stranger upon the earth Psal 39. 12. I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were 8. If we are indeed in the Faith our faith will make the next world evident and desirable 'T wil prove the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the good and true Spy which searches the heavenly Country which is promised and brings back word That that Celestial Canaan is very glorious that an innumerable company of Angels are there and the Spirits of just men and all made perfect that God the Judge of all is there seen face to face and there is Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant crown'd with and in his Fathers throne that there is no need of the Sun or of the Moon to shine for the glory of God doth enlighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 21. 23. finally that sin and sorrow are eternal strangers but there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore And Faith giving such a report of the world to come no wonder that 't is judged worth seeking and that with an holy violence Mat. 11. 12. The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force 2. We are to prove our selves whether Christ be in us yea or no Christ and Satan divide the world all that have not Christ in them Satan has possession of he is the Spirit that works in the children of disobedience Now whether Christ be really in us may be thus proved and discerned 1. If Christ be in us he has entred by the door of the understanding we cannot be totally ignorant of him True Faith cannot be without knowledge Rom. 10. 14. How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard We must know who and what he was that undertook the work of our redemption how else can we rely upon him He is near a kin to us as Man and is a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2. 17. and surely he was able to finish that work which he undertook for he is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9. 5. We must also know the benefits of Christ that we may know what to rely upon him for now these benefits are most necessary suitable and excellent as pardon of Sin adoption to be the Sons of God sanctifying grace and endless glory Nay Christ is all in all and Christ being given nothing will be denied Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 2. If Christ be in us our very hearts have been opened to receive him When Christ has knockt at the door we have given him admission it has been our souls language Come in thou blessed Lord wherefore standest thou without And this receiving of Christ is indeed believing in him Joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name The heart has been convinced that 't is most highly rational to give entertainment to this Lord of life and glory He uses the strongest arguments for admission makes the greatest offers delivers all out of the depths of misery and advances them to be Saints Sons Priests Kings who shall Reign most gloriously and happily to Eternity that do indeed embrace him 3. â—f Christ be in us the dominion of Sin and our Idols have been thrown down When Darius the Persian Emperour offered half his Empire to the Conquering Alexander Alexander gave this Answer That in the Firmament there was but one Sun and there must be but one Emperor in Persia and therefore continued his Wars till Darius had lost both Life and Kingdom In like manner there cannot be two Rulers in one heart If Christ be there no iniquity has the dominion any longer Where Christ is he works a change so that persons are no longer foolish disobedient and deceived they no longer serve divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3. 3. And whatsoever has been idolized be it profit pleasure applause now 't is disesteemed that Christ alone may be exalted 4. If Christ be in us we approve and value his Kingdom as well as his Priesthood We shall like and love the Lord. Jesus as a Prince upon the Throne consenting that that Throne should be our hearts as well as a Priest upon the Cross and shall be very desirous to be more fully subdued to him His Yoak is judged easie and his burthen light Mat. 11. ult Christ is really no hard Master though the World think him to be so They that are in Christ and experience what kind of Ruler he is and that he rules by a Law of Faith and Love and Liberty are very glad of his Kingly Office It was matter of praise and thanksgiving to the Apostle that he and other Believers had been made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and also that God had delivered them from the power of darkness and had translated them into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1. 12 13. 5. If Christ be in us his Word is entertain'd and abides in us also We cannot slight that Word which discovers Christ and was the great means to bring us to Him Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly says the Apostle Col. 3. 16. And hearken what Christ himself speaks Joh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done to you Oh with what gladness do Believers give entertainment to the Word since they may have what they will if the Word abide in them and this Word will rectifie their judgments and regulate their wills so that they shall will nothing but what is truely for their good and what is really for their good shall most readily be granted Now Christ and his Word abide together But Christ is rejected if his Word be not received Joh. 12. 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my Word hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day 6. If Christ be in us we have the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. The Apostle does so plainly intimate this truth that he asserts the want of Christs Spirit undoubtedly shews there is no interest in him If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his As all the Members of the Natural Body are animated and acted by the same Soul which in a special manner shews it self in the Head so the same Spirit which is without measure in Christ the Head does animate and act all the true Members of his Body mystical Now where the Spirit of Christ is he enlightens the mind opens the eyes of the understanding he makes a
sin deserves thy hatred does not thy Lord deserve thy love What and where hadst thou been if he had not loved thee and given himself for thee Thy Lord is every way excellent the chiefest among ten thousand altogether lovely the most admired among the visible Creatures the finest Gold the richest Jewels nay the shining Sun in the Firmament are but poor similitudes and faint shaddows to set forth his incomparable perfections The Heavens are not clean Angels themselves are black when compared with Jesus who is the image of the invisible God! This high this glorious and beautiful One became flesh and sin and a Curse for thee so that his love is incomparable as well as his loveliness O my soul set open all the flood-gates let thy love even all of it run in a strong and undivided stream towards him Love this Lord Jesus in sincerity love him with greater ardency love him with the greatest constancy Here is no danger of excess no danger of defilement or a snare in thy loving Christ as there is in loving of the Creatures Study him better and thou wilt see new beauties in him daily grow in knowledge that thou mayst grow in grace and love Let thy desires grow stronger and stronger his fulness can easily satisfie them Rejoyce in Him with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory and cry out with an affectionate and holy impatiency Come Lord Jesus come quickly Appear the second time without sin unto Salvation MEDITATION XLIII How much is mine if Christ my beloved is mine What unsearchable riches have I an interest in No match comparable to that with Christ either for the excellencies of the person or the largeness of the estate What poor offers doth the World and the God of the World make me They talk much of honour and wealth and mirth and pleasure but these afford no true contentment for that short time they are enjoy'd and they perish in the very using Death does quickly come with a convincing demonstration and proves the richest man a meer beggar the greatest Prince a contemptible clod of the Earth the fairest and most admired beauty a skinful of dirt Can Satan offer any thing that is Everlasting No good thing I am sure that is so Indeed Everlasting pains Eververlasting burnings Everlasting wrath he will bring all unto that are led Captive by him at his pleasure but these Eternal evils he does most studiously conceal and hide But this is the commendation of My Lords Benefits that they are permanent and durable The Treasures wax not old the one thing needful cannot be taken away the inheritance is incorruptible and the Kingdom he will give his followers cannot be moved MEDITATION XLIV If Christ is mine the Father is mine How sweet were those words which come out of my Lords mouth quickly after he came out of the Grave Go tell my Brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father unto my God and your God All the Attributes of God are engaged on my side His wisdom will be my guide his power and truth my guard and shield His presence will be with me wherever I am and his Grace sufficient for me in all my troubles and Temptations All my desire will be before him and my groaning will not be hid from him and he can easily furnish me with the good things I desire and deliver me from those evils which make me groan before him I shall not want while the All-sufficient God is my Shepherd my state is secure and safe for my God is unchangeable He will never turn away from me to do me good and his Grace will establish me and hinder my departing he will uphold me with the right hand of his Righteousness and guide me with his Counsel and afterwards receive me to his Glory Be not thou cast down or discouraged O my Soul be not disquieted within me Hope thou in God and continually praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my God MEDITATION XLV If Christ is mine the Spirit is mine The same soul does animate and Act the Head and the Body the same Spirit is in Christ and in all his true and living Members The Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination will enlighten me and make me able to judge all things after a right manner The Spirit of truth will lead me into all necessary truth so that I shall be ignorant or mistaken in nothing which is needful to be understood and known in order unto Salvation This Spirit will make me hold the Head and from him I shall derive not only a directing light but a vital influx which will quicken me and make me alive more and more abundantly Glorious Spirit Thou art the Lord and Giver of Life without thee the Word of Life is dead and proves a savour of Death unto Death Without thee Ordinances are without efficacy without thee my Heart is cold and comfortless I grieve that I have grieved thee Oh let me be thy Habitation and thy Temple let me see thy blessed light let me feel thy glorious power and know by more abundant experience what thy peace and joy means The lusts of the flesh which defile thy Temple let them be destroyed mortifie the deeds of the Body fill me with Grace and make me fit for Glory Let the least check of thine restrain me every motion of thine let it be obeyed Let me perpetually have an ear to Hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches MEDITATION XLVI If Christ is mine the Creatures are also mine The Sun was created to give me light and to make me admire the God that made it The Stars observe their courses for my good The Ordinances of the Heavens which alter not at mans pleasure may serve as an instruction to me that Gods Covenant when Earth and Hell have done their worst shall be kept and stand fast for ever the Earth is Fruitful the Sea does Ebb and Flow the Rain descends the Beasts and Fish and Fowl do multiply to do me a kindness The Ground was made for me to tread on the Air for me to breath in and though such mercies as these are vouchsafed to wicked men yet they are given to me in another way My Lord has bought them for me with his blood for with him they are given to me they are not a trap a snare to me as they are to others but they are truly blessed to me as well as given The higher Creatures are also mine Paul and Apollo and Cephas nay the very Angels are said to be ministring Spirits and are ready to Minister to me and to guard me Those loving humble Spirits have a charge given them concerning the Members of Christ and willingly look after them that are the Heirs of Salvation MEDITATION XLVII If Christ be mine Death is also mine as well as Life Death is terrible indeed to Nature and causes the frame thereof to be dissolved but my Lord has reconciled this last Enemy 'T is really mine
premised 1. The Children of men do owe obedience unto God as their rightful Lord and Governour and consequently it concerns them to examine whether the Lord has been obeyed or other Lords have had and still have the dominion over them Man did not make himself neither is he able to perserve himself and he is farthest off from being able to redeem and save himself therefore man is not his own 't is impious in him to speak that language Psal 12. 4. Who is Lord over me But that God who gave him his being who holds his soul in life and alone can redeem and save his soul from wrath does justly lay claim to him as his subject and require obedience from him 2. The Sons of men are under a law which they are obliged to keep as a rule of righteousness God himself has given them a law which is holy just and good they are therefore to examine what respect they have had to this law Whether it has been kept as it ought like the apple of the eye Or whether it has been hated and broken and cast behind the back For sincere obedience and life and death and disobedience are joyned together Deut. 30. 19 20. 3. We are all of us not only under a law but under the eye of our Lord and Law-giver continually He compasses our path and our lying down and is acquainted with all our ways Psal 139. 3. And shall we be ignorant of our own ways His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men Psal 11. 4. When we would look more intently our eye-lids are more contracted Gods eye-lids are mentioned to signifie how intently he eyes when he tries the Children of men and shall not they prove and try themselves 4. Naturally we are prone to nothing but what is contrary to that Law and Rule we should walk by The Apostle sticks not to say that the carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be Rom. 8. 7. And as the heart of man is desperately wicked so 't is deceitful above all things and it manifests its deceitfulness in concealing and hiding that it may hold fast its wickedness Those that have such hearts how jealous should they be of them How careful to prove and to pry into them And suppose there be a new nature given yet upon proof 't will be found that there is too too much of the old remaining 5. We are endued with a power of self-reflection and may take notice both of our hearts actions There is a law written in our hearts by nature which does in part discover what we should do and be but the Word of God much more fully informs us of our duty We may erect a Bar or Tribunal in our own souls and call our selves before it Conscience can first be Witness and afterwards a Judge And truly a right judging of our selves is one way to escape being condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 31. 6. All must be Summoned to give an account of themselves unto God at last Rom. 14. 12. So then every one of us must give accout of himself unto God 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body whether it be good or evil Should we not then try and prove our selves before hand repent of our evil deeds believe in the Mediator and throughly amend our doings that we may be found of our Lord and Judge in peace These propositions premised I shall open the nature of this duty of self-proving 1. Self-proving implies a serious Inquisition and Search into our selves Psal 77. 6. I communed with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search And truly a diligent search is but needful for as Augustine observes Grande profundum est homo Man is a great deep and therefore 't is difficult for a man to sound himself and to come to the bottom of his own heart Job speaks of the secrets of nature and says there is a path which no fowl knoweth and which the Vultures eye though it be so piercing hath not seen Job 28. 7. But the secrets of the heart are more abstruse and hard to be found out The Heathen Poet advised Tecum habita Dwell with thy self our thoughts should dwell much upon our selves that we may find out the utmost of our selves Our whole man is to fall under our inspection our ways our words our senses our souls are all to be lookt over 2. Self-proving implies a fear of self-deceit The Apostle cautions against being deceived by man Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words against being beguiled by Satan 2 Cor. 11. 3. But I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ He cautions also against self-deceit 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let no man deceive himself He that is not jealous over himself will easily mistake and may go out of the World mistaken and after death the mistake will be impossible to be corrected we must therefore take heed to our selves that our spirits deal not treacherously 3. Self proving implies using the Light of the Word of God This Word is quick and powerful and as the Anatomists Knife dissects all the parts of the Body and lays even the inmost of them open unto view so the Word like a sharp and two edged Sword does pierce through all and divides between Soul and Spirit i. e. between Nature and Grace for the natural man is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the meaning may be that the Word discovers not only the corruption in the Affections and the inferior faculties of the Soul but also that depravation and sin which is in the faculties which are Superior and discerns what the intents and thoughts and reasonings of the heart are Heb. 4. 12. Unless we make use of the light of the Word we shall be lost in the dark while searching our selves The Word makes manifest the very secrets of the heart and hereby 't is plain that God who searches the heart is the Author of this Word and does accompany it 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. We find an Hearer convinced of all and judged of all the secrets of his heart are made manifest and worshipping God he acknowledges God is in the Preachers of a Truth 4. Self-proving implies comparing our selves with that Rule whereunto we ought to be conformed The Commands of God lay an obligation upon the whole man We are required to cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts Jam. 4. 8. We must be holy in all manner of Conversation and our affections must be set on things above not on Earthly things our Minds also and Consciences must be purged from their defilements Now a comparison is to be made between what we should be and what we are This bringing our selves to the right
blesses them they shall be blessed and promises they shall be filled Mat. 5. 6. Righteousness imputed is and that with very good reason prized by Believers and Righteousness inherent is earnestly desired they long to be made more holy more holy in heart more holy in all manner of conversation to have cleaner hands hearts purer they groan earnestly to be sanctified throughout in Body Soul and Spirit and to be established unblameable in holiness to the end Doest thou vehemently desire to be bettered by every mercy To be refined more and more every time thou art cast into the furnace of affliction And to become more holy by every Ordinance thou engagest in This Sacra Fames holy hunger is in thee and thou art blessed 6. Those are in a State of Grace who prize the Word of God at an high rate All that are born again desire as new born Babes the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. Hark to our Lord. Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God With good reason do gracious Souls value the Word of God for it is the incorruptible seed whereof they are born again 't is the Food whereby they are nourished 't is the Physick whereby they are healed 't is the Cordial whereby they are revived 't is the Weapon wherewith they defend themselves against their spiritual Enemies Finally 't is the main Deed they have to shew for the heavenly inheritance If this Word of God be understood believed and received by thee in the love of it if thou desirest to be cast into the mould of the Word and in all things to conform to it if Davids language be thine Psal 119. 33 34 35. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it to the end Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight This will argue that thou hast a good and honest heart indeed 7. Those are in a state of grace who have the Spirit of Prayer The Apostle Paul assoon as ever translated into this state has this Character Behold he prayeth Act. 9. 11. 't is more than probable he had spoken the words of prayer many a time before while he was a zealous Son of the Jewish Church but now he prayed in Gods account now he prayed in the holy Ghost They that are hypocrites may excell in the gift of Prayer God may be much in their mouths and their expressions may be fluent and seemingly affectionate when yet he is far from their reins But the Spirit of grace and supplication is peculiar to the Saints Now such as have the Spirit of prayer their desires are drawn forth with greatest strength and fervour after Spiritual and eternal blessings They intreat the favour of God and fellowship with him with their whole heart they beg for the increase of Faith Fear and Love and every other grace and that they may be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God and that being delivered from every evil work they may be preserved to his heavenly Kingdom Thus the Spirit makes intercession for them according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. 8. They are in a state of Grace who love the brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. Hereby we know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren Now right love to the brethren is love with a pure heart and a good conscience 't is a fervent love 't is love to all the Saints though but poor in the world though of a different persuasion The image of God is loved wherever 't is found and the more of it is found 't is lookt upon as more lovely 'T is one thing to love the Saints because they are good natured because they are beautiful because they are bountiful because they are wise and discreet and 't is another thing to love them because they are holy And truly if the more holy they are the more we love them and the more plainly they deal with us by reprehension and advice in order unto our progress in sanctification and holiness the more and better we like them this is a clear and solid evidence of our being Saints our selves Moreover true Saints are of a publick Spirit they are concerned for the whole Church Militant and cry aloud that she may be preserved in purity unity and love and may more than conquer all enemies and come at last to be Triumphant 9. They are in a state of Grace who endure to the end and are not weary of well-doing He that endures to the end shall be saved says Christ and If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Joh. 8. 31. The sincerely Righteous ones not withstanding all difficulties oppositions trials tribulations hold on their way and they that have clean hands do wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. They fight the good fight of Faith to the last breath and by patient continuance in wel-doing they seek for glory honour and immortality and at last lay hold on eternal life Rom. 2. 7. Thus you have the Touchstone of the Word to prove your selves by And what this Word binds on earth is bound in heaven what this Word looses on earth is loosed in heaven If you continue in a state which this Word pronounces bad you will certainly be condemned but if your state be such as this Word declares good you will as certainly be acquitted rewarded and crown'd at the great approaching Day In the sixth place I am to inform you of the special seasons when this duty of self-proving is to be performed and the seasons are these 1. We ought to prove our selves before we engage in the ordinance of the Lords Supper There must be a Spiritual life or else there cannot be a fitness to be a guest at the Lords Table A dead Corps set at a Feast would be a frightful Spectacle to all there neither could a dead body eat any of the dainties prepared He that is dead in trespasses and sins is not a worthy Communicant for he wants the grace of Faith which is as the eye to discern the hand to receive and the mouth to eat the Lord Jesus who is the bread of life The Lords Supper is not an Ordinance designed to work the first grace for if 't were then none ought to be excluded the greatest Sinners are to be admitted to converting Ordinances and there would be no such thing as Excommunication in the Church of Christ But the design of it is to increase and strengthen and make more and more evident that grace which is already wrought Therefore we must prove what we are before we engage 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. But let a man examine himself and
if an Emperour should bid me take his Crown and Diadem or then if all the Kingdoms of the World and all the Glory of them were offered me When Christ offered up himself a Sacrifice unto God that he might put sin away how great was the Offering If all the Beasts in Earth the Fowls of the Air had been offered this offering could not have made Atonement for the sinner or for one sin Nay if all the Angels in Heaven had proffered themselves to be annihilated in case fallen man might be pardoned Neither would this have been sufficient satisfaction So that when Christ offered himself to God he offered more then all the World then millions of Worlds would amount unto And when the Lord Jesus bids me take him and feed upon this meat indeed this Bread of Life shall I refuse He that receives Christ how much does he recieve He does indeed receive all For Christ is all in all and filleth all in all MEDITATION XXXI Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye Everlasting Doors that the King of Glory may come in Who is this King of Glory The Lord Jesus is the Prince of Life the King and Lord of Glory Behold he stands at the door and knocks if any man hear his voice and open the door he will come into him and sup with him And when he comes and is admitted what entertainment does he bring Meat that perishes is contemptible in comparison Christ will give that Meat which endures to Everlasting Life His Love is better then Wine Nay his favour is better then life it self The Manna in the Wilderness was excellent food but many that Eat it perished But whoever by Faith do feed upon our Lord Jesus in reference to the second Death they become immortal This is the Bread which commeth down from Heaven that a Man may Eat thereof and not dy I am the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven if any man Eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread that I wil give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World MEDITATION XXXII When an inheritance is conveyed to me by a sealed Deed the Nature of the wax is not changed but the use of it The Bread and Wine after the Sacramental blessing of them remain Bread and Wine still and so in Scripture they are called but their use is very much altered and they become Christs broad seal to convey to me and to assure me of the Remission of sin of the Renewing of my Nature and of Life and Immortality Let the Papists contend for a gross and carnal presence of the Body of Christ at his Table I am perswaded that as Circumcision is called the Covenant and the Lamb the Lords Passeover So the bread and wine are called the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus And yet I am also fully perswaded that though the Body of Christ is in Heaven yet he is most really present at the Table with them that do believe and such are nourished and strengthened in this Ordinance I learn from Scripture that Spiritual things are most firm most real most substantial most durable and if so then Christs spiritual presence is the most real presence Christ is absent where Transsubstantiation is believed and Romish Devotion and Adoration of the Host is turned into abominable Idolatry MEDITATION XXXIII Lord Thou art my Hope my Help my Saviour my Life my All Thou wouldst have me put thee on to cover my nakedness Thou wouldst have me take sanctuary under thy wings in all my dangers thou wouldst have me use thee as a Physician to cure all my spiritual maladies and when I am hungry and thirsty and my Soul faints within me thou hast enough to satisfie and fill me What one said concerning the Scripture I may apply to my blessed Lord. Adoro Christi plenitudinem I adore the fulness that is in Christ Jesus Draw neerer neerer O thou only Saviour thou deservest the highest the best nay all the room in my Heart thou oughtest to be the most welcom guest Let me have a clearer sight of thy transcendent loveliness a larger taste of thy incomparable sweetness let me clasp about thee and hold thee in more strict embraces Why should I be empty since in thee there is a fulness of the Spirit without stint or measure I would be poor in Spirit but why should I be poor in Grace since in thee there are unsearchable Riches MEDITATION XXXIV Bread is the staff of Life Lord I come to thy Table for support and strength Oh! Let the Bread of God strengthen me with strength in my Soul Let me find and feel the admirable vertue of the Broken Body that I may say from plentiful experience I this is meat indeed Let sin grow weaker and weaker and Mammons interest in me decline and languish but make me strong in Spirit and carry on the work of Faith with Power I have need of strength who have such a way to go and all up Hill who have so much work to do and such mighty Enemies to encounter and overcome My Life lies in believing in thee I stand no longer then Thou upholdest me Without thee I can do nothing or what is worse then nothing I can do nothing but sin and fall but if thou dost strengthen me I shall be able to do all things If thou withdraw from me I shall be weak as a Child unstable as the very Water but if thou dost confirm me by thy Grace I shall be like David nay like unto an Angel I shall fight the good fight of Faith and go on conquering and to conquer till I get the Crown MEDITATION XXXV How great was the breach which sin had made between God and Man that my Lord must be broken to make it up Could not something less have served the turn If Christ must die or sin must not be pardoned judg of the greatness of the fault by the greatness of the Sacrifice and Satisfaction What hath sin done It has filled Earth with troubles it has filled Hell with Souls it has turned Angels into Devils it has provoked the God of Heaven to great and Righteous indignation add unto all this It has killed Christ the Lord of Life He was wounded for our Transgression he was bruised for our iniquities Who would love who would like such an evil If my Father had been stabbed should I embrace the Murtherer or like the Dagger besmeared with his blood Oh hateful sin I 'le be revenged upon thee I will make no provision for thee I will lament because of thee I will detest and abhor thee I will be dead to thee and endeavour to mortifie and kill thee My Lord was not spared for thy sake and thou shalt not be spared Lord Away with these lusts all of them Crucifie them Crucifie them since Christ himself did bear my sins in his own Body on the Tree Oh let me be
Rule will discover our obliquities and cause us the better to understand our selves The Apostle in another case condemns the folly of them Who measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves Let us remember Vivendum est regulis we must walk by Rule and that is the Word and by the Word we must at last be judged therefore 't is our wisdom to see whether heart and life are agreeable to it 5. Self-proving implies Self-accusing and self-condemning for what is evil Upon examination having found out our iniquities we must hold up our guilty hands at Gods Bar and acknowledge all we know all that Satan can justly lay to our charge Nay all that is down in the Book of Gods own remembrance Psal 51. 3. I acknowledge my iniquity and my sin is ever before me And as upon the discovery of sin we are to be our own Accusers so also to judge and condemn our selves We must readily justifie the Lord in the greatest severities at present nay we must acquit him upon supposition of eternal severity if he should make us to feel his wrath and greatest indignation for ever 6. Self-proving implies approving and taking comfort in that grace and goodness that has been wrought in us by the Spirit As we are to be strict in the search after sin so grace is in no wise to be overlookt The least degree of true grace is great matter of praise nay will occasion eternal thanksgiving God does not despise the day of small things neither should we but must own the good things though but some good things which are in us in Christ Jesus Philem. 6. Breathings after God prizing of Christ weariness of sin and longing to be holy must in no wise be unobserved in this work of Self-examination 7. Self-proving will never be to any purpose unless there be a crying unto the Lord himself to search us that we may not pass a wrong judgment upon our selves What depth is there that He cannot fathom What can be concealed from him who knows all things Jer. 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart though 't is deceitful above all things it cannot deceive me I try the Reins David therefore prays Examine me O Lord and prove me try my Reins and my Heart Psal 26. 2. and Psal 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way ever lasting In the second place I am to shew what of our selves is to be proved 1. We are to examine and prove what is our common and allowed practice A Sanguine man is not denominated Pale as Aristotle observes when he is Pale through fear nor a Pale man Sanguine when he blushes through shame A good man may sometimes fall into that which is evil and a bad man may sometimes hit upon an action that is good The Tree is to be judged by the ordinary Fruit it bears The Apostle speaks of his manner of life that it was godly in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 10 12. But if it be our manner to be workers of iniquity our doom will be at last to be excluded the Kingdom Luk. 13. 26 27. 2. We are to examine what course we are resolved still to take If the wicked man will forsake his way and turn to God mercy is promised and abundant pardon Esa 55. 7. If the prodigal come home to his Fathers House he shall be received with joy his former riot being forgotten and forgiven so that the door of hope is open even to the ungodly man if he will but deny his ungodliness But if the enemies of God will not lay down their Weapons but refuse and rebel still this argues the state to be bad and destruction to be near the Lord may quickly come to a resolution to ease himself of such Adversaries Esa 1. 24. 3. We must examine what company is most acceptable to us If we we love the ungodly who hate the Lord if the wickedness of others whereby God is dishonoured is not the matter of our dislike as long as they thwart not but promote our secular and carnal interest if we like the company of Fools and Sinners are the worst Fools well enough 't is a sign we are Fools our selves Fools indeed who venture to be destroyed and to go to Hell for company Prov. 13. 20. But if the Saints are lookt upon as the most excellent ones and delighted in as the best Society Psal 16. 3. if we love them that are born of God it shews that we our selves are born of him 4. We must examine of what nature our Communication is The Tongue is the index of the heart and shews what is in it As evil Communications corrupt good manners so they are a sign of a corrupt heart from whence they proceed A Tongue that is not bridled but rails lies backbites and is obscene impious and prophane is an argument that Religion is but vain Jam. 1. 26. But when the Tongue not out of any carnal design but delightfully talks of the Word of God when we sit in the house when we walk by the way when we lie down and when we rise up 't is a sign the Word is in the Heart and that the Heart is renewed and changed by the Word Deut. 4. 6 7. 5. We must examine what thoughts as welcome guests are suffered to lodge within us 'T is said of wicked men that God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. but wicked and vain thoughts are delightful and abide in them Proud revengeful covetous filthy and all sinful thoughts are vain thoughts because they are to no good end or purpose nay to very bad purpose Now if such thoughts as these lodge in the heart the heart is not washed from its wickedness and they will hinder salvation Jer. 4. 14. But if holy thoughts are cherished and there is a complacency in them more of them are desired and sinful thoughts are a burthen which the heart is weary of and does conflict with and wishes their expulsion This does speak a gracious frame of spirit 6. We must examine what power we have of Spiritual discerning The Gospel is hid from the natural man which proves him in a lost state 2 Cor. 4. 3. The things of the spirit of God are foolishness to him and he counts it the greatest wisdom to secure things visible That Rich man Luk. 12. thought he had been mighty provident and prudent in laying up goods for many years But if we are Saints indeed we have a faculty of Spiritual discerning and judge quite otherwise and our judgment is this and that judgment is true namely That all are fools and poor and miserable that are not rich in Grace rich towards God and that have made no provision for Eternity God called the forementioned Rich man a Fool upon this score And as the Lord calls the worldly-minded Fools
they be accomplished 2. Our Faith will be joyned with Godly sorrow and repentance Act. 20. 21. Testifying both to Jews and Greeks Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ The Hypocrites Faith is usually without Repentance he is stranger to godly sorrow and yet he is full of confidence or his repentance is without Faith he lies down like Cain or Judas under the burthen of his guilt and utterly despairs of mercy I grant that weak believers have strong temptations to despair But the God of hope bears up their hearts by an unseen hand so that they neither desperately destroy themselves nor come to this resolution since there is no hope but they must be damn'd they will be damn'd for something and so run out to all excess of riot If our Faith be true Sin will be our grief and detestation and there will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a change in our minds and rendring our hearts unto God 3. If we are in the Faith Christ is no longer a stone of stumbling but exceeding precious in our esteem 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. He is lookt upon as the power of God and the wisdom of God The wisdom of God in contriving such a way of salvation is admired and the power of Christ to save to the uttermost is believed The Apostle counted all things but loss dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord Phil. 3. 8. 'T is impossible a man should be a true Believer and not have an high value for the Lord Jesus His Person is precious He is the Fathers equal his Darling and the Brightness of his Glory He is the Angels wonder and they all are commanded to worship him Heb. 1. 3. 6. He is the Churches Head and supplies the whole Body with his fulness Eph. 1. ult And gave him to be Head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all And as the Person of Christ so the Blood of Christ is said to be precious 1 Pet. 1. 19. Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot His benefits are precious True Faith counts Him altogether lovely and hinders any offence from being taken at him Matth. 11. 6. 4. Our Faith will purifie our hearts Act. 15. 9. And put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith Faith is persuaded of the holiness of God and that he searches the heart and trieth and weigheth the spirits of the children of men 't is also persuaded that only the pare in heart shall see God or are fit to see him Mat. 5. 8. No wonder therefore if the consequent of Faith be a following after holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Faith moreover takes notice of the End of Christs dying which was that he might sanctifie and cleanse his Church and present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 26 27. and hence we have a plae for holiness which is very effectual to obtain it Finally Faith applies the promises of sanctification the promises of a new heart and of a new spirit Ezek. 36. 25 26. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And by such promises as these Believers who account them exceeding great and precious are made partakers of the Divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the World through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. 5. If we are in the Faith our faith will work and work by love Ephes 5. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love The Apostle tells us that faith without works is dead as the body is dead without the spirit Jam. 2. ult Faith derives strength from Christ whereby we yield obedience to the will of God as well as relies upon his justifying righteousness But all works will not prove the truth of faith but such works as proceed from love We must pray because we love God we must hear because we love him we must live to him because we love him There is a threefold love to God of Desire of Benevolence and Complacency now though all that have true faith may not arrive so high as to delight in God yet all true believers do desire after God above all and they bear such good will to him as to wish him glorified more by themselves and others and this shews the sincerity of their love 6. Our Faith will be weary of its contrary and we shall cry with earnestness that the Lord would help our unbelief The man in the Gospel was very much troubled at his infidelity and therefore cried out with tears to Christ Lord I believe i. e. I believe in part and desire to believe more strongly help thou my unbelief Mat. 9. 24. Unbelieving injections against God against Christ against the Spirit of grace against the Word of truth are felt as so many buffets and blows upon an heart that truly believes The believer desires to have his Assent to the Word of God more strong that it may have the stronger influence and that his affections and actions may be such as may suit his believing every syllable of the Bible to be true He desires his reliance upon God upon Christ and upon the promises may be more firm and steady And oh what a value does he put a well-grounded assurance of the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. ult 7. If we are in the Faith our faith will give us victory over this present world 1 Joh. 5. 4. 5. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even your faith The believer is so wise as nihil admirari to admire nothing in this world Our Lord Jesus himself had but little of this world and cared not for it when Satan offered him all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them he despised the offer The Apostles were poor in the world and yet the special favourites of heaven certainly the world is not a matter of extraordinary value Most Saints have had but little of it and those who have had much of it have lived above it Moses by Faith despised the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Aegypt and prefer'd even reproaches for Christ and afflictions with the people of God before them Though David was a King and wore a Crown of pure gold on his head yet his faith made him look upon himself as a
18. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Ephraim had the seal of the Covenant administred to him in infancy which was Circumcision and therefore he calls the Lord his God and has the greater encouragement to cry to him to circumcise and turn his heart unto himself And surely under the New Testament the Covenant is not made more narrow nor our arguments and encouragements fewer to plead for converting grace Let Sinners therefore beg that as they have been baptized with Water in the Lords name so they may be justified by the blood of Christ sanctified by his Spirit and effectually turned unto God Till the Lord does turn you you must needs remain unconverted And when once you are made earnest that you may be sincere Converts you are earnest for that which is most agreeable to the will of God and 't is a sign that the work is already begun There could never be strong desires to be turned if the heart were not in some degree turned to desire it Case 6. The sixth Case is this How far may Sinners go and yet fall short of Grace and Heaven This is of great concernment to be fully resolved that we may not be mistaken in our selves therefore I shall be the larger upon it Many with Agrippa are almost persuaded to be Christians that are not Christians altogegether Many with him in the Gospel are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven who yet never come thither the case such is sad for they are miserable after they were near to happiness they are like a Merchant that is Shipwrackt and loses all and himself too within sight of shore they sail as it were by Heaven to Hell and their being once so near Heaven will make Hell the more doleful and intolerable Now how far Sinners may go and yet still remain but in a State of Nature I shall shew in these particulars 1. They that have no true grace may own and acknowledge the Christian Faith to be true 'T is affirmed of Simon Magus that he believed Act. 8. 13. The miracles that were wrought by Philip for the confirmation of the Gospel gained his assent that it was the Gospel of God and of undoubted truth In like manner Nicodemus while a Stranger to Regeneration was convinced and did confess that Christ was a Teacher sent from God Joh. 3. 1 2. Now as I go along I shall shew wherein such as have no grace do fail that the unsound may be convinced of their hypocrisie and the truely gracious may be the better able to discern their sincerity Though the forementioned persons believe the truth of the Gospel they do not apply it to themselves nor heartily embrace the goodness of the Gospel but prefer their lusts their pleasures and their profits before Gods Kingdom their assent is weak and does not influence their Consciences affections and conversations and so proves ineffectual to Salvation Jam. 2. 14. What doth it profit if a man say he hath Faith and have not Works Can Faith save him And v. 26. As the Body without the Spitit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also 2. They that have no grace may solemnly be admitted into the visible Church Simon the Sorcerer was baptized and yet Peter tells him afterwards that he was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8. 13 23. Multitudes of the Jews of old were circumcised in their flesh whose hearts were never circumcised Jer. 9. 25 26. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will punish all them that are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Judah and Edom and the Children of Ammon and Moab for all these Nations are uncircumcised and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in their hearts How many by Baptism are admitted into the Church of Christ and rest herein not caring to partake of the Blood of Christ and least of all to partake of the Spirit of Grace and Holiness which are signified by the Water in that institution What did it profit the Jews that they were circumcised in their flesh if after they did not answer their infant Cirumcision by a circumcised ear and heart and an holy and obedient Conversation And in like manner what will the being baptized with Water avail if the filthiness of Sin be not purged but loved and there be not an answer afterwards of a good Conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3. 21. 3. They that have no true grace may be forward in profession and by talking at an high rate attain unto some reputation for Godliness thus Sardis had a name and fame that she liv'd and yet was dead Rev. 3. 1. But these forward Professors when unsound drive on some carnal design as the ravenous Birds when they soar never so much aloâ—at have their eyes downward and are looking after something that they may prey upon Under all their profession their hearts they neglect and suffer them to be full of pride and passion and love of the World they have no desire after inward purity and besides they wilfully and wofully fail many times in their dealings with men and in regard of those duties which in their capacities and relations are incumbent upon them 4. They that have no true grace may engage in all the publick Ordinances that Christ has instituted they may pray and hear and be admitted unto Communion and Church-fellowship and yet not be the real Members of Christ and be shut out of the Kingdom Those persons had eat and drank in our Lords presence and had heard him teaching many a time unto whom he speaks after this terrible manner There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of Heaven and you your selves thrust out Luk. 13. 26 28. These hypocritical engagers in Ordinances seek not the Lord himself in his Ordinances His favour and the communications of his sanctifying Spirit they prize not they desire not and though Ordinances leave them as proud and wanton and unbelieving and earthly-minded as they found them they are unconcerned for to have better hearts than they had is not any piece of their design 5. They that have no true grace may attain to a great measure of notional knowledge That Servant who was beaten with many stripes did know the will of his Master Luk. 12. 47. We all have knowledge says the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 1. unsound as well as sincere An Hypocrite may have great light in his understanding but that light makes him high-minded his knowledge is without affection to Spiritual things his head is very clear but his heart is very cold He is acquainted with the truth but he holds it in unrighteousness Is it not a sad sight to see Children that have the Rickets with great Heads but Arms weak and unable to do any thing and Legs small and feeble and unable to go Here is
end there is glory and immortality 6. Where there is Saving illumination there will be a following on to know the Lord and a desire to be enlightned further and an application unto God himself to be the Teacher Ministers and means are to be made use of but we must look beyond both to Heaven to the Father of Lights and Mercies David often prays to have his eyes more fully opened and to be taught to better purpose Psal 119. Moses cryes out Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts to Wisdom Psal 90. 12. Who knows not that mans days are few And yet this ordinary lesson God must teach else none will learn it right so as to be indeed the wiser and all have need to learn this lesson more perfectly The truely enlightned long to be enlightned more because wisdom is so principal a thing Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy Words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple and then presently it follows vers 131. I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy Commandments Cas 2. The second Case is this When may Humiliation be said to be true As humiliation in Christ went before his exaltation so must his followers first be humbled in the sight of the Lord and he has promised to lift them up Now thus true humiliation may be known 1. Humiliation implies a conviction of Sin The humbled Soul sees his Sin and feels it sees the heinousness feels the weight of it Those humbled ones Esa 59. 12. speak thus Our transgressions are multiplied before and our iniquities testifie against us for our trangressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them They know their iniquities too well to make light of them they do indeed know and see that 't is an evil thing and a bitter that they have sinn'd against the Lord and were once void of his fear Jer. 2. 19. Being afflicted mourning weeping turning our laughter to mourning our joy to heaviness ' the Apostle makes to be humbling of our selves Jam. 4. 9 10. 2. True Humiliation implies Shame and Self-abhorrency Unhumbled Israel are charged with the want of this Jer. 8. 12. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall in the time that I visit they shall be cast down saith the Lord. But humbled ones are made to remember their evil ways and their doings that have not been good so as to loath themselves for their iniquities Ezek. 36. 31. They see ground for shame and blushing considering the great guilt that lies upon them the odious and filthy spots and stains that Sin has left upon their Souls together with the monstrous ingratitude where with they are chargeable All their transgressions have struck at that God who gave them their Being keeps them alive and out of Hell and they have not one mercy or comfort but is of his giving And this God is al-seeing knows the secretest abominations is acquainted even with all their heart-impurity no wonder therefore that they are ashamed and lie down and are covered with confusion Jer. 3. 25. 3. True humiliation implies a taking shame to our selves by confession of Sin and as we take shame to our selves so hereby we give glory unto God David did thus Ps 51. 3. I acknowledge my iniquity and my sin is ever before me An humbled Sinner Est fidelis Dei Orator contra seipsum brings in black Bills of Indictment against himself and in his Confession lays open all especially the worst of all conceals nothing that is evil out of any regard thereto or unwillingness to forsake it And as covering of Sin shall not prosper so they that thus confess and forsake Sin shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. Confession is by One called Vomitus Spiritualis a Spiritual Vomiting they that are indeed humbled make conscience of abstaining from the iniquities they have acknowledged they dare not return with the Dog to his own vomit again and with the Swine that is washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2. ult 4. True humiliation implies Self-diffidence Humbled ones 't is very apparent to them that they have no reason at all to place any confidence in themselves they see that their own wisdom is folly and that true wisdom is from above they see that their own righteousness is as filthy rags Esa 64. 6. Therefore they rely not upon their own righteousness but upon the greatness of Divine mercy Dan. 9. 18. They are sensible also that their own strength is weakness and here upon that promise belongs to them Esa 40. 29. He giveth power to the saint and to them that have no might he increafeth strength And as the truly humbled Soul dares not trust in it self so neither does it rely upon the creature for help and though it makes use of the means of grace yet it looks beyond them trusts not rests not in them but is sensible that Ordinances themselves without the Merit and Spirit of Christ are nothing The Spirit of Christ must make them profitable and the Merit of Christ must make the engaging in them acceptable 5. True Humiliation implies a submission unto God This is required Jam. 4. 6 7. He resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Submit your selves therefore unto God God is taken by humbled Sinners for a Lord his Will is taken for a Law Other Lords have had the dominion over them but now they are willing to make mention of Gods name and own his Authority Esa 26. 13. They are unwilling that any Sin should have the dominion Psal 119. 133. Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have the dominion over me The Throne of Sin is in the Heart and the strength of Sin lies in the love of it They desire that their very hearts may be cleansed and that God may dwell and rule there and their love to Sin is turned into hatred And as they submit to the Will and Law of God so they are patient and humble under his mighty hand They do not condemn the Lord for afflicting but themselves for deserving to be afflicted How submissive is the Church though Gods anger and hand pressed her sore Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him 6. True Humiliation implies a sense of unworthiness of the least especially of any saving grace and mercy The humbled prodigal when he came home to his Fathers house what low thoughts he had you may perceive by the words he is resolved to speak Luk. 15. 18 19. Father I have sinn'd against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants As if he had said Father I have not behaved my self like a Son neither do I expect to be dealt with as a Son 't will be
great favour to be received as a Servaat who deserve to be punished and excluded as an Enemy Humbled Sinners do very much consider their ill deserts and how are they filled with admiration at the free grace of God in his Son Jesus which is the ground of their hope and encouragement By the grace of God they are what they are they have what they have they hope what they hope for Case 3. The third Case follows How may we be sure that our desires after God and grace are sincere 'T is a Maxim in practical Divinity That the desires after Grace are Grace but they must be true desires Now these may thus be known 1. Sincere desires spring from knowledge and serious consideration The Lord is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unknown God to them that indeed desire after him he has caused his goodness which is his glory to pass before them and the desirableness of that goodness has been perceived Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me and then it follows they shall return to me with their whole heart The eyes must be anointed with eye-salve the judgment must be inlightned and informed concerning the Lords perfections and fulness and riches of grace and mercy and willingness to communicate of these riches then desires after him will be real and well-grounded 2. Sincere desires are prevailing my meaning is that God and Grace are desired more than any thing the World than all the World besides An Author tells us that Tepidit as est parvus amor boni Lukewarmness implies some little love to that which is good but there is a greater love to that which is evil and vain And what does the little love then signifie If God be not desired above all he is not truely at all desired That was a sincere desire Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee That is All things comparatively to thee are undesirable in my esteem In the Roman State 't was said Nec ferre potest Caesarve priorem Pompeiusve parem Caesar could not endure a superior and Pompey could not brook an equal God will have neither superior nor equal in our hearts they that love him truely give him the highest room of all 3. Sincere desires bear up against opposition Though the Flesh does lust and Mammon and Satan joyn with it yet the Spirit does lust against it Gal. 5. 17. There is a longing to be deliver'd from the body of Sin to be rid of that evil which is present when good is about to be done Rom. 7. Where there are desires after Grace indeed the remainders of Sin are irkfom and we shall sigh and wish that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus may make us free from the law of Sin and Death 4. Sincere desires are great enemies to delays Davids Soul made haste to God and to do his duty Psal 119. 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments and he desires that God would make haste to him Psal 101. 2. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way Oh when wilt thou come to me So Psal 70. 1. Make haste O God to deliver make haste to help me O Lord. And when God did withdraw from him he cryes out How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Ps 13. 1. Every day does seem a year and every year does seem an age to longing Souls when the Lord with-holds his quickening and comforting presence from them 5. Sincere desires are extended to every thing which God propounds in his Word as desirable Not some onely but all the benefits of Christ are longed after all his Offices are prized Sincere ones see a necessity of Christ a Priest upon the Cross they love to hear him as a Prophet in the Pulpit and are very desirous to submit to him as a Prince upon the Throne Nay they yield their hearts to be his Throne The Laws of God are dear to them they desire to keep them all to be filled with all the fulness of God to stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Nay they aspire so high as to beg that they may do his will on Earth as 't is done in Heaven Mat. 6. 10. 6. Sincere desires are industrious Solomon speaks of a desire of the slothful which kills him because his hands refuse to labour Prov. 21. 25. He perishes for want of the good desired because he will not take pains to obtain it True desires are accompanied with a fear of missing what is desired not so as to make unbelieving conclusions but to quicken unto diligence Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after Then we desire really when we seek diligently And where is diligence and pains better employed than when seeking the Lord who has told us as certainly as he is so certainly he will be a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. 7. Sincere desires are never quite satisfied here in this World What is said concerning earthly riches Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit may be applied to the true riches Crescit amor quantum divitiae love to them and covetousness after more increases as they increase He that has most grace is most desirous to have more 'T is true indeed our Lord tells us Joh. 6. 35. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst But if this be referr'd to Spiritual things the meaning is he shall not so hunger and thirst as to despair and be tormented with despair of satisfaction or else the passage may be referr'd to the things of this World that impia fames that sinful and eager hunger and thirst after them shall cease Sincere Souls never can in this World and they think they never can prize their Lord Jesus love and fear and serve their God sufficiently and therefore desire still to do all this more and better they forget the things behind and are still reaching forward and if you ask when they will be satisfied David shall answer Psal 17. ult and what he speaks of himself is applicable to others As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness and be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Case 4. A fourth Case may be this How may we be able to discern whether in Religion we are acted meerly by slavish fear yea or no Though carnal security is that which ruines the most of men yet a slavish fear yea or no Though carnal security is that which ruines the most of men yet a slavish fear is to be found also in the ungodly Such a fear there was in those we read of Psal 78. 34. When the hand of the Lord was stretched out and slew many of them the rest feared and sought him and yet
for in his House Ordinances are administred that they may behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in his Temple Ps 27. 4. Case 7. The seventh Case follows What are the lower degrees of true Grace Grace in Scripture being compared to a grain of Mustard seed which is indeed the least of all seeds that are sown in the field Mat. 13. 31 32. Hereby there is an intimation given us that Grace is but little in the first beginnings of it and because small 't is not so easie to be discerned Yet the least measure of true Grace being of far greater value and more precious than Gold that perishes 't is worth our while to bring it to the Touchstone that it may be proved and known Before I resolve the Case wherein I must be very wary lest the unsound presume and lest the sincere be discouraged I shall premise these particulars 1. True Grace has different degrees and the higher and lower degrees are vastly different from each other Such a difference as there is between a grain of Mustard-seed and the Plant grown up so that the Birds of the air may lodge in the branches of it Such a difference as there is between a new born infant and a man grown truely such a difference there is between weak and strong Grace and yet as the infant has all the parts which the man hath and is of the same kind with him so weak grace and strong grace are of the same kind and the weak is true and saving as well as the strong That there is a difference in the degrees of Grace is evident Some are babes and some are strong men Heb. 5. 13 14. Some are styled little children some young men and some are called Fathers 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. 2. True Grace is consistent with little knowledge in the things of God There may be a great measure of notional knowledge where there is no true Grace at all and there may be true Grace where there is a great weakness as to understanding The Disciples when first they were chosen out of the World and regenerated by the Spirit understood but little of the Gospel Peter himself would have disswaded Christ from dying not knowing that his blood was to be the price of the Churches Redemption Mat. 16. 21 22. The very Apostles themselves wondred what the Resurrection of Christ from the dead should mean Surely they had not then much light and yet they had true Grace And though these and such like great Articles of the Christian Faith are more fully revealed so that 't is necessary to salvation to know them yet in some heads the knowledge is but little where yet the heart is truly turned unto God and prizes Christ above all 3. Where there is true Grace there may be many doubts and fears Our Lord says unto Peter O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Mat. 14. 31. And unto all his Disciples he speaks thus Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith Mat. 8. 26. Faith they had and yet 't was little and this faith is own'd though accompanied with doubts and fears Doubting believers for ought I know are the far major part of them Sincere Souls are prone to be jealous of themselves and they apprehend how much it stands them upon to make sure work for Eternity Hereupon Satan and the remainders of unbelief take the advantage and they are still questioning their state and are full of fears that nothing is wrought in them but what is common unto Hypocrites 4. Where there is true Grace there may be much corruption I grant that Grace reigns wherever it is in truth and yet much Sin may remain though it be an underling thus the Oyl is at the top of the Vessel though the Water which is under it be a far greater quantity Grace is compared unto smoaking Flax now in the smoaking Flax there 's much of stench and cloudiness and but little heat and yet this heat is taken notice of and cherisht and the promise is Mat. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not break and smoaking Flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory 5. Those that have true Grace may fall into Sins that are foul and scandalous and by such falls they break their bones disturb their peace and wound their Consciences and weaken themselves exceedingly so that they are the apter to stumble and fall again upon the next temptation When notorious Sins are thus committed by Believers Grace is at a very low ebb and yet the living Water which springs up to everlasting life so Grace is called is not quite dried up It is strange yet not so strange as true that righteous Lot who vexed his soul from day to day because of the Sodomites unlawful deeds should give way to drunkenness first though 't is not so strange that he should commit incest afterwards for he that is drunken knows not what he does Though he was delivered out of Sodom yet he carried but too much of Sodom within him in his heart David a man after Gods own heart yet in his heart there did kindle an impure and hellish flame of lust whereby Bathsheba was scorched and hurt as well as himself and which was the occasion of the death of poor Vrijah Now though David's joy was quite gone yet the Sanctifying Spirit was not clean departed though his operation was for a while suspended therefore he prays for the restoring of joy but that the holy Spirit might not be taken away Psal 51. 11 12. 6. Those that have true Grace may send forth such sad complaints as speak a nearness to despair Job cryes out The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in aray against me Job 6. 4. The Church complains Lam. 3. God hath set me in dark place as those that have been dead of old he hath hedged me about that I cannot get out and made my chain heavy he hath filled me with bitterness and made me drunken with Wormwood also when I cry and shout he shutteth out my prayer This was worst of all to be in a deplorable case and not to be regarded when crying for relief and pitty Eminent Saints have sometimes concluded themselves forsaken and forgotten no wonder if they that have weak Grace confidently affirm they have none at all and as peremptorily conclude they never shall have any These things being premised I am to tell you which are the lower degrees of true grace 1. A sense and weariness of hardness of heart argues some measure of true Grace it shews some life and softness when deadness and hardness is felt as a burthen Though hardness of heart was incomparably the worst of all the plagues of Egypt yet this Pharaoh and the Egyptians were never sensible of nor desirous to be delivered from it though other plagues they cry to have removed That 's true
Christ though the World seemed to be turned Arrian when persecutions cannot affright us from our Duty nor others Apostasies make us dislike Religion but we are the more stedfast and walk more closely with the Lord this shews that grace is much increased 9. Then we grow in Grace when our fruit is really better than formerly for quality and more for quantity If we bring forth more fruit than in times past it argues us more fruit than in times past it argues us more purged Joh. 15. 2. Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit When we are filled with the fruits of righteousness as this is to the praise and glory of God so it declares that he has made all grace to abound towards us that we might abound unto every good work 2 Cor. 9. 8. Case 13. The last Case is this How may we understand when our joy is true and well grounded There is a joy of the Hypocrite the Hearers compared unto the stony ground received the Word with joy the Jews rejoyced in John that burning and shining light for a season so that there is a great deal of false joy which whoever entertain they will lie down in sorrow Esa 50. 11. How then shall true joy be known To this I answer 1. True joy follows after true sorrow they who reap in joy do first sow in tears Ps 126. 5. Our Lord tells us that the mourners are blessed for they shall be comforted Mat. 5. 4. Rest is given to the weary and the heavy laden That joy is sinful and utterly unseasonable where Sin is made light of and never was lookt upon as a burthen But if we are humble and broken and weary of all Sin and of all that is in Sin desiring to be delivered from the force and filth as well as from the guilt of it and then are revived we may conclude our peace is from the God of peace and comfort for though he be the high and the lofty one who inhabits Eternity yet he dwells with him that is of an humble and contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Eze. 57. 15. 2. True joy has ever the Lord Jesus for the foundation of it Phil. 3. 3. We rejoyce in Christ Jesus says the Apostle And Rom. 5. 11. If we joy in God 't is through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement The Comforter does ever glorifie Christ so as to make us understand that all grace mercy and peace is given to us through a Mediatour His sorrows have purchased pardon and salvation and the joy of that Salvation The Churches joy is built upon the same Rock on which the Church her self is built and that Rock is Christ therefore her consolation is the stronger 3. True joy is never without true holiness The Spirits sanctification always goes before and ever accompanies his consolations Peace and righteousness do kiss each other where peace is of the right kind Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost A true Saint if he makes bold with Sin his joy will be lessen'd perhaps lost his peace which has been spoken to him will be broken if he return to folly 4. True joy is Spiritually rational not an Enthusiastical business my meaning is there can be good Scripture-reason produced for it The Spirit of God works sanctifying grace in the heart increases that grace and acts that grace so that there is a powerful exercise of it and then he does bear witness to the truth of it The Spirit discovers unto the Soul that he has made it willing to receive Christ and to hunger after holiness and willing to be the Lords and to serve him in sincerity and to escape the corruption that is in the World through lust and now his testimony of adoption is rational and may be received as indeed the witness of the Spirit Whereas when joys are but the fruits of stubborn and irrational impulses and the comforts of the Gospel are applied without any Scripture ground comfortable Scriptures are not brought by the True and Good but by the Bad and lying Spirit 5. True joy is not a seal unto error and delusion Some have fallen away from the truths of Christ and got above his Ordinances and cast his Word behind their backs and despised his Blood and yet have bragg'd of Joy Oh the subtlety of the Evil One As he makes use of false Teachers false Opinions and false Hopes so of false joys to ruine Souls 6. True joy is strength to them that have it Nehem. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength Spiritual joy affords great ability to do the work of God to bear Afflictions and Tribulations and to resist and overcome the Tempter and the World and the lusts thereof The joyful Christian is a man of might he wrestles with the principalities and powers of darkness and is too hard for them he is discouraged at no difficulty in Religion he mounts up with wings as an Eagle he runs and is not weary he walks without fainting Esa 40. ult he is faithful unto death and at last is rewarded with a Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. Thus have I resolved all the Cases I propounded I come now to the Application I begin with some inferences that may be drawn from this Doctrine If this be true that it highly concerns all to Examine and Prove themselves then 1. Hence I infer the misery of Man by nature who is in darkness so that till he is enlightned from above he is not capable of understanding himself his condition or his interest Man by nature is under the power of darkness of this power you read Col. 1. 13. and how deliverance from it is to be valued Darkness has a great power to keep men under Sin to make them careless stupid and utterly unconcerned what becomes of them to Eternity therefore evil Angels are stayled the Rulers of the Darkness of this World Nay the Natural Man is in the abstract called darkness it self Eph. 5. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. Now how can he that is in darkness look into himself or look into the Lord Oh the misery of dark Souls What unspeakable danger are they in and their not seeing their own peril does but the more increase it We pitty a man that has sustained a breaking loss and does not know it a Begger that being blind is near a precipice and does not perceive it but much more compassionable is the case of the Natural Man who neither knows himself nor the things which concern his peace 2. Hence we may infer the folly of the Natural Man who is so prone to cry peace unto and to deceive himself He loves to go upon sure grounds in other matters and is very serious about trifles but wofully trifles
small success 6. Assurance of the love of God will lift you up above the fear of evil tidings Psal 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Why should those be afraid who dwell in the secret place of the most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91. 1. The Saint has the Almighty on his side who surely is able to protect him He is under the shadow of the Almighty the Lord with his wings does cover him that violence may not be offered to him nay he abides under this Shadow so that he is safe at all times He dwells in the Most High and who then can reach him Nay he dwells in the secret place of the most High which shews how precious he is in Gods account and how far out of harms way Single David supposes an whole Host encamped against him yet says his heart shall not fear Psal 27. 3. and knowledge of his interest in God is the ground of his confidence vers 1. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid 7. Assurance of the love of God will make you very holy and heavenly The Grace of God is but presumed upon and abused when'tis made an encouragement unto licentiousness Hark to the Apostle Rom. 6. 1 2. What shall we say then shall we continue in Sin that grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein Those who know they are under Grace do most abhor the dominion of Sin v. 14. they live most to God and are most forward to be the Servants of Righteousness The Conversation of such will be much in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. The Heir in his minority does often think of the Estate he is to enjoy Those who know they are the Children of God will often think of what they are to partake of hereafter for they are Heirs of God and joint Hiers with Christ they are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead unto an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. No contemplation will be so delightful to us as that of Heaven when once we know that our Lord is gone to prepare a place for us and will come again and receive us to himself that where he is we may be for ever also 8. Assurance of the love of God will make you to abound in praises He has made you new creatures to this very end that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. How does the Apostle Peter break out into thanksgiving upon this account 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again The Apostle Paul speaks to the same purpose Eph. 1. 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ He hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without blame before him in Love He hath predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children He hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the Riches of his Grace How much has the Lord wrought both in and for those he has made Believers He has abounded towards them in Wisdom in Grace in Power in Love Praise is a debt Praise is expected and Praise is comely Though all his Works praise the Lord yet Saints look upon themselves as under a more special and peculiar obligation to magnifie and blesse his Name 9. Assurance of the Love of God will make Afflictions tolerable nay Death it self desirable The bitterest Cup will down more easily when you see t is reached forth to you by the hand of a Father The curse of the Cross is gone and it may be the better born and the Sting of Death is taken out and now Death and the Grave may be triumphed over What was Death to old Simeon when his Eyes had seen Gods Salvation it was but a peaceable departure out of a troublesome World Luk. 1. 29. 30. What was Death to the Apostle Paul who knew that assoon as ever he was absent from the Body he should be present with the Lord It was not dreadful but desirable Phil. 1. 23. I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better These are the Arguments and are they not strong ones to perswade you to labour after Assurance The Directions how to prove your selves so as to attain this Assurance follow 1. Set selves as in the presence of the All-Seeing and Heart searching God Who knows you who will judge you and who alone can make you to know your selves You cannot possibly deceive him for every Creature is manifest in his sight all things are naked and open to his veiw Heb. 4. 13. Your Spirits will be apt both to trifle and to juggle unlesse they are awed with a sence of the Lords Omniscience Let Conscience in the searching of you act as Gods Officer and as Gods Officer in Gods presence and then it will deal the more faithfully 2. Pray that your Spirits may give a true Testimony concerning you And that they may do so you must be well acquainted with Scripture-signs and characters of true Grace and then with great intention reflect upon your selves to see whether you have the marks of Christs sheep upon you whether you have the characters of Gods Children A wrong judgment of your selves how extreamly prejudicial would it be to you Adjure your Spirits therefore in the name of the Lord to tell you the very Truth and cry unto the Lord himself that he would not suffer you to fancy or call your selves his Children if you are really but hypocrites and strangers to him that you may not cry peace and safety when God speaks just the contrary 2. Be willing to find out every thing that 's evil in you in order to your more compleat purging David prays see if there be any evil way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting Psal 139. 24. And Psal 19. 12. He desires to be cleansed from secret sins that nothing wicked might borrow the shape of lawful and good and thereby abide in him The more corruption is found our and mortified the more fruitful you will be John 15. 2. Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit And the more fruitful you are the more evident it will be that you are really the living branches of the true Vine which is Christ Jesus 4. Pray hard That if you have any Grace the Lord would increase it and bring it
Torment but never quite consume and make an end of those that are burning in it We read that sinners must dwell with Everlasting Burnings Our Lord tells you that in Hell the Worm dies not and the Fire is not quenched and he says this thrice nay six times together that man may believe and fear Mar. 9. 43. 48. And into this Hell the wicked shall be turned and all the Nations that forget God Psal 9. 17. This is as certain as 't is certain God is true and Powerful and Just and Holy 5. Look the very worst of you into the Gospel and behold the Lord Jesus stretching forth his hand all the day long even to them that are Disobedient and Gain-saying Rom. 10. 21. Stretching forth the hand is as much as inviting sinners to come to him and offering Salvation to them He has Justified and washed and sanctified and saved as bad as you And if you will at length consent to be sanctified as well as saved and come to him he will do both for the most guilty and defiled among you Oh! Look to Jesus whom you have slighted and cry to be drawn to him Secondly Let meerly Moral men prove themselves These have very great need to search themselves that they may not be undon for ever by self-confidence When I speak of Morality I do not mean an universal respect unto the precepts of the Moral Law for such a kind of respect only those who are truly Regenerate and Religious yeild unto the Lords Commands But by Morality I understand an external Righteousness and freedom from more gross and notorious iniquities such a Moralist was the Pharisee who said God I thank thee I am not as other men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers Luke 18. 11. And such Morality was to be found in the Apostle Paul while he was Graceless before his Conversion Touching the Righteousness of the Law I was blamelesse says he Phil. 3. 6. Now Persons upon Examination may know themselves to be but meerly moral by these following signs 1. Meerly moral men are great strangers to the Corruption of their own Natures Hereupon they think themselves to be whole and do not apprehend any necessity of a new Birth of having a New Heart given to them When Nicodemus the Pharisee came to Christ Christ told him of the Corruption of Nature That which is Born of the Flesh is Flesh and except a man be Born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Joh. 3. 3. 6. The Apostle Paul while a Pharisee was alive in his own Thoughts though really dead in Trespasses and sins Moral men not knowing what they are by Nature continue securely in a state of Nature and suppose they have no need of the Blood and Spirit of Christ whereby alone they might be Justified and Renewed in order to Salvation 2. Meerly moral men though blameless in their Lives yet their Hearts are allowed to be wicked The Pharisees of old were against actual Murther but allowed of Malice Envy and Revenge they were free from gross Adultery but made nothing of Evil Concupiscence Therefore our Lord. Matt. 5. does at large shew the spirituality and extent of the Law of God and how it lays an obligation upon the very Heart unto Purity and Meekness and Love as well as requires external Conformity to the Letter of it in the Life and Conversation What kind of Hearts have these Moral men What Pride and high Thoughts of themselves what hatred is allowed to lodge in them What Ignorance and Contempt of Communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ How exceeding suitable and desirable are the Wealth Preferments and Delights of this World but their Hearts are meer strangers unto the Love of God and delight in him and rejoycing in Christ Jesus And which is worst of all they think this is needless and that their Hearts are so good they need not be changed and made better 3. Meerly Moral men do rest in their own External Righteousness and rest upon it They are confident that good living and giving every man his due is enough though the mean while the World and the God of this World fill their Hearts They act as if that Precept were not in the Bible My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23. 26. As if they had never read of Davids practise Psal 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul And as they rest in their own external Righteousness as if inward Holiness were not required so they rest and rely upon it as if this were enough to justifie them before God and to purchase their acceptance and Salvation But this ruines them and cuts them short of the Righteousness of the Son of God Rom. 10. 3 4. For they being Ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that Beleiveth Thus you meerly moral men may know your selves And oh That you would be advised 1. To Consider that Morality can neither justifie it self nor you It cannot justifie it self because 't is meerly external a piece of Pageantry and Hypocrisie for want of inward purity and how then can it justifie you before that God who is so glorious in Righteousness and Holiness You certainly stand in need of Christ as well as the greatest sinners in the World and must needs to Hell without Him The Apostle Paul was a great Moralist before he was a Christian but when his Eyes were open Christ was valued as the onely Justifier and Saviour of sinful and lost man and says he I desire to be found in Him not having my own Righteousness Phil. 3. 9. 2. Pray that the Commandment may come with Power and shew your sins even those that lye hid in your very Hearts and make you sensible of your damned and lost Estate Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I died Notwithstanding all my confidence of my Goodness and good Estate before I saw my self by Law a condemned and dead man and no hope of life without Jesus a Mediatour 3. Be sensible of the necessity of the New-Birth and cry for the Spirit Those that are born again are born of the Spirit of God Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit This Spirit God is willing to give to all that ask him seeing indeed their need of him Begg hard for the Spirit that by him you may be enlightned convinced of sin and set at Liberty from it that you may be drawn to Christ and changed into the glorious image of God which does consist not in Righteousness meerly external but in Righteousness and true Holiness Thirdly Let unsound Professors prove themselves Why should such entertain a confidence which the Lord will reject Why should they joyn with a subtle Serpent to deceive themselves Oh! that they