a man to burn in affection toward God Rom. 12.12 and the things of God burning with the Spirit therefore the spirit is likened to Fire And as the Sun in the World so the Spirit of Christ in the soule causeth fruitfulness so that every branch in this Vine Christ is a fruit bearing branch every soul in which Christ is is by the influence of his Spirit made fruitful in Grace Grace in the heart of Christians and holy actions and duties in their lives are called fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And Christ by his Spirit in the work of Grace makes the soule beautiful and puts a glory upon it Cant. 4.1 if he be master If provident If friendly How beautiful art thou my love behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair the Kings daughter is all glâ—rious within c. 3. As a man dwells in his house 2 Tim. 14 there commanding and ordering all things and making provision for those of his houshold and entertaining and chearing his friends and making them welcome So Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in the soul and by the Spirit he beares rule in the soul so that his Word is a law to the soul The Saints so far forth as they are spiritual are ordered in all things by Christ dwelling in them though they find with Paul that there is the flesh lusting against the spirit and often interrupting the course of their obedience and Christ dwelling in the foule provideth for the soul taketh care that it want nothing dealeth out to it the gifts of grace which â—râ— given by the spirit according to the measure of Christ and Christ dwelling in the soul gives his refreshings to the soul maketh it a feast of fat things brings it into the banquetting house or the house of Wine comforting the heart by applying the promises of the Gospel and the Grace of Christ to the soul revealing his love and speaking peace to the soule thus feasting it and filling it as with marrow and fatness These refreshings of Christians are from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them therefore the Spirit is called the Comforter and the joy which Christ giveth into the heart is called the fruit of the Spirit 4. As a King on his Throne swayeth the Scepter of his Realme having all the people of that Realm subject to him and governed by him according to Constitutions and Lawes of that Kingdome So is Christ in all true Christians giving lawes to the conscience and governing the whole man to the obedience thereof he is there in power making them a willing people willing to obey his commands willing to subject themselves to the lawes and ordinances of his Kingdom which Earthly Kings cannot do Psal 110 3. Thy peâ—ple shall be willing in the day of thy power And Christ is in the heart as a King to subdue rebellious lusts and tame nurâ—â—y affections to cast down all strong holds that are raised up by the Devil and the flesh against him and at last to bring under every thought into subjection to himself And as a good King seeketh the good of his subjects and desireth not to impoverish but enrich them So doth Christ seek the good of that soul in which he hath erected a Throne for himself is alwaies doing good to it and enriching it with Grace here and glorie hereafter And it is by the Spirit that Christ beareth rule It is the Spirit that represseth corruption and mortifieth the deeds of the bodie It is by the Spirit that Christ enricheth the soul with Grace Knowledge Faith Love and all those precious things of Grace are the gifts of Christ which he conveyeth to them by his Spirit 5. The Spirit of Christ where he cometh in a spirit of supplication teaching men to pray and and framing their hearts to prayer He hath sent the Spirit of his Son into ur hearts Gal 4.6 whereby we cry abba father 6. Where Christ dwells by his Spirit there is the influence of the vertue of his Death and Resurrection to the mortification of sin Rom. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vivification of Grace Our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin should be destroyed that it should be rendered inefficatious unable to work that sin may become powerless in us that we may be freed from the law of sin by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus i. e. by the lively powerful working of Christ's Spiret in us which breaketh off the yoke of bondage that lay upon our necks in the state of nature whereby sin held us wholly under subjection to it self and in Verse 17.18 the Apostle makes out this more fully that Believers are freed by Christ from the dominion of sin so that the strength of corruption is abated in them the old man is weakned and that by the Spirit of Christ the soul is made alive unto God and is freed unto righteousness set at liberty to walk in the waies of God In a word take the Evidence of Christ his being in the soule thus Christ and his Spirit are not sundered nor is the Spirir in us without the fruits of the Spirit Let no man say that he hath Christ unless he hath the Spirit of Christ If we look upon a bodie when the soule is gone out of it we cannot say this is a man no more can we say of a man without the Spirit of Christ This is a Christian That is no true member of the body which is not animated by the soul in the body no more he a member of Christ that is not quickned by the Spirit of Christ Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us 1 Jo. 4.13 by his Spirit which he hath given us Now again the Spirit is no where idle or fruitless but
you into your souls thâ—n see that you do that which may delight Christ so will he be working sensibly in yoâ—r spirits bringing in more light and liâ—â— and heate and making you more fruitful in holiness revealing his love in your hearts so that you shall stil say blessed be God for Jesus Christ Now to give some directiâ—ns about this shewing how you may delight Jesus Christ 1. Shew your selves willing and readie to take commands from Christ to hear and obey his voice and to yield unto and be ruled by the motions of his Spirit Christ is much taken with the willingness chearfulness of Christians in their obedience If ye love me saith Christ Keep my commandments and I will pray the Father Joh. 14.15 16 18. and he shall give you another Comforter that he mâ—y abide with yâ—u for ever I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you If you shall have a care of your obedience I will take care for your comfort 2. Make out to others the preciousness of Christ and speak it to the honour of Christ what a gift he is and what a happiness it is to enjoy him If we prize Christ he will delight to continue with us and the more we impart our experience of the comfort and sweetness of Christ the more wil he communicate himself to us we find it often in the Canticles that it was thus betwixt Christ and his Spouse 3. Acknowledg unto Christ his wonderful love and rich Grace toward you in giving himself for you and in bestowing himself upon you and in that which he hath wrought in you O Lord Jesus how infinitely am I engaged to thee for thy love that thou hast vouchsafed to come to my poore soul and to bring in light and life and comfort and happiness with thy self Such thankful acknowledgment made unto Christ Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio will tie him fast to you and cause him to do more for you 4. Let there be longings of the soul to enjoy more of Christ here in the Kingdom of Grace and to be brought as soon as the Lord pleaseth to a full fruition of him hereafter in the Kingdom of Glory Beg of Christ to reveal himself more clearly to thee and to carry thee on further in understanding of Divine Mysteries to lead thee into all Truth and to fill thee with the knwleedge of his will in all wisdom â—nd Spiritual understanding Beg of him quickening grace â—nd strengthning grace and beseech him to be more mightily this way upon thy spirit causing a great increase of spiritual strength â—nd holy activity in thy soul humbly desire Christ to reveal himselfe more and more in thy soul as a Comforter even to powr in flagons of his love and to fill thee with the consolations of his Spirit Thus account that you are never near enough to Christ that you are never intimate enough with him that you have never enough of him and so long to be filâ—ed with him here and to be taken to a ful enjoyment of in glory hereafter desiring with good old Simeon to depart in peace having Christ in your hearts and embracing him by Faith â—nd with Paul desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ This is very pleasing to Christ and he delighteth in that soul which taketh pleasure in him and surely he will never forsake the soul in which he delighteth 5. If you desire that Christ should continue with you and not withdraw himself or hide his face from you then see that he have a place of residence in you sutable to him and such as may give him content he must have thy heart and he must have all thy heart and it must be a heart well kept a heart clean swept he will have the heart or nothing and he will not be thrust into a corner of the heart he will not endure that the World should have the chief room or indeed any room there or that lusts should be entertanied in the heart where he dwelleth he will not lodge in a filthy heart a stable is not now a receptacle for him a place to entertain him in If you desire the company of Christ you must carefully flie the pollutions that are in the world through lusts you must be casting sin and the world out of your hearts and cleansing your selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit When Christ sees that there is a desire and care to make the heart clean fit to entertain him and to keep out of the heart every â—hing that may offend him and â—o keep the Spirit pure and entire â—or him he delighteth to dwell in such a soul And surely if you labour thus constantly to please Christ and to do that which may delight him â—nd then will he be so powerfully comfortably operative in your souls that you shall be able to say I finde I feel that of a truth Christ â—s in me This is Christ his working â—n my heart none but Christ could do that which is done in my soul Surely My beloved is mine and I â—â—m his Thus I have dealt out a third Counsel to Christians that have Christ Take heed that you do not â—oose him keep him with you â—old him fast and I have held â—orth some directions in this â—ase If ye have have received the Lord Jesus Christ Counsel 4. Walk in Christ Col. 2.6 Walk in him This is the Apostle his Counsel Quest What is it to walk in Christ Answ Plainly to walk in Christ according to the Scripture sense of this phrase is so to live that we may make it to appear to others that we may be sure in our selves that we are in Christ and that he liveth in us to walk according to the rule of Christ to live as a people acted by the Spirit of Christ which leadeth from sin unto dutie and guideth souls in the way of God in our conversation to hold forth the vertues of Christ to be Patient as he was Meeke and lowly in heart as he was Loving as he was Heavenly minded as he was Zealous for God's glory as he was in all things to express Christ to walk in the light of his Doctrine and according to his example to keep up Communion with him in the exercise of Christian Graces and practise of holy duties and to walk in Christ is to live by the Faith of Son of God who liveth in us to â—elie on him for Justification and Sanctification and Preservation and provision and comfort here and for Eternal Salvation hereâ—fter And this phrase To walk in Christ implieth 1. Light and knowledge of the minde of Christ 2. A progress in that way which is pleasing to Christ a goâ—ng onward and a rising up to furâ—her measures in Christ 3. An uniformity in this course â—ot to go in out to take one step â—n the right path and two steps â—eside it but to walk steddily in Christ
him for ever 3. This will be an excellent means to quicken and strengthen hope I say hope of all needful blessings here and of eternal Salvation hereafter Is the Lord my God and shall I not hope Have I God's Promise and Oath and shall I not hope Is not the Promise of God so sure that hope therein maketh not ashamed Therefore in wants and straights and difficulties and in my greatest sufferings I will say with the Church Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion therefore I will hope in him It is Jehovah who hath promised to bless me and save me the almighty God can do it and the faithful God will do it he will perform his promise his Covenant therefore I have hope in wants in trouble in sickness in death I will hope in my God to the end 4. A diligent serious meditation of God's Covenant and our interest in it will raise our joy God hath made with me a Covenant of Peace a â—ovenant of Life the Lord is my God and will be my God forever The Covenant which he hath made with me is his deed of gift whereby he hath made over himself to me and hath bestowed upon me the everlasting inheritance it is my Fathers good pleasure to give me a Kingdom he hath promised me a Crown of Glory and this promise of his is surely a ground of joy Rejoyce therefore O my Soul in hope of the Glory of God Thus you have had a Fifth Counsel Having applyed the Covenant to thy self and gotten some assurance that it is thine now meditate on it and set it to thy heart for the exciting of love and desire and hope and joy in thy soul 6ly Let us admire and adore the mercy love Couns 6. Admire the grace of God in the Covenant and grace of God in this Covenant of his his mercy toward the miserable his love to Enemies his grace to sinners in setting himself down to us and taking us into Covenant with himself who had otherwise been utterly lost and miserable for ever Let us cry out with admiration O the hight and depth and length and bredth of the love of God O free-Grace O rich-Grace O glorious-Grace Why did God pass by those Angels that fell leaving them in a remediless condition and take the Seed of Abraham into Covenant with himself to pardon them and save them who is a God like unto our God that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his People performing his truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham 7thly Hath God made such a Covenant Couns 7. Bless God for it and do we apprehend our interest in it then let us bless God for it and abound in all thankfulness to him who is the Fountain frâ—m whence such streams of Grace do flow how should they who have tasted the goodness of Gods Covenant have their hearts and mouthes and lives filled with his praises God's Covenant is a Covenant of pardoning sin and healing diseases of redeeming our life from Destruction and of Crowning us with his loving kindness and tender mercies and for these mercies whereof believers are made partakers by vertue of the Covenant David stirrs up himself to bless God Psa 103. Bless the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquties c. Oh let our souls bless God let all that is within us praise his holy Name for the Covenant of his mercy and love which he hath given us and that he hath so clearly revealed this Covenant to us and hath given us to apprehend our interest in it Now there are these reasons among others why believ is should â—tirr themselves up to bless God for his Covenant Incentives 1. The end of Gods goodness to his Creatures is his own glory Surely this is the end of his making and confirming his Covenant to Abraham with his seed that Abraham and his seed miâ—ht glorifie him this is the great end of all his works of grace in Christ Jâ—sâ—s he hâ—th done all to the praise of the gl ry of his grace Eph. 1.6 12. that we should be to the praise of his glâ—ry 2. The Covenant it self is so precious such a rare gift that it well deserves our praises God is worthy to be blessed by us for such a bleâ—â—â—ng as this for First Consider of what worth those things are which the Covenant doth give believers a Title to and intâ—rest in O pretious things an inheritance immortal and undefiled a â—â—own of life an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory 2 Consider what matchless consolations the Covenant affordeth to believers even when all outward comforts fail Thy word is my comfort in my afflictions Ps 119.50 fâ—r it hath quickned me Gospel-comforts those which flow from the Covenant of mercy and peace to such as are interrested in it are the purest and surest and fullest comforts Now by the way from the preciousness of the Covenant in respect of the worth of the things promised in it and the excellency of the comforts that flow from it I infer this That the worst of a believer is better than the best of an unbeliever or That the lowest estate of one interrested in the Covenant of promise is better than the most raised condition of any one that is uninterrested in it and a stranger to it A believer may be a stranger in the world and afflicted with want of food and cloathing convenient and may meet with a great deal of hard usuage yet he is a Citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem he is the Lords Free-man he hath God for his Father Jesus Christ is his Brother and though he hath little or nothing at present to the eye of the World yet he is rich in hope though he hath nothing in possession visible he hath a rich Inheritance a Kingdom an immortal Crown in revertion Who is the better man the poor Christian whom God hath chosen to be rich in Faith heire to a Kingdom to the Kingdom of Heaven or the rich and honoured Worldling that wears a Gold-ring and hath the highest room given him in the Assmblies surely there is no happiness like to the happiness of a believer that hath an interest in the Covenant of Grace the Lord is his God this is the Crown of all enjoyments the compendium of all happiness Whence it follows that God is to be praised by us for nothing in this world so much as for giving us an interest in his Covenant 3. This Covenant which is so precious and so comfortable aâ— intâ—rest wherein makes us happy is freely given us of God nothing moved him to it but his own goodness it was free grace that made God to be a Promiser a Covâ—nanter now that which is excâ—â—â—â—ng prâ—cious anâ— freely given to us is to be received with much thâ—nkfullness 4. We can make no other return but love and thanks for aâ—ithâ— love of God â—â—â—râ—â—ore let us lovâ— God and