which it kindleth within This is evident by the zeal of those which have sincerely loved God in all agâ—s we may take all the Saints for an example of this but I will instance only in Moses and Pâ—ul Moses who was the meekest man upon the earth had his spirit so warmed with the love of God in his heart thaâ— the fire of zeal brake forth in an unquenchable flame in him when he saw God dishonoured and an Idol magnified by the people of God And Paul's spirit was hereby so stirred within â—im when he saw the people given to Idolaâ—ry that he could not forbear to reprove it whatever he underwent for it All these had their hearts so warmed with the love of Gâ—d that neither water nor bloud could quench the flame that love had kindled which evidently demonstrates this love to be a heart-warming Affection Though sincere Love to God do warm the hearts of all in whom it is with a zeal of God yet doth it not warm the hearts of all alike according to the measure and degree of love in the heart such is the zeal that issueth out of it Sincere Love to God is a soul-humbling affection it thinks it can never do nor suffer enough for God and thence it is that it doth not glory in any doing or suffering it comes stil short of what it should do and what it would do and therefore is not puffed up with what it doth but rather humbled by its failings Knowledge puffeth up but love casteth down the soul. Sincere Love to God is a heart-softening affection as is evident by the carriage of Nathan towards David when the Lord sent Nathan to awaken David and call him to repentance What did Nathan but labour to set an edge on David's love by setting the loving kindness of the Lord before him as one knowing that if any thing melted his heart this would do it and this we see did it which plainly shews That love is a heart-softening affection This is yet farther evident in other of the Saints Iosiah loved his God and hence it was that his heart melted when he considered how he and his people had offended God by walking contrary to his statutes Mary Magdalen sincerely loved Christ and hence it was that her heart was so mollified and melted for the sinne she had committed Love softeneth the heart in which it is nothing more nothing so mollifying as love love delated and love apprehended mollifyeth the heart as oyl doth the hand The way to encrease sorrow for sinne is to encrease love to God grief is but an effect of love love is the leading affection to grief anger hatred and desire grief springs not so naturally from any thing as it doth from love there is no grief so kindly none so pierâ—ing none so lasting and wasting as that the 〈◊〉 springs from pure love Object But this property of love makes me to question the truth of my love for I find my heart is hard I cannot grieve for sinne as I should or as I would Answ. Softness of heart hath other appearances besides grief it shews it self in yeelding to walk in the statutes of the Lord and keep his ordinances and do them inflexibility and readiness to obey the known will of the Lord without standing out against any part of it and to these a child of God should have recourse in such case Sincere Love to God is a sinne-abating affection This I gather from the propheticall prediction of Jesus Christ concerning these times Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold hence it is evident That the abounding of iniquity springs from the totall want or decay of love if love did abound iniquity could not abound it would abate the force of it love is therefore called a breast-plate The abating of iniquity is according to the abounding of love in what measure love aboundeth in that measure sinne abateth but as love decayes abates and cools iniquity abounds While the Church of Ephesus continued in her first and fervent love we read of no complaints of her but when her love abated her inâ—quity abounded Sincere Love to God will abate sinne in a Person Church or Nation if it be in the Person Church or Nation Sincere Love to God is an establâ—shing affection This I gaâ—her from the language of the Apostle 2 Thes. 2.10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth tâ—at they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions to believe lies c. Hence it is evident That had these of whom the Apostle speakes received the love of the truth had they sincerely loved the God of truth they had continued in the truth in the knowledge of it in the belief of it in the obedience of it and neither totally nor finally apostatized from the truth which strongly argues love is an establishing affection The knowledge of the truth without love of the truth to wit sincere love is utterly unavaileable unto salvation The knowledge of the truth without love of the truth is unvaled to uphold in the profession and obedience of the truth He whose judgement is unsound is in danger to be corrupt by flatteries as the Prophet Daniel speakes but he whose love is unsound is in more danger to be corrupt by flatteries He whose love is sound may through frailty fall and through fear of some corporall evil become guilty of partiall apostacy but he shall never fall away totally nor finally from the God of truth nor from the truth of God By all which it appears that love is an establishing affection Sincere Love to God is not lessened by encrease of knowledge but encreased with it He that loves God sincerely his knowledge doth not lessen his love to God or the Ordinances of God or the Ministers of God but encreaseth it his love doth abound more and more as his knowledge doth abound more and more This is sufficiently intimated by the language of the Apostle Phil. 1.9 He whose light doth not encrease but rather decrease his love hath cause to question his love and his light too Finally Sincere Love to God alwayes produceth sincere love to man for Gods sake This is evident by the language of the Apostle If any man say I love God and hate his brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen As if the Apostle had said It is impossible for that man to love God sincerely which loveth not his brother if a man love God this love will constrain him to love his brother it will produce love to man for Gods sake This is farther intimated ver 21. By these few Properâ—ies Effects and Appearances of a sincere love to God I conceive a Christian may judge aright of his love to God and so consequently of his
work to make breaches in this wall that he may get in and destroy this flower he deviseth wayes to divide mens judgments to the end he may destroy this affection of Love out of their hearts if he prevaile not this way then he will raise up jealousies to destroy Love and Charity yea sometimes render the best of graces the worst of vices and as in tempting a Carnal man he sometimes stiles lust Love so in tempting a spiritual man he somtimes stiles sincere Love lust and by these wiles makes a breach on Charity to the end he may get into the garden of God and root up this sweet grace of Love Seeing then that this grace of sincere Love to God and man is a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God and a grace that he worketh in all those in whom he dwels savingly to get a true testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation in thee thou must diligently examine thy self touching thy Love to God and touching thy Love to man 1. Examine thy Love to God see whether that be sound and sincere yea or nay 2. Examine thy Love to Man and see whether that be such as the Scripture makes a note of the holy Spirits saving habitation in us yea or nay But how shall I know whether my Love to God be sound and sincere yea or nay By Considering 1. What sincere Love to God is And 2. what the properties and effects of it are Sincere Love to God is a spirituall affection causing a man to prize God more and obey him rather then any thing in the world besides The properties and effects of sincere Love to God are these 1. Sincere Love to God is seated in the heart in the midst of the heart and it carryeth the whole heart and soul to God in obedience as well as the whole outward man That sincere love to God is seated in the heart in the midst of the heart and carries the whole heart to God will appear thus That which God in his Word requires and commands that true grace doth in its measure and in a Gospel way give unto him But God in his Word requires that we should Love him with the heart with the whole heart and soul and Therefore this Command doth sufficiently intimate this truth to wit That sincere Love to God is seated in the heart and carries the whole heart to God c. Here note 1 By the whole heart is meant every faculty of the soul the whole inner man the heart wholly sincerely so as it is not divided between God and the world between God and sinne between God and Satan as the hearts of all Hypocrites are but is downright and wholy for God 2. My whole heart may then be said to be carried to God when I cleave to him in affection more then to any thing besides account him my chiefest happiness from a due consideration of his perfection rejoyce in him above all things feare his displeasure more then all persons or things depend upon him for all things and aime at his glory principally in all things Secondly sincere Love to God is fastened upon God principally for that Divine excellency and spirituall beauty which is in him and which he doth communicate unto his People Because of the savour of thy good Oyntments thy name is as Oyntment poured forth therefore the Virgins love thee saith the Text Cant. 1.3 Spirituals and not temporals as this Text shews are the principall attractives of a sincere and virgin-Love to Christ. 3. Sincere Love to God is not guided by sense but by faith as the language of the Apostle intimates therefore saith the Apostle Whom having not seen we Love whom having not seen with Corporall eye nor invisible favours you still cleave to in affection This is further evidenced in holy Iob who continued to love God and obey him even when he could not see one glimpse of his countenance neither within him nor without him as appears by Iob 23.8 9 10 11. verses And this plainly shews That his Love was guided by faith and not by sense as it is the property of sincere Love to be 4. Sincere Love to God is a very strong Love Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 Sincere Love to God will make a man to resolve â—â—augre all opposition to obey unto the death it will constrain a man to do or suffer any thing that God shall see good to impose upon him for tryall-sake without repining in toung or in heart against God it will make a man serve God with all his might therefore saith the Apostle The Love of Christ constraineth us It beareth all things it endureth all â—â—ings 5. Sincere Love to God is an indearing affection it indears Christ unto a man above all things in the world besides so as he will willingly part with all things else rather then Christ Christ in his Merit Christ in his Spirit Christ in his Ordinances and in his Ministers and People is deare unto a sincere lover of Christ above all things here below This is lively set forth unto us in the Parable of the merchant man Mat. 13.44 45 46. He left all for the Pearl the Pearl was dear unto him and he was in Love with it hence it was that he slighted all in comparison of it That Love is an indearing affection is further evident by the language of the Spouse in Love with Christ Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest of ten thousand saith she meaning of all and likewise by the practise of the Saints which have sincerely loved Christ they have willingly parted with their fine cloathing for his sake and worn sheep-skins and goats-skins they have parted with fine dwellings and lyen in dens and caves they have parted with all even to their precious lives Nay these also they have willingly laid down for his sake in the cruellest way that bloody persecutors could invent refusing base deliverance to advance the honour of Christ when he called them forth to suffer as appears Heb. 11. their Love to Christ did indeare Christ to them above all things Here Note 1. That sincere Love to Christ is strong in all but not in all according unto the same equal degrees it indears Christ unto all that have it above all things But makes not all to declare it with the like forwardness and courage nor to declare it at all times alike as many instances in Scripture shew According to the measure of our faith so is our Love if a man beleeve only as a bruised reed as a weakling in Christ his Love will only smoak as flax towards Christ but if he be strong in faith his Love will flame it will declare it self with much zeale and fervour of spirit 2. That that Love to Christ which preferrs any one thing whatsoever before Christ or subjoyns any one thing in the world coequal with Christ is no sound sincere Love neither is it
worth any thing in Christ 's account as his own language shews ' He that Loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Sonne or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10.37 3. That Love to Christ which fals off from Christ when tryals tribulations and persecutions come and will not beare the Cross for Christs sake when he cals thereunto is no sincere Love but an Hypocritical as Christ shews Mat. 10.38 He that taketh not up hiâ— Cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me And further illustrates in the Parable of the ftony ground Mat. 13.20 21. That Love to Christ which makes not a man to account all things but loss and dross and dung for Christ and to set such a price on Chrift and his hopes by him that he resolves through the help of Christ to part with any thing which may hinder him from doing Christ faithful service how neare or dear soever it be or ought to be yea with life it self or whatsoever contentments may indeare it unto him when Christ cals him to it is no sound nor available Love as Christ shews when he saith If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his life also he cannot be my Disciple Luke 14.26 Hence it is evident in the next place That sincere Love to God is a very tender Love yea a Love more tender towards God then towards any thing else besides God Persons or things and will make a man willing rather to part with all persons or things How neare or deare soever then with God yea so tender a Love it is as it will not suffer a man to go in any way though never so pleasing to flesh and blood that he knows displeaseth the Lord nor transgress the least of Gods Commandements with knowledg without grief of heart as appears in the example of Ioseph and David Ioseph sincerely loved his God and this Love constrained him to contemn the carnall Love of his miftress and the carnal pleasure proffered him by her for fear of displeasing God David sincerely Loved his God and hence it was that his heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment a small matter one would think yet saith David He is the Lords annointed I have therefore transgressed his Commandement in laying violent hands on him and was therefore grieved his Love constrained him to grieve Hence it appeareth in the next place That sincere Love to God produceth and preserveth a tender Conscience a holy feare of God in the heart and soul and a holy hatred of all sin How shall I do this wickedness and sin against my God saith the soul that sincerely Loves God when tempted to sinne by the world the flesh or the Devil God hates all iniquity and he that fincerely Loves God hates what he hates therefore saith the Psalmist you that Love the Lord hate evill to wit because God hates it Sincere Love to God makes a man love the whole will of God I love thy Commandâ—mâ—nts saith David above gold yea above fine gold I esteem all thy prâ—cepts concerning all things to be right and hate every false way This Language of David shews That he loved the whole will of God even that which did cross and condemn that sinne which his nature was most prone to and it is the nature of sincere Love to God to make a man thus to love the Will of God A sincere Lover of God loveth not the Word of God the less but â—â—e more for discovering his darling sinne and so consequently he loves not nor esteems not the faithfull Ministers of the Word the lesse but the more for their faithfulnesse in discovering and opposing sinne predominate sinne whether personal or national Sincere Love to God is an obediential Love it makes a man Cordially obey the Will of God rather then any thing in the world besides This is evident by the Language of Christ If a man love me saith Christ to wit sincerely he will keep my words He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them He it is that loveth me ibid. v. 21. And by the Language of his beloved Disciple This is Love that we walk after his Commandements The great Character of sincere Love to God set by Christ and his beloved Disciple is obedience to wit Cordiall obedience to all the revealed will of God and hence it is evident That sincere Love to God is an obedientiall Love That this Love leads a man to obey God rather then any thing in the world besides is manifest by the carriage of such in all ages of the world in whose hearts the sincere Love of Christ hath dwelt The three Children in Captivity being commanded of men to do what they were forbidden of God chose rather to obey God then man Peter and Iohn being forbidden of men to do what they were commanded of God reply Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather then unto God judge ye and chose rather to obey God then man as the words following shew And thus it is with other sincere Lovers of God if God and man God and sin God and Satan come in competition or opposition all craving obedience If sincere Love to God be in the heart it will soone end the controversie and cause a man to obey from the heart God before all sincere Love to Christ will make a man think Christ's yoke easie and his burthen light his Commandements not grievous it will make a man obey actively and passively and resist unto blood striving against sinne as the Scripture speaks Sincere Love to God mortifieth in us the love of the world If any man Love the world the love of the father to wit the sincere Love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 This language of Iohn intimates thus much unto us to wit That where the sincere Love of God dwels it mortifieth the Love of the world to wit those things in the world which are properly said to be of the world and enemies unto God as all unchast Loves Diabolicall Love and inordinate Love of Carnall things The lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life all which are enemies unto God and his grace in us and cannot subsist with the Love of God being contrary unto it Sincere Love to God makes a man very sensible of Gods dishonour and grieve at it as Ionathans Love to David made him very sensible of the dishonour his Father did him and grieve at it so sincere Love to God makes a man very sensible of the dishonour done to God and grieve at it it makes him sensible of the dishonour done to God by others but most sensible of the dishonour done to God by himself and grieve at it This appears in David David
condition Quest. But how shall I know whether my love to man be sound and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in me or not Answ. By considering 1 What sincere love to man is And 2 What the Appearances of it are Sincere Love to man demonstrating the holy Spirits saving habitation in the soul is a free affection of the soul delated on man for God and according to the rules of God given in the holy Scriptures And it is manifest thus it issueth out of the love of God and is carried to man for God for Gods sake as the Apostle plainly shews By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandements c. As if he had said By this we know that our love towards man is sound and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in us even by this that it issueth out of the love of God as the spring and fountain of it and is delated on man for Gods sake for so much that phrase keep his Commandements implies God commands us to love one another and to aim principally at his glory herein now when a man doth this when he makes Gods Commandement the efficient cause of his love towards his brother and Gods glory the finall cause of it then doth he love him for God for Gods sake A mans love to his brother then issues out of the love of God and the Commandement of God is the efficient cause of it when he loves him because God commands him so to do and out of love to God commanding A man then makes the glory of God the finall cause of his love towards his brother when he therefore delates his love upon him that he may acquire and gain honour to God and his Gospel which he hath called him to the profession of thereby and makes this his utmost scope and ultimate end in loving him Secondly That love to man which demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in the soul is a love squared by and congruous to the rule of God to wit the holy Scriptures That love which is squared by and congruous to the rule of God is an universall love a love which extendeth it self to all the Saints yea to all men good and bad yea to very enemies because God requires this at our hands that we should love our enemies and in this respect I may call it a singular love It worketh no ill to any Deviseth not evill against any no thinketh no evill to any but good to all But is more abundant more tender and strong towards the godly then towards any other He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him saith the Apostle The words imply a speciall love or love after a speciall manner it is as if the Apostle had said He that loves God in sincerity loves the children of God after a speciall manner Love the Brotherhood saith the Apostle meaning after a speciall manner and this he doth that loves God sincerely his love in reference to them is a love of large extent it extendeth even unto loss of life in some cases As in case the honour of God may be advanced thereby or a publick good procured unto the brethren the Church of God thereby This I think is the Apostles meaning in the 1 Ioh. 3.16 If sincere love to God and man be in the heart of a man it will constrain him in such cases as these to deny himself unto the death to advance the honour of God and the Churches good it will make him preferre the Churches good before his own witness Aquila and Priscilla whose love to God and the Church constrained them to yeeld their own lives to preserve Paul's The like exmâ—ples we have in Moses and Paul whose love to God and the Church caused them to slight life and deny themselves to the death and beyond it too for the advancing of Gods glory and the Churches good Then again That love to man which is congruous to the rule of God is a love paralleling the love of Christ towards us for the kind of it Christ commands us To love one another as he hath loved us And he whose love is congruous to this rule doth this for kind though not for measure That love which is congruous to the rule of God and the love of Christ is a free-love He that loves his brother according to Christs rule and Christs example loves him freely It is a condescending love it will make a man condescend to men of low estate condescend to his brother that cannot come up to him by reason of his mean place education parts or gifts It is an establishing love a grace without which the heart of a man can never be established in grace as I gather from the language of the Apostle to the Thessalonians It is a reall love a love not terminated in words but manifested in deeds according to ability It is a uniting love it knits the hearts of Christians together as appears by the language of the Apostle Makes them of one heart and of one soul witness the Saints in the primitive Church It is a growing love and encreaseth still 1 Thes. 3.12 It is a covering grace it covereth all infirmities in the godly so farre forth as the glory of God may not be any way prejudiced but advanced thereby and forgiveth all trespasses done by the ungodly so farre forth likewise as may be gathered from the language of Solomon Love saith he covereth all sinne and the language of Peter Charity shall cover the multitude of sinnes In reference to the godly it is a love in the truth and for the truths sake as appeares by the language of Sâ— Iohn concerning the elect Lady 2 Joh. 1.2 I then love my brother in the truth when the bond that links me and him together in a Christian conjunction is the true and constant profession of the truth I may then be said to love my brother for the truths sake when that grace and truth which is in him is the principall attractive of my love for that love which is delated on the godly by a godly heart hath grace for the principall attractive of it and not base by-respects and therefore continueth as long as grace lasteth though other motives to love fail and such occurrences fall out as usually extinguish a love led by by-respects therefore saith the Apostle of this love It never faileth it is still growing and encreasing in a state of imperfection and at length perfected in Heaven it never faileth It is a love that suffereth long is kind envieth not vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked it rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth it beareth all things
believeth all things loveth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. It is a heart-softening affection a heart-mollifying love This is intimated by the language of the Apostle Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfullness of sinne Hence it is evident That if our love one towards another were such as it should be and did operate as it should do it would soften and mollifie our hearts Congruous love is mollifying Here note two or three things Christians frequently complain of hardness of heart in these dayes and not without cause but few I believe take notice that want in love is the cause of it Strangeness weakens cools and abates love nothing more this it doth in man towards God and in man towards man and as love abates and strangeness grows the heart contracts hardness more and more Probatum est Whilest the Galatians love towards Paul continued they were pliable within and without they would have parted with any thing to have done him good but when once their love abated their hearts were hardned towards him and his message too Love and intimate converse melts the heart nothing more strangeness hardens it nothing the like intimate converse with God encreaseth love to God and melteth the heart intimate converse with the godly-wise doth the like Our great hardness of heart and unprofitableness under the great meanes of grace in publick I may truly say hath in great part sprung from the gross neglect of the duties of Christian love and the great strangeness that is grown amongst Christians in these times where we meet but in complement usually But when God shall give his people one heart and one way to serve him with one consent when their love shall abound one towards another and operate without these obstructions of division in judgement and affection they shall then have hearts of flesh and not of stone as appears by Ier. 32.39 and Zeph. 3.9 compared with Ezek. 36.26 which places have reference to one and the same time It is said of Leviathan Job 41. That the flakes of his flesh are joyned together they are firme in themselves they cannot be moved His scales are one so neer another that no Air can come between them They are joyned one to another they stick together that they cannot be sunderâ—d The Lord Jesus Christ is the great Leviathan of Heaven and Earth and his people are his scales and the flakes of his flesh and were they so joyned together in Christian love and society that no Air of temptation could come between them they would be firm in themselves and so stick together that they could not be sundered yea in their neck would strength remaine and sorrow would be turned into joy before them I wish all the Saints to whose view this may come may take these things into consideration Great is the latitude of Christian love of love congruous to the rule of God for they whose love is congruous to the rule of God Grudge not a one against â—â—e other Speak not evil one of another Do not bite and devour one another Deviâ—e â—ot evill one against another Do not oppress over-reach or defraud one another iâ— any matter Render not evill for evill unto any man Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will â—ender unto the man according to his deeds They bear not false witness against their Neighbour nor bear witness without cause against their Neighbour nor deceive with their lips Lay not wait against the dwelling of the righteous Spoil not his resting place Adde not affliction to the afflicted Rejoyce not in their enemies fell much less in their brothers Hate not their brother in heart Stand not against the blood of their Neighbours out of desire of revenge nor upon a politicall account Are not as Cain who slew his Brother They judge not their Brother nor set at nought their Brother Give no offence willingly to any but endeavour as much as lawfully they may to live peaceably with all men They put away all bitterness and wrath and anger and â—lamour and evill speaking with all malice Love one another as God gave us Commandement Love one another as Christ hath loved us Love as Brethren Love without dissimulation cordially unfeignedly out of a pure heart fervently Love not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth They walk in love abound in Love grow in Love speak the truth in Love serve one another in Love continue in Love are kindly affectionated one towards another with brotherly Love Rejoice with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep In honour preferre one another have compassion one of another are pitifull are courteous one towards another tender hearted if rich they are rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate shew mercy with cheerfullness they beare one anothers burdens If strong beare the infirmities of the weak support the weak beare one with another aâ—d forbeare one another Forsake not the assembling of themselves together but exhort one another daily edify one another and comfort one another with the Word of the Lord Teach and admonish one another consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good works confess their faults one to another This I think is meant at least chiefly of faults committed one against another and pray one for another Pray for all men even enemies Do good unto all but especially unto the houshold of Faiâ—h they are not overcome of evill but labour to overcome evill with goodness they do as they would be done by in all things they esteem very highly in Love for their works sake their lawfull and faithfull Ministers especially those in whom they have propriety They receive one another as Christ received us to the glory of God and be at peace among themselves Then again He whose Love to his brother is congruous to the Rule of God goes not up and down as a tale-bearer He seeks not his own but his brothers good labours to avoid whatsoever may offend or weaken his brother or be a stumbling block unto him labours to please his brother for his good to Edification He loves his Neighbour as himself doth good freely looking for nothing again He saies not as Cain Am I my brothers keeper but watches over his brother for his good and reproves his brother in Love according to Christ's Rule privately and publiquely if need be informs against his brother in such place and case as Christ commands him and with-draws from his brother in case of
condition truely I know no rule in Scripture more infallible than this in this Text He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Consider what hath been said on this Text Consider what Spirit Christ was of and then examine thy self whether thou art one Spirit with him Consider whether the spirit that is in thee do truly answer to the Life to the Spirit of Christ if so know that it argues thy state good thy Creation new Christ and thee truely one Object But I find so much Hypocrisie so much pride so much hardnesse of heart and unholinesse in my self may a poor soul say here that I cannot hence conclude that I am one joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him but rather that I am joyned to the Devill and one Spirit with him I cannot hence conclude that I am a new Creature but rather that I am in the state of nature still Answ. This Text doth not say that he that is joyned to the Lord is totally freed from these corruptions but that He is one Spirit he is one Spirit with the Lord Iesus Christ he is one with him in Spirit And this a man may be said to be when he hath these Divine qualifications of spirit forementioned truely wrought in him though weakly and imperfectly and much flesh much corruption remaining in him This must be granted otherwayes no man in this life could be said to be joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him 2. But secondly A true sense of these corruptions accompanied with a loathing of them and warring against them in faith is so farre from rendering thee such as the Objection speaks of that it strongly argues the clean contrary to wit That thou art indeed joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him that thou art incorporate into Christ and made new by him For it is from Christ and that new quality of grace which he hath infused into thy soul that this sense of corruption and antipathy springs hence it is that corrupt nature becomes a burden on the spirit naturally it is not so The Apostle Paul when joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him when ingrafted into Christ and made new by â—im then and never till then did he groan under this burden then and not before did he complain of this body of death and the motions of lusts that warre in our members Wouldest thou then know from Scripture-grounds what thy condition is Whether Christ be in thee and thou in Christ go through what hath been said on these two Texts If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne c. and this we are now upon If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Consider whether thou art become dead to sinne alive to righteousnesse a new Creature Consider whether Christ be formed in thee whether thou hast a new heart whether thou livest in Christ as a branch in the vine and bringest forth fruit in him whether thou art one that doth not commit sinne in a Scripture sense Whether thou art one that groans under the remainder of the old man in thee as thy greatest burden Whether thou art one that minds the things of the Spirit that art led by the Spirit and walks after the Spirit Finally whether thou art one Spirit with the Lord Iesus Christ and if upon a true tryall of thy self thou findest by what hath been said that it is thus with thy self conclude thou maist safely as I conceive to thy comfort with the Church in the Canticles My well-beloved is mine and I am his That thy estate is good thy interest in Christ true and real and thy Title to Heaven such as no enemy whatsoever no not Satan nor sinne shall be able to deprive thee of it whatever Satan or thy own conscience abused by Satan may say to theÌ„ contrary Fatherly Chastisements Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth IN these words the Apostle fetcheth an argument of Divine and Fatherly Love from a Rod and concludes sonneship by adoption from Chastisement Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth The Position of the Apostle is confirmed by a plurality of witnesses both Solomon and Christ concurre with Paul herein Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a father the son in whom he delighteth saith Solomon Prov. 3.12 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten saith Christ Rev. 3.19 The truth of this position hath been experimented by a cloud of witnesses by all the Sonnes and Daughters of God that have gone before us unto Glory and will be by all that shall follow after us and therefore needs not much proving The Apostle tells us That through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God And in ver 8. of this Chap. saith that if ye be without Chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sonnes Immunity from correction is rather a Character of a Bastard than of an Adopted Son of God it is rather a note of an Ismael than of an Isaac it is rather the mark of a Goate than of a Sheep it is rather a demonstrator of a child of this world than of a Disciple of Christ for the Crosse is a reculicen which all Christs Disciples must weare as he himself tels us In a word it is rather a badge of an heire of Hell than of an heire of Heaven of a reprobate rather than an elect and adopted Child of God for Chastisement is the universal lot of all Gods Children as this Text tels us Whom the Lord loveth he Chastiseth yea scourgeth The most people in the world fetch their evidence of Gods Love from Gods liberall dispensations of his gifts either natural or supernatural eternal or internal transient gifts I have this gift liberally dispensed to me of God saith one and I have that gift liberally dispensed to me of God saith another I have health saith one and I have wealth saith another I have no changes but constant prosperity through my pollicy in winding with the times I have esteem in the world and successe in every thing I go about ortake in hand therefore doubtlesse God loves me Ergo. Another looks higher than this and saith I have natural parts and supernatural gifts liberally dispensed to me of God above what many others have I have wit and understanding c. more than many others I have knowledg and I have utterance and herein excell many I have esteem among the Godly wise and a name to live I have a form of Godlinesse and a shadow of every grace of the Spirit many Talents in my hand and hence conclude God doubtlesse loves me whoever he hates Ergo. But neither of these argue well for their sonneship nor their eternal estate for no where doth the Scripture make any of these signs of Gods special love or our adoption It is evident by Scripture That a
Cain may prosper in the World as well as an Abel and a glutton excell a Lazarus in these contingent things An Ahithophel through his policy may enjoy prosperity while a Paul suffereth all adversity A sonne of Beliall may weare Purple and Scarlet and fare deliciously every day while a Sonne of God weares sheep-skins and goats-skins and lives upon Gods Providence A Nebuchadnezzar may have successe in his enterprises as well as a Ioshua for a time Philistins may triumph while Israelites are led captive A Iudas may have as good natural parts and supernatural transient gifts as a Paul or a Iohn as a chosen vessell or a beloved Disciple yea happily more A Iesabell may be as beautifull in the eye of man as a Rebeckah A Pharisee more exemplary in a form of Godlinesse than a Nathaniel an Hipocrite may be more like a beloved Child of God in his own eyes and other mens too than a true Child of God A foolish Virgin may have as faire a Lamp in her hand as a wise By all which it is evident That none of these things are sufficient to denominate a man beloved of God after a special manner nor to render him an Adopted Son of God In these words the Apostle lays before us things quite contrary to these to wit chastisement and scourging as signs of Gods love Here is love written in Characters a hand that every one cannot read a hand that few can read right Here is love wrapped up in a rod which none but a loving and beloved child can draw out or well apprehend none but a child savingly indued with the Spirit of his Heavenly Father can see his love when he feels his rod or argue his sonneship from his chastisement To fetch an evidence of Gods Love and a mans own Adoption from Gods Chastisements and Scourgings is peculiar to a Child of God and it is his prerogative thus to do It is not every Adopted Child of God neither that can thus argue his sonneship I am Chastised of God therefore I am beloved of him I am scourged more than many others therefore doubtlesse I am beloved more than others It must be a child grown to some maturity in grace that must thus conclude Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth c. Love as attributed unto God is not a quality as it is in man but an effect of tree grace and it is either more generall or more speciall Of the more generall Love of God towards man we read in Mar. 10.21 where it is said of the young man that came to Christ That Iesus beholding him loved him Of the more speciall Love of God towards some we read Ierem. 31.3 2 Thes. 2.16 Iohn 13.1 The more generall or common Love of God is manifested in and by his common gifts and dispensations such as the young man that came to Christ was indued with to wit great place in the World great possessions morall righteousnesse desire of and indeavour after eternall life with the injoyment of temporall felicity and predominate corruption But the more speciall Love of God towards man is manifested in and by his Fatherly chastisements and scourgings as this Text tels us Whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth c Whom the Lord loveth after a speciall manner he sooner or later certainly chastiseth He scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth unto glory The Chastisements of God are many for number various for kind differing in measure duration and immediate causes but my purpose is not to discuss these but to consider when Gods Chastisements of what kind soeever are sure and certain pledges of his more speciall and eternall Love towards a man which to find out I will premise these foure things First That Chastisements and sufferings from God are not pledges of Divine love towards all A man may be Chastised of God and yet not be beloved of God but hated as Esau was All things saith Solomon come alike to all and if all things then Chastisements alike to all Eliphaz tels us That a man is born to trouble it is as incident to him as to the sparks to fly upward Job 5.7 Troubles are Chastisements and these do not argue love to all that are visited with them The second thing premised is this That although Chastisements and scourgings are not pledges of Gods Love to all yet they are to some Thou in very faithfulnesse hast afflicted me saith the Psalmist Psal. 119.75 The third thing premised is Who they are to whom Chastisements and scourgings are pledges of Divine love they are pledges of Divine love to them and to them only to whom all things work together for good to wit to the Adopted Children of God When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world saith an Adopted Son of God of himself and his brethren 1 Cor. 11.32 The fourth thing premised is When Chastisements and Scourgings are pledges of Divine love and that is when they are sanctified Sanctified chastisements and they only are pledges of Gods speciall love toward man Quest. But how shall I know whether Gods chastisements be sanctified â—o me or not Answ. Chastisements sanctified have many appearances many effects they produce whereby they may be known a few of which I will mention instead of many 1. Chastisements sanctified make a man to reflect on himself read himself over and call his sinnes to remembrance as appears in Iosephs brethren Gen. 42.21 and Iob 7.20 2. Chastisements sanctified lead to repentance Ephraim was by chastisements sanctified brought to repentance Ier. 31.18 19 and so was Manasseh and the Prodigall By which it is evident That Chastisements sanctified make a man turn from his evill way unto the Lord they make a man turn to him that smiteth they regulate the whole man and conform him to the whole Will of God they better his Obedience Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have learned to keep thy Word saith David Psa. 119.67 and it 's said of Jesus Christ Though he were a Sonne yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5.8 3. Chastisements sanctified make a man humble vile in his own eyes My soul hath them still in remembrance saith the Church of her afflictions and is bowed in me Lam. 3.20 I am black saith the Spouse when under the sun of persecution by my Mothers Children Look not upon me because I am black c. The Churches afflictions were sanctified and hence it was that she was humbled by them and become vile in her own eyes 4. Chastisements sanctified wean a man from the world mortifie in him the love of the world and deaden his affections to the noblest vanities of the world they draw the heart from all things here below and work it to a holy contempt of them and inhance the price of grace and glory 5. They drive the soul to God and indeare communion with him they will make a
man pray frequently and pray fervently Seek the Lord early and seek him earnestly wrestle with God in prayer witnesse Iacob and the Prodigall 6. Chastisements sanctified beget and increase love in the chastised towards the chastiser Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee saith Solomon Pro. 9.8 Chastisements sanctified increase love to God 7. Chastisements sanctified meeken the heart and moderate anger mortifie in man hatred and malice which generate thoughts and desires of revenge against the instruments in Gods hand They beget patience under all strokes I have sinned therefore I will beare the indignation of the Lord saith the soul whose Chastisement is sanctified and justifiesGod in all his dealings 8. Chastisements sanctified soften the heart and make it pliable to the will of God they subject a man unto Christs yoke 9. They fit a man for any condition that God cals him unto prosperity or adversity they fit him to abound and fit him to want fit him to live to Christ and fit to him to dye for Christ they fit a man to live to Christ here and to live with Christ heareafter in Heaven 10. They make a man long to be dissolved to be with Christ yet patiently to wait on God all the daies of his appointed time untill his change come Rom. 5. â— Job 14.14 11. Sanctified Chastisements indeare to a man his Fathers house his house of grace and his house of glory they did thus operate in David Psa. 42. and in Israel in captivity Psal. 137.1 6. and in the Prodigall Luk. 15. When his Chastisement was sanctified unto him it indeared his fathers house 12. Sanctified Chastisements will make a man labour to excell in grace There is no man so covetous after grace as he to whom Gods chastising hand is sanctified There is none so sensible of the want of grace nor of the worth of grace as this soul is therefore such an one usually labours above all others to excell in grace 13. Finally Sanctified Chastisements leave impression behind them when they are gone they do not only make impression while they are present as unsanctified Chastisements many times do but they leave impression behind them when they are removed impression of holy feare of love of humility of watchfulnesse of holinesse of compassion towards others under Gods Chastising hand They yield the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them that have been exercised thereby and the like they do not barely produce good purposes and promises but resolve them into performances according to ability and opportunity By some one or other of these every one may perceive whether Gods Chastisements be sanctified to him or no and so consequently whether Gods rod upon himself be a sign and pledg of Gods speciall Love towards him or not Object But God Chastises in wrath and displeasure as well as in love In my wrath I smote thee saith God of his own People Isa. 60.10 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee c. Isai. 54.8 How shall I then know whether God chastise me in love or in displeasure Sol. To find out this Consider 1. That those which the Lord here speaks of though they were the Lords own People by profession yet they were not all such by true conversion they were not all beloved after a speciall manner 2. Know That God may and often times doth Chastise in wrath and yet in love too When God Chastiseth his own Adopted Child he many times doth it in wrath and displeasure towards his sin but alwayes in love to his person Wouldest thou then know whether thou art Chastised of God in love or not Consider whether thou art an Adopted Child of God or not Try thy selfe by what hath been formerly said and if thou findest that thou art truely such conclude thou mayest certainly That all thy Chastisements do spring from love for whatsoever stroks God smites such an one with he doth it in Love to his person this is a sure rule though God speak bitter things against thee as Iob complains he did against him and do bitter things unto thee yet all springs from his love though he bide his face from thee for a while and chastise thee with sâ—ourging he doth it in love to thy person all Gods dealings with thee spring from his love his love is the efficient whatsoever be the meritorious or immediate cause of thy Chastisement When God is angry with thee and smites thee for thy sinne it is in love to thy person he loves thee still Is Ephraim my deare sonne is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remâ—ember him still c. Ier. 31.20 All Gods Children even the best of them all here have faults many faults and God will not suffer them to go unchastised Children are sure of chaftisement however servants speed legitimate sonnes are sure of chastisement when they offend however bastards escape God hath no time to chastise his Children but here therefore they are sure of Chastisement here it will not stand with Gods Love to passe by them and wink at their faults the nearer in relation the surer of correction the dearer in affection the surer of chastisement Whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth Wouldest thou then get a true evidence of the speciall Love of God towards thee and of this Adoption by Jesus Christ Consider well of two things First Whether thou hast been Chastised of the Lord yea or nay Secondly Whether thy Chastisiments are sanctified to thee or not and if thou canst truely conclude on the affirmative thou hast good ground to beleeve that thou art one beloved of God after a speciall manner that thou art an Adopted Child of God and an heir of Heaven But if thou hast been altogether free from or unprofitable under Gods Chaftisement thou hast just cause to feare whether thou art an Adopted Child of God or not at least that thou art not yet brought home to thy Heavenly Father For whom the Lord loveth he certainly sooner or later chastiseth as the Text tels us Whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Gospell Sufferings OR Suffering as a Christian. 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also reign with him IN these words the Apostle briefly layes before us another and a higher Evidence of our Salvation to wit suffering Heaven the Kingdom of glory where Jesus Christ reigns is here promised to sufferers But to find out what kind of sufferers they are to whom this great reward is promised we must consult with other Scriptures for it is not to all kind of sufferers that this promise is made Before I speak of the kind of suffering here spoken of I shall here note foure or five things First That suffering is a lesson very hard to flesh and blood to learn which the Apostle knowing as a wise scholemaster sets before us his schoolers that
her Beloved inquire of the watchmen the Ministers of the Gospel where and how to find what he seeketh and followeth Christ by earnest prayer as the woman of Canaan did untill he obtaine his suit and he must not rest satisfied with the beginnings thereof but still labour for increase The Scripture speaks of assurance and full assurance of hope of assurance and sull assurancâ— of faith of the riches of full assurance of understanding and of great boldnesse in the faith to be attained in this life and this the Apostle prayed for for the Ephesians and laboured to beget in the Colossians as appears by the forecited place and this the Scripture exhorts all Christians to labour for and saith That he that doth these things shall never fall but an entrance shall be ministred unto him abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which one would think were argument enough to perswade any Immortall soul to seek after it Thus of the second rule propounded for the getting of assurance The third is this He that would get assurance of the Love of God must work by the help of the Spirit of God who searcheth all things yea the deep things of God as the Scripture saith And beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God the Word cannot without the Spirit the Spirit will not without the Word assure us oâ— eternall happinesse therefore he that would get assurance must work by the help of the Spirit he must try himself and his graces by the Word through the help of the Spirit In the fourth place He that would get assurance must carefully avoid all the hinderances thereof in the generall he must shun and avoid all sinne more especially these sinnes Ignorance Atheisme Prophannesse and Hypocrisie Vnbelief and Impenitency Erronious Opinions Presumption and Desperation neglect of the meanes of Grace formall Vse of them and Rebellion against them strangnesse with God and Iesus Christ. Fifthly He that would get assurance must labour for all those qualifications and graces which may render him capable â—f it and which God usually imparts this blessing to First he must become a new Bottle I mean a new Creature for assurance is new wine and Christ will not put it into an old Bottle for it would burst the Bottle Labour therefore for grace trush of grace every renewing grace But more especially these graces Knowledg Faith Sincerity Heart-humility Contritition accompanied with Convertion and new Obedience Assurance will not dwell in an Ignorant Vnbelieving Hypocriticall Heart therefore he that would attain it must labour for those graces which are contrary to these vices God dwels as a reviver in the heart of the humble and contrite sinner He revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones Iesus Christ puts the strongest wine in broken Bottles I do not say into old but into broken Bottles he binds up the broken hearted He therefore that would get assurance must labour for an humble and broken heart A wise father will not assure a prodigall and disobedient Child of his inheritance while he continueth such no more will our Heavenly Father He therefore that would get assurance of inheritance with the Saints in light must come home to his Heavenly Father with a submissive and obedient heart with a heart obedient unto all his Heavenly Fathers Will. It is not every one that hath truth of grace that attains assurance but he that hatâ— truth of grace and strength of grace true faith and strong faith Therefore in the second place labour for strength of grace strength of faith and every other grace It is not every one that hath truth of grace and strength of grace that attains to assurance but he that hath grace and knows that he hath it Therefore if thou wouldest attain assurance labour to know the grace of God in thee In the third place Labour to know that thou haâ—â— grace that thou hast a true justifying faith that thou hast sincerity c. Grace in Gods Children is many times hidden from themselves and that is the reason why they reap so little comfort of it so little evidence by iâ— they do not know that they have received an earnest penny of God they do not know Gods ingagements of himself unto them Therefore if thou wouldest get assurance try and prove all thy graces whether they be true and reall Evangelical and renewing yea or nay especially these graces Faith Lovâ— Repentance Obedience Poverty of Spirit Sincerity c. that thou maist know thou hast truth of saving grace such grace as is crowned with glory and pray to God for sensâ— of grace Fourthly Get Righteousnesse Evangelicall Righteousnesse Righteousnesse of Iustification and Righteousnesse of Sanctification Assurance is an effect of Righteousnesse though not an inseparable concomitant of it The work of Righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of Rrighteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever Labour therefore to get Christs Merit for thy Iustification and Christs Spirit for thy Sanctification Fifthly Labour to beleeve as if there were no law to condemn thee and to live as if there were no Christ to save theâ— Labour to beleeve stedfastly and walk exactly with God and Man When Stephen beheld the glory of God The Text saith He looked up stedfastly into Heaven and it 's certain that though a weak faith may bring a man to Heaven and glory yet it will not bring a man to behold the glory of God whilst he is here below it will not bring him to the riches of full assurance therefore if thou wouldest attain this labour for a strong and stedfast Faith joyned with a holy life These qualifications he must labour for that desires assurance Sixtly he that would get assurance must deny himself in point of finne and in point of righteousnesse First he must deny himself in point of sinne he must not spare a right hand nor a right eye but if it offend cut it off pluck it out as Christ speaks he must deny himself in his darling finne he must not allow himself in any one known finne nor in the omission of any one known duty towards God or towards man want in this is that which Satan usually makes his great battering Ingen to overthrow if it were possible the Faith and Hope of Gods Elect and that whereby he hinders them from getting or keeping this rich jewell of Evidence Allowance of sinne and assurance cannot stand together they are as contrary as fire and water the one will out the other Therefore he that would get assurance must deny himself in point of sinne Secondly He must deny himself in point of righteousnesse he must renounce all his own righteousnesse in point of justification before God and count them all losse and drosse and dung and build upon a sure Foundation viz. the Rock Christ. He
holds out unto the death and ends in fruition it can never be totally nor finally lost and this indeed is it's distinguishing property and it is the property of every renewing grace every renewing grace holds out unto the end that grace which weares the the Crown of Glory is persevereing Revel 2.10 It is not alwayes so in appearance but in truth A true beleever may at sometimes and in some cases seem both to himself and to others to have loft his faith and his other graces as many examples in Scripture shew but yet as Ieb speaks The root of the matter is within him still Truth of grace in the inward parts and it abideth there However a true beleever may and sometimes doth for a time lose the comfort of his grace and the fight of his grace and the power of acting of his grace yet he hath this priviledg above all formalists he never totally loseth the habit of any renewing grace these gifts of God are without repentance Wouldest thou then know whether thy faith be sound and saving and such as consequently demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soule try and examine thy saith by these properties and Scripture-Characters of a true jusâ—ifying faith and if it hold correspondency with them know for thy comfort that it is such as really demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation and special operatâ—on in tâ—y soul thy Union with Christ aâ—d eâ—ernal salvation by him whatsoever Satan or thine own conscience abused by Satan may at any time hereafter say to the contrary and give the Lord the praise The end of thy faith shall be the salvation of thy Soul as the Scripture speaks 1 Pet. 1.9 LOVE ANother grace demonstrating the holy Spirits saving habitation in us is Love to wit sincere Love God is Love and where God dwelleth by his Spirit he worketh Love to wit sincere Love to God and sincere love to man for Gods sake And this Love is a speciall work and fruit of the holy Spirit of God in man as appears by the language of the Apostle My little Children let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him and Gal 5. â—2 it is said The fruit of the Spirit is Love More particularly That sincere Love to God is a special work of the Spirit of God and such as accompanies salvation is evident by the great good that this grace is attended with both here and hereafter here all things how bad soever in themselves work together for good unto them that love God Rom. 8.28 And many promises of temporall and eternall good are made unto this grace Psal. 91.14 15 16. A Crown of Life is promised unto it Iam 1.12.25 Much good attendeth this grace here but as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Such is the happiness joy and glory which God hath prepared for them that love him that it cannot enter into us till we shall enter into it It must therefore needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in us and a sure pledg of salvation He that sincerely loves God hath that in him which is a sure argument that he is greatly beloved of God I love them that love me saith Christ We love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of Gâ—d in man which strongly argues the special Love of God towards man surely yes But sincere Love to God strongly arguâ—s special Love in God towards him that hath it therefore sincere Love to God must needs be a speciall work of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is That sincere Love to man for Gods sake is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by that which follows Sincere love to man for Gods sake in whomsoever it is is a real testimony of his Union with Christ Regeneration and New-birth and that he is indeed a true Disciple of Jesus Christ as these Scriptures following plainly evidence This is his Commandement that we beleeve in the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement and he that keepeth his Commandement dwelleth in him and he in him He that dwelleth in love dwellth in God and God in him If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us c. These Texts cleerly demonstrate this Love to be a real testimony of Union with Christ Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God We know that we are passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren saith the Apostle And these Texts plainly evidence this love to be a true testimony of our Regeneration and New birth Love one another saith Christ as I have loved you meaning for the kind of Love By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one towards another These Texts plainly demonstrate this Love we speak of to be a true Character of a true Disciple of Jesus Christ And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in man and a true testimony of his saving habitation in us which is a real testimony of our Union with Christ and Renovation by him and dependance on him Surely yes But sincere Love to man for Gods sake is eminently all this therefore this Love must needs be a special work of the Spirit of God and a sure testimony of his saving habitation in whomsoever it is Sincere Love is a grace without which all profession of Religion is but guilded Hypocrisie where Love is God dwels but where it is not the Devil dwels the more Love the more like to God the less of it the more like the Devil Wofull experience shews That those men which have great parts and gifts and little or no Love shew more of the Devils nature then of Gods and act more like the Devil then God where they have power Love is the sweetest flower in all the garden of God but it is a flower which the Devil cannot indure the smell of because he is not capable of it and knows that where Love dwels he must vanish and therefore it is his main design to destroy Love if possible in all sorts and sects and to root it up and banish it from the hearts of all men The Devil is well content that men should pray preach read hear Sermons and make a faire shew outwardly provided this spring not from Love nor tendeth not to the increase of Love to God nor man but if he see Love be the root and fruit of mens services then he goes cunningly and Serpent-like to
sincerely loved God and this made him grieve at the dishonour other men did to God but most of all at the dishonour which himself had done to God the consideration of this made his heart pant and his strength fail and made him go mourning all the day long Sincere Love to God makes a man prize the light of Gods countenance and the apprehension of his Love in Christ above all things in the world Lord Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me this putteth gladness into my heart more then corn and wine Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips for his love is better then wine This is the language of sincere lovers of God and Christ and a clear evidence it is of the truth asserted and lively demonstrates the judgement and affection of a sincere lover of God and Christ. Sincere Love to God makes a man delight in communion with God by prayer meditation and the use of all his other Ordinances here and long for the marriage-day of the Lamb to the end he might enjoy a more near Union and sweet Communion with Christ his well-beloved and be perfectly conformed unto his holy will as the language of sincere lovers of God shew My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before him Oh God! thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee c. I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is best of all Come Lord Iesus Come quickly This longing desire to depart and to be with Christ and to have Christ come to consummate the mysticall marriage though it be a fruit of love yet it is not an inseparable property of sincere love neither is it in all that sincerely love God nor in all in whom it is is it at all times alike but in those only which apprehend the love of God in Christ towards them and at such time as they apprehend it and this is not every sincere lovers portion here therefore a Christian ought not to judge his love to God unsound onely because he wants this longing desire to be with Christ and to have Christ come to consummate this mystical marriage but to have recourse to the foresaid properties of sincere love for the tryall of his love when this fails and to such as follow Sincere Love to God is a constant growing love and an everlasting love it holds out in all times and seasons and variety of conditions prosperity and adversity praise and persecution health and sickness plenty and poverty liberty and bonds yea in death it self and after death through all eternity death doth not terminate this grace but perfect it therefore saith the Apostle of a sincere lover he dwelleth in love and of this love It never faileth A man that sincerely loves God continues to love him when he hides his face from him and he cannot see him nor one glimpse of his favor neither within him nor without him yea when he frowns upon him and shewes himself marvelous unto him as Iob speaks and the Arrows of the Almighty stick fast in his soul And Satan and his own Conscience deluded by Satan tells him He shall never see the face of God with comfort And however God carryes himself towards him yet he dares not from thence take leave to vary his carriage towards God but loves him still for better for worse and obeys him to the utmost of his power which shews in the next place That he that sincerely loves God loves him for nought That man may be said to love God for nought who loves him principally for himself and not for his who loves him because he is of all things most lovely who had rather have God without all then all without God for his portion Who had rather have a houseless Christ a harbourlesâ— Christ a hated and a persecuted Christ thâ—â— all the honours pleasures and riches of the world without Christ Who had rather have grace without glory then glory without grace Who had rather have the Gospel and Gospel-Ordinances in power and purity with poverty and trouble then peace and plenty without them Who had rather Christ should reign then himself Who desires Christ may encrease though he himself decrease and truth live though he die Who preferrs the interest of God and Christ before his own interest or any interest whatsoever Who labours more to get and to keep a good conscience then a good estate in the world In a word he that loveth God more then these earthly contentments he and he only may be said to love God for nought and to love him sincerely as Christs language to Peter intimates Lovest thou me more then these as if he had said If thy love be not more to me then to these earthly things it 's worth nothing in my account if it be â—ore to me then to â—hese if it adhere to me with the loss of these â—hat shews it is not for these but for nought that thou lovest me and this argues thy love sincere Sincere Love to Christ is very industrious and it makes the Subject in which it is very industrious in following after the Lord and the things of the Lord and the more it aboundeth the more industrious the soul is in following after her beloved this is evident by the language and practice of such as have sincerely loved the Lord in all times I follow after saith the Apostle My soul followeth hard after thee saith another sincere lover of God Early will I seek thee c. and the Spouse in the Canticles sought night and day after her beloved Mary Magdalen and other lovers of Christ were very industrious in seeking after him All which evidently demonstrates the truth asserted to wit That sincere love is very industrious Sincere Love to God and Christ makes the soul unsatisfied in thinking and speaking of the divine Excellencies Wisdome Beauty and Majesty of God and Christ Love of what kind soever delights in the comtemplation of the object which it fastens on the soul delights to be still thinking and speaking of her Beloved whatever it be as every ones experience can teâ—â— him the soul that sincerely loves God doth no less See an instance of this in the Spouse in the Canticles she thinks of her Beloved aâ—d speaks of her Beloved as one unsatisfied with the thoughts and praises of him as one resolved to win if it were possible all the world to love what she loved and this lively demonstrates the sincerity of her love and the nature of sincere love Sincere Love to God is a soul-warming affection it warmeth that heart in which it is with a spirituall heat with a holy zeal for God and the things of God yea so warmeth it that many waters cannot quench it nor floods drown the fire
scandall or contempt of the Churches lawfull constitutions and censures or in case he cause divisions or offences in the Church contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures mourns for his brother and praies for him in such cases Labours to restore his brother in the spirit of meekness when overtaken in any fault and returns to him when he turns to the Lord. Forgives him and comforts him and confirms his Love towards him He forgives his brother his trespasses from his heart as often as he offendeth and repenteth freely as Christ forgave us For Christ's sake and as God hath forgiven us All these qualifications the Scripture cals for in my Love towards my Brother as these quotations in the Margin do manifest Therefore that Love towards man which is congruous to the holy Scripture must needs have these qualifications in it ergo But here the soul conscious to its own wants and failings will be ready to reply as the Disciples did to Christ when he told them how hard a matter it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven who then can be saved said the Disciples so the soul will be ready to say here if all this be in that Love which is congruous to the rule of God who then can say his Love is congruous to the rule of God surely none for in much of this we faile all He that truly wills desires and indeavours to do all this that Christ may have the honour of it doth it in a Gospel-sense and in Gods acceptation who accepts the will for the deed where ability is wanting this must be granted otherwise no Child of Adam could conclude on the affirmative Now for other appearances of Love they are these What a man Loves he prizes accordingly What a man loves he delights in accordingly What a man Loves he desires to enjoy what a man loves he cannot hear reproached reviled and spoken against but with grief of heart This needs no proving every ones experience will testifie the truth of it Wouldest thou know whether thy Love to God and thy Love to man be sound and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul or not then go through what hath been said in this little Epitomie touching Love to God and Love to man and consider whether thy Love be truly such yea or nay and if thou findest it truly such though but weakly conclude thou maist safely to thy comfort that thy Love is such as really demonstrates thou art beloved of God and indued with the holy Spirit of God savingly For Love indeed and in truth argues that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him as the Apostle affirms 1 Ioh. 3.18 19. Therefore if thou upon a true tryal findest by this that hath been said that thou hast any truth of Love to God and thy Brother argue not against thy self or thy Love but bless God for that Love thou hast and labour to grow and increase in Love to God and man daily REPENTANCE ANother grace of the holy Spirit of God demonstrating his saving habitation in the â—oul is Repentance to â—â—t true Gospel-Repentance I sâ—ith the Lord will pour upon the house of David the Spirit of grace and supplications And they shall look upon him whom they have prâ—â—â—ed and they shâ—ll mourn for him c. Zach. 12 10. This Text plainly points out unto us two things 1. That wheresoever the holy Spirit of God dwelleth savingly in what soul soever he resideth as a sanctifier there he worketh true faith and Repentance 2. That in whomsoever these graces are wrought they are a true and real testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation in that soul â—or as much as it is proper and peculiar unto the Spirit of God alone to work these in the heart of man Here Note three or foure things 1. That the grace of Repentance though it be a distinct grace from faith yet is it an inseparable concomitant of justifying faith coupled with it in infusion and he that totally wanteth either hath neither Secondly Note That faith and love and Repentance and every other renewing grace habitually considered are coequal the habit of every grace being infused together So that where there is one grace in truth there is every grace in truth in the habit of it in some measure And thirdly That although every grace of the Spirit habitually considered be coequal yet these actually considered and according to their manner of working and appearing in us precede each other faith precedes love and faith and love precedes Repentance Repentance being a fruit of faith and love Fourthly That grace to wit renewing grace and glory are inseparably linked together He that hath the one shall certainly have the other for this grace is the earnest of our inheritance Lastly Nâ—te That this grace of repentance is a renewing grace a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man aâ—d a grace that he worketh in all that truly beleeve and love That Repentance is a renewing grace a special work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by those special promises which are made unto it in holy Scripture of spiritual and eternal blessednesse He that confesseth and forsaketh his finne shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 If my People which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and turn from their evill wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sinne c. 2 Chron. 7.14 And the Redâ—emer shall come to Sion and to them that turn from transgression in Iacob saith the Lord Isa. 59.20 Again When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his sinne and doe that which is lawful and right He shall surely live he shall not die none of his sinnes that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live Ezek. 33.14 15 16. All sins all manner of sinns and Blasphemies shall be forgiven unto him Mark 3.28 Matth. 12.31 compared Though your sinnes be as Scarlet they shall be made as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Isai. 1.18 and Act. 11.18 True Repentance is called Repentance unto life By all which it is evident That it is a renewing grace a special work of the Spirit of God in man Repentance being a special work of the Spirit of God in man and an inseparable concomitant of a Justifying faith is therefore a true touchstone to try our selves and our spiritual estate by and such an one as all must try themselves by that will gather to themselves a true testimony of their eternal happiness by Christ and make their Calling and Election sure in the subject But what is this grace of Repentance How may it be defined Repentance is a Divine quality wrought by the
Spirit of God in the soul whereby a sinner is so much touched in heart for his sinnes that he truly turns from them all unto the Lord. I think it not necessary nor meet for me to discuss the termes or genus of this description But here Noâ—e 1. That repentance unto salvation is an Evangelical grace a Gospel-grace The Law knows no Repentance cals for none nor works none it is the Gospel and the Gospel onely that knows Repentance cals for it and works it Moses cals not for Repentance but Christ doth Mar. 1.15 That this Repentance consisteth of two Essentiall parts to wit contrition and conversion humiliation and reformation therefore he that would make a true trial of his Repentance must have recourse unto both of these That it is Evangelical contrition and not legall that is the first Essential part of Repentance unto life it is cordial reformation and not feigned that is the second Essential part of Repentance unto life But what is this Evangelicall contrition and how may I discern whether I have it or no Evangelical contrition is a godly sorrow of soul for all sinne arising from the apprehension of a gracious God displeased by sinne and thou maist discern it by this which here follows 1. Evangelical sorrow springs out of the Love of God and hatred of sinne and increaseth the Love of God and hatred of sinne in the soul the Love of Christ constraineth the soul to hate sinne and to mourn and grieve for sinne and the bitterness of this sorrow and grief for sinne sweeteneth the Love of God in Christ unto the soul and inbittereth sinne And hence it comes to pass that the soul loves Christ more and hates sinne more after it hath once felt this sorrow and been soked in it then ever it did before 2. Evangelicall sorrow is mixed with faith The Evangelical mourner bewailes his sinne and rests on the mercy of God in Christ and the promises which are in him yea and in him Amen for the pardon of his sinne and the mortification of his corruptions and grace to amend Faith of adherence is an inseparable concomitant of Evangelical sorrow although faith of evidence be not so He that sorrows for his sinne and rests not on Christ for the pardon of his sinne his sorrow is legal and not Evangelical desperation and not contrition 3. Evangelical sorrow is mixed with hope The Evangelical mourner mourns not without hope he hath hope of obtaining mercy even in the deepest of his sorrow for sinne as appears by his carriage in his mourning He despaires not but seeks to God for mercy his sorrow drives him to God and not from God as is evident by the example of the Prodigall in his deepest distresse he despaires not but goes to his father for mercy but had he not had hope of obtaining mercy he would have despaired had he not had hope of obtaining mercy he would never have gone to his father to seek it 4. Evangelical sorrow is mixed with Joy being mixed with Faith and Hope the Evangelical mourner looks upon his sorrow as a sacrifice with which God is well-pleased and therefore Joys that he can sorrow that he can offer this Sacrifice to God The Sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite heart and spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise saith the Scripture Psal. 51.17 And this the contrite heart beleeves and therefore Joys when it can sorrow 5. Hence it comes to passe that the Evangelical mourner is an agent as well as a patient in the action of mourning He strives to provoke and quicken his dull heart and soul to mourn and thinks no labour too much to bestow to bring his soul to a godly manner of mourning He desires nothing more then to turn his Carnal mirth into Godly mourning Be afslicted and mourn and weep saith the Scripture Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse Jam. 4.9 This this soul labours wonderfully to do and nothing grieves him more than that he cannot more grieve for sinne He labours to make his carnall mirth the matter of his spiritual mourning and wishes O that mine eyes were a fountain of tears that I could weep day and night for the sinne of my nature and the sinne of my life and the iniquity of my People 6. Evangelical sorrow is a heart-mollifying sorrow it softeneth the heart and makes it very tender and pliabâ—e sensible of the least sinne and the least displeasure of God for sin Hearts broken with evangelicall sorrow are like broken bones very sensible of every touch Hearts broken with Evangelical sorrow are very pliable to the will of the Lord above all other Lord what wilt thou have me to do saith a contrite soule Act. 9.6 as if he had said declare thy will Lord and I am ready to obey it to the utmost of my power whatever it be Such as the measure of this sorrow is such usually is the softness of the heart and the pliability of the will the more of this sorrow the soul hath the more tender is the heart made thereby and the more pliable is the will the less of this sorrow the soul hath the less softening hath the heart and the less yielding is there in the will to the Will of the Lord. 7. Evangelical sorrow is a heart meekening sorrow it meekeneth the heart and maketh it humbly stoop to the yoke of Christ and patiently bear the Chastising hand of Christ during the good pleasure of Christ. I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgment for me saith the contrite soul Mich. 7.9 It moderateth anger and maketh all calm within and without 8. Evangelical sorrow is a heart-humbling sorrow it maketh the heart humble and lowly The more of this sorrow there is in the heart the more humble it is and the less of this there is in the heart the prouder it is the more fearless and careless it is of sinne I am no more worthy to be called a Sonne make me as a Servant or any thing the meanest imployment in my fathers house is too good for me saith the contrite soul. I am but a walking-dunghill and fitter to be set on a dunghill then on a Throne saith the contrite soul. 9. And hence it is that the soul evangelically contrite admires free grace in every favour that it receives spiritual or temporal and is the thankfullest soul of all others for mercies received What shall I render unto the Lord for all his mercies towards me saith a contrite soul This soul speaks to it self in the language of the Lord to Ierusalem I was polluted in my blood and cast out to the loathing of my person and no eye pitied me to do any office of love unto me And then the Lord had compassion on
me and washed me with water yea with blood with the blood of his Sonne he throughly washed away my filth and annoynted me with oyl indued me with his Spirit and his grace c. I had forfeited all right to Heaven and earth into the Lords hand and he hath given me all back again freely and put me in a better condition than I was in before O the deepnesse of the riches of the Justice and Mercy of God! 10. In the tenth place Evangelical sorrow is a sorrow that keeps the soul in a sweet heavenly frame for all holy and heavenly duties it sweetly fits the soul for all holy performances Sorrow that flowes from the apprehension of Love in God is fresh and lively and full of spirits so that a man never performs any holy duty better then when his heart is filled with this sorrow Set a soul filled with this sorrow to pray and he will pray sweetly and heavenly fervently and effectually to wit in faith and so prevaile much with God Set him to hear and he will hear humbly and the whole Word of the Lord will be sweet unto him every precept and every threatning of the Lord every bitter thing will be sweet unto him every crum that fals from his Table will he gather up as precious food Set a soul filled with this sorrow to Divine Meditation and he will do it with great delight and freedome set him to receive the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord and he will do this action in its beauty He will looke upon him whom he hath pierced and mourn for his sinne that hath pierced him and every other holy duty will he perform with a more heavenly mind than others which have not felt this sorrow or not in that measure which he hath done 11. The soul Evangelically contrite sorrows not so much for suffering as for sinning not so much for being displeased as for displeasing and dishonouring God by sinne it is grieved for its sinne because the holy Spirit of God is grieved by its sinne and broken with its whorish heart as the Prophet speaks and is melted by the consideration of the incomparable goodness of God and his kindnesse and love in Christ towards its self abused by its self rather then broken with horrour threatnings punishments or slavish feare Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight saith the contrite soul and this is that which pierceth his soul. 12. The soul Evangelically contrite longs after freedome from sinne more than freedome from suffering it saies with the Church Lord take away all mine iniquity not with Pharaâ—h the plague Lord look upon my affliction and my pain saith the contrite soul and ease me of that if it be thy blessed Will but however forgive all my sinnes deliver me from all my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me and when shall I be delivered from the body of this death This is the language of contrite souls The soul Evangelically contrite counts sin the worst Evill and Christ the best Good the guilt of sinne the power of sinne and the being of sinne is of all burdens the heaviest unto a contrite soul and that which of all other it longs to be freed from 13. The soul Evangelically contrite priseth Christ as the chiefest Good as the only true Good it is not satisfied with any thing without Christ it is not fully satisfied with any thing but Christ Christ in his Blood Christ in his Spirit Christ in his Ordinances Christ in his Ministers Christ in whomsoever his Image is stamped is precious above all earthly things unto the contrite soul Thou art my beloved and my desire is towards thee saith the Contrite heart to Christ. To the soul Evangelically Contrite the light of Gods Countenance and the sense of his love in Christ is more worth than all the treasures and pleasures in the world Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon me thy love is better than wine better then Corn and Wine it strengthens more it comforts more it puts gladness in my heart more then Corn and Wine more than the choicest Creatures in the world saith the Contrite soul. When once this contrition had ceazed on Davids heart his soul did thirst for God as the thirsty land for rain and as the chased Hart for the water-brooks And not after God only in his immediate dispensations but in his mediate also after God in his Ordinances in his Sanctuary as appears Psal. 63.2 84.10 27.4 and thus did Mary Magdalen and Paul and other Saints under the New Testament when once this contrition had ceazed on their hearts they were very industrious seekers of God in his Ordinances By which it is eminently evident that it is the nature of Evangelical Contrition of hearts Evangelically contrite to prize highly communion with God in his Ordinances As it was with David and Mary and the other Saints here so it is with every soul Evangelically Contrite he hath the same judgement of and affection towards Gods Ordinances in truth though not in the same degree Such as the measure of contrition wrought in the soul is such usually is the measure of his affection to and thirst after these Divine excellencies forementioned 14. The soul Evangelically Contrite disclaims all righteousnesse of its own and rests wholly on the merit of Christ for justification before God We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs saith the Contrite Church Isai. 64.6 What things were gain to me those I counted loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord and do judg them but dung that I may winne Christ saith the Apostle Phil. 3.8 9. When once this Evangelical contrition hâ—d ceazed on the heart of Paul he renounced all his own righteousnesse all before conversion and all after conversion his old man and his new in matter of justification and rested wholly upon the merit of Christ which plainly demonstrates the truth asserted 15. Evangelical sorrow is a lasting sorrow and a wasting sorrow When once it hath ceazed upon the heart of a Christian it doth not pass away as the morning cloud and early dew or a land-flood but continueth and riseth up as a spring and is never exhaust till sin the cause of it be wholly taken away and not only the guilt and punishment of sinne but the very being of sinne till total deliverance from this body of death be granted This is evident in the Apostle Paul when once this sorrow had ceazed on his heart he did not cease to bewail his proness to sinne till his being in this world ceased as appears Rom. 7. ver 14.24 And as it is a lasting sorrow so it is a wasting
Demonstration I shall speak something from this Text as God shall enable me and somewhat of the other to wit the seal of Confirmation from another Text if the Lord permit and so conclude this work Before I speak further of this seal of Demonstration or the appearances of it I will here premise six things First That as a Merchant sets his seal upon his wares by which he demonstrates such and such wares to be his and distinguisheth them from all other so God sets his seal upon his people to wit this seal of regeneration by which he demonstrates them to be his and distinguisheth them from all the people in the world profane morall hypocriticall This I may call Gods broad-seal sealing a soul to the day of redemption Secondly This seal God sets upon all his wares all his adopted children are sooner or later sealed with this seal every reall Saint every one that is effectually called hath this seal of Demonstration set upon him regeneration wrought in him Gods Image stamped upon him But all the children of God have not this in like measure the impression is not alike visible in all neither to the parties themselves nor to others some bear this impression as babes others as men grown up to some maturity all Gods adopted children bear this impression truly but none of them perfectly in this life The third thing premised is this That this seal of Demonstration to wit true regeneration is of absolute necessity unto salvation for Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 No man shall ever inherit the kingdome of glory that hath not this seal set upon him in the kingdome of grace Christ will own none of these wares for his in that other world whom he doth not thus seal in this world it stands not with his justice to own such The fourth thing premised is this That this seal of regeneration demonstrates to God to man to others and to a mans self except in some cases that he is Gods He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 2 Thes. 2.13 Fifthly This seal of regeneration is such as others may discern therefore I call it a seal of demonstration The Image of God if once stamped in truth upon the soul cannot be hid no more than fire in a mans bosome the love of God in the heart will shew it self in the outward man Nay this seal of regeneration is many times more obvious unto others than unto the parties themselves This seal is so lively stamped on some of Gods people that it shews it self very eminently in the eies of others when they that have it cannot nor will not behold it in themselves The sixth and last thing premised is this That this seal of regeneration whereever it is truly stamped by the holy Spirit of God is Gods mark and the soules earnest for Heavens eternity The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 4.3 The person thus sealed is a sequestred person sequestred for the Lords use sealed unto the day of redemption Where note That this seal of regeneration doth confirme and make sure the love of God unto the person on which it is set as well as the other though not alwayes to the apprehension of the person Object But Satan doth many times counterfeit this seal and thereby cheats and cosens many a soul He counterfeiteth holiness and perswades the soul that is but seemingly regenerate that he is truly regenerate and him that hath but civill holiness that he hath saving holiness and by this sophistry of his cheats and undoth many a soul How shall I then come truly to discern whether the demonstrative seal set upon my self be indeed the seal of the holy Spirit of God or but the counterfeit set by Satan Answ. 1. Wheresoever there is true regeneration wrought by the holy Spirit of God Satans seal which is upon our soules as we come into the world is cancelled corruption is not barely restrained but mortified The body is dead because of sinne as the Scripture speaks the soul is bent against every sinne it allows not it self in any known sinne it hates all sin but where Satan counterfeits this seal corruption is but restrained the heart loves it still and cherisheth some one sinne or other 2. The soul â—hus sealed by the holy Spirit of God beares the Image of God the Image of God is stamped upon it as the seal is so is the print which it makes the Spirit of God is a holy Spirit and the soul that is sealed by it is a holy soul He is renewed in the spirit of his mind Holiness is stamped upon his heart and spirit and from thence spreads it self through the whole man and through the whole life from the time of conversion regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God makes the heart pure and holy as well as the outward man therefore the Apostle calls it Holiness of truth Ephes. 4.24 and saith in another place The Spirit is Life because of righteousness Christ makes it a note of a good man that he can derive goodness from within Luk 6 45. Therefore I may safely pitch upon it That Holiness engraven upon the heart and spirit of a man and from thence declaring it self in the whole man and in the whole life is vigor fit and but fit to give the denomination of a soul thus sealed regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God is begun in the inward man it is universall and goes through every faculty of the soul and every part and member of the body through the whole life and conversation he that is truly sanctified is sanctified throughout and holy in all manner of conversâ—tion he that is sealed by the holy Spirit of God beares the Image of God in all these But Satans counterfeit seal of Demonstration stamps his own image he is seemingly an Angel of light whilest really a Devil and he that is thus sealed by Satan resembles him in this he is a seeming Saint a reall Devil So Christ spake of Iudas Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil He that is thus sealed by Satan hath Holiness painted on his outside but wickedness graven on his heart as is evident in the Scribes and Pharisees who were thus sealed by Satan they were outwardly holy as Christ shews at large Mat. 23. but inwardly very ugly and rotten and therefore calls them whited sepulchres not sealed soules Civill Holiness may and many times doth enable a man to carry himself civilly and holily in the eies of men but saving Holiness makes a man studious and carefull to approve himself unto God in his very thoughts and affections and in the motions of his heart as well as the motions of the outward man yea this is that which he is most carefull of and industrious about that is sealed
his Ministers and he that doth not apply himself to do this and yet thinks himself sealed is but bewitched his testimony that he hath is but a bewitching as the Apostle intimates Gal. 3.1 Whosoever therefore thinks himself sealed by the holy Spirit of God with a seal of demonstration and with a seal of confirmation and yet doth not these three things is deceived and deceiveth his own heart it is Satans seal and not Gods that is upon him his sealing is a sealing to the day of destruction not a sealing to the day of redemption Having finished what I promised I shall now draw to a conclusion of the whole and shall conclude this thus Having travelled through the holy Scriptures and seached the Records thereof to see what I might find therein that might intitle me to the inheritance of the Saints in Light I have taken notice of divers remarkable places of Scripture very helpfull for this purpose some of which I have studied industriously according to my poore ability and through the help of my gracious God have acquired some comfort and satisfaction thereby in this weighty matter of evidence what the Lord hath been pleased to impart unto me in this weighty matter I have committed to writing for my own present and future benefit and that I might leave it for a Legacy to my Children after me which having done I commit this work and the Reader of it to the blessing of God through Jesus Christ. Trin. Vni Deo Gloria AN APPENDIX To the Foregoing Discourse Containing certain rules to be observed by every Person that hath attained any good assurance of the Love of God and his own salvation and desires to retain it FOrasmuch as assurance of the Love of God and a mans own Salvation is a pearl of great price hard to be gotten but quickly lost and being once lost harder to be regained than gotten at first as many examples in Scripture shew and many Christians experience will tell them I think it necessary both for my own behoof and the Readers to adde to this little draught of evidence some few rules of Direction to be observed for the keeping of this precious jewel when it is once attained but before I mention them I desire the Reader to take notice of four things First That although a Christian which hath once a true and real interest in Jesus Christ cannot lose his inheritance nor misse of salvation yet he may lose his evidence I mean his assurance of it and feare himself to be but an Hypocrite and a lost Creature and Satan labouâ—s above all things to rob him of his evidence whom he cannot rob of his inheritance Secondly note That evidence of our interest in God and Christ is a gift of Gods free grace and it dependeth upon Gods free Will I do not remember any particular promise in the Bible that God hath made ordinarily to give this blessing of assurance unto his people or to continue it unto them alwayes unto whom he gives it on whomsoever God bestows this grace of Assurance it is over and above what he hath covenanted with his People to give them and I call it a gift of free grace in this respect God gives this blessing at pleasure and he may take it away at pleasure we hold it as Tenants at will and when the Lord pleaseth he may reverse his grant or suspend his favour Thirdly That God usually I do not say alwayes continues this blessing or suspends it according to the use or abuse of it God varies his carriage towards the Creature in respect hereof as the Creature varies its carriage towards him though Gods Love towards his People be alwayes the same yet his discovâ—ries of it are not alwayes the same though the Spirit of God be alwayes a leader to his People yet be is not alwayes a witnessor to them the Spirit of God many times suspends his testimony from those to whom he continues his guidance Fourthly It behooveth every one therefore to whom the Lord vouchsafeth this royall favour to study how to carry himself so that he may still enjoy it this hath been my work and indeavour ever since the Lord hath vouchsafed me any sence of his Love and evidence of my interest in Christ for this purpose I have propounded to my self and shall here briefly commend to the Reader these rules which follow 1. Having once gotten any good assurance of the Love of God and thy own salvation thus do Lay up this Jewell safe in the Cabbinet of a tender Conscience 2. Set a guard about it guard it with the feare of God and spirituall watchfulnesse In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence Therefore be thou in the feare of the Lord all the day long All the day of thy life all thy life long and labour to keep a constant spirituall watch over thy heart over thy whole man and thy whole life What I shall say more concerning this subject I shall conclude in two sorts of rules the first Negative The second positive The Negative rules are these Peace being spoken to thy soul take heed of doing any thing that should infring or interrupt it take heed of returning unto folly Take heed of relapsing into any sinne this rule the word prescribes on this very ground beware therefore of returning unto former or like offences Beware of eating touching or looking after forbidden fruit all sinne is forbidden fruit therefore take heed of it and the first motions thereunto Remember Adam and Eve who were by their externall senses led to eat of that fruit which God had forbidden them to eat or to touch and thereby lost that sweet communion with God which they had before and that influence of his grace which they had and might still have had had they not eaten of that fruit Shun all sinne hate and abhor all sinne especially scandalous sinnes remember Reuben and David Reuben by one scandalous act loft his priviledg and David by one scandalous act lost his evidence Take heed of secret sinnes allow not thy self in give not way to any secret sinne for these often interpose between God and the soul between the Sonne of Righteousnesse and the soul and eclyps the light of Gods Countenance and the bright beames and raâ—es of the Sun of Righteousnesse from us Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy Countenance saith the Psalmist Psal. 90.8 therefore beware of these Take heed of sinning against lâ—ght against any light naturall morall or Divine Sin not presumptiously Take heed of backsliding in heart in profession or in practise from the truth of God or power or form of godlinesse Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines they are very unsetling But beware lest ye be led away with the error of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastnesse as the Scripture speaks Take heed of abusing lawfull things meate drink marriage
thy assurance pray for the increase of it urge God with that general promise Mat. 25.29 for the obtaining of this particular blessing of increase of assurance Thus much for answer to the foresaid query viz what we must do to increase our assurance and better our evidence I return now to the work in hand which is to propound more rules to be observed by those who having attained some good evidence for Heaven desire to retain it I have already propounded eight rules I come new to the ninth 9. If thou wouldst still retain thy assurance then labour to keep a holy jealousie over thy self and over all thy performances and wayes holy jealousie is no destroyer but a nourisher and strengthener of good assurance 10. If thou wouldest still injoy thy evidence then labour to profit by all Gods chastisements God many times deserts his People and hides his face from them because they do not profit by lesser Chastisements he useth greater rods because lesser will not serve the turn Labour therefore to discern Gods design in every stroke of his and to answer Gods ends in every correction 11. In the next place If thou wouldest still injoy thy assurance then call thy selfe often to account and when thou espiest any failings in thy selfe speedily humble thy self before the Lord for them renew Faith and Repentance seek pardon and reconciliation apply the Blood of Christ for thy cure let not Conscience lye under the guilt of any known sinne unrepented of If our hearts condemne us not then have we confidâ—nce towards God 1 John 3.21 Labour therefore so to try judge and condemn thy selfe that thy heart may not condemne thee Labour so to act Repentance upon every occasion that conscience may not find any guilt unrepented of to charge thee with Labour to prevent conscience herein by doing that thy self now that it would do hereafter by being such a self condemning sinner that thou maiest avoid a self-condemning conscience He that is not a self condemning sinner here shall be sure of a self condemning Conscience hereafter Therefore O Christians Iudg your selves that you be not judged of the Lord condemn your selves that you be not condemned of conscience at least not justly 12. Lâ—t your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospell of Christ in simplicity and godly sincerity This was ground of confidence and rejoycing to the Apostles 2 Cor. 1.12 it may be so to thee nay it will be so to thee whiles conscience speaks truth 13. Cast thy self wholly upon the merit of Christ for righteousnesse to justifie thy person before God 14. Stand fast in the Lord labour to keep the faith Paul saith I have kept the faith and hence infers Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 15. Then again If thou wouldest keep thy Evidence hold fast not only the faith but also the profession of thy faith without wavering as the Author to the Hebrews exhorts all Christians to do Heb. 10.23 16. In the next place If thou wouldest still retain thy assurance then pray for the continuance of it and live for the continuance of it follow the counsell of Christ to his Disciples watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation 17. Remember that the foundation of God standeth sure and his gifts of saving grace are without repentance and his love towards his is an everlasting love 18. Finally if thou wouldest still retain thy Evidence for Heaven and secure it from danger from Satan and all his devices then intrust Jesus Christ with it who purchased it for thee he and he only is able to secure it Thus much for the rules to be observed by every one that having attained some good Evidence for Heaven desire to preserve and retain it Now the Lord of his infinite mercy in Christ inable me so to follow these rules and all the rules of his holy Word that I may never know experimentally what a deserted condition is but still enjoy the light of his countenance and the sence of his Love and in death triumph over death in assurance of life and happinesse that shall never end that Christ may be magnified in me both in Life and in Death and of me through all eternity Amen Amen FINIS Courteous Reader these Books following are Printâ— or sold by Simon Miller at the Star in St. Pauls Church-yard Small Folio THe Civil Wars of Spain in the Reign of Charles the fifth Emperor of Germany and King of that Nation wherein our late unhappy differences are paralleled in many particulars A general History of Scotland from the year 767. to the death of King Iames containing the principal Revolutions and transactions of Church and State with politicall obseruations and reflections upon the same by David Hume of Godscroft The History of this Iron Age. Doctor Lightfoot his Harmony on the New Testament In Qarto Large Barklay his Argenis Translated by Sir Robert le Grise Knight Quarto Small Abraham's faith or the good old Religion proving the Doctrine of the Church of England to be the only true faith of Gods Elect By I. Nicholson Minister of the Gospell The Anatomy of Mortallity by George Stroad Aynsworth on the Camicles Paul Bayn his Diocesans Trial. Gralle against Appolonius A Treatise of Civil Pollicy being a clear decision of 4â— queries concerning prerogative right and priviledg in reference to the supreme Prince and the people By Samuel Rutherford professor of Divinity of St Andrews in Scotland Politick and Military observations of Civill and Military Government containing the birth increase decay of Monarchies the cartiage of Princes and Magistrates Mr. Tinchin his meritorious price of mans redemption cleared Aâ—â—rology Theologized shewing what nature and influence the Stars and Planets have over men and how the same may be diverted and avoided The Harmony of Confessions 4o. Octavo Florus Anglicus with Cuts The reconciler of the Bible wherein above 2000 seeming contradictions are fully and plainly reconciled A view of the Jewish Religion 〈◊〉 their Rites Customes and â—â—â—emonies Ed. VVaterhouse Esq his disâ—â—rse of piety and charity A view and defence of the Reâ—ormation of the Church of England very usefull in these times Mr. Peter du Moulin his Antidote against Popery published on purpose to prevent the delusions of the Priests and Jesuites who are now very busie amongst us Herberts Devotions or a Companion for a Christian containing Meditations and Prayers usefull upon all occasions Mr. Knowles his Rudiment of the Hebrew Tongue A Book of scheams or figures of Heaven ready set for every foure minutes of times and very â—seful for all Astrologers Florus Anglicus or an exact Hiâ—tory of England from the reign of Vâ—illiam the Conqueror to the death of the late King Lingua or the combate of the Tongue and the five Senses for superiority a serious Comedy The Spirits Touchstone being a clear discovery how a man may certainly know whether he be truly taught by the Spirit of