a people he is set out as turning his face toward them Hence in Scripture the people of God pray for the favour of God under this notion Psal 80. 3. Psal 80. 3. Cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved Psal 31. 16. Make thy face to shine 31. 16. 27. 8. upon us Psal 27. 8. c. In this sense Cain spake Gen. 4. 14. From thy face I shall be Gen. 4. 14. hid id est from thy favour And it is by some learned Expositors observed that when the term favour is joyned with behold or shine c. it alwaies thus signifies Thus Psal 67. 1. God be merciful unto us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us i. e. shew us some token for good this is sometimes called the light of Gods countenance 2. The fear of God sometimes signifies Gods glorious manifestation to his Saints in Heaven 1 Joh. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 16. where as the Apostle speaketh his people shall see him with open face face to face as he is c. I am inclined to understand the phrase in the utmost latitude I will or shall in righteousness behold thy favourable face in the influences of thy love in this life and thy glory in that life which is to come and accordingly it will not be different to interpret Davids beholding 1. In this life they behold the favour of God with the eyes of their mind apprehending the love of God in Jesus Christ to their souls and being perswaded of it according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels c. shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the life to come they shall behold the face the presence and glorious manifestations of God not only with the eyes of their minds but with their bodily eyes Job 19. 26 27. In my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another Then we shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. and as he is 1 Joh. 3. 13. I have now opened the former part of the text which I called Davids resolution I will behold thy face in righteousness c. And you see it comes to thus much O Lord it pleaseth thee in the wisdom of thy providence to prosper my bloody and cruel enemies they are full of riches and children yet they walk proudly and dishonour thy name they have a large proportion of the good things of this life and they look upon them as their portion let them do so As for me I am indeed in a low condition poor and afflicted and persecuted but I will look after righteousness I will labour for the righteousness of Jesus Christ and endeavour to live an holy life and conversation having respect to all the Commandments and walking closely with thee Though I be used cruelly and unjustly yet I will walk innocently and manage a just and righteous cause and so doing I will look towards thee and hope in thee Let others look after the favour of the world my business shall be to contemplate thee to meditate to fix the eyes of my soul on thee that I may have the manifestation of thy love to my soul here and that I may enjoy thee in glory hereafter This shall be my aim this my study though I do not now see thee yet if my soul be clothed with the Righteousness of thy Son if I endeavour to walk closely with thee I shall one day either here or in glory behold thy face if I do not see thy face before I die yet in the resurrection I shall see it When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness I come now to the Explication of the latter part of the text which I told you in those words I shall be satisfied The Septuagint reads it I shall be feasted 1. The word signifies a plentifull filling The word by which the Greek Interpreters translate it signifieth such a filling as the beasts are filled with eating grass you know they make themselves very full seeding meerly by sense and according to appetite under no regulation of reason Thus it is used Hosea 13. 6. According to their pasture so were they filled and their heart was exalted To this degree are souls sometimes filled in this life with manifestations of grace Thus are the souls of the Saints filled with Gods manifestations of himself to them in glory Such sometimes are the shinings of divine light upon the soul on this side of Heaven that it knows not how to bear any more it is filled with a joy unspeakable and full of glory But in the other life Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him Yet even then the glory of the Sun of Righteousness will be above the glory of the brightest Star They shall be glorified with the same glory as Christ and his Father are glorified as to the kind not as to the degree of it we can receive but according to our capacity In short they shall be so filled as they shall desire no more The word signifieth perfect fulness and therefore Criticks derive it from a word that signifies seven which in the dialect of Scripture is the number of perfection Seven times a day will I Psal 119. 164. Gen. 4. 15. Pro. 24. 16. praise thee that is many times Vengeance shall be taken on Cain seven-fold She that hath born seven languisheth Prov. 24. 16. The righteous man falleth seven times a day And so in many other texts But further yet the word signifies a filing as with dainties as a man is filled at a feast a man may be filled with bread but at a feast we are usually filled with pleasant bread as Daniel calleth it So then when David saith he shall be satisfied he in effect saith I shall be filled seven times filled brim full perfectly filled as at a feast And indeed thus shall the souls of Gods people be filled but when and how are two questions which by the remaining words must be resolved When I awake saith the text or in awaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in watching or in being made to awake or to watch For the form of the words it admits this variety of interpretation The LXX read it When thou shalt appear unto me The Vulg. Lat. When thy glory shall appear unto me We will first consider the original word in its latitude of significancy and then weigh what it here importeth The word in the Hebrew comes from a roo which signifies three things 1. To make tedious 2. To watch 3. To awake The two latter alone can fit this text and betwixt those two interpretations I find all valuable interpreters divided The Hebrew properly is in watching or in awaking
and think that the asserting of it derogateth from Christs plenary satisfaction which indeed would have something of truth in it had not God in that Covenant reserved himself this liberty If Psa 89. 31 32 33 34. they break my Statutes and keep not all my Commandments then will I visit their iniquity with a rod and their transgressions with stripes Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips By vertue of Gods Covenant with Christ for us their earnest salvation and the welfare of their souls for ever is secured Nay more afflictions as they are tokens of divine wrath and legal demands of satisfaction to Gods Justice cannot fall upon Gods people but he hath reserved to himself the liberty of a Father in love and kindness to chastise his people with rods The people of God therefore should not think it strange if they meet with these dark issues of divine providence nor should any entring into the waies of God promise himself a freedom from afflictions and trials of this nature Christ hath secured us eternal salvation and all necessary means and influences of grace in order to it but he hath not totally exempted us from the rod of affliction But this is not all The second Proposition speaketh yet more The Child of God may not only live but may 2 Prop. also die and fall asleep unsatisfied as to the likeness of God This is true both as to the likeness of God in them and the manifestations of God unto them 1. As to Gods Image in them this lies in the perfection of holiness and is so far true that it is hard to find a child of God whoever as to this died satisfied what Christian on his death-bed ever said he had faith enough or love enough or holiness enough David cryes out Although my house be not so with God And where is the soul that departing to eternity sees not reason to complain that his heart hath not been so with God as it ought to have been The best of men sinneth seven times in a day 2. But it is true also as to the apprehensions of divine love not being able when they die to say assuredly My Beloved is mine and I am his What shall we say to the great example of our Lord and Saviour It is true he knew he was the eternal Son of God that after his resurrection he should be glorified with that glory which he had with his Father from all eternity and in this respect might differ from some of his children who dying may want that certainty and only die with a good hope through grace yet in this dying hour he cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Nor can we well understand how he should for us die under the curse and sensible feelings of divine wrath unless we grant that he died under the withdrawings of the sensible manifestations of divine love and certainly the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. Our own experience also proves it have not we known some persons of whom while they went in and out with us could say These are the anointed of the Lord we saw them walking closely with God fearing every sin making conscience of every duty serving the Lord so far as we could judge in spirit and truth and this not in a fit but constantly yet when they came to die their Candles went out in obscurity We have not seen them in that triumph of faith that fulness of joy and peace which it may be we did expect Not able to say with Job In Job 19. 26. Rom. 8 38. my flesh I shall see God nor with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death shall separate me from the love of God in Christ Nor is there any thing in spiritual reason to hinder it Sensible manifestations are none of our necessaries God hath no where promised that they shall not fail the soul in death Mr. Rutherford I remember propounds this to be observed Whether usually when in the time of their life the Saints of God have felt many reflexions of divine love many sensible consolations God hath not left them to die in the dark And on the contrary when any of his children have in the time of their life been full of fear and dejections c. God hath not usually in their sick and dying hours shined upon them with visions of peace It is not to be fixed as a standing Rule for the Almighty is neither to be limited nor tracked in his goings but it may be worthy of our observation Now this seemeth a very hard dispensation Gods people oft-times know not how to live without sensible manifestations of his love but they are much more at loss how to satisfie themselves to die without it May we therefore in any degree of humility guess at some reasons of so sad a divine dispensation 1. In the first place it is enough to a modest soul inquisitive in this particular to say Even so O Father because it pleaseth thee God will have us to know that the wind bloweth both where it listeth and when it listeth and that his Spirit is not less free We shall not know the hour when he will visit his peoples souls nor will he constantly come in at the same hour that he might assert his own liberty to us this may be one and indeed it is the great reason to be assigned of this dispensation 2. The Lord may have a design by it to make a trial of his servants faith It is a good faith that will long maintain a living Saint without sight but it must be a strong faith which will maintain a Christian in his dying hour without it This was the faith of Job Though he kills me yet I will trust in him This is a faith which holds out to the end and shall have the Crown of life which God hath promised It is the last act of faith to serve a departing soul Love goes with the soul into another world Faith parts with it at the gates of death the vision of faith is then changed for the beatifical vision What a man seeth how doth he hope for That faith that seeth Christ through a glass darkly hath its eyes in death quite out The soul comes with open face to behold the glory of God It argues a great spirit in a souldier to fight to his last breath And it speaks a couragious strong faith for a Christian to die believing dying hope is a good hope therefore it is given as the character of a righteous man that he hath hope in death And of the Hypocrite it is said Where is the hope of an Hypocrite when God takes away his soul Job saith that his hope shall be like the giving up of the Ghost Look as dying
and a Candlestick for the Servants of God who passed that way but like Lydia she would adjure them if they judged her faithfull to come to her house To this purpose she had set apart one Chamber in her own house to which she had given the name of The Ministers Chamber She highly prized any laborious Godly Minister and that for his works sake and she had as little kindness for any who attended not their Work or whose lives defamed their Doctrine and Function having nothing but the colour and form of their Coat to make them known she had indeed a peculiar kindness for some but a great love for all whom by any thing she could discern deriving from Christ and dedicating their time and hearts to his service So far as I could estimate it she every year spent the fourth part of her Revenues upon good Ministers and poor Christians Her charitable acts were like that pious act of Araunah of whom the Scripture saith As a King he gave unto the King What she did of this nature she did nobly and a very large heart and hand God had given her How often hath she lodged strangers relieved the afflicted washed their wounds instead of their feet washing of which being not our guise How diligently did she follow every good work Her Coach was ordinarily seen waiting for her at the doors of poor and mean persons whiles others like Michal looked out at their wanton Windows saw it and mockt It pleased her Ladyship when she came home to fancy what the wanton Gallants of the Town said How glorious was the Lady Frances to day spending her time in Visits to poor Knitters She had an answer ready with a small alteration from the man according to Gods own heart It was before the Lord with such as he hath chosen to Eternal life leaving Vain persons to perish in the recompence of their iniquity While others were measuring the ground with their idle feet she upon her bended knees was taking her turns with God and taking the heighth of the third Heavens While they were discoursing of the Mode in this or the other habit she was discoursing with poor Christians upon sick and Death-beds about the long white Robe of Christs righteousness the New Name the white Stone the Chains about the Saints necks while they were laughing and pleasantly busied at their Feasts Balls and Playes she was in her Closet mourning and offering up to God the spiritual sacrifice of Prayers and Tears both for her self and them She was of our Divine Poets mind that Kneeling never spoiled Silk-stocking nor Gown neither and that Christian Cottages never dishonoured a more stately Coach I have known some very mean Christians but indeed of great grace and great experience in the wayes of God from whom lying on their beds of afflictions she would hardly be two dayes absent nor did she judge any time too long to spend with them She would often say to me that she believed Love constrained equally if not more in spiritual Relations than in those that were natural and when in her dark hours she sometimes ran the fate of other Christians wanting such evidences of Grace as she desired to have found she would from this relieve her self that if St. Johns Argument were infallible 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren she yet had a ground of hope for if her heart did not strangely deceive her she loved them and that because of their holiness c. nor was she any of those that said she had Faith or Love and had no Works None of those whom St. James reflects upon Who if a Brother or Sister were naked and destitute of daily food would say to them James 2. 15 16. Depart in peace be you warmed and be you filled notwithstanding gave them not those things which were needfull to the Body Her love did not evaporate and spend it self in an empty-handed Visit or meer pitying of such as were in affliction she many wayes refreshed their bowels if she found their bodily distempers difficult she would ordinarily send her own learned Physician to them who himself was a Luke too towards such as feared God if she found them under spiritual trouble she would direct me to them She would put her own hands to their wounds send them dishes from her own Table when she had been with them at any time like the good Samaritane in the Gospel when she came away she would take out money from her purse and give to Nurses saying to them Take care of this person and whatsoever you spend more when I come again I will repay you Her self denyal in all acts of piety and charity to the souls and bodies of others was the just admiration of all sober persons in the place where God had fixed her for which she was universally honoured even by those who were of far different complexions from her Nor was she at all morose in her converse Her piety taught her civility and affability and a readiness to do good to all though her delight according to that of David was in those Psal 16. 3. whom she apprehended dear unto God and she was according to the Apostles direction most abundant in doing good to those of the Gal. 6. 10. houshold of Faith Though her Expences were great and noble yet those upon her self were mean and inconsiderable She cared not to be known by so pitifull a badge of Honour as Costly Apparel but was far more ambitious of purchasing to her self an honourable report from good works which yet she did not to be seen of men and was carefull as to the most of them that they should neither be taken notice of in the doing nor that any record should be left of them her desire was to have praise not from Men but from God Landes quia merebatur contempsit quia contempsit magis merebatur So little did she affect applause that drawing her last will at least the Preface to it with her own hand whiles I had the liberty of my publick Ministry she willing me to preach at her Funerals added as I remember these very words And I desire him to forbear all commendations of me a vile sinfull Creature Thus did this Noble Lady go in and out before us commending the holy wayes of God not only to all in the house with her but to all that dwelt round about her Thus did she shine in her Horizon she was not a reed shaken with the winde not one carried about with every winde of Doctrine she was not a person known by her cloathing in soft and costly rayment yet she had been no stranger to Kings houses she was a burning and a shining light and for many years the people of God in the City of Norwich rejoyced in her light to say nothing of more extraordinary advantages they injoyed at least three opportunities each week
see him and also in restoring life to our dead bodies in the Resurrection It is God who giveth spiritual life and who giveeth the aboundings of spiritual life who first quickeneth the soul and who further quickeneth it and keepeth it up in its spiritual operations and it is God who quickneth the dead Rom. 4. 17. The words thus opened afford us two things as grounds of Davids satisfaction in that dark condition in which he was Though his state was but at present sad and uncomfortable though lately he neither had seen God nor heard from him only had seen and felt the srowns and thunderings of his providence against him yet he would be satisfied 1. If he found God inabling him in this his sad perplexed persecuted state to wait upon him and exercise grace in watching for him 2. In the assurance he had that though as yet he were unsatisfied and might possibly fall asleep so in death yet in the resurrection of the just he should awake from that sleep then he should have enough of God and be fully satisfied with his likeness I have only that one term more to open With thy likeness The Hebrew word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the imaginary form of a thing Job 14. 16. An Image was before mine eyes Sometimes the real form of a thing presented to the bodily eye Deut. 4. 16. You saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire that is God did not appear to you in any real sensible shape Sometimes it signifieth some real fignature of a thing presented not to the eye of the body but to the eye of the mind to the understanding So Numb 12. 8. The similitude of the Lord shall he behold That is I will make an impression of my divine Nature and Majesty upon him by which he shall be able in some measure to conceive of and to comprehend me We cannot see the divine Essence such glory is too great for mortal eyes we are not able to fix our eyes upon the Sun riding in the Firmament in its full triumph of light much less upon his Essence whose brightness is such that even the Sun in its fullest glory is darkness to him God told Moses he could not see his face and live but his similitude he should behold he would make upon his spirit an impression of his Majesty and Goodness But let us now inquire more strictly what this likeness of God in the text is The Septuagint interpret it The glory of God I shall be satisfied with thy glory that is a truth but whether the whole of the truth I doubt Some think the Ark of God is meant which the wife of Phinehas called the glory of Israel And that David in this his afflicted state comforted himself with this consideration that he one day should again see the Ark of God the power and the glory of God in his Sanctuary We read also that when he fled from Absolom and Abiathar brought the Ark after him he bid him carry it back again if the Lord had a pleasure in him he would bring him back and he should see it and his holy habitation But I think we shall find that glorious Symbol of Gods presence no where stiled Gods likeness Others think that by Gods likeness here David understands Christ who is indeed called the brightness of his Fathers glory the express Image of his person And that David here comforts himself as Job before him that he should see his Redeemer with those eyes Those who interpret the text as the words of Christ by Gods likeness here understand the glory of God wherewith Christ was glorified after his resurrection from the dead and ascension But I take all these senses to be too much forced upon the text There are three things which I think may be all comprehended under this term 1. There is a likeness of God in us Adam was at first created in Gods image or likeness Gen. 1. 26. And in our Regeneration the Gen. 1. 26. image of God is said to be renewed in us Col. 3. 10. And we are said to be created after Col. 3. 10. the image of God in righteousness and holiness Thus we are commanded to be holy as the Lord is holy This is now the image of God within us the impression of the spirit of Grace upon our hearts by which we are made partakers of the Divine Nature I take this to be much the sense of the place Lord if thou shalt inable me in my dark hours to study and to perfect holiness I shall be satisfied though I want comfort yet I shall be much satisfied â—f I be but inabled to watch for a further degree in holiness 2. Secondly We may take likeness for Gods manifestations of himself to us by his spirit of consolation In this life we do not see God as he is but he sometimes makes gracious manifestations of his love unto his people in the sensible consolations of his Spirit reflecting divine Love upon the souls of the Saints and sealing them up to the day of Redemption Now saith the Psalmist though I do not see the Lord in this likeness of his though I want the assurances of his love and comfortable manifestations of his gracious Spirit yet Lord it shall stay me if I find thy grace inabling me but to wait for these manifestations 3. Lastly Gods likeness may be taken for the glorious manifestation of himself to his Saints in another life and this I take to come fullest up to Davids meaning O Lord though while I live here I walk in the dark and see no light while I am beholding thy face in righteousness and watching for thee though I may go down to the grave and sleep my sleep in the dust not fully satisfied not seeing what of God I would do yet this I know that in the resurrection I shall awake and then I shall be made amends for all which my soul hath suffered in its dark and sad hours under the ecclipses of divine light I shall then be filled with God I shall see him as he is face to face and my vile body shall be made like to my Redeemers glorious body Thus I have largely opened the words take the substance of them shortly David was at this time in a sad condition both 1. In respect of the persecution against him from without And 2. The divine desertion which at this time clouded his inward man 3. And the temptations which attended him in these straits In this verse he takes up his resolution what he would do and also shews us what stayed his heart and gave him something of satisfaction in his perplexity That which he resolveth to do is to labour for the Righteousness of Christ in which to behold the face of God to live an holy life and conversation and to manage his cause against his enemies in a just and
men fetch their breath shorter and shorter till at last it quite fails them so are the presumptuous hopes of hypocrites the nearer they come to death the shorter they fetch the breath of their hopes till at last they quite fail them and they die either stupid or despairing God makes a great trial of his Saints faith when he calls them to die in the strength of it 3. God may have a design in it to honour his Word If we wholly lived upon sight the Word of God would not be so precious to us the Promises would not be so dear to us Though I consess it is a very suspicious comfort which the Word brings not into our souls but yet consolatory dispensations are the more special and extraordinary manifestations of the Spirit in a more than ordinary improvement of the Word Gods Word appeareth and is made very precious to the soul when it hangs its whole weight upon it being not at all advantaged from sensible reflexions I had perished saith Psal 119. 92. David in my affliction if they Word had not been my delight What an honour there did holy David put upon the Word of God acknowledging that the whole weight of his perishing soul hung upon it and it sustained him Indeed there is a secret powerful influence of the Holy Ghost tcaching and inabling the soul to lay hold upon and to apply this Word But in faith of adhereâ—â—e though the Spirit be the great Author and Finisher of it teaching and inabling the soul to lay hold upon and to apply the Promise yet it is by a more secret and insensible act and the Word appeareth most in maintaining that Oh! faith the soul had it not been for such a Word such a Promise such a good word of God is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation In the reflex act of Faith which giveth the soul a plerophorous evidence or a full perswasion of its evidence in God the work of the Spirit appeareth more extraordinary and glorious the vertue of the Word doth not so much shew it self Now the Lord will sometimes honour his Word in the fight of his children letting them see that it is enough to support bear up and to uphold a soul though it should never see the face of God till it come in Heaven yet the Word is enough securely to carry it thither 4. God in such a dispensation may have a design to teach his people that salvation doth not depend upon sensible consolatory manifestations Not upon the sweet application of the Promises to the soul an act wherein we have no share it being the Lords work alone and marvelous in our eyes but upon the strong and steddy application of our souls to the Promise This latter is justifying faith the other is the faith of one already actually justified We are too prone to lay too much upon sensible comforts Some there are who will acknowledge no other notion of faith but a full perswasion of the love of God and so indeed confound faith and sight which the Apostle seemed so warily to distinguish when he told us We live by faith and not by fight And again that hope which is seen is no hope and indeed cut the throat of many a poor Christians comfort who it may be all his life cannot come to such a sensible evidence Indeed the most judicious Christians are prone to lay too much stress upon these consolatory manifestations and to think all nothing if they want them Now this is a great error which the Lord may aim at the correction of in his people by such dispensations letting the soul see there is vertue enough in his Word to bear it up through the deepest waters of affliction without the bladders of sensible manifestations Enough in that and the souls application of it self to that though until it come in Heaven it never sees the face of God It is believing that carries the soul to Heaven i. e. an hungring and relying upon Christ and his righteousness alone not that joy and peace which is the consequent of believing and that too inconsistent and uncertain And indeed I do not know any one truth that needs more rooting and confirmation in a gracious heart The life of sense is the life of the Saint triumphant The life of faith is the life of the militant Christian Though God sometimes condescends in such manifestations to the infirmities and desires of his people and is pleased to give them a glimpse of glory as the earnest penny of a future greater reward which he intendeth them yet these must not be lookt upon as the necessaries of a Christian but what God gives â—s ex abundanti a pledge of future glory Sometimes God gives his children to go to Heaven in the sight of Heaven As Stephen went to it seeing the Heavens opened and Christ Jesus stanidng at the right hand of God pleading for him and ready to receive him into the glorious mansions provided for him But as this is a note of singular and extraordinary favour which God is not bound to any particular soul by promise for so God will sometimes single out a child of his unto death that shall go to Heaven without this seal that living Christians may not run away with an erroneous apprehension that these influences are necessary to salvation and upon the death of such a child of God the Lord proclaims See here my friends you of little of faith here 's a child of mine coming alone to me without the staff of sense trusting me upon the credit of my bare word Here 's one that hath not seen and yet hath believed that hath dared to take my word for Heaven Now be not faithless but believing 5. Lastly I do not know but God may sometimes do it in Justice when one who hath been made partaker of Gods distinguishing love hath apostatized in his profession or run into some degrees of looseness of life by which Gods Name hath been dishonoured the Lord may thus far chastize his Apostacy I told you before that the Covenant runs with a notwithstanding sin as to eternal salvation the unfaithfulness of man cannot make God unfaithful he cannot alter the thing gone out Psal 89. 33. of his lips But the comforts of Gods people may fail and they may for ought I know dy although not despairingly yet doubting with an a king heart and with broken bones Divines question whether holy David though stiled the man after Gods own heart ever after his fall into those two great sins of murther and adultery recovered the fulness of his comfort again It is plain by all his penitential Psalms that he lost them and especially by that petition Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Though the Scripture plainly evidenceth that he died strong in the faith yet it speaketh nothing of sensible consolations You have his last words 2 Sam. 23. 1. These be the last words of
gave another a kiss what was he angry for the Ring for use in the world was more worth than a kiss What use could be made of that Oh! but the kiss spake an eminent degree of the Princes love and so imprinted a greater excellency upon him that had it When the Lord giveth unto any strength beauty riches honour they are but as so many Rings But where he gives his fear there he gives the kiss and this speaketh a greater excellency in the fear of the Lord and in the person blessed with it than in any other thing or person the soul that hath this hath indeed ascended above them all in the favour of God that soul hath ascended above them all As you see the strength of this demonstration dependeth upon these two postulata 1. That the person in favour with God iâ— upon that account more excellent than any other person that is not so And this is no hard thing to be granted by those who judge that the favour of an earthly Prince who is but a mortal man doâ—h give an excellency to the person blessed with it 2. That the greater degree of favour any soul hath with God the greater is his excellency which easily followeth if the former be granted This is the first thing But secondly Let us consider the particular subject which the fear of the Lord blesseth Or if you will the special channel in which it runneth or indeed the capacity in which it blesseth the soul Take the most of the aforementioned gifts they only innance the price and value of the outward man Beauty is subjected in the surface of the body strength in the nerves and bodily parts riches honour favour great friends and relations they are indeed the gifts of God and of great use and advantage but the advantage of them is from their usefulness to the well-being of the outward man and the accommodation of a man in this life Some indeed of the things aforementioned innoble the inward man that doth knowledge prudence moral vertue Some distinguish betwixt the body the mind and the Spirit The Apostle seemeth to allow that distinction 1 Thes 5. 23. If it be allowable 1 Thes 5. 23. none of the things aforesaid the fear of the Lord only excepted reach further than the mind that is the soul of a man considered as a a rational substance Look upon the soul as a noble immortal beeing under an ordination to an eternal existence in happiness or misery and these things signifie little to it A noble person may go to Hell A rich and honourable man a knowing prudent man a comely beautiful person may have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone Yea and the Apostle saith not many of them will go to Heaven Not many noble not many wise c. But now the most noble inward part of man and that not considered only as a rational substance but in its most excellent capacity ordained to eternity is the subject wherein this excellent quality resides That which it blesseth The price of the body is raised by strength beauty a good and healthy constitution The price of the mind is raised by knowledge wit judgement memory and by moral vertues But the value of the soul considered as a spiritual beeing that is immortal and under ordination to eternity is raised by grace by the fear of the Lord and indeed by that only This is that which marketh out a soul for Heaven while another is left in the road to everlasting burnings The seat of this noble quality is not the surface of the outward man which is the throne of that pitiful thing which the world so much doteth on which we call beauty nor yet the bones sinews nerves of a man which are the seat of strength nor the head of a man which is the seat of knowledge and prudence nor the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rational part of a man which is the seat of moral vertue where it sitteth as a Queen and giveth Laws to brutish passions and all motious of the sensitive appetite But it is the immortal soul considered as a spiritual substance and destinated to immortality and life and an eternal existence Now this soul and thus considered is the better part of man man considered in his most excellent capacity and whatsoever blesseth adorneth and advantageth the soul considered in this notion and under this capacity must needs be more excellent than what only commendeth the body which is but the outside of a rational creature or the mind which a Pagan may have in as good a condition as a Christian As that house is the more noble and excellent house which hath the best inside and where the rooms are best furnished not that which hath nothing but a lofty gay front So doubtless in the judgement of reason that man or woman whose soul is ennobled with the most excellent qualities is far more valuable than he or she who have nothing to commend them but a well proportioned body or an hansom face Pro. 11. 22. Pro. 11. 22. As a Jewel of gold in a Swines snout so is a woman of beauty we may add pari ratione a woman of strength wit parts c. without discretion without the fear of the Lord. The woman fearing the Lord is The Kings Daughter all glorious within She is excellent in the most excellent part and in the most excellent capacity Others may have an excellent outside she hath a most excellent inside Others may be painted Sepulchres she hath a most excellent soul They have excellent limbs and features in their faces she hath the most excellent qualities in her nobler and more inward part They are it may be well accommodated for this life she is best prepared for eternity therefore she must needs ascend or be lifted up above them all It is an usual saying amongst Philosophers Animus cujusque est quisque The mind of the man is the man It is much more true of the soul considered in the capacity I mentioned The bodies indeed of the Saints are called The Temples of the Holy Ghost but it is by reason of the redeemed souls which inform them The Holy Ghost dwelleth in the whole person of the believer as his Temple The body is but as the Outward Court into which common excellency comes such as strength beauty c. The mind of man is as the Inner Court into which come a better sort of divine gifts this is ennobled with knowledge prudence c. and other habits of intellectual and moral vertues But the soul considered in the capacity before expressed as a spiritual immortal substance is that part of man into which the Holy Ghost entreth and which is as it were his throne Here the fear of the Lord resideth and maketh it truly excellent I shall now conclude my second demonstration That is the most excellent quality which ennobleth the most excellent part and that in the
There is a bundle of Principles some of which have grown too fast too in these evil times which are calculated for the very Meridian of Atheism and devised as if it had been on purpose to banish all dread of God out of mens hearts That things are not ordered by Providence but come in a meer series and succession of necessary natural causes That there are no spirits no such things as indications of divine wrath That there is no Judgement to be made from Providences If we should see the Earth open and swallow up Corah Dathan and Abiram yet there is nothing to be concluded but these may be as honest men as those that do not go down quick into the pit These and such like Principles are Doctrines devised on purpose to make men faces of Brass that they might not blush and necks of Iron that they might not bow at any divine rebukes but might out-face God to the utmost until he tear them in pieces and there be none to deliver 2. Secondly Take heed of customary sinning against God Frequency in sin taketh away the sense of it and a custom of daring God makes men to forget all kind of fear and dread of the Divine Majesty Sin naturally hardens the heart and takes away all natural modesty 4. Fourthly Nothing so contributes to fear as faith Both faith of assent and faith of adherence Faith of assent is that habit by which we give assent to the Proposition of the word Faith of Reliance is a gracious habit by which we rest upon the person of the Mediatour Either of these hath an influence upon us to beget this fear and dread of God in our souls The one as it perswades us of the truth of what the Scripture reveals concerning the Glory and Majesty of God concerning his Purity and Holiness concerning his Justice and Severity all which represent God unto us as the true and proper object of our fear The other as it uniteth us to Christ and endeareth him to our soâ—ls and so layeth us under a sacred awe of sinning against him as we naturally fear to offend any person whom we dearly and intirely love and honour It is true the Apostle saith Rom. 8. We have not received the spirit for bondage again to fear And again Perfect love casteth out fear But those texts must be understood not of a filial reverential fear but of a slavish servile fear our daily experience teacheth us that the more intirely we love any person the more we fear to offend and grieve them and to do any thing which we think they will take ill at our hands Faith therefore as it is the root of hope and love so it is the kindest root of filial and ingenuous fear 5. Lastly Beg this Grace of God It is a plant of our heavenly Fathers it is a part of Gods Covenant I will put my fear into their heart that they shall never depart from me O beg of God that he would bestow his fear upon you The fear of God is prima gratia saith Bernard torius Religionis exordium radix est custos omnium bonorum i. e. The fear of the Lord is the first grace the very beginning of all Religion the root and the keeper of all good things therefore pray that above all things God would bestow this grace upon your souls But I shall add no more to the first branch of the Exhortation Let me in the next place speak to you in whom God hath created this fear of his great and glorious Name Two things this Doctrine calleth to you for 1. To grow in this excellent habit 2. To live like excellent persons 1. Labour to grow in this excellent habit There is a fear of God in which the more perfect a Christian is the more he decreaseth in it This is that servile and slavish fear which I mentioned dreading God as a Judge an Enemy one that can cast both body and soul into Hell fire The more a soul grows up into communion with God and into an assurance of union with him the more this fear dieth and weareth out of his soul It is a dread of God which attendeth the spirit of bondage and much possesseth the soul in the moment of its conversion and wears off as the soul comes to receive the spirit of Adoption touching it to cry Abba Father and groweth moâ—â— perfect in Love But there is another fear which as the soul groweth more perfect in love and in the exercise of grace the more this groweth up and increaseth in the soul this is that fearing of the Lord and his goodness of which the Scripture speaks Such a fear as the tender wife fears her husband with and the dutiful child its Parent who he knows intâ—rely loves him he feareth not his Fathers rod but he fears his frown he fears the change of his countenance towards him This is that habit of fear in which I would have you to grow 2. And as in this habit so in the performance of all acts and exercises by which you may testifiethis your reverencing of the great God of Heaven and Earth The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom saith Solomon it is both the beginning and the perfection of it The fear of the Lord is a grace necessary at all times especially in evil times Cyril saith that the soul that is full of the fear of the Lord velut nâ—uro obsepta fortis est is strong as a City guarded with a wall and in a manner invincible 2. This Doctrine calleth to you to live like excellent persons I hinted the reason of this before every one should live ratably to his honour and dignity Persons fearing God are the most excellent persons they should therefore live like the excellent of the Earth distinguishing themselves from others by their lives as God hath distinguished them by his favour But I have hinted this before and therefore shall not here inlarge upon that discourse I have but one word more to add That is to the men of the world in general To them I shall speak from the advantage of what you have heard for three things 1. To undervalue other excellencies in comparison with this Learn to speak after Solomon Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain Riches commend not a soul to God they profit not in the day of wrath Why should you set your eyes upon things that are not and admire things that have nothing of worth in them proportioned to your affection to them admiration of them pursuit after them Knowledge is a fine thing by it a man differs from a beast Wisdom and Moral Vertues are excellent things by these things men out-shine men and excel each other as light excelleth darkness But what are all these to the fear of the Lord O then let these things ride but in the second Chariot let the fear of God in the throne of your estimation be greater than they are Remember nothing so much
innocent manner That which he fixeth upon as his comfort is 1. Gods present inabling him to perfect holiness in his fear and to wait for the manifestations of divine light 2. His sure hopes that if he should fall asleep in death not satisfied yet there would be a resurrection from the dead and in that glorious morning he should awake and then he should be filled with the manifestations of God this is the substance of the words Now suppose your selves to hear David speaking the same thing more copiously O Lord my soul is in a sad and perplexed condition without are fightings within are fears mine enemies are many and proud and cruel as Lions they are men of power and estate whose bellies are filled with hid treasure I am poor and empty hunted like a Partridge upon the Mountains First Saul rose up against me now mine own Son is in rebellion and my soul also O Lord walks in the dark and seeth no light I cry but thou hast not heard me I am at a loss to know what thou determinest to do with me If I had all that my proud and potent enemies have all their treasure all their substance all the good things of this life all their sweet morsels I could not be satisfied with all those husks while I want thy favour and the light of thy countenance But this shall be my work this shall be that which I will study and look after I have fixed mine eyes upon thy love and favour let the men of the world look after that let them look upon their great estates I will behold thy face and labour for the light of thy countenance and that I may obtain it I trust not in my own righteousness in the righteousness of my Lord I will behold thy face I will endeavour in thy strength to live an holy and righteous conversation perfecting holiness in thy fear and in all things endeavouring to live up to thy mind and will discovered to me and for this cause which I am through thy providence managing against those who have risen up against me I will manage it righteously with all integrity and innocency toward them who are so fierce and cruâ—l against me And in this resolution O Lord in my affliction it will be a great stay unto me if I may but find the conunuance of thy strength inabling me to labour after the perfecting of the renovation of thine image in my soul and to wait for the further shinings out of the light of thy countenance if I can but find thee thus appearing to my soul I shall at present endeavour to be satisfied knowing that it will not be long before I shall fall asleep in death and from that sleep I shall awake in the morning of the resurrection and then I shall be abundantly satisfied with thy likeness seeing thee face to face and rejoycing in thy presence for ever more The words thus opened will afford us many Propositions some I shall but lightly touch upon hastening to what I intend for the subject of a fuller discourse First From the tacit Antithesis hinted in those words which our translation supplies necessary to give you the full sense But as for me What will satisfie a man of the world will 1 Obs not satisfie a child of God Different natures require different food Swine will seed upon Acorns and offal Dogs will feed upon bones and excrements But man feeds upon none of these A different genius and disposition requires a different object to give it satisfaction Gold and Silver satisfies a covetous man Wine and strong drink satisfies a drunkard The Philosopher despiseth and throws away these things to attend to contemplation and the knowledge of the reasons and causes of things The child of God is of a different nature of a different disposition and inclination and complexion from other men he is made a partaker of the Divine Nature he hath a new name a new will new affections new dispositions given to him Sinners indeed are of several complexions give one wealth enough and you satisfie him give another objects enough for his lust give him sensual pleasure enough and you satisfie him give a third honour and preferment enough he asks no more give the best of them enough of humane learning and knowledge and he will be content whether he hath any portion in Christ whether he findeth any joy and peace of conscience whether he seeth any thing of the light of Gods countenance yea or no. It is said of Abraham that he gave the Sons he had by Keturah portions and sent them away they were not at all concerned for the promise of which Isaac was heir Wicked men are like Esau they will sell their birth-right for a morsel of bread The child of God cannot be thus satisfied as Abraham replyed upon God asking him What he should give Protestatus sum me sic ab eo nolle satiaâ—i Luther him What canst thou give me so long as I go childless So do they say Lord what canst thou give me while I want thy presence Luther protested God should not put him off with worldly affluences he judgeth all fulness Omnis copia quae non est Deus meus est cgestas Aug. cmptiness excepting only the fulness of him who filleth all in all the reason of this is his spiritual ilumination and knowledge to discern things that differ the convictions and different apprehensions which the holy Spirit hath wrought in his soul which make it morally impossible to him to rest satisfied with less than an infinite God and a portion in him Oh! how thin is this number in the world how small is this generation of those who in truth seek the Lords face where almost is the person to be found to whom God might not give a portion in this life only and quietly send him away without any repining at all who would noâ— fall down and even worship the Devil for a great estate for a little momentany pleasure for some considerable degree of honour or some other moveables and transiâ—nt vanities of this life how few are they who would look any further than to have such a portion of substance as they might have plentifully whiles they live and divide the rest unto their babes Amongst all the complaints and murmurings we hear in the world how few are they that complain for want of the presence and influence of God we hear men complain for want of estates honours c. but ah how few for want of grace how few for want of the sense of divine love for want of the enjoyments of God c. Secondly From those words I will behold thy face in righteousness observe There is no beholding of Gods face but in righteousness 2 Obs Whether it be in a way of duty that we behold God or whether it be in a way of comfort We must still behold him in righteousness in the righteousness of Christ
imputed to us Daniel of old prayed to be heard for the Lords sake we are commanded to ask in the Name of Christ believing Or whether it be in the way of comfort Christ is the only glass in which we can behold our Fathers face and therefore we are bid to rejoyce in the Lord and joy and peace is annexed to beliving an act of which Christ is the object In the righteousness also of an holy life Without peace and holiness no man shall see God saith the Apostle not in glory when this lâ—fe shall be determined not in this life by the reflections of faith Not in duty God heareth not sinners he that lifts up hands unto God must lift up pure hands without dâ—ubâ—ing The very Heathens by the light of nature could see that pure hands must be reached out to the Altars if they expected to find the Gods upon their duties propitious In the righteousness of an innocent and just cause It is â—ll appealing to God in an unrighteous cause and hopes of countenance and assistance from him in unrighteousness are but bold presumptions and â—acit reproachings of his spotless purity Hence learn how few there are who truly behold the Lords face in duty who truly feel the warming influences of his divine love Ah! how many cheat themselves with images and dreams how many rise up from duty thinking they have seen the face of God when they have seen nothing but the reflectiors of their own gâ—fts or presumptions how many dream of beholding the face of God in the sensible consolations of his Spirit who alas have seen nothing but the spirit of delusions cheating their souls with false confidences and delusions what do Papists talk of beholding Gods face in their own or their fellow-creatures righteousness what doth any drunkard swearer morally vitious and prophane person talk of beholding the face of God whiles he lives a leud and unholy life and conversation If he makes many prayers God will not hear him his heart is full of prophaneness his hands are full of unrighteousness Let no man dare to appeal to God in an unrighteous matter to seek counsel of God or assistance from him in unrighteous causes The unrighteous soul can never behold the Lords face Thirdly From Davids present resolution confidered with respect to the present state of affliction in which he was Observe It is the duty of Gods people though Gods 3 Obs face be not towards them yet in righteousness to be beholding it This was the Churches resolution Isa 8. 17. I will wait upon him who hides his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him Isa 50. 10. Who is amongst you who feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God God expecteth that his people should not desert him because in the wisdom of his providence he is sometimes pleased to hide his face from them But I shall I think have occasion in my following discourse further to inlarge upon this I therefore pass it over here and come to what I intend to fix upon as the subject of my discourse Doct. It is the great duty of the people of God although they want visions of peace yea thougb they should fall asleep in death without such sensible manifestations yet to stay their souls and be in some degree satisfied if they find the Lord inabling them to watch for his likeness and having a sure confidence that in the resurrection they shall be abundantly satisfied with it The Proposition is complex and containeth many within it There is in it some things implied others expressed Five things are implied 1. That a child of God may sometimes walk in darkness and not satisfied with Gods likeness 2. That it is possible he may fall asleep and die under a dissatisfaction 3. That during this his dark estate it is his great duty to watch for the likeness of God 4. That though a child of God shall fall asleep yet he shall awake in a resurrection 5. That when in that morning be doth awake he shall be abundantly satisfied with Gods likeness These things are implied Two things are expressed 1. That under their darkness it should much satisfie them if they find God inabling them to watch for his likeness 2. That if they die in this dissatisfaction yet it ought to stay their hearts that in the resurrection they shall be abundantly satisfied with the likeness of God I shall speak something first to those Propositions which are but implied in the main Proposition The first was this That Gods children may sometimes walk in 1 Prop. darkness and not be satisfied with his likeness 1. In darkness as to their outward man Joseph Job David almost all the servants of God whom the Scripture hath canonized had their dark hours of affliction some of one kind some of another Many are the afflictions of the righteous bue God delivereth them out of all 2. In darkness as to their inward man there is a state of sin and ignorance which in Scripture is compared to darkness This they cannot walk in they are translated out of darkness into marvelous light they werâ— indeed as others darkened in their minds but God hath made a glorious light to shine in upon them But there is a darkness of the inward man with respect to sensible manifestations and comfortable apprehensions of the love of God this they may walk in Isa 50. 10. They may walk in the dark and see no light Isa 50. 10. though they be such as fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant The Spouse in Cant. 3. 1. the Canticles sought him whom her soul loved she sought him but she found him not David Psal 30. 6. was troubled when God hid his face from him And as it is possible that they may be unsatisfied as to the manifestations of Gods love unto them so they may be and often are as unsatisfied as to the image and likeness of God in them Perfection is our rule Heb. Heb. 6. 1. 6. 1. but though the Lord hath for it up for our mark 2 Cor. 13. 11. yet there is none of 2 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 3. 18. us but shooteth short even Saint Paul counted not himself to have apprehended but forgetting what is behind pressed forward to what is before unto the price of the high calling Now the child of God cannot sit down satisfied whiles he seeth himself short of the Rule which God hath set him and this is reason enough for his dissatisfaction in the latter sense For the former the reason lies here 1. God upon the Covenant of Grace hath reserved to himself a liberty notwithstanding Christs satisfaction so to chastise his people that they might not go altogether unpunished Some will not understand how God should punish any of his Saints for sin
David You will find these words to be a part of his dying speech Although my house be not so with God that is not so spotlâ—ss as the morning when the Sun ariseth when the Sun ariseth without clouds yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant well ordered and sure in all things for this is my desire and salvation although he make it not to grow The words speak much of Davids adherence and strong fiducial application of his soul to the Covenant but little of a fulness of joy and peace I think we may determine thus much that if David did ever recover his fulness of peace the Scripture hath not recorded it that we might learn to serve the Lord with fear and to walk before him with trembling yet neither is this the Lords constant dealing Peter denyed his Master cursed and sware yet afterward Christ shewed him special favour After Christs resurrection the Angel bid Go tell his Disciples and Peter that he went before them into Galilee Mark 16. 7. Divines think those words and Peter are put in to assure Peter under some dejection by reason of his fall of the Lords favour to him notwithstanding his backshding Peter was designed for a great service of his Master in the work of the Gospel to which a sad and dejected spirit would not a little have discomposed him Thus much may serve for the second Proposition which I told you was no more than implied The third follows While a child of God doth not behold the face 3 Prop. of God it is his duty to watch for it Two terms must here be opened 1. That of beholding Gods face 2. That of watching for it There is a twofold beholding of Gods face 1. By faith in righteoussness 2. By sense in assurance 1. There is a beholding of God by faith Faith in Scripture is sometimes expressed to us by the action of the mouth He that eateth my flesh Joh. 6. 54. and drinketh my blood saith our Saviour dwelleth in me and I in him Sometimes by the action of the hand by receiving and laying Joh. 1. 12. hold upon Christ and the Covenant To as many as received him he gave power to be called the Heb. 6. 18. Prov. 3. 18. John 6. 35 37. Sons of God Sometimes by the action of the feet Coming so often in Scripture Come unto me you that are weary and heavy laden and he that cometh unto me I will in no wise Isa 50. 10. Cant. 3. 8. Psal 37. 7. Zech. 12. 10. cast away And so in many other texts Sometimes by the actions of the whole man thus it is called a staying a leaning a trusting resting committing our selves unto God So also sometimes it is expressed by the action of the eye Now by this vision of faith it is impossible that one should be a bâ—liever and not see God Indeed the fight of this eye may possibly at sometimes be clearer and quicker than at other times it may sometimes be more full and bright at another time more dim and weak and imperfect but faith is this very visive faculty if I may so speak and a child of God must thus behold the face of God though not actually or not gradually to such a degree at one time as at another yet habitually it must alwaies have a power thus to behold God though sometimes it exerts it more seebly sometimes more strongly yet more or less a gracious soul in this sense at all times doth behold the Lords face even in its darkest hours Isa 8. 17 I will wait upon him who hidâ—s his face from the house of Jacâ—b and I will look for him 2. There is another Vision which I called the Vision of Sense which is the beholding of the Lords face in the reflections of divine love for this David prayes Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and often in the Psalms Make thy face to shine upon us Now in this sense as I have shewed you it is very possible that Gods dearest children may not see his face and this is that beholding the Lords face of which the Proposition is to be understood during the ecclipse or want whereof it is the duty of the child of God to watch for his likeness So I told you here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be and is sometimes in Scripture translated so By the Likeness of God I understand as before either his likeness in us which the Apostle calleth the Image of God in knowledge righteousness and holiness or Gods sensible manifestations of himself when a believer wants these when he cannot bebold the face of God in such sweet apprehensions it is even then his duty to watch for Gods likeness for Gods likeness in either sense as it signifieth both holiness and comfort I say to watch for it it is a metaphorical expression and signifies 1. Negation of sleep 2. Industrious dilâ—gence to keep our selves in a capacity fit to receive what we desire 3. Patient expectation 1. He who watcheth sleepeth not It is an ordinary metaphor in holy Writ to express death and sinning by sleep the latter only is here meant So saith the Spouse I sleep but my heart waketh 2 Thes 5. 6. Let us not 2 Thes 5. 6. sleep as do others Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead And look as it is in sleeping None lives and sleepeth not Eph. 5. 14. Some set themselves to sleep some strive against it sometimes yet fall asleep through heaviness Some by some more for in means are made to sleep So it is as to fin some are greater sinners sleep more than others but none liveth and sinneth not against God but one man sinneth wilfully and presumptuously sets himself to sin his life is nothing eâ—e another sets himself against sin yet through that heaviness which is in him from original corruption the remainder of the body of death he often falleth asleep and sometimes through Rom. 7. 23 24. the methods devices and depths of Satan and the allurements of the world as from so many sleepy potions given him he falls into a sleep Now he who watcheth in a spiritual sense doth not sleep in the first sense according to that of the Apostle He that is born of God sinneth not The child of God in his dark hours ought to take heed of wilful sinning against God thougâ— he walks in the dark of a divine desertion yet he ought to take heed of a sinful conversation he must be able to say with David I am become like a bottle Psal 119. 83. in the smoak yet do I not forget thy Statutes And with the Church All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined Psa 44. 17 18 19. from thy way though thou hast sore broken us
truth in the Scripture but I mean that faith which the Apostle calls The faith of Gods Elect Justifying faith It was indeed an unwary description which some ancient Divines gave of justifying faith calling it a full perswasion of the Love of God and it may be much occasioned by the heat of their opposition to the jejune faith of Papists who would make justifying faith to be assent to the Proposition of the Word it is likely their so describing justifying faith gave too much advantage to the Antinomian notion who to this day will understand nothing of faith under plerophory or full perswasion but undoubtedly the act of justifying faith lyes lower in receiving Christ believing in him relying upon him committing our selves unto him c. Nor can the other be the act of faith that justifieth being not to be found but in souls that are justified For how can any soul whom God doth not love in Jesus Christ be fully and justly perswaded of his love Now the Lord loveth the righteous until the soul be made righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ it can be no object of divine love That soul who hath opened his Will through divine grace to receive and embrace Christ as tendered in the Gospel that is perswaded to rest hang trust rely commit its self to him and him alone for salvation that soul truly believeth Now this the soul doth that watcheth for Gods likeness though it want sensible comforts Nay this faith is strong faith It is the note of a late eminent servant of God that faith is so much the stronger by how much the fewer externals it needs to support it It was said of Abraham that he was strong in the Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. faith giving glory to God Wherein did the strength of Abrahams faith appear v. 18. He staggered not at the promise he against hope believed in hope he had nothing of sense to help his faith his faith stood meerly upon the strength of the word he had a word of promise and he staggered not at the promise he was so far from having any help to his faith from sense that he had all the discouragement and hinderance imaginable the matter to be believed was that God would give him a Son for this he had the word of God Thou shalt have a Son saith God his wife was past child-bearing her womb was dead insomuch that she laughed when she Gen. 18. 12. heard the promise and said Shall I of a surety bear a child who am old Abraham himself was beyond the age in which ordinarily children are begot he was an hundred years old But though he had no incouragement but all imaginable discouragement from sense both on his own and on his wives part yet saith the Apostle he distrusted not he staggered not at the promise through unbelief Thus he was strong in faith and thus he gave glory to God saith the Apostle giving him the honour of his power of his truth and faithfulness c. and this faith was imputed to him for righteousness v. 21 22. Now if the weakest faith being true be sufficient to carry the soul to Heaven much more shall a strong faith such a faith as that of Abraham the Father of the faithful do it 6. Lastly Will it not satisfie thee Christian to tell thee thou art blessed I have a good warrant to do that Joh. 20. 19. They are the words of our Saviour to Thomas Thou hast seen saith our Lord therefore thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet believed You are even out of Christs mouth more blessed believing when you do not see than those are who see and therefore believe But I shall enlarge no more upon this first ground of satisfaction for Christians walking in the dark and seeing no light I proceed to the second from the word considered as it signifies to awake 2. It ought to satisfie Christians walking in the dark as to sensible consolations to consider that when in the resurrection they shall awake they shall be satisfied with the likeness of God There is nothing more needful for the explication of the Proposition than I have already said in the opening of some or other of the Propositions In short the substance of what I intend is this that if it so pleaseth God that any child of his should not only spend a great part of his life without any sensible comforts any witnessings of the Spirit to his spirit Nay if the Lord should call him to die without such sensible evidences yet he ought not to repine or murmure against God but to be silent before him and trust in him chearfully considering that though he dieth he shall rise again from the dead and in the resurrection he shall be fully and abundantly satisfied with Gods full and glorious manifestations of himself unto him when he shall be blessed in the full and glorious enjoyment of God to all eternity 1. This is that which God hath agreed with us for this is the penny for which he hath contracted But of this I spake before 2. This is infinitely more than any child of God hath merited or can merit at Gods hand It will be a great piece of the work of the Saints in Heaven to admire that rich and infinite grace which hath brought them thither Yea though we should never see Gods face till we come in Heaven yet we shall see free grace magnified in bringing us thither at last 3. Lastly The satisfaction which the soul shall meet with when it comes in Heaven will be infinitely more than will make us amends for all the dissatisfactions all the hours of sadness and darkness we have met with in this life and infinitely more than will recompence us for all our faith and hope all our watchings and waitings for and upon God For our duties we value them above the Scripture rate if we count them better than menstrous cloths and filthy raggs or reckon that they deserve any thing at the hand of God other than wrath and shame and confusion of faith And saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 18. Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Every one of you would easily determine this were I able to shew you but a little of those things which eye hath not seen nor hath ear heard nor can 2 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Thes 1. 17. 1 Joh. 3. 2. it enter into the heart of man to conceive To open to you what it is to be ever with the Lord to see him face to face to see him as be is to be like the Angels in Heaven to have our bodies made like unto his glorious body and our corruptible to put on incorruption I say were I able to open these and other expressions by which it hath pleased the Holy Ghost in Scripture to express
have often heard her say That she now saw more of the goodness of God in one ten pounds which a friend sent her and could better acknowledge it than she did before in those many thousands which were her own Nay when after all this it pleased the Lord to return upon her and to lay his hand upon her skin and flesh visiting her with a tormenting incurable disease yet she laid her hand upon her mouth and not only acknowledged the Lords justice but also admired his mercy and if at any time it pleased God to give her any respiration from her tormenting pains how straightened was her tongue in the expressing the thankfulness of her heart how did praise wait in her thankful soul for God Sometimes indeed I saw her troubled at Gods more external dispensations to her and that to a degree beyond what could be called a just sense of them but upon discourse with her I constantly found the cause Either a bitter reflection upon the influence which the sad providence of God blasting her dear Husbands estate had upon many other persons and families which she could never think on without tears and which she would often profess more troubled her than her own her dearest husbands and childrens concerns Or else some fears heightened in her by the advantage her subtil adversary took of her afflicted state lest the Rod of God should be an indication of his wrath the dread of which infinitely more troubled her than her low condition as to the comforts of this life upon which the Lord had taught her to set a very cheap valuation Verily it hath often startled me to suppose my soul in her souls stead and to think what I should have been under such dispensations as it pleased God to measure out to her which she imbraced with wondrous degrees of meekness and chearfulness 2. A second thing eminently conspicuous in this Excellent Lady was her exceeding tenderness of conscience and watchful jealousie over her own heart It would have made a good Christian to have suspected himself to have seen her scrupulosity of every action how wary she was in setting every foot how afraid of the least sin against God she often discovered unto me living with her under the same roof the state of her soul what she found what she wanted what she resolved upon what grievances and what comforts at any time she had but scarce ever did it without adjuring me to be saithful unto her in telling her what I judged of her condition in reference to eternity indeed the hearing her strictly charging me not to flatter her but to deal faithfully with her hath often made me tremble lest through temptation or weakness I should fall short of my duty to her Indeed she was over-jealous and through fear of sin would sometime scruple what was her duty yea her greatest duty How often did I hear from her these words Oh Sir Satan is very busie he would have me let go my hold on my dear Saviour but I am resolved to keep it until I die Sir may I not I beseech you tell me if you think I may not 3. A third thing was her admirable love to publick Ordinances She might truly say with David How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts This very thing was her great motive to chuse her dear Sisters family for the place of her recess and rejoyce in it by reason of the private Chapel where the Ordinances of God were ordinarily dispensed and she could attend them without any publick notice taken of her as best suited her present condition she was never either absent from or tardy at a Sermon when by reason of the prevailing of her bodily distempers she could not go down the stairs she chose rather to be carried down than to miss the Ordinance till her Physicians advice restrained her Nor was her carriage at Religious exercises less exemplary her outward posture discovered with what reverence and trembling she heard the holy Word of God she received the Word of God as the Word of God 4. Her secret communion with God was as remarkable Her way was not to set a trumpet to her mouth when she went to her devotions but whatever company was in the house she was exceeding certain to her hours of secret prayer and in her discourse continually commended it as that by which a Christian comes best to understand his own heart and by her countenance and discourse when she came from her closet it was easie for us who conversed with her to judge what she had been doing she was much in prayer much in tears much in reading the holy Scriptures in reading over good books and notes of Sermons which her self had taken and as we could judge by her discourse much in the application of what she read to her own soul and examining her heart by them Thus you have her copy towards God though the lineaments of her perfections in this are imperfectly drawn and much is left to be understood I omit any discourse of her intellectual and moral virtues she was a Lady of great knowledge prudence humility modesty gravity and sobriety of behaviour temperance courtesie nobleness of spirit c. but my design is to shew you how far she was an excellent Christian 5. A fifth thing remarkable in her was her well ordered tender love to her dearest relations None could by the dejection of her countenance have known that the providence of God had blown cross upon her had not some sad thoughts for the exiled state of her dear Husband sometimes darkened her joy and disturbed her thoughts nor was her love seen only in fond expressions and a fondness of behaviour in which the love of the most evaporates Her husband and childrens person were exceeding dear to her but their souls were more exceeding dear She was acquainted with no Christian whom she did not importune for prayers for her dear husband and children I remember it was her great request to me in a great sickness which she had about a year before she died when we thought she had received the sentence of death That I would not in any prayers forget her husband and children when she should cease to be for her husband that God would be with him and keep him from the temptations and pollutions of that Popish Country into which the Providence of God had driven him And for her children that Jesus Christ might be formed in them It was the great ambition of this Elect Lady that her children might be found walking in the Truth this was the portion she desired for them this the treasure even a treasure in Heaven where moth could not corrupt nor thief break through nor steal How far it pleased God to hear her her worthy and only Son yet surviving being at that time in his childhood is a living testimony who as by his religious and virtuous disposition he demonstrates that the prayers of his Mother