to 37. If my children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgements If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail my Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips c. He that lives by Faith in infirmities may be thus characterized 1. He will hear Christ and not the voice of a stranger John 10. 27. 5. 2. He is not offended at whatsoever Christ requires Mat. 11. 6. 3. The revealed will of God in the Scriptures is his Rule and not the light within nor the traditions of men he walketh more by rule then example 4. He will trust God and relye upon his word he eyeth the promise and saith surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 45. 24. Jude 3. Act. 20. 31 c. 5. He will hold fast to and earnestly contend for the truth and Faith once delivered to the Saints 6. His sin doth not sink him into despair though he may have many doubtings he will say in the mid â— of all his imperfections I have as much of the love of God acceptation in Christ as the best Saint ever had though I come short in the manifestation my state is as happy as any of theirs Heb. 3. 17. Although the Figtree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine c. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation c. What shall I say more my body shall be raised 1 Thes 4. 16. And I shall have a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15. 43 44. I shall have a glorified body Phil. 3. 21. The Sun in the firmament is not so glorious as my body shall be because the Sun is but a natural body I shall have fulness of knowledge Ephes 3. 18. and fulness of joy and pleasure Psal 16. 11. No misery hunger cold or nakedness pain grief nor weariness shall attend me but I shall rest without labour 2 Thes 1. 7. And I shall have in rest tranquility and in tranquility contentment in contentment joy in joy variety in variety security in security a glorious eternity then shall I be like him and see him as he is 1 John 3. 1 2. compared with 1 Cor. 13. 12. To close up all that I shall speak of this grace of Faith which is of so great concernment give me leave to answer two considerable questions that do arise in the hearts of many 1. What conditions or qualifications must or ought I to find in my felf before I believe or lay hold on a promise 2. If to believe in God is of so great concernment both to being and well being why do so few men and womens sons and daughters believe 1. Quere is What conditions and qualifications must or ought a man to find in himself before he believeth or lay hold of the precious promises in the Scriptures of Truth Answ I know no qualifications or conditions required of us before we come unless these be conditions and qualifications tob uy milk and wine without mony and without price and to take of the water of life freely Isa 55. 1 2 3. Rev. 22. 17. Isa 43. 25. Isa 45. 22. And this I say there will be found in all that do believe without which they will not come to Christ I do not say without which they should not come 1. A sense of his lost condition and great need of a Saviour the whole need not a Physitian saith our Lord Christ 2. There will be poverty of Spirit which doth spring or arise from these two things First that a soul hath a sense that it hath nothing that good is in it self Secondly that he can do nothing to procure good to himself 3. There will be an inquiring after a remedy c. Sirs what shall I do to be saved Lord what wilt thou have me to do 4. There will be a willingness to part with any thing for Christ that stood in opposition to him that so he may enjoy him 5. There will be a resolution and purpose of heart to lead a new life more holily spiritually and heavenly for time to come 6. A resolution to wait upon God in his wayes and to lie at the Pool of Bethesda Now these and the like things are not required as that without which we should not come to Christ but these things will be in him that doth come without which he cometh not 2. Quere What is the reason why so few do believe in God seeing the way is so opened and cleared and the stumbling blocks removed Answ 1. Ground or reason why believing on the Son of God is so hard is because every thing in man doth fight against it hence it doth come to pass that believing doth require the greatest piece of self-denyal in them for a man to break the Law and yet to be freed from the curse of the Law this reason cannot comprehend 2. Ground why so few believe is either because they think they do believe already and yet do not or else they would believe but say they cannot First they think they do believe and yet do not and these are of three sorts First ignorant persons now ignorance and unbelief they alwayes go togegether we read of Paul that did things before he was converted in ignorance and unbelief Jer. 4. 22. My people are foolish they know not me to do good they have no knowledge Secondly those that boast and glory in their own righteousness these have no faith in Jesus Christ and his righteousness The third sort of people that do think they do believe and do not are prophane persons and these be of two sorts men of prophane spirits and men of prophane lives prophane practices 3. Ground or reason why so few believe is because it is the great design of Satan either to hinder or overthrow our Faith because believing doth give the greatest glory to God and brings in the greatest good to us First it doth give the greatest glory to God of any work in the world it doth give glory to his truth and faithfulness and power and mindfulness So it doth give glory to Jesus Christ to his name power and God-head Offices and attributes by doubting we dishonour him frustrate the grace of God make the death of Christ of none effect 4. Reason why believing is so hard a work is because of the multitude of false Doctrines that there are in the world that a man scarce knows who to hear or whom to believe c. Of Repentance unto life REpentance and faith are two inseparable companions where the one doth dwell the other will lodge in the Covenant of grace there is place for repentance and mercy for the penitent Let us first enquire what true repentance is viz. Some say repentance is
in the world 19. For a multitude of unknown sins that thou hadst totally forgotten committed in the child-hood youth and man-hood all thy omissions and commissions will then come into thy mind and if thou wouldest thou canst not put them out I know of two precious Christians being a long time weak and like to dye that did witness to this truth all the sins of their youth that they had forgotten came in remembrance as fresh as if but now committed 20. And lastly there comes in a long bill that thou never dreamedst of much less couldest repent of ignorance will be no plea in this court God will say thou oughtest and mightest have known al these things to be sinful out of the holy Scripture and therefore art utterly unexcusable Oh consider if ever any bill were like to this and bring it home to your own consciences for it is your own case it is true that in all courts of Justice exception against witnesses is allowed but thou canst except against none of these except it be the Devil who bears malice to thee yet malice is a good informer though a bad Judge but to cashier his testimony what canst thou say against thy partners in sin do not they know all thy waies what canst thou say against good men that with grief beheld thy sinfull courses what against good Angels that will not belie thee what canst thou say against thy own conscience what canst thou say against the most true and knowing God that cannot lie And whilst thy soul is thus within out of peace and order thy wife children and friends trouble thee as fast to have thee put thy goods in order some crying some craving some pittying some chearing well In this extremity the soul looks every way for help and she finds her self every way helpless I shall here acquaint the Reader of a passage that I read at least twenty years ago which God made of great use to me viz. The soul being in this misery desires to hear the least word of Comfort she directs this or the like speech to the Eyes Oh Eyes who in times past were so quick sighted can you spie no comfort not any way how I might escape this dreadful danger Alas the eye-strings are broken they cannot see the candle that burneth nor discern whether it be day or night The soul finding no comfort in the eyes speaks to the ears Oh Ears who were willing and wont to recreate me with hearing new pleasant discourses and musick can ye hear the tidings of the least comfort for me but the ears are either so deaf that they cannot hear at all of the sense of hearing is grown so weak that it cannot endure to hear his dearest friends to speak So the ear cannot minister any comfort Then she intimates her grief unto her Tongue Oh Tongue who was wont to bring it out with the bravest where are now thy big and daring words now in my greatest need canit thou speak nothing in my defence canst thou neither daunt these enemies with threatning words nor intreat them with fair speeches But alas the tongue cannot in his greatest extremity so much as call for a little drink or desire a friend to take away with his finger the flegm that is ready to choak him Finding here no hope of help she speaks to the feet where are ye oh feet which sometimes were so nimble in running and carrying of me from place to place can ye carry me now no where out of this dangerous place But alas the Feet are as it were dead already if they be not stirred they cannot stir Then she directs her speech unto her hands Oh hands who have been so often approved for Manhood in Peace and War wherewith I have so often defended my self and offended my Foes never had I more need then now Help now or I perish for ever But alas the Hands are so weak and do so tremble that they cannot reach to the mouth a spoonfull of supping to relieve languishing Nature Whilst The poor man lyeth in this misery in comes all his wealth to give her master a visit and in effect saith this to him Thus far have I gone with thee but farther I will not I have nothing to do in another world Now therefore master shift for your self I will go seek me a new Master Nay saith his Master I hope thou wilt not serve me so now I have most need of thee many a nights rest have I broken for thee Wealth The more fool thou Master who bid thee do so not God I am sure but the Prince of the air the God of this world And therefore now to him thou must go or whither thou dost go I know not nor care not but farther to go with thee I will not for I will seek me a new Master Master Nay Wealth I pray thee say not so that goeth to my very heart go answer for me or at least speak a good word for me Wealth Not I nay I am sure you shall answer for me and your self too and to tell you the truth I doubt the place is too hot for me where thou art going Look Look here comes death quivering in your lips quaking in your joynts staring in your eyes I cannot endure the sight of him oh draw the curtain shift fot thy self Master and I will shift for one Master Oh base vagrant have I thus entertained thee like a Prince for this Oh all ye people of the world be warned by me a dying man Lay up Treasure in Heaven improve thy Talent redeem thy Time and give Diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure Oh how suddenly hath death stollen upon me like the Sun which the eye perceives not to move though it be most swift of motion The God of Mercy hath utterly forsaken me and the Devil who knows no mercy waites for me my joyes in this life were gone before I could scarce enjoy them my miseries are eternal and never shall know end Oh that I had spent the hours that I consumed in carding dicing and other exercises in reading the Scriptures in hearing Sermons and meditating thereon in conferring with the Lords people in weeping for my sins in fasting watching and praying and beliveing that I might have now departed in the assured hope of everlasting salvation Oh that I were now to begin my life again how religious and purely would I lead my life But now my glass is out the Sun is set the golden Scepter is taken in once I had a reconcileable God bowels of Mercy were not totally restrained but Repentance might have enlarged them The treasury door of Mercy and Grace was not lockt up but Faith could have opened it and the hour of Grace might have procured the oyl of Gladness and there was still a blank in the leaf for the sinners name to be put in upon coversion but now every door of hope is shut and lockt up and now is my case more
him he also sets his love upon him and manifests it unto him So that as election to life is by God the Father and redemption by God the Son so justification sanctification and restauration into the Image of God is by the Holy-Ghost So that in the unity of the God-head there be three of one substance power and eternity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy-Ghost the Father is of none other begotten nor proceeding the Son is eternally begotten of the Father the Holy-Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son See Math. 3. 16 17 28. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 1 4. 1 Joh. 1. 14. And that the Holy-Ghost is God will appear by these Scriptures Act. 5. 3 4. Peter reproving Annanias for lying said he did lie to the Holy-Ghost and so he lyed not to men but to God so again Isa 6. 9. I heard the Lord speaking which place Paul expounds of the Holy-Ghost Act. 28. 25. Of Gods Decrees WHatsoever God doth in time that did he decree to do from all eternity So that Gods decree is that whereby he hath from all eternity set down with himself whatsoever shall come to pass Ephes 1. 11. If any ask what things are decreed by God I answer 1 all things 2 with their causes 3 with their effects 4 circumstances and 5 manner of being Act. 2. 23. 4. 27 28. Ephes 1. 11. 1. This decree is most wise Rom. 11. 33. 2. Just Rom. 9. 13 14. 3. Eternall Ephes 1. 4 5. 1 Cor. 2. 7. 4. Unchangeable Heb. 11. 17. 5. Most free Rom. 9. 18. 6. The cause of all good Iam. 1. 17. Now the parts of this decree is two-fold first concerning Angels Secondly concerning man and of this decree concerning man there be two parts First Election Secondly Reprobation 1 Thes 5. 9. Iudg. 4. 5. As concerning Angels they also are of two sorts First good Secondly bad First good or excellent 1. For their nature 2. For their gifts 3. For their offices 4. For their estate Secondly bad or evill Angels God from all eternity hath determined of all things together with their causes effects circumstances of place and time means manner and end to the manifestation of his own glory Psal 99. 4. Mat. 10. 29. Rom. 9. 20 21. 11. 36. Pro. 16. 4. Of Election ELection is the decree of God of his free love and grace and mercy choosing some men to Faith holiness and eternall life for the praise of his glorious mercy 1 Thes 1. 4. 2 Thes 2. 13. Ephes 1. 4 5 6. Rom. 8. 29 30. The causes of election was none other but his meer good will and pleasure Luk. 12. 32. Rom. 11. 5. 9. 11. 16. Ephes 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 9. The end of election is the manifestation of the riches of his grace and mercy Rom. 9. 23. Ephes 1. 6. Quest Was not Christ and faith and holiness the causes of election Answ No the sending of Christ faith holiness and eternall life are only the effects of Gods love by which he manifesteth the infinite riches of his grace Ioh. 3. 16. 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Acts 13. 4. Titus 1. 1. Col. 1. 12. Rom. 6. 23. God â—eerly out of his good pleasure without the fore-fight of any good in the creature according to his unlimited soveraignty elected a certain number by name unto eternall salvation and he hath decreed to effect all the wayes and means for them and in them to bring them thereto see 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 8. So some are elected unto life out of all sorts of people Mat. 20. 16. Rom 9. 24. Rev. 7. 9. That unto which God hath elected them is 1. To the Adoption of Sons 2. Sanctification of life here 3. And eternall life hereafter The first and only moving cause of Election is the good pleasure and love of God Ephes 1. 5. Rom. 9. 18. Ephes 1. 11. So that Faith is not the cause but the effect of election Act. 13. 48. God is no respecter of persons and yet he elected some and left others when he found no difference A man may come to know in time that he was elected before time 1. We come to apprehend this by Faith 1 Thes 1. 4. 2. By our effectuall calling 3. By our justification 4. By our sanctification Rom. 8. 30. 5 By the testimony of Gods Spirit Rom. 8. 9 16 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. 2Cor 1. 21 23. Of Reprobation REprobation is the wise just and absolute decree of God passing by and leaving some men unto themselves to suffer them to fall and to enflict upon them eternall punishment deserved by their sins for the praise of his unspeakable great justice Rom. 9. 11 13 22. Iude 4. Ier. 6. 30. The causes of this decree is the absolute will and good pleasure of God Mat. 11. 26. Rom. 9. 13. The end of this decree is not the condemnation of the creature 〈…〉 â—â—â—ifestation of Gods Justice Rom. 9. 22. Yet election and reprobation in a sense are not the causes of salvation and damnation but Christ is the proper and meritorious cause of salvation and sin the proper and meritorious cause of damnation Election and reprobation they are but precedent acts or decrees and the causes of salvation and damnation they come in between the causes and the execution thereof It is the fore-appointment of certain Angels and men unto everlasting dishonour God of his own free will determining to pass them by refuse or cast off and for sin to condemn and punish them with everlasting death Prov. 16. 4. Exod. 9. 16. Rom. 9. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 20. Mat. 25. 41. Of the Creation ALthough God made man of the dust of the earth yet he could have made him of nothing as he made all things else of nothing in six daies Heb. 11. 3. Exod. 20. 11. 1. In the first day were created the heavens and the earth and light Gen. 1. 1 2. Iob 38. 7. 2. In the next day was the out-spreading firmament or heavens the division of the waters above from the waters beneath Gen. 1. 6 7. 3. In the third day there was a two-fold work first a gathering of the waters in one place secondly a bringing forth of hearbs Gen. 1. 9 10 11 12. 4. In the fourth day was made the Sun Moon and Stars to give light on the earth and to be for signs and seasons and for dayes and years Gen. 1. 14 15 16 17. 5. In the fift day there was a twofold work the creation of all sorts of fish in the sea and fouls in the air Gen. 1. 22 23. 6. In the sixth day there was also a twofold work the creation of all sorts of beasts upon the earth and the creation of man whom the Lord made in his own Image Gen. 1. 24 25 26 27. 7. The seventh day the Lord made a Sabboth of rest and blessed that day above all other dayes and did also sanctifie it The
it is in Prov. 1. 20 21. and there makes publike proclamation ho every one that will come ye to me and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you Isa 55. 3. Isa 65. 1. and if we come not at this first invitation then he comes and beseecheth us to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 20. and speaks to us as pittying us Jer. 3. 12. and lamenting over us Ezek. 33. 11. and all this he doth to perswade us to come and strike a Covenant with him 3. By the hearing of these promises and offers of grace the Lord usually scattereth some little seeds of faith in the hearts of those that he will bring unto himself which seeds being sown do quickly put forth and act towards the Covenant before by the Father tendred and layes hold of it as we see in Lydia the Jaylor Zacheus c. So by an act of faith we come to close with the Covenant revealed and offered freely unto us by accepting the grace offered resting upon God for all the mercy which he hath promised and then taking God to be a God over us submitting to his government and authority to command us and to rule us in all things according to his own will these two things faith doth and so takes hold of the Covenant more firmly in the same way and order as God offers it First God makes himself known to us as a God of mercy gracious long suffering pardoning iniquity transgression and sin and so offers himself to be reconciled to us though we have rebelled against him promising to be a Father unto us and to accept of us in his beloved as his sons and daughters and thus is the Covenant made up between God and us and the soul now begins to say in it self I that was an enemy he hath now reconciled unto himself I that was in times past without God without Christ without promise without Covenant without hope and none of Gods people Yet now I have God for my God Christ is my peace and I am now become one of Gods people the Covenant of his peace now belongeth to me and the Lord is become my salvation saying as Jacob Gen. 33. 11. The Lord hath had mercy on me therefore I have enough I have all that my heart hath desired The Lord doth acquaint the soul with those absolute promises which shew unto us the only cause of our salvation even free grace and no other thing Secondly they are a foundation for the faith of adherence or dependance to stay upon they yield a singular encouragement to a poor dejected soul that finds nothing in it self but sin and misery with hope to cast it self upon the free grace of God seeing he looks at nothing in us for which he should save us there be two acts of faith one of adherence or dependancy another of assurance there be also two kinds of promises absolute and conditionall mark now how these do fit and answer one to the other the absolute promises to the faith of adherence the conditionall to the faith of assurance Now faith helps us to close with the Covenant and enables us to walk with God according to the Covenant which we have made there is a keeping of Covenant required of us as well as a making a Covenant with God Gen. 17. 7 9. Psal 50. 5. The Saints are said to make a Covenant with God but in Psal 103. 18. they are said to keep his Covenant so there is a making and a keeping of Covenant and both by Faith The eleventh thing to be enquired into is what are the blessings and benefits of this Covenant to us-ward Answ WE can never know the things which are given to us of God but by knowing of the Covenant which conveys all the blessings from God to us O let us lift up our hearts to look for great things great blessings such as the great God hath promised the blessings are sutable to our wants the things of the Covenant are great things Hos 8. 12. The Covenant is as full of blessings as of letters or syllables and more it is a rich storehouse replenished with all manner of gifts and graces spirituall and temporall it is as a tree of life to those that feed upon it they shall live for ever it is a Well of salvation it is a fountain of good things to satisfie every thirsty soul Zach. 13. 1. it is a treasure full of goods as Deut. 28. 12. here is unsearchable riches unspeakable mercy which can never be fathomed or emptied all these blessings of the Covenant are wrapped up in the promises of it every promise of grace containing a blessing as every threatning of the Law contains a curse Now the promises and blessings of the Covenant are of two sorts First of things spirituall and eternall Secondly of things temporall the spirituall blessings of the Covenant are cheifly comprehended in these places of Scripture Jer. 31. 31 33. Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 28. Jer. 32. 38 39 40. Gen. 17. 7. God in Trinity enters into Covenant with us 1. The Father enters into Covenant with us and promiseth to be a Father to us hence saith the Lord Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my son my first born and Jer. 31. 9 20. is Ephraim my dear son is he my pleasant child so the Lord hath a care to provide both heavenly and earthly inheritance for his children he hath also a care to nurture and instruct them in his wayes Deut. 32. 10. 2. Christ the son enters into Covenant with us and speaks to us as in Isa 43. 1. Thou art mine and Hosea 13. 14. I will redeem them I will ransome them Oh death I will be thy death thou hast destroyed my people but I will destroy thee so he undertakes to take up all controversies which may fall between God and us he promiseth to restore us to the adoption of sons and to the inheritance of sons that we might be where he is Joh. 17. 24. 3. The holy ghost makes a Covenant with us as Heb. 10. 15 16. whereof the Holy-Ghost also is a witness to us testifying of this Covenant which he makes with us although the Father be imployed in it yet here is the power and work of the Holy-Ghost what the Father hath purposed from all eternity and the Son hath purchased for them in time that the Holy-Ghost effects in them and applies to them viz. he enables them to apply the blood of Christ for the remission of sins he writes the Law in our heats he teacheth us he washeth us from our filthiness and comforteth us in our sadness supports us in our faintings and guides us in our wandrings c. I may say as Moses to the people Deut. 33. 29. happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord and as David Psal 33. 12. Blessed is that Nation whose God is the Lord. By faith we look at Christ as having all fulness of grace
grace but a sanctifying grace Acts 15. 9. 26. 8. the blood of Christ iâ— a pure blood as well as a precious blood It is a cleansing blood as well as an expiating blood So faith is a grace not only to acquit but also to purge and renew the person where it dwells It is not only an enlightening grace but it is also a conforming grace therefore we read that it doth ingraft us into the similitude of his death and in the fellowship of his sufferings and Resurrection Phil. 3. 10. Now then enquire is there vertue gone from Christ to make thy dark mind seeing thy stubborn judgement yielding thy proud heart humbling thy filthy heart cleansing thy hard heart relenting and mourning thy carnal affections to be heavenly thy sinful soul to be holy Read and well consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. 2. Where there is true Faith it will cause the party to make a curious narrow impartial diligent search into his own heart and soul to see what humility what self-denyal what sin abhorrency what love to Christ what delight to the Ordinances what zeal for Gods glory what contempt of the world what desires after the society of the Saints what sympathizing with them in their afflictions and if upon this search thou findest any impressions of grace any spiritual work any savouring savory distinguishing operations upon thy heart then the Spirit hath been there and begun to work the grace of Faith in thy heart 3. True Faith doth make the heart humble and lowly Have we pardon of sin why saith Faith the cause of this is Gods love Have we righteousness why saith Faith the cause of this is Christs merits Have we any gift why saith Faith the cause of this is Christs love So that the soul sits down and often saith O Lord O Lord in my self I am nothing nay of my self worse then nothing But what I am I am by grace all that I have is thine my bread my health my life my body my soul all is thine If any love if any mercy if any Christ if any grace if any comfort if any strength if any stedfastness if any performances if any good work if any good word if any good affection if any good thought why all is thine I have nothing but what I have received thou only art the cause I am less then the least of thy mercies and what is thy servant that thou shouldst look on such an one as I am thou madest me and thou boughtest me and thou calledst me and thou justifiest me and thou savest me 4. True Faith doth desire and endeavour after an increase Help my unbelief said the weak believing Father O Lord encrease our Faith said the Disciples there are yet many degrees wanting to faith either thou canst not be perswaded or not fully perswaded or not constantly perswaded but if the Faith be true and living it will bend after a rising 5. True Faith in Christ and a mournful heart for sin alwaies go together Zach. 10 12. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn c. there are two things that Faith will fetch up in the soul the one is love to Christ another is sorrow for sin 6. True Faith is fruitful James 2. 18. See Titus 3. 18. Although works do not cause Faith or Justification yet they do clearly manifest to others whether we have Faith yea or no. To close up this point let me acquaint the Reader that there are spiritual and inward characters of Faith which serve as evidences to him that hath it many of those I have hinted at under this fore-going head Secondly there are outward or more external signs of Faith and they consist in walking so in the sight of men that they may in charity judge of our Faith by our works then there are characters of a strong Faith and also signs of a weak Faith First of a strong Faith Rom. 4. 20. he staggered not at the promise through unbelief Mat. 8. 6 7 8. I have not found so great Faith in Israel Mat. 5. 22. O woman great is thy faith c. So there are characters of a weak Faith One is he will be hasty to be answered and be ready to suspect Gods favour and Christs love if he be not presently answered Another is he will be faint if delayed And so much for the characteâ—s or signs of Faith The benefits of living by Faith a Believers comfort hope joy and confidence should be in God the same at all times THE Lord hath various dispensations of providence as well relating to the outward as to the inward man Sometimes his way is in the whirlwind and sometimes he is in the small still voice and sometimes his foot-steps are in the deep waters and so his way is not known Nah. 1. 3. 1 Kings 19. 12. Psalm 77. 19. His dispensations are many times contrary the one to the other to day perhaps thou enjoyest peace strength riches and honor with health prosperity and many friends and tomorrow all these may be blasted to day God unbosoms himself unto thee and shines forth upon thee but in a moment he withdraws himself As blessed Job David and divers others experienced Now the reason why we should believe hope and rejoyce in God at all times are as followeth 1. Because a Believers happiness depends not upon his own doing but upon Christ who is of God made unto him righteousness sanctification c. who hath saved us and called us not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace c. 1 Cor. 1. 3. 2 Tim 1. 9 2. Because the state of a Believer in Christ as considered in him is a state of perfection he is clean from all sin by the blood of Christ they be removed from us thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back as far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us seventy weeks are determined upon the people to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation and to bring in everlasting righteousness Col. 1. 28. John 17. 23. Heb. 10. 14. 1 John 1. 7. Isaiah 35. 8. 38. 17. Psalm 103. 12. Dan. 9. 24. Ezek. 16. 14. Hereupon the soul begins to rejoyce in God for he hath cloathed me with the garment of salvation and covered me with the robe of righteousness Our sins are laid upon Christ and his righteousness is ours hereupon saith God thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee 3. Reason Why a Believers comfort hope joy and confidence should be the same at all times because that God who hath loved an everlasting love loves thee in his Son thou art not beloved for thy own sake or for any thing in thee but upon the account of the Lord Jesus in whom God is well pleased Believers are never the more just before God for their own integrity nor the
differ in their defining it what it is yet in the essence or body of it they agree but before I can orderly come to speak of the several definitions that Christians give of it I must acquaint the Reader of the several sorts of love viz. there is a love natural c. and a love sinful c. and there is a love spiritual 1. There is love of pitty as in a Father to a sick and vitious son or one friend to another in misery or if you please there is 2. A natural love planted in the heart of man to love himself his children wealth and acquaintance Now the spiritual love that we shall speak of by and by doth set banks to the stream of natural love that it run not over either to over-love or over-grieve 3. There is a love of complacency So the Father is well pleased with an obedient son the husband with a vertuous wife the School-master with a towardly Scholar 4. There is a love of friendship when a man doth both honour and respect such and such good people and is so beloved of them again 5. There is a love of dependance when we love one upon whom all dependeth namely God whom also we love with a love of complacency and friendship being a full object free from all mixture of evil and altogether supernatural this supernatural love is that I intend to speak to and first of the nature of this love in which I shall take notice of the various judgements of many precious Christians in the definition of it although in the main they all agree 1. One saith it is an holy disposition of the heart arising from faith whereby we cleave to the Lord with a purpose of heart to serve him and to please him in all things 2. Another saith love is a grace wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God in perswading the party of Gods love to it and so the soul comes to love God because he did first love him 1 John 4. 19. 3. Others say it is a supernatural grace flowing from Faith instilled by God himself whereby through the mercy of God we see the great excellency of him and thereby are drawn to love and yield obedience to him 4. Others say it is an holy affection or act of the will or disposition of the heart whereby it cleaves or makes forward to some good that is agreeable to it self 5. Others say it is a spark of heavenly fire that puts all the affections into an holy flame Cant. 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth Isa 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early He that planted the affections of love in our hearts may well call for his own and expect to gather the grapes of his own Vineyard Several sorts or kinds of Love BEsides what hath been spoken in the foregoing head there are several sorts and kinds of love as First there is a fleshly and carnal love which is altogether sinful Secondly there is a naturall ove as in a Parent to a child and one relation to another Thirdly there is a civil love such as one neighbour and friend hath to another Fourthly there is a religious love and that is twofold the one is subordinate to the other viz. First there is our love to God Secondly to his people as they bear his image First to God himself who is the very essence of love he is nothing else but love God is love neither should there be any thing beloved by us but as it either conveys love to us from him or else deaws up our affections to him there is also a love to our enemies required of us which we ought to be found in the practise of in obedience to the command of God and in love and pitty to their poor souls Mat. 5. 44. But that love that I shall treat of is that love spoken to in Scripture which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. Of the springs of Love how it is begotten and encreased in us THE Lord tells us by Paul Rom. 5. 5. That the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost he shews us that he loveth us that were of no worth and whilest we were in our sins that he dyed for us and then he doth shed the sense and feeling thereof abroad in our hearts whereby we come to taste and see how good and gracious the Lord is Psalm 34. 8. 1. Spring of love is this the Lord doth unveil himself a little to the soul whereby it sees his excellency viz. wisdom power riches beauty glory faithfulness and amiableness 2. Spring of love is this the soul having seen something of his excellency and so loves him not only because of that although he be most worthy of love but also because he hath cast his love upon us and so in the second place the soul comes to love Christ because he first loved us 1 John 4. 10 19. as fire begets fire so doth love beget love 3. Spring of love is this after the soul hath seen the worth of Christ and the love of Christ it comes in the next place to see that the love of all relations doth meet in the love of Christ and this doth raise up a Christian to love Christ with a supream love Love is as a Load-stone drawing the affections to love Christ as to one that is aimable and lovely famous and glorious spotless and matchless in his name in his nature in his offices in his graces in his gifts in his discoveries in his appearances in his Ordinances he is full of gravity majesty and mercy and glory he is the chiefest among ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. So the soul loves Christ for that incomparable goodness and natural sweetness that there is in him But others that see it not reject those gracious invitations reject the Kings Supper and think it strange that thou runnest not with him to the same excess of riot 4. Spring of love is this the Lord presents before the soul First his love in giving Christ Secondly the love of Christ in giving himself and this many times takes with a soul and makes it break forth in these or the like expressions O the love of God to sinners to give his son and not a servant his own son and not another his only son and not a second his only begotten son and not an adopted son that he should send and give him when he was not sought by us but freely given by him to us not friends but enemies c. In the next place consider the love of Christ in giving himself O how wonderful was his love to us it was not a love to the fallen Angels but to fallen man Oh what hath he undergone for us O that he that was equal with God should come in the form of a servant That he that the
love thereof they willingly parted with much of their earthly goods and possessions to lay up treasure in heaven Abraham and Sarah left their own country and possessions to look for a City whose maker and builder is God Heb. 11. 10 15 16. David preferreth one day in this place before a thousand elsewhere Psal 84. 10. Elias earnestly besought the Lord to receive his soul into his Kingdom and went willingly though in a fiery Chariot King 19. 4. Saint Paul having once seen heaven continually desiâ—eth to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. Saint Peter having espyed but a glimpse of eternal glory in the mount wished that he might dwel there all the dayes of his life Mat. 17. 4. saying Master it is good for us to be here c. Christ a little before his death prayeth his Father to receive him into that excellent glory Joh. 17. 5. And the Apostle witnesseth Heb. 11. 2. that for the joy which was set before them they endured the cross and despised the shame 1 Pet. 5. 4. and when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away c. this eternal condition admits of no change or alteration decay or consumption waste or diminution mans eternal condition admits of no comparison revocation or conclusion c. What use we may make of all these precious things 1. EXcellent arguments may be drawn to pres-Christians to a holy life 2 Pet. 3. 11. see ing then that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness and ver 14. Wherefore seeing ye look for such things give diligence that ye may be found in him in peace It is our duty to live in a continual expectation of the coming of the Lord Jesus with our loins girt and our lamps burning for blessed is that servant whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing 2. Consider that here is a fountain opened for Christian comfort and ground for patience in all troubles that there shall be an end a Christians hope shall not be cut off if in this life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. But here lyes the comfort and patience of true Christians theywait for another world and they know it is a just thing with God to give them rest after their labours 2 Thes 1. 9. and a crown after their combate 2 Tim. 4. 8. and after their long Pilgrimage an everlasting habitation 2 Cor. 5. 1. Be patient saith the Apostle and settle your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh James 5. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 9. When they that have sown in tear shall reap in joy Psal 126. 5. 3. Consider that assurance of that blessed state may be attained in this life we know faith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 1. That if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we have a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens these things saith John I have written unto you that ye may know that ye have eternal life 1 John 5. 13. I am sure saith Job 19. 25 26 27. that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my self shall see and mine eyes shall behold when I awake saith David I shall be satisfied with thy Image Psal 17. 15. 4. The consideration of this should provoke us to be such as may be made meet for this inheritance of the Saints in light and to endeavour to attain and retain the earnest of the Spirit whence we may be alwaies able to say we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. and to fill the soul with strong consolation against the sufferings of life and the fear of death and to work an answerable conversation that whether absent or present we may so walk as we may be accepted of him 5. The consideration of this should put us upon a patient waiting for and a longing expectation of our change which draweth on a pace and not to put that off as most do to the last year and when that is come to the last moneth of that year and then to the last week of that moneth and then to the last day of that week and then to the last hour of that day and then to the last minute of that hour and so time shall be no more and we shall not find repentance although we seek it with tears 6. Consider that the cause of our salvation and so of our glorious condition is Gods meer love and favour without any merit of ours Luke 12. 32. It is our Fathers good pleasure to give us a Kingdom Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Ephes 2. 8. By grace we are saved through faith and not of our selves it is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. everlasting life is the gift of God and though eternal life be called a reward yet it is not of merit but of mercy let this be grounded in our hearts that the Kingdom of heaven is not a stipend of servants but an inheritance of Sons which they only obtain that lay hold on his mercy Romans 5. 8. compared with 1 Tim. 6. 12. and 19. 2. Now as hath been said as the love of God is the cause of our salvation fo Jesus Christ is the way Joh. 10. 9. Joh 14. 6. 3 The holy Spirit is the guide in that way as in Joh. 16. 13. 4. The Scriptures of truth is the rule Gal. 6. 16. Isa 8. 20. 5. The evidence of this salvation is faith Heb. 11. 1. It is true the instrumental cause offering and proclaiming salvation is the Gospel but the instrumental receiving and applying it is faith and the cause sealing it inwardly to our souls is the Spirit of God the external and instrumental seals thereof are the two confirming Ordinances Baptism and the Lords Supper 6. The anchor of this salvation is hope Heb. 6. 19. 7. The effects of this salvation is love to God because he loved us first and a holy conversation if ye love me saith Christ keep my commandments and they that have believed in Christ must be careful to maintain good works which are found and required in the way to the Kingdom but they are not the cause of reigning Of the end of the world THE consequents of the last judgement is life eternal in heaven or hell and the end of the world having finished the former let me point to the latter and I have finished what I intended we read Mat. 24. 3. that Peter James John and Andrew Mark 13. 3. came to Christ and desired him to satisfie them in these three questions 1. Concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple 2. Concerning
4. Consider the nature and cause of justification more particularly viz. Justification is when God meerly of his own grace and free will forgiveth our sins and pronounceth us just and innocent Though Gods Law was by us violated we are absolved from sin and punishment by the grace of God and merits of Christ apprehended by faith and so by him all that believe are justified in all things in which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13. 39. Justification is an act undivided and all at once and so it differs from sanctification which is done by degrees all different eminent acts as justification sanctification renovation are but one act in God I shall close up what I have to say to this thing by desiring the reader seriously to consider these precious Scriptures all speaking to the same thing Rom. 4. 5. Now to him that workoth not but beleiveth on him that justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us Rom. 11. 6. And if By grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace So having spoken to the nature of justification give me leave also to lay down the usefulness of it as to us and the benefits every beleiver have by it the greatest thing that we can desire next the glory of God is our own salvation and the sweetest thing we can here obtain is the assurance of our salvation In this life we cannot get higher then to be assured of that which in the next life is to be enjoyed all godly people shall enjoy a Heaven when they leave this earth some enjoy a Heaven whilst they are here on earth that Christians may enjoy two Heavens let them enquire after diligently seek for and cheerfully embrace this Doctrine of justification freely and only by the grace of God as the cause through Christ as the way the Holy-Ghost as the worker and evidencer 1. This Doctrine is as the foundation and basis of all Christian Religion 2. This Doctrine is the inlet of all spirituall divine peace and consolation 3. This is the root and spring of all Gospel obedience 4. This Doctrine is the great stop and bar to keep out all floods of errour 5. This Doctrine is the main support of a soul under all trialls 6. This is the great Doctrine by which Satans kingdom is undermined and overthrown 7. This is the Doctrine that Satan doth most war against either to pervert or corrupt 8. This Doctrine is the most hardest piece to be learned it being wholly supernaturall in every part of it above the reach of nature and all things in us do oppose it 1. This Doctrine is the foundation and basis of all Christian Religion as doth clearly appear by these severall instances 1. To begin at the bottom our Election is the Election of grace and according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 2. 4 5. 2. Our Vocation is according to his grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace given us in Christ before the world began 3. Regeneration is of Gods own will Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth 4. Faith it self is the gift of God Philippians 1. 29. Ephes 2. 28. 5. Justification is freely by his grace Rom. 3. 24. and a free gift Rom. 5. 15. 6. Forgiveness of sins is according to the riches of his grace Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace 7. Eternall life is the gift of God Act. 15. 11. But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Rom. 6. 23. The gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If any ask what is the nature of this free grace I answer grace in its proper notion signifies that free goodness favour or good will whereby God is moved to open the eyes of the blind mind and to let him know the love of God that passeth knowledge If any ask why the Doctrine of the Gospel is called by the name of grace I answer because it was only Gods free good will to bestow it upon those that did most want it If any ask farther why this free grace was ever bestowed at all or why one age or place of the world should receive is rather then another or why God should discover this great misterie was kept secret since the world began to those who were sinners of the Gentiles who served dumb Idols or why God should be found of them that sought him not or be made manifest to those that asked not after him I can give no other answer then that 1 Cor. 1. 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence or that in Mat. 11. 35 26. Even so Father because it seemeth good in thy sight Whoever builds and builds not upon this foundation doth build upon the sand and his house in a storm and tempest will fall Mat. 7. 27. or if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is see 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12 13 14 15. 2. This Doctrine is the inlet of all spirituall divine peace to the soul There is a vein through which this peace that passeth understanding is conveyed to the soul which the men and women of the world know not Isa 59. 8. The way of peace they know not they have made to themselves crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not find peace Rom. 3. 17. the way of peace have they not known in a word no man or woman under heaven can know the way to this peace untill the Lord give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet into the way of peace Luk. 1. 79. No man can receive retain and enjoy this peace of God unless he wait on God at the springs of peace 1. The first spring of peace is faith Rom. 5. 1. being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ faith seeth Christ to be our peace Ephes 2. 14. and from him freely given to us John 14. 27. and the vein through which it runs to the soul is the vein of faith laying hold on and applying of the free grace of God to the soul Rom. 15. 13. 2. The second way of peace is this a man must not only know it where it is and believe it but he must stay himself wholly upon God in the constant expectation of the increase and supply of it Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose heart is stayed on thee 3. The next vein or spring
less just for their iniquity God doth say of himself I am the Lord and change not his love is as himself ever the same and Christ in whom thou art beloved the same yesterday to day and the same for ever and hereupon should we live by Faith and rejoyce evermore with joy unspeakable and full of glory Heb. 13. 8. 1 Thes 5. 16. Psal 32. 11. 4. Because whatsoever thoughts we have of God he is unchangeable if he doth withdraw himself and lead thee into the wilderness it is that he may speak comfortably to thee Hos 2. 14 15. and all this while thou hast his promise with thee and his faithfulness is engaged unto thee Isaiah 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee in a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will have mercy upon thee Jer. 51. 5. Neh. 9. 16 17. Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them to the end Iohn 13. 1. 5. God doth ever look upon his as they are in his Son and not simply as they are in themselves they dwell in Christ and he in them they live in Christ and their life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is their life shall appear then shall they also appear with him in glory and be found in him not having their own righteousness c. These Scriptures do fully prove all the fore-going reasons why a Christians hope joy and comfort should be the same in God at all times and so live by faith and not by sight Hos 2. 19 20. Jer. 3. 14. Jer. 33. 8. Isa 62. 5. Heb. 8. 10 12. Ezek. 16. 62 63. Heb. 3. 6. Jer. 33. 20 21. Hosea 14. 5. Isa 61. 10. Isa 54. 5. Jer. 31. 9. Heb. 3. 17 18. Heb. 6. 17 18. Rom. 3. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Rom. 8. 28 33 35 38 39. Isa 41. 10 Isa 57. 18 19. Isa 54. 7 8. Heb. 10. 19 20 22. Psalm 46. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 8. 1 2. John 13. 1. Isa 63. 16. Psal 89. 30 31 33. Several waies for a believer to hold fast his confidence in God at all times To live by Faith in infirmities is to live upon Christ and his promises viz. If under temptations 1. Cor. 10. 13. there is a promise of supportation and deliverance In deadness of heart Isa 35. 5 6. there is a promise of relief and quickning If fallen by transgression Jam. 5. 17. yet there is others of the Lords own in the same case If thou seest thy duty and want strength to do it here is help and strength for thee Job 17. 9. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 45. 24. and 40. 29 30. Jer. 17. 8. Psal 1. 2 3. Psal 92. 13 14. Isa 61. 9. In Christ thou hast perfectly obeyed the Law perfectly suffered and satisfied for all thy sins to the justice of God so that in Christ thou art perfectly just and righteous and thereupon it is said Col. 3. 3. Ephes 2. 6. that our life is hid with Christ in God and we are raised up with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus though in thy self there is a body of lust and corruption and sin and there is a law revealing sin accusing and condemning but if we live by faith in Christ and in the apprehension of his love believing in the life righteousness obedience satisfaction and glory of him whom the Spirit cals ours Christ is ours we are Christs and Christ is Gods he then lives out of the power of all condemnation Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness and thus a believer is blessed only in a righteousness without not within and all his assurance confidence and comforts to flow into him through a channel of faith and not of works believing himself happy for what another even Christ hath done for him not for what he hath done nor can do for himself for when we are at the best we are but vanity Psal 39. 5. and unprofitable servants Luke 17. 10. Now this believing in God is attended with these five blessed things 1. It is the highest piece of obedience to God Rom. 16. 26. It is called the obedience of Faith 2. It doth put a new engagement upon God to make good his promise upon which faith is grounded Psal 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 1 Chron. 5. 20. 3. Consider also another priviledge is this the greatest mercies that ever came into a soul comes in a way of believing Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 5. 1. being justified by Faith we have peace with God c. 4. By it we give the greatest honour to God John 3. 33. He hath set to his seal that God is true but he that believeth not hath made him a lyar 1 John 5. 10. 5. This is the way to have God take pleasure in us Psal 147. 11 The Lord taketh pleasure in those that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Psal 33. 18. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy The joy of a believer would be alwaies unspeakable did he alwaies apprehend his happiness in and by Christ Jesus Faith in Christ supplies all wants it honours God as Heb. 11. the whole Chapter and God honours those most that live by it by it saith the Scripture the Elders obtained a good report by faith we may live a life to God of joy in him our righteousness as if we had never sinned by faith we live above sin infirmities temptations desertions sense reason fears and doubts Faith sweetens the sweetest mercy and the bitterest miseries it renders great afflictions as none it is the bulwark of the souls strength and comfort by Faith we cheerfully readily and universally and constantly obey God In a measure it makes the the yoak of Christ easie and sweet it states the soul in the possession of heaven whilst the body remains on earth as John 3. 36. By faith we view the glory of heaven and know our selves to be happy even then when to a carnal eye we seem most miserable By faith we can cheerfully part with and suffer deprivation of the sweetest outward comforts and enjoyments and welcome them knowing that we do but exchange the worst things and place for a better those that live up by faith live upon God and are refreshed in his house which is plentifully stored with all desirable dainties having this welcome eat O friends and drink abundantly It is O believer thy portion duty and priviledge thus to do O then O then let us at once believe that God will be to us according to his gracious promise and Covenant notwithstanding our daily omissions and commissions excuses and defects according to that portion of Scripture Psal 89. from 30.
a grieving for sin both original and actual arising from an apprehension of displeasing so loving a God 2. Cor. 7. 11. For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge in all things c. Repentance is not only a turning from evil to good but a hating the evil we turn from and a loving the good we turn to True repentance is a general universal change of the whole man in every part though it be but in part it doth change both heart and life word and work it makes darkness light and bitter sweet and a Leaper an Angel Isa 1. 16 17 18. Wash ye make ye clean there is the change of the heart put away the evil of your doings there is the change of the life See Ezek. 18. 30 31 32. Or repentance is a universal change in the whole man the understanding is turned from darkness to light the will from sinfulservitude to an holy liberty the affections from disorder into order the heart from hardness into softness so the eye of wantoness into an eye of chastity the uncircumcised ear into an obedient ear the hands of bribery into the hands of liberty and the feet of vanity into the waies of purity Repentance for sin is nothing without repentance from sin He that hath repented indeed doth still desire to have his sin purged as well as pardoned repentance is a work that must be timely done or we be utterly undone he that hath truly repented doth now strike most at those sins that he was most prone to before the Jaylor Act. 16. Washed those wounds that his own hands had made but a little before he acts in waies of mercy quite contrary to his former cruelty So did Zacheus Luke 19. So did Paul Acts 9. So did Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 6. True repentance hath these choice companions attending it The first is Faith Mar. 1. 14. Repent ye therefore and believe the Gospel Secondly love to Christ doth alwaies accompany repentance as we may see in Mary Magdalen Luke 7. Thirdly fear of offending God and an holy care to honour him these and the like companions do alwaies accompany true repentance they were born together and they will live together till the soul doth change earth for heaven Conviction goes alwaies with conversion and repentance and forgiveness of sins goes alwaies together so doth sanctification and justification this repentance is a flower that grows not in natures garden Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spot c. Men are not born with repentance in their hearts as they are with tongues in their mouths The Nature of sin The Springs or Rise of sin The ready way to mortifie sin FIrst of the Nature of sin Although sin hath but one nature yet it hath several names in every sin we take from God and add to another thing Sin is the transgression of the Law and not believing and obeying the Gospel sin defiles a man totally it begins at the understanding and so to the will and affections sin robs a man of the Image of God of the presence of God Sin was the first founder of hell and laid the first stone thereof And yet most of this is but the effects of sin the essence must needs be much more abominable Hence sin is called poyson and sinners Serpents Sin is called vanity and sinners dogs Sin is called mire and sinners swine the least sin virtually more or less contains in it the nature of all sin no sooner did one sin set upon Adams heart but he had all sin in him every sin doth put God upon complaining Christ upon bleeding and the Spirit upon grieving and the soul a mourning many sin by omission and commission at one and the same time and yet know of neither the more there is of the will in the acting of sin the greater the sin is Some sins of omission may exceed some of commission the more deliberation and the weaker temptations any hath and yet sinneth the greater the sin is Many a man is full of sinful corruption but shew it not for want of occasion No sooner did one sin seize upon Adams heart but he had all sin in him How sin creeps up and gets head in us SAtan first tempts us to be strange one to another and then to divide and then to be bitter and jealous and then to bite and devour one another again hasty and froward words begets anger anger being kindled begets wrath wrath seeketh greedily after revenge See Prov. 17. 14. Sin is of an incroaching nature it creeps on the soul by degrees step by step David gave way to his wandring eye and so fell into the sins of murder and adultery again Satan will first draw a soul to be unclean in his thoughts then in his looks then in his words and then in deeds he will first draw a soul to look on the golden wedge and then to love the golden wedge and then to handle the golden wedge and then to gain the golden wedge Again he will draw a soul first to have low thoughts of Scripture and Ordinances and then to sleight Scripture and Ordinances and then with the Ranters and Quakers to cast off Scripture and Ordinances Again if we give way to sinful motion it will be great vain thoughts and vain thoughts will beget idle words and idle words will beget petty oaths Sins of omission do also open the door and make way for sins of commission and again fearfulness and timerousness doth arise from weakness and feebleness and weakness and feebleness doth arise from unbelief or incredulity the beginning of sin is oft by the Devils suggesting evil thoughts evil thoughts cause delight delight consent consent engendereth action action causeth custom so one sin draweth on another grant a little and a great deal will follow Sin is ill in the eye worse in the tongue worser in the heart but worst of all in the life there are three waies how Satan comes into the Soul to cheat it First as a subtile Serpent in evil thoughts Secondly as an Angel of light in lying Prophets and evil spirits Thirdly as a roaring Lyon in Persecutors Of the great danger of small sins OUR Father Adam for eating an Apple one would account it a small matter to eat an Apple Yet what misery did that bring It did slay our Father and deceive our Mother cheated and almost undone all our Brethren defiled our Sisters wounded our children and plundred all our kindred to the skin and left them as poor as Job The sin of Angels was but a small sin only one sin and but a sin in thought too not in action yet for this they were cast out of heaven One would think it but a small sin for David to number the people yet
how many thousands did God take away by the plague for that small sin It is true in one sense there is no little sin because there is no little God to sin against One would think it was but a small thing for Vzza to put his hand to uphold the falling Ark yet for this the Lord smote him that he dyed For one small sin of Moses for neglecting to circumcise the child for the bare omission of that the Lord met him and would have killed him Exodus 4. 24. The same Moses for one unadvised speech must die in the wilderness and not go into Canaan Num. 20. 10. Palm 106. 33. Now there is great danger in samll sins for these four reasons 1. Because they be committed with more complacency and less reluctancy 2. A man is apt to commit small sins with more security and less penitency 3. People are apt to run into small sins with more frequency 4. One stab at the heart with a pen-knife will kill a man One little leak in a ship may sink it And one little sin unrepented of will damn a soul c. Of the mischief brought upon many for one sin ONE sin cast Adam out of Paradise and the Angels out of heaven Annanias and Saphira for one lye were stricken dead so was Vzza for once touching the Ark One sin brought misery upon Esau for selling his birth-right and David for Numbering the people the sin of Saul his sin being but one and that of omission too in not killing Agag the King of the Amalekites he was utterly cast off by the Lord for the same though he was his annointed and chosen servant before I have lately read in a Book of Mr. Thomas Brooks of the mischief brought upon many precious men for one only sin viz. One sin tript up the heels of Noah the most righteous man then in the world One sin cast down Abraham the greatest Believer in the world One sin threw down David the best King in the world One sin cast down Paul the greatest Apostle in the world One sin threw down Sampson the strongest man in the world Another cast down Solomon the wisest man in the world And another Moses the meekest man in the world And another sin cast down Job the patientest man in the world What hurt sin doth a Saint IT is not falling into the water that drowns but lying in it so falling into sin sinks not thy soul but living in it we can stay no more from sinning without the restraining grace then the Heart from panting and the pulse from beating Sin may break a Christians Communion but not his Union with God God had one son without corruption but no son without correction he had one son without sin but no son without sorrow Sin will cost a Christian more grief sorrow heart-bleeding and soul-breaking before conscience will be satisfied and comfort restored and evidences cleared and pard on in the Court of conscience sealed For God is as severe in punishing as he is gracious in pardoning his house of correction is his School of instruction Sin doth make God look severely and chide bitterly and strike heavily even where and when he loves dearly Isaiah 59. 2. Your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Psalm 89. 32. Then will I visit their sins with a rod. Ver. 33. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail Many would fain be rid of their sufferings that would not at all be rid of their sins Sin and shame are inseparable companions and sin and punishment are linked together if thou wilt be sinful thou must be miserable One little miscariage doth in the eye of the world over-shadow all a Christians graces as one little cloud doth overshadow the whole body of the Sun The ready way to mortifie sin 1. SHun the occasions of sin for that man shall be a slave to sin that will not flie the occasions of sin it is impossible for that man to get the victory over sin that sports and plaies with the occasions of sin I have read of five men that were studying what was the best way to mortifie sin The First said to meditate of Death the Second said to meditate of Judgement the Third said to meditate on the Joyes of Heaven the Fourth said to meditate on the Torments of Hell the Fifth said to meditate on the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ and certainly the last is the strongest motive of all to mortifie sin that soul that doth this Isa 62. 4 5. shall no more be called forsaken for the Lord will rejoyce over him and be a well-spring of life unto him and make his abode with him and turn his sighing into singing and his trembling into rejoycing and his prison into a Paradise then the soul will break forth and say in these or the like words O blessed be God for Jesus Christ blessed be his name for that precious blood that hath justified our persons and quieted our consciences and scattered our fears and answered our doubts and given us the triumph over sin hell and death who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died this made Paul Rom. 8. 33. to the 38. cry out victory victory he lookt upon all the enemies and sings it sweetly out saying Over all these we are more then Conquerors in a word from Christ alone we have strength to perform any duty to exercise any grace to subdue any lust to resist any temptation to bear any affliction John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing nay Paul goes further 2 Cor. 3. 5. We of our selves are not sufficient to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is from God Isa 45. 24. Christ is made unto a Believer righteousness and strength now if we want Faith in Christ we want righteousness by way of acceptation and we want strength by way of assistance Surely the mercy of God is the most powerful argument to perswade a soul from sin Psalm 26. 3 4. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth So Joseph Gen. 39. 9. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God his soul being taken with mercy was not moved with his mistresses impudency 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him doth purifie himself as he is pure Mich. 7. 19. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ through the eternal Spirit purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Surely surely if the bowels of mercy do not melt win and draw us Justice will be a swift witness against us all divine power and strength against sin flows from the souls union and communion with Christ it is only Faith
to them in a powerful conviction conversion and regeneration or something equivolent thereunto and if they give such an account of the work of grace upon their hearts as doth satisfie the brethren that the Lord hath begun a work in this creature that he hath promised to finish as in Phil. 1. 6. Then you are to proceed to a second question being as before satisfied in the first that the party is a hewed and squared stone and a living stone fit for the spiritual building in the next place enquire of the said party that desires to joyn with you what is his or her grounds and ends in desiring fellowship with you and if you find that their grounds be in obedience to the command of God 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Rev. 18. 4. and their ends be that they might enjoy God in all his ordinances and have a fellowship with those that have fellowship with the Father and the Son as in 1 John 1. 3. that is being united by Faith to Christ and his members he may pertake of his grace and spiritual life from him and by him be united to God the Father and have communion with him Joh. 17. 21. compared with Heb. 2. 11. All that are admitted must put themselves upon the rest and be received by consent for the Church is Christs kingdom now the matter or subjects of Christs kingdom they are believers gathered out of the world by the preaching of the Gospel and the powerful Ministry of the Spirit Mark 1. 15. and Mar. 16. 15 16. Act. 2. 44. hence it is that the Church in Scripture are frequently called Saints and holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling the house of God and Temple of the holy Ghost the houshold of Faith born from above of the Spirit that they might worship God in Spirit and in truth they were darkness but now are light Ephes 5. 8. They were lost but now found were dead but now are alive they before had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy were not a people but now are a people of the living God the Father disdains not to count them his sons and daughters the Son is not ashamed to call them brethren the Holy Ghost is pleased to make them his temple to dwell in all which discovers and confirms that the Church of Christ are and ought to be a spiriritual building made up of spiritual stones 1 Pet. 2. 5. Now if any professor hang back and seek not to joyn with the Church of Christ only because he will not be examined before the Church in the particulars before mentioned then let me ask that man or woman child or servant how it is that you are unwilling to venture your estate in this world without first advising with a Lawyer and thou wilt advise with Physitians about thy bodily health but will adventure their souls upon their own judgement and tryal without taking the advice of the Church of Christ is thy soul less precious to thee then thy body or thy estate if thou hast truth of grace why wilt thou not bring it to the touchstone and come to examination if no grace why wilt thou refuse the way and means to get it surely thou dost neglect this way either 1. Our of ignorance and pride because thou wilt not have thy ignorance discovered 2. Or else it is from a prophane spirit of opposition against all the wayes of Christ held forth in the Gospel See thy doom Luk. 19. 14 27. 4. The Church being thus planted and the number thereof increased If you find some qualified you ought to proceed to elect your Officers the Church being a most free Corporation under Christ the Lord Ephes 2. 19. She is in all reason and equity to chuse her Officers and Ministers 1 Cor. 12. 27 28 c. Unto whom also she is to give assistance obedience and maintainance 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. 1 Cor. 9. 7 9. compared with Heb. 5. 4 5. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Now that these Officers of the Church appointed by Christ are to have their outward calling from the Church whereof they are members for the present and unto whom they are to adminster will fully appear by these few reasons 1. Because the Apostles who taught only Christs commandments so directed the Churches Act. 1. 23. Act. 6. 1 2 3 5. Act. 14. 23. 2. Because the people amongst whom they have been conversant can best judge of their fitness both in respect of their gifts and graces 3. Because it furthereth much the diligence and faithfulness of the Minister that they whose Minister he is have freely chosen him as unto whom under Christ they commit the most precious treasure of their soul Heb. 13. 17. Also it binds the people to greater love and obedience to him or them whom themselves have made choice of But if any of the officers so elected by the Church be found unfaithful in his place he is by the Church to be warned to take heed to his Ministry he hath received Col. 4. 17. to fulfil it which if he neglect to do by the same power which set him up he is to be put down and deposed Now if any ask how many are the officers or offices in the Church I answer there are five besides the extraordinary offices of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists for the first planting of the Churches which are ceased with their extraordinary gifts c. 1. First there is or ought to be the Pastor to whom is given the gift of wisdom for exhortation Ephes 4. 11. 2. The teacher to whom is given the gift of knowledge for Doctrine Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 8. 3. The governing Elder who is to Rule with diligence Rom. 12. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 4. The Deacon who is to receive and distribute the holy treasure with simplicity and sincerity 1 Tim. 3. 10. Act. 6. 1 3. 5. The widdow or Deaconess who is to attend the sick and impotent with compassion and chearfulness 1 Tim. 5. 3 9 10. Rom. 16. 1. All these are useful and necessary and these alone sufficient for the Church as being the most perfect society and body of Christ which neither faileth in that which is necessary nor exceedeth in any thing superfluous so they are united and compacted together by that one Spirit to the Lord and each to other to the edifying of its self in love Ephesians 4. 3 4. and 16. In the want or in the absence of any of these servants of the Church the Church hath power to appoint any one or more of her members for the present necessity to supply the room or absence of her officer or officers 2. But then in the next place for those that are united to a Church of Christ let them beware that they forsake not the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is Hebrews 10. 25. And again consider the danger of drawing back Hebrews 10. 38. Now if any man draw back my soul shall have
for answers or rendring praise for mercies received Psal 5. 3. Luk. 2. 37. The motives to encourage us to pray PRayer is a jewel of grace bequeathed by Christ unto us Luke 11. 2. Again it is the hand of Faith the Key of Gods treasury the souls Solicitor the hearts armour-bearer the minds interpreter Mat. 7. 7. Ephes 6. 18. It procureth all blessings preventeth all curses 2 Chron. 7. 14. Further it sanctifieth all creatures that they may do us good 1 Tim. 4. 5. seasoneth all crosses that they can do us no hurt 2 Cor. 12. 18. Lastly it keepeth the heart in humility the life in sobriety strengthneth all graces overcometh all corruptions subdueth all temptations maketh our duties acceptable to God our lives profitable unto men and both life and death comfortable to our selves Act. 9. 11. Ephes 6. 18. Iude 20. Acts 4. 24. What shall I say more for our encouragement to pray unto God but only this consider and that seriously the Lord is never worse but many times better then his word Solomon did only ask in prayer for wisdom 1 King 3. 11 12. And the Lord gave him more wisdom then he did ask and riches and honour to boot Again we read 1 Sam. 1. Hannah prayed but for a son and the Lord gave her a son and a Prophet too for her son Samuel was a great Prophet So again for our encouragement to pray we read Gen. 17. That Abraham prayed saying Oh that Ishmael might live before thee ver 19. And God said Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac and as for Ishmael I will answer thy prayer and make of him a great Nation ver 20. Again we read that Jacob prayed Gen. 28. 19. and said O Lord if thou wilt give me raiment to put on and bread to eat thou shalt be my God and the Lord gave him all that he desired and much more Gen. 32. 10. For with my staff said he came I over this Jordan but now I am so exceedingly encreased in goods that I am become two bands See Gen. 33. 4 5 6. Again we read Mat. 18. 24 26. Of one that was in debt ten thousand talents and the mony being demanded the debtor desired but dayes of paiment and the Lord forgave him the whole debt ver 27. Shall I crave leave to instance only in one more then consider that place Acts 3. 3 4 5 6 7 8. A certain man lame from his mothers womb asked an alms of Peter and Iohn and they gave him a mercy above and beyond what he asked yea a mercy to him worth more then the whole world they healed him of his lameness insomuch that he leaped and rejoyced and praised God ver 8. The means to be used to obtain the gift of prayer FIrst labour to get some true feeling of thy misery for sense of misery breeds desires of mercies Mat. 15. 22. when the soul panteth most the heart prayeth best and increase in knowledge that the head may guide the heart 1 Cor. 14. 15. For what we know is worth the having we will not lose for want of asking Pray for the Spirit of Prayer which helpeth and healeth our infirmities and teacheth us both for manner measure and matter to lay open all our necessities Rom. 8. 26. Luke 11. 13. Of the Lets and hinderances of prayer THe sensuality of the men and women living in pleasure drowning all their desires in delights and their prayers in pleasures 2 Tim. 3. 4. These men are lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God and therefore pray not to him Another hinderance is that state of stupidity of worldlings that think they have no need of praying but of carking and caring toyling and moyling in the world Luke 12. 17 18. Phil. 3. 19. Who mind only earthly things Again roving imaginations inordinate affections dulness of spirit weakness of Faith coldness in feeling faintness in asking weariness in waiting too much passion in our own matters and too little compassion in other mens miseries Mar. 9. 24. Isa 38. 13 14. Several sorts of Prayer never answered 1. HE that prayeth and yet regardeth iniquity in his heart the Lord will not hear his prayer Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer 2. He that prayeth and yet hateth to be reformed drawing neer with the lips but having his heart far from him Isa 29. 13. 3. Those that pray and yet turn their â—ars from his precepts he turneth away his ears from their prayers Prov. 28. 9. 4 Those that pray and yet continue in unbelief their prayers shall not be answered Jam. 1. 7. letnot that man so much as think he shall receive any thing from the Lord. 5. Those that pray and yet continue in senseless impiety so that the cry of our sins unrepented of drowns the voice of their prayers Zech. 7. 13. 6. Those that would neither hear nor answer God when he called and cried unto them see Prov. 1. 24. 28. Mich. 3. 4. 7. When we either cause or suffer the afflicted to cry without hearing the Lord hearing us cry in our afflictions without helping Gen. 42. 22. How many wayes doth the Lord answer the Prayers of his people 1. HE doth answer many times in giving the very thing we ask So Solomon did ask wisdom and the Lord gave it So Hanna prayed for a Son and the Lord gave her a Son So also Acts 10. 30 31. Dan. 9. 19 20 21. Acts 12. 13 14. 2. The Lord doth answer the prayers of his people in giving them faith to believe and patience to wait the Lords leasure till he doth give the mercy prayed for So Heb. 5. 7. 2 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 11 12. 3. The Lord doth many times answer our prayers although he doth not give us the very thing we ask but a better in the room of it Gen. 17. 18 19. Psalm 35. 13. 4. He doth answer our prayers many times in giving as full Satisfaction to the soul in the absence of the mercy prayed for as if it had received it Hab. 2. 3. Another stanning Ordinance of the Gospel is thanksfiving or Singing of Psalms and Spiritual Songs making melody to the Lord in our Hearts PRaise or thanksgiving is a reverent acknowledgement of his mercies the heart being cheared with some taste of his goodness acknowledgeth all to come from his mercies goodness wisdom and power which makes the Soul as in Psal 32. 11. to rejoice in the Lord and to shout for joy Psal 107. 8 15 21 31. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men This is to be done with the Spirit and with understanding 1 Cor. 14. 15. As prayer and petition ariseth from the feeling of our miseries so doth praise from feeling of Gods mercy petition beggeth what we want and praise acknowledgeth what and wheuce we have it Rev. 15.
with his lips Psalm 106. 33. and so his meekness was tryed to the highest Again to instance one more for all if Paul have a greater revelation then the other Apostles he must have a thorn in the flesh even the messenger of Satan to buffet him so the woman Mat. 15. 22. to the 28. She had a strong faith that Christ was able to help her daughter and the mercy she desired was but external to wit crums now Christ did try the truth and strength of this faith in a threefold seeming denyal but in all tryals the Lord doth proportion them according to the strength of those that he doth afflict See 1 Cor. 10. 13. The Lords people have divers corruptions and so do need divers corrections How to know what sin God aims at in affliction THE Lord saith in his word hear the voice of the rod Micah 6. 9. which if we did heedfully observe we might find out the sin that God ayms at in the affliction 1. When we find in Scripture that such and such a punishment is denounced against such and such a sin we may find by the effect the proper cause pride with dejection and contempt whoredom with barrenness idleness with poverty worldly sorrow with death 2. Consider if thou wouldst find out the sin God afflicts thee for consider God doth punish thee by way of retaliation like for like as when we have dishonored God he doth cast dishonour upon us and having wronged our inferiours our superiors wrong us or if we lavish our tongues against others we are paid home with the scourge of tongues thus David was justly dealt with 2 Sam. 12 10 11. 3. When we are taken in the very act of sinning so Jon. 1. 12. flying was followed with a tempest and the I sraelites murmuring for flesh were punished by God whilst it was between their teeth Numb 11. 33. 4. When our sin in its own nature bringeth forth such a punishment so a lazy Christian doth always want four things comfort and content confidence and assurance Idleness in natural things brings forth beggery and want drunkenness begets dropsies and surreits so the sin of uncleanness brings forth weakness and filthy diseases so immoderate carking is attended with consumptions 5. If thou wouldst know the sin that brought these afflictions on thee observe what thy conscience doth most check thee for Josephs brethren in their troubles calls to mind their cruelty to their troubles calls to mind their cruelty to their brother Joseph which was indeed the cause of their cross Gen. 42. 21. When a man may be said to suffer for well-dong and when for evil doing FIrst for well-doing 1. That man that doth suffer for well-doing in the account of God according to his word his person must be holy he or she must be in the main godly 2. The cause that they suffer for must be good it must be for righteousness sake viz. either for his believing in Christ pleading for him or practizing of his commandments and so his affliction will be better then the prosperity of the wicked Psalm 37. 15. They shall have more comfort in scantness obscurity then wicked men have in plenty credit and great felicity 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 3. He that doth suffer for well-doing he must suffer in a right manner first humbly secondly patiently and meekly thirdly cheerfully fourthly he that doth suffer for Christ must have good ends c. 1. He must suffer humbly we read of Christ whose footsteps we ought to follow that he was led as a lamb to the slaughter he opened not his mouth 2. As he did suffer humbly so he did suffer patiently 3. He did suffer cheerfully 4. He did not revile again when he was reviled when he was threatned he did not threaten again 4. He that doth suffer for Christ must have good ends in his suffering viz. 1. To bare witness to some truth of Christ contained in the Scriptures 2. To bare witness for the name and glory of God 1 Pet. 4. 13. But when a man doth that which is evil and doth suffer for it this is not thank-worthy with God See these Scriptures 1 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Pet. 4. 15 19. Many men that suffer and glory therein suffer only for their faults and are in no wise acceptable to God The Lord is many times better then his word never worse THE Lord promised to Israel only the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two better Kingdoms Numb 32. 33. Solomon did only pray for wisdom and the Lord gave him more wisdom then he asked and riches and honour to boot 1 King 3. 11 12. Jacob told the Lord that if he would give him raiment to put on and bread to eat God should be his God and the Lord gave him that and ten times more Gon 28. 19. compared with Gen. 32. 10 For with my staff I passed â—ver this Jordan and now I am become two bands Gen. 33. 4 5 6. So again 1 Sam. 1. Hannah begged a son and the Lord gave her a Son and a Prophet too she desired a single mercy and the Lord gave her a double mercy Gen. 17. Abraham and said O that Ishmael might live before thee the Lord granted that and gave him an Isaac to boot ver 19. Mat. 15. 22. to the 28. The woman of Canaan did only beg of Christ the life of her daughter and Christ gave her that and said moreover be it unto thee even as thou wilt Again we read Ephes 3. 20. That he is able to do exceedingly above all that we can ask or think these words are so full that they can hardly be exprest So again sometimes we only ask temporal mercies and he gives us both temporal and spiritual mercies Sometimes a soul doth beg only support under temptations and the Lord doth give that and more to wit a deliverance out of temptation So again we find Mat. 18. 23. to the 27. That the Lord gave him more then he desired he desired but dayes of paiment and the Lord forgave him the whole debt So again Act. 3. 2 3. The cripple did only ask of Peter and John an alms and they gave him a mercy more worth to him then the whole world they cured him of his lameness Mercies and deliverances are many times nearest to us when we think they be furthest off WE read Act. 27. 20. When all hopes of being saved was taken away then Paul stood up and told them from the Lord that there should not be so much as the loss of any mans life amongst them So Luk 24. 15. When two of the Disciples were walking together and were sad about the death of Christ Christ risen from the dead talked with them and they knew it not Gen. 21. 16. to the 19. we read that Hagar was weeping for her son
our selves to be justified from our sins by faith in the blood of Christ is the cause of our love to Christ 1 Joh. 4. 10 19. 6. Our love to Christ is the cause of our obeying of Christ 1 Joh. 5. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments so again Joh. 14. 15. If ye love me keep my commandments See the 21. and 23. ver 7. In our obedience to him he doth manifest these things to us that we have right to the tree of life Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City that is in the obedience he shall have the manifestation of that 2 Pet. 1. 11. For so an entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And so he is manifested to be the Author of salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Behold obedience to God is the way of conveyance to us so it is a lively evidence to others that we are the Lords Joh. 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples because our faith which is the evidence of things not seen to us is proved to others to be true by its works Jam. 2. 18. Behold here is the Lords going downward from the causes to the effects now we must go upward from the effects to the causes 1. God shews us what is our duty and puts us upon doing it and for the doing of it those that behold it and hear of us judge us to be true Christians 2. In the doing of it God manifests himself more and more to our souls in the keeping of his appointments there is great reward for so an entrance is administred to us abundantly 2 Pet. 1. 11. 3. The cause of our obedience is our love to God If ye love me keep my commandments 4. The cause of our love was our seeing that God did love us first 1 Joh. 4. 10 19. 5. The cause of our faith in Christ is the preaching of the Gospel Rom. 10. 17. 6. The cause of the preaching the Gospel to us was Christs dying for us 7. The cause of Christs dying for us was Gods great love of pitty to us-wards even when we were dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 4. So then Gods love was the cause of sending his son o deye for our sins Christs dying and rising again is the cause of the Gospeâ—s being preached The preaching of the Gospel is the cause of our believing Our believing is the cause of our justification from sin the knowing of our selves free from sin by the blood of Christ is the cause of our love to Christ our love to Christ is the cause of our obeying of him and in onr obedience is the manifestation more and more conveyed to us So by our obedience others have some evidence of our faith in Christ Mans life is or should be guided by these vertues 1. FAith whereby we believe in and lay hold on God for something promised 2. Hope and that is either for pardoning mercy or for glory 3. Charity whereby we love God as the only good and his people and our enemies in obedience to his command 4. Prudence 1. In our hearts to guide our thoughts 2. In our mouths to order our speeches 3. It should be in our words to grace or adorn our actions 4. In the intelligence to understand things present 5. Prudence to guess at things to come 6. Prudence to recal matters past 5. Temperance which moderates our desires and brings the Appetite under a rule of reason that it may not exceed the rule of moderation 6. Perseverance which continueth in doing and suffering valiantly 7. Justice which giveth every man his due without self-love fear or ranckor it binds us to give due to God to our parents and kindred verity and equity in all that we do in order to our duty herein 1. Sense perceiveth 2. Imagination representeth 3. Understanding formeth 4. Wit deviseth 5. Reason judgeth 6. Memory preserveth 7. Intelligence apprehendeth 8. Contemplation in the prosecution perfecteth Several Divine Sentences First of Christ HE that was the Son of of God became the son of man that we who were the sons of men might become the sons of God He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the rightâ—ousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. The more vile Christ made himself for us the more dear he ought to be unto us therefore let us beware of Christ-dishonouring and soul-undoing opinions All good things are in Christ eminently perfectly and eternally Faith in the blood of Christ the witness of the Spirit of Christ a sense of feeling and the love of Christ and the hope of reigning with Christ are the only things to be desired Christ is as well the fountain of common gifts as of saving grace A true Christian cannot find fulness in the creature nor sweetness in sin nor life in any Ordinance without Christ he will weep over other mens weaknesses and rejoyce at their graces We must lean more upon Christ and less upon our own strength lest with Peter we rest upon some old strength and fall before a new temptation Christ can heal a soul speedily perfectly freely and eternally Oh that Christ should shed his blood for those sins that we never shed one tear for A true Christian doth labour for unity in the Church as well as purity he loves to see Christs coat without rent as well as without spot Phil. 3. 15. Christ did admit his spouse into the garden sweetly though she kept him out of her house sluggishly What a poor soul doth for Christ sincerely that our precious Saviour takes sweetly though it be done ill he doth accept it well Nay though we carry our selves in our choicest performances very weakly yet he doth carry himself towards us very sweetly and doth accept of that which we do kindly although done in much infirmity let us enter into his service and we shall soon experience his sweetness Christ doth weigh the heart of the giver more then the value of the gift and delights to see his people give cheerfully though they cannot give bountifully Let us give over measuring his mercy by the narrow scantling of our dark understandings though difficulties may arise and Christians hearts may fail yet the work of Christ shall go on c. Of affliction for sin in Sentences GOD is as severe in punishing as he is gracious in pardoning his house of correction is his School of instruction God had one Son without corruption but no Son without correction he had one Son without Sin but no Son without Sorrow A Soul may be dearly beloved although soarly afflicted sin and punishment are linked together if thou wilt be sinful thou must be miserable Oh what is the state of a man
us and the foundation of all saving benefits bestowed upon us 5. The Subject of election is double the first is him in who we are elected and that is Christ he hath chosen us in him saith Paul Ephes 1. 4. The other Subject is the persons that are elected and these are not all the sons of Adam without exception for he that taketh all and refuseth none cannot properly be said to chuse the elect considered comparatively are a little flock a remnant a garden inclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed they be as one of a City two of a tribe they be but a handful to a house full a drop to the Ocean Yet if we consider them simply in themselves they are an innumerable number that cannot be numbred Ephes 5. 23. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God Rom. 5. 19. By the obedience of Christ many shall be made righteous Rev. 7. 9. John saith he saw an innumerable multitude of all Nations and tongues which stood before the lamb cloathed with long white robes and palms in their hands so that the number of Gods elect considered by themselves alone is great 6. The Prerogatives of the Elect which no reprobate can partake of are as followeth 1. God knows them loves them and approves of them 2 Tim. 2. 19. 2. True faith is wrought in them and them only Tit. 1. 1. Act. 13. 48. 3. Effectuall vocation and conversion belongs to them only Rom. 8. 30. 4. They only are adorned with the graces of the Spirit Col. 3. 12. 5. Salvation belongs to none but to them Rom. 11. 7. 6. None of the Elect shall be wholly seduced Mat. 24. 24. John 10. 28. Jer 32. 40. 7. God doth cause his Angels to protect them Psal 34. 7. 8. God shall send his Angels to gather together his elect Mat. 24. 31. 9. The Elect shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. 10. If any wrong them here God will a venge them Luke 18. 7 8. Zech. 2. 8. 11. He will shorten the evil dayes for his elects sake Mat. 24. 22. 12. The elect need not fear death and damnation who shall lay any thing to their charge Rom. 8. 33. 7. The properties and signs of election are as followeth 1. It is most free without all obligation compulsion external instigation or provision of future preparations merits c. hath not the potter power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessel to honour and another to dishonour 2. The decree of election is from all eternity before we did believe and before we were born see Rom. 9. 11. 3. The election of God is constant perpetual immutable and inviolable my Counsel saith God shall stand Isa 46. 10. and the foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. 8. What are the signs of election but the dying unto sin poverty of spirit a hungring after the righteousness that there is in Christ and prizing of it above all earthly things a resignation of our selves into Gods hands with an acknowledgement of our ffences with a true purpose to leave them forgiving our enemies and a delight in Gods Saints c. So then put all together and we may see it is Gods favour not mans faith his mercy not mans merit that is the foundation and fountain of mans election and felicity Q. What is vocation or effectual calling Answ Vocation is an action of God translating from the kingdom of darkness to his own kingdom it is two-fold extraordinary or ordinary extraordinary vocation is an immediate work of the spirit whereby without outward means he inwardly speaketh to the soul and so doth make the heart to answer his call Vocation which is ordinary is that whereby God calleth out of darkness into his marvellous light from the power of Satan unto God by the preaching of the Gospel Q. What is Justification Answ Justification is a gracious work of God whereby he judgeth the elect to be just by faith in Christ through the imputation of his justice and that unto the praise of his glorious grace given us in Christ before the world began Q. What is Sanctification Answ Sanctification is a benefit bestowed upon us by God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the Image God or a total inward change of a man justified whereby the Image of God is restored in him Q. Wherein doth justification and sanctification agree and wherein do they disagree Answ 1. First they agree in their cause for God is the Author of them both through the merits of Christ 2. They have both one instrumental cause which is Faith of the former by receiving of it and of the latter by effecting it 3. They agree in their scope and end for they both tend to one end but justification as the cause and sanctification as the way Now as they do accord in some things so they differ in other things viz. 1. In that justification is out of man Sanctification is within him 2. Justification absolveth a sinner whereby he seeth he standeth righteous at the bar of Gods justice sanctification makes us stand righteous in the account of men 3. Justification brings peace of conscience so doth not sanctification but puts us upon following that peace 4. Justification consists in the imputation of righteousness to us Sanctification in the infusion of right principles that we might walk holily to right ends 5. Justification is acted at once sanctification is done by degrees the former is in this life perfect the latter is imperfect 6. They differ in respect of the manner in which they are wrought for justification is wrought by the right of donation but sanctification is by the way of practical alteration Q. What necessity is there of Magistracy or Civil powers in the world Answ As a City without wals a sea without banks a vineyard without a hedge or pale so is a common-wealth without a Magistrate or a kingdom without a Magistrate is as a ship without a pilot or a world without a Sun Q. What men are fit for officers in Church and State Answ When the Lord directed Moses what officers to chuse for publike imployment Exod. 18. 21. He said chuse out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth c. not favour money seniority c. But grace wisdom and courage must advance men unto rule Officers in Church and State are not for sight but for service we judge not of a pillar by its beauty but by its strength It is better to be under a zealous faithfull John Baptist though his rayment be hair and leather then under a silken Diotrephes who is all for preheminence nothing for performance The shortness of mans life and the misery that doth attend every age and condition of all men that live and delight in sin and lie down in Sorrow MAns whole life is but a progress of death all the time we live we die invisibly and
deeds of the flesh art thou willing to be searched by any Christian in any thing dost thou approve thy heart to God in all thy duties and services dost thou do what thou dost for God at least in desire and endeavour to obey him freely universally and constantly then thou hast a title for these are flowers of Paradise that grow not in natures garden when thou comest to dye God doth but take a flower out of the wilderness and plant it in Paradise or takes a rose out of the field and puts it in his bosom surely death to a Christian is but an unloading him of all his burdens and freeing him from all his troubles Rev. 21. 4. Rev. 14. 13. 3. If we would dye comfortably let us improve the present opportunity for we have a great deal of work to do and but a little time to do it in this work deferred will be still greater the time to do it in will be shorter the strength to do it by will be less our understanding will be more dark our hearts more hard our wils more crooked our affections more disordered our conscience more benummed the work we have to do is as followeth viz. We have a God to honour a Christ to rest on a race to run a crown to win a hell to escape a heaven to obtain we have weak graces to strengthen and strong corruptions to weaken we have many temptations to withstand and afflictions to bare we have many mercies to improve and many services to perform If Hester had not improved the present opportunity she and her fathers house had been destroyed If Abigal had not improved the present opportunity many a mans life had been cut off 1 Sam. 25. 34. There was an opportunity that the children of Israel had to enter in the Land of Canaan upon the return of the spies but they not improving of it were fain to stay longer in the wilderness Jerusalem had an opportunity to be gathered together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but for want of improving it it was destroyed Let us now redeem the time lest our candlestick be removed Rev. 2. 5. Lest as Paul and Barnabas said to the Jews to you is the word of this salvation sent but seeing ye put it from you lo we turn to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46 c. Yet the dayes of plenty are amongst us let us with Joseph lay up in store lest we dye in the famine yet the weather is calm and the season fair let us with Noah build up an Ark lest with the rest we perish in the flood Gen 7. 21. Yet the Angel tarryeth at the gates of Sodom let us with Lot depart thence lest we be destroyed Gen. 19. 24. Yet the bridegroom tarryeth and waiteth let us hast to enter in with him lest with the foolish Virgins we be repelled Mat. 25. 12. Yet wisdom cryeth in our streets Oh then now let us harken to her Yet the Lord setteth open his storehouse of mercy let us now turn to him for a blessing lest coming too late with Esau we find none Heb. 12. 17. Yet the Lord knocketh at the door of our hearts let us now open to him lest he say to us as he did to Jerusalem Luke 19. 42. Now it is hid from thee yet the Lord waiteth for our return from Babylon oh then let us now return whilst we have time lest hereafter he say to us as the Angel sware there shall be no more time Rev. 10. 6. Yet the Lord is saying to us as in Prov. 1. 23. Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit upon you lest he say to us as in ver 24. Because I called and you refused you shall call and I will not hear you yet the Lord is saying to us as to Nineveh Jonah 3. 4 5. yet forty dayes and you shall be destroyed let us repent as they did lest we be destroyed indeed 4. The next thing to be practiced of all that would live sweetly and dye comfortably is first store up a stock of faith Secondly store up a stock of promises Thirdly store up a stock of prayers and thou shalt attain the art of dying well 1. Store up a stock of faith and that will shew us that Christs death is a death concerning death 1 Cor. 15. 56 57 c. Christ in his death put death to death Again faith will assure the dying party that the Lord will be with him in the hour of death Psalm 23. 4. Though I walk in the valley of death I will fear none ill c. Again faith will make a Christian willing to dye Luke 2. 28 29. Now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation 2. Store up a stock of promises against that day I will be with thee in the fire and in the water saith the Lord in one promise and in another promise he saith I will never leave thee nor forsake thee the labour of the Olive may fail our nearest and dearest friends may fail our eyes may fail our tongue may fail our strength may fail our flesh and heart may fail our spirits may fail yet saith the Lord I will be with thee I will not fail thee see these precious Scriptures Josh 1. 5. Josh 21. 45. and 23. 14. 1 King 8. 56. 3. Store up a stock of prayers amongst all thy requests to God in all thy addresses to him intreat him not to forsake thee at that time 5. The fifth thing to be practiced is to endeavour to live every day as thy last day Psalm 90. The Prophet speaks of death ver 10. see what follows ver 12. So teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart to wisdom a natural man considers of death notionally their senses tell them that all must dye but as for preparation for it that they put off till the last year and when that is come to the last moneth and when that is come to the last week of that moneth and when that is come to the last day of that week and when that is come to the last hour of that day and when that is come to the last minute of that hour and so knock when the gate is shut Mat. 25. 12. the gate of grace is shut and the gate of mercy and the gate of indulgence and the gate of repentance and the gate of hope and the gate of comfort c. But let a Christian live every day as his last day and make sure his interest in God whilst God is reconcilable and whilst his bowels of mercy are not totally restrained and whilst the treasury door of mercy and grace is open and whilst there is a blank in the leaf for the sinners name to be put in before the glass is out and the Sun set and the golden scepter taken in 6. Gather up all thy evidences and spiritual experiences and keep them in thy heart and memory