seperaters from God and no ioyners to God therefore it must needs be loue and nothing but loue yea the infinite loue of God to vs in Christ Iesus that gathers vs and bindes vs vp within this Communion It is his loue to couer such a multitude of sinnes his loue to care for vs when wee were carelesse of our selues his loue to affect vs that hated him his loue to ouercome our monstrous euilnesse with his mercifull goodnesse his loue to rescue vs raise vs vp from the gates of Hell and to set vs in heauenly places his loue to assume vs that were cast-awayes in our selues to be associated with his blessed Maiestie this is such a loue indeed as is admirable infinite worthy of God who if he were not loue it selfe hee could not nor would not haue shewed forth such fauour vnto vs. The first Vse of this Doctrine is matter of Confutation Vse 1 against the Doctrine of Mans merits If loue be the bond of our Communion of God in Christ then there is no merit of Saints nor of Angels that could euer bee the cause of it no worke before or after Iustification doth merit this before Iustification God sets his loue vpon vs freely that is agreed vpon on both sides but after Iustification say the Papists we may deserue heauen No say we the loue of God is the bond of our Communion with God which as it brings vs to God so it tyes vs fast to him sanctifies vs and glorifies vs. Vse 2 The second Vse is for Instruction teaching vs that seeing all true beleeuers haue a true Interest in the loue of God they are all ioyned to God and the bond that tyes them to him is his Loue therefore all true beleeuers are seised and possest of the loue of God A matter worthy to be well considered of vs as that that will call vpon vs and prouoke vs to many holy Duties Fiue Duties to be learned from the loue of God to vs First therefore we must know and beleeue this that God loues vs 1 Iohn 4.16 We haue known Dutie 1 and beleeued saith the Apostle the loue that God hath in vs Let vs labour therefore to get some comfortable knowledge and perswasion in our hearts that God loues vs. Wicked men are vsually too forward and too presumptuous in this case they runne on in sinne and in their owne vilde courses not regarding Gods loue and yet they presume and and perswade themselues that God loues them and if any tell them the contrary they defie him On the other side Gods children they are too backeward They repent and pray against their sinnes and fight against them and striue after grace and yet they are hardly perswaded of Gods loue to them Therefore how shall wee know certainely that God loues vs Certaine signes marks that God loueth vs. I answere we may know it First in generall by this very point in hand if wee haue this Communion with God if wee be ingrafted into Christ if we be obedient to the Spirit if we be constant and conscionable in the vse of the Word Sacraments and prayer then certainely God loues vs and wee are within the compasse of this Bond. Secondly thou maist know it in particular by this Art thou pluckt out of thy sinnes hast thou parted with them for conscience sake hath thy master-sin receiued his deaths-wound within thee Is thy heart clensed in some true measure from thy wickednesse Oh then certainely God loues thee Psal 73.1 Surely God is good to such as are of a pure heart As it is the greatest signe that euer can be of Gods wrath vpon vs when he suffers vs to liue and to dye in our sinnes so there is no greater signe of his loue then this that our sinnes are cast out of vs and wee not suffered to liue in them Thirdly thou maist know it by thy loue to GOD if thou loue GOD it is most certaine that he loues thee and if God loues thee thou canst not but loue God But how may I know certainely that I loue God indeed for I may be deceiued in this as well as in the other I answere looke into thy Obedience if thou hast an obedient heart to God then thou louest God Iohn 14.21 where Christ expresseth both how we may know we loue God secondly how wee may know that hee loues vs If wee would know whether wee loue God looke into our obedience He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them is he that loueth mee And if we would know whether God loues vs let vs looke into our loue to him And he that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him saith our Sauiour Fourthly wee may know Gods loue to vs by our chastisements Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth but afflictions and chastisements are common to all good and bad to the wicked as well as to the godly I answere Afflictions are so indeed but chastisements are peculiar to Gods people onely But how shall I know whether mine be chastisements I answere out of the 10. verse When God chastiseth vs it is for our profit And what profit that wee might be partakers of his holinesse therefore if wee would know it to be a chastisement looke whether we profit by it to holinesse If wee grow in grace it is a certaine and most sensible yea and infallible signe of Gods loue I say both these together chastisements and profit by them is an infallible signe of Gods loue to thee If Gods hand be vpon thee in minde or body or goods any way or euery way if thou doest profit by it to holinesse and get grace thereby into thy heart then certainely God loues thee This is a sensible Argument and an infallible signe of it it must needs be much loue that turnes sower into sweet the sowernesse of thy chastisements into the sweetnesse of his grace Dutie 2 Another Dutie that we may learne hence is to bee thankefull to God for this his great loue Oh that we could in any measure worthily praise the Lord for this his great loue to vs It is worthy of more thankes then wee are able to giue wee should study therefore how to praise God for it stirre vp all the powers of thy Soule to this duty say with Dauid Psal 103.1 Oh my Soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy Name And that which Dauid would haue all Nations to doe that we must doe Psal 117.1 Praise the Lord Thy soule fares the better for this loue and all that is within thee fares the better for it and therefore stirre vp thy selfe and say Praise the Lord Oh my Soule for his loue towards thee and let all that is within me praise him for his loue say it with thy mouth and doe it with thy heart and let thy life say Amen to it and then this loue of God is well bestowed vpon thee Gods loue is
communion and fellowship with him of this wee spake the last time as time did permit Now we are to come to the second point 2 Doct. the Bond of this holy Communion betwixt God and vs and that is the loue of God The Doctrine is this that the Bond of that holy Communion which is betwixt God and true Beleeuers is Gods loue to them The Bond of that holy Communion which true Beleeuers haue with God in Christ is the loue of God The Doctrine ariseth thus the Apostle speaking of the Impossibilitie of seperating vs from God or from our Communion with God expresseth it thus nothing can seperate vs from the loue of God thereby giuing vs plainely to vnderstand that the Bond whereby we are so fast ioyned to God in Christ so as nothing can seperate vs is this the loue of God towards vs. Explication consisting in three questions and answeres I will speake somewhat by way of Explication and certaine questions there are to be propounded and answered therein The first question is whether this loue of God here spoken or may not be meant of our loue to God as well as of his loue to vs for so some expound it and it agrees well with the phrase for so sometimes in Scripture the loue of God is taken for Gods loue to vs and sometime for our loue to God And also it agrees well with the drift of this place which is to shew the certainty of the faithfull in the state of grace not onely that nothing can remoue God from vs that he should cease to loue vs but also that nothing shall remoue vs from God that wee should cease to loue him And it agrees well with the Nature of our Communion with God for this being a mutuall Communion as well on our part with God as on his part with vs for as he saith to vs thou art my People so we say to him thou art my God Hosea 2.23 therefore there is necessary vse as well of our loue to him as of his to vs for the vpholding of this Communion I answere the loue of God here spoken of is meant directly properly of Gods loue to vs not of our loue to God for it must be vnderstood of such a loue that neuer failes but alas our loue to God doth faile many times but Gods loue to vs neuer failes therefore it must be meant of Gods loue to vs not of our loue to God there is indeed a great vse an absolute necessity of our loue to God so it is true that God will neuer suffer our loue to fall vtterly from him and so consequently it is true that nothing shall vtterly seperate vs from our loue to him Yea but that is not the drift of the place for the force and power of our vnseperable Coniunction with God doth not stand vpon the weake hold of our loue to God but vpon the strong vnmoueable hold of Gods loue to vs. The second Question is that seeing it is meant of Gods loue to vs then what kinde of Gods loue to the faithfull is here spoken of I answere there is a threefold loue which God beares to all true Beleeuers First God loues his children with a generall loue as they are his Creatures the worke of his owne hands and so he hates nothing that hee hath made and this is a prouiding loue for their maintenance and preseruation and this hee shewes in our daily Foode and Rayment and necessaries for this life Secondly he loues them with a speciall loue as men or as they are of the Nature of mankinde for the Nature of man is a louely thing in the eyes of God and this is a countenancing loue for the aduancement and honour of mankinde and this loue God shewed specially in the Incarnation of Christ when the nature of man was assumed into the person of the Sonne of God The third is a particular loue which he beares to them as they are his Children and true Beleeuers for a true beleeuing Saul is a most pretious Iewell before the Lord and this is a sauing loue for their grace and glory and this hee shewes in making vs one with himselfe inseperably and for euer and this loue it is that is here spoken of Nothing shall seperate vs from the sauing loue of God for grace and glory The third Question is why it is called a Bond The answere is because it performes such Offices in this case as a Bond doth for first a Bond serues to ioyne and tye things together into one Bundle and secondly being so tyed it keepes them fast together so that till the Bond be broken or taken off as wee see in a faggot or a sheafe they are neuer sundred so is Gods loue in this blessed vnion it ioynes together and till it selfe faile which can neuer be it holds vs fast to God for euer These things rightly vnderstood and well digested the Doctrine stands cleare in euery mans vnderstanding and iudgement against all difficultie and exception namely that the Bond of that holy Communion which is betwixt God and true Beleeuers is Gods loue to them in Christ The proofes of the Doctrine are these Proofes or confirmation 1. by Scripture Ier. 31.3 the end of the Verse I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with mercy haue I drawne thee It is Gods owne speech to his owne people wherein first he professeth his loue I haue loued thee c. And then he shewes the fruits of his loue therefore with mercy haue I drawne thee c. The Lord shewes mercy vnto vs and in mercy drawes vs vnto himselfe into a blessed Communion with his owne Maiesty but what is the Bond whereby he drawes vs It is his loue to vs I haue loued thee therefore c. Hosea 11.1.4 When Israel was a Childe then I loued him and called my Sonne out of Egypt God cals vs out of the Egyptian darkenesse of Sinne and Death and Hell and takes vs to be his owne Children his Sonnes and Daughters but whence comes it that he enters into this league with vs It is from his loue I haue loued him c. then in the fourth Verse I leade them with Cords of man euen with Bonds of Loue where the Holy Ghost speakes expresly to the point in hand that the Bonds whereby God leades along in the wayes of saluation are the Bonds of Loue Cant. 2 4. He brought mee into the Wine-Cellar and Loue was his Banner ouer me He brought me into his Wine-Cellar there the Spouse euery true beleeuing Soule speakes of the sweet intercourse betwixt Christ and her brought me into his Wine-Cellar that is made me partaker of his spirituall sweet and heauenly comforts for that is meant by wine and loue was his Banner what is the vse of a Banner It is to gather together the Souldiers to the Company and Captaine to whom they doe belong Gods Banner ouer his people is
liuely and quicke to vs and therefore let our thankefulnesse be so to him Thirdly hence we learne this Dutie to take comfort Dutie 3 in this loue of God It may comfort thee in afflictions in sicknesse in pouerty at the houre of death Many times God brings vs to the gates of death yet let vs know that God loues vs and then our state is happy we shall haue a sweet and comfortable passage through death to life So it may comfort vs against all the disgraces and scornes of the world the world accounts vs as of-scourings yet here is our comfort that howsoeuer the world accounts of vs yet God loues vs and then it is no matter though the whole world hate vs. Againe this may comfort vs in our prayers which we make to God If wee can come to God and pray Lord remember mee in thy loue can the Lord choose but heare vs If we can come to God with a sound perswasion in our hearts that God loues vs then our prayers shall ascend as a sweet perfume to God and God will surely heare them and that quickly The fourth Dutie we learne hence is to keepe our Dutie 4 selues in this loue of God Iude 21. It is the richest Iewell that euer we can haue and hee that changeth this state of Gods loue for any other hee changeth heauen for hell Therefore doe not prouoke God to breake off his loue from thee displease him not breake not his Lawes resist not his Spirit of grace grieue not his Children neglect not Prayer the Word nor the Sacraments nor other meanes of grace but obserue him duely and be ruled by him and so thou shalt keepe in his loue aboue all things turne not backe to thy olde Sinnes and if thou dost sinne as who doth not presently humble thy selfe make thy peace with him by vnfained Repentance and prayer and faith in the Mediator Iesus Christ renew thy Couenant in him and thus doing thou shalt be sure to keepe in his loue for this is the mercy and goodnesse of God to vs he remembers whereof wee be made and that we cannot but fall yet such is his mercy that if we returne vnto him hee will loue vs still Dutie 5 Fiftly here wee must learne this Duty to recompence our God with loue againe If a man of any fashion loue vs we were very hard-hearted if we would not loue him againe If God loue vs therefore wee must much more loue him againe In many things we cannot recompence God againe God is mercifull to vs we cannot be mercifull to him againe and so in other things But God is louing to vs and wee may recompence him and loue him againe for his loue to vs Our loue to him indeed comes farre short of his loue to vs yet it is that which God requires and which hee will accept and that loue which wee cannot shew to God let vs peece it vp with our loue to his Children and to his Gospell and to his Ministers and thus we may in some sort recompence Gods loue which he shewes to vs. Vse 3 The third Vse It teacheth vs how to esteeme of this great loue of God Ephes 2.4 which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.19 How Why thus As the originall and procuring Cause of all the good that euer we receiue at the hands of God 1 Ioh. 3.1 Wee are the Sonnes of God saith the Apostle What doth he rest there No Behold saith he What loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Gods loue is the cause of our adoption If you aske why God chooseth vs iustifies vs sanctifies and glorifies vs the answere is because he loues vs But if you aske why hee loues vs There can be no reason giuen of it but because he loues vs. This is the Bond of all it comprehends all the rest of the good that God doth for vs but is not comprehended of any of them This Loue is God and God is Loue. Lastly this shewes vnto vs the Excellency of that Vse 4 Communion which true Beleeuers haue with God The excellency of a true Beleeuers communion with God manifested in foure things 1 Neerenesse because it is bound vp and tyed fast within the vnbounded limits of Gods loue Psal 144.15 Blessed are the people that be so yea blessed be the people whose God is the Lord Consider the Excellency of it in these particulars First the neerenesse of this Communion it is of loue and therefore it is most neere Loue doth transanimate vs as it were and makes of two one as it is betwixt man and wife or as the Heathen man said of two friends that they had one soule and two bodies and so Gods loue makes vs one with God not as if God hereby were become man or man God in proper and precise tearmes but as in a Communion betwixt a man and his wife they are not one man or one wife but one flesh so the loue of God to vs in this Communion makes vs not one God or one man but one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2. Freenesse Secondly consider the Freenesse of this Communion Hosea 14.5 I will loue them freely saith God Luke 1.28 freely beloued God loues vs freely as when a father adopts a Childe for his owne freely As if one of you should see a Childe goe vp and downe the streetes and you should take him into your House and freely adopt him and make him your Childe so doth God he loues vs freely and out of his free loue takes vs into his House and adopts vs to be his Children 3. Surenesse Thirdly consider the Surenesse of this Communion the Bond of it is Gods loue and his loue is euerlasting Ier. 31.3 no time can weare it out and Can. 8.6.7 Loue is strong as Death much water cannot quench Loue It is so betwixt man and woman much more betwixt God and vs It is not our sinnes can quench his loue no loue couers a multitude of sinnes 4. Sweetnesse Lastly consider the Sweetnesse of this Communion betwixt God and vs if it be from the loue of God then it is most sweet Cant. 1.1 Thy loue is better then Wine If a man haue but a sparkle of this loue in him it cannot but quicken him yea it will rauish him Psal 63.3 thy loue is better then life All the blessings that we inioy whether they be spirituall or temporall are no blessings to vs except they be sweetened with this loue of God our meate our drinke our life yea Heauen it selfe is no blessing vnlesse it be sweetned to vs by this Loue of God what good did heauen to the Angels that fell wanting this loue of God Oh the loue of God to a Sinner What is it It is the heart of our hearts the life of our liues and happinesse of our Soules Worldly men let them haue what the world can affoord them wealth and honours and the like they can
denie our selues and dye to sinne and rise againe to newnesse of life Thou that goest on in thy sinne neuer dreame that God loues thee in Christ except thou hast crucified the flesh with the lusts they that haue their part of Gods loue in Christ they crucifie the flesh Thirdly then this loue of God to vs in Christ is a most perfect loue Ioh. 17.23 God loues vs with the same loue wherewith he loues Christ and therefore it cannot but be a most perfect loue If God should loue vs in our selues it would be a very imperfect loue not worthy God because all the louely graces in the best of vs are stained with many imperfections and therefore God takes vs and sets vs into Christ forgiues all our sinnes in his death and couers all our vnrighteousnesse with his righteousnesse and so beholds vs and loues vs in him with a perfect loue and if we haue not this perswasion we shall neuer come to haue any true peace in our consciences Fourthly if God loue vs in Christ then his loue to vs is most vnchangeable and vnmoueable it is grounded and built on a Rocke and the Rocke is Christ Iesus and therefore can neuer be moued but stands fast for euer If any thing can alienate Gods loue from Christ Iesus then it may alienate his loue from vs If nothing can remoue his loue from Christ then nothing can remoue it from vs and let sinne and Sathan and all our enemies bodily and spirituall stand vp and say what they can doe against vs Can you draw vs from the loue of God wee will put you hard to it well doe your worst Can you draw the loue of God from Christ if you cannot as wee are sure you cannot then you cannot draw it from vs for it is grounded in Christ Iesus Lastly if God loue vs in Christ then this loue of God to vs is a most sweet and comfortable loue and that in all the former respects because it is a tender loue a holy loue a perfect loue and an vnchangeable loue yea but especially in this respect because it is in Christ Iesus the very name of Gods loue is very sweet and comfortable vnto vs but when the nature of it is tendred vnto vs in the name and person of Iesus Christ it is much more sweet and comfortable vnto vs To be sorted with Christ in any state whatsoeuer is very comfortable to the beleeuing soule to be in afflictions and reproaches with him yea to dye with him this is a comfortable thing to Gods Children Who would not thinke themselues happy to be ioyned with Christ in any of these Yea but to be sorted with Christ in the bosome of God in the loue of God that God should loue vs in Christ Iesus yea and with the same loue wherewith hee loued Christ Iesus Here is the comfort of all comforts and the fulnesse of our Consolation The last Vse teacheth vs that as God loues in Vse 6 Christ Iesus and measures forth all his proceedings to vs in him so must wee doe to God againe If wee doe any thing to God doe it in Christ If we beleeue in God let vs beleeue in him through Christ If wee pray to God let vs pray to him in Christ If we loue God let vs loue him in Christ If we obey God let vs obey him in Christ If wee worship God let vs worship him in Christ Whatsoeuer we doe in word or deed let all be done in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Colos 3.17 else it is abhominable to God our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God onely in Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Againe is Iesus Christ the ground of all Gods loue to vs then let the ground of all our loue to God to the faithfull and to the Creatures be setled in Christ Doth God loue thee onely in Christ and canst thou not loue where thou seest Christ Or darest thou loue where thou dost not see him Seeing God loues where he sees Christ and loues not where he sees not Christ learne his example and frame loue to his loue Let vs loue the Creatures of God in Christ the Children of God in Christ let vs loue the ordinances of God in Christ let vs loue God himselfe in Christ and whatsoeuer we doe in the seruice of God let it be done in Christ whatsouer we doe in word or deed let all be done in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Yee come now to receiue the Sacrament of the Lords Supper then walke by this Rule in receiuing Let vs doe all that we doe herein in the name faith loue power and mediation of Christ Let vs receiue it in Christ as God giues it to vs for the loue hee beares to vs in Christ so let vs receiue it for the loue of Christ with a true purpose to serue God all our life and let vs bewaile our sinnes and know that all our worthinesse is in Christ and therefore let vs receiue it in the worthinesse of Christ beleeuing that God will make it effectuall to our soules in him And so receiuing it and doing all we doe in it in the name of Christ we shall receiue it with glory to God and comfort to our owne Soules FINIS THE FOVRTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS â—… the two last Verses For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels c. AS the Lord hath beene pleased to enable vs we haue entred into the handling of these verses and shewed the dependance of them with the former and the meaning of the seuerall tearmes of words that the Apostle declares himselfe vpon then I laide you downe seauen heads whereunto the whole force of the Apostles speech might be reduced the first was implyed and that was that there is a Communion betwixt God all true beleeuers Secondly the Apostle shewes the Bond of this Communion that is the loue of God Thirdly he shewes the ground of this Communion and of the bond of it and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly the Apostle declares the neere interest that the faithfull haue to Christ by a note of speciall reference our Lord. And this is the point we are now come vnto and if God shew vs strength in weakenesse it shall be our meditation at this time Christ Iesus our Lord The Doctrine hence is this Doctrine That there is a very neere and speciall reference betwixt Christ Iesus and all the faithfull whereby hee is interressed in them they in him He is our Lord saith the Apostle and consequently wee are his subiects and seruants for this is a terme of mutuall relation intending his right in vs and ours in him his superiority ouer vs and our subiection vnto him hee is our Lord and we are his subiects and seruants According to our manner we will speake somewhat of this by way of Explication Explication And therein wee are to consider of two things First of the Title Lord.
feele in our selues in some measure else wee were neuer in the state of grace To open the point more fully and familiarly the estate of the loue of God and the estate of grace consists in certaine mutuall passages betwixt God and man On Gods part to man there are two chiefe passages Gods loue the perswasion of Gods loue and on mans part there are also two chiefe passages Faith and Loue All those that God will saue he loues them from all eternity in Iesus Christ there is Gods loue and in due time he acquaints them with it and perswades them by his Spirit to beleeue it and to accept of it and to returne loue and obedience for it there is his perswasion On mans part man being ouercome with the sence of this loue and the force of his perswasion he yeelds to God and imbraceth this loue and beleeues the promise of grace and applies it to himselfe here is our faith and withall is carryed after that good God with the whole bent of his Nature and streame of his affections that so dearely loued vs here is our loue Take it thus those whom God in mercy doth purpose to saue he will come vnto commonly vpon the hearing of the Word or else in some speciall affliction at the least in some good imployment and takes vs aside and drawes vs into some serious meditation of our estate and he breakes with vs to this effect as if he should say Ah poore sinfull soule thou art in a miserable a fearefull and a damnable case led away euery day into sinne in a fearefull manner and euery houre of the day thou hast deserued my wrath and fearefull curse to fall vpon thee if thou go on in these sinfull courses hell and damnation is thy portion for euer but I haue pitty vpon thee and would haue thee to haue pitty vpon thy selfe I doe not desire thy death but that thou doe repent and liue and out of my infinite loue to mankinde I haue giuen my owne deare Sonne Christ Iesus to die for such poore wretched sinners as thou art and now I come to tell thee and doe tell thee by my Spirit that thou poore sinfull soule art one of these sinners that CHRIST hath purchased by his most pretious bloud therefore my Sonne hearken vnto my voyce Oh my Sonne giue me thy heart turne thy loue and thy affections wholly vpon me beleeue thou in me and beleeue in my Sonne Christ Iesus beleeue his Spirit his truth his promises cast away all thy sinnes neuer let them enter into thy heart againe and giue thy selfe to promise and performe a holy life be perswaded by my aduise hold fast by me and I will hold fast by thee doe thus and I will be thy Father and thou shalt be my childe for euer Thus God wooes and thus hee winnes euery sinfull soule And this perswasion of his is not only a bare tender of grace as if God should say thou shalt be saued if thou wilt but it is Gods operatiue work of grace which he perswades vs and makes vs able willing to do he bids vs beleeue and withall he giues vs his Spirit and causeth vs to beleeue in Christ he perswades vs to set our loue vpon him and withall hee sheds forth his loue into our hearts by his holy Spirit and makes vs able and willing to loue him This is the right state of sauing grace or of the loue of God and when this knot of grace is knit betwixt God and the beleeuing Soule it can neuer be dissolued by all the powers of hell So we see the Doctrine explained that the hould which the faithfull haue in the loue of God through Iesus Christ it is a sure hould the estate of grace that they are in is an vndefeasible estate nothing can voide them nothing can depriue them of it The proofes of this Doctrine are these Proofes Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion that cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer The persons there spoken of are the same that we spake of in the Doctrine they that trust in the Lord the faithfull say wee that by faith and confidence haue gotten sure hould of God in Christ secondly the estate there spoken of is the same we speake of a sure and firme estate by way of comparison is set downe to be as mount Sion the surety whereof is set downe by negation it cannot be moued and by affirmation but remaineth for euer The substance of the speech is this mount Sion is so firmely setled as it can neuer be remoued But all they that trust in the Lord are in such a state therefore all they can neuer be remoued but stand fast for euer Some obiect and say it is true that the faithfull so long as they trust in the Lord are vnmoueable but they may cease to trust in the Lord and so may be remoued I answere this is a meere illusion of the place and this Scripture cannot be so deluded for if they that trust in the Lord may cease quite from trusting in him then they may loose their hold in him but the place saith they can neuer loose their hold in God for then Mount Sion may be remoued but saith the Text Mount Sion can neuer be remoued therefore they can neuer quite cease to trust in God the Prophet concludes as well the surenesse of their trust that it shall neuer faile as the surenesse of Mount Sion that it should neuer faile he affirmes as well the surenesse of their faith as the firmenesse of the hold they haue in God Matth. 7.24.25 whosoeuer heareth of mee these words and doth the same I will liken him to a wise man that builded his house vpon a Rocke This wise builder is euery true beleeuer and the house there built is the Rest that he sets himselfe vpon how hee lookes to be saued the grounding of this house vpon a Rocke is the relying of the Beleeuer truely and wholly vpon Christ Iesus by a true and liuely faith in his bloud the raine fell and the flouds came and the windes blew c. These are his tryals by afflictions temptations persecutions c. The best beleeuer is sure to haue tryals enough euen to the vttermost as much as he can stand vnder and not more but here is his comfort his house shall neuer fall because it is built vpon a Rocke the true beleeuer hath gotten sure hold on God by faith in Christ and therfore he can neuer fall Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeues in the Sonne hath euerlasting life c. These are the words of Iohn Baptist and are confirmed by our Sauiour and that by tearmes of asseueration Ioh 6.47 Verily verily I say to you hee that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life Here is a true Beleeuer and what is his portion euerlasting life and he saith not he shall haue but he hath it hee is sure of it hee is possessed of
of this comfort alwaies specially in time of temptation and at the houre of our death and therefore let vs get it before we are sicke it will be too late to get it then many put it off to the last gaspe like the fiue foolish Virgins that slipt the opportunity of getting Oyle into their Lampes till it was too late And therefore let vs labour for it in time if wee once get this confident perswasion of Gods loue in Christ Iesus vpon good grounds we shall neuer wholy loose it It may be quelled and lost in sence in thy extremity but it shall neuer dye in vs but it shall comfort our hearts when we haue not the sence of it Meanes how this assurance may be gotten· But how shall we get it may some say I answere first by prayer if we aske we shall haue so did the Apostles Luke 17.5 they prayed Lord increase our faith and so did Dauid Psal 35.3 Say vnto my soule thou art my saluation Secondly we must get it by hearing and obeying the word of God 1 Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of that Sonne of God Labour to heare the word and to know it and to obey it and then wee shall know that we haue eternall life it was written for that very end and purpose Ioh. 14.21 Thirdly by the vse of the Sacraments they are Seales to confirme this vnto vs We haue heard of the inward Seale Gods Spirit these are outward Seales Rom. 4.11 After he receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the Righteousnesse of faith c. By the vse of the Sacraments we come to haue this confident perswasion In Baptisme the Minister saith I baptize thee in the name of the Father c. Some say where is it said in particular that I or thou shalt be saued Yes in Baptisme the Minister saith to me and to thee in particular I Baptize thee and God saith I reeciue thee So the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is a Seale to vs and how why God hath annexed it to his word as a Seale to our soules of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and if we come with beleeuing hearts vnto it then we eate Christs body and drinke his bloud and so shall not dye eternally and there is also the particular appâ—ication of the Minister eate thou and drinke thou in remembrance that his body was broken for thee and his bloud shed for thee and so by this means this confident perswasion is increased in vs. Fourthly another meanes is this make much of the motions of Gods Spirit grieue not the holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed Eph. 4.30 The Spirit workes this confident perswasion in vs if we grieue this Spirit he will goe away and withdraw the sence of this perswasion If we haue but a little fruits of the Spirit a little faith c. let vs make much of it and God will giue vs more as Christ said to Nathaniel Iohn 1.50 Because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge-tree beleeuest thou Thou shalt see greater things then these So God saith to euery poore beleeuing soule I giue thee but a glimpse of assurance now but thou shalt see greater things then these Fiftly another meanes is to walke vprightly and constantly before God Gen. 17.1.2 If we walke vprightly before God he will be our God all-sufficient Sixtly another meanes to get this assurance is a serious meditation on the promises of God and an humble and sound application of them to thy selfe Heb. 10.22.23 they shall stand though our faith be weake if we haue our eyes surely fixt on them it will comfort vs in all troubles Psal 119.50 Dauid professeth that Gods promise was his comfort in trouble and that it did quicken him Seauenthly let vs obserue faithfully the daily experiments of Gods truth on others specially on thy selfe and that will helpe vs greatly herein Iudges 13.23.22 Manoah said to his wife We shall surely dye because wee haue seene God but his wife said If the Lord will kill vs he would not haue receiued a meat offering and a burnt offering at our hands neither would hee haue shewed vs all these things c. Shee obserued and builded vpon Gods former mercies and that workes a confident perswasion in her for the time to come So if we haue got some perswasion of the loue of God though afterward we loose the sense of it yet let vs say to our soules surely God would neuer haue done all this for me he would neuer haue shewed me the way of Religion and wrought some good perswasion in mee of his loue towards me if euer he had purposed to destroy me Lastly let vs try and finde and labour to be well acquainted with our vnion which we haue with Christ for that will be an excellent meanes to worke this confident perswasion in vs therein is thy fulnesse of grace and so the fulnesse of thy assurance 2 Cor. 13.5 Prooue your selues whether you are in the faith c. The Apostle would haue vs to attaine to this certainty of perswasion and how why saith he proue your selues try your selues of what whether Christ be in you Whether he liue in you by his grace and by his Spirit whether by his death he mortifie your sinnes and by his resurrection quicken you vp to newnesse of life if he do then we may be fully assured that we shall neuer be cast off This point we must bring our selues to for this will bring comfort to vs in our sinnes in our sicknesse in our temptations in all these if we looke to our vnion which we haue with Christ we may haue comfort God hath knit me to himselfe in Iesus Christ and therefore I know that all these stormes shall end and turne to my good And so in the want of any grace this is our comfort that we are knit vnto Christ al-sufficiency is in him and of his fulnesse wee shall receiue grace for grace therefore let vs labour to bee well acquainted with this grace our vnion with Christ And let vs make good vse of this word now deliuered vnto vs wee know not what tryals God hath in store for vs and therefore let vs labour by all these meanes for this confident perswasion of Gods loue to vs God giues vs his Sacrament to assure vs of it and would haue vs be perswaded that he loues vs and though we cannot attaine to this perswasion in that strength that we should why yet God is not captious he will take all things at the best walke before him and be vpright and hee will be our GOD all-sufficient FINIS THE SEAVENTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am perswaded that neither Death nor life c. IN handling of these words as you may remember wee proceeded
many respects I haue beene mooued to Dedicate to you Mr. Doctor and to you the rest of my louing friends for three reasons First because I conceiue that it doth more properly belong vnto you then to any other for to whom should it belong if not to you Mr. Doctor who succeed the Author of it in his pastorall charge whereby you may see how with what kinde of nourishment he fed his now your people And to what people doth it more properly belong then to you my louing friends for whom it was first conceiued studyed penned and preached Secondly that I might manifest my intire loue and hearty wel-wishing to you all amongst whom I haue exercised my Ministery for the space of nine yeares last past and still doe by the mercy of God Thirdly that I might bee a meanes of further knitting and continuing you in vnfained loue one towards another by ioyning you together in this Dedication of this worke whom God hath by his speciall prouidence ioyned together in that neere band of relation of Pastor and people That this may be and that you and all others to whom this Treatise shall come may gaine as much spirituall good as the Author in studying penning and preaching and I in publishing desire I doe and will pray to him that is the God of loue and the giuer of all good things and that through him who is the Sonne of his loue and the meanes and way of all good things to vs euen the Lord Iesus In whom I am yours in the seruice of the Lord William Holbrooke To the Christian Reader VNderstand Christian Reader that these following Sermons were giuen by the Author as they were written by his owne hand to his louing friend Mr. Edward Misselden Merchant who most Christianly and willingly vpon the first motion deliuered them vnto me and condiscended to the publishing of them knowing that bonum quo communius eo melius a good thing the more common it is the better it is for which thou art much beholding to him for by this meanes thou hast these Sermons as they were penned and preached by the Author without addition or detraction Reade and meditate throughly vpon them thou shalt not I assure thee repent thee of thy labour for thou shalt finde therein much deepe and necessary heauenly doctrine and through Gods blessing be furnished with armour of proofe against all dangers and troubles whatsoeuer that are vpon thee or may befall thee in this life Be thankefull to God for this and all meanes of thy spirituall good which he affordeth thee and forget not to pray for him who forgetteth not to pray for thee and the whole Church of God and who will euer bee thine in the seruice of the Lord William Holbrooke SAINT PAVLS TRIVMPHES OR The SAINTS Coniunction with GOD and support in TROVBLES In the 116. Psalme verse 10. the Prophet Dauid speakes thus of himselfe I beleeued and therefore did I speake In imitation of the practise of the Prophet the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 4.13 takes vp the very same speech We also beleeue saith hee and therefore wee speake And in imitation of that practise both of the Prophet and of the Apostle I am now come here to speake as God shall enable me that which God hath enabled me to beleeue I beleeue that which I speake and I speake that which I beleeue and because I beleeue it therefore I speake it And what is that which I beleeue and speake Euen the very same matter and words which the Apostle Paul beleeued and spake in the depth of his Afflictions THE FIRST SERMON ROMANS Chap. 8. Vers 38.39 For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. FOr I am perswaded or I am sure c. It being the ordinary portion of all Gods children to suffer many afflictions in this life It was therefore the ordinary practise of the Apostles to minister comfort and consolation to all Gods children against all their sufferings Thus the Apostle here in this place to comfort himselfe and the faithfull against all afflictions propounds two considerations First what the afflictions are that may befall Gods children Secondly what harme they can doe them And this he doth from the 35. verse First what the afflictions are that Gods children are subiect to in this life and they are of all sorts sore and heauy Tribulation Distresse Persecution Famine Nakednesse Perill Sword c. Secondly what harme can they doe to Gods children He doth not exempt vs from any bodily dangers for therein wee are as other men but they cannot endanger our spirituall estate to depriue vs of that they cannot seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord for so the question intends verse 35. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shal Tribulation or Distresse As who should say nothing can No they are so farre from doing vs harme in our spirituall estate as that contrariwise we are much the better for them in that kinde In all these things wee are conquerors and more then conquerors through him that loued vs verse 37. And hereupon the Apostle growes to a peremptory resolution and determines the matter clearely both on his owne part and on the part of all the faithfull That neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities c. shall euer seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord verse 38.39 The parts of this Scripture are two First the Apostles resolution that neither life nor death c. shall euer seperate him from the loue of God Secondly his protestation of this his resolution I am perswaded or I am sure of it First the Apostles resolution that nothing shall seperate him c. The substance and effect whereof is this that true beleeuers can neuer fall away vtterly from grace which he expresseth in these termes that nothing can seperate vs c. So long as God loues vs we can neuer vtterly fall away from grace But God loues vs alwayes nothing can seperate vs from his loue Therefore we can neuer vtterly fall away from grace And that he might not seeme to speake vnaduisedly or rashly he knowes not what therefore he casts vp his reckoning before-hand as the wise King doth before he vndertakes War Luke 14.31 So doth the Apostle foresee and set before his eies all the causes dangers of falling away that may be thought of then heartens himselfe against them all against death against life against Angels c. and against all commers neuer shall any thing seperate vs from the loue of God neither death nor life saith the Apostle What danger soeuer befals vs it befals vs either in our life or in our death but
new 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man haue beene a Drunkard let him now learne to liue soberly If any man haue beene a Sabboath breaker or a swearer or a lewd liuer now that he is in Christ he must be a new Creature Away with all thy olde sinnes and see that all be new within thee Decke thy selfe with all spirituall graces Faith and Repentance and Loue c. keepe them alwayes in exercise that so thou maist be alwaies gracious in Gods eyes euer hauing your Lamps burning thus we shall walke worthy of this blessed Communion Vse 2 Foure things to be practised for the increase of this Communion Secondly this teacheth vs to maintaine this Communion and to encrease it in our selues and grow vp in it First by Prayer Psal 86.11 Knit or vnite my heart vnto thee saith the Prophet or make my heart one with thee and Iohn 17.20 Our Sauiour prayes for his Disciples that they might haue this Communion Now Dauid and the Disciples had this Communion before but yet they pray for the increase of it and if we aske we shall receiue Secondly wee must seeke to maintaine and increase this Communion by the Ministery of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2.3 Hast thou tasted how bountifull the Lord hath beene to thee in working this blessed Communion betwixt him and thee by his Word then labour to bee further confirmed in it by that Word Thirdly the Sacraments are forcible meanes to maintaine this Communion especially the Lords Supper for there God admits vs to his owne Table feedes vs with the pretious Body and Blood of his owne Sonne What Communion can be greater then this Besides heere in this Sacrament the meanes of this our Communion the Body and Bloud of Christ are tendred sensibly vnto vs to our our hands and to our mouthes Then as the hand takes hold and the mouth receiues the outward Elements so let the heart take hold on Christ crucified for our further Communion with him wee neuer sauingly meditate on Christ but we eate Christ but when we come to the Lords Supper there we doe more sensibly feede vpon him We haue the Signes the Bread and Wine and the Ministers speciall Application This is my Body which was broken for thee my bloud which was shed for thee c. this is a great helpe to vs And whosoeuer receiues this Sacrament beleeuingly as the Minister giues him the Bread and Wine so God conuaies Christ into his heart by his Spirit Lastly euery of vs that comes to this Sacrament must renew his Couenant with God and binde himselfe to be a truer seruant to God then euer before else he can haue no Communion with Christ in this Sacrament Fourthly that wee may maintaine and grow vp in this happy Communion wee must make much of the smallest portion thereof the least relish of Gods fauour the least motions of this Spirit the least degree of Sanctification the least measure of true grace make much of that little thou hast and vse it well and be sure thou shalt haue more Math. 23.21.23 the Seruant that doth imploy his little well shall be made Ruler ouer much Vse 3 The third Vse is to teach vs Thankefulnesse We must acknowledge admire and be rauished with the thought of the infinite goodnesse of God in assuming thee and ioyning thee to himselfe This our blessed Communion in Christ is infinitely more then if the greatest Potentate of the earth should take the meanest man that is to be his Fauourite or the basest woman that is to be his Spouse for here the great God of heauen and earth the King of Kings makes vs his Fauourites and his Spouse his owne associates both in grace and glory Let vs therefore consider this aright and poure forth our soules in thankefulnesse to God for this infinite mercy To prouoke vs the more to thankefulnesse let vs solace our selues in this Garden of Eden for this is the Paradice of God Let vs behold and admire the particular passages betwixt God and vs in this blessed Communion God knowes vs and we know God he walkes and talkes with vs and we with him he couenants with vs and we with him Hosea 2.23 he loues and honours vs and we loue and honour him he liues and dwels and delights in vs and we liue and dwell and delight in him In admiration of this great mercy of God let euery one of vs breake forth and say Oh glorious God how infinitely good art thou to my poore Soule Oh my poore Soule how infinitely thankefull oughtest thou to be to thy glorious God! The last Vse is for Comfort and for singular consolation Vse 4 to all true beleeuers It is a great comfort to vs that God is with vs and wee with him But that God should be in vs and we in God that he should be one with vs and wee one with him this is the comfort of all comforts For being thus with vs then if afflictions temptations persecutions death men or Diuels can preuaile against God and Christ then may they preuaile against vs But if God and Christ be stronger then all the aduersary powers that are or can be against vs then surely they shall neuer preuaile against vs that are one with God in Christ Iesus FINIS THE SECOND SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. two last Verses For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life c. I Haue shewed the Dependance and Connexion of those words with the former from the 35. Verse Also I haue shewed you that they containe two parts First the Apostles Resolution neither Death nor life nor Angels c. should separate him c. Secondly his Protestation I am perswaded or I am sure of it I also opened the meaning of the words as you may remember which I will not now stand to repeate onely remember that I cast this Scripture into this mould and shewed you that it spent it selfe into these particulars First that which the Apostle implyes namely that there is a Coniunction betwixt God and true Beleeuers implyed in the word separate Secondly the Bond of this Communion and that is the loue of God Thirdly the Apostle shewes the ground both of this Bond and of this Communion and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly hee declares that there is a neere Interest betwixt Christ and the Faithfull our Lord. Fiftly he auoucheth the safety of Gods children in the middest of all dangers nothing shall separate them c. and inlargeth it in many particulars neither death nor life Sixtly hee protests the confidence he hath concerning this his safety I am perswaded or I am sure Lastly he beares himself boldly vpon this assurance that neither any thing that hath or shall befall him shall seperate him from the loue of God We haue begun with the first particular the matter of Implication and the point was this namely That all true Beleeuers are ioyned to God in Christ and haue a holy and spirituall and gracious
to Christ extends it selfe to all men and Angels All the loue they finde of God it is in his beloued Sonne Christ Iesus Iohn 17.23 and 26. verses In the 23. our Sauiour saith Thou hast loued them as thou hast loued me speaking of the faithfull Heere wee see that the loue of God to Christ is the sample or patterne of that loue which he beares to vs Now is not the sampler or patterne the ground of that draught which is drawne by it then the loue of God to Christ must needes be the ground of his loue to vs In the 26. verse That the loue where with thou hast loued me may be in them With the same loue wherewith God hath loued Christ he loues vs Here he speakes more directly to the point then before in the 23. verse there was but a likenesse thou louest them as thou louest me Here is a samenesse or onenesse of each The same loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them It is not two sorts of loue or two seuerall loues that God beares to Christ and to vs but as God is most simple and but one so is his loue the same hee beares to Christ the same he beares to vs rooted and grounded in Christ and in and through him extended and communicated to vs 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe Here the Apostle speakes of the wonderfull loue of God to the true beleeuing world in Christ and hee comprehends all this loue of God in these words God reconciled vs to himselfe in Christ and withall shewes the manner how he hath reconciled vs to himselfe by not imputing our sinnes vnto vs. Here must needes be infinite loue and mercy in God to forgiue so many thousand sinners as there are beleeuers and so many thousand sinnes as euery beleeuer is guilty of from the beginning to the end of the world Here is infinite loue And what is the ground of all this that the Lord doth vouchsafe all this loue and mercy to beleeuers why it is altogether in Christ and this the Apostle sets out most significantly in the first words God was in Christ personally there was the seat of his loue and in Christ he loued vs and in him he reconciled vs to himselfe not imputing our sinnes vnto vs so that all Gods loue which he beares to vs is in Christ Iesus Ephesians 1. verse 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued The Lord is very gracious vnto his children he takes vs into his fauour and sets his loue vpon vs vouchsafeth many kindnesses vnto vs and this is a glorious grace that hee vouchsafeth vs the glory of his grace God magnifies and glorifies his grace exceedingly on vs In what In that he doth accept vs saith the Apostle It is a glorious and an admirable grace that the Lord God being so great so holy and so glorious as he is should yet freely accept vs such poore sinfull and base creatures as wee are But what is the rule or ground of this of all this glorious grace It is Christ Iesus it is in his beloued saith the Apostle for so it followes in his Beloued that is in Christ Iesus Hee is the beloued Sonne of God So that wee see from proofes out of the Scripture that the point is cleere that all the loue grace and acceptance that euer God shewes to true Beleâ—uers it is in Christ Iesus it is rooted and grounded and founded in the beloued Sonne of God Christ Iesus The Reasons are drawne from the Scripture too Reasons and they are of two sorts some from our selues and our owne estate others from Christ First from our selues our Nature being corrupted God cannot loue this Nature of ours except he finde it in such a person that is free and pure from this corruption and that is Christ Iesus alone and therefore in him alone God loues vs Our Nature is corrupted with sinne Rom. 3.23 All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God And God cannot loue but hate sinne and corruption Psal 5.4.5 Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lies God hates not onely the worke but the workers of iniquity Wee are so farre from being beloued of God that wee are hatefull to him of our selues and therefore God cannot loue our Nature except he finde it in such a person as is free from sinne and that is Christ alone He tooke our nature vpon him Iohn 1.14 The word was made flesh and he alone was free and pure from sin Isa 53.9 He had done no wickednesse neither was there any deceit in his mouth And therefore in him alone GOD loues vs. Reason 2 The second Reason is from Christ himselfe and that in many respects Take him any way in his Nature person office workes doings sufferings Christ Iesus yeelds vs not onely a cause but an euident demonstration thereof I will giue you some taste hereof For to speake of all is infinite and impossible First consider Christ in his relation to God and so he his the Sonne of God the onely begotten Sonne of God Iohn 1.14 Therefore he is the seate of Gods loue It is so betwixt the Earthly Father and his onely Sonne but if it should faile in man yet it cannot faile in God for Christ is called the Sonne of Gods loue Col. 1.13 Therefore hee is the very loue of his Father Therefore all they that are beloued of God are beloued in him or else they are not beloued Secondly consider him in relation to vs He is our head we his body Col. 1.18 and is not the sense and motion of naturall life originally seated in the head and deriued from the head to all the parts of the Body and so it is betwixt Christ and vs in the sense and motion of Gods loue in our spirituall life He is our head and all our spirituall life is in him and comes from him He is the Vine and we are the branches Iohn 15.5 and what iuyce or nourishment soeuer is in the branches for naturall growth it is first in the stocke or roote so it is betwixt Christ and vs what iuyce soeuer we haue to grow in Grace it is from this stocke euen from Christ himselfe Hee is the foundation we the building 1 Cor. 3.9.11 And doth not the whole frame waight and cost of the building rest on the foundation so the whole frame of Gods Church and that grace and worth of euery beleeuing member it rests wholly on Christ the foundation Thirdly consider Christ in the Common relation he beares to God and vs and so he is our mediator and that not onely to God for vs but from God to vs 1 Tim. 2.4 A mediator generally receiues of the one party and conueyes it to the other and so Christ receiues the loue of God and conueyes it to vs But this may be where the parties
are equall but here God and man must be mediated betweene the parties are very vnequall and therefore here is a further matter to be pressed If the King be displeased with the subiect he that must mediate betwixt them and makes the peace must be such an one as the King loues that so dearely as that for his sake he can be content to forgiue loue the party that hath offended him in this case the loue shewed to the offender is granted in his loue to the Mediator So it is betwixt God vs we haue displeased him therefore Christ our Mediator he must be so dearely beloued of God that for his sake God wil be reconciled to vs so that the ground of all Gods loue to vs is in Christ Iesus Yea here is yet a further matter much more enforcing this Reason Here is such a mediation as the like is not found in the world againe The Mediator is in both the parties betwixt whom he mediates and both they are in him that is God in Christ and Christ in God Christ in the faithfull and the faithfull in him and therefore there can be no loue of God to vs but it must be grounded on Christ Lastly in respect of his absolute State in himselfe for what saith the Apostle All the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God are hid in Christ Col. 2.2.3 If all Gods Treasure be in him then the riches and treasure of Gods loue is in him too In him dwels the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily verse 9. If the fulnesse of the Godhead then the fulnesse of Gods loue dwels in him there is the ground seate and Residence of it And therefore the ground of all the loue that God beares to vs is in Christ Iesus Vse 1 The first Vse of this point for matter of Confutation of two popish Errours at once namely concerning the mediation of Saints and the merits of man Vnderstand this one point well that Christ Iesus is the ground of all Gods loue to vs and the multitude of mediators and mans merits will fall to the ground euen as Dagon did before the Arke Christ is the ground of Gods loue to vs What neede we any other mediators he onely brings vs into Gods loue and fauour and none else can doe it so for mans merits they cannot procure Gods loue Christ merits all at Gods hand If we can merit any thing it is either grace or glory and this wee cannot merit vnlesse wee can merit Gods loue and that wee cannot doe vnlesse we can merit Christ Iesus who is the infinite treasure of God for he is the seate of it and if we will say that we can merit Christ then wee may say that we can merit Gods loue else we can neuer do it and if we cannot merit Gods loue then we can neither merit grace nor glory I do not hereby dis-hearten men from good workes but from the pride of them Doe not thinke to merit any thing at the hands of God by them all our merit is in Christ for God loues vs onely in him The second vse serues to shew vs the wofull and Vse 2 miserable estate of those that are out of Christ First shewing the wofull estate of those that are out of Christ and the blessed and happy estate of those that are in Christ First the wofull and miserable estate of those that are out of Christ all that are without Christ that is that are not regarded of God in Christ they are in a fearefull taking God loues them not they may loue themselues and the world may loue and applaud them but God doth not loue them When these prophane wretches shall come to fawne on God in their priuate houses by reading praying singing of Psalmes c. What wil God say vnto them Away get you from me you are not in Christ I loue you not If they come to Gods House to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments to call vpon God with the Assembly or the like what will God say to them Get you hence you are not in Christ I loue you not But when they shall come before Gods iudgement seate and there make profession of their almes deuotion profession formality in Religion and the like what will God say to them Depart from mee yee accursed yee are not in Christ I loue you not In that day they shall feele and finde what it is to be destitute of Gods loue and to be out of Châ—ist for the euerlasting wrath and hatred and curse of God shall be shewed vpon them to the vttermost Ioh. 3.36 Hee that beleeues in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and on the contrary hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him They that doe not beleeue and obey Christ they are exposed to the wrath and hatred of God it shall be their portion for euer The Apostle Eph. 2.12 speakes of the Ephesians before their calling and saith that they were without hope and without God in the world Hee that hath not his part in Christ hath no part nor portion in God but onely as the Beasts or the Diuels haue the maintaining hand of God for life and maintenance yea but there is no sauing loue of God to them that are without Christ but they are exposed to the curse and wrath of God And let vs take hold vpon one particular in that place for the present occasion It is said there That they were strangers from the Couenant c. You come heereto receiue the Sacrament the Seale of Gods Couenant see therefore that ye haue faith in Christ and be in Christ and that you be reconciled to God in him else you are strangers from this Couenant you haue nothing to doe with this Seale it concernes you not therefore if you be without Christ get you hence you are but Dogges and Swine in Gods estimation these precious pâ—arlâ—s these holy things of God are not to be communicated vnto you ye haue no part in these things Secondly Secondly shewing the blessed estate of those that be in Christ truely this shewes the happy blessed estate of all true Beleeuers that are truely in Chrâ—st and that desire to be â—â—ke vnto him They haue a happy state they haue true right and title to that loue which God beares to his dearely beloued Sonne and to all the pledges and fruits of it If we be in Christ wee are intitled to the beginning of Gods loue his Election for in Christ we haue our Election Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Secondly in Christ we are intitled to the renewing of Gods loue to vs in our Redemption for in him we haue our Redemption Col. 1.14 In whom you haue redemption by his bloud c. Thirdly in Christ we are intitled to the application of his loue
in our Adoption Ephes 1.5 Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Fourthly if we be in Christ wee are intitled vnto the continuance of his loue to vs for euer in our Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.2 Sanctified in Christ Iesus and Ephes 5 14. Christ is our sanctification hee is full of grace and truth Ioh. 1.14 Be thou in him and thou shalt receiue fulnesse of grace Eternall life is in him 1 Iohn 5.11 Be thou in him and thou shalt haue this life All the promises of God are yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1.20 they are his and in him they are ours they are made vnto vs in him and they are performed and made good vnto vs in him Againe if wee be in Christ all Gods blessings are ours Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ Therefore if we be in Christ wee are happy whatsoeuer our state be in the world if we be in afflictions being in Christ he will helpe vs to beare them if in temptations hee will strengthen vs against them if wee be fallen from God by our sinnes if wee be in Christ he will raise vs vp againe and renew our peace with God If wee be in Christ hee will be all in all vnto vs hee will pacifie Gods wrath for vs he will procure his fauour abolish sinne bring righteousnesse deliuer vs from hell and bring vs to heauen Blessed men are we if wee can rest on Christ Iesus as our al-sufficient Redeemer and Sauiour Vse 3 The third Vse teacheth vs therefore to labour to be in Christ But how shall I get to be in him why by faith beleeue in him as thy Sauiour and Redeemer and then thou hast gotten to be in him as euer thou lookest to haue any fauour or any loue at the hands of God get to be in Christ by faith Yea but is it in my power to get faith I doe not say it is in thy power but yet thou must get it it is thy duty to labour for it and certainely if the Lord would not assist thee with his power and inable thee to beleeue he would neuer command thee so often to beleeue in Christ Not that all men generally shall or can beleeue for this is against the reuealed will of God for all men haue not faith but that euery particular man and woman may comfortably and particularly conclude for him and her selfe that certainly God will giue grace and power to beleeue vpon the vse of the meanes for this agrees with Gods reuealed will the Commandements and promises of God being tendred generally to all and no exception can be found in the word against any one in particular This the Diuell puts into the hearts of men that when the Minister exhorts them to beleeue and to get Christ they reply They know not whether they can beleeue or no or whether they were euer ordained to beleeue or no and thus the Diuell keepes them at a bay all their life that they neuer beleeue nor indeauour to beleeue But make thou no question whether thou canst beleeue or no but vse the meanes and indeauour to beleeue for if thou dost not beleeue thou shalt surely be damned put it to the tryall it may be thine endeauours may take effect and then thou shalt surely be saued What madnesse were it in thee not to put thy selfe to the tryall by vsing the meanes Many men haue beleeued vpon the vse of them and why not thou But thou wilt say I cannot vse the meanes at all thou maist at least in outward conformity But I cannot vse them as I should I answere doe it as thou canst doe thy best and so put thy selfe and thine indeauours vpon Gods mercy and humble thy selfe before the Lord for thy weakenesse vntowardnesse and hardnesse to beleeue Vse 4 The fourth Vse teacheth vs the plentifulnesse infinitenesse and abundance of Gods loue to Christ that had loue enough in him for all the beleeuing world beside In him all the nations of the earth the chosen and beleeuers are blessed in his loue they are loued in his righteousnesse all the beleeuers in the world are accounted righteous in his worthinesse they are accounted and made worthy of life and saluation This was infinite loue that God poured on his head as the Oyle on the head of Aron that runs downe to the skirts of his cloathing so Gods loue in Christ descends and runs downe on all the faithfull that now are or euer shall be to the worlds end And therefore first let vs consider of it and blesse God for it that hath poured out such infinite loue for the vse and benefit of the Church Thus the Apostle doth Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ secondly let vs consider it and magnifie and honour the Lord Iesus Christ that is capable worthy and that is the store-house of such an infinite treasure so doth the Church in the Can. 1.2 Thy name is as an oyntment poured out c. Thirdly consider it and reioyce in it for thy selfe that thou art a true Beleeuer and that thou hast thy part and portion in this ouer-flowing loue of God for thy acceptance and saluation Ephes 2.3.4.5 God that is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace yee are saued The Apostle would haue vs to reioyce in this that God so loued Christ that in him hee hath raised vs vp from the state of sinne to the state of grace and saluation Fiftly is Christ the ground of Gods loue to vs Vse 5 then this commends vnto vs the wonderfull loue that God beares to his Church in Christ Iesus First it is a most tender and affectionate loue Secondly it is most holy Thirdly it is most perfect Fourthly it is vnchangeable Lastly it is most comfortable First it is a most tender loue and affection that God beares to vs in Christ the bowels of our Lord Iesus Christ are marueilous deare tender and pretious to God and therefore the loue that God beares to vs in the tender bowels of his owne blessed Sonne must needes be marueilous deare tender and affectionate Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Why are wee so tender to God Why because hee tenders vs in the tender bowels of Iesus Christ Secondly it is a most holy loue our most holy God loues vs in his most holy Sonne Iesus Christ that holy one of God God doth not loue vs as many a wicked Father loues his Childe in his euill and wanton courses no that is prophane and carnall loue but hee loues vs with a holy loue in Christ so farre as we are washed from our sinnes in the bloud of Christ and as we be made conformable vnto Christ so farre as we
Secondly how it doth sute with the present purpose of the Apostle First of the Title Our Lord or the Lord of the faithfull or the Lord ouer his Church Christ is our Lord A Lord is a name both of honour and also of authority and power therefore when the Apostle saith Christ Iesus our Lord we must vnderstand that he is the owner and also the guider and ruler of the faithfull hee gouernes vs by his lawes and guides vs by his Spirit and keepes vs in his protection and imployes vs in his seruice The Lordship of Iesus Christ ouer the Church or ouer the faithfull is to be conceiued vnder these termes First that he is our speciall Lord secondly that he is our spirituall Lord thirdly that he is our sauing Lord and fourthly that he is our absolute and onely Lord. First Christ is our speciall Lord God the Father and God the holy Ghost as well as God the Sonne is our Lord and yet there is but one Lord as there is but one God but this is in a generall sence But Christ is our Lord not onely in respect of the Godhead as the other persons are but in a speciall manner as hee is our Mediator Acts 2.36 God hath made him both Lord and Christ that is God hath put this office and honour vpon him God hath appointed him to be our Lord in a special manner as he is our Mediator Secondly he is our spirituall Lord he is not the Lord of our bodies onely but of our soules and our consciences and this Lordship which he hath ouer vs he exerciseth not in any worldly state or outward pompe but in a spirituall state as a heauenly Lord Iohn 18.36 My Kingdome is not of this world as who should say I am a King but not an earthly King a Lord but not a worldly Lord but I am a spirituall King and a heauenly Lord. Thirdly hee is our sauing Lord he is the Lord of the whole world of the wicked as well as of the faithfull in a generall sence but to them he is a destroying Lord to vs hee is a sauing Lord 2 Pet. 2.18 Last and grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Christ is so our Lord as he is also our Sauiour and that not onely with a temporall saluation to saue vs temporally for so as the Prophet speakes hee saues both man and beast but as our eternall Sauiour to giue vs euerlasting saluation both in grace and glory Fourthly he is our absolute and onely Lord ruling vs meerely by his owne will freeing vs from all forraigne powers and authority whatsoeuer If any creature haue any Lordship or authority ouer vs as Kings Princes Magistrates Parents and Ministers haue it is as subordinate to our Lord Iesus Christ And whatsoeuer they doe to vs they must doe it as vnder him and whatsoeuer we do to them we must doe it as vnto Christ Col. 3.23.24 Whatsoeuer ye doe doe it heartily as vnto the Lord and not men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the reward for yee serue the Lord Christ It is in him and by him that they rule ouer vs and it is in him and for him that we doe seruice to them for so is the rule in that place The second point for Explication is how this Title sutes here with the present purpose of the Apostle Surely it sutes very fitly with it for it is a point very materiall to the cause in hand that is to proue the stability of the faithfull in the state of grace For some happily might obiect and say What if the loue of God be set vpon vs in Christ how come wee to fare the better for it Yes saith the Apostle the same Christ in whom God loues vs is himselfe our Lord and we are his seruants therfore his care respect for vs is such that looke whatsoeuer loue God doth intend and beare to vs in him himselfe being our Lord will faithfully mannage the same at all times for our best safety and greatest good The Apostle had named mighty aduersaries as Death Life Angels c. and for our better encouragement against them all hee sets out our Captaine and deliuerer in a high and glorious title He is a Lord and therefore farre aboue all our enemies he is our Lord and therefore can and will deliuer vs from them all Proofes We come to the proofes There is nothing more frequent in the new Testament then this that Iesus Christ is called our Lord and no maruell for this is the very summe of the Gospel the Apostle makes it to be so Rom. 1.1.3 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle put a part to preach the Gospel of God Concerning his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. I will onely serue my selfe vpon such places of Scripture where Christ is called our Lord in some speciall significancy that is with some speciall reference to some notable worke whereby he hath shewed himselfe to be our Lord. 1 Cor. 8.6 Vnto vs there is but one God euen that Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Hee had shewed before that there are many Gods and many Lords to others but to vs that is to the faithful there is but one God Father one Lord Iesus Christ Mark how significantly the Apostle applies this Title Lord to Iesus Christ in respect of the Soueraigne Lordly power he hath ouer all things especially ouer the faithfull Christ Iesus hath supreame authoritie ouer all things all things are by him and we by him and therefore he is our Lord and our onely Lord we haue but one Lord. Rom. 7.25 I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. The Apostle had complained before of the bitter combate which he felt within himselfe betwixt the flesh and the spirit and finding himselfe ouer-matched with the lusts of the flesh in the 24. verse hee cryes out for helpe Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee and presently he thinkes vpon Iesus Christ our Lord and vpon him he sets downe his rest I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord as if he should say it is Iesus Christ our Lord that hath appointed me to this combate It is Iesus Christ our Lord that giues me strength in the combate and it is Iesus Christ our Lord that in due time will deliuer me and giue me victory in this combate though I be ouermatched with these enemies yet he will ouermatch them Who should a man flie to in his distresse but to his Lord So the Apostle here flyes to Christ Iesus as to his Lord 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks be vnto God who hath giue vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle speakes there of Christ and of his Resurrection from the dead whereby he hath ouercome death not for himselfe onely but for the faithfull and in that
we will not feare The Lord of hosts is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge Psal 46.1.2.3 So it may comfort vs against all Sathans temptations the fiercest greatest and fearefullest that Sathan can assault vs withall Christ is our Lord and Master and can a Lord or Master see a faithfull Seruant of his wronged and oppressed by his enemy and not stretch forth his hand to helpe and rescue him If men will yet our Lord Christ will not nor cannot but the more fiercely wee are assaulted by our enemies the more ready will hee be to helpe vs. Therefore in the depth of temptation retire thy selfe to this sure Hold to Christ as to thy Lord and say vnto him Oh my Lord seest thou how I am oppressed with thy enemy and my enemy Wilt thou see me trodden vnder feete Vp Lord I pray thee fight for me suffer not my soule to be a prey to such a cursed enemy And surely if thou doest thus the Lord will be very ready to heare thee the God of peace will tread Satan vnder thy feet shortly Lastly it may comfort vs against death it selfe whosoeuer thou art that hast serued the Lord Christ in truth in thy life thou maist boldly put thy selfe vpon him as thy Lord at thy death hee whom thou hast serued all thy life will surely comfort thee at thy death and in death and after death therefore be not discouraged at death it is terrible and fearefull to Nature but let vs arme our selues for it before hand let vs before hand goe to Christ and let him be our Lord and then we may say to our soules at our death Oh my soule thou hast serued the Lord Iesus Christ thus many yeares be not now afraid to goe to thy Lord and master home to his owne house and we may turne to the Lord and say Oh my Lord thou hast beene my protector many yeares now Lord helpe me for now I stand in more neede of thy helpe then euer I did before Lord receiue my soule now into thy mercifull hands and if thou doest thus assure thy selfe thou shalt not be more ready to commend thy soule to him then he will be ready to receiue it into his hands The third Vse is for matter of dutie teaching vs Vse 3 that seeing Christ is our Lord we must cary our selues to him as to our Lord in all dutie as good and faithfull seruants he that doth so is the right seruant of Iesus Christ the true and sound Christian The duties we are to performe to him are many we will reduce them to these two heads Doing and Suffering In both these we must conforme our selues to Christ as to our Lord. In doing First if Christ bee our Lord we must beleeue in him trust in him and rest vpon him Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord for euer for in the Lord God is strength for euermore and therfore let vs be confident in him rowle our selues vpon him and know whom it is that wee haue trusted and hazzarded our soule vpon him Let vs trust in the Lord when we see nothing in the world but desolation he is a Lord and therefore can doe for vs what he will and he is our Lord and therefore he will doe for vs what he can And if he can do for vs what he will by his absolute power and will doe for vs what he can of his meere grace and goodnesse why should wee not beleeue in him and rest vpon him both in life and death Secondly if he be our Lord then wee must reuerence him as our Lord. Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord where is my feare Psal 2.11.12 Serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in him with trembling Kisse the Sonne c. Let vs therefore reuerence him in his Nature Person Word Ordinances in our hearts liues and all our courses Let this feare be alwayes before our eyes that wee may neuer sinne against him It is a fault to be taxed in many Christians that they come to the Word and to the Sacraments with little reuerence to God none at all to man God will be honoured with an orderly zeale Thirdly if Christ be our Lord then wee must loue him as our Lord. Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule Our loue must be such to him as his loue was to vs that is not colde or little but maruellous great so that he shed his bloud for vs. Hath our Lord loued vs thus dearely to lay downe his life for vs then let vs loue him as dearely let vs lay downe our liues if we be called to it for him Fourthly if Christ be our Lord we must imitate him Iohn 13.13.14 Yee call me Lord and Master and yee say well for so I am if I then your Lord and master haue washed your feete yee ought also to wash one anothers feete and verse 15. For I haue giuen you an ensample c. Thus we should imitate Christ in loue and humilitie and other graces wee are much wanting in these Duties now in these dayes but if Christ be our Lord wee must shew our loue and humility as Christ did thinke scorne of nothing that is to be done for the Children of God Euery seruant will follow his Lord if it be but in an ill fashion then let vs imitate Christ in his graces and conforme our selues to his fashions Fiftly if Christ be our Lord wee must serue and obey him as our Lord wee must doe what hee commands and nothing else and we must doe it as hee commands it to be done and we must leaue vndone that he forbids We must not be seruants to men wee must serue other Lords as vnder our Lord Christ and in his name much lesse must wee serue our owne lusts or the world Christ is our Lord and wee will serue him and not the world nor our owne sinfull lusts Secondly in our sufferings we must conforme our selues to Christ Let vs know for certaine that wee must looke for affliction The seruant is not aboue his master Matth. 10.24 It is the nicenesse of many Christians that their finger must not ake they must not endure one temptation they would fain flie from afflictions but we must looke for them Did Christ goe from the Crosse to heauen and shall not wee goe the same way we must take vp our Crosse and follow him Secondly as we must looke for them so we must carry our selues with patience as he did in them who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not c. 1 Pet. 2.23 Leauing vs an example saith the Apostle that wee should follow his steps verse 21. And therefore let vs labour to be patient in the least affliction for hee is thy Lord that puts thee to it And let them be our owne afflictions and then we shall the better beare greater afflictions Christs afflictions Christ ware a Crowne of
thornes and was stroke vpon that Crowne to adde affliction to his afflictions so we must looke for many thornes many afflictions and for affliction to be added to affliction But yet be of good cheere Christ will recompence all with a Crowne of Glory Let vs apply this to the Sacrament We come heere to the Lords Table this is a great honour to vs therefore let vs be thankefull for it Secondly let it comfort vs that if we come in repentance we shall haue our comfort sealed vp vnto vs to our hands to our mouthes and to our hearts Againe we professe Christ to be our Lord then let vs examine whether we feare him loue him and obey him as our Lord. Alasse wee must all confesse we come short in these duties let vs acknowledge this vnto him and let vs say Lord though we deserue not to be thy seruants yet thou art our Lord and let vs come with more faith and feare and loue and with more resolution to obey him better then euer we haue done If this Sacrament Seale vnto vs that Christ is our Lord it must also seale vnto vs that we are his seruants and then we must not honor him for an houre while we are here but all our life time If thou be the seruant of Christ he is thy Lord but if thou serue the world or thy belly or thy pleasure or any thing else and not the Lord Iesus in the truth of thine heart then he is none of thy Lord nor thou art none of his seruant And therefore when thou shalt come and knocke say Lord Lord open vnto me he will answere thee away from me thou art none of my seruant therefore let vs subiect our selues vnto him in all obedience both in doing and suffering as vnto our Lord and so he will recompence vs with grace here and with glory hereafter FINIS THE FIFTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am perswaded or I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels c. IN handling this Scripture as GOD in mercy hath giuen strength wee haue proceeded thus farre First wee haue shewed the dependance of the verses with the former then we shewed the meaning of the words in themselues After that we cast this Scripture for our better instruction and memory into this mould and shewed that it did empty it selfe into these seauen particulars First that which is implyed namely that there is a Communion betwixt God and the faithfull Secondly that which is exprest namely the bond of this Communion and that is the loue of God Thirdly the Apostle shewes the ground of this Communion and of this bond too and that is Iesus Christ Fourthly hee shewes that the faithfull haue a neere interest in Christ Iesus and this he sets forth by a terme of neere Relation our Lord Thus farre we haue proceeded already The fifth point is that the Apostle auoucheth the safety of all the faithfull in the middest of all dangers that they are subiect to nothing shall seperate vs from the loue of God And this he inlargeth in many particulars as by and by we shall see This is the fifth thing then that we are to consider of namely the safty of the State of Gods children in the midst of all dangers wee will propound the the Doctrine thus The hould that the faithfull haue in the loue of God through Iesus Christ it is a sure hould Doctrine the estate of grace that they are in is an vndefeasable estate nothing can void them nothing can depriue them of it Consider well the words of the obseruauation the very words whereof are in effect the very words of this Scripture and the whole matter of the obseruation is the whole matter of this Scripture For that which we haue spoken heretofore touching our Communion with God the bond of it Gods loue the ground of both Iesus Christ c. haue beene but preparations to this Truth and these points which follow touching the Apostle his certainty he hath and the vse he makes of it are but inferences from this truth This is the truth it selfe that is here peremptorily and precisely affirmed that nothing shall seperate the faithfull from the loue of God to them in Iesus Christ nor from the estate of grace that they are in And this the Apostle contents not himselfe onely to affirme in the generall but withall confirmes it in particular by a sufficient reckoning vp of all the parts of the Aduersarie power that is or can be against vs Death shall not nor life shall not nor Angels c. nor any other creature nothing shall seperate vs not any one of these dangers asunder no nor all of them ioyned together no nor any other added to them nor any other Creature put what you will to them nothing shall seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus and to put the matter out of all shew of doubt he saith not onely they shall not seperate vs but he puts it vpon an impossibâ—lity they shall not be able to seperate vs let them ioyne all their powers together and doe what they can they shall neuer be able to doe it Thus we see the Doctrine is naturally raised and the Apostle presseth it as the maine matter of the Scripture Explication I will speake somewhat as our order is for Explication of the Doctrine and therein I will handle but this one point Because the Doctrine speakes of the loue of God and of the state of grace we must know what it is to be in that state of the loue of God and the estate of grace for either it hath been our state or now is or hereafter shall be our estate else we can neuer be saued therefore before we shew that wee cannot fall away from this state it is needfull to shew what it is to be in it The estate of the loue of God and the state of grace is to be throughly reconciled to God through the precious bloud of Iesus Christ whereby we are iustified from all our sinnes and entred into a course of true sanctification It is called the estate of Gods loue in opposition to the estate of Gods wrath wherein we are all by nature Ephes 2.3 In this state of wrath God lookes downe from heauen vpon vs in mercy and receiues vs freely into his loue through Iesus Christ and so wee are translated out of the estate of Gods wrath into the estate of his loue It is called the estate of grace in opposition to the state of sinne that we are all in Rom. 3.28 All haue sinned c. In this sinfull state the Lord lookes downe from Heauen in mercy vpon vs and in Iesus Christ bestowes vpon vs the sauing grace of Iustification forgiuing vs all our sinnes and the grace of Sanctification making vs new creatures and so translates vs out of the state of sinne into the state of grace These things wee must
Ioh. 6.39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all that he hath giuen mee I should lose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day now the will of God is vnresistable Rom 9.19 Who hath resisted his will And therefore the faithfull cannot fall away Fiftly Gods promise is for vs and that is vnchangeable God not onely promiseth grace but perseuerance in grace as Ier. 32.39.40 And I will giue them one heart I will make an euerlasting Couenant with them I will put my feare into their hearts and they shall not depart from me Here is a promise not of grace onely but of perseuerance in grace and Gods promise is vnchangeable 2 Cor. 1.20 they are yea and Amen It is impossible that God should lye Heb. 6.18 and therefore seeing God hath promised that we shall stand fast it is impossible that euer we should fall away Lastly Christs intercession is for vs and that is vnfaillable Luke 22.32 I haue praide that thy faith may not faile that is that thou maist neuer fall from faith But this is particular for Peter no it is generall for all as well as he Ioh. 17.9.20 I pray for them I pray not for the world I pray not for these alone but for them also that shall beleeue in me through their word he prayes for all beleeuers now Christs prayer is alwayes heard Iohn 11.4 Father I know that thou hearest me alwaies therefore the faithfull cannot fall away The first Vse of this point is matter of confutation against those that hold that the Saints may vtterly fall from grace It is held both by the Papists and the Lutherans as also by the Arminians both at home and abroad they hold that Saints may vtterly fall away from grace I will aske these men that are so peremptory in this point this question whether they can shew me any one place in the Book of God that doth directly and expresly affirme that a true Beleeuer may vtterly fall away from grace They cannot some of themselues confesse they cannot then I answere them that we can shew many expresse places to the contrary directly affirming the impossibility of falling away and they haue not one for the possibility of it therefore wee may quickly iudge where the truth is Yea but say they there is many exhortations to the faithfull for that end that they should not fall away as 1 Cor. 10.12 Heb. 12.15 c. and these should be in vaine except there were some possibility that they might fall I answere such exhortations there are and they are directed to mixt congregations that consisted as well of Hypocrites that might fall away as well as of true Beleeuers that might not fall away and so they are not in vaine in respect of these Hypocrites neither were they in vaine in respect of Gods Children but of singular vse in respect of them too for thereby they were stirred vp to shake off security and to be more diâ—igent in the wayes of God for if wee fall into sinne and negligence and security it is the high-way of falling from God Yea but say they there are many examples as of Hymeneus Phileâ—us and Demas c. that were true beleeuers and yet fell away I answere they can shew me neuer one example of any that fell away finally but such as were hypocrites I will say confidently that he that fals vtterly away from grace was neuer but an hypocrite no true beleeuer can fall away I dare say it because Christ hath said it before me Math. 7.26.27 The foolish man built his house vpon the sands and when the stormes came it fell Doest thou see a man build him an house and it fall certainely that man built vpon the sands that is onely vpon the profession of sauing faith hee had neuer true sauing faith in CHRIST but his owne foolish perswasion the true beleeuer builds vpon the Rocke CHRIST and therefore his house can neuer fall To establish our Iudgements herein let vs hould fast these two positions First that hypocrites and counterfeits may and doe fall away finally Matth. 13.21 But true beleeuers can neuer fall finally from GOD Both these are affirmed 1 Iohn 2.19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs. Secondly that true beleeuers may fall from the sence of GODS loue and from the exercise of Faith and Loue and obedience and other graces from some degree of Faith and from some degree of GODS loue and from the exercise of grace as in the case of spirituall desertion temptation specially by sinne but they can neuer fall from faith nor from the loue of GOD it selfe nor from the life of grace or at the least where they doe fall they neither fall wholly nor finally the whole power that is in them is not carryed after sinne but there is some resistance A child of God in the case of sin hates that he doth he cannot fall wholly the seede of God is still within him 1 Iohn 3.19 and that will reuiue againe nor he cannot fall finally because that seede is immortall 1 Pet. 1.23 and therefore can neuer die They that are in the state of grace heare a voyce behind them saying This is the way walke in it Isa 30.21 they haue the guidance of Gods Spirit whereby they are preserued from euill and fitted for euery good dutie so that they cannot fall wholly nor finally And yet they may haue such falles as are fearefull and which they may rue for euer as wee may see in Dauids fall Psalme 51. These two positions well considered are a sufficient preseruatiue to keepe vs from this errour Vse 2 The second Vse is for reproofe of those that abuse this Doctrine to Gods dishonour and their owne destruction Some abuse it to carnall Security They heare this Doctrine that true beleeuers cannot vtterly fall away and therefore they grow secure and carelesse of their wayes and cast off the feare of God guie themselues ouer to their own lusts gracelesse and wretchlesse persons they are to abuse such a heauenly Doctrine What is this but to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Iude 4 And marke what censure the Apostle passeth on them in that place vngodly men they are ordained to condemnation A child that hath a good father whom he knowes will not see him want nor perish shall this child therefore waste and ryot and bezzell away all his state and runne himselfe into debt and danger hee cares not how It were a wicked childe that would doe thus a good and true-hearted child to his father would neuer doe it It was the diuels temptation to our Sauiour Luke 4.9.10 that he should cast himselfe downe headlong An impudent perswasion to the Sonne of God What is his reason whereupon he perswades him thus to cast away himselfe forsooth because he had the promise of Gods protection for they
endanger vs yet occasionally in regard of our weaknesse and corruption they may endanger vs We may in our weaknes abuse them or mistake their seruice or put our trust in them and so indanger our selues greatly by them I will giue you a plaine instance in the holy Apostle S. Iohn Reuel 19.10 and Reuel 22.8 he was a true beleeuer yet in his weaknesse by occasion of a good Angell he was in danger to commit a vile and most fearefull sinne the very sinne of Idolatry and that not once but twise and that though he were reproued for it A grieuous sinne but the Angell he hinders him See thou doe it not saith he worship not mee worship God In which we may obserue two things that doe effectually concerne the poynt in hand first that true beleeuers may through their corruption and weakenesse be indangered in the estate of grace by the good Angels yet secondly that God will neuer suffer them to be ouercome and swallowed vp of this it shall neuer preuaile vtterly to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And so now the Doctrine being thus cleared wee come to the proofes Proofes which are these Mat. 18.10 See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen These words are the words of our Sauiour and he ownes them by a speciall challenge I say vnto you I that know well what belongs to God and to Gods Angels and to Gods little ones I say vnto you despise not one of these little ones for in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen The matter affirmed there is the continuall attendance of the Angels in the presence of God but the drift of the speech is to note the continuall care that the Angels of God haue ouer Gods weake children as appeares first by their title their Angels they are Gods Angels as he being their Lord and Master to whom they doe belong and they be our Angels as we being the children of that their Lord and Master and in respect of the care and charge that they are imployed in about vs. Secondly it appeares by the forme of the reason See saith our Sauiour you despise not one of Gods weake children see that you hurt them not for I say vnto you as who should say doe not despise them nor hurt them for if you doe surely their Angels will reuenge the wrong and hurt done to them Thirdly by the time alwayes this is not for a day nor a yeare but alwayes without ceasing put all these together and the Doctrine is here clearely proued that the Angels of God are ours they are for vs and not against vs they will be auenged on those that hurt vs and therefore will neuer hurt vs themselues and this is their care practise always they are euer imploide about our good and therefore they shall neuer separate vs from our greatest good of all from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation The Apostle speakes here generally of all good Angels Are they not all and doth not diuide them in office or nature but ioynes them in both they are all spirits by nature And what are they by office They are all ministring spirits and what ministry is it that they are imploied in sent forth c. God sends them forth from time to time to performe certaine offices about his children and his heires as a father makes his seruants to attend him that shall be his heire and they are sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation They are most dutifull attendants on vs that are heires and they minister for our sakes that is for our good comfort and protection onely neuer for our hurt they know from God that wee are appointed to saluation and shall they at any time hinder vs of it They take notice of it that wee are heires to their Lord and Master and shall they being seruants goe about to hinder vs of the inheritance which their Lord and Master and our Father hath appointed to vs No surely they will not doe it but on the contrary they will helpe and further vs all they can thereunto Psal 91.11 12. Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes c. God hath committed his children to the charge and custody of his Angels What to doe to keepe them not to destroy them and to keepe them in all their wayes they shall not faile them in any one passage of their life to beare vs vp in their hands neuer to suffer vs to fall vtterly frō God much lesse to cause vs so to fall that thou dash not thy foot against a stone They shall preserue vs from the harmes that our selues or others might do vnto vs therefore themselues shall neuer hurt vs in the least kind much lesse in the matter of grace and saluation A place so pregnant to prooue the infallible protection of Gods children by the Angels that the Diuell himselfe acknowledgeth it for a certaine truth and alleageth it for that purpose Math. 4.6 Lastly their practise makes this good by experience what good offices haue they done from time to time for Gods children preserued them from their enemies as Lot Gen. 19.10 deliuered them out of prison as Peter Acts 12. comforted them in their distresses Acts 27.23 24. freed them in their troubles as the Israelites Isay 65.9 shewed them and directed them what they must doe to be saued as Cornelius Acts 10.5 In a word infinite are the good offices that the good Angels haue done for Gods children but there is not one place extant in all Gods word to prooue that any good Angel hath done any harme to any one of Gods children No that is for the euill Angels to hurt vs they hurt vs altogether and neuer doe vs the least good but the good Angels they helpe vs alwayes they are altogether and onely to helpe vs and neuer to doe vs the least harme and therefore they with all the power they haue can neuer separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Reason 1 The reasons of this poynt may be reduced to these two heads First the good Angels will not hinder our saluation if they could Secondly they cannot doe it if they would First they will not doe it if they could for there are foure ingagements whereby the will of the Angels is so stirred and inclined towards vs as that they will neuer hurt vs if they could first the zeale of Gods glory Secondly obedience to Gods will Thirdly their dependance on Iesus Christ And fourthly their communion they haue with vs. First the zeale of Gods glory Isa 6.2 they
are Seraphims that is hot and fiery spirits burning not in fury but in zeale for the glory of the Lord of hoasts Now they know that God is wonderfully glorified in the saluation of his children and therfore they will not hinder that at any hand but zealously aduance it to the vttermost of their power Secondly their obedience to Gods will they know it is Gods will to giue his children a kingdome and will they crosse his will No they obey and doe his will Psal 103.20 they will neuer crosse it They know their fellow-Angels frustrated their estate by disobedience and will they frustrate theirs too Noe they will not Thirdly their dependance on Christ and their loue to him Ioh. 1.51 Hereafter you shall see heauen open and the Angells of God ascending and descending vpon that Sonne of man All their ministry is from God to vs as in Christ and they are vpheld by Christ or else they are as changeable as the euill Angells were by nature and they know that Christ hath redeemed vs with his pretious bloud and will they seeke to cast away the price of his bloud They know that Christ hath committed vs to God his Father and will they incense vs against God or God against vs Lastly their faithfulnesse to vs and their communion with vs they take notice of vs as their fellow-seruants and therefore they will not hurt vs hee is an euill seruant that will smite his fellow-seruants this is odious on earth how much more in heauen if euer the holy Angels should entertain any faithlesse or treacherous thought against vs their fellowes and brethren heauen they know would neuer endure them Reason 2 The second reason The Angels cannot doe it if they would this agrees more fitly with the words of the Apostle that they shall not be able to separate vs. There are two vnmoueable barres whereby they are vtterly disabled from hurting vs in estate of grace The first is the soueraign power ouer-ruling hand of God the second is the neernesse of our communion with Christ First the soueraigne power of God and his ouer-ruling hand both ouer them vs that hinders them they are Gods elect Angels and we are Gods elect children and therefore God by bis soueraigne power will neuer suffer them to seduce vs nor suffer vs to be seduced by them Gods election must stand good for euer Secondly the neerenesse of our vnion with Christ that is another bar to hinder them Christ tooke our nature vpon him not the Angels Heb. 2.16 and herein we are a degree aboue the Angels Now this assumption of our nature into the person of Christ and his participation with vs therein is so sanctified and effectually ratified by faith and by the spirit to euery true beleeuer that they are truely one with Christ himselfe and can the Angels hurt Christ or betray Christ or separate Christ from Gods loue then neither can they hurt vs nor betray vs nor separate vs from the loue of God in Christ The Vses are these First since it is so that the Vses 1 good Angels can neuer impeach the estate of Gods children therefore it shewes that whosoeuer they be that doe fall away from the estate of grace by the occasion of good Angels that certainly they were neuer true beleeuers such there were in the time of the Apostles Coloss 2.18 That vnder a colour of Religion and humblenesse of minde did worship Angels such as the Monkes and Fryars bee at this day but what saith the Apostle in the 19. verse They that teach such things hold not the head that is they hold not Christ as their head they are vtterly voyde of Christ and so liuing and dying in that sinne they are vtterly void of the state of grace and saluation This sets such a brand of reprobation on the Popish Church and Religion that they are neuer able to claw it off They hold many other grosse points which at least by consequence ouerthrow the foundation Christ Iesus But of this point the Apostle saith directly That they that hold it hold not the head Christ A man cannot be a worshipper of Angels and belong to Christ And doth not the Church of Rome greatly adore and worship Angels doe they not reuerence them and call vpon them It is their professed Doctrine and ordinary practise I would faine see how they would answere this they are cut off hereby from the head Christ I doubt not but many of them are the Elect of God but then either the Lord keepes them that they fall into this sinne or if they doe fall into it yet God giues them repentance for it before they die that lo they shall not fall by it for euer But let vs beware and take heede of this sinne in our selues and euermore let vs take heed of Popery that doth maintaine and teach this grosse errour Vses 2 Secondly this teacheth vs the vndoubted certainty of the saluation of Gods children That Gods children should euer be cast off from the estate of sauing grace It is a thing impossible there is an absolute impossibility in it nay there is more then an absolute impossbility in it for marke how the case stands It is impossible that euer the good Angels should goe about to bend their power against vs to cast vs out of the loue of God But if they should yet it were impossible they should do it so that for Gods children to be cast out of Gods loue It is a thing more impossible then that which is indeede absolutely impossible Oh blessed be God that hath setled and stablished vs in such an holy and happy estate so stedfastly Oh that all true beleeuers would lift vp themselues and know their owne happinesse Oh that they would confidently beleeue this heauenly truth touching the certainety of their saluation Oh that they would be perswaded as confidently to beleeue it as the Apostle affirmes it wee should doe so it is our failing that wee doe not so what base minded wretches are we that beleeue that God loues vs in Christ and yet wee perplexe our selues with feares and distrustfull thoughts of this nature or of that of this or that casualty as if they should seperate vs from God Our faith should lift vs vp as high as heauen yea aboue heauen yea aboue the Angels in heauen in the matter of our assurance Our faith should say as the Apostle doth here I am sure that the Angels in heauen can neuer be able to seperate me from the loue of God and therefore much lesse can any other Creature or casualty whatsoeuer can any creature doe more then the Angels in heauen can But if wee consider further that these Angels these mighty and powerfull Angels are not onely not against vs but for vs affectionately for vs wholly for vs alwayes for vs and that they bend all their power to keepe vs in the loue of God and to make good the worke of our saluation what a
that all these wicked fiends shall never bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus and therefore there is no cause why the weakest beleeuing soule here present should be daunted at the hearing of this argument Let vs therefore proceed in the strength of God and in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the grace and comfort and direction of his holy spirit and in the light and direction of Gods word and we shall finde an heauenly light arise vnto vs out of this hellish darknesse The generall Doctrine concerning all Angels good and bad was the last time propounded which being applyed to this particular ariseth naturally thus Doctrine That howsoeuer it bee that euill Angells are mighty workers and great in power and doe maliciously bend all the power they haue against true beleeuers to make this separation of them from the loue of God in Christ yet notwithstanding not all the euill Angels with all their power and malice or all that they can doe shall euer be able to separate all nor any one true beleeuer from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. For the opening of this Doctrine I will propound these foure particulars wherein I shall lay open the whole nature of the poynt The first particular is what these euill Angels are The second how these euill Angels are fitted against vs Thirdly how they seeke to annoy vs And lastly how farre they may endanger vs. For first wee must know our enemies what they are and secondly we must know their prouision how they are fitted against vs and then thirdly we must know their courses how they may annoy vs and lastly we must know the euent and issue how farre they may endanger vs These being knowne the Doctrine shall be well and plainly vnderstood First We must know what these euill Angels are Explication in foure things concerning the euill Angells The euill Angels are those that left their first estate and are become vtter enemies to God and to man and to all the creatures especially to Iesus Christ and to Gods children and to all matter of grace and goodnesse First that they are such as left their first estate we may see in Iude 6. Secondly they are enemies for hence they haue their name Sathan and there is no name more commonly giuen them both in the Olde and New Testament then this name Sathan which signifieth an enemy And howsoeuer this name in the Scripture seemes sometime to poynt out the chiefe of Diuels yet it doth appeare that it is applyed in Scripture to all Diuels Math. 12.26 If Sathan cast out Sathan which is not meant of the Prince of Diuels as if the Prince should cast out the Prince but it is meant of all the Diuels if they should be one against another then how should their Kingdome stand They are enemies and they are vtter enemies deadly enemies and that first to God dishonouring him accusing him blaspheming him opposing against him to the vttermost of their power Secondly they are enemies to man they murthered vs all with one blow in the loynes of Adam and not content with that they still follow the blow and pursue mankinde with deadly hatred Thirdly they are enemies to all the Creatures seeking and working daily as much as in them lyes the vtter ruine and confusion of the whole frame and order of nature in the Sea in the winde and in the aire and in all places Fourthly they are speciall enemies to Iesus Christ this is that that galls these euill spirits that IESVS CHRIST the mediatour betwixt God and man comes to reconcile God to man and to deliuer man out of the power of these hellish spirits yea and that hee doth vtterly destroy and vanquish these euill spirits and all that take part with them euen all the powers or darknesse here is their edge and stomacke this heauenly person Iesus Christ in this heauenly office of the Mediatour is the principall obiect of all their hellish spight They fought against him by themselues and by their instruments all his life and at his death they layd on load and did bend and muster-vp all their forces and spit out all their venome against him Fiftly they are enemies to Gods children they are also a great eye-sore to Sathan they cannot endure them and it is hard to say whether Sathan hate our heauenly Father more for our sakes or whether he hate vs the more for our heauenly Fathers sake howsoeuer the Diuell is our aduersary in a specially manner 1 Pet. 5.8 Your aduersary the Diuell saith the Apostle he is a generall accuser accusing man to God and God to man but he is the speciall accuser of the brethren Lastly he is an enemy to all grace and goodnesse he hinders it he slanders it he hates it he suppresseth it with all his power hee knowes that if grace and goodnesse stand he must fall and therefore he labours to ouerthrow all grace and goodnesse that he may stand See this in one of his Impes Acts 13.10 Elymas the Sorcerer Oh childe of the Diuell saith the Apostle to him enemy to all righteousnesse c. If it be so with the Children that they are enemies to all goodnesse much more is it so with their father the Diuell So we see what these euill Angels are Secondly Let vs see how they are fitted against vs 2. In nine things concerning them for this is needfull to be knowne that so we may prouide against them They haue many aduantages whereby they are fitted against vs first they are very many secondly they are very strong thirdly they are very malicious fourthly they are very subtle fiftly they are very actiue and nimble sixtly they are very busie seauenthly they are very wel appointed eightly they are very well experienced and lastly they are very dangerous First They are very many Marke 5.9 One man was possest of a legion of Diuels now a legion containes sixe thousand what so many Diuels in one poore man how many thinke you are then in all the world Any one Diuell is too hard for any one man oh how hard then is that poore soule bested that is assaulted with many Diuels This is the case not of some of vs onely but of all of vs if we vnderstand our case aright Secondly As they are very many so they are very strong and therefore they are set out in Scripture vnder the similitudes of a strong man Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth the pallace c. and so of a strong beast yea the strongest of all Beasts a Lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 Your aduersary the diuell as a roaring Lyon c. and the hould which they haue in the heart of an vnregenerate man is said to be a strong hould 2 Cor. 10.4 they are very strong in getting the prey it shall escape them hard but they will seize vpon vs and they are very strong in keeping the prey when
our Captaine and Protector and therefore it must needes follow that Sathan shall be ouerthrowne and neuer preuaile and that we shall neuer be ouerthrowne but euer preuaile That Christ himselfe is Sathans vanquisher and ouercommer we may see in that Gen. 3.15 Hee shall breake Sathans head Rom. 16.20 He shall treade Sathan vnder our feet shortly 1 Iohn 3.8 He it is that doth loose and vndoe the workes of the Diuell he foyled the Diuell hand to hand in all his temptations Math. 4.11 And he it was that rebuked the Diuell and cast out those foule spirits in his life as appeares in many stories of the Gospell And at his death he it was that destroyed them Heb. 2.14 He destroyed through death him that had the power of death that is the Diuell saith the Apostle at his death he spoyled them and triumphed ouer all the powers of darkenesse openly vpon the Crosse Colos 2.16 therefore Sathan must needs be ouercome can neuer preuaile Secondly Christ is our Captaine and Protector and therefore we cannot be ouercome but must needs preuaile Luke 22.42 Sathan desires to winnow euery one of vs that is to destroy vs but I haue prayed for you saith our Sauiour that your faith faile not Sathan he is a daily Sutor to God against vs Christ Iesus hee supports vs and is a continuall Sutor to his heauenly Father for vs Now if the Diuell shall be heard before Christ Iesus then we may perish But if Christ Iesus shall be heard in heauen before the Diuell then it is vtterly impossible that euer the euill Angels should preuaile against vs. The vses of this poynt are these The first is for reproofe Vse 1 It serues to reproue an ouer-weening conceit that many men haue of a possibility of Sathans preuailing against Gods children to cast them out of Gods fauour some hold it as a generall common possibility against all Gods children that Sathan may separate them from the loue and fauour of God and they plead hard for it too but these are but the Diuels pleaders proctâ—rs against God and wherein can they doe better seruice for the Diuell against God and against his wisdome and power and mercy and truth and promises what better Aduocates can there be for hell then these Papists and Arminians and others that hold this blasphemous errour are They doe highly aduance and magnifie the Kingdome of darkenesse ascribe more to it then to the kingdome of light ascribing a preuailing power to the kingdome of darknesse against the kingdome of light for is not euery true beleeuer a member of the kingdome of light if therefore the euill Angels can separate any one true beleeuer from the loue of God in Christ then the kingdome of darknes shal preuaile before the Kingdom of light Oh blasphemous impious and odious conceit Secondly It is for reproofe of some others that are onely fearefull and timerous of their owne particular estate that say in themselues oh surely I shall fall away from God though the Diuell be not able to plucke away others from God yet he may pluck me away the wicked fiend haunts me sore and surely hee will plucke mee away from God before he hath done with me Poore soules they would faine come neerer to God and be better perswaded of their estate but they dare not be so bold or cannot be so strong Well come and let vs reason together Sathan thou saiest will neuer let thee alone he is alwaies tempting thee and therefore hee will at last surely plucke thee away from God Oh thou of little faith why doest thou thus vexe and wrong thy selfe why wilt thou giue sentence with thine enemy against thy selfe Is it not enough for the Diuell to bragge and boast that he can pull thee out of Gods hands but thou wilt beleeue him and giue sentence on his side and say as he saith Tell me hath not God kept thee from him hitherto and wilt thou distrust him now whose truth and sauing mercy thou hast had so long experience of Doest not thou thinke in thy conscience that the Diuell hath alwaies done his worst against thee euer since thy first conuersion and yet through Gods mercy he hath not preuailed hitherto to separate thee from the loue of God in Christ Iesus but thou art still preserued why then doest thou distrust that he shall preuaile hereafter God is as strong to vphold thee as euer he was thy selfe if thou beest a true beleeuer doest daily grow in grace and so art more able to stand fast euery day then other though happily thou feelest it not and the diuell is weaker and more hartlesse euery day then other against thee as hauing laboured in vain all this while why therfore art thou thus discouraged beleeue not Sathan checke thy selfe for this vnbeleeuing heart and gather better spirits and put on more comfortable resolutions cast thy soule and state confidently on the Lord in faith in Christ and in obedience to his will assure thy selfe that thou being a beleeuing soule God hath set his marke vpon thee and therefore rest thou vpon him and all these euill Angells shall neuer be able to plucke thee out of the protection of his loue in Christ The second vse is for comfort here is matter of Vse 2 sound and singuler consolation to all true beleeuers First against euill Angels themselues secondly against their temptations thirdly against our sinnes Sathan is the euill Angell his temptations are his instruments whereby he workes and sin is his worke here is our comfort that neither Sathan himselfe nor his instruments nor his works shal euer preuaile against vs to plucke vs away from God First here is matter of comfort against Sathan himselfe and all the aduantages he hath against vs feare them not for they shall neuer be able to cast thee out of the estate of grace and of Gods loue Lift vp thy heart and consider how God hath furnished thee with particular comforts against al the particular aduantages that the euill spirits haue against thee First thou wilt say the euiil Angels are very many true but what then Did not Christ euen with one word cast out a Legion of Diuels at once out of one man Marke 5.8 then neuer feare them for their multitude that one onely God is infinitely more than innumerable Diuils Yea but secondly they are very strong It is true Sathan is the strong man indeed but Christ is a stronger man Luke 11.22 and ouercommeth him The Diuell is a roaring Lyon it is true yea but Christ is a Lyon too a ruling raigning Lyon he is the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah the royall Tribe he rules all and he makes that other Lyon the Diuell when he comes in presence to crie out and roare for feare and anger Luke 4.33.34 an vncleane Diuell cryed out with a loud voyce saying Oh! what haue wee to doe with thee c. therefore neuer feare them for their strength Yea but
this confident perswasion that surely God will be his God for euer 1 Iohn 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit Hence it is that this Spirit thus giuen is called an earnest Ephes 1.13.14 It is a significant comparison and most pregnant to our purpose An earnest we know is something giuen in hand at the making vp of a bargaine the buyer giues it the seller receiues it and thereby both parties are bound to the full performance of the bargaine so it is betwixt God and our poore Soules in our conuersion God bargaines couenants with vs to be our God and to make vs his children and heires of saluation he giues vs an earnest and we receiue it what is that His Spirit to assure vs that as he hath begun so he will go on with vs and that his Couenant shall neuer be broken and wee receiue it vpon the same condition If but a man giue vs an earnest if he be an honest man wee are perswaded he will go on with his bargaine much more will God if he giue vs an earnest wee may be confidently perswaded that he will not breake with vs If God should giue but a small earnest but a penny we would beleeue that he would performe with vs but he giues vs his owne Spirit as great an earnest as himselfe in reuerence be it spoken to his great Maiesty and therefore he will surely goe on with vs he giues vs his Spirit to assure vs that he will not faile vs and therefore we may confidently be perswaded of it that he will performe his word to vs and he giues vs this earnest nor in our hands for haply we might loose it then but in our hearts and there it rests as a Seale to seale vs vp to God for euer and euer 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed vs and giuen the earnest of his Spirit into our hearts Wee vse to cal this earnest giuen and receiued a Gods penny Here is a Gods penny indeed the best Gods penny that euer we tooke giuen vs vpon the greatest and best match that euer we made to assure vs certainly perswade vs that God wil perform his couenant to vs. Secondly the voyce of the Spirit in vs confirmes it for vpon our true conuersion as we receiue this Spirit so our Spirit growes into a blessed familiarity with Gods Spirit and in this familiarity Gods Spirit acquaints our spirits with many heauenly truthes and amongst other the Spirit tells vs in plaine tearmes that wee are in the number of those that shall be saued thou poore sinfull soule art in truth the child of God Rom. 8.16 The same spirit beareth witnes to our spirits that we are the children of God there is a liuely voyce in the hearts of all Gods true children wherby the Spirit tels them plainly so The Apostle in the 1 Cor. 2.10 to the 16. reasons the case plainely This is a secret might some say Yea but saith the Apostle God hath reuealed them to vs by his Spirit c. But it is hid in Gods minde Wee know the minde of God saith the Apostle verse 16. But how doe we know Gods minde why God hath reuealed it to vs by his Spirit verse 10. And in the 12. verse the Apostle saith that he hath giuen vs the Spirit that is of God that wee might know the things that are of God he hath giuen vs his Spirit to this end to confirme and seale vnto vs that wee are appointed vnto life Thirdly the nature of faith requires it Faith requires Reason 3 a confident perswasion how else can we say I beleeue in God and doubting is opposite to faith Iames 1.16 Aske in faith and wauer not Doubting is opposite to faith as darknes is to light they cannot stand together but with strife and contradiction one against another Fourthly the fruits of the Spirit and of Reason 4 faith approue it what are the fruits of the Spirit why the Commandements of God 2 Pet. 1.10 If yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall God giues his word for it hereby we are sure saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 that we know him if we keepe his Commandements and 1 Iohn 3.14 we know that wee are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren If I loue my Brother truely for Christs sake I am sure that I am translated from death to life as sure as I know it to be day by the light Reason 5 Lastly the truth of Gods promises ratifie and establish it for as this makes our state sure in it selfe so also it makes it sure to vs Heb. 10.23 Hee is faithfull that hath promised and therefore let vs draw neere vnto him with full assurance and hold fast the profession of our hope without wauering this will carry vs out through thicke and thinne Vse 1 The first Vse is matter of Confutation it serues to confute Popish doubting I will insist specially vpon that because it is true that there is doubtings sometimes in the dearest of Gods children but they acknowledge and confesse them to be sins and infirmities and striue against them and repent of them But Popish doubting is maintained and they cherish men in it and they condemne an vndoubting faith to bee grosse presumption Alasse all our doubting is of our selues and not of God and confident perswasion is of God and not of vs and shall doubting be called good Religion and assurance condemned to bee presumption This is a grosse iudgement and a damnable censure But it is strange that euer the Papists should doubt of their saluation seeing they pretend that they haue the Law and the Gospell for them too The Law saith Doe this and liue and they pretend to performe perfect obedience to the Law and yet they doubt whether they shall liue The Gospell saith Beleeue this and thou shalt be saued and they say they are onely the true beleeuers Haue they both the Law and the Gospell to assure them and yet doe they doubt whether they shall be saued If the Law assure them not of saluation yet the Gospell might at least both together should not faile them But all things well considered it is no maruell seeing they ioyne their merits with Christs it is iust with God to deny them the greatest comfort in the world namely this full assurance by the merits of Christ And seeing they will be iustified by their owne workes no maruell though their iustification faile them seeing their workes faile them The euils of Popish doubting But let vs see the euill of this their Doctrine hereby they impeach Gods truth and call all his promises into question and deny one of the chiefest priuiledges in the world to Gods children and bereaue them of their best comfort and hereby they dishearten Gods children and dampe them in the course of grace and many other euills follow hereupon I will insist onely
vpon these First If I must doubt of my saluation then my loue cannot be so intire to God as it ought How can I loue God so heartily when I doubt whether he loues me or no But if I know that God loues mee If I be confident in that then am I carried with the strength of my loue to him againe 1 Iohn 4.10 Hereby is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs. Secondly our prayers will be but faint prayers I shall pray but faintly if I doubt whether God will heare me or no. Iames 1.6.7 Aske in faith and wauer not neither let that man thinke that hee shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Marke 11.24 Whatsoeuer you desire when you pray beleeue that you shall haue it and it shall be done vnto you If we beleeue that God will heare vs this makes vs to pray earnestly but if we come wauering and doubting we shall haue little heart to pray nay wee shall not receiue saith the Apostle Iames. Thirdly our spirituall fight must needs be vncomfortable we shall hardly endure and stand out the combate if we doubt of the victory but if once we know that we shall ouercome that will make vs to fight to the knees in blood In the 7. of Iudges Gideon was fearefull at the first to fight against the Midianites but when God had promised him the victory then verse 15. he saith to the people Vp for the Lord hath deliuered into your hands the hoast of Midian and so it is with vs in our spirituall fight If we beleeue that we shall ouercome we will vp and fight manfully against all our spirituall enemies Fourthly our peace of conscience will be vnsetled What setled peace can there be of doubtings Againe our hope cannot be a liuely hope if we doubt of our saluation 1 Thess 5.8.9 Put on the Brest-plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an Helmet for God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ If wee doubted whether God had appointed vs vnto wrath and not to saluation we should haue little comfort to put on hope of saluation for an helmet but if we be perswaded of our saluation then wee would put it on with good comfort Againe our patience will be heartlesse when wee haue no certainety of a Crowne Iames 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the Crowne of life If once we beleeue that we shall receiue the Crowne of life we will endure all tryals patiently Again our repentance wil be but an hourly repentance if we haue not a good perswasion to find mercy Mar. 1.13 Repent and beleeue the Gospell We must beleeue the Gospell else we cannot repent Lastly faith mixt with feares and doubtings is but a small and a little faith Math. 8.26 Why are yee fearefull O yee of little faith And so in the whole course of grace all the duties of Gods seruice will be much dampt in vs if we goe not along with this full Sayle this full perswasion Yea but say the Papists where doe you finde in any place in all the Scripture that it is written that euery particular man by name shall be saued Is there any among you named in the Scripture If it be not written there how can it be beleeued I answere we haue as good cause to beleeue as if our names were set downe in Scripture God hath made his promises vpon such and such quallifications if I then finde these in my selfe I may build vpon Gods promises that they are made to me As if the King should proclaime that aâ—l his true-hearted Subiects should haue such and such fauours why if I finde I haue a true heart to the King I may conclude that I am there meant as well as if I were there named and so it is betwixt God and vs God saith in his word that whosoeuer beleeues and repents shall be surely saued then say I I beleeue and repent in my poore measure therefore I conclude that I shal be saued For the first Proposition the aduersaries agree with vs that whosoeuer beleeues and repents shall be saued but to the second they say how doe you know that you beleeue and repent I answere faith is an act and therefore may be known of the beleeuer as he that sees doth know he sees and he that heares doth know he heares c. and is not our beliefe a matter of our vnderstanding as well as of our will Therefore euery one that beleeues knowes that he doth beleeue it is a very vntoward faith that is without knowledge of it and he a goodly beleeuer that knowes not whether he beleeues or no. Math. 9.28 Iesus asketh the blinde men beleeue ye that I am able to doe this and they said vnto him yea Lord and so Ioh. 9.35.38 he asked the blinde man whom he had cured Dost thou beleeue in the Sonne of God Verse 38. He said Lord I beleeue Euery true beleeuer knowes and can truely say he doth beleeue Againe we may know we haue faith by the proper effects of faith which is a godly life Lastly we may know it by the Spirit bearing witnesse to our Spirits Rom. 8.16 And there cannot but be certainty of faith where there is the sence of faith by the Spirit Vse 2 The second Vse is for reproofe of some amongst vs that mince this matter of assurance We hope well say they that we shall be saued but we are not sure of it Doe you hope well It is fit you should and if your hope be a true hope it will neuer make you ashamed But let vs examine it doe you hope to be saued without ground or vpon some good ground If without ground then it is a vaine and foolish hope that will deceiue thee if vpon good ground then know that there is no true ground for hope but faith Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and therefore if we hope to be saued we beleeue we shall be saued for true hope is as certaine as faith Heb. 6.9 If we beleeue certainely wee hope certainely so much faith as we haue so much hope we haue and so much hope as wee haue so much faith we haue and therefore labour to know the ground of thy hope Why dost thou hope thou shalt be saued why because thou beleeuest thou shalt be saued The last Vse is to teach euery one of vs to labour Vse 3 for this confidence it is worth our labour it is the sweetest comfort that euer we can haue liuing or dying to know certainly that our sinnes are forgiuen vs in Christ and that we are perfectly in the fauour of God and haue true right and interest to heauen We looke into our Euidences for our Lands and make all sure for them much more should we make sure for our estate in grace and interest in heauen we had need