the world that sooner deceives us or so much abuses us as our own hearts they are not to be consulted with nor trusted to without the Word but tried by it therefore search the Scriptures and search thy self If we go to the Creatuâ—e for assurance and go from Creature to Creature for it as the Bee goes from flower to flower the Creatures may all reply in the language of Job and say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me it cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof Honour may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me and riches may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me gifts may say it is not in me and learning may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me and thus may all the Creatures reply But where then is assurance to be found and where is the place thereof seeing it is hid from the eyes â—f the most and kept close from many of Gods Iewels The world sayes we have heard of the fame thereof but know not what it is Gods People say we thirst after it but know not where to find it Thou that thus complainest go to the word and it will tell thee in the Word and in the wildernesse assurance is usually found go thou to the Word to seek it follow the counsell of Christ thou that longâ—st after assurance but knowest not where to find it Go thy wayes forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids beside thâ— sheepherds tents Frequent the Word preached read the Word Printed Seek for Evidencâ— in grace and not in gifts in renewing grace not in morall grace seek it in the narâ—ow way These are the paths wherein the flock of Christ have gone before us and which they have trodden out unto us follow their foot steps if thou wouldest attain assurance go not in untroden paths to seek it it is a pearl that is not to be found in every place seek it therefore where it is to be found This is the first branch of the second Rule 2. The second is this He that would get assurance must seek it as it is to be sought after He must seek it according to the Scripture directory that is diligently orderly humbly perseveringly First He must seek it diligently Give diligence to make your calling and election sure saith the Text He that would get assurance must seek it diligently and industriously he must seek it as Solomon teaches us to seek wisdoms and understanding seek for it as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure It is treasure which lies hid and lies deep in the Bowels is the Scripture and he that will obtain it must dive deep for it and dive with his eyes open as the Indians are said to do for pearl he must labour for it industriously as labourers do in silver-mines Secondly He must seek it orderly he must follow the vein He must not begin where God begins but where God ends he must not begin at the root to fiâ—d the branch but by the branch discry the roote my meaning is he must not begin with Gods decree in predestination which is the root of salvation But with regeneration and justification which are branches issuing out of this root other wayes he may destroy the tree ere he is aware I mean himself and all hope of Heaven and salvation as I have known some do and fall into utter desperation The truth is he that will not beleeve untill he read God's decree in Heaven must never look for any assurance of Heaven here nor fruition of it hereafter If you will not beleeve you shall not be established saith the Text He that will reach to Heaven by Jacobs Ladder must begin at the lowest step this is the Scripture way to get assurance Christs directory prescribes it when Iesus Christ would instruct Nicodemus about his spirituall and eternall estate he did not send him to Heaven to read the records of the celestiall court but sent him to read himself over to search his own heart and life to consider whether he were regenerate and born again whether he were ingrafted into Christ and made a new Creature yea or nay Christ directs him to the effect to find out the cause not to the cause to find out the effect which teaches us that he that would get some good Evidence of the Love of God and his own salvation must begin at home with the workings of God in and upon himself he must consider what work the Spirit of God hath done in him what sight of sinne what sense of sinne what sorrow for sinne what lâ—athing and forsaking of sinne he hath wrought in him what grace or desire of grace or prizing of grace the Spirit of God hath wrought in him The Father himself Loveth you saith Christ. But how shall that appeare Why the next words tell us Ye have loved me and beleeved c. The Father himself loved you because ye have loved mâ— and beleeved that I came out from God It is as if Christ had said your faith to me working by love to me demonstrates it for Christ doth not here make our Faith or our love the cause of Gods love to us but the discoverer of it And the Apostle tells us That whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne and ver 30. saith that whom he did predestinate them he also called to wit inwardly and effectually according to his purpose by giving them saving grace and whom he thus calleth them he also justifieth and whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth And here the Apostle followeth the example of his Lord and Master leading us to the cause by the effects and to the end by the meanes hence it is evident That he that would get assurance of his Election must seek it in the workings of God in and upon himself he must consider how his justification iâ— evidenced by his sanctification and his election by both Sanctification is Gods work in us justification is Gods work upon us both together are certain pledges of his good will towards us In the third place He that would seek assurance as it is to be sought after must seek it humbly with feare and trembling the Scripture calls upon us so to do Work out your own salvation with feare and trembling a seeker of assurance must seek humbly upon his knees and he must seek tremblingly with a holy feare and jealousie least he should mistake and miscarry for though it be possible for a Child of God to know his estate yet it is very difficult Fourthly He must seek perseveringly he must never give over asking untill he receive never give over seeking untill he find what he seeketh He must follow the example of the Spouse seeking
work to make breaches in this wall that he may get in and destroy this flower he deviseth wayes to divide mens judgments to the end he may destroy this affection of Love out of their hearts if he prevaile not this way then he will raise up jealousies to destroy Love and Charity yea sometimes render the best of graces the worst of vices and as in tempting a Carnal man he sometimes stiles lust Love so in tempting a spiritual man he somtimes stiles sincere Love lust and by these wiles makes a breach on Charity to the end he may get into the garden of God and root up this sweet grace of Love Seeing then that this grace of sincere Love to God and man is a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God and a grace that he worketh in all those in whom he dwels savingly to get a true testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation in thee thou must diligently examine thy self touching thy Love to God and touching thy Love to man 1. Examine thy Love to God see whether that be sound and sincere yea or nay 2. Examine thy Love to Man and see whether that be such as the Scripture makes a note of the holy Spirits saving habitation in us yea or nay But how shall I know whether my Love to God be sound and sincere yea or nay By Considering 1. What sincere Love to God is And 2. what the properties and effects of it are Sincere Love to God is a spirituall affection causing a man to prize God more and obey him rather then any thing in the world besides The properties and effects of sincere Love to God are these 1. Sincere Love to God is seated in the heart in the midst of the heart and it carryeth the whole heart and soul to God in obedience as well as the whole outward man That sincere love to God is seated in the heart in the midst of the heart and carries the whole heart to God will appear thus That which God in his Word requires and commands that true grace doth in its measure and in a Gospel way give unto him But God in his Word requires that we should Love him with the heart with the whole heart and soul and Therefore this Command doth sufficiently intimate this truth to wit That sincere Love to God is seated in the heart and carries the whole heart to God c. Here note 1 By the whole heart is meant every faculty of the soul the whole inner man the heart wholly sincerely so as it is not divided between God and the world between God and sinne between God and Satan as the hearts of all Hypocrites are but is downright and wholy for God 2. My whole heart may then be said to be carried to God when I cleave to him in affection more then to any thing besides account him my chiefest happiness from a due consideration of his perfection rejoyce in him above all things feare his displeasure more then all persons or things depend upon him for all things and aime at his glory principally in all things Secondly sincere Love to God is fastened upon God principally for that Divine excellency and spirituall beauty which is in him and which he doth communicate unto his People Because of the savour of thy good Oyntments thy name is as Oyntment poured forth therefore the Virgins love thee saith the Text Cant. 1.3 Spirituals and not temporals as this Text shews are the principall attractives of a sincere and virgin-Love to Christ. 3. Sincere Love to God is not guided by sense but by faith as the language of the Apostle intimates therefore saith the Apostle Whom having not seen we Love whom having not seen with Corporall eye nor invisible favours you still cleave to in affection This is further evidenced in holy Iob who continued to love God and obey him even when he could not see one glimpse of his countenance neither within him nor without him as appears by Iob 23.8 9 10 11. verses And this plainly shews That his Love was guided by faith and not by sense as it is the property of sincere Love to be 4. Sincere Love to God is a very strong Love Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 Sincere Love to God will make a man to resolve â—â—augre all opposition to obey unto the death it will constrain a man to do or suffer any thing that God shall see good to impose upon him for tryall-sake without repining in toung or in heart against God it will make a man serve God with all his might therefore saith the Apostle The Love of Christ constraineth us It beareth all things it endureth all â—â—ings 5. Sincere Love to God is an indearing affection it indears Christ unto a man above all things in the world besides so as he will willingly part with all things else rather then Christ Christ in his Merit Christ in his Spirit Christ in his Ordinances and in his Ministers and People is deare unto a sincere lover of Christ above all things here below This is lively set forth unto us in the Parable of the merchant man Mat. 13.44 45 46. He left all for the Pearl the Pearl was dear unto him and he was in Love with it hence it was that he slighted all in comparison of it That Love is an indearing affection is further evident by the language of the Spouse in Love with Christ Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest of ten thousand saith she meaning of all and likewise by the practise of the Saints which have sincerely loved Christ they have willingly parted with their fine cloathing for his sake and worn sheep-skins and goats-skins they have parted with fine dwellings and lyen in dens and caves they have parted with all even to their precious lives Nay these also they have willingly laid down for his sake in the cruellest way that bloody persecutors could invent refusing base deliverance to advance the honour of Christ when he called them forth to suffer as appears Heb. 11. their Love to Christ did indeare Christ to them above all things Here Note 1. That sincere Love to Christ is strong in all but not in all according unto the same equal degrees it indears Christ unto all that have it above all things But makes not all to declare it with the like forwardness and courage nor to declare it at all times alike as many instances in Scripture shew According to the measure of our faith so is our Love if a man beleeve only as a bruised reed as a weakling in Christ his Love will only smoak as flax towards Christ but if he be strong in faith his Love will flame it will declare it self with much zeale and fervour of spirit 2. That that Love to Christ which preferrs any one thing whatsoever before Christ or subjoyns any one thing in the world coequal with Christ is no sound sincere Love neither is it
believeth all things loveth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. It is a heart-softening affection a heart-mollifying love This is intimated by the language of the Apostle Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfullness of sinne Hence it is evident That if our love one towards another were such as it should be and did operate as it should do it would soften and mollifie our hearts Congruous love is mollifying Here note two or three things Christians frequently complain of hardness of heart in these dayes and not without cause but few I believe take notice that want in love is the cause of it Strangeness weakens cools and abates love nothing more this it doth in man towards God and in man towards man and as love abates and strangeness grows the heart contracts hardness more and more Probatum est Whilest the Galatians love towards Paul continued they were pliable within and without they would have parted with any thing to have done him good but when once their love abated their hearts were hardned towards him and his message too Love and intimate converse melts the heart nothing more strangeness hardens it nothing the like intimate converse with God encreaseth love to God and melteth the heart intimate converse with the godly-wise doth the like Our great hardness of heart and unprofitableness under the great meanes of grace in publick I may truly say hath in great part sprung from the gross neglect of the duties of Christian love and the great strangeness that is grown amongst Christians in these times where we meet but in complement usually But when God shall give his people one heart and one way to serve him with one consent when their love shall abound one towards another and operate without these obstructions of division in judgement and affection they shall then have hearts of flesh and not of stone as appears by Ier. 32.39 and Zeph. 3.9 compared with Ezek. 36.26 which places have reference to one and the same time It is said of Leviathan Job 41. That the flakes of his flesh are joyned together they are firme in themselves they cannot be moved His scales are one so neer another that no Air can come between them They are joyned one to another they stick together that they cannot be sunderâ—d The Lord Jesus Christ is the great Leviathan of Heaven and Earth and his people are his scales and the flakes of his flesh and were they so joyned together in Christian love and society that no Air of temptation could come between them they would be firm in themselves and so stick together that they could not be sundered yea in their neck would strength remaine and sorrow would be turned into joy before them I wish all the Saints to whose view this may come may take these things into consideration Great is the latitude of Christian love of love congruous to the rule of God for they whose love is congruous to the rule of God Grudge not a one against â—â—e other Speak not evil one of another Do not bite and devour one another Deviâ—e â—ot evill one against another Do not oppress over-reach or defraud one another iâ— any matter Render not evill for evill unto any man Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will â—ender unto the man according to his deeds They bear not false witness against their Neighbour nor bear witness without cause against their Neighbour nor deceive with their lips Lay not wait against the dwelling of the righteous Spoil not his resting place Adde not affliction to the afflicted Rejoyce not in their enemies fell much less in their brothers Hate not their brother in heart Stand not against the blood of their Neighbours out of desire of revenge nor upon a politicall account Are not as Cain who slew his Brother They judge not their Brother nor set at nought their Brother Give no offence willingly to any but endeavour as much as lawfully they may to live peaceably with all men They put away all bitterness and wrath and anger and â—lamour and evill speaking with all malice Love one another as God gave us Commandement Love one another as Christ hath loved us Love as Brethren Love without dissimulation cordially unfeignedly out of a pure heart fervently Love not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth They walk in love abound in Love grow in Love speak the truth in Love serve one another in Love continue in Love are kindly affectionated one towards another with brotherly Love Rejoice with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep In honour preferre one another have compassion one of another are pitifull are courteous one towards another tender hearted if rich they are rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate shew mercy with cheerfullness they beare one anothers burdens If strong beare the infirmities of the weak support the weak beare one with another aâ—d forbeare one another Forsake not the assembling of themselves together but exhort one another daily edify one another and comfort one another with the Word of the Lord Teach and admonish one another consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good works confess their faults one to another This I think is meant at least chiefly of faults committed one against another and pray one for another Pray for all men even enemies Do good unto all but especially unto the houshold of Faiâ—h they are not overcome of evill but labour to overcome evill with goodness they do as they would be done by in all things they esteem very highly in Love for their works sake their lawfull and faithfull Ministers especially those in whom they have propriety They receive one another as Christ received us to the glory of God and be at peace among themselves Then again He whose Love to his brother is congruous to the Rule of God goes not up and down as a tale-bearer He seeks not his own but his brothers good labours to avoid whatsoever may offend or weaken his brother or be a stumbling block unto him labours to please his brother for his good to Edification He loves his Neighbour as himself doth good freely looking for nothing again He saies not as Cain Am I my brothers keeper but watches over his brother for his good and reproves his brother in Love according to Christ's Rule privately and publiquely if need be informs against his brother in such place and case as Christ commands him and with-draws from his brother in case of
the 1 chap. 27. and that which is spoken of believers in the primitive Church Act. 2.44 45.4.34 This Faith makes a man very industrious in labouring to keep a good conscience in all things and to walk inoffensively towards God and towards man in all things as appears in the Apostle Paul Paul having made a confession of faith and hope towards God Act. 24.14 15. in the 16. ver of the same chap. he declares how his faith did operate And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man And this Language of his doth plainly evidence That it is the property of a true faith thus to operate All these are real testimonies that true justifying Faith is no Idle Faith but operative and working It worketh by love This the Scripture aâ—firmeth Gal. 5.6 Neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by love thence it is evident that true faith worketh by love And this is indeed the great distinguishing Character of it it worketh by love to God and the things of God and by love to man for Gods sake A true believer works all his works in love to God and Christ His whole labour in point of obedience is a labour of love he sees an unfathomed depth of Divine love declared toward him by God in Christ and this constrains him to love God in Christ again and out of love unto him that dyed for him to give up himself unto him and lay out himself for him The love of Christ constraineth me saith a true believer 2 Cor. 5.14 15. He is holy and blamelesse before him in love Ephes 1.4 My soule hath kept thy Commandements and I love them exceedingly saith a true believer Ps. 119.167 This Faith is alwayes accompanied with true repentance He that truely believes unfaignedly repents This is evident by the language of the Prophet Zach. 12.10 This Faith is alwayes accompanied with new obedience This Faith is a holy Faith it 's so called Iud v. 20. and it makes the subject holy in which it is inwardly outwardly universally holy though not perfectly holy in this life This Faith is a World-contemning and World over-coming Faith it contemns the World both in the good and evill of it as appears in Moses Heb. 11.24 to 28. Iâ— overcometh the world as saith the Scripture This is the victory that overcometh the world even your faith Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth c. 1 John 5.4 5. I may add to this and say It is a flesh-over-coming and a Devill-overcoming faith for howsoever a true beleever be many times put to the worse for a time and foiled by one or other of these enemies yet in the end he overcometh them all and is more then a Conqueror through Christ that strengtheneth him and overcometh for him This Faith is a heart humbling Faith it is the property of this Faith to make an humble heart as the Language of Christ Iohn 5.44 intimates How can ye believe saith he which seek honour one of a another A true beleever eyes God in all gifts and in all blessings Spirituall and Temporall and ascribes all unto free grace He and he only labours for and learnes of Christ heart-humility and groans under the sense of the want of it and hence it is evident that true Justifying Faith is heart-humbling Faith This Faith is a God-glorifying Faith it makes a man preferre God above himself and his glory above all things respecting not himself willing to deny himself unto the death to advance the honour of God and humbly to submit to the Will of the Lord in every thing as appears in Abraham Iob Eli David Paul and many other true beleevers Abraham was by this faith transported so far above himself that he willingly offered up his dear Isaac to advance the honour of God when he tryed him Iob was by this faith brought humbly and patiently to submit to the Will of the Lord in every thing as one desirous to advance his Name Ely was by this faith brought sweetly and humbly to submit to the good pleasure of the Lord When Samuel told him what evill the Lord would bring upon him and his house he meekly replies as one dâ—sierous to advance God in all It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good It is as if he had said let him do with me or to me what he will so he may have glory by it I am content David did the like 2 Sam 15.26 But above all the Apostle Paul is a notable example of this who was by this faith carried so farre above himself that he cared not what betided â—im sink or swim so Christ might be magnified thereby bonds and afflictions and death were nothing to him to undergo so Christ might have honour thereby Nay he would rather lose his eternall Crown then eclyps the honour of Christ as his Language Act. 20.23 24.21 13. does plainly evidence his resolution That Christ should be magnified in him whatever he underwâ—nt Phil. 1.20 Rom. 9.3 It is the property of a true faith to preferre God above all but an evidence of a strong faith thus to preferre God above all This Faith is a growing Faith True Faith how weak soever or how strong soever is alwayes accompanied with cordial desires and real indeavours to grow and increase and bring forth more fruit as the language of beleevers shews Lord increase our Faith said the Disciples to Christ Lord I beleeve help thou my unbeliefe saith another beleever I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before I press toward the mark saith a third Phil. 3.13 14. By all wâ—ich it is evident That true Faith is growing Faith A true beleever never thinks he hath Faith enough but still prayes for and labours after increase This Faith is a supporting Faith It is a Faith which a Christian may and must live by in all conditions as appears Hâ—b 2.4 The just shall live by his Faith He that hath this Faith we speak of shall live by it in prosperity and in adversity in life and in death Finally this Faith is permanent and persevering it holds out unto the death it is never totally lost a true beleever as he lives in the faith so he dyes in the faith the Apostle speaking of true beleevers saith These all died in the Faith Heb. 11.13 And true it is That a true beleever alwayes dyes in the Faith in the Faith of adherence if not of evidence this is vigour fit and but fit to give the denomination of a true beleever we are made partakers of the Holy Ghost if we hold the beginning of our coâ—fidence stedfast unto the end saith the text Heb. 3.14 These words plainly evidence that justifying faith is persevering faith it
holds out unto the death and ends in fruition it can never be totally nor finally lost and this indeed is it's distinguishing property and it is the property of every renewing grace every renewing grace holds out unto the end that grace which weares the the Crown of Glory is persevereing Revel 2.10 It is not alwayes so in appearance but in truth A true beleever may at sometimes and in some cases seem both to himself and to others to have loft his faith and his other graces as many examples in Scripture shew but yet as Ieb speaks The root of the matter is within him still Truth of grace in the inward parts and it abideth there However a true beleever may and sometimes doth for a time lose the comfort of his grace and the fight of his grace and the power of acting of his grace yet he hath this priviledg above all formalists he never totally loseth the habit of any renewing grace these gifts of God are without repentance Wouldest thou then know whether thy faith be sound and saving and such as consequently demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soule try and examine thy saith by these properties and Scripture-Characters of a true jusâ—ifying faith and if it hold correspondency with them know for thy comfort that it is such as really demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation and special operatâ—on in tâ—y soul thy Union with Christ aâ—d eâ—ernal salvation by him whatsoever Satan or thine own conscience abused by Satan may at any time hereafter say to the contrary and give the Lord the praise The end of thy faith shall be the salvation of thy Soul as the Scripture speaks 1 Pet. 1.9 LOVE ANother grace demonstrating the holy Spirits saving habitation in us is Love to wit sincere Love God is Love and where God dwelleth by his Spirit he worketh Love to wit sincere Love to God and sincere love to man for Gods sake And this Love is a speciall work and fruit of the holy Spirit of God in man as appears by the language of the Apostle My little Children let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him and Gal 5. â—2 it is said The fruit of the Spirit is Love More particularly That sincere Love to God is a special work of the Spirit of God and such as accompanies salvation is evident by the great good that this grace is attended with both here and hereafter here all things how bad soever in themselves work together for good unto them that love God Rom. 8.28 And many promises of temporall and eternall good are made unto this grace Psal. 91.14 15 16. A Crown of Life is promised unto it Iam 1.12.25 Much good attendeth this grace here but as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Such is the happiness joy and glory which God hath prepared for them that love him that it cannot enter into us till we shall enter into it It must therefore needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in us and a sure pledg of salvation He that sincerely loves God hath that in him which is a sure argument that he is greatly beloved of God I love them that love me saith Christ We love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of Gâ—d in man which strongly argues the special Love of God towards man surely yes But sincere Love to God strongly arguâ—s special Love in God towards him that hath it therefore sincere Love to God must needs be a speciall work of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is That sincere Love to man for Gods sake is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by that which follows Sincere love to man for Gods sake in whomsoever it is is a real testimony of his Union with Christ Regeneration and New-birth and that he is indeed a true Disciple of Jesus Christ as these Scriptures following plainly evidence This is his Commandement that we beleeve in the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement and he that keepeth his Commandement dwelleth in him and he in him He that dwelleth in love dwellth in God and God in him If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us c. These Texts cleerly demonstrate this Love to be a real testimony of Union with Christ Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God We know that we are passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren saith the Apostle And these Texts plainly evidence this love to be a true testimony of our Regeneration and New birth Love one another saith Christ as I have loved you meaning for the kind of Love By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one towards another These Texts plainly demonstrate this Love we speak of to be a true Character of a true Disciple of Jesus Christ And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in man and a true testimony of his saving habitation in us which is a real testimony of our Union with Christ and Renovation by him and dependance on him Surely yes But sincere Love to man for Gods sake is eminently all this therefore this Love must needs be a special work of the Spirit of God and a sure testimony of his saving habitation in whomsoever it is Sincere Love is a grace without which all profession of Religion is but guilded Hypocrisie where Love is God dwels but where it is not the Devil dwels the more Love the more like to God the less of it the more like the Devil Wofull experience shews That those men which have great parts and gifts and little or no Love shew more of the Devils nature then of Gods and act more like the Devil then God where they have power Love is the sweetest flower in all the garden of God but it is a flower which the Devil cannot indure the smell of because he is not capable of it and knows that where Love dwels he must vanish and therefore it is his main design to destroy Love if possible in all sorts and sects and to root it up and banish it from the hearts of all men The Devil is well content that men should pray preach read hear Sermons and make a faire shew outwardly provided this spring not from Love nor tendeth not to the increase of Love to God nor man but if he see Love be the root and fruit of mens services then he goes cunningly and Serpent-like to
by the holy Spirit of God his chief work is within doors his principall care desire and endeavour is to approve his heart unto God and so walk that he may be accepted of him and glorifie him Then again civill Holiness springs from morall principles good education and the like but saving Holiness springs from love love to God is the root out of which it springs as the Apostle shews Eph. 1.4 The soul that is thus sealed by the Spirit of God his Holiness springs from love to God The love of Christ constraineth him thereunto The soul that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God dares not sunder what God hath coupled together to wit Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards men a man truly regenerate is carefull of both witness Paul Act. 24.16 He makes conscience of all sinne and of all duty he warrs against all sinne and hath râ—spect unto all Gods Commandments The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one in whom sinne dwelleth as a Rebell and ruleth as a Tyrant only He is one that is of all men the most sensible of and affected with carnallity in himself I am carnall saith he sold under sinne Rom. 7. He is one that serves the Lord with all humility of mind Act. 20.19 The more holy and the more righteous a soul sealed by the holy Spirit of God is the more humble he is Christ and Paul were notable examples of this He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is a world-overcoming creature a flesh-overcoming creature and a Devil overcoming creature He is more than a Conquerour over all these through Christ that hath loved him and sealed him by his Spirit He is one that is a new Creature and of this something hath been already spoken in this Treatise to which I refer the Reader for a farther discovery of a regenerate person In fine He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one that holds on his way and grows in grace I joyn these together so doth Iob The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 This seal of the holy Spirit of God hath this priveledge above and beyond all other seales the impression which it makes remaineth and increaseth This seal of Demonstration if once truly stamped by the Spirit of God on a soul abideth there the impression never weares out This annointing abideth as Iohn speakes 1 Ioh. 2.27 Truth of grace in the heart and it abideth there and the heart abideth in the truth When God gives a man truth of grace he gives it him to have and to hold for ever the soul thus sealed beares in it the marks of the Lord Jesus unto the death and most eminently after death in glory This seal of the holy Spirit of God is lasting and everlasting True regeneration seales a man to the day of redemption but this it could not do were it not a lasting substance This may suffice to discerne the reality of this seal of Demonstration by to wit true regeneration and to distinguish it from that counterfeit set by Satan I do not intend an innumeration of the qualifications and appearances of a regenerate person here but only endeavour to discry him and distinguish between him and one but seemingly regenerate and therefore strik◠〈◊〉 and proceed to the other seal of the holy Spirit of God to wit the seal of Confirmation mentioned before and for this purpose shall pitch upon Rom. 8.16 Spirits witness with our spirits Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God THis is the last but not the least evidence that a child of God hath in this life for Heaveâ—s eternity of this I â—ay say as David said of 〈◊〉 sword There is none like that give it me There is no testimony to that of the Spirit of God witnessing with our spirits to satisfie conscience to resolve all doubts remove all scruples and end all controversies about our eternall estate When the Spirit of God beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God to wit by grace and adoption the soul then enjoys heaven upon earth and hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of It is sealed unto the day of redemption indeed with a seal of Confirmation and it knoweth that it is so The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Hence it is evident That no mans own spirit can truly assâ—re him of the love of God towards him nor â— his adoption unless the Spirit of God concur and bear witness with his spirit no more than a mans own Deed or Seal can assure him of what is delegated or assigned unto him by another Neither is it the Spirit of God alone simply and singly considered that doth this but it is the Spirit of God concurring with our spirits the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that doth assure us of the love of God and our adoption When the Spirit of God by a speciall work of his upon our soules convinces them of the speciall love of God towards us of our Justification and Sanctification and we by faith assent thereunto then doth the Spirit bear witness with our spirit according to the meaning of this Text as I conceive then is the soul sealed unto the day of redemption with a seal of Confirmation And this is that seal which I am now to speak of and that which this Text points at This may be called Gods privy seal sealing a soul unto the day of redemption Of this seal the Apostle speakes Ephâ—s 1.13 In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise c. Before I speak of the appearances of this seal of the Spirit of God I shall here note two or three things This seal of Confirmation God sets upon some of his people but this he doth not set upon all his people the Spirit of God doth â—hus bear witness with our spirits in some of Gods children but it doth not thus bear witness with our spirits in all Gods children Neither doth it thus bear witness at all times in those in whom it doth at some the Scriptures afford frequent examples of this 2. This testimony or witness of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is proceedeth from and dependeth on free grace and is a token of royall favour to whomsoever it is granted it is Christs golden Scepter held up to the soul. 3. This seal or testimony of the holy Spirit of God though it be the ratifier of our Redemption and Salvation in our hearts yet it is not the meritorious cause of it neither is it absolutely necessary unto salvation 4. This seal of the holy Spirit of God on whomsoever it is set is an earnest and but an earnest of that inheritance which he shall one day be
inheritance with the Saints in light in joy unspeakable and full of Glory Whosoever hath the one here shall certainly have the other hereafter On this ground the Apostle exhorts all Christians that would make sure for Heaven and get a good evidence of their own Salvation to examine themselves whether they be in the faith yea or nay and prove themselves 2 Cor. 13.5 It is as if the Apostle had said Make sure of this that your faith is right and make sure of all if you have this grace you shall have Glory also Faith is the grace and the only grace whereby we are justified before God by it we eate of the Tree of Life Jesus Christ and live for ever It is therefore the fittest grace of all to satisfie Conscience in this weighty matter and to make up conclusions from about our eternall estate This Satan knows full well and therefore when he would flatter a man to Hell he perswades him that his faith is right good when indeed there is no such matter and when he would overthrow all hope of Heaven in a man and drag him into despaire he perswades him that his faith though never so good is but a feigned and counterfeit thing and the poore soul is ready to say Amen It mainly concerns all persons therefore that would here get a good Evidence for Heaven throughly to try their faith whether it be a shield of Gold or but a shield of Bâ—asle whether it be an unfeigned or but a feigned faith whether it be a justifying or but a temporary faith whether it be a faith that justifies before God or but only before men In the searching of thy Soul for this grace of faith or any other renewing grace thou art to have respect to the truth of it more than to the measure and strength of it Christ hath so he absolutely requires truth of belief but not strength of belief Nay he so esteems truth of belief that wheresoever he findeth it in the least measure he will accept it and reward it with Eternal Life he will not quench the smoking flax He will not suffer that soul that hath but the least grain of true faith to miscary But you will say What is this faith you speak of and how may it be discerned from a Temporary faith I will first describe it and then descry it as God shall inable me Justifying faith is a speciall work of the Spirit of God upon the Soul causing a man to lay hold on the speciall promises of Mercy and Salvation by Christ and all other promises which are in him yea and in him Amen and rest upon him that hath promised for the accomplishment of his word I judg it not necessary nor meet for me to take this description asunder or speak of the several terms of it and therefore pass it by In a word or two only I will briefly declare why I call this faith a work of the Spirit and why a speciall work of the Spirit 1. I call this faith a work of the Spirit of God because it is not natural were it natural it would be common but all men have not faith as the Scripture saith 2 Thes. 3.2 2. Few have this faith as the parable of the seed shews Mar. 4.2 to 9. it is a work supernatural and divine 3. I call this Faith a speciall work of the Spirit to distinguish it from that common work of the Spirit which is in unregenerate persons Having thus briefly described this Faith I am in the next place to descry it and distinguish it from all other this I shall do for brevity sake positively This Faith then as I humbly conceive may be discerned and differenced from all other kinds of faith by these concurrent and essentiall properties of it which here follow This Faith is bred fed and nourished ordinarily by the word preached as appears by Rom. 10.14 17. Secondly this Faith as it is begotten by the word so it is grounded upon the Word upon the written Word of God Not fancy but the Word is the ground of it It gives firm absolute and unlimited assent to the whole Word of God promises threatnings and commandements so farre forth as it doth apprehend it to be of God simply because it is of God the whole Word of God is the generall ground and object of it I consent to the Law that it is good holy and just and good saith a true believer Rom. 7. ver 16 12. Believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets Act. 24.14 But the more special object of it is the promises of the Gospel This Faith is seated in the heart the heart is the most proper subject of it With the heart man believeth unto righteousness saith the Scripture Rom. 10.10 Justifying Faith is not barely notionall but reall it is not a bare head-assenting But a heart-consenting what the understanding saith is true the will saith is good and embraceth it This Faith is an unfeigned Faith as is evident 1 Tim. 1.5 and 2 Tim. 1.5 An Hypocrites faith is but feigned faith but justifying faith is unfeigned how weak soever it be it is true and real it carrieth the whole heart to God in obedience as well as the whole outward man This Faith is a Christ-receiving faith it receiveth and embraceth whole Christ Christ as a Saviour and Christ as a Lord in all his offices Prophet Priest and King and it causeth him that hath it to give up himself wholly to Christ to be ruled by him in all things according to his Word Thus the Gospel tenders Christ and thus a true beleever receiveth Christ My Lord and my God saith believing Thomas of Christ and it is the property of justifying Faith thus to embrace Christ They gave themselves unto the Lord saith the Apostle of some true believers 2 Cor. 8.5 And this is universally true of all that are true believers they give themselves unto the Lord as aforesaid and that freely and voluntarily This Faith puts a price upon Christ above all things and cleaves to the Mercy of God in Christ as better then life both Positively and Comparatively To you which believe he is pretious 1 Pet. 2.7 He is the chiefest of ten thousand Fairer then all the Childrenof men He is altogether lovely As the Apple-Tree amongst the Trees of the Forrest So is my Beloved among the sonnes His mouth is most sweet His Love is better then Wine Thy loving kindness is better than Life saith the believing Soul to Christ Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire upon Earth in comparison of thee What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in
which it kindleth within This is evident by the zeal of those which have sincerely loved God in all agâ—s we may take all the Saints for an example of this but I will instance only in Moses and Pâ—ul Moses who was the meekest man upon the earth had his spirit so warmed with the love of God in his heart thaâ— the fire of zeal brake forth in an unquenchable flame in him when he saw God dishonoured and an Idol magnified by the people of God And Paul's spirit was hereby so stirred within â—im when he saw the people given to Idolaâ—ry that he could not forbear to reprove it whatever he underwent for it All these had their hearts so warmed with the love of Gâ—d that neither water nor bloud could quench the flame that love had kindled which evidently demonstrates this love to be a heart-warming Affection Though sincere Love to God do warm the hearts of all in whom it is with a zeal of God yet doth it not warm the hearts of all alike according to the measure and degree of love in the heart such is the zeal that issueth out of it Sincere Love to God is a soul-humbling affection it thinks it can never do nor suffer enough for God and thence it is that it doth not glory in any doing or suffering it comes stil short of what it should do and what it would do and therefore is not puffed up with what it doth but rather humbled by its failings Knowledge puffeth up but love casteth down the soul. Sincere Love to God is a heart-softening affection as is evident by the carriage of Nathan towards David when the Lord sent Nathan to awaken David and call him to repentance What did Nathan but labour to set an edge on David's love by setting the loving kindness of the Lord before him as one knowing that if any thing melted his heart this would do it and this we see did it which plainly shews That love is a heart-softening affection This is yet farther evident in other of the Saints Iosiah loved his God and hence it was that his heart melted when he considered how he and his people had offended God by walking contrary to his statutes Mary Magdalen sincerely loved Christ and hence it was that her heart was so mollified and melted for the sinne she had committed Love softeneth the heart in which it is nothing more nothing so mollifying as love love delated and love apprehended mollifyeth the heart as oyl doth the hand The way to encrease sorrow for sinne is to encrease love to God grief is but an effect of love love is the leading affection to grief anger hatred and desire grief springs not so naturally from any thing as it doth from love there is no grief so kindly none so pierâ—ing none so lasting and wasting as that the 〈◊〉 springs from pure love Object But this property of love makes me to question the truth of my love for I find my heart is hard I cannot grieve for sinne as I should or as I would Answ. Softness of heart hath other appearances besides grief it shews it self in yeelding to walk in the statutes of the Lord and keep his ordinances and do them inflexibility and readiness to obey the known will of the Lord without standing out against any part of it and to these a child of God should have recourse in such case Sincere Love to God is a sinne-abating affection This I gather from the propheticall prediction of Jesus Christ concerning these times Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold hence it is evident That the abounding of iniquity springs from the totall want or decay of love if love did abound iniquity could not abound it would abate the force of it love is therefore called a breast-plate The abating of iniquity is according to the abounding of love in what measure love aboundeth in that measure sinne abateth but as love decayes abates and cools iniquity abounds While the Church of Ephesus continued in her first and fervent love we read of no complaints of her but when her love abated her inâ—quity abounded Sincere Love to God will abate sinne in a Person Church or Nation if it be in the Person Church or Nation Sincere Love to God is an establâ—shing affection This I gaâ—her from the language of the Apostle 2 Thes. 2.10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth tâ—at they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies c. Hence it is evident That had these of whom the Apostle speakes received the love of the truth had they sincerely loved the God of truth they had continued in the truth in the knowledge of it in the belief of it in the obedience of it and neither totally nor finally apostatized from the truth which strongly argues love is an establishing affection The knowledge of the truth without love of the truth to wit sincere love is utterly unavaileable unto salvation The knowledge of the truth without love of the truth is unvaled to uphold in the profession and obedience of the truth He whose judgement is unsound is in danger to be corrupt by flatteries as the Prophet Daniel speakes but he whose love is unsound is in more danger to be corrupt by flatteries He whose love is sound may through frailty fall and through fear of some corporall evil become guilty of partiall apostacy but he shall never fall away totally nor finally from the God of truth nor from the truth of God By all which it appears that love is an establishing affection Sincere Love to God is not lessened by encrease of knowledge but encreased with it He that loves God sincerely his knowledge doth not lessen his love to God or the Ordinances of God or the Ministers of God but encreaseth it his love doth abound more and more as his knowledge doth abound more and more This is sufficiently intimated by the language of the Apostle Phil. 1.9 He whose light doth not encrease but rather decrease his love hath cause to question his love and his light too Finally Sincere Love to God alwayes produceth sincere love to man for Gods sake This is evident by the language of the Apostle If any man say I love God and hate his brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen As if the Apostle had said It is impossible for that man to love God sincerely which loveth not his brother if a man love God this love will constrain him to love his brother it will produce love to man for Gods sake This is farther intimated ver 21. By these few Properâ—ies Effects and Appearances of a sincere love to God I conceive a Christian may judge aright of his love to God and so consequently of his
scandall or contempt of the Churches lawfull constitutions and censures or in case he cause divisions or offences in the Church contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures mourns for his brother and praies for him in such cases Labours to restore his brother in the spirit of meekness when overtaken in any fault and returns to him when he turns to the Lord. Forgives him and comforts him and confirms his Love towards him He forgives his brother his trespasses from his heart as often as he offendeth and repenteth freely as Christ forgave us For Christ's sake and as God hath forgiven us All these qualifications the Scripture cals for in my Love towards my Brother as these quotations in the Margin do manifest Therefore that Love towards man which is congruous to the holy Scripture must needs have these qualifications in it ergo But here the soul conscious to its own wants and failings will be ready to reply as the Disciples did to Christ when he told them how hard a matter it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven who then can be saved said the Disciples so the soul will be ready to say here if all this be in that Love which is congruous to the rule of God who then can say his Love is congruous to the rule of God surely none for in much of this we faile all He that truly wills desires and indeavours to do all this that Christ may have the honour of it doth it in a Gospel-sense and in Gods acceptation who accepts the will for the deed where ability is wanting this must be granted otherwise no Child of Adam could conclude on the affirmative Now for other appearances of Love they are these What a man Loves he prizes accordingly What a man loves he delights in accordingly What a man Loves he desires to enjoy what a man loves he cannot hear reproached reviled and spoken against but with grief of heart This needs no proving every ones experience will testifie the truth of it Wouldest thou know whether thy Love to God and thy Love to man be sound and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul or not then go through what hath been said in this little Epitomie touching Love to God and Love to man and consider whether thy Love be truly such yea or nay and if thou findest it truly such though but weakly conclude thou maist safely to thy comfort that thy Love is such as really demonstrates thou art beloved of God and indued with the holy Spirit of God savingly For Love indeed and in truth argues that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him as the Apostle affirms 1 Ioh. 3.18 19. Therefore if thou upon a true tryal findest by this that hath been said that thou hast any truth of Love to God and thy Brother argue not against thy self or thy Love but bless God for that Love thou hast and labour to grow and increase in Love to God and man daily REPENTANCE ANother grace of the holy Spirit of God demonstrating his saving habitation in the â—oul is Repentance to â—â—t true Gospel-Repentance I sâ—ith the Lord will pour upon the house of David the Spirit of grace and supplications And they shall look upon him whom they have prâ—â—â—ed and they shâ—ll mourn for him c. Zach. 12 10. This Text plainly points out unto us two things 1. That wheresoever the holy Spirit of God dwelleth savingly in what soul soever he resideth as a sanctifier there he worketh true faith and Repentance 2. That in whomsoever these graces are wrought they are a true and real testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation in that soul â—or as much as it is proper and peculiar unto the Spirit of God alone to work these in the heart of man Here Note three or foure things 1. That the grace of Repentance though it be a distinct grace from faith yet is it an inseparable concomitant of justifying faith coupled with it in infusion and he that totally wanteth either hath neither Secondly Note That faith and love and Repentance and every other renewing grace habitually considered are coequal the habit of every grace being infused together So that where there is one grace in truth there is every grace in truth in the habit of it in some measure And thirdly That although every grace of the Spirit habitually considered be coequal yet these actually considered and according to their manner of working and appearing in us precede each other faith precedes love and faith and love precedes Repentance Repentance being a fruit of faith and love Fourthly That grace to wit renewing grace and glory are inseparably linked together He that hath the one shall certainly have the other for this grace is the earnest of our inheritance Lastly Nâ—te That this grace of repentance is a renewing grace a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man aâ—d a grace that he worketh in all that truly beleeve and love That Repentance is a renewing grace a special work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by those special promises which are made unto it in holy Scripture of spiritual and eternal blessednesse He that confesseth and forsaketh his finne shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 If my People which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and turn from their evill wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sinne c. 2 Chron. 7.14 And the Redâ—emer shall come to Sion and to them that turn from transgression in Iacob saith the Lord Isa. 59.20 Again When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his sinne and doe that which is lawful and right He shall surely live he shall not die none of his sinnes that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live Ezek. 33.14 15 16. All sins all manner of sinns and Blasphemies shall be forgiven unto him Mark 3.28 Matth. 12.31 compared Though your sinnes be as Scarlet they shall be made as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Isai. 1.18 and Act. 11.18 True Repentance is called Repentance unto life By all which it is evident That it is a renewing grace a special work of the Spirit of God in man Repentance being a special work of the Spirit of God in man and an inseparable concomitant of a Justifying faith is therefore a true touchstone to try our selves and our spiritual estate by and such an one as all must try themselves by that will gather to themselves a true testimony of their eternal happiness by Christ and make their Calling and Election sure in the subject But what is this grace of Repentance How may it be defined Repentance is a Divine quality wrought by the
the 〈…〉 one holy 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 He is 〈…〉 from the 〈…〉 old thing◠〈…〉 new as this Text speaketh He is one whose heart and spirit principles and practises are all new and holy He is one who having received a new life from Christ desires and endeavours to live as a new Creature unto Christ only one that in every condition labours to live for the honour of Christ and so as he may truly say To me to live is Christ to me thus and thus to live is for the honour of Christ he is one in whom the name of Christ is glorified and the Gospel held forth one who in all things whatsoever he doth in word or deed labours to do all in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ to the glory of God by him one who desires and endeavours to have his whole conversation such as becometh the Gospel of Christ and to have every thought brought in subjection to the Obedience of Christ. He is one who though he have fleshly lusts in him doth not make provision to fulfill them he doth not habitually design and take thought how to fulfill them but how to mortifie them he is one who though he walk in the flesh doth not warre after the flesh but against the flesh He makes not his liberty an occasion to the flesh He is one who though he cannot live without sinne doth not allow himself in any known sinne but hates every false way and groans under the remainder of the old man in him as his greatest burden He is one that carries a holy jelousie over hâ—mself and all his wayes and thence labours to keep a spirituall watch within and without He is one that worships God in the Spirit and puts no confidence in the flesh one that servs God in newness of Spirit not in the oldness of the letter one that labours to be filled with the Spirit He is one whose conversation is in Heaven whilst he is on Earth one that delights in the Law of God after his inward man he delights to do the will of God He is one of another Spirit then the world hath one that walks by another rule then the world doth to wit the Word of God He is a growing Creaâ—ure he grows in grace He forgets what is behind and reacheth forth to that which is before He aims at perfection and presseth towards this neark He is one that lives in Christ as a branch in the Vine and brings forth fruit in him He is one in whose Nostrils the whole body of death and every part and member of it stinks one that labours to abstain from all appearance of evill and to be holy and blameless before God out of Love to God He is one that minds the things of the Spirit is led by the Spirit and walks after the Spirit He is a world-contemning and a world-overcoming Creature He is one that labours to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Christ as Caleb did to wit fully and as David did of whom God saies He followed me with all his heart to do that only which was right in mine eyes And as Ruth followed Naomi as Elisha followed Elijah and Asaebel followed Abner he would not leave Abner though he died by his hand A new Creature is one that counts himself a stranger and a pilgrim in this world and lives like a stranger a and pilgrim in this world one whose Conversation here declares that he minds desires and seeks after a better Country then this world affords to wit an Heavenly He is one that makes it his chiefest work to glorifie God and save his soul one to whom the Talent of time is very precious one that labours to use every Talent wherewith he is inâ—rusted according to the will of his Lord and for the honour and glory of his Lord one that labours so to walk before God here that whether present or absent he may be accepted of him one that labours to Honour God by using lawfull things lawfully as well as by shunning things unlawfull in themselves He is one that labours so to keep his account here that he may give it up with joy when the day of account comes He is one that doth not commit sinne one that seeks not his own but Christs and his Brothers good one whose affections are set on things above more then on the things below He is one to whom the Preaching of the Cross of Christ to wit the Gospel is the wisdom of God and the Power of God one who being born again as a new born Babe desires the sincere and nourishing milk of the word that he may grow thereby one that hears the voice of Christ speaking in his word by his Ministers knows it and obeys it and declines the voice of a stranger He is one to whom the whole Word and Will of God is sweet every bitter thing in it sweet He accounts no truth gall and wormwood as some phrase it He is one to whom all Gospel-Ordinances are sweet and delectable He is one that deserts not old truth to follow new light but makes it his sunne to discover the verity of it He is one that receiveth the Ambassadors of Christ to wit the lawful and faithful Ministers of the Gospel as Christ himself and esteems them very highly in love for their work sake He is one that delights in the Law of God after his inward man one that labours to live by saith in every condition prosperity and adversity one to whom the yoke of Christ is easie and his burden light one to whom none of Christs Commandements are grievous He is one that continuâ—th in the word of Christ in the love of it in the belief of it in the obedience of it He is one faithfull unto the death He is one which how high soever he be in place in parts in gifts or grace is low in his own eyes little in his own fight his heart is lowly still hence it comes to pass that when he hath done his best to follow the rule of righteousness he abhâ—rs himself for his unrighteousness and accounts himself a wretched man Finally he is one that is joyned to the Lord Iesus Christ and one spirit with him All this and much more then this the Scriptures affirm to be in a new Creature as all that are acquainted witâ— the holy Scriptures know Who so desires to be better informed touching a new Creature may consult learned Dr Preston on a new Creature but a prefect enumeration of all the qualifications of a new Creature is no where to be found but in the holy Scriptures which indeed do picture him to the life and to them I refer the Reader for full satisfaction herein and for the benefit of those which are unacquainted with the Scriptures or want time or ability to collect a cleare and sound evidence of a new Creature from the Scriptures I will reduce this
The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will should aim at his Honour and Glory therein This appeares thus Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God saith the Text 1 Cor. 10.31 That is do it so that God may have glory thereby do it aiming at the Honour and Glory of God therein Hence I argue thus If it be the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I do then it is the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I suffer for suffering is doing But it is the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I do Therefore it is the will of Christ that I should aim at it in all that I suffer A man may then be said to aim at the Honour and Glory of Christ in suffering when he makes that his direct chief and utmost end in all that he suffers when he makes the Honour and Glory of Christ the finall cause of all his sufferings when he suffers not out of vain glory but that Christ may be magnified thereby when a man doth thus suffer for the will of Christ then doth he suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular 9. Finally the will of Christ is that he that suffers for his will shoulâ— glorifie God for suffering If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on thiâ— behalf 1 Pet. 4.16 A man doth then glorifie God for suffering 1. When he boldly and thankfully acknowledges the favour of the Lord towards him in calling him forth and enabling him to suffer for his sake 2. When he makes his sufferings the matter of his joy and thanksgiving when he rejoyces and praises God that he is counted worthy to suffer in any kind for Christs sake 3. When he doubles his diligence in duty upon this account thus did the Apostles glorifie God for suffering Phil. 1.29 Act. 5.41 42. Art thou then a sufferer Consider whether thou sufferest as a Christian yea or nay whether thou sufferest for the will of Christ and whether thou sufferest according to the will of Christ And if thou canst truly conclude on the affirmative thou hast good ground to conclude that thou art one that shall reign with Jesus Christ in his everlasting kingdome If ye suffer ye shall also reign with him and not only reign with Christ but reign with him in greater glory For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Suffering as a Christian is a reall testimony of a reall Christian and suffering as a Christian is a high evidence of Gods speciall love towards a person Dost thou then suffer and suffer as a Christian Thou maist then safely conclude I shall reign with Christ Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness An exceeding and eternall weight of glory A kingdome that cannot be shaken A Crown that cannot be taken Glory that cannot here enter into my heart to conceive Glory that cannot be measured Glory that fadeth not away but remaineth through all eternity Glory that cannot enter into me I shall one day enter into I now suffer with Christ and for Christ I shall one day be glorified with Christ and by Christ whatsoever Satan or the world may say to the contrary Sealing by the Spirit Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Whereby ye are sealed c. THat which I pitch upon in this Text as most for my purpose is this That the holy Spirit of God doth seal the Elect unto the day of redemption The whole Trinity doth concur in this work of sealing soules to eternall happiness but sealing is here attributed to the third Person in Trinity to wit the holy Spirit of God because it is a work most proper to his Office It is the holy Spirit of God that sealeth soules to the day of redemption as the Apostle here tells us The persons sealed by the holy Spirit of God are the Elect of God true believers as the Apostle intimates by that particle Ye whereby Ye are sealed speaking of true believers These all these and none but these the holy Spirit of God doth seal unto the day of redemption unto the day of the full manifestation of our redemption unto the day of the redemption of our bodies from corruption and the fruition of the redemption of our souls and bodies from Hell by Jesus Christ. Sealing is a metaphor taken from Merchants who use to seal their own wares for speciall ends The divine seales of God are of a double kind and of a double use they are of a double kind they are either externall or internall outward or inward â— Externall or outward and such a seal was Circumcision in the time of the Law it is so called by the Apostle Rom 4.11 And such are our Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper now in the daies of the Gospel 2. Internall or inward the internall or inward seal of God is the seal of the holy Spirit of God metaphorically so called and this is that which this Text points at Seales are of a double use they serve to demonstrate and to confirme they signifie and ratifie I speak after the manner of men Gods seales do no less they demonstrate they confirme But Gods externall seales without the internall seal of the Spirit of God cannot assure any soul of the speciall love of God nor of his Adoption many outwardly sealed go to Hell the outward seales alone cannot seal any soul unto the day of redemption It is the inward seal of the holy Spirit of God that seales us unto the day of redemption as this Text tells us Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption The internall or inward divine seal of the Spirit of God is twofold Demonstrative or Confirmative The holy Spirit of God seals the Elect to the day of redemption two wayes 1. With a seal of Demonstration 2. With a seal of Confirmation The seal of Demonstration set by the Spirit of God I call that a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God whereby a sinfull soul is truly regenerated and the Image of God stamped upon him The seal of Confirmation I call that a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God within us whereby we are perswaded and assured after an immediate manner that we are the children of God adopted in Christ and beloved with an everlasting love Both these seales agree in their efficient cause for they are both the speciall workes of the holy Spirit of God whereby the soul is marked for and assured of eternall happiness when this life is ended Of the first of these seales to wit the seal of
forth to God in supplication and thanksgiving this is evident by Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 26. The soul thus sealed by the Spirit of God longs after and delights in approaches to God and God approaches to it in all his holy Ordinances Let me see his countenance let me hear his voice saith the soul thus sealed for sweet is his countenance and his voice pleasant it delights to meditate on and walk with its God it doth not leave off duty but performs it more conscionably and spiritually In the fift place sound assurance produces fruitfullness the soul that is by the Spirit of God assured of the grace and favour of God towards it is usuâ—lly the fruâ—tfullest in righteousness as is evâ—dent by the language of the Apostle Col. 1.6 After the Colossians knew the grace of God in truth they were more fruitfull in righteousness than ever Sound assurance of the love of God produces care and industry in the work and wayes of God as is evident by the language of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 8. We know we are confident saith he of himself and other Believers and what follows Therefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him ver 9. These mens assurance produced not carelesness and sloth but care and industry and it is the property of good assurance so to do This condemns that Popish Tenet That assurance of salvation is the destroyer of all piety and charity And it condemns that assurance that is fruitless or careless In the sixt place Sound assurance produces joy 1 Pet. 1.8 Faith of evidence and joy are inseperably united they are Twins born at once and if assurance die joy dies with it In whomsoever the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Confirmation he is a Spirit of Consolation the soul that is assured of the love of God towards it cannot but rejoyce in it spiritual Consolation doth not spring so naturally from any thing as it doth out of the witness of the Spirit joy may be I mean some kind of joy where assurance is wanting but assurance never goes without joy spirituall joy There is a generation as Solomon tels us which in the midst of laughter their heart is sad and there is a generation which in the midst of sadnesse their heart rejoyceth And those which are thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God are they such is the power of sound assurance that it will make I mean instrumentally the heart to joy whilst the outward man sorrows it will fill the heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory whilst the outward man is filled with shame and contempt yea sound assurance is for the most part then strongest and shews it self with most vigor and light somenesse within when the greatest damp of outward discomforts lye upon the person and the world most frowns upon him or persecutes him for his frowardnesse and faithfulnesse in the cause of God When Paul and Silas had much cause to sigh for their usage amongst men they then sang and rejoyced Act. 16.25 When the Apostles did suffer shame for Christ then did they most rejoyce Act. 5.41 When the People of God were spoiled of their goods and spoiled in their persons then did they rejoyce and whence sprang their joy in this disconsolate condition but from their assurance They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and induring substance Heb. 10.34 Assurance of Gods favour produceth joy according to its measure and degree assurance of hope produceth joy assurance of faith produceth more joy The riches of the full assurance of understanding most of all The joy that springs from assurance is a heart strengthening joy a life lenghtening joy and a joy that no man can take from us it is a soul inlarging a shame despising a God-glorifying a world-overcoming and a sin-overcoming grace In the seventh place Sound assurance produceth humility this seal of confirmation when set by the Spirit of God doth work the soul to more humility of mind then usually is in others The Apostle Paul is a notable instance hereof he was thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God when he said I am perswaded that neither Death nor Lfe Angels Principalities nor Powers nor any other thing shall be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord and then did be serve the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears as himself saith Act 20.19 Sound assurance is heart-humbling heart-molifying Sound assurance leaves not the soul without a holy jelousie of it self nor without a Christian watch This is evident in the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.38 39. compared with 1 Cor. 9.26 27. I am perswaded saith he that neither Deaâ—h nor Life nor any other Creature shall be able to separate me from the Love of God c. Yet was he not hereby taken off from but rather incited to a holy jealousie of and watchfulnesse over himself and all his wayes as appears by the forecited place Sound assurance and holy jealousie may well stand together and he whose assurance is void of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse hath great cause to be jealous of his assurance Sound assurance is not the destroyer but the Nurse of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse Neither is holy jealousie an enemy to but a preserver of sound assurance In the ninth place Sound assurance works the heart to more contempt of the world and the things of the world then others usually attain to and it doth mightily quicken and spur forward the soul to more holinesse hatred of sinne and zeal and courage in the cause of God Moses and Paul are pregnant examples of this of the effects of this seal in Moses we may read in Heb. 11. v. 24 25 26 27. Exod. 32.31 32 and in Paul Phil. 3. v. 7 to 15. Act. 20. v. 19 to 25. In the tenth place Sound assurance will bide the trial and it is willing to be tried it shuns not the light but comes to the light that its reality might be made manifest Sound assurance is not usually injoyed long without some buffetings of Satan the soul that is tâ—us sealed by the Spirit of God hath uâ—ually some thorne in the flesh some messenger or other of Satans to exercise it and humble it thus it was with the Apostle Paul when thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God as appears by 2 Cor. 12.7 and thus it is with other of the Children of God who are thus sealed by the Spirit of God as each mans experience will witnesse to this I set a probatum est Sound assurance of the Love of God makes the soul long for the full fruition of it this seal of the holy Spirit of God moves the soul nothing more to desire to be dissolved to be with God how long Lord saith this soul come Lord Iesus come quickly I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ