proceed at all in the farther opening of the words they having all of them respect unto the Proposition first laid down I shall explain and confirm the truth contained in it that so it may be understood what we say and whereof we do affirm in the whole process of our Discourse It is a sad Truth that we have proposed unto consideration He that hears it ought to tremble in himself that he may rest in the day of trouble It speaks out the Apostles advice Rom. 11. 20. Be not high minded but fear and that also 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall When Peter had learned this truth by woful experience after all his boldness and forwardness he gives this Councel to all Saints that they would pass the time of their sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 14. Knowing how near in our greatest peace and serenity evil and danger may lye at the door Some few instances of the many that are left on record wherein this Truth is exemplified may be mentioned Gen. 6. 9. Noah was a just man perfect in his Generation and Noah walked with God He did so a long season and that in an evil time amidst all sorts of Temptations When all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth ver 12. This put an eminency upon his obedience and doubtless rendred the Communion which he had with God in walking before him most sweet and precious to him He was a gracious soul upon the redoubled Testimony of God himself But we know what befell this holy Person He that shall read the story that is recorded of him Gen. 9. 21. will easily grant that he was brought into inextricable distress on the account of sin His own drunkenness ver 21. with the consequent of it gives scandal unto and provokes the unnatural lust of his Son v. 22. and this leads him to the devoting of that Son and his Posterity unto Destruction v. 24 25. all which joyned with the sense of Gods just indignation from whom he had newly received that tremendously miraculous deliverance must needs overwhelm him with sorrow and anxiety of Spirit The matter is more clear in David Under the Old Testament none loved God more than he none was loved of God more than he The Paths of Faith and Love wherein he walked are unto the most of us like the way of an Eagle in the Air too high and hard for us Yet to this very day do the cryes of this Man after Gods own heart sound in our Ears Sometimes he complains of broken bones sometimes of drowning depths sometimes of waves and water-spouts sometimes of wounds and diseases sometimes of Wrath and the sorrows of Hell every where of his sins the burden and trouble of them Some of the occasions of his Depths Darkness Intanglements and Distresses we all know As no man had more Grace than he so none is a greater instance of the power of sin and the effects of its guilt upon the conscience than he But Instances of this kind are obvious and occurr to the thoughts of all so that they need not be repeated I shall then shew First What in particular is intended by the depths and intanglements on the account of sin whereinto gracious souls after much Communion with God may be cast Secondly Whence it comes to pass that so they may be and that oftentimes so they are First For the First some or all of these things following do concurr to the Depths here complained of First Loss of the wonted sense of the Love of God which the soul did formerly enjoy There is a twofold sense of the Love of God whereof Believers in this world may be made partakers There is the transient affecting of the heart by the Holy Ghost with ravishing unspeakable joyes in apprehension of Gods Love and our Relation unto him in Christ. This or the immediate effect of it is called joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. The Holy Ghost shining into the heart with a clear evidence of the souls interest in all Gospel Mercies causeth it to leap for joy to exult and triumph in the Lord as being for a season carried above all sense and thought of sin self temptation or trouble But as God gives the bread of his House unto all his Children so these dainties and high Cordials he reserveth only for the seasons and Persons wherein and to whom he knows them to be needful and useful Believers may be without this sense of Love and yet be in no depths A man may be strong and healthy who hath wholsom food though he never drink Spirits and Cordials Again There is an abiding dwelling sense of Gods Love upon the hearts of the most of those of whom we speak who have had long communion with God consisting in a prevailing Gospel perswasion that they are accepted with God in Christ. Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God I call it a prevailing perswasion denoting both the opposition that is made unto it by Satan and unbelief and its efficacy in the conquest thereof This is the root from whence all that peace and ordinary consolation which Believers in this world are made partakers of do spring and grow This is that which quickens and enlivens them unto Duty Psal. 116. 12 13. and is the salt that renders their Sacrifices and Performances savoury to God and refreshing to themselves This supports them under their tryals gives them peace hope and comfort in Life and Death Psal. 23. 4. Though I walk in the valley of the shaddow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me A sense of Gods Presence in Love is sufficient to rebuke all anxiety and fears in the worst and most dreadful condition And not only so but to give in the midst of them solid Consolation and Joy So the Prophet expresseth it Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blessom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation And this is that sense of Love which the choicest Believers may lose on the account of sin This is one step into their depths They shall not retain any such Gospel apprehension of it as that it should give them rest peace or consolation that it should influence their souls with delight in Duty or supportment in tryal And the Nature hereof will be afterwards more fully explained Secondly Perplexed thoughtfulness about their great and wretched unkindness towards God are another part of the Depths of sin-intangled souls So David complains Psal. 77. 3. I remembred God saith he and was troubled How comes the Remembrance of God to be unto him a matter of trouble in other Places he
As ever you desire to come to rest avoid not this entrance of your passage unto it Weigh well and attend unto what the Law speaks of your sin and its desert or you will never make a due application to God for forgiveness As ever you would have your souls justified by Grace take care to have your sins judged by the Law Secondly There is a respect in it to the Love of God And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner Sorrow from the Law shuts it self up in the soul and strangleth it Sorrow from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it and causseth it to flow forth Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God managed by the Holy Ghost what shall I say their effects in the heart are not to be expressed This made Ezra cry out O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this After what why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of Thoughts of love and sin laid together make the soul blush mourn be ashamed and confounded in its self So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good When shall they do so when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them and saith he then shall you loath your selves in your own sight The soul now calls to mind what Love what kindness what mercy what grace what patience hath been exercised towards it and whereof it hath been made partaker The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water Such Mercy such Communion such Priviledges such hopes of Glory such tastes of Heaven such Peace such Consolation such Joy such Communications of the Spirit all to a poor wretched cursed lost forlorn sinner and all this despised neglected the God of them all provoked forsaken Ah saith the soul Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go This fills him with shame and confusion of face makes him mourn in secret and sigh to the breaking of the loyns and then Thirdly The blood and Cross of Christ is also brought to remembrance by the Holy Ghost Ah saith the soul have I thus requited the wonderful astonishing Love of my Redeemer Is this the return the requital I have made unto him Are not Heaven and Earth astonished at the despising of that Love at which they are astonished This brake Peters heart upon the look of Christ. Such words as these from Christ will in this condition sound in the ears of the soul. Did I love thee and leave my glory to become a scorn and reproach for thy sake Did I not think my life and all that was dear unto me too good for thee to save thee from the wrath to come Have I been a Wilderness unto thee or a land of darkness What could I have done more for thee when I had nothing left but my life blood and soul they went all for thee that thou mightest live by my death be washed in my blood and be saved through my souls being made an offering for thee And hast thou thus requited my love to prefer a lust before me the world before me or by meer sloth and folly to be turned away from me go unkind and unthankful soul and see if thou canst find another Redeemer This overwhelms the soul and even drowns it in tears and sorrow And then the bitterness also of the sufferings of Christ are brought to mind They look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Zech. 12. 10. They remember his gall and wormwood his cryes and tears his agony and sweat his desertion and anguish his blood and death the sharpness of the Sword that was in his soul and the bitterness of the Cup that was put into his hand Such a soul now looks on Christ bleeding dying wrestling with wrath and curse for him and seeth his sin in the streams of blood that issued from his side And all this encreaseth that sense of sin whereof we speak Also Fourthly It relates to the communion and consolations of the Holy Ghost with all the priviledges and fruits of Love we are by him made partakers of The Spirit is given to Believers upon the promise of Christ to dwell in them He takes up their hearts to be his dwelling place to what ends and purposes that he may purifie and sanctifie them make them holy and dedicate them to God to furnish them with Graces and gifts to interest them in priviledges to guide lead direct comfort them to seal them unto the day of Redemption Now this Spirit is grieved by sin Ephes. 4. 30. and his dwelling place defiled thereby 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 3. 17. Thoughts hereof greatly sharpen the spiritual sense of sin in a recovering soul. He considers what Light what Love what Joy what Consolation what Priviledges it hath by him been made partaker of what motions warnings workings to keep it from sin it hath found from him and sayes within it self What have I done whom have I grieved whom have I provoked what if the Lord should now for my folly and ingratitude utterly take his holy Spirit from me What if I should have so grieved him that he will dwell in me no more delight in me no more What dismal darkness and disconsolation yea what utter ruine should I be left unto However what shame and confusion of face belongs to me for my wretched disingenuity and ingratitude towards him This is the first thing that appears in the returning souls actings and frame a sincere sense of sin on the accounts mentioned wrought in it by the Holy Ghost And this a soul in the depths described must come unto if ever it expect or look for deliverance and a recovery Let not such persons expect to have a renewed sense of mercy without a revived sense of sin Secondly From hence proceedeth an ingenious free gracious Acknowledgement of sin Men may have a sense of sin and yet suffer it to lye burning as a fire shut up in their bones to their continual disquietment and not be able to come off unto a free soul opening acknowledgement Yea confession may be made in general and mention therein of that very sin wherewith the soul is most intangled and yet the soul come short of a due performance of this Duty Consider how the case stood with David Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long How could David keep silence and yet roar all the day long What is that silence which is consistent with roaring It is a meer negation of that duty which is expressed v. 5. that is intended I acknowledge my sins unto thee and mine iniquities I have not hid It was not a silence of submission and waiting on God that he intends That would not have produced a wasting of his spiritual strength as he complains
life and waies before his conversion I was saith he injuricus and a blasphemer Such reflexions ought persons to have on any great provoking occasions of sin that may keep them humble and necessitate them constantly to look for a fresh sense of pardon through the blood of Christ. If such sins lye neglected and not considered according to their importance they will weaken the soul in its comforts whilst it lives in this world 2. If there were any signal intimations made of the Good Will and Love of God to the soul which it broke off from through the power of its corruption and temptation they require a due humbling consideration all our daies but this hath been before spoken unto Secondly In that part of our lives which upon the call of God we have given up unto him There are two sorts of sins that do effectually impeach our future peace and comfort which ought therefore to be frequently renewed and issued in the blood of Christ. First Such as by reason of any aggravating circumstances have been accompanied with some especial unkindness towards God Such are sins after warnings communications of a sense of Love after particular ingagements against them relapses omissions of great opportunities and advantages for the furtherance of the Glory of God in the world These kinds of sins have much unkindness attending them and will be searched out if we cover them 2. Sins attended with scandal towards fewer or more or any one single person who is or may be concerned in us The aggravations of these kind of sins are commonly known Thirdly The various outward states and conditions which we have passed through as of Prosperity and Afflictions should in like manner fall under this search and consideration It is but seldom that we fill up our duty or answer the mind of God in any dispensation of providence And if our neglect herein be not managed aright they will undoubtedly hinder and interrupt our peace RULE V. The fifth Rule Distinction between Unbelief and Jealousie The sixth Rule Distinction between Faith and Spiritual Sense Learn to distinguish between Unbelief and Jealousie There is a twofold Unbelief 1. That which is universal and privative such as is in all unregenerate persons they have no Faith at all that is they are dead men and have no principles of spiritual life This I speak not of it is easily distinguished from any Grace being the utter enemy and privation as it were of them all 2. There is an Unbelief partial and negative consisting in a staggering at or Questioning of the promises This is displeasing to God a sin which is attended with unknown Aggravations though men usually indulge it in themselves It is well expressed Psal. 78. 19 20. God had promised his presence to the people in the wilderness to feed sustain and preserve them How did they entertain these promises of God Can he say they give bread can he give flesh unto his people vers 20. What great sin crime or offence is in this enquiry Why vers 19. This is called speaking against God they spake against God they said Can he furnish a Table in the wilderness Unbelief in questioning of the promises is a speaking against God a limiting of the holy One of Israel as it is called vers 41. An assigning of bounds to his Goodness Power Kindness and Grace according to what we find in our selves which he abhors By this Unbelief we make God like our selves that is our limiting of him expecting no more from him than either we can do or see how it may be done This you will say was a great sin in the Israelites because they had no reason to doubt or Question the promises of God It is well we think so now But when they were so many thousand families that had not one bit of bread nor drop of water aforehand for themselves and their little ones there is no doubt but they thought themselves to have as good reason to question the promises as any one of you can think that you have We are ready to suppose that we have all the reasons in the world every one supposeth he hath those that are more cogent than any other hath to question the promises of Grace Pardon and forgiveness and therefore the questioning of them is not their sin but their duty But pretend what we will this is speaking against God limiting of him and that which is our keeping off from stedfastness and Comfort But now there may be a Jealousie in a Gracious heart concerning the love of Christ which is acceptable unto him at least which he is tender towards that may be mistaken for this questioning of the promises by Unbelief and so help to keep the soul in darkness and disconsolation this the spouse expresseth in her self Cant. 8. 6. Love is strong as death jealousie is hard as the Grave the Coals thereof are Coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Love is the foundation The root but yet it bears that fruit which is bitter although it be wholsome that which fills the soul with great perplexities and makes it cry out for a nearer and more secure admission into the presence of Christ. Set me saith the Spouse as a Seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thine Arms for Jealousie is cruel as the Grave I cannot bear this distance from thee these fears of my being disregarded by thee Set me as a seal on thy heart Now this spiritual jealousie is the solicitousness of the mind of a believer who hath a sincere love for Christ about the heart affection and good will of Christ towards it arising from a consciousness of its own unworthiness to be beloved by him or accepted with him All causeless jealousie ariseth from a secret sence and conviction of unworthiness in the person in whom it is and a high esteem of him that is the object of it or concerning whose love and affection any one is Jealous So it is with this spiritual Jealousie the root of it is Love sincere love that cannot be quenched by waters nor drowned by floods v. 7. which nothing can utterly prevail against or overcome This gives the soul high thoughts of the glorious Excellencies of Christ fills it with admiration of him these are mixed with a due sense of its own baseness vileness and unworthiness to be owned by him or accepted with him Now if these thoughts on the one hand and on the other be not directed guided and managed aright by faith which alone can shew the soul how the Glory of Christ consisteth principally in this that he being so excellent and glorious is pleased to love us with love unexpressible who are vile and sinful Questionings about the love of Christ and those attended with much anxiety and trouble of mind will arise Now this frame may sometimes be taken for a questioning of the promises of God and that to be a defect in faith which is an excess of love
we will go and do as at other times Bones are not broken without pain nor great sins brought on the Conscience without trouble But I need not insist on these Some say that they deprive even true Believers of all their interest in the Love of God but unduly all grant that they bereave them of all comforting evidence and well grounded Assurance of it So they did David and Peter and herein lyes no small part of the depths we are searching into Secondly There are sins which though they do not rise up in the conscience with such a bloody guilt as those mentioned yet by reason of some circumstances and aggravations God takes them so unkindly as to make them a root of disquietness and trouble to the soul all its dayes He sayes of some sins of ungodly men as I live this iniquity shall not be purged from you until ye dye If you are come to this height you shall not escape I will not spare you And there are Provocations in his own People which may be so circumstantiated as that he will not let them pass before he have cast them into depths and made them cry out for deliverance Let us consider some of them First Miscarriages under signal Enjoyments of love and kindness from God are of this sort When God hath given unto any one expressive manifestations of his Love convinced him of it made him say in the inmost parts of his heart this is undeserved love and kindess then for him to be negligent in his walking with God it carrieth an unkindness with it that shall not be forgotten It is a remark upon the miscarriages of Solomon that he fell into them after God had appeared unto him twice And all sins under or after especial mercies will meet at one time or other especial rebukes Nothing doth more distress the conscience of a sinner then the remembrance in darkness of abused light in desertions of neglected love This God will make them sensible of Though I have redeemed them saith God yet they have spoken lyes against me Hos. 7. 15. So Chap. 13. 4 5 6 7. When God hath in his Providence dealt graciously with a Person it may be delivered him from straights and troubles set him in a large place prevented him with many fruits and effects of his goodness blessed him in his Person Relations and Employments dealt well with his soul in giving him a gracious sense of his love in Christ for such a one to fall under sinful miscarriages it goes to the heart of God and shall not be passed over Undervaluations of Love are great provocations Hath Nabal thus requited my kindness saith David I cannot bear it And the clearer the convictions of any in this kind were the more severe will their reflections be upon themselves Secondly Sins under or after great Afflictions are of this importance also God doth not afflict willingly or chasten us meerly for his pleasure He doth it to make us partakers of his Holiness To take so little notice of his hand herein as under it or after it not to watch against the workings and surprizals of sin it hath unkindness in it I smote him saith God and he went on frowardly in the wayes of his own heart These provocations of his Sons and Daughters he cannot bear with Hath God brought thee into the Furnace so that thou hast melted under his hand and in pity and compassion hath given thee enlargement if thou hast soon forgotten his dealings with thee is it any wonder if he mind thee again by troubles in thy soul Thirdly Breaking off from under strong convictions and dawnings of Love before Conversion are oftentimes remembred upon the conscience afterwards When the Lord by his Spirit shall mightily convince the heart of sin and make withal some discoveries of his Love and the Excellencies of Christ unto it so that it begins to yield and be overpowred being almost perswaded to be a Christian if then through the strength of lust or unbelief it goes back to the world or self righteousness its folly hath unkindness with it that sometimes shall not be passed by God can and often doth put forth the greatness of his power for the recovery of such a soul but yet he will deal with him about this contempt of his Love and the Excellency of his Son in the dawnings of them revealed unto him Fourthly Suddain forgetfulness of endearing manifestations of special Love This God cautions his people against as knowing their proneness thereunto Psal. 85. 8. God the Lord will speak peace to his People and his Saints but let them not turn again to solly Let them take heed of their aptness to forget endearing manifestations of special Love When God at any time draws nigh to a soul by his Spirit in his Word with gracious words of peace and love giving a sense of his kindness upon the heart by the Holy Ghost so that it is filled with joy unspeakable and glorious thereon for this soul upon a temptation a diversion or by meer carelesness and neglect which oftentimes falls out to suffer this sense of Love to be as it were obliterated and so to lose that influencing efficacy unto obedience which it is accompanied withal this also is full of unkindness An account hereof we have Cant. 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6. In the first Verse the Lord Jesus draws nigh with full provision of Gospel Mercies for his Beloved I am come unto thee saith he O my Sister I have brought myrrh and spice honey and Wine with me What ever is spiritually sweet and delightful Mercy Grace Peace Consolation Joy Assurance they are all here in a readiness for thee v. 2. The Spouse in her drowsie indisposition takes little notice of this gracious visit she is diverted by other matters and knows not how to attend fully and wholly to the blessed Communion offered unto her but excuseth her self as otherwise engaged But what is the issue Christ withdraws leaves her in the dark in the midst of many disconsolations and long it is before she obtain any recovery Fifthly Great opportunities for service neglected and great gifts not improved are oftentimes the occasion of plunging the soul into great depths Gifts are given to trade withal for God Opportunities are the market dayes for that trade To napkin up the one and to let slip the other will end in trouble and disconsolation Disquietments and perplexities of heart are worms that will certainly breed in the rust of unexercised Gifts God looseth a revenue of glory and honour by such slothful souls and he will make them sensible of it I know some at this day whom omissions of opportunities for service are ready to sink into the grave Sixthly Sins after especial warnings are usually thus issued In all that variety of special warnings which God is pleased to use towards sinning Saints I shall single out one only When a soul is wrastling with some Lust or Temptation God by his
the thing it self They take it for granted that so it is and are never put seriously upon the enquiry how it comes to be so and that because indeed they have no real concernment in it How many thousands may we meet withall who take it for granted that forgiveness is to be had with God that never yet had any serious exercise in their souls about the grounds of it and its consistency with his holiness and justice But those that know it by faith have a sense of it fixed particularly and distinctly on their minds They have been put upon an enquiry into the rise and grounds of it in Christ so that on a good and unquestionable foundation they can go to God and say there is forgiveness with thee They see how and by what means more glory comes unto God by forgiveness then by punishing of sin which is a matter that the other sort of men are not at all solicitous about If they may escape punishment whether God have any glory or no for the most part they are indifferent Secondly The first Apprehension ariseth without any tryal upon enquiry in the Consciences of them in whom it is They have not by the power of their convictions and distresses of Conscience been put to make enquiry whether this thing be so or no. It is not a perswasion that they have arrived unto in a way of seeking satisfaction to their own souls It is not the result of a deep enquiry after peace and rest It is antecedent unto Tryal and Experience and so is not Faith but Opinion For although Faith be not Experience yet it is inseparable from it as is every practical habit Distresses in their consciences have been prevented by this Opinion not removed The reason why the most of men are not troubled about their sins to any purpose is from a persuasion that God is merciful and will pardon when indeed none can really on a Gospel account ordinarily have that perswasion but those who have been troubled for sin and that to the purpose So is it with them that make this discovery by faith They have had conflicts in their own spirits and being deprived of peace have accomplished a diligent search whether forgiveness were to be obtained or no. The perswasion they have of it be it more or less is the issue of a tryal they have had in their own souls of an enquiry how things stood between God and them as to peace and acceptation of their Persons This is a vast difference the one sort might possibly have had trouble in their consciences about sin had it not been for their Opinion of forgiveness this hath prevented or stifled their convictions not healed their wounds which is the work of the Gospel but kept them from being wounded which is the work of security Yea here lyes the ruine of the most of them who perish under the preaching of the Gospel They have received the general notion of pardon it floats in their minds and presently presents it self to their relief on all occasions Doth God at any time in the dispensation of the Word under an Affliction upon some great sin against their ruling light begin to deal with their consciences before their conviction can ripen or come to any perfection before it draw nigh to its perfect work they choak it and heal their consciences with this notion of pardon Many a man between the Assembly and his dwelling house is thus cured You may see them go away shaking their heads and striking on their breasts and before they come home be as whole as ever Well! God is merciful there is pardon hath wrought the cure The other sort have obtained their perswasion as a result of the discovery of Christ in the Gospel upon a full conviction Tryals they have had and this is the issue Thirdly The one which we reject worketh no Love to God no Delight in him no Reverence of him but rather a contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with him There are none in the world that deal worse with God than those who have an ungrounded perswasion of forgiveness And if they do fear him or love him or obey him in any thing more or less it is on other motives and considerations which will not render any thing they do acceptable and not at all on this As he is good to the Creation they may love as he is great and powerful they may fear him but sense of pardon as to any such ends or purposes hath no power upon them Carnal boldness formality and despising of God are the common issues of such a notion and perswasion Indeed this is the generation of great sinners in the world men who have a general apprehension but not a sense of the special power of pardon openly or secretly in fleshly or spiritual sins are the great sinners among men Where faith makes a discovery of forgiveness all things are otherwise Great Love Fear and Reverence of God are its attendants Mary Magdalen loved much because much was forgiven Great Love will spring out of great forgiveness There is forgiveness with thee saith the Psalmist that thou maist be feared No unbeliever doth truly and experimentally know the truth of this inference But so it is when men fear the Lord and his Goodness Hos. 3. 5. 1 say then where pardoning mercy is truly apprehended where faith makes a discovery of it to the soul it is endeared unto God and possessed of the great springs of Love Delight Fear and Reverence Psal. 116. 1 5 6 7. Fourthly This notional apprehension of the pardon of sin begets no serious through hatred and detestation of sin nor is prevalent to a relinquishment of it nay it rather secretly insinuates into the soul encouragements unto a continuance in it It is the nature of it to lessen and extenuate sin and to support the soul against its convictions So Jude tells us that some turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness v. 4. and sayes he they are ungodly men let them profess what they will they are ungodly men But how can they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness Is Grace capable of a conversion into Lust or Sin Will what was once Grace ever become Wantonness It is Objective not Subjective Grace the Doctrine not the real substance of Grace that is intended The Doctrine of forgiveness is this Grace of God which may be thus abused From hence do men who have only a general notion of it habitually draw secret encouragements to sin and folly Paul also lets us know that carnal men coming to a doctrinal acquaintance with Gospel Grace are very apt to make such conclusions Rom. 6. 1. And it will appear at the last day how unspeakably this glorious Grace hath been perverted in the world It would be well for many if they had never heard the name of forgiveness It is otherwise where this Revelation is received indeed in the soul by believing Rom. 6.
as to a sense and participation of the choice fruits of the death of Christ procured for those who are justified by their acceptance of the Attonement It flourisheth not without his sealing witnessing establishing and shedding abroad the Love of God in our hearts See Rom. 5. 2 3 4 5. And what Believer ought not to long for and press after the enjoyment of these things Nay to read of these things in the Gospel not experiencing them in our own hearts and yet to sit down quietly on this side of them without continual pressing after them is to despise the blood of Christ the Spirit of Grace and the whole work of Gods Love If there are no such things the Gospel is not true if there are and we press not after them we are despisers of the Gospel Surely he hath not the Spirit who would not have more of him all of him that is promised by Christ. These things are the hundred fold that Christ hath left us in this world to counterpoise our sorrows troubles and losses And shall we be so foolish as to neglect our only abiding riches and treasures In particular it is the product of an exercised vigorous active faith That our faith should be such alwayes in every state and condition I suppose it our duty to endeavour Not only our comforts but our Obedience also depends upon it The more faith that is true and of the right kind the more obedience For all our obedience is the obedience of faith 2. For its own fruit and what it produceth they are the choicest actings of our souls towards God as Love delight rejoycing in the Lord Peace Joy and Consolation in our selves readiness to do or suffer chearfulness in so doing If they grow not from this root yet their flourishing wholly depends upon it So that surely it is the duty of every Believer to break through all difficulties in pressing after this particular Assurance The Objections that persons raise against themselves in this case may afterwards be considered 2. In ordinary dispensations of God towards us and dealings with us it is mostly our own negligence and sloth that we come short of this Assurance It is true it depends in a peculiar manner on the Soveraignty of God He is as absolute in giving Peace to believers as in giving Grace to sinners This takes place and may be proposed as a relief in times of tryals and distress He createth light and causeth darkness as he pleaseth But yet considering what Promises are made unto us What encouragements are given us what love and tenderness there is in God to receive us I cannot but conclude that ordinarily the cause of our coming short of this Assurance is where I have fixed it And this is the first thing that is supposed in the foregoing Assertion Secondly It is supposed that there is or may be a saving perswasion or discovery of forgiveness in God Where there is no Assurance of any particular interest therein or that our own sins in particular are pardoned This is that which hath a Promise of gracious Acceptance with God and is therefore saving Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is the fear of the Lord and Obedience with a blessed encouragement to rest in God and his Alsufficiency yet no Assurance nor light but darkness and that walked in or continued in for a long season For he cannot walk in darkness meet with nothing but darkness without any beam or ray of Light as the words signifie who is perswaded of the Love of God in the pardon of his sins And yet the faith of such an one and his Obedience springing from it have this Gracious Promise of Acceptance with God And innumerable testimonies to this purpose might be produced and instances in great plenty I shall only tender a little Evidence unto it in one Observation concerning the nature of faith and one more about the proposal of the thing to be believed or forgiveness And 1. Faith is called and is a cleaving unto the Lord Deut. 4. 4. Ye that did cleave or adhere unto the Lord that is who did believe Josh. 23. 8. cleave or adhere unto the Lord your God The same word is used also in the New Testament Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord or continue stedfast in believing It is also often expressed by trusting in the Lord rolling our burden or casting our care upon him by committing our selves or our wayes unto him Now all this goes no further than the souls Resignation of it self unto God to be dealt withall by him according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace ratified in the blood of Christ. This a soul cannot do without a discovery of forgiveness in God But this a soul may do without a special Assurance of his own interest therein This faith that thus adheres to God that cleaves to him will carry men to conclude that it is their Duty and their Wisdom to give up the disposal of their souls unto God and to cleave and adhere unto him as revealed in Christ waiting the pleasure of his Will It enables them to make Christ their choice and will carry men to Heaven safely though it may be at some seasons not very comfortably 2. The Revelation and discovery of forgiveness that is made in the Gospel evidenceth the same truth The first proposal of it or concerning it is not to any man that his sins are forgiven No but it is only that there is Redemption and forgiveness of sins in Christ. So the Apostle layes it down Acts 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses All this may be believed without a mans Assurance of his own personal interest in the things mentioned Now where they are believed with the faith the Gospel requires that faith is saving and the root of Gospel acceptable Obedience The Ransome I say the Attonement by Christ the fulness of the Redemption that is in him and so Forgiveness in his blood for Believers from the Good Will Grace and Love of the Father is the first Gospel discovery that a sinner in a saving manner closeth withal Particular Assurance ariseth or may arise afterwards and this also is supposed in the Assertion 2. That which is affirmed in it is That a discovery of forgiveness in God without any particular Assurance of personal interest therein is a great supportment to a sin entangled soul. And let no man despise the day of this small thing small in the eyes of some and those good men also as
needful for us And for the plainness of this Truth it is well if it be so unto us This I know nothing but the Spirit of God can make it so Men may please themselves and others sometimes with curious notions and make them seem to be things of great search and attainment which when they are well examined it may be they are not true or if they are are yet of a very little consequence or importance It is these fundamental Truths that have the mysteries of the Wisdom and Grace of God in wrapped in them which who so can unfold aright will shew himself a workman that needs not be ashamed These still waters are deep and the farther we dive into them the greater discovery shall we make of their depths And many other Sacred Truths there are whose mention is common but whose depths are little searched and whose efficacy is little known 3. We multiply these Evidences because they are multitudes that are concerned in them All that do believe and all that do not believe are so Those that do believe that they may be established and those that do not believe that they may be encouraged so to do Among both these sorts some evidences may be more profitable and useful one to one some to another It may be amongst all all will be gathered up that no fragments be lost They are all I hope instruments provided by the Holy Ghost for this end and by this Ordinance do we endeavour to put them into his hand to be made effectual as he will One may reach one soul another another according to his pleasure One may be of use to establishment another to consolation a third of encouragement according as the necessities of poor souls do require However God who hath provided them knows them all to be needful 4. They are so also upon the account of the various conditions wherein the Spirits of Believers themselves may be One may give help to the same soul at one season another at another one may secure the soul against a temptation another stir it up to Thankfulness and Obedience These things have I spoken that you may not think we dwell too long on this consideration And I pray God that your Consolation and Establishment may abound in the reading of these Meditations as I hope they have not been altogether without their fruit in their preparation Further Evidences of Forgiveness with God Testimonies that God was well pleased with some that were sinners The Patience of God towards the world an evidence of Forgiveness Experience of the Saints of God to the same purpose IV. Let us then in the fourth place as a fourth Evidence of this truth consider those both under the Old Testament and the New concerning whom we have the greatest Assurance that God was well pleased with them and that they are now in the enjoyment of him And this Argument unto this purpose the Apostle insists upon and presseth from sundry instances Heb. 11. How many doth he there reckon up who of old obtained a good report and this Testimony that they pleased God ver 2. 5. All these inherited the Promises through believing that is obtained the forgiveness of sin For whereas by nature they were children of wrath and under the Curse as well as others obtaining an infallible interest in the favour of God and this Testimony that they pleased him it could no otherwise be For without this on a just account every one of them would have continued in the state wherein Adam was when he heard the voyce of God and was afraid Wherefore it being evident that some persons in all Generations have enjoyed the friendship love and favour of God in this world and at their departure out of it have entred into Glory it makes it evident that there is forgiveness of sin with him without which these things could not be Let us after the example of the Apostle mention some particular instances in this matter Look unto Abraham He was the friend of God and walked with God God made a solemn Covenant with him and takes it for his memorial throughout all generations that he is the God of Abraham And he is doubtless now at rest with God Our Saviour calls the place or condition whereinto blessed souls are gathered Abrahams Bosom He is at rest with whom others are at rest The condition was the same with Isaac and Jacob. They also are Heaven being alive unto and with God Our Saviour proves it from the tenour of the Covenant I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. They are yet alive alive unto God and with him by vertue of the Covenant or after their death God would not be said to be their God This is the force of our Saviours Argument in that place that after their death God was still their God Then death had not reached their whole persons They were still alive with God in Heaven and their bodies by vertue of the same Covenant were to be recovered out of the dust The same is the state with David He was a man after Gods own heart that did all his Will and fulfilled all his pleasure And although he dyed and his body saw corruption yet he is not lost he is with God in Heaven Hence he ended his dayes triumphantly in a full apprehension of Eternal Rest beyond what could in this world be attained and that by vertue of the Covenant For these are the last words of David Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ascertaining unto him sure and eternal mercies 2 Sam. 23. 5 Peter also is in Heaven Christ prayed for him that his faith should not fail and in his death he glorified God John 21. 19. So is Paul He also is in Heaven he knew that when he wis dissolved he should be with Christ. Here then we are encompassed about with a cloud of witnesses For 1. It is most certain that they were all sinners They were all so by nature for therein there is no difference between any of the Children of men And personally they were sinners also They confessed so of themselves and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record Yea some of them were great sinners or guilty of great and signal miscarriages Some before their Conversion as Abraham who was an Idolater Josh. 24. 2 3. and Paul who was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer Some after their Conversion Some in sins of the flesh against their Obedience as David and some in sins of Profession against saith as Peter Nothing then is more evident than that no one of them came to rest with God but by forgiveness Had they never been guilty of any one sin but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ yet they could be saved no other way For he that
this matter and the Law of its performance And there is the Will of the Son in answer thereunto and his delight in fulfilling that Law which was prescribed unto him Let us now consider to what purpose was this Eternal Counsel of Peace This Agreement of the Father and Son from Eternity about the State and Condition of Mankind If God would have left them all to perish under the guilt of their sins there had been no need at all of any such thoughts design or Counsel God had given unto them a Law Righteous and Holy which if they transgressed he had threatned them with eternal destruction Under the Rule disposal and power of this Law he might have righteously left them to stand or fall according to the verdict and sentence thereof But now he assures us he reveals unto us that he had other thoughts in this matter that there were other Counsels between the Father and the Son concerning us And these such as the Son was delighted in the prospect of his Accomplishment of them What can these thoughts and counsels be but about a way for their deliverance which could no otherwise be but by the forgiveness of sins For whatever else be done yet if God mark iniquities there is none can stand Hearken therefore poor sinner and have hope God is consulting about thy deliverance and freedom And what cannot the Wisdom and Grace of the Father and Son effect and accomplish And to this end was the Son sent into the world which is the second thing proposed to Consideration 2. Whom did God send about this business The Scripture layes great weight and Emphasis on this consideration faith must do so also John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son So 1 John 4. 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him And again v. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiations of our sins And who is this that is thus sent and called the only begotten Son of God Take a double description of him one out of the Old Testament and another from the new The first from Isa. 9. 6. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace The other from Heb. 1. 2 3. God hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high This is he who was sent in Nature he was glorious even over all God blessed for ever In Answerableness unto the Father the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his person possessed of all the same essential Properties with him So that what we find in him we may be assured of in the Father also for he that hath seen him hath seen the Father who is in him In Power Omnipotent for he made all things and upholding all things with an unspeakable facility by the Word of his power In Office exalted over all sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high In Name the Mighty God the Everlasting Father so that whatever he came about he will assuredly accomplish and fulfill for what should hinder or let this Mighty One from perfecting his design Now this consideration raiseth our Evidence to that height as to give us an unquestionable Assurance in this matter Here is a near and a particular Object for faith to be exercised about and to rest in Wherefore did this glorious Son of God come and Tabernacle amongst poor sinners We beheld the glory of the Eternal Word the glory of the only begotten of the Father and he was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pitched his Tabernacle amongst us John 1. 14. To what end It was no other but to work out and accomplish the Eternal Counsel of Peace towards sinners before mentioned to procure for them and to declare unto them the forgiveness of sin And what greater evidence what greater Assurance can we have that there is forgiveness with God for us he himself hath given it as a Rule that what is done by giving an only begotten or an only beloved Son gives assured Testimony of reality and sincerity in the thing that is confirmed by it So he sayes unto Abraham Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou fearest God seeing that thou hast not withheld thy Son thy only Son from me This way it may be known or no way And they are blessed Conclusions that faith may make from this consideration now I know that there is forgiveness with God seeing he hath not withheld his Son his only Son that he might accomplish it To this purpose the Apostle teacheth us to reason Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things What further can any soul desire What ground remains for unbelief to stand upon in this matter Is there any thing more to be done herein It was to manifest that there is forgiveness with him and to make way for the exercise of it that God sent his Son that the Son of God came into the world as will afterwards more fully appear 3. To this sending of the Son of God to this purpose there is evidence and security added from the Manner wherein he was sent How was this Not in Glory not in Power not in an open discovery of his Eternal Power and Godhead Had it been so we might have thought that he had come meerly to manifest and glorifie himself in the world And this he might have done without thoughts of mercy or Pardon towards us But he came quite in another manner He was seen in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8 3. In the form of a servant Phil. 2. 10. Being made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. What he endured suffered underwent in that state and condition is in some measure known unto us all All this could not be meerly and firstly for himself All that he expected at the close of it was to be glorified with that glory which he had with the Father before the world was John 17. 5. It must then be for our sakes and for what to save and deliver us from that condition of wrath at present and future expectation of Vengeance which we had cast our selves into by sin that is to procure for us the forgiveness of sin Had not God designed Pardon for sin he would never have sent his
unto us that is wanting in this matter For 1. There is forgiveness with God and this manifested revealed declared This manifestation of it is that which makes it the Object of our faith We believe things to be in God and with him not meerly and formally because they are so but because he hath manifested and revealed them so to be 1 John 1. 2. What he so declares it is our duty to believe or we frustrate the end of his Revelation 2. We are expresly commanded to believe and that upon the highest Promises and under the greatest penalties This Command is that which makes believing formally a duty Faith is a Grace as it is freely wrought in us by the Holy Ghost the root of all Obedience and duties as it is radically fixed in the heart But as it is commanded it is a duty and these Commands you know are several wayes expressed by Invitations Exhortations Propositions which all have in them the nature of Commands which take up a great part of the Books of the New Testament 3. It is a duty as we have shewed of the greatest concernment unto the Glory of God 4. Of the greatest importance unto our souls here and hereafter And these things were necessary to be added to bottom our ensuing Exhortations upon Evidences that most men do not believe Forgiveness That which should now ensue is the peculiar improvement of this Truth all along aimed at namely to give Exhortations and encouragements unto believing But I can take few steps in this work wherein methinks I do hear some saying Surely all this is needless Who is there that doth not believe all that you go about to prove And so these pains are spent to little or no purpose I shall therefore before I perswade any unto it endeavour to shew that they do it not already Many I say the most of men who live under the dispensation of the Gospel do wofully deceive their own souls in this matter They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe and what they think they believe Men talk of fundamental Errors this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall into and the most pernitious It is made up of these two parts 1. They do not indeed believe forgiveness 2. They suppose they do believe it which keeps them from seeking after their only remedy Both these mistakes are in the foundation and do ruine the souls of them that live and die in them I shall then by a brief enquiry put this matter to a tryal By some plain Rules and Principles may this important Question whether we do indeed believe forgiveness or no be answered and decided But to the Resolution intended I shall premise two Observations 1. Men in this case are very apt to deceive themselves self-Self-love vain Hopes liking of Lust common false Principles sloth unwillingness unto self-examination Reputation with the World and it may be in the Church all vigorously concurr unto mens self-deceivings in this matter It is no easie thing for a soul to break through all these and all self-reasonings that rise from them to come unto a clear judgement of its own acting in dealing with God about forgiveness Men also find a Common Presumption of this Truth and its being an easie relief against gripings of Conscience and disturbing thoughts about sin which they daily meet withall Aiming therefore only at the removal of trouble and finding their present Imagination of it sufficient thereunto they never bring their perswasion to the tryal 2. As men are apt to do thus so they actually do so they do deceive themselves and know not that they do so The last day will make this evident if men will no sooner be convinced of their folly When our Saviour told his Disciples that one of them twelve should betray him though it were but one of twelve that was in danger yet every one of the twelve made a particular enquiry about himself I will not say that one in each twelve is here mistaken But I am sure the Truth tells us That many are called and but few are chosen they are but few who do really believe forgiveness Is it not then incumbent on every one to be enquiring in what number he is likely to be found at the last day Whilst men put this enquiry off from themselves and think or say it may be the Concernment of others it is not mine they perish and that without remedy Remember what poor Jacob said when he had lost one Child and was afraid of the loss of another Gen. 43. 14. If I be bereaved of my Children I am bereaved As if he should have said if I lose my Children I have no more to lose they are my all Nothing worse can befall me in this world Comfort Joy yea Life and all go with them How much more may men say in this Case If we are deceived here we are deceived all is lost hope and life and soul all must perish and that for ever There is no help or relief for them who deceive themselves in this matter They have found out a way to go quietly down into the pit Now these things are premised only that they may be incentives unto self-examination in this matter and so render the ensuing Considerations usefull Let us then address our selves unto them 1. In General This is a Gospel Truth yea the great fundamental and most important Truth of the Gospel It is the turning point of the two Covenants as God himself declares Heb. 7. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Now a very easie Consideration of the wayes and walkings of men will satisfie us as to this Enquiry whether they do indeed believe the Gospel the Covenant of Grace and the fundamental Principles of it Certainly their Ignorance Darkness Blindness their Corrupt Affections and Worldly Conversations their Earthly-mindedness and open disavowing of the Spirit Wayes and Yoke of Christ speak no such language Shall we think that proud heady worldly self-seckers haters of the people of God and his wayes despisers of the Spirit of Grace and his work Sacrificers to their own lusts and such like do believe the Covenant of Grace or Remission of sins God forbid we should entertain any one thought of so great dishonour to the Gospel Where ever that is received or believed it produceth other effects Tit. 2. 11 12. Isa. 11 6 7 8 9. It teacheth men to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts It changeth their hearts natures and wayes It is not such a barren impotent and fruitless thing as such an Apprehension would represent it 2. They that really believe forgiveness in God do thereby obtain forgiveness Believing gives an interest in it it brings it home to the soul concerned This is the inviolable Law of the Gospel Believing and forgiveness are inseparably conjoyned Among the Evidences that we may have of any one being interested in forgiveness I shall only name one They prize and value
It is only this a Saviour is born a way of escape is provided and further they do not proceed Yet this they say is a matter of great joy as it was indeed It is so to every burdned convinced sinner a matter of unspeakable joy and rejoycing Oh blessed words a Saviour is born This gives life to a sinner and opens a door of hope in the valley of Achor The first rescue of a sin distressed soul. Upon the matter it was all that the Saints for many Ages had to live upon and that not in the enjoyment but only the expectation They lived on that Word the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head that is a way of deliverance is provided for sinners This with all diligence they enquired into 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. and improved it to their eternal advantage As of old Jacob when he saw the Waggons that his Son Joseph had sent to bring him unto him it is said his Spirit revived So did they upon their obscure discovery of a way of forgiveness They looked upon the Promise of it as that which God had sent to bring them unto him and they saw the day of the coming of Christ in it and rejoyced How much more have Sinners now Reason so to do when the substance of the Promise is exhibited and the news of his Comeing proclaimed unto them This then is a great matter namely that terms of Peace and Reconciliation are proposed in that it is made known that there is forgiveness with God Upon these Considerations then we pursue that Exhortation which we have in hand If any of you were justly condemned to a cruel and shamefull death and lay trembling in the expectation of the execution of it and a man designed for that purpose should come unto him and tell him that there were terms propounded on which his life might be spared only he came away like Ahimaaz before he heard the particulars would it not be a reviving unto him would he not cry out Pray enquire what they are for there is not any thing so difficult which I will not undergoe to free my self from this miserable condition Would it not change the whole frame of the spirit of such a man and as it were put new life into him But now if instead hereof he should be froward stubborn and obstinate take no notice of the Messenger or say Let the Judge keep his terms to himself without inquiring what they are that he would have nothing to do with them would not such a person be deemed to perish deservedly doth he not bring a double destruction upon himself first of deserving death by his crimes and then by refusing the honest and good way of delivery tendred unto him I confess it often times falls out that men may come to enquire after these terms of Peace which when they are revealed they like them not but with the young man in the Gospel they go away sorrowfull The cursed wickedness and misery of which condition which befalls many convinced persons shall be spoken unto afterwards At present I speak unto them who never yet attended in sincerity unto these terms nor seriously enquired after them Think you what you please of your Condition and of your selves or choose whether you will think of it or no pass your time in a full regardlesness of your present and future Estate Yet indeed thus it is with you as to your eternal concerns you lye under the sentence of a bitter shamefull and everlasting death you have done so in the midst of all your jollity ever since you came into this world And you are in the hand of him who can in the twinkling of an eye destroy both body and soul in Hell fire In this state and condition men are sent on purpose to let you know that there are terms of Peace there is yet a way of escape for you And that you may not avoid the issue aimed at they tell you that God that cannot lye hath commanded them to tell you so if you question the truth of what they say they are ready to produce their warrant under Gods own hand and seal here then is no room for tergiversation or excuses Certainly if you have any care of your eternal estate if you have any drop of tender blood running in your veins towards your own souls if you have any rational considerations dwelling in your minds if all be not defaced and obliterated through the power of lust and love of sin you cannot but take your selves to be unspeakably concerned in this proposal But now if instead hereof you give up your selves unto the power of unbelief the will of Sathan the love of your lusts and this present world so as to take no notice of this errand or message from God nor once seriously to enquire after the nature and importance of the terms proposed Can you escape shall you be delivered will your latter end be peace The Lord knows it will be otherwise with you and that unto Eternity So the Apostle assures us 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine into them If you receive not this word if it be bid from you it is from the power and efficacy of Sathan upon your minds And what will be the end Perish you must and shall and that for ever Remember the Parable of our Saviour Luke 14. 31 32. What King going to make warre against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with Ten Thousand to meet him that cometh against him with Twenty Thousand or else while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an Ambassage and desireth conditions of Peace That which he teacheth in this Parable is the necessity that lyes on us of making peace with God whom we have provoked and justly made to be our Enemy as also our utter impotency to resist and withstand him when he shall come forth in a way of Judgement and Vengeance against us But here lyes a difference in this matter such as is allowed in all similitudes Amongst men at variance it is not his part who is the stronger and secure of success to send to the weaker whom he hath in his Power to accept of terms of Peace Here it is otherwise God who is infinitely powerfull justly provoked and able to destroy poor sinners in a moment when now he is not very farre off but at the very door sends himself an Ambassage with Conditions of Peace And shall he be refused by you will you yet neglect his offers How great then will be your destruction Hear then once more poor sin-hardened sensless souls ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness Is it nothing unto you that the great and
and anxiety about them This made him fear lest God was his enemy and would continue to deal with him in all feverity So was it with Josephs Brethren in their distresses Gen. 42. 21. They said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he sought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us And vers 22. Behold his blood is required Their distress revives a deep perplexing sense of the guilt of sin many years past before and that under all its aggravating circumstances which spoiled them of all their reliefs and comforts filling them with Confusion and Trouble though absolutely innocent as to what was come on them And the like appeared in the Widdow of Zareptha with whom Elijah sojourned during the famine Upon the death of her Son which it seems was some what extraordinary she cryed out unto the Prophet What have I to do with thee thou Man of God Art thou come to call my sins to remembrance and to slay my Son 1 King 17 18. It seems some great sin she had formerly contracted the guilt of and now upon her sore Affliction in the death of her only child the Remembrance of it was recalled and revived upon her soul. Thus deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Gods water spouts and then all his waves and billows go over a person Psal. 42. 7. The deep of Afflictions calleth up the deep of the guilt of sin and both in conjunction become as billows and waves passing over the soul. We see only the outside of mens afflictions they usually complain only of what doth appear And an easie thing it is supposed to be to apply relief and comfort unto those that are distressed The Rule in this matter is so clear so often repeated and inculcated the promises annexed unto this condition so many and precious that every one hath in readiness what to apply unto them who are so exercised But oftentimes we know nothing of the Gall and Wormwood that is in mens Affliction they keep that to themselves and their souls feed upon them in secret Lam. 3. 12. God hath stirred up the Remembrance of some great sin or sins and they look upon their Afflictions as that wherein he is come or beginning to enter into Judgement with them And is it any wonder if they be in darkness and filled with disconsolation 2. There is in many Afflictions something that seems New and peculiar wherewith the soul is surprised and cannot readily reduce its condition unto what is taught about Afflictions in General This perplexeth and intangleth it It is not Affliction it is troubled withall but some one thing or other in it that appears with an Especial dread unto the soul so that he questioneth whether ever it were so with any other or no and is thereby deprived of the supportment which from former Examples it might receive And indeed when God intendeth that which shall be a deep Affliction he will put an Edge upon it in matter or manner or circumstances that shall make the soul feel its sharpness He will not take up with our bounds and measures and with which we think we could be contented But he will put the impress of his own greatness and terrour upon it that he may be acknowledged and submitted unto Such was the State with Naomi When from a full and plentiful condition she went into a strange Countrey with an Husband and two Sons where they all dyed leaving her destitute and poor Hence in her account of Gods dealing with her she sayes call me not Naomi that is pleasant but call me mara that is bitter for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out Full and the Lord brought me again Empty why then call ye me Naomi since the Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me Ruth 1. 20 21. So was it with Job with the Widdow of Zareptha and with her at Naim who was burying her only Child And still in many Afflictions God is pleased to put in an entangling specialty which perplexeth the soul and darkens it in all its Reasonings about the Love of God towards it and its interest in Pardon and Grace 3. In some Affections are very strong and Importunate as fixed on lawful things whereby their Nature is made sensible and tender and apt to receive very deep impressions from urgent Afflictions Now although this in its self be a good natural frame and helps to preserve the soul from that stout hardness which God abhors yet if it be not watched over it is apt to perplex the soul with many intangling Temptations The Apostle intimates a double evil that we are obnoxious unto under tryals and Afflictions Heb. 12. 5. My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Men may either through a natural stoutness despise and contemn their sufferings and be obstinate under them or faint and despond and so come short of the end which God aimes at for them to be attained in a way of duty Now though the frame spoken of be not obnoxious unto the first extream yet it is greatly to the latter which if not watched against is no less pernitious than the former Affections in such persons being greatly moved they cloud and darken the mind and fill it with strange Apprehensions concerning God and themselves Every thing is presented unto them through a Glass composed of Fear Dread Terrour Sorrow and all sorts of disconsolations This makes them faint and despond unto very sad apprehensions of themselves and their Conditions 4. Afflictions find some entangled with very strong corruptions as Love of the World or the pleasure of it of Name or Reputation of great contrivances for posterity and the like or it may be in things carnal or sensual Now when these unexpectedly meet together great Afflictions and strong Corruptions it is not conconceivable what a combustion they will make in the soul. As a strong medicine or potion meeting with a strong or tough distemper in the body there is a violent contention in nature between them and about them so that oftentimes the very life of the patient is endangered So it is where a great tryal a smart stroke of the hand of God falls upon a person in the midst of his pursuit of the Effects of some corruptions the soul is amazed even to distraction and can scarce have any thought but that God is come to cut the person off in the midst of his sin Every unmortified corruption fills the very fear and expectation of Affliction with horrour And there is good Reason that so it should do for although God should be merciful unto mens Iniquities yet if he should come to take Vengeance of their Inventions their condition would be dark and sorrowful 5. Satan is never wanting in such Occasions to attempt the compassing of his Ends upon
as it is necessary for the discharge of such duties unto the Glory of God Now because it is not directly in our way yet having been mentioned I shall briefly in our passage touch upon the latter or what duties do depend upon our Judging of others to be regenerate and the way or Principles whereby such a Judgement may be made 1. There are many duties incumbent on us to be performed with and towards Professors which without admitting a Judgement to be made of their State and Condition cannot be performed in faith And in reference unto these duties alone it is that we are called to Judge the State of others For we are not giving Countenance unto a rash uncharitable censuring of mens spiritual conditions nor unto any Judging of any men any other than what our own duty towards them doth indispensably require Thus if we are to lay down our lives for the Brethren it is very meet we should so far know them so to be as that we may hazard our lives in faith when we are called thereunto We are also to Joyn with them in those Ordinances wherein we make a Solemn profession that we are members of the same body with them that we have the same head the same Spirit faith and love We must love them because they are begotten of God Children of our heavenly Father and therefore must on some good ground believe them so to be In a word the due performance of all principal mutual Gospel Duties to the Glory of God and our own Edification depends on this supposition that we may have such a satisfying perswasion concerning the spiritual condition of others as that from thence we may take our ayme in what we do 2. For the grounds hereof I shall mention one only which all others do lean upon This is pressed 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ. For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit They are all united unto and hold of one head For as are the members of the body natural under one head So is Christ mystical that is all believers under Christ their head And this Union they have by the inhabitation of the same quickning Spirit which is in Christ their head and by him they are brought all into the same spiritual state and frame they are made to drink into one and the same Spirit for this same Spirit produceth the same Effects in them all the same in kind though differing in degrees as the Apostle fully declares Ephes. 4. 3 4 5 6. And this Spirit is in them and not in the world John 16. And as this gives them a naturalness in their duties one towards another or in mutual caring for rejoycing and sorrowing with one another as members one of another 1 Cor. 12. 25 26. So it reveals and discovers them to each other so far as is necessary for the performance of the Duties mentioned in such a manner as becomes members of the same body There is on this account a spiritually natural Answering of one to another as face answereth face in the Water They can see and discern that in others whereof they have Experience in themselves they can tast and relish that in others which they feed upon in themselves and wherein the lives of their souls do consist the same spirit of life being in them they have the same spiritual tast and Savour And unless their pallats are distempered by Temptations or false opinions or prejudices they can in their Communion tast of that Spirit in each other which they are all made to drink into This gives them the same likeness and Image in the Inward man the same heavenly light in their minds the same affections and being thus prepared and enabled to Judge and discern of the State of each other in reference unto their mutual duties they have moreover the true Rule of the Word to Judge of all Spirits and Spiritual effects by And this is the ground of all that love without dissimulation and real Communion that is among the Saints of God in this World But here two Cautions must be allowed 1. That we would not Judge the State and Condition of any men in the world no further than we are called thereunto in a way of Duty and we are so called only with reference unto the Duties that we are to perform towards them What have we to do to Judge them that are without that is any one that we have not a call to consider in reference unto our own Duty Herein that great Rule takes place Judge not that ye be not Judged Let us leave all men the worst of men unless where evident duty requires other actings to the Judgement seat of God They are the Servants of another and they stand or fall unto their own Master There have been great miscarriages amongst us in this matter some have been ready to condemn all that go not along with them in every principle yea opinion or practice And every day slight occasions and provocations are made the grounds and reasons of severe censures But nothing is more contrary to the conduct of the meek and holy Spirit of Christ. This is our Rule are we called to Act towards any as Saints as living Members of the body of Christ and that in such Duties as we cannot perform in faith unless we are perswaded that so they are then are we on the grounds and by the wayes before mentioned to satisfie our selves in one another 2. Do we endeavour mutually to discern the condition of one another in reference unto such Ends Let us be sure to look unto and pursue those ends when we have attained our Satisfaction What these ends are hath been shewed It is that we may love them without dissimulation as members of the same mystical body with us that we may naturally take care of them and for them that we may delight sincerely in them that we may minister unto their wants Temporal and Spiritual that we may watch over them with pitty and compassion These and the like are the only ends for which we are at any time called to the consideration of the spiritual condition of one another if these be neglected the other is useless And here lyes a great aggravation of that neglect in that such a way is made for the avoidance of it Here lyes the life or death of all Church Society All Church Society and Relation is built on this supposition that the members of it are all Regenerate some lay this foundation in Baptism only professing that all that are baptized are Regenerate Others require a farther Satisfaction in the real work it self But all build on the same foundation that all Church members are to be Regenerate And
to what end is this Namely that they may all mutually perform those duties one towards another which are incumbent mutually on Regenerate persons If these are omitted there is an End of all profitable use of Church Society Churches without this are but meer husks and shells of Churches Carkasses without souls For as there is no real Union unto Christ without faith so there is no real Union among the members of any Church without Love and that acting its self in all the Duties mentioned Let not this Ordinance be in vain But we must return from this digression to that which lies before us which is concerning what a man may discern concerning his own being Regenerate or born again I say then Secondly Men may come to an assured Satisfactory perswasion that themselves are regenerate and that such as is so far insallible as that it will not deceive them when it is brought unto the tryal For there are many Duties whose performance in faith unto the glory of God and the Edification of our own souls doth depend on this perswasion and Conviction As 1. A due sense of our Relation unto God and an answerable comportment of our spirits and hearts towards him He that is born again is born of God He is begotten of God by the immortal seed of the Word Without a perswasion hereof how can a man on grounds of faith carry himself towards God as his Father and how great a part of our Obedience towards him and communion with him depends hereon we all know If men fluctuate all their dayes in this matter if they come to no settlement in it no comfortable perswasion of it they scarce ever act any genuine childlike acts of Love or Delight towards God which exceedingly impeacheth their whole Obedience 2. Thankfulness for Grace received is one of the principal duties that is incumbent on Believers in this World Now how can a man in faith bless God for that which he is utterly uncertain whether he have received it from him or no. I know some men run on in a Road in this matter They will bless God in a formal way for their Regeneration Sanctification Justification and the like But if you ask them whether themselves are regenerate or no they will be ready to scoff at it or at least to profess that they know no such thing What is this but to mock God and in a presumptuous manner to take his name in vain But if we will praise God as we ought for his Grace as we are guided and directed in the Scripture as the nature of the matter requires with such a frame of heart as may influence our whole Obedience surely it cannot but be our duty to know the Grace that we have received 3. Again the main of our Spiritual watch and diligence consisteth in the cherishing improving and increasing of the Grace that we have received the strengthening of the new Creature that is wrought in us Herein consists principally the Life of faith and the exercise of that Spiritual Wisdom which faith furnisheth the soul withall Now how can any man apply himself hereunto whilest he is altogether uncertain whether he hath received any principle of Living Saving Grace or no whereas therefore God requires our utmost Diligence Watchfulness and Care in this matter It is certain that he requires also of us and grants unto us that which is the foundation of all these duties which lyes in an Acquaintance with that state and condition whereunto we do belong In brief there is nothing we have to do in reference unto Eternity but one way or other it hath a respect unto our light and convictions as to our State and Condition in this World And those who are negligent in the tryal and Examination thereof do leave all things between God and their souls at absolute uncertainties and dubious hazards which is not to lead the Life of Faith We shall now upon these premises return unto that part of the Objection which is under consideration Say some We know not whether we are regenerate or no and are therefore altogether uncertain whether we have an interest in that forgiveness that is with God nor dare we on that account admit of the consolation that is tendred on the Truth insisted on Supposing what hath been spoken in general I shall lay down the grounds of resolving this perplexing doubt in the ensuing Rules RULE I. See that the perswasion and Assurance hereof which you look after and desire be regular and not such as is suited meerly unto your own Imaginations Our second and third General Rules about the nature of all spiritual Assurance and what is consistent therewithall are here to be taken into consideration If you look to have such an Evidence Light into and absolute conviction of this matter as shall admit of no doubts fears questionings just occasions and causes of new trials teachings and self-examinations you will be greatly deceived Regeneration induceth a new principle into the soul but it doth not utterly expel the old some would have security not Assurance The principle of sin and unbelief will still abide in us and still work in us Their abiding and their acting must needs put the soul upon a severe enquiry whether they are not prevalent in it beyond what the condition of Regeneration will admit The constant conflicts we must have with sin will not suffer us to have alwaies so clear an Evidence of our condition as we would desire Such a perswasion as is prevalent against strong objections to the contrary keeping up the heart to a due performance of those duties in faith which belong unto the state of Regeneration is the substance of what in this kind you are to look after RULE II. If you are doubtfull concerning your state and condition do not expect an extraordinary determination of it by an Immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God I do grant that God doth sometimes by this means bring in peace and satisfaction unto the soul he gives his own Spirit immediately to bear witness with ours that we are the children of God both upon the account of Regeneration and Adoption He doth so but as far as we can observe in a way of Soveraignty when and to whom he pleaseth Besides that men may content and satisfie themselves with his ordinary Teachings Consolations and Communications of his Grace he hath left the nature of that peculiar Testimony of the Spirit very dark and difficult to be found out few agreeing wherein it doth consist or what is the nature of it No one mans Experience is a Rule unto others And an undue Apprehension of it is a matter of great danger Yet it is certain that humble souls in extraordinary cases may have recourse unto it with benefit and relief thereby This then you may desire you may pray for but not with such a frame of spirit as to refuse that other satisfaction which in the waies of Truth and
Peace you may find This is the putting of the hand into the side of Christ but blessed are they who believe and yet have not seen RULE III. If you have at any time formerly received any especial or Immediate pledge or testimony of God given unto your souls as unto their Sincerity and consequently their Regeneration labour to recover it and to revive a sense of it upon your Spirits now in your darkness and trouble I am perswaded there are but few Believers but that God doth at one time or other in one duty or other entring into or coming out of one Temptation or another give some singular Testimony unto their own souls and consciences concerning their Sincerity and his Acceptance of them Sometimes he doth this in a duty wherein he hath enabled the soul to make so near an approach unto him as that it hath been warmed enlivened sweetned satisfied with the presence the gracious presence of God and which God hath made unto him as a token of his uprightness Sometimes when a man is entring into any great Temptation Trial difficult or dangerous duty that death it self is feared in it God comes in by one means or other by a secret intimation of his Love which he gives him to take along with him for his furniture and provision in his way and thereby testifies to him his Sincerity And this serves like the food of Elijah for forty daies in a wilderness condition Sometimes he is pleased to shine immediately into the soul in the midst of its darkness and sorrow wherewith it is surprized as not looking for any such expression of kindness and is thereby relieved against its own pressing self-condemnation And sometimes the Lord is pleased to give these tokens of Love unto the soul as its refreshment when it is coming off from the storm of Temptations wherewith it hath been tossed And many other times and seasons there are wherein God is pleased to give unto Believers some Especial Testimony in their consciences unto their own Integrity But now these are all wrought by a transient operation of the Spirit exciting and enabling the heart unto a spiritual sensible apprehension and receiving of Gods expressing kindness towards it These things abide not in their sense and in their power which they have upon our Affections but immediately pass away They are therefore to be treasured up in the mind and judgement to be improved and made use of by Faith as occasion shall require but we are apt to lose them Most know no other use of them but whilst they feel them yea through ignorance in our duty to improve them they prove like a sudden light brought into a dark place and again removed which seems to increase and really aggravates our sense of the darkness The true Use of them is to lay them up and ponder them in our hearts that they may be Supportments and Testimonies unto us in a time of need Have you then who are now in the dark as to your state or condition whether you are Regenerate or no ever received any such refreshing and chearing Testimony from God given unto your Integrity and your Acceptance with him thereupon call it over again and make use of it against those discouragements which arise from your present darkness in this matter and which keeps you off from sharing in the consolation tendred unto you in this Word of Grace RULE IV. A due spiritual Consideration of the Causes and Effects of Regeneration is the ordinary way and means whereby the souls of Believers come to be satisfied concerning that work of God in them and upon them The principle or causes of this work are the Spirit and the Word He that is born again is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 6. and of the Word Of his own Will begat he us by the word of his Truth Jam. 1. 18. We are born again by the Word of God that abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. Where ever then a man is regenerate there hath been an effectual work of the Spirit and of the Word upon his soul. This is to be inquired into and after Ordinarily it will discover it self Such impressions will be made in it upon the soul such a change will be wrought and produced in it as will not escape a spiritual diligent search and enquiry And this is much of the duty of such as are in the dark and uncertain concerning the accomplishment of this work in themselves Let them call to mind what have been the actings of the Spirit by the Word upon their souls What Light thereby hath been communicated unto their minds what discoveries of the Lord Christ and way of Salvation have been made to them what sense and detestation of sin have been wrought in them what satisfaction hath been given unto the soul to chuse accept and acquiesce in the Righteousness of Christ what Resignation of the heart unto God according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace it hath been wrought unto Call to mind what Transactions there have been between God and your souls about these things how far they have been carryed on whether you have broken off the Treaty with God and refused his Terms or if not where the stay is between you and what is the Reason since God hath graciously begun to deal thus with you that you are not yet come to a through close with him in the work and design of his Grace the defect must of necessity lye on your parts God doth nothing in vain Had he not been willing to receive you he would not have dealt with you so far as he hath done There is nothing then remains to firm your condition but a resolved Act of your own Wills in answering the mind and will of God And by this search may the soul come to satisfaction in this matter or at least find out and discover where the stick is whence their uncertainty doth arise and what is wanting to compleat their desires Again this work may be discovered by its Effects There is something that is produced by it in the soul which may also be considered either with respect unto its Being and Existence or unto its Actings and Operations in the first regard it is Spirit Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit which is produced by the effectual operation of the Spirit of God it is Spirit A new Creature 2 Cor. 15. 17. He that is in Christ Jesus who is born again is a new Creature a new life a spiritual life Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 2. 1. In brief it is an habitual furnishment of all the faculties of the soul with new spiritual vital principles enabling a person in all instances of Obedience to lead a spiritual life unto God This principle is by this work produced in the soul and in respect of its Actings it consists in all the gracious operations of the Mind Will Heart or Affections in the duties of Obedience which God hath required