the Sonne of God shall not perish but have life everlasting But I beleeve on the Sonne of God Therefore c. Whoever judge themselves shall not be judged of the Lord. But I judge my self Therefore c. Whoever loveth the Brethren hath passed from death to life But I love the Brethren Therefore c. In these or the like proofes 't is the Spirit of grace which gives us the right understanding and firme beliefe of the proposition As for the assumption which hath in it the evidence of graces 't is made good by a twofold testimony the testimony of our consciences 2 Cor 1. 12. 1 Iohn 3 19. 20 21. and the testimonie of the Spirit it selfe bearing witnesse together with our consciences And although both propositions be made good yet we are so slow of heart to beleeve that we cannot without the speciall help of the Comforter the holy Ghost freely boldly joyfully and with a firme perswasion inferre the conclusion as a most certain truth So that in the businesse of assurance and full perswasion the evidence of graces and the testimony of the Spirit are two concurrent couses or helps both of them necessary without the evidence of graces 't is not a safe nor a well grounded assurance without the testimony of the Spirit t is not a plerophory or full assurance There were two evidences of purchase in use among the Jewes one sealed another open Ier 32. 11. Which custome Hierome saith was continued till his time The evidence of the Spirit is like that which was sealed the evidence of markes like that which was open Therefore let no man divide the things which God hath joyned together See them joyned in three Texts of Scripture Rom 8. 16. neither our spirit alone nor the spirit of the Lord alone beareth witnesse that we are the Children of God but both these together beare witnesse of this thing The spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit 1 Cor 2. 10. 12. we read that the spirit revealeth unto us and makes us to know the things which are freâ—…ly given to us of God But withall vers 13. there is a comparing spirituall things with spirituall and so among other things compared together there is a comparing of spirituall markes with a spirituall state of spirituall fruit with a spirituall tree c. 1 Iohn 5. 6. the spirits witnessing is joyned with the witnessing of the water and blood that is with the evidence of grace the evidence of justification and a pacified conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from the guilt of sinne also the evidence of sanctification and a pure conscience purged from the inherent filth and staine of corruption the former of these is the testimony of the blood the latter is the testimony of the water and both these not enough as to the point of assurance without the testimony of the spirit nor it enough without them In the next place let us take a tryall of this way of assurance so far as concerneth the evidence of graces so much opposed by the Antinomians Let us take that notable evidence 1 Iohn 3. 14. And now heare the Antinomian Objections against this assurance from the evidence of love to the Brethren 'T is objected that a soule must be exceedingly puzled with this marke of love to the brethren before it can clear the case that it belongs to Christ for if you will try your selfe by this marke you must know first what it is to love the brethren secondly that they are the brethren whom you love The nature of love is described 1 Cor 13. 4 5 6 7. Charity or love suffereth long and is kinde Charity envieth not Charity vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up doeth not behave it selfe unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Come now and bring your hearts to these particulars in your examination Is there no envying in mee at all towards the Brethren Is there no thinking evill of any of the Brethren Is there no seeking my selfe or my owne good in my love to them Is there a bearing all things for their sakes Is there no being puffed up or vaunting above the brethren Is there no thinking better of my selfe then of them So that a soul must attaine to a mighty high measure of sanctification and victory over a mans self before it can reach to this to say I love the Brethren But suppose you finde all this love in your selves doe you know they are the brethren you love you know the brother-hood consiâ—…s in being united unto Christ that is an invisible thing none can know it but God onely no man can say such a one is a brother And if you say though I am not certaine that he is a Brother yet I love him under the notion of a brother to this it is replyed Take all the Sects in the world they will love their owne Sects as Brethren And after a description of the Antinomians 't is added These are the Brethren do you love these men Oh there are many that goe by signes and markes that cannot endure the Brethren they goe with them under the name of Libertines I have now the objection before me as full and strong as one of the best gifted Antinomians of this age could make it For answer whereunto I will demonstrate these three things 1. That this objection destroyes as much and more their own exposition of this Text in 1 Ioh. 3. 14 That the Antinomian way of removing scruples and doubts of conscience and setling a soule in peace and assurance is a most inextricable Labyrinth and layeth knots faster upon the conscience in stead of loosing them 3. That this way of assurance by the marke of love to the brethren is a sure and safe way and hath no such inextricablenesse in it as is here objected First I say their objection militateth as strongly yea much more strongly against their own interpretation of my Text For the same Antinomian in that same Sermon and others of that way understand the scope of this Text to be for comforting the brethren against the difesteem the world had of them the world hates them vers 13. But we know saith he that we are translated from death to life because we love the â—…rethren that is whatever the world judgeth of us we perceive and know one another by this mark that we love the Brethren In short they say this seemes rather to be a marke how my brother may know me then that by which I should know my self Which interpretation how ill grounded it is and how inconsistent with vers 18 19 20 21. who seeth not Only I now observe that they cast down what themselves build For if I cannot know my self by the inside of love much lesse can my brother know me by the out side of
will return to the good old way the Scripture way Christs way the Apostles way in which I shall finde rest to my soule The third point now remains viz. that there is no such inextricable difficulty darknesse or mist in this mark the love of the brethren but that the children of God may and sometimes do clearly and safely assure their hearts by this mark that they have passed from death to life Which that it may appeare I shall speak first to the Object the Brethren then to the Act which is love Touching the Object let foure things be observed First this we certainly know that there are Saints on earth we believe the holy universall Church Now all who have passed from death to life those and none but those have a true and sincere love to the saints in generall praying heartily for them sympathizing with their suffering and rejoycing at their felicity None but a Saint can say in truth and with a sincere selfe-denying affection If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to theroof of my mouth If I preferre not Ierusalem above my chief joy Ps. 137. 5. 6. The Apostle commends praying for all Saints Eph 6. 18. and love to all the Saints Col 1. 4. I conceive he means not only all the Saints known to us but the whole invisible Church of Saints on earth That prayer and protestation Psal. 122. 7 8. when uttered in Spirit and Truth can proceed from no other but a gracious renewed heart peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces For my brethren and companions sake I will now say peace be within thee This very love to the Saints in generall as to the excellent and precious ones of the earth is a fruit of Sanctification and a mark of a renewed and gracious estate even as contrary wise they that have no love to the Saints in their species or kind that love and esteem men only for some earthly respect and consideration the Rich the Honourable the Mighty c. or for some particular humane relation Parents Wives Children Kindred Friends Benefactors c. much more they that delight in the company and fellowship of the prophane and ungodly prove themselves to be such as have not yet passed from death to life Secondly t is neither necessary nor possible that we have a a certain and infallible knowledge of the true Saintship and regeneration of these particular persons whom we love under the notion of Brethren and Saints The Apostles themselves did once look upon and love some as Saints who were no Saints Iudas Simon Magus Ananias and Saphyra and others of that kind It is Gods own prerogative to know certainly the hearts of men To require a certain knowledge of the Saintship of others before we can say we love the Brethren doth not only strike at the mark of love but at the duty of love and makes the yoke of Christ heavy yea unsupportable and the very Evangelicall commandment of love to be most grievous yea impossible And if the Antinomian objection hold good no man on earth can performe acceptably this duety of Love except he know the hearts of those whom he loves under the notion of Saints If it be replyed that the commandement of Christ is acceptably performed when to my best knowledge and observation and according to the best tryall which one Christian is allowed by Christ to take of another they are Saints whom I love under that notion and that tiâ—… not necessary to the acceptable pâ—…rformance of the duty of love that I know infallibly such a one to be a true Saint Then it will follow by the like rule and by parity of reason that comfort and assurance may be had from this mark I love the Brethren although I cannot certainly and infallibly say these whom I love are true Saints For if I can be cleare in point of the duety and that my obedience to the new commandement of Christ love one another is acceptable to God then may I also be clear in point of the mark or signe this proposition I love the Brethren being a necessary consequent from that proposition I have through the grace of Christ so far performed the duty of Love as that it is acceptable to God in point of new obedience and this leads me to a third answer 3. Particular or individuall Saints may be so farre known by their fruits and are so farre discernable and visible as that our love to them under that notion may be known to be an acceptable service to God and so a comfortable mark or evidence to our selves Which plainly appears from what Christ saith Math 10. 41. 42. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward And whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Before verse 11. Into whatsoever City or Town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide till ye goe thence Heb 6. 20. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love which ye have shewed towards his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister These believing Hebrews did not infallibly know that they were Saints to whom they ministred yet the Apostle tels them their worke was acceptable to God and made himself to be perswaded of them things that accompany Salvation They to whom he writes being conscious to themselves of the truth and sincerity of their love might much more be perswaded of themselves things that accompany Salvation from this mark of Love although they could not know infallibly the hearts of those whom they loved as Saints We may without either revelation or infallibility of judgement by the marks which the word gives us for judging and discerning of others so farre be perswaded in a judgement of Charity that this or that person is a Saint a Brother a Sister one in Christ as that our love to the person under that notion is according to the rules of Christ flowes from faith which worketh by love and is acceptable to God as a part of our new obedience If it were not so this absurdity would also follow there could be no communion of Saints one with another at least no such thing done in faith Do not Believers act in Faith and not doubtingly when they have communion one with another when they exhort and comfort one another when they pray one with another when they sympathize one with another If they do not act these things in Faith they sinne for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin 4. It is to be observed that he who objects to others
they cannot know whether this or that man be a Brother even he himself akes upon him to judge who are the Brethren He makes a description of the Antinomians under fair and plausible expressions and then concludes These are the Brethren do ye love these men It seems if it had been condescended upon that the Antinomians are the Brethren there had been an end of his objection But is not this Popish Donatisticall Pharisaicall to appropriat to themselves the name of the Brethren the godly partie the true Church excluding many thousands of those who are truly godly and dear to Jesus Christ although different in opinion from them And what if one should fancy that the Antinomians are only the Brethren yet how should one know that this or that Antinomian is a Brother Doth not his own objection fall upon him the Brother-hood consists in being united unto Christ that is an invisible thing none can know it but God only no man can say such a one is a Brother So much of the certainty of the Object the Brethren Now to the certainty of the Act which is Love The nature of Love was described out of 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. Then to fright the soul from examining it self by this mark it was added Is there no envying at all towards the Brethren Is there no thinking evill of any of the Brethren Is there no seeking my self or my own good in my love to them c. Who is the legal Preacher now Here is a racking of the conscience with necessity of egall perfection in our sanctification and Evangelicall graces Do not themselves say that our Iustification is perfect but our Sanctification unperfect why then wil they not suffer the soul to take any comfort from the fruits of Sanctification except they be perfect When Iohn saith hereby we know that we have passed from death to Life because we love the Brethren I ask doth he mean perfect Love which is every way what it ought to be If so then they put a false sense upon the Text for there neither is now nor was then any such Love in the world Doth he mean of true unfeigned sound love although imperfect Then there is no place for their objection For a true Believer hath in himself a true love to the Brethren which Love putteth forth and exerciseth it self in a sincere and conscionable indeavour of all those duties which are reckoned forth 1 Cor 13. as effects or if you will acts of Love This soundnesse and sincerity of Love may be a sure mark to the soule although I confesse without this sincerity the very work and labour of love is no sure mark to the conscience to examine it self by for as the Apostle there teacheth us a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet not have true love O but how shall I know saith the doubting Christian that my love to the Brethren is a true sincere sound love To that I say thou mayest know it by these tokens First if thou lovest the Saints as Saints and because they are Saints not for their excellent Gifts or parts so much as for their Graces not for any relation to thy self so much as for relation to Christ. T is true repentance when we sorrow for sinne as sinne T is true love when we love the Saints as Saints that is for this cause and consideration chiefly because the Image of God appears in them Papists pretend that with one act of adoration they worship Christ and his image But we say with more truth and reason with one affection and one act of love we love both Christ himself and those who bear his Image both God and his Children I mean t is Christ himself whom we love in his Saints Secondly thy love when thou lovest all Saints Col 1. 4. epist to Philemon v. 5. And this followeth necessarily from the first mark For a quatenus ad omne If as Saints then all saints Lovest thou all the saints in general praying for them all Lovest thou all the Saints in particular whom thou knowest that is thou darest not confine or limit this love to those Saints only who are altogether of thy opinion which it appears from the objection before mentioned the Antinomians have dared to do or who have some intimacy of friendship with thee nay nor to these who never wronged thee never strovâ—…with thee who never spake evill of thee but all whom thou hast reason to judge to be saints thou lovest them wishest well to them art ready to do them good according to thy power and if thou be at variance or difference with any of them tho â—… prayest God to make them and thy self of one heart and of one minde and it is an affliction of spirit to thee to be at variance with any that are Christs Canst thou thus clear thy self in thy conscience and darest thou say these things before the searcher of hearts Then is thy love a true Love Thirdly thou art a sincere Lover of the Brethren when thou lovest them in all their different estats and conditions the Poor as well as the Rich them of low degree as well as them of high degree the persecuted as well as the prospering the reproached as well as the commended This is also a necessary consectary upon the first mark For if thou lovest saints as saints the variation or difference of their outward condition will not make thy love towards them to cease Obadiah was a sincere Lover of the Brethren and he gave this good Testimony of it he was a kinde friend to the Prophets of the Lord when they were persecuted by Ahab and Iezabel Foorthly thy Love to the Brethren is true and sincere when it puts forth it self in all thy relations when a man desires to choose a wife that fears God and a woman desires to marie none who is not godly when a Master seeks godly servants and a servant seeks a godly master when a people choose godly Ministers and godly Magistrats godly Commanders and Officers of Armies c. And again Magistrats Commanders Ministers love countenance encourage and strengthen the hands of such under their Charge as are godly when a man if he be to choose a friend to consult with yea if he were but to choose a Lodging where he is a sojourner he desires and seeks after a godly Friend a godly Family c. Fifthly Love is true and sincere when the action of Love is not without the affection of Love 1 Cor. 13. 3. and when the affection of Love is not without the action of Love 1 Iohn 3 17 when love openeth both the heart and the hand both the Bowels and the bosome I do not mean that all or any of these marks can be found in any saint on earth without some mixture of the contrary corruptions for we must not look that an imperfect grace such as love to the Brethren is in this world must needs
observations especially at such a time when this corner of the world is so full of new and strange Doctrines As for the reasons take these 1. If we be not stedfast and unmoveable in the profession of our faith we frustrat as to us the end for which the Scriptures were written Luke gives this reason to his Theophilus why he wrote the story of Christs birth life and death That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Luke 1. 4. When Peter hath mentioned the voice which came from heaven concerning Christ hee addeth the certainty of the Scripture as a greater certainty We have also a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye doe well that yee take heâ—…d as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2. Pet 1. 19. A voice from heaven might sooner deceive us then the written word of God 2. To maintaine and professe the true Doctrine and the true faith is by all protestant orthodoxe writers made one yea the principall marke of a true visible Church Christ himself Ioh. 10. 4 5. gives us this mark of his sheep the sheep follow him their shepherd for they know his voice and a sâ—…ranger will they not follow for they know not the voice of strangers 3. If once we forsake the way of truth and goe into an erroneous way wee shall not know where to finde our paths we shall wander from mountain to hill forget our resting place As one wave comes after another so doth one error come after another As a canker spreadeth so doth error 2. Tim 2. 17 Evill men and seducers shall waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim 3. 13. Which hath made some and I hope will make more who were too inclinable to the new Doctrine and practises of Sectaries at first now to fall off from them when they increase unto more ungodlinesse unto more errour and there is no end one error breedeth a hundreth and a hundreth will breed ten thousand What was it that made so many fall off from the Prelats who once joyned with them Was it not because they were growing from the old ceremonies to many new ones and each year almost brought in some new superstition and from Popish rites they grew to Popish doctrines 4. If wâ—…e waver and be led about with diverse and strange doctrine then the prophesies which have gone before of the true Church shall not be made good in us It was promised concerning the Church and kingdome of Christ Isa. 32. 4 5. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly the vile person shall be no more called liberall c. that is those who simply and rashly were led about with every winde of Doctrine shall be so wise and knowing as to distinguish between truth and error between vertue and vice and call each thing by its right name So Isa. 33. 6. And wisedome and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation 5. Instability and forsaking the way of Truth maks us losse much that we had gained 2 ep of Iohn vers 8. all the comfort we enjoyed all the good that ever our souls received of such a Truth such a cause such a ministery all that ever we did or spake or suffered for the Truth all this we losse when we turn aside after an erroneous way 6. It greatly hindereth our spirituall comfort and contentment Col 2 2. To be knit together in love is one mean and to have all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of Gospel truths is another mean by which the Apostle wisheth the hearts of Christians to be comforted It addeth much to Pauls comfort that he could say I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown c. 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. 7. We run a great hazard of our soules and our saâ—…vation when we turn aside from truth to error It is said of the unstable that they wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet 3. 16 Like a man fallen into quick sands the more he wrestles out the more he sinks When the Apostle hath spoken of Christs purchasing of our reconciliation justification and sanctification he addeth an If Col 1. 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard Not that our persevering in the true faith was acondition in Christs purchasing of these blessings but it is a condition without which we cannot possesse enjoy what Christ hath purchased that is he that falls away from the true Doctrine of the Gospel proves himself to have no part of the benefits of Christ. Some errors are in their own nature damnable and inconsistent with the state of grace or a fellowship with God 2 Pet 2. 1. So 2 ep Iohn v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Sure it may be said of Arrians Socinians Papists Libertines they have not God because they abide not in the doctrine of Christ so Gal 5. 4. Other error there are of which I may say whatsoever they are comparatively impenitency and continuing in them doth condemne whence it is that the Apostle Iames reckoneth him who erres from the truth to be in a way of death and danger of damnation Ia 5. 19. 20. Now the preservatives against Wavering and helps to stedfastnesse in the Faith are these 1. Grow in knowledge and circumspection be not simple as Children in understanding There is a slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive So speaks the Apostle of these that spread diverse and strange Doctrines Eph 4. 14. and Rom 16. 18. he warres us that they do by good words and fair speaches deceive the hearts of the simple Thou hast therefore need of the wisedom of the serpent that thou be not deceived as well as of the fimplicity of the Dove that thou be not a deceiver Phil 1. 9 10. Do not rashly ingage into any new opinion much lesse into the spreading of it With the welladvised is wisedome Pythagoras would have us Schollers only to hear and not to speak for five years Be swift to hear but not to speak or ingage Prove all things and when thou hast proved then be sure to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess. 5. 21. Mat 7. 15. 17. There was never an Heresie yet broached but under some faire plausible pretence beguiling unstable souls as Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2. 14. Pro 14. 15. The simple believeth every word Be not like the two hundreth that went in the simplicity of their hearts after Absolom in his rebellion not knowing any thing but that he was to pay his vow in Hebron 2 Sam 15. 11. 2. Grow in grace and holynesse and the love of the truth for the stability of the
love and if I cannot have any solid or safe comfort from this that I love the Brethren how much lesse can this comfort me that others judge me to be a lover of the brethren And how do I know them to be the brethren who judge so of me For by their rule no man can say such a one is a brother so that they do but tye themselves with their own knots and must therefore either quite their sense of the Text and take ours or else hold that this text hath no comfort at all in it which yet is most full of comfort and sweet as the honey and the honey combe But secondly will you see these men falling yet more foully in the ditch they have digged for others While they object so much against a believers examining or assuring his conscience by fruits of sanctification sincerity of heart hatred of sin respect to all the commandements love to the Brethren while they tell us that none of these can be sure evidences to the soule and while they pretend to shew other soule satisfying evidences which can resolve quiet comfort and assure the conscience they do but more and more lead the soule into a labyrinth and make the spirits of men to wander from mountain to hill and to forget their resting place I might here take notice of the six remedies against doubting which one of them offereth as an antidote and preservative against all objections whatsoever yet all the six put together cannot resolve nor clear the conscience in the point of a personall or particular interest in Christ I heare much will the perplexed soule say of the nature of faith of free justification of the things sealed in Baptisme c. But oh I cannot see that I have any interest for my part in these things Not to insist upon these six remedies which are indeed most insufficient as to this point my present work shall be to speak unto those personall and particular evidences of an interest in Christ which are held foorth by their chief writers Do but observe their way and you shall see that either they fall in at last into our way of gracious marks and qualifications or otherwise leave the Conscience much more perplexed and unsatisfied then they found it They tell us of two evidences a revealing evidence and a receiving evidence that by the spirits testimony this by faith The revealing evidence of interest in the priviledges of Christ which will put an end to all objections is the voice of the Spirit of God to a mans own spirit This is the great evidence indeed and the evidence which at last doth determine the question and put an end to all objections Well But doth the Spirit of God give testimony to the soule any otherwise then according to the word of God No saith the same writer by no means for it is most certainly true saith he that every voice in man speaking peace being contrary to the word of grace that voice is not the voice of the spirit of the Lord it is the voice of the spirit of delusion Immediatly he moves this doubt But how shall I know that this voice though it be according to the word of grace is indeed the voice of the spirit of the Lord and be satisfied that it is so He might have moved this doubt which is greater how shall I know that this voice or this testimony doth indeed speak according to the word or whether it speak contrary to the word so be the voice of the spirit of delusion Peradventure he had found it difficult and even impossible to answer this doubt without making use of and having recourse unto the way of signes or marks such as the word holds foorth And this agreeth to that twofold joint witnessing Rom 8. 16. the spirit of God is not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a witnesse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui simul testimonium dicit he bears witness not only to but with our spirit that is with our conscience So that if the witnesse of our Conscience be blank and can testifie nothing of sincerity hatred of sin love to the Brethren or the like then the spirit of God witnesseth no peace nor comfort to that soul and the voice which speaketh peace to a person who hath no gracious mark or qualification in him doth not speak according to the word but contrary to the word and is therefore a spirit of Delusion I shall not contend about the precedence or order between these two Testimonies in the soul so that we hold them together and do not separat them in our assuring or comforting of our hearts before God And here I must take notice of another Passage where he whose principles I now examine saith I do not determine peremptorily that a man cannot by way of evidence receive any comfort from his sanctification which he thus cleareth The spirit of the Lord must first reveal the gracious minde of the Lord to our spirits and give to us Faith to receive that Testimony of the Spirit and to sit down as satisfied with his Testimony before ever any work of Sanctification can possibly give any evidence But when the Testimony of the Spirit of the Lord is received by Faith and the soule sits down satisfied with that Testimony of the Lord then also all the gifts of Gods Spirit do bear witnesse together with the Spirit of the Lord and the Faith of a Believer Surely such a Testimony or voice in the soul as the soul sits down satisfied with before ever any work of sanctification can possibly give any evidence is not an evidence according to the word but contrary to the word and therefore not the revealing evidence of the spirit of God so that in this I must needs dissent from him for he casts the soule upon a most dangerous precipice neither is the danger helped but rather increased by that posteriour evidence or after comfort of sanctification which he speaks of for the soule being before set down satisfied with the Testimony of the spirit of the Lord and Faith receiving that Testimony so he supposeth it cannot now examin whether its sanctification be sound or not sound whether its graces be common or speciall seeming or real It implyes a contradiction if I say that I am assured by the evidence of the spirit of God and by the evidence of Faith that I am in Christ and in Covenant with God and that notwithstanding I sit down satisfied with this assurance yet I am not sure of the soundnesse of my Sanctification Therefore to put the soule upon a looking after the evidence of graces and the comfort of sanctification when the soule is before hand fully assured and satisfied against all objections and doubtings is not onely to lay no weight at all upon these marks of Sanctification in the point of resolving or clearing the Conscience but it is much worse then so it is a confirming
these Prophets is one thing the way of revelation and inspiration by which the prophesie came another thing the Apostle is there onely comparing two extraordinary and miraculous gifts together tongues and prophesie Of the two prophesie is rather to be desired for the edifying of the Church for he that speaketh a strange tongue cannot edifie the Church except it be interpreted but he that prophesieth edifieth the Church by his very gift of prophesie with lesse businesse and without an interpreter This being the scope and sence of the Text it may discover the weaknesse of that ground upon which many have supposed that the Apostle means nothing by prophesie but the ordinary gift of expounding and applying Scripture yea vers 6. prophesie and revelation are at once held forth both as edifying and as distinct from doctrine and revelation distinct from knowledge must needs be taken a gift and not to be numbred among ordinary gifts as Iunius upon the Arabike in the place noteth what ever acceptions of the word we may finde else where in Scripture Object 4. But the Apostle bids them desire that they may prophesie vers 1. how can one desire or pray in faith for a miraculous and extraordinary gift of the Spirit Answ 1. He bids them not onely desire that they might prophesie but that they might have other spirituall gifts such as the gifts of tongues So vers 1. and the interpretations of tongues and hee wishes to them all the gift of tongues now the gift of tongues was extraordinary and miraculous as Acts 2. 6 7 8. They might desire both the one gift and the other to glorifie God and to profite withall 1 Cor 12. 7. yea they might pray for it in faith for these ends and so much the more because Mark. 16. 17. the promise is made to beleevers of that first age And these signes shall follow them that beleeve in my name shall they cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues c. And why might not the prayer of faith obtaine the gift of prophesie as well as recover the sick Iam 5. 15. although neither the one nor the other might be prayed for with that absolutenesse and peremptorinesse of desire as saving mercies and graces necessarie to salvation which is intimated in part by the different phrase noted by Erasmus and others to be used 1 Cor 14. 1. follow after charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pursue it or as the Syriak runne after it so follow after love as never to be satisfied till ye overtake it be earnest in the pursuite of it But concerning tongues prophesie and the like he addeth and desire spirituall gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which falleth short of the other not signifying any affecting of any thing with all our endeavour as the other word doth but only a high esteeming valuing admiring wishing of a thing which yet if it be denyed to us we must sit down satisfied without it Object 5. But these Prophets were to be judged examined and tryed 1 Cor 14. 29. 32. therefore it seemes they were not extraordinary Prophets infallibly inspired Answ 1. If those who came under the name of extraordinary Prophets might not be tryed and examined why are there so many caveats in the new Testament to beware of false Prophets Mat 7. 15. and 24. 11 24. 1 Iohn 4. 1. Did not the Lord admit of Moses his objection that peradventure the children of Israel would not beleeve him that God had appeared unto him and sent him wherein God will have him to satisfie them by signes and miracles Exod. 4. 1. to vers 10. are not the Bereans commended Acts 17. 11. for proving and trying the Doctrine of the Apostles themselves by the Scriptures 2. Although such as had the gift of prophesie did not nor could not erre so farre as they were inspired by the holy Ghost in prophesying much lesse in writing Scripture yet they might have and some had their owne mistakes and errors in particular cases whereof I shall have one instance in Elias who said he was left alone But what saith the answere of God unto him I have reserved to my selfe seven thousand c. He spake from his own spirit when he said he was left alone but the answer of God corrects his mistake Another instance in those prophesying Disciples Acts 21. 4. Who said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not goe up to Ierusalem Therefore foretelling and foreknowing of Pauls danger at Jerusalem was from the spirit of prophesie but the consequence they did draw from hence that therefore Paul should not go up to Jerusalem This Interpreters conceave was only from their own spirits though they misfathered it upon the Spirit of God 3. 'T is well observed in the English annotations upon 1 Cor. 14. 32. That although those prophesies were infused by the holy Ghost that cannot erre yet all things are not alwayes revealed to one and that which is not revealed to one is oftentimes revealed to more and sometimes in clearer manner There might be also some thing mingled with that which the Prophets receaved and it might fall out that that which they added of their own by way of confirmation illustration or application might be justly subject to censure wheher it must be tryed and judged by others whether the prophesies proceed from the inspiration of the holy Spirit and according to the rule of faith Esa. 8. 20. Object 6. The Apostle distinguisheth Prophesie from ministery Rom. 12. 6 7. therefore they who prophesied were gifted persons out of office Answ 1. Diverse resolve that Text thus that first the Apostle maketh a generall division of Ecclesiasticall offices Prophesie comprehending these that labour in the word and doctrine Ministery comprehending those that labour not in the word and doctrine and that thereafter the Apostle subdivideth prophesying into the pastorall and doctorall function and Ministery he subdivideth into the office of the ruling Elder Deacon and the other of shewing mercy which was committed sometimes to old men sometimes to widows 2. When I look again and again unto that Text I rather incline to understand by prophesie there the extraordinary prophesie and by Ministery the ordinary offices in the Church Having then gifts saith the Apostle and differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith that under the colour of prophesie and revelation wee bring nothing which is not agreeable to the rule of faith Or Ministery let us wait on Ministery If our office and administration be ordinary let us attend it and not slight it because it is ordinary Then he enlargeth this last by an enumeration of the ordinary offices in the Church Pastors Teachers ruling Elders and Deacons While I am writing these things I finde Gomarus upon Rom. 12. 6 7. of the same opinion that prophesie is meant here of that which is extraordinary Ministery of that which is
errour in the own nature of it veniall yet every sin is not a grosse and hainous sin and every errour is not Heresie Heresies are mentioned as greater evills then Schismes 1 Cor 11. 18. 19. which could not be so if every errour were an Heresie 6. 'T is an errour factiously maintained with a renting of the Church and drawing away of Disciples after it In which respect Augustine said Errare potero Haereti us non ero I may eâ—…re but I shall not be an Hereticke Hereticks are deceivers and seducers who endeavour to pervert others and to overthrow their faith 2 Tim 3 13. Act. 20 30. 2 Tim. 2. 17. 18. Rom 16. 17 18 19. 2 Pet 2. 2. All known and noted Hereticks are also Schismaticks who make a rupture and strengthen their own party by drawing after them or confirming unto them Disciples and followers in so much that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used for a Sect as Act. 5 17. and 15. 5. and 24. 5. and 26. 5. For this cause the Donatists were condemned as Hereticks without imputation of Heresie to Cyprian And O strange turning about of things saith vincentius Lirinensis advers haeret cap 11. the Authors of the same opinion are judged Catholiks but the followers Hereticks The Masters are absolved the Disciples are condemned The writers of these books are the Children of the Kingdome but Hell shall receive the assertors or mantainers This last ingredient which is found in Heresie is hinted by the Arabick interpreter 1 Cor 11. 19. where he joyneth Schismes and Heresies as was noted before And indeed in the Originall the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the rising of the speech sets forth Heresie as carying schisme with it in its bosome I believe saith the Apostle in part what I hear of your schismes for there must be also Heresies i.e. both Schismes and somewhat more Calvin Institut lib 4. cap 2. § 5. makes the breaking of Church communion the making of a rent a thing common both to Hereticks and Schismaticks for Hereticks break one band of Church communion which is consent in doctrin Schismaticks break another which is love though sometimes they agree in the like faith From all which Scripturall observations we may make up a description of Heresie to this sense Heresie is agrosse and dangerous errour voluntarily held and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible Church in opposition to some chief or substantiall truth or truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy Scripture by necessary consequence But next why saith the Apostle that there must be Heresies This is not a simple or absolute necessity but ex Hypothesi I mean not onely upon supposition of Sathans malice and mens corruption but upon supposition of Gods eternall and infallible foreknowledge and not only so but upon supposition of the eternall decree of God whereby he did decree to permit Sathan and corrupt men to introduce Heresies into the Church purposing in the most wise and most holy counsell of his will to disabuse as I may so say his Church by these Heresies that is to order and over-rule them for the praise of his grace and mercy to manifest such as are approved and from the glory of his justice in sending strong delusion upon such as received not the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrigâ—…teousnesse These things being so i. e. Sathans malice and mens corruption being such and there being such a foreknowledge yea such a decree in God therefore it is that there must be Heresies and so we aâ—…e also to understand Mat 18. 17. it must needs be that offences come These things I doe but touch by the way That which I here aime at is the good use which God in â—…is most wise and soveraigne providence can and doth make of Heresies 'T is that they which are approved may bee made manifest Whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which are approved we can understand nothing but such as are true and sincere Saints approved and accepted of God or as Bullinger on the place vere pii truely godly In which sense the same word is used Rom 16. 10. 2 Cor 10. 18. 2 Tim 2. 15. Iaâ—… 1. 12. The word is properly used of good money or silver well refined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is transferred to Saints with speciall reference to their mortification or to the refyning of them from the drosse of their corrupâ—…ions and so noteth such as walk in the spirit and not in the flesh The contrarie word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reprobate rejectaneous naughty or to bee cast away like the drosse of silver 1 Cor 9. 27. 2 Cor 13. 5 6. But how is it that by means or occasion of Heresies the godly party is made manifest Surely the meaning of the Apostle is not that the authors and followers of Heresies are the godly party for he calls Heresie a work of the flesh Gal 5 20. and will have an Heretick to be rejected as one who is of himself condemned Tit 3. 10. Therefore most certainly his meaning is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which are approved are known by this as one of their characters they hate avoid and resist Heresies and earnestly contend for the faith they hold fast the truth of Christ without wavering And those who broach or adhere unto Heresies are thereby known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved and such as are like reprobat silver Whosoever therefore sideth or ingadgeth with Heresies or Hereticks yea whoever stands not fast in the faith doth ipso facto declare himself to be none of Pauls godly party So contrary is the holy Ghosts language to the tone of Sectaries in these dayâ—…s Neither is it in this Scripture alone but in diverse other Scriptures that the holy Ghost distinguisheth those that are approved of God from such as turne away from the truth after false doctrines and beleeve seducing spirits as well as from those who are of an ungodly life So Deut 13. 3. when a false Prophet arose and the signe or wonder came to passe what was Gods meaning in permitting these things The Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and wâ—…th all your soule They therefore that hearkened to the false Prophet even when his signe or wonder came to passe made themselves known thereby that they had not been lovers of God with all their heart Again Matth. 24 24. those that are elect are not deceived by false Christs and the false Prophets and by the rule of contraries they who are deceived by them and go in their errour to the end are not elect but reprobat Gal 5. 20. 21. Heresie is a work of the flesh and is reckoned among these things which render a person uncapable of inheriting the Kingdome of God They therefore who walk in the spirit and not in the flesh and are made meet to be partakers
glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle If so then remember that whole Text is copulative and none that belong to the Church and bodie of Christ may be secluded from any part of the Text. We may alâ—… well hold that the Children of beleivers not yet grown up to knowledge and the use of reason are incapable of the love of Christ or of justification sanctification and glorisication by Christ as to hold that they are uncapable of the washing of water by the word i.e. of Baptisme which cannot be made void but is efficacious to all the members of Christ young and old by vertue of the word of promise and Covenant of grace sealed in that Sacrament according to that of Augustine Accedit verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum The washing of water by the word can no more be restricted to the Church of aged or actuall beleevers then Christs love and death with the ends and effects thereof can be restricted to such The complication of these benefites is clearer in the Originall the the nearest rendering whereof is thus That cleansing it with the laver of water by the word he might sanctifie it The Tigurine version thus ut illam sanctificaret mundatam lavacro aquae c. CHAP. XVIII Of the use of a Table in the Lords Supper And of the communicants their coming to and receaving at the Table THat a Table ought to be so farre used as that the Elements of bread and wine ought to be set upon it is not I think controverted but whether therebe so much light from Scripture as that all the communicants ought to come to and receave at the Table This I conceave to be the question For resolution whereof I humbly offer these following considerations First of all it may easily appeare that the first guests whom our Saviour intertained at this Sacrament of his body and bloud receaved at the Table Chrisostome de proditione Iudae Serm. 30. Comparing the Eucharisticall supper with the passeover saith that both of them was celebrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at or on the very same Table The common Supper the Paschall and the Eucharisticall were all at the Table Luke 22. 21. But behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with mee on the table John 13. 28. Now no man at the Table knew c. Which Texts I do not understand of the Lords Supper as some do but of the common Supper But I suppose no man did ever imagine that the Apostles being before set at the Table did remove from it when they were to receave the Lords Table Peradventure it will be replyed for so it hath been replyed by some that the first Communicants their sitting and receaving at the Table was occasionall in respect that they had been sitting before at the common and at the Paschal supper so that in this particular we are no more bound to follow Christs example then in the other occasionall cicumstances the upper chamber unleavened bread after supper c. Beside Christ had but twelve communicants unto whom he was to give the Sacrament and so might conveniently make them all sit at the table which now in many Churches cannot conveniently be done Finally that it is as great a deviation from Christs example to have divers successive tables without which innumerous Congregations all the communicants cannot receave at the table I answer 1. 'T is gratis dictum that sitting at the Table was occasionall or such as hath not a standing but a temporary reason for it and there is this reason to the contrary occasionall circumstances in that action which are not to be imitated by us were such as Christ was limited unto by the law or by the providence of God so that therein he was not left at a liberty or latitude to choose to doe otherwise For instance it was not allowed by the Law to have any other bread in Ierusalem during the feast of passeover but unleavened bread onely The upper room was the place assigned by the Master of the house God so ordering After supper it must be because it must succeed to the passeover being also the Testament or latter will of Jesus Christ. There was also a providentiall limitation to such and so many communicants that is not exceeding the number which was allowed to eat the passeover together Let some such reason be brought to prove that sitting at table was occasionall else let it not be called so Sure if Christ had not thought it fittest and choosed it as the best way that his Disciples should receave his last Supper at the table it was free to him to have changed their posture without encroachment upon any law of Moses or upon any providentiall limitation Secondly I am herein the more confirmed because Christ himself as it were on purpose to shew that the sitting and receaving at Table was not occasionall but such a thing as he meant to commend unto us for our imitation he gives this standing and permanent reason for it that it is a peice of honour that he will have put upon those whom he inviteth calleth and alloweth to eat and drink with him Luke 22. 27. for whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth Is not he that sitteth at meat This at meat is not in the Originall where wee finde onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that sitteth wee may aswell and better supply at table from vers 21. adde vers 30. That yee may here I supply from vers 27. and Matth. 8. 11. Sit downe and eat and drinke at my table in my Kingdome and sit on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Here is an honour of Communion and an honour of Iurisdiction The honour of Communion is to eat and drink at his Table in his Kingdome and this honour signified by their sitting eating and drinking at his table in his last Supper he puts upon them as beleeving communicants so that it belongs to all such There is another honour joyned with a speciall judiciall prerogative to sit on Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel and herein there is somewhat meant peculiarly of the Apostles which is notwithstanding mentioned else were in a different phrase as a Prerogative of all the Saints 1 Cor 6. 2. Thirdly it cannot be denyed but that the first communicants who receaved from Christ might with more ease and conveniency be placed at the table then can bee now in many Churches which have been accustomed to another way But we must not bring down our rule to our conveniences rather bring up our conveniencies to our rule It is no hard matter to alter pewes and such like things in Churches where the present posture is inconsistent with following the patterne and a lesse alteration will serve then is apprehended Fourthly the flux and reflux so to speak of severall successive tables where there is a great number to communicat and the repeating or pronouncing and applying to those severall tables
be proved by such marks as have no imperfection in them If the marks be true then is the grace true and that is enough to the point which I now assert But as the grace is not perfect no more are the marks of it perfect And as there is no faith here without some unbelief no repentance without some impenitency no watchfulnesse without some security no contrition without some hardnesse no self-denyall without some self-seeking So no love to the Brethren without some want of Love to the Brethren no marks of true Love without some imperfection and falling short and no marvell because no spirit without flesh no grace without corruption Feelest thou then those contrary corruptions those roots of bitternesse in thy heart if thou warrest against them through the strength of Jesus Christ and endeavourest to have thy love every way such as hath been described then God looks upon thee and would have thee to look upon thy selfe as a lover of the Brethren As long as thou art in this world thou shalt have cause to walk humbly with thy God because of the great imperfection of all thy graces and of thy love to the Brethren among the rest and still thou shall have flesh and corruption to war against all the powers parts acts of thy inward man Let there be but a reciprocall warring of the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5. 17 so shall thou passe in Christs account for a spiritual not for a carnall person Neither do I say that thou must alwayes finde a perpetuall conflict or battell between the flesh and the spirit or otherwise no ground of assurance The Apostle speaks of warring not of conflicting or fighting there is alwaies belluÌ„ though not alwaies praeliuÌ„ between the flesh the spirit The new man dare not make peace with the old man nay nor agree to a cessation of Armes with him dare not allow or approve corruption nor allow the neglect of means and endeavours Yet the new man is sometimes taken napping and sleeping sometime assaulted and spoiled and bound hand and foot he may be carried away as a poor prisoner but Christ will again relieve his own prisoner and set him in a fresh military posture against Sathan and sin I hope I have now so far scattered those mists clouds cast by Antinomians and so farre extricated a poore soul out of those doubtings into which they would drive it as that a Beleever may knowingly and confidently say I love the Brethren sincerly and unfeignedly and hereby I know that I have passed from death to life which is a good and sure argument whether we consult scripture or the experience of Saints CHAP. XXII Of the true reall and safe Grounds of enâ—…uragement to believe in Iesus Christ. OR Vpon what warrants a sinner may adventure to rest and rely upon Christ for Salvation THere are some Divines abroad who condemning Arminianisme and much more Pelagianisme yet have not adhered to the orthodox Doctrine asserted by the most approved Protestants writers and received by the best reformed Churches against the Arminians in the article concerning the death of Christ. These have found out a midle and a singular way of their owne that Christ died for all men conditionally viz if they shall believe in him that he hath redeemed all upon condition of Faith One of their arguments is because otherwise we cannot encourage sinners to believe nor satisfie a troubled conscience nor keep it from desparing Upon the like ground that all may be comforted every man being assured that Christ died for all men and so for himself Mr Moore hath written a tractat of the universalitie of Gods grace and of Christ dying for all men as himself expresseth in the title of his Book T is also one of Mr Saltmaâ—…sh his encouragements which he gives to sinners that Christ died for sinners as sinners as hee speaks whereupon it followeth according to the rule à quatenus ad omne that he died for all sinners Surely this is not the way as is pretended to ease and encourage the troubled and terrified conscience Neither can they by their principles minister solid comfort to a sinner tempted to despair of mércy All the scrupulosity and unsatisfaction of conscience which they object against our Doctrine that Christ died not for all but for the Elect only whom the Father gave him followeth as much yea more as I shall shew afterwards upon their own way First of all when they give comfort and encouragement to sinners upon this ground that Christ hath dyed for all upon condition of faith t is to be remembred that conditio nihil ponit in re the generality of men can draw no result from the death of Christ as it is set forth by their Doctrine but that Christ hath by his death made sure this proposition that whoever believes on him shall be saved or that all men shall be saved if all men believe Now a conditionall proposition is true in the connexion of one thing to another if this be that shall be although neither the one nor the other shall ever have an actuall existence If Sathan and wicked men get their will Christ shall have no Church on earth if the Elect fall away from faith and obedience they shall perish If the damned in hell had place and grace to repent and to believe in Christ they should be saved or the like So what solid comfort can the soul have from that conditionall proposition which is all the encouragement they do or dare give from the death of Christ to all men all men shall be saved by Christ if they believe on him Is it not as true and as certain may a sinner think with himself that no man on earth shall be saved if no man on earth believe and for my part if I believe not I shall be damned If all this hang upon the condition of my believing saith the troubled conscience why then hath not Christ merited to mâ—…e and will hee not give me the grace of believing That new Doctrine answereth that Christ hath merited faith and gives the grace of believing not to all but to the Elect only that God hath in his eternall decree inâ—…ended to passe by in the dispensation of his grace the greatest part of mankinde and to keep back from them that grace without which he knowes they cannot believe on Jesus Christ That though Christ meant that all men should have some sort of call to believe on him and should be saved upon condition of their believing yet he had no thought nor intention by his death to procure unto all men that grace without which they cannot believe This doctrine of theirs while it undertaketh to comfort all men and to encourage all to believe it tels them withall upon the matter that all cannot be saved because all cannot believe that God will not give faith and so not salvation either unto millions of sinners What comfort is