deal fraudulently that is unrighteously If thou be good and holy 't is only because God is Just and Righteous He cannot pass away a Right by Deed Hand and Seal and afterward resume it If we have thus made a Mercy thine he will not defraud thee of it Lastly and under all Power actually confers upon thee all that goodness that adorns thy Conscience Oh sweet Combination and Harmony of Love in all concurring to create thy Peace Oh how valuable is it that Love must unite so many Perfections in so strong an Engagement to qualifie thee for it and then enrich thee with it and the sense of it Here 's the Glory and Crown of free Grace Grace is free thus 1. As nothing but God's free Will and Goodness mov'd him to design so great unmerited Mercies upon so mean and inconsiderable terms 2. As nothing but his free Grace without all desert in us prevails with him to work the Conditions themselves and terms in us But now when free Grace has proceeded thus far then Pardon and Holyness and Peace are not any longer free in this sense viz. reserved wholly still in his Power to withold but by the Motion and under the Conduct of free Grace as its Ministers Fidelity and Justice take up the Administration where free Grace left it so that God cannot deny these Mercies his Word being past because he cannot deny himself and cease to be faithful and just that is to be God Thus what is free Grace in the Original Rise and whole process mediately is in the closing and compleating Acts thereof immediately Justice and Righteousness Thou Repentance and Faith be not claimable upon any account but mere free Love yet when this admirable Goodness has conferr'd Repentance and Faith it makes Pardon Peace Comfort and Heaven challengable even in Justice though not as merited yet as Conditionate Mercies Whence the Apostle speaks roundly Heb. 6.10 God is not UNRIGHTEOUS to forget your work and labour of Love In some the Gift of the Conditions Qualifications Dispositions for Blessings is only from free Mercy and Grace in God whence those Conditions in us are called Graces the name of the Cause Metonymically given to the effect Grace within us from Grace without us in God But the gift of the Blessings and Privileges themselves upon performance of the Condition is really Justice Our absolute positive State is from Grace our relative from Righteousness yet such Justice is also Originally free Grace because 't is not a natural Act of Justice but Voluntary I mean such Justice is not a thing which God of himself by necessity of Nature was ty'd to antecedently to the free Engagement of his own Will but his free Mercy without any other Motive than its own Generosity and Nobleness of Disposition and Ingenuous Freedom did pitch upon such a Series of Dispensations in boundless Wisdom and Goodness that these Acts of Liberty interposing Justice must needs be obliged to prosecute the beginnings of Love and do such things in order to our Happiness as before those Acts of Grace it was not ty'd to at all and this is chiefly done by the Interposition of Faithfulness An instance will render all more plain it shall be that which we Discourse of Comfort Justice of its own Nature is not at all obliged to comfort a Sinner though Penitent but contrarily the natural state of Justice engages it to punish Sin not only with the Pains of Penitence but Wrath and Vengeance although a threatning should never intervene For I suppose the threats to be in this different from Promises that the former declare the natural both right of the Law-giver and dueness of the Penalty and desert of the Crime which the reason and nature of the thing had fixed before only since the Right was invested in the Law-giver it was in his Power upon just and valuable Considerations to make a Relaxation or Commutation But Promises do not declare but give a Right not to the Promiser but him to whom the promise is made either absolutely or upon Condition whereby things are put out of his own Power either absolutely or conditionally Now therefore God by his Son has freely made this Declaration Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted God cannot utter Falshood nor break Promise nor withhold Right hence 't is that the Administration here falls into the hands of Justice upon the Interposal of this free act of Mercy in making the Promise Threats proceed according to the natural right of the case in the substance of it though they may vary from it in Circumstances in which the Punishment may be alleviated or heightened at the Discretion of the Judge or Solemnity Pomp Grandeur of the Matter and Process So Promises proceed according to the will of the Promiser as to the matter or thing promised which he may pitch upon and chuse at his own Arbitrement But when the Bond is once out of his hands it may be Sued at the Bar of Justice only he retains a liberty to Circumstantiate his own grants when he cannot recede from them in substance the Right to which is not invested now in him but the Persons to whom the Promise is made Comfort then he must in Justice give 't is the Mourners Right if they be right Mourners Mercy and Fidelity gave the Right and Justice cannot disannul it although it be not a natural but adventitious Right and although this Justice be not the Original necessity of his Nature but the free Dispensation of his Grace For Gon. 18.25 shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right His Love has made this Just and his Justice will give its due to his Love That Eternal invariable Righteousness which is a steady fixed Propension to render and distribute Right in all possible Cases and give all imaginable dues is no changling in this Case where the right and due is not any natural Resultancy from the condition of the Creature but a mere Condescention of undeserved Grace Justice may suspend but cannot overthrow the Right of Mercy but is obliged to own and observe it upon account of the Sacrifice and Merit of Our Lord Jesus Christ Indeed this is all the Foundation of a Believers hope in Judgment For Judgment is a Work of Justice which distributes Dues and particularly Rewards and Punishments according to Works Therefore the Reward of Believers is attributed to the same Justice that punishes Unbelievers 2 Thes 1.4 5 6 7. We our selves glory in the Churches of God for your Patience and Faith in all your Persccutions and Tribulations which ye endure a manifest token of the Righteous Judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer Seeing 't is a Righteous thing with God to recompence 1. Tribulation to them that trouble you 2. and rest with us to you who are troubled c. This as well as the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
a serious upright undissembled Resolution to stand to it and abide by it in despight of all Temptations and Opposition thro the aid and assistance of the Spirit of Grace praying waiting in Faith and Hope to enjoy his Gracious Influences leading into all Truth that by it he may be made free formed after the image of God by his Grace strengthened with all might inwardly and revived by his Consolations A Man that in order to all these good Ends diligently examines his Conscience searches out his particular sins is afflicted burthened at his very Soul for them as an Offence to God rather than his own Damage uses all possible means to prevail with his Heart to relinquish them in its affections forbearing actually to commit them lamenting over and reforming sinful Omissions groans under and is daily pained with the woful depravedness of his Nature his very inward Bent and Inclination to Evil the Vanity as well as Vileness of his thoughts words and deeds accounting himself the Chief of Sinners and therefore maintaining an humble self-debasing Sense of his own Unworthiness and labours not only to desist from the Acts but subdue the very Lusts kill the root by mortification A Man who lives by Faith upon the Promises for the Communication of a Divine Nature the Law in the Heart that he may not only do the External Work of Duty but have a Dutiful Heart from and through which Principle he meditates hears reads praises confers about the best things as inwardly loathing the froath and vanity and venome of his former Communication and endeavours that it may be alway savoury season'd with salt that it may administer to the use of edifying minister Grace to the Hearers A Man that endeavours a right Understanding of himself is Cloath'd with Humility in lowliness of mind dehasing himself before God preferring others before himself and condescending to men of low degree and esteeming his own Graces less his Sins greater than any mans admiring that either God or man should favour him and therefore with a calm dispassionate Spirit bears Injuries Affronts Reproaches any Evils that extend to himself but can bear nothing with Unconcernedness that affronts the Divine Majesty hath a Bridle for his Tongue for his Heart and with a composed Evenness of Temper renders his Converses amiable profitable desireable to all grievous hurtful to none In all Conditions Companies or Occurrences prosperous or adverse being the same An ill turn will make him a Friend as Cranmer and the worse the Circumstances the better the Man living under the power of the Spirit of Sanctification in Obedience Meekness Patience Gentleness Simplicity godly Sincerity A Man that can bear Indignities from all forbear offering them to any keeping under his Passions even almost to an Apathy keeping down his carnal Appetite in a sober temperate use of the Pleasures of Sense and an Indifferency to this present World A Man that sets his Mind and Heart savourily upon Invisibles which he evidences by a Conversation in Heaven and values the Wealth and Glory of the Earth only as they deserve and as far as useful for God's Honour in Acts of Piety the Relief of the Indigent in liberality and the maintenance of the Reputation of his Profession with Contentment embracing the least share of the World but unsatisfiable without a large Portion of God and Heaven A Man that walks in his house with a perfect heart putting away Evil from his Tabernacle and advancing Holiness in his own Relations especially to whom he is useful both by Counsel and Example A Man that dares not do or design or imagine any thing unjust dishonest unbecoming Christianity tho' it might gain Indemnity for his Life Uprightness Loyalty Honesty Fidelity in all Promises Dealings Carriage are his Life therefore will he not forfeit and destroy it by contrary Practices A man that has the fairest Notices of Divine particular Love to himself yet will not abuse them to Presumption or Arrogance and Contempt of others that values the favour of Heaven infinitely above the Glory Esteem Riches Pleasures of the World but despises not these as the Gifts of God Yet does not behave himself unseemly when in the higest Repute with Man Alway his Thoughts beget his Words and his Word is his Deed and a good Conscience the Guide of all A man truly faithful to God and his Sovereign the King Modesty Gravity Seriousness Industry Clemency Sedateness of Spirit Peace of Mind being his Individual Companions and Ornaments Yet knows he nothing of those natural or acquired moral or spiritual Endowments that may recommend him to God and Man so as to swell and huff up his Heart he has them as if he had them not A Man that lives in the view of Death and therefore dreads it not whence 't is that whatever he hath or doth or feels or fears or suffers 't is as a dying Man and he therein possesses himself and God in Tranquility of Mind and a quiet Rest and Contentation He would be to others what he expects they and God will be to him Chiefly minds the weightiest Points of Religion in Faith Love Mercy Righteousness Yet having done all esteems himself an unuseful Vessel unworthy regard as having only done Duty and but a small degree of that neither therefore finally flies for Refuge to the love of God and deservings of Christ as the sole bottom of his hopes to be saved This is a Christian of whatever particular Denomination Prelatical Presbyterian Congregational c. All Persons all Societies of Persons thus qualified thou art obliged O my Soul to respect honour embrace do good unto or thou renouncest thy Membership and Fellowship with Christ and his Body Where-ever all the Essentials of this Christianity are received without such intermingled Corruptions as undermine or destroy them so insisted upon that without violation of Conscience and so Christianity thou canst not own them there impart thy best Affections thither direct thy serious and religious Cares and to all how bad soever how hostile soever thy Commiserations I cannot Communicate with an Idolater c. yet I can pity him and every poor deluded Soul that either presumptuously or in simplicity is carryed away from God For I my self am a Sinner and stand in infinite need of the Compassions both of GOD and Man Love Vnity Peace are Matters of so excellent a Nature Uncharitableness Schism Dissention contain so much of Hell that these are to be relinquish'd those pursu'd all possible ways consistent with integrity of Conscience that is consistent with Allegiance to God For Conscience is nothing except in Subordination and Allegiance to God CHAP. VIII The Subject of Comfort Honours God 's Discipline 6. THE Author of his Psalm was a Man that embrac'd a just and equitable Sense and made a benign and fair Representation of both the Instructive Discipline and also the Dispensations of God his special Teachings his severe Providences Ver. 12. Oh the Blessednesses Vocatively
encourages a fainting Hope alleviates the grievousness of Pains discusses Trouble and Fear and under the Wings of the Son of Righteousness we have it his Power and Skill are not lessened nor his Bowels and Love diminished by his translation into a state of immutable Perfection Here 's an Antidote against every Plague and Poyson a Salve for every Sore not like Humane only of a finite limited Vertue but of infinite and universal Efficacy Oh wonderful Love thou art the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Elixir of Gold which is alway at hand because Omnipreseat can never fail because Omnipotent never decay and lose any vertue because Eternal Who can do less than ever dwell upon thee who hopes for ever to dwell in thee 1 Joh. 4.16 If a Man be alway bending his Mind to pore upon his Troubles they sink him but if any admirable strange thing if any thing of singular pleasure and delight present it self it gives a diversion to our Minds and putting by our bitter Reflections upon those ingrateful damping Grievances that swallow up our Thoughts and Joys makes us forget our Pains and gives us ease whilst we are taken up with those more powerful Contemplations And is there not a relief of this Nature in God in whom every thing is wonderful He is all Miracle his Essence Subsistence Perfection Providence but above all his Goodness Grace and Love with the fruits of it What infinite Beauty What admirable Fulness What unconceivable Freeness What astonishing Descents What transcendent Varieties Oh the Riches the Joys the Pleasures the Triumphs above expectation Desire Thought all freely tendring themselves and wooing our Minds and Hearts to a serious Consideration a kind and dutiful Embracement Oh sweet inviting Magazine of Wonders how shall I endure to leave thee who can with no patience endure to think of being left by thee In thee I am in Heaven how can I descend from thee yet 't is time to give my self the divertisement of a walk in another Paradise § 3. Justice it self under the Conduct and Influence of this over-shadowing Goodness and Love though perhaps not sensibly at present yet really is become the most comfortable of all Divine Attributes Remuner ative Justice is in reality goodness to a believing Soul through Jesus Christ notwithstanding that it is the most terrible to the impenitent Christless A Paradox easily made out thus That which makes our Mercy and Comfort sure and necessary that we cannot miss of enjoying it is more comfortable than that which leaves it at liberty and only renders it possible When a good thing is in the free dispose of a Donor that he may chuse whether he will bestow it or no we can have no certainty at all that we shall receive it no not when we have infallible assurance of his Inclination to bestow it For 't is still in his own Power and he may suspend the Gift as he pleases without any impeach to his Honour And though it may to us seem Congruous to his goodness to grant it yet is he not necessarily ty'd to our Laws of Congruity neither can they impose upon his Freedom and make his Mercy fatality God Almighty bears a singular good Will to all his Creatures especially the reasonable would not that any perish 't is no pleasure to him but that all Mankind should come to the knowledge of the Truth and through Repentance and Faith in Christ be saved This Repentance and Faith are his Gift which remain in the free disposal of his own good pleasure to confer upon whom he pleases therefore the Gift of Repentance stands upon a Peradventure 2 Tim. 2.25 without any injury to Divine Goodness which is not at all the less though this Blessing be denied to the greatest part of the World and to all the fallen Angels For more Goodness and a strong Inclination to Communicate transfers no right therefore no wrong is done by the suspence or denial of the Gratuity expected But then Justice supposes a right and dueness of the Blessing and that it cannot be in Righteousness withholden therefore makes it undoubtedly sure from him that cannot possibly be unjust Now though nothing be or can be due from Justice to a Sinner considered as such but only Indignation and Wrath on account of the Covenant of Works yet the Covenant of Grace transfers a right to Mercy upon those that fulfil its Conditions Therefore the gift of Pardon to the Repentant is no less an Act of Justice than free Goodness and Grace and there the Scripture lays it with Sanctification also 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness Mark first Faithful which respects the Promise and Covenant granting aright out of meer good Will and Grace and then and not till then Just distributing what the Covenant and Promise had made due and an Irrevocable Right Oh rich Comfort Pardon and Purification and both from Justice What can we expect more to satisfie our utmost Cravings Since these are Vertually all Spiritual and Coelestial Mercies giving a right to Peace and Glory Oh everlasting inexhaustible mine of the sweetest Joy and Rest What is the source of all thy Sorrows Nothing but sin This grinds thy Conscience in pain this brings all the external Grievances of thy Life By Nature thou art as bad as Sin and Hell can make thee though not in the degree yet in the kind of badness viz. Moral Conscience of forepast Wickedness is a Cut-throat to all Comfort Mens eyes when opened indeed are more apt to look backward than forward Upon Reflection past Evils of Sin sting more smartingly than the Remembrance of past Evils of Suffering can refresh and solace 'T is not so Comfortable to think that the worst is past in Affliction as grievous to consider past Evils of Sin for which the worst is to come The pleasure in acting is infinitely short of the pain in repenting especially in Hell A Man would forfeit all the Joys of his Life upon Condition he had never defiled his Conscience as the Devil in the possessed Woman told the Bishop of Cambray that he could be willing to suffer all imaginable Torments to the Worlds end so he might but then return into Heaven Nothing more bitter in the Belly than the Sins that were most sweet in the Mouth The Digestion troubles the Bowels infinitely more than the Mastication gratified the Palate But why is Sin so dreadful What is it that makes thy formerly pleasing Transgressions so torturous in the Recognition Truly this God knows them remembers them is concern'd about them engaged to animadvert upon them his Justice and Wrath will not let them pass thou canst not get through his hands with thy Lusts about thee as easily as they past through thine Oh this is the sting of Sin 't is a fearful terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God The
unutterable Agonies and Woes of Hell and the horrible Tempest of Divine Vengeance and indignation in everlasting Burnings which will be tormenting above all that any understanding but that of God can comprehend the bitter Weepings Wailings and Gnashings of Teeth without Ease Release Mitigation Relief or End this intolerable after-clap of Sin is even to the remembrance and fore-thought almost as Cruciating as it self to the sense and feeling will be confounding God's Writing down all our Miscarriages in his Book out of which all the Power and Policy in the World can never expunge them his setting even our secret Sins in the light of his Countenance which makes them infinitely more visible than the Sun in the Firmament is a consideration that sticks and stabs us to the Heart and Murders all our Comforts at once and buries us in Horror Yet now if there can be any good token found that this Hand-writing is blotted out If a Man can be assured that Iniquity and Transgression shall by God be remembred no more this is the most reviving transporting Solace in the World But how can I have a Testimony that God hath thus privileged me How shall I know that he will forgive and forget my wickedness if he do not tell me Who can search into the bottom of his Counsels and know his purposes and practice in Heaven if himself do not reveal them And there are but two ways of revealing any secret thing viz. by words and by works Words spoken and written Deeds in Signs The Holy Scriptures reveal God's general Will to pardon some yet do they not name but only describe the Persons giving their true and lively Moral Character setting down at full such Qualifications as may be to any Man a clear Evidence who is and who is not made happy in this forensecal Mercy of Justification If an Angel from Heaven should address himself to thee with this Comfortable Message That thy Iniquities are pardoned If a Bath-kol a voice in Thunder should name thee and say Be of good Comfort thy Sins are forgiven thee thou could'st not be secure that this was not an Illusion to abuse thee into Presumption if thy inward sense did not report those tokens on which the Word of God does suspend thy Pardon But if thou canst but produce these all the Angels and Voices from Heaven imaginable though as particular and clear as possible telling thee thou art unjustified must be acknowledged accursed Deceptions because they Preach another Doctrine than Christ has done in the Gospel Gal. 1.8 Well then that thou may'st find a good token for good thou need'st not ascend into Heaven to search the Archives or court Rolls of the upper Bench there nor turn over the Book of Life in a curious tracing out thy particular name but having duly informed thy mind what are the signs of a Pardoned State look within thy Soul and Conscience and diligently enquire and examine without Partiality and a biass selfward whether the present State Constitution and Frame of thy heart be that in reality which is enrolled in the promises of the Book of God the Scripture which tender to thee Conditionally the forgiveness of Sin produce but those Conditions let it but appear upon sound Evidence that will satisfie thy self and the World and thy Judge that having truly repented of thy Sin thou livest under the Dominion of Faith and a good Conscience and Justice it self is obliged to Faithfulness for the granting thee Indemnity and Remission and the sense thereof in thy own Soul For if a Man can truly say that he hath repented and stands to what he has done in stedfast Resolutions never to return to folly his Reflections upon former Sins will not be torturing though they may be grieving because he hath the promise of Mercy and Pardon Isa 55.7 Acts 3.19 which Justice it self is obliged to perform For Conditional Promises in themselves are Dispensations of free love which was not obliged by any necessity or Congruousness to offer such Blessings upon such terms yet once made and the Conditions observed the Donation of the Mercy becomes the interest of strict Justice and Righteousness But although the New Covenant admit of Repentance which that of Works could not yet this Condescention is only through a Mediator Jesus Christ If therefore to thy Penitence thou do not superadd Faith in him neither will those after Thoughts be sound nor introductive of Peace because without Christ our Righteousness and Peace objective and causal without us Jer. 23.6 1 Cor. 1.30 Mic. 5.5 Eph. 2.14 there can be no Pardon and Peace formal within us Rom. 8.1 and without Faith no Justification no Christ Rom. 5.1 Joh. 3.18 36. Yet both these must be evinced to be sincere and sound and thereby be themselves justifiable and justified which nothing can do but the exercise of a Good Conscience Acts 24.16 This alone is to us the surest Evidence that our Repentance and Faith are unfeigned and that we deceive not our own Souls Indeed the basis of all true bliss and solace is a good Conscience in Justice and Innocency toward Man Inoffensiveness and Piety toward God Moderation and Sobriety in my self the contrary to these and Comfort are incompatible 'T is but a colloguing with my Conscience to my utter Confusion to tender it Peace if it be not pure Jam. 3.17 No Man can be groundedly quiet in Mind if filthy in Heart and Life If thou be a Devil thou must carry thy Hell about thee visibly or under disguise in its self or its Causes Thou hast no just Right to the sweets of Religion if a stranger to its Power A Mans first Designs for Joy are or ought to be laid in Self-survey and Reflection If he can find nothing of God within he can take comfort in nothing of God without but by an unjust Usurpation and Sacrilege All the goodness of God signifies nothing to an ill Man But a Good Conscience or heart is a continual Feast Prov. 15.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that finds all right at home who has no rebuke nor cause thereof from the Domestick Comptroller and Comforter in his Bosom is happy Now there can be no goodness in Conscience but only from God and as far as in Conjunction with God God in thy Conscience makes it good for he is all Goodness and there neither is nor can be any except in and from him And all the goodness which is in thy Conscience from him is first from his Faithfulness acting under his Love in the Covenant wherein he promises to give a new heart of Flesh Ezek. 36 26 27. Jer. 31.33 and Write his Laws in it by his Spirit of Promise which he engages shall cause us to walk in his Statutes c. Next and under Faithfulness all the goodness in thy Conscience is from Justice For the Right that Fidelity gives to Mercy Justice is obliged to maintain God must perform his Word because he cannot
Grace as a Preparation for more of his Glory 2 Cor. 4.8 to the end Upon this Providence of God our Psalmist had a special eye throughout the Psalm Whatever he desires and prays for whatever he believes and hopes for whatever he acknowledges and praises God for whatever he bemoans and afflicts his Soul for whatever he experiences and feels was some Act Effect or Permission of Providence That God in the course of his Providence would annimadvert upon the insolent Barbarities of his and the Churches Enemies is the Expostulatory Petition of Vers 1 2 3 4. What was the Permission of Providence Is the condolement and moan of Vers 5.6 The singular concern of Providence is the Doctrine of Vers 8 9 10. as the happy Fruits of the very Severities thereof the Triumph of Vers 12 13 and the returns of its favourable Aspect the belief of Vers 14 15 the notable needful suitable and feasonable Interposals thereof the experience of Vers 17 18 22 and the turning of this great Wheel upon the Adversaries to their confusion the Prophetick hope of Vers 23. All jointly together the comfort of the Text which in the Multitude of his perplexed Thoughts did look with such an amiable regard upon his Soul So that although the Fundamental Ground and Matter of his Satisfaction was the Nature of God in all its plenitude of Perfection yet the more immediate Spring thereof was the Egress or Issuings out of those Attributes in all these Varieties of Providence And the truth is although what God is in himself be eminently and vertually all Comfort in the utmost degree of Excellency yet should he confine his infinitely delectable Glories to himself only and never ray out and communicate of his Beauty Grace and Life to his Creatures they would be utterly at a loss for Happiness 'T is therefore not only the Nature of this Supreme Goodness as it transcends all in Perfection But also 't is its practice and delight and highest end the very thing that is called God's Glory which he has a prime respect to in all his Actings For then have his Creatures the highest Motives to Honour him when they taste most liberally of his bounty in the noblest Instances and he glorifies himself in the Estimate of the World when he is most beneficial as the Sun is most glorious when diffusing without any Interception his benign rayes and influences All which Glories vanish as to us in a total Eclipse or his descent under the Horizon Hence then does our Joy and Peace and Solace actually germinate and grow even from the glory of Divine Perfection branching out it self in infinite methods of Providence wherein he dispenses to us of his own fulness according to our various Exigences and Appetites The out goings of his Wisdom Goodness Justice Fidelity and Power in sweet and suitable Blessings and Supports that in every Condition we can behold something of God of greater value and consideration than either our Mercies or Crosses This is a potent Cordial to our Disconsolate Hearts and replenishes them with wonderful Contentation If these Divine Glories compass us about care for us keep us we are comforted on every side Psal 71.21 Yea though we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death if God be thus with us in his providential Efficiency for our good his Rod and Staff will comfort us Psal 23.4 Rod and Staff Pastoral not Judicial or Corrective as some understand it But Providence being vertually included in those Attributes whereof it is an effect and issue in discoursing of them I was unavoidably led into some consideration of it also 2. The Privileges which administer Consolation in the greatest hurry and perturbation of Thoughts are many Two whereof only are insinuated in this Psalm yet such as suppose more They are 1. Sanctification 2. Propriety in God and assurance of it 1. Sanctification by the Word and Spirit of God is an excellent ground of Consolation 'T is indeed the first Foundation Stone laid in the Fabrick In vertue of this we receive Comfort from other things Tell any disquieted Heart of the inexhaustible Treasures of everlasting Joys and Refreshments in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost That Multitudes have enjoyed on Earth and in the Eternal Fruition whereof the Blessed Saints and Angels ever triumph in Heaven which the bounty and goodness of God exhibits and offers to all Tell it of the free and gracious Promises and Covenant of God that tenders the sweetest and strongest Consolation Exhort with the most charming Rhetorick and ravishing Suada to embrace these so rich so profitable so necessary Provisions of abounding Love Alas it cannot it dare not Why Because 't is Presumption 't is Stealth Robbery Sacrilege to snatch away any thing to arrest these Divine and Holy things without Right But have you not Right No How do you prove that 'T is plain All Right is founded in Sanctification I am not Sanctified I lie in my Sins dead and buried in Guilt and Wrath unregenerate out of Covenant as not having submitted to its Conditions in Repentance Faith and New Obedience Therefore the Comforts of the Covenant and of the Promises its Branches do not at all appertain to me This Argument cannot be gain-said if it assume right 'T is undoubtedly true That none have Right to the Mercies of the Covenant who do not submit to its terms and that very yielding unfeignedly to the terms is an act of Sanctification which necessarily supposes the Communication of a Principle because none can act grace sincerely except from an inward Life of Grace it being essential to the sincerity of an Act that it proceed from a gracious Disposition from a renewed sanctified Heart Ezek. 36.26 27 31 32. and Ch. 20.43 44. and Ch. 11.19 Jer. 32.38 39 40. and 31.31 32 33 34. and 24.7 Deut. 30.6 Acts 5.31 and 3 26. Phil. 1.29 Eph. 2.8 9 10. For none but acts of Life as contradistinct to Dead Works entitle to the Promises God gives a Heart of Flesh a new Heart and Writes his Law therein infuses his Fear and Love thereinto gives Repentance through the Exaltation of Jesus Christ to whose benignity we owe the Donation of Faith also and are altogether his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works that we may walk therein evermore Admit that these Promises and Asseverations were designed primarily for Israel according to the Flesh Yet can it not be denied that they delineate and describe the manner and method of God's Proceedings with his Israel according to the Spirit For he no where declares his intent to alter that oeconomy of Grace in the substance thereof which was established by the Covenant of Grace to reduce lost Man to the obedience of the Just though the Circumstances and Ceremonials vary Now if acceptable that is sincere Acts may issue from any Man without or antecedently to all holy Qualifications or Habits as they are usually called ' t were a supervacaneous
Christianity is great some secret Disease keeps thee down Thy Stomach is foul makes no good Digestion some under-ground Corruption draws in that Nutriment those Spirits that should invigorate and encrease thy Graces like a Worm in the Paunch or Bowels feeding upon that which should feed thee and so defrauding thee Kill then thou must or be kill'd Repentance and Faith and Mortification and Watchfulness alone must sublevate thee Engage thy self herein and make these a daily Task Let not thy Sloath the World or any sweet Lust ravish thy Heart into an hours Neglect no not a Moments Resolve and act with the first and to the uttermost Thou art upon the Pits Brink ready to drop down into everlasting Horrours and till thou repentest hast no Foot-hold nay thy Foot is already slipt thou art tumbling down head-long and no Mercy can or will hold thee up but only as far as it engages thee in Repentance This is the sole Relief that thou eanst have from Heaven nothing else can bring thee back raise thee out of the Ditch return thee into a state of Safety but only thy returning this way to God 'T is absolutely impossible under the present Oeconomy of Divine Grace for Mercy it self to save thee to satisfie thee with Peace without Repentance And no less impossible for thee to satisfie thy self in the soundness of thy first Repentance without Cordial Resolutions Cares Endeavours in a second daily life-long Repentance and Mortification Go over again then with this Work never present thy self to the Lord without this Sacrifice of a broken contrite Heart As thou renewest thy falls renew thy rising by Repentance That day upon which thou sinnest not repent not but be sure thou omit this Duty upon none other If there be any failures in thy first Work a recognition and renewal of it may redintegrate and rectifie thee No Man is hearty in that Work which he is loath to reiterate Suspect that Repentance which stands all alone in a single act and hath no Seconds Be dayly therefore searching thy Heart and examining thy Life cast up thy Accounts at even reckon with God and thine own conscience for the day and all thy Life past that thou may'st not lie down a Debtor to Justice least it be requir'd of thee ere the Morning This is safe and use will make it sweet Should a Traytor to God and thine own Soul lodge with thee in peace but for a Night with what face could'st thou present thy self before thy Judge should he arraign thee and tell thee this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee 'T is dangerous to dally with Sin desperate to irritate God The Curse of any one Sin unrepented of and the Wrath and Fiery Indignation of God are no easie Pillows to lay thy head upon Thy sleep will then be sweetest when thy Sin is sourest and thy Rest will be most refreshing and comfortable upon the soft Downy Bed of a good and pure conscience purged by Repentance purifyed by Faith But 't is not enough to forsake thy Sin and turn to goodness with a broken bleeding Heart but the root of Sin must be bound about with a Hoop of Iron that it may be deaden'd and spring out no more Crucifie then the Flesh and the World and be Crucified to them and deny so as to mortifie Vngodliness as well as Worldly Lusts else thou art not taught by the Grace of God that brings Salvation Tit. 2.11 Repentance cuts off the Branches the acts of Sin that are already sprouted out but thy cares must not only respect what is past or present but what may be in future Therefore must thou engage thy preventive cares and endeavours in Mortification Draw out the Heart-Blood of thy Lusts by cutting them off intirely from thy Heart and Affections That accounted so truculent a Word of Caesar to his Soldiers at Pharsalia strike at the face which gave him the Victory is no cruelty but good policy here and mercy to thy self and will be Crown'd with like Success That which is most lovely in thy Corruptions most pleasing to thy sense must be first laid at strike at their Beauty turn that into deformity and thou winnest the Day They live only in thy love as far as approving themselves to thy carnal Affections whence they are call'd Lusts Set up a Cherub with a flaming Sword turning every way to keep them out of that their Paradise and to guard thy Heart that Tree of Life and thou effectually condemnest them to an irremediable Mortality thou really executest and destroyest them Especially if hereto thou superadd the Exercises of Faith and its social Graces For to crucifie Sin without Faith deriving vertue and strength from the Cross i. e. the merit of Christ or that Holy Spirit and his Aid which Christ by his merit purchased is not at all to be hoped It would never have had its Christian Name from the Cross if this had no Influence upon Mortification The Moral is pretty but short of that Perfection of the Spiritual to which we are directed and enabled as Christians 'T is not if ye by Reason and Philosophy but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 What Spirit he speaks of the next verse declares For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God This certainly imports something more than mere Nature and natural Improvements I love the Platonical and Stoical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and am pleased to read those Precepts whereby they direct it But the Philosophical Death in voluntarily loosing the Soul from the Body and bodily Life Porphyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7.9 and Passions to which it was ty'd by converting it self to the service of bodily Affections will only introduce a Philosophical Peace i. e. not to grieve or be angry to be necessitated to nothing to be unconcern'd about Extrinsecals untouched and free Arrian l. 3. c. 13. as they describe it Christian Mortification is a higher thing 'T is the Work of Grace subduing the Sins that are contrary to it especially the Corruption of Nature The Work of Grace influenced by the Holy Ghost The Spirits work by Grace in relation to Christ and his Crucifixion wherein the grace of Faith in special hath a peculiar Province I mean not Christianity in general which sometimes is entitled Faith but that particular Grace which the Old Testament oft calls Trust the New committing our Souls to God When in a sense of Sin Impotency and Emptiness we give up our selves to God in Christ entrusting our Souls with him and expecting all from him alone in the way of his Covenant and Promises which hope is an inseparable fruit of Faith and therefore included with it in the same title of Trust which is indeed both Thus then do Christians mortifie Sin Being sensible that they are insufficient by the power of their own reason and moral Vertue to get
thou dost of his Grace to quicken and sanctifie thee And if thou comfortest thy self without the Spirits Witness concurring thou art a fond self-flattering fool and wilt fantastically solace thy self into confusion Lay a sure Ground Work for his Sealings in thy Sanctification but then thou must build upon it endeavouring to grow in purity of Spirit by frequency in purifying Practices Never build Comforts upon any Recognition of former Comforts except thou wast fully satisfied their Grounds were sure But rather begin again and dig deeper that thou may'st build stronglier Labour to be Heroically good if thou desirest to be eminently happy Make thy way through the Temple of Vertue into the Temple of Honour and Peace that thou deceive not thy self and embrace a Cloud instead of Juno Finally having done all renounce all as unproportionable By thy Faith take Sanctuary in the mercy of God through the Merits of Jesus Christ Make him thy living guide and way to the true Life of everlasting Joys and Consolations Lastly Be fervent and constant in Prayer Peace is not attainable but only by Addresses to the God of Peace 'T is his Gift and must be thy desire exprest in Petition ere thou receivest it Use Prayer and engage Prayer that both thine own and others Interest in Heaven may prevail for thee which last by the Apostle Jam. 5.16 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inwrought inworking Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were such as being moved by a supernatural Power or Agent acted beyond themselves above Nature And Righteous Souls are acted by the Holy Ghost in Prayer Rom. 8.14 15 16. Not by extraordinary Influences as the divinely inspired but ordinary Yet these not common to all but special and proper which no wicked Man over Experiences and this therefore not so much with respect to the Gift which is common as the Grace of Prayer which is peculiar to the New-born Children of God Indeed the Gift is but the Body Grace the Soul of Prayer and the most Essential Grace of Prayer properly so call'd viz. Petition is Desire the most efficacious is Faith For I doubt not to give the title of Grace to sincere Desire notwithstand that it hath been exploded upon a reason something odd viz. That desire of Grace is no more Grace than desire of Health Riches c. is Health Riches c. A ground doubly fallacious for 1. It doubly misrepresents the contrary Opinion which 1. only pronounces concerning sincere Desires 2. Means not that the Desire is formally the Grace and every Grace desired But if upright Desire be not a Grace though not the Grace desired neither is upright Delight nor consequently upright Love whereof these are the special and sole Ingredients Desire being as essential as Delight And if some sincere desire of some Graces be not inchoatively the Graces desired or an Effect or Act issuing from them which amounts to the same thing and will subserve to the same end for which that Proposition is used viz. to satisfie the weak but sincere Christians that question their Grace I cannot tell how that of our Saviour is intelligible Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger c. i. e. desire sincerely as all agree The Ungracious Unrighteous are not Blessed but Cursed now according to the supposition of the Text these have nothing to entitle them to Blessedness save this Hunger c. or Desire therefore this Desire constitutes them so far Righteous as not to leave them liable to the curse due to the Unrighteous 2. It mistakes and misses the case for sure there 's a World of difference betwixt Internal Dispositions of Mind and External Possessions One more imperfect disposition of Mind is capable of being changed into or growing up to a more perfect habit and therefore may be inchoatively that habit and also it is very possible that the first actings of a Grace already received may be in a desire of that Grace as well as the more mature state of that Grace may discover it self in strong desire after a greater measure of it self 'T is certain that the more grown and vigorous our Faith is the more do we desire the increase of it so Delight Hope Fear of God Humility and in summ no Man can sincerely desire any Grace without Grace because without Grace there can be no Sincerity that is the Adjunct without the Subject Sincerity being the Eucracy or good Constitution and Form and Beauty of Grace which cannot be sound if it be not Now to transfer this to External Enjoyments or bodily good things is to leap over the Hedge into a sophism of no very graceful Name I think there are other more solid Methods to club down presumptuous Hypocritical Desires than thus to break the bruised Reed and rotten Stick with one and the same blow I do not say that desires of Comfort are Comfort I know very well that Desires in no manner of Gradation or Modification can be a species of Comfort as Desires may be of Grace nor an inferiour degree of Comfort neither Yet though they cannot be formally Comfort they may be objectively Comfortable That is sincere desires upon reflection will be matter of Comfort 't will be a rejoycing to a Man's Heart to find therein those hungring and thirsting desires which the foremention'd Scripture recommends I know not that any can ever have reason to repent of hearty Breathings and Pantings after the Living God and that plentitude of all desireable Joys in fruition of his transcendent Perfections which is sufficient to replenish and answer all the cravings of the most enlarged Appetite even unto Satiety And 't is certain that without such desires Divine Bounty it self infinite though it be will not administer the least drop of the Cup of Consolation as 't is called Jer. 16.7 Indeed since 't is God which comforteth those which are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 we have little ground to expect his Comforts if we never desire them and little evidence can we give of our true desires if we convert them not into Prayers nor can our Prayers prevail if not made in Faith Jam. 1.5 6. For that 's the Grace of Graces which must beat every end or nothing can prosper The Son of God himself the Lord Owner and Possessor of all yet did not obtain the Comforter for us without Prayer Joh. 14.16 And 't is no dishonour to be ty'd to the same Conditions with our Redeemer in things accommodate to our Nature and State If he procured the Cause of Comfort he will bless our use of the means which if we neglect we what in us lies frustrate the Intercession of Christ and by omission of our Duty of Prayer which is a part even of Natural Religion we cause as to our selves a denial and rejection of the Prayer of Christ himself And how can we expect that God should hear us Praying for our selves afterward when we see a necessity to change our