not the outward name which is like a charm to charm Serpents But a faithfull opposing of Christ his merit his Love his Faith his Obedience to all that can be said And if all objections that thy heart can make be all true if they be thousands thou needest not be afraid of thy Inditement For the laying of Christ against them in the Ballance will still all As a man having a Declaration against him or an Indictment declared by some Lawyer or cunning Sophister Alas How is this man put to it to make his Answer with shifts and evasions But if he have a Pardon in his bosom he would confess guilty without fear for here is the Broad seal Here is that that puts a man out of doubt So here If conscience object all thy new and old sins that thou hast done from time to time and thou goest any other way to make good thy matter to thy conscience and not to Christ thou shalt be put to shifts with a great deal of fear to make thy answer to thy Conscience But now lay Christ in the ballance do but plead him and there is a full acquittance And if conscience object old and new sins now by faith lay Christ against these and no more If a man be upon a rock the waves that beat against it break themselves but drown not him Because he is upon a rock So when a man goes to Christ and hangs upon him by a pure faith these objections break themselves to pieces upon him A little water it may be may dash in his face but he need not fear drowning For the setling of thy self in such a case as this by faith set thy self before God in the confidence of the love of Christ and of the obedience righteousness and mediatorship of Christ alone set thy self before God in the consideration of Christ only If a subject dares not come before the king to contest with the king concerning his loyalty yet if the pardon be proclaimed then he dares come because of the proclamation So do thou If thou darest not come before God in respect of thy sins yet come because Christ is proclaimed And now you put the case to another issue for now you do not put your selvs upon trial but you put God upon trial whether he be true and faithful or no according to the word of promise which he hath delivered in the Book of God and so in stead of putting thy self upon trial thou puttest God upon trial whether he will keep his word or no. And it is a work of faith for a man to stand before God in the Love which he bears to Christ and in the acceptance wherewith God accepts Christ and in the wel-pleasedness wherewith he is well pleased with Christ I stand not now before God in the way wherewith he is well-pleased with me but in the acceptation which God bears to his son John 17.26 And I have declared to them thy Name and will declare it that the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them that is That thy very Love to me may redound and be efficatious upon them Here 's a matter that puts a man out of quarrels and Objections 3. If so be you see an imperfection and ebbe in your graces then by faith put into Christs hand the managing of your graces for as the custody and keeping of those graces which we have do belong to Christ so doth the welding of them by Christ make them vigorous He can make a little grace a little faith do great things make a mustard-seed cast a Mountain into the Sea Dependance and resolution by faith on Christ is that which makes a man strong when Christ holds the plough then there is no balk made Peter had Faith when he denyed his Master but he had it in his own hands and it faints but not fails Christs prayer and looks did stir it up again Habituall grace is in a man But assisting grace helps a man to act do I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. and 2 Cor 4.1 As we have received mercy we faint not These assistings are called Grace with me 1 Cor. 15.10 And Hebr. 4. ult Grace to help in time of need This is that which bears you up for when habituall grace is without assistings it soon fails as you may see in Adam 4. Look up to Christ alone to bear the iniquity of your holy things for he is our High-Priest that is to bear them To him therefore flie for we are compleat in him Col. 2.10 And if the work of Sanctification in us be imperfect the blood of Christ is absolutely perfect and they are coupled together 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and Sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ c. So much for the General Now I come to answer the particular objections briefly The first Ground of this fear 1. Thou fearest thy state and questionest thy conversion Because thou hadst not so extraordinary a work at thy first Humiliation not such a breaking by the Law as some others have had But by intermixing fits and a soft way Therefore thou fearest I answer It s good indeed for every man to make proof of his state whether he have Christ or no 2 Cor. 13.5 But yet we must not prescribe God a way in what order and Method he shall bring us in The manner and violence of Humiliation is not essentiall to the bringing a man into the state of grace nor it is no matter whether God open the door with an oiled Key or break it to pieces so he open it For the end of Humiliation is the ingrafting of Christ saving grace into the Soul And it s no matter how the plough go so the corn growing on the Land be as good And no matter for the manner of Humiliation look to the End look to the Issue look to the fruit of it If God have not broken thy heart with the Beetle of Humiliation but thawed it more gently thank God for it God made two Mediators Heb. 12. Moses a typicall Mediator to fear and quake exceedingly and Christ the true Mediator to sweat drops of blood and be in a pittifull agony Luke 22.44 And therefore if God gives thee the sight of sin in the Sweetness of a Father in the sweetness of a Saviour more then in the wrath of a Judge And if thy tears have flown more from sorrow of Love then from sorrow of fear If he have given thee a new birth in gentler pangs it may be as true Onely take heed to one thing that is that the sweetness of Christ in his dealings make Christ as sweet to thee as thy sowre sins would have done it Peradventure if thou hadst had some remarkable note of Humiliation of Soul thou mightst have rested in some such
house before he manifests his abode there So that now he may be under Gods hand in forming him and yet not know his interest in him for the present 2. This not knowing may be in a man formed regenerated by reason he may be 1. Of a cavilling spirit and see such infirmities in himself as he thinks are not accompanied with the Spirit of grace And secondly by mistaking when the poor soul looks upon sins of intrusion as sins of admission and dominion Or thirdly because he wants that perfection that he would or should have And by looking upon some places of Scripture he sees he wants that which the Scripture calls him to Now in his apprehension he is not a son of God but this cannot conclude him so Secondly The second troublesome thought Another thought or doubt that riseth in the heart which troubles the poor soul as the text speaks is That Christ hath left him cast him off will not shew him any more mercy nor come again to him indeed it hath felt Christ sweet and comfortable those were happy dayes But now alas Christ is gone and he fears he will never come again And this was in the disciples in some measure as appears by the plaister to the sore administred by the Soul-Physitian It is I saith Christ And in another place Let not your heart be troubled John 14.1 And vers 3. I will come again and take you to my self that where I am there ye may be also And vers 18. I will not leave you comfortless How will that appear Why I will come to you So John 16.4.5.6 He sheweth that the thought of his absence filled their hearts with sorrow The hiding of Gods face troubles the poor soul extreamly Job 34.29 If he give peace who then can make trouble but if he hide himself who then can behold him c. Psal 30.6 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled So saith David Psal 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me how long shall I take counsel in my soul having sorrow in my heart daily The apprehension that God hath hidden his face fils the soul with consultations and distempers for those that do afflict themselves oftentimes harp upon this string they are forlorn and forsaken like the Stranger Isa 56.3 The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people And like the Eunuch I am a dry tree Why so why the spirit is so dead and so unwildy in holy duties so loose and base he can bring his heart to nothing Sure God hath left him I am a dry tree saith the Eunuch no sap of grace all comfort is gone And thus the poor soul crys out To speak to this case first I will reprove this And secondly confute it This case spoken to 1. By way of reproof 1. Let me reprove it 1. Why shouldst thou be more cruel to thy self then God is challenge thy self when God doth not Zach. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of small things God doth not Because thou art weak to conclude thou hast nothing this argues but a heady peevish spirit Psal 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee This conclusion was his headiness and haste you see 2. Consider thou hast enough to do to nourish thy heart against just sorrow and fear Thou needst not nourish unnecessary fears Christ saith Sufficient to the day is the sorrow of it thou hadst not need add more Maâ— 6. Dost thou think conscience of sin is not matter enough but thou must add want of comfort to it take heed 3. Check thy self as the Prophet Psal 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted in me For by entertaining these discouragements thou laist a block against thy own mercy and where wilt thou have cure God will not work peace but by the co-working and accepting of thy own conscience Therefore herein thou art cruel like the Ostrich and worse then the Sea calf 4. Take heed Thou maist sink thy spirits so low that thou maist lose thy self in sorrow Extream passion takes away sense that is certain And as a man may be drowned buried lost in pleasure so in sorrow Isa 38.15 I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul See how Hezekiah was lost in discouragement take heed that you do not unfit your selves for spiritual joy when God shall send it 2. By way of confutation Secondly Let me confute thee Thou saist I am cast off I have no grace of God no hope of mercy and here thy soul is tossed and clouds over-shadow that rise thick one after another Thou mistakest thy self 1. Consider the indissolvible nature of the love of God man thou canst not break it Hos 2.19.20 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. And mark the Lord saith not in THY loving kindness But MY loving kindness c. While God hath any of these he cannot break So Rom. 4.16 The promise is sure to all the seed So that we cannot shake our selves out of the state of salvation because the business is acted in God and built and stablished in him 2. Consider that as Gods grace is mutual so Gods judgements are mutual If ever he choose thee he gives thee a heart to choose him And if he loath thee he leaves thee to a heart to loath him Zach. 11.8 My soul loathed them saith God and their soul also abhorred me So that if thou have not cast God off and saiest that man shall not rule over me If thou continue with God in duty he hath not yet cast thee off For he that God casts off frets and fumes against the Commandment whereas the Soul that is humbled admires the Commandment but comes short of it as Paul Rom. 7. The Commandment is holy and just and good though he came short in walking up to it 3. Consider God taketh on by casting off why then doest thou say thou art cast off Gods death is a way to life I mean that God giveth thee over to death on this fashion Canst thou say I am cast off from God why this very complaint sheweth thou art taken on For desertion is a part of Gods discipline Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their iniquity and seek my face God casts off that they may cleave to him 1. Sam. 14.14 God respecteth not any person yet doth he devise means that his banished be not expelled from him The woman sent by Joab to David to speak to him about the bringing Absolom back she pleads it from Gods manner of dealing with his banished
work and have grown secure afterward and the want of such a thing perhaps may make thee more watchful afterward whatsoever course God did take to bring thee to Christ make the best use of it and it is the best for thee Scripture proofes that Christs converts differently But some may say will the Scripture shew that Christ brings in men to himself after different manners and measures I answer Yea It is clear by Scripture And for it Consider these things The word of God which is the ordinary means of †Rom. 10.14 mans conversion is compared to rain Deut. 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the dew my speech shall distill as the rain as the small rain upon the tender hearbs and as the showers upon the grasse So Heb 67.8 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryers c. Now Rain cometh sometimes by sudden dashes sometimes more mildly like dew sometimes great drops and sometimes small sometimes fals violently is quickly over and sometimes more moderately and holdeth longer And if the ground be throughly soak't its no matter it may as well be by a mist Gen. 2. as by great showers So the heart may as well be mollified and softned by the Lords blessing in gentle drops distilled upon it as by a violent storm Our Saviour in Mark 4.26.27 seems to speak of somes conversion and growth in an insensible way the words are these So is the kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground Seed that is The word of God vers 14. Into the Ground that is into the man or heart as the parable before clears it And should sleep and rise night and day and the seed should spring up he knoweth not how Mark here is effectuall workings the seed takes place yet in such an insensible mild way he that sowes it knows not how which could not be if all that are converted to God were brought over by such violent storms as some are We read of Paul strucken down by strong hand Acts 9. But where do we read of any such conversion that Timothy had 2 Tim. 3.15 saith Paul From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to salvation c. Luke 19. Christ called in Zacheus at once come down at once for to day I must abide at thy house Luk. 15. But the prodigal was fain to be starved out by degrees Some may be in such a case as they may be mightily presst at and wounded in the heart others may have the word dropped in more gently by gentle instructions as the Eunuch Act. 8. We read not of any such heart-breaking Rock-renting tempest that he had and yet faith truly wrought To conclude I conceive all that the Lord brings in he doth it by the blowing of his spirit John 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it comes nor whether it goeth So is EVERY one that is born of the Spirit But whether it be a winde to break the Roks or a still winde whether a high winde or low gentle puffs that is in Gods choise whether a North winde or South-winde as Cant. 4. ult Awake thou North winde and come thou South blow upon my garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Mark it thou canst not say thy Spices flow not out because the North winde blows not The South may make them flow out as well The second ground of fear 2. Thou saist Thou hast some peculiar sin̄s that hang upon thee and have hanted thee a long time omission of duty Pride Lust Passion c. I Answer thou canst not conclude thou hast no grace therefore nor thy state naught because of this Gods servants have had corruptions hung long upon them yet true converts The Prophet Jonah had passion hung long upon him And Hebr. 12.1 There is mention made of the sin that doth so easily beset us What meaneth the weights that hang on and the sin so easily besetting us but that it continues long what means the continuance of the combat between the flesh and the Spirit but that corruption hangeth long See how Paul exhorts the Collossians Chap. 3.5.6.7.8 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleaness Inordinate affection Evil concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry For which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience In the which ye also walked sometime when ye lived in them Mark They had walked in these and now did not live in them and yet they hung upon them still were not quite dead for he exhorts to mortifie them And ver 8. And now also ye put off all these Anger Wrath Malice Blasphemy Filthy communication out of your mouth Lye not one to another c. These Collossians were Saints Coll. 1.2 Yet these things were not wholly put off And Christ saith to his Disciples Are ye also yet without understanding Matt. 15.16 Importing ignorance hung long and Joh. 14. Have I been so long time with you and yet thou hast not thou known me Philip * Jonah was so selfish that he rebelled and fled to Tarshish And yet after God had broken him in hell how did his selfish passion hang on him again Iohn 4.1.2.3.9 But note this though thy corruptions hang long and be as pricks in thy side pierce thee and pain thee yet a sincere heart laboureth to make profit of his corruptions and infirmities What 's that 1. These occasion his godly sorrow as Paul Rom. 7.24 complaining of the evil that was present when he would do good and the law in his members rebelling and of sin dwelling in him and leading him Captive cries out ver 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death See how low thoughts he had of himself because of this 2. By these Christ is sweetned to a sincere heart and by them Christ is kept within the veiw of the soul to keep the heart near to Christ Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Jesus Christ So then with my minde I serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of sin Mark here how precious and sweet Christ is made to the soul by the consideration of these corruptions 3. Here is some comfort though they stick long if God maintain the combat within thee The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh So that ye cannot do the things that ye would ye cannot saith the Apostle Gal. 5.17 If God keep them from raigning there is some comfort Rom. 7.25 With my MIND I serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of sin His minde was upon the Law of God There is force in sin as
God You that have been so intimate with Christ that have had so much experience of Christ did not I tell you that after three dayes I should rise again have not you formerly had sweet Communion with me strange Why are ye troubled But I take it to be a gentle reproof Again consider whence those thoughts arose from themselvs not from Christ from a principle of their own hearts for it was in their hearts that they rose and from their hearts Christ said peace be unto you but they arose from their own suppositions and mistakes as appeareth from vers 37. They were terrified and affrighted and supposed they had seen a spirit The words shew also the certainty of these beleevers or Disciples trouble of mind by the Ingemination of the Question Why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts he doth not say are ye troubled and do thoughts arise but why is it so Implying a certainty I hope the words are cleared up I come now to the observations Doctrinall observations And first from the Interrogation Why are ye troubled c. Whence observe a truth implicitely infolded in the words that is this That the Saints of God the Disciples of Christ even in Gospel times are subject to trouble of mind distemper of spirit 2. Why are ye troubled and why c. Christ asketh them the reason of it shewing it was not from him Whence observe again That it is not from Christ but principally from a beleever himself and his own heart that he is so much troubled as he is 3. From the ground of their trouble Thoughts or doubtings that arose in their hearts I observe again There is corruption enough in the heart of every beleever if it did but shew it self to trouble him and mightily distemper him Rom. 7. Paul telleth us sin dwelled in him and when he would do good evil was present and the Law in his members rebelled against the Law of his mind and now see how it troubled him vers 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Many wonder that beleevers should be troubled in Gospel times Why so Are beleevers free from the stirring and moving of corruption and so long as unbelief opposeth faith and the flesh lusteth against the spirit is it any wonder to see them troubled 4. From the Ingemination or doubling of the Question Why and why I note That it behoveth a Christian in trouble of spirit to observe the ground whence it riseth 5. Why are ye troubled Why see vers 37. It was a mistake for they had cause to have rejoyced because they were not acquainted with the manner of Christs appearance at that time they utterly mistake and make contrary constructions of his appearance Whence I note That many times the Saints and people of God are mightily troubled and perplexed in their hearts and spirits when they have cause to rejoyce and be comforted 6. From the generall That Christ reproveth them for it and laboureth to help them against it as appears ver 38.39.40 And he said unto them why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see me for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me to have And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet I observe again That Christ would not have his people tire themselves and burden themselves with lying under discouraging thoughts to trouble and affright their own hearts with doubtings and discouragements Or thus Christ would not have his people lie under discouragement of heart He reproves it here and helps them against it John 14.1 Saith Christ to his Disciples Let not your heart be troubled there was cause enough a man would think Christ â—elleth them he must suffer and they should all be scattered from him and Peter should deny him that night It was like to be a sad time yet saith he Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be affraid vers 27. So Mar 13.7 Be ye not troubled when you shall hear of this and this So also the Scripture is clear Isa 56.3 Neither let the Son of ihe stranger that hath joyned himself to the Lord speak saying the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people neither let the eunuch say Behold I am a dry tree Let them not say so saith God as if he should say Let them not say so saith God as if I had cast them off or had no mercy for them So in the 42. and 43. Psalmes Why art thou cast down Oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me See how the Spirit of God guideth him to debate the business why there was such a hurry in his heart Christ would not have his people do so Hebr. 12.5 He would not have them forget that exhortation that speaketh unto them as to children My son despise not thou the correction of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him I shall a little follow and clear up this point for the incouragement of drouping souls whose hearts languish under terrours Reasons And I shall shew reasons for the confirmation of it and they are of two sorts That he would not have them discouraged 1. Reasons to shew that he would not have them discouraged 2. Why he would not First That he would not 1. It appeareth from the frequency of the promise you can hard ly read any part of the word but you light thick and threefold upon the promises Now if God would have had his people to lie languishing under sorrows and perplexing themselves with thoughts sinking under discouragements he would never have left such store of promises upon record for them as he hath done Consider what a promise there is John 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Methinks this should bear up the heart God will not leave you Orphans for so the word is in a destitute sad helpless condition as usually Orphans are and Isa 51.12 I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die c. Mark I am he and who art thou As if he should say who art thou that thy heart should sink under such promises when not another but I am he that is thy comforter I beseech you poor souls do but consider how God doth inculcate and urge his promises to his people to chear them up Isa 41.9,10 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called thee from the chief men thereof and said unto thee thou art my servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away here is sweet incouragements But mark now Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the
souls All their offices are exercised for the effecting and carrying on of grace 3. It is against Gods Covenant For God undertakes our part of the Covenant for us where we are short Isa 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit and leadeth thee in the way that thou shalt go Jerem. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Hebr. 8. I will write my law in their hearts and put it in their inward parts And I WILL be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest for I WILL be merciful to your transgressions and your sins and iniquities I will remember no more 4. It is against Gods glory take things rightly He hath pronounced the glory of his justice against the unbelieving world already John 3.18 He that beleeveth not is condemned already And hath reserved the glory of his grace for his elect people he cannot have the glory of his grace from Reprobates It is the glory of his grace to save poor humbled sinners I came not to call the righteous but sinners to Repentance For righteous men grace cannot act upon them It is no grace to give a righteous man his wages Again to take a rebellious Sinner into grace and let him remain rebellious is not grace for Gods countenance cannot look upon iniquity to approve of it Hab. 1. But grace is to shew mercy to sinners That is poor humble repenting beleiving sinners such as stoop for mercy Now here it is grace So that God must either glorifie his grace in poor humbled sinners or have no glory of his grace Therefore it is against God 5. It is against the work of God his work of creation in thee and for thee Isa 65. But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Man God never gave thee a new heart that thou shouldest alwaies let it lie bleeding with distracting thoughts and discouragements but to rejoyce I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy 2. Use of reproof of those that discourage themselves The 2. Vse is of Reproof And it is of those that discourage themselves by harbouring and entertaining discouraging heart-breaking thoughts as Christ disciples here why do thoughts arise in your hearts And herein I shall endeavour to propound cases that are troubles and discouragements to the hearts of many And to answer to them both by way of reproof and discovery of the mistakes which are the ground of such troubles and also to lay down some grounds of incouragement for troubled souls So that this use will be both of reproof of instruction and incouragement And herein I shall mention some of those thoughts that do distract and distemper the people of God for it is impossible to speak to them all particularly they are so various according to the various manner of Sathans working and laying his snares and engines to intangle poor souls This tree of discouraging complaints hath multitudes of branches and appearances which would be an endles work to go about to cut and prune them off one by one Therefore I shall speak to the root of them and endeavour to cut of those spurs that spreading into and fastning upon a poor soul feed all the branches of this bitter tree that makes the soul cry out there is death in the pot The first discouraging thought The first discouraging thought that troubleth a godly soul Oh saith the soul I am none of Christs none of Gods I have no interest in him am not in covenant with him cannot call him mine as others can do I cannot find the witness in me testifying to my heart as others have done God seals not to my spirit as he hath done to others I pray for it and long for it but cannot come by it Therefore how can my heart choose but be troubled and thoughts arise in it To this case let me speak a word or two Who told thee that thou wast none of Gods did God ever say so in his word or did the spirit of God ever witness such a thing to thee No thou canst not say so The Spirit of God witnesseth Adoption and not destruction And if Satan or thy own heart tell thee so they are both deceitfull And therefore A necessary observation First know that to know ye are Gods children or interested in him is not the first round in the Ladder of Christianity The Prodigals course was not first to know whether his father would receive him and entertain him as a Son or a servant but he resolves to go and confess his sin and unworthiness and cast himself upon his fathers mercy The Apostles in planting Churches first preached faith in Christ simply But to beleevers they prest them on to further assurance 2 Pet. 1. vers 10. Strive to make your calling and election sure A direction Therefore this do If you know not your selves to be Gods go and present your selves as objects of the grace of Christ 2 Cor. 1. For all the promises are in Christ as spokes fitted in the wheel Therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8.32 If God have given us Christ how shall he not with him also freely give us all things I say present your selves before God as objects to be wrought upon that God would make you sensible of sin and give you a longing desire after Christ Rom. 8. For God hath his spirit of bondage to rough-hew you as well as his Spirit of Adoption to pollish you Now when God hath thus fitted thee go offer thy self to Christ and the promise with Assurance But what assurance Not of thy person as if thou wert already Gods for it may be thou hast not yet the Seal but assurance of the promise made to thy condition Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled So that if thou canst not present thy self before God as a Son present thy self before the promise of God as a lost man And so presenting thy self before God with relation to the truth and sweetness of the Promise it may be thou shalt find Faith flow out of thy heart to imbrace the promise for when the heart is emptied it is best fitted to receive free grace for first God gives the Faith of the promise and then the good of the promise must be received by the faith of the promise I mean it redounds to a man by vertue of that To the point then You say you are none of Gods To be Gods and know it I answ The best state is for a man or Woman to be Gods and know it 2. The best next is to be Gods
and know that you are the Sons of God and heirs of God and Christ Which Spirit of testimony is gotten by faith in Christ by viewing eying and surveying Christ For because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts whereby you cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Whose office is to attest ye are Christs So that here the office of faith is to look upon Christ and eye Christ that so we may receive the seal For a man must be a beleever else he cannot be a son but being a beleever and so a Son then comes the Spirit and witnesseth the same Object But this witness you speak of now this immeditate testimony may deceive also It may be some false fire cast in by the Devil as well as the other Answ The witness of the Spirit of God as it is the Spirit of God will alwayes clear it self by this That in the witness it gives to a soul it alwayes advanceth God and Christ in the eye of the Soul and it alway ripens and nourisheth sanctifying graces in the soul and makes them go glib like oyl to the wheels It makes our Faith Love Patience Humility Hope Self-denyall Joy c. whereby we walk with God as green and flourishing as flowers in the spring or as corn fields after a sweet shower Note Bastard-illusions of the Devil do alwayes tend to bastardends and do alwayes bring forth bastard-effects such as lift up a man with pride or boulster them up to maintain errour either in Life or Doctrine But this knowledge of a mans self to be Gods reacheth forth to God and acteth his spirituall habits sweetly 2 Cor. 5.1 We know saith Paul that if this earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens we know it saith he And what effect had this upon their Spirits Why see vers 9. Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him This is far from that opinion that a mans knowing himself to be Gods worketh security no this makes a mans heart obey God as a Son And be sure the Devill in his counterfeit workings and witnessings will never draw the soul to God to aim at him but still to center in himself or to turn aside to errour or sin And this is to fight against himself and overthrow his own Kingdom which he will never do A caveat But now take heed of thinking your selves to be Gods when you are not for there is the danger to conceit your selves to be Gods when you are not Now ye may go long in this by reason of some counterfeit workings by reason of some Convictions or joy or common receiving of Christ ye may take your selves to be Gods when you are not But here you may bewray your selves if you will but search For 1. you may perform duties meerly to maintain your signs for a man may keep a course in a form of godliness to maintain his reputation with himself to maintain his signs that the heart shall not easily tax them to be rotten When a man hath not his end to enjoy walk with God so to be Gods 2. He may bewray himself by his desires after the fruits of the Spirit they may be earnest and if these desires were not in him he could not maintain his signs To desire graces as they are beneficiall to me and not for the service of them that I may come neer to God and seek them for him rather then for my self this is deceitfull I fear the reason why God gives not assurance to many a man that seeks long and earnestly is because a man seeks for himself and not for God Like the Bee that goeth into the field to seek honey to eat but brings it not into the Masters hive A man may be Gods and not discern it Secondly A man may be Gods and not discern it for these are distinct Ephes 1.13 In whom also after that ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Mark after ye beleeved ye were sealed 1 John 5.13 These things have I written to you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternall life and that ye may beleeve on the name of the Son of God Mark the speech here I have written unto you that do beleeve that ye may beleeve What 's this Why you that beleeve with a faith of Adherence that ye may come to assurance which yet ye want that ye may KNOW that ye have eternall life Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts whereby ye cry Abba Father First ye are Sons and afterwards cry Abba Father by the Spirit The being of a man in Christ goeth before his knowing he is so in order of nature for a thing must be before I can know it else I know a lie A Child must be the child of such a man before he knoweth he is so So it is in our spirituall relation Therefore ye cannot conclude ye are none of Gods because you want assurance for the present for ye may be Gods and know it not Object But some may say This is to preach liberty for every man may say so Answ I answer not so For this which is in such a child of God as doth not know it by clear evidence yet it is working and differeth him from all others in the world The seed of God hath a two-fold work in such a one 1. It maketh him an obedient man Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darkness and hath no light Mark A child of God though he be in the dark yet he fears the Lord and obeys That though he knows not himself to be Gods yet he would walk with God in every duty though he have chains and fetters oftentimes to hinder him yet in every duty there is a principle and tie of obedience yea and such as is mixt with Love For he seeth God lovely and that draws his affections to him and makes him willing to serve him though he be not sure of him 2. Though such a soul do not discern it self to be Gods yet it is acccompanied with earnest longings and earnest seekings of the manifestation of his face to him So that though he cannot yet make sure his Calling and Election yet he gives all diligence to make it sure as Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1. and that because he would be more usefull to God Herein a true Christian differs from all the idle and neuter professors in the world Why a man may be Gods and not know it Now a man may be Gods and not know it for these causes 1. Because he is in forming and fashioning for God for Gods Spirit that dwelleth in man makes ready the
was discovered to them then they saw it was of God These were works of the spirit as the event did shew But they saw them not for the present till the further work of the spirit did manifest them Then they saw all these to have been of the spirit So if a man have a work in his heart that he can make little of I would counsel that man to follow on to see what will come of it afterward for it may be after some other work of the spirit he shall perceive it though for the present he see it not Particulars how to discern the spirit in duties Now for particular discerning of the spirit in duty 1. Doest thou find thy heart fashioned or in fashioning to a personal love of Christ a personal union with Christ himself The Spirit of God is the Factor for Christ the Spokesman between Christ and the heart to treat the marriage So that herein the Spirit presents Christ as all fair the chiefest among ten thousand as Can. 5. His love and reign and Kingdome is presented to thee in a glorious shew Now with this dost thou find thy heart in fashioning to a desire of Union to consent to marry with such a Husband I say to a personal love not of his benefits but him first and then to all his benefits To take him as God gives him Rom. 8.32 If God have given us his son how shall he not also with him freely give us all things When he is such an object that thou canst leave Father Mother Wife Children Liberty Life and all for his sake At first there may be self-love but in time every spiritual man will rise to a personal love of Christ himself and not only his benefits 2. Doth thy heart and the word thy heart and thy petitions go together and comply so that thou art taken and much affected with the sweetnes of Christ And some sentence of Scripture or prayer that carries thee out of thy self when thy heart complies with it suddenly and strangely I mean art thou wonderfully ravished and carried out of thy self desires and ends to God and for God It argues the spirit 3. Are there any graces set a work evengelically in thy heart Love Humility Sincerity or the like That is If thy Faith or love be set a work by the love of God to thee Doth the fresh presentings of the love of Christ to thee in thy duties freshen thy love to him and thy graces in thy heart This is an Argument of the Spirit When our hearts give Eccho to Gods voice Psal 27.8 When thou saidest seek ye my face My heart answered Thy face Lord will I seek This was the Spirit of God that thus sets the heart a work to Answer to Gods voice 4. Are your hearts moved from the feeling of the experience of the love of Christ to give your selves to Christ again in duty This is the Spirit of God For the heart cannot be carried directly to Christ for Christ but by the Spirit of Christ 2 Cor. 12.9.10 And he said my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ might rest upon me Therefore I take pleasure in Infirmities in Reproaches in Necessities in Persecutions in Distresses for Christs sake See here is doing or undergoing any thing for Christ And mark from what ground even from experience for when I am weak then am I strong 5. Observe the manner of the combat which the heart hath against the world or the flesh or any beloved sin There may be a Combat in wicked men between sin and shame Between conscience and fear of Hell between desire and fear Therefore mark when sin draws thee with what weapons thou fightest against sin Is it the love of God that makes thee thou wilt not sin Dost thou say I will not because I love God is thy heart drawn to God Evangelically Here is the Spirit lusting against the flesh not conscience against sin The manner of the fight shews whose the fight is For the Spirit of God causeth a man to set the love of God and the promise of God as the only Arrow against sin Here it is evidenced to be the Spirit 6. A man may know the Spirit by the discovery of sin for the Spirit may evidence it self in an humble discovery of sin as well as joy in working the heart to self loathing It discovers spiritual sins bye and base aims and ends secret and by respects when a man looks asquint from God secret and by turnings of the heart that never came into the eye of the world I say the discovery of sin is an excellent work of the Spirit Ezek. 36.31 I will pour upon them my Spirit saith the Lord And what then Then shall ye remember your waies and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations To discover sins so far as they are a detestation to the heart so far as they are a bar to the raigning of Christ The fourth troublesome thought is a mans questioning the truth of his conversion The fourth thought that riseth in the heart and troubleth it is this whether his translation into the state of grace be in truth or no whether he hath the sound work of regeneration or no For saith the heart there are many semblances and shaddowes of grace True faith and false True love and false like on another false Samuels ni Samuels mantle And if a man seriously weigh himself his good against his bad His sanctification against his corruptions His obedience against his rebellions and blemishes his faith with his distrust and his new work with the old man remaining If he weigh this he sticks and cannot tell which is the heavier in the ballance But as presumption and pride makes a man think the best of himself so many times when a Godly man is humbled especially when a grain of Melancholy is mixt with it it makes him think the worst of himself And hereupon a Godly man many-times questions himself and thinks all 's naught with him And so he questions whether his grace be grace or no And now his heart is troubled and doubts and discouragements rise in it Grounds of this thought Now the ground of these discouragements in this kind are such things as these 1. He saith He cannot say nor see That he was brought in to God at the first by any remarkable work of Humiliation or by any such conversion as will witness to it self by any hand of God as some others have been Therefore he begins to Question his graces 2. He finds some peculiar sins and corruptions that hath hung upon him long and hath haunted him a long time whither they be omissions loosness of heart c. that hath haunted him a long time And hence he is troubled and
in a Tyrant But the law of sin commanding obedience that is not in a man in whom Christ is And while the fight is maintained thou maist be said to conquer though thou beest conquered He that is born of God sinneth not 1 John 3.9 For sin hath not his will but committeth a rape upon him Thus while thy infirmities are caused by the Lord to work good in thy soul they may be counted a wholsome poyson †But take heed of sinning for this end that 's wickednes Rom. 6.1 And all these infirmities cannot be said to break Covenant with God while they do not force the heart to yeeld to them And though they be troublesome to thee yet God hath said Hebr. 10. He will remember them no more The third ground of this fear 3. Thou saist thou hast discovered new sins which thou never sawest before yea after a long time in the state of grace and thou knowest not but there may be more behind undiscovered And so thy state may be bad I Answer It may be so that thou hast discovered new sins that thou sawest not before but let me tell thee the sight and knowledge of sin is good though sin be not For it may be a sign that knowledge and light increaseth in thee and that softness of heart increaseth in thee It is not an argument that sin increaseth but that light and softeness of heart increaseth For if thou seest more sins then formerly thou sawest thou discoverest but what thou wouldst know And that doth not argue thy state is naught no more then it did Jobs Job 13.23 How many are mine iniquities and sins make me to know my transgression and my sin This proved not his state nought For its good for a man to discover one after another that he may deal with them singly as it were And it is good to see them single I though it be after a long while if it be but to keep a man out of love with his own heart and it may be occasion of new humblings Quest But was it ever so with the Saints of God Ans Yea there was passion discovered in Job after a long while in the state of grace Job 3. So Jeremiah Chap. 20.14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born c. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my Father saying a man child is born unto thee c. yea and resisting God in his work in resolution at least ver 9. I said I will not make mention of him nor speak in his name c. And ambition was discovered in the Disciples of Christ after they had been long with him in a familiar way Matt. 18.1 They strove which should be the greatest a corruption that we see not breaking out before And Peter had self shewing it self in him in disswading Christ from his sufferings and his denying his Master a new sin that he fell not into before And his dissimulation for which Paul reproves him to his face Gal. 2. yea and Barnabas that son of consolation fell into that dissimulation that I never read was charged upon him before When Jonah said I do well to be angry to death was not this new with him did you ever read he did so before So Davids Adultery and plotting Vriahs death Who would have thought such corruptions should have ever started up in Jeremiah as we read of in Chap. 20. of his prophesy It doth not follow that because new sins shew themselves therefore your standing in the state of grace is not right A mistake cleared For 1. It appears the saints are in danger of falling into new sins by all those Scriptures and examples mentioned before and also by all those Caveats laid down in Scripture wherein they are bidden Take heed beware c. 2. The Saints have a subtle Adversary that will not cease to lay baits in their way with all the willines that may be And they may be overcome before they be aware as it were Gal. 6.1 If a man be OVERTAKEN with a fault c. And if new sins discover themselves then there is new occasion to go to Christ make that use of them 1 Joh. 2.1,2 These things write I unto you little children that you sin not but if any man sin we have an Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins c. 4th ground of fear 4. He findeth his heart many times loose in spiritual duties his thoughts roving and ranging abroad when they should be kept close to God by thoughts hanting him and coming thick upon him c. Therefore sure he was never right I Answ So it hath been with many of the Saints of God that find themselves in a state of grace Keep thy heart with all diligence what need such an Exhortation if the heart were not ready to be roving Rom. 7. Saith Paul I find THEN a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me THEN when Why when I would do good then Heb. 12. Ye have forgotten the exhortation c where were their thoughts then when they for gat it And so we are oftentimes commanded to remember shewing that thoughts are very apt to be roving The Apostle saith Col. 3.1,2 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above c. Set your affections on things above not on things below Which shews the heart and mind and thoughts and affections had need be called together they will be stragling Rev. 3.3 Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and Repent And truly God may suffer this to be to take off your trust from your duties and graces and hearts that you may plant your trust in God alone through Christ And to shew you the difference between the Spirits managing of your graces and your own managing of them that so you may plant your faith in Christ alone And therefore if you find your hearts deceitful and loose do not conclude presently that you have no work of grace in your hearts for those loose by-thoughts may rise from some other causes Causes As 1. For want of consideration what a Majesty the presence is that thou art in for if we did seriously consider that we are in the presence of the King of Kings the All-seeing God that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reyns it would make us more serious A man would be afraid of playing with a Feather while he is speaking to the King 2. It may be thy affections are very cold and chill when thou comost to duty and for want of Love being inflamed thy thoughts rove for be sure if thou take Christ as thy treasure thy heart will be upon him Mat. 6. Love will make you mind the thing loved as David Oh how do I love thy law It is my meditation all the day Mat. 6. Psal 119. 3. For want of watchfulness and vigilancy we are too apt to let the
grieved the Spirit and neglected Christ for trifles small matters of the world c. And did net Jonah do so For a little credit to run away from God and for a little ease to be so angry as he was were not these trifles And this was Martha's fault to neglect hearing Christ for these outward things being cumbred about businesses And this was Aarons and Miriams sin in murmuring against Moses because of their estimation a poor busines And Aarons sin in making the golden Calf a trifling Idol to grieve the Spirit of God both in himself and others Causes of this And let me tell you there may be other causes of this distemper and not because thou art not truly converted 1. Because security may seiz upon the spirit sometimes desire to be at rest and ease Cant. 5. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Now she neglects Christ and yet his Spouse 2. Because the things of the world are such bewitching alluring things and the Divel is ready to present them to thee in the gloriousest shew as may be as he did to Christ Therefore Christ for the present is neglected 3. For want of a clear and more full manifestation of the Excellency of Jesus Christ As Paul before he had a clear manifestation of Christ he trifled about legall priviledges and duties but afterwards he counts them loss for Christ Phil. 3.7.8 The last ground of fear 12. Thou complainest Thou hast found thy heart apt to take Liberty and to be loose when occasion and opportunity hath suited to thee when thou mightst be secret from the eye of man close in private Therefore thou concludest thy state is not right and thou art troubled This some of the servants of God have found As David when he saw Bathsheba washing her self how loose was his heart on a sudden in inordinate lust after her And saith he Ps 19. Cleanse me from my secret Sins such as never come into the sight of men And because of this I conceive there are such Caveats to shun the very baits and occasions to sin As a man inclined to whoredom and lust see the advertisment Prov. 5.7 c. Hear me now O ye children And depart not from the words of my mouth Remove thy way far from her that is the whorish woman and come not nigh the door of her house Lest thou give thine honour unto others c. and so he goes on to vers 14. To shew the danger of occasions to that sin So Prov. 23. Concerning Drunkenness vers 31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red when it giveth his colour in the Cup when it moveth it self aright Why Why thou mayst be catcht with it thy heart being loose And saith he At the last it bites like a Serpent and stings like an Adder Our Saviour knew how apt the hearts of his Disciples were to be loose Therefore saith he Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and the cares of this life And take heed and beware of covetousness And take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie And saith Solomon keep thy heart with all diligence Now what need all these Caveats if the hearts of Christians were not apt to run aside and be loose And this comes to passe oftentimes 1. Not for want of Grace because the man hath no grace but for want of watchfulness and diligent observance to give the heart to God and to walk in his wayes Prov. 23.26 33. My Son saith he give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes And then he shewes if it be otherwise the Danger of whoredom and drunkenness And saith vers 33. Thine eyes shall behold strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things 2. Because the Devil is a cunning diligent Adversary to lay his baits to deceive at every turn 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant for your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon goes about continually seeking whom he may devour So that now I would have you to remember that Gods thoughts are not your thoughts nor Gods wayes your wayes If God had as low thoughts of poor Christians as they have of themselves many times there were good Reason they should be troubled But saith he As high as the Heavens are above the earth so high are my thoughts above your thoughts and my wayes above your wayes Isa 55. and howsoever you may cry out as Zion Isa 49.14 The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me yet consider what the Lord saith I know the thoughts I have towards you thoughts of peace and not of evil The Lord make his poor troubled people know them and then their hearts will settle FINIS In regard I was absent When my former Book was Printed there are many faults escaped in Printing and no notes of correction Printed And for some weighty reasons moving me thereto I desire here to note the chief of them that alter my sence of things which in the Sense they go in I shall not own The Title of the Book is A Way to Sion sought out and found for beleevers to walk in c. PAg. 62. lin 22. for resolved r. relieved p. 97. l. 16. f. all r. of p. 115. l. 34 f. all Christ r. after this p. 120. l. 32. f. glorified r. gloried p. 125. l. 1. after only add Then this ministring must be meant of Deacons only p. 128. l. 17. f. Original r. Organic p. ib. l 35. blot out but only and instead thereof r. And. p. 176. l. 28. f. dead r. weak There are many other faults but being more easily espied by the ingenuous Reader I here let them pass without giving notice of them
Questions his conversion 3. He hath Discovered new sins and corruptions which before he did not observe after a long time in the state of grace And finds new ones which he did not know of And he knows not but there may be more behind And so fear ariseth 4. He finds his heart many times loose in spirituall duties the thoughts thereof roaring and ranging this way and that way when his heart should be kept to God By-thoughts come thick upon him as motes in the Sun and he is as sure to be haunted with them as to find his shadow in the Sun And hence he is troubled 5. He doth not find that growth in the Inward marrow of Religion that should be in him answerable to his time and means of knowledge For though he grant he hath grown in Knowledge and some externall parts and gifts as utterance and the gifts of Prayer and Prophesie c. yet he finds not that he is grown in Spirit and inward acquaintance with Christ 6 He finds the exercise of his graces Faith Love Patience c. failing sometimes when he hath most need of them And that the Disposition of his heart in the cause of God sometimes fails comes short of that activity that should be in it And the exercises of his graces in putting forth are many-times stained 7. He cannot attain to something that he sees in other men that peradventure were after him in Christ and are inferior in gifts yet he cannot attain to that life of Grace he sees in them nor to that Humility nor Love nor desire nor resoluteness for truth nor self-deniall nor Heavenly-mindedness And hence he fears his condition 8. He finds he enjoyes God least many times when he sets himself the best about it and goes about to fit his Soul to entertain Christ as in fasting c. 9. He hath hurt the Cause of God when God hath brought him upon the stage to have done something for God perhaps to have suffered for God And upon this questions the truth of his grace 10. He hath oftentimes relapsed it into the same sin which formerly he hath pursued with particular sorrow and grief And prayed and resolved against it and this troubles him 11. He hath grieved the Spirit and neglected Christ for trifles for smal matters things of the world vain pleasures c. 12. Lastly He hath found his heart apt to take liberty and to be loose when Occasion and opportunity hath suited to him when he might be secret from the eye of man close and hath had an opportunity to enjoy his self-pleasure he hath found his heart loose And from such like grounds as these he is many-times cast into reasonings and Questioning the truth of his state whether his conversion were ever right and so he is troubled How to setle a man oppressed with this thought Now for the setling of a mans state that is thus incumbred And to cut of all Questions and disputes which the heart of man may breed What if there may be a shorter course taken for the setling of a mans heart then to stand weighing of a mans Graces and corruptions together for though the least piece of money hath some distinct stamp upon it that a man may know it from a Counter And every grace in a mans soul hath some mark of truth upon it Yet I say what if there be another course that a Christian may take when his own heart raiseth storms in this manner to take another course to clear it from such Rocks and Shelvs And that is Generall propositions tending to the peace of such a soul In these Cases And in all these Cases to go immediately to Christ by faith And to cast your selves upon him yea to cast away your selves upon him not so much as questioning what shall become of you but to go out immediately to him Yea I say though your hearts be full of deceit and Hypocrisie yet I would go out for all this and intrude upon Christ as I may say by an impudent kind of beleeving and say thus Lord If my graces give me no comfort Christ shall And say thus God hath laid in Sion for a Foundation a Stone a tryed stone a precious Corner stone a sure Foundation Isa 28.16 And he that beleeveth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Now there must be a course taken to keep the heart from wrangling For some may say what is this to beleeve in a Stone That is to be in and to be by faith built upon Christ And by faith to lie fast in the fast lieing of this Stone And in the fast levelling and laying of this stone would I lie fast Friends If your Graces yeeld you but a little comfort then presently flie to Christs person and personal offices I would have you flie from your sins to Christ and I would have you flie from your graces to Christ too For he is the Boat to receive you both from damning sins and imperfect graces for the Alsufficiency of Christ needs not thy graces to make it perfect as if he could not save thee without the perfection of thy graces Thus doing thou shalt honour Christ above and sweeten him more then thy own graces And if at any time thy heart wrangle thee out of thy graces yet let it never wrangle thee out of Christ If thy graces be a quagmire that thou shake upon them then Christ is a Stone lies firm A man may trust too much upon his graces but he cannot trust too much upon Christ A man may take too much hold upon the Mil sailes for a man may take so fast hold he may be turned about but not upon the mil-post Learn the use of Faith which is of singular use to carry thee out of thy sanctified self to live out of thy self to build out of thy self to carry thee by faith and hope out of thy self to Christ Gal. 2.20 The life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me See how Paul lives here not by any thing but faith in Christ I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live saith he yet not I Lest any should think he lived upon his graces and sanctification He addes But Christ liveth in me Now lest any should dream that there is no other Christ then the creature hath within in graces qualifications c. he explains himself And the life that I live in the flesh I live by the FAITH of the Son of God And truely If a mans heart will not be setled this way it will scarce be setled any way Four considerable things Now for the use of faith in this case there are four things considerable 1. Whensoever thou art thus puzled labour to lay Christ in the other end of the ballance against all objections that thy heart can make This is the shortest cut that a man can make to plead Christ yet