the written Word and ought to receive it as certain and infallible because it proceeds from the Written Word This appears I. In regard it is the direct Command of Heaven that believing souls should stick and cleave only to that truth that is discovered in the Lords Written Word And that believing souls should be confirmed in the truth of that Pretious Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is contained in the Lords Written Word in the book of the Old and New Testament This you shall find in that 2 Tim. 3.14 15 16. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee Wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness First it is necessary here to observe the occasion you shall find in the beginning of the Chapter the Apostle had fore-told of perilous times approaching wherein there should be many false Doctors in the World in whose Snares many souls should be taken Captives Therefore least Timothy also should be Insnared the Apostle Writes these Verses on purpose to endeavour to Establish Tymothy's soul in the truth Saith he Continue thou in the things which thou hast Learned knowing of whom thou hast Received them Now the Arguments he useth to settle Timothy in the truth are two First from his Apostolical Call knowing from whom thou hast learned them From an Apostle of Jesus Christ that had received it from Jesus Christ The second Argument is in those next Verses That from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures The Writings of the Prophets and those Holy Men of God that spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God that the Lord caused to be Written as a Rule Now this being his Argument to continue in the truth of the Gospel Received the Apostle doth illustrate it by three or four things First He discovers to him that those Writings of the Holy Men of God that he had been acquainted with were able to make him Wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus that is if his soul did receive those discoveries in those Scriptures by Faith So that the Apostle intimates thus much That it were infinite Folly in Timothy to receive any other Doctrine than what he had taught and what he had learned to be written in the holy Scriptures seeing the Wisdom of God to Salvation was contained in them Secondly He illustrates this Argument by a second reason and that 's taken from the Authority of those Holy Scriptures The matter contained in them saith the Apostle is such as was given by Inspiration of God The matter contained in them was but the Breathing of God into the souls of those men that Wrote it It is Gods Voice to thy soul saith he therefore take heed thou continue in the Doctrine there discovered Thirdly he illustrates this Argument by a reason taken from the use of those Holy Scriptures and that is in these Words It is Profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness It is Profitable for Doctrine that is for all matters of Faith It will instruct thee saith he in every thing that the Lord commands thy soul to believe Yea it is profitable for reproof also for overthrowing all false Opinions that are contrary to the Faith of Jesus Christ Yea for Correction that is for the Reproving all Evil Manners whatever for Correcting all Vitious ways whatever they are Yea for Instruction in Righteousness that is they are profitable to discover what the Will of God is to thee 〈◊〉 full so far as is needful for thee to know Yea the Apostle seems to add a fourth reason to illustrate this Argument and that is in those next Words which he takes for the end of Writing these Holy Scriptures and that is the Perfecting the Man of God That the Man of God might be Perfect throughly Furnished Furnished unto all Perfection II. It appears that the soul ought to receive the light that shines from the written word in regard the written word of the Lord is given by God himself as an everlasting unchangeable rule for the tryal of truth and falsehood Hence it is that Jesus Christ himself when he was to make it manifest to the unbelieving Jews that he himself was the Son of God he fetcheth his highest testimony from the written word as you may observe John 5. in comparing ver 31 and so on and ver 39 together He tells them he would not bear witness of himself least his witness should not have evidenced demonstration enough to bear witness to him because it is from himself but he tells them John the Baptist bears witness to him ver 33. He gives them a second argument from his work ver 36. and ver 37. The Father that sent him bare witness of him but ver 39. to give that that should be an undeniable testimony even unto the apprehensions of the Jews themselves he tells them that the Scriptures the holy writings of those holy men of God they testify of him saith he search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me Hence when Paul began to preach Jesus Christ and to prove that Jesus of Nazereth whom he preached was the Mediator between God and man he perswaded them concerning Jesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets Acts. 28.23 and thence it is that in Acts 17.11 That those Men of Berea preached by searching the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Secondly it must be cleared that the written word of God doth particularly reveal unto believing souls their union with Christ both unto their faith and unto their sense First It doth reveal particularly unto their faith their infallible admission into union with the Lord Jesus This appears in regard the Lords testimony that he will admit every soul that will into union with Jesus Christ is absolutely universal without the least acceptation or limitation so that it comprehends every particular soul whatever to whom the Gospel is preached according to that in John 3.15 That whosoever believed on him should not perish but have everlasting Life So in John 6.37 He that cometh to Jesus Christ he will in no wise cast out And in Acts 10.43 That whosover believe in him should have Remission of Sins and that known place Rev. 22.17 Whoever will let him take the water of Life freely wherein it is apparent that every particular soul is included that the Lords testimony to every particular soul is as certain as if the particular soul were named that the soul shall be admitted into union with the Lord Jesus if the soul will accept it if the soul will consent to his truth and
into union when the soul can see nothing of those precious workings of grace in his own heart So that the constancy of the souls consolation depends not upon the evidence that he can receive either from the inherent graces in him or the working of those graces but upon that which is constant in it self when the heart is unconstant Thirdly Thence the soul walks contrary to the Scripture rule The rule is to walk by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 and to live by faith rather than by sight But when the soul adheres only to and seeks after the evidence of his union from the working of his own graces the soul seeks to live and walk only by sight and not by faith Now there is a second Question that will arise before I can pass to the affirmative answer Quest 2. If those inherent qualities and habits of grace in souls and the workings of them cannot thus evidence the souls union primarily nor be no better grounds of evidence than this Then why do the Scriptures propound the souls obedience unto God and love unto God as signs and evidences of the souls union with Christ Answ For the answer of this question there are divers things to be considered 1. Many of the Scriptures that the soul conceives to lay down such graces and workings of graces as signs of the souls union are onely laid down as manifest signs of their union with Christ unto others not themselves As Mat. 7.16 20. By their fruit ye shall know them The place if you observe it doth not say by your own fruits you shall evidence your own condition but it propounds the conversations of men to be the rule by which we shall judge of men by which we may conceive their union with Christ or separation from Christ yet this cannot yield an infallible evidence to us of their union 2. All other places that speak of the graces of the spirit or of obedience to God to be as signs of the souls union with Christ do only lay them down as Co-witnessing signs not as those from whence the soul can first clear his union Thus far indeed the word manifests that there are such graces in the hearts of believers and that believers do see such graces in their hearts But it is then that believers do see them when they see their union with Christ No believer ever had a true evidence of his union with Christ but he also saw some such precious holy dispositions begotten in his soul and some workings of them also towards Christ So that the Scripture lays them down as Co-witnesses So Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Sons of God That is the light of our renewed understanding beholding the graces of the spirit of God in our selves doth draw conclusions that we are united unto Christ as well as the spirit of God doth evidence and witness it from the promise of Gods free grace and favour in Christ unto souls Now thus are those places to be taken in the first Epistle of John where the spirit of God seems to speak most of such signs He speaks of them there as following signs of a souls union and so are demonstrations à posteriori as we speak from the effects and witness the union as the effect witnesses the cause But the Scripture no where commands the soul to seek out the manifestation of his union with Christ by those and from those though they are also able to afford some witness unto his union in way of confirmation of the evidence of it when once the soul doth behold his union then beholding his graces they come in as another window into the soul to let in light Faith and Sense come in together and so make the souls consolation full and strong III. The Scripture lays down obedience to God and love to God as signs of a souls union with God in Christ purposely to convince deluders of themselves about their union It is to convince them of their contrary walking unto souls that are united unto God in Christ For though no degree of a souls Obebedience unto God nor no degree of love in the heart unto God be able of it self and from it self to clear the union of the soul with God in Christ when it is dark and to prove that the soul is united yet some kind of disobedience and of contrary walking unto God may manifest that there is no union between God and the Soul And therefore the Scripture when it hath laid down any such sign always follows it with the contrary unto any such sign proving that those Souls that walk directly contrary cannot be such as are united to God in Christ Therefore you shall see no sooner doth the Spirit of God say hereby we shall know that we love God if we keep his Commandments 1. John 2.3 But he saith he that saith he loves God and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar Presently he brings the point back for proof to convince Souls of want of union by that which is an inseparable effect of the Souls want of union Yet there are two or three things to be noted about this 1. The Scripture doth not lay down any defect of any degree of Obedience or of Love or of any degree of perfection of those signs laid down as being consequences of union as an argument of the Souls want of union The Scripture doth not say that this degree or that degree of Love and this and that manner of Obedience doth follow the souls union with Christ 2. The Scripture doth not lay down that an irregularity or any disorder in the Souls Obedience unto God or in the Souls Love unto God and the like do manifest the Souls want of union Neither doth he require any perfection in those signs laid down as consequent signs of the souls union to make the union of the soul evident by them 3. The Scripture doth not say that the cessation of those Holy Operations of those Holy Qualities in the soul nor the cessation of the acts of love unto God doth manifest that a soul is not united unto Christ For there may be a cessation of those acts in the soul for a season that are the inseparable consequences of the souls union with Christ but there cannot be a total want or contrariety in the heart to such things as are the proper effects of union So that he doth place the evidence of the souls disjunction in a contrariety to these as when he saith by this we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the brethren but he that hateth his Brother abideth in Death He that hateth his Brother must needs hate God So in 1 John 4 5. When he lays down Obedience to Christ to be the ground of the knowledge of Christ then presently he saith he that saith he knows him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar. There is a third question to be
in that propriety he is not satisfied fears and doubts arise of losing it again Could the soul see union with Christ unless the voice say thus I am thine and will never separate from thee it would give no true comfort The soul would be more afraid of the loss of that happiness then rejoyce in the present good injoyed 3. It will appear in regard there is nothing sufficient to evidence to the soul his union from the promise satisfyingly but the Spirit There must be an equal authority in the revelation to the soul of his union with Christ to that that was in the revelation to the soul of his Sin Guilt and Subjection to everlasting Damnation before the soul can receive any satisfaction or any true freedom from those dreadful Horrours that possess a soul upon the true revelation of his dreadful estate of Sin Wo and Misery Now its apparent that it is the Spirit of God alone that reveals with Power the Condemnation of the soul through his own Sin And therefore unless the Spirit of God should come again with another voice which hath as great a power to pronounce the absolution of the soul from Condemnation through Christ the soul could never receive any satisfaction nor be free from receiving the sentence of Condemnation in himself IIII. The Scripture it self testifies that it is the proper peculiar office of the Spirit I need quote only that one place Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth Witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God When he would rise to the highest evidence he rises to that the Spirit of God Witnesseth with our Spirit There are two or three things in the Text that will clear it that it must be meant the special operation of the Spirit it self and that by a special peculiar application of the promise 1. It is said it is the Spirit it self Intimating it is not the gifts of the Spirit nor the graces of the Spirit as sometimes the Spirit is taken in Scripture But in a way of distinction from graces he puts the Emphasis upon it the Spirit it self that Witnesseth with our Spirits Intimating that it is the person of the Spirit whose office it is thus to Witness to the soul 2. He puts it as a distinct Witness it Witnesseth with our Spirits 3. It is by particular application It Witnesseth to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God It Witnesseth Adoption Now we cannot believe our Adoption without the Witness of the Spirit and that from a Word and therefore that can be nothing but the application of the promise to the soul Thus you have the second question opened that is by what means a soul doth receive the infallible evidence of his union There is a third question Quest 3. In what manner doth the soul receive the first infallible evidence of his union with Christ It was concluded from the first Question That the absolute promise of God receive any Poor Despicable Loveless Forlorn Soul that would into Vnion with the Lord Jesus was the first infallible ground of the Souls evividence of union And it was eoncluded that there were various means that did concur together to inable the soul to receive his union from this absolute promise Though there was one immediate means that works in the promise assuring the Souls Faith in the promise that he is united to Jesus Christ The Question now remains how this means doth produce this end Or how the Lord worketh in and through these means to make the absolute promise efficacious and effectual to manifest to the poor doubting soul his Vnion with Christ For the opening of it I must premise something for the right understanding of it and then lay down the answer to it in positive conclusions Prem 1. First I must premise That all the Influences that any means whatsoever do contribute unto the evidencing unto any doubtful soul his union with the Lord Christ only produce the same kind of effects in that soul that doth receive the evidence of his union with Christ As suppose it is through seeking the face of God in prayer that the Lord doth at one time bring to mind the absolute promise in the clearness of light it holds forth and makes application of that promise for the satisfying of the soul about his union with Christ And suppose another time the Ministry of the Word is appointed by God for the effecting of this end Still there is the same effect begotten by these various means whereby the soul is inabled to receive the evidence of his union Prem 2. Secondly I shall premise That all the Influences that any means do contribute for the evidencing from the promise the souls union with Christ are comprehended under the Influences of the spirit of God alone So that the efficacy of the word or of prayer or any ordinance towards the effecting of that blessed end in the soul may properly be said to be the efficacy of the spirit of God in regard those means contribute not the least in themselves otherwise than the spirit of God imploys them as his own instruments for assuring to the soul his faith in Christ from the promise Prem 3. Thirdly I must premise That in regard of the manner of the working of the spirit of God for assuring the souls faith of union in the promise that the spirit of God hath not limited himself to any constant particular order in assuring unto souls their union with Christ from the promise The spirit of God is truly the spiritual wind that blows where and how it listeth There is no limitation propounded in the word whereby it should appear the spirit should bind himself to work in the same order in all souls to evidence to them their union with Christ And in like manner the spirit of God hath set no bounds to himself of any degree of those effects that it doth produce to souls whereby the promise is made efficacious to assure to the souls faith his union with Christ but it works variously in the heart Prem 4. Fourthly I must premise that the explication of the manner of the Spirits working in assuring to the Soul from the promise his union with Christ to the full and life of it is altogether unspeakable and inexpressable Surely that in 1 Cor. 2.9 is meant only of those Gospel joys that are the effects of this union that eye never saw nor ear never heard neither did it ever enter into the heart of man as man to conceive the things that God hath laid up for those that love him And likewise well may that place be applied that no man knows the mind of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 12. Neither doth any man or Angel know those secret discoveries of the Lords mind and opening of his heart to the Souls Faith whom he doth assure from the promise that he is united unto Christ Prem 5. There is a fifth premise Though the Spirit of God
own Glory to Compleat and Perfect an Union between the Lord Jesus and every Loveless Sinner that shall embrace Gospel Discoveries The Crown of the Fathers Glory being but the Issue and Result of the Glory of the Lord Jesus and then the Glory of Christ having its full and sole Dependance upon the compleat Union of all those with himself that shall embrace the Gospel thence the Father stands engaged to Perfect and Compleat that Union between Christ and all those Souls seeing his natural Disposition doth necessarily incline him to be compleating the Crown of his own Glory 2. The spirit may reveal to the Soul that the Lord stands engaged by the property of his own precious Nature to Love Compleatly and Perfectly every Gospel Embracer without the least Dependance upon any thing in the Soul or any thing to be done by the Soul Now what abundant security may every Soul Trembling and Fearing least the Lord should not be willing to accept it into Union and Communion with himself receive from hence against all his fears 3. From this consideration the Lord stands engaged by all his tender respects to the bright Shining Splendor of his own Imperial Crown to Beautify and Adorn every Forlorn Sinner Embracing Gospel Discoveries with the most Glistering Beams of his own Matchless Perfection that can be comprehended by any Finite Creature Now Gospel Embraces being chosen by the Lord from Eternity to be the precious matter whereof he will Compose that his everlasting Crown of Glory whereby his Honour and Majesty should Glitter forth before the eyes of Saints and Angels brighter than ten Thousand Suns in their Strength Thence if every Gospel Embracer shall not be Beautified and adorned with the most Sparkling touch of Perfection that they are Capable of the Blessed Majesty of Heaven should become negligent of Dignifying himself with the Brightness of Majesty and Honour through the Transparent Brightness of his Imperial Crown of Glory And therefore according to this 1. The Scripture reveals that the Celestial Glory and Surpassing Excellency wherewith every Gospel Embracer shall be Adorned and Beautified doth Transcend and go beyond all Comprehension of Finite Brains and Created Understandings According to that in 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for those that love him Mark what the Apostle affirms He affirms that the Sublime Mysterious Workings of Heavenly Wisdom about Gospel Embracers was never Comprehended yet with any finite brain by any mortal heart and O how infinitely unconceivable then are the workings of that heavenly wisdom in themselves Alas what the Gospel reveals of them is but like a small reflection of the Sun beams to the Sun it self It is but a small grain to a golden Mine it is but a drop of the bucket to the great Ocean O then how great an exaltation of such unlovely Sinners to most superlative perfection and unconceivable glory must needs be the effect of such a depth of heavenly divine wisdom being imployed about them from eternity This depth of the mystery of divine wisdom about Gospel embracers was never fathomed by Angelical Understandings 1 Pet. 1.12 which things the Angels desire to look into saith the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into which things the Angels earnestly with all their strength and intention of mind desire to look into The word signifies such a looking into things as to stoop down with the head and bow down with the body that it might be the thing it looks upon to discern it fully It is the same word the Apostle useth John 20.11 concerning Mary Magdalen she stooped down and lookked into the Sepulchre that she might see narrowly into the thing 2. The Scripture reveals more particularly that most unconceivable perfection most celestial glory shall be put upon the persons of Gospel-embracers in every part power and faculty that belongs to them I. According to this Engagement of God he resolves that the very bodies of Gospel-embracers shall be beautified and indued with most transcendent bright shining glory with almost incomparable perfection That one Scripture is enough to clear it out Phil. 3.21 He shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body O how did the quintessence of all perfection meet together in the glorious body of Christ You may remember in the Transfiguration of Christ which was but a glimpse of his beauty and glory the hearts of Peter and John were amazed their Souls were ravished to behold it they were transported beyond themselves and began to cry out let us make Tabernacles Let us dwell here to behold this Glory for ever But how much more transcendently excellent is the Glory of the Body of Jesus Christ now he is exalted to all Glory And yet the Bodies of Gospel Embracers must be like his Glorious Body 1. All Privative Perfection shall be put upon them An everlasting Exemption and perfect Freedom from all Defects and Imperfections all Infirmities and Deformities all Pains Perplexities Ministries so as there shall be no necessity of the Aid and Assistance of their fellow Creatures to support and uphold to relieve and Refresh them as there is here below but their Bodies shall be like Angels Mat. 22.30 2. The Scripture reveals that there shall be most admirable Positive Perfection put upon them Immortality it self their lives shall be extended to duration equal with the Life of the eternal God they shall run Parallel with the Life of God in the longest lines of Eternity 1 Cor. 15.54 This mortal shall put on immortality 3. They shall be indued with Incorruptibleness They shall in a manner be made impassive not being made capable of any passion by any corrupt quality 1 Cor. 15.42 It is Sown in Corruption it is Raised in Incorruption 4. They shall be indued with almost Incredible Angelical Power Potency Might and Strength They shall be made every way sutable to the desire of the Souls themselves and made sutable for he Soul to act in the highest way in the most Sublime way of Operation without Weariness without Interruption without Intermission They shall be able to bear the infinite weight of Glory the least drop whereof they are not able to bear for the present 5. The body shall be indued with most excellent spirituality 1 Cor. 15.44 It is Sown a Natural Body it is Raised a Spiritual Body They shall not be turned into spirits but the Body shall be made so spiritual through the fulness of the spirit in it that it shall be as ready to the Blessed Will of God in every thing as the soul it self that shall be purely Holy And also it shall have a Wonderful Nimbleness and Agility and Activeness to be able at the souls desire to move hither or thither with most Incredible speed 6. The Scripture reveals the very Perfection and Quintessence of Beauty it self shall be put upon the