not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works So in that day will many plead at least in these days they think such pleadings will serve the turn Was not I born of Christian Parents Baptized into such a faith lived all my life time under such a Ministry professed the Gospel of Christ as the rest of my friends and neighbors did believed the word of God and do verily believe it is a truth from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelation And who can considering this once doubt of my eternal welfare But know that notwithstanding all this thou wilt surely miss of it for if thou hast no better plea Satan will come in against thee saying Thus If this man and this woman may have salvation on such terms as these why may not I I was no common drunkard or an adulterer I have known the Scriptures from first to last yea have addrest and profest the common Historical faith in all ages yea I have been as an Angel of light in all forms and through all times And yet notwithstanding my belief and my profession I must have no favor for I look for none and why should this person or that person have any more favor then I who had but like faith as I Common professors in the fear of him whom you do profess if ever you look for favor in that day do not flatter and deceive your own souls by thinking Lord Lord for a man may be a Gospel-professor yea a believer of God his Word his Truth and yet so unsound in the faith that this sentence may be his Depart from me I know you not ye workers of iniquity Matth. 7. 23. CHAP. IV. That most mens faith is no better then the faith of Devils 3. AS the Devils have an Historical faith they do believe so most mens faith is no better then the faith of devils For the proof of this I need carry your thoughts no further then the Text for mark Thou believest that there is one God that is at large and in common as most of the world do Have a name to live but are dead A prophane life and a vain conversation makes all thy profession vain and fruitless as the verse following the Text clearly tells you Faith without works is fruitless and for all thy glorious profession thou art but a vain man so saith the text But thou wilt know O vain man that faith without works is dead for though the devil believes to a base end and thou sayest thou hast faith to a pretended good end yet if thou attainest it not but instead thereof hast eternal torment what art thou the better nay rather how much art thou the worse They that run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So many are runners by common profession but it is the saving faith onely that obtains it is not a profession of Christ but the enjoying of Christ and living and loving of Christ that puts into a true account beyond the devil But doth not the Text put a commendation Obj. on such a faith when he saith I do well Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well This is that which unlocks the Text and tells you the meaning of the Apostle Answ therefore this doing well is not by way of commendation but of aggravation As if he should say Thou thinkest it well but as well as thou thinkest of it I will give you an instance of as good if not a better but it is the basest that I can finde it is not from heaven but from hell from the devils The devils do believe and tremble Thou hast a large profession so hath the devil he hath seemings as well as men have and therefore he is said To transform himself to be an Angel of light and when he doth thus he is most a devil So when a man professes for God but inwardly acts for Satan what is he better if seemings be good in Satan it is good in wicked men but if base because without any fruits to God much more in thee whose fruits are for Satan notwithstanding thy profession But it may be said This is harsh to couple Obj. mans common profession to the faith of devils Is there not several sorts of Faith as Historical Temporary and faith of miracles a belief of the letter and with the times and a wonder working faith as the Apostles had and of which sort the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 13. 2. That if he had all faith so that he could remove mountains yet if not charity all is nothing and this the Text imports in those words Faith without works is dead The Question answers it self for had we Answ all these sorts of faith yet saving faith in Christ is the one thing necessary and prize thy education and thy common profession and all thy outward priviledges yet if thou hast not saving faith the devils may be said to believe as well as thou for They believe and tremble Some do make a threefold difference in believing A believing of God a believing De Deo Deo in Deum to God and a believing in God But assure thy soul nothing but saving faith Christ being in thee and Christ being for thee will ever administer any true and solid comfort And if nothing else what will it profit me if I have the faith of the times and faith of wonders yea and all knowledge of which latter the devil hath abundance surely no more then he that gains the world but yet loses his soul a miserable and wretched bargain That wicked men may gather this truth more clearly and tremble to know That most mens faith is no better then the devils I will in a word or two give you the parity and the disparity wherein the faith of Devils and the Common faith of men do agree and wherein they disagree CHAP. V. Sheweth wherein the belief of common professors and the belief of devils agree and disagree I Shall begin with the disparity unlikeness or disagreement betwixt the common faith of men and the faith of Devils The first difference lieth in this that the devils are without hope but common professors are not the devil knows himself to be reprobated never to be approved before God but man thinks he shall And I will not say otherwise so long as there is life there is hope but take heed this hope make thee not ashamed through a false faith Lay hold therefore of present opportunity study to be approved The devils saith Jude Verse 6. Are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day Many there be that live without God in the world but pretend to have faith the devil hath faith too the Text tells you He doth believe but he doth not say he hopes and our usual saying is If it were not for hope the heart would
break And know assuredly that without spiritual hope thy soul will everlastingly perish 2. Though the devils do believe yet they can have no repentance But man in his false faith may be said to have some sort of repentance Faith sometimes as it is taken for knowledge may check the conscience A common professor may have flashings and sorrowings as Judas had who was a profest disciple of Christ But this sort of repentance profits no more then his faith which onely makes a gilded outside like the powder in the pan of the musket it often fires but will not go off So they that have common faith may often fire but never go off to mortification because all their faith is but the fruits of the flesh but not the fruits of the spirit But now this sort of repentance the devil cannot have but he is seared and hardened though James tells you he doth believe it is possible for man to finde repentance but the devil cannot 3. The difference between the common faith of professors and the faith of devils 2 Thes 2. 11. is in this man may believe a strong delusion in a lye that is in the devil the father of lyes How many are there in the world that hold the truth in unrighteousness makes no question to have happiness without holiness make no question to be saved but makes no conscience What a strong delusion is this that while the devil believes things certainly and man believes the devil tempts to make him miserable and yields unto all his corruptions and yet makes no doubt to be happy Thus for the disparity betwixt the common faith of men and the faith of devils Secondly take also a word wherein the belief of men and devils hath a kinde of likeness and agreement 1. The Devils beleive Gods soveraignty as well as most men God is powerful infinite able saith the common professor this will the devil acknowledge too man believes that God is unity so doth the Devil thus the text is express Thou believest that there is one God this harmony of faith have the Devils They believe this and tremble 2. Man believes the Scriptures to be the word of God that is thou art a common professor and thou assentest unto this that God is true and that the Scriptures are the written word of God and all those several passages therein contained as of the Creation Redemption from Adam to Noah from Noah to David from David to Christ from Christ to the several transactions of the Apostles yea thou believest this very text to be a truth Why all this and much more may it be said that the Devils do believe that they do believe the history of the word and something of the mystery of it may clearly be gathered from his tempting of Christ Matthew 4. 6. 3. Grant that thou doest believe that Jesus Christ dyed to save sinners the Devil believes this too because he seeks the destruction of souls And saith the Apostle 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil It seems the Devil made close work with the hearts of men that none but Christ could save the devil believing mends his pace to destroy Grant therefore that thou hast not onely a historical faith but also a temporary faith thou followest the times wherein thou livest in believing according to the Doctrine and Custom may be thou risest high in thy notion and professest the highest and choicest things yet know thou stil mayest not be said to believe more then what the devil may be said to believe for without question he follows the fashion and suits himself to the faith of the times in all ages he tempts under the Law as under the Gospel and as the time grows shorter and his kingdom weaker so the Devil is more strong and more subtil this may be cleared from that of Rev. 12. 12. The Devil is come down unto you having great wrath that is in the days of the Gospel more especially at the end of the world the Devil bestirs himself having great wrath and what is the reason because he knows he hath but a short time the devil knows that happiness and a crown of glory is laid up for the Saints and that judgement and torment is for himself and for all his servants upon this knowledge he rages most in the last times Thus much for the third thing to be opened before I speak to the last suffer something by way of Use and Application CHAP. VI. Containing something by way of Application from the first branch in the Doctrine IF it be so that the belief of most men is no better then the belief of the damned then let us fall to serious examination of every one of our own hearts what our faith and profession is This is matter of great concerment and the most subject to self-cousenage Men will believe no further then most believe and most believe no otherwise then the Devils believe Search and examine what faith you have for this is a truth from Scripture That the Devils do profess as well as men and that most mens belief is not better then the Devils Say then to your own hearts as the Disciples to Christ Mat. 26. 23. when Christ told the Disciples that one of them should betray him they presently put the question saying Master Is it I So say of a truth most mens profession is no better then what the Devils have and what is mine amongst the multitude of Professors Give unto the Lord a ground of that hope that is in you for he cals for it by vertue of this truth Come in thou Creature for I have given you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons Come speak thou common Professor Thou makest thy boast of God saying thou dost believe but know so do the Devils thou fearest with a slavish fear so do the Devils thou boastest of historical and temporary faith but if thou findest no more thou wilt fall short of heaven and happiness Thou art as yet but as those foolish Virgins Mat. 25. that thought to be saved by profession for they went under the notion of Believers and it is very probable they had historical and common faith for they had lamps but they had not oyl they had not the fruits of the Spirit and therefore could have no entrance Examine therefore what thy faith is for most go for Virgins that have a name to live by common profession but an evil and an adulterous generation are such that have not the signs and seals of the righteousness of faith which is only by Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. You that content your selves with this common belief of men know your Companions What though thou hast gotten ten thousand Notions yet if thou wantest the fruits of the Spirit of Grace which is saving Faith within thy heart thou art yet but in thy unregenerate estate and thou sittest but in
the same form with the Devil he is the first in wrath because he is thy father but thou art as yet no better then a child of wrath because thou art not begotten again by a lively faith a faith that is active and full of love and longings after Jesus Christ who is alone within the soul the hope of glory It may be thou hast lived thirty forty or fifty years but what Faith hast thou It may be thou hast lived under the teachings of Christ and under the offers of grace and peace and reconciliation this is more then ever the Devil had and yet he hath as much faith and knowledge as thou hast if thou hast not saving sanctifying faith for the Devil hath a faith of Time and Ages and if thou hast not learned beyond him thou must not sit above him take heed thou art not thrown down to him or below him What the Papists say of their Church that men must believe as the Church believes so may it be said of the generality of professors only not by such a necessity but such is most mens practise That they believe but as the Devil believes and in a sense many must give place to the Devil even in believing at leastwise in obeying But know as you are Companions here to believe alike so take notice that without saving faith thou must live alike in torment It is very like but that Servant was within the pale of profession Luk. 12. 45 46. he had a tongue to say I am a Believer and make no question of heaven and happiness but in his heart he said My Lord delays his coming Here is a profession of one God as these in the text had yet the Lord of that servant may come in an hour and cut him asunder and give him his portion with unbelievers 3. If the common belief of men be no better then the belief of Devils only in the aforementioned differences as that the Devil is without hope without repentance and both these are annexed yet to the life of man from the Bowels of mercy while it is called to day beg earnestly at the gate of the bountiful God for mercy and true faith beg Heaven to cleanse thy leprous soul of lust and sin and to give thee saving faith that thou mayst outstrip the Devil before thou dyest For if thou hast all knowledge and all faith so that thou couldst remove mountains yet all this is nothing without Christ be in your hearts by faith Say therefore as he doth in the Gospel Mar. 9. 24. Lord I believe help my unbelief I have a common profession but what will this profit me The Devils do believe and yet are the first of unbelievers I believe Gods soveraignty that Christ dyed for sinners yet Lord I believe help mine unbelief And that this may be from thy heart consider these few particulars 1. Consider what will profession profit thee if thou attainest not the end of it They that run if they do not attain it is no prize but rather a trouble Men by professing and not attaining will come home by weeping-cross for as there will be nothing due so there will be a heavy loss the loss of Heaven the loss of God his glory thy own salvation Consider therefore so to run that you may obtain the end of saving faith which is the salvation of your souls 2. Thou hast sins of Commission that are enough to condemn thee the least of them being charg'd upon thee and without faith in Christ all must be charged But yet consider if thou couldst diminish sins of Io. 3. 19. Commission what wilt thou do for sins of Omission This will be the condemnation that light is come into the world but men love darkness more then light And because thou didst not believe thou didst not love thou didst not savour of the grace of God Consider thy want as well as thy wickedness If thou wantest a heart-love to Christ in the best of all thy professions and performances thou art but as a sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal 3. Consider what abundance do profess how few there be that shall be saved There is but a little flock that need not to fear the enjoyment of God and his kingdom Luk. 12. 32. but there is a multitude that do profess that think they shall attain but the Devil will as soon because they have not filial fear in their profession nor saving faith the fruit of the Spirit of grace within their hearts Compare but that of Isa 10. 22. to the practise of the world and certainly it may make thee look about For though the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant of them shall be saved This Paul quotes in Rom. 9. 27. and makes it applicable to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews This also let Professors now consider for though I dare not forbid any to hope yet I am afraid that through common and National profession most will miscarry 4. Consider the character of the last times There will be but a little Faith but abundance of Profession Every one takes it for granted that we are in the last times and in those times it 's remarkable to have but little faith and love but without question never more profession but it is most false and as cold as mens charity which is very significant to be now for in these dayes of ours never was there more profession of the Christ of mercy and the Christ of love but never more coldness and deadness to shew works of mercy and love to one another And this is no wonder for when men are wanting to their own souls in a lively and sound faith no marvel they are not wanting unto men in a cold and frozen charity Men love the world more then Christ and his members though they seem by profession to have a love to both Joh. 3. 19. yet they rather are in darkness then in the light because their hearts are evil 5. And lastly consider the deceitfulness that is in our own hearts For what is most mens security but even the name of Christianity and the heart loves to have it so All is well thinks the common Professor if he hath been baptized into such a faith or rather into such a formality brought up under such Parents lived under such a Ministry and accounted of the Parish-Church a member then they think as well as the best This is most mens security and this is Satans subtilty to deceive the hearts of men The Devil hath wrought a notable and cunning design in the world to make people believe that if they be accounted Christians and in common in such a Parish that all is well and that they are Christians indeed and members of the Church as well as the best But let us not deceive our selves nor our souls in being such outside Jacks in Religion and Gods service and worship for all are not Israel that are
of mirth But now how constant are they in sable their eyes bedewed with tears their hearts with sighs fears and dismayings begirt them round about Well Christians God the Father and Christ the Son takes notice of it Saith Christ Ioh 14 1. Let not your hearts be troubled but rest depend rely Ye believe in God believe also in me Though the wicked rise high in their false and fleeting joy yet know believing soul Christ is for you and the Sera certa vindicta Dei Father is for you And though he comes slow yet he comes sure yea he hath engaged himself on your behalf given you his promise Ioh. 4. 18. and his hearty love is in it I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you And this is not only Christs but the Fathers express too Fear not be not dismayd I will help thee I will uphold thee c. And now what 's the matter thy soul is still cast down thy heart so full of sighs thy eyes so full of tears Come hither in the name of Jesus I summon every ingenuous drooping doubting Christian to bring in all your fears all dismayings yea all objections let them be what they will Here 's that in the Text will answer all let the souls necessities be what they will If the Father of comfort can help if the God of consolation can cure thee if he that trod the wine press alone that led captivity captive and triumphed over death and hell yea if Christ the right hand of Gods righteousness can sustain thee all this in this Text is held out unto thee for so the 14. verse tels thee Fear not thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel Compare this but with the Text and you may clearly gather the scope of the Holy Ghost is to set out the tender care and zeal of God the Father and Christ the Son to stop the current of fears and dismayings which are so incident unto his Church and people This truth speaks Moses Exod. 3 7. Thus saith the Lord I have surely seen the Videndo vidi certò seriò affliction of my people and I have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters for I know their sorrows If God take such acquaintance with his people while in the land of Egypt when the child is in darkness what doth he do the Child being light in the Lord Jesus In the Text you have him like a husband who knowing his wives weakness and mistrustings will lay in symptoms of his love to take off jealousies and fears Though I am abroad saith the husband yet still I am with thee I am at home my Love and my care is still for thee So saith the Head and Husband Jesus Christ unto his Church Thou harbourest fears and jealousies of my love thou thinkest I am like a wayfaring man staying but for a night but know my love is constant and my care is tender believe it and be comforted I give you no such cause of jealousie and fears The world thinks thee a poor go-by-the ground as one forsaken A worm and so is ready to tread on thee But for my part I am thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel fear thou not but chear thy heart and free thy heart from these dismayings for I am with thee I am thy God c. Thus doubting Christian does thy Head and Husband lay in symptoms of his zeal and realities of his love as Paul sayes to the Colossians c. 2. v. 5. Though I am absent in the flesh yet am I present with you in the spirit c. So says Christ unto his Church and to every believing soul Though I am absent yet I am present and I joy in thee why shouldst not thou joy in me However do not fear be not dismayed Mark how kindly he speaks it as if he would take near and dear acquaintance with thee communicating himself in the life of all relations Were I with thee but as a Lord thou being my servant or as a friend I counting you my friend as at the 8. verse where he sayes Thou believer art my servant the seed of Abraham my friend this were enough But now when God is with thee not only as a Lord but as a friend not only as a friend but as a favourer not only as a favourer but as a Father yea as a Head as a Husband as a Redeemer yea combining all these in one I am with thee what a sweet pledge of love is here Who would be dismayed or rather who would not be in love with such a Love whose presence is fulness of joy Psal 16. 11. In thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand pleasures for evermore Why this gracious presence is about every Believer I do not say glorious And it is the same right hand which if evermore pleasures do attend it why should ever and anon fears and dismayings so affright it Have you not seen the ingenuous Mother sitting up with her beloved Child suckling and feeding it to quiet the crying and complainings and in the swooning fits laying the head in her bosom the child in her lap begirts it round with her arms saying Peace my child thou shalt not fall why dost thou faint c. Just thus is God our Father in the Text you have him as it were sitting up with his Church and people in their swooning state putting his right hand of righteousness round about offering of it wine and milk I am with thee why dost thou faint Be not afraid my Babe of grace thou Petty fidian Having me by thee what wouldst thou more Therefore be not faithless but believing be not fearful but be chearful I may do as the Nurse doth sometimes she takes away the stool that the Child may close and clink more fast to her hand So may I says God who am a Father and Mother both to a fearing Christian I may take away all outward supports on which thou art so apt to lean but if I stand by thee my self and support thee with the right hand of my own righteousness be not afraid be not dismayd And that God does all this is very clear in the face of the words yea and that he might fasten this upon every believer do but mark how the Lord avers it over and over again I will strengthen thee I will help thee yea I will uphold thee As if he should say If you had but my bare word you may believe me but if yea and yea and yea will serve turn you may perceive my heart is in it too Yea poorest believer to take off thy feares and troubles my bowels yearn I am in the earnestness of my affections and that 's the reason I double and redouble my expressions Therefore fear thou not nor be dismayed I am with thee I am thy God And thus much for the scope
clearest Spectacle So Heaven it is a great volume but to every believing soul it is contracted into a very small print so that though the Creature put on the choisest Spectacle of Reason he cannot read a word and the Christian though he hath on the Spectacle of Reason and that which is suited to the Print which is Grace yet he can read but darkly yet read he can but 't is obscurely with ifs and ands fears and doubtings And what 's the reason Because he looks through an infirm medium But now put but off or rather put but on the Spectacle of Glory and then we shall see face to face know as we are known Yea and the sum of this the Apostle speaks in that 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we see through a glass darkly but then when the eye of faith is opened to fruition we shall see face to face c. CHAP. IV. The second Excellencie The Lords presence proclaims comfort And what will not this do against fears and dismayings SEcondly Although the fearing soul The Lords presence speaketh comfort to believers against fears and dismayings doth not see this special presence so beautiful and so full of splendor yet know that for the answering of all thy fears and dismayings it shines forth abundance of comfort And thus I charge all you that are the beloved of Gods soul to make use of it for thus God is present with you on purpose to administer comfort to you by his Spirit which Spirit is no less then Gal. 5. 22. love and joy and consolation And what will not this administer against all fears and dismayings 1. First what will not the love of God Gods love is in his presence administer Canst thou say by experience that earthly things administer comfort and refreshment to thy body and shall not Gods love much more refresh and chear thy fearing soul All earthly comforts are but Wine and Wine may chear the heart as the Psalmist speaks Ps 104. 15. But now the love of Christ is ten thousand times better and the Spouse finds it more sweet Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then wine Now this love of God is with thee by this special presence And if the love of earthly relations as of Father Husband Wife can administer comfort what will not the love of my heavenly Father and Christ my Husband who hath loved me with an everlasting Jer. 31. 3 love Yea when this love is round about me yea such a love that passeth Eph. 3. 19 2 Cor. 5. 14. knowledge Yea such a love that is about Saints is above Angels a love of an attractive sweetness not straitning but constraining the soul to comfort against all fears and dismayings 2. Though the love of God may administer enough comfort yet in this I am Gods kindness yea loving kindness about Believers with thee there is not only Gods love but Gods kindness yea his loving kindness And what will not the loving kindness of a God answer The kindness of a faithful friend is much but the kindness of a Father that 's more But what is this to the loving kindness of a God David tels you it is better then life Ps 63. 3. Thy loving kindness is better then life And he speaks this when his straits were as great as thine can be He was in a bewildered condition yet the loving kindness of the Lord administred comfort above life And that his loving kindness is round about thee by his special presence mark how familiarly the Lord speaks to thee Fear thou not for I am with thee As if he would lay all in thy lap whereby thou mightst be comforted 3. This special presence brings special This special presence hath in it special mercy to remove fears mercy with it yea God thus proclaims himself altogether a God of mercy In this I am with thee there is not so much as a moment of anger for if he was in any way with the soul but mercy the soul might fear as if he had said I am with thee a God of terror the soul might tremble but there is not the least of terror to affright thee in this my special presence but all mercy love and kindness to stir thee up against terrors and dismayings And therefore mark how the Text opposeth all slavish fears saying I am with thee fear not And as perfect love should cast out slavish fear so should mercy take in only hope and to that soul that hopes in mercy mercy alone is about such a soul without the least of terror yea against all terror and affrighting Therefore fear thou not but be thou comforted and hope in mercy Psal 33. v. 18. 4. This special presence is with thee to It is a full joy for a fearing soul against fears comfort thee as it is a full joy and a full tyde of comfort against all thy sorrowings So that if the question should be To what end the Lord encompasseth the soul with his special presence it is that our joy might be full for in his special presence there is fulness of joy Ps 16. 11. And if we take this fulness only to be in glory why should a night of sorrow so much trouble us for that joy comes in the morning And yet being a Believer thou art not benighted Although the Sun be not in the Meridian or in his highest altitude yet he is risen and shines above the Horizon of fears and doubtings So that to you must be applied that of the Prophet Mal. 4. 2. To you that fear my name that is to the poorest believing soul shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings And what joy must this administer when these wings that overshadow thee are no less then all the saving benefits of Christ Redemption Justification Sanctification yea the entrance into glory And to comfort thee they all encompass thee with healing A precious balm for comfort and refreshment against fears and dismayings So that though the soul flag through fears so that it cannot be upon the wing of prayer unto God as Christ speaks unto his Disciples Joh. 16. 24. Ask that your joy may be full the Father doth as it were prevent the soul that is fainting with fears and brings his wings over the soul saying Though you faint and ask not yet do not doubt but fear not I am with thee and in me there is such a full joy that may comfort thee against all thy sorrowings 5. This special presence of God doth There is in Gods being with believers all support to succor against fears not only administer comfort as it hath love in it and kindness mercy and joy but it hath in it for thy comfort all strength power and support So that grant thou art feeble weak and staggering why yet if thou hast a Stander that which way soever thou reelest thou
presently believe and draw refreshment against all thy fears And for that end the Lord affords us his special presence which speaks not the least of terror but only comfort and consolation And as Christ saith Joh. 14. 19. so saith the Father by this Text My peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you Not as the world giveth which are ready to grumble and to take it away again but saith v. 18. that it may abide with you for ever And why should your hearts be troubled or afraid I am with you saith the Father and my promise is for thee at the present and see believing souls that you approve it There are three special times of fears but this special presence of God to every believing soul will answer all 1. The hour of Temptation is a time of fear when the soul is as a bird insnared by the fowler but then God by his special presence makes way for the soul to escape so that though the Tempter tempt never so craftily yet God hath so promised to succour and relieve the soul that the soul gets cost and by being thus try'd hath this crown set upon the head of it Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life A wicked man way-lays Satan as well as Satan way-lays him and being dead in trespasses and sins he is not capable what Temptation means and therefore is it 2 Tim. 2. 20. said the Devil takes them captive at his will But now Gods child he finds it to go very hard sometimes with him through temptation and he wrestles tugs and toyls which is a clear sign by his complainings that his soul is capable But fear not holy soul this Job 5. 19. is the hour God will be seen in the Mount and make way for thee to escape out of six and seven troubles Yea when thou art thus try'd thou shalt be crowned hereafter with glory and life and for the present by Gods special presence thou art pronounced blessed for Blessed is the soul that endures c. Jam. 1. 12. 2. As the hour of temptation so the hour of death this is called the King of fears and may truly be so to an unbeliever But fear not thou their fear for God is with us in this hour And though thou thinkest death to be an enemy to thee and a hard passage for thee to dispute yet if thou believest nothing too hard for God then fear thou not this hour of fear for by this special presence God being with thee thou hast no less then the right hand of the Lords righteousness and this delivers thee from death Pro. 10. 2. which is but a parallel to the Text to let us know we should not fear this hour of fear for God being with us we have the right hand of his righteousness And though treasures of gold and silver will not for that will profit nothing in that day and therefore wicked men may fear but fear not thou God is with thee and righteousness delivers from death 3. Being thus delivered from death there is no fear to thee to come to Judgment which is and will be a time of fearful fear Pro. 13. 21. to all wicked men Ah but to a child of God this is no time of fear but of everlasting refreshment Wicked men in their life time have the powerful presence of God their conscience bearing of them witness that they thus were always in his presence and they could not flie it as David Ps 139. 7. speaks but this is their misery they gave no regard to it And therefore Death and Judgment are times of fear because they have Gods fearful presence Christ appears to them as a fearful Judge and as an Avenger of all those injuries offered to him his Cause and Saints And this is the cause why they call to the rocks and mountains to fall upon them it is to hide them from the presence of the Lord Whereas Rev. 6. 16. the child of God hath the Judge his friend and Christ his Advocate and nothing is brought in against him but he himself is brought in with shouts and with welcome love and kindness And therefore believing soul since Gods special presence will own you at that great day of fears and tremblings Mat. 25. 34. saying Come ye blessed come my children come my servants See that you own this special presence now when God is with you and bids you Fear not yea and is so earnest you should believe him Be couragious doubting soul by answering Gods kindenesse saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly Lastly It may be objected Am not I Obj. bid to fear the Lord yea and is it not a Scripture precious qualification yea and that for Saints Psal 34. 9. O fear the Lord all ye his Saints and so likewise Prov. 14. 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life and the Text saith Fear not How standeth these Scriptures and such like against this expresse Prohibition I Answer The Scripture is very plentiful A double fear in scripture a slavish and a filial in a double fear A slavish or a distrustful fear a filial or a depending fear a fear as a Passion and fear as a Grace or a gracious fear The first of these is that of our Saviours warning unto his Disciples Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them that can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell But now a gracious fear is that of the Prophet Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts Wicked men are often upon this slavish fear and therefore the childe of God is called to fear not their fear Gods children must not have such doubts Prov. 29. 25. and fears and dismayings but rather flie such fears for Gods special presence about believers is perfect love And perfect love casts out fear 1 Iohn 4. 18. perfect love it may take in filial fear but not the least of slavish or distrustful fear And therefore doubting Christian take heed Me thinks I hear thy sighs and see thy tears Let not thy tears be tears of distrust or fearful sorrowing for God is with thee by his special presence forbiding any such tears or sorrows And if tears will needs flow let them be tears of kindnesse let them be like Mary's not onely Luke 7. 37 38. tears of contrition but tears of compassion if thou wilt bedew Christs feet with tears wipe them with the hairs of thy head and kisse them to let all flow from constrained love in the consideration of this special presence that God is with thee Know therefore as thou art a Believer all thy fears should be filial more for love then want and all thy tears should be joyful more from comfort then grief No men laugh louder then wicked men but this is
that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you That is If God dwell in your hearts by faith all the current of your lives will be to dwell in him by love by hope and by obedience Thus Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Here is the Spirit of Donation and of Grace sent from the Spirit of Power and Glory God hath sent So Joel 2. 28 I will pour forth my Spirit on all flesh Here is the Spirits pouring forth the Spirit namely the fruits of the Spirit which are love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith c. which Spirit cooperateth in our hearts through which we have communion in our union I shall cast all that I have to speak at this time from these words into these three Considerations 1. How may a Believer and Christ be said to be one Spirit 2. What Evidences may I have that my soul and Christ are thus in union And then 3. What benefit and income have I by being united unto Christ For so the Text imports it by way of triumph benefit and blessing to that soul which is one Spirit with Christ And in all these three Considerations I am not to speak of the Maximum quod sic or the Minimum quod sic Not of the Degrees of believing knowing that the least grain of faith doth as truly unite to Christ as the Plerophoria faith of assurance though not so strongly First How may a believing soul and Christ be said to be one Spirit I shall demonstrate this in some few and brief particulars 1. This will appear in the life of Christ and the life of a Believer Take a Believer in his birth and progress in this world in his first and in his last and still you will find Christ and Believers walking hand in hand and heart in heart they do not only close together in the final close but through Christ their whole life is a harmony joying and joyning and rejoycing in one another True it is as Musitians may have in their Descant some sharp and flats some rests and pauses yet even they set out the harmony So a Believer may have some withdrawings of divine light Christ may seem to stand behind the wall and to be estranged but no sooner doth Christ call but straight saith the holy soul Draw me and I will run after thee Can. 1. 4. And if the Saint cries I am my Welbeloveds Christ saith presently She is his Can. 2. 16. Likewise as Christ and the soul have an union in life so have they also in death and suffering If they suffer he suffers if he suffers they suffer if Christ dies the Saints die yea count reckon your selves so saith Paul Rom. 6. 11. yet with this difference Christ dyeth for sin the Saints to sin Christus non filius fuit irae sub ira Christ was not a Son of wrath though under wrath But we were both and yet what we had done Christ counts himself had done and stands in our stead So that as Luther saith He was the greatest sinner in the world And he bids the Saints believe that all their sins were laid on him and that not only so but that his righteousness is made ours for so saith the Prophet He is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. 6. And if we be afflicted Christ is afflicted he having the same Isa 63. 9 spirit of sympathizing must needs have the same spirit in suffering Out of this sense if Christ be bound and led to Mount Calvary to suffer for his Saints saith the holy Soul I am not only ready to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 21. 13. 2. We are one Spirit with Christ by having communion and interest in all the precious graces of Christ This is the Saints testimony 1 Joh. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit which Spirit is the sweet fruit of all the graces dwelling in our hearts and by which we cry Abba Father And if you would know what this Spirit of Grace is the Apostle tels you in opposing it to the worlds envyings Gal. 5. 21 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Be not proud of this thy Spiritual income but be joyfull and be chearfull for against such there is no law Why no law against such Because Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. So then if we rank up all these graces Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness c. these being one Spirit with Christ we by being in union with Christ have a communion with all the graces of Christ Thus Christ dwels in us by faith and we are in Christ by faith Christ dwels in us by love and we dwell in Christ by love only We love him because he loved us first So that though we be many members and have diversity of gifts and several operations yet but one spirit one body one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4. 4 5 6. Thirdly believers are one spirit with Christ in that they leave all other relations in coming to Christ If any thing oppose tribulation peril sword father mother friends a believer will through thick and thin cross or comforts good report or bad report through all to Christ How is man and wife one flesh by leaving all to be joyned to one another Matth. 19. 5. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh Thus is it in the spiritual union between Christ and the soul they leave all for Christ And this is but that which Christ hath done for us for he left Glory Father House and Home Phil 2. 5 6 7. Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant yea he was made in the likeness of men and humbled himself and became obedient unto death And what was all this for but that his Saints might be joyned unto him in spirit in righteousness in life in grace in glory Christ left all for us that we might have a union with him so we must leave all other relations and cleave unto Christ alone And therefore let us put the question unto conscience How many of us can part and leave all for Christ if we finde not this resolution within us but we have a cleaving to father and mother to this worlds comforts and enjoyments profess what we will for Christ yet so far
as thy resolution fails thee of leaving all for Christ so far is my fear of thee that thou art not in union with Christ Fourthly To be one spirit with Christ doth denote the constancy and perpetual tye that is between Christ and the soul No knot will be lasting and holding but this between Christ and believers Couple our selves to flesh never so strongly yet all will be broken couple our selves to sin never so strongly This shall you have of Gods hand ye shall lie down in sorrow your vanity shall be bound up in vexation of spirit No conjunction can hold but that which is spiritual nor no spiritual conjunction but that which is between Christ and believers Sin will make a separation though God be thy Creator Preserver these knots between the Creature and God will all be broken But this union with Christ and our spirits it is a constant perpetual and an everlasting holding I have read of one that writing to his Consort would use this salutation Eternal thine This was an expression of excess that can never be made good to any but Christ and believers and therefore for thy comfort thou doubting believer Christ and thee being one spirit bear up the head against all temptations for thy head and husband salutes thee with Eternal thine Jer. 31. 3. The Lord hath appeared unto me saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love A love that is both boundless and endless with such a love hath Christ loved his Church and people And therefore though all fails as it will flesh and heart and all will fail yet this spiritual union between Christ and the soul shall never fail Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Summon all these into one Tribulation distress famine persecution peril sword life angels principalities powers things present things to come now follows your triumph Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But may the soul say If there be such Obj. affinitie between Christ and his Church and every believer and that all believers are partakers of one and the same spirit as Love Joy Peace Meekness Patience c. What is the reason of all that variance discord and dissention that is amongst even believers and professors The difference and disagreement amongst believers themselves ariseth from themselves Ans because our own spirits are most predominate If Christ did but Lord it whose spirit is righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost wranglig and discord would not be found amongst brethren we would not so strive and contend the faithful should contend onely for the faith not against the faithful members should not strive against members None should hate his own flesh Believers are flesh of one flesh and bone of the same bone all one in Christ why not so one with another This is our fault and indeed our misery we keep the spirit of Christ under and we exalt our own passions Christians therefore consider what you do in all your wranglings and disputings keep to this rule So far as you have attained walk together with a spirit of forbearance and complyance and bow your passions and your principles to the scepter of Christ for that is not a wangling but a righteous scepter I would have all Christians to keep to this rule against sin even to hate the Garment spotted with the flesh not to touch any unclean thing for what concord hath Christ with Belial light with darkness sin with saints No saith the Lord 2 Cor. 6. 17. Be ye separated and I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters And Christians for your Saviours sake Let all bitterness and envyings and wranglings be put away from you as becometh Saints Ephes 5. 3. And thus much for the first thing considerable How Believers and Christ may be said to be one spirit CHAP. II. Touching Evidence whether we be one Spirit with Christ 2. THe next thing to be toucht upon is What Evidence may I have that Christ and my soul are one in this spiritual union For this is very considerable before we can draw any saving and solid comfort in the benefits and spiritual Incomes the soul hath by being one Spirit with Christ 1. As an Evidence for this union try your union with Christ by your communion with Christ Not that you should measure out your union by your communion for it is possible for the soul to be united unto Christ that as yet hath no acquaintance and familiarity with Christ As Mary did Ioh. 20. 15. talk with Christ as well as believe in Christ and yet she did not know him and why might not she have supposed him to be Christ as well as the Gardiner Therefore let us not measure our union with Christ by our communion but let us try our union by our communion and enjoyment Can thy soul say from experience as the Spouse Can. 2. 4. He brought me into the banqueting house and his Banner over me was love Without question so was house and table and all Hath thy sovl ever been fed with his dainties have you been at his table tasted of his wine It may be thou wilt say This I know that Christ hath stood Rev. 3. 20. at my door and knockt at my heart as he doth at many a Sinners in a Sermon But when was the time that Christ came in and supped with thee and when did you sup with him What inward feastings and familiarity hath there been between Christ and the soul We know the tie of Nature will constrain some exchanges and intercourses of love between man and wife but much more the band of Grace between the soul and Christ Try therefore thy union by thy communion 2. If you would know your Union try not only by your Communion but also by Convincement as Communion is an Evidence so Convincement We know that there can be no true marriage without convincement of love No more can there be between Christ and thy soul Now when was thy soul convinced of Christs alsufficiencie and thy self of thy own natural misery For this is the way Christ takes to wooe and win the soul unto himself Ioh. 16. 7 8. 3. They that have union with Christ flie the pollutions of the world None can be one with Christ and one with Swearing one with Drunkenness not one with Christ and one with Covetousness In such pollutions there is not communion with Christ and therefore no union For what communion hath light with darkness Christ with Belial The Spirit of Christ clears the heart of such guests as drive a trade with sin And would to God I might say of all you Professors as Paul saith of many of these Corinthians 1 Cor. 16. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God 4. They that are one with
but imperfect obedience And you see from the Text that the Devils do believe and also that they have submission Now dare you wager Yes may the holy soul say Satan all thy obedience it is but slavish and therefore trembling Satan may be sent by God but he seeks all for himself I live may the true believer say in the perfect law of liberty but the Devil in all his submission and obedience under that command that genders unto bondage Satan obeys indeed when God commands but all his obedience is in a curse whose beginning and ending is in damnation Satan moves under the power of wrath but a believer moves because he is moved he loves because he is first loved and obeys through an infinite obedience even the submission of Christ Gal 2 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Christ moves the Christian to know to work to walk he is the beginning and the progress and the perfection of every true believers obedience Every Christian hath an infinite obedience because Christ is his and therefore he can triumphantly challenge all as Paul doth Rom. 8. 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth none can condemn it is Christ that dyed and is at Gods right hand for us both to excuse us and acquit us by his own infinite Intercession and Satisfaction And though the Devil and wicked men may yield some obedience as God is a Lord and Soveraign yet all that either of them can have hath no acceptation because all they do or profess it is but of servile and slavish fear But now Christ hath brought believers into a near relation God being their Father and himself being their Righteousness and the holy Spirit their Comforter speaking in them the obedience of Christ which acteth them in power and spirit and life And now wicked men you being Judges which is best the obedience of Christ which is the obedience of Saints for when Christ was obedient unto death so were all the Saints So saith the Apostle Reckon your selves dead when Christ dyed your selves risen when Christ was raised And so of all his other saving benefits they are all accounted believers and then judge you either in regard of quantity or in regard of quality Every believers obedience is spiritual as Christ is spiritual and filial because Christ was the onely Son and with him and through him all are welcome because Christ presents them unto his Father as Sons and Daughters without spot or wrinkle And then as for quality so for quantity As believers have spiritual fear and love and obedience so likewise they have infinite love and obedience Christ being infinite in obedience so is every believer by Christ Jesus For he is our Jesus saith the Church and my Jesus saith the soul Not onely a Head and Husband and Redeemer of his Church but as full and compleat for Col. 2. 10. every believer ye are compleat in him who is not onely the head of his body the Church but every member is in him and Christ is infinite and all in all so that saying of Solomon Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent then his neighbor True believers have Christ in them the hope of glory And Christ for them all performance But may the world say Indeed if you take Obj. in the obedience of Christ But how is it in point of their own conversation do not they whom you account Saints fall short and subject to the same passions and infirmities as others I Answer for such that are Saints indeed Answ although they have many yea it may be gross failings as Noah Lot and David had yet judge the scope and end of their practice by considering what 's thy own and what the Devils have May be thou canst say Thou art not guilty of common and base enormities such as Drunkenness Adultery Swearing c but tel me upon what ground dost thou refrain is it because thou wouldst not grieve the holy spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. or is it because thou knowest the curse upon this last account the Devil and all wicked men obey not because they bear any good will love or liking to God or his ways but out of hatred envy and slavish fear Christ is said to have converse with creatures and what is it for but to seek and save that which was lost To this end was Christs coming crucifying dying preaching praying and practice And Believers in their measure tread in the same steps of exhorting and building up one another even as Christ hath given them example But now take the Devil and all his Emissaries and though they seek diligently what is it for but onely to devour and destroy Your adversary the devil goes about continually seeking whom he may devour the Devil is continually in motion very vigilant and active but to what end onely to ruine and confound such whom God meaneth and mindeth to save The Devil is very ready to run on Gods errand as in that case of Job but he endeavors altogether his own end to murther and devour souls and to deceive the hearts of the simple He may be obedient to Gods Soveraignty but think of his end and give the verdict to thy own soul 2. Though a believers obedience is better then Satans because the obedience of Christ is theirs and what they do they do from a principle of love and not of hatred but what is the obedience of common professors such that have a name to live but are dead have outward seeming but no inward sanctity having a form of godliness but not matter and substance true spirit and life The highest of this sort of mens obedience may be accounted either in morality or hypocrisie 1. For your morality in that you are common professors and within the pale of the national Church and none can say you are Drunkards Swearers or Blasphemers but a civil honest man paying every man his own relieving the poor according to your proportion I do no body no hurt as God forbid I should But tell me what good doest thou do He that is not with me saith Christ is against me and he that gathereth not scattereth Mat. 12. 30. What if one should give his body to be burned as it is possible from the authority of that Apostle in that of 1 Cor. 13. 3. yet if this should be and the heart not linked in love to Christ all such performances would be like the untimely fruit of a woman having no account before the Son of Righteousness For what will this amount to more then what the Devil is said to do John 8. 44. The Pharisees did many glorious performances had a zeal for God much in alms frequent in fastings paid every man his own lived a moral life so that none outwardly might say Black was their eye and yet Christ tells them plainly They were of their father the devil and his works they did
none can say certainly what they expect but I hope the best as well as others would you have me to say certainly that is more then Paul doth or I think any Saint Nay but do not so reckon Mark the Apostle not onely in the behalf of himself but of others also 2 Cor. 5 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Mark Christians the Christians expectation not that every childe of God doth come up to this faith of certainty and assurance but we are all for to desire it as all strangers they desire home and know their home and travel after it though it be but by steps and strides yet a constant pace goes far so Christians must all keep journeying and going on though not coming to this attainment and thou poor weakling faith though thou canst not say so much yet think the more press hard and follow after though thou canst not go so fast as such whose evidence is sure Though thou canst not say I know and we know yet say I hope and it is best yea happy for that soul whose evidence is clear though we all cannot say We know yet let us not be sad but say We may know In this Pronoune We lies much divinity for the comfort of a Christian for we know we have tabernacles of clay poor bodies of dust and ashes And why should not we know we have a building of God with all such properties as not made with hands eternal in the heavens Methinks every Christian is like a stranger and a traveller that comes into his Inn and takes up his lodging for a night the people bring him meat and drink and gives him bed and board but they know not whence he comes nor whether he goes but now he knows himself where he goes and whether he would so Christians though the world knows not yet they do For we know c. I am a traveller and a stranger but I have a home a house a heaven a building I expect it saith Faith c. I am a stranger saith Patience but I have a building I wait for it saith Patience It is but to day and to morrow and the next day it shall be perfected so saith Patience I must have its perfect work a little to day more to morrow the third day I shall have possession I am a stranger in the earth saith Love but I have a building and O how I long for it Psal 42. 2. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God! Now unto such souls that make out after home heaven and happiness with such a triplicity of We We expect it saith Faith wait for it saith Patience long for it saith Love to such gathering of a heart in Grace the Lord doth make a gracious answer Cant. 1. 11. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver Mark poor soul here is a We to answer thy We not a Wo but a We not to dismark thee but to make thee gracious and glorious Thou that hast an I of faith expecting and I of patience waiting and an I of love longing this is a Christians We Now the Lord unto thy soul hath his We We will make thee I will saith God the Father and I will saith Christ the Son and I will saith the blessed Spirit All this makes this We to make the soul graciously glorious and gloriously gracious Now be perswaded O soul upon this thy future expectation here thou art a stranger living in thy houses of clay bedecked onely with furniture of infirmity weakness and crosses and a few broken comforts and crackt enjoyments but in heaven there is brightness and purity there is blessedness and peace there is never broken joys and everlasting comforts there are houses richly furnished with furniture free from all infirmity bordered with gold and set forth with silver all variety interwoven for soul satisfaction Hasten O strangers O strangers hasten without lingring long for this thy expectation But may some say I know every childe of Obj. God shall be well provided for of their heavenly Father Eye hath not seen nor ear heard 1 Cor. 2. 9. neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what the Lord hath prepared for them that love him but there is that to be passed would make one fear the straits of death is not an easie passage it fills my heart with grief and my eyes with tears at the present sence of my deceased friend but what fears and pain and staggering may it be if I should be called to pass the straits of death the Lord knows In Answer unto this and so as pertinent to our present occasion I shall adde but a word of comfort and consolation and so conclude the time and Doctrine CHAP. VII Containing comfort for dejected souls in their loss of Christian friends and encouragements for estranged Saints in this world 3. IF it be so that the Saints are strangers on the earth then Saints be you freed from fear grieve not for the death or departure of the faithful nor being faithful be thou not afraid to dye To all Gods children death is but a messenger of life and a calling from the cross to the crown You know every one will hasten to a father or a friends house and what though there be a plash of water and a few bryers to go through if we do wet our feet or tear our garments so long as we are going home such things are nothing home and the father makes us through all Christians I will not say all your way is paved and smooth to heaven and happiness but some rubs fears sorrows may be in your way but know assuredly Christ hath sweetned the grave for every childe of God what though you do wet your feet by fears and pricks your hearts with sorrow let the hope of home and father and Christ make you be comforted and encouraged Captain Death hath taken away a friend now and he stands in the way to press thee too but may not we be comforted in this My friend was a stranger here and he is now gone home to his dwelling place where father and friends are yea where he shall want for nothing freed from fears and cares aches and pains but fed with favor love and life such dishes that the world never had at their tables The Saints indeed have meat in heart and hand I mean at present that the world knows not of but alas Saints though this be wine and milk yet this is but the first mess in this spiritual banquet Our Master Christ keeps the best wine and the best chear and best welcome until the last After death every thing to a faithful soul is disht out and disht up unto Eternity the longing soul through the straits of death is satisfied and
daily new Moans and new Mercies so daily new resolutions as a daily dawning so a drawing nigh to our redemption yea an earnest lively constant daily motion of lifting up the head and heart for our redeemer yea higher and higher for the time is shorter and shorter Our Iesus will come and will not tarry for whose expectance and appearance let us wait and watch and watch and wait and watch and pray and pray and say Come Lord Jesus come quickly So Prayeth Yours as you are Christs R. C. The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader THou that makest more conscience then the Christian at large who hath onely name but not nature But thou that fearest the Lord greatly that art a man of wonders being a part of that unparallel'd Master-Peice of the eternal Wisdom of the Lord Jesus Before thou censure suffer the perusal of these few lines the which I am necessitated to invite thee unto not onely in regard of my own weakness but by reason of some mens wilfulness who are so apt to be more sinister then serious in other mens preaching or writing who can see beams though motes in other mens eyes if different in judgement and of a lower name but will not see motes though beams in their own eyes carping at words in others when doubtless truth is too too often a sufferer amongst themselves I confess Christians should walk accurately pondering every expression and as much as in them lieth be saving from the worlds spleen and Christs dishonor But to one another certainly some grains of allowance not exacting their labors but sweetly to practise that prescript of that gallant Apostle Gal. 6. 2. whose express is for Christians to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the law of Christ and if a bearing then certainly a forbearing and not a ploughing long furrows of spight and disparagement upon the backs of weaker brethren knowing the frame of a Gospel spirit is for condescention Rom. 15. 1. you that are strong bear with them that are weak not wilful so Christ be preached it should be a Christians glory not his grief Herein will I joy saith Paul Phil. 1. 18. not wrangle as the manner of some is who would be counted great masters of the Assemblies who instead of encouraging are lessening and discouraging if not despising the day of small things Yet hoping better things of you that you will be so like minded unto Christ as not to break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax hath made me thus adventrous to put forth into the Main I mean the publique this little book or bottom of experience That quietly it should pass without some storms and tempests I do not expect knowing the several gusts that now adays arise mens passions and opinions however as prepared for wind and weather it is built low not hanging out flag or flourish and my wish is it might waft over to fearing souls for thither is the first Port to which it makes fraught with comfort and spiritual incomes My fear is not of the ship though little because it is built with heart of oaks planks and proofs of Scripture Nor do I fear the Seas though rough and raging experience is the Pilot which knows both sands and shelves And my hope is amidst this floating age some may receive it into their hearts and harbor something therein contained I had not thought to have prest into the press much less into the publique had not some God-fearing souls prest me thereunto for whose sakes I was put upon the first sort of these meditations and at their requests drew it into manuscript for whose sake it is thus published And because Ministers are to divide to every one their portions in due season without fraud or flattery I have not onely held forth comfort to dejected and dismayed souls but also terror to the careless carnal and incorrigible knowing we are to eye in all our preaching desperate sinners and desparing Saints The one needs Corrasives the other Cordials both which I have endeavored after fears to be removed from dismayed souls and the formalist to be affrighted by comparing most mens faith with the faith of devils Something here is of a Saints sojourning as it was preached at the funeral of a deceased friend which is as a staff fitted to the hand of the worlds strangers In every of these subjects do not run over but read and meditate be not like the unclean creatures that never chew the cud but like the clean swallow not down at once but fetch it up again and again disgest what thou readest and hearest by serious meditation and consideration be like the Bee that sucks honey by abiding upon the flower Every truth is a flower let thy heart dwell on truth that so honey may be gathered and thou comforted and reformed flying home to the hive of Gods Church and people This is the earnest desire of him who is the meanest in the things of Christ Jesus Richard Coler Comfort for Believers against their Fears and Dismayings Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee Be not dismayed I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness CHAP. I. Wherein the sense and scope of the words are paraphrased and inlarged AS the Bodies of men do live in contrarieties so do men usually as men if you take them in Nature or Grace Only we must observe with this difference That look what is most proper to the Child of Grace that be sure the child of Nature will most counterfeit And contrary what is more proper to the Child of Nature that the Child of God is most incident unto As for example The Element that a wicked man should properly live in is fears and sorrowings So saith the Apostle speaking to the friends of this world Jam 4 9. Be afflicted mourn and weep let your laughter be turn'd to mourning and your joy to heaviness yea howl and weep for your misery that is approaching Iam. 5. 1. Every wicked man hath fearful threatnings and ought to have sorrowing spirits and howling hearts But now how contrary is the race they run Who more jocund then they Sometimes they may have flashings of conscience but it is like the lightning quickly gone they have not such fears and dismayings as are incident unto Gods children Let a wicked man want or abound the false joy must still be full No bonds in their death their strength is firm as David speaks Psal 73. 4 5. But now on the other side Take but the Church or a Saint of God whose proper element is to be full of joy and chear and how contrary What less then of joy what more then of grief sorrowings notwithstanding they are called for to rejoyce and sing yea saith Paul 1 Th. 5. 16. Rejoyce evermore yea rejoyce and again I say rejoyce Let your whole life be a melody and full
of the words wherein you may see what is intended by them CHAP. II. Containing the Division of the Text and the Provision therein for removing of fears which in the sum is the Lords special presence about Believers I Shall not spin out any long discourse but presently endeavour to answer all the Doubts and Fears that are so incident unto Gods children whether they be spiritual fears or personal for though all personal fears be not spiritual yet all spiritual fears are personal and the Believer may have these and National fears too Against all which or any of which these words are to be applied that so dismayings may be removed and the soul supported with its joy and chear But because the Children of light should not be foyl'd in this enterprise let us like the wise builder first count the cost And therefore before we set upon these home-bred enemies as these Doubts and Fears are let us enquire first what we have to answer The first thing that I meet withall to remove fears and dismayings is Gods special presence not as glorious but as graciously encompassing and safeguarding Believers set forth in these words I am with thee And then secondly a glorious relation in these words I am thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comprehends all both efficiencie and sufficiencie wherein is Gods omnipresence his all-sufficiencie And this is set forth to us with this enforcement Yea I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee c. And then thirdly If you would know the manner how God will strengthen help uphold it is with no less then the right hand of his own righteousness And here methinks every Believer may certainly say as the Lord once said against his enemies though they were mighty and a multitude and on his side they were few and feeble yet says he they are too many So may the child of God say triumphingly against fears and doubtings It is enough O God that thou shouldst afford me thy special presence there is in that more joy and comfort yea nothing can be grievous whilst thou art with me Oh what a Sun and a Shield is God! what a strong Tower and Rock of defence an Upholder and Helper What with the right hand of thy righteousness and my God! What a plenty is here I may be afraid to fix but not be afraid of fear for the shadow of thy special presence is enough to dispell all tumults temptations and troubles whatsoever Awake awake therefore thou doubting soul and view that glory that doth surround Exod. 3. 14. thee for he that said enough when he said I am that I am says enough to thy soul in saying I am with thee What Christ sayes of God the Father in respect of moving away fears Isa 50. 8 9. He is neer that justifieth me who will contend with me Let us stand together who is mine adversary let him come neer to me Behold the Lord God will help me who shall condemn me Lo they all shall wax old as a garment the moth shall eat them up So may every Believer and every justified person by the same Jesus say Christ is neer me by his special presence for to comfort me what shall dismay me Stand out Temptation Tribulation peril sword why in all these things we are more then conquerors Rom. 8. 37 for behold the Lord God will help me yea is about me by his special presence And darkness must have no place when the Sun appears And lest we should think that Christ should speak thus only of himself he applies it unto us and bids us make this use of it as in the 10. v. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesr and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord c. and stay upon his God Mark though he see no light for the present yea though he walk in darkness yet God is with him and he must not shrink but take shelter the name of God must be both his trust and his stay What a Mount of Sufficiencie was God to Abraham when he tels him Gen. 17. I am God all sufficient Here was enough to answer all things Why this special presence is as much to every Son of Abraham Nay let me add thus much as against fears and dismayings the special presence of God speaks more comfort then allsufficiencie doth For though Gods allsufficiencie be of an infinite weight and consideration yet that may as well be allsufficient to kill as to quicken Gods allsufficiencie may as well speak death as life but this special presence which here God pitcheth about his Church and people is not to speak the least of terror but support comfort and encouragement against all terror affrighting or dismaying CHAP. III. The Lords special presence in three excellencies the first of which is handled against fears viz. The Lord being with Believers his glory is for them THis special presence of God proclaims these three Excellencies for every Member of Christ and his Church 1. His Glory is for thee 2. His Comforts are for thee 3. All that is in God is engaged for thee by this special presence for this very end to comfort thee and to expell all thy fears and dismayings First God being with thee all his glory God being with thee his glory is for thee what a comfort this is for thee And what a presence must this be that that which is above the earth and heaven too should wait upon a poor doubting Christian Yet thus it is Psal 148. 13. His name alone is excellent his glory is above the earth and heaven And yet every Believer is neer his glory as his special presence is neer unto Believers So says the 14. v. He also exalteth the horn of his people the praise of all his Saints even the children of Israel a people neer unto himself Praise ye the Lord O Saints joyn with this Chorus for the Lord hath exalted our strength even Jesus Christ for he alone prays for Saints and he alone must have the praise of Saints Sing Hallelujah Hallelujah O believing soul why art thou so cast down Lift up thy eyes to the hils from whence comes thy help and behold what seest thou Not a hands breadth but a Fountain of light and comfort What means the Moon thus to ecclipse the Sun from whence thou hast thy light thy life thy glory Say not in thy heart say not in thy eyes say not in thy sighs say not in thy sorrowings say not in thy tears say not in thy fears Where 's my Jesus for he is nigh thee in thee round about thee Awake out of thy fears and view thy glory for thy glory views thee through all thy fears Oh the beauty and splendor of that soul that is encompassed with Gods special presence Why do not our souls break forth with David Psal 73. 26. Whom have I in
heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire but thee All the glory honour and riches of this Creation cannot administer one word of comfort to my bleeding heart but the shining of thy face is better then life Oh how excellent is thy loving kindness O Lord They that shelter here are safe and they that seek here have succor yea satisfaction yea abundance they shal be abundantly satisfied w th the fatnes of thy house how much more with the beauty of thy presence For with thee is the fountain Ps 36. 9. of life and in thy light we shall see light For God is a fountain fulness running over all tears and fears Be but in his presence as his presence is with thee and thou shalt in his light have light and everliving comforts The special presence of God that is about a believing soul is a glorious graciousness and a gracious gloriousness made up only of mercy love kindness and that on purpose to banish fears and dismayings Now mercy love and kindnesses of Mercy is a royalty for the fearing soul to boast in God is such a royalty that may be boasted in Psal 34. v. 2. My soul shall boast in the Lord. And sayes David this truth is to be made good on such that are cast down The humble or the tamed as the word signifies shall rejoyce in it and be glad And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he would have such souls presently to wind up unto this key he brings in the Chorus in the next verse O come magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together And his case was the same with a doubting soul full of fears But saith David I sought the Lord that is his special presence and there I found such a glory of mercy grace and love that it hath delivered me from all my fears So v. 4. Oh but may the soul say David was one Obj. of ten thousand a man after Gods own heart a type of Christ and would you have me to do as David did Why yes Thou having Davids principle Ans why not Davids practice If thy portion be the same why not thy joy the same Thou hast faith in Christ David had no more He had this special presence and thou hast as much Yea though thou thinkest thy self a worm God singles thee out in special with this Fear not I am with thee And though David was a Type of Christ thou art a Member and that is more A shadow hath the lineaments by reflection from the substance but the least and meanest Believer is a member and so bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh And if the same sympathizing in fears and tears why not the same heroick spirit over fears and dismayings It was a precious expression and a precious experience that David reports to a doubting soul Psal 85. 9 Surely his salvation is neer unto them that fear him that glory may dwell in our land This surely is thy certainty For what is true of the whole is of every part nay in particular unto such that fear Salvation is nigh to them that fear him This is Davids experience who had but faith And thou hast faith and God himself saying Fear thou not I am with thee To what end Why David tels thee that glory may dwell in thee Which is as much as if he had said There is a beauty and splendor about every Believer that one would not expect such an Inhabitant at least to dwell there as fears and doubtings but love and joy and peace that glory may dwell c. And this is but the language of the Text I am with thee hath a glory in it for a gracious soul for saith the Lord there is such a glory in my grace such a beauty in my presence that the very shines of I am with thee I am thy God is enough to dispell all slavish fears doubts and dismayings But now may the believing soul say Quest There is a glory in this I am with thee and I see clearly that it is darkness that causeth drooping but now God being with me and with such a beauty and splendor what 's the reason that I cannot see him so that I may not fear nor be dismayed First It may be thou lookest for an outside Ans glory when this special presence is rather an inside glory And so I may say unto thee as the Apostle sayes Ye have not because ye ask not Or Ye receive not because Jam. 4. 3. ye ask amiss So fearing soul thou perceivest not because thou look'st amiss Turn but the eye of faith inward and there is Christ in us the hope of glory What saith David Ps 45. 13. compared with v. 15. The Kings daughter is all glorious within The believing soul is clad with all the Needle-work graces but we must look within if we would see this beauty and splendor And therefore it follows They shall enter into the Kings palace Kings daughters are not to be expected in common but in the Chamber of presence Enter therefore into thy Graces there shalt thou see this glorious excellencie with gladness and rejoycing But secondly thou seest not the glory that is round about thee by Gods special presence because though thou lookest aright yet thou lookest through an infirm I will not say a false medium God sees thee face to face beyond fears A similitude and dismayings but thou dost not see him Faith is like the Prospective glass it makes things that are afar off seem to be neer but yet with a great deal of weakness So Faith it discovers visions of God yea and it brings it neer but because it is an infirm medium we see fears and doubtings when indeed the object of faith is full of joys and chearings So that we may say of this special presence as David sayes of the mouth Psal 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it so may it truly be said of the eye of faith Open it wide yea wider and Gods special presence will shine unto the full assurance of light and life and glory Heaven and happiness it self is but this special presence So saith David Ps 16. 11. speaking of Gods glorious presence In thy presence is fulness of joy at his right hand pleasures for evermore Why now the difference between Gods glorious presence and his gracious presence lies mainly in this God seeing us with the eye of glory through a gracious Christ we seeing him with the eye of grace through a glorious Christ The special presence of God is no less then heavenly joy and glory only to us it is contracted to the narrow eye of faith and because of this we do not see clearly the things that are given us of God Like A similitude a great Volume that is put into a very narrow Print which one can hardly read with the choicest and
which Believers are to take notice of against their fears and troubles Our Father by these words Fear thou not for I am with thee engageth first his Word secondly his Power thirdly his Faithfulness and fourthly his Honour God hath laid all these and much more at stake as I may so express it for every Believer to the removing away fears 1. In his special presence his Word is engaged and this the Text holds forth being the Word of God though penned by this Gospel-Prophet Isaiah There is a twofold Word of God the internal and external but both are engaged against a Believers fears and dismayings The internal word is that voyce within us saying This is the way walk in it And this proceeds from the Eternal word of the Father even Jesus Christ himself for so he is called by that divine Evangelist Joh. 1. 1 2 3. And by this Word we have the Law of the Spirit of life freeing us from the Law of sin and death and this the Word of God engages and Jesus Christ by his Spirit makes good Rom. 8. 2. And then if freedom from sin and death who should once make doubt against fears and sorrowings And in the Scriptures how many gracious promises hath the Father given thee on purpose for thy consolation All the comforting promises all the upholding promises all the present promises all the prccious promises are for the support and comfort of every Child of God So that though no holy things must be cast to Dogs yet all the words of Consolation Comfort Joy and Peace they are all to be dealt forth unto a believing soul And therefore as our Saviours words do invite you so let them abide in you Joh. 14. 1. Let not your hearts be troubled Ye believe in God believe also in me For both agree in words of Consolation against all your fears and troubles 2. God by this special presence engageth not only his Word but his Power also and what will not a man of power do that will engage for a friend But what will not the powerful God accomplish for Jacob his friend In case of temptation he saith to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. 9. And all power is in Grace though all Grace be not in power But both these are in this special presence of God engaging for a fearing Christian And I need go no further then the Text to make it appear that the Lord engageth his power to take off Believers fears Observe when God will set forth his power and greatness to the full he saith no more but thus I am that I am Exod. 3. 14. And thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I am hath sent me unto you And thus he engageth himself in the Text for the believing soul Fear not I am Be not dismayed I am And as those expressions with thee and thy God do set forth Gods gracious relations so I am his infinite power but both opposing fears and dismayings 3. God by this his special presence engageth his Faithfulness he will assuredly perform the overcoming all thy fears Had the Lord given us but his word of promise it were enough to master fears considering all the words of grace were written for the Saints comfort and the Scripture saith Not one jot or tittle shall fail till all be fulfilled And the reason is because he is faithful that hath promised And let us take heed by our giving way to fears we make not Gods word of none effect for He is faithful that hath promised yea and he is round about us to effect it saying I am with thee fear not I am thy God that is a God in covenant and I will nor suffer thee to be tempted feared affrighted but as I am with thee so I will strengthen yea I will help yea I will uphold It remains only doubting soul that thou shouldst witness with the Saints Heb. 10. 23. that He is faithful that hath promised and doth engage all for thee Hold fast therefore thy profession without wavering for the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God a God that keepeth Covenant and that with thee against distrust and fears Deut. 7 9. 4. And lastly God engageth not only his word his power and his faithfulness against a Believers fears but his Honour is at stake for them and know Believer he will not suffer himself to be foil'd in this for he is very jealous of it whatsoever suffer his Honour shall not Isa 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my honour will I not give to another But a Believers fears and distrusts carry this in the very front even to ecclipse the honour and glory of God but saith the Lord Fear not for I know the drift of all your dismayings if distrusts did only seek your hurt I would not suffer it 1 Col. 10. 14. God is faithful saith the Apostle and will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Ah saith the soul but what is my ability I am like a broken reed recling to and fro by every wind of temptation Well grant it what if thou art God saith he is thy God and he is with thee and he will deliver thee from all thy fears thou shalt escape and thou shalt glorifie him Nay he saith his own honour will suffer if slavish fears be suffered For though thou art a doubting Christian yet thou art my Child and so many distrusting fears may quickly make up slavish fears which is a dishonour unto my grace which I have given thee and of which I have said it should be sufficient And come what will come my honour shall not suffer nor my grace be clouded Therefore fear thou not for I am with thee and my honour is engaged in this my presence and Fears shall not be master My honour will not I give to any other much less to fears and dismayings which are so much against my honour And thus much for demonstration of these words I am with thee I am thy God To which I have chiefly spoken as they are directed against a Believers fears and dismayings Give me leave now to call forth some of those usual Doubts and Dismayings that are so incident unto Gods children that so the Express by Gods special presence may be made good even not to fear not to be dismayed I shall not speak any thing of the rise of fears knowing that every experienced Christian knoweth that sin was and is the cause of all servile fears Only thus much the Text implies that such there are in Gods own children and these are they that must be removed that so comfort and consolation may be administred CHAP. VI. Endeavoring the removal of spiritual fears and Objections answered as to the nature of fears THere are many sorts of fears yet they all may be comprehended to be Spiritual or Temporal and these again may be Personal Family and National fears And though
all spiritual and temporal fears may be personal yet all personal fears may not be spiritual but the believer may be surprized with all these fears spiritual fears temporal fears personal and fears national c. The worst of fears are spiritual and these do most usually disquiet the peace of Gods peculiar and therefore I shall first speak to them and I shall be brief in each Gird up therefore the loyns of your mindes as Job speaks Job 38. 3. and bring in all your Objections here 's enough in the Text to Answer all let your fears be never so numerous and never so great 1. Objection will arise from sin for that 's the ground of all fears and troubles Saith the soul I have been a great sinner broken all Gods righteous Laws and Object Christ hath indeed satisfied so that I need not fear but the remembrance of them cannot but be grievous unto me in regard I was so wilful and so wicked against a God so gracious surely God may cast such a one as I out of his mercy and out of his remembrance Ah but thou must not so remember that Ans which the Lord forgets thou mayest indeed remember thy sins with joy and rejoycing that Christ hath satisfied but such kinde of fears and doubtings argues distrust And to chear thee in this account keep still in minde the Lord remembers them not Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out transgressions for mine own name sake and will not remember thy sins and the Text is positive I will not remember What thy sins why For I am with thee So Verse 5. of the same Chapter and here in the text the Lord saith the same I am with thee which I would not be if thy sins were in my remembrance For I the Lord am of purer eyes then to behold the least iniquity Paul remembreth indeed his sins but he does it with joy at the thought of mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was a Blasphemer a Persecutor and injurious but he triumphs in mercy I obtained mercy and so do thou for mercy is a Royalty that may be gloried in by every fearing soul But saith the soul my sins are not Obj. onely many but Giant-like and this aggravates my affrighting Paul sinned greatly indeed but ignorantly I have sinned greatly and wilfully and have not I just cause to fear No if thou apprehendst pardon by Ans Christ The Prodigal was wilful when he said Give me my portion Luke 15. 12. and he goes away spends all wilfully and one would have thought the Father should never have received him more but he no sooner returns but the Father imbraces him kisses him takes him about the neck and if in this there was cause of fear he might have feared So though thy sins be never so mighty yet they are not too big for the right hand of Gods righteousnesse for that imbraceth thee that upholdeth and Gods presence is so far from fears that it speaks comfort and bids thee fear not But saith the doubting soul I have abundance Obj. of temptations that daily beset me and Paul saith Heb. 12. 11. No chastning for the present seems to be joyous but grievous Ah but what follows why meat in thy Ans very mouth Temptation brings in enough to Answer servile fears For it yieldeth saith the same Apostle the peaceable fruit of righteousnss unto them which are exercised thereby And adde but Christs promise that he will succor and his special presence which will uphold and strengthen and thou hast enough What will not the everlasting arm of Gods righteousnesse accomplish thou mayest very well say as David doth 1 Sam. 17. 37. He that delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Bear c. So if Christs right hand of righteousnesse could free thee from the condemning power of sin never fear but the same hand that is about thee will deliver thee from the tempting power of sin which thou confessest to be the cause of thy fears and affrightings David might very well make such an Obj. inference for he might speak as in the person of Christ of whom he was a type And I do believe that Christ hath done it and is both able and willing but I have sinned against my heavenly father and if Ps 130. 3. he be strait to mark what is done amisse but in one days infirmity what soul is there but must needs fear 'T is true indeed were God so strait unto his own children as he is to wicked men then we might not only fear but tremble But mark the Text Ps 130. 3. If thou Lord An if of inference not of doubting wilt be extreme to mark what is amiss c. It is by way of supposition and it implies that God is not strait but is to thee to succour and support thee yea to cover a multitude of infirmities forgiving iniquitie transgression and sin and thou mayst read thy Fathers heart ready to relieve thee by his special presence so far is he from grieving of thee or fearing of thee that like a tender father to his beloved child he bids thee fear not yea Christ who knew thy Fathers heart very well would not have said that if thou be but a little one yea the least of all in the stature of grace yet saith Christ Mat. 18. 14. It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish for he is about thee by his special presence Well but I am a poor worthless Creature Obj. what am I that God should give me his presence or have regard to my afflictions and fears Many times the soul will say in its fears as the Centurion Mat. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof As Moses saith Exod. 3. 11 Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh But mark the Lords answer it is like Ans unto the Text. Thou thinkest thy self unworthy but certainly that shall not excuse thee I will be with thee for I have seen the afflictions of my people and the oppression wherewith the Egyptians have oppressed Exod. 3. 11. and thou must go for their relief and fear thou not for I am with thee even I not Angels though they be ministring spirits for your comforting yet as touching your fears and sorrows I am with thee and be thou couragious But the believing soul may object and say There will come a time indeed when Obj. all tears shall be wiped away and trouble shall cease it will indeed be so that sorrowing and sighing shall flie away but this is for the time to come for the future as the Apostle Peter speaks Act. 3. 19. When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord then indeed may I expect relief from all my fears and sorrowings But the Text answers in the present tense Ans yea and is in earnest that thou shouldest
madnesse and none weep and sigh oftner then believers but this is gladnesse saith David Psal 126. 5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Now the seed is of the same kinde with the harvest and a believer bearing precious seed why not his life full of precious comforts And thus much for spiritual fears CHAP. VII Containing something in general against Temporal fears THe next sort of fears that are incident unto Gods children is temporal and they are either Personal Family or National fears I shall say something to each of these 1. In general They that are members of the body of Christ and his Church may easily draw forth this conclusion that if God the Father hath given me his Son and himself by this his special presence to succor me against fears and my spiritual adversaries surely he that hath done the greater he will also do the lesse Davids saying is thine 1 Sam. 17. 37. He that delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Bear will also deliver me out of the hands of this uncircumcised Philistine So he that hath given me such comfort against my spiritual fear how shall I lack any thing temporal that I stand in need on And this is Pauls conclusion who was and did go through a world of trouble Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own son but gave him up for us all how shall he not as if he wonders that any should make once doubt of it but with him freely give us all things And God our fathar is ingaging himself in the Text upon this very account Thus observe the 11 12 13. Verses where he saith That not onely them that are incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded but them that make war against thee shall perish let them be men or devils hunger cold or nakednesse let what will be that would break a Believers peace they shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought And if you would know how God will accomplish this he tells thee in the same language in the Text as at the 13. Verse Fear not I the Lord thy God will help thee will uphold thee The Lord saith indeed in the 14. Ver. that the Church and people of God are very apt to have fears and dismayings upon a temporal account as well as on a spiritual and therefore he calls the Church and every believer A worm such a one that is a poor go by the ground that the world is very ready to tread and trample under foot but fear not I am with thee to deliver thee as well from temporal fears as well as from spiritual fears And thus much Christ exhorts his Disciples to in that of John 14. 1. compared with the 2. Verse Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me And this he speaks to succor us in our natural wants as well as against our spiritual fears for whereas the soul may say Jesus Christ is indeed my souls portion and perpetual Psal 73. 26. but for this poor body I know not where I shall abide with it why now mark what Christ saith to such a poor body Fear not for I am with you and I am with you to the end of the world I know you are afraid of hunger and of house-room but let not your hearts be troubled I am Iohn 14. 2. your harbinger and I go to take up eternal mansions for you and it is my fathers will that you should not be troubled for he hath meat and drink enough and houses for you all and none shall take them away from you for my father is resolved to have no other Tenants but you and I am resolved to prepare them for you and you alone therefore let not your hearts be troubled against temporal fears And Secondly a more general text you cannot have as being to believers to remove away fears Luke 1. 74 75. That he would grant unto us that being delivered from the hand of our enemies we might serve him without fear that is slavish fear and that this is Gods grant unto Believers the text is expresse Fear not and that it is to be against temporal fears as well as spiritual Compare the scope of this place with that of Gen. 22. 16. to which this prophesie of Zacharias hath relation And God hath performed the mercies promised unto Abraham yea and also doth perform unto every son of Abraham for we may all say Qui loquutus est juravit which spake unto me and sware Why now believing soul do but add the Saints experience the Lords covenant his promise and this his special presence And if against all our enemies and that he would have us without fear then surely against Temporal fears and dismayings CHAP. VIII Objections answered against Personal fears 1. FOr Personal Objections The believing soul may say to the wanting body My wants increase and misery must needs follow want Blessed be God I have a little Meal in the barrel and a little 1 King 17. 12. Oyl in the cruse some bread to feed me a few rags to clothe me a little fire to warm me but the Father of mercies knows what I shall do a moneth or a week hence Ans Poor heart Take but notice of what thou hast said and thou hast said enough to answer all If thou hast said Father of mercies experimentally and as a Christian And thus the Saints have said before thee and found it true 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Mark here thou hast a Father of mercies and this Father is a God of comfort and he is so against all your temporal fears for He comforteth us in all our tribulation Not only that we should be encouraged against fears but thou shouldst also succour and support others for so the verse following tels thee 2 Cor. 1. 4. Wicked men are often saying Lord Christ Mercy Faith but they speak at large without any sense of what they say But they that sound Father of mercies faithfully they have bread enough to supply all their wants I may say to such a soul as Sampson said to Dalilah Out of the eater Judg. 14. 14. came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness So out of the Father of mercies thou mayest extract all kind of sweets that thy soul or body stands in need of Sampson speaks it by way of riddle but answer thy soul and body too by way of reality That if a father of children will be pittiful and extend all for their supply what will not my heavenly Father who is a Father of mercies And what will not this supply against all thy fears Thou art hungry feed on mercy and thou shalt be refreshed thou art thirsty suck in mercy thou wilt find supply Christian believe it do but draw forth faith and feed
nations men and devils combine do not grumble nor fear the wil and work of your heavenly father must be done However beliver go forward with your occasions with a holy subjection unto thy fathers will but take this in that whether it be life or liberty prosperity or adversity for so did Christ it be with resignation of all to God Matth. 26. 39. Not my will but thine be done Believers in times of fears must do as the children of Israel did Exod. 14. they were incompassed with a huge host and the red sea yet they go forward till they could go no further and then comes in that Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord So must believers in the midst of all national fears still be a going forward and see the salvation of God in all their enterprizes But you will further object Though I fear national troubles it is not I alone but Obj. many godly and eminent Christians are at a stand about the present affairs and proceedings And can you blame me to have fears who am but in the lower form I shall not blame but argue what cause of fears since being a believer thou hast Ans such refreshments as Gods presence doth afford unto his in any straits and troubles And what cause of fears can there be when all for Gods people shall work for their advantage thus saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 28. All shall work together for good to them that love God and thou loving God let it be tribulation or persecution good will be brought out of thy troubles and afflictions God will overturn Kings and Kingdoms yet if it produce good for thee what cause of fears God hath thrown down Ahasuerus with his hundred and twenty Provinces and the more he throws down the nearer is the end of all things and this should be so far from grief to Gods people that they should rejoyce yea lift up you heads you redeemed of the Lord the more shakings of the worlds powers the nearer is your everlasting joy Be glad then and rejoyce for the day of your redemption draweth nigh And the Text gives you this comfort that though foraign invasions come never so strong and home-bred enemies plot never so secretly yet fear not overcoming for thou shalt overcome saith the Lord unto his Church and people at the 15 and 16 Verses Behold I will make thee speaking of the worm Jacob to thresh the mountains and beat them smal and shalt make the hills as chaff and fan them and carry them away Do but consider these expressions and here 's enough to answer all national fears and enough to draw forth thy spirit to rejoce in the Lord and to glory in the holy one of Israel Comfort for Believers From their Spiritual Incomes 1 Cor. 6. 17. But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit CHAP. I. Shewing the scope of the words and how Believers and Christ are one Spirit THe Apostle in the former part of this Chapter reproveth the Corinthians about their going to Law about things indifferent and in the verse before the Text about Fornication He brings in these words as lifting up his present Argument to a more high and spiritual Conclusion Know you not saith he v. 16. that is You do know what Moses saith that Two shall be one flesh this is matrimonial coupling The same effect hath Fornication and sin He that joyns himself to Drunkenness and Adultery is one with Drunkenness and Adultery But now the Lord to whom Believers are joyned hath a spirit above the world and such base carnal defilements For he that is joyned unto an Harlot is one body but he that is joyned to Jesus Christ is one Spirit The scope of these words holds forth that heavenly union and communion that is between Christ and every Believer And the Apostle brings them in as a royalty that every Child of God hath by being joyned to Christ as if he would have them boast in this their present Income above all such bitter sweets and pleasures of sin which are but for a moment Mark therefore how he opposeth it against â—he poor and beggerly Contracts of this World and Sin as being loth to speak so much of the worlds miscarriages and defilements and to hold so long from the spiritual souls enjoyment He doth as it were wind up another key delighting in that wherein his heart had found joy and experimental comfort for every Believer is in union with Christ and Christ is in union with every Believer Yea here 's my triumph here 's my glory Every Believer hath not only union but communion also for between a Believer and Christ there is union they are one and not only so but there is enjoyment of communion in this union They are one Spirit In the words two things are to be enquired into First what is meant by being one And secondly what is meant by being one Spirit 1. By Vnion we are not to understand Corporal or Personal union as if the Husband should be the Wife the Father the Son or the Head the Members or contrary but by being one with Christ is a Spiritual and Conjugal union an union of Relations as Head and Members Husband and Wife which though they be two in appearance yet are but one in compliance and acquaintance As Moses saith in Natures wedlock Two shall be one flesh that is man and wife shall live and move and act together for each other So Christ and every Believer though they be different persons as head and members husband and wife yet they both have but one Father one house one home they live and move and act together have one compliance one acquaintance one enjoyment one in love one in heart one all And the summ of this is eminently set forth in Eph. 5. from the 23. v. to the end of the Chapter 2. What is meant by being one Spirit for this is Spiritual conjunction In corporal conjunctions there is a union in flesh but this union of Christ with the soul is spiritual they are one Spirit By Spirit here we are not to understand the essential being of God or Christ for he is said to be a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit He speaks it of his universal nature as he is Infinite and Omniscient thus neither Angels or men are in union with him onely Jesus Christ who is God equal with the Father blessed for ever comprehending all things by whom all things subsist But by Spirit here is meant the participation of the gifts and graces of God whereby he doth cooperate and work in our hearts a conformity to all those holy ends and purposes as he hath awarded in his Word to all the faithful in Christ Jesus So that by Spirit we are to understand the fruits of the Spirit And thus you may have a Cloud of witnesses Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you He
is like the Gaderenes still crying Depart ye professors we desire neither your company nor acquaintance How often is it that the men of the world are not at home though at home but wishing this and that because a childe of God is in his house he thinketh every minute seven till he hath done talking and done companying and however his seemings may be yet inwardly he says Depart I desire not your company nor acquaintance O that I were rid of this same fellow not friend though he be a neighbor or a Town-dweller yet being a professor he will not be familiar But now let this worldling have but one of its worldly brats come in O what stroaking soothing and suckering and shaking of hands and brother and brother and brother in iniquity he hath all the welcome as at house and home but to professors the world is not at home to them nor they unto the world like as strangers cold in acquaintance and cold in entertainment And the like measure from the world and in the world findes Christ himself he had but little acquaintance but fewer friends but cold entertainment from all And as he is so are the Saints in this world 1 John 4. 17. and let not Gods children look for better but if we finde the like let us take up Pauls resolution and say and pray and live but not in the worlds crowns nor crosses but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom or whereby the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world Gal. 6. 14. 2. Saints are strangers on the earth in In regard of their desires regard of their desires True it is they are not in their persons until their change comes but in regard of their affections and spiritual desires before their change Saith Paul Phil. 1. 23. I desire to depart and to be with Christ Heaven is my home and Christ is my habitation yea and however I am here in the body yet I am but as a stranger my affections and desires are with the Lord and that at present while we are in the body we wait till our change comes And what is our desire in the mean while David tells you the Saints and holy souls desire in their present state Psa 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee yea though flesh and heart fail yet my desires faint not but in the midst of all my faintings and failings the Lord is the strength and support of my soul and my everlasting portion Ask a worldling Where is your home and your desires at morning noon night and they must tell you in the world and worldly cares our home and heart is where our treasure is laboring all day and casting at night for the things of this life Our conversation is amongst the creatures this is our home and our desires are not to be removed But now ask a Christian Where is your home alas say they not in the body though I am in the body yet I am absent 2 Cor. 5. 6. from my home my home is with the Lord and my desires are to be at home Judge world as you will of the worth of the soul and the esteem of heaven which is mine and my fathers mansion yet methinks that is the place my conversation is in heaven and at present I cannot but desire home A strangers will say Home is home though never so homely So say Gods children in this world I am as it were out of doors I am but a stranger but yet I am hastening and desiring homeward I have another structure above this poor rabernacle in which my desires are centered and my faith is fixed on a home indeed not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. 3. Saints are strangers not onely in regard 3. In regard of propriety of etertainment acquitance in the world and their desires to be in heaven but also in regard of their propriety of the things of the world though all be theirs yet they count nothing theirs Godliness saith the Apostle is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Christians have a lawful use and propriety of creature-comforts as well as others but they dare not interest in them as do others The Christians are strangers and you know they may not hold and keep as do others but though all be theirs as life and goods death and stripes yea all contentments yea things present are the Saints propriety 1 Cor. 3. 22. yet they count nothing theirs but say to every contentment and comfort as well as every scorn and cross These are ours but in this we fix We are Christs and Christ is Gods The 1 Cor. 3. 23. sum of this is own'd and acted by the Saints as you may see Phil. 3. 8. And I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I might win Christ comparing this but with the 7. ver and you shall clearly see his propriety Worldly gain was his but he counts it loss for Christ such a stranger and a trampler was the Apostle upon this worlds glory notwithstanding his right in all things And that this was the Saints practice being called unto for Christ mark their usuage from the world Heb. 10. 34. they were companions in bonds but took joyfully the spoiling of their goods there is their propriety but in that they took it joyfully there was their esteem and that in heaven there was better and more durable substance which shews their strangeness to their present possessions as the Apostle speaks as having all things and yet as possessing nothing 2 Cor. 6. 10. and as having nothing and yet possessing all things Seeming contradictions but real truth for a Christian to have all and nothing for Christ yea though all be theirs yet they count nothing theirs As strangers when they come to a friends house though they partake of a friends morsels and that with welcom with freeness and fulness yet they wil tel you though it be all good t is not so kindly They like this and eat that and taste of all but say they One bit at home is better and more sweet then all for I am a stranger notwithstanding all my entertainment one dish or one morsel at home is more kindly and sweet So it is with Christians while in this world they may have all things with welcom from the Lord while in this world and ofttimes they have many kindnesses the Lord spreads a Christians table in the midst of adversaries giving a poor soul much comfort solace and contentment yet saith the soul Notwithstanding all these kindnesses I receive in this world and that with the Lords welcom yet all is not
fears must be removed as well as outward favors must be remembred not by sword but by shines the Fathers saying I am with thee Now the Lord himself make you victorious over all dismayings and lead you and your Precious Pious and Elect Consort into the Chambers of his own Special Presence where you may enjoy the Full Fruition of the Sweetest Promises the Richest Graces the Noblest Hopes and the Highest Priviledges Which are the unfained wishes of him who is the meanest in the things of Christ Rich. Coler To the Christian Inhabitants in the Parish of Broughton in the county of Southampton and to the godly professors of the Gospel of Christ in some of the places adjacent Grace and Peace be Multiplyed c. Friends I Could not chuse but make mention of you in the front of this Discourse and that for these two Reasons amongst many others First Because most of you did sympathize with me in my late sorrows and were very willing and freely active for my enlargement Secondly Because most of you at sundry times either publiquely or privately have been partakers in hearing of what is here presented unto your reading And because most have want of memory especially to retain spiritual and heavenly truths I have put forth this for your hands that through the grace of Christ every one may put home unto their hearts according as every one hath need But to be as quick as my intent I shall cast what I have to say to you and those whom it most concerns into two or three words as followeth 1. A Word or two by way of Account 2. A word by way of Caution 3. But a word and that by way of Councel First By way of Account To testifie that about six moneths since a Thanksgiving Sermon for that great deliverance at Worcester was published under my name intituled Goodness and works of wonder which Sermon I own and doubt not but that it is both Orthodox and Consonant to the Doctrine of the Scripture and the harmony of the late reformed Churches And this I testifie against any such scandal of Recantation or Satisfaction knowing nothing therein for substance but what is agreeable to the word of God And if any can prove or make appear the contrary namely any error or untruth worthy recantation or any thing of wrong which meriteth satisfaction Let such an offence be worthily pickt out and as publiquely stated and let not any doubt but a ready Account shall chearfully be acknowledged But to give satisfaction where no wrong appears and a recantation where no error is found were to injure truth and stablish error But interdictum esse jure naturae As for any expressions of tartness if they be but words and not untruths why should I be made an offender or any man to be offended for a word words have their weight but it is matter makes an Accusation and my wish is since no man nominally is accused by me that none as from me would accuse themselves And though some have a faculty to take every thing in the worst who have a minde to make things odious I say though such can extract poyson out of any expression yet conscientious hearts will not And as for others let them know I was not light but serious in the similitude And most know that comparisons are not conclusions they are to set off yet they do not conclude Verba in definitionibus posita non actum sed potentiam significant And this is no strange rule amongst Logicians That words used in definition do not signifie the very act indeed but the power aptness or the inclination thereunto And if in definitions why not in illustrations Secondly In way of Account Having been about two years upon the exposition of the 5 6 7 Chapters of Matthews Gospel I delivered for Doctrine from the scope of the 9 Ver. in the 6. Chapter That the Lords Prayer improperly though vulgarly counted and called so was but part of Christs Sermon and none of Christs Prayer For Christ could not pray for pardon of sin in a proper sense who was without sin neither guile found in his mouth This I thought good to assert in this Epistle to silence if not for the satisfaction of such who think I should be ashamed to publish preach and own such Doctrine because they will wilfully and ignorantly wrangle against the clear truth of the Gospel Thirdly By way of Account which is the least of all yet something therein as a motive unto my self to publish these notes namely to silence such tongues which are too too apt for any Accusation charging me that I preach nothing but other mens labors But to testifie that I do not steal but study and according to my poor mite labor in the Word and Doctrine not what I have received from men but what I have received from the Lord that I have delivered unto you comparing spiritual things with spiritual studying the Scriptures against mens distempers that if by any means I might be a manuductor to draw any out of the fire of their sins into the saving knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus This in way of Account Secondly By way of Caution Take heed of a prejudiced spirit in any of you against truth though it comes unto you in never so plain a stile yet if truth esteem of it though it come unto you in an earthen vessel though the person be despised yet let not the endeavor It is a great fault of some who are very ready and apt to represent the dark part of things but will over look the light All the good endeavored shall not once be mentioned but if but a seeming fault that shall be aggravated and heightned This hath been hitherto my lot and portion and therefore I must give it by way of caution Thirdly and lastly by way of Councel These are evil times wherein too too many depart from the faith which was given to the Saints that trifle and slight the precious truths of the Lord Jesus But O do you keep close with God and to your Christian principles let none take your Crown from you be not ashamed of the Gospel nor a shame to the Gospel hold fast your profession with a holy conversation be burning and shining lights in your generation Fighting the good fight of faith and persevering unto the end that through mercy you may have an entrance into everlasting glory Two things let me intreat 1. Read and consider for it is with Sermons as with a playster Let the playster be never so soveraign yet if not applied unto the soar it profiteth nothing So if Sermons be never so soveraign spread with promises never so precious and threatnings never so searching yet if not applied no comfort is perswaded to a poor perplexed and sick fearing soul nor no malady asswaged or removed from the brawny and sin-festered souls therefore meditate and consider And then 2. Read and resolve as you have
of Israel And surely they must needs derogate that hold forth the Church of Christ to Nations and Parishes And thus much for the third Generall That most mens faith is no better then the faith of Devils The last follows which is That many mens obedience is not so good as the Devils is for he believes and trembles CHAP. VII Stating the other branch of the Doctrine with some cautions THat the Devils do believe the Text is plain and that most mens faith is no better I have explained unto you That which I am now to open and you to own as truth is this That many mens obedience is not so good the Devils believe and tremble Take many men as they are under the power and command of God and draw but forth their conversation and practice and do but compare the imployment submission and obedience of the Devil as he is under power and soveraignty and it will be found that many men fall short of what the devil doth for he doth believe Gods soveraignty and power and tremble at it Before I give you demonstration note the terms in the Thesis or Doctrine by way of caution 1. The terms that I put the proposition into is not all but many not believers but wicked men and amongst wicked men not all of all sorts but such that are incorrigible And how far short or over moral and profane and common professors go we shall anon examine 2. You are to understand that when I say it is not so good I do not mean that the devil hath any good obedience or wicked men properly so called not any good via eminentiae sed via comparativa by way of eminency but by way of comparing their practice to Gods superlative commands 3. By way of caution know that all obedience both of wicked men and of the devils too is not obedience to answer but to avoid not any obedience as willing or chearful but slavish and fearful The Gaderenes and the Devils agree in this in that passage Mark 5. 12 17. they both would avoid and could not endure to be molested onely this is the difference the devils besought they might depart from Christ the Gaderenes they desire Christ would depart from them That men and Devils are within the verge of Gods power precepts it will appear if we but compare Jobs first and second Chapters from whence we may clearly collect that the Devil permissively may tempt and strip not onely the wicked but even Gods own children But yet observe he is like a slave submissive though he desires nothing more then the ruine of Gods Church and people yet he creeps at Gods commands and keeps within the verge of Gods power and greatness Indeed he seeks to devour all and malice is his proper work but if the Lord speaks to the proud waves Thus far may you swell but no further the Devil may touch Jobs goods his cattel and his children but his life he must not and he keeps touch not out of any desire the devil hath to preserve one or any wicked person but would devour all and ruine all And therefore wonder wicked men at Gods goodness in your preservation and your friends cruelty in seeking your ruine and destruction for the devil is our adversary though wicked mens supposed friend and he goeth about continually like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour Who would then be a slave to Satan to whom though we are so willing to obey yet if God did not restrain him he would destroy us and this is all the comfort a wicked man can have in all his sweets of sin that though he please the devil and please himself but displease God yet consider did not thy displeased God restrain thy contented devil he would cut thy throat every moment and who would be a slave unto such a slave or rather who would not fear and serve such a God who daily preserves and also restrains notwithstanding thy daily and such notorious provocations might not the Lord say I will avenge my self of these mine adversaries and wrath take them and devil take them but instead of this he bridles up Satan and instead of wrath he pours down mercy and preservation and why should not kindeness melt us and mercy overcome us The Saints indeed may comfort themselves in this that though Satan desires to winnow them like wheat yet Christ prays and hath promised Luke 21. 18. Not a hair of your head shall perish They may indeed be pull'd off by persecution but lost they cannot be for he hath promised the keeping of them to thy great comfort and that tells thee his care in taking account of them Matth. 10 30. For the prosecution of this more clearly take notice of these three things into which I shall cast the remainder of this discourse 1. I shall proove the Doctrine and explain it 2. I shall give you some aggravation of the Doctrine 3. Some brief application and so conclude CHAP. VII Wherein the Doctrine is explained and obedience compared 'twixt men and Devils 1. FOr the explanation of the Doctrine That many mens obedience is not so good as the Devils is I shall compare the way and practice of man with the way and practice of the devils And let us in the hearing of it or the reading bring forth conscience to judge the difference for to that I shall now and then appeal unto to clear the point in hand Before the judgement seat of God all men appear in two sorts either sheep or goats godly or ungodly good or bad and the reason is because God judgeth like himself absolute judgement and we then shall say That God is righteous in all his ways and just in all his judgements but now amongst our selves as we are in this world and in our present being and practice we may judge three sorts of persons yea amongst them that do profess for Christ you have such mixtures and interminglings as special believers general professors and commonly prophane persons which are in a sort professors also As the Apostle reduces all sins into that Triplicite The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 16. so every man and woman may be brought into one or other of those three considerations I dare not compare you amongst your selves by name but according to your several obedience I shall compare it both for quantity and quality and wager it to the text in hand and the instance therein mentioned which is the devil for though it be said that all the forementioned several sorts of men do believe so doth the devil and that with trembling The Devil believes and trembles And because you should not think I would be partial I shall instance in the first sort that I mentioned and do you that are either partial or impartial judge 1. I shall call forth the obedience of true believers Believers what say you you have true faith