sins and life everlasting by Christ is generally propounded in the Ministery of the word the holy Ghost does particularly apply it to the heart of such a one and does seal up the promise to the soul That when faith sayes this promise is mine this belongs to me the spirit does strongly apply it this is thine indeed and this does 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 referred 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 healing under his wings The graces of the spirit these flow like a pure and Christalline 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 anâ— heavenly light that we may see heavenly things Now thou knowest thy faith to be lively and thy Repentance to be sound thy sorrow to be ingenuous and thy obedience sincere thy love to be unfained and thy fear to be filial for thâ— Spirit has set his Seal to all thy graces and haâ— acknowledged them for his own Object 1. O but many have thought they havâ— had the spirit when they had it not and the Devil that foul spirit can transform himself into an Angel of light Sol. But 1. One mans self-deceit does not prejudice anothers certainty What if one man flatter himself in a false light and please himself iâ—â— a meer shadow of assurance must all men need follow his example A man that 's in a dreaâ— thinks himself awake when he is not I but 〈◊〉 hope for all this a man that is awake may ceâ—tainly know that he is so Many a Travell 〈◊〉 has thought himself in the right way when 〈◊〉 has been out of it and yet this does not hindeâ— but that he that 's well acquainted with tâ—â— Road may know that he is in his way Whâ—â— if one man take Copper for Gold must all mâ—â— 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 does paraphrase and comment upon its own glittering Essence and the spirit displayes himself to the soul and gives a full manifestation of his own presence The soul knowes 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 does but portend his ruine it carriâ—s 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-worm for the Sun then an experienced 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 to the Testimony if they speak not according to the 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 greeve 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 rebels against the light of the Word he shall never have the light of the Spirit Whilst thou dost not follow the directing light of the spirit thou shalt never have the quickening and cherishing beams 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 does only confirm what the other sayes But then 2. A man may have the testimony of his own spirit that has not the witness 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 assured of his salvation Mr. Perkins propounds the case and resolves it thus If the testimony of the Spirit be wantiâ—g then the other testimony the sanctification of heart will suffice to assâ—re 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 thouâ—h 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 does not consist in puncto but may admit of a latitude and receive magis and minus And the contrary principle does 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 adds 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 assured 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 does often
to try their own spirits if that after all their diligence thet can't tell what to think of them All uses of examination were vain and frivolous which yet are the very life and spirits of preaching And Ames tells us of a donum discretionis which Christians have by which they can discern true grace from counterfeit There are certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they may distinguish them and judge of them in themselves though not in others certainly Object 2. If all thus by the testimony of conscience may know their own frame of spirit whether they be upright or no why then are not all true Christians assured of their salvation what have they not their consciences and hearts about them Sol. 1. Many are not sufficiently acquainted with their own spirits they do not keep so strict a watch over themselves they are not verst in their own hearts they don't try and search their wayes they have riches and a treasure and do not know of it Sol. 2. It is in so great and weighty a matter Eternity does so amaze and swallow up the thoughts as that they are ready to tremble where they are certain and secure A man on the top of a Tower knows that he is safe enough and yet when he looks down he is afraid of falling 3. Conscience sometimes gives a dark and cloudy testimony when 't is disquieted and charged with new guilt the soul can't so clearly read its evidences And then it begins to question its condition It may be it has dealt hypocritically in some one particular and now it begins to question all its sincerity We do not say then that Conscience does alwayes give a clear and full testimony but sometimes it does and that with absolute certainty 2. Now comes in the second witness and the great and supreme testimony of the spirit himself witnessing with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Rom. 8.16 we render it the same spirit but in the fountain is the spirit it self not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the gifts and graces of the spirit but the spirit it self Object This testimony seems to be coincident with the other for a man can't tell his own sincerity 't is the spirit that must reveal a man to himself The soul can't see its own face unless the spirit unmask it the spirit is more present and conversant with the soul then the soul is with it self He does not only know our hearts but he is greater then our hearts and knowes all things Sol. We 'l easily grant that to the least motion in spirituals there is necessarily required the concurrence of the Holy Ghost but withall we say that there 's a mighty difference between working of the spirit and the testimony of the spirit There 's a powerful and efficacious work of the spirit when faith is wrought in the soul but yet there is not the testimony of the spirit for every believer has not presently the seal set to him so that though the testimony of our own spirit cannot be without the help and influence of the spirit yet 't is clearly distinct from the Testimony of the spirit for here the spirit does enable the soul to see its graces by a present light by the soules light But when it comes with a testimony then it brings a new light of its own and lends the soul some auxiliary beams for the more clear and full revealing of it so that you see according to that plain text in the Romans There are two distinct Testimonies the spirit witnessing with our spirits And St. John is the most expresse Beloved if our hearts condemn 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 soul scatters all Clouds all doubts and questions 't is as evident as any demonstration 1 John 3.24 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 soul that beleeves to print his love upon the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 witness 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 bosom of God he is fully acquainted with the minde of God and he reveals it to the soul 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 called a seal and an earnest Now he assures the soul 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 fears and tremblings and working upon the remainder of corruption plots against the peace and well being of the soul so this holy spirit by the comforting working upon that principle of grace which he himself hath planted in the heart of a Christian does study and contrive the welfare of a beleever And as the spirit of bondage does strongly apply wrath and the curse so this sweet spirit of Adoption applyes grace and mercy The spirit of bondage strikes terror into the soul by a mighty Application of wrath this curse flames against thee this threatning this curse flames against thee this threatning is shot off against thee these vials of wrath are prepared for thy soul So the spirit of adoption does set on strong and vigorous apprehensions of mercy this pearl of price 't is to enrich thee these Evangelical cordials are to revive thee this balm in Gilead is prepared for thy soul The spirit of Adoption speaks love and peace and pardon and that by particular Application of the promise to us As when the promise of Remission of
love be When God had brought that great sickness upon Hezekiah and thus had dissolved and softned his heart he presently prints his love upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast loved my soul 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 eat 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 scorned the pomp and lustre of the world and had trampled 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 refused 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 sealed up to a day of vengeance but these are sealed 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 Reveiation that would not prostitute their souls to Antichristian folly have the seal of God in their foreheads This is the happiness 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 mortifyiug 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 uttered for both are implyed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there then comes a Messenger of Satan to buffet him he must be put in minde of himself by a thorn in the flesh and that least he should be exalted above measure with abundance of Revelations A creature can't 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little thing will puffe up a bubble a small happiness 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 the soul-abasement and self-exinanition 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 amazed with the vastness and spaciousness 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 stored 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 fulness of God And if God do assure thee of this his love thou canst not but wonder at the greatness of his goodness especially when tho shalt recollect thy self and think upon thine own unworthiness Thou that didst not deserve a beam of his face what does he give thee a full Sun-shine Thou that couldst 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 vinegar to drink and does he flow in upon thee with milk and hony he might have given thee the first flashes of Hell and does he give thee the first fruits of Heauen what couldst thou have lookt for but an eternal frown an ddost thou meet with so gracious a smile O then fall down and adore his goodness and let all that is within thee blesse his holy name Tell me now i◠there any ground for pride in such a soul doe◠not assurance bespeak humility and speak a meer dependance 2. Times of Assurance they should be time◠of trampling upon the creature and scorning of things below Dost thou now take care for corn and wine and oil when God lifts up the light of his countenance upon thee is this same Angels food this same hidden Mannah i◠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 Calf is slain wilt thou now still feed upon husks Art thou clothed with the Sun and canst not thou trample the
as have a plain antipathy against sin against the very picture and appearance of sin such as prefer 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 born 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 goodness as therefore to provoke him because he knowes 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 changed and then they 'l be of another minde 2. Love is a sweeter and surer and stronger principle of obedience then fear So that God did infatuate the counsel of that Achitophel Machiavel I mean when he stilled 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 fear then engage them by love The truth is he had given them such Rules that he kn w if they followed them they could not possibly be loved and therefore he would fain perswade them that 't is better to be feared And though this may seem to adde some sparklings to Majesty and to brighten the Crown of Soveraignty yet it leaves it far more tottering more unfixt and uns tled 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 feared 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 terrors they usually prove abortive And what though a body be pulled and haled and scared into obedience the soul is not conquered with all this A slave does 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 Praecoxtristitia 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 boundless 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 trampled upon love and are no longer subjects but profest Rebels 'T is love that glews and fastens the whole Creation together Those seeds of love which God himself who is love has scattered amongst Beings those sparks 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 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 espoused to another in faithfulness 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 inferior 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 maintained and repaired 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 Earthquakes 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 sweetness a Mount that drops fatness 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 Wolf and the Lamb must be at peace the Leopard and the Kid must lie 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 welcome tyranny 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-born of the soul and the beginning of its strength Who would not be captivated by so sweet a Conqueror Who would not be melted in so delicate a flame What heart would not entertain so pleasant an arrow The Psalmist was struck through with not 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 alit venis Sacro carpitur igne Believe 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 welcoming of so happy an object O how will such a soul twine about a Precept suck sweetness out of a Command catch at an opportunity long for a duty How does 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 wil send back the stream of its affection into the Ocean So that now as the soul is assured 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 lending of souls a mutual exchange and transmigration of souls Now you know all these Relations are clarified and refined 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 bosom 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 born 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 assured of his love If you look up to heaven there you see glorious Angels and glorified 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 scattered and broken beams of glory but a constant and an eternal Sun-shine And O how do they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have not only as we here below some drops and sprinklings of happiness but they are at the very Fountain and have fresh bubblings of joy full streamings out of sweetness 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 glorified 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 chearful obedience then from these How joyfully do these ministring spirits run about their glorious errands how does he bid one Go and he goes another come and he comes And that which sets a fair glosse upon happiness it self is this that they are out of all possibility of displeasing their God And so they are held forth as patterns of obedience They will be done in harth as 't is in heaven Well but then if they tell us that there is more danger of frail men that dwell in houses of clay and carry the body of death about with them 1. We must bid them entertain honourable thoughts of the excellent ones of the earth for though it be true that they are not yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet God has made them little lower then the Angels and he has crowned them with glory and honour They walk with little Coronets upon their heads Though the most massy and brightest Crown be reserved for a day of Inauguration They now feed upon Angels food God steeps them in his own nature and in his own love he gradually prepares them for heaven They are Inceptors for happiness they are Probationers for glory 2. What though there be some unworthy dealings with their God yet these flow only from those reliques of slavish principles that remain in them some fragments of the old Leaven that was not throughly purged out And not by vertue of a Gospel Plerophory What does the knowing that they are Sons of light does this dispose them to works of darkness Does the knowing that they are the spouse of Christ does this bespeak adulterous glances 'T is true the Sons of God may provoke him but must they therefore do it under this very notion because they know they are his Sons nay must they do it the more for this This were the extreamest malice that were imaginable more malice then the Devils themselves are capable of What bold blasphemy then is this against the Sons of God and against the sealing spirit I and it involves a flat contradiction too it puts an esse and a non esse simul because they know they are friends therefore they 'l deal like enemies and because they know their Sons therefore they 'l deal like slaves O what fine repugnancies are these Thus would they not only veil and cloud but also spot and deface so beautiful a truth but that it shines out with such victorious and triumphant beams But if any can yet doubt whether assurance do advance obedience let them but a while compare men assured of their salvation 1. With others in the state of grace that want assurance or with themselves when once without it And then let them tell us whether they don't differ as much as a bruised Reed and a stately Cedar in Lebanon The doubting Christian does but smoak when the assured Christian flames What faintings and shiverings and paleness in the one what vigour and liveliness what a ruddy complexion of soul in the other How is the one left to the pleasure of a wave when as the other lies safe at anchor The one can scarce lift up his weak and trembling hands in prayer when the other is wrestling with Omnipotency The one comes behinde and touches the hem of his Fathers Garments when as the other is in his very arms and embraces The one dares scarce touch a promise scare cast an eye upon a promise when as the other claims it and grasps it and appropriates it The performances of the one are green and crude and unconcocted the others are ripened and mellowed with a stronger Sun-beam of Love The one like a Lute with his strings loose and languishing the other is tuned up to its just height of affection The one like a Bowe bent sends forth his Arrows very vigorously the other does but drop them and let them fall How does Satan wound the one with many fiery dart that the other quenches How does the one fear the roaring of the Lyon which the others trample under his feet 2. If you should compare them with men
comest to a firm 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 thy self borrow light of another Lay open thy soul to an Interpreter one of a thousand hâ— may explain thy condition and paraphrase 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 uprightness Hee 'l shew thee here 's grace and there 's grace here 's a true pearl and there 's a spark though in ashes and there 's an evidence A discerning and experienced 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 total eclipse all Clouds and blackness and darkness 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 drowned 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 resign 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 wilderness in the saddest and most deserted condition Throw thy self at his feet with this resolution O my God I 'le bless thee for those eternal treasures of sweetness 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 soul 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 goodness passâ— before thee One beam of his countenance onâ— 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 wait 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 breaths here Manna's rained down here God shews his face here is the sealing place the spirit confirms the word and prints it upon thy soul Thus wait upon him in his own way I and wait 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 ashamed were all one God will wonderfully prepare the soul that he means to fill with his love Assurance is too precious a thing to be powered 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 imagined that thou shouldst die 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 Sun-shine of the face of God a beam of which thou didst 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 does then seal up the work of grace in the soul When the spirit of bondage has past upon the soul and by a strong conviction has applyed particularly guilt and wrath unto it the fatal sentence is pronounc't and the soul is filled with the scorching pre-apprehensions of hell and damnation trembles at the very thoughâ— of eternity Now for the Gospel to bring theâ—â— welcom newes of a pardon and for the spirit oâ— adoption to apply grace and mercy unto thâ— soul for the prison-doors to be broken open and a poor captive set at liberty to have alâ— the Chains and fetters beaten off and to bâ— brought into a marvellous light to have all thâ— balm of Gilead powered into him Evangelicaâ— fruitions and cordials prepared for him and which is the very extraction and quintessence 〈◊〉 all the love of a Saviour shed into his heart What strong impressions of joy think you mâ— there be in such a soul What precious infâ—â—ons of spiritual sweetness What secret springings and elevations of spirit What triumphs what Jubilees what love-raptures I am my Beloveds 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 Spouses kisse and was not it precious and more worth then a world didst not thou then 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 does not prefer the very possibility of having of it before all the world Hosea 11. â—ct When Israel was a Child then I loved him I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms
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 wouldst 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 streams and thou that art filled 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 a Creature is not he the fair'st of ten thousand away then with adulterous glances for why shouldst thou embrace the bosom 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 heightened Solomons Idolatry 1 Kings 11.9 that he turned 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 Manna 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 designs against the welfare of a soul First if it were possible he would keep thee from any grace at all But secondly if he cann'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 prevail here neither then in the thirâ— 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 goodness do so run over as that he will give thee a sense of his love then fourthly in the last place he would not have thee abuse his grace and turn it into wantonness But when God has planted thee in so happy a Paradise don't thou listen to the whisperings of the Serpent Thou that art sealed by the holy spirit don't attend to a lying spirit The devil that great plunderer of souls would fain 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 Child of light be not ruled by a Prince of darknesse If God give thee a sense of his love walk more â—tedfastly walk more accurately with thy God 4. Times of assurance they should be times â—f inviting and encouraging others in the wayes â—f grace Thus the Psalmist when his Cup overâ—owes he calls others to taste of it O taste and â—e how gracious God is that ye may trust in him â—hou mayest now bring a good report upon the â—nd of Canaan thou mayest shew them the â—odly fruits of the Land that were cut down 〈◊〉 he brook Eshcol Men look upon Religion as a rigid and austere thing that comes to rob them of their joy they must never have a smile more they must never have a Summers day after it but thou canst tell them of the sweetness and deliciousness that is in the wayes of grace thou canst assure them that all the wayes of wisdom are pleasantness thou canst satisfie them that grace does not mean to take away their joy but only to refine it that it does not mean to put out the light but only to snâ—ffe it that it may burn brighter and clearer There is no such joy to be found in the wayes of sin there is no such joy to be extracted from the Creature no the sweetest and purest honey 't is sucked from 〈◊〉 flower of Paradise Spiritual joy 't is the moâ—â— clarified joy I and 't is solid and massy joy beaten joy like beaten gold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I and 't is lasting and durabâ—â— joy All the Creatures make but a blaze but tâ—â— least spark of this 't is immortal Can there be 〈◊〉 sweeter Sabbatisme of spirit can there be 〈◊〉 happier composednesse of soul then to be provided for eternity to be sure of heaven 〈◊〉 happinesse and glory to have the revealing 〈◊〉 Gods love the displaying of himself the beaâ—ings out of his face is not the least appearaâ—â— of his love more worth then a world are 〈◊〉 the gleanings of spirituals better thâ—â—â—he vâ—â—tage of temporals me thinks an assured Christian like a Galeb or a Joshua should be able and ready to confute all the false intelligence of the spies and to answer the weak objections that they bring against the Land of Promise Awake O sluggard and arise there is no Lion in the way or if it be it has honey in it There are no Sons of Anak or if there be before Israel even these mountains shall become a Plain 5. Times of assurance they should be times of store 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now treasure up beams heap up light store up hidden Mannah To be sure this Mannah won't breed worms Then thou mayest confidently applaud thy self Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares Happy thou if this night thy soul be taken from thee Storing up of former evidences is a good provision against a cloudy day 6. Times of assurance should be times of breathing after full possession The espoused soul should long for the Nuptials for the full consummation of its joy and by a heavenly gradation it should ascend in its thoughts Is there such sweetnesse in one cluster of Canaan what shall there be in the full vintage is there such pleasantness in a prospect of the Land upon the top of Mount Pisgah what happiness shall there be in enjoyment of the Land is there such glory in a beam of Gods face what shall there be in an eternal Sun-shine is there such a sparkling lustre in the White Stone what then shall there be in all those Pearls that garnish the foundations and make up the gates of the new Jerusalem is there so much in the preface of glory what shall there be in the inlargements and amplifications of it is there so much in the Aenigma
in an unregenerate condition O what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what a vast gulf is there between them Sure you don't question whether God has more service from Israelites that feed upon Garlick and Onions Men that are under the damning and domineering power of lusts and are only kept a little in awe by some thunderings from Mount Sinai Though they spend a few sighs sometimes and drop a few teares sometimes yet when they are thus washt how soon do they return to the wallowing in the mire The chaining of a Wolf does that meeken and soften him or the putting a hook into Leviathan does that transform him Though wicked men by fears and terrors have their bounds set them like the Sea which they cannot passe Yet they are still like the raging Sea they swell and foam and cast outh their mire and dirt And who more wicked then they that are desperate Those black and damned Potentates of hell because they are out of all possibility of mercy how do they act ad extremum virium in all expressions of malice and wickednesse And therefore God out of his infinite goodnesse though he does usually seal men up to life and happinesse and lets them make their Calling and Election sure yet he does scarce ever or very rarely seal men up to ruine so as to let them know certainly that they are Reprobates for this would make them desperate there would be no living with them in the world Or if he does shew them this he does withall let them run into some act of violence that presently frees the world from them That hope which wicked men have of being saved though it be groundlesse yet it keeps them within their bounds and compass Though it be but like the Spiders web yet the very spinning of that web keeps them in the mean while from a full expression of their venom And that same shadow of obedience which God has from Hypocrites 't is founded in some shadow of hope that they please themselves in and when this hope of their own framing vanishes and deceives them then they back-slide and apostatize 4. Are there not other judgments enough to waken them out of a sinful security are there not Rods are there not Scorpions is there nothing but present disinheriting Sure you cannot but remember that famous place where God speaks to David and points at Solomon Psal 89.32 33. If his Children break my staâ—u es c. God will make his own people know that 't is a bitter thing to depart from him and to forsake their first love Nay this is most certain that wicked men themselves are not capable of such severe temporal judgements as the Sons of God are That which is hâ—re done to the green Tree cannot be done to the dry For 1. They may fall from assurance Though they cann't lose the seed the root of grace yet they may lose the flourishing and fragrancy of it Though the foundation of God remain sure yet they may fall from their top and eminency Though they be built upon a Rock yet they may be dasht with waves Though the Seal of God be of an eternal efficacy yet they may deface the Print and sculpture of it so as that it may not be visible to their eye Now what a sad alteration will this be Thou must not look for any more stroakings for any more smiles for love-glances any more Thou must bid thy fountains of joy farewel Thou must not look to see thy spouse flourishing through the Lattices any more Thou must expect Clouds and shadows and veils and curtains and walls of separation The fig-tree of Canaan shall not blossom and there shall be no fruit in the Vines and the labor of the Clive shall fail Thou must passe many a day without one Sun-beam God will seal up his sweetest influences he will shut up the windows of heaven stop the bottles of heaven he will rain down no more Manna upon thee Go to thy husks and see if they 'l feed thee Nay 2. They may not only fall from assurance but even in a total desertion look upon God as an enemy and instead of a filial Plerophory may come to a fearfâ—l expectation of the fiercest wâ—â—â—h of God Now this I say is more judgement then wicked men are capable of here in this respect that they never had his love once revealed to them whereas these are thrown down from the very pinacle of the Temple And God does not only eclipse the lustre of their former joy but dips his pen in gall and writes bitter things against them He was wont to shoot nothing but the fiery darts of Love I but now his envenomed arrows stick fast in them They did once surfet of the Grapes and Clusters of Canaan but now he hedges them in with briers and thorns They were wont to taste of a Cup of sweetness a cup of love but he has now prepared for them a cup of trembling and astonishment They had once a spring-time a budding a blossoming-time the dew of heaven dropt on them the beams of heaven visited them But now comes a sad and disconsolate Autumne a fading and withering time Their glosse and greenness is gone Heaven reveals it self in thundering and lightning flashes against them so as they shall even envy green Bay-trees then men of the world that are free from all this Now is not this enough to keep a soul in awe The Psalmist was very near this which we speak of he often tells you that his joy was put out that his peace was gone that he was even ground to powder that he was banisht from the face of his God that he was excommunicated from that happy and heavenly intercourse with God which once he had These are frequent complaints and yet he was one 1. Of a pleasant and chearful temper The Scripture paints him out as one of a sanguine complexion the men of the world would have said he had been melancholy else He was one that was like a green Olive-tree in the house of his God a most flourishing and fruitful Christian As if he had been one of the Church triumphant he was always singing fresh Halle lujahs He had a soft and delicate touch upon the Harp he could still Sauls evil spirit with his musick I but he could not thus tune and compose his own troubled and distempered spirit He was fain now to hang his Harp upon the willows and the voice of his Lute was turned into sighing And if he does sing sometimes with a thorn at his breast 't is some penitential Psalm or other 2. And yet all this while he was a King upon a Throne he wanted not the pomp and bravery of the world I but a Scepter won't conquer fears and a Crown of gold will not cure an aking head much lâ—sse an aking heart The smiles of the world they bruoght him to all this and therefore he cann't take much complacency in them
thou willingly part with thy sweetness and fruitfulness Thou that art a green Olive-Tree flourishing in the house of thy God wouldst thou be content to part with thy fatness and pleasantness Thou wert wont to stay and anchor thy soul upon thy God And wouldst 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 dost thou think them comely too Art thou weary of the Sun-shine And wouldst thou cool thy self in the shade Dost thou begin to loath thy hidden Manna and wouldst thou return to the Garlick and Onions of Egypt Art thou cloyed with the clusters of Canaan and dost thou nauseate the Honey-comb O remember thou didst not so soon obtain assurance and wilt thou so soon lose it Thirdly give diligence to recover assurance if lost O when will the winter be past when will the rain 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 findest thy spouse again thou that art sick of love Tell him that thou longest for a cluster of Canaan That thou art even famished for want of hidden Manna Desire a new edition of his love with all the inlargements of affections Lay thine heart before him and desire new stamps and impressions tell 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 didst or could'st do before Give him no rest till he give thy soul rest and fill it with himself Surely thou wouldst not willingly set in a Cloud thou wouldst not go out of the world with thine Evidences blotted and blurred Surely thou wouldst not willingly be tost and dasht with waves in sight of the haven Hadst thou not rather go to thy grave in peace O desire him to shine out upon thee a little before thou goest hence and be no more seen 2. Now surely we need not tell you why assurance does thus repuire diligence For 1. You know the hearts deceitfulness how it loves to please it self in a shadow in a painted joy to flatter it self into an imaginary happiness Most men in the world are so confident of heaven as if they had been born heirs apparent to the Crown of glory as if this new name had been given them at their baptisme 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 kind 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 seal themselves to the day of redemption when they please Thus do vain 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 a false print they are of what false glosses there be what variae lectiones what corruptions and degenerations from the Original whether there be any spiritual Idioms what are the genuine works of the spirit what are spurious and supposititious 2. Give diligence because thou hast a diligent enemy that would so fain quench thy joy and keep it from flaming into assurance He envied the grain of Mustard-seed when 't was first sown how then does it vex him to see it now spread into such goodly branches that the soul can build its nest there He envied thee the first blushes of the day the buddings of the Rosie morning that those fair and virgin eye-lids â—hould open and glance their light upon thee â—ow then is he scorcht with thy fuller Sun-â—hine How do his eyes water at thy noon-day â—rightness He that would have broke thee when thou wert a bruised Reed how would he â—riumph in thy fall now thou art a stately Ceâ—ar If he could he vvould have dispirited â—nd took up the vigour of that immortal seed â—y which thou wert born again He would fain â—ave spit his venom into that sincere milk â—hich fed thy infant-soul how then does he â—nvy thee those flagons of wine with which â—hou art now quickened and enflamed He â—ould fain have hindered the foundation of the â—econd Temple and now he would fain demoâ—â—sh the structure and down with it even to the â—round That son of the morning fell himself not only â—â—om a compleat assurance but from a possession â—f glory and that into the most extreme darkâ—ess that was imaginable into a total impossibiâ—â—ty of ever being happy and now he would veâ—y fain as much as he can involve others in â—he same condition But certainly it does adde â—uch of hell to him in that he perceives that the â—ons of God are now fixt in an immutable conâ—itioâ— whereas he was left in so voluble a state â—o that now all that he can possibly do is this to damp their joy for the present to raise Clouds and storms and tempests And in this that Prince of the air does his endeavor to the utmost And yet Christians may frustrate him here too and by a strong and clasping hand of faith may lay such fast hold of a God in Christ as that they may even make the Devil give over and to all his former may adde this new despair of ever eclipsing their glory and may send him away as weary as he would be if he should go about to interrupt the joy of a glorified Saint or of one of those Angels that still dwell in glory So that the more frequent his Alarms are the more should Christians stand upon their watch the more should they fortifie themselves and look to their spiritual Panoply they should flie to the name of the Lord which is a strong Tower 3. Give diligence because 't is in a matter oâ— so great consequence and to be dâ—ceived hâ—râ— will prove the most stinging aggravation of misery that can be The house that was built upon the sand great was the fall of it There is a counterfeit Plerophory a blazing kinde of assurance a bragging kinde of confidence you know the name of it 't is called Presumptionâ— that great devourer of souls that uses to slay itâ— ten thousands 'T is so far from being an Anchoâ— as that 't is but a swelling and impostumated wave which tosses up the soul a while that it may sink the deeper And can there be a greater Emphasis of misery then this Thou tookest it for granted that thou wert in the ready way to heaven and now thou art dropping into hell
the Heathen could never content themselves with a fair probability only of summum bonum but did spin it out to an imaginary certainty The Stoiks would have a domestick Plerophory they must be unavoidably happy A meer certainty won't suffice them it must be condens'd into a necessity A wise man with them must irreversibly seal up himself to happiness And so though he were in Phalaris his Bull he must glory and triumph and sing Hallelujahs But the fairer Moralists were willing to depend more upon the bounty of heaven which yet they lookt upon as a sure and unquestionable thing nay they pleased themselves not only in a Plerophory but in a present possession For you know vertue with them was Praecox beatitudo as grace with us is glory not fully ripe And serenity of natural conscience was their hidden Manna their white Stone Thus were they fain to still their souls in some shadows and appearances of certainty This sweetned Socrates his Cicute and made him a chearful Martyr for Philosophy And all wicked men that go on merrily and securely in their wayes do frame some imaginary certainty to themselves which it may be they found upon sure principles but falsly applyed as this That God is merciful or the like All this I bring to shew that the soul does catch at certainty and assurance and will rest satisfied with nothing else For for men to apprehend themselves uncertain of happiness what is it else but to be for the present miserable Nay would not some do you think choose rather to be certain of a tolerable misery then to be in continual suspense of happiness And truly such men as have no assurance of obtaining this great end of their being they are of all Creatures most miserable The Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests and shall not the Sons of men have where to lay their heads Every being loves certainty How do Naturals combine together and unite their forces that they may secure themselves by an happy association Nature will have a Plerophory won't admit of a vacuum the least schisme and rupture would prove fatal and put it upon uncertainties Sir Francis Bacon spies this in those fallings down of water that thred and spin themselves into such slender stillicids that thus they may preserve their continuity and when they can reach no longer so then they fall in as plump and round a figure as they can And if every Being loves assurance then surely such a noble Being as the soul of man cannot be satiated with a changeable good it can't fix it self upon a moveable centre Immortality is neer a kin to immutability Besides if it were only this that the soul did doubt of happiness it were a lighteâ— burden but there is necessarily conjoyned with this a fear of extreamest misery Now for a soul to be perpetually hovering betwixt heaven and hell nay to have far more ground to fear the one then to hope for the other and so to tremble at the very thoughts of eternity is not this a piece of the gnawing worm must the soul live in this perpetual slavery Is there no redemption from it Did not Christ come to take away this sting amongst the rest Did not he come to draw thee to himself to quiet thee in his own bosom Return thee to thy rest O my soul Return to thine Ark O my Dove And look upon this Gospel-Plerophory as one of those great priviledges that were purchased 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 fair 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 damned in hell give for a possibility of happiness 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 cool their tongue What would the other give for a pure stream to wash their bleeding souls 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 satisfied for 't is sure to fix 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 warm and melt it self and there may thy joy dance and exult All that thou hast to do here below is this Thy Virgin-soul that is here assured 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 pearls in the Gospel thou may'st lay claim to them Is there any balm in Gilead thou hast a share in it Are there any Gospel-priviledges thou knowest they are thine and are intended for thee Does God bestow temporals upon thee thou knowest that he first dips them in love and sweetness Mount Gerizim is thy portion And how art thou above waves when as some are shipwrackt others are tossed and disquieted thou hast an happy protection in all thy wayes 1. Thou art secure against the frowns 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 seals 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 lightening flashes in their faces but he lifts 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 envolved in a common calamity yet how is it â—olled up in sweetness to them when as the other can taste nothing but gall and wormwood Their body may be tossed a little
in the world but their soul lies safe at Anchor 3. In the houre of death Thou knowest 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 souls Men who through the fear of death have been all their life-time subject unto bondage But thou may'st safely trample upon the Adder and play in the Cockatrices Den. The Martyrs you know did thus when they embraced the flames and complemented with Lions and devoured 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 thy sting 4. Assurance fills the soul with praise and thankfulness The real 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 heart 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 assured Christian is like a Bird at liberty that flies aloft and sings most chearfully It begins those Hallelujahs 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 his holy Name Observ 4. The fourth and last Observation which was propounded out of the Text was That the way to make our Election sure is first to make our Calling sure 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 spanned by time cannot reach to what was done from everlasting You cannot imagine that non-entity should listen and hear what was whispered 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 born should see God frowning on him or that Jacob should perceive a smile Thou art as far from meriting Election as a non-ennity 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 seal upon it not only a seal of certainty but a seal 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 canst not fathom sometimes a shallow creature and dost thou think to reach to the bottom of infinite depths Has God given thee secret springs of working has he made the wheels and motions of thy soul secret and undiscernable and may he not have the same priviledge himself So then if God has put a vail 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 blossom and bring forth fruit in time Election buds in a promise and blossoms 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 Letters was dated from eternity the Superscription 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 fulness 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 imployment That fountain of love which ran under ground for 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 Seal of the Almighty Who can break one link of this golden chain 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 seal Nulla est litura in decretis sapientum say the Stoicks A wise man will scorn to blot out any thing Nullae sunt liturae in libro vitae 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 Cabinet of his secret counsel 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 hand of a Saviour Did God from all eternity resolve to set thee as a captive soul at liberty Truly then thou needest not doubt but that he will in time break open the prison-doors and beat off thy chains and thy fetters and give thee full inlargement God has been preparing a feast for thee from everlasting a feast of sweet and fat things and 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 compel 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
truth which is made a fatal stumbling-block to some shall prove a solid foundation of joy and sweetness unto them The very possibility of Election should banish all such thoughts as these Who can tell but God may have been gracious unto thee and have fixt an eye of love upon thee Oh then breath after him pant and long for him desire him to expresse his minde to thee to communicate his love to thee Besides though thou dost not know Election will meer love do nothing Though thy God did not intend to glorifie thee yet thou shouldest intend to glorisie him Though he does not chuse thee for his Servant yet thou should'st chuse him for thy Lord. There is worth in him though there be none in thee Resolve that into what condition soever he throw thee though into Hell it self that there thou wilt love him and there thou wilt praise him and long for him that there thou wilt adore and honour him and wilt grieve only for this that thou canst honour him no more that thou wilt admire his goodness to others his justice to thee I and his goodness to thee too that layes lesse upon thee then thou deservest Such thoughts as these would make hell it self lightsom VI. As Election is secret and mysterious so Vocation may be easily known That Astrologer was deservedly laught at that was so intensely gazing upon the Stars so admiring their twinkling beauties as that unawares he tumbled into the water whereas before if he had but been pleased to look so low as the water he might have seen the Stars there represented in that Crystal glasse Such as will needs be prying into the Star that will ascend up into heaven and gaze upon Election they do but dazle their eyes and sometimes by this are overwhelmed in the depths of Satan whereas they might easily see the Stars in the water they might see Election in Sanctification in Regeneration Now Vocation does plainly and easily appear by that great and eminent alteration which it brings along with it It is a powerful Call 't is an audible and quickening voice the voice of the first Trumpet that awakens men out of the graves and makes them happy by having their part in the first Resurrection great and sudden alterations they are very discernable Now here is a most notorious and signal change made Old things are past away and all things are become new here is a change from death to life from darkness to light and what more discernable then this A living man may know that he is alive and that without any further proof or demonstration whatever the Scepticks old or new would perswade us to the contrary Will you not allow a man to be certain that he lives till a jury of life and death hath past upon him Could not the blind man in the Gospel think you perceive when his eyes were opened could he not easily tell that now he could see and discern variety of objects or must he only conjecture that he sees and guesse at a Sun-beam must he still at noon-day go groping in uncertainties And is there not an easie and sure difference between those thick veils and shadows of the night between those dark and Ethiopick looks and the virgin blushes of the morning those beautiful eye-lids of the day The smilings and flowerings out of light much more the advancement of light to its Zenith and Noon-day-glory And thy then cannot an Intellectuall eye discern as well that now it sees that now it looks upon God with an eye of love with an eye of faith with an eye of confidence and that now God looks upon him with an eye of tenderness and compassion with an eye of grace and favour with an eye of delight and approbation Who but an Anaxagoras will go about to perswade a man to disbelieve his eyes and if a corporal eye deserve such credit why may not a spiritual eye then expect as much Say not then in thine heart Who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Assurance from above who shall unclasp the Book of Life that is sealed and turn thee to thy name or who shall bring thee a Certificate that is written there Behold it is nigh thee even in thy heart The work of grace there the Law written on the tables of thine heart by the finger of the spirit is the exemplification and counterpane of that Decree the safest way the best way the only way to make sure of Election is first to make sure of thy Vocation Make your Calling and Election sure FINIS
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 frustrated it then might make ashamed disappointment would cause a blush hope differ'd will make the heart sick and uncertain hope will sâ—arce 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 swallowed up in fruition The hope of the Hypocrite 't is as his righteousness 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 gaudii 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 assured of their salvation the third thing you propounded 1 By the graces of God which are in them those precious seeds of mortality 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 Object But how shall the soul 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 Sol. There might be given mny signs and characters of true grace that it must flow from a principle of sincerity from à principle of love that it must be comfortable to the grace of Christ but all this will not satisfie for the soul 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 witness with our spirits that we are the Sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he confirms 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 summed up in this practical Syllogism Whosoever believes shall be saved but I bâ—lieve 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 enlightened and sanctified Conscience can be no lesse then ten thousand 1 John 3.10 He that believes has a witness in himself a Certificate in his own breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the same Apostle 1 John 3.20 Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is the same with conscience for the Hebrews 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 weakness and unworthiness but comes with confidence to the Throne of grace Obj. 1. Jer. 17.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supplantativum Cor prae omnibus so Arias Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inscrutabile desperabile so Hierome and our Translation desperately wicked 't is properly insanabile Some think Paul alludes to this place and does explain it in Rom. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seventy read the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and translate it accordingly Sol. 1. Now as for the minde of the place I finde Expositors of great name and worth understanding it of the unregenerate heart of the heart of man that is in the state of corrupt nature of whom 't is said that All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are altogether evil continually Sol. 2. The drift of the text is to shew the deceitfulness of mens hearts in respect of others for 't is brought in by way of Objection The Jewes they are cunning and subtle and can delude the Prophets and so think to evade the Curse No but I the Lord search the hearts I have a fair window an open prospect into the most reserved spirit 't is as clear as Chrystal to my eye Sol. 3. Yet 't is true that the most sincere heart is very deceitful the heart of a David of a man after Gods own heart is full of windings and turnings and many deviations such secret passages as himself knowes not of For who hath known the error of his wayes No man yet had such a piercing insight into his own soul as to be acquainted with every motion of it None can so anatomize his own spirit that it shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as every vein and nerve and muscle shall be obvious and apparent to his eye But what does this hinder but that the general frame and bent of the spirit the byas and inclination of the soul may be clearly known The soul knows which way its faculties stream with most vehemency Conscience cannot be brib'd 't wil give in the true judgement especially an inlightned conscience There 's none but if he search and examine his own soul in a strict and impartial manner may know whether he be sincere and cordial or no. There 's none but may know the general frame and temper of his spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 VVho knowes the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him The Testimony of conscience is certain and infallible Many a wicked man by this is assured that for the present he is in a miserable and damnable condition he knows certainly that as yet he is out of the Covenant and hence many times there are lightening flashes of terror flie in his face the very sparks of Hell compass him about Does not thy Conscience often tell thee O prophane wretch that as yet thou art a Child of wrath and galloping to damnation with a full Cariere why then may not the heart of a Christian tell him as certainly that he is a Child of God by adoption and an heir of promise nay speak O Christian where e're thou art and speak aloud that we may hear thee does not thy own soul tell thee that thou art in a sure and happy condition so sure as nothing shall be able to separate thee from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Why are Christians so often enjoyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉