yet shall never enjoy them so he makes some to taste the wrath and torments of that wrath which is to come who never yet shall feel them Thirdly into this Deep falls in the depths of Satan deep temptations as it was with Christ in this condition so 't is in its meawith Saints now the devil and the powers of darkness bestir themselves Luke 22.33 When Sun sets and darkness covers the earth then the Lions and wilde beasts go forth Psal 104.20 21. so when God hides his face see Christs Complaint in that day Psal 22.1 12 13 16 20. Fourthly into this Deep falls the depths of Hell Hell is deep and large Isa 30. ult nothing deeper Job 11.8 the bottomless Pit Rev 7.1 In the depth of spiritual desertion Saints have complain'd of the snares of death and sorrows of Hell Psal 116.3 Christ Psal 16.10 so â—â—man counted himself 〈◊〉 free of that damned Company and Corporation of devils and reprobates Psal 88.5 Such scorching and scalding drops of wrath God in this condition sometimes lets 〈◊〉 the Conscience as if they were Pledges and Earnests of damnation as if be haâ— already kindled Hell fire in the foul Fifthly into this Deep falls the depth of sorrow and affliction Psal 102. see the title Psal 69 1 2. here is Complaint see his Prayer ver 15. No sorrows like these no afflictions so deep as these they enter into the soul here often misery appears remediless and the foul expects endless sorrow yea refuseth all the comforts that are administred from any hand but Gods alone Psal 77.2 Thus you fee spiritual desertion is a Depth into which many Deeps fall the Depth of sin ' wrath Satan one Deep here calleth on another Secondly let us consider how much these Depths may endanger to separate a believer First in this state Saints apprehend a total cessation of Gods love to them an everlasting night on them that the light of Gods Countenance shall never shine on them more Jonah 2.4 I am cast out of thy sight Thus they say The Lord will cast off for ever Psal 77.8 9. so David Psal 13.1 How long for ever In the favour of God is life Psal 30.5 If he frown who can live In his favour is light if he hide his face who can behold him Job 34.29 Secondly in this state God may seem to withdraw that Spirit which is the bond of our Communion with God hence that Psal 51.11 12. The Spirit in this state useth to suspend its Testimony refuse light to our Evidences and withhold that witness it formerly bare to our Adoption yea it may suffer Satan to bear false witness to our spirits and perswade us that we are hypocrites children of wrath fitting for destruction Thirdly in this state God calls to remembrance sins which the soul thought had long since been repented of and that God had pardoned Thus were the sins of Jobs youth and Davids original sin thus a believer may be brought to question all Gods former Acts of grace and his own faith and repentance and suspect all his former comforts yea the being of any grace at all in truth and this is very dangerous Fourthly it is a state of darkness and no light Isa 50.10 Cant. 3.1 Now he that walks in darkness knows not John 12.35 so these knew not what to do what way to take He that walks in darkness trembles at every thing even the Promises of grace are stumbling blocks to that soul In darkness are terrible apprehensions as to the Egyptians in the Plague of darkness Psal 78.49 the terrours of God are upon Saints in spiritual desertions Psal 88.15 16. Job 7.14 Fifthly in this state God seems for the present to neglect all their Prayers Lam. 3.8 Christ Jesus Psal 22.1 2. Saints here are ready to say as Saul The Lord is departed from me and answereth me no more Sixthly in this state the soul suffers the affliction is on the spirit of a man it s a wound on the spirit Prov. 18.14 a Dagger at the heart â— Psal 42.10 see Christ in his Desertion Maâ— 26.38 Heman suffered not in his inferiour only but in the superiour faculties of his soul Psal 88.15 In other afflictions the body suffers and the soul only by sympathy here the soul suffers and the body only by sympathy Thirdly let us consider these depths shall never be able to separate I. Because they are all consistent with love and always end in love 1. They are consistent with love Heb. 12.5 6. he seems if not only yet principally to intend the Castigation that fall upon the souls and spirits of believers God never loved Christ better then at that time when he cried out My God My God Josephs bowels yearn'd most when he dealt most roughly with his brethren so God Ier. 31.20 II. Be sure all will end in love Isa 54 7 8. Cant. 31 5. Isa 57.18 Secondly because these Depths of spiritual desertion are but to bring forth fulâ—ess of Conformity to Christ in his Death and Resurrection Christs sufferings were some in his body these were call'd his Baptism some and the greatest in his soul these were call'd his Cup Matth. 20.22 23. in this Cup was a mixture of sin wrath death â—nd hell He tells those disciples they should â—artake with him in both When Christ â—ried out My God my God why it was â—bstractio visionis not dissolutio unionis for â—ill he cried My God so it is to Saints in â—he like condition and what faith Christ â—xercised in that state he commanded other â—elievers to do Isa 50.10 Thirdly because there are depths in the â—ercy and free-grace of God that easily wallow up this depth of spiritual deserâ—on and all the depths that run into it â—om 11.33 O the Depth Eph. 3.18 The â—ee-grace of God is a mighty Ocean Miâ—h 7.19 Fourthly because God hath pawn'd all â—e Ordinances of Heaven and Earth that â—othing what he seems to do against them and nothing they do against him shall provoke him to cast them off Jer. 31.35.36 37. 1. Use If such who are lockt fast in the Armes of God such who are in everlasting Communion with God Communion with God in love which love is unchangeable as God himself in love which is in Christ Iesus and therefore can no more fail then his love to Christ can fail If such as these may fall into these depths of spiritual desertion in which are the depths of sin of wrath O where shall the sinner and ungodly appear who are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath O the infinite unsearchable bottomloss depths of sin wrath devils hells worst of sorrows endless torments wherein all unbelievers impenitent unregenerate persons shall be plunged in swallowed up without Redemption 2. Use This fully informs us that the beâ—â— of Saints must live all their days in every â—ondition on a dependence onthe freâ— grace of God By the Eclipse of the Moon we comâ— to know it borrows its light
I had this grace that grace the other grace in truth Do thou endeavor to get thy state cleared up to thee in the love of God in Christ Jesus thy Lord. Hath Christ prayed that the World may know John 17 23. to their Conviction Conversion or Condemnation that God hath loved his And shall not they endeavor to know for this end First live much in Communion with Christ It is the love of God in Christ Jesus See John 17. ult Secondly dearly entertain the sweet Spirit of God Rom. 5.5 2. Use To such as have clear'd up to them their Communion with God in love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Bring up your faith to this Persuasion that nothing shall be able to separate you from Put on the breast-Plate of faith and love Fear no enemy for God hath not 1 Thes 5.8 9. I say to you as Gideon to his men Judg. 7.15 Arise for God hath delivered the whole Host of your enemies into your Hand Nor Death nor Life nor shall be able ROM 8.38 39. Nor Death nor Life shall THE Apostle having raised his Fortress built his Towers fenced and fortified his faith in its Communion with God in love through the Lord Iesus and having taken a distinct view of all his enemies now hangs out a Flag of defrance throws the Gauntlet triumphs in the Conflict over all The first rank of enemies he encounters with is death and life which he overcomes by faith Doct. A Christian fortified in the love of God through Christ or his Communion with God in love hath full security against all the attempts whereby death or life may endanger a separation I. We shall consider how far a believer may be in danger by death and life as to a separation from God and his love First as to death it is a dangerous e 〈◊〉 considered in its abstract nature First death is the punishment Gods Iustice every way fitted and proportioned to sin In the day thou eatest thou 〈◊〉 As sin contains in it all the evâ—l the creature 〈◊〉 do against God so death includes in it all the evils mischiefs miseries the wrath of God can bring upon the creature Secondly the Power of Death was committed to the Devil hence the generality of believers under the Old Testament were all their life kept in bondage through slavish fears Heb. 2.14.15 Thirdly death is a thing can no more have Communion with God then sin can sin is absolute opposition to Gods 〈◊〉 and purity Death is absolute opposition to Gods life and being he is called the living God who is eternal unchangeable immortal Fourthly death is attended with Hell in its first institution Rev. 6.8 which is everlasting separation from God By sin the creature separated it self from Go and its punishment was to be everlastingly separated from God Fifthly the Saints of God have mightily cried out to God when they have been in danger to be separated from God by death Heman Psal 88.3 4 5 10 11 12. David Psal 116.3.4 But death can never separate a believer from his Communion with God in love through Christ lesus First the love of God and the love of Christ never dies Death could not abolish Christs love to believers Iohn 13.1 nor can it abolish the love of believers to Christ Rev. 12 11. The love of Christ to believers and their love to him is strong as death Cant. 8.6 they never encountred death but overcame Secondly Saints have walked in the â—alley of the shadows of death and have â—ept their Communion with God and have not heard nor felt any evil Psal 3.4 Thirdly Christ hath taken the Power of Death out of Satans hand and taken it into his own hands and commanded his people to fear not Rev. 17 18. Fourthly Christ hath executed that revenge threatned Hos 13.14 against Death and the Grave for all the sorrows fears temptations cruelties it hath executed against him and his holy Saints Fifthly Christ hath abolisht death 2 Tim. 1.10 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifiâ—s to make weak and useless to take away all the power and strength of a thing death is not now as it was its sting is gone Boys play with a Bee when the sting is out Nor only so but Christ â—ath brought in the room of it Life and Immortality hence that Iohn 11.26 Mat. 22.32 Sixthly Saints now die like Christ though in the Grave his soul was separate from his body yet neither was separated from the Godhead Though death may separate between soul and body in a Saint it cannot separate either from Communion with God Rom. 8.11 Seventhly death to Saints strengthens their Communion with God it separates an holy Saint from a filthy world a precious soul from a 〈◊〉 body precious graces from filthy corruptions 〈◊〉 precious Spirit from vile flesh Death to Saints separates only the precious from the vile whereby they come into more intimate Communion with God 2 Cor. 6.17 Eighthly it is not to believers Death and Hell follows it but Death and Heaven follows it Death is so far from separating it carries the soul into the full enjoyment of God Secondly let us consider how far a Christian may be endangered by life Here consider four things First the many errors slips falls backslidings believers are subject to in this life Psal 19.12 James 5.19 20. if any of you erre in judgement or practice How much by these things a believer is endangered to a separation from the love of God and his Communion with God appears Heb. 3.12 Hebr. 10.38 2 Pat. 3.17 Secondly they are endangered in this life by the corrupt customes and conversations of the ungodly with whom they converse in the world how apt Gods people are to this appears by that exhortation Rom. 12.2 How much they are endangered thereby See Psal 106.36 what great Apostacies false Professâ—â—â— have made thereby See 2 Pet. 2.20 Thirdly they are endangered by the profits pleasures promises and allurements of the world By these Demas was brought off from his fellowship in the Gospel 2 Tim. 4.10 Hence that 1 Tim 6.10.11 How much hereby they are endangered to fall from the love of God 1 John 2.15 Fourthly they are endangered by those many afflictions temptations reproaches persecutions that befal them in this life when many afflictions followed the believing Hebrews their 〈◊〉 began to saint their handâ— hang downs their knees grow seeble and their 〈◊〉 were in danger of turning 〈◊〉 from the ways of God Heb. 12. â—â— 1â— When Christ spake bus of his own sufferings to 〈◊〉 he startled and said Master 〈…〉 self when Christ call'd him to be an eye witness of his sufferings Peter 〈◊〉 to sleep he that promised never to forsake Christ to die with him comes to deny him had not Christ prayed aâ—prehand for him his faith bad utterly â—â—â—ed Yet none of these things that 〈◊〉 a believer in life shall 〈◊〉 him First not the first the Office of Christ is to
and none for Angels That God shall restore man into Communion with himself and separate devils with an everlasting curse from him how must this needs torment and terrifie If devils envied Mans state in Communion with God in love before man fell from God how much more to see man restored and themselves cast off for ever Secondly they oppose our interest in Christ through whom we have Communion with God again in love When Christ came into the world to redeem men into Communion with God again and his love what mighty strong opposition did he make against him he mustered up all the Powers of the world and all the Powers of Hâ—ll and darkness against him and will he not endeavour to the utmost to separate us from this interest 2 Cor. 11.2 3. Thirdly they mightily oppose our Adoption or being the sons of God which is the greatest manifestation of that love of God through Christ No sooner was Christ declared the Son of God Mal. 3.17 but the first temptation wherewith the Devil assaulted him Matth. 4.3 was concerning this when the Spirit of Adoption hath secured our Sonship how many Arguments will the devil draw from our spiritual wants weakness infirmities temptations afflictions to disprove it what faith he such as you the sons of God Fourthly they mightily oppose that faith by which we apprehend the love of God in Christ and by which we are brought into blessed Communion with God see 1 Thes 3.5 Luke 22.31.32 Fifthly they make strong opposition against that righteousness by which we are justified which is the life of faith and our nearest fitness for Communion with God In this case he is said to have bewitched the Galatians chap. 3.1 the truth then is the doctrine of Justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ in opposition to the righteousness of the Law the devil knows the righteousness of the Law will condemn us Sixthly they make mighty opposition against that grace and holiness in which we continue our Communion with God 1 John 1.6 7. If a childe of the devil be such an enemy to all grace what is the father Act. 13.10 Fourthly let us consider what great advantages the Powers of Hell have against believers in Communion First there is yet remaining much darkness in them darkness of sin corruption unbelief unmortified lusts and affections and the devil is the Ruler over the darkness of this world Secondly the impotency of their graces by reason of which he can more easily prevail with Saints then formerly with Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 it was but a buffeting and but from a Messenger of Satan yet all Pauls grace was too weak to resist 2 Cor. 12.8 Fifthly yet we shall shew that all the Powers of Devils and all the Rulers of the Kingdom of Hell and Darkness shall not be able to separate First his Power Malice Policy and â—tmost Agency is limited to their feet Gen. 3.15 cannot reach their heart nor head Secondly Christ hath stated their security in himself on himself Matth. 16.18 Thirdly none of his remptations shall do it Christ hath first overcame him in himself and hath learnt thereby to succour and commiserate us Heb. 4.15 Heb. 2. ult Fourthly none of his accusations shall be able none in the Court of God there Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Advocate 1 John 3.1 to be our second to rebuke Satan to present a Propitiation for their sins Zach. 3.2 None in the Court of our own Conscience we have the Spirit of Adoption a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in direct opposition to Satan the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear witness to our Conscience to help our infirmities to clear our Evidences and to come to the Thâ—one of grace boldly for mercy and grace Fifthly because greater is he in Saints then 1 Iohn 4.4 is the devil a strong man Christ is stronger Luke 1 22. is he a lion so is Christ Rev. 5.5 is he a Serpent so is Christ Iohn 3.14 1. Use Sinners who are yet in your unregeneracy look about you are yet under the power policy malice of Satan The devil hath full possession of you ye know not how many Ye are in darkness which is the Kingdom of the devil led captive by him at his pleasure every sinner saith one upon that text is the Devils Pack-horse whom he rides and rules at pleasure You will say but all is at peace with us An Argument the devil still holds possession Luke 11.21 Make haste to Christ who alone can cast him though a Legion in one man Mar. 5.8 he made the devils to cry roar tremble he cast them out of mens bodies souls unto swine 2. Use Give thanks who hath delivered you Col. 1.12 13. who hath turn'd you from the power of Satan to God Act. 26.18 3. Use Hath God gathered you into Communion Here is matter of great Comfort that you are always and everlastingly secured in this blessed state from the power policy malice of Hell from all the temptations accusations of devils how many devices wiles depths soever they be managed withal Live comfortably but not securely 1 Pet. 5.8 Secondly resolve to make resistance Iam. 4.7 Thirdly your we apons against spiritual enemies must be spiritual the Sword of the Spirit and the Shield of faith Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5.9 ROM 8.38 39. Nor things present or to come Doct. ALL the events issues passages that befal believers in their present or future conditions by the Providence of God shall not be able to separate them First I shall speak to things present There is scarce a Christian but hath one or other present trial trouble temptation affliction continually present with him that waits on him that lies down with him rileth up with him goes out with him comes in with him If one leave him another may presently come in the room of it A righteous man may sin seven times a day and seven times stand in need of Pardon Luke 17.4 and therefore may fall into affliction seven times in a day and rise again Pro. 24.16 These do much endanger our Communion with God because they are very apt and too often disturb our Communion with God They are like showers of rain that fall into brooks or pooles that muddy all the waters present afflictions are mingled with temptations these mingle with our corruptions stir our passions trouble the pure waters of grace and comfort for a while and the soul cannot presently draw waters with joy out of the Well of salvation which is its blessed Communion with God Present evils have usually in them these things 1. They still appear to be the greatest forest we are apt to cry out of that which afflicts our present sence as the heaviest that ever befell us In these we cry out as Isaiah My leanness O my leanness as Ieremy My bowelâ— O my bowels in these our heart and ouâ— flesh as David Joyn together and cry ouâ— for a Living God Secondly they are
sight of their weaknesses corruptions imperfections Ezekiel 2 Chron. 32.22 24 26. The Peacock struts it self while it looks on its gay Plumes and is ashamed when it looks on its black feet when Paul was in danger of being up with his priviledges God turns his eye to look on his infirmities 2. Cor. 12.9 Thirdly there are heights in believers of carnal confidence when to spiritual priviledges of grace and comfort God shall adde temporal favours riches honours outward glory worldly prosperity Such a state of worldly felicity is call'd the height sublimity and exaltation of a person Ezek. 31.5 Such heights some understand to be meant in the text a state of worldly greatnesse and grandeur wealth power and authority which God sometimes vouchsafeth to some of his children to convince the world that he can do much more for his then the world for hers First this height may much endanger a believers Communion with God First it is aâ—â— to beget carnal security under present enjoyments and this provoketh God to hide his face and so theâ— Communion with God is much disturbed Psal 30.6 7. Secondly it affords matter for a great Temptation of the Devil the world and its glory the devil shewed Christ on a high Mountain Mat. 4.8 Thirdly these things have been great trials to Saints and made proof of their weakness in the midst of their highest enjoyments as in Hezekiah a Chron. 32.27 28 29 31. God left him to try him Secondly Yet shall not these heights be able to separate First because God will not suffer them long to rejoyce in these enjoyments but rather in an humble frame of spirit whereby they are enabled to manage such a condition to the glory of God and the comfort of others see Iam. 1.9 10 Secondly if worldly enjoyments seek to separate us from God he will quickly separate them from us If Hezekias Treasures lift up his heart they must go to Babylon Isa 39.6 When the disciples were over-ravisht with the external glory of that Transfiguration on the Mount Mat. 17. and said It is good to be here God brought a cloud over the glory presently and made them contented with their Communion with Christ alone Thirdly because whatever enjoyments all worldly felicity God vouchsafeth his people the comforts that flow in to them from these are weak narrow scanty full of insufficiency dissatisfaction God limits the comfort of outward things to his people more then to the men of the world The fulness the sufficiency of all spiritual comfort flows from their Communion with God 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Fourthly there is another height that is raised by the workings of carnal reason in thoughts opinions false judgments and conclusions which lift up themselves above the truths of God and somtimes above the ways and dealings of God this height you have 2 Cor. 10.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are ratiocinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every high thing as in the text First this is that which much endangers a believer in his 1. It s said there to exalt it self against the knowledge of God Carnal reason humane wisdom secular Science is profest enemies to the simplicity of the Gospel which is in Christ Hence the poor are said to receive the Gospel and babes those things which are hid from the wise and prudent 2. It is a great enemy to faith as appears by that expression Gal. 1.15 16. Paul had never believed if he had consulted hence that Rom. 12.3 Let no man according to the measure of faith Thirdly it makes false Conclusions of Gods dark dispensations to his people Isa 40.27 Isa 49.14 It perswadeth God hath forsaken us when he hath not so sense and carnal reason judgeth Secondly yet this height shall not separate 1. Because Christ Jesus in whom we have the true saving knowledge and through whom we have Communion with God in love is the Wisdom of God and the Power 1 Cor. 1.24 Wisdom to silence Power to overcome all the strong Arguments oâ— the flesh that rise up against him Secondly because God hath magnified the thoughts of his mercy counsels of peace contrivances of love which are as high above Isa 55.8.9 1. Use For Information many here it may be are ready to say To what purpose are all these words It may be they never experimented such enemies such dangers such oppositions in their Profession of Christianity to such all these are but empty notions Do you think the Spirit of the Scripture speaketh these things in vain Is it not to be feared ye are strangers to this great Priviledge of believers Communion with God in love 2. Use Christians never look to put off your Armour till you come from Communion with God to the full enjoyment of God When you have conquered one enemy one temptation and difficulty look to encounter another nor are all your enemies before you some are above you some are heights altitudes sublimities 3. Use Here is your comfort Christians you have this day not only the dangers discover'd but your safety and security confirm'd inviolable immutable in your Communion with God Are the dangers enemies heights insuperable inconquerable in themselves yet they shall not be able ROM 8.39 Nor Depths Doct. AS not Heights so not Depths shall be able to I. I shall declare what I mean by Depths ' I understand principally those Depths and Dejections of soul that attend a state of darkness and spiritual desertion incident not only to Saints in lower but to Saints in their higher capacity of grace according to the good pleasure of Gods Will. This state hath a great Depth and Profundity in it that Psalm wholly expresseth such a state see Psal 120.1 and that Psal 88.6 in the Deeps This is such a Depth into which all other Deeps empty themselves as Rivers into the Ocean First into this Deep falls in the Depths of sin sin is a deep thing lies deep out of sight Saints seldom search to the bottom of it but in case of spiritual desertion nor can they then sound the Depth without Gods Plummet Iob Iob 13.23 24. In this state God doth usually search the sin of Saints to the bottom Job in this case was made to repossess the fins of his youth David was made to reckon for the sin he stood guilty of in the Womb Psal 31.5 in a state of spiritual desertion Saints have usually a discovery of the depth of guilt and blackness and ugly deformity in sin beyond what they had at first Conversion Secondly into this depth of spiritual desertion falls in the depth of Gods wrath his Judgements are called a Deep Psal 36.6 so deep that the damned in Hell are ever sinking into them and shall never come to the bottom In this state of spiritual desertion Saints take deep of the wrath of God Psal â—0 11 Homan Psal 88.7 16. As God maketh some to taste of the good love and Word of God and the Powers of that glory that is to come who