her that is with child then mayest thou know the works of God who worketh all and what a Mystery is this the way of the Spirit if we understand it of the Angels or if we understand it of the Spirits of men children how the Spirit comes into the child in the womb and whetherin the Spirit be formed of some matter and of what and how the Spirit and Life should be in the child so long and it not to be stifled in the womb These are mysterious things and so saith he is it to know the works of God Again the workings of God in Conversion are compared to the secret Influences of Leaven Matth. 13.33 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a woman that hid a piece of Leaven in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened A mysterious thing how a little leaven spreads it self and leavens the whole Lump and so how God speaks but a word to the Heart doth but say to Matthew Follow me and the soul leaves all and follows Christ this is a mysterious thing It is Infinite Grace that God sheweth in the Conversion of a soul that he should put forth his Almighty power to convert us which he might put forth to damn us and torment us for ever that he should work Grace when he was not desired when we sought him not God first calls and not the creature and O that he should work though the creature resist and hang back we linger in our natural Estate as Lot did in Sodom and we should tarry in our natural estate till God raigned down fire and brimstone upon us as he did upon Sodom and now as the Angel while Lot lingred pulled him forcibly out so doth the Lord pull us forcibly out Col. 1.13 He snatcht us out of the power of darkness so the word signifies and O how doth God work Grace oftentimes upon the most cross and crabbed natured men that if they had not Grace there were no living with them In Conversion the Spirit convinceth the soul of sin as John 16.9 stops it in its sinful course and the soul seeth the Law meet him many times as the Angel met Balaam in the way with a drawn sword in his hand and convinces the soul of Righteousness in Christs perfect Righteousness and draws the soul abandoning all other Refuges to pitch upon Christ for Life and Acceptance with God that the soul now it seeth its wound doth not go to the Law but to the blood of Christ that the soul saith Lord thou providedst me a Garment of Righteousness in Adam one that is worn out and is all menstruous rags and now Lord thou hast provided me a new Garment of Righteousness the Righteousness of thine own Son a Garment that will never wax old Lord I accept of this Righteousness I put on this garment of mine elder Brother to come to thee in When the soul is converted Christ becomes the souls all in all for Justification Sanctification Consolation Whom have I in Heaven but thee and what do I desire in the earth but thee all but dung all but dross in comparison of Christ Communion with God becomes the greatest nourishment and refreshment to the soul Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me for thou art my exceeding Joy this is the language of a true Saint Sin grows irksom and a tedious burthen to the soul and not so much for fear of Hell as from the Love we have to God and Christ our dear Redeemer Now the soul thinks that much that God doth for him and that nothing that he doth for God he thinks as Solomon when he dedidated the temple The Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain thee What is my poor prayers and preaching and service I with all my duties am less then the least of all the Mercics and kindness that thou hast shown to thy servant The soul now is much in the admiration of of Gods love and in desires after it and in thankfulness for it Thy loving kindness is better then Life Psal 63,3 though skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his Life Life is so dear yet thy loving kindness is better then Life If a soul that is converted were going to die for Christs sake that the Grace of God in him costs him his Life yet he cannot but bless God that ever he had Grace wrought in him The soul that is converted misseth God soon and cannot miss him long Psal 63.1,2 My soul thirsteth to see God as I have seen him in such an Ordinance in praying hearing meditating breaking of bread and I long to see him as I have seen him in such a Promise in which he hath sometimes strengthned me quickned me and revived me when I walkt in trouble And the nature of a soul that is converted is to fear sin most when he fears sin least that is to fear to commit sin most when he through the assurance of Gods pardoning mercy to him fears sin least for damning of him In Regeneration the Lord infuseth a new life the seed and habit of Grace wherein in the Soul is passive at first God by a Work of his own plucks up all other foundations and laies down Christ for a foundation in the heart Isa 28.16 Thus saith the Lord Behold I lay in Zinn for a foundation Stone a tryed Stone c. which tryed stone and sure foundation is the Lord Jesus Now its God that laies in Zion that is in the heasts of his people this Foundation behold I lay It s my work saith the Lord no man himself can lay this Foundation right O This is the saving work of Gods Spirit when as God hath laid Christ for the Foundation in a Soul that the soul builds all upon Christ he beareth the stress and weight of all as the foundation bears the weight of the building that all our comfort and peace and strength is built upon Christ and there is now an union between Christ and the soul as there is between the foundation and the rest of the building and this union the Lord makes by the Spirit and by the faith whereby the soul is glued and cemented for ever unto Christ CHAP. VIII The woful Backsliding of many Professors and the way of their Recovery MAny Professors are gone back mightily from the Lord some by error of Judgment some by loosness of Conversation and deadness and formality as if they had never been acquainted with the Lord It s hard to come to a true sense of it because a man may keep up the outward profession of Religion he may grow in Gifts may be in Church-fellowship and yet be much backsliden in his Spirit if the Lord will make use of any thing here written to make any sensible of it and recover them out of it it were a great Mercy Several signs of a backsliding Professor shall be laid down 1. Sign If the Conscience be not so tender as
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierced through as we are The darts of temptation were thrown at Christ as well as they are at us 4 Christ was thus tempted that the Saints might know that great Temptations might consist with great love yea the greatest Temptations with the greatest love For what greater Temptations then Christ had in the fourth of Matthew But many poor Saints are fit to think that if God loved them and they had Truth of Grace they should not have such Temptations whereas Christ him self who was so infinitely beloved of the Father and had so much Grace and was so full of the Spirit had all manner of temptations and truly Satan as he made the world his last temptation to Christ Mat. 4. offering him the Glory of the World to see whether Christ would be allured with that even so doth he deal oftentimes with the Saints that after he hath tempted them much in their first conversion with blasphemous thoughts scruples about every thing almost and with infinite more temptations his last temptation when they grow old shall be to draw them to the love of the World to grow covetous and earthly in the old age of their profession to see if he can slily draw their hearts from God and take them off their zeal and life in religion by minding of earthly things the Lord Jesus who himself overcame this Temptation and who prayed for his members Joh. 17. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world yea and Gal. 1.4 gave himself for us to deliver us from this present evil world He breaks this snare of this cunning Fowler Satan that our foot be not taken Again the Lord Jesus suffered by reproaches and persecution from the world this also was requisite 1. That he might succour his people in such cases 2. That the Saints might not think much to suffer from the world when the Master of the House had done it 3. That the Saints might not think that they are Hypocrites and have not sincerity because that the world raileth on them and persecutes them for Christ he had no sin and yet the world would have dirt to cast in his face 4. That the Saints in all these sufferings which they endure might have an example of patience from Christ who when he was reviled reviled not again O Blessed are they that fall into this pittiful Samaritans hands the Lord Jesus a pittiful and merciful high Priest indeed Are they poor he knows how to succour and pitty them in that condition for he had not whereon to lay his head Do they lie under the apprehension of Gods wrath Christ knows how to succour them in that condition for he knows what a burden that is which made him cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Is a poor creature come to his dying hour Christ knows what the pangs of death are Thus the Lord Jesus hath not only infinite Love as God but as Mediatour and as one that hath shot the same gulphs of temptation that we are to pass through The carriage of Christ upon earth towards sinners is to be diligently studied by those who would see the heart of Christ towards sinners and what infinite riches of mercy God bestoweth upon us in him he converted many in his own person and of the poorest sort Fishermen and men of mean rank many of them and as few of them were mighty and Noble so few of them were of the Wise men after the flesh though Christ could as easily have made Herod the learned men of those times have followed him as Matthew and the rest That follow me that Christ spake to Matthew accompanied with that Almighty Power of the Spirit that it came to his heart withal would have made any of them have followed Christ O the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory that he would condescend to keep company constantly with a few Fishermen and other poor people in the dayes of his flesh when he could have called all the Princes of the earth to wait upon him the Lord of all he could have fetcht them from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear his Wisdom and to minister unto him and though Christ would use many harsh words to the Pharises because they trusted that they were righteous in themselves and despised others yet how sweet in his carriage to others even bringing Publicans and Harlots into the Kingdom of God! O his compassions to the very bodies of men healing their sick O the affectionate expressions of Christ to his Disciples a little before his death recorded in John and what affectionate Prayers he put up for them to the Father and for all that should believe on him through their word John 17. And behold what manner of affection he discovered after he was risen He appears first to Mary Magdalen that had been such a great sinner sends word to Peter that had denied him of his Resurrection and never mentions his fall O what manner of Mediatour hath God provided so full of merit so full of Grace to be communicated to sinners so full of compassions towards sinners Thus God hath laid in Sion a sure Foundation a tried Stone a precious corner Stone and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed Whatsoever evil and mischief sin brought upon us Christ freeth us from it that are in him Sin made God and us to be at odds Christ Reconciles us and makes God and a poor sinner friends never to fall out more He hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 Our sins made a horrible stench in the Nostrils of God Christs death was a sweet smelling savour to God Eph. 5.2 to take away that stench Sin brought the wrath of God upon us Christ delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Sin brought us into prison Christ maketh us free and we are free indeed John 8. Esay 61.1 Eph. 1.7 We have the Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins There is nothing but great things and wonders in what God hath done for sinners in Christ He raiseth a poor soul that believeth in Christ to a better estate then ever we had before we fell that our latter end after all our prodigality is better then our beginning for we are made immutably happy and Righteous by Christ we have union with the Lord Jesus the second person of the Trinity in an intimate Conjugal manner which Adam had not before the fall we stand upon free Promises an absolute Covenant there was no such Promise so free and absolute without Conditions before the fall as that after the fall Gen. 3. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head yea a Believer in Christ hath not only created gifts as the first Adam but the Influences of the Blessed Spirit and the strength of Christ by which a soul can do all things Phil. 4.13 that so he is fitted for
many times So that there is great need of the witness of the Spirit besides all our evidences to put the matter out of doubt that we are effectually called and so it is writen Rom. 8.15 The Spirit himself witnesses with our spirits that we are the sons of God He makes a heart-affecting discovery of the love of God in Christ to the soul Rom. 5.5 excites and stirs up Faith in the heart to act afresh upon the Lord Jesus works some joy in the soul from the apprehension of our Acceptance in Christ The Holy Ghost sometimes in assuring us of Gods love in Christ takes Promises in the Scriptures and sets them with power upon the heart as I am He that blotteth out thy Transgressions for my own Names sake and will remember thy sins no more Not that all words of Scripture that are cast into our minds are from the Spirit of the Lord but sometimes from Satan sometimes Promises come into our minds in an ordinary way as other things come to mind that we have read or heard but when any word of Scriptute is given in and applied in a way of comfort to our spirits from the Spirit of God 1. It will take some Impression though it may be that when the Spirit comes to comfort and witness he many times comes not with such irresistibility as when he comes to sanctifie yet some Impression it will have upon the heart if not to fill it with joy and Triumphing of spirit yet some way to support it and bear it up 2. If it come from the Spirit it will be suitable and seasonable to our condition as if a poor Saint be in affliction and the Holy Ghost should give in such a word as that in Heb. 12.9 He afflicts us for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness this is a seasonable word but many will say that such a Scripture was given in to them in such a condition when as the Scripture was nothing suitable to their condition but they mistook the meaning of the place 2. When the Spirit giveth in Scripture usually though not alwayes it is when the soul is in some strait some great strait and then he giveth them in some word upon which he causeth them to hope 4. Such words of Promise as the Spirit applies thus to a soul are very dear to the soul ever after yea it makes the whole Word of God more dear to them and such words do abide upon the memory very long 5. They raise up thankfulness in the heart 6. They do not cherish us in any way of sin if you thought you had any word from the Lord to put you upon any thing that the Word saith is sin then you were mistaken Somtimes the Spirit of God in comforting and witnessing to us doth not make use of any particular places and Promises but makes a general Discovery of the Gospel and New Covenant and applies that to the soul and shews him that he hath an Interest in the New Covenant that he is one of those whose Names are written in heaven and is sprinkled with the blood of Christ which cleanseth him from all sin This also I would here note that the Spirit of God doth speak peace to the consciences of many Believers that yet think they have no peace and question the truth of Grace in their hearts I say though it comes not so high as Ravishments of spirit yet the Holy Ghost in some more secret way hath quieted their hearts How comes it to pass else that those Believers notwithstanding all their doubtings yet do really and experimentally find that they can go to God as to a Father in prayer they are carried out to put all their cases to God and trust him with all their concernments and they find that the rancour of their spirits is taken off against the Lord these things declare plainly that in some secret way the Spirit of God hath quieted their hearts and given them some satisfaction concerning their sincerity and Truth of Grace though it hath not been so plain as to some other Saints that have had full assurance and abundance of joy in the Holy Ghost thereupon Let not the Saints be impatient and fret to do evil if the Spirit don't presently give them assurance neither let them think that they shall never have assurance because they have been long without it The Lord oftentimes lets things come to the worst before he sends help Peace and Assurance may be very near when thou thinkest that there is almost now no hope yea this is observable that when the Holy Spirit shall give assurance after much doubting that assurance oftentimes is more lasting then others that have had comfort sooner But God lets some even spend their dayes in sighing and their years with heaviness and even mourn out their eyes and hearts and find no rest and peace in Believing the Lord makes known to us by such examples the bitterness of sin the power of his Terrours the danger of backsliding and that he only can speak peace Let Christians beware of getting a habit of complaining and doubting as I have known some have got such a habit of complaining that upon all occasions and in all company they must be laying out their doubtings not but that Christians should make known their troubles and fears in suitable times one to another both that others seeing the straits that they are in may pray the more for them and might comfort them with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God but I say many have such a habit of complaining that I had almost said whether they have doubts and troubles upon their spirits or no they think it not well if they have not some complaint to make and think that their godly friends expect it alwayes from them Some not considering what Faith is viz. the souls being brought off from all other things to depend and relie upon the Lord Jesus for eternal life they bear false witness against themselves that they do not believe in Christ thinking that faith is nothing but some high Ravishments and almost perfection whereas ask such souls Hath the Lord convinced you of your miserable estate by nature both in respect of the damning and domineering power of sin and they can truly say yea the Lord hath convinced me of this Ask them further Hath the Lord shewn you that all your own Righteousness can never save you nothing but a crucified Christ can do it the soul can truly say yes the Lord hath powerfully convinced me of this ask the soul further Hath the Lord ever made you truly sensible that you could not believe in your own strength but Faith was the Lords free gift and the soul can truly say yes the Lord hath made me sensible of this and you ask further Did you ever find an Almighty power of Gods Spirit drawing your heart to Christ to take him for the Lord your Righteousness so that
your troubled soul found rest and peace from his Blood yea the soul saith truly This I have felt in some measure why here is true Faith and Assurance and yet many a poor soul not considering that this is the saving work but seeing that it comes short in many things doth question whether it be in Christ or no whereas open and unravel but the work of Grace and say Have you gone this step and the other step and it can say truly that These things God hath wrought in me How much means is used to many and yet they can find no comfort and peace of conscience The Covenant of Grace is clearly opened to them servent prayers are put up to God for them the experiences of other Saints are made known to them but all will not do it for indeed the Lord only can speak peace to the soul he is the God of peace But let those that have peace of conscience and Assurance be thankful for it as a great mercy for all Saints have it not indeed it is a great mercy it yields much present refreshment to the soul what will make us glad if the light of Gods Countenance will not And so doth Assurance of Gods Love stand us in great stead in time of Afflictions it keeps the soul from sinking in great Afflictions it keeps Satan from many advantages yea when we come to die and look that King of Terrours in the face Assurance of Gods Love makes grim Death look smilingly in our Eye CHAP. X. The Ministry of Angels and their serviceableness to the Church THough curious and unscriptural Notions about the Angels are to be avoided yet these things that the Scriptures reveal of them and their Ministry are very profitable to be known The Angels are called spirits and a flame of fire Heb. 1.7 They are active and quick at the Lords work they are as a flame of fire not only for their terribleness but for their quikness how quick fire goes out of a Gun and how quick is a flash of lightning The Angels were very forward to perform their service to the Lord Jesus an Angel brought news to Mary that she should be the mother of our Lord Luke 1.27.28 An Angel at Christs birth told the Shepherds the glad tidings of Christs coming into the world and a multitude of them praised God saying Glory be to God in the Highest on earth peace and good will to men Luke 2.9,13,14 They had command to worship the Lord Jesus Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him but why must all the Angels of God worship Christ when he came into this world and was made flesh 1. To own and acknowledge Christ to be God now in that mean estate the form of a servant that he had put himself into for worship only belongs to him that is God 2 To acknowledge the benefit of confirmation that they have by the Lord Jesus by whom they are made immutably happy 3. To shew an example unto men to worship and honor Christ when as the Angels that are more excellent creatures do it 4. To shew their admiration of that glorious and wonderful way of Salvation by Jesus Christ And then at Christs death the Angels came and ministred unto him and strengthened him And as the Angels were forward to do service to Christ so they are to minister to the Saints for the Lord hath made them ministring spirits to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation The Lord makes use of them to keep his people out of many dangers Psalm 21.11,12 He hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone indeed God is so careful of his people that he would not trust all the Angels in heaven wholly with the safety of his people but hath given them unto Christ to be their Leader and Commander and bring them unto Glory who will lose none of all that the father hath given him who hath Infinite Power and Wisdom to manage all their concernments but the Angels are Ministers under Christ to be helpful to the Saints as the Pastors of Churches are Overseers and have the charge of the flock under him also And so the Angels lift up the Saints many times as Nurses do little children that they don't dash their feet against a stone whom every little thing would throw down They have their Orders from Christ whose Ministers they are to do his pleasure therefore Christ is said to sit between the Cherubins Psal 99.1 to shew how he hath the Angels fit to send upon his Designs and how often doth he send them to encamp round about the Saints in their dangers and deliver them and because of the Angels serviceableness to the Saints they are called their Angels Matth. 18.10 The Lord giveth them great Power for to perform this service and Ministry to the Saints we see that the Angel Act. 20.7,10 that was sent to fetch Peter out of prison he did but touch him and his chains fell off and when they came to the Iron gate it presently opened the Lord giveth the Angels power over the fiercest creatures that when Daniel was thrown into the Lions Den the Lord sent an Angel and shut the Lions mouthes that they should not hurt him Dan. 6.32 And as they serve the Saints in other things so in destroying of their enemies as an Angel smote Herod with death Act. 10.23 Yea 1 Kings 19.35 in that great strait that Hezekiah and the people of God were in when that huge Army of the Assyrians came against them the Lord the text saith sent an Angel that smote in one night on kundred fourscore and five thousand of them whom they left all dead corpses It s a wonderful Execution When Lazarus died he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom Luke 16. As they do rejoyce in the conversion of a soul so in the finishing of our course and are joyful to bring us home to our Fathers house yea the Scripture tels us that the Lord will send the Angels at the last day to gather his people together from the four Winds who will know them all in the utmost corners of the earth having been ministring spirits unto them may be stirring affections and freedom of speech from the apprehension of popular applause in some Auditories but gracious men know a difference between those inlargements and the soul-humbling assistance of Gods spirit 10 Gods Spirit gives to his servants many times a more then ordinary assistance in their labors amongst the Saints for their sakes for their quickning comforting strengthning and edification whose building up was one great end of the ordinance of the Ministry Eph. 4.10,11,12 11 Gods Spirit gives his servants affections in preaching as Zeal Compassion to souls and the like but though something of this may
have had both in inward and outward Mercy 26. Beware of covetousness and greediness after the things of this world for there is no satisfaction in the creature we think if we had so much as some others have we could be satisfied but this is certain nothing but God can set bounds unto the desires of mens hearts after worldly things but our hearts if they be set upon the world will cry Give still all the world cannot redeem us from death nor all our Silver or Gold buy off any of the pangs of death and though men are earnest upon the world for their Children that they may leave them great matters to be some body in the world yet we must know that the happiness of our Posterity doth not lie in our leaving them great estates for if they never have Christ it usually makes them more sinfull in this world and more miserable in the world to world to come yea God oftentimes raiseth poor Children to greater Estate in the world then they ever come to and blasteth and crusheth the great Estate that men leave without his fear and though the next Heirs it may be may keep it together yet their Heirs may suddenly consume and too often the more money men lay up for their Children the fewer Prayers they lay up for them besides as Christ bids us beware of covetousness upon that account Luke 12.17 a mans life that is the comfort of it doth not consist in the multitude of that we possess not only the true comfort of a mans life doth not lie in multitude of riches but in Communion with God but the outward comfort of a mans life doth not consist in the multitude of riches many men of ordinary estates do enjoy more outward comfort then men of great Estates How many great men have no comfort in their Estates either God denies them of Heirs and that is a torment to them or gives them not Power to eat of that which they possess or God sendeth them such pains and sickness of Body that they spend their days with grief and their years with sighing Some way or other God sends them such crosses and troubles that eat out all the comforts of their Estates therefore let our Conversation be without covetousness and be content with the things which we have though it be little for God hath said He will never leave us nor forsake us 27. Beware of distracting cares fears sorrows about earthly things for these heart-distracting cares are mighty contrary to the life of faith they work not only death of soul but the sorrow of the world and grief about these things do hasten death of the body they drink and suck up the juyce of our natural Spirits All our distracting cares cannot add one Cubit unto our statures they cannot keep any of those crosses off yea they provoke God to bring those troubles and crosses that we in an unbelieving way care and perplex our Spirits about they make the troubles of our Pilgrimage more then otherwise they would be for they provoke God to continue the rod longer upon our backs and make the afflictions we have more tedious as a man in the stocks to take on and gall his legs to get out makes his suffering a great deal more then it would be if he sat quiet there is no way but to submit to God in all that befals us and not to distract our hearts in a carnal way about troubles before they come and be impatient and murmuring when they do come yet a Christian will find this a hard lesson to learn 28. Beware of the leaven of Hypocrisie as Christ calls it leaven indeed that leaveneth and sowreth our duties exceedingly beware not only of gross Hypocrisie such as declareth a man to be an Hypocrite but lay aside all other Hypocrisie that is more secret as in such particulars as these 1 When we are to pray before others not to depend upon the assistance of Gods Spirit as we do at other times but to fetch in some fine expressions by the strength of memory which we have used or read heretofore this is an evil to be watched against 2 It s the working of Hypocrisie in our hearts when we are enlarged in secret prayer to have a thought in our hearts to wish that such and such might hear us that they might think highly of our gifts 3 And so when we purposely give others occasion to commend us in conference 4 Or when we undervalew our selves not in the humility and truth of our hearts but purposely that others might commend us 5 Or when we boast of things beyond or live and speak at too high a rate of those things that God hath wrought by us too highly commend those that God hath wrought upon by us that we might have more praise 29. Watch against spiritual pride seeing that we have nothing but what we have freely received Spiritual pride is of all things most contrary to the dispensation of Grace in Christ wherein the Lord hath taken a way to save us wherein we are nothing but his free Grace is all in all let all Saints look upon themselves as the greatest of sinners for though we have not commited many great sins as Murder and the like that others have committed yet we have the same corrupt nature that the worst of men have and our sins have aggravations that make us greater sinners as the light we have of the love of God to us in Christ the Ordinances and means of Grace all these aggravate the sins of Believers and though we may be higher in Gifts and in place then many Saints yet be not high-minded but fear knowing that you are therefore a City set upon a hill which cannot be hid and God having given you eminent Gifts and brought you to some eminent place God will be more dishonoured by your falls and miscarriages which is a mighty humbling consideration that religion may have more dishonor by you then by twenty other Saints failings 30. Reprove sin for though some may turn again and rent you yet sometimes you may be an instrument of converting a soul and if this fall out but once in all thy life it s a great Mercy however it is thy duty to leave it to the Lord to give success in it 31. Be not peremptory and too earnest for the suddain removing of any affliction for if that it lasts long usually the more good is done thy soul by it 32. Be not weary of prayer and other duties because you do not always find such extraordinary joys and communion with God as sometimes you have done as sometimes the Lord hath been so present in prayer with a Saint that he cryed out Lord I could spend eternity thus Eternity thus Then hours and days to be in duty is no wearisomness to the Spirit though to the body but at other times the souls is tyred with a short walk a short duty but continue in
not the spirit of Christ hath not Christ to present his Duties to God the Father and to take away the Iniquity of them and then what can he do acceptible to God It s the way of our hearts by nature that if we do any thing that is good for the matter of it we make use of it to keep us at a further distance from Christ and closing with him by faith that we trust to our Duties for Salvation and thus if we do any thing for God it is out of base ends as Jehu did either for applause to be accounted Religious and zealous for God or to stop the mouth of conscience or else we think to make our good works a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven by We are blind in spiritual things having our understandings darkned and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in us and blindness of our minds Eph. 4. that all the my steries of the Gospel are Riddles to us and till we plough with the Lords Heifer the Spirit of God we cannot understand those Riddles when the Lord came to convert Nicodemus how blind and ignorant did he find him Joh. 3. and when he came to convert the woman of Samaria how ignorant did he find her we may see John 4. It s a wonderful thing how in conversion God makes the ignorant to understand Doctrine how in a month or two God helps them to pray and discourse so knowingly and spiritually that before were perfect sots and almost as ignorant of God as the Beast that perishes And in the Description of our natural estate Tit. 3.3 we are said to be foolish we are like fools and mad men and indeed men will call themselves fools first or last either here if they are converted or in Hell What fools are we to prefer the world before Christ For this the Lord called the rich man fool Luke 12. and what fools are we that having but one precious Jewel our souls that we will fell it for every base lust we are more foolish then Esau was in selling his Birth-right for a mess of pottage And what fools are we to make no provision for Eternity The Ant is wiser that provideth her meat in the Summer but we take no care for the long winter of eternity And what fools are we to set our selves against the Saints of God who are as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye Christ tels Paul its hard for him to kick against the pricks Act. 9. He makes the persecuting of the Saints to be as foolisâ— and dangerous a thing as for a man to kick knock his shins against the pricks And what fools are we that though we will not neglect Fairs and Markets yet will neglect the means of Grace and opportunities of getting Christ And what fools are we that when Christ knocks at our doors will not let in such a blessed guest that brings the Spirit and a new Heart and a pardon and eternal life with him And what fools are we that will build our eternal condition upon the sands of our own Righteousness and not upon Jesus Christ If a man should build a house upon the sands we should say he is a fool indeed the next Tide will wash it away and the ground will sink and give way all this folly and a thousand times more is in our hearts by nature but we see it not There is a strange forwardness and earnestness in us naturally to sin and a lothness to leave sin insomuch that men will be in a rage against those that would stop them in their sinful courses and though God send many afflictions as upon Pharaoh yet men turn not to the Lord indeed when men can scarce turn them in their beds they will say they will leave their wicked courses but when the affliction is over they will be as bad as ever men are so loth to part with their sins naturally that they will undo their souls unto all eternity rather then part with their lusts as Nero's mother enquiring whether her son should be Emperour she was told that he should be Emperour but then he should kill her she out of the pride and ambition of her spirit said Let him kill me so he be but Emperour so the Word of the Lord tels us that if we go on in our sins and are not converted our souls will be damned to all eternity and men say in their hearts Let me be damned so I may enjoy my base lusts O what wickedness is in the heart Men will not fall out with themselves and sins until they come to hell except they be converted but in hell men will fall out with their sins and say O thou cursed pride O cursed drunkenness O cursed uncleanness O cursed unbelief that hath undon our souls for ever And if the Lord never convert us but leave us in a state of Nature to die out of Christ how infinitely miserable shall we be for ever The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.14 Rom. 1.18 Eph. 5.6 The wrath of God like a huge Mountain will lie upon a sinners back in hell to crush him to pieces you will alwayes see God frowning upon you O think of this if thou beest not brought out of the state of Nature and ingraffed into Christ thou wilt be separated for ever from the Lord you shall never enjoy communion with him a glimpse of whose Reconciled face in Christ is worth ten thousand Worlds you will never taste one drop of those Rivers of Gods pleasures for ever of which the Saints shall have their fill O that will be a dreadful word Depart from me ye cursed Depart from me whose Loving kindness is better then Life Depart from me a day in whose Courts is better then a thousand elswhere go among the Devils who like roaring Lions seek to devour you When once men come to Hell there will be no means of Grace for ever Eccles 9.10 No work nor device nor knowledge in the grave No more dealings of Gods Spirit with men no inward nor outward comfort nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth which shews extremity of torment in Hell The Saints indeed when they die their places and Relations know them no more nor they them but then they know a better place Heaven and enjoy better Relations but a natural man leaveth all his outward comforts and goes into infinite torments O thou that are in thy natural condition give ear to this and flee from the wrath to come it may be now thou knowest not how to spend a day without some pastime or other O how wilt thou spend eternity in Hell where thou shalt never have a drop of water to cool thy tongue O consider what heart-distracting heart tormenting thoughts you will have in Hell if the Lord never convert you here how sadly will you remember what great sins you committed and with what hardness of heart how will it torment you
to think how many checks of conscience and motions of the Spirit you put by what terrour will it be to you to think what holy Saints you opposed and jeared what precious means of Grace you slighted and what pains you took for the world and how careless you were for your poor souls O think it no smal matter to die in thy natural estate and be damned if once thou come to hell there will be no ease nor end of thy misery for ever If God should but say to the damned in hell that after a hundred thousand years they should come out of their torments it would be some lightning to their hearts but there will be no end the worm dies not and the fire goes not out Christ goes over with those words three times almost together Mark 9.44,46,48 because he would have men in their natural condition take special notice of it that if they die out of him they will be miserable for ever miserable indeed to be alwayes dying alwaies burning alwaies weeping alwaies suffering the torments of Hell O therefore consider the state that thou art in before it be too late there is corruption and sin enough in one mans heart to undo all the men in the world if it were divided to them O then how easily will it undo one soul Know then if we be not justified freely by Gods Grace in Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of the Lord we must unavoidably perish for ever Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7,8 The time of Gods patience the time of Grace is but a short time therefore called a day To day if you will hear his voice It s but a day in comparison of Eternity nay in comparison of Eternity a mans daies upon earth are but as a moment or the twinkling of an Eye and the time of Grace is but a short time but a day in comparison of the greatness of the work that is to be done the making of our calling and Election sure It s but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our enjoying the means of Grace and it s but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our lives for in a moment we go down to the grave and all our thoughts perish To day therefore hear his voice come in to Christ do not say to morrow is soon enough do not put off the offers of Grace for now is the accepted time this is the day of Salvation CHAP. II. How natural men deceive themselves and think that their Estate is good IT S a great mercy for a man that is not in a state of Grace to know that he is yet without Christ but men flatter themselves that they are Christians and Saints when there is no cause in the world for it Men deceive themselves in their spiritual estate sometimes by not examining their condition many men never take thought whether they have Christ or no and if men do examin their spiritual Estate usually it is by false signs as outward performance of Duties or outward abstinence from many gross sins It s a sad thing when we have nothing to evidence a good estate but outward thing no work upon our hearts but only we have performed many Duties and sat under Ordinances so did they Isa 58. the beginning And many deceive themselves in their spiritual Estate by shunning a heart-searching Ministry they call for a Minister that may prophecy to them smooth things there is many mens Ministry that never touches upon the heart hath little tendency that way And men have a way to excuse sin and so think they are in a good estate though they live in all manner of sin as Adam laid the fault upon Eve and Eve shifted it off to the Devil Men that never pray in their Families never read the word in their Families lay the fault upon business Another way whereby we often deceive our selves in our spiritual estates is by looking upon the failings that the Saints have and so flatter our selves that our condition is the same with theirs thus men will say David did so and so and Peter did deny Christ Yea But David and Peter believed in Christ and mourned heartily for their sins A Saint hates all sin do you do so Again By Nature we are ignorant of the true nature of every Grace and therefore are easily deceived in our estate we do not know the true nature of saving faith we think it lies only in knowing that Christ dyed for sin we are ignorant of the nature of Repentance how the Love of God in Christ doth break the heart and we think if we give to the poor then we have Charity whereas in the Scriptures account a man may give all his goods to the poor and yet want true Charity 1 Cor. 13. And then men are loth to examin themselves to purpose whether they be in the faith or no for fear they should despair if they come to see their estate is not good though alas very few despair and its one thing for a man to be convinced of his estate being bad and another thing to despair for though he be not converted yet he may be converted afterwards Likewise the quietness and stilness of many mens consciences makes them think that they are in a good estate when as that may be a great Judgement upon them it s one thing to have true Peace of Conscience and another thing to have a seared Conscience There are certain plain signs that a man is not in a state of Grace which are evident in many and in such great Characters that he that runneth may read them as if men jear at the Spirit of God and jearat men for having the Spirit of God that they will say This is a man of the Spirit Dost thou think that thou art a Saint All Saints have the Spirit of Christ in them and they are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 and they prize the Spirit highly And if men be wholly ignorant of the way of Justification by the blood of Christ and declare plainly that they seek life by their own obedience and Righteousness it is evident that they are not in a good estate for all Believers desire to be found in Christ having on them the Righteousness which is of God by Faith and how many by this may be convinced that they are not in a good estate Or if men live in all manner of sin allow themselves in drunkenness swearing and the like These transgressions of the wicked say within my heart saith David That the fear of God is not before their eyes Psal 36.1 Let men say what they will if that they commit iniquity with greediness it is evident that they know not Christ in a saving manner For he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.4 Indeed Hypocrites may
under their convictions remain all their days in a stoutness and sullenness against God and will turn their heels upon duties and means and cry out All is in vain I shall be damned and thus their hearts were never truly humbled to lie at Gods feet Lord if thou damn me thou art righteous but O let me live and I shall praise thee but their hearts rise up against the Lord and are fit to curse God and die thus it is with many And if they perform any duties and use any means of Grace and God do not reveal his Love and pardoning Mercy they will take it ill at Gods hands and say as they did We have fasted and he regardeth it not and so under all legal workings and convictions there remains a desperate proud heart in a man still If mens Convictions arise so high as to see that they are Unbelievers and to be convinced of the greatness of that sin whereas many that have much trouble for sin never go so far then many times if God do not give them true Faith they will content themselves in a faith of their one making which is only a work of their understanding whereby they say that they will be justified by Christ but it will be such a dead faith that for the most part it hath no Sanctification not so much as outward Sanctification accompanying it Neither doth it truly humble the Soul and lay it prostrate at the Lords feet for a pardon meerly from his own good Will and free Grace but the soul is still full of its self and confident in its own qualifications Neither doth this Faith bring joy in the holy Ghost though there be some flashes of Joy as there was in the stony ground Hearers Mat. 13. For men to be convinced of sin both in general and particular is a thing worth the desiring yet this is not the saving work of Gods Spirit But how many are convinced of many gross sins and sins that are more plainly forbidden in the Law and their Consciences are troubled for them but yet it may be all their days never see these more secret sins of trusting in their own righteousness trusting in their own strength speaking evil of the Saints and ways of God quenching the motions of the Spirit neglect of duties and means of Grace These sins many are never convinced of that yet will cry out they are damned for some gross sins CHAP. VI. The ways and Temptations by which many souls miscarry under legal Terrors and a Spirit of Bondage WHen a soul is awakened with a sight of sin and hath legal terrors and warnings to flee from the wrath to come Satan soon takes the Alarum and bestirs himself to keep the Soul still in an unregenerate â—…ate To find out all the stratagems of this cunning and long experienced enemy the devil is a difficult thing his ways are like the way of a Serpent upon a rock or like the way of a ship upon the sea which leave no fotsteps to trace them by Were it not that our Lord Jesus knows all his divices and wiles and is able to prevent all his designs no flesh would be saved but all by one means or other would be devoured by this roaring Lion yet by the Light of the word and by the observation that Believers are helped to make of the motions of Satan we are not wholly ignorant of his divices not to speak here of the way he taketh to keep them from Christ who are wholly ignorant and had never any common workings nor to speak of the innumerable temptations upon Believers and those who are sealed by the Spirit of God whereby he endeavoureth to pluck them out of Christs hands only that they are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to Salvation only here to speak of the ways and temptations by which Satan endeavoureth to ruin them that are awakened with a sight of sin and are under legal terrors and fear of the wrath to come 1. Satan endeavoureth to keep such as are thus awakened and troubled for sin ignorant of the righteousness which is by faith in Christ Jesus that free Justification of a sinner which is by the blood of Christ insomuch that Satan the god of this world doth so blind the eyes of many that have been much awakened by the sight of sin that they never understand all their days the remedy that is provided for them no not so much as in a notional way with brain-knowledge but they set themselves in their own strength to reform their lives and think that God will accept of their doings for satisfaction for the wickedness of their former life and they have a kind of peace and satisfaction in their Spirits that God is at peace with them thus many are everlastingly cheated never knowing the things that belong to their everlasting peace and being ignorant of Gods righteousness under all their zeal of God and legal performances go about to establish their own righteousness where none but Christs will be accepted and so never submit to the Righteousness which is of God by faith Rom. 10.3,4 2. Satan endeavoureth to perswade such that those legal terrors and breakings are true conversion that they bless themselves in their legal humiliation as if it were Gospel-repentance and the heart of flesh that is promised in the new Covenent 3. Satan otherwhile puts those that are thus convinced and troubled for sin upon some way of opinion and Judgement and there by his delusion and the deceitfulness of their own hearts they find much peace and quiet their sore is skinned over and they are so far now from questioning their own Salvation as they did a little before that they now question every bodies Salvation but their own that do not fall in with that opinion that they are fullen upon 4. If the Gospel be preached in the hearing of men under legal terrors Satan will endeavour to make them rest in a bare notion of Christ and a faith of their own making that they will either conclude Christ and all his benefits is theirs because they have been so humbled and broken with the Law and have so reformed and amended their ways or else they will resolve in their own strength to believe in Christ and so though it may be they were convinced that they could not keep the Law in their own strength yet they think that its an easie thing to believe in Christ and so never saw themselves so fully undone that as they could not keep the Law so they could no more believe in Christ then they could raise the dead that now they were undone for ever if the Lord did not work faith by an Almighty power 5. It is commonly known and observed how Satan doth give ease to many in these troubles and terrours by turning their thoughts to something else sending them to company and pleasures to be cured of their wound which so cures them that they are no
more sad but will grow as loose and prophane as ever they were but if that soul belong to God he will not let the soul sleep thus as if a man should sleep upon the top of a Mast but will awaken the soul and hunt it out of those wayes that it shall find there is no peace and rest out of Christ 6. But in these legal terrors and fears if true peace do not come from the Lord to settle and quiet the troubled and perplexed Conscience nor Satans Receipts put by these troubles Satan tempts these unto despair and many times to self-murder and many in this temptation have been wonderfully delivered by mercy yet O with what violence wil Satan put these thoughts upon poor souls yea and strangely answer the Objections that arise in the heart against it As one that was in great troubles when Satan tempted her to cut her throat there was this Objection presently in her heart O I have made profession of Religion and how will this open mens mouthes against the good wayes of God and say This will be the end of them all that are these forward professors Unto this Satan presently hinted this that she might put a little penknife down her throat and that would do it and would remain there and never be seen and so no dishonour would come to religion but now when the Temptation was strengthened behold sudden and unexpected comfort and Discoveries of Gods Love came that brought peace to her spirit and made the Devil go away with shame O a cunning Devil and O a gracious God that comes many times when there is but a step between the soul and destruction and makes it to live in his sight Many ways might be mentioned whereby God hath delivered poor creatures from murdering themselves as sending some to knock at their doors when they have been going to hang themselves sending some providentially to be in those places where they intended to drown themselves sometimes sending some to discourse with them about spiritual things whereby they have got some light and hope and so have been put by that wicked intention sometimes rebuking the Devil and not suffering him to tempt them further when they have been even almost overcome But here it must be noted that but few of them that have made away themselves in the world have done it from despair of mercy though Judas did so the only man that we read of in Scripture that murderd himself under terrours of Conscience for sin which doubtless was permitted by God among other ends for to clear the Innocency of the Lord Jesus our Mediatour and to shew the greatness of that sin in betraying the Lord of Life But though some few in the world have made away themselves through inward despair of Gods mercy yet others have done it out of worldly discontent and pride as Ahitophel that the Scripture speaks of that because his Counsel was not followed went home in a discontent and hanged himself and how did Nero and many of the Heathens and many of the Jewes horribly murder themselves when they were in danger because they would not fall into their enemies hands how many of those Heathens whose wisdom and sayings many foolishly adore did thus destroy themselves sometimes great companies of them together The greatness of this sin of self-murther might be many wayes made out It is a breach of the sixth Commandement Thou shalt do no murther and self-murder is the greatest murder it is an unnatural sin for all creatures indeavour self-preservation it takes men away from the means of Grace for ever for there is no work nor device nor wisdom in the grave whether they go Eccles 9.10 Self-murder refuseth the common courtesie that is in Gods proceedings in giving a Reprieve for a time before the day of execution if men fear they shall be damned yet there is no ground for self-murder for while a man liveth there may be mercy for ought he knoweth God having pardoned such great sinners and if a man be damned at last yet self-murder being such a great sin will make mens damnation greater and though men in despair would fain be dead yet if they die out of Christ they will wish themselves upon the earth again for though they have great terrours of Conscience yet they will have greater in Hell Selfemurder exceedingly pleases the Devil and therefore as he is forward to put men upon it so he is forward to be their Executioner To say it is impossible for a man to be saved that commits this wickedness and thus sins against God is not so clear but thus to aggravate the sin may well be done it being a sin so great as cannot be exprest Yet hath Satan drawn the wicked heart of man many times to it sometimes in terrours of Conscience but for the most part in excess of Melancholy and in worldly sorrows and discontents though those persons will many times pretend that sin is their great trouble yet the Lord knows and experienced Christians oftentimes find it out to be but the sorrow of the world the distractions about earthly things If God leave a man he is like a Reed shaken with every wind of Temptation and trouble till he be broken in pieces CHAP. VII The saving work of Gods Spirit upon the Heart IT s a mighty work of God to make a man a New Creature and he alone can do it we are his workmanship Ephes 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Artificial work a work wherein the Lord hath shewn singular skil and God when he makes a man a Saint works very powerfully therefore Conversion is compared to making children of stones Mat. 3. to raising the dead Eph. 2.1 To make our rebellious hearts to stoop to Christ to turn Satan out of doors requires Omnipotency How doth God in Conversion arm some word to turn a sinners heart the same word that he hath heard often before and it took no impression upon him Is not thy word as an Hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces Jer. 23.29 But then the Lord must strike with it A blow of this Hammer with his hand will break a rocky heart in pieces one blow of his hand though we strike and strike again sinners hearts are not broken God works very mysteriously in the Conversion of a soul that the soul it self we see is able to give but a poor account of it Gods workings are compared to the wind Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth so it is with every one that is born of the Spirit the wind as it blows freely so is it a mysterious thing we see nothing but the Trees shake and tremble And Gods workings are compared to the way of the Spirit which is a very mysterious thing Eccl. 11.5 If thou knowest the way of the Spirit and how the bones do grow in the womb of
changed their God for that which cannot profit O shall the Heathens be constant to their dumb Idols and shall not we be constant to the living God 8. Slighting of God after we have had some acquaintance with God is quite contrary to the course of his dealings with us Ezek. 36.11 God promises to be better to us in the end then in the beginning He will give us more Communion with him and glory afterwards then he hath done yet and if God be better and better to us shall we grow worse and worse to him God forbid Now O that we might recover that we might remember from whence we are fallen and Repent and do our first works 1. Bathe our selves by faith in the blood of Christ for the pardoning of all our backslidings look upon God in Christ as not ready only to pardon our sins when we were in gross ignorance but to heal all our back-slidings because he loveth us freely Hos 14.4 Jer. 3. the beginning Look upon our Father as having a best Robe to put upon a poor Prodigals back and shoos to put upon his feet though the poor backsliden soul hath scarce a shoo to his foot as we say he hath worn out all 2. O look for fresh and new workings of Gods Spirit upon our hearts to create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us It s said of the Lord that he reneweth the face of the earth that he doth every Spring when Winter hath made the earth to look as if it were cloathed with sackcloath the Lord in the Spring putteth on a new face and dress upon the earth the Birds sing the Trees flourish the grass grows this is our case in our Winter of backsliding a Winter indeed O look that God now should bring a spring time upon thy heart is there not need 3. O look at the heart to be renewed a clean heart saith David good Lord after his backsliding Psalm 51.10 O I would have that bone set right that I may walk in thy Statutes that instrument well tuned Dauid doth not say only Lord let me never commit Murder and Adultery again but Lord give me a clean heart O that hath bred all this mischief the foulness of my heart Lord therefore cleanse that 4. If ever the Lord quicken us again be more watchful and keep close to God if we recover out of this dangerous disease let us have more care of our souls health have a care of spiritual surfets 5. And look that our Recovery be through that the humour be not only diverted but purged away 6. Count all our outward enjoyments nothing but sit mourning in Sion until God graciously visit us 7. Labour to see not only in general that we have backslidden but particularly wherein that we may return no more to folly And those who yet have thriving spirits keep in with that God that smiles upon you say not that it is impossible that thy soul should wander as a Bird from her Nest but watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Often consider that these last times will be times of much backsliding of Professors 2 Tim. 3. O get particular and distinct Knowledge wherein Professors do commonly backslide and get your hearts deeply affected with them and remember what special notice God takes of those that keep close to him in a time when many fall off Thus he took notice of Noah Gen. 7.1 and of the sons of Zadock Ezek. 44.15 Expect to be tempted and tried by an hour of temptation and look not only to be tryed as to conversation but as to Judgement as to Opinions Sathan will have a bout with you with that Weapon of Error How many are fallen off that way but labour to have more grounds out of the Word and clearer light for all you hold Let plain Christians who have no skil in Controversies yet furnish themselves with Scriptures for every point as for the Godhead of Christ Justification by Christ and the like and labour to have your hearts given up to the Truth you know put not your selves upon Temptations in hearing every body suspect those Opinions that neither further your Communion with God nor his most holy People but straiten you in both stick close to the Word and not move a hairs breadth from it Don't love to dispute against that which you are convinced to be Truth to shew your parts and reach Take in the benefit of other light in your doubts and look up to the Spirits guidance to lead you into all Truth CHAP. IX Of Assurance and peace of Conscience ALL Believers have not Assurance some Believers walk in darkness and see no light Esay 50.10 A true Saint may be in great doubtings so great as Heman complains that his troubles were so great that they did as iâ— were distract him yea a Believer may be a long time in that condition Psalm 88.15 Heman was so exercised from his youth up There are several causes why many Believers are in great doubts about their spiritual estates as 1. want of constant meditation upon Gods free Grace in Christ 2 Falling into great sins 3. The often prevailing of the same corruption 4. Want of answers of prayers 5. Some great cross and affliction that is befallen them that they are tempted to think would never have befallen them if the Lord loved them this mistake hath disturbed the peace of many a Child of God 6. The not meeting with communion with God in Duties if God loved me saith the soul would he let me come and go from his Ordinances and take no notice of me 7. The subtile Disputes of Satan against our Sincerity in the ways of God many times baffle us and make us fit to give up the cause 8. The observing that a Hypocrite may go far strikes many a Child of God into a great fear whether he be gone beyond a Hypocrite or no 9. Unacquaintedness with Gods workings upon our hearts we know but in part as we know not all the evil in our hearts so a Saint doth not know all the good and Grace that God hath put into them 10. The weakness of Grace but like a graine of mustard seed in our hearts the least of all seeds so Faith and Sincerity lies like a small mustard seed among huge clods of corruption and the soul hath much ado many times to see this grain of mustard seed among these clods Thus and many other wayes a true Child of God may fall into great doubts and fears about his spiritual estate indeed if men know of no workings that have been upon their spirits it s a sign they are yet in a natural estate the Saint of God knows that there have been workings of the Spirit and convictions upon him but he feareth that they were but common workings such as are upon Hypocrites and Reprobates and not the saving work of Gods Spirit that he questions whether he hath gone beyond the stony-ground hearers
be observed by the hearers in the delivery of the word yet not so as to the Preacher himself by the observing of the inward frame of his heart some mens tone and art of speaking may counterfeit affections and other mens age and weakness of speech may hide very spiritual affections in that work 6 The blessed Spirit is the great thing in reading and hearing of the word 1 How clearely will the Spirit open a Scripture to a mans understanding when a man hath read many Expositors the Spirit of God is pleased many times to be the best Commentator 2 How the Spirit of God applyes the word read or preached with power many times upon the conscience and indeed then comes the word with power when it cometh in the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.5 and we should not observe only what we read or heard but what impressions the Spirit of God made upon the hearts in reading or hearing Those which Peter preacht to Act. 10. the holy Ghost fell on them when it is so with hearers then the word affects them indeed 3 The Spirit of God in hearing of the word sometimes enlargeth a soul and enlightneth it into a Truth far beyond what the Preacher made out in expressions 4 Yea the Spirit makes use of some passage in a Sermon many times to work upon a soul that was but a parenthesis and circumlocution or reflexion upon the hearers ignorance and dulness things that many would think might very well have been left out 7 The Spirit of God is of infinite use to us to lead us into Truth Joh. 16.13 He leads Believers into all truth all necessary truth to Salvation Gods spirit doth as it were print a body of divinity in the hearts of Believers and though many of them be of weak Judgement and not able to answer the subtile Arguments that may be brought against a Truth yet Gods Spirit keeps them in the Truth that they are not led aside 8 The Spirit brings things to our remembrace John 14.26 That though many an honest heart when he hath read or heard the word complains he can remember very little yet Gods Spirit will bring things seasonably to their Remembrance that it may be many years after when by reason of some Temptation or affliction they have most need of such a truth then they have such a place of Scripture or such a passage of a sermon heard long ago brought to their Remembrance by Gods spirit and shall be of mighty use to them The conscionable and diligent hearing and reading of the word is frequently blessed with seasonable remembrance yea Gods Spirit hath sometimes convinced and converted a soul by bringing things to Remembrance that were read or heard many years ago and then took no impression upon the soul that the benefit of hearing and reading of the word both by Believers and Unbelievers doth not always appear upon that instant but it may be a great while afâ—…r CHAP. XIII The Covenant between God the Father and the Lord Iesus our Surety IT s a thing of unspeakable comfort to know that the Covenant of Grace is an everlasting Covenant and that it was principally made with Christ as the head of the Elect several things shew that there was a Covenant and Agreement between God the Father the Lord Jesus concerning the work of Redemption Christ being called the surety of the better Covenant Heb. 7.22 shews that there was a Covenant between God the Father and him as there is between a Creditor and a Surety that Christ gave Bonds as it were to God the Father and payed the debt when Christ is called Gods servant Esay 42.1 holds forth as much that though Christ as to his Divine nature was equal with God yet as Mediatour he became the Fathers servant God the Father and he agreed and Covenanted about the doing of this great Work of saving sinners Yea in Psalm 89.28 God the Father saith my Covenant shall stand fast with him that is which Christ for many things in that Psalm shew that it s to be interpreted of Christ so then there is a Covenant that God the Father hath made with Christ the Mediatour which Covenant the Lord saith shall stand fast upon this account the Lord Jesus is said Revel 13.8 to be the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the world because that it was agreed and Covenanted between God the Father Christ that he should in the fulness of time be made flesh and die for sinners and therefore it was said to be done from the Foundation of the world because so it was written in the Volume of Gods Book that the Lord Jesus had agreed to come to do the will of God Heb. 10. which was to offer up one Sacrifice for sins for ever which was himself and for the same Reason it is said that the Promises are made to Abrahams seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 not to seeds as of many but they are principally made to one saith he and that is Christ and this the Apostle asserts 2 Tim. 1.9 when he saith we are saved and called not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began which shews that God the Father and Christ dealt together about the Redemption of souls before the world began and all things agreed on and made sure between them This the Lord Jesus means John 10.16 when he saith there were other sheep which he must bring home why must he bring them home how was he bound to it only by this Covenant and Agreement with God the Father wherein he had covenanted to do it Thus then it may be expressed in three particulars 1. God the Father decreed the salvation of the Elect all those expressions where he is said to chuse them love them with an everlasting Love evince so much 2. God the Father appointed the Lord Jesus to be the Way and means by which they should be saved therefore is Christ said to be appointed by God the Father Heb. 3.2 therefore God is said to lay help upon him for poor sinners Psalm 89. and therefore God is said to appoint us to obtain by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.7 this is everywhere spoken of in the Scripture 3. God the Father made a sure Covenant with the Lord Jesus and agreed with him that he should do this great Work of bringing many sons unto glory And so as we may express it to our Capacities under the Notion of a Covenant there were several things agreed on between God the Father and Christ our Mediatour 1. They agreed of price what that Ransom should be that should discharge poor sinners and make full satisfaction to Gods Justice and it was agreed that it should be the death and blood-shedding of the Lord Jesus this is expressed Heb. 10. where Christ saith to God the Father Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not according to the Law but in
mans sins to be unpardoned unforgiven the strength and power that sin hath to damn is from the Law that it is the breach of Gods holy Law but he tels us that Believers are freed from the damning power of sin and from the curses of the Law through Christ Jesus as terrible as death is to nature flesh and blood and to a man that fears hell because it is the day of execution to all that are out of Christ yet a Saint may look upon death with comfort for though it be a dark entry yet it leads to our Fathers House where are many Mansions though it be a rough passage yet it lands us safe in Heaven infinite advantage comes to a Believer by death 1. Perfect enjoyment of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the sight of whose blessed face shall fill us in Heaven with unconceivable joy for ever 2. Clear understanding of God his Grace and the mysterie of all his dealings with us in the world now we see all these darkly but the Apostle saith then we shall see face to face now how poor and confused is our knowledge how little a portion know we of the Almighty and of his Grace to us then all will be clear 3. Freedom from sin which though it doth not raign in Believers now yet then it shall not in the least remain but they shall be Holy throughout 4. Freedom from afflictions whereof all Gods children are partakers more or less in their Pilgrimage 5. Freedom from all Temptations either to sin or for sin 6. Spiritual and full enjoyment of the Saints and not of Saints in their weaknesses and mistakes which yet we in our Pilgrimage do rightly judge to be a great mercy but then we shall enjoy communion with Saints full of the Spirit Saints made perfect Many particulars might be added to these which shall be omitted for brevities sake but two questions must here be briefly resolved Quest 1. How comes it to pass that many natural men will often wish they were dead and many time die like lambs and others murder themselves Answ 1. It s seldom a real desire that ignorant people have to die but a sinful customary expression 2. If they be in good earnest it ariseth from ignorance 1 Ignorance what a serious thing it is to die 2 Ignorance of their own condition they think they are in Christ and that so death will be an end of all troubles to them 3 Ignorance of the torments of hell as if they were not greater then the troubles they have here for which they wish themselves dead 3 Those that murder themselves are either so distracted by excess of Melancholy or so dejected by some outward crosses or so overwhelmed with despair or so confounded in their understandings by Satan that they are not able to put forth scarce a serious or rational thought but are carried with a strange confusion and hurry of thoughts into any thing 2. But then it will be asked Why many gratious persons seem to be wonderfully a fraid of death before it come and die with very little Comfort seemingly upon their spirits but rather trouble Answ 1. So far as a Saint is flesh and blood and so far as there is corruption in him so far death will be terrible to him yet in the mean while the regenerate part in him desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ as that which is best of all but as Ridley said when he came to die I am not afraid but the flesh will have its course 2 A Saint knoweth more then other men what a serious thing it is to die he considereth the account that is to be given to God and the straitness of the way that leadeth to eternal Life and many times is not so assured of Gods love in Christ and this damps his spirit as to death 3 Though a Saint sometime seems to be unwilling to die yet before the Lord takes them away he usually makes them not only willing but desirous to die to be with Christ and that is a wonderful thing how God can in one moment turn the scales in these things and make that Saint that even now trembled at the thoughts of death now to say Lord here am I When wilt thou send for me home This the Saints have sometimes experience of 4 Their Comfort at death may be damped much and seeming trouble appear to standers by through some secret strong temptations of Satan or through violence of their disease CHAP. XV. The Holiness of Believers HOliness is most properly to be urged upon Believers more then upon natural men the great thing and the first thing that they are to do is to believe in Christ and after they are in Chrst then they are to be urged to walk holily in him Believers are to be holy both in soul and body not only in the thoughts of their hearts but in all the actions of the outward man The Apostle Paul urgeth the holiness of the outward man of the body as well as the heart by six arguments all laid down in the sixth chapter of the first epile to the Corinthians His first Argument is v. 13. How the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body that is the Lord he is for the body of believers as well as the soul he hath a care of their bodies of their outward man and bestowes many mercies upon the outward man and therefore saith the Apostle there is all the reason in the world that the body the outward man should be for the Lord. His second Argument is in the 14. verse he saith that God will raise up our bodies at the last there is much in that if God will at last raise up the bodies of Believers and glorifie them and make them like to Christs glorious body O how should they glorifie God with their bodies now in the mean while His third Argument is That our bodies are the members of Christ v. 15. His fourth Argument is That our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost v. 19. His fift Argumentis That we are not our own neither bodies nor souls v. 19. His last argument is that we are bought with a price v. 20. All these Arguments are very strong for a Believers glorifying of God with his body as well as with his soul both which are the Lords Several Arguments may be brought for the Saints holiness in general as 1 the Grace of God in Christ should be such a prevailing Argument to holiness that where there is any Gospel-ingenuity we should reason as the Apostle doth We were dead and we judge that Christ having died for us to save us that it s but reason we should live to him saith he in that place 2 Cor. 5.14,15 the love of Christ constrains us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies it keeps in it stops restrains bridles we have corrupt and wicked hearts by nature but when
The Law is taken into the hands of Christ and is made a rule for Believers to walk by the Believers Salvation or Damnation doth not depend upon his obedience or disobedience to the Law for he is freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works yet he is not freed from duty and filial obedience but the Law as it is a rule of obedience stands in force and is to be obeyed by all Believers Several reasons to prove it 1 Christ expounds the Law Mat. 5. and cleareth up the strictness and spirituality of the Law more 2 Else the breaking of the Law would be no sin which would be a monstrous opinion 3 The same things that the Laws forbids are set down in the new Testament to bring damnation 1 Cor. 6.9.10 as Idolatry Adultery Thest Covetousness 4. The new Covenant promises the putting of Gods Laws into our mind and writing them in our hearts Heb. 8.10 therefore the Gospelis no enemy to the Law but writes it in our hearts as it was writen in stone and gives us principles to obey it 5 Paul after his conversion looked upon it as a mighty work of Gods Spirit upon him that he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.22 that is that God had given him a heart to delight to do those things the Law called for which shews that Believers are to make the Law as a rule of obedience Thus a Believer is not without Law to God but is under the Law to Christ as Paul saith he was 1 Cor. 9.21 that is as the Law is taken by Christ into his own hands and held forth by him to his people as a rule for their obedience to him so a Believer is under the Law every Command of it and every breach of it is sin even in Believers The Believer is not freed from the Do this of the Law but when the Law saith Do this and live he is freed from that he doth not expect life by his doing those things in the Law for he is justified freely by Grace he liveth not by his doing but by the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him And for the threatnings of the Law Not'do this and die the soul that sinneth it shall die this a Believer is freed from for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Christ hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for them Gal. 3.13 Quest How may a man know whether he hath a Gospel-work upon his heart or that he is yet under Law as a Covenant of works and hath only legal workings upon him Answ 1. Such as do not think it is a hard thing to come off from the Law as a Covenant of works to trust alone in the righteousness of Christ such may well suspect that there hath been only a legal work upon them for its the hardest thing in the world to rest only upon Christ though it is easily said 2 Such as do not know the Law from the Gospel and the Gospel from the Law in their main Principles and terms there are too many that know not in the least measure no not with a notional knowledge what the difference between the Law and the Gospel is such may well think that they are not yet come off from the Law as a Covenant of works 3 Such as have their hearts rise against Gospel-preachers and Professors as Gal 4.29 As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now A man that is upon the Law for life hath a strange enmity in his heart against those that look to be justified freely by Grace 4 Such are under the Law as a Covenant of works as cannot bear the vilifying of mans righteousness as to Justification though he heareth the same persons urge it never so vehemently as to Sanctification and walking before God to all well pleasing O if thou canst not freely say that all thy own Righteousness is as menstruous rags and that when thou hast done all thou art but an unprofitable servant then thou maist justly fear thy estate 5 Such as think they have kept the Law themselves like the young man in the Gospel All these things have I kept from my youth 6 Such are under the Law yet as have had legal breakings for sin but never had the least Gospel sorrow for sin who have never in the least mourned for sin because it peirced Christ but only because it pierceth themselves Let all labor for a right understanding of the Law in which take their directions 1 Look upon the Law as requiring perfect obedience so strict as that it will not abate one farthing to a sinner there is no compounding with the Law 2 Count your selves utterly unable to keep the Law 3 Count the forfeiture for breaking of the Law to be no less then eternal damnation 4 Always look upon Christ as having a righteousness answering the Law fully Rom. 10.3.4 Rom. 8.3,4 5 Count your selves under all the wrath and curses of the Law except you be in Christ Gal. 3.10 whatsoever are the intentions of God and the merits of Christ for an elect person yet uncalled he being considered as a child of old Adam he is under the curse he doth not in his own person enjoy the state of freedom which God hath graciously purposed to bestow upon him and the Lord Jesus hath purchased for him though yet it is impossible for the Law to throw the Elect person into hell because God will certainly bestow upon them in his own fit season the Grace that Christ hath purchased for them 6 If you be in Christ reckon not your selves to have to do with the curses and threatnings of the Law but see them all taken away by Christ from you 7 Often seriously remember that many perish everlastingly by their mistaking of the Law and resting in the Law that you may see by the Epistle to the Romans and Galathians where the Apostle shews the danger of resting in the Law and shews how forward men are to do so 8 Never go out in your own strength to obey the Law but fetch strength from the promises of the Gospel to obey the commands of the Law 9 In the reading of Scripture observe what places are most properly Law and what places are especially Gospel and make those which are Law and Duty to come in after free Justification to come in as filial obedience to the Lord. 10 When a soul hath been enabled to yield a good measure of obedience to the Law and Commands of God yet he must rely upon the Lord Jesus by faith as freely and alone justifying him he cannot spare the least part of Christs Righteousness after all the holiness he hath attained to but is still to desire to be found in Christ not having on him his own righteousness but that which is by
the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith CHAP. XVIII The true Humility that is in the Lords People ALL Saints have more or less a humble frame of heart that whatsoever Grace or Gifts God bestoweth upon them they have low thoughts of themselves 1. How a humble frame of heart is shewn towards the Lord. 2. How a humble frame of heart is shewn in our carriage towards other Saints I. Towards the Lord. 1 When after all our duties and performances we look upon our selves but as unprofitable servants and infinitely unworthy that God should deal so graciously with us but we look upon all as free grace without this a man hath no Gospel humility but is a proud Pharisee whose heart is puffed up with his own righteousness and doth not glory only in the Lord. Where there is true humility of heart the Soul saith with Jacob Genesis 32.10 I am not only unworthy of of Christ and Heaven but I am less then the least of all the mercies and faithfulness which the Lord hath shewn to his servant but a man under legal workings only hath a desperate proud heart against God still and is fit to stand upon terms with God that he hath no cause to damn him though he in words confess he might do it 2 This is true humility of heart when a man can loath and abhor himself for sin as David Psalm 51.3,4 Job 42. But when a man can think of old sins and new sins and no way affected it s a sign of a proud unhumbled heart 3 When a soul is in some measure submitted to all Gods dealings to all chastisements and afflictions as David Psalm 39.9 I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it there is much humility of heart seen in this when we are willing God should do with us our Estates Relations and enjoyments as it seemeth good in his own eyes a proud heart will not bear to be crossed but saith a humble heart Though it be a grievous affliction that is befallen me yet it is from the Lord and I will be dumb and not open my mouth against it because he doth it 4 When a soul goes on to wait for a mercy and beg for a mercy when God delays a mercy and seemeth to slight the soul and yet now for the soul to wait and not to stir from the door of Mercy but beg the Alms more humbly and submissively this is like the woman of Canaan indeed she doth not go away in a snuff let Christ call her dog and she saith Truth Lord I am no better yet Lord give the dog a few crums but hearts that have not been truly humbled will fling up praying and hearing presently if they cannot find Comfort soon like a sturdy Beggar that if the Alms do not come presently goeth away in a rage O but there is many a humble heart waits and prays many a year for a mercy 5 When a soul can submit to God when he takes away a mercy that he had given us but a little before O saith a proud heart when God takes away a mercy If God had never given me it it had been better I could have been content to have been without it but did God give me Estate Children Honour to take them away so presently again O but saith an humble heart I was unworthy to have this mercy at all I have cause to bless God that I have had any sun-shiny weather in my jorney 6 It shews humility of heart when after God hath made great use of a man and God will now lay him aside that yet now we are well content and take great care that Gods work may go on though we be not imployed in it as Moses Num. 27.14,15,16,17 when the Lord told him that he should die and not lead the people into Canaan because of that sin at the water of Meribah he doth not stand upon terms and say After I have done such great service wilt thou be angry for such an offence that I who have had such a great deal of care and trouble with this people should not see the end of the work No No he doth not say a word to excuse his sin or to shew the least discontent that he was laid aside but takes care for the work going on when he is laid aside saith he Lord set a man over the Congregation that may go in before them and go out before them that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheep without a Shepheard a proud heart would have been so offended that he would not have cared what became of the work if he were laid aside So secondly Humility of heart is seen in our carriage towards other Saints As 1 when we look upon our selves as the least of all Saints as Paul saith of himself saith an humble heart Though it may be I can discourse better yet I cannot pray so well as younder poor Saint or I cannot trust God in straits and difficulties so well as he or I have not that Gospel simplicity that he hath or I am not so forward to heavenly discourse as he is or saith an humble heart Younder Saint can submit better in affliction then I or surely he hath not so vain a heart as I or surely he hath not such distractions in duties as I so that an humble heart in one respect or another doth truly look upon himself as the least and unworthyest of all Saints 2 When we can take a reproof from the meanest Saint in the world the meanest for Estate or Gifts whereas a proud heart saith If such a one had told me of my fault I could have born it but for such as you to reprove him he cannot take it well but saith an humbly heart Lord I bless thee that thou openst the mouths of any to deal faithfully with my soul 3 Where there is an humble heart we are desirous to partake of the Light and gifts of others as well as shew our own 4 An humble heart doth not envy others that out go him in Gifts and Grace and success and are more honoured then he is as John did not envy Christ that he out-stripped him John 3.26,27,28 but could cheerfully bear witness unto Christs deserts though he ecclipsed him 5 An humble heart can condescend to the meanest office to be serviceable to poor Saints a proud heart is fit to think it a disparagement to go to the houses of poor Saints and to be seen with such mean people but saith an humble heart It s a great Mercy and favour that I may enjoy Communion with the Lords people or be any way serviceable to them though they be never so mean and poor 6 An humble heart is not so delighted and tickled and puffed up with applause and commendation from others but many times is the more humbled upon it and is more sensible of his own unworthiness All Saints have cause enough to be humble
prayer and all duties whether our Communion with God be more or less in them FINIS CHAP. XX. How the Lord is pleased effectually to call some after they have been long in their natural Estate and have been very wicked GOd is pleased to suffer some of his Elect to go on a great while in Ignorance and to fall into great sins before he convert them as Matthew Zachaeus Mary Magdalene an elect person yet God leaveth her to be possest with seven devils and to be a Harlot before he convert her Paul an elect person yet God leaveth him a great while to go on in a Pharisaical way and to be a grievous Persecutor before the Lord convert him The Thief upon the Cross was an elect person yet the Lord let him run on a long time in his sins for these he is sentenced to die theâ—… the Lord converts him now there are many reasons why the Lord in his insinite wisdom suffers many elect persons to fall into so much sin before the Lord convert them As 1 because God will make it more eminently appeare that it was his meer Grace to save them and convert them God doth convert many in their young time before they have run into much prophaness others God leaveth to go on a long time in prophaness and though he could have converted them before yet he doth it to magnifie his own Grace 2 And God doth it that men might be the more humble after their Conversion remembring what great sins they fell into before the Lord called them 3 Hereby mens conversion is more remarkable to themselves and to others and tends much to the awakening of others when they shall see a notorious sinner so changed it may startle others exceedingly 4 That the worst of sinners might not be hardned and go on desperately in their sins and say There is no hope no but seeing others converted after they have gone on so long in sin that they might now come to Christ and say I will have no more fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but cast my self upon the free mercy of God in Christ 5 That we might use means to convert the greatest sinners and not say There is no hope that that Drunkard and that Worldling should ever be converted and so never use means to discover sin and Christ to them 6 That God might shew the certainty of Election that those that he hath chosen shall be called according to Gods gracious purpose which purpose shall stand By this we see that all the Father giveth to Christ shall come to him and be effectually called though they are long before they are converted 7 Hereby God will shew us the infinite merit of his Sons blood that it will cleanse from all sin that though an elect person hath so abounded in sin yet the blood of Christ is able to save him to the utmost 8 And thus God sheweth the power of his Spirit that he is able to convert men not only when they are less sinners but when they are mightily hardened in sin and have long accustomed themselves to do evil Question But doth God love an elect Person and hath he care of them before they be converted Answ Yes God loved them from eternity God loved Jacob Rom. 9. before he had done good or evil God doth not then begin to love a soul when he is converted though then the effects of his love do more appear 2 God gave his blessed Son for his elect while they were enemies then they were reconciled to God by the death of his Son he died for the ungodly Rom. 5.9,10 and this was infinite love 3 If God did not love the Elect before they were converted they would never be converted It s his infinite love to them that he unites draws them to Christ without which drawing they could never come to Christ 4 God Hath such a love and care towards an elect person that he never suffers them to fall into the sin against the holy Ghost though they fall into other great sins 5 God hath such a care towards them that they never die unconverted Rom. 8,30 Whom he did predestinate them he hath also called God either converts them in their young time or else lengthens out their days upon the earth and brings them to Christ though it be at the eleventh hour As God called some of all sorts of sinners excepting those that commit the sin against the holy Ghost so he calleth at several ages some in their child-hood some in their middle age and some in their old age but God calleth most in their young time whilst their hearts are yet tender How hath the Lord been pleased to work Grace in them that have been mightily prejudiced against the powerfull preaching of the word as it s recorded in the life of that gracious man Mr. Robert Bolton that before his conversion he hearing Mr. Perkins preach he said He was an empty dry fellow but after he was converted he had high thoughts of his powerfull Ministry Another was that afterwards one of the most eminent in grace and gifts that our times have known when the Bel went for Mr. Perkins secretly was glad in his heart that he was dead that he might not be so startled by his heart-searching ministry which thought did exceedingly humble him afterwards and God pleased powerfully to work upon him and make him a burning and shining light Thus where sin abounds Gods grace sometimes cals a soul and so abounds much more then sin abounded If we knew all passages concerning those whom the Lord converteth what prophaness in some what strange ignarance in others what wicked resistance of the Spirit it would make us cry out O the wickedness of the creature and O the unsearchable riches of Gods free grace some have gone to an Ordinance to sleep and the Lord hath made such a noise by his Spirit in their hearts that they have been past sleeping their souls have been so effectually awakened some have gone to ensnare the Preacher and the Lord hath changed their hearts and opened their eyes some have gone boldly to outface the Lord in his Ordinances and the Lord hath made their stout hearts tremble at his word some have gone only out of novelty to hear a man because he was a stranger or was a noted Preacher and the Lord hath converted them some have gone with their hearts as full of prejudice against the Preacher as could be and yet the Lord hath bowed their heares before they came away and made them say Surely God is in this man and in his Ministry of a truth Some shall certainly be converted and must enter into Gods rest Heb. 4.6 1 because God hath ordained some to eternal life Acts 13.48 and the Election must obtain it 2 The Lord Jesus hath died for them and hath made their peace by the blood of his cross And God the Father hath given him power over all the
devils and over all flesh that he should give eternal life to them that he hath given him and them Christ saith he must bring home and they shall hear his voice John 10.16 3 The Lord hath made many free and absolute Promises as Ezek. 36.26 A new heartwill I give you Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head Now these must be made good to some in their effectual Calling and salvation and that is to the elect for all the free and absolute Promises shew what God both can do and will do for his elect so though they sometimes live a long time in an unconverted estate yet the Lord doth in his appointed time give them a new heart writes his Laws in their hearts and puts his fear in their hearts and causes them to walk in his Statutes and Judgements to do them according to the free and absolute promises of the New Covenant that they are all taught of God and he will be their God and they shall be his people And therefore when we are converted what an engagement have we upon us to live to God and lift up his Name in the world O all you that have been converted and after all your sinfulness have been pluckt as brands out of the fire O shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Consider 1 you have but a short time to bring glory to God in the exercise of grace in this world 2 There ariseth a great deal of comfort to a mans own soul in the exercise of grace 3 There are but few converted and therefore those that are savingly converted had need bestir themselves to glorifie God with that grace they have received 4 Natural men do evil with both hands and lay out all their strength against the Lord and therefore how should you that are such monuments of his mercy bring glory to him 5 You may more comfortably and cheerfully die when you have improved that talent of grace that you have received for to bring glory to God in your generation 2 Tim. 4.6,7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course not that when we come to die Paul or any Believer doth look for heaven for his service for when we have done all we say we are unprofitable servants but we rejoyce that God hath used us and imployed us to lift up his name in the world 6 The more you lay out your selves to bring glory to God the more cause others will have to bless God for you in the day of their visitation seeing your good works they will glorifie your Father which is in heaven and say I bless God for the holy life and heavenly discourse and winning conversation of such a one of thy children for it was a means to convince me and convert me to Jesus Christ but O what a sadder thing would it be if a natural man should have cause to say upon his death-bed or in hell that the life and conversation of such a professor hardened himagainst the waies of God he saw such a professor so deceitful in his calling another so vain in his discourse another so proud in his carriage and apparel another so worldly another so loose in his conversation that he looked upon Religion but as a fancy and was hardened in his sins O then be afraid lest you should receive the grace of God in vain though not as to the salvation of your own soul but in that respect it be well with you for ever yet fear lest you should not glorifie God in the world and make his name as ointment poured forth to others O therefore 1 hold forth Religion in an holy humble heavenly winning conversation the good conversation of Believers may draw others to enquire into Religion and so the Lord may catch them 2 Lay out that grace you have received for the comforting and strengthening of weak Brethren How do men of great gifts and experiences through sinful bashfulness or too much habit of vain discourse become of little use to their Brethren yea to those Brethren with whom they are joyned in Church-fellowship We have got an habit of jesting and vain discourse in our converse together when as the old Saints were serious and spiritual and this same way of idle talking and jesting is almost every where and should this prevail that spiritual communion that should be among Saints would soon be lost but O never come into one anothers company but do or receive good communicate your knowledge and experiences to the weakest Saints and poorest Saints Christians must not be like some Philosophers that we read of that would as soon part with an eye as with some curious notions that they found out in their studies but Christians should comfort one another with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God and inform one another in all doubtful cases with the light which the Lord hath given them 3 Lay out your selves to convert others thus did Paul after his conversion Rom. 15.19 compassed Sea and Land took many a weary step went through innumerable dangers to convert souls to Jesus Christ O how do many professors grow careless of Family-worship O labour that those that dwell with you may be converted in your Families and may have cause to bless God that ever they came to such a service where they got the knowledge of Jesus Christ 4 When the Lord laies afflictions upon you have a care that you do not dishonour him then by murmuring and impatience that carnal men will say Are these the people that speak of such high things of Communion with God and the Seal of the Spirit and yet none more impatient when any cross befalls them and thus they will be ready to think that Religion is but a Notional thing that hath no power to subdue the heart to the Lord few are converted amongst us and one cause of it may be that the carriage and conversation of professors is very low and carrieth little in it to hold forth conviction to those that are without FINIS
all spiritual Duty from an unfailing strength and spring of Grace in the Lord Jesus And if those that believe in the Lord Jesus are brought into a better state then Adam at first was in then much more is the Lord Jesus the Author of all this to them worthy of more Glory then Adam for the Lord Jesus had not only all those created gifts that Adam had but besides he was God equal with the Father and as Mediatour he was exalted far above Adam for he had fulness of Grace in him John 1.16 the Spirit without measure John 3. had power over all flesh John 17.2 Mat. 28. He doth not speak there of his Power as God but of his Power as Mediatour for that only could be given him as he saith thou hast given me power over all flesh Whatsoever a Believer hath it is through Christ for whatsoever God doth for a poor creature either to justifie sanctifie quicken or comfort he doth all for us in Christ He blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in him Eph. 1.3 We are by nature dead in trespasses and sins and God makes Christ our Life Eph. 2.1 Gal. 1.20 We are naturally in darkness and God makes Christ our Light Eph. 5.8 He makes Christ our Sun to shine upon us the glorious Sun of Righteousness that is so full of Light and heat to us we are naturally in a famisht and starved condition like the Prodigal and God makes Christ our food he giveth us Christ as the true Manna bread of Life John 6. We are naturally poor and beggerly and God makes Christ our riches and Treasure Prov. 8.17,18,19 We are naturally naked and God makes Christ our cloathing putting on us his Robe of Righteousness We are impotent and weak and he makes him our strength Thus he makes Christ all in all to us both Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption CHAP. IV. The freeness of the Salvation that we have by Christ THe Dispensation of Grace and Eternal Life in Christ Jesus is every way free to us the Lord hath shewn the greatest kindness when there was not the least desert that every one that is saved by this Grace may say O that ever such an ugly creature as I should have the best Robe put upon me such a Prodigal as I have been find such unexpected kindness such a Blackamore as I am that ever I should have the kisses of the fairest of ten thousand this is wonderful indeed That God should chuse us to eternal Life when he might have appointed us unto wrath this can never be requited that such a person as Christ the eternal Son of God should undertake to bring us to glory this is free indeed and that the Lord should do this without the least desire or engagement on the creatures part and that the Lord Christ should not shun the greatest sufferings in order to our Salvation but be wounded bruised bear the curse of the Law and the wrath of God can this ever be requited And that the Lord should do this after we had spent so fair an estate as we had in Innocency and we had wasted it as the Prodigal did what manner of love is this And that the Lord Jesus went through the work of our Redemption without grudging did he ever say Shall I die for such base wretches as these are but when Peter would not have had him died he took him up sharpely and said Get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.21,22,23 we read not that he took him up so when he denied him can this ever be requited for ever And that the Lord Jesus should think of every thing and purchase every thing that was requisite to make us happy in his Death he purchased all Grace he gave himself for us to deliver us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 He knew that was a great enemy and he purchased Grace to keep us from the evil of that and if we mind Christs Prayer John 17. we may see how Christ thought of every thing for us And that Christ after his bloody Sacrifice should make intercession for us and bear our Names before Jehovah and that he should take such care to send the Comforter in his absence to abide with us for ever this is not after the manner of mens love O Lord our God free free every way free O let us say that believe in Christ we must take this as free love we never deserved it and we can never requite it O I will love thee for ever and praise thee for ever And what are we for whom the Lord hath done all this all the while before we are converted We hate God and are Rebels against him and after we are converted we perform but little Duty we are but little in prayer little in praises little in heavenly meditation sometimes we have a holy thought and then abundance of vain thoughts for it sometimes we have a savoury word and then abundance of vain discourse for it and those few duties we do have a great deal of weakness and sin in them our prayers full of deadness formality unbelief we are proud when we have enlargements so sinful in our best performances that all Saints will confess their Righteousness is as menstruous raggs O let this discovery of the freeness of Gods Grace in Christ draw the worst of sinners that are yet in their Natural estate to come to Christ if Christ and Grace were not free how should Paul Mary Magdalen Zacheus and such have ever been converted Object 1. But the sinner will say I have been a sinner of a thousand may I be welcome to Christ I have scoffed at the Saints and railed at them Answ So was Paul before his conversion I saith he was a Persecutor a Blasphemer and injurious to the people of God where ever he came yet he obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.12,13 yea he confesses to King Agrippa that before his Conversion he was mad against the Church and yet the Lord turns this man in his full speed and there was no qualification to move the Lord to it he was going to persecute the Saints when the Lord met him and converted him Object 2. But I have no good in me to commend me to Christ Answ Christ expects none untill you be in him by faith Christ doth not look for Grapes of thorns how should you be holy until you be in Christ Object 3. Ay but whereas others though they be not converted yet they have parts and understanding and can speak of Religion but I have no parts nor knowledge Answ The Lord hath promised to make the ignorant understand Doctrine if God convert theeâ— he can make thee understand the things of Religion presently Object 4. Ay But I am a poor man or woman that live in obscurity the Lord surely will never convert me for of what use can I be to God he will call Scholars and great men that may be more serviceable then ever