DIVINE CONSOLATIONS OR The Teachings of GOD in three Parts Part 1. Containes Observations Experiences and Counsels I have learned by experience Ge. 30. 27. None teacheth like him Job 36. 22. Part 2. Declareth how a soule may know and live in the sweet injoyment of the love of God c. Part 3. That Christ at and by his death freed the Elect from the whole punishment of sinne With an Answer to the Objections made against it And Doctor Crips Booke justified against Steven Geree By Samuel Richardson LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Aldersgate-streete 1649. To his Excellceney Thomas Fairfax Lord Generall and Oliver Cromwell Esquire Lievtenant Generall and Henry Ireton Esquire Commissary Generall and Collonel Thomas Harison Esquire Peace happinesse and joy Right Honorable and worthy Sirs AS your conditions are above others so are your temptations and tryalls doe what good you can you are men Be pitifull be mercifull doe good to them that hate you see Luk. 6. 27. 32. to 39. Ease and relieve the oppressed consider Eccle. 4. 1. Pro. 31. 9. Job 29. God hath made you speciall Instruments in saving this nation from ruine destruction he hath honoured you with his protection presence and blessing even to admiration you are the Advocates of Christians in that you have often pleaded their cause done as much good to the truth and people of God as any and in that you are of the number of them this is your greatest honour happinesse and glory It s the portion of the people of God to meet with reproaches and hard words Mat. 11. 12. 19. 29. 27. 39. 41. c. Christ did no sin 1 Pet. 2. 23. Yet he indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe Heb. 12. 2 3. Hard speeches ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude v. 14 15. Christ was called a deceiver Mat. 27. 63. You must not think much if you be called so the servant is not above his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold If it be sufficient to prove one guilty because accused then Christ was not innocent Many things of which you are accused I know are false of what truth the rest are I judge by these I have observed although good men have faults enough yet our accusers misse them and charge us of that whereof we are innocent It s a certain truth some report ill of men because they are no worse You are none of them of whom all men speak well of it s well you are freed from that woe Luk. 6. 26. To speake modestly we have not observed any in authority that have given greater testimony of their faithfulnesse readinesse willingnesse in improving opportunities for the safety and welfare of this Nation and that have shewed more love to the truth and people of God then these have done neither can I see how such do well who would have those whom God hath made the Bulworks of this Nation the butts for them to shoote their sharpe arrowes most bitter words Discontented Spirits ease themsâ—â—ves in abusing others but I trust you freely forgive them and endeavour to get good by them This I thought fit to expresse to correct their unreasonablenesse and to leave this testimony to after ages to answer theirs in print Expect not freedome from reproaches but to get good by them doe well and expect ill they hurt themselves not you Riches prosperity and honour causeth coldnes lukewarmnesse in Religion Hezekiah was a good man yet his heart was lifted up at a small matter in many things we sinne all humane â—railties every good man is subject unto great places have not so great an influence into good men as to free them from those infirmities which before they were subject unto they rather increase theÌ„ Such need some sharp crosse to quicken and revive and weane them from this world to cause them more to minde prize things spirituall eternall no worldly thing seems great to him that minds eternity You have had great successe in war and a great blast of the applause and praise of men therefore you need something to balance it Fraile man is like a little Vessell lightly laden not able to bear very great sailes winds crosses are sent to let out selfe to try us and to weane us from the world to examine our hearts and wayes and to be more watchfull and circumspect for the future they cause us to deny our selves and to live by faith they shew us what hearts we have and how like we are to Christ when reviled 1 Pet. 2. 23. They exercise the fruits of the Spirit in us how could we forgive our enemies if we had none or deny our selves in suffering wrong patiently if none were offered unto us how could we rejoyce in trials temptations or know our strength or weaknesse or learne patience experience by them and reap the sweet fruit of them without them What you loose in one kinde I trust you gaine in a better great crosses prove none of the least mercies when we see God in them and that all comes from his free infinite love that not any thing shall hurt but all worke together for our good thâ—ugh we see not how Rom. 8. we injoy the sweetnesse of them are humble and thankfull and rejoyce in every condition because we know that ere long our joy and rest shall be eternall then shall we be for ever with the Lord out of the reach of all reproaches paine griefe or trouble Most noble Worthies Luk. 1. 3. the great respect you have shewed to the truâ—h people of God hath imboldned me to present this to you in love out of a deep respect unto you the Lord is with you Judg. 6. 12. Dâ—ut 33. 27. 1 Sam. 16. 18 The Saints love you they pray and praise God for you England fareth the better for you the children unborne shall praise you blesse God for you and though there be that revile you yet the memoriall of your names shall be for ever precious Your friend Samuel Richardson The first Part. Containing Observations Experiences and Counsels c. I have learned by experieâ—ce Gen. 36. 27. Concerning the affections THe affections are the pulses of the soule and they shew the state of it The affections are the motions of the will the wil is the seat of love The judgement distempers the affections and the affections the judgement and captive each other When the judgement is taken captive by the affections things are judged according to their pleasure Our affections of joy and sorrow will exceed their bounds unlesse they be restrained Many pay deare for being led by their affections It 's hard to set bounds to our affections wee need power to moderate them Wee have many occasions ôf doing good but wee often want hearts and affections to improve them Our affections do often deceive our selves and others and goe for
spirituall when they are naturall If our affections love anger griefe joy doe fit us to pray they are spirituall else not When the object is spirituall and the motive spirituall then the affection is spirituall In our greatest earnestnesse wee have most cause to examine our hearts and affections Our affections come farre short of that we thinke we have in our judgements If some mens affections were answerable to their apprehension of God it would indanger their lives The quicknesse of our affections depends much upon the spirits of our bodies All the disquietnesse and distempers in us and by us is occasioned by the want of well bounding and ordering our affections Our affections declare what we love the fooles mind was all for his ease and his belly Our affections are strong and unruly and hard to be subdued The will is much to be observed in it's tempers inclinations motions which are the affections of the soule It 's not easie to master our wils and affections because they rage and doat so vehemently after vanities We set our affections on things below When our affections are set strongly 〈◊〉 things below it 's good for us they be taken from us that wee may take more delight in God and the unspeakeable and everlasting delight prepared with himselfe Concerning actions The lesse we doe the more we suffer Actions profit most but contemplation pleaseth best As the soule is more noble then the body so the actions of the soule are more noble then the actions of the body That which is the cause ground and end of an action in it wee live whether it be God or selfe Even the best actions of the best men are subject to the mis-interpretation of others The more spirituall any duty is the more averse our hearts are to it Actions begun with selfe-confidence doe oft finde successe accordingly Actions which concerne our selves wee oft exceed in but those that chiefly concerne God we are hardly drawn to but easily from If Satan cannot corrupt the action he will endeavour to corrupt the judgement and affection Without some measure of love and joy we are not fit for any good action Selfe-love rules all a naturall mans actions Wee often act more from affection then â—udgement but such actions never produce â—olid comfort but often reall sorrow Actions without a word to warrant them cannot be done in faith and with comfort A roving minde devours time and action The more wise we are the more we weigh all our actions in the ballance of the Word Of afflictions Crosses and afflictions are Gods call to examine our hearts and lives Afflictions are as necessary for our spirits as food is for our bodies Afflictions cause many to see their sinnes to own and confesse them and to be humble Sinne makes affliction bitter God sends afflictions to his for to try and exercise their faith and patience to open their eyes more to prevent and remove sin and to quicken us Afflictions breed patience give understanding humble and mortifie selfe they teach a Saint experience reforme him and send him the oftner to God Such as are most afflicted have oft-times most experience of God and themselves Not any affliction could trouble a childe oâ— God if he did but know wherefore God diâ— send it It 's beyond our knowledge what good Goâ— will doe us by afflictions God is as sweet and may be as much injoyed in poverty and affliction as in prosperity God is alwayes present with his in affliction though alwayes we doe not see him because we often look so much on the affâ—ictioâ— if oppressed with it yet many of the Lord see God best in affliction It is not best to fasten our minds upon the affliction but to minde the end of every affliction which of a certain will be sweet and comfortable to all that are the Lords A childe of God may alwayes sucke some sweetnesse out of the bitterest affliction There is a blessing in every affliction to a childe of God whether they see it or no sooner or later they shall finde it Without affliction neither others know us nor we our selves Of assurance of the love of God Assurance of salvation is an effect of the testimony of the holy Spirit speaking peace to the soule A beleevers first assurance or comfort doth arise from the apprehension of Gods free love to him in Christ As our assurance is of the love of God so answerable is our peace and comfort and accordingly are we spirituall and our conversation is alike sutable Some things tend much to weaken and other things tend much to strengthen the assurance of the love of God Obedience is necessary to our comfort and assurance though not to pardon A childe of God may decay exceedingly in the sence and assurance of the love of God One that hath had the witnesse of the Spirit to evidence the goodnesse of his estate may notwithstanding in time of temptation and desertion question his estate and be full of feares and trouble The assurance of a Christians good estate may be maintained in him when the frame of his spirit and life is much degenerated from what it was The more we injoy the assurance of pardon of sinne the more contented we are in any estate and straight He that hath assurance of the love of God can trust himselfe with God in any estate and straight and can part with any thing for God A heart sensible of sinne and touched with remorse for it may stand with the assurance of pardon Authority The authority the husband hath over the wife is great but to exercise all of it ordinarily none but fooles will doe nor is it comely for the head to stand out of it's place Of the attributes of God The attributes of God are infinite The attributes of God are rocks of strength and fountaines of comfort to his and those that eye them live comfortably upon them It 's best in all our straights to looke to the attributes of God and live upon them by meditation faith and prayer Of Apostacy Going back tends to apostacy Infidelity is a cause of apostacy love of lusts love of the world ungroundednesse in the truth an unsound heart or not considering what attends the profession of Religion causeth many to draw backe Such as love not the truth will leave it To draw back from the profession of the truth is condemned by God and man Offences and darknesse and weaknesse cause many to stumble and turne aside Age. Old age is a state of griefe and sorrow and burden to themselves and others Age will kill no sinne Distrust and covetousnesse doe oft increase as age increaseth Every state and age hath some peculiar sinne to attend it It 's rare to see one full of yeares full of zeale for God Old and cold yet so it should not be Of anger Anger is a short madnesse it darkens our sight dulls troubles and corrupts us An angry man is weake he cannot
that is not constant is false love Fooles love lightly and leave as lightly Forced matches are empty of love In love there is no lacke in good will there is no want A man will beare much when he knows it comes from love Union breeds love and love simpathy and compassion but where self-selfe-love prevailes union and love are absent Arguments of love are sutable to the nature of man We are made like the things we love Kindnesse puts an obligation upon the spirit of love Where love is duties are frequent and done with ease and delight Where love is wanting all things are taken in the worst part Such love the way of God who hate all that is contrary to it and practise it when it is most despised The more we love Christ the more we remember him and his love As our love is to God so is our love to his Word It 's naturall to love ease liberty and carnall pleasure The power of sin stands in the love of it Selfe-love blinds us and deceives us exceedingly it's a dangerous enemy When our love to God runs high our love to the world runs low so on the contrary We may apprehend the love of God but we cannot comprehend it The love of God makes a soule mourne for sin more then any thing else Such as would be affected with Christs love must dwell upon the consideration of the excellency of it Such things as we love we keep with care possesse with joy and loose with griefe As our longing is to enjoy God so is our love to him such as greatly love the Lord greatly long to enjoy him for as our love is to any thing accordingly is our endeavour to enjoy it According to the measure of the manifestation of the love of God to the soule so accordingly it is filled with peace and joy and beares Christs yoke obeys him and is content to suffer for him and doth all freely Such as see Gods love to be the same to them in all conditions are not troubled when God altereth their condition Losses There is no losse in loosing for God what we loose for God will be made up unto us in God One benefit that follows the losse of outward things is that we shall never be troubled with them any more Many get by their losses Labour All things are full of labour man cannot utter it Lust Lust is violent and is past sense and shame Bad discourse inflames lust Laughtâ—r Laughter is a vanitie the wise laugh least Liberty When men thinke to use their libertie they loose it We are more prone to desire outward liberty then to know how to use it Such as plot and plead for liberty for the flesh are very carnall It is not fit to give young people halfe the liberty they would take Young people doe not know not will beleeve how slippery their state is till they come to feele it by their falls Many study more how to keep outward liberty then how to part with it the last is the best It is the greatest liberty to enjoy God and a free heart to serve him and to have the lets removed Too many of the Saints abuse their Christian liberty To be free from sin is liberty indeed Motions Forced motions cannot be perpetuall Minde This world cannot satisfie nor containe the minde of man Worldly things are not good enough to stay our minds upon Such as minde things above favour them and have interest in them By minding things above we are freed from many idle fancies When our minds are not fixed they rove any where and are no where to purpose Our minds are where our hearts are and that is where we love Our minds doe too much partake of the temper of our bodies God hath enabled some to make glad the sorrowfull minde Mirth In vaine mirth there is no true joy The mirth of the wicked is vanity and madnesse Naturall mirth ends in sorrow and sadnesse In naturall mirth when we are most merry we are nearest to danger When men are most chearfull and merry they are most free and bountifull Meditation Meditating on the sweetnesse of outward contents glues our hearts to them The more our thoughts are above the more is our joy and the more we avoyde the snares below It is no burden to fix our minds thoughts on things above where our life joy and treasure is There is much sweetnesse and profit in the consideration and view of the severall passages of Gods providence to us ours inward and outward of the time past if it were well minded it might strengthen our faith and draw out our hearts to God and inlarge our thankfulnesse who so is wise to observe these things shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. By meditation we retaine truths and are enriched by them it makes them sweet to us it 's the way to knowledge the mother of wisdome it refines the judgement it cuts off errors in judgement and practice it makes the mercies of God fresh and sweet to us it increaseth love it 's the life of hearing reading conference c. it reveales truths to us and acquaints us with our selves it makes all to become our own it settles truth upon our spirits it removes lets and breeds affections and quickens them it makes hard things easie it fills the soule with experience and inableth us to apply it to our own benefit and others it fires the soule with love and sends it up to heaven By the neglect of meditation we loose a great treasure Unlesse by meditation the judgement be refined and setled and so work it upon our affections and lay it up in our minds Gods meanes and our hearing and reading comes to nothing Mâ—sery Extreme miseries last not long It 's no small misery to have the body and soule and conscience all distempered God knows the miseries of his and will send help in the fittest season The better the man is the lesse he needs to be bid to share with others in their miseries Mercies We injoy more mercies then we are aware off The mercies we injoy are more and greater then our crosses Many possesse many mercies and yet want the comfort of them We come to know the worth of mercies by their want Of marriage There is no outward comfort under the Sunne so great and sweet as a married estate affords what is equall to marriage for the being and well being of life it s the prop of mutuall content the aide of nature the perfection of health wealth beautie honour no condition is sweet where marriage supplyes it not it 's the pillar of the world the preserver of chastity the glory of peace and the life of the dead no union so strong as this no joy in any outward union so contentfull as this There are comforts in marriage that a single life is not acquainted with and so there are many crosses The crosses in marriage goeth to the very heart
been married before as Numb 30. 4. or Exod. 22. 16. Mutuall Counsell to husbands and wives 1. Have a high esteeme of marriage marriage is honourable 2. Nourish love and abhorre all occasions to the contrary strive who shall love each other most and expresse it best with the most cordiall affection live and love and cease not to love till yee cease to live love is given to both to make the miseries of marriage tolerable have a care yee loose not your first love so demean your selves as may best draw forth each others heart in all love and amity and be ready to expresse love and simpathy 3. Avoyde a peevish carriage which provokes to wearinesse impatience and discontent 4. Beare with each others infirmities doe not fret nor cavill at them but cover them with tendernesse if yee have a bad bargaine make the best of it you can it 's too late now to complain an eying each others infirmities deads and kills the affection of love 5. Impart not your discontents to strangers nor aske any counsell of them but with a free consent of both and that when an absolute necessitie requires it Such as complain to others shew their clamorous and turbulent spirits and want of wisdome of love 6. If thy husbands and wives vertues be but small multiply them by contemplation and by putting upon them the great value of their worth 7. Observe each others tempers to prevent discontents and to preserve and increase love 8. If there fall out a difference between you be both freely willing the word of God may decide it and submit to it 9. Feare breaches know a small sparke of difference may increase to a great flame if not timely prevented expect trouble and beare with one another least yee breake that which holds all together the thred of love Christs carriage to his is loving meeke and sweet let yours be so 10. Be both chaste love each others company be faithfull each to other let one house one bed one purse serve them that are but one 11. Be industrious and provident that neither of you may want 12. Hinder not each other in serving God 13. In matters of Religion especially doe as yee would be done unto offend not the conscience 14. Finde as little fault one with another as possibly you can and expresse it not in anger but in love and when yee be both alone forgive each other 15. Tender each others good name 16. Be fearfull of harbouring jealousies of each other without a cleare and sufficient ground least yee wrong each other and make your lives bitter and burdensome each to other Counsell to the wife 1. Love your own husband and expresse your love in a reverend amiable and modest manner in thy husband thou maist behold authoritie government forecast soveraignty from him thou injoyest countenance protection direction honour love c. 2. Honour your husband inwardly in your heart and outwardly in your actions esteeme him as he is your superior and head and in lawfull things yeeld to him let your will be subject to his have you no will but his if he speake the word doe not contest but in humility yeeld if he be angry be yee silent know the carriage of the Church as it ought to be to Christ is to be a patterne to you and know where love is duties are frequent and acted with ease and delight 3. Obey thy husbands lawfull commands alas how hard is the word Obedience to many a woman that hath a proud and stout stomacke they will professe they neither can nor will yeeld their necks to be subject in every thing The Lord knew that both man and wife would have their wils though they were quite contrary to each other therefore the Lord thought fit to order it as he would have it that the wife should yeeld to her husband and be obedient to him in every thing for thus saith the Lord Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord for the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of his Church therefore as the Church is subject to Christ so let the wives be unto their own husbands in every thing Ephes 5. 22 23 24. Therefore O woman whosoever thou art rich or poore that God hath commanded you to be subject to your husband and if you doe it not God will call you to an account for it one day though it may be your husband is content to let it pass therefore in the feare of God consider it and tremble at the thought of living in the breach of such an expresse and plaine command consider Christ is the Author of salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. it may be you count it folly and basenesse to be so subject to your husband in every thing but you will thinke otherwise at the great day when Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that have not obey'd him 2 Thes 1. 8. O that yee would goe to God for humilitie and selfe deniall to stoop to your husbands lawfull commands because God hath commanded it and will have it so Though marriage be an equall state yet the carriage of both is not to be the same therefore let thy love to thy husband be with a loyall sweet subjection without slavoury and thy obedience shall be a blessing to thee and an increase of thy inward peace and joy also thou shalt avoyde many quarrels envie and discontents which others endure and by thy obedience thou shalt honour God and be a good patterne to others to doe so also Counsell to the husband Let your carriage be as Christ is to his Church which is loving meeke and sweet 1. Consider the command of God is upon you that you love your own wife and be not bitter unto her Let love descend first from thee shee is a deserving object of love shee hath forsaken all for thee and perhaps is shiftlesse without thee great are her burdens and paines in conception and bearing children c. all calls for compassion love and tendernesse Let thy love be to her full and free love her in some sense better then thy selfe Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved his Church and gave himselfe for it so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himselfe for no man ever yet hated his own flesh they two are one flesh Ephes 5. 25. 28 29. 31. 2. Ease thy wise as much as thou canst though she be bound to obey thy commands thou art not bound to command her also you need not command so many things nor so frequently and so the burden of subjection will be made much easier unto her I conceive it would be much better and very commendable for the husband to turne what he may command into intreaties or say wife if you please doe such a thing so would it be no burden to her it being wholy
the Gospel of it have made will make the rich poore in that for Christ they have suffered the losse of all things Phil. 7. 8. It will not be alwayes thus if it continue as long as I live my life will not be long ere glory come then shall I suffer no more troubles nor afflictions no hunger cold nor nakednesse c. In our greatest want we should be content for the time will quickly come in which we shall feele no want nor suffer no hunger cold or nakednesse be content to be like Christ in poverty as well as in glory what God takes away in one kinde he can give in another which will be better Psal 34. 9 10. Therefore when I thinke I want I may not beleeve I want but that I have what I want when I doe not see it Saints poore and under abasement may be rich in faith Jam. 2. 5. 3. There is no state and condition under the Sunne that is free from Satans temptations those who have more abundance of outward things Satan saith to them these things are all they are like to have and in that they receive their good things in this life have a heaven of outward contents here they must not expect another hereafter and to those that have more gifts and parts then others he saith they are not given in love to them but onely for the benefit of others on every sâ—de Satan is ready to get advantage to disdiscourage us it s well if we could say we are not ignorant of his devices 2 Cor. 2. 11. The Lord teach us to know the depths of Satan Rev. 2. 24. So as to know his stratagems and resist him As there is no state under the Sunne free from trouble so it s a comfort to all that are the Lords that God can and will support his in and under it and make it sweet and comfortable to them All things shall worke for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. 35. 38 39. 18. Dis I cannot see God surely God hath forsaken me 1. Sometimes God hides himselfe from his Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe Isa 45. 15. I opened to my beloved and he had withdrawne himselfe Song 5. 6. Behold I goe forward and he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth worke but I cannot behold him on the right hand but I cannot see him Job 23. 8 9. 2. Our carnall reason our corrupt heart and Satans suggestions are so neare as before our eyes that wee cannot see God and wee hearken so much to what they say that wee minde not the voice of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. 3. It s one thing to know and another to know that we know Christ said they knew they said they knew not Whither I goe yee know and the way yee know Thomas said unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest how then can we know the way Christ spake true and they knew not that they knew Joh. 14. 3 4 5. So shee saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus but when their eyes were opened they knew him Luk. 24. 31. Paul prayed that they might know the hope of their calling Eph. 1. 18 19. 4. When God hideth his face wee are to waite upon him and looke for him Isa 8. 17. For he will returne againe but Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her suâ—king childe c. yea shee may yet will not I forget thee Isa 49. 14. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee Isa 45. 7 8. Though God absents himselfe from his yet his love and care of them is the same to them as when he doth most manifest himselfe to them 19. Dis Another is discouraged and saith I had thought I had faith but since I fell into a great sinne I am perswaded if I had been the Lords I should not have been so left of God to sinne so as I did 1. Say not so consider God hath left his own children to fall into the same sinne or as great David sinned in adultery and murther and Solomon sinned greatly after he had obtained mercy 1 King 11. 9. And Peter denied Christ with an oath Paul was led captive Rom. 7. 23. These examples are recorded to hold forth the glory of the riches of Gods free graâ—e Eph. 2. 4. that men may know what God can doe that great sinners might not despaire or faint under their sinne 1 John 2. 1. 2. To despaire of the mercy of God because our sinnes are great were to limit God in his mercy which is to adde sinne to sinne and a greater sinne then the former therefore the greatest sin a beleever can commit ought not to make him mourne without hope for no sinne can put him in the state of damnation or under the curse Rom. 8. 1 2 3. While we live in this world God healeth not our sinfull natures wholly nor takes it quite away the flesh lusteth Rom. 7. God ever looks upon his as they are in Christ and not simply as they are in themselves Eph. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 30. I my selfe keepe the law of God but with my flesh the law of sin sin doth the evill Rom. 7. 15. 17. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Consider Nâ—he 9. 16 17 c. He knoweâ—h our frame and remembreth that we are but dust Psal 103. 14. see p. 66. God hath in wisdome and love left sin in his to humble them and to exercise the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. and that we might long to be where we shall not sinne also that we may love Christ in that it s pardoned and depend upon Christ to subdue it and that we might not scorne nor insult over any and see the power of Christ in subduing them and admire free love the use of all is not to expect to be freed from the act of sin while wee live here as some dreame Secondly not to sinne that grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6. 1 2 3. 8. Use wee all meanes against it Be not over-pressed and sunke in despaire under it see Rom. 5. 20. 6. 1 2. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Rev. 3. 7 8. All the Lords are the more happy they were sinners else how could they be capable of union with God and of mercy and heaven if there were not evill it would not be knowne what is good Justice and mercy had not been knowne how could the wisdome of God be knowne in drawing good out of evill or his love in sending Christ to dye could not have been known and man had not come to that happinesse in Christ which the Saints shall come unto 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. The misery is that the most men fall into the extreames either to despaire by reason of sin or looke upon sinne as a small matter and so grow prophane of this wee have
to the other foure Treatises the most of them have been published severall yeares O yee that love the truth is it a small matter to you for Christ to be dishonoured and his truth condemned Doe yee not regard what violence is offered to the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice if yea why are yee so silent as if there were none to answer God complaineth None pleadeth for truth Isa 59. 4. It might grieve us to consider that others take more paines for errour then we doe for truth Can we say we love the Lord and his truth as we should and not lay it to heart In these cold dayes the love of many too many waxeth cold to God and man many professe love to Christ yet few love him as will appeare ere long for the knowledge and practise of the truth shall be slighted and hated there shall be found but a very few that will own it The more darke or doubtfull any thing appeares the more narrowly search the Scriptures and consider them the benefits will answer the paines set aside partiality prejudice and the opinions of men neither receive nor refuse without sufficient tryall pray to God to reveale his truth to thee I trust the Lord that hath directed this to thee will blesse it to thee so as thou shalt praise and honour him all thy dayes which is the desire of Samuel Richardson To Collonell Robert Tichborne Mr. Moris Thompson Merchant Mr. William Packer Captain and Mr. Methusalah Turner Linnen Draper Fulnesse of joy happinesse and glory Much honoured and worthy Sirs CHrist and him crucified is the best and most desireable object that can be presented unto your view what can be better or more desireable this is our happinesse glory and our chiefest joy Joy sweet satisfying unmixt pure spirituall glorious full and eternall there is no sweetness like to this of Christ dying for my sinnes his suffering for us the whole punishment of sinne so that God will not impute sinne to that soule for whom Christ dyed therefore we are for ever freed from the punishment of sinne The more we know this truth the more sweet is Christ to us and the more fixed on Christ our hearts will be the more we love and obey him and contend for the truth once delivered to the Saints This subject is love the best love which is most sweet and full of divine consolation In the view thereof I trust you shall finde some sweetnesse and if you had not injoyed this sweetnesse you could not have sented it forth so naturally fully and sweetly to me as you have done I have great cause to be thankfull to you and to God for you your love to me hath caused me to dedicate this small Treatise to you as a testimony of my hearty thankfulnesse to you for your love the Lord blesse you and keepe you from all evill So he prayes that remaines Your much obliged Samuel Richardson Of the Justification of a Sinner before GOD. Rev. 1. 5. Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in bis own bloud THese words declare the vertue fruit and efficacy of Christs bloud and the priviledges and happinesse of the Elect by it The word our comprehends the Elect as appeares John 17. 29. 6 37. c. Rom. 11. 17. Acts 20. 26. By the word sin here we are not to understand the being of sin for sin hath still a being in the Saints Paul saith Sin dwelleth in me Rom. 7. 17. see 1 Joh. 1. 8. In many things we sin all nor are we to understand it of the pollution and defilement of sin for sin is as filthy or and as abominable as ever and as defiling â—he ever therefore by sin we are to understand oâ— the charge curse wrath the condemnation of sin viz. the whole punishment of sin The word washed is a borrowed word from washing the dirt and filth from cloths c. so here washed us from our sinnes separated and clensed us from sinne viz. the punishment of sinne This him that hath washed us is Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 5. The word bloud comprehends his death and something else as appeares Heb. 9 22. 2â— He offered himselfe through the eternall Spirit 1 Joh. 1. 14. The life and substance of all lay hid under this vaile that is to say his flesh Heb. 10. 26. By vertue of this union there was such a worth in Christs bloud as was able to doe it 1 Pet. 1. 19. with Acts 20. 28. Hath washed us in his own bloud which declares that it is done and therefore it s not a doing nor to be done for he did it in his own bloud that is when he shed his bloud his own bloud that is the bloud of his body by his death he did wash and clense us from our sinnes that is from the punishment of them The cause why he washed us from our sinnes that was his love which was in himselfe nothing in us or done by us did cause him to y dye for us Doct. That Jesus Christ by his death upon the Crosse he fully freed his from sin that is to say the punishment of sin for ever as fully as if they had never sinned For prooâ—e consider these Arguments or Reasons drawn from Scripture and I shall be the 〈◊〉 large in it because there is much consolation in it also it is denied by many who ascribe our Justification from sin to beleeving c. For from the Scriptures I thus reason Argu 〈◊〉 Iâ— Jesus Christ hath suffered for our sinnes then he hath suffered the whole punishment of sin if so then we are freed from the punishment of sin and if he freed us not from that his suffering for us was ineffectuall and he freed us not from any thing at all for there was nothing we were liable unto but the punishâ—ent of sinne But Christ suffered for us for our sinnes the just suffered for the unjust 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. He offered himselfe for the errors of the people Heb. 9. 7. The punishment of our sin was death In the day thou earest thereof thou shalt dye Gen. 2. 17 Christ tasted death and underwent the same Heb. 2. 9. He gave himselfe for our sinnes Eph 2. He laid downe his life for ours Joh. 10. 15. Christ shed his bloud for the remission of sinne Mat. 26. 28. Therefore it was sufficient for the remission of sinne if it be remitted the punishment is taken away if his life was not sufficient for ours his precious bloud sufficient to satisfie for all our sinnes 1 Pet. 1. 19. to what purpose did he die for us The law said Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3. 10. So that we were under the curse nor liable to it the curse was the punishment of sin Christ to free us from it he was made a curse for
to say to us Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 27. 4. Gal. 5. 23. 4. 26. 31. Therefore we are freed from the punishment of sin The Law is holy just and good Rom. 3. 31. the righteousnesse of the Law remaines and every one ought to frame his life according to the same wee receive not the Law as given by Moses but as given by Christ he gives the same Law for his to obey though not upon the same termes though we have nothing to doe to be saved yet we have something to doe for his glory Joh. 15. 8. Wee are commanded to be carefull to maintaine good workes Titus 3. 8. For any to say we are not to observe the ten Commandements called the Morall Law ten words is abominable for if I am not tied to observe it I sin not if I doe contrary to it it s no marvell if such be abominable in their hearts and lives I grant we are freed from the curse and punishment of it but not from the things contained in it the Law concernes our conversation though not our salvation Be yee holy in all manner of conversation this is the Saints prize yee that love the Lord hate evill and abhorre to company with such as slight the commands of God see the Saints daily duty part the second Christ hath a yoke and we ought to put it on Mat. 11. 29. Mat. 14. 23. 31. It s easie and a sweet mercy to observe it The power of divine love will sweetly and violently draw the soule to obey Christ see Titus 2. 11. 3. 8. Christ saith If any man love me he will keepe my words Joh. 14. 23. 15. 16. Eph. 2. 10. Such as love Christ they desire and endeavour with all their soules to obey him For such as love sin and take liberty to sin such as turne the grace the love of God into wantonnesse and say they are saved c. they are liers they mocke themselves and others they have need to consider 1 Joh. 1. 6. Gal. 5. 13. to 23. 6. 5. 7 8. Rom. 2. 17. c. they are the basest among men it s a certain truth as a man beleeves so he obeys as his faith is so are his workes good or bad Observe and take heed of those that speake for liberty for the flesh say to such thou art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee When Christ comes into the soule all things are become new old things are done away 2 Cor. 5. 17. Fire shall as soone cease to burne as such shall cease to obey God 27 Argu. That which is for our profit that is a mercy to us and no punishment for sin but Gods chastisements and corrections sent to us are for our profit Heb. 12. 10. They are to correct our injustice but not to satisfie Justice they are to amend us not to pay God they are to exercise the fruits of the Spirit in us not payments without them we neither know God nor others nor our selves they imbitter sin unto us we need them to turne us from sin to God seeing wee are the better for them how are they punishments to us 28 Argu. That which comes from the love of God that is sweet that is not a punishment for sin which is from anger But whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth Heb. 12. 6 7. 8. Gods chastisements are love-tokens all Gods dispensations bitter or sweet are a portion of love to his crosses and afflictions I receive as love and my escape from them if God so ordereth it I receive as love hunger cold and nakednesse paine griefe and wearinesse though in themselves they are punishments yet they are not so to us if they be curses and wrath to the Elect how are we delivered from the curse Gal. 3. 13 14. and wrath 1 Thes 1. 10. Therefore to affiâ—me that wee are punished for sin is to deny we are delivered from the curse which is contrary to Gal. 3 13 14. 29 Argu. If they be blessed that God correcteth thou they are no punishments of sin but blessed is the man that thou chastisest Psal 94. 12. Our God turned the curse into a blessing Nehe. 13. 2. Therefore they are no punishments of sin 30 Argu. If God by corrections teacheth us then it s no punishment for its a mercy to be taught but God by corrections teacheth us Heb. 12. 9. Therefore they are no punishments to us 31 Argu If all things worke together for our good Rom. 8. Then all falls paines diseases crosses afflictions c. doe us no hurt but worke for our good all things worke for our good Rom. 8. 28. Death it selfe is a mercy to us we die not to satisfie Justice but to passe through it into eternall glory provided for us for me to dye is gaine Christ hath borne the whole punishment of my sinnes There shall no evill come unto thee Psal 91. 10. So that whether I live or die I am freed from the punishment of sin the sting of death is sin now that is gone we are saved from death though we die death is an entrance into life 1 Cor. 15. 55. 32 Argu. Those whose iniquities are pardoned they shall never be punished for them but our iniquity is pardoned Isa 42. 1 2. Therefore we are freed from the punishment of sin for that which is pardoned is not punishable how is it pardoned if we are punished for it or liable to be punished for it to forgive a man his sin and not the punishment is as if one should say I forgive thee the debt but not the payment of the debt our sinnes were debts 33 Argu. Those whose sinnes God hath forgiven he will not punish if he will how are they forgiven but God hath forgiven the sinnes of his people thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sin Psal 85. 2. To forgive sinne and to cover it is one thing if all be covered there are none to cover my happinesse is not in having a few sins or many but in that they are all â—orgiven and not imputed to me Psal 32. 1 2. We are imperfect in our selves and action yet all our imperfectnesse is perfectly forgiven we are perfected for ever that is perfectly freed from the punishment of sin for eveâ— by the offering of himselfe Heb. 10. 10. 12. 14. The righteousnesse of Christ availeth for ever for all our sinnes if the bloud of Christ clenseth us from all sinne Joh. 1. 29. then from sin past present and to come for that is all lesse is not all as Christ by his death satisfied for all our sins so by one act of our faith we are to apprehend and beleeve the pardon of them Rom. 5. 11. to 24. This must needs be so for if we shall ever commit any sin that is not satisfied for by his sufferings Christ must come and suffer againe or eâ—â—e we must perish in the unpardonable sin for without his bloud there is no
causeth us to be accepted Eph. 1. 6. Actions without faith are not accepted neither for Christ nor for faith Our happinesse consists not in Gods accepting our actions but in our union with him and in that our sinnes are not imputed unto us Psal 32. 1. Our actions are accepted because our persons are accepted Gen. 4. Ans It s strange you will offer to say so oh the horrible and tragicall effects that naturally flow from this doctrine that he that beleeves cannot sinne or his sinfull actions are accepted if so then Davids adultery and murther was accepted yea all the sinnes of beleevers are accepted we abhorre to open such a gap for sinne to enter The word Reconcile declares that God is at enmity with us and we with him Re signifieth againe con signifieth together ciliation to call or move to how is there a removing where there was never a removing how together of those who were never asunder how againe unlesse the onenesse had been broken apieces Ans Though the word signifie so it will not follow that God was ever at enmity with the Elect. We are full of movings and removings because changeable but it s not so with God although the Elect sinne and depart from God yet the Scripture saith not that God was at enmity with them or that they fell from the love of God or that God hated the Elect consider 1 Joh. 5. 16. Isa 27. 4. Rom. 5. 9 10. Heb. 13. 8. In saying God was never an enemy to the Elect you make the fall of Adam in whom the Elect were included a fiction and the story of Christs sufferings a fable and Christs passion a vanity and overthrow the nature of God whose purity cannot indure sinne ye deny many Scriptures which testifie that God was at enmity with the Elect Eph. 2. Isa 63. 10 11. Lev. 26. 40 41 42. Ezek. 16. 62 63. Ans These are hard words and high charges indeed Jud. 13. 15. like the raging waves of the Seas that looke big and rise high and fall as suddenly so will your words fall into meere fables or slanders for no such thing will follow we say the â—all of Adam Christs death are no fictions nor fables but reall things by nature in Adam the Elect did sin and fell in Adam c. And had not Jesus Christ been made a curse for us we had perished therefore the death of Christ did more then reveale love men can reveale love each to other without dying much more could God in the love of God and Christs death lyeth our eternall happinesse Consider whose doctrine is against the purity of God yours or ours You say we deny many Scriptures tell us of one we deny not any we deny your false glosses and mis-interpretations I pray tell us in what place of Scripture we may reade that God was ever at enmity with the Elect or that he did not love them untill they did beleeve You say Till conversion comes God is an enemy with the Elect. Ans The Scripture you alledge to prove it says not as you doe the word wrath Eph. 2. is the curse that nor any other place doth not say that by the word wrath is meant Gods enmity against the Elect if it doe we will say so too In Isa 63. 10 11. is the word enmity viz. In some of his dispensations he was so for he fought against him So Levit. 26. God walked contrary to them yet it will not follow that God did so from any enmity and hatred to them for he did then love them and own them for his as appeares vers 45. I have given the dearly beloved of my soule into the hands of their enemies Jer. 12. 7. As for Ezekiel 16. 62 63. When I am pacified towards thee it appeares by the foure last verses that it s to be understood of the knowledge of his love for he saith Thou shalt know that I am the Lord thy God Joh. 14. 20. God may seeme angry yea seeme an enemy and hide himselfe and handle them roughly and yet love them not the worse for that as Jer. 31. 20. He changeâ—h not Mal. 3. 6. He saith He is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. Anger is not in me Isa 27. 4. Therefore your brother was very much mistaken to conceive that there was anger in God till he was pacified If Gods enmity had not concurred with Eves enmity against him shee had not in all likelihood eaten the forbidden fruit Ans You are hard put to it and have no Scripture to prove that you affirme it appeares you have no more but a likelihood for it therefore we must take that or nothing The fall was not from any enmity in God against her but God by that meanes was pleased to bring about his glory see Eph. 1. 6. to 12. Rom. 3. 19. God is a God of wrath to us till faith in Christ comes Eph. 2. Rom. 5. 1 2 It s as evident as evident may be that by faith in Christ God is reconciled to us and we to him Ans It s as evident as may be in your booke though the Scripture say not so Faith is a cause of Justification Ans You ascribe as much to faith as to Christ a cause this your opinion is very dishonourable to Christ in setting faith above Christ in making it a cause whereas Christs death is but a meanes a cause is above a meanes the cause is the love of God I say actually God cannot be said to be reconciled to man while man is not reconciled to God Ans I see you say it and say more then you can prove we say and prove that we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 9. 10. What Christ did was actuall unlesse you will make it a fable if Christ dyed before we beleeved we were reconciled before we did beleeve Faith brings us into Christ Eph. 2. 8 9. Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 3. Ans You say into Christ and that faith is a part of Christ and a part of the divine nature but the Scripture doth not say so the divine nature is God and incommunicable if it could be divided in parts it were not infinite we partake of it by union not by inâ—usion it s no wonder ye ascribe all to faith as you doe if ye thinke faith is God So you ask â—f God saves us without our being in Christ and whether God doth not love to see us in Christ rather then out of him is this to speake like a Doctor Tell me how could we be chosen in Christ before the world if God did not consider us in him Eph. 1. 4. Can you â—ell when God considered us out of Christ or or in what Scripture it is said that ever any of the Elect were out of Christ or that they by â—inne fell out of Christ or out of the love of God When in Ephes 2. 5. doth not import a difference of time Ans
of meditations objects Wee meditate to know God and contemplate to love him To contemplate on the things above is pleasant to those who have tasted of the sweetnesse of it The contemplation of Gods free love and the soules interest in it doth much revive raise and enlarge the soule Divine contemplation makes us high in thoughts and rich in expectation Conversation A disordered conversation doth hinder spirituallnesse in holy duties and causeth trouble and sadnesse Commands The command of God is the most powerfullest thing in the world to a Saint There is not any of the commands of God needlesse If men did know the Majesty and Authority and infinitenesse of God no man neither would nor could doe what he forbids or neglect his command Many when convinced of a duty consult with flesh and bloud whether they had best to obey God or no. Deadnesse Deadnesse of heart argueth disaffection Deadnesse of heart is the grave of many good gifts Deadnesse of heart is an enemy to action One cause of our deadnesse and dulnesse in the things of God is unbeliefe and consulting with flesh and bloud Spirituall deadnesse is a great griefe to a childe of God When we are dead and dull the meditation of the love of God will revive us Delayes in good things Delayes be dangerous by delayes many a good motion dyeth and comes to nothing Delayes arise from sloath Delayes coole us and cause the affections to fall downe The more we delay the more we may When we are to doe good Satan cryeth hereafter and that is never to morrow to morrow cosens many a man By delaying we presume upon that we have not and neglect that we have Declining It is easie to decline in good things A declining heart will catcâ— at that which may plead for declining Even Gods own people are subject to decline from him Difficulties Difficulties are discouragements and handsome excuses are welcome to a sloathfull heart Love will carry on through all difficulties and all manner of torments Distractions Multitude of businesse causeth distraction especially when there wants a wise ordering and dispatch of them Distraction of minde in duties is either from a minding other things or resting upon our own strength or in not seriously setting our minds on the things propounded by us for on that the heart is throughly set upon it 's so attentive to it that on that instant it can be present at no other thing especially to hinder the thing in hand Of doubts and discouragemâ—nts It 's the nature of sin to raise doubts in the soule There is no good got but discouragements Ignorance is the cause of doubts and discouragements So much discouragements we admit of so much sight and comfort we loose in our life and happinesse Discontents A small matter occasioneth discontent All our discontents arise from disappointment frustration of expectation is the ground of vexation There is no man that is without discontents It 's folly and madnesse to be discontent at trifles There is the most difference between them that are one and most alike Disposition It 's the disposition of a wretch to be cruell A milde and loving disposition is amiable and desireable Duties A dead man lives upon duties It 's no wonder the Papists doe as they doe because they expect heaven for it The more a Saint doth for God the more he enjoyes God A Saints desire is to doe all for God A meanes not to sin is not to omit duties A man may do duties from convincement of understanding and not from a principle of life and love Such duties as flow not from faith and love are slavish Many will own and confesse their dutie in generall and wholy deny it in particular especially when it concernes them When a childe of God hath performed duties best immediately he is tempted by the Devill and his own heart To be streightned in a duty may doe us more good then if we had been much enlarged in it Of selfe-deniall So farre as we are spirituall or live by faith so much we deny our selves Selfe is content to be a little denied in one kinde to be pleased much in another Unlesse a man can deny himselfe in his will honour credit state relations wife life he cannot follow the profession of Christ There are but few that deny themselves but many deny Christ and his truth Such as cannot deny themselves cannot endure the troubles and indignities of an angry world They live the sweetest lives that most deny themselves If we could deny our selves every thing that befalls us would be easie and sweet unto us for all things are so farre under us as we are above our selves Of dreames God speaketh in a dreame in a deep sleep in slumber and man perceiveth it not By dreames we may know what sin we are in danger to fall into which we are not aware of An evill dreame doth shew some evill that prevailes in the heart Delight Such as delight not in God delight in finâ— The more we delight in worldly things thâ— more they sting and vex us when they part Fleshly delights are earnestly desired anâ— acted with great willingnesse Despaire Despaire can doe no good Ignorance is a cause of despaire Despaire is not commanded nor commended but condemned Distempers To be disquieted or cast downe arguerh a distemper of heart Distempers hinder us in our trust and delight in God Distempers hinder us in our spirituall and temporall callings Death We choose life with sorrowes rather then death without them I have heard that a porter being spent with his burden was forced to throw it downe oh death saith he come death welcome death death comes in a visible apparition what wouldst thou have with mee saith death oh nothing nothing but helpe me up with my burden By life we have a being but a better being is by death The day of death is the first day of life He whose hopes are in heaven is not much afraid of death Death is to him no misery whose hopes are in eternitie When death seemes to dispossesse a Saint of all it possesseth him of all The Saints have cause to welcome death Wise men desire death yet are content to live As loath as we are to dye God by death delivers his from all sorrowes at once and makes them happy for ever Death fully freeth the Saints from all crosses burdens and infirmities why should I feare that I would not escape what hurt is it to enter into glory I cannot have my happinesse unlesse I goe unto it Many good men at their death have feares and paines Death hath something to say to every man and would be heard but men are not at leisure If it were not for the miseries that attend this life many would lesse welcome death Concerning our ends The end is the ground and rule of our actions A man fully seeks to attaine his end nothing contents a man till he finde that which he apprehends he needs
mutable and subject to change Heaven The Saints enjoy heaven out of heaven Heaven and glory are ready for the Saints if they were ready for them No man can set his affections on things above untill he see a vanity and emptinesse in all things below Such as count heaven their home reckon the world a strange Countrey Humility The more we see our selves the more we loath our selves and stinke in our own nostrils worse then carrion Nothing huumbleth us more then the knowledge of our selves According as our humility is so is our knowledge of our selves One may be humbled but not humble Such as are content to be sharply reproved of their faults have humility Our ignorance coldnesse dulnesse deadnesse c. might humble us Heart The heart thoughts words deeds are of one and the same nature What the heart likes best the minde studieth most A man knows not what is in his own heart â—ill tryalls and temptations come Great joy in worldly things and little joy â—n things spirituall shew plainly what kinde of hearts we have for God We daily finde our hearts are worse then we took them to be The heart of man is ready to be glued to every poore contentment Many mens braines deceive their hearts Unlesse the Lord fix the heart on himselfe it will bâ—â—xed and fastened on things below and wander after vanities to fill it selfe withall O the vanity of the minde Watch. If we cease to watch our hearts they quickly become vaine A carelesse watching our own hearts will cost deare Hatred Hatred is irreconsilable That sinne that a childe of God most loved before conversion he hates most when converted Healing God sometimes healeth corruption by not healing it Hope The Saints hope is in heaven in God The naturall mans hope is to get riches honour costly apparrell good cheare ease and pleasure Habits In acquired habits the act goeth before the habit and prepares for it but in infused habits it 's contrary for as we have first the faculty of seeing before we see so we have first the infused habit before we exercise the operation of it Of infirmities No childe of God is free from infirmities errors falls and defects If we did live more by faith our infirmities would be lesse An infirmity is some weaknesse which hindreth us that we cannot doe the good we would but doe the evill we would not An infirmity is an impediment that one would faine remove but cannot A sin of infirmity is alwayes attended with griefe and sorrow if it be an infirmitie those in whom it is do desire to be informed of the evill of it and are willing to be reproved for it and would know how to leave it they plead not for it but complaine to God against it they are ashamed of it and are grieved and abased for it and use all the meanes they can against it Interest Interest blinds mens eyes Inclination Our inclinations declare what we love Idlenesse An idle person is fit for nothing but sinne and temptatation An idle life is much loved and entertained of most men Ignorance Ignorance is the cause of all evill Devotion with ignorance breeds superstition idolatry and persecution Hope with ignorance causeth presumption Feare with ignorance causeth desperation Ignorance causeth men to lay a plaister on a sound place Judgement True judgement stands not upon number nor multitude Impossible things It 's impossible to be conformable to Christ and the world to obey God and the world Joy Every heart seekes joy such as it is There is no sound joy in outward things they reach not the heart but the fancy Worldly joy and sorrow last but a night Outward joyes make a great noise but never truly heale and comfort the heart While we live here we have joy and griefe mixed not this life nor our bodies will admit of perfect joy Spirituall joy opposeth carnall and carnall spirituall the more we relish heavenly the lesse we relish earthly and the more we relish earthly the lesse we relish heavenly In temporall things our joy is greater then the cause in spirituall the cause is greater then the joy Spirituall joy eats out carnall mirth and carnall mirth hinders spirituall mirth None can joy in God but such as injoy him The strength of our joy depends upon the infallibility of our hope Noâ— joy is in the Saints when they are in heaven they shall be in joy Knowledge Knowledge is better then gold and wisdome is better then understanding Knowledge is not given to keep but to impart Knowledge is good but the means of getting it is not alwayes good Knowledge onely in the braine will not subdue finne nor Satan He knows not himselfe that knows not that he is in himselfe as base as the Devill We know but in part It 's easier to informe the understanding then to subdue the will and affections Knowledge is to be reckoned by practice Such as know good things cannot but love and affect them That knowledge that is from God subjects the soule to God By neglect a childe of God may exceedingly decay in his knowledge in the truth In the use of the Scriptures knowledge is gotten Light Light causeth them that see it to follow it Many goe beyond their light The light of truth is knowne but to a few Life The most men seek life where it is not We live in that we minde and love Where our life is our hearts are Such as our life is such is the nourishment of it naturall or spirituall Every life is sed with that which is sutable to it the body cannot be satisfied with that which is spirituall nor the soule with that which is naturall It 's a poore life to live naturally and be dâ—â—d spiritually This life is a dying being we are borne crying and we live laughing and dye sighing The life of man is like a shadow something next to nothing This life keeps us in slavery at the best it 's but a variety of vanities Mans life is vaine and subject to many discommodities and miseries without number Mans life is folly and his death rottennesse Many have comforts few crosses frequent pleasures short and paines lasting God mixeth the life of man with prosperity adversity to shew they are both empty This life is beset with death tends to death and ends in death Love Love begets and kindles love Love disputes least and doth most Nothing is more active and stronger then love Love will venture upon great difficulties Love is strong and powerfull to carry on through all Love and labour goe together What will not one doe for that he loves Love may be perswaded but it cannot be compelled Love not begun upon good termes will end in hatred Love is the greatest Commander in the world Love will have i'ts way at the last Love built on beauty and wealth will not hold because the foundation is sandy Love is active when it is not knowne and cannot be requited Love
therefore this never came from the nature of man besides it is a strong argument that the Scriptures came not originally from man but from God because they are no whit agreeable to our natures hence it is worth observing that we naturally choose and delight to reade any Booke rather then the Scriptures as we see by experience that those that read much reade little in the Scriptures 4. Because the Scriptures require that which is beyond the power of man to doe as that he should deny himselfe which to doe requires a divine power as the Scriptures and experience teach selfe is for it selfe how then can selfe deny it selfe nature doth not require nor desire any such thing therefore it 's required by some other which must needs be God also it affirmes that which is impossible to the reason nature and wisdome of man as that a Virgin should conceive a Son this is beyond the reach of nature and therefore it is from God 5. The Scriptures are not from men because the more any are ruled by it and obey it the more they are hated and persecuted by men which shewes it was never the will of man and therefore it came not from nature but from God 6. The Scriptures came from God because they tend to God this is a rule in nature every thing tends to it's center a stone to the earth the waters to the Sea from whence they came So the Scriptures tend to God they run to God they shew God in his goodnesse wisdome power love in the Scriptures there is a divine wisdome they speak for God they call men to God and to be for God which is the center of the Scriptures 7. The Scriptures are not from men because the way of bringing them forth into the world is quite contrary to the wisdome and expectation of man who in great matters imply persons that are wise great and honorable but they came forth in a quite contrary way in that meane and contemptible silly tradesmen fisher-men and Tent-makers c. were the publishers and pen-men of the Scriptures although at the same time there were men naturally wise learned at Athens 8. The Scriptures are from God because God hath wonderfully strangely preserved them in making the Jewes who were enemies to Christ and his words preservers of the Scriptures also in preserving them when the greatest men have sought their destruction by searching for them and burning them c. The like preservation cannot be declared of any other writings that have had so great opposition 9. The miracles which were wrought at the first publishing of the Scriptures prove them to be from God and that there were such miracles wee have the testimony of those who were enemies to Christ and the Scriptures those Jewes who did not own Christ nor his doctrine who lived in Christs time saying There was a man one Jesus if I may call him a man who did great miracles c. as Josephus others in their writings testifie Now what reason can be given that the enemies to Christ and his doctrine should confesse such things of Christ if they were not true 10. Lastly We know the Scriptures to be from God because we see in our dayes some of those things the Scriptures have foretold come to passe which things came not to passe in the course of nature nor in the eye of reason as Mat. 24. 5. 24. Luk. 12. 52 53. 1 Tim. 4. 1. c. 2 Tim. 3. To beleeve the Scriptures are of divine inspiration is a work of faith and unlesse the holy Spirit perswade the soule of the truth of them there will be doubting the Lord perswade his of the truth of them and of their interest in them Seeing the Scriptures came from God by divine inspiration they must needs be truth therefore we ought to beleeve what it saith and rest upon it whether there be reason to satisfie reason or no our reason is blinde and corrupt 2. Seeing they are the inspirations of God it should cause us to prize and love the Word of the Lord David did so Psal 119. 97. he loved it vehemently exceedingly unspeakeably the Saints love the Word and they are not ashamed to declare their love to it they love it for the excellency that is in it they see love wisdome truth purity c. The Word is very pure therefore thy servants love it Psal 119. 105 151. It 's a light to our feete the rule of our life it tends to perfection it cures all distempers it 's the ground of our confidence it keeps us from perishing in affliction 92. It quickeneth us 93. It rejoyceth the heart 111. It 's lovely and such as love the Lord love his word Job 23. 12. Love to the Word is a holy and strong inclination of soule or affection of heart arising from the apprehension of the Author of it and the excellency and sutablenesse of it which causeth the soule to desire prise it above all things Psal 119. 17. 25. If yee love the word then yee will highly esteeme it above gold above fiâ—e gold above thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. 72. Secondly then you desire it love works by desire great love is attended with great desire and longing to injoy it Thirdly then you will take paines to injoy it and obey it love and labour goe together Psal 27. 4. Fourthly then you thinke often upon it for so wee doe what wee love Psal 1. Fiftly then it shall rule you I have refrained from every evill way that I might keepe thy word Psal 119. 101. To obey it is a fruit of love so contrary Psal 81. 11. Sixthly then it 's a griefe to you that others contemne reject the word I was grieved because men kept not thy word Psal 119. 158. Rivers of waters run downe mine eyes because men keepe not thy law 135. see 139. v. Seventhly then you hate every thing that is contrary to the word love works by detestation of that which is contrary to that they love I hate every false way Psal 119. 104. Eightly then you rejoyce in the Word as one that findeth great spoyle Psal 119. 162. Ninthly then you will rest on what the Word saith I trust in thy Word 42. Tenthly then you will part with your sweet sin for the Word Psal 119. with 2 Cor. 5. 14. We have cause to be ashamed for our want of love to the Word our seldome meditation on it might convince us of our want herein To love the word 1. Pray that thou maist see the beauty and excellency of the Word 2. Reade and meditate on it 3. Practise it and you shall better know it Joh. 7. 17. 4. Abate in carnall affections for they are enemies to holy love 5. Consider the Word deserves thy love 6. Consider it 's thine and those good things contained in it the more we beleeve the interest in the word the more we love it Great peace have they that
to deny him his own 2. Love is the best thing we have therefore we should give it to God who is the chiefest and best good therfore he hath right to the highest pitch of our love and it 's pittie so sweet an affection as love is should be spent upon any thing but himselfe 3. Love will be fixed upon somewhat and it 's unreasonable to deny it to God and give it to the creature this were to forsake a living fountaine for a broken Cisterne Jer. 2. 4. God is the same he was when yee first loved him then yee looked upon him to deserve the highest measure of love and could not be loved enough God is not changed Heb. 13. 8. Therefore the change is in thy selfe 5. So much as you have left your first love so much you have left God God counts himselfe charged with iniâ—uitie when he is forsaken see Jer. 2. 6. In so doing yee greatly dishonour God as if there were not a fulnesse of perfection in him if there be in him what yee expected why doe you love him lesse thy practise declares thou repentest thee in loving him so much as if he is not worthy of it tell me canst thou mend thy selfe in bestowing thy love elsewhere 7. Lastly God hath done much for thee he hath saved thee from wrath hell and destruction and provided for thee a place of happinesse with himselfe yea given thee himselfe could he give thee more is all this as nothing to thee canst thou doe too much for him that hath done so much for thee why then doest thou not give him thy fiâ—st love and love him dearely and vehemently that hath so loved thee Use Leaving our first love is so great an evill that it should greatly humble us The meanes God prescribes for their recovery are three first to remember from whence thou art fallen secondly repent thirdly to doe their first workes Fallen persons may recover for God useth meanes to recover such this his love should worke upon us one great cause we doe not our dutie is because we doe not minde it our declinings might easily be discerned by us if we did but minde it The consideration and remembrance of what we once were and what we now are is a speciall meanes to convince one that is fallen Consider and see if you cannot remember the time 1. When your soules thirsted more for God and â—anted and brayed more vehemently after him then now short breathing is a signe of spirituall decaying therefore know you are fallen from your first love Psal 42. 1 2. 2. See if you cannot remember that time was when you tooke more sweet joy and delight in drawing neare to him and in communion with him then now then yee are fallen and your affections are divided 3. If you can remember the time was when you had more faith and confidence in God then now you have then you are fallen for a decay in faith and a decay in love ever goe together the lesse faith the lesse love so much unbeliefe so much want of love 4. If there was a time in which you were more willing to doe and suffer for God and to dye to goe home to him then you have left your first love 5. Are you as frequent in duties and as much in them now as ever are not spirituall duties something more wearisome and burdensome to thee then once they were then thou art fallen from thy first love Some may say once I prayed with more faith and fervency but now they are as my selfe more cold 6. Have you as much zeale for God and his truth now as ever the communion of Saints once more desired loved and delighted in then now if it be so then you are fallen from your first love 7. If ever you did love the things of the world lesse then you doe now then you are fallen for love to the world causeth a decay in our love to God love not the world so much as we love the world so much we come short in our love to God 8. Can you not say time was when I was more affected with the love of God and did more minde him and his love then you are fallen for so much as we forget Gods love to us so much we forget to love him the apprehending his love begets love in us to him We love him because he first loved us When Gods love in saving us did appeare to us to be great and wonderfull it set out hearts afire with love to him to live and dye with him and for him and because we minde his love lesse therefore we love him lesse If we should compare our selves with these Ephesians whom God finds fault withall because they left their first love what thoughts can we have of our selves when we consider how far short we come of them God saith of them vers 2 3. That they could not beare with them that are evill they could not marke that their love was so to him and zeale for him was so strong that it over-powred them they could not beare with sinners But alas wee can beare with fin and sinners They laboured in the worke of the Lord which implies carefulnesse and diligence in Gods worke but alas we are sloathfull and dead-hearted they were patient they indured all oppositions within and without they met withall for keeping the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus they suffered much patiently as appeares Rev. 1. 9. We are impatient even at words Thou hast borne which implies afflictions sufferings pressures we can hardly beare with any thing And hast not fainted here was their courage for God and his truth they bore great trials without fainting we faint under small trials yea at the hearing of them For my Names sake their ends were holy they sought not themselves backs nor bellies but did all for the name and sake of God this holy frame of spirit is a sweet thing oh how farre short doe we come of them Obs Many good actions may proceed from them that are fallen from their first love many good actions cannot excuse for one fault Use Exhortation You who are convinced you are fallen from your first love oh lay it to heart your declinings from God a decay in our outward estate is laid to heart but our inward decayings should trouble us much more And repent the Lord bids thee repent what repentance is see Jer. 31. 18 19. The least declining in our love to God is cause enough of repentance it 's to be laid to heart Repentance is a duty sutable for a Saint that hath assurance of the love of God And doe thy first workes Doe saith God the life of a Saint is a life of action to live to God and for God is no idle life God requires many things to be done Doe thy first workes Repentance without reformation is not sufficient Such as leave their first love leave their first workes as we decay in our love
wherein â—e hath made us acceptable in the beloved Eph 1. 5 6. To whom be all the praise honour now and for ever Amen The end of the first Part. DIVINE CONSOLATIONS OR The Consolations of God The Second Part. Declaring how a soule may know and live in the sweet injoyment of the love of God c. Are the Consolations of God small to thee Job 15. 11. How sweet are thy words unto my tast Psal 119. 103. His lips drop downe sweet smelling myrrhe Song 5. 5. By Samuel Richardson I heard sweet Jesus Christ unto me say Rise my love my faire one come away â—ONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Aldersgate-streete 1649. To Mr. Daniel Tayler Silkman Mr. Nathanael Andrews Merchant Mr. John Fountaine Merchant Mr. Samuel Penoire Merchant Mr. Edward Wright Goldsmith in Norwich Fulnesse of joy happinesse and glory Much honoured and worthy Sirs GOD hath in his wisdome and love mixed crosses with comforts and comforts with crosses He hath said In the world yee shall have trouble but in me yee shall have peace peace in trouble is a sweet mercy behold a fountaine of joy and rest sufficient to satisfie the soule at all times which ever floweth full of sweetnesse and life to refresh our soules withall at all times Loving friends the love you have manifested to me it s so great so free and full and undeserved and unexpected the more I view it the more I see God in it and the more sweet it is to me I have cause to be affected with it with great thankfulnesse to you and to God for you in that he hath ordered you to be so sweet a mercy to me I trust he will take the kindnesse you have shewed to me as done to himselfe Mat. 25. 40. I know not how to require your love I cannot doe more nor lesse then to present you with the best I have as a testimony of my sincere and hearty thankfulnesse to you for the favour and kindnesse I have received by you not doubting but these spirituall and divine Consolations will be savoury and acceptable to you The Lord blesse you and keepe you from all evill so he prays that remaines Your much obliged Samuel Richardson The second Part. DIVINE CONSOLATIONS Of the first Chapter of the Song of SOLOMON 1. A Song of Songs the most excellent Song because it is of the most excellent things viz. the excellencies of Christ his love Which is Solomons which is Christs The soule saith of Christ 2. Let him kisse me Kisses are expressions of love and signes of peace and reconciliation 1 Thes 5. 26. 2 Sam. 14. 23. He is my love and my love is to him I prize and desire him and the manifestations of his love he is full of sweetnesse he is perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankinsence with all powders of the Merchants Song 3. 6. Let him kisse me There are no kisses so excellent nor so full of sweetness none so comfortable as his therefore none so desireable and acceptable as his therefore let him kisse me O that he would kisse me With the kisses of his mouth His mouth is sweet Song 4. 16. The roofe of his mouth is like the â—est wine very sweet Song 7. 7. His words are sweet Prov. 16. 24. I long to injoy the discoveries of his sweet and everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. The kisses of his mouth are sweet whose heart is full of love his lips drop down sweet smelling myrrhe Song 5. 13. Honey and milke are under thy tongue Song 4. 11. The expressions of his love doth quiet my troubled heart and heale my wounded soule Comfort me with apples for I am sicke of love the smell of thy nose like apples Song 7. 8. Apples are of divers and severall tasts yet all comfortable to the body So are the fruits of his death of divers and severall tasts all which are comfortable to raise and refresh the soule I raised thee up under the apple tree Song 8. 5. Let me heare thy voyce make hast my beloved Be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountaines of spices Song 8. 13 14. For thy loves Many loves Redemption Justification Salvation c. are the fruits of his love and as so many loves he hath drowned all our sinnes in the Ocean of his loves Are better then wine More good then wine more profitable more comfortable more strengthening more satisfying more sweet and pleasing more joyfull and lasting then wine Wine maketh the heart glad Eccle. 10. 19. Psal 104. 15. It causeth to forget sorrow and affliction So Christs loves chaseth away the soules feares and sorrowes as the comforts of the soule exceed and are better then the comforts of the body so much better are his loves then wine In the sence of sinne our soules are comforted and satisfied with his loves in Christ and his loves are all my consolation happinesse and glory This wine is spâ—ced wine Song 8. 2. it goeth downe sweetly and causeth the lips of him that is asleep to speake Song 7. 9. Drinke of this juice of apples for in this there is sweet consolation Acts 2. 18. His fruit is sweet unto my taste Song 2. 3. 5. 1. 3. For the savour Thy smell is as sweet Odours smell is a very sweet and comfortable savour pleasant words are as an honey-combe sweet to the soule and health to the bones Pro. 16. 24. Of thy good ointments Good made of precious things of sweet spices odours and perfumes Exod. 30. 23 24 25. The fruits of Christs death are the good ointments healeth all his ointments are very good very sweet and precious to the soule ointments and perfumes rejoyce the heart Pro. 27. 9. Thy name an ointment The Lord our Righteousnesse is this name This is his Name that they shall call him the Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. This Name is this ointment The smell of which is better then all spices Song 4. 10. Christs righteousnesse is the best and most precious thing in the world this makes us righteous in the sight of God in this ointment there is contained all precious things pardon peace reconciliation redemption justification happinesse and glory and what not Psal 34. 6 7. This is very good very sweet this ointment healeth all our wounds 1 Pet. 2. 24. They that know thy Naâ— will trust in thee Psal 9. 10. Therefore we leane on thee we venture all on thee leaning upoâ— her beloved Song 8. 5. Powred forth In the powring forth it is discovered and evidently seene in its sweetnesse as a sweet ointment being opened and powred forth the sent thereof fills the place with sweetnesse so Christs Namâ— our Righteousnesse filleth the soule with love so that his breath where this love is smels strong of love he cannot but sent it forth Therefore the Virgins love thee Virgins chast ones who are content alone with Christ they follow Christ Rev. 14. 4. love thee the Name the Righteousnesse of
Christ causeth the Virgins that know it to love thee they greatly love thee and desire thee and none but thee they have full content in thee and have no hope or comfort but in thee they know thy Name thy Righteousnesse therefore they love thee Psal 9. 10. Rom. 10. 3. The soules Request to Christ 4. Draw me Unlesse thou draw me I cannot come to thee nor follow thee without thy strength and power Joh. 6. 44. Job 24. 22. Hos 11. 4. To be drawne is a signe of everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. We will run after thee Willingly obey thee and follow thee and run in the way of thy Commandements Psal 119. 32. To will is present with me Rom. 7. I want strength to follow thee without thee we can doe nothing The soule saith The King hath brought me into his Chambers The King Christ carrieth the soule into his chambers many chambers many roomes in his Palace in the Kings chambers there are treasures and desireable beauties with varieties of contentments and joyes in these secret chambers are the greatest discoveries of love between the Bridegroom and the Bride there they joy and rejoyce together Joel 2. 16. He brought me into his banquâ—â—tiâ— house there we banquet together and his Banner over me was love Song 2. 4. Solomons Chariot he made the pillâ—rs thereof of silver the bottom thereof of gold the covering of it of purple the middest thereof being paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem viz. the elect Song 3. 10. The pillers thereof are silver the pillers uphold so doth the word of Christ Upholdingâ—all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. The Word is like silver Psal 119. 72. The bottome thereof gold the decree of God First Gold is the most unchangeable mettall all mettalls change but gold the decree of God is unchangeable Secondly The mercy-seate is pure gold Exod. 25. 17. The mercy seate is God for he is the seate of mercy all love is seated in him Thirdly In the mercy-seate God is seene Exod. 30. 6. Fourthly The voice of God came out of the mercy-seate Numb 7. 8 9. First The covering is purple the covering is the top that which is above in the heavens in the world to come Secondly Purple is the most costly and richest colour Exod. 39. 3. 5. A rich rayment our greatest riches and glory is above Thirdly Purple is for Kings Purple Raiment was on the King Judg. 8. 26. Est 1. 6. We are Kings c. Rev. 5. 10. Her cloathing is silke and purple Pro. 21. 22. Heaven is for Kings and heires Fourthly Purple is a colour in graine it s the deepest colour that fadeth not it prefigureth heaven that fadeth not An inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not reserved in heaven for you 1 Pet. 1. 4. It is as unchangeable as his love his Banner over me is love Song 4. 2. The Priests upmost coate was the richest it was imbroidered with gold and purple Exod. 28. 6 7 8. Fiftly So is our upmost cloathing Cloathed upon that mortalitie might be swâ—llâ—wed up of life 2 Cor. 5. 4. The most richest costly and glorious and our greatest glory the glory above is exceeding glorious We shall not onely be in glory but our bodies shall be glorious like his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. The golden Altar was spred with purple after the ashes were taken away Numb 4. 11 12 13. The ashes this body which is Christs must first be dissolved before the purple come before we we can enter into the highest glory That which came after the ashes is purple after the devolution of this body this tabernacle follows glory a tabernacle not made with hands The middest thereof the midst is that which is between Christ came between Gods decree and our eternall glory Being paved with love with the Covenant of love He loved me and gave himselfe for me Bloud covered the mercy-seate Levit. 16. 13. This bloud is the bloud of the Covenant Heb. 10. 29. The two Cherubims that covered the mercy-seate with their glory Christs two natures ate both glorious Christ is the brightnesse of his glory the expresse image of his being Heb. 1. 3. Whose glory covered the mercy-seate Heb. 9. 5. His left hand is underneath my head to uphold me and his right hand doth imbrace Song 2. 6. Manifest his love to me I knew not where I was untill he powred in that wine sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speake Song 7. 9 10 11. When I awoke out of my sleepe I saw his beauty was so great I said turne away thinâ— eyes from me for they have overcome me Song 6. 5. Thy glory is too great for me to behold because my nature is too weake to beare so great a discovery or thy beauty is like wine intising Pro. 23. 11. I cannot goe about that I have to doe unlesse thou turne away thine eyes from me they have overcome me I am overcome Wine overcame Isa 28. 1. it maketh sicke Hâ—s 7. 5. inflame Isa 5. 11. Puffe up Hâ—b 2. 5. Thou art wine Numb 15. 10. Old wine is best and fit for old vessels Luk. 5. 36 37 38 39. Mat. 9. 17. Every head cannot beare wine unlesse it be mingled therefore Wisdome hath mingled her wine Pro. 9. 2. come drinke of the wine which I have mingled 5. Wine and milke Isa 55. 1. Such have need of milke Heb. 5. 12. We will be glad and rejâ—yce Inwardly and oâ—twardly see Psal 104. 33 34 35. Shouteth by reason of wine Psal 78. 65. Christ is thâ—s wâ—ne Numb 15. 10. In thee in Christ onely in thee there is none to Christ to me there is none like thee who gave thy sâ—lfe to death for me When I am Jad I can be glad and rejoyce in thee now I Jee all that is thine is for me I wanted thee and I was so sad that I contented could not be but now I see I share in thee I am glad â—up will be glad and rejoyce in thee and in nothing but thee because thou art enough for me My beloved is mine and I am his Song 2. 16. Thou art as truly mine and more surely mine then any thing in the world is mine or can be therefore I will be glad and rejoyce in thee We will remember thy loves Isa 63. 7. Not forget thy loves but declare and record thy loves We are so taken with thy loves that we desire and resolve not to forget thy loves but to have them continually in our hearts and minds The consideration of thy loves increaseth our loves to thee it is a happinesse to dwell upon the consideration and meditation of thy loves in thee and in thy loves is sweetnesse loe here is our consolation happinesse and glory Loves many loves the varieties of priviledges that we have by Christ are to be to us as so many loves More then wine Thy loves are more to be desired and remembred then wine The upright love
thee Earnestly and sincerely love thee onely the honest and sincere hearts love thee others speak of loving thee but they have no love to thee we love thee because thou hast wrought our deliverance Wee have not wrought any deliverance in the earth Isa 26. 18. Hab. 2. 14. 5. I am â—lacke My outside is blacke the colour of my skin is blacke with tribuâ—ation and aâ—fliction But comely To a spirituall eye I am comely and desireable I am blacke in my selfe but comely in Christ and in their eyes I am so who judge me not according to my outward view but as I am in Christ one with him not by my poverty or want of outward glory nor by the scandals cast upon me nor by the weaknesse and deformities that passe from me in their eyes I am comely As the tents of Kedar which were blacke As the Curtaines of Solomon As the Curtaines of this King were costly rich and beautifull so am I unto a spirituall eye 6. Looke not upon me because I am blacke To wit with contempt because of my weaknesses and afflictions rejoyce not at my trouble nor at my halting increase not my sorrow Because the Sunne hath looked upon me Thinke me not the worse because I am perâ—ecuted and poore and want these things with that outward glory you injoy which the Sunne viz. the heate of persecution hath withered and dryed up Job 30. 30. The Sonnes of my Mother Not of my Father Psal 69. 9. Acts 20. 30. Have been angry with me Highly displeased with me and used me according to their pleasure they struck me and stript me of all because I would not doe as they did but obey the command of my father Rev. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 14. to 18. They made me keepers of the Vineyards They compelled me to stay there I would have left them sooner but their threatnings and deceitfull reasonings forced me to stay with them so long My Vineyard which is mine Which appertaineth to me where I should have been I have not kept I have neglected and not frequented the flock of Christ his Church this was my infirmity which I with sorrow bewailingly confesse and lament Lam. 1. 14. 18. 22. Now my Request to Christ is that he would 7. Tell me Teach and instruct me shew and declare to me earnest I am for to know O thou who art my Saviour and Teacher Whom my soule loveth unsainedly and servently love above all things Where thou seedest or wilt seed thy flocke That there I may seed and be sed by thee see Deut. 12. 5. Acts 2. 49. Isa 40. 11. Among thy flocke Saints are sensible of the benefit to be sed by Christ Christ hath a place to seed his in and he feedeth by his brutaine trees Song 1. 17. Where thou makest to rest at noone or makest to lie downe quietly and so gives rest to thy flocke where they doe not persecute one another Isa 49. 10. It is 〈…〉 to me that I cannot lie downe quietly and injoy my love and returne my 〈◊〉 to Châ—â—st in thy garden there will I give thee my loves Song 7. 12 13. For why should I be as one that turneth aside Why should I wander up and downe like a Harlot from place to place and fall into their hands who may spoile me wound me and keepe me from them to whom I belong why should I be turned aside there is no reason to be given that I should leave my flocke and to goe elsewhere Unto the flockes of thy Companions Why should I goe to those who call themselves so and say they are Christs Church and his companions and are not so indeed and so deceive many Mat. 24. 5. 24. Joh. 10. 4 5. Christs answer to the soule is O thou fairest among women Exceeding faire more faire and beautifull then other women Christ esteemes not of his according to their acts of sinne but as they are one with him faire as the Moone cleare as the Sunne Song 6. 10. How faire and how pleasant art thou O love for delights Song 7. 6. 8. If thou knewest not Seeing thou knowest not Goe thy way forth Get thee out Rev. 18. 4. Song 4. 8. 2 Cor. 6. Sit not still let us goe to the Vineyards the Churches there will I give thee my loves Song 7. 12. Song 2. 16. Christs teaching is to purpose they obey 〈◊〉 the footsteps of the flocke Goe in that way troden before thee by the Saints recorded in Scripture 1 Pet. 2. 21. Ephes 5. 1. 1 Cor. 11. 1. 1 Thes 2. 14. Heb. 11. 12. doe as they did Rom. 4. 12. Heb. 13. 1. 13. 7. Tread in their steps their practice is laid downe for thee to follow And feed thy Kids Feed the little ones of Christ strengthen them supply the wants of thy brethren doe what thou canst to feed their soules and bodies what thou hast let them injoy it with thee Joh. 21. 15 16. See where Christ is Song 6. 2 3. Besides the Shepheards tents Ezek. 34. 31. Leave other people and goe where Christ feedeth He seedeth among the Lillies the thornes are sharpe pricke sore they will quickly fetch the bloud of thee but the Lillies doe not so Lillies drop sweet smelling Myrrhe Song 5. 13. They drop the honey-combe Song 4. 11. viz. they speake sweet words not bitter ones they cannot wound and warre one against another 9. I have compared thee saith Christ I have likened thee to be like O my love My fellow friend and companion that I love To the company of horses in the Chariot of Pharaoh Well fed strong and comely The horses in Pharaohs Chariots were not fit to rule themselves they were yoked with bits raines or chaines and a strong hand else they would have quickly left the Chariots full-fed Horses will not doe well without raines or chaines if we are like them wee must be yoked with bits raines or chaines Christ hath a yoke for us and he hath commanded them to take it and put it on Mat. 11. A horse is strong and swift Isa 30. 16. able to doe service so are the Saints fit for the service of God and man for they are well fed by Christ Horses in warre get the victory Zack 10. 3. 5. 30. with Hab. 3. 15. Exod. 14. are terrible as an Army with Banners Song 6. 10. The people of God they are strong and will be too hard for those that make warre against them they are as two Armies Song 6. 13. 10. Thy cheeks Our cheeks are visible and looked on because visible it holds forth our outward conversation Are comely Thy conversation is beautifull to behold it s so orderly its comely its praise-worthy With roweâ— The fruits of the Spirit Love meeknesse temperance patience faith c. Are seene in thy conversation which is the praise and glory of it without which it were not comely Ezek. 16. 11 12. The more of these Rowes is seene in our conversation the more comely our conversation
a lost sinner then he is or can be willing to be saved This should teach and incourage all that desire Christ to beleeve though thy sins aâ—â— many you need not doubt of his love for 't is infinite without time or measure full free and eternall I will love them freely Hos 14. 4 We pray you a loving way Obs Gods way of saving man is in a way of love Therefore God saith I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love Hos 11. 4. Behold I will allure her and speake comfortably to her Hos 2. 15. Wee pray you Obs Fallen man is contented to be as he is he is so seduced and deceived by sin that he need to be prayed and intreated to be reconciled We pray you in Christs stead Obs If Christ were with us he would pray us to be reconciled to him in his absence he hath sent some to pray us in his stead Obs Ignorance of Christs love is a cause of our feares when it is discovered our doubts are resolved and our hearts revived and inlarged Psal 63. 5 6. Be yee reconciled to God Obs The best estate of nature is a state of enmity against God for if these need any reconciliation how much more enemies Sight of reconciliation to God is consolation We are to distinguish betwixt Gods love and Reconciliation to us and our love and reconciliation to him they differ in nature and time and is grounded upon severall causes as to instance the cause of Gods Reconciliation to us is Gods love and the death of Christ our Reconciliation to God is the holy Spirit of God revealing to us Gods love and Christs Righteousnesse to be for us Reconcile us Obs Even such sinners as God doth love and sends after and will save they look upon God as their enemy and have hard thoughts of him For he hath made him Obs God the Father hath set apart the Lord Jesus to save man There is no other name whereby we may be saved Acts 4. 12. Heb. 9. 14. 22. Obs The way and meanes God hath chosen to free a sinner from sin is onely by Jesus Christ This should teach us to prize him and rest satisfied in him and not suffer ouâ— foolish hearts to seek after nor desire any other meanes or way of deliverance from fin but onely him Made him to be sin Some understand a sacrifice for sin and no more so as the guilt and punishment shall be translated unto Christ and not the fault but is it not unequall if not unjust and impossible to impose our guilt upon Christ and not our sin sin and guilt are inseperable for where there is no sin there can be no guilt therefore that our guilt might be laid on Christ necessarily our sins must after a sort be made his and annexed unto him by imputation all the sinnes of the Elect their adulteries murders blasphemies c. were laid upon him Isa 43. 5. Obs Sin must be charged upon Christ or the sinner and had not Christ undergone the penalty of sin no man could be saved as appeares Joh. 1. 1. 7. Joh. 1. 29. Rev. 8. 2. Eph. 2. 14 15. Heâ— 9. 22 Col. 1. 20. Zach. 9. 11. Our happinesse lieth in this that our sinnes are not â—mouted unto us Psal 32. 1 2. Obs God hath imputed our sins unto Christ and so laid them upon him that they are not ours no more but Christs who hath â—reed us and himselfe from them and so he shall apâ—eare without sin Heb. 9. 28. We should rest â—atisfied in Christs satisfaction because it is a â—ull perfect and infinite satisfaction Obs It appeares that the sence and guilt of â—in doth discourage a soule and cause it to desire to be at a further distance from God as Luk. 5. 8. Obs There needs strong reasons and earnest â—ntreaties to reconcile a soule to God yea â—he arme of the Lord must be revealed in them â—o make them effectuall Isa 53. 1. Obs The way to reconcile a soule to God â—s to let him understand the cause way and â—eans of his salvation therefore the Apostle â—aith He hath made him to be sin to us and â—hat we are justified freely Obs The words us and we in this verse wee are to understand them in the 19 verse to whom God doth not impute their trespasses therefore they are blessed Psal 32. 1 2. They shall not misse of glory they have Redemption by his blâ—ud the remission of sinnes Col. 1. 14. Rom. 5. 10. Therefore by us and we cannot be understood every sonne and daughter of Adam Obs For us That which is spoken in generall to beleevers every beleever is to apply it to himselfe in particular so Paul saith He loved â—e and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. Obs For us for me The word and promise of God that it is for me is that which the soule should fix its eye upon and for eveâ— relie upon to a full satisfaction to my soule knowing that the word and promise of God is the onely ground of faith and is securitiâ— sufficient for my salvation Obs Jesus Christ being made sin for me 〈◊〉 as good for me yea better for me then iâ—â— had never sinned as much better as a spirituall body is better then a naturall and 〈◊〉 the image of the heavenly is better then thâ— image of the earthly as much better 〈◊〉 strength is better then weaknesse and heâ—ven better then earth 1 Cor. 15. 43 44 〈◊〉 55. Obs As soone as the soule is convinceâ— that Jesus Christ is made fin for me and he made the Righteousnesse of God in him aâ— the soules feares doubts and discouragement and objections vanish and Christ is beleeveâ— in and lived upon with thankfulnesse aâ— joy Obs Which knew no sin Christ was wholly free from sin personally Luk 1 35. inherently Heb. 14. 5. and actually Joh. 8. 40. Obs Seeing Christ is so holy and so qualified as he is there is no reason why we should doubt of the sufficiency meritoriousnesse and effectuallnesse of that which Christ hath done for us Heb. 10. 10. 14. Obs That we mâ—gâ—t be made Whatsoever Jesus Christ hath done and suffered was for those whose fins were laid upon him and are fully pardoned by him Rev. 1. 5. Rom. 5. 19. That we might be made the Râ—ghteousnesse of God There is a twofold Righteousnesse according to the diversity of his nature the one uncreated and infinite which is the Righteousnesse of the Deity the other is created and finite which is the Righteousnesse of the humanity the first is infinite and therefore incommunicable the latter is the Righteousnesse of God also because it is in him who is not onely man but God So then Obs Christs Righteousnesse is the Righteousnesse of God The Righteousnesse which freeth a sinner from the curse of the Law is a perfect Righteousnesse Heb. 1. 8. Heb. 10. 3. see Job 33. 24. Obs Mans best Righteousnesse is imperfect it cannot justifie him
God But I have no love to Christ I am an enemy to Christ and not fit for Christ 1. The reason you doe not love Christ is because thou doest not know Gods love to thee Wee love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. As soone as we know Gods love to us that love constraines us to love him 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2. Art thou an enemy to God so were all that ever did beleeve see Eph 2. 12 13. While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Enemies cannot deserve Christ yet God gives Christ to such 3. It s a foolish conceit to thinke of fitting thy selfe for Christ it can never be 4. If thou desirest Christ goe to him and you shall speed He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. You see you have his word for it also Christ is in you if you desire him for no man can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse that is Christ but such as are blessed Mat. 5. 6. They that are led out of themselves to Christ for light and life and strength are the children of God Rom. 8. 9 10 11 14. This desire is from the in-being of the light and life of Christ in you Indeed there are many great and sweet promises in the Word but they are all for beleevers but I am none I grant none may apply a promise of life but such as beleeve yet the promises are for all the Elect thou doest not know but thou art one of them when God shall give thee faith thou shalt know thou hast an interest in them Acts 13. 48. In the meane time stay thy selfe with this that the Lord Jesus gave himselfe for enemies and justifieth the ungodly Rom. 5. 4. see Rom. 5. 8. 10. Be not discouraged God may save you also the Lord saith I will have mercy upon her that hath not obtained mercy and I will say to them that are not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God Hos 2. 23. Oh sweet place therefore by no meanes yeeld to thy feares doe not nourish jealousies against his love resolve thee in Christs strength to cleave to his Word as Psal 119. 49. And hold there saying My beloved is mine and I am his Song 2. 16. FOr he Jehovah is and changeth never Strong gracious he is and mercifull The same this day as yesterday and ever Kindness truth as from their fountain flow Though thou hast nothing wrought no kinde of way That might deserve his mercy on thy part Doe not thou faint therefore or doubt to speed He gracious is and loves without desert If thou hast waited long and also pray'd And yet no comfort from him thou canst finde Still hope in him and be not thou dismaide He in the end will shew himselfe full kinde Declaring love yet in his judgement just All that doe know his Name will in him trust He is a Father O come taste and see How sweet he is and how he loveth thee I would gladly beleeve but I dare not 1. There is no reason in the world for thee to doubt or be afraid seeing Christ cryeth saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Joh. 7. 37. The Spirit and the bride say Come and whosoever will let him come Rev. 22. 17. Doth God say come come come and are you afraid come he will not quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 20. Hope thee in his mercy and know The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 11. 2. The feares in many are occasioned or much increased by such teachers who bid persons beleeve and then unbid them againe saying take heed what yee doe you may be deceived it s no easie matter to be saved you must first be humbled and so sensible of sin before yee may beleeve and they conceive they are not so humbled nor so qualified and therefore they dare not beleeve So sometimes they scare them exceedingly with the many things hypocrites may doe and how far they may goe and so set them short of hypocrites which must needs discourage them and terrifie them so they build up one day and pull it downe againe the next if not the same day The word of God requires no such teaching for men to learne before they doe beleeve for when the soule seeth it selfe lost the first thing they are to doe is to beleeve in Jesus Christ as appeares Acts 16. 31. The word requires nothing of them before they may beleeve therefore we may not for none may presume to teach what is not written Rev. 22. 18. 3. If thou desirest to beleeve thy will is in part regenerated and thou dost in some measure beleeve though weakly as he that said Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. Gods servants are described by a desire to feare his Name Nehe. 1. 11. Psal 145. 89. Psal 147. 11. Those desires which worke towards God came from God The spirit returnes to him that gave it if thy desires be spirituall thou art spirituall to will to repent and beleeve evidenceth that such do repent and beleeve to will to be regenerate is the effect and testimony of regeneration It is God that worketh in you to will Phil. 2. 13. Holy desires cannot be in the soule that hath no spirituall life Psal 145. 19. Desires after Christ are an act of spirituall life an act is from a faculty a faculty is from life and being a dead man desires not spirituall desires flow from the Spirit and are a part of the worke of God in us the will of man in it selfe is not able to effect a supernaturall action 2 Cor. 3. 5. insufficient to thinke Gen. 6. 5. He cannot perceive the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. He cannot repent Rom. 2. 4 5. He cannot come to Christ unlesse he be drawne Joh. 6. 44. God must give eyes to see and a heart to understand Deut. 29. 4. There can be no desires without saith 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. A man cannot desire that which he doth not love nor that he beleeves not to be Heb. 11. 6. Many doe give God their hearts and doe not know it and so are troubled because they doe not know what is meant by the heart nor where it is seated I speak not of the heart of flesh Rom. 8. 5 6 7. There is a carnall minde and a spirituall minde I speake of the heart mystically and spiritually which is principally seated in the will so that what it wills or desires there is the heart and to that which the will most wills or desires to that the bent of the heart is unto now if any one were to have its choice of any one thing in the world that one thing that the soule should choose would any question whether they loved it and whether their hearts were to it so in
s made conformable to the will of Christ and lives by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. The first is where the latter is not 5. Beleevers are of severall growths and states first babes children secondly young men thirdly Fathers Can babes worke yet if babes dye in that state they shall not misse of glory 1 Joh 2. 12. It s one thing to be â—â—stified and another to be sanctified as it s one thing to live and another to be borne and to worke is distinct from both There is a great deale of difference between the Lords own people some are spirituall but others are termed carnail 1 Cor. 3. 1 Thou maist be begotten and not borne 6. If thou beest ignorant or in temptation then thy heart is clouded and thy heart distempered with feare as Job 23. 8 9. and to thou art not fit to judge or thy growth isâ— new borne babe able to judge of its growth Also consider it may be thou doest not use the meanes or not rightly in Gods way Psal 1. 3. with Song 4. 12. 5. Dis I have many thoughts in me that I am not the Lords which discourageth me and weakâ—â—â—â— my confidence 1. These thoughts are from Satan they are contrary to the word of the Lord which saith Cast not away your confidence Heb. 10. 35. 2. If you would consider from whence such thoughts arise it would appeare to be groundlesse and not according to the word they arise commonly because a man is so indisposed to doe good in that he is no more spirituall these indeed declare there is much corruption and sin but they doe not prove one not to be a sonne and daughter of God one sonne is more wilfull and stubborne then another yet he is a sonne for all that though a bad one 3. Satan tempts Christs babes to cast away their confidence in God it s no wonder he will tell them they have no faith c. Satan may be answered that he knowes not also if I should thinke so I may be deceived for as fire raked up in ashes appeares not nor gives it any light or heate so corruption may hide and obscure faith 1 Cor. 3. 1. The soule may say to Satan if I have no faith why doe yee not let me alone as yee do others and as yee did me when I tooke my fill of sinne then yee told me I had faith when I had none I have found yee a lier and therefore I will not beleeve you and am the more confident I have faith because yee say I have none for you are a lier and the father of it Joh. 8. 44. But suppose I have no faith there is no reason why I should despaire because all that are the Lords were sometimes as I am at that time yee were without Christ c. Eph. 2. 12 13. Which in times past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2. 10. Men are ordained to eternall life before they beleeve I know not but I may be one of them despaire will do me no good it s better in the use of meanes to waite upon God and trust him with my soule if mercy appeare I shall praise him and it may come there is nothing too hard for God Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Mat. 8. 2. Jer. 32. 17. 6. Dis I cannot pray nor doe any thing that is good therefore God hath not done my soule good 1. Unbeliefe deads thy heart and hinders thy living upon Christs strength 2. It s so with thee that thou maist see a need of Christs strength and goe to him by faith for it 3. If God hath given thee a desire to obey him say not that it is nothing God saith its something 2 Cor. 8. to 11. He that gives this accepts it 12 and he will grant thy desire in his time He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them Psal 119. 19. He will not quench the smoaking flax When wee see no fire wee know there is fire by the smoake Many a time a will to obey may be all that a beleever can finde in himselfe To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not for the good I would I doe not but the evill I would not that doe 1 Rom. 7. 18 19 20 21. The strongest Saint is but weake the highest perfection we are capable in this life is a fight of our imperfections and a desire and endeavour to obey and to live upon Christ by faith see Phil 2. 12 13. Paul was one of the most eminent Saints yet see what he saith of himselfe Rom 7. 14. to 25. Rom. 8. 37 38 39. He had not power to doe what he should yet he lived by faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. 4. We should doe all we can to obey God yet we must know our all we can doe will not justifie us before God see Eph. 2. 8 9. 7 Dis I finde no relish in goâ—d things and I often â—mit them 1. God may have begun his worke in thee although it be thus with thee this temper in thee may arise from divers causes first from unbeliefe secondly doubting of acceptance of thy person and duty it s no wonder such have little list to obey thirdly eying infirmities and not Christ with them fourthly not exercising the fruits of the Spirit especially faith fiftly little love to Christ fixtâ—y loving temporall things deads the heart and makes it 〈◊〉 seventhly weaknesse of grace eightly from Gods not affording present strength ninthly sloath and ease that-slayeth the soule tenthly undiscreet doing duties out of their season eleventhly ignorance of the nature of duties and what God requires in some cases twefthly ignorance of the sweetnesse in spirituall duties thirteenthly the soules sicknesse which hinders the soules relish of spirituall things the soule hath its sicknesse and distempers as well as the body fourteenthly weaknesse of body is a great enemy to action My flesh and my heart failes but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73. 26. he never failes 2. Unwillingnesse to good duties argueth much corruption from whence the omission of them doth often flow 8. Dis I have nothing for I am not able to subdue my passions 1. Thy not subduing them may arise from weaknesse wee arke weake and imperfect at the best we fall often see Gal. 6. 1. 2. Some partake more of naturall choller then others and as that is so we are more or lesse hasty and passionate and as that increaseth passion increaseth one that is wicked may be naturally patient and a childe of God may be sinfully passionate Elâ—â— was a man subject to the like passâ—ons we are Jam. 5. 17. 3. You must not measure Gods love to thee nor the truth of his work in thee
by thy mortification of sin consider Rom. 7. 4. God may for ends best knowne to himselfe suffer corruption to be too strong for thee it may be to abase thee more in thy own eyes to see thy weaknesse and to see a more need of Christs strength God may leave thy personall Sanctification the more imperfect that wee might the more minde and behold Jesus Christ and our Righteousnesse in him and live the more upon him and joy the more in our Justification by him Rom. 4. 6 7. 5. It s one thing to have thy sinnes forgiven or not imputed Psal 32. 1 2. and another thing to subdue sinne in thee 6. The reason fin so much prevailes is because yee live so much in discouragements live in the apprehension of the love of God and downe goes sin and discouragements but if yee live in discouragements sin prevailes as you may see Psal 77. 2. 7 8 9 10. 7. We ought not to fetch our comfort from our subduing of sin but from Christ who is made unto us both Righteousnesse and Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. When wee are at the best wee may not live in our selves nor by sighâ— buâ— by faith and when wee are at the worst wee ought to live upon Christ by faith and comfort our selves in him and in him onely It s the folly of many when they want strength and comfort they seeke it in their duties â—nd subduings of sinne and comfort themselves there but Christ is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. 9. Dis What I once felt is now decayed 1. The ground of our faith is God in his Word and not our sight and feeling that is sensuall Wee live not by sight but by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. 2. Whilst thou maintainest feares and jealousies of Gods love to thee it s no wonder it is so with thee call to minde the dayes of old as Psal 77. With him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. Whom he loves he loves for ever Joh. 13. 1. 3. A childe of God may decay in parts sight feelings and exercise of faith as Phil. 4. 10. these are sometimes more sometimes lesse as God seeth best that so wee might rest and relie upon Christ alone I see and feele nothing in my selfe or all is as nothing to me to Jesus Christ who is all to me 4. We ought to beleeve that we neither see nor feele saith is the evidence of things not seene Heb. 11. 1. To live by faith is to walke after the Spirit and to live by sight and feeling is to live after the flesh Rom. 8. 1 2. 10. Dis I am discouraged because nothing is made good to me I doe not possesse is 1. If thou beest included and art under the promise of it thou shalt possesse it 2. It may be made good to thee without thy possession of it there is neither faith nor hope in what we possesse to have right in it and to possesse it are two things They dyed in faith they did not possesse what they beleeved Heb. 11. 17 18. Abraham beleeved he should have a Sonne here was his faith Rom. 4. 3. 17 18. yet then he did not possesse his Sonne to make injoyment essentiall to faith is a very great mis-take 11. Dis I have no assurance of salvation and therefore have no faith 1 Faith and assurance are two distinct things assurance cannot be without faith but faith may be without assurance for assurance is not the proper act of faith but an effect of it and a higher measure then that is and the greater our feelings of assurance are the lesser is our faith 2. Faith is an assenting or cleaving to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his promise not from any thing the soule seeth or feeleth in it selfe but from something it apprehends in God in his Word Rom. 4. 20 21 22. Sometimes faith is attended with much strife and strugling for Satan saith to the soule it s in vaine to beleeve Christ saith Come I will ease thee now for the soule to rest upon the ability and fidelity of Christ in his promise is no small measure of faith Assurance is not from the nature of faith nor from the direct act of faith but from the reflect act of faith which is for a man to see and know that he beleeves which assurance is from the light and testimony of the Spirit of God in the conscience of one that is already a beleever causing the soule to know it beleeves the Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our spirits that wee are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. 3. There be some that have faith by reason of their ignorance and unskilfulnesse as Heb. 5. 14 15. 10. 15. Babes are unskilfull and have not experience of Gods dealing with his for order and manner so that when faith doth not act and when Christ doth not clearly appeare in the soule he doubts whether he be not deceived but when the Lord appeares againe the doubt is dissolved and the soule satisfied and he is armed with experience against such a time if he be able to judge and neglect not to marke well but where use and exercise is wanting there is not so cleare a discerning Heb. 5. 11 12. 12. Dis I feare the opposition in me is not between Christ and Satan or the Spirit against the flesh but from my corrupt will and my inlightned conscience I grant all the combates in men are not right many are deceived herein yet the difference may be discerned as 1. The naturall conscience though inlightned acts onely in a naturall way at the most it is but morall as not to â—lie steale sweare and such grosse acts 2. It stirres not unlesse it be forced and onely to that its forced unto 3. Conscience inlightned strikes onely at the branches of sin but not at the roote 4. It sets one faculty against another as the will and affections against the understanding 1. But the Spirit of Christ causeth an opposition in the same faculty as in the will c. 2. The Spirit of God makes a free full constant impartiall resistance against all sin 3. And discovers to the soule her secret corruptions in their colours the Spirit overpowereth the soule causing it to hate sin and leave it 4. The Spirit causeth the soule to be more glad the more sin is discovered 5. The Spirit of God teacheth the soule to oppose all sin even the appearance of evill equally proportionably and orderly 6. The Spirit causeth the soule not to turne the truth of God into incouragements to sin as some doe 13. Dis I am so troubled with hideous temptations as I beleeve no childe of God is 1. Christ was tempted Mat. 4. There is no temptation but a childe of God may be tempted with see 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2. If they be hatefull and burdensome to you and you cry to God for helpe against them they shall not be laid to
remission â—eb 9. 22. 26. None can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give to God 〈◊〉 for him the redemption of the soul 〈…〉 89. 7 8. Rom. 7. 14. The cause of our being delivered from destruction and our eternall happinesse in heaven is ascribed to Christs bloud to his ransome God saith Deliver him from going downe into the pit for I have received a ransome Job 33. 24. see Zach. 9. 11. Our not being condemned is ascribed to Christs death It s Christ that dyed who now shall condemne Rom. 8. 33 34. Therefore Christs ransome his death is the thing which delivereth us from the punishment oâ— sin heaven is called our purchased possession Eph. 1. 14. All except election and the love of God is attributed to Christ Wee preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thus I have fully proved that Christ upon the Crosse did suffer the whole punishment of sin for all his Elect for ever if it were not so Christ did die in vaine or is not a full and a compleat Saviour if he suffered but part of the punishment of sin he had saved us but in part and not fully and perfectly but Christs dying for us was to free us from all the punishment due to us for sin Christ bare all in being made a curse for us for what he did bare he bare for us and that which he hath borne for us we shall never beare and therefore it is a most certaine truth that all the Elect are for ever fully freed from the whole punishment of sin and his death is our justification and freedome from the curse and punishment of sin and this is no small part of our happinesse and comfort Vse of this Doctrine Vse 1. To exhort all that are the Lords to ascribe their salvation to the free love of God and to the death of our sweet Lord Jesus Christ and Christ alone and to nothing but Christ Who was made sin for us but Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21 Who bare our sins in his own body but Christ 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who was ordained to take away sin but Christ Heb. 9. 20. Who hath redeemed us from all iniquities but Christ Psal 130. 8. Titus 2. 14. Who finished transgressions and made an end of sin but Christ Deut. 9. 24. Zach. 3. 9. Heb. 10. 4 5. 7. Who appeared to take away sin but Christ 1 Joh. 3. 5. Who came into the world to save sinners but Christ 1 Tim. 1. 15. Who washed us from our sins and purged them away but Christ Rev. 1. 5. Heb. 1. 3. Who gave himselfe for our sins but Christ Eph. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who was made a curse for us and delivered us from the curse but Christ Gal. 3. 13 14. Who laid downe his life for ours but Christ Joh. 10. 15. Who bare our griefes and carried our sorrowes but Christ Who was stricken and smitten afflicted and wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities but Christ Isa 53. By whose stripes are we healed but Christs 1 Pet. 1. 24. Who is that just one that suffered for the unjust but Christ 1 Pet. 3. 18. Who made peace for us but Christ by the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1. 20 21. Who reconciled us but Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. By what means are our trespasses forgiveÌ„ but only by him Col. 2. 13. Who hath so blotted out our sins that they cannot be laid to our charge Rom. 8. 33. Who could deliver us from the wrath to come but Christ 1 Thes 1. 10. What bloud could clense us from all sin but Christs Joh. 1. 29. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Who hath carried away our sinnes but Christ What could justifie us but Christ by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. What could make us compleat Col. 2. 10. and all faire Song 2. 10. Without â—ault Kev 14. 5. Without spot Song 4. 7. and perfect us for ever but Christ Heb. 10. 14. What could make us one with Christ Heb. 2. 11. his fellowes Heb. 1. 9. and make us the righteousnesse of God but Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. Who is our righteousnesse but Christ Jer. 23. 6. Job 33. 23. by whose obedience we are made righteous Rom. 5. What ransome could deliver us but Christs Zach. 9. 11. Job 33. 24. What could make us free from the law of sin and death but Christ Rom. 8. 2 3. What could make us free but Christ Gal. 5. 1. Who could present us holy to God but Christ Col. 1. 20. Who brought salvation but Christ Who â—ought our battell got the victory and delivered us from all our enemies but Christ Luk. 1. 68. What Redeemer and Saviour have we but Christ who is all in all And seeing all is attributed to his bloud 1 Cor. 1. 18. 18. 23. we may not attribute it to beleeving justification and salvation are proper onely to Christ to his bloud to effect it to attribute it to beleeving as some doe is to rob Christ to give it to beleeving And if the preaching of Christ in wisdome of words made the Crosse of Christ of none effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. this opinion of theirs doth much more Gal. 5. 9. 2. Prise this doctrine contend earnestly for it Jude 3. Be content to suffer for it 3. Fetch all thy comfort from Christ in this truth meditate on this truth and endeavour that others may enjoy it with thee 4. Thinke nothing too much for him that hath done so much for you walke holily as it becometh the Gospel obey Christs coâ—mands tremble at the thought of giving way to sin least ye dishonour Christ and his truth and open the mouths of the wicked against the people of God Of the excellency and benefit of this Doctrine 1. There is no doctrine in Religion more honorable to the Lord Jesus Christ then this is this is the doctrine that gives all to Christ and exalts him alone that God may be all in all this doctrine cryeth nothing but Christ for he hath done all for us and is all unto us Col. 3. 11. The maine thing the Apostle desired to know was nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. 2. This doctrine most magnifieth the free love of God in that he hath loved us justified and saved us freely many are not able to behold this light it is so great as when the Sun shineth in its strength weake eyes are not able to beare it onely the Eagle can behold it so none but the Eagle-eyed Christians are able to behold the Sonne of Righteousnesse shining in his glory therefore few receive it the Prophet speaking of this doctrine saith Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. So that unlesse the power of God causeth the soule to see this truth there is no beleeving it men are ignorant of the fulnesse of the perfection of Christs righteousnesse therefore they condemne it goe about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. They reproach this doctrine
manifest that he was dead indeed Mat. 27. 59 60. Acts 13. 29. Hâ—s humiliation went no further then his life his death was the last act of his obedience He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. In his humiliation his life was taken from the earth Acts 8. 33. Death put a stop to his humiliation it went no further then his life His lying in the grave was no part of his obedience therefore no part of his humiliation and therefore no part of satisfaction he had a command to dye but none to lie in the grave Joh. 10. 18. 12. 49. Also how could Christ obey when he was dead or did he suffer when he was dead if he did not suffer when he was dead he did not satisfie then when he was dead his humiliation and satisfactâ—â—n consists in his suffering you should have alledged for proofe the Word of the Lord the thoughts of men are vaine The record and testimony of God is truth and the highest authority and only will beare sway in the hearts and consciences of those that love the Lord. For your generall Orthodox Divines we thought they were more divine then other men we fell downe at your feet we thought we could not worship you enough unlesse we shut our eyes and suffered our understandings to be led captive by you if you said to us stand we durst goe no further we were content to see by your eyes and to call things after your names when wee did see any light if you told us it was darknesse wee beleeved you till we found you deceived us Know you not that matters of Religion are to be tryed by the Scriptures onely If an Angel from heaven teach otherwise we reject and detest it It s a poore shift in the want of Scripture to alledge the saying of men in Religion we are to heare none but God Isa 8. 20. The testimonies of men are no proofe all men are lyers in them we do not beleeve Psal 116. 11. Cease from men Isa 2. 22. They doe or may deceive Wee cry nothing but the Word of God in matters of Religion the word we imbrace without men if the Word say it we beleeve it and not else therefore speake Scripture we pray you doe no more scare us with such great words wee know many call you Orthodox and others that differ from you Heretickes you call your selves Divines but why is it because you are exercised in matters divine or because you are made partakers of the divine nature if so then many tradesmen may be called Divines as well as you seeing the Reason is the same Gods being is onely divine Concerning the Intercession of Christ he saith Intercession is an act p. 204. In his intercession he intreateth p. 194. It s his praying for us in heaven p. 176. 179. 185. 189. Intercession is asking p. 339. Christ by his own prayers seconds the cry of his bloud p. 253. Jesus shall intercede for the pardon of them p. 246. The 17. of John is a pattern and instance of his intercession for us in heaven p. 24â— Ans The 17. of John declares Christ spake words in his own person and then the summe of that you say is this That Christ in his person now he is glorified speaks words to God for us c. 2. If it be so then there is no perfection in glory for where perfection is there needs no words God is perfect so is Christ in glory and must Christ speak words to God that God might know his minde and so prevaile is this sutable to a condition of glory in which is perfection 3. Your words imply that God the Father loveth us lesse then Christ that he need to be prayed and intreated c. But Christ is so far from needing any to pray and intreat him that he prayeth and intreateth God for us which cannot be because they are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. Therefore equall in love God the Father is said to Elect us give us to Christ and send Christ to dye for us God is as well pleased with us as Christ is and he loveth us as well as he loveth Christ Christ saith Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Joh. 17. 23 24. The Father himselfe loveth you Joh 16. 26. 27. He of himselfe without intreaty loveth us God cannot love us more nor lesse then he doth his love is infinite without beginning or end that which is infinite is not capable of being greater or lesser and it s the more glorious because it is so his knowledge cannot be greater nor lesse then it is the same may be said of his love he never began to know to will to love they are one in God God is love it s his being 1 Joh. 4. 16. I can say in a holy reverence and confidence in the satisfaction of Christ in admiration and thankfulnesse if God can condemne me let him he cannot deny himselfe the eternity and certainty of the Saints happy estate lesseneth not his love when we conceive of him in the highest eminency we can still we come short we cannot reach it Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is so high I cannot attaine unto it Psal 139. 6. O the depth of his wisdome and wayes they are past finding out Rom. 11. 33. Christs bloud speaketh Rev. 6. 9. Heb. 11. 4. So the bloud of sprinkling speaketh within us better things then that of Abel Heb. 13. 24. It speaketh peace to the conscience But he saith Intercession is a praying for us in heaven p. 180. There be many heavens Deut. 10. 14. The kingdome of heaven is within you Luk. 17. 21. The Church is called Heaven Rev. 12. 7. Mat. 11. 12. The ayre is called heaven 1 Kings 18. 45. The heaven of heavens cannot containe God in him wee live move and have our beeing 2. Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us in us The Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 26 27. Christ the Father and Spirit are one The Spirit of Christ which was in them 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Lord is that Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17. The Spirit of your Father speaketh in you Mat. 10. 20. Rom. 8. 34. 3. Christ is our advocate and intercessor in respect of that which he did for us in his own person when he was upon the earth before he suffered when he poured out his soule unto death and made intercession for us Isa 53. 12. Holy Father I pray that thou keep them from evill I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. Joh. 17. 9. 11. 15. 19. to 26. 4. Christs intercession holds forth the continuation of the efficacy of the vertue and fruit of Christs sacrifice
Geree saith that Doctor Crispe condemnes doing any thing for our own salvation and is not ashamed to say there is no condition on mans part I say nothing is more evident in the Gospel then Conditions on the Covenant on mans part to wit Faith and Repentance without which he cannot be in the Covenant nor have any share in Jesus Christ As Masters covenant with their servants so doth God with his people and they with him and if it be not performed the covenant is frustrate Rom. 3. 27. Acts 27. 24. 31. 2 Cor. 6. 14. to 19. If we meane to have God for our God we must repent and come out and God will receive us and upon no other termes in the world therefore I conclude that Doctor Cripse is fully deceived and strangely deluded and so are all others as did and doe beleeve him Epist side 9. pag. 35. 37. 43. 67. 72. 75. 77 78 79. 80. 99. 102. Ans You prove not what you affirme Rom 3. 27 declares salvation is not of works this is a full place against you Acts 27. Except yee abide in the Ship yee cannot be saved this is a temporall salvation from drowning unlesse he brings this place to prove his soule shall not be saved whose body is drowned it s not to the question for the 2 Cor. 6. he alledgeth to prove that God is our God upon termes not else whereas these words were written to the Saints who were converted and the Church of God before this Epistle was written to them this Church of Corinth had some communion and fellowship with Idolaters therefore the Lord exhorts them to come out from amongst them and he would receive them declare himselfe to be their God and owne them to be his people in a Church Relation as Rev 1. 20. 2. 5. see pag. 170. To understand it concerning our eternall condition is to contradict the Scripture which saith He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities Psal 103. 10. Psal 89. Gods love to his depends not upon what wee doe see Gods eternall good will to his Jer. 31. 3. 34. 40. Joh 13. 1. Luk. 22. 32. Joh. 17. 20 21. Mat. 21. 22. Rom. 8. 9. Joh. 14. 16. Joh. 10. 28. Phil. 2. 6. Rom. 11. 29. 1 Joh. 3 9. Mat. 24. 24. Tell me is Election Christs death conversion c. fruits of hatred or love if of love then God loved the Elect before they beleeved yea before they were borne Eph. 1. 4. If we are chosen to life according to the good pleasure of his will then we are not chosen to life according to our beleeving and repenting c. But the first is true Eph. 1. 5 6. Therefore the latter is true also nor are men chosen to life because God foresaw they would beleeve God is eternall the will of God is God he was never without his will what he now willeth he ever did therefore there could not be any cause to goe before it to cause it to be or so to be man cannot Elect without an act and time but it s not so with an infinite being Election is his eternall and immutable decree from eternitie Rom. 9. 11. Eph. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. It is the more wonderfull and glorious that it is without beginning his love is everlasting Jer. 31. 3. Therefore without beginning as God is infinite without beginning so is his love for God is love 1 Joh. 4. 16. see Joh. 17. 23. Therefore God loves his as much before they beleeve as after The Scripture doth not say God began to love when we began to beleeve nor that he loves any the better because they beleeve it is a certain truth that Gods love to us is not as ours is to him In that yee would have men to doe something for salvation it appeares you are ignorant of the taking away of sinne by the death of Christ hence it is that you urge our works to be necessary to salvation and so did the Seducers Acts 15. 5. 20. 30. If it were as you say wee are under an absolute covenant of works Doe this and live men must do so and so saith the Papist or else no salvation so say you Though God hath promised and Christ purchased all good for beleevers yet they shall not have it unlesse they doe so c. Doe you not see how you exalt your workes above the skies yea above God and his promise and the death of Christ and make workes all in all because without them all is frustrate and comes to nothing What no share in Christ without our workes all is frustrate if it be so then our works are joynt Saviours with Christ chiefe Saviours is not this pure Popery and the Popes Doctrine to a haire yet it hath an Imprimatur J. C. is there not a cleare light of the Gospel in such Licensers see Jer. 5. 31. Gal. 5. 2. Christ undertook to obtaine for his remission of sinnes by his death but he did not performe it perfectly if it be in part by our workes if it depends upon our workes then it depends not upon the death of Christ or doe you bring in Christ to merit that your workes may merit salvation Most truly and worthily did Doctor Crispe contend for the sufficiency of Christs bloud to save us and you contend against him and contend for the sufficiency of your doings in bringing in your workes to salvation and so undervalue the bloud of Christ therefore I contend against you our workes are imperfect and that which is so cannot please God if yee say Christ makes it up with his perfection in adding Christ to piece it out to make it up its apparent yee make Christ but a piece of a Saviour which is the greatest indignity yee can offer to him We doe condemne the doing of any thing for our own salvation and the Reasons why we doe so are 1. We doe nothing to be saved because Christ hath saved us He came into the world to save us and he saved us before he ascended therefore we are not now to be saved from our sinnes Heb. 10 10. 12. 14. 1 Tim. 1. 9. It s too late for us to be paying the debt of our sinnes by our worke the debt being paid before by Christ for us God did execute on him in his death all the punishment that was due to us for our iniquities God doth rest satisfied in Christs satisfaction for the sinnes of his past present and to come Isa 53. 5 6. 11. Heb 10 10. 14. Blessed he the Lord God of Isael for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David that wee should be saved from our enemies c Luk 1. 68 69. 71. Christ is the horne of Salvation 2. God requires no righteousnesse of us to save us because Christ hath fulfilled all righteousnesse for us Mat 3. 15. His
you keep the Law Joh. 7. 19. If yee say yee can keepe the Law without fin the Scripture doth call you a lier 1 Joh. 1. 8. There are none just upon earth Such as are such great doers for salvation are fit to be ranked with those in Mat. 7. 22. Can you make your selfe righteous can you keep the Law It forbids lust yea vaine thoughts Rom 7. 7. Gal. 3. 10. Unlesse yee can keepe the Law yee cannot be saved by workes 9. So much as wee eye any of our workes to be any thing in salvation it selfe so much we not onely neglect and slight Christ but are enemies to the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3. 18. Whatsoever they say or doe they are no better 10. To doe any thing to be saved is but wicked obedience all is uncleane Their minds and consciences are defiled Titus 1. 15 16. The more they doe the more hypocrites they are What men doe to escape hell and get heaven is wicked serving of God for that they doe is not in faith therefore it is sinne Rom. 14. and doe not please God Heb. 11. 6. If the plowing of he wicked is sinne what is his praying untill Christs love constraines the heart to love and serve him there is no love to God in what they doe all is but selfe-love their own ends are all they aime at but when the love of God is shed abroad into their hearts they will serve God freely Luk. 1. 74. 11. We doe nothing to be saved because we saw that when we had done all we could wee were unprofitable servants Luk 17. 10. Which could not be if we could have saved our selves or effect the least part of our salvation by any thing we could doe wee see we sin in all our workes they are no better then Pauls and he calls his dung Phil. 3. 8. Dung is fit for the dunghill Such are not worth the mentioning much lesse magnifying O Lord I will make mention of thy Righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal 71. 16. 24. We have no confidence in the flesh none in our selves but in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 3. We live to Christs righteousnesse we are dead to our own Gal. 2. 19 20. Our workes are our glory God spoiles us of our glory that we might glory in Christ I be nothing 2 Cor. 12. 11. All we can doe cannot satisfie for one vaine thought our workes are a most miserable rotten and sandy foundation if our salvation should depend upon them it did depend upon a broken reed no man is righteous in himselfe wee are not just in our selves but in another 2 Cor. 5. 21. Saving benefits are in Christ and not in us our blessednesse is in Christ and him crucified 12. Doers for salvation as confident as they are such were shut out of heaven those in Mat. 7. 22. were confident heaven should be opened to them their plea to enter into heaven was because they had done many great and wondrous workes t is worth the observing they thought it an unanswerable argument yet they were shut out heaven was not provided for them Publicans and Harlots were saved but not they Mat. 21. 31. Christ saith He knew them not What Doth not Christ know great workers for salvation no he neither knows them nor they him Such as look for salvation to be on condition of workes seeke to attaine it by workes they prize their own righteousnesse in stead of Christs see Rom. 10. 3. Such as know Christs righteousnesse prize it its glorious in their eyes our workes are as nothing to us they vanish before us like the morning dew as Hos 6 4. They prize set up and esteeme nothing but Christ Your conclusion it s your delusion consider againe and see if you can see whose is the errour who is deceived and strangely deluded I desire you may see looke on it well and submit Geree Who so blind as he that cannot see with halfe an eye that beleeving is the condition of the party justified p. 82. Wee must beleeve before we can be justified p. 81. The Doctor doth most ungodlily inferre that a man is justified actually before he hath faith p. 83. He saith We are justified before we beleeve this is the thing in question p. 87. He makes a wicked and sinfull seperation between Christ and faith in the point of Justification which methinkes should make all true Christians abhorre their Doctrine as hellish and apostaticall p. 95. The Doctor holds that Christ justifieth us before any qualification is wrought in us he saith Faith comes after Justification as well as workes and so excludes Faith in Justification p. 18. 34. The Apostle saith Wee are justified by faith Rom. 3. 23. The Doctor saith before wee beleeve You cry out against us our answer is to all your sharp arrowes most bitter words The Lord rebuke thee You will have us to see what spirit you are of I hope the Lord will let you see and say that you condemned the truth and those that taught it and that the errour and hellish doctrine and blasphemy is your owne You see the Word faith in Scripture Rom. 3. 23. But it s evident yee see not the meaning of it What the Scripture saith is true and so is what the Doctor saith it s but your mis-take to thinke otherwise wee deny not but affirme we are justified by faith but we deny we are justified by beleeving for the word Faith is not alwayes to be understood for beleeving the Scripture doth not say wee are justified for nor through nor by beleeving neither doth it follow that wee are justified by beleeving because the Scripture saith We are justified by faith because the word Faith is diversly understood as 1. Sometimes by faith is meant the doctrine of Christ Jude 3. Obedience to the faith Acts 6. 7. In the faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. Hearing of faith preacheth the faith Gal. 1. 23. 2. So for the power by which we beleeve Gal. 5. 22. Phil. 1. 29. 3. Faith is to beleeve have faith in God Mark 11. 22. 4. Sometimes by faith is meant the profession of faith Rom. 1. 8. 5. By faith we are to understand knowledge Rom. 14. 22. 6. Sometimes Christ is called faith in Gal. 3. 16. with 19. 23. The seed in the 19. verse is called faith in 23 verse and Christ in the 16 verse So that to be justified through faith and by faith that is through Christ through his bloud Eph. 1. 7. Through the Redemption that is in Jesus Rom. 3. 24. So the word through him is used 1 Joh. 4. 9. Through him and by him is all one Eph. 1. 5. 7. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Gal. 3. 14. Compare Rom. 3. 14. 28. with Rom. 5. 9. Isa 45. 24 25. Mat. 9. 22. Eph. 2. 8. Acts 15. 9. Gal. 3. 26. Eph. 1. 5. Those expressions of Scripture that ascribe most to Christ are the clearest the other are to be
6 Argu. If all things were accomplished the prophecies concerning Christs death were finished then he justified us but the first is true Jesus knew that all things were accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst when he had received the vinegar he said it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Joh. 19. 28. 30. Christ came to save sinners and when he gave up the ghost upon the Crosse he tels us the worke was finished Joh. 17. 4. and I beleeve him 7 Argu. If I am to beleeve I am justified it is either true or false if true then I was justified before I beleeved it if not true then for me to beleeve I am justified when I am not is for me to beleeve a lye and deceive my selfe nor doth God require me to beleeve a lye and for me to beleeve I am justified that so I may be justified is to beleeve a lye that it may be true which is unreasonable for my beleeving cannot make any thing true or false nor give being to that which had no being before if I beleeve brasse is gold is it gold therefore I was justified from the punishment of sinne before I did beleeve it Rom. 5. 19. 8 Argu. If our beleeving cannot satisfie Justice nor pardon the least sin then it cannot justifie us from the punishment of sin but the first is true 1 Joh 3 5. it cannot give remission of sin Acts 28. 18. Beleeving addes nothing to Christ nor to our salvation 1 Cor. 13. 2. Luk. 8. 13. 13. 25 26 27. Mat. 13. 20 21. Mark 4. 16. Heb. 6. 4 5. with Isa 48. 6 7. 58. 2. Jam. 2. 19. Charity and prophesie is greater and more to be desired then faith 1 Cor. 13. 13. 14. 1. But how could it be so if beleeving did justifie us for without justification there is no salvation no freedome from the punishment of sinne also there is not that said of beleeving which is said of charity see Mat. 25. 42. The Papists say we are saved by charity others by beleeving the Papists ground is as good as theirs 9 Argu. That which is imperâ—ect and defiled and is stained with sinne cannot justifie us from sinne but our beleeving is so its imperfect something is wanting in our faith 1 Thes 3. 10. It s defiled with sin All our righâ—eousnesse is as filthy ragges Isa 42. 6. with Titusâ— 5. Daniel includes hâ—s most holy acts when â—e names his righteousnesse Dan. 9. 18. Our beâ—eeving is called unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. Therefore our beleeving cannot justifie us from the punishment of sinne it s onely a means of our knowing or injoying the knowledge and comâ—ort of it Wee say not that good workes are â—innes we put a difference between the action God commands and the corruption of it â—s acted by us by reason of the corruption in us it s stained and defiled with some spot of â—inne all our actions our righteousnesse is so 10 Argu. If our righteousnesse be like unto a stinking filthy clout Isa 46. 10. then every good worke we doe is tainted with some sin â—or they were converted and were not without the fruits of the. Spirit when they so said of themselves see Psal 130. 3. Dan. 9. 7. 18. Ezra 9. 15. Job 9. 3. 28. 1. Joh. 1. 8. 1 Joh. 2. 7. Titus 3. 5. Psal 143. 2. Which sheweth that wee are not justified for nor by any thing we doe also from these Scriptures it is evident that there is no perfection in the flesh nor in any thing we doe and therefore that which is not perfect is not our righteousnesse and therefore cannot possibly be our Justification viz. our freedome from the punishment of sinne 11 Argu. If Christ saves us beleeving doth not save us if we be reconciled by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5. 18. beleeving doth not reconcile us if Christ takes away the sins of the world beleeving takes away no sinne if we are justified by his bloud then not by beleeving if we are reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5 9 10. then not by beleeving if Christ hatâ— delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thes â— 10. then beleeving doth not deliver us froâ— wrath if he hath delivered us from the cursâ— Gal. 3. 14. then beleeving delivereth us noâ— from the curse if Christ hath made me freâ— Gal. 5. 1. beleeving maketh not me free our sinnes are forgiven for Christs sake Eph. 23. then not for my sake nor for beleeving if men are Christs sheepe before they beleeve Joh. 10. 26. then beleeving doth not makâ— them his sheepe if men are of God before thâ— heare Joh. 8. 17 then before they beleeve if Christ hath washed us from our sinnes Rev. 5 beleeving doth not doe it if we are set out of the pit of destruction by the bloud of the Covenant Zach. 9. 11. then not for nor by our beleeving if we were not justified by his death how are we justified by his bloud if the bloud of Christ clenseth from all sinne 1 Joh. 1. 7. beleeving clenseth from no sinne 12 Argu. If the sinnes of the Elect shall not hinder their salvation then their salvation dependeth not upon their beleeving buâ— the sinnes of the Elect shall not hinder their salvation it is evident Psal 89. 28. to 39 Oh how sweet is this place and that in Rom 8. 1. 33. to the end It depends upon his promise and not upon our beleeving He is faithfull that hath promâ—sed Heb. 10. 23. What if some did not beleeve shall their unbeliefe make the faith of God of none effect God forbid Yea let God be true and every man a lyer Rom. 3. 3 4. If we beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. see Isa 14. 24. If we beleeve not observe Gods faithfulnesse in saving us depends not upon out beleeving see Rom. 11. 29 30 31. It depends upon Gods election predestination in the immutability of his Counsell Heb. 6. 16 17. Therefore our salvation is certaine to say wee shall not misse of salvation unlesse we will not beleeve is a vaine conceit if nothing can be charged upon the Elect Rom 8. 33. they are freed from all curse or wrath before they beleeve yea consider this truth and the sweetnesse of it 13 Argu. If God loves the Elect before they beleeve then beleeving is not any cause of his love but God loves the Elect before they beleeve he that is an enemy to the Gospel doth not beleeve it as concerning the Gospel they are enemies but touching the election they are beloved Rom 11. 28 29. He accepts of our persons before he accepts of any thing we doe Heb. 11. Therefore we are loved and accepted before we beleeve Eph. 1. 4. 6 7. 14 Argu. If not any thing shall separate us from the love of God then unbeliefe shall not but not any thing shall separate us from the love of God as
in his knowledge and love you were when he dyed for you here are sweet consolations 19 Argu. If we are not justified by workes then if beleeving be a worke then we are not justified by beleeving but we are not justified by workes Rom. 4. That beleeving is a worke appeares 1. Because we are commanded to beleeve as to love one another as he gave us commandement 1 Joh. 3. 23. If we are commanded to doe it it s a worke 2. To obey a command is a worke but to beleeve is to obey a command faith is an obeying of the will of God therefore a worke faith is called a service the service of your faith Phil. 2. 17. If it be a service it is a worke the worke of faith 2 Thes 1. 11. The act and exercise of our faith is a worke 3. It s a worke because we are reproved for the smallnesse of our faith Mat. 6. 30. 8. 26. If it were no way acted by us why are we reproved for not beleeving if we are not to doe it why are we reproved for not doing it 4. It s a worke because the Saints are exhorted to doe it Heb. 10. 22. We are not exhorted to any thing but that which is our duty to doe if it be a duty it is a worke 5. To beleeve is a worke of all the faculties of the soule the understanding will conscience memory affections 6. To receive a thing is an act of the whole man but to beleeve a thing is to receive it Joh. 1. 12. 7. Not to beleeve is a worke of darknesse therefore to beleeve is a worke of righteousnesse Titus 3. 5. 8. Faith is required in all we doe therefore it partakes of the nature of a worke and so is a worke and without it we cannot doe any good worke Heb. 11. 6. 9. It s a worke because wee are said to doe it If thou beleevest I doe beleeve Acts 8. 38. With the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10. 9 10. It is an action of the heart consisting in judgement and he doth it as truly as he confesseth with his mouth it is improper to say beleeve doth beleeve love doth love repentance doth repent but we being moved by the Spirit of God we doe beleeve we love and we repent not God but we by his power 10. If to confesse Christ is a worke then to beleeve is a worke and one of the workes of righteousnesse we have done Titus 3. 5. If it be said that faith is put in opposition to workes and therefore faith is not a worke I answer First When faith is put in opposition to workes then by faith we are to understand Christ because he alone is our Righteousnesse Rom. 3. 28. Secondly When the Apostle excludes workes in Justification by workes we are to understand all outward and inward acts faith it selfe for seeing works are excluded beleeving being a work it is excluded with the rest Thirdly It will be granted that the workes of the Law were excluded in Justification then it will follow faith is excluded because no command of the Law could be obeyed without faith therefore faith was a part of the fulfilling of the Law that faith was required appeares Mat. 22. 37 38. 40. The Law required purity and that could not be without faith for those that beleeve not are defiled their minds and consciences are defiled Titus 1. 15. Therefore beleeving was required under the Law as well as under the Gospel as to love the Lord is a duty now as ever and ever as now that which is our Righteousnesse causeth us to be accepted causeth us to be saved but that is Christ and not our beleeving Ezra 9. 15. Righteousnesse belongs to God Dan. 9. 7. It s proper to Christ Jer. 23. 6. Our beleeving is neither God nor Christ We are justified by the act of faith answ Then we are not justified by Christ by his bloud Christ hath deserved to accept our faith for Righteousnesse answ Gods judgement is according to truth Rom. 2. 2. He accepts it in mercy not in justice answ Doth God judge or accept a thing to be that which it is not 20 Argu. If justification is an act of God then it is not an act of beleeving but it s an act of God its God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. Christ is God My righteous servant shall justifie many Isa 53. 11. Rom. 5. 9. Ever since his death our sinnes have been removed Zach. 3. 9. Joh. 1. 29. Col. 1. 20. 21 Argu. If we are justified by his bloud then we are not justified by beleeving but we are justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. Through his Redemption Rom. 4. 24. Therefore not through our beleeving for bloud Redemption and beleeving are not one thing 22 Argu. That which is our justification that is our peace but Christ is our peace Eph. 2. 14 15. 17. Therefore Christ is our justification and not beleeving 23 Argu. That which covereth our iniquitie that justifieth us but Christ covereth our iniquity Isa 59. 2. Therefore he is our justification as that which is covered is not seene to men and that which is not seene is not imputed and that which is not imputed cannot be punished no more will God impute any sinne to his 2 Cor. 5. 18. But his righteousnesse Imputation signifying accounting or recounting what was ours not to be ours not imputing their trespasses to them 2 Cor 5. 19. Not reckoning to us sinne and so not the punishment of sinne and imputing or reckoning Christs righteousnesse to be ours for it is ours 24 Argu. If our justification is in another then we are not justified in our selves but we are justified in another In the Lord shall the children of Israel be justified and shall glory Isa 45. 25. Our justification is our glory and we glory in it beliefe is in us see Rev. 19. 8. 7 9. 13 14. Isa 61. 10. Therefore beleeving is not our Justification 25 Argu. Where our Righteousnesse is there is our Justification but our Righteousnesse is in Christ In the Lord is our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. Sufficient to secure us from the punishment of sinne that which is our Righteousnesse is our Justification Christ is that 1 Cor. 1. 30. Therefore beleeving is not our Righteousnesse nor our Justification Isa 45. 24. Rom. 4. 24. The Papists judge their workes to be that which saves them upon such places as these Mark 16. 16. Pro. 28. 18. Mat. 9. 17. to 23. Mark 13. 3. James 2. 24. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 16. 26 Argu. Justification is a spirituall blessing therefore where our spirituall blessings are there is our Justification but all spirituall blessings are in Christ Eph. 1. 3. In him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Saving benefits and blessings are not in us but such things as accompany salvation Saving and accompanying salvation are not one 27 Argu. Where we are accepted there we are justified but we are accepted in the beloved Eph. 1. 6. Therefore we
himselfe to be theirs and own them for his visibly My people Isa 5. 13. called so Rom. 9. 25. And so shall they own him in this sense they were not his people nor God to their God before Geree We must make our Election sure 2 Pet. â— 5 6 7. 10 11. Ans This place is to be understood of the knowledge of our interest in it that is we are to use all the meanes to attaine to the knowledge of it as for Election it selfe is sure enough it was before the world therefore nothing we can doe can cause it to be nor cause us to have an interest in it Eph. 1. 4. Our help comes too late to doe that which was done before we were borne we grant that untill men beleeve we cannot tell who is elected or shall be saved till it appeares to us Acts 13. 48. Geree All justified persons please God but without faith none can please God Heb. 11. 6. I herefore without faith no man is justified Ans God was ever pleased with the persons of the Elect Jacob was loved before he had done good or evill Rom. 9. 11. 13. This love is from everlasting Jer. 31. 3. God loves the Elect as he loves Christ and Christ was loved before the foundation of the world Joh. 17 23 24. Therefore the persons of the Elect pleased God before the world therefore before they beleeved nor doth God love any the more or the better because they beleeve as appeares Rom. 5. 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. Rom. 11. 28. 1 Joh 4. 16. Therefore Heb. 11. 6. is to be understood of actions not done in faith are not according to the Word therefore are not acceptable therefore your Sylogisme is not true nor safe if ye learne the truth ye must learne a new Logicke your Doctrine inferres that a beleever doth not sinne or if he doe he pleaseth God if ye grant its possible for one that is justified to displease God then ye contradict your selfe then its possible for a man to displease God and yet be justified Geree Faith and repentance on mans part are conditions of the Covenant of grace is evident Joh. 3. 16. p. 73. Ans I would see Scripture for this I heare it from men but not from Christ the Scripture doth not say that beleeving and repentance are conditions of the covenant of grace nor that there is any conditions on mans part of the Covenant of grace When you write againe alledge the Scripture that saith so or say nothing if there be conditions in the covenant of grace then the covenant is frustrate if the condition be broken if it were so we could not be certaine of salvation Joh. 3. 16. Mark 16. 15 16. and the like places are not conditions of the covenant of grace but directions how the Gospel is to be preached and applyed if any aske who shall be saved the Scripture answers He that beleeves The Scripture saith He that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Ye see Baptisme is required as well as faith the thiefe on the Crosse was not baptized yet saved if he was saved and yet wanted the one by the same reason another may be saved in the want of the other if he belong to the election of grace seeing beleeving repentance baptisme are workes in nature one Whereas it is said He that beleeveth not shall be damn'd and is condemned already Such Scriptures hold forth what men are in appearance and not what they are in respect of the eternall decree and appointment of God for those who beleeve were once unbeleevers Rom. 11. 32. And if it were his will that they should be damn'd God hath or must change his will or they cannot be saved For the Lord of hosts hath sworne saying as I have thought so shall it come to passe as I have purposed it shall stand Isa 14. 24. 46. 10. Acts 2. 23. Heb. 6. 17. To be condemned already is to be understood they are condemned in the Scriptures and in their own consciences yet if elected they shall be saved The Word of God is his will viz. his signifying will it reveales some part of his pleasure it is not his decree or pleasure it is not so properly his will as the will of his good pleasure is By the event the not slaying Isaack it appeared that it was not the will and decree of God that Abraham should kill his Sonne nor Niniveh be destroyed The word of God is his signifying will and it concernes us to looke upon it to binde us to the observation of it untill he signifie the contrary thus it was in Abrahams case concerning the killing of his Sonne Also the providence of God declares his will as well as his word though it be not in the same way instance the sparing of Niniveh c. Geree Righteousnesse is imputed to us by faith p. 102. Ans The Scripture saith God imputeth Righteousnesse you say faith imputes it faith and beliefe you make one p 85. Doe you make God and beliefe one or doe you deny that God imputeth Righteousnesse 1. Nor doth God impute our beleeving for Righteousnesse if it be said Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse So Phineas executing Judgement was imputed to him for Righteousnesse unto all generations Psal 106. 30 31. That is it was an action commendable 2. It what it was imputed his beleeving or that which he beleeved it was Christ his Righteousnesse that was imputed not his beleeving the word beleeving implyeth so much that Righteousnesse is elsewhere and not in beleeving nor in our selves for by it we apprehend something out of our selves in another in Christ 3. If God imputed his beleeving to him for righteousnesse then it was his righteousnesse or God imputeth it for that which it was not for Christ is our righteousnesse This is his Name that they shall call him the Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. We are to aske in his Name viz. his Name is his Righteousnesse He is made unto us Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. In his Name that is in the confidence of his Righteousnesse wee are accepted and shall have what we need in this confidence goe to God without wavering 1. Righteousnesse is in Christ In the Lord have I righteousnesse Isa 45. 24. Rom. 2. 24. 2. Beliefe is in us Christs righteousnesse is without us it covereth us Rev. 19. 8. 7. 9. 13 14. Isa 61. 10. 3. Daniel beleeved yet righteousnesse was not then brought in Dan. 9. 24. Isa 61. 1. 4. The Saints did not count beliefe to be their righteousnesse Psal 71. 16. Mica 7. 9. I shall behold his righteousnesse Righteousnesse and glory consists not in faith but rather subsists in us by it I meane the comfort of this Righteousnesse 5. To say that any thing is our righteousnesse besides Christ is to deny him the preheminence in all things Col. 1. 18. 6. Therefore the Saints cry O Lord thou art
But it doth for when we were dead then was the time that we were not alive Evermore the godly learned Schoolmen we call not the Papists in put a difference between Gods decree and the execution of it Ans So doe we but not because they say so if the Scripture be cleare why call ye in any at all we will not beleeve men therefore spare that labour when you write againe we doe not say we were actually justified from eternity but by Christ on the Crosse Why is God said to be wrath with the Ephesians whilst out of Christ Ans You abuse the Scriptures for they doe not say that they were ever out of Christ or that God was wroth with them Tremble to say God loved Paul with as great love when he persecuted the Church as when he preached the Gospel Ans Let them tremble that say that the sinnes of beleevers are accepted that make God changeable and love in him finite and to be by fits and starts sometimes more sometimes lesse and sometimes without any love at all and that a purpose of love and an act of love are contrary I thought a purpose of love could not be without love a purpose of love is love in act see Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 1. 14 15 16. Concerning your distinction of Gods love of benevolence to a sinner and his love of complacency after conversion there is no light in it in what Scripture may I reade this distinction of the love of God if not in any I beleeve it came out of the impure fountain viz. the blind Schoolmen How this distinction of love may sute with man I passe not but to referre this to God is to make him imperfect Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. I did not beleeve when God sent his Son and when he dyed for me therefore he loved me before I beleeved see Rom. 9. 11. 13. I wonder why you so contend for this expression that God loved the Elect from Eternity seeing the Scripture for once calling it love calls it purpose choice counsell election predestination Ans Wonder not we contend for it seeing many deny it a little leaven leaveneth all Gal. 5. 9. We beleeve also that all those expressions hold forth love and are one with it Where is life and peace till faith comes Ans It s in Christ where it should be Col. 3. 3 4. who is our peace Eph 2. 14. and when we beleeve we injoy the comfort of it I wonder ye so contend against our Justification and salvation alone by Christ unlesse ye intend to establish your own workes for righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. Luk. 18. 9. What need we take care if we beleeve he will not love us the better if we beleeve not he will not love us the worse and then a man may dye without faith and yet be saved Ans If this be all the Papists say as much against you for denying they are saved by charity say the Papists if our good workes cannot make us to be never the more loved what need we take care to doe them if we doe them God will not love us the better if we doe them not God will not love us the worse if we dye without them we may be saved Consider what answer ye would give to them and take it to your selfe So you tell us a story of a maide who as you say was led away with this doctrine said boldly to you shee knew not how shee could offend Jesus Christ by any thing shee did answer Heb. 13. 8. He changeth not if her speech could not be justified what is that to us The doctrine of Christ is not the cause of the sins of men is there none of your minde doe amisse it s easier to tell a story then to prove what you have said To use your own words Many errours blasphemies and tragicall effects flow from your doctrine You say Faith takes a man out of the state of damnation c. with other strange doctrines which the Bible never knew which tend to dishonour Christ and to obscure the Gospel and fill the conscience with trouble and sorrow in stead of joy and peace Christs perfection is our happinesse and in it we rest satisfied desiring to obey him O that we did not thinke any thing too much for him who hath done so much for us to love us and wash away our sinnes in his own bloud Many shall receive the notion of this truth as I heare you have done but shall afterwards lay it downe againe for error as you have done grow dead or be prophane because they received not the truth in the love of it God gave them up to strong delusions to beleeve lies taking error for truth they not being taught it of Christ they wanted the power of it and never truly knew nor understood this truth but yee have not so learned Christ if so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus Eph. 4. 20 21 22. Yee see the teachings of men and the teachings of Christ are diverse and have severall effects the one ends in prophanenesse but Christs teaching ends in holinesse as becometh the Gospel An Answer to a Treatise intituled Sin suffered for but not remitted IN which he saith Sinne was not before the sinning person had a being Ans If sin cannot be considered to be before we were borne then when Christ suffered he bare none of our sinnes how then can we be saved for that which is not cannot be borne and how is it just to punish Christ for nothing for so is that which is not Isa 53. 4 5 6. We put a difference in the Covenant and the performance of it Ans So doe we and when Christ dyed he performed the condition of the Covenant Heaven was then purchased and we may aâ— well say we have that now as pardon of sin heforâ— it be committed Ans The Scripture saith we are justified in his bloud and that he hath washed us from our sinnes in his own bloud but the SSâ—ripâ—ture doth not say we have heaven in his bloud and are glorified in his bloud therefore thâ— Reason is not the same The Scripture speakes onely of sinnes past Ans If Christ satisfied onely for the sinne past before his death or onely those we havâ— committed who shall satisfie for the rest wâ— shall hereafter commit the Scripture saithâ— he hath forgiven us all our trespasses pasâ— present and to come is all lesse is not aâ— How past what before Christ suffered whâ— or what satisfied for sinnes since committedâ— if past before we beleeve what satisfieth 〈◊〉 purgeth us after conversion will our workâ— doe it We put a difference between the salve in tâ— Surgeons box and the healing of the wound Ans So doe we yet say His stripes healed 〈◊〉 Some whose sinnes Christ 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 unwashed Zach. 13. 1. Ans Zach. 13. 1. was a