and mistake about beleeving Thirdly the bitter danger and sure misery of not beleeving in Jesus Christ 1. The difficulty of beleeving is increased by the singularity of so strange and wonderful a goodnesse It is so great and so unparalell'd that a man can hardly believe it to be true To have an estate in Christ in God freely all at once How can this be The depth of gilt I am an enemy God is Just I have runne into such high forfeitures so unnecessarily lost my self provoked God so often and the threatnings are planted against sinners there is no hope no probability if a small debt c But for the difficulty of it that it is not so easie a thing to beleeve in Christ Jesus this shall appeare in divers particulars First there is no natural principle of justifying faith now in man An act or motion or quality which hath a rise and bottom within the subject may spring forth with some ease a stone having a natural propension and impetus to descend Simile if you do but quit the hand of it it will down but now to make a mighty stone to mount the hill to get up into the air there being no natural aptnesse to this it is a hard and difficult attempt 'T is true that a man hath an understanding and will but the Obj. Mystery of Jesus Christ is a riddle to the natural understanding Sol. the faculties naturally considered have no elevation to this object unlesse the Lord by his Almighty power begets and works faith in the soul The soule thinks not on him neither can it draw it self to him Like the needle untill it be Simile touched it will not start up towards the pole so unlesse the Lord doth touch our hearts by his blessed Spirit we shall never close with Christ So then this is one thing to shew the difficulty of beleeving the habit of it is out of our power out of our sphear it cannot be produced by any strength of nature but by the sole Arme of God Hence that of the Prophet Isa 53 1. Vnto whom is the Arme of the Lord revealed who hath beleeved our report The testimony of the Gospel concerning Christ will not be beleeved unlesse the Lord doth reveale his own Arme that is until he doth put forth his own Almighty strength 2. There is a natural principle of infidelity and unbelief in every mans heart If the paper were faire if there were no precedent blurs and blots then it were not so hard to imprint some legible Characters Or if the wax were soft and the iron heated now it were easie to engrave what kinde of armes the Artifier pleaseth But when the wax and the iron are hard and cold now the impression is difficult because the resistance is strong if there were in our hearts any obediential principles which could before hand temper the minde and frame the will then when God offers Christ little a do would serve the turne But our hearts naturally bend the other way there is in us a natural unaptnesse nay an enmity to beleeve Enmity to the habit and nature of faith blindnesse errour pride stubbornnesse disobedience in our hearts We have such slow and untoward hearts so armed with all sorts of corrupt reasonings so consulting with sense and rational evidences so ready on every inevidence to mistrust doubt question gainsay that all Arguments will not perswade us that God will give us Christ and pardon our sinnes You know that when the Lord Jesus was personally on earth and did preach himself and in that manner that none spake with that Authority as he and confirmed the truth of his Divinity and Mediatorship by Scripture and miracles yet very few beleeved historically that he was the Christ that he was the Sonne of God Take me now a person who is sensible of his sinful guilts Tell him of the need he hath of a Saviour he will grant it represent unto him the sufferings the excellency the tendernesse of the Lord Jesus that he is the Mediator the Propitiation for sinnes that Remission of sinnes is in his blood both intensively for the great degrees and aggravations of sinne and extensively for the several kindes of sinne Tell him that the Lord Jesus came to seek such a lost person as he that he came to loose such a captive as he that he came to binde up such a broken spirit as he is that he came to ease and refresh such a burdened and laden soul Yea and answer objection after objection doubt after doubt fear after fear that the person cannot put by the arguments why he should beleeve nor urge and reinforce his reasons why he should hold off from closing with Christ and putting his soule on him yet this we finde he cannot when all is said he cannot beleeve Vnbelief doth throw up so many mists and so many feares and is many times so unreasonable that yet it will hold off the heart Neither the goodnesse of God nor the truths of God nor the mercies of God nor the freeness of them nor the person of Christ nor the merits of Christ nor the tendernesse of Christ nor the gracious offer invitation command threatning of Christ will make the heart to come in unto him 3. There is a natuâ—al opposition in the Heart against Christ and therfore it is hard to beleeve on him The opposition is manifold First to his Person the Lord Jesus Christ is an holy Person and A fourfold opposition none can take him in truth but must take him so to be holy as he is holy He is the holy one of God and he is called the holy Child Jesus and an holy undefiled high Priest separated from sinners Now the heart naturally is in love with sinne and Christ tells us that this very thing is a cause why men beleeve not See John 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light Christ comes thus to a man I am he who will save thy soule if thou wilt take me but then know that I am an holy person if thou wilt have me thou must let go thy sinnes Now this breaks off the match hinders the bargain this goes to the heart A man naturally will as soon part with his life as with the sin of his love Secondly to his condition There is a double condition of A double state of Christ Christ one is Triumphant another is Militant Gloria in excelsis that is the triumphant condition Tubulationes in Terris that is the militant condition the Crown of Glory that is the triumphant condition the Crown of Thornes that is the militant condition Now the heart naturally is unsuffering It is a terrour to it to speak of afflictions sorrowes reproaches losses We are willing to enjoy the world to taste of pleasures to handle profits to rest in ease to walk at liberty to rejoyce with our Friends to be spread abroad
pardon and to crown him with eteâ—nal glory Beleeve it assurance will make thy life more fruitful and thy heart more suffering Faith will make holy duties to be no harden and assurance will make it a delight Faith will make a man to bear the Câ—osse â—nd assurance will make a man to triumph under it We are more then conquerours said perswaded Paul Seventhly Assurance of faith it is a bathing spring to all our graces Shall I instance in some 1. The mourning heart doth much depend upon the assured minde No man ever did or ever shall take God by the hand as reconciled to him or look on Christ as redeeming him or read his pardon with assurance but his heart shall be full of joy and his eyes full of teares They shall look on him whom they have pierced and shall mourne as a man mournes for his only childe Zach. 12. 10. There is nothing softens the heart so well as faith and which melts it so much as assurance The powers of the greatest kindnesse and most gracious love do open the fountain of godly sorrow within the soul 2. Love kindles in the heart upon assurance To whom much is forgiven the same will love much said Christ Luke 7. 47. We love him because he loved us first said John The love of God to us is the cause of our love to him againe and againe and the more that love is cleared to us the more is our love rekindled to him goodnesse is a cause of love here it is bountifulnesse is a cause of love here it is knowledge of both a special provocation of love in assurance here it is What a thing is this that God should give his Covenant to me his Sonne to me his Mercies to me his loving kindnesse to me his glory in heaven unto me I love a man who defends my Name I love a man who gives me a book I love a man who gives me my ransom I loue a man who gives me a meales meat Ah! poore things in comparison how do I then infinitely exceed in love to my God who I know hath pardoned hath justified hath accepted will save me for ever More might be said of all particular graces whatsoever 8. Assurance by faith doth but ease us of the world and mounts the soul above it 1. It easeth us of the world How can he walk with cares who is indeed perswaded that God is his Father he that gave him Christ will give him all other things freely God will not stand for a little earth who hath bountifully given a whole heaven and he will surely finde me food and rayment for my body who found mercy and the blood of his own Sonne for my soul 2. Nay it mounts us above the world they do observe that these lower things grow little and lesse by how much the higher a man is seated If a man could be elevated to one of the celstial orbes the whole world would seeme but a narrow spot of ground unto him In one point this is most true the neerer God draws unto the soule the more nothing doth this world appeare O the blessed favour of God! the evidences of our union with Christ This is like the light of the Sunne which puts out the light of ten thousand candles Thou wouldest never complaine of too little in the world if thou haddest so much as made up a true assurance of heaven 9. Lastly Assurance will breed comfort in life and confidence in death Object Why are Gods people afraid many times to die they cannot say with Christ I will go to my Father They have the bond but see not the seale They are not assured of Reconciliation of pardon of salvation But if they could with Simeon Take Christ into their armes if once they could be assured Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation He who by assurance looks Christ in the face may with cheerful confidence look death in the face I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ said Paul Phil. 1. 23. How so verse 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gaine But how knows he that 2 Tim. 1. 12. For I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day So 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens SECT V. Quest 1. NOw I come to the last inquiry by what means the soule mâ—y get up to this assurance Sol. I shall only 〈◊〉 be such rules as reach a beleeving person Thereâ—oâ—e 〈◊〉 1. If thou be a bâ—â—eever and wouldest be assured then preserve the sense of thy own natural wretchednesse and of the darknese of thy souls state without assurance Christ came to Mary when shee was weeping and the Great God looks down upon thâ— broken Spirit The highest mountaine hath the first sight of the Sunne but the lowest Christian hath the first sight of God When the people of God were mourning then saith God Comfort ye comfort ye my people and say unto them your sins are pardoned You shall finde this That the truely sensible heart hath Note three properties in it which envite the Lord much to gratifie it with assurance viz. One that is very humble Another that is much in the prizing of Gods love and mercy And a third that it is exceeding thirsty after a good look from God after some taste of Christ and God will satisfie all these 2. Be no strangers to the Ordinances you shall finde this that the ripening of faith belongs to them as well as the seeds of it The word you know is the soule of faith it was that which did incline the heart to yeild which did make it to accept of Christ and it is that also which can make us to know our possessions 1 John 15. 13. These things have I written vnto you that beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life So 1 John 1. 4 These things we write unto you that your joâ— may be full More plainly In whom after you heard the Word of truth ye beleeved in whom also after that ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Ephesians 1. 13. For look as the Word hath promises which draw the soul to Christ so it hath promises to clear the soul in its interest in Christ to answer all doubts and feares and to answer the feare about acceptance so it removes doubts which strive against evidence and propriety The Sacrament you know it is the Seal of righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. Look as a Seale doth distinguish and confirme and settle the minde so is the Sacrament ordained to satisfie and perswade the heart of a beleever God appointed this
acts of self-denial as in Abraham and his unstaggering embracing of a promise against which both reason and sense and nature might have disputed and urged O say they we have no faith Abrahams faith wrought full assurance removed all staggerings our hearts are still doubting we can hardly be perswaded we reel and stagger like the waves now on the shore and then instantly off now we beleeve anon we let go our hold and doubt And hence they uncomfortably conclude against their own souls the utter absence of faith from the defect of some particular and eminent expressions of faith not absolutely as faith but of faith as strong and exceedingly ripened we must not conclude negatively from the degrees to the habit As if one should conclude that he hath no silver in his purse because another hath a bank of many thousands or that he hath no legges to go because he is not so swift as Asahel or that the Sparrow flies not because he cannot mount up to the Sunne with the Eagle or that a child is no man because he cannot expresse the acts of a strong man 4. There are and will be many inward contrarieties to the intrinsecal acts and fruits of faith notwithstanding faith be truly in the soul and works there Faith though it hath the preheminence of other graces in respect of its office being the only Embassador as it were of the soul to Christ yet it hath no priviledge above them in respect of the subject that is in respect of the act and workings of it there but look as every other Grace hath some or other particular corruption opposite to its particular nature and its particular actings So even faith it self hath infidelity and unbelief opposing it both in the quality and in the several exercisings or actings of it There may be flame of the smoak and a hand with shaking and a tree trembling and a faith of doubting Yea if any grace hath the hardnesse of a more general and 〈◊〉 opposition then faith is it it being a grace of general 〈◊〉 and use to fetch in more grace and more strength against aâ—l sinne Now in our trials for faith it will be with us as with the Artificer in his search for the little raies of gold It 's true he shaâ—l finde much drosse here and there and yet if he can finde a very little peece of gold though amidst an heap of drosse he will say this is gold and will preciously esteeme of it and lay it up So when we are searching our hearts by the light of Gods Word for true faith without all doubt we shall meet with many doubtings much unbelief yet if we can finde any one degree of true faith which is more precious then gold we may not cast it away because it is found amongst its contraries but we must cherish and embrace it because the touchstone of the Word hath approved it to be a precious faith For and mark this we are not able to give you any evidences of faith or any other grace by way of abstraction but by way of existence that is not what may discover faith in a notional and the most singularly conceivable profession of it but such testimonies you have to discover faith as faith is now abiding in sinful persons who though they may have true faith yet as long as they live in earth will have many things in them contrary to faith There is a double contrariety to faith A double contrariety One is natural and this more or lesse will be in the soul of any beleeving person tell you can utterly raise the heart and eject sinne by the alteration of glory So long as we have flesh and spirit there will be a conflâ—cting 'twixt faith and unbelief As there was a mixtuâ—e of joy and sorrow at the erecting of the Temple Another is approved when a man neither doth nor will beleeve he neither doth accept of Christ nor will he have Christ to reigne over him and he likes his unbeleeving condition this is a fearful estate But though the contraries to faith do arise yet if they be not approved yet if they be resisted we must not conclude that we have no faith because of the opposition but rather assure our selves that we have it because of the resistance of that opposition We must not conclude against faith because of opposition inward or outward This inequality of acts conclude not an absence of the habit of faith Distinguish of 1. Radical habits 2. Actual exercisings which are sometimes more sometimes lesse sometimes clear sometimes interrupted sometimes the soul is free sometimes oppressed and violently carried by temptation to misjudge the condition The censure of our faith must not be allowed as is given in the time of our temptation and passion c. I said in my haste Psalme 116. Obj. But you will say we grant all this But how may a man know that his faith in Jesus Christ is a true and lively faith Sol. I answer SECT II. FIrst A true love of Christ is an infallible and essential evidence of a true faith in Christ There are foure things which will clear this as a lively testimony 4. Things of true faith If we can prove First that love is not separated from faith Secondly that there is no beleever in any degrees of faith but he hath a love of Christ Thirdly That there is no time or circumstance into which the beleeving soul is cast but still he loves Christ Fourthly that no unbeleeving heart can and doth love Christ I say if we can prove these foure conclusions then it will be most evident and certaine that the love of Christ is an infallible Argument or Testimony of a true faith in Christ Thus then 1. Love is not separated from faith If you peruse the Scripture you shall finde them go hand in hand Gal. 5. 6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcission availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which works by love that is Christ is not mine because I am a Jew nor is he mine because I am a Gentile but he is mine because I am a Beleever and if my Faith in him be true it will expresse it self by love I Thes 1. 3. Your work of faith and labour of love in our Lord Jesus Christ Faith and love are like a warm hand faith is the hand and love is the warmth in it faith cannot be the hand to take Christ but love will be the warmth to heat our affections unto Christ 1 Tim. 1. 14. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Ghrist Jesus Faith and love are like the husband and the wife and faith and love are like the mother and the daughter See 2 Tim. 1. 13. and Phil. 5. And indeed it stands with unanswerable reason that faith and love cannot be divided for as much as faith in Christ First represents the absolute and effectual cause of love to Christ
It doth see such a measure of goodnesse and mercy from God through Christ and such a height and depth and breadth of love to us in Christ and such an excellency of holy perfections and amiablenesse in Christ which drawes the soul with strong affections of love to Christ againe Secondly if faith might be without love then a person in Christ might be Anathema-maranatha forasmuch as he who loves not the Lord Jesus Christ is c. but it is a monstrous wickednesse to conceive that a beleever in Christ should be so Secondly there is no believer in any degree of faith but he hath a love of Christ The weak Christian as well as the strong the plant as well as the cedar The Father of a child who cryed out I believe help my unbelief as well as Abraham the father of the faithful Though one Christian may produce some testimonies which another cannot though every one cannot say with Paul I am fully perswaded yet every one can say with Peter when Christ demanded of him Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me Joh. 21. 17. He said unto him Lord thou Knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Yea thirdly whatsoever straits the believing soul is cast into when it is in death in flames for Christ yet it can love Christ when it is under the crowd of temptations when it is in the bitter dayes of desertion When the Skirmish of reasonings do prevaile upon the soul so highly and strongly that the heart is ready to conclude against it self that God looks not on it Christ will not be mine yet even then however I love the Lord Jesus Christ I love him though I can see no sensible testimony of love from him my heart is still towards him he is my Center and Loadstone No meerly unbelieving person can love the Lord Jesus Christ For what is love Love you know it is the setling and transplanting of the heart It is such an affection as knits the soule to Christ but it is impossible that this should be whiles the heart hath no faith So then love of Christ is an infallible testimony of faith in Christ But you will say this is strange that love of Christ should be so Obj. lively and so distinguishing a testimony of true faith why doth not many a man yea every man professe that he loves Christ Beloved What men professe is one thing and what they Sol. affect and love may be another thing the semblance of love is a thing distinct from the sincere affection of love If your love be true and sincere never question the matter any further assuredly thy faith is right But this is the doubt this is it we question as much as the former Obj. whether we truly love Christ or no. A word to it and so an end of that triall If the love be true Sol. which is to Christ Then It will bestow our hearts on Christ only Nothing is too good for him whom we heartily love in true love the heart is in him who is loved and not in him who loves Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat and which way the heart goes all shall go that way It pitches on the person of Christ Love is base if it be 'twixt person and estate but pure love is 'twixt person and person I confesse that a wicked man an unbelieving person may have a tooth at the portion of Christ he may marvelously desire the merits of Christ pardon of sin exemption from hell but faith is it which drawes out such a love as makes the soul to admire it and to cleave unto the person of Christ It is sincere and conjugall It is not an adulterous love which is divided amongst several Paramours O no True love of Christ knowes no husband but Christ and no Lord but Christ he is the covering of our eyes SECT III. A Second trial of our true faith in Christ Jesus is this inward change and sanctity of the heart is an infallible testimony of a living faith Divines distinguish of a common faith and of a special faith and according to their nature so are their effects a common faith may elevate the minde to singular apprehensions notable expressions outward conformities in matters either not difficult or dangerous But special faith hath a distinguishing operation it works that which no false or pretensive faith can What 's that This is it it doth change the heart and is ever a companion with inward holinesse There be three things which I will shew you about 3. Things this First that true faith doth produce a change there is a twofold change 1. One of the condition which is when a man once in the state of death is now passed over to the state of life once in the termes of condemnation is now translated to the state of absolution and this change faith findes for us in Iesus Christ the imputation of whose righteousnesse in justification changeth the state so that our guilty debts are taken off and we are reconciled Secondly which is of the person and this change is the alteration of a mans nature for faith is not only a justifying grace but it is also a sanctifying grace Hence these phrases Acts. 15. 9. purifying their hearts by faith Acts 26. 18. that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ. As the blood of Christ is a pure blood as well as a precious blood and as it is a clensing blood as well as an expiating blood so faith is a grace not only to acquit but also to purge and renew It is not onely an entitleing grace that is that grace which doth interest us into Christ and his benefits but it is also a conforming grace that is such a grace as works into us the vertues and holy qualities of Christ And therefore you read that it doth engraffe us into the similitude of his death Ro. 8. and into the fellowship of his sufferings and resurrection Phil. 3. 10. Secondly observe that every believer hath a changed and a holy heart 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ and you know that it is faith which unites to Christ and plants us into him he is a new creature that is that a man is altered in his inward frame in his faculties in his inclinations all over There is a change either in the cessation of some particular actions which an unbeliever may attaine and there is a change in the newnesse of nature when the soul is turned and biassed and enclined quite another way I confesse the Apostle doth not say if any man be in Christ he is a strong creature yet he saith he is a new creature for though every believer hath not that maturity and ripenesse and strength yet he hath a newnesse in his nature an holy change wrought in him throughout Look as the first Adam derived guilt and corruption to his posterity
and with all those to have a heart glued to the world folded up in the love of sinne resolved against all hazards to shift off all profession rather then to endure any storme what so great a task is this But to have a minde taught of God and to have an understanding bowed with the strength of Divine light and inward change to the obedience of truth and to have a will sweetly renewed and with an holy trembling humbly receiving Christ in his person and offices and bestowing the whole soul and body on him againe here the work sticks CHAP. XII The sure and dangerous misery of unbeliefe THe last thing which may stirre us to try our selves is the consideration of that amazing danger and unspeakable misery to which the soul is assuredly obnoxious in case of unbelief Why will you say What danger if we believe Obj. not I answer there are three special dangers First all thy sinnes stand upon record against thee like so many sad debts which thou hast run thy self into from thy conception to this very day They are all written with the pen of a Diamond there is no blotting out of a mans sinnes but by the blood of Christ and the unbeliever hath not his portion in that blood and therefore there are all thy sinnes uncancelled thy sinnes of nature and all thy sinnes of life such a sin and such a sin then and there and againe committed c. O how great is the volume of them the number of them cannot be numbred and the guilt of them cannot be conceived if one sin binds thee over to hell Good God! To what flames of vengeance and horrible degreâ—s and intensions of misery and wrath do all thy sins oblige thee Yea and as Solomon said in another case Prov. 9 12. If thou scornest thou alone shalt beare it so I say here if thou remain an unbeliever thou alone must answer for all thy sinnes Whatsoever the wrathful displeasure of God is whatsoever the horrors of conscience are whatsoever the gnawings of that worm are whatsoever the heat of hell flames are Whatsoever the doleful separation from God is Whatsoever curse the Law implies for sin that maist thou expect who wilt not believe in Christ O! if that wrath was so hot when it obliquely as it were fell on Christ where it had no unholy and self-guilty quality to admix with it selfe that he sweat drops of blood and cryed out my God c. How wilt thou with any patience ease possible quietnesse susteine the extream wrath of the Almighty Judge who art vile and filthy and hast a conscience with all thy torments to gall and vex thee with the stings of misery guilts and self-accusations tell me how art thou able what canst thou say how canst thou beare up before the Lord if he should arise if he should terribly arise to judge the nations He is the Holy God and Just and is True and Great in power What satisfaction canst thou bring where are thine oblations or with what wilt thou reconcile thy self to the Lord Whereby canst thou either make thy former sins to be no sins or perswade the Lord to be propitious to thee without Christ Nay verily he will judge thee as an unrighteous person for if thou hast not Christ what righteousnesse hast thou there is no hope for thee to be acquitted nay nor hope to be saved nay thou art sure to be damned Mark 16. 15. Go you into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned John 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God 36. He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Son shaâ—â— not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Rev. 2. 8. The fearful and unbelieving are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone But you will say Why This is strange Why such Obj. extreame misery for not beleeving what sinne is it It is one of the greatest sins in the world not to believe that is Sol. not to receive the Lord Jesus Christ Because It is a sinne against the greatest love to the world Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave c. Rom 5. 8. But God commendeth his love towards us that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us God shewed the greatnesse of his love to bestow his Sonne and Christ shewed the greatnesse of his love to dye for us Greater love said Christ can no man shew then to lay down his life c. Now for the Lord to finde out a way of Salvation and in love to our soules to offer this Son of his unto us and to beseech us to be reconciled and then for us like them who were envited to the supper we cannot come we will not come O this c. It is a sin for which there can be no remedy for asmuch as it is a sin against the only remedy of a sinful soul The sentence of the Law may be repealed by the Gospel but not ècontra There is no plaister for the soul but the blood of Christ which yet unbelief will not take and receive It is a sinne which as much as in it lies makes void and vaine all the Covenant of Grace turning all the goodnesse of it into nothing and all the truthes of it into lyes and makes the blood of Christ to be shed in vaine He that beleeveth not makes God a lyar because he beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Sonne 1 John 5. 10. It is a sin which directly murders the soul because it doth wilfully hold it off from Christ who would upon believing pardon and justifie and save All these things being premised let us now descend towards the triall or evidences of true faith in Christ where I beseech you observe CHAP. XIII Rules for the discovery of faith FIrst some Rules of Direction for the manner of â—vidence and testifying of faith that you may neither be deceived by presumption nor perplexed by error and doubting Two things Secondly some lively instance of true faith as the Word of God doth clearly represent them The Rules of discovery and finding out faith which are these SECT I. THere are some things without which faith cannot be in the heart and yet they do not necessarily and infallibly conclude that a man hath faith They do well distinguish in the Schools 'twixt an Antecedent and a Cause a Cause is such a thing as is before the effect and which beiâ—g put the effect also is put one will not go without the other But an Antecedent is that which must go before another thing yet it is not necessary that if it be that the other thing should follow The rising of the Sunne is a cause of day and therefore this will
enemy to deal with It is thy Father to whom thou art bending the knee 3. He hath a mighty intercessor look as Jesus Christ is the mighty Redeemer for the persons of men so he is the mighty intercessor for the services of men and he ever lives to make intercession If thy wants be never so great yet thy God is able to supply them and if thy infirmities be never so many yet thy intercessor is able to cover and expiate them Thy services as thine â— carry with them a prejudice there was iniquity in the holy offering but then Aaron did bear the iniquity of them so thy Priest thy Christ thy intercessor he doth take off by the Application of his merits whatsoever is amisse and offensive and he doth ingratiate thy requests and procures audience and acceptance for thee Therefore now if thou be a beleever then in thy prayers come confidently to God if thou canst finde a promise and a Christ and a faith thou mayest cheerfully put up thy petitions to heaven What should hinder us from being confident Is God unwilling No he hath engated himself unto thee Is God unable Why He is able to do abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think Doest thou feare thy own distance Why but thou comest to a Father and thou comest by the blood of a gracious of a beloved of a powerful Mediator and Intercessor Hebrews 4. Having such an High Priest we may come boldly to the throne of grace See Heb. 10. Doest thou feare because of enmity Christ hath slaine that or because of infirmity Christ will cure that CHAP. XV. The Agreement and difference of strong and weak faith BUt now some may reply These are sweet comforts Obj. to beleevers but as the Eunuch to Philip of whom speaks the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other So here why to whom are these comforts to all or to some choice beleevers are they common comforts to every beleever or peculiar to the eminent and strong only This scruple hath made way for a singular point I will satisfie it by opening four particulars Sol. 1. The common unity of all true faith in respect of the habit yet the intensive diversity in respect of acts and degrees 2. The proofs of a strong faith with the instances of a weak faith in truth 3. The concordance of faith in all fundamental Comforts 4. The inequality of strong and weak faith in many true yet not essential consequences and consolations Concerning the first which respects the common unity of faith in respect of the habit and the diversity of it in respect of the acts and degrees Observe these things for the unity of faith SECT I. FIrst that all true faith though in a comparison of faith with faith in several subjects it may admit of several diversities and differences yet they consent and agree in these things viz. First in the immediate and special cause weak faith as faith comes not from one cause and strong faith from another cause but both the one and the other from one and the same cause viz. the blessed Spirit of God Not onely the flames but the sparks of fire are kindled by that Spirit which blows where it lists As in the Orchard the tree which stands strong and the tender plant which stands trembling both of them were at first set by one and the same hand so the faith which is now well grown and that faith which is as yet tender and full of doubtings both of them are the peculiar fruits of Gods sanctifying Spirit Though this childe in the cradle cannot runne and move as well as that in the field at work yet the father begat the one as well as the other and owns them both by vertue of one equal relation The day of small things are not despised by God who sees weaknesse in the strongest Faith and Truth in the weakest and is the Parent both of this and that 2. In the remote and singular cause You know that Gods free grace and love is the first wheele of all singular good unto men out of it came that great gift of Christ and that great work of Election from whence doth flow all the graces which sanctifie and bring to glory As many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Now all faith is a drop out of this fountaine the weak faith is a fruit of that great love of God Acts 13. 48. electing us in Christ as well as the strong and is though not so sensibly evident yet as really a true testimony of our election The reason whereof is this not grace restrictively considered but grace in the whole latitude of it is the fruit of Gods election my meaning is this not only Graces as eminent as raised and elevated to some more perfect quality and pitch but grace in the whole compasse of it from the conception of it to the perfection of it from the dawning to the full day from the nature to the act from the acts to the degrees all of it in nature in parts in totum solidum all of it whether more or lesse strong or weak all is out of the same grace of Election It was not one love which elected him who is therefore now strong in beleeving with Abraham and another love which elected him who is now weak in beleeving with the father of the childe No but it was one and the self-same love which produced this and that faith yea that electing love was intensively one in producing of both It was as equally high towards this person as towards that and was as equally causative of the faith that is weak as of the faith which is strong being habitually considered and also in relation to the grace of Gods love in election 3. In the ordinary and usual instrumental cause the same womb of the word brought them both forth being efficaciously assisted by that Almighty Spirit That word which discovered misery and impotency and necessity to the one did so to the other That word which revealed the Covenant of grace and mercy in Christ to the one did so to the other beleever also That word which did assure the one that if he would come in and accept of Christ be should be saved did also of this assure the other That word which did encline the heart of the one to trust upon Gods promise and so to accept of Christ did likewise being quickened with the same Spirit draw and perswade the other 4. In the lively nature of beleeving look as the strong and weak man though they do differ in the measure of power yet they do agree in the nature of man though they differ in respect of working yet they agree in respect of being And as the sick man and the healthy man though they vary in their temper yet they agree in their nature though they differ in livelihood yet not in life So though the strong and weak faith differ exceedingly in
yet both of them shall hold out to the end and meet at heaven You see several bottoms at sea one makes more speed then another and perhaps is better ordered but those duller and slower bottoms follow after and at length they come to the same Haven and so cast Anchor together So c. That Christ who is the Author will also be the finisher of all true faith and though faith may be very weak yet the weakest faith is invincible The gates no not of hell and they import the strongest opposition shall not prevaile against it It is confessed that Satan may much assault and batter and the world may oppose and totter and sinne may weaken interrupt and stagger even the foundations of the truest faith but to be oppressed is one thing and to be suppressed is another thing to be wounded is one thing to be killed is another For faith to fall in its strength is one thing for faith to faile in its being is another Simon Simon said Christ to Peter Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not O malicious devil who hath strong temptations to weaken faith O gracious Saviour who hath stronger intercessions to preserve faith even the weakest faith is wrought by a divine band and is kept by an almighty guard See 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Answering the prayer of Christ John 17. 11. Holy Father keep them through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me Verse 20. Neither pray I for these onely but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word Whosoever beleeves on me shall not perish said Christ Againe this is a sweet comfort that the weak believer shall hold out as well as the strong and that Christ is the Guardian of both verily that must needs be good which God gives and that must needs be sure which Christ keeps the weakest beleever is held by a strong hand and is secured by an inseparable arme 4. Every beleever is in the same fundamental league with God he is reconciled unto him and hath a true nay for ought I yet understand an equal interest in his special love and tendernesse It is freely confessed that the strong believer hath more Love sensible discoveries of the streames yet the weak believer is as deep in the fountaine They say in Logick that substantial relations do not admit of degrees of more and lesse as the Father is an equal Father to every child his paternity and their filiation are indivisible things So is it I am sure in this businesse God is one and the same Father to all that beleeve his radical love is alike his fundamental gifts which testifie that love are all alike one and the same Word one and the same Christ one and the same Sacraments one and the same Spirit And for his tendernesse why If any childe findes the gentle voice and easie Tenderness hand it is the weak childe If any believer findes soft and encouraging expressions from God it is the weak beleever God would have them comforted yea he hath prepared the brests of consolation for such sucklings yea and the knees to dandle Isa 66. 11 12 13. Isa 40. 11. them yea the hands to lead them yea the armes to carry them And Christ will not quench the smoking flax nor bruise the broken reed How often doth God call upon the weak ones to look up and behold their King and their salvation and to trust upon him and not to fear nor to be dismayed nay for his sake doth he often double and treble the promise yea he confirmes the promise I will surely have mercy on him yea he takes his oath he sweares by himself that he will not lie unto them nor faile them yea he ratifies and seales his word with blood and truth O how doth God condescend in his nature in his Word in his wayes in his dealings in his forbearances towards weak beleevers how hath he prevented and answered all objections to their hands all which shews his singular love and tendernesse unto them SECT VII NOw I proceed to the fourth and last discovery viz. The inequality of strong and weak faith in respect of circumstantial comforts and some other consequences thus they differ exceedingly though both be in a sure and saving condition 1. The weak beleever falls short of that joy which the strong beleever possesseth Joy may be considered three wayes either in its cause which Joy three ways considered is the love of God and the blood of Christ or in its title and claim which belongs to faith receiving Christ or in its actual presence and feeling which depends upon a beleeving apprehension and perswasion Now though the weakest beleever hath cause of great joy for as the Angel spake to the shepherds that may be said to him Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is borne this day in the City of of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2. 9 10. And though he hath a true title to the sweetest joy for faith doth unite him to Christ and Christ entitles him to joy yet he hath not such an actual presence of joy as the strong beleever Every faith is an hand holding but the strong faith is the mouth tasting that sweet wine He hath not such full apprehensions of his own state he doth not yet so clearly conceive of that great love and goodnesse which God hath put in Christ for him He hath not such an evident view of his own particular interests in God or Christ but is infinitely tossed with doubtings and suspitions whether he may yet take Christ as his whether he may own the promises of mercy and appropriate the great loving kindnesse of a Father Now ignorance is apt to breed suspitions and doubts are apt to raise fears both of which keeps off or under actual joy No man can well joy in a concealed good or joy much in a questioned title All the good which God hath firmly and largely made over unto me in his Sonne it doth not affect my heart with gladnesse and rejoycing whiles I am in dispute with it and am rather apt to conclude it is not for me then that it is my portion The strong believer therefore hath this advantage of the weak he is more acquainted in particular about his good and so his heart rejoyceth with joy unspeakable and glorious his soul doth rejoyce in God his Saviour but the weak believer cannot yet see his pardon yea often suspects whether it shall be drawn or no one is in a faire day the other in a wet It is day to both The matter is cleare to the strong believer and therefore his heart goes away rejoycing the matter is doubtful to the weak beleever and therefore his soule goes away weeping One of them hath a good
Sampson dayes as Methusalah riches as Dives were his dwellings like the doors of the Sanctuary and shaped into the most imaginable Paradise of all exquisite and earthly delights If yet his soul remained and expired unbelieving if he had not faith His unbelieving soul shall be cast out into the lake which burnes with fire and brimstone Revel 21. 8. 2. Nay again A man may perhaps be guilty of many sins and those very fowle high and crying he hath perhaps been an Idolater or else an Adulterer or else a Blasphemer or else a Persecutor yea even of Christ yet upon his repentance and faith in Christ his soul shall be saved in the day of the Lord. For no former sinnes shall prejudice the soul which is now truly turned from them and hath by faith yeilded up it self to Christ But the unbeleeving person hath every sinne and every guilt upon a severe and sure account he rejects his own satisfactions by refusing Christ The Law of God will sue him cut for every rebellion and the justice of God will break out upon him for all his iniquities and conscience will give up all his guilts and because he is unbelieving vengeance to the utmost shall cease on him and there is none to deliver him nor he ever able to deliver himself Vnbelief it bindes all the sinnes upon the soul and condemnation fast unto the sinnes It leaves the sinning soul naked to the eye of divine Justice neither hath the soul any shelter which is out of Christ O thou who wilt not kisse the Sunne now who wilt not have Christ to rule thee who despisest the tender love of God the precious blood of Christ who wilt receive him for thy Priest for thy Prophet for thy King In the last day thou shalt curse thy heart and accurse thy sins and cry to the mountaines but they will not cover thee to mercy but that will not pitty thee to Christ but he will not regard thee to Justice but it will not heare thee thou wouldst not believe thou wouldst not receive Christ as Lord and Saviour but thou wouldst have the love of sin and therefore thou shalt have the portion of a sinner thou shall not see life but the wrath of God shall abide upon thee Nay if the father hath given and offered unto thee his own Sonne and thou harden thy heart by unbelief thou wilt not take him upon those termes I tell thee in the name of the Lord Jesus that if thou wilt thus bid Christ farewell thou dost bid God farewell all mercy farewell all salvation farewell all hope of it farewell and thou bindest all thy sinnes upon thy soul and all the curse of the Law upon thy soul Woe unto thee it s better thou hadst never been borne If thou hast any sense as an ordinary creature any reason as a man any understanding as a Christian any true estimation of an immortal soul any conceptions of heaven or hell if salvation be any comfortable thing if damnation be any miserable thing then I beseech thee I beseech thee labour for faith get out of an unbelieving condition thou perâ—shest if thou stay'st there thou art lost for ever he that believes not shall be damned said the Prince of salvation O repent and believe why will you die O house of Israel Consider throughly of the love of God in giving Christ and of 2. Motive the love of Christ in giving himself and perhaps this may perswade thee to labour for faith The love of God in giving of Christ See Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life 17. For God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved O this love of God to sinners To give his Son and not a servant his own Son and not another his only Son and not a second his only begotten Son and not an adopted childe and that not for any ill but for good he did not send him as an enemy but as a friend not to deliver a poor and mean good but the best and highest good to save us not to deliver us from an ordinary danger but from condemnation Yea and he is sent and given he was not sought by us but given by him Yea and no way deserved but freely given yea and given to us not friends but enemies Thou hast shewed this day said Saul to David 1 Sam. 24. 18 How that thou hast dealt well with me forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand thou killedst me not 19. For if a man finde his enemy will he let him go well away Thus here 'twixt man and man but saith the Apostle God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Now shall all this love be in vaine shall God think of a Christ and we pass by him shall he give a Saviour and we reject him shall he bring salvation to our doores and we not accept of it Why you need my Son and you are damned if you take him not and I freely offer him unto you that you may be saved and shall not we strive for faith to receive him The love of Christ O how wonderfull was his love to us it was not a love to the fallen Angels but to fallen man and such a love to fallen man as the like cannot be found He laid aside his glory to do us good he humbled himself to raise us he became poor to enrich us he fasted and prayed and endured the contradiction of sinners Reproaches Crucifyings Wrath Bloody agonies Conflicts with Satan sorrows in his soul piercings in his body and a bitter death to satisfie for us and to reconcile us and shall we not accept of him shall all this be in vaine Why doest thou not heare Christ calling and crying out unto thee never were any sorrowes like my sorrowes never was any love like to my love O unbelieving and sinning soul look upon me why doest thou passe by why doest thou hide thine eyes from me why doest thou stop thine eares at me I am the Saviour of sinners and there is none else besides me thy own miseries might cause thee to look up and embrace me And let my love unto thee a little draw thee move thee melt thee Hast thou not heard of the revilings and scoffes which I susteined my love to thy soul made me a willing patient Hast thou not heard of the agonies of my soul which made me to sweat drops of blood and my soul was exceeding heavy even to the death yet my love to thy soul made me willing to drink that cup Hast thou not heard of that desertion and of that wrath which made me to cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And yet my love to thy soul made me to passe through it Hast
his redemption which thou needest Why in him is plenteous redemption and in him is stâ—ong salvation and therefore his blood is called a precious blood Pet. 1. 19. His blood had not been able to have discharged the least sinne unlesse it had exceeded the merit of the greatest yea it is as able to crosse many debts as any sins may be distinguished into great and little into many and few but the blood of Christ the vertue of that is singular and infinite in the price and value of it Is it the good and vertue of his holinesse which thou needest Sanctification Why Joh. 1. 16. There is a fulnesse of grace in him 3. 34. He hath the Spirit without measure Therefore the holy vertues of Christ are stiled unsearchable riches Eph. 3. 8. You cannot comprehend the depth of them when you can easily come to the bottome of a thing then it is not unsearchable but where you sound and fatham and yet can feel no bottome so here c. yea and the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. The Col. 2. 3. Intercession Heb. 7. 25. Apostle hath said all that need to be said Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save them to the utmost which come unto God by him that is if you need his intercession to implead acceptance of your persons or of your requests Why there is none like him come unto God by him he is able to dispatch the greatest request Or is it sufficiency for duty which thou needest Why herein Obedience is Christ most able to supply thee If the duty be active he can enable thee to abundant fruitfulnesse Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit If the duty be Passive I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me said Paul Phil. 4. 13. Be it that thou of thy self art weak yet Christ is strong and he hath said my Grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. 9. 2. The ordination of Christ to this very thing viz. to supply the state of a believer God did purpose him and intend him and sent him and he came for this very end to do us good and to help us in time of need Eph. 1. 22. He gave him to be the head over all things to the Church ver 2. Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all The Head you know is a thing for office and the offices of it is both dominion and influence for these was Christ given to the Church to rule the Church and to supply the Church 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made unto us of God wisdome and righteousness and Sanctification and redemption Heb. 7. 22. He was made a surety of a better testament Joh. 6. 27. Him hath God the father sealed Isai 61. 1. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek He hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. Christ you will grant that he is an able Priest and an able Prophet and an able King he is sufficient enough to pacifie by his Blood to purifie by his Spirit to conquer by his Word yea but then consider yet further that he is ordained of God to be this and to do this for the believer If the King commits a mighty stock to a mans hands and sets him in the place of a treasurer and confirmes him by seal and all for this very end that he should supply such and such persons would they not come unto him for their supplies Thou art never able to be righteousnesse to thy self thou art never able to give grace unto thy self thou art never able to give strength to thy self but Christ is and God is even that God to whom thou doest so earnestly cry he hath ordeined his own Son for thy help even for thy help As if the King should say to a poor man petitioning Why Go to my Treasurer I have given him order for thee so the Lord to the beleever Go to my sonne I have ordained him to give thee grace I have ordained him to plead thy suits to rule thy heart to conquer thy sinnes and thy temptations I sent him into the world for that very end and purpose that he might be all in all unto thee I purposed his blood for thee and his righteousness and his fulness and his intercession all for thee 3. His services what he hath done in the behalf of a believer Give me leave in this a little and you shall see what reason we have then to trust upon Christ First though he was equall with God yet made he himself of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likeness of men Phil 2. 6 7. he laid aside his glory as it were and stooped down infinitely below himself into our nature to do service for us Secondly he was made under the Law obedient thereto in fulfilling all righteousness to redeem them that were under the Law that they might receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4. 4 6. he did in our stead and as our surety perfectly satisfie the whole Law in all its commands for us Thirdly he did lay down his life for us he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 8. he did shed his heart blood to make our peace and to reconcile us unto his Father and have we not then reason to trust him and to beleeve that he will do us good Why single out a person who professeth sincerity unto us that he would lay out half his estate to do us good we would repose some confidence on him but if we knew that he did so heartily affect us that he would die for our good O say we you may trust on him you need not fear to go to him to request him for this or that courtesie Now then Christ hath not nakedly professed but hath really aâ—â—ed this he entred into bond as it were to satisfie for us he did shed his very blood and offered up his very life and soul for the beleever and yet wilt not thou for whom he hath done and endured all this yet wilt thou not trust in him for merit for righteousnesse for grace for strength c 4. His disposition Though a person were very able to do us good yet if he hated us we should I confesse have small encouragement to build our hopes upon him for two persons are not to be trusted viz. the professed enemy and the false friend But far be the thought of these things in us touching Jesus Christ He is graciously and lovingly affected towards beleevers Eph. 5. 2. Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet
smelling savour Ephes 3. 19. To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulnesse of God Yea Paul himself doth suggest unto us this love of Christ unto him as the singular ground why he did by faith live upon him Gal. 2. 20. The life which â—now live I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Though I dare not trust an enemy yet I dare to trust my friend though I will not depend on him for help yet on my friend I will Why a friend loves at all times and love is the principle of bounty and of kindnesse He that loves much will do much beneficence and readinesse to help they grow in love as the branches in the root and therefore Christ is ready to help because exceeding in love to his members Observe the Apostle to this very thing in another place Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to help in time of need There is need in us of mercy for we sinne dayly and need in us of grace for we are still weak but in heaven there is a throne of grace there is mercy enough and grace enough to help Obj. I confesse there is so saith the beleeving person but I am afraid to approach thereunto Sol. No be not afraid but come boldly unto the throne of grace saith the Apostle There is a twofold boldnesse There is a boldnesse of ignorance of this the Apostle speaks not There is a boldnesse of holy affiance of this he speaks Thus he comes boldly who presents all his needs and requests in the Name of Jesus Christ and confidently relies upon him for supply and acceptance Obj. But may the soul reply what encouragement have I to raise this confident affiance Sol. See the Apostle ver 15. For we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities As if he should say I beseech you but to remember what your Christ is and then you may boldly come you are sensible why he is much more sensible of your infirmities he knows your wants yea he feels them feels them how there is a feeling by way of passion and change so indeed he does not feel them and there is a feeling by way of compassion so he feels them that is he is tenderly sensible of them he is very compassionately ready to help them As a mother she feels the want of bread of heat of cloaths of liberty in her child she is infinitely ready to relieve him such a kinde of feeling is there in Christ to his members in their need Ergo come boldly to him crave of him trust and rely on him for help Why else is he called a merciful High Priest What is mercifulnesse If you look upon it in man it is the sounding of his bowels it is a compassionate sympathy joyned with a singular readinesse to releeve And if you look upon it in God or Christ it is a most tender sense of mans infirmities and necessities accompanied with an exceeding propension or readinesse to forgive the repenting soule and to help and succor and comfort the Beleever Obj. Thou art truly grieved and humbled for thy sinnes and yet darest not to live by faith upon Christ that he will get thee the pardon Sol. Why O man Christ is a merciful high Priest Here am I saith Christ I am very ready to offer up the vertue of my blood for thee So thou art much distressed about the want of grace and the insolency of sin and Satan why saith Christ loe here I am I am very willing very ready to do thee good to give thee more grace to conquer thy sins for thee and Satan for thee I am a merciful high Priest my bowels are troubled for thee I love thee earnestly I remember thee still 5. His conjunction and relation I pray you consider of this How stands it 'twixt Christ and a beleever what union is there what relation hath Christ no reference unto him or hath he none unto Christ that he afraid to live upon him To trust to depend on him for his supplies Two things I will briefly touch 1. The neernesse of their relations Two things I will briefly touch 2. The ground from them to live by faith First there is a neer relation 'twixt Christ and a beleever see Cantiles 6. 3. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Why this is a neer relation indeed a relation of mutual propriety that Christ doth say of a Beleever Thou art mine and the beleever can reciprocally affirm of Christ thou art mine As Adam said of his wife Gen. 2. 23. Thou art bone of my bone and flesh of flesh that same doth the Apostle apply back from the Church to Christ Eph. 5. 30. we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Of all rational relations none so neare so dear so tender as that of a man and his wife yet in such a relation doth Christ and a beleever stand Again he is the head of his body the Church Ephes 1. 22. the whole Church is his body every Beleever a member Christ the Head I spare the citation of more as of the tree and the branches the foundation and the building Secondly Now this relation is the ground of affiance a direct reason why we should live upon Christ by faith For First doth not special relation give special title If a man becomes an husband hath not the wife hereupon a title to the benefits and comforts of his estate his riches are for her good and his houses are for her good and his land for her good It holds just so here faith espouseth a man to Christ now Christ is mine and I am his and then the Apostle infers the title presently 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are yours Ver. 22. Whither Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours Ver. 23. For ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Secondly hath not special relation a special obligation Why though a man be not bound but in a bond of charity to relieve and help a woman before he is married yet when once he is married then by vertue of that relation there lies upon him the bond of plaine and particular duty he is bond to love his wife as himself Eph. 5. 28. and to nourish and cherish her v. 29. Maâ—k now how the Apostle states our matter even here too Even as the Lord the Church as if Christ were the very pattern of this love of this cherishing and of this nourishing of thâ—s supplying and helping Thirdly hath not special relation a special affection I will do much for my servant I will do more for my childe but I will do most of all for my wife Why because she is neerer then all she is my very
darknesse and David answers him in Psal 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me How triumphant is Paul and beyond both himself and all crosses and all because of his assurance and perswasion Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Ver. 37 Nay in all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loved us Ver. 38. For I am perswaded that neither Life nor Death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Ver. 39. Nor Height nor Depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Can more be said need we to adde See him againe in Romans 5. 2. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Objection Who would not may some reply in so great a good Sol. 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulation also and who can do this but he who hath some measure of assurance Indeed faith can make the soul to submit in a crosse but it is assurance which makes the soul to rejoyce and to triumph What the Apostle spake of death that is true of all afflictions the sting of them is finne where the conscience is wounded and the sight of heaven is darkned there the crosse is heavy and bitter A man hath a burden on his shoulders and a burden on his conscience and yet a burden that he cannot see any to smile on him and comfort him But now when the spirit of a man is sound and the evidence of faith is cleare when a man feeles all to be right within all to be peace abroad that all stands faire 'twixt him and his God Nay and he can see God as his God the strength of this assurance doth not onely allay a burden but raiseth the heart exceedingly above it yet God is good to Israel and though I see the Olive to faile and the Fields not to yield and the flocks to be cut off yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation The Lord God is my strength Hab. 2. 17 18. Sixthly it makes all kinds of duty to flow and to rise I wil instance briefly in some 1. In the Active 2. In the Passive 1. Active 1. Praise and thankfulnesse Psal 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Ver. 2. Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Verse 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Nay he is at it againe Psal 116. 12. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take up the cup of salvation c. O the evidence and apprehension of so great a mercy and salvation it fills every vain of the heart c. Musick is highest and sweetest in the fairest weather He who disputes his mercy can hardly bless for it Now I see much forgiven and therefore I blesse much What! and all this forgiven to me and so freely and so fully also so many transgressions yet to cover all yet to be reconciled yet to put down the gracious pardon before mine eyes 2. Prayers There are two properties in these which will surely arise out of assurance One is confidence and boldnesse A man will come boldly to the throne of grace who is once assured by faith Now that of John comes in indeed 1 John 5. 14. This is the confidence that we have iâ— him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us Christ I remember teacheth his Disciples and in them all Beleevers to pray for many excellent things both for soul and for body but then he preferred he set this in the front Our Father as if he had clearly suggested this unto us that the assurance of God as our Father is that which gives unto the heart a strong confidence in all petitions why who will not come freely and confidently to a Father to his Father to his reconciled Father Another is quicknesse and life in the affections Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee Observe it I will seek thee there is now diligence early will I seek thee there is quicknesse of affection and why I will seek thee early because O God thou art my God 3. Ordinances Now a man will flie to them as the Doâ—es to the windows it is the Prophet Isaiah's expression A man hath an heart to bow the knee when he knows that my God will help him A man hath an heart to heare the Word when he knows my God will teach him to profit and will speak peace unto him A man will with cheerfulnesse addresse himself to the Sacrament when he knowes this is the blood which was shed for the remâ—ssion of his sinnes and his salvation is there sealed The Apostle hath an apt passage in 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word and surely that is with much delight and with much earnestnesse for so do babes desire the milk of the breasts But what might stirre up this Ver. 3. If so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious a taste of God of God as gracious yea this is it which whets the appetite this sets on the heart to the ordinances indeed 4. All obedience actuating the whole kinds of duty Why assurance in the soule makes all duty both cheerful and stedfast Psalme 26. 3. Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes therefore have I walked in thy truth Why is duty to good hearts sometimes so weary-some so slack so troublesome verily faith is weak doubts are strong feares are many could they once see God to be their God Christ to be their Lord and Saviour sinnes pardoned in his blood and all this to them Now even the lame would walk and the weary would runne the heart would set upon obedience with all its strength and all its care 2. The like may be said for passive obedience assurance enables it exceedingly The love of Christ constraineth us said Paul 2 Corinth 5. I remember the Apostle hath a notable passage Romans 5. 7. For a good man some will even dare to die That is for a bountiful man a man of eminent and singular good to preserve him for his sake a private man would lay down his life If the goodnesse and kindnesse of a man hath sometimes such a force with us what influence then hath the goodnesse of a God upon a beleeving heart the kindnesse the blood of a Christ upon a beleeving and an assured heart Who would not suffer reproach for Christ who suffered death for him who would not kiss the stâ—â—ke to bring him honour who shâ—d his blood to get his