is a fiducial knowledge of the promise of Grace through Christ Jesus I shall now shew you more distinctly in two or three particulars what is carried in the notion of believing in Christ 1 It implies a knowledge and acknowledgment of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed by God to be the Mediator between God and Man and a clear assent to all Gospel Revelations concerning him the Saviour of sinners touching his Person and Natures and Offices and touching his Mediatory transactions â—nd touching the necessary and saâ—ing effects of his Mediation This knowledge and acknowâ—edgment are necessary and essentiâ—l unto Faith there must be Faith doctrinal and assertive as a foundation of that which is fiducial and applicative 2 To believe in Jesus Christ implieth an utter denial of any other Saviour or Saviours Mediator or Mediators of any other way by which we may come unto God 3 It is not only a knowledge and acknowledgment of and assent unto the Revelations of God concerning Christ the only Saviour but it carries in it a fiducial receiving of Christ offered to us in the Gospel promise this is formalis ratio fidei the formality of true justifying Faith lies in this there are these two things formally constitutive of such a Faith 1 An acceptation of Christ in the promise 2 The Souls innitency or recumbency on Christ received This is truly and properly to believe on Jesus Christ and they who have such a saith are true believers the seed of Abraham and heirs of the Promise There is a carnal and a spiritual seed of Abraham Carnal Professors that have not faith or true grace are the carnal seed and such as do not only profess faith and repentance but are also real believers and truly gracious are the spiritual seed Now therefore that you may not be deceived in this great matter as we are alas too apt to deceive our selves and in danger to be deluded by Satan that you may know whether you be believers and may take comfort in the Doctrine which we are now handling I shall hoâ—d forth to you a few of the properties and effects of faith Faith low evidenced which are evidential of the truth of it True faith is a purifier of the heart and of the conversation Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Faith purifieth as from the guilt 〈◊〉 sin by receiving Christ his rightâ—ousness so from the filth anâ— power of sin by conflicting againâ—â— corruption and by degrees inâ—stering it and working it out 〈◊〉 very one that hath this hope whicâ— is a concomitant of faith 1 Joh. 3.3 and thâ— daughter of faith purifieth himself and the heart being purifieâ— the conversation will he suitableâ— Faith in the heart purifies it anâ— reforms the life he that trulâ— believes in Jesus Christ washeâ—â— his heart from wickedness and 〈◊〉 careful to keep himself from thâ— defilements of sin 2 True faith is a living livelâ— active faith that discovereth it seâ—â— by action setting the soul oâ— working according to all the discoveries of the mind of Christâ— and this it doth because it is a loving faith True believers thaâ— by faith have taken in the love oâ— Christ are carried out in love tâ— such a loving Redeemer who hath purchased them with his own precious blood and are constraineâ— in themselves to give themselves up unto him who gave himself for them love sets the soul on work to keep his Commandments 3 Faith in Jesus Christ acted on him fetcheth virtue from him to make the soul to grow in every grace and encrease in all holiness Where Christ is made righteousness to the soul by imputation of God's part and by Faith's application on the souls part there he is also sanctification by the influence of his Spirit or an emanation of grace which Faith draws from Christ to whom the soul is united 4 True faith acted on Jesus Christ carries on believers to confess Christ and to own his Institutions and to stick to him in doing their duty against all discouragement by trouble and persecution in the world Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you Luc. 22.32 as wheat is sified but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not saith Christ to Peter Peter's faith did not utterly fail though it failed very much in the High-Priestâ— Hall and fell as I may say into 〈◊〉 swoon but certainly no fears oâ— dangers could have made Peter to deny Christ had Faith been active and done its part It was Faith that made Moses to chuse reproaches and persecutions for Christ rather than the glory of Egypt Faith is our Victory whereby we overcome the World it being that which raiseth the soul above all the hopes and fears of the World See faith's working in Paul and what power it had to carry him on thorow sufferings for Christ For the which cause also I suffer those things 2 Tâ—m 1.12 nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day 5 True faith is a joy-creating grace The Apostle prays for the Romans Rom. 15.12 that they may be fillâ—d with all joy in believing Joy is the Daughter of faith when faith lays hold on remission of sins through the bloud of Christ the soul must needs rejoyce in the Lord its Saviour who hath delivered it from the guilt of sin and the curse of the Law Peace and Joy in some degree is an immediate fruit and effect of true faith acted on Christ Thus I have finished the explication of the point shewing what the Covenant is and how it is confirmed and to whom it is confirmed I come now to prove our Doctrine That God's Covenant of Grace is confirmed to all Believers Proof You have seen the Position clearly grounded in the Text See further proof Gal. 3.29 If ye be Christ's the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus as ver 26. if ye be believers then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise To Abraham and his seed were the promises made Gal 3.16 he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed that is Christ viz. Christ complexiveâ—â— taken and in aggregation Chriâ—â— in his Mystical Body as you haâ—â— it expounded by the same Apostâ—â— 1 Cor. 12.12 So also is Christ 〈◊〉 you read the whole verse you wiâ—â— easily see that here we must understand Christ mystical the Bodâ— of Christ his Church The promises are made thâ— Covenant is confirmed to all truâ— Believers the Members of Christ Now for application of the point Applicat First I shall draw up two or three inferences for information next I shall give out some words of exhortation or counsel Thirdly I shall close up all with a use of consolation Vse 1 1 If the Covenant of Grace belong to Abraham's seed
Christ after clearer and fuller Manifestations of his Psa 63.1 O God thou art my God saith David here is Faith apprehending an interest in God and applying the Covenant of his love well hath David enough of God No see what followes Early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee 3. The presuming Soul is still quiet it is all peace with such a one the Devil doth not at all trouble him but lets him alone and laughs at him to see how he disceives himself and how he is Devil deluded and befooled but where true faith is taking up the Covenant the Devil assaults the Soul and seeks to disturb and destroy its peace as he buffeted Paul after that he wâ—s wrapt up into the third Heavens and had seen such visions of Glory The Devil rageth against the Soul that hath any measure of assurance because this is that which doth excellently fit the soul to do God service They who have no experience of Satans onsets have reason to question the truth of their assurance if they pretend to any such matter 4. Presumption will not bear up the spirit under afflictions troubles and crosses against dangers and deaths but assurance will David was assured of Gods mercy and love toward him he saith therefore Psal 23. That though he walk thorow the valley of the shadow of Death he will fear no evil The Apostle writing to Believers saith Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods known in your selves that you have a better and more enduring substance 5. The presuming Souâ—â—s bold with sin and goes on in sin but a well grounded assurance of Gods love breeds a distance betwixt the Soul and sin and arms and strengthens the Soul against sin it makes a man to loath sin Sin is hateful to the assured Soul How shall I do this thing and sin against my God who loveth me and hath shed abroad his love in my heart shall I dishonour him and grieve him and dispise his Commands and be found a rebel against him The assured Soul fears the Lord and his goodness fears to offend him Psa 85.8 because he is a good God his good God God will speak peace to his people but let them return no more to folly when peace is Preached in any ones heart this is the use which naturally flows from that Doctrine now return no more to folly 6. If we say that we have assurance of Sonship and of an interest in Christ and in the Covenant of Gods love let us examine whence we have it by what Testimony we are assured As Christ said to some of his Disciples upon a certain occasion ye know not what Spirit ye are of so we may say to many that are ready to boast of their assurance that they know not from what Spirit it comes or whence they had it There is a dangerous ill grounded peace and false perswasion that many have which comes from an evil Spirit from the Devil that old deceiver the beguiling Serpent and from a vain carnal loose spirit of their own Qu. What then is the true witness from whose Testimony true assurance is had An. The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 una testatur cum spiritu nostro hâc ratione duo erunt testes nempe Spiritus Dei Spiritus noster certior ab eo factus The Spirit it self bears witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God that same spirit which he called the Spirit of God ver 14. and the Spirit â—f Adoption ver 15. that same Spirit beareth witness with our Spirit so that there is the Testimony of the Spirit of God and the Testimony of our Spirit and they both agree in one First the Spirit of God witnesseth bringing this assurance to the Soul We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Cor. 2.12 Now the Spirit of God witnesseth and giveth such assurance by working and by speaking The Spirit of God witnesseth Sonship by his Works which hâ— effecteth which he createth in the Soul upon which the promise cometh This way of witnessing is first in order of nature The Spirit brings in the nature of Gods Child working so great a change that it is called the renewing of the holy Ghost and the subject of this change thâ— soul thus changed is called a new Creature 2. There is the Word of the Spirit testifing to the spirit of a Christian that he is the child of God by promise I say there is the Spirits Word viz. a full sensible clear conviction which the Spirit of God brings to the heart of a believer perswading him that the promise belongs to him This Word of the Spirit comes upon the work of the spirit so that where the Spirits work it not which is a work of renewing the heart and delivering it up to a conformity in some good measure to the mind of God there the Spirits word comes not to witness Gods love to the Soul therefore let people take heed of mistakes herein The Spirit of God never told you that you are in Gods favour unless he hath put into your hearts Gods fear he never gave you the name of Sons or Daughters or suggested to you your interest in the inheritance of Sons unless he hath brought in the nature of Sons and stamped the image of God upon you Now because mistakes about this are too ordinary and very dangerous I shall give you more distinctly some clear difference between the true assuring report and testimony of the spirit of God and the false deluding testimony of another spirit 1. The Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing to Souls the love of God is not given by extraordinary immediate Revelation or an audible voice from Heaven as the Devil makes people to believe and as some pretend to have assurance they way while they slight and despise the word and promises those sacred Oracles of God to which believers should have recourse for their comfort and villifie and mock at that perswasion which believers have in Gods way of perswading Souls that is from the operation of the Spirit working true Grace and Holiness in them and thereupon speaking comfortably to them perswading them of God's love toward them and of their interest in his Covenant These poor Souls are deluded by Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light and imitating God in those extraordinary wayes wherein he hath been woâ—â— heretofore to manifest himself to his people The witnessing word of the Spirit of God is a word coming upon and through his working in us and it is an inward voice a secret whispering that makes report within us of the love of God to us powerfully perswading us and sensibly convincing us of our Covenant interest in God 2. The Testimony of the Spirit of God comforting Souls by reporting Gods love to them and assuring them of their interest
which is to be applyed we say a blind man may catch a Hare it is possible though not probable but a blind ignorant soul cannot apply the Covenant of Promise as it is fabulously reported of Ixion that he imbraced a dusky dark Cloud instead of bright beautiful June So do ignorant souls imbrace the delusions of Satan and the phantasmes of their own deluded spirits instead of the true real Covenant of Promise therefore before I exhorted you to application I advised you to study the Covenant of Grace 2 You must apply the Covenant as God's Covenant of Grace offered to sinners There are three specialties in this to be taken notice of 1 It is God's Covenant 2 A Covenant of Grace 3 A Covenant offered to sinners 1 It is God's Covenant not mans and seeing it is God's Covenant It is worth the laying hold on for God doth not covenant to give to the Heirs of Promise small petty things but great matters indeed 2 Pet. 1.4 The Apostle saith that God hath given us exceeding great and precious promises such are the things promised to be given exceeding great and precious God gives like himself gifts worthy the giver Gods Covenant of Promise is the riches and treasure of the heirs of promise This is one consideration to draw us in to the Covenant to make us desirous of it it is worth the having 2 Seeing it is God's Covenant we may be sure it shall be performed A mans covenant with God or man may be broken because either he may be unable to make it good or he may prove false and deceitful and oh what falshood is there found with men and how common a sin is covenant-breaking but now we cannot question God's performance 1 Because there can be no want of power for the fulfilling of his Covenant To thee O Lord Ps 62.11 belougeth Power We are taught in the Lord's prayer to ascribe this unto God Thine is the Kingdom and the Power God is Almighty so that there cannot be any check given to his Power by the greatest difficulty that can be imagined there is nothing too hard for God to do nothing at all difficult to him Hereby Abraham his Faith in the Promises was born up because he was perswaded that what God had promised Rom. 4.21 he was able to perform 2 There can be no failing of God's truth and faithfulness he is not as man that he should lye nor as the son of man that he should repent Dent. 32.4 The Lord is a God of truth These considerations will make the soul desirous to apply the Covenant when it considers that it is Gods Covenant and a covenant concerning very great matters and a covenant that shall surely be performed by the Almighty faithful unchangeable God And as this consideration may serve to draw the soul to the Covenant so it may give direction and be helpful respecting the right manner of applying it 1 If it be the Covenant of God it is to be applyed humbly and with self-denial and self-abasement O Lord I would have it I desire to close with it but truly I am most unworthy of it Blessed and glorious God what am I that thou should'st tender to me the covenant of thy love 2 If it be God's Covenant concerning great and precious things that he will give then it is to be applyed earnestly We are too earnest and greedy to catch at the things of the world which we look upon as great matters though they are not so indeed Oh if we did understand the things which concern the wealth and peace and happiness of our souls then we should be as earnest to lay hold on the riches of God's Covenant the good things therein promised which are great matters indeed 3 If it be the covenant of God Almighty and unchangeable who abideth faithful for ever then apply it fiducially without staggering at the promise as being confident of the performance Thus much of the first particular it is God's covenant The second specialty to be taken notice of in the second general rule of direction is this 2 It is God's covenant of Grace this is to be considered Now this consideration will be of special use in the application of the Covenant Nothing moved God at first to make this Covenant but his own goodness herein he expressed his love and discovered his free grace which was the ground of the Covenant and truly that is it which carries it on to full accomplishment by every step and in every parcel of it The whole business of saving from first to last is meerly of grace Now see what a direction and help this will be in the application of the Covenant 1 If it be a Covenant of Grace then we must go out of our selves to take it and must take it wholly as a Covenant of Grace I say we must go out of our selves i.e. we must be taken off from our own bottom so as to have no confidence in our selves nor any conceit of our own worthiness we must come off from our graces and duties from our own righteousness must have no Opinion of that though the work of grace in us clear to us may be our warrant to apply the Covenant to our selves when we find this effect of the Covenant in our own souls this condition of enjoying the promises yet our graces and duties must not be lookt upon as giving us any right to it or rendering us any way worthy of it no it must be a self-denying application taking it by Faith as purely from grace 2 This consideration that it is a Covenant of Grace will help to carry on the self-judging self-condemning soul to an application of it A precious sweet Covenant saith a poor heart that hath a sight of its own sinfulness and vileness oh it is a blessedness to have an interest in it but I vile wretch am unworthy what have I to do with the Covenant of the great and holy God it belongeth to holy ones to those that have better hearts then I have and are more in duty then I am and perform duties in a better manner then I do and that have greater abilities to serve and glorifie God Now let such a soul consider the freeness of the grace of God in the Covenant Dost thou judge thy self before the Lord and mourn over the corruption and carnality and laziness and barrenness and deadness of thy heart Dost thou bewail thy unworthiness and unprofitableness and thy backwardness to holy duties and thy miscarriages in them Are thy sins thy souls burden and thy weaknesses the matter of thy grief and complaint Why to thee the Covenant doth belong which is a Covenant concerning Sanctification as Justification and a Covenant of Grace holding forth the mercy and goodness of God to those that have need of it and not to those that deserve it The good God gives his Covenant as a gift of grace to all those whom he takes into
give him praise makinâ— it not only the labour of our lips but the work of our hearts powâ—ing out our very souls unto him who hath manifested the gracious pâ—rpose of his heart towards us it the Covenant of Life and Salvation which â—e hath given us 5. Praising of God for the Covenant of his mercy and love shalâ— be the constant etâ—rnal work of Saints in Heaven when they shâ—â—â— bâ— fully made partakers of 〈◊〉 blessings of the Covenant being taken up to the fullest fruition of their God and made full of joy with the light of his countenance and is not Heaven work to be beguâ— by us here do we not pray that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven now this will argue a heavenly Spirit to be taken up with heavenly employment and action and this will be a means to make the heart more heavenly Oh let us now enure our selves to our everlasting work and labour to be as like as may be here to what we shall be hereafter 6. The more we let our hearts out to God in thankfulness for the grace of the Covenant praising him for the free donation of himself to us as prising him above all the more will he let himself out to us and communicate his goodness clearing up to us our interest in him shedding abroad his love in our hearts Psa 50.23 so making us glad with the Light of his Countenance Qu. How shall we shew our selves thankful to God for the Covenant of promise the Covenant of his love Ans In cleansing our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God This is the return which God expects from us for his love toward us that we declare our selves on his side against sin which is his great enemy that we freely give up our selves to him who hath engaged himself to us that as he is become our God so we should be his people a people of his holiness and that we strive to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing 2. Let us declare to others the preciousness of the Covenant and the comfort and sweetness of a Covenat interest in God tell them that this is infinitely more worth than all other interests and enjoyments seeking thus to draw souls unto God this is thankfulness for exhibiting grace cordially and affectionately to commend both the gift and the giver 3. 〈◊〉 us thankfully and with enlarged hearts bless God for the Lord Jesus Christ the root of the Covenant as I may say and the Mediator of the Covenant By his Blood the Covenant was purchased for us and by his mediation it is performed to us therefore let us set the name of Christ to all this grace God the Father delighteth to have his son honoured and he that honours not the Son honours not the Father therefore let Christ be great with us upon this account that he hath procured the love of his Father to us 4. Our prizing of the Covenant and our thankfulness for it will be shewn in our longing for a nearer communion with God and a fuller fruition of him in the accomplishment of all the promises of the Câ—venant We are not thankful to God for the Covenant whereby he is become our God unless we make him our â—rd our portion our treasure and have our hearts set upon him and desire carried to him O Lord thou art my God why have I no more enjoyment of thee why is my soul at such a distance from thee it contents me not to see thy back parts O shew me thy face O let the time hasten when I shall see as I am seen Thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee O blessed day when I shall come to appear before my God in Sion Thus you have had a seventh Counsel and some directions about it 8thly Let us constantly act faith upon the Covenant which God hath given us Couns 8. Act faith upon the Covenant and upon God in Christ covenanting with us This is the way to fetch sweetness from the Covenant to suck out the hony that is in it I shall hold forth some exciting considerations Incitements some arguments to perswade to the acting of Faith upon God and upon his Covenant of Promise 1. Consider that as God reâ—aires this so he is greatly delighted with the actings of precious faith upon such a precious object as himself who is the believers and and happiness This is very pleasing to God because it gives him the glory of his goodness and of his all sufficiency and of the truth and certainty of his Covenant by acting saith upon God's Covenant of promise and so fetching our comfort from thence we set to our Seal that God is good and that he is sufficient for us and that he is truâ— â—â—e real in Covenanting and faithful in performing his Covenant to his people now I say it must needs he that God is delighted with thesâ— actings of Faith while the soul rowl's it self upon him and fetches its comforts from him and satisfies its self with him because thus the sould gives him the glory of his precious Attributes which are so dear to him 2. This is a most sweet pleasant and delightful life to the believer himself to lie sucking by faith at the fuâ—l breasts of consolation to drink in the pure waters of the Fountain of Life to feed upon the marrow and fatness the honey and sweetness of the sweet Covenant of grace to be satisfied with God to have all in him There is a vast difference between Faiths repasts and the worlds refreshings between Covenant comforts which are received by faith and creature comforts which are apprehended and taken in by senses Oh how do they differ in respect of pureness and fullness and durableness and universality or extensiveness 1. In respect of pureness there is a mixture of wax in the most clarified honey of earthly delights there is some bitterness in the sweetest morsels of sublunary contentments they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter-sweets there is a mixture of dreggs in the purest liquors of the worlds comforts but the comfort of a Covenant interest in God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere this is honey without wax it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet indeed without any bitterness in it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure indeed liquor without any dregs 2. Great is the difference betwixt the comfort which the faith of a believer fetcheth from Gods Covenant and that which a worldling fetcheth from the Creature in respect of fullness Alass the bâ—st comforts which the world yields do rather provoke than fill the appetite do rather enerense than quench thirst no inferious good no sublunary enjoyment is adequate or proportionable to the capacity or desire of the Soul When Hannah wept before the Lord because she was Childless said Eâ—kanah to her Why weepest thou am not
who do in effect say as those daughters of Jerusalem What is thy belâ—ved more then other beloveds Cant. 5. 9. What a doe is here about Christ you say above all your gettings get Christs let go all and take Christ you tel us he is the great Gift he is all Why we find that there is something beside him and that which pleaseth us well that which we will hold Fast say you what you will or may we not have Christ and hold fast the World May we not have Christ and take our pleasure may we not enjoy Christ and our lusts together O friends if you will have Christ you must be resolved upon the termes to part from all for him 5. You must seek Jesus Christ in the use of those means which God hath appointed and afforded particularly in attendance upon the Ministery of the word wherein God maketh offers of Grace and holdeth forth Jesus Christ with his fulnes to you if you will receive him God will be sound of those that seek him Christ will come to those that wait for him in his own way But as for those Fanaticks and seduced soules who reckon themselues to be aboue Ordinances and those prophane ones who do wickedly despise them and stubbornely refuse to bring their spirits under them and turn their backs upon the Preaching of the Word Surely they are not in the way to find Christ 6. As you must attend upon Ordinances that you may finde Christ in them so you must heed God his offers of Christ and Christ his tenders of himself to you You must observe how Christ comes to you in the sweet motions of the Spirit knocking at the doors of your heart and importuning you to open to him Istand at the doore and knock if any man open to me I will come in to him Reve. 3.26 Christ speaketh in the Ministrie of the Gospel calling you to faith and repentance and new obedience and he knocketh at the doores of your hearts by the motions of his Spirit and this standing and knocking implies an carnest desire to be let in to be entertained Now vvhen vve repent and believe and give Christ enterance into our hearts this is to open the doore unto him Oh take heed you do not neglect the calls and knocks of Christ but open to him let the everlasting doores of your soules be lifted up that the King Glory may come in Oh how long have you kept Christ out of doore though he hath knocked hard and called aloud yet he could not hitherto obtain to have the doore opened to him you would not be perswaded to cast the World out of your hearts and to turn out lusts and take him in but still continue as vain as proud as worldly as intemperate as irreligious and every way as bad as you were O firs take heed of resisting the Spirit of giving Christ such often repulses least he be provoked to be gone and resolve not to sollicite you any further that his Spirit shall not more strive with you lest you be given up to your own counsels to perish by your own gainsayings Dear soules give Christ entertainment Oh that the power of Gospel Revelations and Gospel Counsels may come in upon your hearts 2. Seeing Christ is the principal gift of God Counsel 2. Make sure an interest in Christ let us labour to cleare up to our selves our interst in him to get assurance that we have him for many there are who are ready to say that Christ is theirs when indeed they have no part in him Quest How shall I know that I have Christ Answ In order to a solution of this or to give satisfaction herein I shall in general acquaint you with this Our having received Christ our being in Christ and Christ his being in us are notions that serve to express one and the same thing This being premised I shall propound two heads or tvvo vvaies of discoverie for answer to the question If Christ be ours then we are in Christ 1. If vve have received Christ then we are in Christ Now I find that the Spirit of God useth a threefold comparison or similitude in setting forth a Believer his being in Christ 1. A Christian is in Christ as a branch in the stock so that if we bud and blossome and grow in grace be fruitful in holiness this is an agrument that we have received Christ that vve are in him 2. A Christan is in Christ as a member in the bodie united to the head so that if there be Spiritual life in us and Spiritual sense and Spiritual motion and action this is an argument that vve have received Christ that vve are in him 3. A Christian his being in Christ is set forth by the marriage vnion so that if there be a sweet intercourse betvvene Christ and the soule if the soule receive comfort from Christ and take pleasure in his company and delight in communion with him then he hath Christ 2. If a man hath received Christ then Christ is in him Christ is in us Christ is in the Saints as the soule in the body as the Sun in the World as a man in his house as a King on his Throne Novv there are tvvo meanes or tvvo manner of waies by which Christ is thus in the Saints both expressed by the Apostle in one place viz. the Spirit and Faith The Believer's vnion with Christ Ephes 3.16 17. is not a natural mixture of Substances of Christ his substance and our substance as if there were a real entrance of the body or Soule of Christ into our body or Soule Nor is it onely a conjunction of love or an union in affection between us and Christ but it is a mistical union in vvhich Christ-and Believers become one Christ stians are knit to brist and to one-another by joynts and bonds col 2.19 The Spirit and faith are those bonds and this union is as hath been said shadovved out in Scripture by the union of the head and the members in the body of man and by the vnion of a man and a vvoman in a married estate This vnion is made on Christ his part by his Spirit on our part by Faith 1. By his Spirit 1. Christ is in us by his Spirit this is first in order in as much as the Spirit is the worker of Faith The cause is before the effect Evidenoes he eâ—f Now there are divers effects whereby Christ discovereth himself to be in the soule by his Spirit 1. As the soul in the bodie is the principle of life motion and action so is Christ in the Saints by his Spirit the principle of spiritual life putting into them and preserving in them that life which is called the life of God Ephes 4.18 and as the soul acteth the body and every member of it so are Saints acted by Jesus Christ by Spirit in them John 3 6. Rom. 8.14 That which is born
of every particular Infant that it belongs to the Election of Grace and so is an Heir of the Promise though we cannot judge so of any with the judgment of certainâ—y 2 I come now to a Use of Exhortation 2Vse Exhortation to give out some words of counsel I Believe that which the Scripture clearly holds forth concerning this Covenant which we have spoken of Couns 1. I Believe that God hath made a second Covenant with man Believe the Covenant a Covenant of Grace since by his fall by transgression he cut himself off from God and happiness and made himself uncapable of life by the first Covenant which was a covenant of works if this were not held forth in the word then there were no consolation of the Scriptures nor no ground of hope given to sinners in them For the word speaks most clearly that we cannot be justified and saved by a covenant of works by the deeds of the Law By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified Rom. â— 2â— Gal. 〈…〉 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin and under sin and death we must all lye for ever were it not for the Covenant of Grace wherein God freely offereth life and salvation by Jesus Christ unto sinners upon condition of Faith and Repentance which he hath promised likewise to give woe woe to all the Posterity of Adam were there not such a Covenant of God's love and mercy in which he hath promised righteousness and life eternal through his Son to all those that receive him This Covenant we must believe or else we can have nothing whereupon rationally to build hope of salvation 2 Believe that all Abraham his spiritual seed and none but they are comprehended in this Covenant favingly interessed in it 3 Believe the confirmation of the Covenant to all this interessed parties by the written Word of God and by his Oath and by his Seals and by the death of his Son whose blood is called the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 10 29. 4 Believe that Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant by whose mediation all the promised good is procured for us and shall be performed to us so that we must take up the Covenant and the comfort of it in and through him This is the first counsel to perswade souls to believe the Covenant of Grace and to yield a full assent to all that which the Scripture holds forth concerning it Because otherwise they will never regard it or look after it nor can ever have any benefit by it Suffer your selves to be convinced of the misery of being out of this Covenant Couns 2. See the mâ—sery of being out of Covenant and of the necessity of being under it and interessed in it that you may have life and blessedness Poor creatures that are out of this Covenant are without God and without Christ and so without that which can relieve their misery by sin and make them happy What ever their enjoyments are in the world how far is the soul from happiness while it is far from God the Fountain of Blessedness All good is comprehended in God and all true happiness is comprized in our fruition of God sin hath set us at the greatest distance from God and so at the greatest distance from happiness The Blood of Christ brings us near to God and an interest in the Covenant of Grace gives God to be our God and so renders us happy Truly conviction in this case is most necessary for a man will never seek that which he doth not know he hath lost or which he thinks he may well enough be without but a knowledge of our loss by sin and a conviction of the necessity of râ—finding what we have lost will cause answerable affections When a soul is convinced that it hath lost God and lost happiness will it not cry out that it iâ— undone and have a strong desire to recover this loss and so seek an enjoyment of God in Christ above any thing in the world 3 Study the Covenant of Grace Couns 3. Study the Covâ—nant labour for a clear understanding of it that you may know its nature its matter its Author its rise its subjects its priviledges its goodness and excellency its necessariness its perpetuity its ends and the condition of enjoying it It is very sad that whereas it concerns us as much as our souls are worth to have a knowledge of and interest in the Covenant yet people generally are ignorant of it so that they understand not what it is nor whence it is nor why it is nor what need they have of it nor what benefit comes by it nor to whom it belongs nor upon what terms it is to be enjoyed c. Is this ignorance for want of means of knowledge or is it an inconsiderable point the knowledge whereof doth not at all or very little concern us Ah beloved the matter is very weighty and the knowledge of it very necessary and the Revelations of God concerning it very clear but here is the cause of mens ignorance they will not be convinced of the necessity of this most necessary knowledge and interest and so regard not to know the things that concern their everlasting peace Oh how greatly doth it concern all souls that in themselves are lyable to death and damnation to study God's gracious Covenant of Life and Salvation If this were well studied by us we should see more in it then we do and should have more affection to it then we have and should be more diligent and studious to apply it then we are we should see it to be worth the laying hold on and should not be so loath as we are to renounce lusts profits and pleasures and vanities which our hearts are naturally in league with that we may receive this Covenant of God's mercy concerning pardon and peace and all manner of blessings here and eternal salvation hereafter Couns 4. Apply the Covenant Having studied this Covenant sofar as to see the goodness and the desirableness and excellency of it let desire be carried to it and labour diligently to apply it What is it to me that there is such a Covenant of God for the healing and recovering and saving of wounded lost destroyed sinners if it belongs not to me What comfort can the knowledge of that which is excellent and precious afford me if I have no part in it Therefore let me labour truly and thorowly to apply this precious Covenant This counsel hath two branches 1 Apply the Covenant truly 2 Apply it thorowly and surely Apply it truly 1 Apply the Covenant truly take heed of a misapplication see that there be not any material error in applying the Covenant Now I shall lay down some rules Directions give you some directions for a right application of the Covenant 1 You must have eyes to see what you take must not be ignorant of the Covenant
Covenant therefore let humble souls broken-hearted sinners arise and go to God who calls them and holds forth grace to them in his Covenant There is yet a third specialty in our second general rule of direction which he that would rightly apply the Covenant must take notice of 3 This Covenant is a Covenant offered to sinners to those to whom the poyson of Adam's corrupted nature is propagated and by whom much sin hath been acted to such as are full of sin and loaden with guilt even to Publicans and Harlots to a Manasseh to a Mary Magdalen God's Covenant is held out to such if they come in by repentance and bring Faith to lay hold on it Isai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return to the Lord for he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.9 that some of them were Fornicators and Idolaters and Adulterers and Covetous and Drunkards c. but they are washed and justified and sanctified Now this was Covenant grace this was the performance of the Covenant to them This is to be considered by those that have been great sinners to keep them from presumption on the one hand and from dispair on the other hand 1 The Covenant is held out to sinners not to proud self-admiring Pharisces or presumptuoâ—â— offenders but to humble self-judging Penitents to repenting sinners If we do not see our selveâ— sinners if we have not a dâ—â— humbling sight and sense of sin we cannot apply the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace 2 The Covenant is held out to sinners even to the greatest sinners that repent therefore let noâ— any self-judging soul despair oâ— receiving the mercy and grace oâ— the Covenant 1 Jo. 1.9 If we confess oâ— sins God is just and faithful to fuâ—give our iniquities and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness Come to me all ye that labour Mat. 11 2â— and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Thus you see what use is to be made of this consideration with respect to the application of the Covenant it is a Covenant offered to sinners therefore we must see our selves to be sinners and judge our selves for our iniquities that we may take it and having a sight of our own unworthiness and being wounded with the sense of sin we must not out our selves off from the Covenant whâ—se the Word of God doth not â—ut us off as I willsay to the impenitent secure presumptuous sinner Why medlest thou with the Covenant Hands off it belongs not to thee so I would say to any humble mourning penitent self-judging sinner Poor soul why standest thou so far off Behold the Lord calls thee and offers his grace to thee therefore draw thou near and lay hold on the Covenant of his mercy and love You have seen a second rule that is to be observed by those who desire duly to apply the Covenant Remember that it is God's Covenant of Grace offered to sinners 3 That you may not misapply the Covenant or catch at that which belongs not to you keep this in mind That God's Covenant is made only to Abraham and his seed Now Abraham's seed children of Promise included in the same Covenant with Abraham are in general all the Elect but God's Election is a secret which cannot be known à priori but only by God himself who alone knows who are his yet we may have a knowledge of it à posteriori when we find that we are called with a holy and effectual calling Now I say you must apply the Covenant as being Abraham's â—eed finding a true work of grace in your hearts the saving effects of the Covenant upon your souls whence you may conclude your Covenant relation to God and interest in his precious promises or else you do not apply the Covenant truly and honestly but unjustly laying a false claim to it 4 As we must make God in his Covenant our end so we must make Christ as Mediator our way and therefore in applying the Covenant must look to him and act Faith primarily on him by whom the grace of the Covenant is purchased for us and in and through whom it is conveyed to us we must accept of Christ for our Lord and Jesus that we may receive the Covenant of Grace and Peace and salvation through him 5 We must know that the Covenant is propounded and offered conditionally Faith and Repentance and New Obedience are the condition of Pardon and Salvation It is certain none are saved but by Covenant by a Covenant of Grace but it is by the Covenant kept therefore I must not think without any more ado to take this Covenant to my self not having any regard to the fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant in my self where there is not Faith and Repentance a true worke of grace and holiness there can be no right application of the Covenant So much now as to the first branch of the fourth General Counsel Apply the Covenant truly 2 Apply the Covenant thorowly Apply surely and thorowly see that you make sure work of it make sure to your selves your Covenant interest Seeing there is such a Covenant of Grace so precious and so necessary for us which belongs to the feed of Abraham and to them only why should we be content to live without assurance of our interest in it They who are in Covenant are for Heaven and they that are out of Covenant are for Hell Oh how desirous should we then be to be resolved and assured whether we be in Covenant or no How can we think or speak of God with comfort or without fear and trouble in our spirits while we are uncertain whether he be our God or no whether he be our friend or our enemy Let us labour therefore to be at a certainty in this point an infallible certainty of our interest in God's Covenant may be had Oh let us strive to it Now to quicken you in this case to excite you to diligence in making up to a thorow application of God's Covenant even to the full assurance of Faith I shall hint to you something of the benefit and comfort of assurance the unspeakable advantage that hence accrues to the soul Fruits of assurance 1 This assurance of Faith will sweeten to us all Providences and every condition of life 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. while a Christian lives by Faith in a clear apprehension of the love of God who hath made an everlasting Covenant with him no outward changes can work any great change in his spirit or make much impression pression upon him assurance of God's love will make a Christian to sit down under changes quietly and comfortably with the Prophet Habakkuk rejoycing in the Lord and joying in the God of his salvation 2 Assurance of God's love will sweeten to us our enjoyments in the world be it more
through Christ upon the mercy and grace of a Covenanting God till the love and grace of God be revealed from faith to faith 3. We must take heed that we do not greive but please the spirit of God the Comforter that reporteth the love of the Father unto Souls and sealeth them up to the day of Redemption The way to assurance of Gods love is to comply with and give content to the witnessing sealing Spirit 4. If we desire that God should bestow upon us the riches of full assurance then let us be thankful for the least glimps of Light that he maketh to shine into us let us not look at any of the consolations of God as small but let us be thankful for any pledge of his favour The Lord in making out his love to the Soul deals saith one as Boaz dealt with Ruth he first gave her liberty to glean in his fields then to glean even among the sheaves then invited her to eat bread with him and to dip her morsels in the vinegar and at last he took her to be his Wife to lye in his bosome so doth God discover his love to believers first more sparingly and as at greater distance then draws nearer and reveals himself more clearly shewing himself more friendly to them and familiar with them and then at length he gives his Spirit into their bosom to assure them of his love and of their interest in all his grace Now the ready way to attain all this to have such manifestations of Gods love to us is to be truly thankful for the least appearance of Grace Then will God say to such a Soul art thou so thankful for a beam of Light I will fill thee with the fountain of Light art thou thus thankful for crumbs that fall under the board I will feast thee with marrow and fatness at my Table 5. One other great means conducing to a certainty of our interest in Gods Covenant is a serious trial of our hearts and of the state of our Souls by and according to the Word of God the Scripture tells us who are the people of God his Covenanted ones what are their qualifications and properties therefore let us see what the Scripture holds forth in this point and then let us diligently prove our selves whether we be such persons so qualified that by this means we may come to a certainty of our estate Now for direction herein to make short work of it know this that where holiness is there is the Covenant of God his love Holy Beloved Col. 3.12 all holy Souls are beloved of God prove your selves then whether there be a true work of Grace wrought in you by the spirit of God whether you are of the number of Gods holy ones Qu. How may this be known who are holy ones An. Where corruption is by Grace so far subdued that sin reigns not there is holiness when a Soul is delivered not wholly from sin that will not be in this life but from the law of sins so that sin hath not dominion over him The Apostle saith Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lust thereof he doth not say ne sit let not sin be in you though we must not allow it in our selves or suffer it to be quiet but ne regnat let not sin reign in you Sin reigneth when it hath the wil 's consent the hearts delight and commands the whole man when a man is a willing servant of sin and as the Apostle saith yields his members weapons of unrighteousness unto sin is in a readiness to obey sins commands and to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Sin cannot be said to reign when a man doth unwilling service to sin bewailes and hates the evil that is in him and the evil that is done by him and wars against sin and prays against Sin and desires and endeavours to shake off the yoke of sin I say here sin cannot properly be said to reign though it exerciseth a Tyrannical power forcing a poor soul many times to do its commands and where this reign of sin is not there is holiness but where sin reigneth there is no Saintship 2. He that is universal and serious in his desires to be good and do good having respect to all Gods commands that truly desires to be filled with the knowledg of Gods will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding and to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing and to be fruitful in every good work that desires and endeavours to order his conversation aright in the fear of God and to keep his Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men to be conformed to the mind of God in internal as well as external holiness and righteousness he is a holy man though he may have many infirmities falling short of his duty and doing oft times that which is displeasing to God 3. If a man be sincerely diligent in using the means of Grace setting his heart to seek God in them aiming at the profiting and perfecting of himself by them and bewailing his unprofitableness and barrenness under them such a person is to be numbred among holy ones true desires of Grace and cadeavours to get Grace are a sign of the truth of Grace but where the means of Grace are slighted and neglected and God is not songht unto for Grace there is no Grace no work of Holiness yet wrought in the Soul for Grace is such a good thing such a precious thing and Holiness is so desirable so comfortable and delightful that he who hath any thing of it desires more and thinks that he can never have enough Well thus prove your real spiritual estate that hereby you may come to a knowledge of your relative estate This is the way to assurance of an interest in the Covenant of Gods love Thus much briefly touching the way to assurance the means by which it may be attained Marks of assurance Now for some marks or evidences of the assurance of Faith to shew you how it may be discerned from Presumption 1. The presuming heart is a proud heart that is lifted up in it self and makes no humble acknowledgment of the grace of God but the assured soul is humble in it self and admires the love of God toward it in Christ Jesus Ah Lord who am I that thou shouldst thus manifest thy self to me Oh what a mercy is this and what manner of love is this that thou shouldst thus embrace me in thine armes and take me into thy bosom and kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth O my God what rich grace is this that thou shouldst give me assurance of my interest in thee of my Union and Communion with thee of thine everlasting love toward me 2. The presuming soul resteth satisfied with that of God which he presumeth he hath but a true Believer earnestly longeth after a fuller enjoyment of God and
will not make thy condition better than the Word makes it to be 3. If it be the testimony of a carnal heart speaking peace to a man it will make him careless of duty and give him much liberty but if it be a true spiritual Witness it will make him more careful more studious to honour God more diligent in the service of God Serve thy God honour thy God strive to please thy God who hath given the Covenant of his love to thee saith the new Regenerate Spirit taking up the evidence of Gods love and telling the Christian that he hath an interest in the Covenant of Grace Thus you have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proofs and evidences of the truth of assurance whereby we may be able to discern between it and presumption well now to resume and a little further to press this perticular exhortation Exhortation resume the fourth counsel which I suggested to you from the Doctrine Labour truiy and thorowly to apply the Covenant strive to a certain knowledge of your spiritual estate real and relative to know whether you belong to God or no and whether the Covenant of his love doth belong to you Take two or three swasives or incentives hereunto Incentives besides those which you have had already 1. Mistakes herein are most dangerous for such a mistake of ones condition judging it to be good when it is naught is a very great strengthner of sin making a man regardless of bettering his condition and causing him to misapply Scripture to apply promises and comforts when threatnings and terrours belong to him 2. The commonest cause of souls undoing is this that they would not be perswaded to try their estate but gratifie Satan joyning with him to deceive themselves being perswaded by him to pass a way their years in security and a careless oscitancy not once questioning their condition or spending any time at all to prove what their estate is Godward if any man think himself to be something when he is nothing be deceives himself and this self deceiving is self-undoing 3. A certain knowledge of a Covenant interest in God will set the soul on working sweetly toward God with its affections and graces 1. Such a soul will sorrow after a godly sort bewailing his finning against God whom he now knows to be his God who dearly and tenderly loved him even while he was sinning against him and dishonouring him 2. Psa 18.1 2. Such a soul will love the Lord when he knows his near relation to God and God's affection toward him 3. Desire will be drawn out after God when the soul apprehends its interest in him O Lord Psa 63.1 thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee 4. A known interest in God will be a ground of continual rejoycing I will rejoyce in the Lord Hab. 3.17 I will joy in the God of my Salvation 5. This is that which will strengthen the souls confidence in God even in the greatest straights Such are the fruits and effects of assurance of an interest in God Psa 46.1 2 3. and the examination of our selves the tryal of our estate is the way to this assurance Thus you have had a 4th branch of the use of exhortation a fourth counsel from the point apply the Covenant of Gods love truly and thorowly You have seen how and why you should labour to make such an application I proceed now to a Fifth Counsel Couns 5. Meditate on the Covenant having laid hold on the Covenant Meditate on it and on your interest in it that frequently and seriously viewing your relative estate your relation to God and interest in his Covenant you may be deeply affected with it and enjoy the sweetness of it This is that which I would perswade you to not only to think of this Covenant and of an interest in it of the preciousness of the Covenant and of the souls happiness in such an interest it is not a bare work of the understanding and memory that is here called for but to get these things from the head to the heart from the understanding to the affections that there may be heart as well as life in the soul that by acting our understanding and affections upon the Covenant and upon God in Covenant with us we may have a sweet enjoyment of him To Meditate is diligently and intently to think upon and consider a thing Meditation brings God near sets him full in the eye of the soul and presents him with his Covenant of Grace in the most afflicting way serious and deep meditation will draw up arguments to affect us from every Attribute of God and from the consideration of our former estate when we were without God in the World and without Christ and without Hope and from the happines of our present estate in having and apprehending the Lord to be our God and from the preciousness of the promises in which we are interessed and from the confirmation of the Covenant and from the present fruits of it and its future priviledges and advantages Thus Meditation is a means to affect the soul with the goodness and sweetness of the Covenant that we may take much comfort in it And further a due diligent serious meditation of the power and wisdom and mercifulness and faithfulness and satisfactoriness of God in whom we have interest through Christ of his everlasting love toward us and of the freeness of his grace in making a Covenant with us becoming our God and taking us to be his people and of the riches of his grace held forth to us in the Covenant of Promise and the consideration of the tender love of Jesus Christ who undertook to be the Mediator of this Covenant for us reconciling us to God by his Death making peace for us by his Bloud bearing the Curse which should have come upon us and restoring us to the blessing which we had lost purchasing for us eternal Salvation pleading his Bloud with his Father and making continual intercession for us that we may be kept in favour with God notvvithstanding our many sins and provocations vvho is become our head and the immortal husband of our souls vvho kisseth us vvith the kisses of his mouth and embraceth us novv in the armes of his love and vvill take us to a perpetual abode and Communion vvith himself hereafter I say a due Meditation hereof vvould be a means to stirr up in us holy affection toward God 1. This would be a means to enflame us with holy love to God and Christ who have loved us with such a free preventing tender abounding fruitful and everlasting love 2. This would be a means to excite desire and to set the Soul on longing for a nearer uninterrupted communion with and a fuller enjoyment of this God and this Jesus Christ that my Soul may be no longer at a distance from my God but that I may dwell with
the soul that is in Covenant with him 3. God hath tied himself by â—ovenant to his People to heal â—â—m and help them and to give â—â—m all needful good things and to be all in all to them I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 that I will not turn away from them to do them good yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good Now the Soul knows that God is no Covenant breaker and therefore in remembrance of this tye which God hath laid upon himself while faith is awake and active the believer hath a dependance on his God O Lord thou art my God I will trust in thee I shall not perish I shall not want there is wisdom enough and power enough and goodness enough in my God and these Attributes of his are engaged to me that I may stay my self upon them Oh Christians the acting of faith with strength and vigour upon Gods Covenant would make us to depend on him and have confidence in him even in a Sea of miseries in the deepest affliction casting our selves upon the power and mercy and faithfullness of our God when our condition seems to be desperate Is it thus and thus with me are maters brought to this pass yet I will not let go the Covenant I will not lose my hold on God I know God will deliver me one way or other even in that way which he sees to be best for me This well be one happy improvement of our interest in the Covenant by acting faith upon it 7. By this means our interest in the Covenant would be improved unto love toward God and obedience to him I put them together as for hafts sake so in regard of their necessary connection and conjunction they being insâ—perable in as much as obedience doth naturally flow from love I say the more constant and the stronger the actings of faith upon the Covenant are the more affectionâ—tly will the Soul love God and the more chearfully and constantly obey him True faith is a loving faith which carries the affection of love unto God who hath given the Covenant of his love unto us and it is a lively working faith which moves and acts the soul towards God and gives it up to him who hath not with-held himself from us but hath bestowed himself upon us A clear apprehension of an excelling good and a knowledge of my interest in it must needs draw my affection to it Relation hath ever been a ground of affection where loveliness is apprehended Now the Lord full of all glorious excellencies transcendently good is my God my Father my Husband he love's me with an abounding immense constant everlasting love oh how can I chuse but love him yea love him much while he vouchsafes to give himself full of all goodness and blessedness into my bosome and so satisfies my soul fills me with himself I cannot chuse but love a satisfying good and oh I truly desire to please him my soul is grieved for any unkindness of mine toward him or disobedience to him Gospel-grace the grace of the Covenant which appeareth bringing salvation teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 and to live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world This is another notable effect and fruit of acting Faith upon the Covenant of grace 8. By this means our interest in the Covenant will be improved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that strong consolation spoken of in the sext Therefore God with whom the soul is in Covenant is called the God of all consolation 2 Cor. 13. Now they are as hath been said pure full sure comforts that are fetcht from the Covenant by the extractory vertue and power of Faith which is a rare Chymist indeed God comforteth the believer acting faith upon him shall tribulations in every pressing pinching condition This is my Comfort in affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.50 for thy word hath quickned me When the believer is damped in spirit and as it were dead in regard of spiritual operations and affections faith reviveth him drawing lift out of the word of promise from the Covenant of God Though it be thus and thus with me yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant The sence hereof doth not only support the soul but rejoyce it The soul is comforted against sin and Satan and death and Hell and amidst sorrows and afflictions in the world when a Christian remembreth what he hath in the Covenant and how he stands related to God and are these consolations of God small 9. Faith acted upon the Covenant leads the soul as it were to the top of an exceeding high hill or mountain and thence shews it the kingdome of heaven and the glory thereof And saith All this will God the Father give thee this is thy inheritance thy God hath given in thee in promise and will give it thee in hand for his Covenant is sure Faith acted upon the promise of God giveth the soul a lively hope of salvation verily there remaineth a rest to the people of God it is certain to them by the certainty of God's promise God's Covenant gives believers a right to it and it is certain to them as to their fruition of it by God's unchangeable decree Though it be to be enjoyed upon condition of enduring to the end of persevering in faith and new obedience yet in as much as that condition is likewise absolutely promised and Christ hath undertaken to be the worker and finisher of our faith and perfecter of our salvation this salvation is still absolutely certain upon promise Hope O my Soul saith faith hope to the end for the salvation which is to be brought to thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ Wilt thou distrust God hast thou not his promise to rest upon hath he not given thee his Covenant and Oath for thy assurance rance When the flesh hath nothing wherein it may rejoyce yet do thou O believing soul keep the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end 10. A lively acting of faith upon the Covenant will raise the Christian to heavenly mindedness to have his heart much in heaven with his God who is his portion and his treasure when faith reads the love and goodness and desirableness of God as he hath expressed himself in the lines of the Covenant and gives the soul a true account of it now the soul must needs love where it is thus loved and where there is such lovliness for this is attractive of love Now anima est ubi amat the heart the soul is where it loveth if the treasure be in Heaver there will the heart be therefore if we would have our hearts to be in Heaven let us keep them still possessed with true believing thoughts and apprehensions of the free abounding grace and love of God toward us expressed in the Covenant which he hath given us Oh if we could by faith lodge our
the redemption of sâ—uls Answ 2. This may satissie us because so it pleased him it proceeded only from the free grace and good pleasure of God there was no other impâ—lsive or moving cause This is a part and a great act of God's special gracious providence toward his Elect which is a stupendious argument of the freeness and the riches of his grace to sinners God was not cruel to his own Son but merciful and most tenderly compassionate toward poor sinners wretched creatures that had undone themselves either we must dye eternally or the Son of God must dye for us must be under the power of death for a time Now guilty sinners are spared and the innocent Son of God the Son of his love is given to death for us that we might live This is grace indeed and as this proceeded from grace Eph. 1.5 6 7 so it was aimed by God at the glorifying of his grace to all eternity So much to the Doctrinal part of the Point I come now to Application APPLICATION First Vse 1 Information I shall draw up some inference for information 1. It follows hence that by nature we are all miserable captives and wretched slaves otherwise there needed not a Redeemer The Prophet tells us Iâ—a 61.1 what was the office of Christ and to what purpose he was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those that are bound Paul tells us Rom. 7.14 that he was by nature sold under sin and though he was redeemed with the bloud of Christ and regenerated by the spirit of Christ yet sin did still hang about him he could not shake off his fetters nor get wholly clear from his bonds but he was still so clogged and fettered with corruption that he cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall delivâ—r me And as for unregenerate men 2 Tim. 2.26 they are said to be taken captive by Satan according to his will the Devils absolute slaves Ah woful is the condition of those souls to whom Jesus Christ is not a Redeemer And now by the way the worse the disâ—ase is the better is the remedy and the more to to be prized the more wretched the condition of poor souls is by nature the more is grace to be esteemed and adored that translateth us out of so bad an estate into so good a condition that from such a depth of misery raiseth us up unto such a height of happiness as souls are advanced to by Christ Jesus Surely the greater the viler our bondage is the more gracious the more glorious is the work of our redemption and the more precious should our Redeemer be to us 2. This informeth us of the vileness and cursedness of sin Infer 2. which brought us into such bondage and slavery unto Satan death and hell that the Son of God must dye to deliver us from it which when it took hold on Christ our surety took away his life as dear â—s he was to God if he undertake for sinners he must dye surely then those sinners must dye for whom he did not dye wo to those souls whose guilt is not transferred upon Christ that have no share in the redemption purchased with his bloud Let wicked persons that trample under foot the bloud of Christ that contemn the doctrine of Christ and wallow in the filth of their lusts refusing the grace of God which is offered to them and rejecting Christ the Redeemer let them consider what they are like to suffer for sin from the impartial justice of God Oh that sinners may be awakened to repentance that they may seek to make their pâ—aâ—e with God coming in and closing with Jesus Christ that in him they may have redemption through faith in his bloud Oh that our hearts may be wrought to a due hatred of sin considering that it brought the Son of God under the power of death when it was imputed to him 3. This informs us of or we may hence infer Infer 3. the exceeding worth or souls The Lord did set a great prize upon them or else â—e would not have given such a price for them he spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us if God had not valued the souls of men at a great rate he would not have laid out the life of his Son for them Ah what foolish creatures are Men and Women so to undervalue their own souls as to prostitute them to base lusts and to the Devil's pleasure and to sell them for toys Let us consider the worth of our souls and make more account of them and be more careful of them and watchful over them 4. We are hence to take notice of several attributes of God Infer 4. wonderful glorious in the redemption of sinners 1. His wisdome in finding out a way and such a way for the effecting of it 2. His power in thus confounding and overcoming Satan and sin and death and all the powers of darâ—ness opposing themselves against poor man 3. His justice in requiring such a satisfaction before he would remit the offence and release the sinner 4. The immense mercy of God is here to be admired who would rather that his own Son should suffer a most shameful and painful and accursed death then that Mankind should perish The sending of Jesus Christ into the world to be a Redeemer is a special evidence and a wonderful stupendious demonstration of the mercy of God 1 Jo 4.9 Herein was manifested the love of God toward us that he sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us this is the mercy of mercies It was not with gold or silver or any corruptible thing that we were redeemed but with the precous bloud of God's own dear Son and this is that which commendeth the exceeding riches of God's grace that he gave his son to die for sinners for enemies for rebels to reconcile them to God 2. Vse 2 Terrour Here is matter of terror to all wicked despisers of such Gospel-grace are not souls worthy to perish if when God sends his Son to save them they will not be saved God delivered his own Son up to death for the redemption of souls and Jesus Christ offers himself to you as a Redeemer and foolish creatures prefer bonds before liberty will still continue the servants of sin slaves to lusts the Devils vassels they care not for Christ his redemption Oh how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Christ will be one day terrible to them who now despise the Gospel-offers of his grace 3. Here is encouragement for poor sinners that feel themselves pinched Vse 3 and galled with the yoke of sin and groan by reason of their spiritual bondage that see in what a miserable case they are by nature and long
let us be readie to do good to the soules and bodies of our fellow creatures specially let us desire and endeavour to be instrumental for the saving of others 6. Did God give such a price for us Couns 6. Then let us remember that we are not our ovvn vve are not Satans therefore we must not live as we list must not seek to please our selves must not be ruled by Satan If God hath given such a price for us Nor be devoted to the world he is worthy to have us and we must be wholly his own therefore let us yeild our selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead as the Redeemed of the Lord and our Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God Consider my beloved wherefore God gave his Son and to what end Christ gave himself viz. That he might Redeem us from all Iniquity Tit. 2.14 and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Christ died not only to redeem us from Hell and Condemnation but also from our vain and wicked Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Christ was given to Death for us not only that we should not die for sin 1 Pet. 2.24 but that we should die unto sin and live unto Righteousness We are taught in Zacheriahs Song Lu. 1.74 That for this end Christ hath delivered us from the hands of our Enemies that we might serve him in holiness and Righteousness and if we refuse to serve our Redeemer thâ—s is to deny the Lord that bought us This was an Argument which the People used to provoke one another to return to their obedience to David and to cleave to his Service 2 Sam. 19.9 even the consideration of the deliverance that they had by him and this is the Argument which Ezra useth to tye himself and the people to strict Obedience to God Seeing thou O Lord hast given us such a deliverance as this Ezra 9.13 14. should we again break thy Commandements O let us Consider what a deliverance God hath wrought for souls by the Dâ—ath of his Son and let us think what horrible ingratitude this would be if we should deny his service and serve his Enemies Well to conclude this Use and so to finish this point Do vve lay claim to Christ and pretend to an interest in his Death vvhich he suffered for the Redemption of souls then let not the Devil have any more service from us let not lusts be any longer obeyed let us not make provision for the flesh let us not serâ—e Mammon Christ died to Redeem us from these Tyrants to himself therefore let us willingly serve our Redeemer and let us glorifie God in our soules and bodies for they are Gods I Come now to speak something to that other great point which I promised to take into consideration He who hath delivered up his own Son for us h w shall he not with him freely give us all things Sâ—e the te Text upâ—ned and dvided in the beginning of this dcoâ—rse and you will be able to prevent me in raising from hence the point which I am now about to hold forth to you from the Apostle his way of arguing and manner of expression this truth naturally â—â—weâ—â— Iesus Christ is the greatest and best gift of God Doctrine 2 I shall give a brief but full account of this assertion clearing up the truth of it and then shall improve it Christ is the principal best gift because 1. He is the most comprehensive good demonstration 2. He is a conveighing gift as well as a gift conveighed 3. He is the Engaging gift of God the Father 1 Iesus Christ is the most comprehensive good carrying in him that which serve 's for a supply of all the wants of Soules Hence it is that we have such resemblances of Christ that he is compared to those things which are most useful and comfortable Iohn 6. He is bread to feed the hungry Soul and to nourish it to everlasting life Ieâ— 2 13. He is a fountain of living waters of which who so drinketh shall never thirst more but this water shall be in the soul a well of water springing up unto life eternal Ioh. 4.14 hiâ— flâ—sh is meat indeed Ioh. 6.55 ch 15. v. 1. and his bloud is drink indeed he is a vine the true vine which beareth the sweet grapes of consolation Rev. 3.17 for the comforting and glading of the souls of his people he is rayment to cover the nakedness of people and to put a comliness upon them and adorne them Rom. 13.14 put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ he is a father and a husband to every believer his Name shall be called the everlasting Father Thy maker is thy husband Now Christ is held forth to us under such notions Isay 9.9 c 54. v. 5. and by such metaphors not only to way-lay our thoughts that we should look up to Christ in all these things but to teach us that whatsoever sweetness is in the creature all that and much more is to be found in Christ Is bread usefull is water useful is wine usefull is rayment usefull is a tender father or a good husband or wife or a towardly hopefull off-spring a blessing and a comfortable enjoyment why of more use of more concernment a greater comfort than any of these yea than all these is Iesus Christ to the soules that enjoy him 2. Christ is a conveighing gift he is the Lord high-Steward as I may say of God the Father who by the appointment of God giveth to every one of the houshold his portion It is in and by Christ Iesus that God blesseth us with blessings spiritual and temporal we are elected in him adopted in him justified by faith in his bloud sanctified through him and by his spirit and saved by him and all things are bestowed upon the people of God through him whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name ye shall receive Ioh. 16.23 Now it is good for us to note the fulness and the freeness of the conveighance of mercies and blessings made to us in and through Christ It is a full conveighance the fullness that was put into the person of the mediator was all for poor souls that of his fulnes we might receive grace for grace and there is through him a conveighance of all things pertaining to life and godliness 2 There is a free conveighance of Gods bounty to us through Christ Jesus how shall he not with him freely give us all things If the first gift were free the accessories must be free also but the first gift was free whether we look to the decree or the execution what was there to move God to appoint his Son to be mediator and to send him in the fulness of time to work out the redemption of sinners surely nothing unless it were the creatures misery 3 Jesus Christ is the engaging gift of God the Father
God having given his Son cannot but with him also give other things for 1. An argument from the greater to the lesser concludeth probably in reason but the conclusion made by faith is necessary in this case if we look to Christ as heire of all things upon whom all is â—ntailed as I may say 2 This appear's more clearly if we look upon God's faithfulness in making good his promise and his Justice engaged by Christ his purchase Jesus Christ purchased all things for those for whom he gave himselfe therefore God is engaged to give all things together with Christ Now if Jesus Christ be such a comprehensive gift such a conveighing gift and such an engaging gift then he is the principa gift of God a gift above all other gifts I come to some improvement of the point by application Application I shall make a fourfold use of the doctrine Vse 1 1. If Christ be such a comprehensive good Information then we see the nearest way and indeed the only way to the enioyment of all needfull good things whether should we go for water but to the fountain when it is near now Jesus Christ is near he is brought home to us and there are free offers of Christ made to our Souls and he is a Fountainè that is alwaies full alwaies open and alwaies running therefore let us make out to Christ from whom and in whom we may have all supplies when all other comforts fail when riches flie away and when friends die away and when health is gone and life is going then Christ wil stand us instead and be All and more then all those things to us When the the leaking Cisterns will be found emptie then shall we find the fountain full and that will still yeld us as much as we need if we want not the Bucket of Faith to draw water out of this well 2. If Christ be the conveying gift of God then we must seek all good from God in and through Christ and give thanks to God by Christ for all the good that we receive God bestoweth in and through Jesus Christ all that he giveth graciously and in a way of love and so God receiveth all from us in the way of duty and service by the hand of Christ So that we must have mind upon Jesus Christ and take in the consideration of Christ in all our prayers and praises 3. If Christ be the engaging gift of God and if we reckon that God hath bestowed his son upon us and so as it were bound himself to give us all other needful good things then there is an engagement upon us to give our selves back unto God it is contrary to Religion and reason that we should think to be loose from God and yet to have him bound to us 4. We are informed hence who are the richest men and women surely they are believers such as enjoy Christ for though such may be sometimes in a poor outward condition yet they cannot want any thing that is necessary for their Spiritual and Eternal welfare and having Christ they have that which can supply all wants that which can satissie the Soule When Paul was come to Christ then he had learned in what soever estate he was therewith to be content 5. This speaketh the unspeakable happiness of those soules that enjoy Christ God giveth all things with him and all proced's from love There is a great difference betwixt Believers and Vnbelievers as in point of hope for the future so in respect of their present enjoyments 1. They are exceedingly distinguished in their hope Alas What hope hath a wicked man or a carnal worldling why he is full of vain hopes He hopes that he shall live and see many good dayes upon Earth he hopeth to encrease his estate he hopeth that his posterity shall prosper But what hope hath the Hipâ—crite Job 27.8 when God taketh away his soule Alas the confidences of vvorldly men shall be plucked up their hopes shall perish they build in the sands and building sinketh the house falleth it is the house built upon the Rock that standeth hope sixed on Jesus Christ will never fail will never make a man ashamed It is true that carnal worldly men such as are faithless and Christless do profess their â—opes of happiness hereafter Some bear themseves up upon their good meaning and honest lealingâ— civil honesty is the best soundation that their hope hath Others that have not this foundation that have no honesty nor civilitie yet say they hope well and they trust God will be merciful to them many souls are undone for ever by presuming upon the mercy of God turning the grace of God into wantonness Sottish drunkards and prophane sweaters and such as live viciously slatter themselves in their sins and even die with this in their mouths God is merciful but be not deuived saith the Apostle Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters â—â—r Adulterers 1 Cor. 6 9. nâ—r Thieveâ— nor Covetous nor Drunkards no such ungodly wicked persons shall inberit the Kingdom of God Let no man decive yâ—u wiâ—h vain words Eph. 5 6. for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience It appears from both these scripturs that there were divers who had such deceitful thou hâ—s as if livng and dying in such sins as are there mentioned they should yet go to heaven presuming upon Gods mercy but friends this is most certain that no man hath any reason to hope for salvation till by faith he hâ—th â—aid hold on Jesus Christ who is the only Saviour of souls God deals out mercies through Christ where he bestoweth Christ there he giveth grace glory and withhold's no good thing but without Christ and out of him there is no exibition of any thing to men and wâ—men in a gracious way nothing proceeding from loue Christ is the convâ—ighing gift of God who brought all good with him out of the bosom of his Father to those that enjoyhim now if other gifts of Gods good will lesser gifts be not bestowed but through Christ with Christ then surely he will not give Eternal life without him or out of him Therefore so long as soules are â—â—thout Christ strangerâ— to him 〈◊〉 they close with him by faith â—â—d take him as Lord and Jesus â—â—y have no ground to hope for â—â—lvation He that hath the Son â—â—blife 1 Ioh. 5 12 This is the will of him â—â—t sent me that every one which 〈◊〉 the Son and beleeveth on him Ioh 6.40 â—â—y have everlasting life The spirit of God speaketh exâ—â—sly 1 Ioh. 5.11 that eternal life is in Jesus â—â—ist and that he who hath not 〈◊〉 Son hath not life that people â—â—not have a confident expectaâ—â—â—n of any good from God out of â—â—rist But now it is as clear as the Sun â—â—t many who pretend hope of â—â—vation are without Christ and â—â—thout Faith for where Christ â—â—meth he worketh
mercies John 4.10 What saith Christ to the woman of Samaria If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to driâ—ke thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Oh did you know the gift of God and what it is that he holds forth to you when he offreth Christ to you on condition of your repenting and believing I say did you know this gift of God you would not despise an offred Christ but would close with the motion accept of the tender withal your hart crying out to God ô Give me Ch. above all things Christ though without any thing else Lord what ever thou takest a way or withold'st from me give me thy Son bestow Jesus Christ upon me See how it is with Paul respecting this matter when the eyes of his understanding were opened and he once bâ—came thorowly apprenensive of the excellency of Christ I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Phil 3.8 and dâ— count them butâ—dung that I may wiâ— Christ Were we thus taught of God were we convinced that Christ is such a transcendent good that he is beyond comparison the richest gift and best for us then desire would be carried unto Christ then you would be enquiring how may I get â—hrist and how may I know whether I have him or no and then people would come carefully to the Ordinances and attend to Preaching and wait without weariness upon the Ministry of the Word wherein God upholdeth the Mistery of Christ maketh this gift known and setteth forth the riches of it wherein he offers it to those that will take it and which is the means of Faith that is the hand to receive this gift of Goâ— But when people turn theiâ—â—acks upon the Ordinances or sleep under it slighting the Doctrine of Christ it is because they are ignorant of the worth of these things they have no Knowledge of Christ they see no desireableness in him and so they prefer any thing before him And surely the Prophets Charge falls heavy upon a number of people They are foolish people they know not Christ Jer. 4 22. they are sottish Children they are void of Understanding while they set their hearts upon tristes highly prizing that which is worth nothing and in the mean time slight and make no reckoning of that which is infinitely more worth than all other things Ah foolish Creatures to forsake the Fountain of living waters and hew out to our selves broken Cisterns that will hold no waters Now to carry on this Use of Conviction by perticular demonstrations of peoples folly in neglecting and slighting Jesus Christ 1. Is it not folly to refuse that which will be to us 〈◊〉 omâ—ium as much as all things yea more than all other things that which will serve our turn at all needs Now Christ is such a full good he is all in all to the Soul that enjoyes him he is light in darkness peace in trouble comfort in affliction liberty in imprisonment health in sickness life in death and yet the offers of Christ are slighted and dispised Surely upon this account people are justly charged with notorious folly 2. Will not every one be ready to call him fool who shall accept of a small piece of money rather then of the gift and conveyance of a very great estate Now Christ is a conveyance beyond all conveyances in him by him and together with him God conveyeth all things pertaining to life and godliness makes over Heaven and Earth to us all things are ours if Christ be ours Ah what fools shall we prove our selves to be if we slight the offers of Christ 3. Christ is the engaging of God so that where Christ is received all other things may be expected because God hath promised to give all things with him and because Christ hath purchased all things for those who by Faith close with him and God cannot prove unfaithful to fail of his word nor can he be unjust to withhold from us that which Christ hath purchased for us Now will any wise soul refuse an engagement from God is it not a great matter to have God engaged to us So that we may be able to urge him with his own engagement coming to him confidently in the want of grace or when we stand in need of any comfort Lord give me this for thy Son's sake For thy promise sake Christ is mine and through him by vertue of thy Covenant and his purchase I have a right to other things therefore let not this be denied me Thus the beleever that hath laid hold on Christ may with an humble boldness plead Gods gracions promises and Christ's merits while he denies himself and in low abasement of spirit acknowledgeth his own desert of the contrary to that grace and mercy which he layes claim to through Christ and acting faith upon God in Christ may expect a gratious return from God in giving all that is necessary for salvation and in bestovving or else vvitholding or withdravving other things as he sees to be for the good of his poor servants And is it not folly I say to refuse such an engagement from God tendered to us Thus you have had a treble demonstration of peoples follie in refusing Christ and so I have done vvith the use of conviction Vse 3 I shall now give out some counsel First To all Exhortati Secondly To those that have received Christ I shall suggest and press two general counsels Exhort General 1. Seeing Christ is the principal gift of God labour above all things to get Christ Get Christ make out after him and seek to lay hold on him By vvay of motive I shall urge nothing but vvhat hath bin already suggested desiring you to think feriously thereupon for the vvorking of your hearts over unto Christ Consider Motive 1. that Christ is the engaging gift of God the Father so that vvhere this gift is receiued vvhere Christ is apprehended and applied there Faith hath good ground and sure foâ—ting to stand and bear up the soule in expectation of all other needful good things For God hath given in Christ and vvith him a right to all things Christ is Lord of all things and in and through Christ Believers are Heirs of all So that if if vve do possess Christ we may confidently expect to receive from God all that may further salvation and vvhatsoever he sees to be good for us and the having of this gift gives the soul a certain hope of enjoying Eternal life hereafter It is good to look after this ensuring gift vvhich gives assurance of all needful good things here and of all compleat happiness hereafter What a quieting will this be to the spirit of a Christian in all the changes and turnings of this life in every condition vvhich providence orders for him to be able to say This
is best for me now I know that it shall be otherwise vvith me vvhen God sees another condition to be better for me And what a stay and support wil this be to the heart of a poor creature â—midst all the storms that arise upon him in the troublesome Sea of this World When considering his interest in In Jesus Christ can say-I know that my Redemer my Deliverer my Saviour liveth I know that there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness 2. Consider that where Christ is given there is a gracious gift of other things together with him not onely they are given and given freely beside and contrary to our deserts but they are given in good will so that there is love in all Gods dispensations to us This we may be sure of if God hath once given us Christ for God doth not love to day and hate to morrow but having once loved he loveth to the end If the first the great gift were a gift of grace so are all the rest they all flow from one Fountain viz. the love and Grace of God Now surely the love of God is admirablie made out to souls in giving them his Son therefore there is love in the rest Therefore get Christ make sure of him and so make sure of the love God in all other gifts 3. Consider that Christ is a full good a most comprehensive good all in all to the soul that enjoys him 1. He is all in respect of sufficiencie a man needs no more then Christ to make him happie 2. He is all in respect of Efficiencie he brings to the souls of Believers all those priviledges that â—rs spoken of in the Word of grace He of God is made to them Wisdome Righteousnses 1 Cor. 1.30 Sanctification and Redemption and in him all things are theirs Now when a man can have all things wrought up in one is it not wisdom for him to seek to possess himself of that thing if it may be had Why Christ is that great all comprehending good once get him and ye have in him Whatsoever good the believer hath he hath from and through Christ and whatsoever he expecteth it is by Christ In Christ are all the treasures of hol ness happiness and if he be thine all that is his is thine Therefore beloved lay out for Christ and lay about you to make sure of him Directions for the getting Christ Now I shall shew you briefly what is requisit and necessary to your getting of Christ shall give some few directions concerning the way by which you may come to be possessed of him 1. You must be convinced of your spiritual poverty nakedness and misery of your lost and undone condition without Christ that so you may be prepared for him being taken off from other foundations from resting on any thing else you must see the need you have of Christ that you may desire him and may be ready to reach out the hand of the Soul to receive him when he is offered to you 2. You must be perswaded of the worth of Jesus Christ believe his excellency Ignoti nulla cupido that he is valuable above all other things that so desire may be carried to him and that you may be willing to take this gift of God as he is willing to bestow it Oh if souls were once otherwise perswaded of the desirableness of Christ and of the usefullness of Christ and of the fullness that is in him and did duly weigh his excellencies then they would account all things lost for Christ and would esteem all things as dung that they may win Christ and would cry out with that blessed Mar None but Christ none but Christ 3. Think often and seriously upon Christ what he is and of what advantage to souls that Adoption and Righteousness and Grace and Glory come vvith him and by him let this I say be often thought upon and probably by this means the soul may be vvrought upon to look more after Christ and the heart may be prepared to close vvith him this means hath been successful in Isa 52. there is a speech of the exaltation of Christ in the hearts of People and an intimation of the means by vvhich they should be vvrought to entertain such high thoughts of Christ that vvhich had not been told them Isa 52.13.15 shall they see and that vvhich they had not heard shall they consider it shall it shall be discovered to them what that Christ is whom they have despised and now they shall speak against him no more but shall condemne themselves for contemning him and shall be willing with all their hearts to embrace him 4. If you have any apprehension of the excellencie of Christ and any desire to enjoy him then you must be willing to take him upon God's termes must let go self let go the World let go Lusts let go Pleasures and Profits when any of these stand in competition with Christ must part with all for Christ The Merchant man that will have the Pearle of great price must sel all to make purchase of that All must be sold in our judgment and in our affection and in respect of our confidence and in respect of a full resignation of all up unto God so that we must not set a high price upon these worthless things must not cleave in affection to them must not trust in these things must be willing to let go al when God will have it from us and s rely there is nothing lost by exchanging all other things for Christ if all worldly trash go for this true Treasure it should be no ill bargaine It is better to be with out all other things then to be without Christ and it must needs be a great gain to get Christ with the loss of other things because God hath treasured up all riches in him and hath appointed him to be instead of all other things yea and far better then all other enjoyments But now people stick at this when Christ self Christ lusts Christ and pleasures Christ and profits stand in competition so that if they vvill have Christ they must let go these things they like not to deal upon such tearmes They see not so much in Christ as they do in other things therefore they will not be perswaded to part from these things for Christ many are kept off from Christ by a conceit of self wisdome and self-righteousness and by carnal interests and advantages in the World and by the love of lusts so that they are ready to say as those Trees in the Parable Judg. 9. Shall I leave my fatness saith one Shall I leave my sweetness saith another to be promoted over the trees What shall I get by Christ saith the carnal heart shall I leave my pleasure and take my self off from my advantages in the World to take a naked Christ What gain is there in this Are there not many
of the Spirit is Spirit The children of God are led by the Spirit of God which leadeth from sin unto duty and acteth the soul toward God not as though we vvere meerly passive so acted as not at all active but Christ acting the soul puts spiritual holy activity into the soul he worketh in us both to wiland to do there is the willing and working of that soul which is acted by Christ by his Spirit 2. As the Sun is in the World to give light and to give heat and to cause fruitfulness so that precious things are brought forth by the Sun Deut. 33.14 and to make beauty and glory upon the Earth So Christ is in the Soule by his pirit scattering darkness bringing in spiritnal light rendering those things visibl and evident which before were hidden yea making those souls to be light in the Lord Ephes. 5.8 which which his coming to them were darkness it it self it is the Spirit of Truth Joh. 16.13 which is the Spirit of Christ that leadeth into all truth and Christ by his Spirit brings in heavenly heat and makes the heart within a man to burn in affection toward God Rom. 12.12 and the things of God burning with the Spirit therefore the spirit is likened to Fire And as the Sun in the World so the Spirit of Christ in the soule causeth fruitfulness so that every branch in this Vine Christ is a fruit bearing branch every soul in which Christ is is by the influence of his Spirit made fruitful in Grace Grace in the heart of Christians and holy actions and duties in their lives are called fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And Christ by his Spirit in the work of Grace makes the soule beautiful and puts a glory upon it Cant. 4.1 if he be master If provident If friendly How beautiful art thou my love behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair the Kings daughter is all glâ—rious within c. 3. As a man dwells in his house 2 Tim. 14 there commanding and ordering all things and making provision for those of his houshold and entertaining and chearing his friends and making them welcome So Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in the soul and by the Spirit he beares rule in the soul so that his Word is a law to the soul The Saints so far forth as they are spiritual are ordered in all things by Christ dwelling in them though they find with Paul that there is the flesh lusting against the spirit and often interrupting the course of their obedience and Christ dwelling in the foule provideth for the soul taketh care that it want nothing dealeth out to it the gifts of grace which â—râ— given by the spirit according to the measure of Christ and Christ dwelling in the soul gives his refreshings to the soul maketh it a feast of fat things brings it into the banquetting house or the house of Wine comforting the heart by applying the promises of the Gospel and the Grace of Christ to the soul revealing his love and speaking peace to the soule thus feasting it and filling it as with marrow and fatness These refreshings of Christians are from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them therefore the Spirit is called the Comforter and the joy which Christ giveth into the heart is called the fruit of the Spirit 4. As a King on his Throne swayeth the Scepter of his Realme having all the people of that Realm subject to him and governed by him according to Constitutions and Lawes of that Kingdome So is Christ in all true Christians giving lawes to the conscience and governing the whole man to the obedience thereof he is there in power making them a willing people willing to obey his commands willing to subject themselves to the lawes and ordinances of his Kingdom which Earthly Kings cannot do Psal 110 3. Thy peâ—ple shall be willing in the day of thy power And Christ is in the heart as a King to subdue rebellious lusts and tame nurâ—â—y affections to cast down all strong holds that are raised up by the Devil and the flesh against him and at last to bring under every thought into subjection to himself And as a good King seeketh the good of his subjects and desireth not to impoverish but enrich them So doth Christ seek the good of that soul in which he hath erected a Throne for himself is alwaies doing good to it and enriching it with Grace here and glorie hereafter And it is by the Spirit that Christ beareth rule It is the Spirit that represseth corruption and mortifieth the deeds of the bodie It is by the Spirit that Christ enricheth the soul with Grace Knowledge Faith Love and all those precious things of Grace are the gifts of Christ which he conveyeth to them by his Spirit 5. The Spirit of Christ where he cometh in a spirit of supplication teaching men to pray and and framing their hearts to prayer He hath sent the Spirit of his Son into ur hearts Gal 4.6 whereby we cry abba father 6. Where Christ dwells by his Spirit there is the influence of the vertue of his Death and Resurrection to the mortification of sin Rom. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vivification of Grace Our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin should be destroyed that it should be rendered inefficatious unable to work that sin may become powerless in us that we may be freed from the law of sin by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus i. e. by the lively powerful working of Christ's Spiret in us which breaketh off the yoke of bondage that lay upon our necks in the state of nature whereby sin held us wholly under subjection to it self and in Verse 17.18 the Apostle makes out this more fully that Believers are freed by Christ from the dominion of sin so that the strength of corruption is abated in them the old man is weakned and that by the Spirit of Christ the soul is made alive unto God and is freed unto righteousness set at liberty to walk in the waies of God In a word take the Evidence of Christ his being in the soule thus Christ and his Spirit are not sundered nor is the Spirir in us without the fruits of the Spirit Let no man say that he hath Christ unless he hath the Spirit of Christ If we look upon a bodie when the soule is gone out of it we cannot say this is a man no more can we say of a man without the Spirit of Christ This is a Christian That is no true member of the body which is not animated by the soul in the body no more he a member of Christ that is not quickned by the Spirit of Christ Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us 1 Jo. 4.13 by his Spirit which he hath given us Now again the Spirit is no where idle or fruitless but
is operative and hath its fruits both in heart and life Gal. 5.22.23 The fruits of the Spirit are reckoned up by the Apostle Paul Here is the issue dost thou say that thou hast Christ if this be true then his Spirit dwells in thee if the spirit be in thee the fruits of the Spirit will appear Thus we may prove by the effects of the Spirit of Christ whether we be possest of Christ Where the aforesaid effects of the Spirit are Christ is in that soul But where there is not that life that light that warmth that fruitfulness that willing subjection to â—hrist and obedience to his commands which have bin spoken of there Christ is not by his spirit where there is nither skill nor will to pray there Christ is not where sin is in its full strength where the old man is not Crucified and sin mortified where the soul is not raised up to newness of life and quickned unto holiness there Christ is not possessed 2. I told you that Christ is in the Soul by Faith that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Christ is in us by Faith Ephâ—â—◠〈…〉 2 By sâ—â—â—â— 1. When by Faith we have a right and true apprehension and knowledge of Christ of his Person and Offices 2. When by faith we apply Christ and his benefits when we take down as I may say and digest the fruits of his death and Resurrection so that he becometh indeed Righteousnes and Holiness to us 3. When being Iustified and Sarctified by Faith in Christ Jesus and by the Spirit of the Lord we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thus Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith Well you have had two General Counsels sutable and necessarie First Seek Christ aboue all your gettings labour to get him Secondly See whether you have Christ or no. Both Counsells urged Now to press both Counsels joyntly I shall hint a few considerations which should be of force with us as serving to evince this that Jesus Chrst is worth the looking after and that it is wisdome to make sure of him 1. Christ is our Reconciliation taking away all enmitie betwixt God and us and making us accepted to God There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Ephe. 1.6 7 or in whom Christ is God hath made us accepted to himself in the Beloved in whom we have forgiveness of sins 2. Christ is to the soul that possesseth him Wisdome and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Christ is in us to make us wise 1 Cor. 1.3 giving us the knowledg of God enabling us to understand in some good measure the misteries of Salvation he maketh us Righteous in putting his own Righteousness to us and justifying us thereby he maketh us Holy Sanctifying us by his Spirit and he will make us compleatly happie in the end delivering us from all the miseries to which we are subject in this life and translating us from death to life Eternal 3. If Christ be in us dwelling in our hearts by Faith and possessing us by his Spirit then all the promises of God are in him yea and amen to us then we have the earnest of all the Spirit and all sealed to us by the Spirit which is given us You know the use of a Seal it is obligatorie on the one part and serveth for assurance on the other part You know the meaning of an Earnest it bindeth a promise As it is part of the price to be given or the sum promised So it is a pledge of a full performance The Spirit of Christ in us is a Seal and an Earnest serving to assure us that we shall in due time receive through Christ all that good which God hath promised for his sake to give to us 4. If Christ be in us his Grace is sufficient for us in every temptation to strengthen us and to give a good issue to make us victorious and in every evil that befalls us to support us under it and to deliver us from it and to make our Consolations to abound as our sufferings abound 5. This is a very great priveledge which the soul hath by Christ dwelling in it he woundeth and weakneth corruption and frees the soul from the do minion of sin maketh the Soul alive unto God sets it at liberty to walk with God and to run the way of his comandments gives it a freedome unto righteousness here is a freedome indeed when the soul is thus made free by Jesus Christ the Son of God If the Son make you free Joh. 8.36 then shall ye be free indeed Surely this is accounted a great priviledge indeed by those who are sensible of the grievousness of that bondage in which they were held under corruption when sin did reign and bear full sway in them by those who apprehend the sweetness and preciousness of that freedome which Jesus Christ bringeth unto soules by those who have proved the glory of this liberty into which soules are brought by Christ Jesus What a base vile wretched condition is a man in while the Devil is Lord Paramont to him when every stinking lust hath power over him and full command of him What a happiness then is it to have the Devil's yoke broken from off his neck to be freed from sin to have his spirit sweetly subjected to Jesus Christ to have his will determined to that which is good and bound over to Righteousness to have the whole man given up unto God though none knowes the misery of the one or the happiness of the other but they who have experienced both 6. Where Christ is given there is a gracious gift of other things with him God doth not deal out his gifts to all men graciously and in good will to some he giveth in displeasure and for evil to them giveth health and strength giveth children giveth gract parts and abilities giveth riches and abundance of these outward things but bestoweth none of these things in love but here is comfort for a soul that hath made sure of Christ he may look upon other matters dealt out to him by the hand of Providence as gifts of God's good will as gracious dispensations That which a child of God hath of the World though it be but little in it self yet is much with the love of God in it and upon account of his blessing with it thus that of David holds excellently and eminently true Psal 37.16 A little that the righteous man hathis better then great Reverenues of the wicked then the riches of any wicked 7. Eternal life is the gift of God bestowed in and with Jesus Christ so that he who now possesseth Christ by Faith and hath him dwelling in him by his Spirit hath assurance given him that he shall possess glory with him hereafter Now friends Is not Christ worth the looking after is not he above all things
Ezek. 16. in Right cousness and holiness of Truth In the state of nature the soule is like a wretched infant in it's blood whose navil is not cut that is unvvashed cast out in the open field to the loathing of its person But Christ maketh the Christian like the King's daughter all glorious within So that he is beautiful through the comeliness which Christ puts upon him but I say there is none of this beautie none of this glory nothing but ugliness and deformitie tilâ— Christ comes into the Soule 3. A soule without Christ is like a house that is without a Master or Governour and so there is no order in it no provision made for it there is none to refresh and comfort it where the reviving consolations of the Spirit of Christ are not 4. A soul without Christ is as a Kingdome without a King as a people without government there all things are in a confusion tending to ruine and destruction Such a heart is not framed to the obedience of Gods lawes there is none to subdue sin and repress rebellious lusts in the heart that rise up against God and fight against the soul which if not quelled by an Almighty power will destroy soul body utterly where Christ is not there is none to seek the good of the Soul efficatiously and to the soules undoubted advantage none that can enrich the soule with Grace here and bring it to Glory hereafter 5. A mans soul without Christ is in such a deplorable condition as is the bodie in which are all the principal defects of Nature like a man deprived of all his senses that can neither see nor hear nor taste nor smell nor feel if we could suppose such a one in life That such a soul is spiritually blinde I have shewed already Further it is Christ in the heart that furnisheth a man with a spiritual eare it is only the ear bored by the Spirit of Christ that can hear the voice of God Multi habent aures audiendi pauci aures obediendi Aug. that so heareth as to understand and believe and obey the Word of God others are as deafe Adders that hear not the voice of the Charmer charme he never so wisely Many reproofs many instructions many admonitions many good counsels and exhortations are dealt out to people yet they are deaf to all and so will be nothing will enter into them till Christ be with their Spirits Souls without Christ are without feeling like a man all over in a dead Palsie we speak of spiritual feeling neither Gods Word nor his works make any impression upon such a heart it is as senseless of the smitings of God in the ministry of the Word as the Anvile is of the strokes of the Hammer That is true of such a soul which Solomon speaks of the drunkard They have stricken me Pro. 23. ult and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not So may such a soul say or we may say of him he hath been smitten with reproofs for his Drunkeness for his Oaths for his Coveteousness for his Sabbath-breaking for his ordinance slighting c. Oh many blows have been given him but he felt them not it appeareth so because he is never the better for these smitings he reformeth not those evils for which he hath been reproved Lastly In a word A soul without Christ savoureth not the things that are of God This term savour is in Scripture applied both to tasting and smelling to tasting so meat is said to be savoury Gen. 27. to smelling and so there is the savour of ointments and the savour of garments spoken of in the Book of Canticles Now as a man that hath not the sense of tasting cannot distinguish meats or drinks all are alike to him he perceiveth no sweetness in Sugar or Honey no tartness in Vinegar no bitterness in Gall and as a man that hath not the sense of smelling senteth neither sweet nor stinking taketh no pleasure in those things which yeild a most fragrant smell nor is offended at that which senteth most noisomely and odiously so is it in a spiritual sense with the soul that is without Christ there is no sence of tasting or smelling no perceivance or apprehension of the sweetness of Jesus Christ and of the doctrine of the Gospel of the deliciousness of the things of grace such a soul savoureth not the heavenly Manna the Word of God is not at all sweet unto his taste but unsavoury unto him nor is sin disgustful he perceiveth no bitterness in it but takes pleasure in it so putting bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter 6. Till you can find that you are in Christ and Christ in you you cannot look upon your selves but as vessels of dishonour ordained unto wrath Rom. 8.1 There is nâ— condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus but to all out of Christ Christ is wisdome and righteousness and sanctification to those to whom he is made redemption it is Christ in us that is the hope of glory to us Examine your selves 2 Cor. 13. â— saith the Apostle prove your selves know you not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates If thou hast not Christ who is that best garment which the Father of the returning Prodigal called for to put it upon his Son if thou hast not put on the Lord Jesus Christ who is that Wedding-garment spoken of in the Parable Mâ—t. 22. I say if thou hast not Christ thou wilt be speechless dumb not able to speak one word for thy self in that day when the King of Kings the great Judge of all the World shall ask thee why thou shouldst not be condemned and cast into hell for the sin in which thou was born and the sins in which thou hast lived whereas the soul that hath gotten Christ that hath taken him up by Faith and hath him dwelling in it by his Spirit hath the merits of Christ his death to plead and the righteousness of Christ to hold forth unto God Lord though in my self I am worthy of death and have deserved to die a thousand times though I have no righteousness of my own yet in as much as Christ hath died for me I must not die in as much as thy Son whom thou hast given me hath fulfilled all righteousness for me and is made of God righteousness to me I shall not be condemned but I say he that is without Christ will have nothing to say when it shall be demanded of him what he can plead for himself why he should not die for his sins and what hath the judge then to say to such a Christless wretch Oh he passeth a dreadful sentence Bind him hand and â—oot and take him away and cast him into ouâ—er darkness there shall be weeping and guashing af teeth Ah now dear souls seeing the â—nhappiness of men and women and their misery is so great in the want of Christ labour to
be deeply sensible of this great want and greatly to bewail it Surely this is the greatest want in the World this is the only Damning want better it is to want land to want money to want clothes to want health to want bread to want all outward things then to want Christ to be without him therefore let all your sorrowing for other wants be turned into mourning for this great want For surely as long as your soules are Christless you are in the way to die for ever to perish without rememedie And being thus sensible of your want and grieving under it go to God for a supply urging him with his promise to bestow Grace upon all humbled souls that are afflicted in the sense of their own want of Christ and Grace God hath promised Christ and Salvation by him to those that are afar off Seeing the promise runs in such general termes and holds forth Christ and Grace to every poor humbled dejected sinner to every desiring Soul Lay thy self now at the foot of the promise and say unto God Lord my soul is Christless and graceless and so in danger of perishing Eternally Hast thou not said that thou wilt give Christ and Grace and Salvation to them that are afar off O let this promise be good to me poore wretch let me receive Christ and all Grace with him and be brought into a state of Salvation for thy mercies sake so shall I speak of thy goodness and sing unto thy praise declaring what thou hast done for my soul Now having pressed such general counsel as I judged to be proper naturally flowing from the Doctrine Special Counsels I shall drop some special words of advice to those that are possest of Christ upon whom God hath bestowed this great gift Counsel Be satisfied with Christ 1. If you have Christ be content be satisfied with him and say with David I have gotten a goodly heritage and with Jacob I have enough Let us not reckon that we lack any thing if we enjoy Christ have you that all comprehending good and will you be complaining as if you had nothing Surely the wants of people in respect of temporalls are commonly more in desire then in the absence of things more in conceit then in reality for set aside fancie and there is nothing indeed necessary for the body but food and rayment daily bread that which serveth for the sustentation of life and preservation of health There was never any worldly minded man that was satisfied with the World He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Eccle. 5.10 This is vanity saith the Preacher The heart of man is still coveting this and that and the other thing which seems to him desirable and when he hath this and that and the other thing too yet he wanteth something not that there is a true vvant but the appepetite is not filled the greedy or wanton or proud desire is not satisfied I say Worldly men are never satisfied with the World vvith that which they have of it because they are Christless and all things without Christ are vanity and vexation of Spirit But they that have Christ have all in him and with him Therefore let the Christian possessing Christ say to his soul Soul thou hast enough be at rest thou hast all good laid for Eternity Should the rich man be complaining of want now Christ where he is possessed is great riches Therefore Christians who are poor in the World are said to be rich in Faith because Faith I yes hold on Jesus Christ and by faith we possess him who is the only true riches Thus the Apostle his riddle is expounded as having all things yet possessing nothing though possessing nothing in the World yet having all things by Faith having all in Christ Oh let the Believer be satisfied with Christ would you have more then all Counsel 〈◊〉 Be thankful for Christ 2. Have you Jesus Christ Oh then be thankful to God for this gift admiring and adoring such grace Oh what a rare gift is this which God hath bestowed upon you to how few is it given Now the rarer gift the more thankful should we be Ah Lord hadst thou not given Christ to me what a sad condition had my soul still bin in Before Christ came to my soul what a bâ—ndslave was I to sin and Satan How full of noysome lusts was my heart What a hell was in my soul Magnified be the Father of Mercie who hath given me Jesus Christ to work a change in me to cast those unclean spirits out of me to Redeem such a wretched slave and to make a Heaven in my soul by Christ dwelling in me Blessed be God for Jesus Christ Couns 3. Hold fast Christ 3. Christians Take heed that you do not loose Christ when you are once possest of him Not that Christ can indeed be wholly lost from the soul that once hath him but the working of the Spirit of Christ in the heart may be so remitted yea intermitted in respect of direction and quickening and strengthening and comforting that the soul may be at a loss for Christ having no feeling of the presence of Christ in it Christians may so carry themselves toward Christ as to provoke him to alter his carriage and to change countenance toward them When a Christian hearkeneth not to the voice of Christ consenteth not to the motions of his Spirit takes liberty to himself to sin against Christ and against that light which Christ hath given in to him in such cases for such causes Christ will withdraw himself and not vouchsafe to have any Communion with the soule and so leave it in a lightless lifeless uncomfortable condition Therefore Christians be careful so to carry your selves toward Christ that he may not withdraw himself and hide his face but may abide with you and reveal himself to your soules working more powerfully in your hearts that you may clearly perceive he is still present with you in you and may have more comfortable experience of the sweet operations of his Spirit in your soules Now that you may keep Christ Directions so as to be stil taking in the comfort of such an enjoyment 1. Take heed of grieving Christ by any unkindness toward him by the unyieldingness of your spirits to the motions of his Spirit by sluggishness and securitie and by taking in the World and lusts to be iâ—mates with Christ or by allowing your selves in any thing that is contrary to the mind of Christ for this will grieve the Spirit of Christ and make him to vâ—il his face and as it were to draw a curtain between himself and the spirit of a Christian 2. If you would keep Christ still with you would enjoy his presence in a feeling apprehension of it so as to be sensible of his gracious and comfortable workings in you and of the shinings of his face upon
you into your souls thâ—n see that you do that which may delight Christ so will he be working sensibly in yoâ—r spirits bringing in more light and liâ—â— and heate and making you more fruitful in holiness revealing his love in your hearts so that you shall stil say blessed be God for Jesus Christ Now to give some directiâ—ns about this shewing how you may delight Jesus Christ 1. Shew your selves willing and readie to take commands from Christ to hear and obey his voice and to yield unto and be ruled by the motions of his Spirit Christ is much taken with the willingness chearfulness of Christians in their obedience If ye love me saith Christ Keep my commandments and I will pray the Father Joh. 14.15 16 18. and he shall give you another Comforter that he mâ—y abide with yâ—u for ever I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you If you shall have a care of your obedience I will take care for your comfort 2. Make out to others the preciousness of Christ and speak it to the honour of Christ what a gift he is and what a happiness it is to enjoy him If we prize Christ he will delight to continue with us and the more we impart our experience of the comfort and sweetness of Christ the more wil he communicate himself to us we find it often in the Canticles that it was thus betwixt Christ and his Spouse 3. Acknowledg unto Christ his wonderful love and rich Grace toward you in giving himself for you and in bestowing himself upon you and in that which he hath wrought in you O Lord Jesus how infinitely am I engaged to thee for thy love that thou hast vouchsafed to come to my poore soul and to bring in light and life and comfort and happiness with thy self Such thankful acknowledgment made unto Christ Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio will tie him fast to you and cause him to do more for you 4. Let there be longings of the soul to enjoy more of Christ here in the Kingdom of Grace and to be brought as soon as the Lord pleaseth to a full fruition of him hereafter in the Kingdom of Glory Beg of Christ to reveal himself more clearly to thee and to carry thee on further in understanding of Divine Mysteries to lead thee into all Truth and to fill thee with the knwleedge of his will in all wisdom â—nd Spiritual understanding Beg of him quickening grace â—nd strengthning grace and beseech him to be more mightily this way upon thy spirit causing a great increase of spiritual strength â—nd holy activity in thy soul humbly desire Christ to reveal himselfe more and more in thy soul as a Comforter even to powr in flagons of his love and to fill thee with the consolations of his Spirit Thus account that you are never near enough to Christ that you are never intimate enough with him that you have never enough of him and so long to be filâ—ed with him here and to be taken to a ful enjoyment of in glory hereafter desiring with good old Simeon to depart in peace having Christ in your hearts and embracing him by Faith â—nd with Paul desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ This is very pleasing to Christ and he delighteth in that soul which taketh pleasure in him and surely he will never forsake the soul in which he delighteth 5. If you desire that Christ should continue with you and not withdraw himself or hide his face from you then see that he have a place of residence in you sutable to him and such as may give him content he must have thy heart and he must have all thy heart and it must be a heart well kept a heart clean swept he will have the heart or nothing and he will not be thrust into a corner of the heart he will not endure that the World should have the chief room or indeed any room there or that lusts should be entertanied in the heart where he dwelleth he will not lodge in a filthy heart a stable is not now a receptacle for him a place to entertain him in If you desire the company of Christ you must carefully flie the pollutions that are in the world through lusts you must be casting sin and the world out of your hearts and cleansing your selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit When Christ sees that there is a desire and care to make the heart clean fit to entertain him and to keep out of the heart every â—hing that may offend him and â—o keep the Spirit pure and entire â—or him he delighteth to dwell in such a soul And surely if you labour thus constantly to please Christ and to do that which may delight him â—nd then will he be so powerfully comfortably operative in your souls that you shall be able to say I finde I feel that of a truth Christ â—s in me This is Christ his working â—n my heart none but Christ could do that which is done in my soul Surely My beloved is mine and I â—â—m his Thus I have dealt out a third Counsel to Christians that have Christ Take heed that you do not â—oose him keep him with you â—old him fast and I have held â—orth some directions in this â—ase If ye have have received the Lord Jesus Christ Counsel 4. Walk in Christ Col. 2.6 Walk in him This is the Apostle his Counsel Quest What is it to walk in Christ Answ Plainly to walk in Christ according to the Scripture sense of this phrase is so to live that we may make it to appear to others that we may be sure in our selves that we are in Christ and that he liveth in us to walk according to the rule of Christ to live as a people acted by the Spirit of Christ which leadeth from sin unto dutie and guideth souls in the way of God in our conversation to hold forth the vertues of Christ to be Patient as he was Meeke and lowly in heart as he was Loving as he was Heavenly minded as he was Zealous for God's glory as he was in all things to express Christ to walk in the light of his Doctrine and according to his example to keep up Communion with him in the exercise of Christian Graces and practise of holy duties and to walk in Christ is to live by the Faith of Son of God who liveth in us to â—elie on him for Justification and Sanctification and Preservation and provision and comfort here and for Eternal Salvation hereâ—fter And this phrase To walk in Christ implieth 1. Light and knowledge of the minde of Christ 2. A progress in that way which is pleasing to Christ a goâ—ng onward and a rising up to furâ—her measures in Christ 3. An uniformity in this course â—ot to go in out to take one step â—n the right path and two steps â—eside it but to walk steddily in Christ
from the tempest as Rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land he hath a fellow-feeling of thy sufferings and will not suffer thee to be tempted above measure and his grace is sufficient for thee to strengthen and support and comfort thee in every affliction and troâ—ble and to give thee a great advantage by it causing sweet to come out of the sower and meat out of the Eater and in due time to deliver thee wholly to deliver the burden from thy shoulders So that believers may have what our Saviour promised to his Disciples peace and and comfort in Christ when in the world they have tribulations Doth death look upon thee with a grim countenance to put thee in fear Now consider that Christ who is thine hath overcome Death for thee and hath by his Death destroyed him that had the power of Death hath delivered thee from the wrath to come hath opened to thee the way to Heaven and every gate of Heaven he himself is the way and the doore for thee to enter in by and he will be to thee the Resurrection and the life Thus if Christ be thine he is thy Propitiation thy Justification thy Srength thy Salvation Wherefore let Faith carry thee to leane on him in all temptations and afflictions that thou maist be borne up by him and comforted with the thoughts of thy interest in him Yet I cannot thus leave this theam but must add something for a further amplification of the comfort of Believers who are received Christ As I have shewed you that the having of Christ is to believers a firm ground of comfort for Faith to pitch upon in all Spiritual and corporal inward and outward afflictions so I shall give you to see how Christ is actually effectually a Comforter in such cases to those that have received him If the soul be afflicted with strong temptations Christ comforteth it with this Word My grace is sufficient for thee to keep thee from being overcome and to make thee more then a Conquerour If Satan hath prevailed against the Christian by temptation and drawn him into some great sin whereupon there followeth soul affliction when the conscience is awakened Then Christ comforteth the soul leading to the Fountain which is set open for sin and for uncleanness presents to it the flowings of his Bloud sets before it the fulness and freeness of the Grace of God in Christ for the pardon of all sins for the refreshing of every weary soul for the satisfâ—ing of every hungring thirsting soul that hungâ—reth and thirsteth after Righteousness and when a humbled Christian closeth by faith with this Grace of Christ and washeth his soul in the Fountain of his Blood then is he comforted If Christ for the trial of a Christian do hide himself from him so that he is troubled and inwardly afflicted for want of the felt presence of Christ and for want of the manifestation of Christ his love to his soul in this case Christ will be a seasonable Comforter to the poor humbled soul he that casteth the soul down will lift it up again leading it by his Spirit to lay hold upon the comfort which lies for every child of God in that of the Apostle There is no temptation hath taken you but that which is common to men 1 Cor. 10.33 but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted aboâ—e that ye are able but will the temptation also make to escape that ye may be able to bear it and Christ helpeth the soul to gather up comfort from those sweet words Isa 45.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee In a litle wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon the sai h the Lord thy Redeemer And thus Christ returns in due time to receive the spirits of his humble ones Christ in the believer is seasonable Comforter in all Spiritual distress in all soul affliction So likewise in case of outward trouble and temporal distressess Christ in heart is a Comforter telling the Believer that he is all sufficient for him tells him that there is in him a sufficiency of Wisdom to find out a way for his deliverance and a sufficiency of power actually to accomplish his deliverance how great soever the evil be that lies upon him yea and a sufficiencie of Love and grace to make out his power and wisdom for his good and so comforteth him abundantly filling him with this perswasion that all things shall work together for good to him Here is the happiness of a Believer that he hath a Comforter in his bosome in the midst of all troubles This is made out clearly in the experience of the Saints of which I might give you sundry Scripture instances David in his soul trouble found Christ a Comforter When Peter was by Herod cast into prison was not Christ there a Comforter to him When the Jews fell maliciously and desparately upon Stephen and in their rage Stoned him did not he receive then glorious comfort from Christ dwel ing in him Paul found this to be true at sundry times and in sundry cases And Paul and Sylas together in the Prison had experience of this truth Where Christ is in the soul helping the soul to act faith upon him he is actually a Comforter in all conditions in every distress of soul and body Well now for a clâ—se I shall summ up in few words the happiness of believers upon account of their interest in Christ and possession of him Christ brings with him all good to those that enjoy him 1. They have by Christ all temporal good things as much as is needful for them and that which God sees good for them to have now if a man hath what is for his necessary use and so much as is for his good is he not well provided for and he that hath Christ hath that which will make full amends for all seeming and conceited wants that which is infinitely better than those things which God is pleased to withhold from them and Christ being in contentation to many pirits so that in a poor outward estate the believer is as well pleased as if he had abundance and so he hath all in contentation he that is content wants nothing 2. Christ bringeth spiritual good to the soul bringing in the treasures of grace and the riches of consolation though to some soul he giveth more of that treasure more of these riches than he doth to others Christ is made to us sanctification he is the author and worker of grace and holiness so that the hearts in which Christ is must needs be gracious and holy he giveth in wisdome and meekness and love and zeal and other graces of the spirit and he tells his Disciples and all believers in them that he will not leave them comfortless I am he that comforteth you saith the Lord Christ 3. Jesus Christ bringeth believers to the enjoyment of eternal good he bringeth them to heaven â—ven all those souls to whom he is united on earth Father I will that those whom thou hast given m be with me Jo. 17.24 where I am that they may see my glory My sheep hear my voice Jo. 10.27 28. and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life Every soul that is here an habitation of God through the spirit in whom Christ dwelleth shall be received into everlasting habitations with Christ This is the happiness of every soul that enjoys Christ And now as the Apostle saith Christ in you the hope of glory so I may say Christ in you a spring of comfort Blessed soul that can truly say Christ is mine FINIS
in God is not given to any but those that fear the Lord and walk holily So Cornelius a devout man Acts 10.2 3 one that feared God which gave much almes to the People and prayed always to him while he was praying an Angel of God appeared telling him that his Prayâ—rs and his Almes were come up in remâ—mbrance before God While Daniel was praying confessing his sins and the sins of the People Dan. 9â— and presenting his supplications before the Lord for the holy Mountain of his God in the time of prayer euen at the beginning of his supplication an Angel comes and tells him Isa 64.5 That he is greatâ—y belâ—ved Thou meetest him that Rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness those that remember thee in thy wâ—ys To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvatiâ—â— of God he shall sâ—e my Salvatioâ— with the eye of Faith and my Spirit shall witâ—â—ss to him my acceptance of him and give him assured hope 〈◊〉 eternal happinâ—ss The holy Spirit never witnesseâ—â— the love of God to any Soul out 〈◊〉 thy way of holinâ—ss therefore iâ— peace be spoken and the love 〈◊〉 God reported to ungodly persoâ— who walk loosly and carâ—lâ—sly thâ—â— is from the Dâ—vil this is the hiâ—â—â—â—â— of the old Serpent and not thâ— whispâ—ring of the good Spirit 3. The good Spirit of God alwayes witnesseth according to thâ— word of God there is always aâ— agreement betwixt those two wiâ—nesses which are both of God viâ— his word the outward witness aâ— his spirit the inward If the test mâ—ny of the Spirit should cross thâ— Testimony of the word then thâ— Spirit should contradict himself sâ— the Scriptures were indited by tâ—â— holy Spirit so that the word it sâ— is the Spirits testimony he doâ— not immediately testifie any thing contrary to that testimony which he hath given in the world where the word bindeth the Spirit doth not lose where the word condemneth the spirit doth not acquit where the Word proclaimeth war and threatneth Destruction the spirit doth not there whisper peace and promise Salvation the Spirit doth not bless any whom the Word curseth Now the Word saith Rom. 8.14 That they are the Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God that they are the children of promise who are changed by the spirit of promise and made new Creatures and that walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham and to none but these doth the spirit witness their adoption and their interest in the Covenant of Gods love That Testimony which crosseth the Testimony of the word speaking peace to a carnal unbelieveing impenitent graceless heart I say that testimony comes from the lying spirit of Hell 4. The Spirit of God is a holy Witness as formally and originally so efficiently holy he maketh a gracious and holy Soul The holy Spirit sealing peace and the love of God to the Soul doth strongly engage the Soul unto holiness and maketh it to encrease in holyness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle Christ his love manifested to us hath power over our Souls and rules us over to the mind of Christ The Testimony of the holy Spirit maketh a Christian fearful to offend God and careful to please him and circumspect in walking before him That Testimony and speaking of peace to the Soul which makes a man bold with sin and lose in his walkinâ— that breedeth a neglect of holy duties and a despising or slighting of God his ordinances surely that testimony is from the Devil It is clear that the Spirit of God guideth those that are the Sons of God to whom he giveth this testimony that they are Sons now this Spirit leads from Sin and leadeth unto holiness and righteousness Thus you have seen which is the first witness from whose testimony true assurance is taken up and I have given you some rules for discerning between the true and false Witness whereby people may judge whether they have taken up true assurance or be possessed with a false perswasion and confidence Secondly The spirit of a Christian is another Witness that assures him of his interest in the Covenant of Gods love The spirit of a man of a Christian witnesseth with the spirit of God by reception and expression by taking in the effects of the Covenant of promise as knowledge faith and Love and all graces and thence witnessing to him his interest in the Covenant Object But is there any trusting to the Testimony of our own Spirit can that be a true witness in which we may confide Qâ—id corde humano fallacius Is not mans heart deceitful above all things Answ It not is our own carnal Spirit our own natural spirit that is the assuring witness Spiritus noster est cornostrum regeneratum Par. but our own Regenerate Spirit the new Spirit which God giveth now of this Spirit the Apostle John speaketh saying If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence toward God Dictamen cordis regeneratiest infallibile saith Pareus Now it is Good for us to understand and note the difference between the testimonies that proceed from those two different witnesses different spirits that in this great matter we may not be deceived by our own hearts I shall therefore briefly shew you the difference between the testimony of a caâ—nal heart and the testimony of a renewed pirit 1. The carnal heart takes up its evidence confusedâ—y and groundlessly not heeding whether there be any gracious saving work of the Spirit of God upon the heart which in order of nature necessarily preceds the Testimony of that good spirit whisperings to witness the love of God to the Soul But the Regenerate new spirit takes up its evidence and gives forth its testimony within the Soul to the Conscience orderly and upon good ground observing herein the order of the spirit of God and grounding its testimony upon the work of the holy Spirit in the Soul Ye have not saith the Apostle received the Spirit of bondâ—ge again to fear Rom. 8.15 but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Fâ—ther The Spirit that brings in peace hath caused a man to see himself lost in himself so that he hath seen his bondage and miserable condition by sin before he came to apprehend his liberty by Christ and his happiness in the enjoyment of God his favour 2. The testimony of a carnal heart will be without the Word and contrary to the word justifiing where the Wâ—rd condemneth speaking peace to a formal Hypocrite or loose-liver or a carnal earthly minded worldling such a one may have a spirit that speaâ—eth good speaketh peace to him but it is a carnal lying spirit that speaks falsly but the Regenerate Spirit which is the true witness within a man gives evidence concerning a mans condition and speaks comfort by and according to the word a Regenerate Spirit will not flatter will not falsifie
him for ever 3. This will be an excellent means to quicken and strengthen hope I say hope of all needful blessings here and of eternal Salvation hereafter Is the Lord my God and shall I not hope Have I God's Promise and Oath and shall I not hope Is not the Promise of God so sure that hope therein maketh not ashamed Therefore in wants and straights and difficulties and in my greatest sufferings I will say with the Church Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion therefore I will hope in him It is Jehovah who hath promised to bless me and save me the almighty God can do it and the faithful God will do it he will perform his promise his Covenant therefore I have hope in wants in trouble in sickness in death I will hope in my God to the end 4. A diligent serious meditation of God's Covenant and our interest in it will raise our joy God hath made with me a Covenant of Peace a â—ovenant of Life the Lord is my God and will be my God forever The Covenant which he hath made with me is his deed of gift whereby he hath made over himself to me and hath bestowed upon me the everlasting inheritance it is my Fathers good pleasure to give me a Kingdom he hath promised me a Crown of Glory and this promise of his is surely a ground of joy Rejoyce therefore O my Soul in hope of the Glory of God Thus you have had a Fifth Counsel Having applyed the Covenant to thy self and gotten some assurance that it is thine now meditate on it and set it to thy heart for the exciting of love and desire and hope and joy in thy soul 6ly Let us admire and adore the mercy love Couns 6. Admire the grace of God in the Covenant and grace of God in this Covenant of his his mercy toward the miserable his love to Enemies his grace to sinners in setting himself down to us and taking us into Covenant with himself who had otherwise been utterly lost and miserable for ever Let us cry out with admiration O the hight and depth and length and bredth of the love of God O free-Grace O rich-Grace O glorious-Grace Why did God pass by those Angels that fell leaving them in a remediless condition and take the Seed of Abraham into Covenant with himself to pardon them and save them who is a God like unto our God that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his People performing his truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham 7thly Hath God made such a Covenant Couns 7. Bless God for it and do we apprehend our interest in it then let us bless God for it and abound in all thankfulness to him who is the Fountain frâ—m whence such streams of Grace do flow how should they who have tasted the goodness of Gods Covenant have their hearts and mouthes and lives filled with his praises God's Covenant is a Covenant of pardoning sin and healing diseases of redeeming our life from Destruction and of Crowning us with his loving kindness and tender mercies and for these mercies whereof believers are made partakers by vertue of the Covenant David stirrs up himself to bless God Psa 103. Bless the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquties c. Oh let our souls bless God let all that is within us praise his holy Name for the Covenant of his mercy and love which he hath given us and that he hath so clearly revealed this Covenant to us and hath given us to apprehend our interest in it Now there are these reasons among others why believ is should â—tirr themselves up to bless God for his Covenant Incentives 1. The end of Gods goodness to his Creatures is his own glory Surely this is the end of his making and confirming his Covenant to Abraham with his seed that Abraham and his seed miâ—ht glorifie him this is the great end of all his works of grace in Christ Jâ—sâ—s he hâ—th done all to the praise of the gl ry of his grace Eph. 1.6 12. that we should be to the praise of his glâ—ry 2. The Covenant it self is so precious such a rare gift that it well deserves our praises God is worthy to be blessed by us for such a bleâ—â—â—ng as this for First Consider of what worth those things are which the Covenant doth give believers a Title to and intâ—rest in O pretious things an inheritance immortal and undefiled a â—â—own of life an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory 2 Consider what matchless consolations the Covenant affordeth to believers even when all outward comforts fail Thy word is my comfort in my afflictions Ps 119.50 fâ—r it hath quickned me Gospel-comforts those which flow from the Covenant of mercy and peace to such as are interrested in it are the purest and surest and fullest comforts Now by the way from the preciousness of the Covenant in respect of the worth of the things promised in it and the excellency of the comforts that flow from it I infer this That the worst of a believer is better than the best of an unbeliever or That the lowest estate of one interrested in the Covenant of promise is better than the most raised condition of any one that is uninterrested in it and a stranger to it A believer may be a stranger in the world and afflicted with want of food and cloathing convenient and may meet with a great deal of hard usuage yet he is a Citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem he is the Lords Free-man he hath God for his Father Jesus Christ is his Brother and though he hath little or nothing at present to the eye of the World yet he is rich in hope though he hath nothing in possession visible he hath a rich Inheritance a Kingdom an immortal Crown in revertion Who is the better man the poor Christian whom God hath chosen to be rich in Faith heire to a Kingdom to the Kingdom of Heaven or the rich and honoured Worldling that wears a Gold-ring and hath the highest room given him in the Assmblies surely there is no happiness like to the happiness of a believer that hath an interest in the Covenant of Grace the Lord is his God this is the Crown of all enjoyments the compendium of all happiness Whence it follows that God is to be praised by us for nothing in this world so much as for giving us an interest in his Covenant 3. This Covenant which is so precious and so comfortable aâ— intâ—rest wherein makes us happy is freely given us of God nothing moved him to it but his own goodness it was free grace that made God to be a Promiser a Covâ—nanter now that which is excâ—â—â—â—ng prâ—cious anâ— freely given to us is to be received with much thâ—nkfullness 4. We can make no other return but love and thanks for aâ—ithâ— love of God â—â—â—râ—â—ore let us lovâ— God and