breaths here Manna's rain'd down here God shews his face here 's the sealing place the Spirit confirmes the word and prints it upon thy soul Thus waite upon him in his own way I and waite upon him in his own time too don't think time tedious He that beleeves makes not haste which St. Paul renders He that beleeves is not ashamed as if to make haste and be asham'd were all one God will wonderfully prepare the soule that he means to fill with his love Assurance is too precious a thing to be pour'd into every spirit He won't put new wine into old bottles God is all this while making thee more capable of his love and though for the present thou hast no Assurance yet thus trusting and waiting upon him thou art in a great tendency to it And put the worst that can be imagin'd that thou should'st dye under a cloud yet thy condition were safe and thou shalt come then to a full Assurance nay to a full possession of thine inheritance and thou shalt see the glorious Sunne-shine of the face of God a beam of which thou did'st so much long for here We come now to the fourth particular those special Sealing times when Christians have their Assurance and Plerophory 1. Many times at their first conversion God do's then seale up the work of grace in the soul When the Spirit of Bondage has past upon the soul and by a strong conviction has apply'd particularly guilt and wrath unto it the fatal sentence is pronounc't and the soul is fill'd with the scorching pre-apprehensions of hell and damnation and trembles at the very thought of eternity Now for the Gospel to bring thee wellcome newes of a pardon and for the Spirit of Adoption to apply grace and mercy unto the soul for the prison-doores to be broken open and a poor captive set at liberty to have all the chaines and fetters beaten off and to be brought into a marvellous light to have all the balme of Gilead pour'd into him Evangelical fruitions and cordials prepar'd for him and which is the very extraction and quintessence of all the love of a Saviour shed into his heart What strong impressions of joy think you must there be in such a soul What precious infusions of spiritual sweetnesse What secret springings and elevations of Spirit What triumphs what Jubilee's what love-raptures I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine I must appeal to your breasts that have found this great and heavenly work wrought upon your soul 't is you only that have tasted the joy of the holy Ghost that is glorious and unspeakable And do you tell us had not ye then the first relish of the hidden Manna was not it very sweet and delicious hadst not thou then the first glimpse of the White Stone and was not it very bright and orient hadst not thou then the Spouse kisse and was not it precious and more worth then a world didst not thou tâ—â—n first hear the soft language and whisperings of the Spirit and was not his voice lovely and pleasant I know your souls dance within you with the very recalling of so happy and golden a time and you pant and breath after more of this communion with a Saviour and truly he deserves an Anathema that do's not preferre the very possibility of having of it before all the world Hosea 11. 1. When Israel was a childe then I lov'd him I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their armes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I taught him to foot it on the wayes of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I drew them with the cords of a man all gentle and perswasive sollicitations with bands of love I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws and I laid meat unto them The yoke of bondage the soul was under God freed the soul brought him to an easie pleasant yoke to an Evangelical yoke God has a speciall care of tender plants when Israel was a tender vine O then he fenc'd it and hedg'd it and shone out upon it c. Now Christ is thus pleas'd to reveal his love to unbosome himself unto the souls of young Converts for their greater incouragement in the wayes of grace At the first step to heaven he gives them a viaticum If after the soul had been steept in legall humiliation and possest with feares and terrours and amazements compass't with clouds and now at last it has been drawn by a mighty work to receive a Saviour If after all this it should have no Sun-shine 't would droop and languish and be ready to pine away 't would be very unfit and unserviceable the wheels of the soul would move heavily God therefore oiles the wheels poures the Oile of gladnesse into the soul And now it moves like the chariots of Aminadab with a nimble spontaneity Christ begins to flourish through the Lettices le ts in some of his love into the soul I and gives it a sense of this love too and this constrains it to obedience and sets the soul a longing for more of this love and for more sense of this love and so it will never leave longing till it have a full fruition of it in heaven This is Gods method this is the usuall progresse of grace in the soul And hence you may see why young Converts are usually so active in the wayes of Religion so forward and vehement O they have fresh apprehensions of the love of a Saviour with an eminent alteration he has wrought in them how they are rais'd from death to life O they can tell you long stories of his goodnesse what great things he hath done for their soul So that their affections are rais'd there 's a flush of joy the soul runs over and knows no banks no bounds Thus God does many times seal up the work of grace in the soul and gives a satisfying light at the first conversion but yet I cannot say that this is alwayes so for there are diversities of workings and grace sometimes wrought in the soul after a more still and undiscernable manner as we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter 2. Sacrament-times are sealing times I speak of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for as for those secret breathings of the Spirit upon Infants in that other Sacrament of Baptisme they are altogether unsearchable and past finding out Now in the Lords Supper you have the New Covenant seal'd up unto the soul the soul has not only his graces increased but they are printed clearer that seale of the Spirits does print a Christians evidences with a clearer stamp You have plaine and visible representations of the love of a Saviour and you have the sense of this love pour'd out into you A Christian feeds not only upon Sacramental bread but upon hidden Manna too and has tastes of that love that is sweeter then wine Here 's a feast of fat things The soul is satisfied as with marrow
and sweetnesse spiritual refreshments like fat things they are sweet and they are filling too yet not like other fat things that have a cloying fulsomenesse in them no these carry a delicious relish with them such as the soul takes present complacency in them and has a longing appetite for them The soul never nauseats the feast of fat things but the more it feeds upon them the more it hungers after them Now the two grand ends of this Sacrament in reference to a Christian are 1. Growth of Grace 2. Sense of Grace 'T is a Sacrament of Augmentation by which a new-borne-infant-soul may grow up to its just proportion and full stature in Jesus Christ and 't is a Sacrament evidencing this his condition to the soul Christians come hither ad corroborandum Titulum the smoaking flax comes hither to have some light and the bruised reed comes hither to have some strength the worme Jacob crawl's into the presence of a Saviour and is sent away with an encouraging voice Fear not thou worme Jacob. Many a tender babe in Christ has stretcht out its weak and trembling hand to lay hold of a Saviour and has found vertue coming out from him Many a thirsty soul has come breathing and panting after the streames of water 'thas open'd his mouth wide and he has fill'd it The longing and affectionate soul has come with vehement and enlarg'd desires and has found full expressions and manifestations of his love towards her Many a cloudy soul has come hither to see if he could spy out one beam and has been sent away brighter then the Sun in all its glory You that come hither with the most ample and capacious souls tell us whether you ben't fill'd up to the brim whether your cup don't overflow O what heavenly entercourse is there between you and a Saviour what pleasant aspects what mutual love-glances what smiles and blandishments Don't you finde in your own souls a full Paraphrase upon the book of the Canticles that book of Loves He comes with an earthy and drossie soul that is not rais'd and advanc't with such glorious mysteries And yet my meaning is not as if every true Christian that had received this Sacrament must needs have Assurance No we know 1. Beleevers themselves may receive unworthily as the Christian Corinthians when Paul tells them they came together for the worse and not for the better he speaks it of such as were truly in the state of grace Thus he concludes his discourse You are chastened of the Lord that you might not be condemned with the world And thus the soul may go from a Sacrament with lesse comfort then it brought thither 2. Many that have much joy and sweetnesse from a Sacrament real and spiritual joy I and strengh and vigour too yet it may be have it not in so great a proportion in so high a measure their cup is not so brim-ful as that it should reach to Assurance All that do truly partake of these heavenly delicacies yet don't go away equally satisfied Some have but a taste which is enough to cherish them others a full draught which does mightily enliven them So then all we say is this those Christians that have assurance have it usuall at these times and some Christians that have wanted assurance yet here have found it which should strongly engage all to come hither with great and solemn preparation quickening and exciting their graces emproving all present strength breathing and longing after these pleasant streams widening and enlarging their affections opening their mouths like a dry and thirsty land that waits for some satisfying showers and would fain be fill'd 3. Times of employment are sealing times When God intends a Christian for great and eminent service he first makes his goodnesse passe before him he sheds some of his love into his heart which does both constraine him to obedience and encourage him in it his smile makes the soul go cheerefully about his work his presence gives life and vigour to a performance The servants of God wait on him fix their eyes upon him look whether he gives them a propitious glance they walk in the light of his countenance they follow the directions of his eye they won't move unlesse he breath on them Moses won't stir without Assurance of his presence All the clusters of Canaan shall not entice him he had rather dwell with briars and thornes in the wildernesse with the good will of him that dwells in the bush He had rather be in a barren and desolate and howling wildernesse then in a pleasant and fruitful land in a delicious land without the presence of his God He knows there 's no sweetnesse in Canaan without him there 's more sting then honey in the land of Promise unlesse he be there and Canaan it self will prove a wildernesse if he withdraw himself The beames of his gracious Presence these gild a place they can turn a desert into a Paradise and can make a prison glorious The love of God in Christ 't is attractive and magnetical and drawes the soule along when 't is once touch t with it this will draw Moses to the land of Promise this will carry him through all difficulties God sheds some of this love into Moses his heart and then he goes on with cheerfulnesse and alacrity And so 't was with his Successour Joshua God calls him to an honourable employment to be the Shepherd of his little flock to guide and govern his People Israel Now how does he prepare him for so great a work why he strengthens him and heartens him with a Promise of himself with assurance of his love Feare not but be of courage I am with thee Thou hast my presenee thou shalt have my blessing I have done much for thee and I will do more for thee be faithful in my service and be couragious and don't doubt of the love of God towards thee Thus God when he call'd Abraham to that great expression of obedience in the sacrificing of his Isaac he first warmes his heart with his love and seals up the Covenant of Grace to him he spreads before him ample and comprehensive Promises I am thy God All-sufficient I am thy Buckler and thine exceeding great reward and this will beare up and support Abraham though the staffe of his old age be taken away and by his own hands cast into the fire And this was his usual dealing with the Prophets when he sent them with great and weighry messages He first reveales his goodnesse to them before he reveales his minde by them he assures them of directing mercy of protecting mercy that shall beare them company that shall go along with them and this puts a generous undauntednesse upon them that they feare not the frowns of men nor the threatnings of men nor of the greatest of men this makes Jeremy to set his face like a flint and Esay to lift up his voice like a Trumpet to tell Israel
their sins and Judah their transgressions And this is that which prepares the Martyres for their sufferings God tempers and allayes that Cup he drops some of his goodnesse into it and sweetens it to them He first sets his seal to their soules before they set their seal to his truth he diets them with the hidden Manna and gives them before-hand the White Stone as a sure pledge of victory What is it but this that makes them devoure torments and come to them with an appetite 't is this that softens the flames and turnes them into a bed of Roses 't is this that fills their souls with joy and their mouths with praises that makes them more chearful in their sufferings then their Saviour in his for they usually have the face of a reconciled God shining out upon them which was wholly with drawn from him when he cry'd out My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me 4. Praying times are sealing times The same Spirit that endites the Prayer seales it up When Hannah had put up her Prayer 1 Sam 1. 18. the text sayes expressely that her countenance was no more sad As 't is the great Priviledge of Assurance that Christians may then with confidence cry Abba Father so also 't is a great meanes to Assurance The hearing of Prayers is a mighty strengthening to faith and the strengthening of faith does strongly tend to Assurance Besides Christians may pray for Assurance they may be importunate for a glimpse of his face for one beam for one smile and his bowels won't let him deny them Hence you shall finde it that such as are most frequent in Prayer are most blest with Assurance Praying Christians have much entercourse and communion with their God And thus there may be a National kinde of Assurance I say a National plerophory when God shall poure out a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication upon his people and they with united and concentricated abilities shall besiege the Throne of Grace there is no doubt there can be no doubt but at length he will yield up such a mercy to his praying People 5. Times of outward exigencies are sealing times 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man decay yet our inward man is renew'd daily that feeds upon hidden Mannah a precious restaurative for a fainting Christian Manna you know was rain'd down in the wildernesse and when the Israelites provision failed them then Manna was rain'd down When the water-pots are fill'd up to the brim then water presently turn'd into wine and so this hidden Mannah is provided for sad and cloudy conditions We except only the case of total desertion when the soul has not the least light shining in upon it which is the severest judgement that a true Christian is capable of but in other distresses especially outward and temporal distresses he does reveal himself more immediately to them And though the creature frown yet he will smile upon them Believers they are the friends of God and 't is no part of friendship to forsake them in the saddest times St. John when a banish't man in the Isle of Pathmos then God shewes him that glorious Revelation Paul and Silas when in prison then brim-full of joy which breaks out into Psalmes of Praise In the fiery trial as there is some scorching so there is some light too And God does prepare his People for the seal of the Spirit by thus melting and softening their heart for the softer the heart is the clearer will the Print of his love be When God had brought that great sicknesse upon Hezekiah and thus had dissolv'd and soft'ned his heart he presently prints his love upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thon hast lov'd my soule from the grave God does then most expresse his love when they have most need of it The white Stone sparkles most oriently in the darkest condition O how gloriously does God shine in upon the prisons of Martyrs what frequent visits does he give them it might even make men ambitious of their sufferings that they might have some such expressions of his love towards them 6. Times of Victory and Conquests over lusts and temptations are sealing times God after such victories will give his People a triumph This is exprest in that text of the Revelation Rev. 2. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him that overcomes will I give to eate of the hidden Mannah c. Thus when Saint Paul was wrastling with and conquering that great temptation whatever it was that is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12. God then gives to eat of the hidden Mannah and strengthens him with this My grace is sufficient for thee He gives him the white Stone with that Motto graven in it My grace c. Thus that noble Christian and famous Convert of Italy Galeacius Caracciolus when he had scorn'd the pomp and lustre of the world and had trampl'd upon all relations for the love of a Saviour when Satan that cunning Angler of souls had spent all his baits upon him and he had refus'd them all O then what a deal of precious sweetnesse slides into his soul what rushings in of glorious joy he had never such joy at Naples as he had at Geneva You may hear him pronouncing an Anathema to all such as shall prefer all the gold and silver in the world before one dayes sweet Communion with Jesus Christ As none have more dregs of wrath then relapsing and apostatizing Spirits Remember but Spira's case so none have sweeter and choicer mercy then the faithful Servants of the Lord Jesus that follow him in the houre of temptation Apostates are seal'd up to a day of vengeance but these are seal'd up to a day of Redemption Thus the Mourners in Ezekiel that would not yield to the abominations of the times must have a seal set upon them Thus that Virgin-company in the Revelation that would not prostitute their soules to Antichristian folly have the seal of God in their foreheads This is the happinesse of a Christian that he has a sweet satisfaction in self-denyal in denying sin in repulsing lust in conquering temptation in pulling out his right eye in cutting off his right hand in mortifying the body of death he has a sweet satisfaction in all these And thus you have seen those special sealing times when Christians have this high plerophory these riches of Assurance we come now to speak of them in a more Applicatory way 1. Times of Assurance they should be times of humility and dependance upon God When Moses had been so long in the Mount and had a lustre upon him by conversing with God himself presently at the foot of the Mount he meets with matter of humiliation The Israelites have made them a golden Calfe Thy People sayes God to Moses they have done this And the Apostle Paul when he had been rapt up into the third Heaven and had heard there some of Arcana Coeli things that neither could nor might be utter'd for
both are imply'd in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there then comes a messenger of Satan to buffet him he must be put in minde of himself by a thorne in the flesh and that lest he should be exalted above measure with abundance of Revelations A creature can't 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little thing will puffe up a bubble a small happinesse will swell up the sons of men Pride as it twines about the choicest graces so it devoures the sweetest comforts But yet there is nothing tends more to soule-abasement and self-examination then the beholding of Gods face then the seeing of his glory this will make the soul abhorre it self in dust and ashes The more God reveals himself unto the soul the more will the soul see that huge disproportion that is between it self and a Deity There 's none here below that ever saw more of Gods face then Moses and Paul had done and there were none that ever had lower apprehensions of themselves They knew well enough what the Sun-shine of his presence was what a glorious sight it was to behold his face and yet they had rather part with this then he should part with his glory They are like men amaz'd with the vastnesse and spaciousnesse of the Ocean and make nothing of a little inconsiderable drop of Being They that know not these treasures of love and sweetnesse those heaps of excellencies that are stor'd up in God these are the grand admirers of themselves But when the soul comes to have a prospect of heaven and fixes its eye upon an object of the first magnitude the creature disappears self vanishes and loses it self in the fulnesse of God And if God do assure thee of this his love thou canst not but wonder at the greatnesse of his goodnesse especially when thou shalt recollect thy self and think upon thine own unworthinesse Thou that didst not deserve a beam of his face what does he give thee a full Sun-shine Thou that could'st not look for the least taste of his love what does he give thee a whole cluster of Canaan Thou that didst not deserve the least crumb of the hidden Mannah does he fill thee an Omer full of it Nay yet higher Thou that didst deserve a brand from his Justice does he give thee a seal of his love he might have given thee gall and vineger to drink and does he flow in upon thee with milk and honey he might have given thee the first flashes of hell and does he give thee the first-fruits of heaven what could'st thou have look't for but an eternal frown and dost thou meet with so gracious a smile O then fall down and adore his goodnesse and let all that is within thee blesse his holy name Tell me now is there any ground for pride in such a soul Does not Assurance bespeak humility and speak a meet dependance 2. Times of Assurance they should be times of trampling upon the creature and scorning of things below Dost thou now take care for corne and wine and oile when God lifts up the light of his countenance upon thee is this same Angels food this same hidden Mannah is it too light meat for thee Now thou art within the land of Promise feeding upon the grapes and pomegranates of the land dost thou now long for the garlick and onions of Egypt Now thou art within thy fathers house and the fatted Calfe is slaine wilt thou now still feed upon husks Art thou cloth'd with the Sun and canst not thou trample the Moon under thy feet O let them scramble for the world that have nothing else to live on Pray give room to the green Bay-trees to spread themselves abroad but don't thou lose thy fatnesse and sweetnesse to rule over these Art thou sure of heaven and would'st thou fix thy Tabernacle upon earth Is it good for thee to be here or would'st have any more then the light of Gods countenance is it not enough that thou art sure of happinesse is not a fountain enough for thee why wilt thou drink in muddy streames and thou that art fill'd with the love of a Saviour canst thou tell how to spend a thought upon the world is not there more beauty in a Christ then in the Creature is not he the fairest of ten thousand Away then with adulterous glances for why should'st thou embrace the bosome of a stranger 3. Times of Assurance they should be times of watchfulnesse and more accurate walking with God To sin against revealed love is a deep and killing aggravation To sin against light is too too much but to sin against love is a great deal more this height'ned Solomons idolatry 1 Kings 11. 9. that he turn'd from the God of Israel which had appeared to him twice What wilt thou with Jeshurun wax fat and kick and kick against bowels too To provoke God in a wildernesse is not so much as to provoke him in a Paradise What could he have done more for thee then he has done and what couldst thou have done more against him then thou hast done and wilt thou still requite him thus wilt thou provoke him with Mannah in thy mouth Does he give thee the sweet clusters of the land and dost thou return him wilde grapes that which is the strongest engagement to obedience dost thou make it an encouragement to sin art thou so willing to dash thy joy to lose thy peace And O how will it please the powers of darknesse to see thee abuse a beam The devil has several designes against the welfare of a soul First if it were possible he would keep thee from having any grace at all But secondly if he can't do that he would keep thee from strength of grace from growth in grace he would break the bruised reed and he would quench the smoaking flax But then if he can't prevaile here neither then in the third place he would keep thee from sense of grace in a sad and cloudy condition he envies thee one beam one smile one glance of his eye But then if the riches of Gods goodnesse do so run over as that he will give thee a sense of his love then fourthly in the last place he would have thee abuse his grace and turn it into wantonnesse But when God has planted thee in so happy a Paradise don't thou listen to the whisperings of the Serpent Thou that art seal'd by the Holy Spirit don't attend to a lying spirit The devil that great plunderer of soules would faine rob thee of thy Jewels of thy joy and peace and happinesse but do thou hide them in a Christ in the wounds of a Saviour and take heed of blotting thine Evidences thou that art a Childe of light be not rul'd by a Prince of darknesse If God give thee a sense of his love walk more stedfastly walk more accurately with thy God 4. Times of Assurance they should be times of inviting and encouraging others in the wayes of grace Thus the Psalmist when his
is as impossible for Israel to perish as for God to lose his glory And will not remember thy sins The sinful soul is full of doubts and suspicions Certainly saith he if God should let me alone now he will call me to acount for them hereafter If he seem to blot them out now he will write them again sometime or other No saith God I 'le blot out thy transgressions and will not remember thy sins 'T is an ordinary speech in the mouth of some silly ones they will forgive but never forget it had need have a very candid construction a grain of salt is scarce enough to make it savory but God never forgives but he doth forget too when he blots out iniquities he remembers them no more When the sins are laid upon the head of the scape-goat they are then carried into a land of forgetfulnesse I suppose you recall the usual rule Verba Memoriae denotant affectum effectum He will not remember them so as to call thee to account for them so as to upbraid thee with them so as any way to punish thee for them Guilt and punishmeat are correlates such Twinnes as live and dye together when the one 's remitted the other 's never retain'd For 1. 'T were injustice to punish where there is no fault God indeed may out of his absolute dominion and sovereignty inflict an evill upon an innocent creature but then it falls not under the formal notion of a punishment and doth inflict evils upon his own people which flow from a fatherly castigation and not from a judicial proceeding 2. 'T is against the very nature of remission Do you call that forgiving of a debt to cast a man into prison for not discharging it or is that pardoning of a Traitour to behead him for his treason 3. 'T is injurious to the full satisfaction of Christ who drunk up the whole cup all the dregs of wrath not a drop of that bitter cup left for a Christian no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there they do indeed pledge him but 't is in a sweeter draught and not at all in satisfaction to divine justice 'T is an impious speech and fit for the mouth that spoke it worthy of a Jesuite that calls Christians sufferings Fimbrias meritorum Christi but he may touch this hemme of the Garment and finde no vertue coming out from it Christs Resurrection was a full and plain aquittance a clear and apparent signe that iniquities were all blotted out Quest But doth not God revive former sinnes and reprint such iniquities as he hath once blotted out Answ He doth indeed but in abundance of love and bowels of free grace not as an angry and revenging God but 't is to make thy tepentance for them more deep and serious And though God remember them no more yet there 's good reason that the soul should still remember them First to make it more thankful to him that he blotted them out Secondly to walk more humbly Thirdly more watchfully and accurately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus we have took a brief survey of the Text wee 'l now strain the quintessence of all into one observation Justifying grace is free grace He blots out iniquities for his own sake Every justifi'd person is a monument of free grace or in the Psalmists language he 's crown'd with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The grace of God is free grace and that First If you look to the Spring from whence it flowes That Originall goodnesse that fountain-mercy in Election when he singl'd out a peculiar people to himself there were beamings out of his love and blossomings of his grace towards thee from everlasting He was plotting and studying thy happinesse long before thou hadst any being Thou wert Gods Jewel from all eternity his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he casts a propitious glance upon thee And thy time was the time of love He took thee as the Jewel out of the rubbish of ruinated mankinde out of the Massa corrupta and in his due time he means to polish thee and to set a glorious lustre upon thee Now what was there that God should smile on Jacob and frowne on Esau from all eternity What was there in thee to perswade him to all this What were the motives Where were the arguments What was the Rhetorick 1. It was long before thou hadst any being thou wert hid in the barren wombe of nothing thou hadst no desire no thought of happinesse and I can't well understand the merite of a non-entity 2. God might have had great revenues of glory out of thy eternall ruine now that he should choose to glorifie the riches of his mercy in thy happinesse and salvation was most free grace Two books were before him he might have writ thy name in his black book with fatall and bloudy characters and made his justice glorious in thy miserie and damnation I but he took the book of life and with the point of a Diamond writ thy name there thus to make his love wonderful in thy salvation 3. Consider how few God then chose unto himself Out of those many worlds which he might have made out of that which he did make he pickt out a few here and there they all make up but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little diminutive flock a little little flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The major part of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it lyes drench't and drown'd in wickednesse How comes it now that thou dost not go with the generality but art one of the little number is not this free grace God hath riches of grace for many more and yet he would spend it all upon a few he would contract and concentricate his love in them Et quantò pauciores filios habet tantò cariores 'T is St Pauls reason that he might make known the riches of glory upon the vessels of honour this was the very end that they might admire his goodnesse the more and tell stories of free grace to all eternity 4. Don't think that this was out of any prevision of worth and excellencie in thee more then in another For 1. This makes the prime wheeling cause wholly dependent upon inferior movers The great Creator of Heaven and Earth must wait upon mans liberum arbitrium if the creature please to determine thus or thus then he must copy out his decree accordingly 2. They speak as if they had never seen the nineth to the Romans What was it that prevail'd with the Potter to make one vessell to honour and the other to dishonour Was it because this was the more refined Earth and so fitter for a vessell of Honour No saith St. Paul of the very same lumpe he made one a vessel to honour and the other to dishonour And God lov'd Jacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or evil Now if Jacob would certainly have done good of his own accord 't was all one as if 't
ye shall go and no further Saul when he is breathing out of slaughters and making havock of the Church even then he becomes a Paul When the soul is even ripe for judgement then mercy shines out upon it And that which would seeme the most reasonable time for vengeance is made a blessed opportunity of shewing mercy 4. Consider the efficacious and overpowering work of grace he must force thee to be happy and necessitate thee to salvation and compell thee to come in It is not enough to provide the meanes but he must strongly apply them unlesse the arme of the Lord be reveal'd there 's none will beleeve our report It may be thou cam'st occasionally to hear a Sermon well God hath the two-edged sword in his own hand he brandish't the glittering sword he fought against thee he wounded thee and frighted thee out of thy sinnes Well thou wentest away with groans and sighes and teares like a Hart stuck with an arrow panting and breathing and faine would'st have some refreshment Ere long he met with a faithful Messenger and sent thee some balme from Gilead he began to let in some of his love to thy soul and to cheere thee with Gospel-cordials and were not they all bought with the riches of free grace Or it may be thou cam'st into a Church with a minde to smile at Religion to laugh at Goodnesse to mock at Piety or else to guesse the best thou cam'st for flowers and not for fruit to crop an Elegancy to take acquaintance of a Notion or a fine expression as he once to hear an eloquent Ambrose Thou cam'st for a bait but met'st with an hook and 't was happy for thee that thou wert so caught Thou thought'st only to see the flourishing of the sword but thou felt'st the edge of it and 't was well for thee that thou wert so wounded 5. Remember the manner how he thus wrought upon thee it may be 't was with softer and gentler impressions in a winning in a melting way he drew thee with the cords of a man and sweetly dissolv'd thy stony heart 'T is true the Law had its work and strook thee with the flaming edge of a curse but the Gospel presently brought oile and powr'd it into the wounded spirit The love of Christ was the powerful Suada Heavens Rhetorick there was Demosthenes his double Deity in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it constrain'd thee to obedience And was it not mercy to be dealt withal in so milde a way Well but what if thou wert a more knotty and obdurate piece and 't was not a little matter would tame thy unruly spirit God came in a more victorious and triumphant manner and led captivity captive when he gave gifts unto thy soul He was fain to batter down strong holds and bring to the ground towering imaginations Thou had'st a rocky and flinty spirit and was not his word an hammer did not he take it into his own hand he smote the stony rock indeed so as the waters gushed out Well and had he no bowels all the while was it not abundance of mercy to take pains with such an obstinate sinner Referre it you to what you will we 'le put it under the head of free grace 6. Think upon those mountains of opposition that were beaten down when this goodly fabrick of the Temple went up with the shoutings and acclamations of free grace The strong man was dispossest all the plots and stratagems of Satan were frustrated God crush't his designes and blasted his enterprises and broke his snares and rescu'd thee out of the paw of the Lion 'T was much love and grace to set a silly bird out of the snare to ransome a poor captive to break the chaine and beat off the irons to disentangle a soul and set it at liberty And then he arm'd thee against the disgraces and frownes of the world and fortifi'd thee against the smiles and blandishments of the world and carried thee against the potent stream of examples which all ran another way free grace hid thy soul under the shadow of its wings 7. Hast thou not fresh supplies of free grace flowing in continually upon thy soul and maintaining it to all eternity If God in this new creation had given thee as he did at the first a stock of grace and left it to thine own improvement thou would'st have spent it immediately Thou hast somewhat of free grace every moment of thy spiritual being God feeds and preserves the humidum radicale of the soul or else 't would quickly waste away He sends thee in rich influences and Auxiliary forces and keeps thee by his mighty power through faith unto salvation And this is no small work of grace Conservatio you know 't is continuata creatio 8. Compare thy self with those that have had none of all this kindnesse shown unto them such as God hath left to themselves in the severity of his justice and this will set a goodly glosse upon free grace 1. Many of them are such as have improv'd their present strength far better Many Heathens have liv'd more accurately and exactly then some Christians in their unregenerate condition and yet one out of all ordinary possibility of salvation and the others efficaciously called He may do with his own what he will and he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Thus Publicans are before Pharisees and swelling Justitiaries that free grace may be more apparent and conspicuous 2. Some have desired more strength and in their way pray'd for it too and it may be have had the prayers of others too and yet have gone without it but thou hast not call'd upon me O Jacob I was found of thee when thou sought'st me not 3. He past by men of most admirable endowments most rare accomplishments that in all probability would have done him a great deal more honourable service then thou art like to do Would not an Aristotle have made a glorious convert and fill'd the world as full of Divinity as he did of Philosophy but God passeth by these stately Cedars of Lebanon and chooseth a few contemptible Shrubs and this is the good will of him that dwelt in the bush he hath chosen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meere non-entia of the world to bring to naught the things that are So that if thou look to the fountaine or the streames or the conveiances you meet with nothing but free grace Fourthly I might draw an head of arguments à Minori ad Majus common and restraining grace is free grace how much more justifying and saving grace that one is not so bad as another is meere grace c. This truth is full of Use Richly laden with fruit if we had time to gather it I 'le but point at it Vse Let none dare to abuse the grace of God to still malignant and venomous consequences out of so sweet and flowery a truth Câ—m gratia Dei sit mellea ne comedas
and a weight as a ballance and a ballance Treachery and perfidiousnesse is that which is so much detested by men as that which cuts the sinews of humane Society and though there be some that will practise it yet there are scarse any that will in expresse termes patronize it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as he there speaks Now as perfidiousnesse hinders commerce and intercourse with men so hypocrisie must needs hinder communion with God Can you think that a painted Sepulchre is a fit place for his Spirit to dwell in This is that which Christ doth so much upbraid Thou blinde Pharisee thou that never reflectest upon thine own heart thou that keepest a continual poring on the outside only and lookest to the painting and whiting and daubing of that dost thou think thus to please the pure and bright and piercing eye of Omniscience Thou hast not the black skin of the Ethiopian thou hast not those eminent spots of the Leopard I but thou hast the plague of the heart thou hast the Leprosie within and is not that more deadly and dangerous The heart of a Publican is far whiter then thine 3. See then the bitter root of Apostasie There are some that never gave their hearts unto God no wonder if they fall from him Hypocrisie 't is the seed of Apostasie Take heed sayes the Apostle lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe so as that you depart from the living God He that hath a Judas his heart in him will at length betray a Saviour he that hath a Demas his heart in him will at length embrace the present World An Apostate did but lend the heart unto God for a while and now he calls for it again 4. Yet see the security of a weak Christian he hath an heart as well as others and he hath given that to his God He hath a vital Principle an immortal Principle within him What though the sturdy Oakes of Basan be broken what though the stately Cedars of Lebanon fall what though the green Bay-trees vanish and disappear what though men of vast abilities of rare accomplishments of fair flourishes in Religion what though these draw back from God yet a weak Vine may stand all this while leaning upon his beloved laden with fruit chearing both God and men a bruised Reed may last all this while if it be but bound up in the Bundle of Life The smoaking flax may be kindled into so pure a flame as that it may outshine a blazing Professour A worme may consume Jonah his Gourd but a Whale shall not consume Jonah himself Outward profession may wither but nothing shall separate a Sincere soul from his God 5. Such as have not yet given their hearts unto God let them with-hold them no longer Put up thy weak desires and pray him to give thee such an heart as may returne it self to him Doth God ask thine heart of thee and dost thou refuse to give it him What do'st thou ask of him that he denies thee if it be good for thee and do but think how easily do'st thou give thine heart unto any other but thy God When the World knocks when Satan knocks thou openest presently nay it may be before they knock and must a Saviour only be excluded Is there no Rhetorick in the love of Christ Is there nothing that can draw thine heart to him Are all the cords of love too weak Do'st thou break them all Will not the influences of the Gospel soften thine heart Will not the blood of a Saviour dissolve it will not importunate wooings and beseechings move thee Out of what Rock wert thou hewen O obdurate Soul Doth a greater then Moses smite the Rock and will not it gush out with water Dost thou say thou can'st not give it to him this answer is ready for thee Non velle in causa est non posse praetenditur if thou hadst a will to give it him thou would'st have a power to give it him too However as thou hast some faint velleities so make some weak endeavours when he moves thee then offer it to him as well as thou canst though but with a weak though but with a trembling hand and his hand will meet thine and will presently take it of thee 6. Such as have given their hearts unto God here 's matter of praise and thankfulnesse Blesse thy God that would receive such a vaine and contemptible thing as thine heart was when first thou gavest it to him Was it not infinite love to espouse such an heart to himself to beautifie it and enrich it and prepare it for his Love to guide it and teach it and rule it to steep it in all precious sweetnesse to amplifie it and dilate it that it might be more capable of his Love to set a guard about it and to keep it against the subtlety and vigilancy the malice and fury of spirituall enemies How canst thou enough admire the greatnesse of this his Goodnesse THE Panting Soul PSAL. 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God! HEre 's one of the sweet straines of Davids harp one of those bright and sparkling expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which not only carry a Majesty with them but even include a Deity one of those holy and strong ejaculations with which he was wont è corporis pharetra that I may allude to that of the Prophet Esay's to take his soul that polished shaft out of the quiver of the body and to dart it up to heaven the place of his treasure and hope and the dwelling place of his God And truly every Psalme may well say as the Psalmist himselfe sayes in the 139. Psalme I am admirably made I am curiously wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so ti 's in the Original Acupictus sum I am wrought with a needle There 's a spiritual imbroidery a most rare and sacred needle-worke in every Psalme they are all wrought by the finger of the Spirit and they are like the Kings daughter in the 45. Psalme Their clothing is of wrought gold their rayment of needle-worke and they are all glorious within We doubt not but that there 's a most divine Emphasis in all Scripture-eloquence and every jot and tittle in holy writ as it has eternity stampt upon it so it has a Majesty shining in it But yet never did heavenly eloquence ride in more solemne and triumphant pomp then in this book of Psalmes As if the voice had been here contrary to that in other triumphs Memento te immortalem esse And as for that prophane Polititian that said he found more sweetnesse in Pindars Odes then in Davids Psalmes he might as well have said if he had pleased that he found more fragrancy in noysome weeds then in the Rose of Sharon or Lilly of the valleys that he found more sweetnesse in a dunghill then in a garden of spices then in an Eden even a
hypocrite the cunning'st painter of Religion that sets it out in the finest and freshest colours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he does but steal a forme of godlinesse the Apostle has some such phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He can't reach to the vitals of Religion nor expresse the essentials of holinesse sincerity can't be painted they deny the power of it And 't is just with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they can't expresse the life of a Christian so they should not taste the joy of a Christian no stranger entermeddles with his joy As no man can paint the essence of a thing so no man can paint the sweetnesse of a thing Whoever could paint the sweetnesse of the honey-combe The joyes of an hypocrite as they are groundlesse and imaginary so like his services they are vanishing and transitory But a Christian as he 's alwayes breathing after his God so he 's alwayes drawing sweetnesse from him And here 't were easie to shew how in every condition the soul breaths after its God when it sees the vanity of the most flourishing condition it pants after fulnesse in its God when it sees the vexation of a cloudy condition it pants after contentment only to be found in its God But I shall instance only in these two as having some neerer acquaintance with the text the strong pantings of a tempted soul and the secret pantings of a languishing and a deserted soul And 1. In temptations the soul pants after its God They that are skill'd in those termes tell us that an Hart is properly a stagge which has escap't a King in hunting And there are some such Christians that have escap't the Prince of the aire that Nimrod the mighty hunter and all his fiery darts God he has set his bowe in the clouds as a token of peace and reconciliation the rain-bowe the lace of Peaces coat And the devil he must set his bowe in the clouds too in the troubled and cloudy spirit and there are arrows in the hand of the mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how shall the soul escape these fiery darts but by panting after its God as the only place of refuge a strong Tower and a rock of defence and by breathing after Heaven as a place where 't is sure to be free from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said in the Comedy A crowned Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Satans fiery darts can by no means reach Heaven And thus the soul pants Arise O Lord and save me O my God from the mouth of the Lion that 's ready to devour me lest he teare my soul and rent it to pieces while there is none to deliver Lo the enemy has bent his bowe and made ready his arrow upon the string that he may secretly shoot at the upright in heart But compasse me O God with thy favour as with a shield keep me as the apple of thine eye and hide me under the covert of thy wings Deliver me from my strong enemy and from him that hateth me for he is too strong for me O send me help from thy Sanctuary and strengthen me out of Sion And thus when with a sure recumbency it leanes upon its God it has leasure then with an holy triumph to out-brave the enemy And as for thee that would'st make a partition between me and my God see if thou can'st teare me from the bleeding wounds of my dying Saviour rend me if thou know'st how from the bowels the tenderest bowels of Gods dearest compassions see if the gates of hell can prevaile against the rock of eternity If thou O God be with us if the God of Jacob be our refuge we will not feare what all the powers of darknesse can do against us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are more then conquerours These are the strong pantings of a tempted soule 2ly In desertions even then the soule pants after its God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the soul is ready to perish in the dark it pants after the water brooks and can meet with nothing but waters of Marah and Meribah God dips his pen in gall and writes bitter things against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soule is athirst and like its Saviour it can have nothing but gall and vineger to drink yet still it pants after its God 'T is under a cloud indeed but even these clouds shall drop fatnesse they shall drop upon the dwellings of the wildernesse and the barren soule shall rejoyce like John the Baptist it feeds upon honey in the desert not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilde honey such as is the worldling's joy but honey out of the rock upon the tip of the rod like Jonathans to open the eye and to refresh the heart A soule in a desertion is as it were a soule in a Consumption and one only taste of Gods sweetest love in Jesus Christ is a sure Restaurative for such a languishing soule Now in the greatest Eclipse of Gods favour in the total Eclipse when there is not so much as a secret light yet there 's a strong influence nay stronger then at another time for his strength is proportion'd to our weaknesse And they are Pauls own words When I am weak then I am strong And even now there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer calls those sparkles that seem'd to be buried in the ashes and a Christian in time may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too Light is sowen to the righteous there 's a door of Hope open'd in the valley of Achâ—r and now the soul pants after God as a Father of mercies and a God of Consolations A God of Consolation what higher what sweeter strain All the balme of Gilead seems to be wrapt up in this expression A God of Consolation that 's one who in the strangest exigences and greatest repugnances when comforts faile can create new comforts for that 's to be a God of Consolation Creation is his properly can raise them out of the barren wombe of nothing for that 's Creation can do it with a word for Omnipotency useth to put it self to no greater expences Imperatoria brevitas the very commanding word let there be light in such a soule is enough to make it more glorious then the Empyrean heaven And now the soule pants thus as you may heare David panting almost in every Psalme How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever And how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious And hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Is the hand of Omnipotency abbreviated that it cannot help and his arme shorten'd that it cannot save Or is his mercy clean gone for ever and does his promise faile for evermore Weeping hath endured for a night why comes not joy in the morning When wilt thou satisfie the longing soule and fill the thirsty with thy goodnesse when wilt thou lead me
streams but yet I may die with thirst there are spiritual dainties and precious delicacies but I am not sure to have one taste of them many a promise looks with a pleasant and propitious eye but 't is not fixt upon my soul so that take away a Christians interest and propriety in a promise and what becomes of his consolation God has given his word his oath his seal his earnest and all to this very end that a poor Christian may be assur'd of his salvation that he might have strong and vigorous consolation so that to deny him this is to annihilate the word of God to frustrate the oath of God to evacuate the seal of God and as much as in them lies to make him lose his earnest and to leave the soul in an intricate and perplext condition 4. From the nature of Christian hope There 's a vast difference between the Moralists hope and that which is the Theological grace and yet this is scarce took notice of they require these three ingredients into the object of hope that it must be 1 bonum 2. futurum 3. incertum but Christian hope is certain infallible it looks upon good as to come and as certain to come indeed 't is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clem. Alexand. elegantly blood running in the veins of Faith if hope expire Faith will presently bleed to death That good which Faith sees Hope waits for Faith eyes it as present but yet at a distance and Hope tarries for it till it come Christian hope is nothing but a waiting and expectation of a certain good you have a pregnant text for this in Hebr. 6. 19. Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Hope were but a poor Anchor if it should leave the soul to the courtesie of a wave to the clemency of a Rock to the disposing of a storme Hope were but a weak Anchor if it should let the soul be lost with uncertainties if it should leave it in danger of shipwrack I but this Anchor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it pierces within the vaile it will be sure to have fast hold 't will fix upon heaven it self upon the sanctum sanctorum See another Rom. 5. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that 's a poore glory to triumph in uncertainties to triumph before the victory little cause of joy and exultation till the soul be provided for eternity I can tell you the very possibility of being damn'd is enough to extinguish joy so that till the soul come to be in a safe condition safe for all eternity and till it know it self to be in this safe condition 't is so farre from being joyful as that it cannot tell how to be quiet A probable hope will bear up and support the soul a door of hope in the valley of Achor but it will not quiet and satisfie the soul The least dawning of hope in the initials of grace does mightily cherish and encourage the soul O how pleasant are the eye lids of the morning how welcome is the day-break after a dark and disconsolate night Nay the very possibility of being sav'd was that which first drew us all to look after heaven the very consideration that there was Balme in Gâ—lead But the weary soul will ne're rest here the Dove will ne're take this for an Ark No the beams of Gods love will shine out stronger and brighter upon the soul and ripen his hope into assurance Christian hope when 't is in its full vigour is all one with assurance Rom. 5. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if hope could be frustated it then might make asham'd disappointment would cause a blush hope differr'd will make the heart sick and uncertain hope will scarce make the soul well a Christians hope is not like that of Pandora which may flie out of the box and bid the soul farewel no 't will ne're vanish till it be swallow'd up in fruition The hope of the Hypocrite 't is as his righteousnesse like the morning-dew but the hope of a Christian 't is like the morning-light the least beam of it shall commence into a compleat Sun-shine 't is Aurora gaâ—dii and it shall shine out brighter and brighter till perfect day We shall further clear this truth if you consider the manner how Christians are assur'd of their salvation the third thing we propounded 1. By the graces of God which are in them those precious seeds of immortality and the Prints of the Spirit by which they are sealed to the day of Redemption Grace is the Spirits stamp by which it marks the soul for its own The first-fruits of the Spirit the least grace if true and sincere is sufficient to salvation and therefore the sense of the least grace is sufficient to Assurance But how shall the soule know that it has these graces in truth and not in shadow and colour only how shall it be certain that these are not counterfeit and painted There might be given many signes and characters of true grace that it must flow from a principle of sincerity from a principle of love that it must be conformable to the grace of Christ But all this will not satisfie for the soule will still question how shall I know that my graces are such so then that which we must ultimately resolve it into is that in Rom. 8. 16. For in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing shall be established Now we have here two witnesses omni exceptione majores we have a double Testimony a twin-Testimony The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he confirmes what the other sayes both the witnesses do fully agree and make up one entire testimony the soul may say here as Paul Rom. 9. 1. I speak the truth I lie not my Conscience bearing me witnesse by the Holy Ghost The whole work of Assurance is summ'd up in this Practical Syllogism Whosoever beleeves shall be saved but I beleeve and so shall certainly be saved The Assumption is put out of doubt 1. Conscience comes in with a full testimony And if natural Conscience be a thousand witnesses then sure an enlight'ned and sanctifi'd Conscience can be no lesse then ten thousand 1 John 3. 10. He that beleeves has a witnesse in himself a Certificate in his own breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the same Apostle 1 John 3. 2. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is the same with Conscience for the Hebrewes have no other word for Conscience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then if our heart acquit us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have as much liberty as we can desire It feares not now the edge of the law nor the fiery darts of Satan it doth not stagger with sense of its own weaknesse and unworthinesse but
are two distinct Testimonies the Spirit witnessing with our spirits And St. John is most expresse Beloved if our hearts condemne us not then have we confidence towards God Now the Testimony of the Spirit is 1. A clear Testimony a full and satisfying light springs in upon the soule scatters all cloudes all doubts and questions 't is as evident as any demonstration 1 John 3. 2â— By this we know that he dwells in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Christ when he went to heaven he left the Comforter not only to the Church in general but to every particular soule that believes to print his love upon the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost If a Creature though never so glittering should tell men so there might still be some hesitancy I but the Spirit witnesses The secret and inward Testimony of the Spirit is as strong and efficacious nay more powerful then if 't were with an outward voice If an Angel from heaven were sent on purpose to a Christian by Christ himself Go tell him that I love him that I shed my blood for him c. 't were not so certain 2. A sure Testimony for 't is the witnesse of the Spirit who can neither deceive nor be deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficientissimum Testimonium as Cajetan 1 He can't deceive for he is Truth it self 2. He can't be deceived for he is all Eye Omniscience it self And he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dwells in the breast and bosome of God he is fully acquainted with the minde of God and he reveales it to the soule The Papists make the Spirits Testimony to bring but a conjectural certainty But the most renowned Perkins answers them 1. That 't is such a certainty as makes them Cry Abba Father not only think so and speak so but with all courage confidence intention of Spirit Cry Abba Father 2. It is opposed to the Spirit of bondage and therefore takes away doubtings and tremblings 3. The very end why the Holy Ghost comes to the soul is to make all sure and therefore is call'd a seal and an earnest God has given us the earnest of the Spirit and he will not lose his earnest Now he assures the soule 1. By a powerful Application of the promise for as faith does appropriate the Promise on our part so the Spirit applies it on Gods part As Satan that lying Spirit casts in doubts and feares and tremblings and working upon the remainder of corruption plots against the Peace and well-being of the soule so this holy Spirit by the comforting working upon that principle of grace which he himself hath planted in the heart of a Christian do's study and contrive the welfare of a Beleever And as the Spirit of bondage do's strongly apply wrath and the curse so this sweet Spirit of Adoption applyes grace and mercy The Spirit of bondage strikes terrour into the soul by a mighty Application of wrath this curse flames against thee this threatning is shot off against thee these vials of wrath are prepar'd for thy soul So the Spirit of Adoption do's set on strong and vigorous apprehensions of mercy this pearâ—e of price 't is to enrich thee these Evangelical cordials are to revive thee this balme in Gilead is prepar'd for thy soul The Spirit of Adoption speaks love and peace pardon and that by particular Application of the Promise to us As when the Promise of remission of sins and life everlasting by Christ is generally propounded in the Ministery of the Word the holy Ghost do's particularly apply it to the heart of such a one and do's seale up the Promise to the soul That when Faith sayes this Promise is mine this belongs to me the Spirit do's strongly apply it this is thine indeed and this do's belong to thee These are the secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whisperings and breathings of the holy Spirit the secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which it converses with the soul The Spirit of God has free and often entercourse with a beleeving spirit And this is far enough from any vain Enthusiasme any extraordinary Revelation 't is no imaginary thing but such as many a soul is acquainted with and has tasted of 2. By a bright irradiation beaming out upon the soul and clearing its evidences discovering its graces and shewing them to be true and genuine not only by giving the soul a spirit of discerning for that we referr'd to the former Testimony but the Spirit brings in its own light and makes those graces which were visible before more eminently conspicuous The spirit of a man was the Candle of the Lord as the wise man speaks which gave a weaker and dimmer light but yet such as was enough to manifest the Object I but now there are glorious Sun-beams come rushing in upon the spirit the Spirit shines in the soul with â—ealing under his wings The graces of the Spirit these flow like a pure and Crystalline stream and the light of the Spirit shines out upon them and gilds the water See a plain Text for this 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God Light sets a glosse upon all the world and this spiritual light gives a lustre and oriency to graces it puts a beauty upon them such as the soul is much taken with We have received an heavenly light that we may see heavenly things Now thou know'st thy Faith to be lively and thy Repentance to be sound thy Sorrow to be ingenuous and thy Obedience sincere thy Love to be unfeign'd and thy fear to be filial for the Spirit has set his seale to all thy graces and has acknowledg'd them for his own O but many have thought they have had the Spirit when they had it not and the Divel that foule spirit can transforme himself into an Angel of light But 1. One mans self-deceit do's not prejudice anothers certainty What if one man flatter himself in a false light and please himself in a meere shadow of Assurance must all men needs follow his example A man that is in a dream thinks himself awake when he is not I but I hope for all this a man that is awake may certainly know that he is so Many a traveller has thought himself in the right way when he has been out of it and yet this do's not hinder but that he that 's well acquainted with the road may know that he is in his way What if one man take Copper for Gold must all men do so too One mans folly and vanity does not at all hinder anothers Assurance 2. The Spirit comes with a convincing beam Light shews both it self and other things too the Sun by its glorious beams do's paraphrase and comment upon its own glittering Essence and the Spirit displayes himself to the soul and gives a full manifestation of his own
the tuning of the several strings makes them sound out his praise more melodiously O how comely is it to see the sweet context and coherence of Beings the loving connexion and concatenation of causes one being espous'd to another in faithfulnesse and truth the mutual claspings and twinings the due benevolence of entities Behold how goodly a thing it is and pleasant to behold Beings like Brethren to dwell together in unity It calls to minde those precious drops of love that fall from the head of the first Being and fell down upon the skirts of inferiour entities And is not there as much of this love to be seen in the new Creation in the work of grace in the soul Is not the foundation of the second Temple laid in love is not the top and pinacle of it set up by a hand of love Are not the polishings and carvings of it the works and expressions of love the witty inventions of love Is not the structure maintain'd and repair'd at the constant expences of love Is it not inhabited by a Prince of love one more loving then Solomon is there nay what is the whole Gospel else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cluster of Redemption as some render it what is it else but a bundle of love The Law that was an hammer to break hearts I but the Gospel that 's a key to open hearts And truly all the terrours of Mount Sina the thunder-claps and the lightning flashes the earth-quakes and the smoaking of the Mountain and the voice of the Trumpet have not so much power and prevalency in them as one still drop that falls from Mount Sion You are now come to the Mount of Olives a Mount of Peace and sweetnesse a Mount that drops fatnesse and in this Mount will Christ be seen And he comes to restore all things to their Primitive love he restores the powers and faculties of the soul to their first and original concord he knits his gifts and graces in the bond of love he comes to reconcile Beings to make antipathies kisse each other The Wolfe and the Lambe must be at peace the Leopard and the Kid must lye down together The whole Gospel like the midst of Solomons bed in the Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is pav'd with Love Now sure you can't question whether this be the more prevailing way For O think but a while what a potent oratory there is in love what a wellcome tyrannie what a silken bondage what a downy and soft necessity Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Lady and Queen of Affections thou art the first-borne of the soul and the beginning of its strength Who would not be captivated by so sweet a Conquerour Who would not be melâ—ed in so delicate a flame What heart would not entertain so pleasant an arrow The Psalmist was struck through with one of thy darts when he panted so after the streams of water The Apostle Paul had another of thy arrowes sticking fast in him when he cryed out The love of Christ constrains me Vulnus â—lit venis Sâ—cro carpitur igni Beleeve it the strongest arguments are fetcht out of Loves Topicks We need not use many perswasions to such a soul it has a fountain of Rhetorick within There is a present expansion and amplification of spirit for the wellcomming of so happy an object O how will such a soul twine about a Precept suck sweetnesse out of a Command catch at an opportunity long for a Duty How do's it go like a Bee from flower to flower from Duty to Duty from Ordinance to Ordinance and extract the very spirits and quintessence of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crop the very tops of all There will be in such a soul the constant returnings and reboundings of love 'T will retort the beams of heaven 't will send back the stream of its affection into the Ocean So that now as the soul is assur'd of the love of God so God also has a most absolute certainty that the soul will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus is compleated the sweet and perfect circle of Love Now there cannot be a more strong and a more mutual security then that which is thus founded And therefore nature chooses to maintain her self by these impressions We see this plainly in filial and conjugal relations where the sweetest and surest obedience flowes from principles of love And where is there more certainty then amongst friends where there is a borrowing and lending of souls a mutual exchange and transmigration of souls Now you know all these Relations are clarifi'd and refin'd in grace you are the friends of God nay you are the Sons of God you are the Spouse of Christ And the Apostle John that speaks so much of Assurance and tells you that a Christian can't sin consider but a while who he was Why he was the Beloved Disciple he that lay in the bosome of love and breathed out nothing but pure love I and his reason 't is founded in a relation of love He cannot sin because he is borne of God He resolves it into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same impression of love that abides in him 3. Consult a while with your own experience and observation and then tell us whether ever you knew any to walk more accurately with their God then such as were assur'd of his love If you look up to heaven there you see glorious Angels and glorifi'd Saints that have not only a full Assurance but a full possession of the love of their God that are no longer taking a prospect of Canaan but are now feeding upon the fruits and clusters of the land of Promise that have not only some scatter'd and broken beams of glory but a constant and an eternal Sun-shine And O how do they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have not only as we here below some drops and sprinklings of happinesse but they are at the very Fountain and have fresh bubblings of joy full streamings out of sweetnesse and can swim in the rivers of pleasure Surely these men will allow the Angels somewhat more then only to conjecture that they are happy What must glorifi'd Saints still dispute about their Summum Bonum lest they be too secure and must Angels only be of opinion that they are in heaven must they only guesse at the face of God What will they clip the wings of the Cherubims too Where has God more cheerful obedience then from these How joyfully do these ministering Spirits runne about their glorious errands How do's he bid one Go and he goes and another Come and he comes And that which sets a faire glosse upon happinesse it self is this that they are out of all possibility of displeasing their God And so they are held forth as patternes of obedience Thy will be done in earth as 't is in heaven Well but then if they tell us that there is more danger of
made ex aliqua praejacente materia coexistent with the prime and supreme efficient and because they could not fetch spirituals out of materials nor yet conceive that they should be fetcht out of nothing this made them determine that they sprung out of the essence of God himself who as a voluntary fountain could bubble them forth when he pleased who as a father of lights could sparkle and kindle them when he thought best But that fiction of materia ab aeterno will do them no service at all for either 't was produced by God himself then it was created ex nihilo for God himself was a pure immaterial Spirit and therefore must make matter where none was before or else it was an Independent eternal being which makes it another Deity and that involves a flat repugnancy Therefore as corporeal and material beings were raised out of nothing by the infinite vigour and power of God himself so he can with the very same facility produce spiritual beings out of nothing too Can he not as well light this Lamp out of nothing as build the goodly fabrick of the world out of nothing Cannot a creating breath make a soul as well as a creating word make a world He that can create the shell of corporeals cannot he as well create the kernel of spirituals He that created a visible Sun cannot he as well create an invisible an intellectual spark You may hear Aquinas disputing against the Gentiles most fully and strongly demonstrating that God could not be either the materia or forma of any created being for it s not imaginable how the Creator himself should ingredi essentiam creaturae But his causality is by way of efficiency producing maintaining beings the best of creatures are but vasa figuli Now a vessel though a vessel of honour yet it is no piece of the Potters essence but only the subject of his power and will One and the same Seal may print all the Wax that 's possible yet there will not be the least mutation in the Seal but only in the Wax nor yet doth the Wax at all participate of the seals essence but only receives a stamp and signature made upon it So that the Seal was as entire and compleat before it had imprinted the Wax as it was afterwards and though all the signatures of the Wax were defaced and obliterated yet the Seal would be as perfect as before Thus God though he leaves prints of himself upon all the souls in the world nay upon all the beings in the world yet these impressions are not particles of himself nor do they make the least mutation in him only in the creature for he was as full and perfect before he had printed any one creature and if the whole impression of creatures were annihilated yet his essence were the same and he could print more when he pleased and as many as he pleased Yet all the entity goodnesse and reality that is to be found in the creature was totally derived from him and is transcendently treasured up in him as the print of the wax though it be really different from the print of the Seal yet that very stamp and signature had its being from the Seal 't was vertually and originally in the Seal and now gives some resemblance of it All created goodnesse was à Deo producta à Deo exemplata as the Schools speak though not very elegantly 'T is à Deo conservata in Deum ordinata yet all this while 't was nothing of the essence of a Deity and indeed it cannot have any of his essence unlesse it have all of it He that calls the creature a drop in such a sense may as well call it a fountain he that thus termes it a ray of Divinity may as well call it a Sun for there are no particles in essentials All essence 't is indivisible how much more the essence of God himself How fond is the fancy of a semi-Deity away with the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here if this be the meaning of them who ever heard of fragments in spirituals Dares therefore any absolutely deifie the soul or make it coëssential or coëqual with God himself Is not the soul a limited and restrained being short and imperfect in its operations a dependent and precarious being and are these things agreeable to a Deity Is not the soul naturally united to the body for the quickening and enforming of it and is that a condition fit for a Deity nay are not many souls guilty defiled miserable beings and are they all this while spangles of a Deity They must have very low and dishonourable thoughts of God that make any creature partner or sharer with him in his essence and they must have high and swelling thoughts of the creature How proud is that soul that aspires to be a God Is it not enough for a soul to approach unto his God to see his face to enjoy his presence to be like unto him to be knit unto him in love and affection Happinesse doth advance a creature to his just perfection but it doth not lift it above the sphere of its being A glorified being is still a subservient and finite being A soul when in its full brightnesse yet still is but the Candle of the Lord let it come as neer as it can yet it will be infinitely distant from him Heaven it doth not mix and blend essences together but keeps them all in their just beauty and proportions so that take a creature in what condition you will and 't is not the least particle of a Deity There 's another Errour but it 's scarce worth mentioning of some that would have the Candle of the Lord lighted up by Angels as if they had created the soul Nay the Carpocratians thought that all the rest of the world was created by them But as no secondary being could create it self so neither can it create any other being 'T was no Angelical breath but the breath of a Deity that gave life to the soul and 't was not made after the image of an Angel but of God himself Angels and souls both came from the same Almighty Father of spirits from the same glorious Father of lights who shewed the greatnesse of his power in raising such goodly beings not out of himself but out of nothing Whether ever since the first Creation the souls of men be lighted on the same manner immediately by God himself by that commanding and efficacious word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let there be light let there be an intellectual Lamp set up in such a creature or whether it be lighted by the parents whether one soul can light another whether one and the same soul may be lighted by two as a candle is lighted by two These are the several branches of that great question which hath been frequently vext and discussed but scarce ever quieted and determined The Divines favour the way of creation
undeniable for only God himself doth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is not enough in any created lamp to give such a bright displaying of an object Nor is there vigour enough in any created eye so to pierce into the pith and marrow of being into the depth and secrecy of being But if their minde was this as 't is generally thought to be that there was nothing in being so visible as that their understanding could pierce it with certainty and satisfaction such an Error as this was very derogatory to the plenitude and exuberancy of beings that streams out in a cleer cognoscibility and 't was very injurious to their own rational capacities which were not made so strait and narrow-mouth'd as not to receive those notions that continually drop from being But they were contriv'd and proportion'd for the well-coming and entertaining of truths that love to spin and thred themselves into a fine continuity as if they meant to pour themselves into the soul without spilling But the Scepticks will bid you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will desire you not to believe one word of this They have no lesse then ten several bridles ad compescendum cohibendum assensum Sextus Empiricus that grand Sceptick will give you a sight of them all from whence they were stil'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that did check and constrain knowledge that whereas the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their adversaries ex Diametro did lay down their determinations in a more positive decretorious manner these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would take time to consider and no lesse then all their life-time They chose to be so many perpetual Questionists that would pose themselves rub themselves and stay themselves finally and would by no means be perswaded to commence or take any degree in knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was the summe of all their Philosophy Their most radical and fundamental principle if they may be said to have any such was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all propositions were in aequilibrio that there was nothing could encline the Balance this way or that that there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was an exact equality of reason for the affirmation or negation of any Proposition Lucian brings in one of them with a parie of Balances in his hand crowding three or four Arguments for the affirmative into one scale and just as many for the negative into the other and then telling them his meaning in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have took saith he a great deal of pains in weighing of controversies and yet finde in them such an undistinguishable equipoise as that there is not in me the least inclination to one side more then the other This they tearm an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speculative kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impartiality in respect of al things In morals they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as they would not acknowledg any verum or falsum so neither would they trouble themselves about any turpe or honestum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had no better Ethicks then that speech would amount to yet they had some lawes amongst them some customes and rules of life but they did not observe them some customes and rules of life but they did not observe them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that were fixt and fit to be establisht they were farre from being irreversible like those of the Medes and Persians but they put them under the head of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawes pro tempore such shadowes and appearances as they would for the present please themselves in And after all debates after all their siftings and discussing of affaires they would conclude no otherwise then this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were all but so many frigid expressions of their hesitancy and stammering opinion Yet this they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a judicious pawsing and deliberation which they did farre preferre or rather seeme to preferre before the daring rashnesse of others that were more dogmatical and magisterial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call'd them swelling bladders empty bottles that were stopt and seal'd up as if they had some precious liquor in them when as they were fill'd with nothing but aire and winde There was more modesty and lesse ostentation as they thought in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they esteem no small temperanc◠and sobriety in knowledge An intellectual kinde of continence and virginity to keep their minde pure and untoucht when as other understandings were ravisht deflower'd with the violence of every wanton opinion Whereas demonstrations did not move these men at all for as they tell you they alwayes run either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they either rest in a medium equally obscure which must needs be invalid and inefficacious or else there will be no period at all but a processus in infinitum if you expect that they should acquiesce and rest contented with first principles they know no such things they tell you they are only some artificial pillars which some faint and tired understandings have set up for themselves to lean upon they won't be fetter'd with an Axiome nor chained to a first principle nor captivated by a common notion As they break the most binding cords of demonstrations asunder so they threaten to make these pillars of truth to tremble to prove by a first principle say they 't is but petitio principii 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is to beg a truth not to evince it If you tell them that these common notions shine with their native light with their own proper beams all that they return will be this that perhaps you think so but they do not Yet that they might the better communicate their mindes they allow'd their schollers to take some things for granted for a while upon this condition that they would distrust them afterwards But these doubters these Scepticks were never so much convinc'd as when they were quickened and awaked by sensitive impressions This made some laugh at Pyrrhon though not the Author as is falsely supposed by some yet a principal amplifier and maintainer of this Sect whence they had their name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who when a dog was ready to bite him he beat him away and ran as fast as he could from him Some that took notice of it gave him a smiling reproof for his apostatizing from Scepticisme but he returns him this grave answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he spoke truth before he was aware for his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I may so phrase them a brief description of the whole drift and intention of that Sect which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they had sufficiently put off Reason and they did endeavour indeed to put off Sense as much as they could Yet the
sparkles and makes them subject and obedient to the Lord and rule of light Created intellectuals depend upon the brightnesse of Gods beams and are subordinate to them Angelical Star-light is but Lumen Aristocraticum it borrows and derives its glory from a more vast and majestical light As they differ from one another in glory so al of them infinitly differ from the Sun in glory Yet 't is far above the Lumen Democraticum that light which appears unto the sons of men 't is above their lamps Torches poor and contemptible lights if left to themselves for do but imagine such a thing as this that this external and corporeal world should be adjudg'd never to see the Sun more never to see one Star more If God should shut all the windows of heaven and spread out nothing but clouds and curtains and allow it nothing but the light of a Candle how would the world look like a Cyclops with its eye put out 'T is now but an obscure prison with a few grates to look out at but what would it be then but a capacious grave but a nethermost dungeon yet this were a more grateful shade a pleasanter and more comely darknesse then for a soul to be condemned to the solitary light of its own Lamp so as not to have any supernatural irradiations from its God Reason does not refuse any auxiliary beams it joyes in the company of its fellow-Lamp it delights in the presence of an intellectual Sun which will so far favour it as that 't will advance it and nourish it and educate it 't will encrease it and inflame it and will by no means put it out A Candle neither can nor will put out the Sun an intellectual Sun can but will not put out the Lamp The light of Reason doth no more prejudice the light of faith then the light of a Candle doth extinguish the light of a Star The same eye of a soul may look sometimes upon a Lamp and sometimes upon a Star one while upon a first principle another while upon a revealed truth as hereafter it shall alwayes look upon the Sun and see God face to face Grace doth not come to pluck up nature as a weed to root out the essences of men but it comes to graft spirituals upon morals that so by their mutual supplies and intercourse they may produce most noble and generous fruit Can you tell me why the shell and the kernel may not dwell together why the bodies of nature may not be quickened by the soul of grace Did you never observe an eye using a prospective-glasse for the discovering and amplifying and approximating of some remote and yet desirable object and did you perceive any opposition between the eye and the glasse was there not rather a loving correspondency and communion between them why should there be any greater strife between Faith and Reason seeing they are brethren do they not both spring from the same Father of Lights and can the Fountain of love and unity send forth any irreconcileable streams do you think that God did ever intend to divide a rational being to tear and rend a soul in pieces to scatter principles of discord and confusion in it If God be pleased to open some other passage in the soul and to give it another eye does that prejudice the former Man you know is ordained to a choicer end to a nobler happinesse then for the present he can attain unto and therefore he cannot expect that God should now communicate himself in such bright and open discoveries in such glorious manifestations of himself as he meanes to give hereafter But he must be content for the present to behold those infinite treasures of reserved love in a darker and more shadowy way of faith and not of vision Nature and Reason are not sufficiently proportion'd to such blessed objects for there are such weights of glory in them as do opprimere ingenium humanum there are such depths such pleonasmes such oceans of all perfections in a Deity as do infinitely exceed all intellectual capacity but its own The most that mans Reason can do is to fill the understanding to the brim but faith that throws the soul into the Ocean and lets it roll and bathe it self in the vastnesse and fulnesse of a Deity Could the sons of men have extracted all the spirits of Reason and made them meet and jump in one head nay could Angels and men have united and concentricated all their Reason yet they would never have been able to spy out such profound and mysterious excellencies as faith beholds in one twinckling of her eye Evangelical beauties shine through a veile that 's upon their face you may see the precious objects of faith like so many pearls and diamonds sparkling and glittering in the dark Reveal'd truths shine with their own beams they do not borrow their Primitive and original lustre from this Candle of the Lord but from the purer light wherewith God hath cloathed and attir'd them as with a garment God crowns his own Revelations with his own beams The Candle of the Lord it doth not discover it doth not oppose them it cannot eclipse them They are no sparks of Reasons striking but they are flaming darts of heavens shooting that both open and enamour the soul They are Stars of Heavens lighting men behold them at a great distance twinckling in the dark Whatsoever comes in Gods name does aut invenire viam aut facere Whatever God reveals in his Word 't is supra providentiam rerum communem constitutum 'T is not in the road of nature and therefore for the welcoming and entertaining of it as a noble Author of our own doth very well observe explicatur sensus quidam supernaturalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's an opening of a new window in the soul an intellectual eye looks out at the window and is much pleased and affected with the oriency of that light that comes springing and rushing in upon it as there 's a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so there 's an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too the one 't is written by the pen of nature the other by the finger of the Spirit for ubi desinit natura ibi incipit gratia and this second Edition set out by Grace 't is auctior emendatior yet so as it doth not at all contradict the first Edition that was set out by Nature for this is the voice of Nature it self that whatsoever God reveals must needs be true and this common Principle is the bottome and foundation of all Faith to build upon The soul desires no greater satisfaction then an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if God himself say it who can question it who dare contradict i◠Reason will not Reason cannot for it does most immovably acknowledge a Deity and the unquestionable truth of a Deity in all believing there is an assent a yielding to him that speaks by vertue of his own Authority
that he may staine the pride and glory of man that he may pose his intellectuals that God may maintaine in man great apprehensions of himself of his own incomprehensiblenesse of his own truth of his own revelations as that he may keep a creature in a posture of dependency so as to give up his understanding so as to be disposed and regulated by him And if a Cherubim be ambitious of stooping if Angelical understanding do so earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me thinks then the sons of men might fall down at the beautiful feet of Evangelical mysteries with that humble acknowledgment Non sum dignus solvere corrigiam â—ujus mysterii Only let thy Faith triumph here for it shall not triumph hereafter let it shine in time for it must vanish in eternity You see then that Reason is no enemy to Faith for all that has been said of Faith it has been fetcht out of Reason You see there are mutual embraces twixt the Law and the Gospel Nature and Grace may meet together Reason and Faith have kissed each other CHAP. XVII The light of Reason is a pleasant light 'T Is Lumen jucundum All light is pleasant 't is the very smile of Nature the glosse of the world the varnish of the Creation a bright paraphrase upon bodies Whether it discover it self in the modesty of a morning blush and open its fair and Virgin eye-lids in the dawning of the day or whether it dart out more vigorous and sprightful beams shining out in its noon-day glory whether it sport and twinckle in a Star or blaze and glare out in a Comet or frisk and dance in a Jewel or dissemble and play the Hypocrite in a gloworm or Epitomize and abbreviate it self in a spark or shew its zeale and the ruddinesse of its complexion in the yolk of the fire or grow more pale pining and consuming away in a Candle however 't is pleas'd to manifest it self it carries a commanding lustre in its face though sometimes indeed it be veil'd and shadowed sometimes 't is clouded and imprison'd sometimes 't is soyl'd and discolour'd Who will not salute so lovely a beauty with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 welcome thou first-borne of corporeal beings thou Lady and Queen of Sensitive beauties thou clarifier and refiner of the Chaos thou unspotted beauty of the Universe Let him be condemn'd to a perpetual night to a fatal disconsolate grave that is not enamour'd with thy brightnesse Is it not a pleasant thing to behold a Sun nay to behold but a Candle a deputed light a vicarious light the ape of a Sun-beame Yet there are some superstitious ones that are ready to adore it how devoutly do they complement with a Candle at the first approach how do they put off the hat to it as if with the Satyr they meant to kisse it You see how pleasant the light is to them Nay that learned Knight in his discourse of Bodies tells us of one totally blinde who yet knew when a candle came into the room only by the quickning reviving of his Spirits Yet this Corporeal light 't is but ashadow 't is but a black spot to set off the fairnes of intellectual brightnes How pleasant is it to behold an intellectual Sun Nay to behold but the Candle of the Lord How pleasant is this Lamp of Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Motions and Operations of Nature are mix'd and season'd with sweetnesse Every Entity 't is sugared with some delight Every being 't is roll'd up in some pleasure How does the inanimate Being clasp and embrace its Centre and rest there as in the bosome of delight how flourishing is the pleasure of vegetatives Look but upon the beauty and pleasure of a flower Behold the Lilies of the Valleyes and the Roses of Sharon Solomon in all his Pleasure was not cloathed like one of these Go then to sensitive Creatures and there you meet with pleasures in a greater height and exaltation How are all the Individua amongst them maintained by acts of pleasure How are they all propagated by acts of pleasure Some of them are more merry and cheerful then the rest How pleasant and jocund is the Bird How musical is it How does it sing for joy did you never see the fish playing in its element did you never see it caught with a bait of pleasure does not Leviathan sport in the sea and dally with the waves If you look up higher to rational Beings to the sonnes of men you 'l finde there a more singular and pecular kinde of pleasure whilest they have both a taste of sensitive delight and a Participation of Intellectual The soul and body enjoying a chaste and conjugal love the pleasure of the soul is more vigorous and masculine that of the body more soft and effeminate The Nobler any Being is the purer pleasure it hath proportion'd to it Sensitive pleasure it hath more of dregs Intellectual pleasure it hath more of Quintessence If pleasure were to be measured by Corporeal senses the Brutes that are more exquisite in sense then men are would by vertue of that have a choicer portion of happinesse then men can arrive to and would make a better sect of Epicureans then men are ever like to do But therefore Nature hath very wisely provided that the pleasure of Reason should be above any pleasure of Sense as much and far more then the pleasure of a Bee is above the pleasure of the Swine Have you not seen a Bee make a trade of pleasure and like a little Epicure faring deliciously every day whilest it lies at the breast of a flower drawing and sucking out the purest sweetnesse and because 't will have variety of dishes and dainties it goes from flower to flower and feasts upon them all with a pure and spotlesse pleasure when as the Swine in the mean time tumbles and wallowes in the mire rolling it self in dirt and filthinesse An Intellectual Bee that deflowers most elegant Authors a learned Epicure that sups up more Orient pearles then ever Cleopatra did one that delights in the embraces of truth goodnes hath he not a more refin'd and clarified pleasure then a wanton Corinthian that courts Lais then a soft Sardanapalus spinning amongst his Courtizans then a plump Anacreon in singing dancing and quaffing lascivious playing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the elegant Moralist hath it and 't is as if he had said the delights of a studious and contemplative Athenian or of a couragious and active Lacedemonian is infinitely to be preferr'd before the pleasure of a delicate Sybarite or a a dissolved Persian The delight of a Philosopher does infinitely surpasse the pleasure of a Courtier The choicest pleasure is nothing but the Efflorescentia veri boni there can be no greater pleasure then of an understanding embracing a most clear truth and of a will complying with its fairest good this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks calls
were done already in respect of Eternity all things being equally present to that 3. This takes away all method and order of prosecution for the end is alwayes in intention before the means God first resolves to save Jacob and then provides means accordingly 4. It quite demolisheth the goodly and faire structure of grace no discriminating grace 't is no longer for his own sake but for your sakes now A man now makes himself to differ free will must be set on the throne 't is a Roman and must not be bound and free grace must lye at the footstool and be trampled on as they please But all they that know what grace is and have had any gracious impressions upon their own spirits will easily tell you who 't was that made them differ even he who chose them not because they were any better then others but he chose them and so would be sure to make them better and if they be lovely it is with the comlinesse which he hath put upon them Grace is free if you look to the fountaine of it the primitive goodnesse of God in election bubling out from all Eternity Secondly If you look to the severall streamings out of the fountaine you must admire the riches of free grace For 1. Gods giving of his only Sonne and founding and eternal Covenant of love and peace in him the richest and preciousest stream that ever flow'd to the sons of men Now if there were an assembly of those bright and intelligent creatures gathered together the most glorious Cherubims and glittering Seraphims and if this mystery which they now pry into were fully unseal'd and explain'd unto them O how would they stand gazing upon the riches of free grace how would they think eternity it self too short for the admiring of it and what could they resolve it into but meere love God so lov'd the world so freely so fully so unconceiveably that he gave his only Sonne c. What was there in thee to draw a Saviour down from heaven was there such an attractive and magnetical vertue in an undone and bankrupted creature How didst thou perswade him to disrobe himself of light as of a garment to cloud and eclipse the lustre of his Divinity by the interposition of a pale mortall body What was it that mov'd him to take upon him the seed of Abraham and not the nature of Angels to let passe those faire and eminent beings and to advance a poor crauling worme Out of what Topicks didst thou fetch an argument that prevail'd with him to espouse thee to himself in mercy and truth and so to love thee as to dye for thee I know they thoughts are swallowed up with the consideration of so boundlesse and bottomlesse a love and desire some time for astonishment 2. What should I tell you of those free expressions and manifestations of this his love those fresh eruptions and ebullitions of it in the Gospel I mean those precious promises that are so many several sproutings and branchings out of the Covenant The Gospel's like a sweet and precious honey-combe these are the severall droppings of it that flow freely from it Indeed the whole Gospel like the midst of Solomons bed in the Canticles is pav'd with love 3. Think upon those free offers of grace and tenders of reconciliation how he woes you to receive mercy how he beseeches you to be happy how he intreats you to be sav'd to accept of him and of heaven of grace and of glory So that if you looke to the streamings out of the fountaine you see they all carry with them the riches of grace Thirdly Consider the severall conveighances of it how God diffuses this his goodnesse to thy soul and thou shalt see how thou hast liv'd upon the expences of free grace all thy dayes And for this observe how he tun'd all circumstances in a sweet and harmonious way so as they did all sweetly agree and consort in thy happinesse and how all providentiall passages did joyn for thee and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work together for thy good As 1. 'T was out of the riches of free grace that he planted thee in a place of light when he shut up and imprison'd the rest of the world in palpable darknesse The Gospel shines out but upon a little spot of ground which God hath enclos'd for himself and stiles it his Garden Paul plants it and Apollos waters it and he himself gives it an increase The rest of the world lyes like a barren and desolate wildernesse the word of the Gospel never dropt upon it nothing but briers and thornes fit for the fire Now how fell thy lot in so faire a ground and who is it that gives thee so goodly an heritage Who is it that shines thus upon thy Tabernacle and fixes it in a land that flowes with milke and honey Give a reason if thou canst why thou wert not plac't in some obscure corner of America and left only to the weak and glimmering light of nature Prethee tell me who that was that open'd for thee so many wells of salvation and feasted thee with all those spirituall dainties and delicacies that are disht out in variety of Ordinances I would fain know who that was that crush't the honey-combe on purpose that it might drop upon thy soul Prethee tell me if thou can'st who that was that bespoke a place for thee in the Church among the assembly of the Saints Hath God dealt so with every Nation or have the Heathen knowledge of this Law Ascribe this then to free grace 2. That salvation should wait upon thee so long and when thou hadst repuls't so many rich offers of grace and mercie that still it should be importunate with thee If mercy had knock't once or twice nay according to the rule Si ter pulsanti c. if it had then bid thy soul farewell thou hadst dropt into hell irrecoverably How many years hath free grace stood at the door and begg'd for some admission and thou hast not so much as bid it welcome Free grace followes thee and pursues thee and will not let thee go till thou hast a blessing Would any friend have given thee so many invitations after thou hast rejected them Are there not many of the damned that must lye roaring there to all eternity that never tasted of so much goodnesse and long-sufferance as thou hast done O why wert not thou sent thither amongst the rest that that Spirit which thou hast so much griev'd and so often vext should still breath upon thee and follow thee with secret whisperings and gentle solicitations to entice and allure thee to goodnesse what canst thou call this but free grace 3. Consider in what state thou wert all the while and Enemy a Rebell studying how to be damn'd galloping to hell and destruction with full careere a scholars pace who was 't now that stopt thee in thy course who bridl'd in the proud waves and said Hither
eam totam There 's none but love to hear of free grace O this is a soft and downy Doctrine a silken Truth O 't is a gentle breath that fans the soul and gives it sweet refreshment O 't is a pleasant thing to sit under the shadow of free grace and see Gods goodnesse streaming out before thee But take heed who e're thou art of turning this grace of God into wantonnesse and know that 't is free grace in another sense too God may take 't away when he pleaseth thou know'st not which is the last offer Believe it he that neglects this very present offer venters eternity And know withall that as there are more liberal aspersions of grace in time of the Gospel so there are larger viols of wrath too Vineger you know 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius vini and the sweetest wine degenerates into the sharpest vineger Grace abus'd turnes to fury What to sin against God because he is good therefore to offend him because he is merciful to multiply iniquities because he blots them out for his own sake To kick against bowels of mercy and to rebel against the golden Scepter when 't is stretcht out and motions of reconciliation propounded truely this will be the very sting of hell the Emphasis of damnation this will heat the furnace seven times hotter 't will teach the worme that never dies to gnaw more cruelly and put new stings into the eternal scorpions 't will prepare flaming ingredients for the cup of wrath and fill it up to the very brim O how fain would'st thou then change places in hell with a Turke or an Infidel and be ambitious of ordinary damnation But truely there is no stronger argument against sin to an ingenuous spirit then free grace Because God is so prone to pardon therefore the soul is so loath to displease THE Childs Return PROV 23. 26. My Son give me thine heart THere have been such noble and generous spirits in some of the people of God as that they have been frequent in such enquiries as these What shall we render the Lord for all his mercies And what shall we returne him for all his goodnesse And he in the Prophet Micah though he be of a different temper from these yet he seemeth to be very solicitous and desirous to know what he should bring unto the Lord. For thus you may hear him speak in the 6th of Micah Wherewithall sayes he shall I appear before the Lord Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams c. No saith the Prophet He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but that thou should'st do justly c. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but that thou should'st give him thine heart and that thou should'st love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength And therefore he here askes it of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Sonne give me thine heart These words are spoken by Solomon but not in his own Name It had been too much for Solomon to have askt it for himself It doth not become the mouth of any Creature to ask the heart to it self But Solomon speaks it in the name of Wisdome and so in the name of God himself the eternal fountain of Wisdome It is he that calls unto the sons of men and bids them to give him their hearts And though I know that the Hebrew Idiom sometimes by giving the heart doth imply no more then the serious consideration and pondering of a thing the laying it to heart as we use to speak yet I shall take the words here in a fuller sense as the heart in a special manner is due unto God Now as in Proverbial speeches there useth to be so it is here There is abundance of rich variety a great deal of Treasure lockt up in a few words we will open some of them to you And I. For the Relation My Sonne Five things are very considerable 1. He speaks here to a Son and to not a Stranger No wonder that Strangers give not the heart unto God no wonder that a Pagan gives not the heart unto God Such as are aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and Strangers to the Covenant of grace Such as are at a great distance from him nay that live without God in the World such as lye like the dry heath and the barren wildernesse the word of the Kingdome never dropt upon them but thou art a Sonne in neer relation to him He reveales his minde to thee he manifests and displayes himself to thee he makes his goodnesse passe before thee Thou hast the continual droppings of the word upon thee his Prophets are sent to thee earely and late thou hast the happy Sun-shine of his presence with thee enough to warme and soften a stony heart and out of such stones to raise up children unto Abraham Though an Indian though an American do not give the heart unto God yet a Christian should Though a Stranger do not give him the heart yet a Son should 2. A Son and not an Enemy God doth not expect the hearts of Enemies such as are in open hostility and opposition against him such as are said to be haters of him and hated by him such as bid him depart from them for they not desire the knowledge of his wayes he doth not look for the hearts of these He doth indeed many times turne the heart of an Enemie meet the heart of a Saul while he is breathing out slaughters against the Church but whil'st he is in a state of enmity he doth not look for the heart from them Nay if an Enemy could give the heart unto God it would not be accepted by him He will not accept of a Traitors heart But thou art reconciled to him so far from being an Enemy as that thou art a Son Thow hast all expressions of love from him and thine heart it is expected by him and it will be accepted of him Though an Enemy do not give the heart unto God yet a Son should 3. A Sonne and not a Slave A Slave doth a great deal of work and drudgery more work then a Sonne but he doth not give the heart all the while He workes out of fear he looks upon it as a task as a burden he watches an opportunity for shaking off the yoke But now Religion doth not come thus to enslave men but to enlarge them to ennoble them it comes to beat off the chaines and fetters to beat open the Prison doors it brings a perpetual Jubilee a perpetual Triumph along with it Religion it floweth out of filial principles My Son hear my words and My Sonne give me thine heart If the Son make you free why then you are free indeed and if you be free like Sons why then you are free indeed The Gospel brings with
Give thine heart unto him that he may make it better It may be thou hast a flinty and unmalliable heart give it to him and he will melt it and dissolve it It may be thou hast a barren and unprofitable heart give it to him and he will make it fruitful he will bid it increase and multiply It may be thou hast an unquiet and discomposed heart give it to him and he will tune it It may be thou hast a narrow and contracted heart give it to him and he will enlarge it It may be thou hast a drossy and corrupt heart give it to him and he will purifie and refine it V. Give it him that he may make it happy that he may fill it with his love that he may satisfie it with himself that he may seal it with his Spirit It hath toiled already sufficiently and wearied it self among vanities it hath gone from flower to flower and can extract nothing but bitternesse and still Desire which is hiatus cordis opens it's mouth wide and cries aloud Give give Go then to the Fountaine to the Ocean and there fill thy self Dost thou think thou canst suck any sweetnesse from the breast of a Creature no but go to the fulnesse and exuberancy of a Deity and then stretch thy desires to the utmost compasse widen thine heart as much as thou canst yet there will be enough to make thee run over with happinesse That 's the first thing why the heart must be given to God We 'le consider in the next place when the Heart may be said to be given to him 1. When thou actest out of a principle of love toward him What 's love but a giving of the heart As Dalilah speaks to Sampson How canst thou say thou lov-st me when thine heart is not with me A lover not only quaerit costam suam as the Jewes speak sed quaerit cor suum for he hath given that to another And where there is mutuall love there 's a mutual exchange of hearts God loves himself in thee and thou findest thy self in God His thoughts are for thy well-fare and thy thoughts are for his glory In love there is a mixing and blending of beings 't is fibula animarum nay it knits and weaves souls together Knit my heart unto thee O God sayes the Psalmist 2. Then thine heart is given unto God when thou dost act out of sincerity when thou art an Israelite without guile This is Evangelicall perfection it is that Evangelical allowance which is put into the ballance of the Sanctuary so as a Christian is not found too light As for keeping every jot and apex of the Law let them speak of it that could ever do it Thy Saviour hath kept it for thee in the full rigour and exactnesse of it and those spots which thou findest in thine own heart thou must wash them out in the blood of the Lamb thou must whiten thine heart in that Fountaine which is set open for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse If thou beest sincere and cordial and faithful with thy God then thine heart is given to him 3. Then thou dost give thine heart unto God when thou dost fully comply with him in those glorious ends in those great interests and designes which he doth propound to himself when thou dost submit thy will unto his and conforme thy desires unto his when thou dost wholly resigne up thy self unto him and sweetly close with his providence though never so mysterious and unsearchable when thou dost pluck out thy right eye for him and cut off thy right hand for him when thou thinkest not thy life too dear for him 4. Then thou dost give thine heart unto God when thou dost serve him with vigour and intention Luke-warme Laodicea could not give the heart unto Christ Ephesus when she falls from her first love her heart is unbended presently performances come dropping from her in a weak and languishing manner Whereas spiritual productions they should be strong and masculine springing and rushing forth with a sacred impetus as Gods love comes streaming to thee with an irresistible fulnesse Thine heart should boyle up a good matter as the Psalmist speaks But some are so cold and flat in performances as that you would wonder where the heart was all the while and to be sure whereever it was it was an heart of stone a Nabals heart an heart sunk within them Poperie layes much stresse upon the intention of the Priest but the people in the mean time may be as remisse as they please As implicit faith so implicit prayers and implicit performances must suffice them But if they had but a Bible or such a one as they could understand they might turne to that same place Cursed is every one that doth the work of the Lord negligently Offer such blinde and lame sacrifices offer them to thy Prince Offer such imperfect obedience to the Pope See whether he will accept of it I remember I have read of one of them who when his Catholick Creatures desired a further latitude and dispensation in some matters of Religion that were of lesse consequence he returned him a favourable and indulgent answer but withall he enclosed this very Text O fili mi praebe cor tuum miâ—i Thus Popery would rob God of the heart and give it to a Creature 5. Then thou givest thine heart unto God when thou givest it unto the people of God In asmuch as you did it unto one of these you did it unto me saith Christ There 's an union between God and his people and therefore if thine heart be united to them it is united to him also And how sad is it that those hearts should jarre amongst themselves who yet harmoniously meet in the close in the union with their God! And thus we have seen why the heart must be given unto God and when it is given to him We will now shut up all in a word of Application 1. See then how powerfull Religion is it commands the heart it seizeth upon the vitals Morality that comes with a pruning knife and cuts off all sproutings and wilde luxuriancies I but Religion layes the axe to the root of the tree Morality looks that the skin of the Apple be fair but Religion searcheth to the very core Morality chides outward exorbitancies but Religion checks secret inclinations Or at the best in Morality there is but a polishing a guilding a carving of the heart but in Religion there is a new framing a new modelling nay a new creating That 's the power of god linesse it changeth the heart 2. See also the odiousnesse of an Hypocrite He doth not give God the heart and yet will give any thing else I and will seem to give that too He hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now an heart and an heart 't is as odious as a weight
garden of God Happy Pindar If instead of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had thought of these water-brooks and he might have hop't for a better Crown then either he or any of his worthies were like to obtain if he could have reach't this heavenly tune set by so holy a Lyrick the sweet singer of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as the Septuagint render the words And yet their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaks not loud enough to expresse the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie a strong and earnest desire and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may intimate a desire upon a desire which by reduplication must needs be stronger and granting that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do still adde to the vehemency of it yet the word in the Original is more appropriated to the panting hart and may seem to be borrow'd from that very noise which it makes in its braying after the water-brooks and the Latin glocitat is answerable unto it Now as for the hart alas 't is but a melancholy timerous creature at the best a panting creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You know who 't was upbraided it to Agamemnon Thou hast an impudent eye and a panting heart and no more usual Periphrasis of a coward then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that which the text chiefly aimes at is the drynesse of temper in the Hart which at some times of the year in Autumn chiefly as Aristotle notes in his Historistia Animalium is very excessive especiall in those hot and dry Countreys and being usually in the desert doth more discover it selfe by reason of the scarcity of waters there To let that alone which yet divers tel us of its drawingup devouring of serpents and how that when 't is enflam'd with the venom of them it then breaks out into those strong anhelations violent breathings after the streams of water and when it hath satisfied it self with them it then casts off all that was burthensom in the body before and thus renews its age again Epiph adds that if within the space of three houres it can't quench its thirst it presently dies but if it satisfie it selfe with the streames of water it usually lives fifty yeares longer 'T is likely here in the text 't is meant of the Harts panting when 't is chased by the hunter and yet not as some understand when that after its many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it can finde no place of safety it then pants after the water-brooks as the only place of refuge but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle briefly for the quenching of its thirst as the following words clearly intimate My soul is athirst c. Haeret lateri lethalis arundo the arrows of the pursuer stick fast in it the venom thereof drinks up its spirits Why now water-brooks can hardly quench its thirst with Behemoth in Job it can drink up rivers and sup up the Ocean at a draught there 's a combustion in its bowels nothing but fire fire nature's on fire and would fain be quencht and those little reliques of strength that it has it spends in panting after the streames of water Thus does the Hart pant after the water-brooks and thus did Davids soul thus does every devout soul pant after the living God and thus ardently Religion is no matter of indifferency as vain man would imagine It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said of love It requires the very flower and vigour of the spirit the strength and sinews of the soul the prime and top of affections It is no empty wish nor languishing endeavour no still-born prayer nor abortive resolution will serve the turne He that 's but almost a Christian shall but almost be saved and that will be the very Emphasis of damnation to have been within a step to heaven But there is a grace a panting grace we know the name of it and that 's all 't is call'd zeal a flaming edge of affection and the ruddy complexion of the soul which argues it sound and shews it lovely This is that that makes a Christian an holy sparke a sonne of the coal even of the burning coal that was fetcht from the Altar Nay we need not go so low as this a zealous Christian is an incarnate Seraphim what should I say more he 's just of his Saviours complexion white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand This was that that set a lustre upon those shining Rubies that adorn'd the Noble Army of Martyres purpuratus martyâ—um exercituâ— And indeed they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a better sense then e're it was meant of Antipater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is true indeed their soul was a thirst even for the living God they enter'd into heaven panting and there they rest themselves to all eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There remaines therefore a rest a sabbatism unto the people of God And yet there are a generation in the world that are all for a competency in goodnesse and are afeard of too much holinesse Mediocrity even here is golden a Laodicean temper shall go under the name of moderation and a reeling neutrality shall be stil'd prudence and discretion what needs this breathing and panting this forwardnesse and eagernesse this vehemency and violence in the way of Religion quorsum haec perditio And they look upon such expressions of affection as this in the text as upon strong Hyperbole's or pretty Rhetorical flourishes Ieremy surely was strangely melancholy when he wisht his head a fountain that he might weep day and night and 't was meer fondnesse in the Spouse in the Canticles to be sick of love Thus do's the serpent hisse at the wayes of godlinesse and thus do's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argue But go vain man look upon the panting hart wonder why it breaths so strongly after the streames of water bid it pant moderately after the water-brooks and when thy empty breath can abate its fervency then and not till then nay hardly then wonder at the strength of a Christians desire after communion with his God for as the Hart pants after the water-brooks so panteth his soul after his God so strongly 2. So panteth my soul after thee O God! so unsatisfiably And that in a double sense 1. 'T is satisfied with nothing else 2. 'T is not satisfied with a little of this 1. Nothing can still the weary and thirsty Hart but the streams of water and nothing can content the panting soul but the fruition of his God God never rested till he made man and man never rests till he enjoyes his God He ha's a soul within him of a vast capacity and nothing can fill it to the brim but he that 's fulnesse it selfe Desire is hiatus voluntatis and such as nothing but happinesse can fill it that indeed is as he sayes Mors desiderii silentium
wont to be sung at those solemn times when Baptisme was publickly celebrated 3. As for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper why there are mellita flumina streaming brooks of butter and honey as Job speaks and O how welcome is the panting soule hither God ha's sent a messenger to invite him O! every one that thirsteth let him come and drink freely Drink yea drink abundantly O beloved 'T is most true here that which Trismegistus feign'd God sets a great Cup full of Celestial liquor with this Proclamation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Up soul and drench thy self in this Cup of the Spirit Calix ebrius est as the force of the Original is in Psal 23. we render it The Cup overflows Here if ever the soule is comforted with flagons and Christs love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweeter then wine 4. What should I tell you nay how can I tell you the strong pantings of the soule in Prayer The Apostle calls them Rom. 8. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 groanes unutterable when the soul becomes as the Syriack Idiom calls the thuribulum domus aromatum breathing up sweet odours unto the Throne of grace and Heaven it self is thus perfum'd Domus orationis is Domus aromatum In all these you see how the soule breathes after Communion with its God mediate Communion with him here But 2dly it pants after immediate Communion with him in glory and the following words will well bear this sense though not so properly and genuine O when shall I appear before the face of God in glory Thus Paul pants I desire to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ Thus the soules pant in the Revelation Come Lord Jesus come quickly Hîc pitissamus illic deglutiemur Here we sip of the water of life but there we shall drink it up though there be eternity to the bottome Here we are sons of hope and that 's a panting grace Spes indeed is aurora gaudii matutina laetitia early joy but when grace shall be ripen'd into glory then hope shall be swallowed up in fruition And thus we as 't is in 2 Cor. 3. 18. with open face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here denotes a clear vision whereas quite contrary in 1 Cor. 13. to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we see in a glasse darkly A learned Critick hath well observed that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includes both for it signifies vision and speculation we clearly beholding the glory of God are chang'd into the same image from glory to glory that 's either from his glory we become glorious or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's from grace to glory for grace is glory in the bud as glory is grace at the full Surely glory is nothing else but a bright Constellation of graces and happinesse nothing but the Quintessence of holinesse And now the soule by an holy gradation ascends higher from those first-fruits and earnest-penies of joy here to the consideration of the fulnesse of glory which it expects hereafter ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lyrick straines sweetly when the soule shall be unsheath'd from the body that I mayallude to the Chaldee Idiom how gloriously shall it then glister or to speak in Plutarchs expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the soule shall be unclouded from the body in what brightnesse shall it then appear what did Davids soule his panting soule here leap for joy when he remembred thee O Sioâ— O how triumphantly then does his glorified soule now sing in the new Jerusalem Did his soule sing so sweetly in a cage of clay what melody think you does it now make being let loose to all eternity Is there such deliciousnesse in a Cluster of grapes cut down in the brook Eâ—hcol what look you for in the Vintage of Canaan the Land of Promise Is but a Prospect of that holy land upon the top of Mount Pisgah so pleasant and delightful surely then their lot is fallen to them in a fair ground and they have a goodly heritage that enjoy the sweetnesse of that land that flowes with milk and honey Ha's but a glimpse of Gods favourable countenance such a powerful such a satisfying influence upon the soul O think if you can how it shall be ravish'd with the fulnesse of the Beatifical Vision when the clarifi'd soul shall drink in the beames of glory and be fill'd with joy to the very brim When the panting soule shall rest it self in the bosome of a Saviour and fix his eye upon the brightnesse of his Majesty to all eternity nay when eternity shall seem too short for the beholding and admiring of such transcendent excellencies and for the solemnizing of those heavenly Nuptials between Christ and his most beloved Spouse where all the powers of heaven shall dance for joy while a Consort of Seraphims sing an Epithalamium Beloved sayes the Apostle now are ye the sons of God but it appears not as yet what ye shall be This choice Prerogative of adoption does but shadow out your future glory for it appeares not as yet what ye shall be Now ye are sons but in your minority sons but yet insulted over by servants Now ye are sons but then ye shall be heires heires of glory and co-heires with Christ Now you see in a glasse darkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a riddle and that book which is call'd the Revelation is most vail'd with obscurity but then you shall see face to face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God promises to manifest to Moses And some think that this place of the Apostle alludes to those very words taken out of Numb 12. 6. The riddle of summum bonum that hath pos'd so many shall then be explicated happinesse shall be unmask'd the book shall be unseal'd the white stone shall sparkle most oriently you shall behold with open face the glory of God you shall know as you are known not as if a finite creature could comprehend an infinite essence as some of the Schoolmen seem fondly to imagine but the words will easily bear a double Hebraisme You shall know as you are known that is either you shall know as you are approved or else you shall know as you are known that is you shall know as you are made to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Heinsius for indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if it be rendered Hellenistically he tells us the words will run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall know so as God is pleased to be known by me to manifest himself unto me O let every pious Panting Soul with its apprehensions rais'd and its affections advanc'â— wait and long
love immortall Did not his Spirit seale up thy soul and is not the print of that seale indelible Speak did not he once shew thee thy name written with his own had in the Book of Life and do's he use to blot out what he has written Do'st not thou remember did not he smile upon thee in such and such an Ordinance and are his smiles deceitful O no! rest satisfy'd O Christian soul and quiet thy self in those rich expressions of his Love which he has formerly bestow'd upon thee O quesion not his goodnesse but prepare thy self for receiving of it The streams are dry'd up but yet the fountaine's full thou hast had some tastes of it though now thou art dry and thirsty and thou shalt have in time fresh bubblings up of his grace towards thee in the interim take this for a cordial Those former drops which thou hast tasted of it will cherish thy soul to all eternity The least drop of grace shall never be exhausted the least spark of true joy shall never be extinguisht all the floods that the Dragon can vomit out of his mouth shall never be able to quench it But then 4. Put the case thus that there be no Sun-light nor Starre-light nor reliques of former light neither the testimony of Gods Spirit nor of our own spirits nor any recalling of former assurance what must the soul do now Now look to the dawning of the day to the first Crepusculum look now to the initials of grace to the preface of Sanctification Thou canst not it may be shew any faire and lively pourtraâ—cture I but hast thou the first draughts and rudiments of holinesse Thou hast not any goodly and delicious clusters of Canaan O but see if the tender grape do bud There are not any ripe fruits of the Spirit but yet are there some blossomings of holinesse They graces don't flow out in fo full and faire a stream but canst thou see any bubblings up of goodnesse in thee Thou hast not yet the strength of a well grown Christian well but is there the vagitus of an Infant Look now to the souls prizing of a Christ to the whimperings after the breast to the breathings and longings after its Beloved thoughts upon him desires for him endeavours after him there 's much comfort and sweetnesse in these I and some kinde of Assurance For 1. Be sure that God that has begun this great work in thee will never give over till it be full and compleat he do's not use to leave his work imperfest The least tendency to goodness is cherished by him The very first motion 't is of his own planting and it shall lack for no watering and he himself will give it an increase 2. The least seed of grace as 't is choice and precious so 't is very vigorous and operative it will never leave working till Christ be formed in thee Who hath dâ—spised the day of small things Thy spark may spread it self into a flame and thy tender bud may flourish and bring forth much fruit He that is richest in grace began with as little a stock He that is now a tall Cedar was once a tender plant Improve but present strength and God will send thee in fresh supplies Auxiliary forces and thou shalt walk from strength to strength till thou appearest before God in glory Thy light shall shine out brighter and brighter till perfect day Donec stabiliatur dies according to the Syriac till thou com'st to a firme and well establisht Assurance The least peeping out of light the least dawning of the day is pleasant and comfortable 5. If thou canst not spy out any grace in they self borrow light of another Lay open thy soul to an Interpreter one of a thousand he may explain they condition and paraphraze upon thy soul better then thou thy self canst This Interpreter one of a thousand may more exactly analyse thy condition and shew the context and coherence of it 'T is the speech of Elihu Job 33. 23. There meets him a messenger an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto him his uprightnesse Hee 'l shew thee here 's grace and there 's grace here 's a true pearle and there 's a spark though in ashes and there 's an evidence A discerning and experienc'd Christian may shew thee cause of joy when thou canst finde none thy self 'T is no shame to borrow light especially spiritual light 6. One step further What if after all this there be not the least glimmering of light nothing of a spark nothing of a beam a totall eclipâ—e all clouds and blacknesse and darknesse and the very valley of the shadow of death yet even here will we fear none ill 1. When reflex acts are wanting be sure to multiply direct acts when there is no certainty of Evidence yet even then have a certainty of Adherence and Recumbency Now grasp a Promise take fast hold of that precious offer rolle thy self upon the free grace of a God in Christ lay all the stresse of thy salvation upon it with a gallant and heroical resolution If I perish I perish Thus Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Thus our Saviour My God my god why hast thou forsaken me And this must needs be a strong act of faith even then to rely upon God when he seems thine enemy to trust in an angry and displeased God and when he frowns on thee yet then to lean upon him Like men ready to be drown'd be sure to take fast hold cast Anchor though in the dark 2. Study self-denyal and though thou long and breath after Assurance yet resigne up thy self wholly to his will and be content to want Assurance if he see it best for thee Take heed of murmuring in the wildernesse in the saddest and most deserted condition Throw thy self at his feet with this resolution O my God I 'le blesse thee for those eternal treasures of sweetnesse that are in thy self though I should never taste of them I 'le blesse thee for those smiles of thy face which thou bestowest upon others though thou wilt not cast one gracious look upon my soule I 'le blesse thee for those rich offers of grace thou makest unto me though I have not a heart to lay hold of them 3. Put thy soul into a waiting posture and stay till he please to display some of himself unto thee and make some of his goodnesse passe before thee One beam of his countenance one gracious smile one propitious glance of his eye the least crumb of the hidden Manna 't is worth waiting for all thy life-time And when I speak of waiting I mean not that the soul should stand still and do nothing no this were against the Text Give diligence c. improve all present strength waite upon him in prayer beg one glimpse of him be earnest for a taste for a relish of the hidden Manna and wait upon him in his Ordinances here the Spirit
Secondly to take off that vain and frivolous cavil that assurance is a Principle of Libertinisme and that if men be once assur'd of their salvation they may then do what they list And first for the grounds that make them deny Assurance And though I might here shew at large that all Popery the Quintessence of it is extracted out of guesses and conjectures their whole Religion is but a bundle of uncertainties a rude heap of contingencies built upon the thoughts of others upon the intentions of a Priest yet I shall let that passe now and give you these foure considerations that prevaile with them to deny Assurance 1. They lay too much stresse upon good works Now Assurance is too goodly a structure to be built upon such a foundation They part stakes between grace and merit and so leave the soul in a tottering condition There is so much pride bound up in the Spirits of men as that they are loth to depend upon another for their happinesse they would have an innate and domestick happinesse within themselves But alas self-bottomings are weak and uncertain and they that build upon their own good meanings and their good wishes and good resolutions upon their good endeavours and goodworks when they have done all they have built but the house of the Spider These that spin salvation out of their own bowels their hope 't is but as a Spiders web And there are many that neither thus spin nor toile and yet I say unto you that a Pharisee in all his glory is not cloth'd like one of these If men do but enquire and look a little to the ebbings and flowings of their own spirits to the waxing and waining of their own performances surely they will presently acknowledge that they can't fetch a Plerophory out of these Believe it the soul can't anchor upon a wave or upon its own fluctuating motions So that 't is a piece of ingenuity in them to tell men that whilest they build upon the sand they can have no great security that their house will last long they may safely say of the Spider that it can have no certainty that its house shall stand Whilest they lean upon a reed wee 'l allow them to question whether it won't break or no nay if they please they may very well question whether it won't pierce them thorough They can be sure of nothing unlesse they be sure of ruine Assurance cannot be founded in a bubble in a creature for the very essence of a creature is doubtful and wavering it must be built upon an immutable Entity upon the free love of God in Christ upon his royal word and oath the sure expressions of his minde and love upon the witnesse of the Holy Ghost the seal of God himself Here the soul may rest and lean and quiet it self for with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning The creature is all shadow and vanity 't is filia noctis like Jonah's gourd man may sit under its shadow for a while but it soon decayes and dies All its certainty is in dependance upon its God A creature if like a single drop left to it self it spends and wastes it self presently but if like a drop in the fountain and Ocean of Being it has abundance of security No safety to the soul but in the armes of a Christ in the embraces of a Saviour No rest to a Dove-like spirit but in the Ark of the Govenant and there 's the pot of hidden Mannah You know that dying Bellarmine was faine to acknowledge that the nearest way to Assurance was only to rest upon the free grace of God in Christ And they that cry down duties so much if they would mean no more then this that men must not trust in them nor make Christs of them nor Saviours of them as they use to express it wee 'l easily grant them this if they 'l be content with it 2. They take away that clasping and closing power of faith it self by which it should sweetly and strongly embrace its own object They would have the soul embrace clouds and dwell in generals they resolve all the sweetnesse and preciousnesse of the Gospel either into this Universal Whosoever believes shall be saved or else which is all one into this Conditional If thou beleevest thou shalt be saved Now this is so farre from assurance as that the Devils themselves do thus believe and yet tremble The thirsty soul may know that there is a fountaine but it must not presume to know that ever it shall taste of it The wounded soul with them may take notice that there is balme in Gilead but it must only give a guesse that it shall be heal'd They won't allow the soul to break the shell of a Promise so as to come to the kernell They silence Faith when it would speak in its own Idiom My Lord and my God O what miserable comforters are these How can they ever speak one word upon the wheels one seasonable word to a wearie soul when as all they can reach to by their own acknowledgement is to leave the soul hovering betwixt heaven and hell And as they say in matter of Reproof Generalia non pungunt so 't is as true in matter of Comfort Generalia non mulcent Yet to see how abundantly unreasonable these men are for in the matter of their Church there they require a particular appropriating faith a Monopolizing faith that the Church of Rome is the only true visible Church and this is no presumption with them Thus they can embrace a dull Errour and let go a precious Truth But the true Church of Christ as 't is it self built upon a Rock so every Member of the Church has the same security And the soul with a Spouse-like affection do's not only conjecture who is her Well-beloved but is in his very armes and breaks out into that expression of love and union I am my well-beloved's and my well-beloved is mine But how strangely do's their conjectural certainty take away the sweetness of such Relations Christians with them must only conjecture that they are the Sons of God the Spouse must only guesse at her beloved husband the sheep must hope that this is the Shepherds voice O how do they emasculate and enervate Religion how do they dispirit it and cut the very sinews of the power of godlinesse But all you that would finde rest to your souls must know that you can never apply a Christ too much that you can never appropriate a Saviour enough that whole happinesse is in union with him 3. They deny perseverance and so long may very well deny Assurance And yet the Arminians have an Art of reconciling Assurance and Non-perseverance They allow men a little brief Assurance for one moment a breve fulgur a little corruscation of joy that only shews it self that it may vanish and disappear The summe of their meaning amounts to thus much For that moment that thou
then do what they list But 1. God won't put now wine into old bottles God never prints his love upon the heart till the heart be renew'd and prepar'd with Evangelical meltings and the same Seale that prints his love prints his Image too A flinty heart won't take the seale of the Spirit The sparkling White Stone is never given till the heart of stone be taken away The new name is not given till the new creature be fram'd God will not distill one silver drop of such precious sweetness upon the soul till it be enclos'd for his own garden And though the outward Sun-shine with liberal and undistinguishing beams shines both upon the good and the bad upon the Rose and Nettle yet the light of Gods countenance beams out only upon the Apples of his own eye the Sun-shine of his gracious presence gilds only the vessels of Honour and puts a lustre upon none but his own Jewels And though the pourings forth of ordinary goodnesse fall upon a wildernesse sometimes as well as on a Paradise yet these more choise and luscious influences of heaven slide only into the hearts of Gods peculiar ones Beleeve it thy soul must first become an Arke of the Covenant before thou shalt ever have a Pot of hidden Manna in it 'T is true that if God should thus display his goodnesse and seal up his love to the soul whil'st it were still in an unregenerate condition whil'st it did still hanker after its lusts and corruptions 't would then indeed sport it self more securely in this Sun-shine of mercy and turne this grace of God into wantoâ—nesse Thus men of sordid and ignoble spirits will trespasse more upon a friend then upon an enemy an injury will keep them in better order then a courtesie Thus nettles will sting most violently when they are handled most gently Thus the wretched Indians adore the Devil because he is their enemy and neglect the Majesty of heaven because 't is so propitious When God shines out upon ungrateful dunghils they returne him nothing but venomous and malignant evaporations We 'l easily acknowledge that if these men should have the White Stone they would trample upon it For you see how they deal with ordinary mercy which the bounty of heaven heaps upon their heads There are such Pleonasms of love in God such runnings over of goodnesse as that much falls upon these God breaks the box of common mercies and fills the whole world with the savour of it But what tribute and Revenues of glory has he from them for all this Why they violate his Lawes and profane his Name and fight against him with his own weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his most precious mercies gifts and parts and all they have shall oppose him that gave them Of their Jewels they make a golden Calfe Do you think now that God will trust these with his more speciall mercies with his viscera and tender mercies He try'd the vessel with water and 'twont hold that Do you think he will poure wine into it No God reveals his love to none but to his friends he sets his Seale to none but to such whom he sets as a Seale upon his heart and on his arme such as have an happy conformity to him and a full complyance with him such as have the same interests and the same glorious ends with himself such as delight in his Law and feed upon his precepts as upon an honey-combe Do you think he mayn't trust these with his minde such as have a plain antipathy against sin against the very picture and appearance of sin such as preferre Hell it self before it such as loath it even as himself loaths it men that are ready to pluck out their right eyes for him to cut off their right hands for him Do you think he mayn't manifest his love to these What sayes the Apostle John He that is borne of God cannot sin 't is a plain impossibility that he should so far put off his filial affection as to make it his work to displease him much lesse can he take so strong an advantage of his goodnesse as therefore to provoke him because he knows that God loves him These men only tell us what they would do if they had Assurance but truly they are not like to have it till their hearts be chang'd and then they 'l be of another minde 2. Love is a sweeter and surer and stronger principle of obedience then feare So that God did infatuate the counsel of that Achitophel Machiavel I mean when he still'd that venom into the hearts of Princes that they had better rule their Subjects with a Rod of iron then with a Scepter of gold that they had better enslave them by feare then engage them by love The truth is he had given them such Rules that he knew if they follow'd them they could not possibly be lov'd and therefore he would faine perswade them that 't is better to be fear'd And though this may seem to adde some sparklings to Majesty and to brighten the Crown of Sovereignty yet it leaves it farre more tottering more unfixt and unsettled upon their heads There is such a virulency mixt with fear such a tincture of hatred in it both these affections are much of a colour sad and pale And therefore that Tyrant was so wise yet as to expect hatred Oderint dum metuant sayes he he knew whilest they fear'd him that they would hate him And then there is a reluctancy and Aversation in fear And those workings upon the soul that come only from terrours they usually prove Abortive And what though a body be pull'd and hal'd and scar'd into obedience the soul is not conquer'd with all this A slave do's but watch an opportunity for shaking off the yoke And then there is a depressing and disenabling power in fear it contracts and freezes up the motions of the soul it clips the wings it takes off the wheels it unbends the bowe Trembling and Paralytick motions are weak and languishing Indeed fear 't is nothing but Praecox tristitia a crude and indigested kinde of sorrow and 't is the sowrer because it is not ripe And therefore God himself that is a most absolute Monarch and has a boundlesse and infinite supremacy over all things yet has far more glory from them that love him and only passive obedience from them that fear him Indeed he never goes about to rule any by fear but those that have first trampl'd upon Love and are no longer Subjects but profest Rebells 'T is love that glews and fastens the whole Creation together Those seeds of love which God himself who is love has scatter'd amongst Beings those sparks of love which God himself who is love has kindled amongst Beings and those indeleble prints of love which God himself who is love has stampt upon Beings maintain the whole fabrick of the world in its just beauty and proportion The harmonious composure of Beings
There are Mysteria primae magnitudinis such transcendent and dazling mysteries as that the Eagle must be faine to shut her eye and the Seraphim must be glad to wink And there are not only intellectual but practical depths in the way of Religion And Christian Plerophory is one of these For a soul to be fill'd with the breathings of the Spirit And to move with full sail in the Ocean of Gods love And when it pleases to lie safe at Anchor I and to be sure of comming safe to the haven certainly the soul must needs cry out all the while 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth of the goodnesse and love of God! how mysterious are his wayes how are his mercies past finding out 1. Now for a Christian to arrive to so full a sense of Gods love hic labor hoc opus est It requires diligence For 1. There are but few that have any right and interest in the love of God in Christ at all 2. Of those few that have a share and portion in his love yet all of them have not assurance of his love There are but few that enter into the Temple I but there is only some Aaron that enters into the sanctum sanctorum and casts his Anchor within the Veile And First there are but few upon whom God bestoweth his love 'T was alwayes a principle in Morality that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many Friends usually go by paires Now God though he be of vast and boundlesse love and has love enough to satisfie a multitude of worlds yet he has chose â—o concentricate it all in a few pickt out of the world that he might thus engage them the more to himself His large and precious love is kept for his only Spouse Secondly of those few whom he loves some are not assur'd of his love He lov'd them all from everlasting yet none of them could be then assur'd of his love A non-entity cannot reach to a Plerophory Well but when they peept out of their first nothing truly they were not any rare objects of love much lesse could they then be assur'd of the love of their God when they were in a state of enmity and opposition and the children of wrath as well as others Well but when he put them into a state of love and made them lovely with that beauty and comelinesse with those jewels and bracelets which he had put upon them when he lov'd them as his new creatures as his vessels of honour that were now cast into their just mold and fashion When he lov'd them as his new-born sons yet these babes in Christ could not presently cry Abba Father They were his Epistle written in a fair and goodly character dated from eternity folded up and kept secret at length sent into the world the superscription was writ in time in Vocation Well but all this while they were not seal'd till the spirit comes and stamps a clear impression of Gods love upon their soft'ned and melted spirits 'T is true they were seal'd as soone as they were written in Gods eternal Decree but they were not visibly seal'd till now Now what pantings and breathings What longings and entreaties What preparations were there in the soul before it could obtaine this Secondly it requires diligence to keep assurance O take heed of wasting and crumbling away thy hidden Manna God may break the staffe of bread and what will thy weary soul do then Take heed of losing the White Stone take heed of forgetting thy new name O maintain the Oile of gladnesse in the Cruse Thou that art a Vine of Canaan laden with generous fruit would'st thou willingly part with thy sweetnesse and fruifulnesse Thou that art a green Olive-tree flourishing in the house of thy God would'st thou be content to part with thy fatnesse and pleasantnesse Thou wert wont to stay and Anchor thy soul upon thy God And would'st thou now be left to the courtesie of a wave What Art thou in love with the Tents of Kedar They are black indeed And do'st thou think them comely too Art thou weary of the Sun-shine And would'st thou coole thy self in the shade Do'st thou begin to loath thy hidden Manna and would'st thou returne to the Garlick and Onions of Egypt Art thou cloy'd with the clusters of Canaan and do'st thou nauseate the Honey-comb O remember thou did st not so soone obtaine assurance and wilt thou so soone lose it Thirdly give diligence to recover assurance if lost O when will the winter be past when will the raine be over and gone that the flowers may appear and the time of singing may come That the Vines of Canaan may flourish again that the tender Grapes may appear Awake O South-winde and with thy gentle breathings blow upon the Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Never leave till thou find'st thy Spouse again thou that art sick of love Tell him that thou long'st for a cluster of Canaan That thou art even famish'd for want of hidden Manna Desire a new edition of his love with all the enlargements of affections Lay thine heart before him and desire new stamps impressions tel him that though thou hast lost the print yet he has not lost the Seal Tell him that thou wilt now prize his love more then thou ever did'st or could'st do before Give him no rest till he give thy soul rest and fill it with himself Surely thou would'st not willingly set in a cloud thou would'st not go out of the world with thine Evidences blotted and blurr'd Surely thou would'st not willingly be tost and dasht with waves in sight of the haven Had'st thou not rather go to thy grave in peace O desire himto shine out upon thee a little before thou goest hence and be nomore seene 2. Now surely we need not tell you why Assurance does thus require diligence For 1. You know the hearts deceitfulnesse how it loves to please it self in a shadow in a painted joy to flatter it self into an imaginary happinesse Most men in the world are so confident of heaven as if they had been borne heirs apparent to the Crown of glory as if this new name had been given them at their baptism or as if they had been born with hidden Manna in their mouths They never knew what a question or a scruple was nay they wonder that others trouble themselves with them as for them they have a connate kinde of Plerophory These fabri fortunae suae have a key to heaven of their own making and can go to it when they please These crown themselves with their own sparks and think them more glittering and precious then the White Stone As if they were Custodes sigilli they can â—eale themselves to the day of redemption when they please Thus do vaine men cheat their own souls when as 't were their wiser way rather to commune with their own spirits to criticize upon their own hearts to see what
explicata Assurance does mightily enliven and animate Prayer and Prayer does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cherish and maintain Assurance Go then unto thy God and be importunate with him beg a smile a glance a beame of his face desire him to take all worldly things again unlesse he will sweeten them with his love Tell him thou canst no longer feed upon huskes and desire him to give thee somewhat that 's fit for a soul to live on 3. Be diligent and frequent in communion with thy God Conversing with God puts a lustre and radiancy upon the soul descending to the creature puts a Veile upon that former brightnesse sweet and familiar entercourse with thy God puts thee into the number of his friends and friendship brings Assurance and Confidence along with it Would God do'st thou think admit thee into his most shining and beautiful presence would he thus display himself to thee and make known his most secret treasures of goodnesse and sweetnesse unto thy soul unlesse he lov'd thee would thy Saviour thus smile upon thee would he thus unbosome and unbowel himself to thee would he thus flourish in at the lattices unlesse he were thy Spouse would he thus kisse thee with the kisses of his mouth would he tell thee so much of his minde unlesse his heart were with thee would he accept of thy prayers and thy performances thy spiritual sacrifices if he meant to destroy thee did'st thou ever know him deale thus deceitfully with any would he give thy soul such frequent visits such gentle breathings would he so often whisper to thee that which the world must not hear if thou wert an enemy as well as they canst thou think thy self in darknesse when the Sunne looks upon thee Canst thou doubt of quenching thy thirst when the fountain bubbles out and flows upon thee Canst thou doubt of liberty in the yeere of Jubilee What is the Dove in the Arke and yet can it finde no rest to the soale of her feet Canst thou question thy safety under the wings of Christ No whatever it was that put out thy joy it did first estrange and alienate thee from thy God And couldst thou but recover thy former neernesse to him thou need'st not doubt of the same affectionate expressions from him Communion with God 't is that which gives an heavenly and eternal Plerophory 't is that which maintains the assurance of glorious Angels and glorifi'd Saints And that which takes away all hope from the damn'd is this that they are perpetually banisht irrecoverably excommunicated from the face of their God Depart from me I know you not there is more in that then in fire and brimstone But God has said unto thee Seek my face and let thy soul echo out its resolutâ—on Thy face Lord will I seek for all certainty flowes from God from that fixt and unshaken Entity from that Original immutability that is in him And when God sets his seal unto thee he prints somewhat of this upon thee And therefore the more God gives of himself to thee the more Assurance he gives thee Go then to the place where his honour dwells go to the place where his glory shines You know that the Apostle Thomas when he was absent from the Apostles meeting he fell into a strange distrust of that which the others were very well assur'd of Go then to those Ordinances that drop golden Oile upon the soul and make its countenance to shine Hide thy self in those clefts of the Rock that God may make his goodnesse passe before thee God will there beame out upon thy soul he will warme it with his love and will then seal it to the day of redemption Christian Assurance deserves diligence 'T is a miserable thing to toile for vanity and emptinesse to sowe the winde and to reap the whirlewinde But to take pains for happinesse who would not be willing to this An Israelite that would be loath to spend his time in gathering stubble would willingly spend it in gathering Grapes A wise Virgin will cheerfully put in so much Oile as will make the Lampe to shine The soul will never be weary of gathering hidden Manna Assurance is a very satisfactory thing men take a present and compleat acquiescence in it 1. Consider it in Temporals what won't worldlings do to secure their lands and goods and estates How do they seek for Bonds and Seals and Oaths and Sureties and yet think all this too little They have set up an Ensurers Office and will scarce venture a Ship at Sea unlesse it can have an unquestionable Plerophory unlesse one will secure it from warres and another from rocks and a third from windes and tempests And this is one of those stings and vexations which God has put into temporals that they are uncertain Many a worldling has pin'd away under this very notion that his riches had wings and could flie away when they list And this was the reason why the Epicures were all for enjoying the present moment because that was all they were certain of and therefore they would have devour'd and soopt up the quintessence of all happinesse in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they could Thus Anacreon sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this was that which made the Heathen so angry with Fortune a goddesse of their own framing because she put them alwayes upon blinde uncertainties This made the Stoicks to run into the other extreme to fix themselves in an unevitable certainty in a sullen necessity to anchor upon fate rather then to be left to a wavering contingency 2. Assurance in Intellectuals is very satisfactory There 's nothing that tortures the soule more then scruples and difficulties it makes it to dwell like a lily amongst thornes The Scepticks were a perpetual wrack to themselves Objections flie like dust into the soules eye and sometimes 't is faine to weep them out How does it vex the Naturalist that his head is so non-plust as that he must flie to the refuge of an occult quality How impatient was Aristotle what boylings and toslings in his breast more then in Euripus because he could not give a full account of the ebbing and flowing of that river He threw himself into it as if he thought to finde more rest there then in his own spirit discomposed only with this uncertainty Every question checks the understanding and makes it remove a little from certainty as the learned Verulam observes Every question 't is some grace to errour and some repulse to truth But how sweetly does the minde relish those first and common notions that carry a native light and convincing evidence and certainty in them and won't give the soule leave to doubt and how does it bathe it self in those crystalline streamings out those pure derivations of secondary notions that freely bubble out from these fountain-principles which for their certainty sometimes are honoured with the name of axioms And some give this rule for a trial and
own bosome Return thee to thy Rest O my Soul Return to thine Arke O my Dove And look upon this Gospel-Plerophory as one of those great priviledges that were purchas'd for thee by a Saviour For 1. By this thy Soul thy darling 't is fully provided for for eternity Thy lot is falne to thee in a faire ground and thou hast a goodly heritage Could thy soul open its mouth any wider Could thy soul desire any more then this to be sure of being for ever compleatly happy What would the damn'd in hell give for a possibility of happinesse What would some wounded spirits give for good hopes and probabilities when as thou in the mean time hast an overflowing Plerophory What would the one give for a drop to coole their tongue What would the other give for a pure stream to wash their bleeding foules When as thou all the while art bathing in the fountain art sailing in the Ocean art swimming in the Rivers of pleasure Thine understanding may well rest satisfi'd for t' is sure to fixe its eye upon an eternal beauty upon the face of its God Thy will may rest it self in the embraces of its dearest object for 't is espoused to the fairest good and is sure to enjoy it with an indissoluble union Thy purer and more refined affections may sport themselves in the Sun-beams of heaven There may thy love warme and melt it self and there may thy joy dance and exult All that thou hast to do here below is this Thy virgin-Virgin-soul that is here assur'd and contracted must wait a while for the Nuptials for a full fruition of its God for a full consummation of its joy 2. This must needs sweeten all present conditions to thee Eat then thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God accepts thy person and smells a sweet odour in thy sacrifice Are there any pearles in the Gospel thou may'st lay claime to them Is there any balme in Gilead thou hast a share in it Are there any Gospel-priviledges thou know'st they are thine and are intended for thee Do's God bestow temporals upon thee thou know'st that he first dips them in love and sweetnesse Mount Gerizim is thy portion And how art thou above waves when as some are shipwrackt others are toss d and disquieted thou hast an happy protection in all thy wayes 1. Thou are secure against the srownes of the world for heaven smiles upon thee Thou may'st laugh at the false judging and esteems of men It may be the world brands I but the Spirit seales It may be the seed of the Serpent hisses I but the holy Ghost breaths What though thou beest fourty years in a Wildernesse Nay what though thou beest seventy years in Babylon Won't Canaan and won't the new Jerusalem make amends for all 2. Thou art secure in times of judgement As Job speaks of the Leviathan The sword of him that layes at him cannot hold the speare the dart nor the habergeon The arrow cannot make him flee darts are counted as stubble he laughs at the shaking of the spear Who is like him upon the earth one that is made without fear When God thunders upon the men of the world he speaks but in a still voice to thee he darts lightning flashes in their faces but he lists up the light of his countenance upon thee Judgements are intended for the sweeping away of Spiders webs not for the sweeping away of Gods own jewels Or if they be envolv'd in a common calamity yet how is it roll'd up in sweetnesse to them when as the other can taste nothing but gall and wormwood Their body may be toss'd a little in the world but their soul lies safe at Anchor 3. In the houre of death Thou know'st that providence then means only to break the shell that it may have the kernel Let them tremble at the knocking 's and approaches of death that know not what shall become of their precious soules Men who through the fear of death have been all theirlife-time subject unto bondage But thou may'st safely trample upon the Adder and play in the Cockatices den The Martyrs you know did thus when they embrac'd the flames and complemented with Lions and devour'd torments and came to them with an appetite Assurance of the love of God in Christ this and nothing but this pulls out the sting of death 'T is true that death has lost its sting in respect of all that are in Christ but yet such as know not that they are in Christ fear death still as if it had a sting Only an assured Christian triumphs over it O death where is â—hy sting 4. Assurance fills the soul with praise and thanksulnesse The reall presence of a mercy is not enough but there must be the appearance of a mercy and the sense of it before it fill thy heare with joy and thy mouth with praise A doubting Christian is like a bird entangled and in a snare the soul has not its comfort nor God has not his praise But an assur'd Christian is like a bird at liberty that flies aloft and sings most cheerfully It begins those Halelujahs in time that must last for ever It breaks out into the Psalmists language Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse hâ—s holy Name The fourth and last Observation which we propounded out of the Text was That the map to make our Eleation sure is first to make out Calling â—ute And this is sufficiently warranted from the just order and method of this Apostolical exhortation Make your Calling and Election sure First your Calling then your Election and by your Calling your Election Methodus Analytica best becoming creatures Many have handled this point at large I shall do it very briefly and I shall give you all that I intend to speak to it in these six particulars 1. Election in it self is secret and mysterious For 1. it is from eternity and so there was none could know it but God alone none could know Election but he that made an Election A Being that is spann'd by time cannot reach to what was done from everlasting You cannot imagine that Non-entity should listen and hear what was whisperd in the Secret Councel of Heaven Thou goest only by the clock of time but those decrees were written with an eternal Sun beam thou turnest up thy houre-glasse of time but these were measured by an infinite duration Was it possible that Esau not borne should see God frowning on him or that Jacob should perceive a smile Thou art as far from meriting Election as a Non entity and thou art as far from knowing it as a Non-entity 2 God has a minde to keep it secret and therefore he has set a seale upon it not only a seale of certainty but a seale of secrecy You know creatures themselves have their closet-determinations men have their thoughts under lock and key they have not windows into one anothers
breasts much lesse into the breast of a Deity Thou caust not fathome sometimes a shallow creature and do'st thou think to reach to the bottome of infinite depths Has God given thee secret springs of working has he made the wheeles and motions of thy soul secret and undiscernable and may he not have the same priviledge himself So then if God has put a vaile upon Election do'st thou think to see into it When he has shut and clasp't the book of Life do'st thou think to open it and read it II. Vocation comments upon Election Gods decrees that were set from everlasting do bud and blossome and bring forth fruit in time Election buds in a promise and blossomes in an offer of grace The Book was written before the foundations of the world were laid but it was not publisht till God himself gave it an Imprimatur The Letter was dated from eternity the Supersociption was writ in time in Vocation Now you know though the Letter be writ first yet the Superscription is read first by him that receives the Letter 'T was decreed from eternity that Decrees should be known in time And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulnesse of time is the time when Gods decrees are fulfilled When the decrees of God are ripe then he lets the soul taste them and then they are sweetest Then thou perceivest that thou art a vessel of honour when God puts thee upon an honourable imploiment That fountain of love which ran under ground from everlasting bubbles up and flowes to thee in time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation Thus thoughts of men when they would appear they put on words they take wings to themselves and flie away III. There is a strict and an inseparable connexion betwixt Election and Vocation For who is there that can blast the decrees of Heaven or who can reverse the Seale of the Almighty Who can break one linke of this golden chaine To be sure 't is not in the power of created Beings to evacuate and annihilate the counsels of God A creature as it had no influence upon Election so neither has it any power to alter it A shadow does not alter the Sun but rather shews you what time of the day it is And then to be sure God himself will not reverse his own seale Nulla est litura in dâ—crâ—tis sapientum say the Stoicks A wise man will scorne to blot out any thing Nulla sunt litura in libra vitâ— God is so full of light as that there is no shadow of change in him Therefore has God pickt thee out as a Jewel and laid thee up in a secret repository in the Cabbinet of his secret councel He will then bring thee out and shew thee in time he means to polish thee and put a lustre upon thee he means to set thee as a Diamond in his Ring and to put thee upon the band of a Saviour Did God from all eternity resolve to set thee as a captive soul at liberty Truely then thou needest not doubt but that he will in time break open the prison-doors and beat off thy chaines and thy â—etters and give thee full inlargement God has been preparing a feast for thee from everlasting a feast of sweet and fat things a refined an Evangelical feast To be sure then he will invite thee in time he will stand at thy door and knock nay he will compell thee to come into it God glanced an eye of love upon thee when thou layest hid in the barren wombe of nothing to be sure then in time he means to wooe thee and to winne thee and to espouse thee to himself in faithfulnesse and in truth IV. Election and Vocation though in respect of us they have gradual and climbing accomplishments yet in respect of God they are equally present For there is no succession in eternity There can be no Priâ—â— posterius where there was no beginning 'T is true that our finite Beings as they cannot sufficiently graspe an infinite Essence so neither can they measure an infinite Duration And therefore our understandings put many times severall periods there where there ought not to be the least Comâ—â— because we span out things by our own narrow Duration For Duration is nothing else but permanoâ—â—ia in esse a continuation and abiding in Being the spinning out of Entity And therefore as the soul cannot see the face of God so neither can it see the vastnesse of his Duration which is adequate and commensurate to the degree of his Entity So that we being but of yesterday are not competent judges of Eternity And as the soul imprisoned in a body can but darkly conceive of spiritual Beings and cannot behold the lustre and oriency of an Angel nay it cannot behold its own beauty much lesse is it able to behold the glory of God himself So being here conversant with transient things that have their Ortum Occasum their Fluxum Refluxum their Spring and Autumne their bounds and their bottome and dwelling among temporals 't is not so well acquainted with the vast Duration of Eternity And yet it can far better behold the back-parts of Eternity then the face of it Eternity à parte pòst then Eternity à parte antè because the soul it self is measured by that Duration Whereas only that one Supreme Being God himself has the compleatnesse and perfection of Eternity No wonder then that our understandings put several periods there where there ought not to be the least comma because we span out things by our own Duration that which bubbles from Eternity comes flowing to us in time But Vocation is as eternall as Election In respect of God Jacob was as soon call'd as he was chosen and that not only in respect of the secret counsel and decree of God but whensoever God does actually call Jacob he calls him ab Aeterno for Eternity is not at all spent and exhausted by continuance but is alwayes in vigore viridi 'T is a flourishing Duration that never withers nor decayes Indeed Vocation is nothing else but Election pulling off her velle and smiling upon the soul and telling her that God loves her and manifests and displayes his love to her V. It is altogether irregular and anomalous for the soul 1. To prie into Election 'T is dangerous to tread on the highest round first and here it is impossible Thus the soul forgets that it is a creature it forgets its own Duration and would be measuring it self by Eternity The windowes of the soul must be set open for the entertaining of such light as do's more immediately flow in upon it and the understanding must close and comply with such objects as are best proportioned to it Now you know that those things which are first intelligible in their own nature yet are not alwayes first presented to the view and eye
not alwayes of the strongest and goodliest bodies none of the longest lives Sometimes the soul is so acute as that it cuts the sheath of the body asunder Sometimes the Lutanist scrues up the strings so high as that they crack immediately Many times the soul is in the full when the body 's in the wane That which we usually call a lightning before death some think 't is but the souls finding of its former liberty that 's now to be loosen'd from the body to be enlarged and set out of prison and that makes it so chearful To be sure there are at least strong and pregnant probabilities of the souls immortality to a natural eye to a Philosophical eye with common light And they that tell us of the souls Mortality we may very well question what manner of souls they have to be sure as the Psalmist speaks They are become like the beasts that perish Others are so far in love with the souls immortality that they would have every soul immortal sensitive and vegetative souls But it shall suffice us that the souls of men are so and this is the fourth excellency of the souls of men the excellencie of their Duration And this is the first head of Arguments by which you see the preciousnesse of a soul from the several excellencies of the soul it self 2. If you would know the worth and preciousnesse of a soul Consider what value and esteem they put upon it that are best acquainted with the worth of it This is one of the wisest and surest wayes to know the worth of a thing to consider how they prize it that best know it See then how they value souls that know them best I. God himself the Creatour of souls 1. The Father of spirits He must needs know the worth of souls for he made them and he weighs the spirits of men he has often put them into the ballance and he knows the worth and weight of them Now see how he esteems them He has laid out his thoughts from everlasting for the bringing in of some souls to himself He has pickt them out as his Jewels The counsels and contrivances of heaven have been spent upon them Now do you think that God would lay out his thoughts upon them from everlasting unlesse they were very precious II. Jesus Christ the great Purchaser of souls he bought them and so must needs know the worth of them It was no ordinary price that he paid for them neither You were not ransom'd with corruptible things c. Now do you think that Jesus Christ would have laid down his own life spent his own precious blood for them except they had been very precious There 's nothing that does speak the worth and excellency of a soul then what was laid down for them to redeem them And these words in the Text are the words of him that bought souls the words of Jesus Christ himself the great Redeemer of souls he tells you that one soul is more worth then a world III. The Angles they are Spirits themselves and so are more acquainted with the nature of Spirits then we are See how they esteem them 1. The Good Angels what care do they take for souls They are ministering Spirits for the good of souls They pitch their Tents about them they have charge of souls they rejoyce at the conversion of a soul Heaven is alwayes full of joy brimfull of joy but it runs over with fresh joy when a soul is brought in to a Saviour 2. The Evil Angels those great Plunderers of souls those black and damned Potentates of Hell the Devils these know the worth of souls too well For 1. What variety of temptations have they for the beguiling of a soul How many thousand hooks and baits for the catching of a soul How many designes and stratagems for the ruining of a soul what ambushes and underminings for the undoing of a soul how does he spread abroad his nets and fill the world with snares for the entangling of a soul what serpentine windings and workings what depths and methods of deceit what flatteries and insinuations and all for the deluding of a soul 2. How does he rage when a soul is pluckt out of his paw The whole legion of them is in an uproar and commotion when they have lost one of their prisoners they look upon it as a great losse 3. How does he envy Jesus Christ the saving of one soul How does he think souls too precious for him If all the powers of darknesse could hinder it there should not be one soul translated out of their kingdome 4. How does he glory and triumph in the conquest of souls If hell were capable of joy it would have it then when souls are captivated by this Prince of darknesse These are his spolia ampla the goodly trophy's and monuments of his victory 5. How many factours and agents does he imploy to bring in souls to his kingdome how many are serviceable and instrumentall to him and how does he go up and down like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour Do you think he would take so much pains about souls if they were not worth it 6. In his formal Contracts he does not stand long a cheapning he 'l give them what they 'l aske he knows he can't outbid himself A soul is worth more he knows then he has to give for it 7. How does this torment him that he is in a chaine and can do no more hurt to souls that there is an hook in this Leviathan that he is restrain'd and limited so as that he cannot have his will of souls So that by all this you see the evil Angels the Devils know the worth of souls too well And this is the second head of Arguments by which you see the preciousnesse of souls c. 3. Arg. Because other things are precious in reference to the soul The worth of the soul puts a lustre upon other things 1. Precious Faith why is that so precious because 't is for the saving of a precious soul 't is such a radical and essential Grace We beleeve to the saving of the soul 2. Precious Promises why are they so precious because they are for the welfare of a precious soul Cordials to revive a fainting soul balme for the healing of a wounded soul restauratives for the recovery of a languishing soul 3. Precious Ordinances Why but because God does here in especial manner display himself and reveal himself to souls He gilds them with his own glorious presence they are the wells of salvation out of which souls must quench their thirst 4. Precious Ministers why such a lustre upon that Calling more then upon others why they so honourable but because they are more immediately conversant about souls The converting of souls that 's the crowne of the Ministery You are my Crown and my Joy sayes Paul to his converted Philippians No wonder then if contempt be pour'd out upon the
Ministery if once they come to neglect souls if Cura Animarum be made but a slight businesse But they that convert souls to righteousnesse sayes the Prophet Daniel they shall shine as the starres in the firmament they shall have a more bright and massy Crown answerable to a greater degree of service 4. Arg. If you would still see more clearly the worth and preciousnes of souls do but consider the variety of Gospel-dispensations in respect of souls 1. Those many invitations that are made to souls to come into Christ that sweet Rhetorick those strong motives those powerfull perswasions those precious wooings and beseechings of them We beseech you by the mercies of Christ by the bowels of a Saviour we beseech you as if God himself should beseech you to be reconcil'd unto him Do you think there would be so much wooing and beseeching if they were not very precious Do you think the Spirit himself would so intreat do you think the Holy Ghost would be so importunate with them else Nay these souls are so precious as that he will have some for himself he will take no denial no refusal Go and compell them to come in 2. Consider those sad Lamentations that are made when souls will trample upon their own mercy as Christ speaks to Jerusalem in that passionate strain and dips his words in teares O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. This great lamenting shews that 't is the losse of a precious thing 3. Know that the World is kept up for this very end for the bringing in of some souls for a Saviour Do you think that God is at this vast cost and expence in maintaining this vast fabrick of the Creation only for men that oppose him and provoke him and violate his Lawes No 't is for the gathering of his Jewels for the binding up some precious souls in the bundle of Life If 't were not for this the very pillars and foundations of the world would crack asunder 4. Think upon the great Preparation that is made for the entertainment of souls how that Christ is gone to prepare a place for them What treasures of love and sweetnesse what heaps of joy are stor'd up for them what a weight of Glory what Crowns what Thrones what glorious and unexpressible and unconceiveable Priviledges shall they then enjoy Thus by all these several Arguments you have seen the worth and preciousnesse of souls Vse 1. And now when we consider the worth of them we might even take up this sad lamentation How is the gold become drosse how is the most fine gold chang'd The precious souls of men that were purer then Snow ruddier then Rubies more polisht then Saphirs in their first Original now their visage 't is blacker then a coal How are they become the reproach of him that made them the body's slaves the devils captives the scorn of every lust and temptation Nay you might even melt and dissolve into tears under this sad and serious consideration that so few of these precious souls shall be saved that there are so many of them that drop into hell irrecoverably And though there be a generation of men in the world that will never go over this narrow Bridge unlesse they put on Spectacles that so they may tumble in more Artificially men that lay down such large and reaching principles of so vast a latitude as that they scarce make it possible for any to be damn'd men that widen the narrow gate in their own apprehensions yet God has reveal'd his minde expressely and 't is the constant voice of the Gospel it self that there are but few of these precious souls that be sav'd And which is more that as for men of the rarest and most admirable endowments of the choicest accomplishments men of most orient and glittering souls there are fewer of these then of others Not many wise c. And yet all this comes not about because of any want of Gospel-provision not but that there is Balm enough in Gilead Oile enough in that horn of salvation not but that there are abundance of bowels in God which yearn towards the precious souls that he has made but because men refuse his goodnesse and abuse his mercy imprison his truth and shut it up in unrighteousnesse Now when men are told of the worth of their souls when they are put in minde of their preciousnesse again and again when they have all means for the welfare of their soul and when they are directed in the wayes that tend to the saving of the soul when they are convinc'd that such and such lusts fight against their souls and when they know that the present season of grace is all they are sure of for the welfare of their soul If they shall stubbornly refuse their own mercy and wilfully and violently rush into their own ruine though their souls were ten thousand times more precious then they are yet they perish deservedly Vse 2. Me thinks therefore at length men should come to such thoughts as these 'T is time now to provide for our own souls 'T is time now to build for Eternity Tanquam semper victuri If he that does not provide for his own house is worse then an Infidel then surely he that does not provide for his own soul is little better Yet how many are there in the world that live so as if they had no souls to save Many that take no notice of their own souls These are spiritual Beings and run not into their outward senses and so they never minde them These mens souls are so dark as they cannot see themselves Others that do take some little acquaintance with their own spirits yet how do they leave them in a rolling and fluctuating condition how do they venture Eternity upon what strange uncertainties do they leave a precious soul as he that was ready to die said He should know by and by whether the soul were immortall or no that was all he made of it Or as that other that complemented with his soul in that sporting language Animula vagula blandula Quae tandem abitura es in loca And yet 't is an impression engraven upon every Being with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond Nay 't is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stampt upon every Being by the finger of God himself that it should look to its own preservation to the maintaining of it self so that 't is matter of amazement astonishment that the souls of men being such precious Beings should look to their own welfare no more And it can be resolv'd into nothing else but into that same first and grand Apostasie from their God the fountain of their life and happinesse When they lost their God they lost themselves and when they fell off from him they Apostatiz'd from their own Essence And now they minde the body and take care for things here below and neglect themselves If there be any that can repair the ruins of Nature
or that can wrangle a little for mens estates these shall have honour and esteem in the world and the things of the world at their command But they that take care only for souls these must live upon meere benevolence as if the Ministers of the Gospel were nothing indeed but souls as if they were properly Angels that must assume a body and deliver their message and then must disapper This does strongly convince that men prize their bodies and their goods above their souls because men of such employments Lawyers and Physicians these finde better entertainment in the world then the Ministers of the Gospel Hence it is also that men neglect the seasons of grace opportunities of mercie advantages for their souls which they would not neglect in other things The Sabbath the market-day for souls how is it slighted prophaned yet the Sabbath was made for man for the soul of man chiefly for that is the chief of man And yet God had us'd very strong and powerful means to engage men to seek the welfare of their own souls For out of his own infinite love and goodnesse he has by a strict connexion knit and united his own glory and the salvation of souls together He has wrought Israels Name in the frame of his own glory That whereas now if these two were sever'd a man were bound to seek the glory of God before the salvation of his own soul For though the soul be very precious yet the glory of the Creatour of souls is infinitely more precious God therefore out of the riches of his grace has so joyn'd these together as none can put them asunder He that seeks the glory of God does by this promote the welfare of his own soul and he that seeks the saving of his own soul does in this advance the glory of God He that seeks the one must seek the other also Vse 3. If the souls of men be so exceeding precious then admire the goodnesse of God that does not leave them in the power of men 1. Some souls the souls of his own people are so precious as that he won't leave them in their own hands You know how Adam dispos'd of his own soul when he had it in his own keeping And such men as are left to themselves you see how they lay out their souls But God has laid up some precious souls in a safe and sure hand they are laid up as a rich Depositum in the hand of a Saviour and they are kept by his Almighty power through faith unot salvation 2. Souls are so precious as that he won't leave them to the disposing of other men He keeps these Apples of his eye under the lid of his own Providence The sword of an enemy can reach but the sheath of the body An enemy though never so fierce and furious can but cut the sheath of the body asunder Fear not them that can kill the body and that 's all they can do c. Yet such is the fury and implacablenesse of men as that if they could reach the soul that should be the first they would strike and wound and they would damne other mens souls as surely as they do their own As that desperate Italian that having an enemy of his at advantage threatened to kill him unlesse he would curse and blaspheme renounce his Religion that foolish man too covetous of a frail and fading life yielded to him but as soon as he had ended such blasphemies as were prescrib'd him the other stabs him presently and then triumphs and applauds himself in his bloody victory O sayes he 't is a kindly and delicate revenge O 't is an orderly and methodical revenge first to damne the soul and then to stab the body You see what the rage and fury of men would reach unto but that God has set souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. And therefore thou that wilt trust him with thy precious soul wilt not trust him for things here below Wilt thou trust him for Eternity and not for a moment wilt thou trust him with the Jewel and not with the casket wilt thou trust him for thy Soul and not for thy body thy state thy name Think upon our Saviours Argument Consider but the Lilies of the field they that have but vegetative souls two or three removes off from matter They neither spin nor â—â—ile why shouldst thou then have spinning and toiling thoughts will he not much more take care for thee Vse 4. See here the top of Antichristian fury his cruelty to souls as if the souls of men were Antichrists slaves to be hurried up and down at his pleasure as if an heap of precious souls were but Antichrists foot-stool for him to get up to his throne by Consult but with that place in the 18. of Rev. vers 12 13. You 'l see there that Antichrist trades there in very rich and costly commodities Gold Silver Pearles Purple Silke c. But amongst the rest he has one more precious then ordinary and 't is a sure and staple commodity that he trades in and 't is in the souls of men And that which bespeaks the ruine of Antichrist and cries aloud to that God to whom vengeance belongs and 't will pour out the very dregs of the vials upon him his deluding of souls his imposing upon souls his multiplying the bricks putting out the eyes of souls making them grinde at his mill to goround in an implicite faith and like his slaves he buyes them and sells them at his pleasure The blood of souls is the Paint of that same spiritual Jezabel and the Scarlet of the Babylonish whore 't is double-dy'd in the blood of Saints Vse 5. This speaks aloud to the Prophets and sons of Prophets that they would lay out all their golden talents and precious opportunity for the welfare of souls not only their own souls but for the souls of others too to be men of publick influence to spread light abroad in the world 'T is the strongest expression of love you can show to a Saviour Peter lovest thou me feed my sheep feed my lambs Let this be a token of thy love and signe that thou lov'st me Does not it pitty you to see so many precious souls famisht for want of the bread of Life so many ignorant souls rushing upon their own ruine for want of light so many souls poison'd with unsound doctrine and strange opinions so many unstable souls beguil'd by rude and illiterate men that torture the Scriptures and feed men so as if Non-sense were the only Nectar and Ambrosia for immortal souls to live on Don't you see how thirsty souls are that they will drink in muddy waters had not they rather think ye drink in pure and crystalline streams Do they take in Errour so fast and would not Truth be more pleasant to them You are the hope and the expectation of souls if you should frustrate and disappoint them whither should they go or where should they betake themselves Where shall the thirsty soul go unlesse the fountain afford it some streames where shall the new-born soul satisfie it self unlesse the breasts afford it sincere milk How shall the wandring soul finde out its way unlesse the Seers and Watchmen be pleased to direct it How shall souls be season'd with grace if the salt it self be unsavoury If the eye be darknesse how great must the darknesse be O lay out your selves so as that thousands of souls may blesse you and have cause to blesse God for you Truly the harvest is great and precious and the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest FINIS Fox Observ Vse Object Resp Doct. Vse 1. Vse 2. Observ 1. Observ 2. Observ 3. Observ 4. Observ 1. Object Sol. Object 1. Sol. 1. Sol. 2. Sol. 3. Object 2. Sol. 1 Sol. 2. Object Sol. Object 1. Sol. Observ 2. Observ 3. Observ 4.
presence The soul knows the aspect of the Spirit better then we do the face of a friend The light of a presumptuous wretch is like a blazing Comet and do's but portend his ruine it carries a venomous and malignant influence in it and the light of an hypocrite is but a flash and coruscation very brief and transient A man may sooner take a glow-worme for the Sun then an experienc'd Christian can take a false delusion for the light of the Spirit 3. There is a twin light springing from the word and the Spirit Try the spirits To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this rule it is because there is no morning in them The Scripture was all endited by the Spirit and the Spirit cannot contradict himself You do but grieve the Spirit whoer'e you are that pretend to any Revelation that agrees not with the Word Nay the Spirit has reveal'd his whole minde in the Word and will give no other Revelation any otherwise then we have spoken of And whoever he is that rebells against the light of the Word he fhall never have the light of the Spirit Whil'st thou dost not follow the directing light of the Spirit thou shalt never have the quickening and cherishing beames of it And thus you have heard the double Testimony the Spirit witnessing with our spirit and now you must know that 1. The Testimony of Gods Spirit is alwayes accompanied with the Testimony of our own spirit and so that word Rom 8 is significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly of one that do's only confirme what the other sayes But then 2. A man may have the testimony of his own spirit that has not the witnesse of Gods Spirit The Spirit as it breaths when it pleases so it shines when it pleases too Well then the question is whether the Christian who has but the single testimony of his own spirit may be assur'd of his salvation Mr. Perkin's propounds the case and resolves it thus If the testimony of the Spirit be wanting then the other testimony the sanctification of heart will suffice to assure us We know it sufficiently to be true and not painted fire if there be heat though there be no flame thus he And his meaning is as indeed the thing is that it is a true Assurance though not so bright an Assurance I may see a thing certainly by the light of a candle and yet I may see it more clearly by the light of the Sun And for my part I think that certainty do's not consist in puncto but may admit of a latitude and receive magìs and minús And the contrary principle do's delude many There 's an absolute and infallible certainty in faith and by this I know the creation of the World well but besides this I know it by reason and by unquestionable demonstration and I think this addes to my certainty So here though one testimony be enough for Assurance yet a double testimony makes it more glorious Certainty admits of degrees and a man may be more certain of a thing that he is already certain of Take two Christians both may be assur'd of their salvation and yet one may have a clearer assurance then the other has One may have a double testimony and another but a single Nay the same soul may have at one time a double testimony and at another but a single The light of the Spirit may and do's often withdraw it self and leave only the witnesse of our own spirit and yet then the soul has Assurance But yet the soul should aime at the highest Plerophory at the top of Assurance Then quench not the Spirit lest you put out your own joy grieve not so sweet an inhabitant that comes to comfort you give him no cause to withdraw his light Quest But what if the soul have not the witnesse of Gods Spirit nor of its own spirit neither What if it have no present light no certain evidence Answ There 's one way left yet have recourse to former Assurance Do'st thou certainly know and remember that once thou had'st a sweet serenity of soul that an inlight'ned consciscience upon good grounds did speak peace unto thee Did'st thou never see the light of the Spirit crowning thy soul with satisfying beames Art thou sure that once he did bear witnesse with thy spirit that thou wert the childe of God Why then be sure still that thou art in the same condition for there 's no totall falling from grace Thy light it may be is put out for the present Conscience do's not speak so friendly to thee as 't was wont And thou hast griev'd the Spirit and he has took it unkindely and has held off his-light for a while But now canst thou remember the dayes of old when the Rock pour'd out Oile unto thee when thy branch was green and flourishing Canst thou certainly recall thy former Assurance Canst tell the time when the Spirit did set his Seale unto thee and confirm'd all thine Evidences Well then lay down but perseverance for a ground and thou art still assur'd of thy salvation The Spirits testimony is of an eternall truth And heaven and earth shall sooner passe away then one beam of this light shall vanish though now it be not apparent to thy eye When the soul for the present is cloudy darke it may cherish it self with former Assurance Now that a soul may have no sensible Assurance for the present and yet may remember former Assurance is clear in that holy man David Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit Davids joy was extinguisht and he would fain have it lighted againe Three things imply'd in the word Restore 1. That for the present it was taken away 2. That once he had it 3. He remembers that he had it and therefore prayes Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit that was the spring of Davids joy the testimony of the Spirit witnessing with his Spirit was that which did uphold and staffe up the soul Davids own spirit was now very unquiet and Gods Spirit did withdraw himself and now the best refreshment that David has is from former Assurance 'T is true there is some sadnesle and bitternesse in this consideration when a Christian shall think what he has lost O my soul was once a beautiful Temple full of fair windowes and goodly prospects and glorious light I could take a prospect of Canaan when I pleased but now I dwell in the tents of Kedar nothing but blacknesse and darknesse There is trouble and a sting in these thoughts but yet there is some honey and sweetnesse too Was I not once a friend of God and do's he use to forsake his friends Did he not once speak peace to thee and do's he use to recall his words Did not he shed his love in thy heart and is not his