the contrary vertues 13 Look very narrowly to the heart the inward man It 's impossible to preserve Holiness of life if Corruptions be not dayly purged out of the heart Let the blood of Jesus be sprinkled upon the heart every day purge the Conscience and then the Conversation will be kept clean also Out of the abundance of the heart c. Matth. 15. 18. EPHES. 6. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lect. 14. Janu. 9. 1649. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN these words we have the third piece of the spiritual Armour The preparation of the Gospel of peace In which we shall consider of these three things 1. The Epithite given to the Gospel Evangelium pacis 2. The Armour it self The preparation of the Gospel 3. The Subject of this Armour the part of the body upon which it is to be put the Feet I shall at this time onely go over the first of these viz. The Commendation given to the Gospel And it teacheth us this lesson viz. That the Gospel is a Gospel of peace Doctrine In the opening of which Doctrine I shall 1. shew you what the Gospel is 2. What peace this is 3. How the Gospel is a Gospel of peace 4. Answer an Objection against it 1. The Gospel according to the notation of the word signifieth good news glad tydings so the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the hebrew word Desporah signifieth it is here used to set forth the joyful tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ first preached to Adam in Paradise by God himself Gen. 3. 15. afterwards by the Prophets by Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles The Doctrine of free grace and obtaining righteousness by faith in Christ without the works of the Law It s called in the Scripture sometimes The word of Gods grace Acts 14. 3. because it doth reveal the riches of Gods grace to the children of men for their salvation Sometimes it s called the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. because it holds out faith in Christ as the instrumental cause of our salvation Sometimes it s called the grace of God Titus 2. 11. Sometimes it s called the mystery of Christ Ephes 3. 4. because it doth reveal Jesus Christ to the sons of men in his person natures offices benefits conveyed by him to such as beleive Sometimes the hidden wisdom of God 1 Cor. 2. 7. It s wisdom because it contains the wise design and plot of God for the saving of sinners And its hidden because it was from eternity hidden in the secret counsels of God till he was pleased to make it known to Adam and because Rom. 16. 25. it is still hidden from many who have not the knowledge of it and because many who know it in the letter do not savingly embrace and entertain it Sometimes it s called the word of life Phil. 2. 16. because by the right beleiving of it men are translated from the state of death to the state of life Sometimes the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. because in this shop it is that all those riches are laid abroad to the view of men Sometimes it s called the good word of God Hebr 6 5. Every word of God is good the Law is a good word all the threatnings are good they come from him who is good the matter of them is good the end of them is good but the Gospel is by way of eminency called the good word because the greatest goodness and mercy that God ever manifested to his creatures is contained in the Gospel God was very good to man in creation the goodness of God was expressed in the Covenant of works but the highest expression of goodness and love lies in the Gospel And in the Text it s called the Gospel of peace the reason of which we shall see when we have done with the next particle viz. 2. What peace is here meant There is a threefold peace 1. Peace with the Creature of this Eliphaz in Job speaks Chap. 5. 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be in peace with thee He is said to be at peace with the Creatures who is in such a condition that no Creature can be an instrument of his hurt but all creatures are instruments of his good and serviceable to him for his advantage All things are yours things present and things to come 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. 2. Peace with a mans self Peace of conscience of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 15. 13. The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing This peace is a fruit and consequence of faith of this our Saviour speaks Math. 11. 28. Come unto me c. and ye shall find rest to your soules When the soul apprehending the pardon of sin and assurance of Gods love is freed from those fears and horrors which attend unjustified sinners 3. Peace with God Which is nothing else but Reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ For the understanding of this we are to consider man in his threefold state 1. In the state of Innocency In this state man had peace and communion with God God and man were united in a Covenant of friendship There was nothing but Amicableness between God and man man was able to know God as the chief good To will God as the last end of all To give God the glory of his works actively To converse with God There was nothing in him opposite to God or in God till man by sin on his part had made a breach 2. In the state of corruption or the fallen estate of man This is a state of enmity and wrath God and man in this state are at deadly fewd one with another They are said to be afarre off from God they are said to be without hope and without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. Sin hath made such a wide distance that there is no hopes for God and man to come together as friends untill some meanes be used for the removal of this distance This is the state in which all unregenerate persons are The wrath of God abideth on them John 3. 36. In this state man is opposite to God His nature is opposite to God His wayes are contrary to God His heart is full of hatred to him And in this state God hath put man under Rom. 1. 30. the curse and is resolved to have his envy out of him 3. In the state of Graee or regeneration This is a state of reconciliation It consists in these four things 1. The wrath and displeasure on Gods part is quite done away so that he loves the persons and carrieth no indignation in his breast against them Some think that there is no reall wrath in God towards the vessels of election while they are in their natural
there is a fourfold kind of faith Historical Temporary The faith of Miracles Justifying â—reden Deo faith 1. Historical faith is the knowledge and beleef of the truth of divine Revelations upon the testimony of God himself Of this the Apostle speaketh Jam. 2. 19. This faith was in Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. 2. The faith of Miracles is a special gift of bringing to pass some extraordinary work or foretelling some certain event by devine revelation 1 Cor. 13. 2. Mat. 17. 20. 3. Temporary faith is an assent unto the Doctrine of the Scriptures accompanied with the external profession thereof and some kind of joy in the knowledge thereof for a time vide Mat. 13. 20 21. Of this faith the Apostle speaks when he saith that Hymeneus and Philetus have overthrown the faith of some 2 Tim. 2. 18. 4. Justifying and saving faith of which the text speaks the great effect of it doth clearly evince it to be a faith of the best kind for no other faith besides justifying can quench the fiery darts of Satan Now in opening the nature of this grace I shall do two things 1. I shall give you a discription of it 2. I shall shew the several steps or degrees of it 1. For the Discription of it I shall give it thus Saving faith is a supernatural special gift of grace wrought in the heart of an elect person by the spirit of God through the preaching of the word of the Gospel whereby he is enabled to beleeve that Jesus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour and thereupon cast himself upon him for life and salvation according to the promise I shall open this Discription 1. T is a a gift of grace Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Acts 18. 27. He helped them much who had beleeved through grace 1. The first preparing of the heart to it 2. The first plantation of it the infusing of the habit 3. The means whereby it is wrought 4. The preservation and continuance of it all these are of grace Faith is a part of the new Creature the great and chief part of it and the new Creature is meerly of garce T is called indeed a mans own faith subjective but effective originaliter t is meerly of grace Col. 2. 12. The faith of the operation of God 2. T is a special supernatural gift This doth distinguish it from all other kinds of faith and all other common gifts which are bestowed promiscuously upon men by the Lord Heb. 6. 4. T is an evtraordinary gift afforded unto none but special favourites 3. T is wrought in the heart of an elect person T is bestowed onely upon the elect Here the Apostle calls it the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep John 10. 26. And then t is wrought in the heart the Scripture makes the herrt or will to be the seat of faith Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness The will rather than the understanding is the subject of faith because faith is an act of Election whereby the soul chuseth Christ Now election is more than an act of the understanding 4. T is wrought by the spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel This sets out both the efficient cause and the instrumental cause The efficient cause is the Holy Ghost not excluding the Father and the Son for Opera Tunilatis ad extra sunt indivisa but the Holy Ghost is the immediate worker of it the Father and Son work this and all other graces by the Spirit and therefore he is called The spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. And the Spirit works it powerfully not only inciting and stirring up the soul to believe by a moral perswasion only but by an Almighty strength creating such an habit in the heart The Apostle therfore mentions the same power for the working of faith which raised up Jesus Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19. And then the ministry of the Gospel that 's the instrumental cause Rom 10. 17. called therefore the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Faith is therefore called the fruit of the lips Isa 57. 19. And we shall do well to take notice of this that the Apostle makes it to be the word preached by a lawful instituted Ministry Rom. 10. 15. It s not the preaching of men that run upon their own account but of such as are lawfully sent to preach the Gospel 5. Whereby he is perswaded that Jusus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour also Faith must have not only have a general beleef but a particular application also The just shall live by his faith Who loved me and gave himself for me 6. And thereupon casts himself upon Christ for life and salvation according to the promise This shews the very nature of faith T is Recumbency upon Christ T is cleaving to God with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. T is the casting of our burden upon Christ T is coming to Christ as to a living Stone Faith is nothing else but the souls venturing it self upon Christ according to the promise This I ad according to the promise to distinguish true faith from false presumption 2. The several steps or degrees of this grace I shall give you that in six particulars 1. Knowledge T is impossible that there should be faith in Christ or in any thing propounded by God till there be the Knowledge of it T is true knowledge is not faith they are two several distinct habits yet it necessarily preceeds faith Faith is the sight of the mind now sight presupposeth a visible object The Apostle makes it impossible to beleeve where knowledge is not Ro. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard there is a knowledge indeed which followes faith 1 John 4. 16. We have known and beleeved the love that God hath to us Faith is called knowledge Isa 53. 11. Faith is an Cognovenius credendo Calvin advised grace it will not rush headlong into unknown paths when Christ asks the man when he had restored to his sight whether he did beleeve on the Son of God he answered that question with another Who is he Lord that I might beleeve on him John 9. 35 36 37 38. and when he knew the person then he both beleeved and worshiped him 2. Assent After the knowledge of the thing propounded is wrought in the understanding then followeth the Act of the Will giving an assent unto that which is known John 3. 33. This setting to of the seal is nothing else but the firm assent of the soul unto the truth revealed that Gods Testimony is true in every thing to which it gives witness This is that which is recorded of Abraham Gen. 15. 6. He beleeved in the Lord i. e. he did freely yeild his assent to the truth firmness stability of all that which God had delivered to him
speaks there of Christs coming in this life to avenge and deliver his elect the earth shall be so low and deliverance shall be so improfitable that the report of it will not be beleeved as the people of God in former time had not faith to beleeve their deliverance from Captivity Isa 63. 1. 2. So shall it be saith our Saviour when Christ comes to avenge his afflicted people under the Gospel that cry unto him And if there be so few that can beleeve a temporal deliverance how few are there that can beleeve for the saving of their souls No wonder then if Satan overcome so many 3. How needful it is for the Minister of the Gospell to be often preaching about the Doctrine of faith Those weapons and postures which are of greatest use to the Souldier the Captain ought to be most diligent in instructing the Souldier in them The Ministers of the Gospel are the Captains of the Lords Host they are to train and exercise all the spiritual Souldiers of Christ they are to teach them the use of their Arms and all their postures that they may be deetrous in the day of battel If any Souldier be wounded for want of arms or of skil to use them through their default God wil require it at their hands Now of all the pieces of spirituall Armour the shield of faith is the most necessary and therefore the Doctrine of faith should be most frequently preached 4. This shewes what necessarily lies upon the sons of men to prove and examine the truth of their faith If the shield of faith be rotten or counterfeit the soul is undone in the day of Temptation if the shield of faith be sound and armour of proof the strongest assaults of Satan will be repelled with comfort Prove your selves whether you be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. T is necessary to try 1. Because there is not a man in the world which hath heard of Jesus Christ but thinks he beleeves in him To be accounted an Infidell or unbeleever is a matter of such reproach and infamy as that no man is willing to lye under it 2. Because the heart is very deceitful and in nothing more subject to be mistaken than in this case There is a false presumption and foolish fancy which would gladly be called by the name of faith John 2. 23. 24. When Jesus was at Jerusalem many beleeved in his name when they sawthe miracles wch he did but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men They did presume that they beleeved in Christ but Jesus Christ knew their faith was nothing else but a meer fancy and groundless presumption 3. Because the Devil useth all the skill he can to deceive the sinner and to make him confident that he doth beleive as he endeavours to perswade the true Beleiver that his fruit is rotten so he endeavours to perswade the unbeleiver that his presumption is faith That I may help them in this inquiry I shall do two things 1. Discover some mistaken grounds which men go upon thinking that to be an evidence of saving faith which is not so 2. Lay down some positive evidences of true faith 1. There are two great mistakes about faith by which many are deceived Viz. 1. Some are deceived in regard of knowledge and assent They think they have true justifying faith because they have the doctrine of the Gospel and give as they think a right assent to the same for the removal of this mistake I shall first shew that both these may be without saving faith Secondly I shall shew how the knowledge of an unbeleiver and his assent differ from the knowledge and assent of true faith 1. That Knowledge and Assent is not faith T is granted that there is no faith truely wrought without Knowledge and Assent but that there may be Knowledge and some Assent where saving faith is not appears by these two reasons 1. The most wicked and prophane persons in the world may have and many times do attain unto a more exact knowledge of the Doctrine of the Scriptures than many a true Beleiver And they may also assent unto those truths The Apostle speaks of some by way of supposition that may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and yet want saving faith 1 Cor. 13. 2. All this is but an historical faith Judas had the knowledge of the Scriptures and gave assent to them he preached the Gospel to others and yet wanted faith John 6. 64. There are some of you that beleive not you know what will be the plea of many in the latter day Math. 7. 22. and yet had not one drachm of saving faith I shall desire you to peruse but that one Scripture well Rom. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. and then you will conclude that neither the knowledge of nor the assenting to the doctrine of the Scriptures is saving faith but are ordinarily without it 2. The very Devils themselves are beyond the most intelligent Christians in all matters of knowledge They know the history of the Bible more exactly than we Satan was not ignorant of Scripture when he set upon our Saviour Math. 4. 6. And the Devil also gives assent to the truth of the Scriptures Jam 2. 19. He acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God Math. 8. 29. What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God as full a confession for the matter and substance of it as that which Peter made Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Now that which is fained in the worst of men and in the very Devils can neither be true faith nor an evidence of it 2. If we come to examine that knowledge and assent which is in wicked men with that which is in a true beleiver we shall find a vast difference for 1. concerning their knowledge there are three differences 1. The knowledge of a true Beleiver is an experimentall knowledge but the knowledge of an unbeleiver is meerly notional and speculative A Beleiver hath in his heart a lively sense and feeling of all those truths which he hath the knowledge of in his understanding They are truths in his heart as well as in his head That promise of God Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts is made good to every true Beleiver and to him alone His heart is an Index or Commentary by which through the Spirit of God he can understand divine truths 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart This is the meaning of that of our Saviour John 7. 16 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self 2. The knowledge of faith is
a practical transforming knowledge His knowledge is diffused into every step of his life into every action his life is reformed by his knowledge and conformed to the truths of God whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver neither changeth his heart nor life except it be from evill to worse his knowledge puffeth him up 1 Cor. 8. 1. it makes him more proud and more sensual It s said of the Heathen that they retained nor God in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. but became vain in their imaginations the one hath onely the form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. the other hath not onely the form but the power and the life also 3. The knowledge of faith is a knowledge which raises the heart nearer to God The knowledge of a Beleiver crucifieth the world unto him and him unto the world Gal. 6. 14. vide Phil. 3. 8. 10. whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver bows down his soul nearer the earth 2. Concerning the assent of an unbeleiver it differs from the assent of true faith thus 1. The assent of faith is a chearful assent It s free But the assent of an unbeleiver is without joy Jam. 2. 19. The devils beleive and tremble so do the unbeleiver at least concerning some truths 2. The assent of faith is universal So is not the assent of an unbeleiver at least his chearful assent There are some truths in the Scripture which threaten ruine and destruction to all in his condition these he cannot assent to at least joyfully There are some truths which call him to the practise of such things which he hath no affection to the crucifying of sin the mortifying of corruptions cutting off the right hand c. he had rather these were not truths than real truths he hath secret wishes that these truths were either raced out or else that they had been propounded with a greater latitude 2. Mistake is about Application He that can truly apply Christ to himself hath true faith in Christ for this is the Ratio formalis the special act of faith Now many an unbeleiver thinks he can apply Christ as well as any other Those in Luk. 13. 25 26 come to Christ with much seeming confidence as if they had been of intimate acquaintance with him Lord Lord open to us and yet never had saving faith in him I shall here shew a threefold difference between the Application of a Beleiver and an unbeleiver 1. The Application of saving faith is from something of Christ wrought savingly within him He finds the Image of Christ in him he hath well grounded hopes of it and therefore applies Christ to him As Thomas in another case sees the print of the nails and then saith My Lord and my God So a true Beleiver sees upon his soul the print of the nails the dyings of the Lord Jesus the Characters of his death burial resurrection and therefore applies him to himself Whereas the application of Christ made by an unbeleiver is meerly from that discovery which is made of Christ in the Scripture and not from any intrinsecal worth which he finds upon his own heart vide Galat. 2 20. there you have Pauls application I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. What ground can you shew within you why Christ is yours 2. The Application of saving faith is alwayes agreeable to the tenor of the Promise and Covenant wherein Christ is held forth Vide Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Faith applies the grace of Christ as well as the merit of Christ applies Christ for sanctification as well as for justification applies the water as well as the bloud the application which an unbeleiver makes is onely or chiefly of the comforts and of the purchase of Christ c. he applies the Merit of Christ not the Spirit of Christ the Promises not the Commands c. whereas true faith applies him universally his Kingly and Prophetical Office as well as his Priestly vide Phil. 3. 9 10. 3. The Application of faith is alwayes accompanied with self-Resignation The true Beleiver doth as chearfully surrender himself to Christ as applies Christ to himself So did the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. he would not onely apprehend but be apprehended And so the Church Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He doth not onely apply the sin offering but he offers also the burnt Offering The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. would have Christians to yeeld themselves to God c. The unbeleiver he onely applies Christ to himself he doth not voluntarily yeeld himself to Christ he doth not dedicate himself to Christ by holiness and obedience 2. I shall now give some positive evidences of true faith I shall ground them upon several places of Scripture 1. That of the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Purifying your hearts by faith Heart purity is a necessary concomitant and consequence of saving faith Jesus Christ saith the Apostle is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. 30. If by faith thou hast Christ for thy righteousness he is also thy sanctification He whose heart is unpurified is destitute of the grace of faith Now the purification of the heart may be known by these five evidences 1. A purified heart is a heart that truly bewails all pollutions and impurities The most clean heart hath some pollution unmortified but he hath no defilement unlamented his stains and sores and spots are his greatest burthen his heaviest sorrow Pauls body of death put him to more grief than all the troubles which befel him in his whole life Rom. 7. 23 24. Is it so with thee Dost thou bewail the uncleanness of thy heart cordially sadly secretly Thou wouldest gladly be delivered from it Thou canst neither eat nor drink nor sleep quietly with it The impurity of thy heart turns thy sweetnesses into bitternesse This is certainly an effect of true faith Vide Zech. 12. 10. Looking upon Christ is beleiving in him this beleiving is expressed by sorrowing And if thou wouldest in truth be rid of thy corruptions thou wilt then diligently make use of all meanes be they never so painfull never so costly that may cleanse them away 2. A purified heart will kindly accept of brotherly reproof for his impurity or any advice that may make him clean He will love a person better all his life for any faithful rebuke or counsel Psalm 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness c. David shews the purity of his heart by his accepting the rebukes of Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. A heart that is purified is best pleased with that Sermon that comes closest to his conscience he would have all his heart discovered to himself Hide nothing from me said Eli to Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17. Yea he begs that God would search his heart for him Psalm 139. 23 24. Whereas a heart that is unclean cares not to have any spot discovered he either openly flies in the face or else secretly hates
4. Freedom from all vexations and troubles of spirit All these things are necessarily required to the making good of this supposition And yet if any man could attain to this yet he might for ever be a cast-away and lose his soul There are many rich men now suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Luke 12. 18. c. Luke 16. 19 20 23. The best of men have and may want outward prosperity Heb. 11. 37. Some are there mentioned of whom the world was not worthy and yet were destitute afflicted tormented Most or all the Prophets and Apostles yea Christ himself must be excluded out of Heaven if this were an evidence of salvation 3. There would be no sin in covetousness if this were any ground of salvation The Scripture reckons covetousness amongst the grossest and worst of sins Col. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 10. It s no sin for a man to get an evidence of salvation with all his diligence The love of money would not be the root of all evill as the Apostle brands it 1 Tim. 6. 10. but the root of all good if this were an evidence of salvation II. Outward Profession is no certain ground of salvation Many men build their hopes of salvation onely on profession They hear they pray c. That this is no infallible evidence of salvation will appear by these two Arguments 1. Because many who have been forward in profession have been rejected in regard of eternal salvation Luke 13. 26 27. Isay 58. 2 3. A naturall principle may carry a man to all the duties of outward profession 2. Because then there would be no such thing in the Church as hypocrisie whereas the Scripture makes a difference between the form of godliness and the power of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. III. Civill morall Righteousness is no infallible evidence of salvation Many persons build their salvation upon this that they are civilly just they are free from scandalous sins They are no Theeves Adulterers c. It were to be wished that all men were free from these grosse offences he that walks in any of these can certainly have no hope of salvation for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto men c. Tit. 2. 11 12. But yet there are many presidents in Scripture which prove that all this may be in such as are out of the state of salvation 1. That in Luke 18. 11. God I thank thee I am not as other men c. He was no swearer no Drunkard c. and yet in the Gall of bitterness c. 2. That in Mat. 25. 1. 2. They were Virgins not Harlots they kept company with the wise Virgins and were not only in their own apprehension but in the charitable judgement of others in a good condition and yet when the Bridegroom came they would not be admitted they wanted Oil in their Lamps and so were excluded the Mariage-Chamber and that with this sad word I know you not 3. That in Mat. 11. 12. He was no scandalous sinner As far as men could look he was very right none but the eye of the King who sees what is in man could discern any defect in him and yet cast out with shame into outer darkness verse 13. 4. That young man in Mat. 19. 18 19 20. He was not only free from scandall but he was very exact in many outward things All these have I kept from my youth There were so many common graces in him as were worth the drawing out of affection Jesus loved him saith another Evangelist Mark 16. 21. and yet out of the state of salvation for the present he went away sorrowful for he was very rich 5. That in 2 Pet. 2. 18. 20. The Apostle speaks of such as were not scandalous they had escaped the pollution of the world and yet far from salvation 6. The separation which shall be made at the last day Mat. 25. 32. is a proof of this It is not of sheep and Wolves but of sheep and Goats Sheep and Goats feed together and herd together and yet Goats shall be condemned as well as Wolves 7. That in Mat. 5. 20. How exact the Scribes and Pharisees were for all acts of externall righteousness will appear from that of the Apostle Phil. 3. 5. 6. concerning the righteousness of the Law blameless and yet at that time out of the state of salvation Sin may be restrained when it is not mortified A person may be under the raign and Dominion of sin who is not under the rage and fury of sin Sin may be restrained in men unconverted 1. By civill education Thus it was with Paul before his conversion Phil. 3. 5 6. 2. By outward affliction Psal 78. 34. when he slew them they sought him 2 Reg. 17. 25 26. God sent Lions amongst them Those devouring Creatures restrained their sin for a time 3. By the external power of Ordinances Humane Ordinances may restrain sin as Magistrates Rom. 13. 3 4. When the Angel of God came to Balaam with his dtawn Sword he put him to a present stop the Sword of Magistracy may do this Divine Ordinances The thundring of judgement and damnation from the publique Ministry may restrain sin for a time Go down saith God to Moses and set bounds Exod. 19. 12. vid. Cap. 20. 18. When the people heard the thundrings c. they removed and stood a far off 4. By common grace such was Abimelech's restraint Gen. 20. 6. Secondly For positive evidences I shall name but these three viz. 1. That in Col. 1. 27. Christ in them the Hope of Glory The Rule of evidence is this Jesus Christ is in that person who hath a well-grounded hope of everlasting glory No man hath any foundation of hoping for eternal salvation but onely he that hath Jesus Christ dwelling in him I might bring many concurrent testimonies of Scripture for the proving of this as 2 Cor. 13. 5. Hence it is that the Apostle calles Christ our hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. It is by Christ alone that we have hope As he alone is our peace so is he alone our hope Now we may know that Christ is in us by these two evidences 1. If Christ be in you the body is dead in regard of sin Rom. 8. 10. he that is withour Christ is dead in sin and he in whom Christ is is dead to sin The Dominion of sin is destroyed The love of sin is removed Sin doth not raign sin is not affected where Jesus Christ dwells in power Sin may be where Christ is but it doth not bear sway it hath not a quiet Being it is opposed it is lamented and that not onely that sin which breaks out in the life but also that root of bitterness which abides in the heart Sin undiscerned of the eye of man as well as that which is discovered to the eye of man Sin Dormant as well as sin Rampant sins of daily incursion and infirmity as well as scandalous sins
a very subtle enemy Gen. 3. 1. 3. He is a very diligent and industrious enemy He compasseth the earth to and fro Job 2. 2. He turnes every stone and leaves no meanes unattempted that may promote his mischievous design Now I add this Note for these three Reasons 1. That we may see How much compassion we owe to such as are assaulted by him 2. How much we ought to pitty such as are surprised overtaken and for a time overcome by his strong assaults Be not over-harsh nor over-rigid in censuring condemning them who are captivated by the power of Satan vid. Gal. 6. 1. 3. That all who are inabled to keep the field in this war may confess how much they owe to God who inableth them to be Conquerors in so difficult a battel Secondly This sheweth us the insufficiency weakness and emptiness of our selves and of every thing in our selves to carry on the spirituall Warfare We must take not our own Armour that 's quickly broken into pieces but the Armour of God Had we any thing of our own there would be no need of sending us to another treasury There is so much Atheisme Pride self-Idolatry and vain confidence in the heart of man that he is very desirous to magnifie himself and unwilling to acknowledge his own poverty We are ready to say as that proud King of Assyria did Isa 10. 13 14. By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdome for I am prudent I have removed the hounds of the people and have robbed their Treasures and I have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant man And my hand hath found as a Nest the riches of the people c. never minding that all his success and strength was from God who had made him his Battle-axe to do all that work We are ready to assume all to our selves in our spirituall warring against Satan I have put the Adversary to flight I have resisted him by my own strength and industry whereas it is GOD that furnisheth us with Armour and that girds this Armour upon us and that makes our endeavours successfull by his own grace Our sword would soon be broken in pieces our heeles would soon be tript up from under us if God did not under-gird our soules with his strength My grace is sufficient saith God to Paul when Satan made war against him 2 Cor. 12. 9. God's grace was Paul's sufficiency else he had been the Devils Vassal By thee saith David have I run thorow a troop by my God have I leaped over a wall it is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect He teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation thy right hand hath holden me up and thy gentleness hath made me great Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battel thou hast subdued under me those that rose against me Psal 18. 29 34 35 39. Whensoever thou readest this Text that thou art sent to Gods Armory sit down and make acknowledgment of thy own poverty and say All my springs are in thee God will never have the glory either of thy opposing or overcoming till thou see it to be him that worketh all thy works in thee and for thee Esa 26. 12. Thirdly That God hath made sufficient provision for his people to safeguard and defend them against all the attempts of Satan Here is a Panoplia not only one sort of Armour but Armour of all kinds The treasury is richly furnished the christian souldier needeth not to want any thing if he be not defective to himselfe here is provision for the head for the breast for the heart for the hand c. t is a perfect Armour Cap a pe there 's nothing wanting for the full accoutring of soul and boby Let Satan use what way of Assaults he pleaseth here is defence made against him my grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. 9. As the hills stand about Jerusalem So the Lord is round about his people Psal 125. 1 2. There 's no side lies undefended if the Christian do not voluntarily omit his Armour There is none like unto the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the heaven for thy helpe and the eternall God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armes c Deut. 33. 26 27. If Satan come over their heads to assault them God rideth upon the sky in his excellency If Satan get beneath them to undermine them there is provision also underneath are the everlasting Armes Depart ye depart ye go ye out from thence touch no unclean thing go ye out of the mid'st of her c. For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rereward Esa 52. 11 12. If Satan set upon them in the Front they shall be defended there God will go before them And if he fall upon the Rear to cut off the hind-most of them as Amaleck did on Israel when they came out of Egypt even there also shal be sufficient provision the God of Israel wil be their Rereward Earthly Generals are many times constrained to call the Souldiery to fight unarmed or half armed they have not all sorts of Weapons at all Encounters God never bids any of his Souldiers fight but he first layes out for them all kind of Weapons I add this Note for this consideration To let a Christian see that if he be at any time foiled in these disputes he is not to blame Gods Armour which is very compleat and perfect but either his own negligence in not putting on his Arms or his cowardize in not using them aright We may say of the Spiritual Armour as the Apostle doth of the Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 17. All Scripture c. So is the Armour of God profitable for Offence for Defence to make the Christian Souldier compleat throughly furnished for every kind of temptation Fourthly That Christian endeavour is absolutely necessary for those who would be preserved and secured from Satan in the day of Temptation This is gathered cleerly from the Apostles charge of Taking unto us and of Putting on this Armour God hath provided us compleat armes but if we desire either to defend our selves or to offend our enemies there lyeth an absolute Necessity upon us that we take them and use them Work out your salvation saith the Apostle with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 12. Our working is not the cause of our salvation but it is absolutely necessary that we work if we will be saved We cannot be saved without our endeavour though we are not saved for our endeavour Qui creavit te sine te non servabit te sine te Paul had a promise that both himself and all that were with
Observation from all kind of employments of men that he may be compleatly fitted for this great Work But I come to the Particulars First The girdle of Truth Having your Loyns girt about with Truth In lumbis maxima vis est stantium His malè affectis contrahitur corpus aut certè vacillans vel modicè impulsum corruit Bullinger Therefore the Apostle begins with these which he would have girded with Truth Truth in the Scripture is used to fet out two things there is a two-fold Acception of Truth 1. It is used for the Doctrine of Truth That Doctrine which is held out and revealed to the sons of men in the written Word and thus Truth is opposed unto Errour In this sense it is used in many places as Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth And 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will have all men saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth And 3. Ep. Joh. 4. I have no greater joy then to hear that my children walk in the truth 2. It is used for the grace of truth And so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie In this sense it 's used Psal 51. 6. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts that is sincerity and integrity of heart so Josh 24. 14. Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and so Joh. 4. 24. God is a a spirit and they that worship him must worship him inspirit and in truth Spiritual Worship is there opposed to Ceremonial and Truth of Worship is opposed to Hypocritical Worship Now amongst Interpreters there are some who expound this Text of the grace of truth so doth Calvin and others Others understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of truth Baldwin vera Doctrina Religione Zanchy Constantia in Doctrina veritatis Dickson 1. Both Interpretations are agreeable to the Analogy of Faith 2. Usefull Instructions may be gathered from both 3. There is nothing in the Text which doth necessarily limit and confine it to one and therefore I shall refer it to both for Vbi Scriptura non distinguit non est distinguendum And so I shall lay before you a two-fold Observation from this two-fold Interpretation 1. Understanding it of the Doctrine of Truth as some do we note this Doctrine viz. That firmness and stability in the Doctrine of 1. Doct. Truth is an excellent meanes to be preserved and to overcome Satan and his Instruments in the day of Temptation I say Firmness and Stability because the phrase of being girded about notes constancy and firmness in the Truth When the Loyns are fast tyed and compassed about with this girdle they are in a good way of security from the assaults of Satan when those who forsake and fall from the Truth are snared and overcome then shall those who adhere and stick fast to the Doctrine of Truth be delivered and escape This is promised to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia upon this very consideration Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth If a Church or Person be stedfast in the Doctrine of Truth God will either keep them from temptation or else he will preserve them in temptation that when others fall they shall stand I shall give you three Reasons of this viz. 1. Truth unites us to God and God to us It is of God and hath a Divine Strength God is truth and so far as a person hath the truth he hath God and so farre as he loseth the Truth he loseth God 'T is true a person may have the Truth of God sticking in his Judgment He may be very stedfast and constant in it so that he may willingly part not onely with his substance but even with his life to maintain it and yet not be savingly united to God by Christ for salvation 'T is not the fides quae creditur but the fides quâ creditur which is the bond of this Union But yet the very holding of the Doctrine of Truth gives a person some kind of union with God by which union he is more able to stand when any storm comes then he that is destitute of the Truth 2. Truth helpes a Christian both to discover a Temptation and to answer Arguments used to set on the Temptation The Truth of God in the Judgment is one of the Eyes of the Soul he that wants this is blind and cannot see afar off Now as a clear Eye is a very great help to the Souldier for the discovering of the Dart or the Bullet before it be upon him so is the clear distinct knowledg of the Truth a very great help to a Christian to discern the temptation before it be upon him He is better able by the power of Truth to see the reach of Satan and what it is that he drives at when he spreads his snare to surprize him then another can be who hath lost the Truth Any fallacy is easily put upon a person that is destitute of the truth of an Art or Science whereas he that hath the knowledge of that Art is able presently to avoid it and to answer it And therefore the Devil when he comes to tempt the woman to sinne first labours to blind her Understanding Ye shall not die but ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill Gen. 3. 4 5. and when he hath stollen that principle of truth out of her judgment We may not eat lest we die He doth without any difficulty perswade her to eat of the fruit 3. Truth doth much help a Christian in the managing of all other parts of his Armour aright He that hath lost the Doctrine of Truth will be unable to use the Bread-Plate of Righteousness For to the using of this after a right manner it is requisite that the Doctrine of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to a sinner be tâ—roughly understood and firmly believed The Helmet of Hope will soon be knocked off the head of a Christian if he do not well understand the Nature of the Grace Hope The shield of faith will be presently pierced by Satan if he that weares it do not rightly understand the nature of faith and prayer will do but little good if he that makes the prayer be unsound in the truth Prayer is to be made in faith else it doth not prevail it is to be made not only with the grace of faith but also according to the Doct of faith A Doctrinal errour in prayers will nullifie them as well as want of the grace of Faith for this is the confidence we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14. Information We may from this Doctrine 1. Vse gather these three conclusions viz. 1. This shews us how necessary it is for a Christian
we know once and a second time he fell into an act of gross Dissimulation once in Egypt Gen. 12. 13. and a second time at Gerar Gen. 20. 2. But a man of Truth doth not allow or approve of any such acts in himself it is not his Constitution it is not his Custome he hath his conversation in Integrity godly Simplicity as the Apostles speak of themselvs 2 Cor. 1. 12. and therefore he cannot be called a guilefull man or a false-hearted man though he may do a guileful act 2. It is opposed to Pretence Phil. 1. 18. The Apostle speaking of False-Teachers hath this expression Whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and therein I rejoyce and will rejoyce Pretence and Truth are there opposed one against another Now a man of Truth is such a one as is really what he pretends to be whose inwards and outward are of the same alloy and complexion when a man is Holy in Heart as well as in outward appearance The Apostle speakes of some that did glory in appearance but not in heart 2 Cor. 5. 12. Our Saviour chargeth the Scribes and Pharisees with this Ye are like unto whited Sepulchres which appear beautiful without but inwardly are full of rottenness and putrifaction Matth. 23. 27. When a man shall pretend to be a Saint and act the part of a Devil When a man like Joab shal pretend a friendly salute Art thou in health my brother and really intend to wash his hands in his blood 2 Sam. 20. 9. When a man shall pretend like Judas to kiss his Master and intend onely to betray his Master When men shall oppress and devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers Matth. 23. 14. Such kind of persons are utterly destitute of this Grace of Truth such a one was that wicked Ishmael the son of Nethaniah of whom you read Jer. 41. 6 7. He goes forth to meet a company of sad-hearted men and pretends to conduct them to Gedaliah the Governour but when he hath them in a snare cuts their throats and buries them in a Pit 3. It 's opposed to Word and Tongue 1 Joh. 3. 18. My beloved let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth When the Tongue and the Lips are as different from the Heart and Actions as the Jewes and Samaritans which have no Commerce one with another this Grace of Truth is not in such persons A man of truth is one whose hands and feet act what his lips and tongue profess The Prophet speakes of some men that had an oily Lip but a bloody Heart Psal 55. 20 21. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him he hath broken his Covenant The words of his mouth were smoother then butter but warre was in his heart His words were softer then oyl yet were they drawn swords this was a very truthless man such men as these we read of Jam. 2. 15 16. They had the language of the merciful man Go in peace and be warmed and filled Here is Charity in the Tongue and Lip but they gave nothing either to feed or refresh him this was not truth of Charity so we may say of other Graces 2. By way of Exposition or Illustration and so there are many synonymous words used to explain truth of Heart viz. 1. It 's explained by perfection 2 Reg. 20. 3. I beseech thee ô Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart A true hearted Christian is a perfect hearted Christian There is a two-fold Perfection The one is Legal The other is Evangelical The Legal Perfection is not to be found in any meer man since the Apostacy of Adam The Papists they dispute not onely for the possibility of the attainment of this perfection but they teach also that it is actually attained by many But that 's a meer Dream and purposely held by them to maintain their wicked Doctrine of Merit and Supererogation for the Scripture cleerly asserts the contrary and the servants of God in the highest form have utterly disavowed any such thought Job in the Old Testament Job 9. 20. If I justifie my self my mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it also shal prove me perverse And Paul in the New Testament though he might have stood upon his legal righteousness as much as any other Phil. 3. 2. yet Phil. 3. 12. he disclaimes Perfection Perfection of this kind is a thing to be much wished for but it is not attainable by any 2 Cor. 13. ver 10. The Evangelical Perfection is two-fold the one of Justification And in this respect every one who truly is in Christ by saving Faith is exactly perfect Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 7. Jesus Christ by one offering hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. The other is of Sanctification And in this respect the truly-godly are called perfect in three respects First because they are so in part there is in them a perfection of parts they are renewed throughout in every Faculty of the Soul the Understanding Will Conscience Affections c. are all sanctified truly though not throughly Secondly because they are in the progress of Perfection it 's that Mark they levell at they will not sit down without it so Paul Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the Mark for the prize of the high-calling c. this he cals Perfection v. 15. Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Thirdly because they allow in themselves none of their imperfections Their smperfections are their burthen their sorrow their shame they take no contentment or pleasure in them 2. It 's explained by uprightness of heart so ye have it 1. Reg. 3. 6. Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and in uprightness of heart and in righteousness Uprightness of Heart is a Heart without crookedness a Heart that doth not bend and bow this way and that way for gain for advantage sake A swarving Heart is opposed to an upright Heart Psal 125. 4 5. Do good ô Lord to those that are good c. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes c. A Heart of Truth is a Heart that doth not warp to the right nor to the left hand he will not be swayed from his way for fear of men for hopes of preferment for the avoiding of outward detriment and loss He is a man that lookes right on and his eye-lids look straight before him he doth not turn to the right hand or to the left Prov. 4. 25 27 It 's a metaphor as some think taken from the Plow-man He hath his eyes not wandring this way and that way but he looks straight before him that he may make the furrow even so doth a man of truth he is fixed in his way and
the Doctrine gives us one which is sufficient to stay our wonderment Their breast lies naked to his arrows and therfore they cannot but fall and when they are fallen they cannot recover As the Heretick and Hypocrite are overcome for want of the girdle of Truth so the prophane person is surprized for want of the Breast-plate of Righteousness LECT XIII Jan. 2. 1649. EXhortation That all the people of God Vse 2. would be careful to get and keep this Breast-plate You can do nothing by way of resistance against the Devil in the day of Temptation without this Breast-plate therefore the Counsel is very necessary In the carrying on of this exhortation I shall 1. lay down some other motives 2. Prescribe you some helps The motives are these Motive 1. The want of a righteous and holâ— life will exceedingly open the mouthes of ungodâ—y men to blaspheme God and his wayes This is the Apostles Argument 2 Pet. 2. 12. 15. The honesty of the lives of Gods people will stop the mouthes of the wicked but the dishonesty and blameableness of their Conversation will be an occasion to make them speak evill both of God and of his Religion unholy and unrighteous Actings will lay a stumbling-block in the way of many upon which they may stumble into Hell Now Christians are forbidden to give any offence either to Jew or Gentile or to the Church of God vid. 2 Pet. 2. 2. Many shall follow c. by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of when Christians that have professed and practised the truth shall apostatize men that never cared for the truth shall say Behold the end of their contendings about truth Davids sin did much hurt in this respect 2 Sam. 12. 14. This is that which God chargeth upon his people Ezek. 36. 20. Now a holy life removes this scandall 2. Mot. The want of a righteous life will grieve the holy Spirit of God This is the Apostles Argument Eph. 4. 28. 29 30. Let him that stole steal no more c. The spirit of God cannot properly be grieved God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when he carrieth himself as a man that is grieved then the Scripture useth that expression I am broken with your whorish heart saith God which hath gone a whoring from me Ezek. 6. 9. To grieve the spirit of a man is a very sinful thing much more to grieve the spirit of a good man but most of all to grieve the spirit of God God is your Father God is your friend God is your Husband God is your Comforter God is your Saviour and will ye the satisfying of a lust grieve his spirit Motive 3. Vnrighteousness of life will render all your holy duties abominations unto God A dead fly causeth the precious oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour c. Eccles 10. 1. You may see what God saith to his people to this purpose Isa 1. 11. c. To what purpose c. God will frown upon your prayers when you come to his Table he will hide his face from you when you come to hear his word he will not be friendly to you c. Motive 4. Righteousness of life is a good way to gain others to the love of Religion It s a very convincing thing to the Conscience of a naturall man It will speak when words are forgotten it will be remembred when Sermons are out of minde The primitive Christians did much good upon the Heathen by the holiness of their lives And for this cause it is that believing wives are exhorted to holiness of life that their Husbands which did not obey the word might be gained by their conversation 2 Pet. 3. 1. 2. Your faith is profitable to yourselves your holiness to other men Motive 5. All Christians that believe are spirituall Priests unto God and therefore they should be holy The high Priest was to wear a curious Breast-plate vid. Exod. 28. 15. 16. c. ver 30. there must be in it the Vrim and the Thummim Light and Perfection If your lives be unholy you are no fit Priests to God you want your Breast-plate Thus for Motives Now for Helpes and Directions take these 1. Study well the righteousness purity and holiness of the Nature of God The Holiness of God is the Originall of all holiness It is both the Motive and the Example of all holiness in the Creature when the Prophet Isay contemplates the holiness of God he cries out of his own unholiness Esay 6. 3. 5. Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hoasts woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips He that is much employed in the contemplation of the purity of God will not take any contentment in his own impurity The holiness of God in Scripture is propounded for this very purpose that by looking upon it the Sons of men may stir up their mindes to pursue holiness 2 Pet. 1. 15. 16. As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy It is ignorance of God or forgetfulness which is the cause of the love of unholiness When the soul comes once in good earnest to consider the purity of God his own impurity will be his sorrow and burden These thoughts will let the soul see that its impossible for him to have any Communion with such a God to whom he is so unlike Similitude is the ground of Communion as dissimilitude is of disunion and separation This is that which the Apostle layes as one foundation of comfortable communion with God James 4. 8. Draw nigh to God c. cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double minded Righteousness and unrighteousness can have no fellowship light and darkness can have no Communion the Temple of God and Idolls cannot agree together 2 Cor. 6. 14. 16. 2. Study the Holiness and purity of the humane nature of Jesus Christ your head He had this Breast-plate continually upon him Isay 59. 17. He put on righteousness as a Breast-plate and an Helmet of salvation upon his head and all his Souldiers must be accoutred as their Generall is He lived 33. years in the world and all that time never stept once aside out of the way of righteousness He did no sin neither was there any guile found in his mouth He is called in regard of his humane nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy thing Luke 1. 35. This consideration would mightily enflame a Christian to the love and practice of holiness for he would thus argue with himself Is it meet that so corrupt a member should have so holy a head Is it meet so holy a Master should have so unholy Disciples There are two principall ends of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ One is that he might in our nature make satisfaction for our guilt The other is that he might fulfill all
The Apostle cals it a glorious Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 11. The ministry of the Law was glorious but the Gospel is much more glorious vid. 2 Cor. 3 7 8 9 10 11. Many things there are that proclaim the glorious excellency of the Gospel I shall not instance in any other than what is in the Text It s a Gospel of peace Peace is a glorious thing the lowest of all kinds of peace is one of the greatest of outward blessings peace with men It s that which often in Scripture comprehends all outward blessings It s the breeder and preserver of all outward happiness plenty is the daughter of peace Micah 4. 3. It s the sweetner of all outward mercies Peace is as salt to meat as the light to the World How much more glorious is this peace Peace with God The peace of conscience is a peace transcending humane understanding Phil. 4 7. and that is but the fruit of this peace 2. That the ministey of the Gospel is a glorious ministry They are the Ambassadors of the Gospel of peace Isai 62. 7. How beautiful upon the mounts are the feet of them that bring glad tidings that publish peace The word of reconciliation is committed to them 2 Cor. 5. 19. Ambassadors of warre are unwelcome messengers to all Nations but those that come to proclaim peace are kindly received And yet a wretched world is as weary of the ministry of the Gospel as if it were the ministration of death Most do as the Gadarenes did by Christ intreat them to depart out of their coasts Noah was glad when the Dove came with an olive branch if the peace of the Gospel had more place in the hearts of men the publishers of it would have more respect 3. That the professors of the Gospel should be of peaceable dispositions The Gospel when it comes with power makes men like it self it tames and sweetens the spirits of men makes rough places smooth men of rough boystrous and fierce spirits to become gentle Isai 11. 6 7 8 9. Implacableness and violence of Spirit as it doth much dishonour the Gospel of peace so is it a frame altogether anti-evangelical The Gospel hath no leaven or sourness in it and he who professeth the Gospel should be so likewise If ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus put away malice c. Ephes 4. 21 31. Wheresoever the Gospel comes with efficacy and power it doth imprint upon the soul it s own image Rom. 6. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you As the Gospel is holy so should the professors of it be holy As the Gospel is heavenly so should the professors of it be heavenly and as the Gospel is a Gospel of peace so they that profess it should be men of peace The Apostle desires the Philippiane that their conversation might be as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. A peaceable conversation is a Gospel like conversation 4. This lets us see what a great loss it is to be deprived of the Gospel It s threatned in the Scripture as one of the sorest judgements Math 21. 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you c. It s a great loss to loose the lowest kind of peace Rev. 6. 4. much more to loose the Gospel which conveyes the highest peace You that are unreconciled if the Gospel go you are like to die in your enmity and you that are reconciled will have no ordinary meanes left you either of preserving or renewing the assurance of your reconciliation 5. This lets us see why it is that Satan is such an enemy to the spreading of the Gospel In all ages we find that his great plot hath been either to remove or to corrupt the Gospel All the false Teachers which arose in the Gospel Churches were raised for this end he hath stirred up Hereticks and Tyrants in every age to blow out the Gospel I would have come to you once and again but Satan hindred 1 Thes 2. 18. vid. Acts 13. 50. Acts 14. 2 c. Still when the Gospel came persecution followed Acts 16. 16. c. the reason the Gospel is a Gospel of peace and Satan would keep men unreconciled 6. Great cause of thankfulness for the enjoyment of the Gospel USE II. Lect. 15. Janu. 16. 1649. Examination Let all try whether they have an interest in this peace which is published in and confirmed by the Gospel VVHether the Gospel have wrought this great work between God and them that they can say God and they are at peace It s necessary to make this inquiry 1. Because all men by nature are under wrath and enmity Eph. 2. 2. 2. Because it s very natural to the sons of men to suppose and conclude that God and they are at peace especially such as have lived under the Gospel of peace Before I come to positive evidences I shall discover some mistakes or false reasonings about this peace and they are of two sorts 1. Such as are made evidences of peace and are not these concern wicked men 2. Such as the godly are under arguing those things to be evidences of want of peace which are not so For the former 1. No man can argue that he is at peace with God because of the enjoyment of outward common Priviledges As Baptisme the admission of a person to the Lords Table This was the Argument of the Jews which was often rejected both by the Prophets by Jobn Baptist and Christ himself vide Jerem. 7. 4 c. Trust not in lying words Math. 3. 9. 10. Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father c. John 8. 33. We be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage c. The Scripture cuts off this kind of reasoning in many places Rom. 2. all he is not a Jew c. Circumcision and uncircumcision make no difference in this matter Jerem. 9. 25 26. Thou maist enjoy all the outward priviledges of the friends of God and yet live and die in enmity So did Ishmael Saul Judas Simon Magus and yet had neither part nor lot in this matter 2. No man can argue that he is at peace with God because of outward Profession The worst of men may attain to this Judas was one that made a Profession he was an Apostle an extraordinary Minister and yet an enemy to God a child of perdition Those that shall be rejected at the last day are such as made profession Luke 13. 25 26 27. and yet there was no Covenant of peace between God and them I know them not A man must profess Religion before he can be an hypocrite 3. The bare performance of external duties and outward actions of Religion is no Argument that a soul is heir to this peace For though he that is at peace with God will be careful of doing
covenant of peace So Manasseh c. But I come to positive evidences 1. He that is at peace with God is at war with sin with all sin and that continually Hatred of sin is a sure evidence of Reconciliation with God I will hearken what the Lord will say for he will speak peace to his Servants but let not them return again to folly Psal 85. 8. Folly and sin are Synonyma in Scripture as holiness and wisdom are And he that hath heard God speaking peace will be very careful of not returning to sin A person at peace with God may act sinfully but he hates it even when he acts it he mourns for it he useth all meanes to mortifie and destroy it I will heal their back-slidings I will love them freely c. Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols Hosea 14. 4 8. Yea the soul shall be ashamed of its sinful courses when God and it are reconciled There are some who think that sorrow and shame for sin are unfit for a state of Reconciliation and that its a disparagement to the state of Reconciliation to be exercised with Humiliation whereas indeed its the proper fruit of it Mary Magdalen never abounded so much in sorrow and shame for sin as after God had spoken peace to her she wept much because much was forgiven her and it s prophesied of Jerusalem that shame and grief should fill her heart and face when God was reconciled to her Ezekiel 16. 61 63. Put this home 2. He that is at peace with God is at peace with the Word of God and every part of it Reconciliation with God brings forth Reconciliation with the Scriptures with the Precepts as well as with the Promises He is at peace with every duty enjoyned in the Book of God While the soul is at enmity with God it is at enmity with the world at least with some part of it This Command he cannot agree with this is too strict the other is too harsh This is an hard saying who can hear it The Apostle describes such men by their contentiousness and disobedience Rom. 2. 8. but when God hath taken away the enmity of the heart all these contentions against the Scripture are allayed he now hides the Word within his heart he loves it and prizeth it more than his appointed food it s the joy and rejoycing of his heart sweeter to his taste than the honey and honey-comb The Law is written in his heart now it s his bosome friend the man of his counsel 3. He that is at peace with God is never so well as when he is in Gods presence He loves to be where God is Reconciliation will manifest it self by desire of communion Enemies care not for the presence one of another but friends rejoyce to converse together Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest Cantic 1. 6. A soul reconciled is described by this that he is made nigh Ephes 2. 13. The soul before reconciliation is farre off from God farre off in regard of Gods acceptance and farre off in regard of affection and desire but whensoever reconciled then the distance is removed and he is brought nigh nigh in regard of relation and nigh in regard of affection and union he takes pleasure in those places in those exercises in that society where God is graciously present Put this home Can you say as Psal 84. 1. Psal 42. 1. Psal 63. 1 2. 4. He that is reconciled to God can never be contented when any breach is made till it be again made up A soul at peace with God may by sin loose the sense of it and thereby breed strangeness between God and himself But he cannot be at rest till the cloud be removed David Psalm 51. 12. he had assurance of pardon before The Lord hath put away thy sin c. 2 Sam. 12. 13. but Gods face was not as it had wont to be towards him he could not see those smiles which he was wont to behold in his fathers face he could not discern the light of Gods countenance as before this makes him cry out Restore c. Thus it was with the Church in those remarkable places Cant. 3. inite and Cant. 5. 2 3 4 5. She was in a very sad condition till she had got the fight of his face A reconciled person is afraid of doing any thing that may cause strangeness and very restless till any breach may be removed 5. He that is at peace with God is at peace with all the servants of God He is a true cordial friend unto all those whom God loves and an adversary to all those whom God hates Doe not I love them that love thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee Psal 139. 21 22. He will not say a confederacy to any who hate God in any of their sinful wayes 6. He that is at peace with God is a man universally reformed Renovation is alwayes a fruit of Reconciliation Inwardly in heart will conscience understanding Outwardly in words and works is he renewed according unto the Scriptures God never makes peace with any soul but he makes that soul like himself Old things are past away and all things are become new This is the Apostles evidence 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. USE III. Exhortation Let all those who live under the Gospel of peace labour for an interest in this peace We pray you in Christ stead be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mot. 1. Without peace there can be no glory Reconciliation is a necessary preparative to salvation God saves no enemies but by making of them friends Col. 1. 21. Mot. 2. He that is at peace with God here shall certainly be glorified with God hereafter Reconciliation is a harder work than salvation There is more difficulty to reconcile an enemy than to save a friend There is less opposition between grace and glory than between grace and nature the difference between those is but gradual but between the other specifical Hence the Apostle argues Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Mot. 3. Peace with God is the foundation of peace with creatures and peace with conscience The creatures are by sin our enemies and nothing but peace with the Creator can make their enmity cease Vide Hosea 2. 18 19. When God is in covenant then are the creatures in Covenant so peace of conscience is a fruit of this peace He that is at peace with God hath a ground of peace with himself though he do not see it He that is at enmity with God hath no ground of peace though he think otherwise Conscience may be sleepily quiet but it is not truly peaceable Mot. 4. Peace with God will be your joy and rejoycing in all kind of outward evils Otherwise the Gospel of peace will be to
but a dry barren shell unprofitable for nourishment but if you break the shell you shall find it full of most delicate nourishment The Grace of Hope to the outward appearance is like to a dry shall but if you open this shell you will find it full of most delicate nourishment We are upheld by Hope when we stand We rise by Hope when we are cast down We live by Hope We are saved by Hope It 's that which encourageth us to all Duties We pray in hope we hear in hope Take away Hope and the Soul will not be able to do any duty It 's that by which we bear all disappointments It 's a Sun in the darkest midnight Take away Hope and the Soul will be swallowed up with the least cross every wind will blow it down every wave will drown it every difficulty will overwhelm it It 's the Grace of Hope which holds the Chin above water in every trouble it s the grace of Hope by which we live in the want of present comforts Take away this Grace of Hope and all the Promises are but as withered grass and dry bones and empty vessels which cannot give satisfaction All disquietments and vexatious cares arise either from the want or the weakness of the Grace of Hope David chargeth all his disquietness upon this Psal 142. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou vexed within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Hope settles the heart in every condition it turns darkness into light and storms into calmes and makes the shadow of death as the morning Tbou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Esa 26. 3. I am the larger in this because there is such a generall neglecting of the exercise of this Grace The Grace of Hope is almost lost Christians make but little use and very little account of it Faith is in some repute but Hope is buried whereas indeed Faith is not more excellent then Hope Hope begins where Faith ends 2. This lets us see why Satan uses so much endeavour to drive the servants of God into a state of desperation There are two great Rockes on which Satan labours to split the souls of men the one is upon the Rock of Presumption many souls perish this way The other is the Rock of Despair and there are many more then a few destroyed this way Judas and Cain and Saul fell by this Temptation My punishment is greater then I can bear saith Cain And Judas out of horrour of Conscience puts an end to his own life Mat. 27. 5. Satan is very busie in our age this way suggesting unto the hearts of men that salvation doth not belong to them We see there is reason why Satan should use his skill this way This is a Christians Head-piece and if he can but perswade him to cast off this he will very easily make a prey of him Despair of mercy is a greater sin then all other sins Judas despair was greater then his Treason First It 's derogatory to the Mercy of GOD for it calls in question his truth and goodness Secondly It 's derogatory to the Merits of Jesus Christ it calls in question the All-sufficiency of his bloud c. 3. That the assurance of Salvation is a Doctrine very profitable for Christians and very prejudicial to Satan If the hope of Salvation help a Christian in temptarion surely the assurance of it will much more help him in these Assaults The Papists look upon it as a great and groundlesse presumption for any man to talk of assurance of his salvation But we know from Scripture First That many have attained to assurance we know that if our Earthly Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God c. 2 Cor. 5. init Secondly That all the people of God are commanded to labour after the attainment of it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Thirdly That so many Evidences of a man that shall be saved are not laid down in vain The Scripture is full of the Characters of a person that shall be saved We know we are translated from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Fourthly That one great Office of the Spirit of God which dwelleth in the hearts of the regenerate is to seal them Ephes 1. 13. To testifie with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. The Holy Ghost is a witnessing and sealing Spirit as well as a sanctifying Spirit a Spirit of Revelation as well as a Spirit of Grace Now the Argument is firm If the hope of Salvation be a Helmet to protect us then is the full Assurance of Salvation a helmet much more strong LECT XXII March 6. 1649. Exhortation 1. To all in generall Let this put all the Sons of men upon the getting of well-grounded hopes of salvation FOr the urging of this Exhortation these Vse 2. two things are to be opened viz. 1. To remove some false grounds of hope 2. To hold out some positive grounds upon which Salvation may be infallibly and certainly hoped for and expected 1. There are three false grounds upon which many are deceived viz. 1. Outward prosperity is no certain ground of salvation Many men do certainly conclude their Estate is good and that they shall be saved and that God doth undoubtedly love them with a saving love because their portion is fat in this world they have the blessing of God upon whatever they put their hands to God prospers them greatly in the world c. therefore they hope they shall be saved For the removing of this 1. Something is to be granted 2. Something to be denyed 1. It is to be granted That true piety and holiness is the high and ready way to outward prosperity 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of the life that is to come Many promises are made in the Scripture of these outward things to the godly as Prov. 3. 16. 17. Psal 112. 1 2 3. onely this promise is to be understood with this caution of Reference and subordination to their spirituall good This Caution is alwayes in Scripture to be understood when prosperity is promised to the godly and it is sometimes expressed as in Psal 34. 10. 2. It is to be denied that outward prosperity is any evidence of salvation And that I shall prove by these three Arguments 1. The worst of men have and may enjoy much of these things who shall never see salvation Mat. 16. 26 our Savior supposes there more then ever any man shall enjoy he that hath the whole world must have these four things 1. All the Riches Honours Pleasures of the world 2. A heart capable to take delight in all these 3. A time of enjoying these from the first man to the last
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tollo because it is the Instrument of fighting Of the Spirit Spirit is used sometimes Essentially for all the three persons Joh. 4. 24. Sometimes it s used Personally for the third person of the Trinity the Holy Ghost and so I suppose it 's used in this place The Reasons of it I shall shew afterwards Which is the Word of God There 's a two-fold Word of God 1. The Substantial or Essential Word of God viz. Jesus Christ the second Person of the Trinity Rev. 19. 13. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Joh. 1. 1. He is called the Word of GOD for two Reasons First because as the Word is Character mentis in men so Christ the Son is the Character or express Effigies of the Fathers Counsel The word or speech is Interpres mentis so Christ is Interpres Patris Joh. 1. 18. Secondly He is called the Word of God in regard of his personal properties of working whereas the Father workes by way of hidden counsel the Holy Ghost by way of internall virtue the Son workes by way of Word laying open the counsel of God and putting it into execution by his Almighty Word that is by the power of his Will outwardly set forth 2. The written Word This is nothing else but the Writings of Prophets Apostles and other holy men of God contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which for the excellency of them are called The Bible or The Book because it 's the most excellent Book the Book of Books This is that Word of God which the Apostle here recommends unto the Christian Souldier It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Substantial word is called but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name given to the written Word I might make many Doctrines but I will put altogether into this one viz. DOCT. He that would be enabled to withstand and to overcome Satan in his Temptations must be careful to take and use the Sword of the Spirit which is the written Word of God By this Sword it was that our Saviour did both preserve himself and turned the Devil to flight in his day of Temptation He drew out this Sword Scriptum est and with the power of it overcame his adversary Matth. 4. In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open these three things 1. Give some Reasons to prove that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God 2. Shew you the Reason of this Title the Sword of the Spirit 3. Shew you how this Sword is useful to help a Christian in the day of Temptations First That the Scriptures are the Word of God 1. From the evidence of Scripture it self For this I shall refer you to these places 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 21. Prophecie came not in old time by the Will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp to my feet So ver 72. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver I might give you thousands of places to this purpose Secondly From the nature of the Writings themselves 1. The matter of them is of such height and sublimity as that Reason is too low to make such discoveries The mystery of the Trinity is a thing above the comprehension of Reason Reason may a little illustrate it now when 't is revealed but Reason could never have found it out The great mystery of Christs Incarnation the Personal Union of the two Natures this is a mystery not onely above Reason but above the Angelical Understanding 1 Pet. 1. 12. The Angels pry into this mystery they could never have found it out had it not been revealed in the Scriptures vid. Eph. 3. 10. This manifold wisdom of God is made known unto Principalities and Powers by the Church The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body is a Doctrine too high for Reason to have found out The Corruption of mans nature by the sinne of Adam c. 2. The harmonious consent and sweet agreement which is between one part of Scripture and another Though they were penned by severall persons in several Ages in several places farre distant from one another the Pen-men neither advising nor conferring with one another yet in nothing contradictory but sweetly corresponding one with another one Prophet writing nothing contrary to another All the Evangelists conspiring and agreeing mutually one with another as if they had been all in one and the same place which is impossible and was never seen amongst the Writings of men 3. The rare Predictions which are in the Scriptures accomplished at the very seasons No Creature can fore-tell or fore-know things before-hand and the Prophecies of the Scripture are not laid down Oracle-wise with ambiguity but with positive certainty expressing the very times of things the names of persons the period of States c. Gen. 3. 15. It was four thousand years before his birth and yet when the fulness of time came God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman Gal. 4. 4. So that Prediction Gen. 15. 13 14 Thy Seed shall be a stranger c. This deliverance was fore-told four hundred years before-hand So that in 1 King 13. 2 3. the Prophecy against the Altar of Bethel in Jeroboams time it was as Chronologers observe 330 and odd years before and yet 2 King 23. 16. it was fulfilled in its season That in Esa 45. 1. concerning Cyrus Cyrus was not born of a hundred years after that All the Propheticall Doctrines concerning Christ of his Sufferings Death Buriall his Crucifying with Thieves Resurrection All as punctually fore-told by the Prophets as related by the Evangelists afterward who were Eye-witnesses of them 4. The manner of enjoyning the Doctrines therein contained Meerly the Authority of the Speaker Thus saith the Lord Hear the Word of the Lord c. Other Writings go about to move men to entertain them by the strength of Naturall Reason so did the Philosophers It 's said of Plato that when he read the first Chapter of Genesis he used these words Hic vir multa dicit nihil probat 5. The Scriptures enjoyn many things which are contrary to reason That a man should deny himself Mat. 16. 2. That when we have done all we can we are unprofitable servants that a man must trust to the righteousness of another that he that will be wise must become a fool that he may be wise that he that will save his life shall lose it c. This makes the Apostle say 1 Cor. 2. 14. That a natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit c. 6. The Scriptures doe prescribe not onely Laws for the outward man but for the heart also Thought is free from the cognizance of human Laws but not from this Law Curse
Controversies of Religion we are finally to appeal to the Original Texts as being immediatly inspired of God but yet are Translations useful and the very VVord of God by which a Christian may fight as confidently and as successfully against Satan as if he were able to produce the Original Text. Gods goodness is to be acknowledged in giving gifts to men to draw this Sword for us and to give it us in our own Tongue Exhortation It should put us upon these things 1. Let the word of Christ dwell in you 2. Vse richly in all wisdom Col. 3. 16. Labour for an exact knowledge in the Scriptures that you may be skilful in this word of righteousness It s said of Apollos that he was mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18. 24. The better you are skil'd in the Scriptures the more able you will be to defend your selves against your spiritual Adversaries To this purpose these two things are to be considered 1. Take heed of those deceipts whereby the Devill endeavours to take you off from this study vid. Mat. 13. 9. 2. Make use of such helps as may further your knowledge in them 1. For Satans deceipts they are such as these 1. He sometimes perswades men that the study of the Scriptures doth not belong to them Ministers indeed should study them but private persons need not trouble themselves with this study I shall therefore lay down these following Arguments to prove that the study of the Scriptures belongs to all persons viz. 1. The subject matter or the things contained in the Scriptures do appertain to private persons as well as to others Every man is interested in the Doctrine which the word of God teacheth The knowledge of God of Jesus Christ of the Fall of man of the way of his Recovery the Doctrine of Faith Repentance obedience are to be known of every person that would be saved There is not any kinde of life any relation into which such persons enter but the peculiar and special duties belonging to it are laid down in the Scriptures There is the duty of Magistrates of Ministers of Parents Children of Masters Servants of old young of the rich and poor c. All persons are bound to the obedience of the duties the Scriptures command and to abstain from the sins the Scripture forbids Ergo. 2. All men are to be judged by the Scriptures after this life I mean all that live where they sound Such as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law but such as have sinned under the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. 2. 12. yea and by the Gospel as well as by the Law Rom. 2. 16. This is that which our Saviour saith John 12. 48. Now every man must come to judgement for himself Ergo its necessary that he should know that word by which God will judge him 3. The word of God is directed to all and every man that lives where it is published The Law of God was given to all the people of Israel as well one as another Hear oh Israel the Lord our God is one Lord the writings of the Prophets were sent to all the Members of the Church Isay 1. 1. The Apostolical writings were dedicated to all and every one of the Members of the Church Rom. 1. 7. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified c. 2 Cor. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints that are in all Achaja The like you will finde in the dedication of all the other Epistles Eph. 1. 1. Phil. 1. 1. The Saints and Bishops are promiscuously mingled together 4. An Implicite faith will save no man in the day of Gods appearing The just shall live by his faith Rom. 1. 17. Hab. 2. 4. Every man is to have rejoycing in himself not in another Ergo our faith must not stand in the judgement of man we must have grounds of our own for every matter of practice and for every Doctrine of faith c. 2. Sometimes he takes men off from the study of them by the obscurity and difficulty of them They are perplex knotty c. Those that are most able wrest them to their own ruine c. 2 Pet. 3. 16. Against this design we should consider four things 1. That although some places of Scripture be dark obscure c. yet those things which are fundamentally necessary to salvation are plainly and familiarly laid down that the meanest capacity may understand them As there are great deeps wherein the Elephant may swim so are there fords where the Lambe may wade 2. That the obscurity and difficulty of some places should rather perswade us to the diligent study of them The true ground of the difficulty of some places in Scripture is to prevent nauseating and loathing of them by men of large apprehensions there 's work enough to exercise their understandings 2. To raise our hearts to the admiration of the infinite wisdom of God the Authour of them 3. To excite men to be more diligent in the study of them III. That as many wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction so many are ignorant of them to their own destruction The Lord will come in flaming sire to render judgment and vengeance to them that know not God 2 Thes 1. 8. Ye err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God 4. That obscurity which is in the Scriptures doth not arise from the nature of that which is affirmed or from the intention of the person affirming but either from the ignorance or wilfulness of him that wrests it 3. Sometimes he takes men off from the study of the Scriptures by shewing them the wicked practices of such as are so much for the Scriptures Are there any sort of men more loose c Against this design we should consider these things 1. That there are some who by the studying of the Scriptures are enabled to mortifie sin and live holily Their lives are exemplary c. 2. The loosness and sinfulness of some who study the Scriptures ariseth not from the knowledge of the word of God but either from ignorance of it or want of practising it It is not because they know what they should do but because they be not careful to do what they know II. For helps to attain to the exact knowledge of the Scriptures take these 1. Be careful every day to read some part of them Frequent-reading of them will make us exact in them Alphonso King of Spain read over the Bible 14. times with Lyraes Postils And Austin writes of Antonius a Monk that having no learning by hearing the Scriptures often read got them without book Boyss Post p. 178. vid. Acts 17. 11. Let no day passe without reading some part of the word of God 2. Careful Meditation This is chewing of the Cudd. Meditatio sine lectione
hoofs for hardness Thirdly Satan tempts us frequently he is every moment spreading his Net and laying his Snare to intrap the Soul he takes every opportunity to assault us ergo we should take every opportunity to defend our selves against his Assaults 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your Adversary goeth about continually seeking whom to devour Himself saith Job 1. 7. That he is continually circuiting and going up and down to destroy T is not one Arrow that will secure us against such frequent and reiterated Temptations He made three Assaults upon our Saviour in a little space of time Mat. 4. init and when he left him it was but for a season Luke 4. 13. 2. He that would overcome must use all kind of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is diversly distinguished In regard of the manner of performing it it is either 1. Mental or Vocal Mental prayer is when the heart onely prayeth without the voyce such was that of Moses Exod. 14. 15. Such was that of Hanna 1 Sam. 1. 13. These are mutae preces tamen clamantes Vocal Prayer is when the desires of the heart are drawn out into verbal expressions such was that of David Psal 5. 3. Psal 64. 1. 2. Either with others or else solitary with our selves alone Prayer with others is either more publike as in the Congregation or more private as in the Family Solitary prayer is when the Christian enters into his Closet retires himself from all company and then powres out his desires to God such is that our Saviour enjoyns Matth. 6. 6. Such was that of our Saviour Luke 5. 16. In regard of the matter Prayer is either for the obtaining of good things this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text or else it is for the diverting of evill which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now all kind of prayer must be used by him that would overcome Temptations He must pray privately and publikely mentally and vocally c. Every kind of prayer hath in it something which is more peculiarly excellent which is not so excellent in any other kind of prayer Publike prayer excels in one kind private prayer is more excellent in other respects Nehem. 2. 4. Mental prayer in some respects excels vocall in others In publike prayer there is more strength vis unita fortior In private and secret prayer there is less distraction There is in the publike more Communion with Saints There is in the private often more Communion with God less interruption incumbrance c. Satan useth all kind of Temptations and therefore we should use all kind of prayer The whole vertue of prayer lies not in any one kind but in all kinds 3. A Conquering Prayer must be in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This hath four things in it 1. It must be in the Spirit and not onely in the outward man So the Scholiast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must not be a work of the head or hands or eyes onely but chiefly a work of the heart Prayer is called the powring out of the soul 1 Sam. 1. 15. The powring out of the heart Psal 62. 8. The lifting up or stretching out of the soul Psal 25. 1. We read indeed of the lifting up of the hands Psal 28. 2. Of the lifting up of the eyes Psal 123. 1. Of the bowing of the knee Ephes 3. 14. These are fit and convenient postures to manifest the inward affections of the heart but the main work of prayer is in the inward man Quod cor non facit non fit Satan is a Spiritual Enemy Satans Temptations are Spiritual Temptations and therefore prayer will do no good against him which is not Spiritual God will never honour a prayer with victory over Satan which is onely a bodily service yea prayer without the heart drives God away and brings temptations into the soul It will never be a Satan-conquering but a self-weakning prayer 2. Prayer in the Spirit i. e. Zealous and fervent not cold and faint So 't is used in the Scripture Rom. 12. 11. A cold faint prayer will never prove a Conquering-prayer 'T is fervent prayer that is the effectuall prayer Jam. 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such have been the prayers of the victorious servants of God Such was Jacobs prayer Gen. 32. 31. compared with Hos 12. 4. Such was the prayer of Elias Jam. 5. 16. compared with 1 King 18. 42. We read of striving in prayer Rom. 15. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrastling in prayer Gen. 32. 24. Labouring fervently Col. 4. 12. Praying exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 3. 10. Powring out a prayer Psal 102. tit Lifting up a prayer Esa 64. 7. Stirring up our selves in prayer Esa 64. 7. All which expressions note ardency Satan is not cold but servent not faint but zealous in his Assaults he fights against us in his Spirit that is with all his might and if we do not pray in the Spirit we shall rather encourage him then get the Victory 3. In the Spirit that is in sincerity Spirit is used in Scripture in opposition to hypocrisie Joh. 4. 24. Ambrose expounds this of purity of heart and integrity Hoc est in Spiritu semper â—rare mundâ conscientiâ fide integrâ precem ad Deum dirigere In carne enim orat qui pollutâ mente orat A prayer proceeding from an impure heart is like rotten Arrows against an Enemy which will neither wound him nor kill him Hypocritical prayers shall not be heard of God Psal 66. 18. Nor shall they be fear'd of Satan Satan is not hypocritical and in appearance but real and in good earnest in his temptations and so must a Christian be in his prayer that means to overcome 4. In the Spirit i. e. By the help of the Holy Spirit The Saints have this happiness that the Holy Ghost makes intercession in them with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. Now he prayes in the Spirit that prayes by the help and assistance of the Spirit he that acteth the Graces of the Spirit in Prayer Faith Hope Heavenliness c. Some deride Prayer in and by the Spirit Satan is a Spirit and no prayer will put him to flight but that which is framed in the heart by the Holy Spirit of prayer It is not the gift of Prayer but the grace of Prayer which gets the day 4. A Conquering Prayer must be a watchfull Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is required as a necessary Qualification of Prayer Mat. 26. 41. There is a two-fold watchfulness in reference unto prayer 1. A watchfulness unto prayer Of this we read 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be ye sober and watch unto prayer A watchfulness in prayer Of which we read Col. 4. 2. Watch in prayer with thanksgiving He that would overcome Satan by prayer must do both these He must watch unto prayer that is 1. He must have the thoughts of