3.14 and there Translated Confidence Faith is a Confident and stedfast Expectation of Things promised It apprehends the Promise and adheres to it and assures the Soul of the Accomplishment of it and causeth the Soul to live in Expectation thereof It realizeth the Promises and shews the Soul how substantial they are that the things promised are no Trifles or feigned things but things of Substance weight and worth really subsisting and certainly to be enjoyed and enables the Soul confidently to expect them Thus it 's the Substance of the things Hoped for And it 's the Evidence of things not seen Things not seen either because future or because invisible Faith represents to the Mind as sure and certain The Eye of Faith beholds Christ with all his Excellencies the Immortality of the Soul and the Glory of Heaven as evidently as the Eye of the Body doth visible things Now â—et us reduce this to practice can we experimentally subscribe to this Description of Faith Do we see a reality in the unseen things it is evident to our Souls that God is the chief Good and Christ the fountain of Grace and chief of ten Thousands and that all his promises are certain and infallible and do we depend upon them and live in sure and certain Hope of the accomplishment of them then we have the faith which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because it 's peculiar to them and to none but them Yet further Paul here describes faith not only by its Excellency but also by its Efficacy 2. By its Efficacy v. 2. By it the Elders obtained a good report and they are famous to this day for the Testimony that God gives of the efficacy of their faith Faith wrought in them such works as were such evidences of the Truth of their Faith It 's their works of Faith that makes their memory so Honourable Faith without works saith James is dead it is of no more worth than a dead Dog It 's our works that do shew what our faith is A working Faith is a saving Faith Let us then examine our Faith by our works are our works the works of Faith do we pray in Faith and hear in Faith and live by Faith thus much for the Trial of our saving Faith Come we to our Love let us examine 2. Our Love to Christ whether it be sincere 1 John 4.16 He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him True Love you see is demonstrative of Gods dwelling by his Spirit in the Soul Let us then try our Love 1. By its Measure Do we love Christ most and best We love many Creatures and it 's allowed us Parents are to love their Chidren and Husbands their Wives but what is it that lies next our hearts and hath the largest measure of our Love I am sure Christ deserves most love from us for he hath done most for us but do we Love him above all is Christ a Pearl in our Eyes can we say with the Spouse in our Eyes he is altogether Lovely we have other Loves but none that lies so near our Hearts as Christ he is our Beloved and our best Beloved 2. By the Motive that moves us so to love Christ What is it that hath so endeared us to Christ is it the gain we expect from him or the good we see in him Cant. 5.10 The Church professeth much Love to Christ and tells the cause thereof it was the Beauty and Excellency of Christ that had gained her heart this was the attractive of her Love is it so with us is it Christs Love to Souls and his Loveliness that draws out your Love towards him Then there is sincerity and not selfish in your Love to Christ 3. By the Might and strength of your Love to Christ Love is of a constraining Nature 2 Cor. 5.14 Now do you find your Love to Christ constrain you doth it constrain you to vindicate the Honour of Christ against all that cast open contempt upon him doth it constrain you to value the Ordinances above worldly wealth and dignity doth it constrain you to venture all for Christ in suffering and trying times doth it constrain you to avoid every thing as far as you can that is offensive to Christ what influence hath your Love to Christ upon your Hearts and Lives doth it constrain you to carry it dutifully towards Christ and to cast off your beloved Lusts because they dishonour Christ and to conform to the Laws of Heaven because they are the Yoke of Christ are the things of Christ become precious to you Oh deal faithfully with your Souls 3 Vse Of Entreaty both to such as have not Christ in them and to such as have him in them 1. You that have not Christ as yet in you Be entreated and perswaded to live no longer without Christ in the World you have heard your danger and the dreadfulness of your danger and the desparate Madness of such as do sit down in so dangerous a Condition And now in the Name of Christ I earnestly beseech and entreat you to take the matter into serious Consideration The Lord Jesus Christ the great Mediator of the Covenant and victorious Captain of our Salvation makes as it were an Ho Yes Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open the door I will come in and Sup with him and he with me And he is now knocking at the door of your Heart and craving admission and tendering himself and the Riches of his Grace and Mercy unto you upon condition that you will receive and entertain him and accept of him as your Lord and Saviour and consent and submit to the gracious Terms of the Gospel Oh comply with his gracious offer and open to him and let him in Put off Christ no longer expect not Salvation by Christ without giving your selves up to Christ to be Governed by him according to the Gospel What shall I now say to perswade you to be over entreated to get Christ into your Souls and not to sit down still in a Christless condition the business is of great importance and I stand here in Christs stead to beseech you to be reconciled to God and to use your utmost endeavour to make sure of Christ and would gladly prevail with you for your own good to set about this great concern to this end press these following perswasives upon your own Spirits and that with the seriousness as the weightiness of the matter requires 1. The case you are in calls for speedy Help You live without Christ in the World this is your case and it is a case that you can neither live nor die in with safety or comfort As long as you live thus you live under the guilt of all your Sins and under the wrath of God and if you die thus you die in your Sins and to Hell you must go And is this a Case to be neglected and disregarded were your Estates
such are assured of Glory but this I say that all such are sure of Glory and ought to live in sure and certain Hope of Glory In this Case Christ himself is the Object and Original of all true Hope of Glory But its Christ in the Soul both in respect of Union and Communion that is the off-spring of this Hope of Glory and Christ in us becomes our Hope of Glory two ways By way of Influence and by way of Evidence 1. By way of Influence as when the Soul comes into the Body it animates it and by its influence causeth such Motions as do assure the Mother that she is quick with Child and may live in Hope of being a glad Mother So when Christ comes into the Soul by his Spirit it so influenceth the Soul and changeth it that thereby the Soul comes to know and understand that it is a member of Christ and an Heir of Glory and therefore lives in sure and certain Hope of Glory 2. By way of Evidence the Spirit of Christ in the Soul is the Souls Evidence for Heaven and as great an Evidence as can be had on this side Heaven Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his You see that the Spirit of Christ in the Soul doth Evidence the Souls Interest in Christ and assures it that he is Christs and Christ is his and this Evidence is so Evident that it fills the Soul with Hopes of Glory The Soul thus argues with it self Christ in the Soul is the Souls Hope of Glory Now I find Christ in my Soul and therefore Oh my Soul live thou in sure and certain Hope of Glory Having now divided and unfolded the Words I extract thence these two Doctrines Doct. 1. That every true Christian hath Christ within him Doct. 2. It s Christ within us that is our Hopes of Glory 1. Doct. Every sincere Christian hath Christ within him John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 1 John 3. last He that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and He in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Rev. 3.20 If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him To prevent mistakes and clear up this great Truth let us enquire how and in what Sense this is to be understood when and in what manner doth Christ take Possession of the Hearts of his Elect why and for what cause and end is it that he abideth in them And how may we know the Spirit of Christ from the Spirit of Antichrist Quest 1. How and in what sense is this Doctrine to be understood Answ 1. Negatively It 's not to be understood of his personal bodily Presence his Body is now a Glorified Body and abideth in Heaven and there is to abide 'till he come to Judgment The Romanist tell us that Sacramental bread is changed into his Body and after Consecration every Wafer is the Body of Christ and is not to be eaten but to be swallowed and upon swallowing it Christ is within them but if Paul had been of their mind he would not have tould us that after Consecration it remains still bread and that it's bread that we eat and not the very body of Christ 1 Cor. 11.26.27 And our senses assure us it is bread we see feel and taste bread and yet they are so senseless as they will not believe their own eyes Nor is it to be understood of the Providential presence of Christ it is true that Christ is with us by the presence of his Providence ordering our affairs and disposing of us and our concerns according to the Councel of his good Will and Pleasure but the In-being here spoken of is of another Nature therefore I answer 2. Affirmatively That it is to be understood of his Spiritual presence viz. that Christ is in his Spouse and in every particular Member that belongs unto him by his Spirit and Grace Rom. 8.9 10. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none his and if that Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin viz. If by his Spirit he be in you It implies the Mistical union that is betwixt Christ and his Members A Mistery that is too wonderful to be made manifest to Mortals And it signifies to us our dependance upon Chriist for Light and Life What the Soul is to the body that Christ is to the Soul he abides in it by his spirit to supply its needs And is all in all to the Soul And all things else are just nothing to the Soul for they can afford it no satisfaction nor any one supply of its needs Alas what relief can Honour or Riches afford a Christless Soul none at all They oft prove snares to the Soul but never give any succour to it but Christ by his Spirit is in every true Christian and this is his Happiness and his hope of Glory Quest 2. When and in what manner doth Christ take possession of the hearts of his Elect Answ In this great transaction betwixt Christ and the Soul it is certain that Christ himself is the Author and the Spirit his Agent and his Word his usual and ordinary instrument and Faith his appointed method and means and the Work is wholly supernatural But the Modus rei the course and order that the Spirit makes use of in this great affair its intricate and hereby hath occasioned some difference in the apprehensions of the Learned In my weak Judgment they are in the right that distinguish betwixt 1. The qualifying Antecedents or Prerequisites that dispose prepare and fit the Soul for so great a Guest viz. the Grace that Christ by his Spirit conveys into the Soul in order to his entrance called the first preventing Grace this is the seed of Faith and a holy principle of Life Light and Love infused into the Soul as a holy Root and cause of all actual holiness and precedes it and puts the Soul into a capacity to put forth future acts of holiness This initial holiness sanctifies the Soul and halloweth it and makes it meet for the indwelling of the holy Spirit And till the Soul be thus seasoned I cannot see how the Holy Ghost can take up its Habitation in it What Communion can light have with darkness 2. The conveying Concomitants that usher Christ into the Soul and accompany the possession that the Spirit takes of the Soul is called subsequent Grace or the Influence of the Spirit causing the Soul freely to reduce the said seed and principle into Act and when it actually repents and believes through grace received then it is actually justified upon the account of Christ's
you and you fall into it you are utterly undone for ever Your eternal State will be wofully Wretched and miserable and will ye not make your escape from everlasting Wo Oh dreadful 3. The Dreadfulness of your danger lies in the Certainty and Senselesness of your danger 1. In the Certainty of it there are fictitious dangers feigned but your danger is certain as sure as the Sun is in the Firmament so sure is it that you are in extream danger I confess many a Child of God think they are in their dangers and in them it 's only imaginary but you that live without Christ are certainly in danger I have proved it to you out of Gods Word and it 's as certain as Death it self is or as Judgment is and you will find it so in the end 2. In the Senslesness of it This Consummates the dreadfulness of your danger you do not see nor will you be brought to believe your own danger you are told oft and it is proved to you out of the infallible Word of God and yet you will not be convinced of it The consideration of this brought Tears from the eyes of Paul Phil. 3.18 He could not speak of it with dry eyes that men should be so stupid as to continue their Emnity against Christ and Christianity when the end thereof is destruction and cannot be made apprehensive of their own dreadful danger There is no hope of Glory for such as have not Christ in them and yet thousands that have not Christ in in them hope for Glory in a Christless condition and conclude that they are safe and out of all danger and will not be perswaded otherwise This this Beloved fixeth you to your dangerous Estate ye are in great danger and like to continue so because you will not yield that you are in any danger Now consider 3ly The desperate Madness of sitting down contented under this dreadful danger You have heard your Danger and the dreadfulness of your danger and now if you concern not your selves about getting out of this danger I must say to you as Paul did to the Galathians Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you Surely ye are infatuated besotted Fools desperate Mad-men the World and the Devil have bewitched you Mat. 3.7 Many came to Johns Baptism confessing their Sins and pretending amendment and amongst other many Pharisees and Sadduces and John said unto them O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flie from the wrath to come q. d. It is certain that there is a dreadful wrath to come and that all that are under the guilt of their Sins are in danger of it and that it 's their great concern to flie with speed and hast from the wrath to come And you Pharisees seem to be aware of this and pretend to endeavour to flie from the wrath to come but will not part with your Sins if you would escape the danger you are under it must be by sincere Repentance and not by pretended Repentance you must bring forth Fruit meet for Repentance Oh consider what desperate madness it is for Sinners to stand in danger of the wrath to come and yet to sit down under this danger and not flie from the wrath to come and use their utmost endeavours to make their escape would you not account that Man a Mad-man that having run himself into some unseen danger and is called to by others that see and know his Danger Friend Friend stay turn back or you are a gone man yet takes no warning but runs headlong upon his own ruine This is your Case God and Man call to you Turn ye Turn ye why will ye die The way you are in leads to Hell and Destruction hasten out of it or you are undone for ever And ye will take no warning but run on in your self-destructive Courses Now you are told of your Danger of the dreadfulness of it and of the desperate Madness of such as sit down contentedly under this danger And now what will you do what do you resolve upon in this Case what will ye do as ye do and be as you are and stand to the venture God forbid that the Devil should so besot you What in danger and in so great danger and will you continue in it and take no warning Oh far be it from you I am loth to leave you unconvinced and therefore entreat you seriously to consider 1. What an Uncharitable thing it is and how unreasonable in you to stop your Ears under this present warning How far is it below Men of common understanding how unmanly a part to refuse such Counsel as so much concerns your own Interest Is it not to act like an Ideot or a Frantick Person that regard no advice for their own good What is it not your own concern your greatest concern And will you be uncharitable to your selves Will you act against your own Welfare Will you shew no Charity to your Selves Have ye no Love for your own Souls Will ye not be disswaded from destroying your selves 2. What an unaccountable thing it is How unexcusable What can you say for your selves when Christ shall charge it upon you at the greaâ— day When he shall say Were not ye warned by such and such Such a time and such a time Why did you not take warning What Plea can you make surely none And will you turn your back upon Counsel when you have nothing to say against it will you condemn your selves in the things you allow 3. What an unkind ungrateful and unsufferable a thing it is Rom. 2.4 5. Despisest thou the Riches of his Goodness It 's a Mercy and a rich Mercy in God to acquaint you with your danger and to call upon you to make your escape and to shew you the City of Refuge where you may live in Safety viz. Christ Jesus And what a sleight do you put upon his Mercy What an abuse upon his Goodness Do ye thus requite the Lord Is it fair betwixt Man and Man to take advice and have good advice given and to turn the back upon it do you not in such a Case use to say I will be no more concerned with such a Man he is uncounsellable And may not God justly deal so with you and say there is no good to be done with such and such they will not be counselled I 'll be no more concerned with them Oh my Word let them alone and thou my Spirit let them alone And if you bring the matter to this pass then there is no help for you ye are lost Creatures and will perish in your Sins 2. Vse Of Tryal Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 It highly concerns us all to turn our Eyes inward and to make a diligent Inspection into our selves to see how matters stand betwixt God and our Souls in this
great Point Whether we lie under the aforesaid danger or have made our escape out of it the Determination of this depends upon the indwelling of Christ in the Soul Let us then put it to the Question Is Christ in us or no And if we would satisfie our selves herein we must search 1 What Freedoms we enjoy by Christ his in-being in our selves 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of God is there is Liberty If Christ be in us by his Spirit he hath set our Souls at Liberty There is a sort of Liberty peculiar to the People of God John 8.36 If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed This Freedom is Demonstrative that Christ is in us and by his Spirit hath set us free Now there is a twofold Freedom that the Spirit gives to all in whom it dwells viz. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Spirit 1. Freedom of Speech whereby especially in Secret they are enabled to pour our the desires of their Souls unto the Lord with much enlargedness of Heart I say especially in Secret to distinguish these enlargements from enlargements in Publick Exercises drawn out by outward incouragements A Hypocrite praying in his Family or with the Church whereof he is a Member for Ostentation sake and Affectation of applause puts forth his Parts to the utmost and is oft much enlarged But he is seldom in Closet Prayer and commonly flat and with little Life but the Children of God find their Secret Enlargements exceed their Publick Enlargements It 's in Secret that Christ and his Spouse have the sweetest embraces 2. Freedom of Spirit viz. From the Bondage of Sin and Captivity of Satan Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the Flesh if the Spirit dwell in you that is ye are not in a Carnal Estate and under the Dominion of the Flesh the Spirit of God is a pure and Powerful Spirit and will overcome the Flesh and keep it in Subjection that though Sin remain yet it doth not Reign It 's a subdued Rebel and kept under by the Spirit yet will be raising up new Rebellions in the Soul The Flesh will be Lusting against the Spirit but in the main the Spirit is the prevailing Principle and doth enable the Soul more and more to die unto Sin and live to Righteousness 2ly What Fellowship we have with Christ in his Ordinances The natural Man hath no Fellowship with Christ in his Ordinances but the Children of God have Men in the State of Nature are Strangers to Communion with God Psal 94.20 Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fellowship with thee No no They have no Fellowship with thee 1 John 1.6 If we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie Such as have Fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness have no Fellowship with Christ But it 's the Priviledge of the Children of God to live in Fellowship with the Trinity 1 John 1.3 Truely our Fellowship is with the Father and the Son It 's an Assertion with an Asseveration Christians are no sooner Effectually called but they are admitted into this Fellowship 1 Cor. 1.9 God is Faithful by whom we were called unto the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ dwelling in the Soul doth verifie the Truth of this can Christ and a Christian live together and not have Communion together No if Christ be in us there will be Communion betwixt Christ and Us. And this Communion is a Manifestation of his abode in us Now then let us examine our selves hereby do we experimentally know what this Mistery of Communion betwixt Christ and the Soul meaneth Do we feel and find it in our selves Have we a Receptive Participation from God in our selves that Dilates Revives and Refresheth the Soul above what any sensible sublunary thing doth or can do and leaves behind it a relish which raiseth in us a singular Love to and Delight in the Ordinances how Familiarly doth God sometimes carry it towards his People he takes them into his Banquetting-House and his Banner over them is Love he Dandles them upon his Knees embraceth them in the Arms of his Love and speaks comfortably to them sometimes he gives in such a Sense of Sin as makes them weep with Grief and Godly Sorrow and dissolves their Souls into Penitential Tears And sometimes such a sight of Grace and such symptoms of Love as makes them weep for Joy and Solace If it hath been thus with us at any time it proceeds from the influence of the Spirit in us and is demonstrative of the Presence of Christ in our Souls 3ly What first Fruits of the Spirit is there in us A natural Heart is barren ground destitute of the Fruits of the Spirit but when Christ comes into the Soul he changeth the Soil and makes it fruitful And all the good Fruit that it brings forth are the Fruits of the Spirit and discover the State of the Soul and declare the goodness of the Tree Now the Fruits of the Spirit are divided into First-Fruits and After-Fruits Though the Graces of the Spirit are linkt together and are all in semine in the Seed in the Soul of a Child of God yet some of these Seeds spring up before others and are called the First-Fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 We our selves have the first Fruits of the Spirit Though the Spirit it self be the first Fruit of Glory yet here something more must be understood than the Spirit it self because he speaks not of the first Fruit of Glory in the singular number but of the first Fruits of the Spirit in the Plural number and therefore the first Fruits of the Spirit must be understood of such Fruits as the Spirit causes to spring up in the Soul and there make the first visible Appearance such as saving Knowledge Evangelical Repentance Faith and Love These two last include the two first for there is no true Repentance without Faith nor any true Love without Light to discover the Loveliness of the Object Therefore I 'll confine my self at this Time to the two first Fruits of saving Faith in and sincere Love to Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us Examine then 1. Our Faith whether it be saving Faith This is the uniting Grace that knits Christ and the Soul together and all that truely believe shall be saved For saving Faith though it may be shaken yet it cannot be lost and extinguished It 's a spark that never goes out a durable Dye that cannot be washed away And if we have any Faith though in the least Degree that is of a saving Nature then for sure Christ is in us and we may Hope for Glory Now Paul tells us Heb. 11.1 2. what this Faith is he doth not define it but describe it by its Excellency and Efficacy 1. By its Excellency It 's the Substance of things Hoped for The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Word of that force that no Language can fully express It 's used in Heb.
behind the Curtain and when he hides his Face you will be troubled Oh what Losses and Sorrow do Christians create to themselves by their Carnal Security Oh resolve against it and take warning from others and walk very circumspectly left Satan get an Advantage against you he that lets down his Watch gives place to the Devil 2. See that you live Chastly 1 Thes 4.12 Walk honestly that is not in the Lust of Concupiscence and the Reason is given in the 7th and 8th Verses God hath not called us to Vncleanness but to Holiness and given us his Holy Spirit And therefore it is not for us to be carnally Minded but to be Chast and Honest and Sober even in the Use of lawful Delights That is a notable Passage in 1 Pet. 4.6 The Gospel was preached to them that are Dead that is to the Martyrs that they may be judged according to Men in the Flesh but live according to God in the Spirit You cannot stop the Mouths of Men they will be Judging and Condemning you and say you are fleshly given and live in Uncleanness but you need not regard their Calumnies as long as you live according to God in the Spirit cleansing your selves from all filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit 3. See that you live Charitably in Peace and Love 2 Cor. 13.11 Live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you It 's great Matter of Lamentation that such as have Christ in them should live so Uncharitably and Contentiously and all through small differences about Words and Gestures and that these Minute things should cause such distances estrangements and unkindnesses amongst them I am sure this ought not so to be Those that are right in the main ought to hold Communion one with another and that in Peace and Love bearing one with another in things wherein they differ Phil. 3.15 16. Rom. 14. begin And it 's certain also that Christ makes it one of the Characters of a true Christian to Love the Brethren 1 John 3.14 And that Love is full of Charity and Kindness and Forbearance and hides many faults And why should there not be a fair Correspondency where there is a vital Inspiration by the self same Spirit 4. See that you live Contentedly Heb. 13.5 Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be Content with such things as you have q.d. Keep your Hearts free from the Love of the World and the Gares Fears and Discontents that thence arise and be Content with Gods allowance for God is with you and will never leave you nor forsake you if Christ be in and with you by his Spirit then the Comforter is at hand in all sad Cases to Comfort and Support you and this should Still Quiet and Content our Spirits and preserve you from Discontentedness if Christ his Being in the Soul will not Content him surely nothing will do it 2 Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on every side yet not Distressed And how comes this to pass see ver 9 That the Life of Jesus may be manifested in our Body that is that our Lives may be conformable to his Life in submissive Sufferings and that it may be manifest that the Life that we live is the Life of Jesus Christ that he lives in us and that by him we live and that contentedly under all our Calamities 5. See that you live Comfortably and Cheerfully in the Consideration that Christ lives in and with you A Melancholly drooping Life is a great Reflection upon Religion and upon Christ himself and an occasion of stumbling unto many And will you carry it so as if you served a hard Master none have more Reason to live Chearfully and Joyfully than you that have Christ in you the Hope of Glory Such as you are called upon by God himself to rejoice in the Lord always and to be of good Comfort and that under the troubles of the World you need not to be troubled at your troubles but may and ought under your Crosses to Comfort your selves in Christ in your Union with him in your Interest in him and in your Enjoyment of him and that because he is in you Incessantly Intercessively Inseparably and Incumbently He is in you 1. Incessantly in you and alway in you when you perceive it not when he hides his Face and seems to be withdrawn and you conclude be is quite departed from you yet then he is with you John 14.16 The Spirit abideth with you and shall abide with you for ever As a vital principle to preserve and keep you from Apostacy and is not this Comfortable and a sure Hope of Glory 2. Intercessively Christ in Heaven is your Intercessour with God the Father and his Spirit within you is your Intercessour betwixt Christ and your Souls Rom. 8.26 27. The Spirit pleads Christs cause with us and stands up for Christ against the Flesh and it pleads our cause in Prayer with Christ and the Father The Spirit then is in you a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and the Spirit of Adoption enabling you to go to God boldly as to a reconciled Father in Christ and to pour out your Souls to him It 's Christ his Spirit in you that is the Spring of all your Holy Desires and Motions God-ward And that only that comes from the Spirit in you finds Acceptance with God for the Spirit moves you to ask what is agreeable to Gods Will and with a Submission to his Will And you receive Answers of Prayers in your spirits oft in inward Strength and Consolation from the Spirit of God within you Such as cry down the Spirit of Prayer have need to take heed they do not despite to the Spirit of Grace 3. Inseparably nothing can sever Christ and your Souls John 14.16 The Spirit shall abide with you for ever And Ver. 17. He dwelleth in you and shall be in you he shall be in you in despite of all Opposition All the Devils in Hell cannot with all their Exorcisms cast the Spirit of God out of the Souls of his People Satan may be dispossessed but the Holy Ghost cannot be dispossest He is in you and shall be in you Blessed be God for this Promise he is in you not as a Guest in an Inn to stay but for a Night but as an Inhabitant to abide in you and he will secure his Possession And what a strong Consolation is this once Christs and always Christs If Christ be in you he will never depart from you he may in some Cases withdraw his visible Communion but not his Union And as to Communion he departs in the Souls Apprehension but that is no real departure 4. Incumbently as one in Office to oversee your Souls 1 Pet. 2. last Ye were as Sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepberd and Bishop of your Souls Christ is the great Archbishop of the Soul and he is no Non-resident but Incumbent in the Soul as a Bishop is in his
And spiritual glorified Bodies are to be like Angels Mark 12.25 2. The next Priviledge of such as are glorified is Gladness and triumphant Joy without intermission interruption or diminution They shall enjoy fulness of Joy All the Joys that they enjoy on this side Heaven are but a taste of that full Cup of Consolation that they shall there be always drinking of Some on this side Heaven enjoy Joys unspeakable and full of Glory as much as frail Nature can bear and so much as for the present weakens them in so much as they are ready to sink under them but these foretastes of Heaven are but as drops compared to the Fountain when compared with the Joys of Heaven The Joys of Heaven are so great that Heaven is called Joy it self Mat. 25.21 Enter into the Joy of thy Lord. Heaven is Joy in the abstract and such as go to Heaven enter into Joy As he that enters into a Bath is presently compassed with Water So is he that enters into Heaven surrounded with Joy yea filled with Joy As a Vessel that is put into a Fountain is presently top full of Water Whilst on Earth the People of God have much sorrow and but little Joy many times but in Heaven they shall have no Sorrow but all Joy What then is Earth to Heaven What is this Valley of Tears to that Palace of Joy 3. Grace without the least Imperfection Here the People of God are daily complaining of their Sins the strength of Sin and the weakness of Grace fill them full of Complaints But there will be no occasion of these complaints in Heaven there is no Sin but perfect Holiness The Spirits of just Men are there made perfect Heb. 12.23 And Oh how sweet must those Praises be in which there is no mixture of Sin And in what a steady frame must the Souls of those be in that are in a sinless Condition and partake of such a measure of the Spirit that casts and keeps out all Sin How exact spiritual lively and Joyful must such be in all their Services How Concordant and Delightful will their Converse and Communion be one with another What manner of Persons are glorified Saints that enjoy the fear of God and the Love of God in Perfection what rare Services and with what enlarged Hearts do they always perform them No Weariness no Distractions no Discomposedness at all in their Souls but always full of Life and Delight in their heavenly employments 4. God Christ and the Spirit in Vision and Fruition without the least Interposition or Intermission This is the richest Jewel that belongs to the Crown of Glory and that which Crowns their Glory and how sweet and delicate must this needs be Oh what Blessed sights are always beheld in Glory that delight the Eyes and ravish the Hearts of all Beholders Oh what a sort of Communion will the Communion of Saints in Heaven be both with themselves and with the Trinity What Poor things are the Pleasures of the World compared to the delights of Heaven What a dull thing is it to be in the Courts of Princes towards what it is to be in the Court of Heaven God is the Center and Felicity of the Soul and for the Soul to live for ever in the full Fruition of God and Christ how sweet must it be Christ in the Heart is comfortable but Christ in Heaven is best of all yea all in all Thus I have given you a Glimpse of Heaven and though it be but a Glimpse yet it 's enough to set an Edge upon our Affections and to beget in us a longing after this heavenly Inheritance Quest 2. What is this Hope of Glory here spoken of Answ I will give you an Account both of the Nature and of the Necessity of this Hope of Glory that you may be the better acquainted both with the Grace and with the usefulness of it And 1. Of the Nature of it This I will lay before you in two Couples to help your Memories the better to retain them 1. This Hope of Glory is a still and a stedfast Hope 1. A still Hope under delays of Mercy it 's quiet and still and suppresseth inward fretting and vexing at these delays when the Soul begins to be disquiet it checks it and stills it Psal 42. last Why art thou cast down O my Soul Hope in God! Art thou in Hope of Glory Despond not then at the troubles of this Life it will not be long but all thy trouble will be over and a time or rather an Eternity of Triumph will come Therefore be still do not murmur nor fret 2. A stedfast Hope hence it 's called the Anchor of the Soul Heb. 6.19 Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast When the Soul is bestormed and in danger of Shipwrack tost upon the Waves of Trouble and Temptation it cleaves to the Promise and preserves the Soul from being dasht against the Rock of Distrust and Despair The Anchor doth not adhere to the Water but to the Earth under the Water So this Hope is not content with visible things but penetrates further and laies hold on God and Christ and Coelestial Things and sticks and adheres unto them 2. This Hope of Glory is a Lively and Lasting Hope 1. A lively Hope and is so called 1 Pet. 1.3 It makes the Soul Active and Lively in Duty it 's not a dead Hope but a living Hope that lives in the Soul as a Vital Principle to animate it against the Disasters of this frail Life It lives by Faith upon the Promises of the Life to come the Objects of this Hope are not the good things of this Life but of the Life to come These the Eye of Faith makes visible to the Soul and Hope lives in Expectation of and the Soul through Hope puts forth lively Operations and serves the Lord with Life and Vigour 2. A Lasting Hope it continues hoping and holds on and holds out to the end it meets with discouragements from Sin and Satan which sometimes oppress it and keep it under that it makes no visible appearance in the Soul but it like the Sun disperseth these Clouds and discovers again its radiant Beams by casting it's Eye upon the faithfulness of God and calling to Mind former Experiences and thus this Hope upholds it self and keeps its ground against all encounters and remains firm to the End Heb. 3.6 2. Of the Necessity of this Hope It 's a useful and needful Grace that a Christian cannot live without it is very necessary 1. To help us in our work for it mightily farthers and promotes it We have much work to do in the World weighty work that is not to be neglected We are to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling and there is the work of Faith and the works of Righteousness and all the works of our general Calling to be done by us And he that works not in Hope makes
in and over them to all these he promises Pardon here and Glory hereafter And such as are of this Number ought to live in Hope of Glory because they find the conditions of the Promises in themselves and have Christ in them whose inbeing in the Soul is the ground of all true Hope of Glory True Hope must have a word of Promise from God for its Foundation Psa 130. 5. I. wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope To hope for that which we have no Promise from God for is an Act of presumtion we must be able to give an account of the reason of our Hope 1 Pet. 3.15 and he can give no reason of his Hope that cannot produce a Promise for what he hopes for and prove his Title to that Promise and he cannot prove his Title to the Promise any other way than by making out the performance of the Condition of the Promise 3. The practise and method that God takes in saving Souls by Christ proves the Doctrine Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your wants according to his riches in Glory by Christ Our Souls are by nature very needy they need Light and Life and Liberty Now God by Christ supplies all their need and this is the way appointed by him and the method he useth in saving Souls It 's by Christ that he supplies all their need they need Justification Adoption and Sanctification in order to Salvation all these needs he supplies by Christ they need his Spirit to Sanctify Solace Support and to Guard and Guide them in the way to Heaven Christ by his Spirit comes and takes possession of their Souls and there dwells to supply their Need He then that wants the Spirit hath not his need supplied but remains under such Needs as must needs be supplied in order to Salvation and under these Needs cannot live in true Hope of Glory If he hope for Glory in this his needy Condition he hopes in vain God will save none but in his own appointed way and he that will not be so Saved is sure to go without it 4. The Product of all true Hope proves this Doctrine if we consider whence this hope springs how it is wrought and from whence it proceeds let us Trace this Hope to the Spring-head where it ariseth and then it will clearly appear to us that it 's Christ in the Soul that is the Hope of Glory Tho' Christ be the Object of Christian Hope and his Hope of Glory proceed from his Reconciliation with God by Christ yet it 's Christ in a Christian that is the evidence of his reconciled Estate and the sense and manifestation of this to the Soul assures him that it is not in vain that he hopes for Glory In a word It 's this that with assurance enables to live in Hope of Glory Heb. 6.11 We desire that every one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope Here is Hope and the assurance of Hope and the full assurance of Hope and all these attainable by him that enjoys Christ in himself It 's upon evidence of this that he assuredly hopes for Glory 1. This silenceth all the fears and doubts of the Soul about its eternal Estate The Spirits first work is to convince of Sin and by conviction to awaken the Conscience and cause it to charge Sin home upon the Soul to make the Soul apprehensive of its danger and to fear and tremble Them the Spirit converts the Soul from Sin and perswades and enables it to embrace Christ freely offered in the Gospel and hereupon Christ by his Spirit takes up his abode in the Soul and after som time lets the Soul see the change it hath wrought in him and the Footsteps of Christ in his own Soul whereupon all fear and doubts vanish And as Paul says Heb. 10.2 They have no more Conscience of Sin Conscience is pacified and ceaseth from accusing and condemning them of their Sins 2. This set up hope in the Soul and the Soul sees it self in a hopeful Condition and rejoyceth in Hope of Glory Rom. 5.2 And Paul tells us v. 4. How this comes to pass and what breeds this joyful Hope and whence it Springs It 's experience that breeds this Hope the experience that the Soul hath in it self of Gods goodness in setting up Christs Kingdom in the Soul He finds something of Christ in himself some work of his Spirit that hath brought him out of Darkness into Light and from hating and opposing Godliness to Love and embrace it and to pant after Christ above all and it 's this that breeds this lively Hope whereby the Soul lives in sure and certain Hope of Glory 3. This satisfies him that he is in a justified Estate acquired from Sin and ingratiated by Christ into the favour of God And he is sure that the golden Chain cannot be broken but that whom God thus calleth he justifieth and whom he justifies them he glorifies Rom. 8.30 He finds 'em himself the Tokens of Gods special Love and is sure that God is immutable and whom he loves once he loves to the end he feels his heart endeared to Christ and Christianity and that it 's Christ by his Spirit in his heart that hath made this change in himself and hence springs this Hope of Glory 4. This shews him his Interest in the Promises These Promises he knows are secure and infallible and he that is an Heir of the Promise is an Heir of Heaven and now argues thus with himself If I am an Heir of the Promise I am an Heir of Heaven Now I am an Heir of the Promise for I have the Condition of the Promses in my self Christ is formed in me and therefore I may live in Hope of Glory I see now my former doubts were causeless and will cherish them no more but live hereafter in sure and certain Hope of Glory Thus I have cleared up this Doctrine to you and Oh that it may prove as sweet to you in the reception as it was to me in my Mediations and that some doubting Souls may receive a sight of Christ in himself attended with Hope of Glory 1. Vse Of Information This Doctrine plainly shews two Truths of great concern to us viz. That all Hopes of Glory are not true Hopes and that all hearts in whom Christ dwells ought to live in Hope of Glory I will speak to both these designedly to beat down false hopes that ruin thousands and to advance true hope in the hearts of Gods People for their Comfort in this wicked World 1. All Hopes of Glory are not true hopes How many have we amongst us in England that live in Hope of Glory that have no true hope in themselves nor any ground for their Hopes of Glory I 'le apply my self to two sorts of People 1. To Professors that profess Christianity with a seeming integrity and seriousness but all in hypocrisie Least doubting sincere
cordial compliance with the Rules of the Gospel and herein follow your own Consent and not the custom of others Remember your Consent is to the Vitals of your Religion and your Compliance is your indispensible Duty and let not the Example of selfish men misguide you in your work Your Compliance must carry a correspondence with your Consent and a conformity to Christ your Saviour and if the Angry World frown at you for your preciseness be not discouraged Christ himself endured such contradiction of Sinners mind you your work and let your compliance be such as is blameless and set light by the Censures of such as are Strangers to sure and certain Hope of Glory Let your main care be that your Compliance be according to the Gospel and in compliance with Christ and your Christian Consent 1. Close with Christ coming up to the Terms that you have consented to Set your selves as in his Presence and renew your Baptismal Covenant Renounce the World the Devil and the Flesh and devote your selves to Christ and to his Service with penitent Hearts for your by-past Breaches of your Covenant and importunate Prayers for help from Heaven and Strength to keep close unto God for time to come Thus espouse your selves to Christ in Covenant with full purpose of Heart to be faithful therein 2. Choose a faithful Guide for your Souls to help you in your work and quicken you in your Duty The Lord that best knows your Need hath appointed by his standing Ordinance such Guides in his Church and Blessed be his Name hath provided such for you and require you to honour and obey them and to attend upon their Ministry and by his Blessing upon their Labours and your faithful endeavours in the right use of his Ordinances administred by them your Souls may come to be built up in the holy Faith and so strengthened in believing as to live in sure and certain Hope of Glory 3. Cherish your good beginnings with secret Devotions and daily Supplications for the Spirit of Adoption Secret Prayer is a great help against secret Sins and when put up by a broken and contrite Spirit then it is a special means for the obtaining sure and certain Hopes of Glory Under the secret Humiliations of the Soul before the Lord the Lord oft visits the Soul in kindness and Communicates unto it such hints of his Love as strengthen Hope and give assurance of Glory Oh make Conscience of Secret Prayer and make it your daily Practise and be serious and devout therein and you will at last arrive at the Haven of Rest for so Christ giveth the Soul of his Beloved rest rest from it's fears and doubts and quiets it with sure and certain Hopes of Glory 4. Chear up your Souls with such Tokens of Love as you receive from Christ in your Compliance with him If you be cordial in your Compliance and sincere in your Obedience you will find that your Labour is not in vain Psal 19.11 In keeping his Commandments there is great Reward Not only for keeping them but in keeping them It 's in keeping them that Gods People have fellowship with the Trinity It 's in keeping them that they receive new supplies of Grace and Mercy and such manifestations of Gods Love as fill their Souls with high Hopes of Glory Be then encouraged to carry on your Compliance with Christ and that with care and faithfulness 'till you attain to sure and certain Hope of Glory 4. Vse Of Caution To prevent mistakes and misapprehensions about this Doctrine I shall conclude with some Cautions 1 Caution Take heed of concluding against your selves that because your hopes of Glory are so low and doubtful and not sure and certain hopes that therefore you live without Christ in the World and have no hope nor any ground of Hope of Glory I would not discourage any Babe in Christ nor encrease the doubts of poor doubting Souls and therefore leave with you this Caution And that you may avoid this Snare shall lay down some Propositions to clear up your understanding in this matter 1. Proposition It 's the manifestation of Christs Presence in the Soul that breeds and feeds our Hope of Glory and when this manifestation is obscure the Souls Hope of Glory must need be dim and doubtful 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Here Paul distinguisheth betwixt Mercies freely given us of God and the manifestation of the giving them to the Soul Many have Grace and Mercy given but know it not The Spirit first gives Grace and afterwards gives the Soul to know and understand that it hath Grace given to it Now though Grace lie in the Soul yet the Soul seeth it not nor doth it know the Grace that it hath received till the Spirit of God make it known to the Soul and when the Spirit makes it known to the Soul then the Manifestation of it to the Soul puts the Soul into a hopeful condition and it hopes for Glory Now if hope of Glory depends upon the Manifestation of Grace to the Soul then there may be Grace and yet little or no hope Because there may be Grace not manifested but yet unknown to the Soul So that none can unfaint themselves or others from doubts about Grace 2 Proposition It 's the Manner and Method of God in his Dealings with his People sometimes to withhold sure and certain hope of Glory from them a long time for gracious Ends and Purposes that tend to their great advantage as 1. To put a great Value upon the Mercy that it may be more precious and welcome when it comes like Health after Sickness when they lye long under the want of it they see the worth of it and so come to have a higher esteem of it and to prize it more when they have it 2. To prove and exercise their Faith and Patience in waiting and their Obedience in seeking after it under such long delays of giving it God delights to see his People shewing their sincerity under their Trials 3. To preseve it for a more opportune season Physitians reserve their Cordials against fainting Fits and so doth God his Comforts Sure and Certain Hopes of Glory is a rich Cordial and he oft delays the giving of it till he sees a fainting fit approaching and then to support the Soul under a Crisis or under a Qualm he gives it 4. To prevent Pride and Unthankfulness He keeps the Soul under delays of Mercy to humble it that it may bear it humbly and entertain it thankfully 2 Caution Take heed of Complaining for want of high hopes for the Fault lies in your selves Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Your want of High Hope is pena damni a punishment of loss you loose much Comfort by it But it s the punishment of your sin 1 You
hearken to the Voice of the Devil and stop your ears at the Voice of God and so let the Devil baffle you out of the choicest Comforts of your lives and then complain 2. You harbour the sin of Unbelief as if it were a harmless thing whenas it is a provoking sin Complain as long as you please you will never attain to high hopes as long as you do Let none expect high hope of Glory till these things be wrought in their Souls 1. Till the League betwixt the Soul and Sin be broken and the heart be quite out with sin as it 's an Enemy both to Christ and the Soul whilst the Heart is indulgent to sin and deals favourably with it it cannot have any sure hope of Glory but when it s become weary of it and is willing to part with it then the Soul is under that Promise Mat. 11. last and in a fair way to hopes of Glory 2. Till the Letts that keep Christ and the Soul asunder be removed Resting in our own Righteousness rejecting the command of Faith and regarding the objections of Unbelief yea retaining and cherishing the Sin of Unbelief as a harmless thing and fit Companion for the Soul are all impediments that must be removed before hope can triumph in the Soul 3. Till the Life of Faith be set up and kept up in the Soul Unbelief must not only be suppressed but Faith must be exercised and kept to its work in the soul Gal. 3.14 We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith And it s the Acts and Operations of Faith to demonstrate to the Soul that it hath received the Spirit and therefore a faithless Soul cannot live in true Hope of Glory 4. Till the Love of God be shed abroad in the Soul Rom. 5.4 5. Experience works Hope viz. The Experience of the Love of God to the soul When his Love is shed abroad in the heart and his Love-tokens appear in the soul and the Spirit gives the soul a sight of the Demonstrations of God's Love every Grace is a drop of Divine Love and the more of these drops are shed in the Soul the more visible it is to the Soul that Christ is in it and the greater satisfaction that the Soul hath herein the greater are its hope of Glory 3 Caution Take heed of conceited causeless hopes of Glory There are some whether in Christ or out of Christ I am not to determine that pretend to high hopes of Glory from an high opinion that they have of Free-Grace though they want the manifestation of true Grace in themselves That Free-grace is to be admired I grant and would not derrogate from the honour of Free-grace for a world Yet I positively affirm that it s not Free-grace quia gratis datur but quia nobis datur not because it 's freely given but because it s given to us and abideth in us and shews to us that Christ is in us and we by him in a state of Reconciliation with God that is the Spring of all true hope of Glory 1. Because this hope of Glory is one of the Priviledges of the Sons of God and no common mercy whereas if it came from Grace as free and not as in us and from a high opinion of Free-grace and not from the fruition of Free-grace then it 's a common mercy and may be found in any hypocrite that hath such an opinion in himself 2. Because this Hope of Glory is one of the Products of effectual Vocation and a Benefit that floweth from it Col. 3.15 Ephes 4.4 and therefore presupposeth effectual Vocation We must expect nothing from Free-grace but what comes in Gods own appointed way and not create to our selves foolish fancies for hopes of Glory 4 Caution Take heed of Clouding your Hope of Glory by dangerous Relapses into sin Do you live in sure hopes of Glory prize your priviledge but beware of obscuring it You find the sweetness of it and should make much of it and avoid every thing that Eclipseth this Hope of Glory Ps 85.8 God will speak peace to his people but let them not return again to folly q. d. I returned to Folly after I received Peace and I have smarted for it I broke my Peace and lost my sensible hope and would have the world to take warning by me and to take heed of Relapses into sin for Relapses into sin are returns unto Folly Let us all take warning by David and stand upon our Guard and withstand sin in its first motion lest it get advantage and we come to return to Folly and so we loose the assurance of Hope It 's a doleful loss and depresseth the Soul with much Fear and Anguish and it 's difficult and hard to regain it and therefore it will be our Wisdom to seek to prevent and to fly sin as we would fly from a Serpent for sin deals with the sinners as the Theives did by the Person of him that is spoken of Luke 10.30 They stript and wounded him It strips the Soul of us Peace and Hope and Joy and wounds the Conscience it is like the fiery Serpents in the Wilderness that stung and mortally wounded the Israelites and the wounds of Sin are not easily healed And they are painful wounds they made David as stout a Warriour as he was to roar out Psal 38.8 When hope is clouded by the dust of sin the poor soul languishes and lives very uncomfortable and that which aggravates its misery is the state from whence it is fallen To fall from hope into Despair from Joy into Sorrow adds much to the greatness of the Grief 5 Caution Take heed of cherishing Fears of future outward Calamities and falling into bad times Under high hopes of Glory I find a great Consternation in many about approaching evils and all hope of future good to the Churches of Christ in these Nations cast off by them I have read the present Dilemma of these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland considered argued and improved that hath justly alarmed us and am under the same apprehensions with that Learned and Reverend Author But think that timorous Persons abuse the Author by awakening their distrustful fears and suppressing their hopes and Faith in Gods Faithfulness and All sufficiency under our sad Circumstances All the great experiences of Gods goodness and the provision that he hath made for our future supply ought not to be overlooked but remain as food for Faith and Hope to feed upon Nay were our case much worse than it is it is our duty with David to encourage our selves in the Lord our God and to exercise an universal trust in him not only in the concerns of our Souls but in and about the Concerns of Sion And though I have discovered my thoughts to many of an approaching violent storm yet I look upon it as a storm in mercy to the People of God as the great Design of Providence to usher in thereby the greatest Favours
choicest Treasure and set a great value upon them both because of the superexcellency of the things Promised and because of the infallibility of him that promised them He that made these Promises is God and not man and there being no impotency nor inconstancy in him the Promises must needs prove certain and unfailable 2. The faithfulness of God in his promises serves to check and condemn the fears and jealousies that arise in us from the foresight of future troubles Whence spring all these distracting thoughts that croud our Souls but from Unbelief did we live by Faith upon the Promises it were not possible for us to be overwhelmed with fears Matth. 8.26 Why are ye fearful oh ye of little faith have we such precious Promises and is he faithful that hath promised then why are we so fearful our fears surely are groundless fears they proceed not from any just cause but from our distrusting the faithfulness of God in his Promises Had we more Faith we should have less fear Faith would scatter our fears by fetching in relief from the Promises if would chide out slavish fear as it did in David Psal 42. last Why are thou cast down Oh my Soul hope thou in God 3 The faithfulness of God in his Promises serves to Create in us an ardent Love to our Gracious Lord and Master Who would not Love such a kind and faithful Friend as we should fear him for his Greatness so should we love him for his Goodness How good hath God been to us in giving such a large stock of rich Promises unto us and therein intailing so large an inheritance upon us how sad and forlorn would our condition be were it not for these precious Promises what would poor persecuted reproached and despised Christians do were they not supported by these Promises and what would poor doubting Christians do but for these Promises how many under the distresses of their Souls have recived comfort from the Promises that Blessed Martyr Mr. Bilney being wounded in Conscience for renouncing the Profession of his Faith and subscribing the Popish Errors was at last comforted with that Promise Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee A Young maid went Triumphantly to Heaven by the refreshment she found in that Promise Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Many drooping Spirits have been comforted from these words 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren I know one that hath lived comfortably many Years upon that Promise Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your wants according to his riches in glory by Christ Oh what comforts have many received from the Promises God expresseth his Love to his People in these Promises and they should express their Love to him in their thankfulness for the Promises 4. The Faithfulness of God in his Promises serves to confirm our Faith in the Promises Is he faithful that hath Promised why then should we doubt of the truth of the Promises Christ says one is the Vine and the Promises are a Cluster of Grapes growing upon this Vine and Faith presseth the Wine of comfort and contentment out of the cluster of the Promises Why do we not make more improvement and advantage of the Promises and live more upon them doth not the Faithfulness of God silence all our doubts and challenge from us more strenuous Acts of Faith is God true to his Word then surely we should patiently wait for and assuredly expect the accomplishment of the Promises and that when the Stream of Providence runs another way God saith Jer. 32. 42. I will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them And if we would receive the good contained in the Promises then we must act Faith in the Promises Faith takes this for granted that God will be as good as his Word and by reflecting upon Gods Faithfulness Faith is strengthened and confirmed 5. The Faithfulness of God in his Promises serves to clear the Promises from all charges of miscarrying The Promises are not alway performed to all that claim an interest in them but this is not to be charged on God as a piece of unfaithfulness For 1. Delays in performing Promises are no breaches of Promise if the time of performance be not limited in the Promise Ps 77.8 Doth his promise fail for evermore No No that cannot be it may fail for a time but not for ever God will make his word good one time or other Though he may delay the performance yet he cannot break the Promise and therefore its good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 2. Discharges from Promises discharge from the performance and in conditional promises the non-observation of the condition discharges from the performance And many of Gods promises are conditional and such as keep not the Condition do justly miss of the Accomplishment of the promise and yet he is faithful that promised 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you whilst you are with him but if you forsake him he will forsake you 3. Doing more for a person then the promise amounts to though not the same but in another kind is no breach of Promise but a performance of it with advantage As if I promise to another 100 l. and instead thereof give him a Jewel worth 200 l. then I am as good and better then my word to him So it God promise Deliverance and do not deliver but gives Strength Comfort and spiritual Advantage to a person in his Trouble he is as good and better than his word to him When he gives eternal life instead of temporal life the promise doth not fail but still he is faithful that promised 6. The Faithfulness of God in his Promises serves to quicken us to all Diligence in looking out after an Interest in the Promises Though there are many precious promises and he is faithful that promised yet what are we the better if we be none of those to whom the promise belongs if we be in the state of Nature we are under the Law and not under Grace under the Curses of the Law and not under the Promises of the Gospel Study therefore under your Peace and Liberty your interest in the Promises that you may apply them to your selves without Presumption when you fall into Adversity If you ask how you may discover your interest in the Promises I answer 1. You must cleanse your selves from all Pollutions 2 Cor. 7. beg Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves c. He that will comfortably apply the Promises must apply himself diligently to the Conditions of the promise he must cleanse himself that he may be capable to receive the Blessings promised and live alway under the influence of the Promise and be able justly to challenge an interest in the promise Such as have filthy polluted Souls have no Interest
who shall deliver me from the body of this Death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.24 In all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 Joseph refused to ly with his Mistress saying how can I do this great sin and sin against God Gen. 39.8 We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you Because your faith groweth exceedingly 2 Thes 1.3 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 Which Gospel is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you Col. 1.6 Tenthly Promises of the Presence of God and of his Spirit Fear not for I am with thee I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee Isa 41.10 Fear not O Israel thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thro' the fire thou shalt not be burnt Isa 43. beg Be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 If a man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him John 14.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit into you Prov. 1.23 It is convenient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you John 16.7 If ye being evil know how to give good Gifts to to your Children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you John 14.16 18. Experiences of the Presence of the Spirit of God Though I walk through the valley of the shaddow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psa 23.4 Joseph was sold into Egypt but the Lord was with Joseph and he shewed him mercy Gen. 39.21 Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the son God Dan. 3.25 Solomon was strengthened in his Kingdom and the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly 2 Chron. 1.1 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 4.3 God which knoweth the hearts bear them witness viz. the Gentiles giving them his spirit even as he did to us Acts 15.8 The Holy Ghost fell on them which heard the word Acts 10.44 Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith Acts 11.24 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost Acts 13. last Eleventhly Promises of Perseverance I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 I will give them everlasting Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand John 10.28 One thing is needful Mary hath chosen the better part which shall never be taken from her Luke 10. last Who will confirm you to the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ faithful is he that hath called you who will also do it 1 Thess 5.23 24. The Gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Being confident of this thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 Experiences of Perseverance The high places were not removed nevertheless Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days 1 King 15.14 I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for I have seen thy salvation Luke 2.29 The house built upon the rock though the rain descended and the flood came and the winds blew yet kept his standing Mat. 7. lat These all dyed in the faith Heb. 11.13 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 I have been young and now am old yet have not seen the righteous forsaken Psal 37.25 My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73.26 Twelfthly Promises of the Possession of Heaven Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good will to give a Kingdom Luke 12.32 Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him James 1.12 When the chief shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that faideth not way 1 Pet. 5.4 Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer ye shall have tribulation 10 days be faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 You have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting Life Rom. 6.22 Of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 Experiences of the Possession of Heaven Be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6.12 Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom Luke 16.2 Then talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias who appeared in glory Luke 9.30.21 The Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Heaven is called the inheritance of the Saints because they do inherit it Col. 1.12 A Song of Praise THe World 's a toy let me imploy My Soul in higher things Than upon those that create woes And carry cruel Stings My Fears are great Sorrow my Meat And humane Faith is gone On Pilgrimage for in this Age Amongst us there is none Thy faithfulness O God I bless And cannot but admire That Love is cold and yet behold None warm it at this Fire But O my Soul do not condole But Triumph thou in Praise Greatly rejoice with Hearts and Voice Let Joy thy Spirits raise Mind not the Rod rejoice in God That never failed thee Thou knowest this faithful he is And so will ever be Thou hast been Low and