guide you into all truth and observe why for he shall not speak of himself but whatever he shall hear that shall he speak He shall have a Commission from Heaven as it were to lead them into all truth Now in this guiding the soul into all truth there are two offices that the Spirit of God is designed to First the making known of truth to the soul Secondly the application of truth made known First The making known of truth to the soul It is the office of the Spirit to cast in the precious principles of Spiritual knowledge whereby the soul should be any ways apprehensive of any truth This making known of truth to the soul consists in three things 1. In the communicating of Spiritual light to the soul or in giving the soul a Spiritual eye of discerning We are all like poor Bartimeus born Blind The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit for they are Foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Now it is the office of the Spirit alone to make a precious Eye Salve that may restore spiritual sight to the soul and make it capable of discerning truth Therefore it is said in 1 John 5.20 In Conversion we are said to receive a mind to know him that is a disposition to know him an understanding capable of knowing him 2. The Spirit presents truth to that Spiritual eye tâ—â—t that he hath communicated Therefore in Eph. 1.17 The Apostle prays for a spirit of wisdom and revelation Not only a spirit of wisdom that is an internal spiritual habit of spiritual light to discern truth But a spirit of revelation also that is of manifesting the truth unto the Soul 3. In making known spiritual truths the spirit of God removes all impediments that do prevent the discerning of truths presented Though the spirit gives eyes and presents truths there may be such impediments between the Souls eyes and the truth that may prevent the Souls discerning There may be some films or some corrupt humours some film of lust or selfishness that may hinder the sight of the truth Secondly The Spirit makes application of the truth known The first truth that God discovers to a Soul which is his own sin his guilt and danger of condemnation must as well be applied to the Soul by the Spirit as revealed to the Soul by the Spirit Therefore John 16.8 The office of the Spirit is to reprove or convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment to make it clear to the conscience of every particular man that there is a judgment for him that he is one of those sinful wretches that believe not That the Spirit also must make this application will appear in two things 1. In that there should be an equal and proportionable sense of the effects of Sin and Wrath according to the measure and degree of every sinners understanding sin and wrath If it were not the Spirit alone that did make application of the truth made known it could not be then but so far as every Soul did understand what Sin and Wrath was the effect both of the knowledge of Sin and of Wrath would remain in such a heart But alas experience enough teacheth us that many sinners that have large knowledge of the nature of sin and of the consequences and effects of sin which is Wrath and condemnation yet have not the knowledge of this effect in the least manner The effects are two Condemnation in the Souls Judgment Horrour and anguish in the sense of condemnation He that understands sin rightly in the least degree understand it to be damnable therefore the effects of it must needs be condemnation in his own Soul But nothing is more common than for men to confess every sin to be damnable and to confess themselves to be sinners but far off from drawing a sentence of condemnation They will be sure enough of the conclusion though they conclude sin to be damnable yet they will not conclude themselves to be in a damnable condition So if you look upon the second effect that follows the knowledge of Sin and that 's Horrour and Sense of the dreadfulness of that Condemnation Though it may be sometimes a soul goes so far as almost to conclude it self to be in a Damned condition yet far is it from letting it take effect upon his heart so as to lie heavy upon his heart as an intolerable burthen Therefore it is plain not only the revealing of the truth but the application of truth revealed depends upon the Spirit of God The Spirit must say here is thy Sin and yonder is the Pit of Misery before a man can apply those truths to his own soul 2. It must be the Spirit of God that makes the applicationâ— in regard the Terrours and Horrours for Sin are appropriated by the Scripture to the Spirit and to his work alone Whence you shall see Rom. 8.16 Fear is said to be the work of the Spirit of Bondage You have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear that is the Spirit of Bondage again working Fear and Anguish and Vexation of soul in respect of the guilt of Sin 2. The Spirit alone must be the principal efficient cause in evidencing to the soul from the promise his union with Christ in regard of the Spirits particular and peculiar office that it is appointed unto by Jesus Christ The Spirit hath its office and that is to Comfort and Refresh the souls of the peculiar ones of Christ Hence the name of the Spirit is the Comforter John 16.17 Now this being the peculiar office of the Spirit of Christ to comfort those that are the the Members of Jesus Christ it must needs be that that must needs be the principal Instrumental efficient cause in revealing to the soul his union with Christ in the promise And that will appear in two things 1. In regard the Word of promise alone is the ground of all Consolation unto the souls Faith Now the Spirit should give souls but small comfort could he not give them Comfort unto Faith did not the Lord reveal the everlasting Inheritance to be theirs everlasting Union and Communion with Christ to be theirs and then let them see Holiness in them to be a drop of the Inheritance that the soul shall feed it self with to Eternity the Comfort were but small 2. In regard it must be by appropriating the thing promised that the promise is able to afford any Consolation There must be two things for the soul to receive comfort from the promise Propriety and Security The Soul must see propriety or else no love at least no satisfaction to the heart and while there is not the satiating of the soul there is no comfort Comfort is the content the soul hath in beholding his desired satisfaction Now whatever the soul sees it satisfieth not till it hath a propriety in it And till there be a security
soul when the grace of God that is the favour of God to the soul remains obscure and doubtful The truth of graces appears most clearly from their Original from whence they spring from the root upon which they grow in regard other Fruits may have so near a resemblance to them as they cannot be discerned by the eye of the soul that hath so much darkness in it whilst it remains here below But when the original of grace appears when the soul sees his love flowing meerly from the love of God to his soul that even because of Gods love to the soul therefore the soul loves God again it is then that love appears in the soul to be of the right stamp and indeed never till then So that till the love or poverty of spirit or mourning for Sin appear to the soul it self to be that which is the proper effect the proper consequence of the souls union with Christ the soul cannot be satisfied that his graces are of the right stamp Now in regard the effects of grace are doubtful when the grace of God himself to the soul is obscure and hidden Thence it is that the assurance of Faith must go before in order of nature the assurance of knowledge though for the most part not in order of time Now these things considered when you ask how the soul may know his Union with Jesus Christ The question must be concerning this assurance of Faith and not of the assurance of knowledge for you presuppose your selves not to have any union Therefore observe what question you ask you ask how you may gain an assurance of Faith that your particular souls are united unto Jesus Christ Now this question will divide it self into two questions First how souls do attain the first certain infallible evidence of their union with Christ Secondly How souls that do conceive and judge and estimate themselves to have attained their union with Christ may know whether their union be true whether their evidences be right evidences or whether they be delusions The first question must resolve every poor doubting scrupulous soul about his Union But now observe such souls cannot expect satisfaction from me about the union of their souls nor from any thing that man or the Wisdom of man can reveal unto their souls And that will appear in these four respects 1. In regard the producing Faith in the soul is an act of Almighty Power As you may see Ephe. 1.19 When he prays that they might understand the hope of their calling he prays also that they might understand and know the exceeding greatness of his Power to those that believe according to the working of his Mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead It is called a work of the Lords Power and a Mighty Power that is a Power of God as God as an incomprehensible essence For it was no other Power than the Power of God as God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and the Holy Ghost parallels that Power that draws the soul to believe with the Power of the Godhead 2. The producing the consequence of Faith of assurance in the soul is also another mighty work of the Power of God The consequence is the peace and Harmony in the souls bosom the setling of the poor tossed soul in his own wished for Heaven Now the begetting such Peace in the soul is ascribed to the Power of God Isa 57.18 19. He creates Peace Creation is a work that is proper to God alone as he is God as he is the infinite Divine essence Creation is to make something of nothing and therefore beyond the Power of all Creatures whatever 3. It must be a supernatural Divine light that can reveal to the soul the ground of the assurance of Faith Therefore you shall see Ephe. 1.17 18. how the Apostle desiring that those Ephesians might be brought to understand the depth of the Covenant of grace in their souls he prays to God that he would send into their Hearts the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that they might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints What is the hope of his calling That is what are the things hoped for and propounded as the objects of hope in the Lords calling souls You see there is a necessity both of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Not only of a Spirit of Wisdom that is of an habit of Spiritual Life and understanding infused into the soul but of a Spirit of Revelation that there might be a light of Revelation from the spirit to discover those deep hidden things unto the spirit of understanding that the Lord hath infused into the soul Now all the Revelations of man unto your souls scrupulous about your union can reveal no more than an external and outward light to the outward eye of your understanding And thence it is your scrupulous souls can receive no satisfaction about your union from any thing that can be revealed by man unto your souls But I pray mistake not I do not say the soul may not receive any satisfaction through that as a means but rather I affirm that through those Revelations of truths unto the eye of the natural understanding the Lord doth communicate true light into the spiritual understanding The Lord strikes in with the revelation of truths and puts light upon truths and puts light into the soul to receive those truths 4. In regard the Lord hath appointed a peculiar Officer for that end and hath designed that work of satisfying souls about their union for that Officer as peculiar to him alone Thence you shall see the Lord hath given the Officer a name sutable for that end which is the Comforter John 14.26 and commonly he is called as well by that name alone as the Spirit of God Now the office of the spirit is to lead into all truth John 16.13 and it must be truth that is some revelation of the mind of God that must give such souls satisfaction about their union Now in regard of all this it is evident that souls scrupulous about their union cannot expect satisfaction from any thing revealed by any man to their Souls but only so far as the resolution of this question will give them satisfaction and that 's in two things First in revealing to their Souls the insufficiency of their commonly supposed grounds from whence they seek for evidence of their union Secondly in raising their eyes of expectation to the right original of evidences of union We shall now proceed to the answer of this great question How souls attain the evidence of their union with Christ And yet before this question can be answered it will divide it self into theee Branches First from whence or from what ground souls do attain the infallible evidences of their union with Christ Secondly by what means do souls attain the evidences of their union
in that propriety he is not satisfied fears and doubts arise of losing it again Could the soul see union with Christ unless the voice say thus I am thine and will never separate from thee it would give no true comfort The soul would be more afraid of the loss of that happiness then rejoyce in the present good injoyed 3. It will appear in regard there is nothing sufficient to evidence to the soul his union from the promise satisfyingly but the Spirit There must be an equal authority in the revelation to the soul of his union with Christ to that that was in the revelation to the soul of his Sin Guilt and Subjection to everlasting Damnation before the soul can receive any satisfaction or any true freedom from those dreadful Horrours that possess a soul upon the true revelation of his dreadful estate of Sin Wo and Misery Now its apparent that it is the Spirit of God alone that reveals with Power the Condemnation of the soul through his own Sin And therefore unless the Spirit of God should come again with another voice which hath as great a power to pronounce the absolution of the soul from Condemnation through Christ the soul could never receive any satisfaction nor be free from receiving the sentence of Condemnation in himself IIII. The Scripture it self testifies that it is the proper peculiar office of the Spirit I need quote only that one place Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth Witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God When he would rise to the highest evidence he rises to that the Spirit of God Witnesseth with our Spirit There are two or three things in the Text that will clear it that it must be meant the special operation of the Spirit it self and that by a special peculiar application of the promise 1. It is said it is the Spirit it self Intimating it is not the gifts of the Spirit nor the graces of the Spirit as sometimes the Spirit is taken in Scripture But in a way of distinction from graces he puts the Emphasis upon it the Spirit it self that Witnesseth with our Spirits Intimating that it is the person of the Spirit whose office it is thus to Witness to the soul 2. He puts it as a distinct Witness it Witnesseth with our Spirits 3. It is by particular application It Witnesseth to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God It Witnesseth Adoption Now we cannot believe our Adoption without the Witness of the Spirit and that from a Word and therefore that can be nothing but the application of the promise to the soul Thus you have the second question opened that is by what means a soul doth receive the infallible evidence of his union There is a third question Quest 3. In what manner doth the soul receive the first infallible evidence of his union with Christ It was concluded from the first Question That the absolute promise of God receive any Poor Despicable Loveless Forlorn Soul that would into Vnion with the Lord Jesus was the first infallible ground of the Souls evividence of union And it was eoncluded that there were various means that did concur together to inable the soul to receive his union from this absolute promise Though there was one immediate means that works in the promise assuring the Souls Faith in the promise that he is united to Jesus Christ The Question now remains how this means doth produce this end Or how the Lord worketh in and through these means to make the absolute promise efficacious and effectual to manifest to the poor doubting soul his Vnion with Christ For the opening of it I must premise something for the right understanding of it and then lay down the answer to it in positive conclusions Prem 1. First I must premise That all the Influences that any means whatsoever do contribute unto the evidencing unto any doubtful soul his union with the Lord Christ only produce the same kind of effects in that soul that doth receive the evidence of his union with Christ As suppose it is through seeking the face of God in prayer that the Lord doth at one time bring to mind the absolute promise in the clearness of light it holds forth and makes application of that promise for the satisfying of the soul about his union with Christ And suppose another time the Ministry of the Word is appointed by God for the effecting of this end Still there is the same effect begotten by these various means whereby the soul is inabled to receive the evidence of his union Prem 2. Secondly I shall premise That all the Influences that any means do contribute for the evidencing from the promise the souls union with Christ are comprehended under the Influences of the spirit of God alone So that the efficacy of the word or of prayer or any ordinance towards the effecting of that blessed end in the soul may properly be said to be the efficacy of the spirit of God in regard those means contribute not the least in themselves otherwise than the spirit of God imploys them as his own instruments for assuring to the soul his faith in Christ from the promise Prem 3. Thirdly I must premise That in regard of the manner of the working of the spirit of God for assuring the souls faith of union in the promise that the spirit of God hath not limited himself to any constant particular order in assuring unto souls their union with Christ from the promise The spirit of God is truly the spiritual wind that blows where and how it listeth There is no limitation propounded in the word whereby it should appear the spirit should bind himself to work in the same order in all souls to evidence to them their union with Christ And in like manner the spirit of God hath set no bounds to himself of any degree of those effects that it doth produce to souls whereby the promise is made efficacious to assure to the souls faith his union with Christ but it works variously in the heart Prem 4. Fourthly I must premise that the explication of the manner of the Spirits working in assuring to the Soul from the promise his union with Christ to the full and life of it is altogether unspeakable and inexpressable Surely that in 1 Cor. 2.9 is meant only of those Gospel joys that are the effects of this union that eye never saw nor ear never heard neither did it ever enter into the heart of man as man to conceive the things that God hath laid up for those that love him And likewise well may that place be applied that no man knows the mind of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 12. Neither doth any man or Angel know those secret discoveries of the Lords mind and opening of his heart to the Souls Faith whom he doth assure from the promise that he is united unto Christ Prem 5. There is a fifth premise Though the Spirit of God
the union Between the act and the object there must be a Similarity a kind of likeness and neer Similitude and Relation 2. Jesus Christ considered in his personal excellency in his precious Beauty and Glory is rather the object of Love than the object of Faith that is the object of Assiance and Dependance Christ is not properly to be depended upon as he is Holy but as he is appointed by God as a Rock to lay the hope of Salvation upon that is as a Mediator and Saviour II. It appears it is a Principle of Darkness In regard the most special access of Souls unto Christ is as he is a Saviour unto souls The most pressing arguments that are prest upon souls to constrain them to come to Jesus Christ are that they might come for Salvation You shall see it in that Declaration of the Commission of the Apostles themselves 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Now we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye Reconciled to God As if he should say thus God hath appointed his Gospel that we should go out to poor rebels to invite them to come and accept of propositions of peace And you see the reason of this v. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him That is that we might have the righteousness that God doth convey through him And in Heb. 7.25 you shall see what is held forth to be the office of Jesus Christ now in heaven He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them I pray observe it here is the lowest act of faith expressed coming to God by Christ and you see the coming is for Salvation 3. Christ considered as a Saviour is primarily sutable unto souls Christ in his personal excellency is sutable unto Angels and Angels will count it their glory to have him their Head and be married to him as a Spouse But it is only as he is considered as a Saviour that he is primarily sutable unto Souls here below in regard the first thing that is necessary for such Souls is Salvation And thence you shall see it is the name that God puts upon him his name shall be called Jesus a Saviour and the reason is why For he shall save his people from their sins Mat. 1.21 So that it appears this is another principle of darkness to perswade souls not to come to Jesus Christ for Salvation Yet there are two things to be observed here 1. That many excellencies that are contained in the person of Jesus Christ by vertue of the hypostatical union of the humane nature with the second person in the Trinity may have efficacy upon a soul to allure him to come God may let the beams of his beauty so shine forth as may ravish the heart in his coming and though primarily the Souls faith is established upon him as a Saviour yet his love may at the same time close with all the excellencies of Jesus Christ 2. The love of the personal excellency of Jesus Christ is an infallible consequence of the Souls coming to Christ and flows and proceeds from the Souls receiving the Lord Christ as a Saviour though there be no such true love before coming to Jesus Christ for Salvation The fifth Principle of Darkness is That there must be a proportion between the Souls sorrow for sin Principle of darkness and sin it self before it may apply the promise of Jesus Christ Saith the Soul it is common among Divines to lay down this principle That a Soul must drink so many buckets full of the tears of repentance as he hath drank of the stoln waters of sin And to this purpose saith the soul you shall see that great sinners had always great sorrow Those that were the murderers of Christ Act. 2.36 37. were pricked at the heart they were much wounded before they had a promise applyed to to them So it is observed saith the Soul that Paul that was formerly Saul being a notorious sinner a blasphemer a murderer of the Saints he was filled with abundance of sorrow before God applyed comfort to him Act. 9. compared with Rom. 7.11 Sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me So Luke 7.36 37 The woman that was a great sinner and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinner the woman that was a sinner Say Divines every one is a sinner but this woman is called a sinner by way of eminency passing the ordinary degree of sin now this woman had great sorrow v. 38. before she received any word of pardon from Christ she wept and washed his feet with her tears As she drank in buckets full of sin so she wept buckets full of tears Now that this is a principle of darkness I shall make it clear thus 1. That there is an impossibility that there should be any proportion between a souls sorrow for sin and a souls sin Every iniquity is a transgression that hath a kind of infiniteness in regard of the object against whom it is committed which is against the infinite God Now the sorrow of the soul can never rise thus high because it can never be so sutable to the will of God as the other was directly contrary to his will So that you must understand the meaning of all Divines to be this as some of them distinguish it not that there should be an Arithmetical proportion but a Geometrical proportion between sin and sorrow That is not that there should be a proportionable sorrow to sin but the greater sorrow where there have been the greatest sins 2. It appears In that the Lord hath left himself to his liberty in the afflicting Consciences for sin before and in and after Conversion God is a free agent and according to his own pleasure he fills one soul with greater degrees of honour and terrour and lets him lie longer under woe and anguish before he give him any quiet of spirit He strikes one soul to death with the keen arrow of compunction shoots at the heart of him whereas he lets another sinner be set upon the rock higher than himself some souls God doth prick their hearts with a needle and others he puts a sword to them like a Chyrurgion that lanceth one sore above another and yet brings both to a perfect cure You read of nothing in Lydia but only the Lord opened her heart And Paul was struck with trembling and astonishment You read of nothing in the Jaylor but crying out what to do to be saved being in fear of perishing and presently God gives him joy in believing and calms his spirit 3. In regard there is no command nor injunction from God that a soul should attain the least degree of sorrow for sin before he should dare to apply the Lord Jesus and
evidence in regard of the subject If a Soul through weakness of light received conclude or determine of any thing concerning his Soul then there must and ought to be a change of these determinations when there is a clearer evidence come into his Soul III. There may lawfully be a suspicion and a jealousie over it self in regard of its own unconstancy A Soul may have a holy fear of his own deceitful Heart when he sees it settled upon a conclusion lest it should not be so rightly settled as God requires There are two acts a Soul may do upon this ground 1. He may be making a continual search into the grounds of those conclusions and determinations that are in his own Spirit 2. A Soul may and ought to draw up his Spirit unto God and to bring his determinations into the presence of God and the ground of his determinations and lay them all open before the Lord. Now it must be opened when a Soul is guilty of this sad distemper of unconstancy in his determinations and resolutions There are three cases wherein the Soul is guilty of this I. When the Soul remains wavering in an unfixed unsettled frame of Spirit upon any determination that it doth draw up within it self When a Soul apprehends reason on both sides and weight in both reasons and thereupon suffers his Soul to stand like Scales with weights in both Scales almost in an equipoise now turning this way then that way and stand steadfast no way Now he conceives it is the will of God to accept his Soul into union with him the next morning he conceives no surely it cannot be that God should have a thought of kindness for such a wretch as he Yet do not mistake here for I must grant there may be such an equipoised Spirit in Souls without sin so it be with these limitations 1. That the truth of Christ concerning which the Soul remains in this wavering state be not a matter of duty that God requires from the Souls hands Some truths are more Theoretical some more Practical now if it be not a practical truth that God requires from the Soul it may not be sin But if it be a practical truth concerning the Souls acting of Faith upon Jesus Christ tendred or the Souls worshipping God in some ordinances of continual use then though it be through weakness and want of light that the Soul is not able to have his Spirit settled upon a conclusion yet I dare not excuse the Soul from sin for I suppose no case can come but the Soul is guilty of too much ignorance that he might have avoided or guilty of unbelief that keeps his Spirit in the present case unswayed 2. Take this limitation That such an unsettledness of Spirit concerning a truth be after a Souls strict endeavouring for a full satisfaction and determination of his Spirit concerning that truth II. The Soul is guilty of this inconstancy when the strength of imagination only doth unsettle the Soul from any determination or conclusion concerning that truth of Christ that he hath formerly drawn up in his own Spirit The Devil hath a secret door into every Heart through the fancy it is as it were the Devils back door it is his secret sally-port door that he comes out of to fight against the Soul The Devil steals into the Heart by the fancy before ever the Soul is aware of it without any alarm and by the working of the fancy he doth suggest strange imaginations in the Soul without suggesting a ground and foundation upon which such imaginations are built III. Then a Soul is guilty of this sad distemper when it is unsettled and removed from its determinations and conclusions with every just objection without a just comparison of the strength of the objection and the reasoning of the objection with the strength of the reasoning of the former perswasion and determination This is that sad distemper the Scripture speaks of To be carried up and down with every wind of Doctrine and to be soon shaken in mind 2 Thes 2.1 2. Now the distemper being thus opened in general you must note that there are three special conclusions in reference to the case in hand concerning which a Soul becomes guilty of this distemper of unconstancy 1. That the tender of union with the Lord Jesus do reach to every particular Soul The Devil and the corrupt Heart strive to maintain a constancy of Spirit in this determination either keeping the Soul wavering here not daring to resolve this blessed Truth to be a Truth or else in suggesting strong imaginations to keep the Soul from giving firm credit to that Truth or by keeping up objection upon objection against that pretious Truth that the Heart may not be settled upon that conclusion but if it be settled upon it in the evening if possible it shall be removed in the morning 2. That no wickedness wretchedness nor desperate vileness that can be imagined is any impediment to the Lords acceptance of the Soul into union with the Lord Jesus All the strength of reasoning that the Machiavilian brains of Hell can produce shall be brought to evade this Truth 3. That it is the duty of every particular Soul immediately and at all times without the least delay to give credit to the Lord and believe that he is willing to accept that particular loveless Soul into union with Christ These pretious Truths being that pretious heavenly Christal glass through which the Spiritual eye comes to discern the very Heart of God towards it in Christ if it be possible that either the power or policy of Hell can foment that distemper in the Heart concerning this principle to prevent the Soul from settling a full conclusion in this particular it shall be effected Now this distemper prevents the Souls evidence of union with Christ from the promises by these five several effects that it hath upon the Heart I. It prevents the Soul of the injoyment of a sufficient time to discern the inward of the Lords promise of accepting a Soul into union with Christ even when he doth behold the promise There are four things that a Soul must discern in a promise in reference to the discerning of his union with Christ from the promise 1. The Soul must discern the largeness of the extent of that promise of acceptance of a Soul into union with Christ He must discern the compass of the promise to be so wide as to take in his own particular Soul 2. A Soul must discern the infinite freedom of God in the tendering of the promise to accept the Soul into union with Christ It must see that God requires nothing either to prepare or dispose the Soul aright for the injoyment of the promise or to give the Soul a right and title to the promise 3. The Soul must see the very bowels of the mercies of Jesus Christ in the promises It is the sight of the readiness of the Heart of Christ to
the evidencing to them from the promises their union with Christ and that is the manifestation or Irradiation of the promise it self or of the Gospel of Jesus Christ There are two ways how the Spirit doth reveal any thing to a Soul The 1. is by infusing of divine light The 2d is by manifesting the object to that divine light It is not sufficient light communicated to the faculty of discerning that inables it to discern a thing presently but there must be also an enlightning and manifesting of the object to be discovered unto that light communicated The most acute Eye that is of the greatest perspicuity and clearness can discern nothing any further then the things themselves are presented to them So that the Spirit in evidencing to the Soul from the promises must cast as it were beams of light some kind of holy rays from the promise it self upon the Eye as well as light into the Eye to discern the light that is cast upon the Eye That 's the reason that a Soul at one time shall discern the very Heart of Christ towards him in the promises or in the Gospel and at another time looking upon the same Word the same promise with the same diligence and yet it not so much as giveth a sufficient ground for an imperfect hope or an act of Faith in way of adherence and this is from a different manifestation of this Irradiation of the Spirit unto the Soul Now this manifestation or Irradiation doth consist in two things 1. The Spirit presents the Gospel or the promises to the Soul We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 There must be as well an application of the object to the Eye as an application of the Eye to the object and yet both must be also by the Spirit of God Therefore John 14.26 it is put as a part of the office of the comforting Spirit or the evidencing Spirit to bring the pretious things that Christ had spoken to his Disciples to their remembrance again 2. The Spirit doth evidence the promise or the Gospel that it hath presented to the Eye It brings it to remembrance and then opens it and reveals the very nature and intent of it You must conceive there is a twofold evidence of things there is an evidence of narration and an evidence of the matter it self Now the Gospel is always evident in matter of narration that is as spoken from the mouth of God in his written Word But the Gospel is very inevident in regard of the matter or of the thing it self it is an hidden mystery so dark a riddle as cannot be found out without the help of the Spirit it self Now though the evidence only of narration of the Gospel be sufficient to excite the Soul to act Faith by way of adherence and recumbency upon God yet it is not sufficient to excite the Soul to act Faith by way of assurance Divers things there are in the promise or in the Gospel that the Spirit doth evidence to the Soul when it is revealing its union with Christ First beam of divine light First It presents and evidenceth to the Soul the Lord Christ fully unquestionably and everlastingly taking away all sin and wickedness from every Soul that shall embrace him You shall observe Rom. 8.33 34. that it was through the knowledge of this that the Faith of Paul took wing first to mount above in a tryumphant way saith he what shall we say to these things What things Things that he had before spoken of in the beginning of the Epistle especially Chap. 5. where he had made it appear clearly That where sin did abound grace did much more abound super-abound abound without measure in that Grace did triumph over sin through Jesus Christ Now saith he what shall we say to these things He stood in admiration at the thoughts of it and then began to say Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Here Faith began to triumph from the knowledge of Christs compleat removal of all sin from every Soul that did embrace him Now the Spirit evidenceth divers things to the Soul for the clearing of this I. The Spirit makes it evident that the Lord Christ took upon him to be surety for every Soul that would embrace him He became the surety of the new Covenant Heb. 7.22 The Spirit makes the Soul discern that Christ stept into his Father to undertake to be bound to pay all the debts for every Soul that shall hereafter embrace him And herein the Spirit is wont to evidence two things concerning the suretyship of Christ 1. That Christ undertook to be a surety of the whole Covenant for Souls That he undertook to fulfil all that Justice or Mercy it self should require to be fulfilled for those Souls for whom he undertook 2. That he became such a surety as he undertook to pay the debt alone Hence Isa 49.8 he is called the Covenant it self Intimating that the whole Covenant concerning taking away sin is only between God the Father and Jesus Christ Hence it is said 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses to them II. The Spirit evidenceth that Christ as Mediatour stood in the relation of a common person and took upon him to represent all the persons of those that should hereafter believe on him so that whatever satisfaction he should give to his Fathers justice in regard of sin should be not only in stead of satisfaction to be given to the Father by the Souls themselves but also to be done as it were in their stead to be accounted as if they themselves had given satisfaction This the Spirit may evidence from the promise from some such place as 1 Cor. 15.48 which shews that Jesus Christ stood as a common person in stead of all those that should believe on him as Adam the first man stood as a common person to represent all those that should come out of him Or from such a place as that Rom. 5.14 where the old Adam is called a Type of Jesus Christ that was to come The second thing the Spirit clears is the things themselves done by Jesus Christ in those relations unto Souls as he stood as a common person and as the surety for those that should hereafter believe on him I. Therein the Spirit cometh to clear the effusion of the Blood of Christ the offering himself by death as a sacrifice for sin Thence you shall observe the first thing Paul instanceth in when he lets his Faith look upon the removing of all Sin is Christ dying saith he in a holy Triumph of Faith who shall condemn Why Christ hath dyed As if he should say how shall either carnal reason or conscience or unbelief or Justice or Law or Hell or Devil bring any accusation against our Souls seeing Jesus Christ hath died he hath offered up himself by death as a
propitiatory sacrifice for sin out of a purpose and intent fully to take away the sins of all those that shall believe on him Hence the Spirit evidenceth such a place as that 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him That we might have remission of sins and that justification that God had prepared for Souls by him Or such a place as that in 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all men to be received that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chies That Jesus Christ undertook to be humbled so deeply to vail the brightness of his own glory in such obscurity as to come down from Heaven into the World to take away the sins of poor perishing wretches Now in the Spirits evidencing this fulness of satisfaction it ordinarily evidenceth these things for the satisfying Faith so fully as it may work by way of assurance and fulness of confidence 1. It evidenceth the full satisfaction of the Father by his death in regard it was the Law-maker himself that was subject to the Law and made under the power of the Law to satisfie for the transgression of the Law 2. In regard the brightness of the Fathers glory was debased by Christs debasement in opposition to the debasement of the Fathers glory that was by the transgression of the Law What can conscience or carnal reason say more concerning the nature of sin and the height of its merit but only that it is a debasement of the King of Kings the Lord of Lords it is a vailing and eclipsing of the highest Majesty of Heaven it is a bringing a cloud as it were over those pretious unspotted beams of the Lords excellency over the Lords high Soveraignty in commanding Souls and over Gods holiness and equity in commanding and therefore the merit of sin is infinite Now the Spirit can answer by evidencing to the Death of Christ a fulness of satisfaction in regard it was Jesus Christ that was debased he that was the express image of his Father the lively pattern of his Fathers glory and therefore the Spirit evidenceth from the Gospel that God himself speaks in a way as if he were more than satisfied as if Grace through Christ did triumph over sin According to that in Rom. 5.17 If by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which have received abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Much more they which receive that is they that partake of the merit of the death of Christ much more shall they reign As if there were a higher degree of equity that such should reign then there was that such Souls that were before under sin should die So Paul speaks in 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was more than enough There was more than a sufficiency of Grace through Jesus Christ still speaking as if God had so satisfied himself through the contrivance of the death of Christ for sin that he had satisfaction as it were over and over again 3. In that it was the Godhead it self cloathed in flesh that gave the satisfaction Now herein the Spirit evidenceth a fulness and abundance of sufficiency of satisfaction in regard there is a higher worth upon the satisfaction to the Godhead from the Godhead cloathed in the flesh then there could be evil by offending of the Godhead that was done by man The Godhead was only the object against whom the sin was committed but in the satisfaction the Godhead it self cloathed in the flesh became the subject from whom the satisfaction is given as well as to whom the satisfaction is given so as the satisfaction doth in a manner in the worth and height of it transcend and go beyond the height of the offence the satisfaction going from a higher subject a more subject than the offence was committed by 4. In regard of the full weight of sin that Jesus Christ bore in his giving full satisfaction to the Father He died under the reputation of the vilest of sinners that can be imagined and though this was unjust in regard of men that did so repute him yet not in regard of God who had ordained that the iniquities of all that should embrace him should be laid upon him And indeed their iniquities were laid upon him to the highest if you consider under what notion of sin he died he died under the notion of a Traytor to his own Prince as one that took pleasure in all kind of sin a friend of publicans and sinners as they reputed him he died as a wretched blasphemer of the most high God as one that did strike at the Throne of God to dethrone God himself and he died as an imposture as a vile seducer Nay more he died under the notion of a Devil yea the Prince of Devils they say of him that by Belzebub the Prince of Devils he cast out Devils Now therein the Spirit evidenceth a fulness of satisfaction to the Father in the Death of Christ in regard Christ who is holiness it self who was the spotless Lamb without the least blemish that he should take upon him to be accounted and so to suffer as the highest kind of sinner that can possibly be imagined The Spirit can evidence here clearly a sufficiency and fulness of satisfaction for the sin of every Soul that shall embrace him whatever Conscience can object against the Soul seeing Conscience cannot object a higher kind of wickedness than was laid upon the back of Christ as a surety 5. In regard the Lord Christ took a fulness of pleasure and contentment in bearing the Justice of the Father executed upon him as a sinner Justice receiveth satisfaction when its sentence is executed fully against any transgressor that it passeth sentence against and thus Justice was satisfied through the Death of Christ But there is a satisfaction as it were over and above when the sentence of Justice past out against a transgressor is not only executed upon the transgressor or him that stands in stead of the transgressor but the sentence is received with delight pleasure and contentment Now thus Jesus Christ through his Death gave fulness of satisfaction in that it was the pleasure of his Soul to bear the determined will of his Father for sinners in this way saith he Psal 40.8 Lo I come to do thy will my God expressing the readiness and willingness of his Heart to beat that will of his Father for sinners Nay so great was his delight in bearing the sentence of Justice past upon him as he stood as a transgressor and sinner that he saith himself be was even straitned till it be accomplished Luke 12.50 Now as the Spirit evidenceth by the effusion of Christ's Blood a satisfaction given to the Father So
the full salvation of Souls through his pleading The Father ordained him to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek hence he as an high Priest is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Then the Spirit reveals the things done by Christ in his intercession as a surety Two things there the Spirit reveals First That by Christs intercession as a surety for Souls there is a vertual continuation of the sacrifice of the Blood of Christ for the satisfaction of the Fathers Justice Now from thence the Spirit brings in full evidence for taking away all sin from every Soul that shall embrace Christ in regard the satisfaction is continued in the Fathers Eye Thence it is observable Heb. 8. comparing vers 2 3. with vers 12. That the Apostle from the meditation of the continued Priesthood of Jesus Christ ministring in Heaven doth conclude the firmness and stability of the new Covenant there mentioned in the latter end of the Chapter and concludes from thence Gods remembrance of sins and Iniquities no more Secondly The Spirit evidenceth that through Christs interceding as a surety there is a continual suing out of the benefit of the satisfaction of the Father by his death for sinful Souls according to their necessities Hence you may observe in 1 John 2.1 That the Apostle directs those believers that should sin to be acting of Faith upon Jesus Christ as he was a present advocate with the Father 4. The Spirit manifests to the Soul's Faith from that beam of light in the Gospel that the Lord hath everlastingly removed all sin from all that shall embrace him That the Lord Christ in his intercession with the Father for the perfect Salvation of those that shall embrace him doth plead for nothing but what the Father himself and of himself is as willing to give to those Souls as Jesus Christ is willing to ask it at his Fathers Hand Therefore in Isa 53.10 The whole work of Salvation that Jesus Christ was to accomplish for Souls is called nothing else but the Fathers pleasure The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands Now this the Spirit clears up convincingly and satisfyingly that the Father is altogether ready yea that the Fathers bowels do as much yern after the full Salvation of those that embrace the Lord Jesus as the bowels of Christ himself who is the Head of those Souls Now the Spirit may and doth sometimes evidence this parallel willingness of the Father in these three things First The Spirit clears it that an amity and oneness comprehends all kind of near relation in it and manifests that those that embrace Christ are admitted into unity with the Father himself to be one with the Father According to that in John 17.21 22. That they may be one as thou and I are one and that they may be one in us as thou Father art in me and I in thee Secondly The Spirit may evidence that the relation between the Father and Souls is the very foundation of all relation between Christ and those Souls And therefore there must needs be as great willingness in the Father to accept Christs pleading for perfect Salvation as there is in Christ to plead for it So that though Christ have those that embrace him ingraven as it were upon his Heart yet it was there ingraven by the Hand of his Fathers love John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me They were made mine because they were first thine Thirdly The Spirit may manifest here that the willingness of Christ to plead for them proceeds from the willingness of the Father that he should so plead that he should become an intercessor Christ in all his pleadings is but a Priest which Priesthood is but an office to which God the Father had ordained him Heb. 5.5 The Spirit evidenceth that Christ in his intercession with the Father for the perfect Salvation of those Souls that shall embrace him pleads for nothing but what he hath power to command to be effected As in Psal 2.6 7. He hath set his King upon the holy hill that is as he that God the Father hath appointed in his own stead and room as Mediator to dispence all things communicable to dispose of all according to his will only God the Father will be acknowledged as a Father to him and he to be a Son therefore the Lord saith in the next verse Ask of me and I will give thee it shall be by intercession yet John 5.22 All judgment is committed to the Son still and he hath the power and command of all Therefore you shall read John 17.24 in that prayer that is the pattern of his intercession in Heaven for Souls he prays thus Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me he prays as it were in a commanding way Second beam of Divine Light There is a Second beam of the same Spiritual Heavenly light that the Spirit doth necessarily also cause to shine resplendently before the enlightned Souls Eye before Faith can receive such full assurance as to work by way of fulness of confidence and assurance and that 's this The Spirit doth evidence from the Gospel or from the promise The Lord Christs unquestionable willingness to embrace every poor lost sinner that is willing to embrace him Indeed the Lord Christ doth primarily embrace lost sinners into the bosom of his love and joyns them everlastingly to himself yea and compleats the relative union between himself and their Souls whilst they are meer patients altogether under an impossibility of any such Spiritual action or so much as any concurrence with the Lord Jesus in the compleating of the relative union But this union remains invisible till by the vertue of this passive or this relative union the dead Soul is inabled by actual believing actively to close in union with the Lord Jesus and to embrace him to be one with him And therefore to the least degree of the knowledge of a Souls union with Christ of necessity the Spirit must present the Lord Christ with his pretious everlasting arms of love to embrace such loveless sinners as will embrace him that thereby the Soul may be satisfied concerning the object that he believeth and may close with the Lord Christ propounded and make application of that union tendred in the Lord Jesus with himself Now for the Spirit evidencing this to the Soul satisfyingly and to make the Soul in believing to triumph the Spirit is wont to evidence divers particulars 1. The Spirit is wont to evidence the consent and agreement of the blessed Trinity from all eternity in that glorious design of the Lord Jesus entertaining every lost despicable sinner that will embrace him I. The Spirit reveals the consent of God the Father to that glorious design and that in divers particulars 1. In that God the Father imposed a command upon the Lord Jesus to embrace every such despicable lost
them 1. Thereby God is engaged by his dearest love to his own delight and contentment in the ministration of all his holy things here below to make the person of every Soul that shall accept Gospel-discoveries to be compleatly acceptable and well pleasing in his own eyes The delight of the Lord in every act of his own Worship hath its primary dependence upon the delight that the Lord takes in the Worshippers as in Mal. 1.10 Saith the Lord to them I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept an offering at your hand Their persons were not amiable in Gods eyes and therefore their offering could not be acceptable And so it is said The Lord had respect to Abel and to his Offering It was through the respect the Lord had to Abel's person that he had any respect to his Offering So that now seeing the Lord hath predestinated every such Soul accepting Gospel-discoveries to be a Priest to minister to himself in all his holy things should not the Lord make the person of every such Soul compleatly acceptable in his own eyes he must rob himself of all his Contentment and delight he should take in all his holy things here below 2. Hereby the Lord is engaged by his tender care of preserving his holy things from pollution to purifie cleanse and sanctifie the most unclean polluted Soul that shall accept those Gospel-discoveries Every approach to God with an uncircumcised heart was accounted by God a pollution of his own Sanctuary Ezek. 44.7 And likewise the Lord accounts every approach to himself by an unregenerate and unsanctified heart now in Gopel-times to be a pollution of any Ordinance whatever that the soul maketh his approach to God in This the Lord typically signified to his Church in its minority in the manner of the consecrating the Priests to himself that were to offer those Legal Sacrifices Lev. 1.6 When Moses consecrated Aaron and his Sons he washed them which signified the cleansing of them from pollutions the Lord intending to reveal this that they were only sanctified cleansed purified hearts who were sutable to offer any Spiritual Sacrifice that should be acceptable in his eyes Neither must you conceive this to be a bare revelation to Souls of what their hearts ought to be in their approach to God but it is also a revelation what the Lord intended they should be through his mighty power working in their hearts Now hence the Spirit may give the Soul full security concerning the fulfilling Gospel-discoveries to it in its embracing and accepting them 1. When the heart is staggering and wavering in regard of the want of all holy enlivened heavenly dispositions in his Spirit and finding uncleanness and filthiness The Spirit may here reveal the Lord to be engaged that in case the polluted unclean heart of his shall accept Gospel-Discoveries it shall be sanctified cleansed purified 2. When the strength and tyrannizing power of any cursed Lust is causing the Soul to question whether love and mercy revealed for loveless sinners that will accept it should be made out to his Soul in his embracing it The Spirit may here discover the Lord as well to be engaged in the Souls reliance upon him to make him the Object of that love and mercy to cleanse his Soul from that cursed pollution to deliver it from under the tyranny of such a hellish disposition as well as to be engaged to make out love and mercy to the Soul in any other kind whatever 4. A Fourth Engagement the Lord hath laid upon himself for the fulfilling Gospel-discoveries is this That every Soul accepting those Gospel-discoveries is the peculiar chosen Vessel of the Lords most superlative mercies and compassions This you may see in Rom. 9.23 That he might make known the riches of his Glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory You may observe that every called Soul that is every Soul answering those sweet Soul-melting invitations of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus is here affirmed to be a Vessel of mercy prepared by God himself from eternity for that very end Now from hence the Spirit may give abundant security to the questioning scrupulous Soul of the infallible fulfilling of all the Gospel-discoveries to every Soul that shall embrace them 1. Herein the Spirit may manifest the Lord to be engaged by his intire and infinite love to his own glory and mercy to redeem and deliver every Soul that is plunged into the most bottomless depth of sin and misery if he will and shall accept those pretious Gospel-discoveries to it So that the Lord through his own admirable contrivance of his design of love towards loveless forlorn sinners hath so interested himself in the perfecting of that pretious design that he stands engaged as strongly and powerfully to give perfect redemption and deliverance to lost sinners that shall embrace Gospel-discoveries as he stands engaged to maintain and support the honour of those his glorious Attributes of his own mercy and compassion Now there are three things wherein the honour of the Lords mercy consists First In the free workings of it towards the most miserable objects that are the most unworthy of any pitty and compassion that can be imagined Secondly In the transcendency of its operations or motions Thirdly In the infinite Almighty power of its workings towards such unworthy objects of it That 's thus it hath such an Almighty power in it not only to succour and relieve those perishing undone ones in their misery but also to confer the highest degree of all happiness upon them Now the honour of the Lords mercy and compassion consisting in this hence the Lord stands engaged by his dearest love to that honour of this his mercy to give perfect redemption to the Soul that is plunged in the most unfathomed depth of sin and misery if the Soul shall and will embrace those Gospel-discoveries 2. Hence the Spirit may manifest the Lord to be engaged by the inseperable properties of his Divine nature to communicate a fulness of all mercy and compassion to every Soul accepting those Gospel-discoveries The Essential property of the Divine nature is to be issuing forth the bottomless depths of perfection that are included in it into the bosom of poor needy empty penurious ones It is as natural to the Divine nature to be communicating of its own perfections as it is natural for the Sun to send forth its own pretious raies And then this being the very nature of the Essence and being of any good by how much the higher the goodness of any thing is by so much the more strongly is it inclined and disposed to the communicating of himself So that goodness it self in its perfection being in the Divine nature thence it is that it is the inseparable property of the Divine nature to be communicating all its perfections so far as they are communicable Now thence the Spirit may cause the Soul to conclude that seeing it is
II. Every such Soul is chosen perpetually to behold the Brightness of his Majesty and Glory in Beholding the Glory of Jesus Christ as Mediatour 1. They are chosen to behold the admirable Mystery of the Union of the Divine Person to the Humane Nature That which is now an Inexplicable Mystery to the Believers Eye shall then by Gods choosing them to behold his Glory be Discerned 2. It is chosen to behold all the bright Beams of Glory that appear in the Mystical Union of so many Lost Rebellious Sinking Perishing Souls to the Lord as to one Head 3. Every such Soul is chosen to behold the Transcendent Perfection of the Secret Love of the Lord Jesus to such Unlovely Sinners while they were altogether Loveless while they were altogether Abominable matter of Loathing to his pure Eyes III. Every such Soul is chosen from Eternity to attend upon the Royal Majesty of Heaven in his Sacred Palace that they may behold his Glory in the Brightest manner 1. He is chosen to behold those bright Beams of Majesty and Glory in a positive way 2. It is chosen to behold the Beams of his Transcendent Majesty and Glory in an immediate way There will be no need of Speeches to Represent the Lord to our Understandings as there is now 3. It is chose to behold the Brightness of the Lords Majesty and Glory in a Simple Pure way Not relatively or by Relations as Gospel Embracers for present behold the Light of the Lords Glory As when we conceive of the Glory of the Majesty of Heaven we conceive of him as the most absolute Monarch of Heaven and Earth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords This is but Relation but we shall then see the Lord in a sutable way even as he is 4. It is chosen to behold them fully Not to behold the Reflection only but the Sun it self of Glory 5. It is chosen to behold them everlastingly Hence the Soul may discern God to be engaged by his highest Relation of his own Eternal Contentment to perfect both Union and Communion between himself and every Unlovely Sinner that shall and will accept Gospel Discoveries seeing every such Soul as shall accept Gospel Discoveries is Designed by himself from Eternity to be one of his Royal Attendants in his Sacred Palace that should behold the Brightness of his Majesty and Glory Now before I can pass from this second work of the Spirit upon Souls There are Five or Six things that every Soul of us must remember least we misunderstand the manner of the Spirits irradiating the Gospel unto Souls I. We must observe That the Spirit of the Lord doth in a different manner cause these Glorious Beams of Divine light to shine forth from the promise into dark Souls The Spirit in this Blessed work of Irradiation of the Gospel unto dark Souls doth to some reveal only some of those Pretious Soul Ravishing Beams of Light that you have heard opened To others he causeth more abundance of those Pretious Beams of Light to shine into the heart And from hence various Souls have various Degrees of this assurance of Faith and various Degrees of Joy and Peace slowing forth from that assurance of Faith II. You must also observe concerning this work of Irradiation of the Gospel That the Spirit doth manifest those Beams of Divine Light from the Gospel in different Degrees of Clearness unto Souls III. You must also observe that the Lord doth in a different degree continue the manifestation and Irradiation of the Promise or of the Gospel unto different souls I speak still of those souls that do receive through the spirits Irradiation of the Gospel some assurance unto their Faith of their union with Christ IV. You must also understand that the spirit doth reveal the substance of all this Heavenly Light the Sum and Compendium of all that you have heard and cause it to shine into souls from the promise This the spirit doth cause to shine into every soul that attains unto any degree of assurance of Faith Though the spirit works variously in regard of the clearness of revealing what it doth reveal and variously in regard of the time and continuance of its manifestation of that Heavenly Light unto souls yet those pretious Beams of Heavenly Light that the spirit causeth to Glitter forth from the promises unto souls are of necessity to be revealed unto every soul that attains unto any assurance of Faith V. We must observe that the spirit of the Lord doth out of his own infinite Wisdom select the particular truth of the Gospel whereby he will assure any particular soul of his union with Christ Though those particular Beams of Divine Light mentioned be in the substance revealed to the Faith of every soul to whom the spirit gives union yet the particular wherein the spirit makes the Brightness the Glory the Lustre the satisfying and Over-powering Glory of those Beams of light to appear to the souls eye these are selected by the Wisdom of the spirit it self though it is but the substance also or the effect of those particulars whereby we have revealed those Beams of Divine Light to you VI. You must observe that the spirit doth reveal or manifest all the bright shining of Divine Light from the promise at one and the same moment to the soul when it draws forth the souls Faith unto acts of assurance The spirit may be Instructing the dark soul many Years in the Pretious Mystery of the Gospel of Christ before it raiseth the souls Faith unto assuring acts and may be increasing the strength of the souls confidence gradually in every Ordinance in all those years But yet wherever the spirit draws out the God believing Dispositions that it hath infused into any souls to act by way of fulness of confidence then the spirit presents all this Pretious Light of the Gospel at once and gives the soul one Glorious view of it Thirdly the spirit of the Lord proceeds from Illumination of the soul and Irradiation of the Gospel to the soul to Conviction The Spirits Conviction of the Conscience From the Powerful Efficacy of that Divine light infused into the understanding and the Precious Concurrence of the sweetest light of manifestation of the Gospel unto the Light Inherent ariseth a Powerful Inward Conviction of the Conscience According to that in John 16.9 10. The Spirit shall reprove and convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment It shall Convince the World of Righteousness that is of free Justification of Despicable Forlorn Guilty Sinners through the Lord Jesus alone This Conviction of the soul or of the Conscience it is a clear Unquestionable and Infallible Demonstration given by the spirit to the doubtful soul of the Lords Will that even that his particular Forlorn Worthless Stubborn soul shall be received into the nearest union with himself in Christ Or rather it is a Commanding Power of the Spirit of God exercised upon the soul whereby
trust to his truth and faithfulness for the fulfilling that his word Now whereas it is objected that no particular word speaks to a particular soul and says thou Thomas and thou John or thou Elisabeth or thou Mary shalt be accepted into union with the Lord Jesus if thou wilt accept him 1. I answer that either every particular is perfectly comprehended in the universal offer and universal command of believing as if the Lord should name every person to whom he speaks or else there can be no faith of assurance concerning any Gospel-truth whatever Else there can be no assurance that our Bodies shall rise again from the dust and appear before the judgement-seat of Christ It is no where said thou Thomas or thou John or thou Mary shalt arise out of the dust again and come to judgement yet I suppose every one that hath the least beam of spiritual light shining down into his soul will acknwledge that the written word of God doth reveal particularly that this soul and that soul even his own soul shall arise from the dust and come to judgemen Now it is apparent that there is as clear a discovery in the written word to any particular souls faith of his certain resurrection from the dead and coming to judgement 2. Either all those particulars are to be fully comprehended in that universal offer and universal unlimited command of believing or else there were no obedience to the will of God commanded to any particular soul whatever nor no disobedience to the will of God reproved It is no where said thou Thomas or thou John shalt worship the Lord in Prayer It is no where said thou Thomas or thou Mary shalt receive me as thy only God and worship me only Likewise no disobedience to the will of God were reproved It is no where said thou Thomas shalt not steal thou John shalt not lye thou Mary shalt not commit adultery yet I conceive thou whose believing disposition is most out of exercise at present darest not say God hath not said to thy soul do not steal do not lye that God hath not commanded thee to worship him in his ordinances appointed So that it is clear the word of God doth reveal to particular souls undoubtedly their certain admission into union with Jesus Christ in case they accept him Secondly The precious written word of God reveals unto particular souls sense their particular union with the Lord Jesus That is to say whenever the spirit of light and manifestation sent from the Lord Jesus shall irradiate the precious written word of God so as to make its own heavenly light shine into a dark heart and also irradiate at the same time or cast beams of light upon the precious believing act that the same spirit of Jesus Christ hath begotten in that soul then that light that the written word of God holds forth particularly declares to such a particular soul its certain actual union with the Lord Jesus Now the written word of God speaks to the sense of a believing soul his union with the Lord Jesus in these two ways 1. In its general description of the nature of that believing act that the Lord requires from the soul Now the written word describing the nature of that believing act that the Lord requires in general and declaring that believing act to be required in the same manner from every soul that written word of God doth particularly reveal unto such a particular souls sense his actual union with the Lord Jesus as thus the written word of the Lord describes the nature of the believing act to be a coming to Jesus Christ Mat. 11.28 to be receiving the testimony of God that he gave concerning his Son selling to its seal that God is true John 3.33 A receiving the Record that God hath given of his Son 1 John 5.7 8 9. To be a receiving of Christ himself John 1.12 To be a will in the soul concurring with what the Lord tenders Rev. 22.17 Now I say in the spirits describing the general nature of that believing act the Lord requires it doth speak particularly to the believing soul when the spirit is so evidencing to him his union with the Lord Jesus and declares the souls certain and infallible union with Jesus Christ As thus the spirit having first revealed to the souls faith the Lords will to admit having sweetly encouraged the soul yea powerfully irresistibly effectually commanded the soul to set to his seal that the Lord is true and to say Lord be it unto thy Servant as thou hast spoken then the same spirit irradiates that written word that describes the general nature of the believing act letting the soul discern that the believing act is a sweet consent of the mind and heart to the truths of the Lord in the tender of the Lord Jesus to him to reconcile the Father and him and then the spirit irradiates also the precious consent of the mind and heart that holy trust and confidence that is then in the soul and then the written word saith particularly that thou dost consent to accept of what the Lord thus tenders in Christ to thee thou art certainly and everlastingly united to the Lord Jesus thou art he who dost receive what the Lord hath propounded in Christ so thee and therefore thou art certainly lodged in the everlasting arms of the Lord Jesus 2. The second way that the written word dclares unto the particular souls sense his particular union with the Lord Jesus is by its description of the constant certain and inseparable operation of the believing disposition describing the manner of the working of the believing disposition or describing the various effects of faith 1. By the written word declaring that the proper operation of faith is by love to Jesus Christ Gal. 5.6 2. By declaring that the proper operation of faith is to abase the soul in it self and make it altogether nothing Rom. 3.27 3. The Scripture doth declare that the proper operation of faith is by purifying the heart cleansing it from all unholy dispositions Acts. 15 9. 4. In declaring that the proper operation of faith is an high and unspeakable estimation of Jesus Christ himself Phil. 3. 8 9. Now thus the written word declaring the proper manner of the operation of faith doth declare particularly unto any particular soul his union with Jesus Christ and so consequently the same written word declares that in whatever heart the believing disposition thus particularly works there is that precious believing act the Lord requires there is that precious faith unfeigned that Jesus Christ commands in his precious Gospel and so it speaks particularly to a particular soul thou dost believe with that precious faith unfeigned that Jesus Christ requires and thus the spirit doth but make this written word of God speak to the souls understanding what it doth always speak in it self which is that that particular soul doth now believe according to the will of God So
are not deluded Then see whether that light that shined into your Souls have shined from the Lords written word Yet let me add a caution in this least I might possibly shake some Soul into whose heart some beams of light from the Spirit hath really descended to discover to the Soul his union with Christ though the light that doth shine into every Soul which truly proceeds from God to discover to the Soul its union with Christ doth and ought to shine forth from the Lords written word yet I dare not affirm that whenever the spirit of light doth discover to a Soul its union with Jesus Christ clearly both to faith and sense that then the spirit fastens some particular portions of the Lords word by name from such a Chapter and verse from whence the spirit doth make that light shine forth into that believing Soul certainly the spirit of Jesus Christ may send down precious beams of divine light into a dark Soul to discover to the Soul satisfyingly its union with the Lord Jesus both to faith and sense when such a particular sentence that is written in such a Book in such a Chapter in such a Verse is not brought to the Souls memory But there may be an extract of the quintessence that is of the prime light the most glorious light of many places of Scripture that concur together in one to testifie the fame truth to the Soul there may be an extract made by the Spirit of Christ of the grand truth that the Gospel reveals to faith and of the truth of the Souls believing act that the spirit reveals unto the Souls sense from many places of Scripture so as the light that the spirit causeth to shine into the Soul is still from the written word and the soul discerns it to his own satisfaction while the glory of the light actually remains that it doth shine from the precious written word though it may be the soul could not at that time be able to produce such and such particular sentences from such a Chapter and such a Verse though I dare not but say also but as the soul receiving that certain evidence doth discern that that sweet light that shines into his soul shines from the written word so likewise upon recollecting of himself and upon serious deliberation with himself he might be able to produce such portions of the Lords word as would sufficiently testifie to the truth of what the spirit of Jesus Christ had so revealed to his soul from the word yet observe this that the soul must then so deliberate and so consult with his heart about the matter while the heavenly lustre and commanding power of those evidencing beams of light remain shining into his soul for in case the soul be bereaved again upon any occasion of the lustre and glory of those precious beams of light the soul may so far forget the very sentences that the spirit of Jesus Christ did then dictate to it that the soul through the darkness and obscurity that passes upon him immediately again may for the present be uncapable of discerning in the written word of God what his soul clearly discerned in the same word formerly that the soul may in case the spirit of light should absent it self long perchance begin to draw some sad conclusion that the evidence that the Soul received was not a light shining from the Lords word but some delusion from the Devil transforming himself into Angelical Glory This is the second reason whence a soul may prove that the beam of light received is from God when the soul discerns it to shine from the written word The second sort of demonstrations whereby a soul may prove to himself his union with Jesus Christ must be a demonstration a posteriori A Demonstration taken from the effects that those beams of light that shine into the soul discovering to a soul its union with Jesus Christ do beget in the Soul Now all the effects that any thing that proceeds from God begets in believing Souls are but the accomplishment of the Lords eternal intent they are but the production of the Lords precious thoughts of love towards those believing Souls from before the foundations of the world were laid So that whatever is communicated to any believing Soul if it doth demonstrate it self to proceed from God by its effects that it begets in him it must then conduce in some degree to the effecting of the Lords precious eternal will towards that believing Soul Now those eternal intents of God towards believing Souls they may be reduced to three Heads according as the Spirit of truth sums them in 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come That is Heaven and Earth all are yours that is destinated unto your good to accomplish your Salvation And ye are Christs that is ye believing Souls are destinated to accomplish the glory of Jesus Christ And Christ is Gods that is Christ himself considered mystically as the Mediator is appointed for the manifestation of the Fathers glory for the exaltation of him in the hearts of Saints and Angels and before the eyes of all the world so as all may admire him and adore him There are three intents and precious ends of the Lord from Eternity towards those believing Souls First There is the accomplshment of the glory of those believing Souls Secondly The perfecting of Christs supernatural glory as he is Mediator And Thirdly The perfect manifestation of the Fathers glory through both these And therefore seeing these three are those prime and principal ends the very ultimate end of God the very sum and compendium of all those precious thoughts that wrought in the blessed Majesty of Heaven before the foundations of the world were laid thence whatsoever proceeds from God into a believing soul must in some degree or other tend towards the accomplishment of one of those ends So that it must demonstrate it self to proceed from God by one of those three effects if it any way can be proved by its effects to proceed from God himself Only by the way you must take this distinction for prevention of mistakes the dealings of God towards the Saints do either immediately to the exaltation of the Saints and the exaltation of Christ and the manifestation of the Fathers glory or else they tend immediately The Lords promissive will or the Lords sufferance of a Believer to sin doth not immediately manifest any of these yet mediately it doth perfect all that when the Lord doth suffer the soul to slide and fall yet then through the mighty Power of his love to the believing soul in Christ he doth send down the spirit of Jesus Christ so to work in that believing soul that those very falls and slips and backslidings of that believing soul shall produce more watchfulness over his own ways more charity towards others more abominations of those
the Lord to discover to the Soul its union with Christ must necessarily thus Crucifie the Heart to all things so as to be alive to God in Christ only both in regard the Soul apprehends the doleful sinful miscarriages of his Heart about every of those things what sad snares they are to his Spirit and also he beholds the emptiness and nothingness by comparing things temporal with things eternal and he beholds a full object of all contentment wherein all the desires of his Soul may be concerned together in one wherein is all happiness that his Spirit can breath after and he may bless himself in the full enjoyment of it V. The Fifth means whereby the Soul experimentally manifests the fulness of the Lords love so as the name of God is exalted through him is the fulness of contentment that the Soul takes in the enjoyment of the love of God in Christ only in the absence of all things else Now even this also is produced by such a light evidencing to the Soul his union with the Lord Jesus yea so powerful is this contentment of the Heart in the love of God in Christ in the absence of all things else effected by such a light of Heaven discovering to the Soul his union with Christ that the Soul while the beauty and lustre of that light remains takes not only its full contentment but even more than contentment even glorying in his God in Christ in the want of all things That you may see Rom. 5.1 2. Being justified hy faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and not only so but we glory in tribulation also We glory that is we make our boast of God we bless our selves in him we are able to set the love of God in opposition to all things else and even in tribulations themselves to triumph and glory to conceive our selves so filled with excellence that we even boast our selves of him So that thus all those precious acts of a believing soul whereby he declares and manifests the fulness of the Lords love in Christ to unlovely sinners so as the Name of God is exalted through the Soul by that means all those acts are necessarily and infallibly produced by the power of that light from Heaven that doth discover to any Soul his union with the Lord Jesus And so it appears that this may be a second reason from whence a believing Soul may prove that the evidence of his union with the Lord Jesus received is really from God because it causeth the Name of God to be exalted through him Thus we have opened the first way of the Souls manifestation of that glorious love to be in God that God hath revealed to be in himself that is by the Souls manifesting that unspeakable fulness to be in the love of God in Christ to despicable sinners that all perfections and glorious excellencies whatever that could be suitable to a Soul is compleatly contained in it 2. Secondly A Soul doth manifest that glorious love to be in God which God hath revealed to be in himself unto despicable Sinners By discovering or manifesting such an absolute perfection to be in that love of God in Christ to unlovely Sinners as nothing can prevent and hinder or turn away that love When a Soul shall declare that the infinite multitudes of wickedness that his Soul heaped up before his knowledge of God in Christ and all the infirmities and imperfections that abound in his Soul now yet are no hindrance to the working of the Lords love in Christ to his unlovely Soul yea when the Soul shall triumph against imperfections as Paul did against tribulation and say apparently who shall separate this loathsome Soul of mine from that pretious love of God that is in Christ Jesus Shall my deadness hardness vanity looseness Shall my stubborn opposite backsliding disposition my hopocritical false treacherous disposition separate this loveless Soul of mine from the love of God that is in Christ Nay in all these infirmities and imperfections the love of the Lord in Jesus Christ never ceases its working Nay so glorious is the freedom of that love of God in Christ that it breaks through all such oppositions as my vilest Heart makes against it Then is the Name of God exalted in the glory of his love through the Soul Thus did Paul exalt God when he had been acknowledging that in him that is in his flesh dwelt no good thing Rom. 7.8 That not a spark not a disposition not an inclination to comply with the Lords blessed will dwelt in him and declares the mighty operation of the Law of his members which were the cursed dispositions of his Heart against the Law of his mind which was the blessed disposition in his Heart to comply with God when thus I say he declared that the Law that was in his members was so full of power and might that it maintained a strong battel against Jesus Christ yea that it wounded him and made him a Slave and Vassal to that cursed disposition yet then he exalts God by this occasion breaking out thus Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Mark that word now Now seeing the vile rebellious disposition of my vilest Heart cannot turn away the workings of the Lords free love now seeing though my Heart maintain War against the Spirit of Jesus Christ yea such War as leads my Soul Captive also and even enslaves and enthrals and vassalageth me under the power of sin though it be thus yet the love of God in Jesus Christ can never cease it workings He thus declares to the whole World in a kind of triumphing way that the freedom of Gods love is so absolute and perfect that even now though there be such opposition made against the workings of it by the vilest crooked Heart yet there can never be a turning away of that love never a Sentence of Condemnation drawn out by God against any Soul that accepts that his love in Christ This manifestation that there is such an absolute perfection of freedom in the love of God in Christ that nothing can prevent and turn away that love from any soul that embraceth it this is manifested three ways through which the name of God is exalted through the Soul 1. This is manifested by the souls sensible free acknowledgement of its abhorred vileness and loathsomness when the Lord tenders his love in Christ to it yea when the Lord receives his unlovely Soul into the dearest sweetest embrace of his love When the soul shall readily and freely declare nothing but enmity opposition contradiction to the blessed God of Heaven to have been in his vilest heart when that blessed news came down from Heaven to his hopeless Soul that the Lord was ready and willing to admit of reconciliation peace and agreement and love to be between his soul and himself This indeed is a high exaltation of the name of God
were enough to cast them down into the everlasting Lake of burning if the Lord should act in justice with them Hence it is that when Jesus Christ draws forth the sweetest believing actings in the hearts of Believers then they are most ready to accept of any chastisement that the Lord inflicts upon them in respect of their transgressions Lament 3.39 So that thence souls enjoying the clearest beams of light from the spirit of light revealing unto them their union with the Lord Jesus are commonly most filled with acclamations against themselves and all their prayers filled with self-judgings and abhorrings Yea likewise hence it is also that believing souls enjoying the evidences of their union with Jesus Christ are filled with those high admirations and that their souls conceive of the love of God in Jesus Christ to them as a mystery unsearchable past finding out either by Men or Angels because then they apprehend the infinite worthiness of those thousands and ten thousands and Millions of iniquity that they have committed to incense the anger of the Lord against their Souls Yea likewise hence also proceed those enlarged desires after the sweetest meltings of heart for sin from those Souls to whom the spirit of Jesus Christ hath certainly evidenced their union with him But as the Scripture testifies to the truth of this so reason testifies that there cannot but be a connexion between the spirits evidencing to the soul its union with Jesus Christ and the souls sense of worthiness for the least transgression to be punished with everlasting indignation 1. In regard the spirits evidencing unto the soul that it is united to Jesus Christ doth declare and manifest to the soul the equity of a perfect subjection of every soul to the Lords blessed holy will When the spirit bears witness to the soul that the blessed Majesty of Heaven is willing to be reconciled and united to poor despicable rebellious wretches to those whose hearts swell with enmity against the Crown of his glory yea when the spirit testifies that the Lord even seeks and sues for the reconciliation with the soul thence it cannot but be clearly manifested to the Soul that is but infinitely equal that a poor rebellious wretch yea such a desperate enemy to his blessed Majesty should consent to what the Lord propounds Now from this manifestation of the infinite equity of a perfect subjection to be given by every soul to the Lords blessed will from thence there is necessarily such deep apprehensions of the infinite injustice and unsearchable depth of unrighteousness and wickedness that is in the least contradicting that blessed will that the Soul conceives every such transgression or disobedience to that blessed will to be infinitely worthy to be punished with infinite and everlasting indignation 2. The Spirits evidencing unto the Soul that it is united unto Jesus Christ doth declare the absolute perfection of goodness in the Lords blessed will so as it manifests every motion of that will to be absolutely transcendently good When the spirit bears witness unto any soul of its union with Jesus Christ it represents God only as a mass of love in Jesus Christ It represents God willing all kinds and degrees of good unto every Soul that will accept it and thence every act of the Lords blessed will is represented to the Soul as absolutely good now by that means every transgression of the Lords will is represented as in opposition to infinite goodness and thence every transgression cannot but be apprehended as a just occasion for infinite wrath and indignation to burn in its fierceness and extremity against the Soul 3. The Spirits evidencing unto a Soul his union with Christ doth necessarily occasion the soul to declare to the honour of God that the least degree of communion with God causes any Soul to participate in some degree of his holiness This the Apostle testifies in 2. Cor. 3.18 That while they did with open-face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord they were changed into the same in age from glory to glory that is they are conformed into the likeness of God while they see the beams of his excellency glitter upon them through the great truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ yea that gradually according as they behold the glory so they are changed also by degrees from glory unto glory from one degree of likeness unto God to another degree Thus likewise the Apostle testifies 1 John 1.5 6. That God is light that is to say that he is holiness itself purely holy nothing but holy and then bears witness that it is impossible for any soul to have the least fellowship with him but we must be partakers of that holiness if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth as if the Apostle had spoken in these words The Lord is so infinitely transcendently holy such an infinite perfection of holiness dwells in him and an infinite averseness to any thing that is unholy that it is impossible any soul should dwell with him but he must participate of his holiness So in 1 John 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked So likewise he testifies the same thing again in 1 John 3. 6. Whosoever abideth in him that is united to Jesus Christ hath union and communion with him sinneth not that is he sins not according to the manner that he sinned before his union with Jesus Christ there are other disposition infused into his heart there are some drops of the holiness of Jesus Christ communicated to his Soul through his union with Jesus Christ whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither knows him that is whoever sins in the same manner that he did when he was void of the knowledge of Christ void of union and communion with him whatever he professeth he had not the experimental knowledge of the love of God that joyned his heart to Christ he never had the true vision of the glory of Jesus Christ he hath not so seen him whereby his Soul was transformed into the likeness of Christ And in regard of this that the spirits evidencing unto the Soul that he is united unto Jesus Christ doth necessarily cause such a declaration that the least degree of communion with God cause the Soul to participate of the holiness of God Thence it is First That the sin and transgression of a Soul enjoying the evidence of his union with Christ is so intollerably burdensom This is the reason why souls enjoying the evidence of their union with Christ melt and break so sweetly under the remembrance of any sin that they are confounded in themselves that they loath and abhor themselves in regard the glory of God is so ecclipsed and thence the remembrance of his own sin wounds so deeply because in effect he by sensual formal unworthy walking doth declare that communion with God doth not make him partaker
spirit of Christ complaining to will is present with him but to do is not yet present that when the law of the spirit begins to work the law of the flesh opposeth it by which complaint he doth in effect but breath after a more mighty power of the sanctifying spirit of Christ which might not only beget a compliance in his will to the Lords holy will but might also carry it forth to perfection that might cause his soul not only to bring forth the bud of holiness but the ripe fruit of it and his complaints are but the desiring of a power of the spirit that the Law of the spirit that is the disposition infused by the spirit might overcome the Law of the members that is the corrupt dispositions that were naturally in him so that his soul might be more then conquerer over Sin III. Hence also it is that souls injoyning the evidence of their union with Jesus Christ from the spirit of Christ are constantly enquiring into and searching to find out the secret Iniquities of their own hearts That principle being firmly rooted in them by the spirit of Revelation that discovers to them their union with Christ that a perfect conformity to the Lords will ought only to satisfie the desires oâ— any soul Thence they being always conscious to themselves of a depth of wickedness that secretly possesseth their hearts they are searching after the secret wickedness those vailed and inclosed iniquities that their hearts would even lock up as it were in dark Dungeons that the soul might never discern IV. Hence souls injoyning their evidence of their union with Christ are calling in the assistance of the heart searching God to find out their Iniquities for them According as you shall find David Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts the holy mans meaning is that the Lord should so search him as to make him understand his own heart and to know his own thoughts see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Thus he crys that the eye of the blessed Majesty of heaven might pierce through his heart to discover all his wickedness and contrary walkings to the will of God that then God might send down a conquering power to deliver him from those corruptions and lead him into the path of holiness that is into a full conformity of the Lords blessed will V. Hence it is that souls injoying the evidence of their union with the Lord Jesus are so delighted with the precious heavenly light of the Lords word in its discovery of the Souls unholiness and in its discovery of the Lords blessed will concerning the Soul Surely it was from hence that David in Psal 19.10 was so delighted with the Lords word that he professed it was sweeter than the honey and the honey comb to him because it revealed the pretious will of God to him and discovered his own heart to him and thence was a help to conform his will to the Lords blessed will that was the only satisfying object of his Souls desires VI. Hence it is also that Souls injoying the evidence of their union with Christ are so frequently breathing after the time of their dissolution It is in regard their Souls never attain the fulness of rest that satisfying object of their desires till the time of their dissolution Hence they groan being burdened with iniquity and secretly cry out O when shall I be worshipping of God purely When shall I be free from this body of sin and death that there may be a blessed union of Wills between thee and me that this my vilest corrupt will shall never oppose and contradict thy will more So that it is evident from experience that the spirits revealing unto any soul its union with the Lord Jesus doth occasion the soul necessarily to declare that a perfect conformity to the Lords will ought only to satisfy the desires of any soul Yea likewise it is evident also from reason that the spirits discovery of a souls union with Jesus Christ doth necessarily cause the soul it self to be satisfied with no portion of holiness but a full conformity to the Lords will I. In regard the spirits evidence of any souls union with Christ doth cause the Soul to discern clearly that a perfect conformity and subjection to the Lords will is infinitely due from every creature Whenever that precious light shines from the spirit of revelation into the soul then the soul is filled with such high thoughts of the transcendency of the Lords glory that thence the soul is convinced that every creature in heaven and earth owes absolute perfect subjection to the Lords blessed will Now hence the soul cannot be satisfied with any degree of conformity to the Lords will less than an absolute perfection of conformity and likewise hence the soul is constrained to declare that absolute conformity to the Lords will ought only to be the center whereon the soul should rest II. The spirits revealing unto any soul its union with Christ doth cause the soul to apprehend so clearly the ravishing beauty and unspeakable lustre of the holiness of the Lords will that thence a full subjection and conformity to the blessed holy will appears as the highest thing that can be desirable by any soul That sweetest discovery from the spirit of Christ unto a soul of its union with Christ makes the soul apprehend the Majesty of Heaven to be so cloathed with a garment of love and makes the soul apprehend such a height and depth and length and breadth of love to be in God towards forlorn unlovely sinners that thence the will of God appears in all things to be so good towards poor sinners as the very beauty of it makes a full conformity in that will in a manner infinitely desired by the soul Yea the soul is then so strongly convinced of the absolute goodness of the blessed will of God in all its motions that thence the soul can take no rest nor contentment while his will disagreeth from that purest holy will that is so absolutely good in all its motions III. The spirits revealing to any soul his union with Christ doth establish that blessed principle in the soul that the most superlative happiness of every soul consists in perfect union and communion with God in Christ the unity and community of wills between God and the soul Through the spirits light cast into the dark soul to discover the souls union with Christ the heavenly brightness and glittering resplendent Glory of the Lords goodness so shines round about the soul that thence the soul discerns clearly that that the highest and most supream degree of the happiness of any soul must necessarily consist in the conjunction and communion of the soul with that infinite goodness in the souls nearest and largest participation of it Thence that blessed principle is rooted in the soul that the union and communion of
wills between God and a Soul is that top-stair of happiness that any soul can possibly ascend to Now thence seeing happiness is the object of the desires of every soul naturally the soul cannot be satisfied in it self without a perfect union of wills with that God in Christ and perfect communion with him So that thus it is evident both from Scripture from the experience of the manner of the workings and motions of the souls enjoying the evidence of their union with Christ and from reason it self that the spirits evidence given unto any soul of its union with Christ doth necessarily cause the soul to declare that a perfect conformity to the Lords will ought to be the only satisfying object of the Desires of any soul So that it is apparent that the blessed Name of God is exalted in every soul in the glory and brightness of its transcendent holiness to whom the spirit of Jesus Christ doth revael its union with Christ Now I beseech ye you that are sutable according as hath been opened to take a righteous and just examination of your evidence of union with Christ received to try whether you can prove to your own souls or demonstrate from this precious reason that your evidence of your union with Christ received had God for its Father and came down from Heaven only But as I said formerly so I say again that I am confident that those souls whom the spirit hath blessed with the spirit of wisdom to discover to them their union with Christ and with whom the spirit of light remains those souls have a testimony to their hearts and spirits of the real descention of the evidence of their union with Christ from heaven from this reason now opened Certainly there is not a soul among us to whom at present the spirit of Christ doth witness his union but his own heart doth witness that that very testimony of the spirit of Christ did cause the blessed Name of God thus to be exalted through his soul there is not such a soul certainly but his heart testifies that ever since he enjoyed that precious witness of the spirit he hath born record and testimony to the world he hath professed apparently verbally and practically that a perfect conformity to the Lords purest holy will ought only to satisfie the desires of any soul And questionless the soul also understands in some degree that from thence hath proceeded the dissatisfaction of his soul in all the purest acts of obedience to the Lords blessed will Questionless the soul understands that thence it hath been that he could not but in his most holy duties when most assisted by the spirit of Christ be still groaning under the sense of his own unholiness under the sense of his want of that largeness and fulness of the concurrence of his will with the Lords blessed will and under the sense of his want of freedom and liberty of spirit in his compliance with the Lords will that he was convinced ought to have been in his soul and questionless also that soul understands that even from thence hath proceeded those precious desires that have ever since possessed his soul after a larger portion of the sanctifying spirit of Christ and that ever since he hath always been searching after the secret iniquities of his own heart and hath been appealing to the heart-searching God to find them out for him and hath been delighted with the discovery of the Lords will and his disagreement to that will And questionless that soul understands sensibly that since the spirit gave that testimony of his union with the Lord Jesus he hath had many struglings with his spirit to be content to live that he might be redeemed from the power of his contradicting will Thus I doubt not but the spirit of Jesus Christ also doth irradiate the precious Gospel-Truth that the soul is able to prove to it self the descent of its own evidence to be from heaven that God was the Father of that his evidence But yet here I must take in every confident soul without exception that thereby the power of the Truth of Jesus Christ might seize upon hearts And 1. I must desire all souls that think they shall be everlastingly saved by Christ to search into their hearts to know whether their apprehension of salvation by Christ did produce these blessed effects in their hearts or no. I must appeal to your own Consciences Did your apprehensions of salvation by Christ infuse that principle into your minds and hearts that a perfect conformity to the Lords blessed holy will ought only to satisfie the desires of any soul Let Conscience answer Was this blessed principle so rooted in your hearts by those apprehensions of salvation by Christ that thence your hearts have been unsatisfied ever since in your most holy actings in those acts of the purest obedience that ever you rendered to the Majesty of heaven that thence ever since you could not but be complaining when your hearts were most enabled to any act of obedience of the narrowness of your wills in compliance to God's will And that you could not but be complaining of the want of singleness and uprightness and simplicity of heart in every act of Obedience yea that you could not but be complaining of the want of freedom in your wills to comply with the Lords will that you have ever since been groaning for want of the liberty of your wills in that compliance the want of facility and easiness in your wills answering to the Lords blessed will Souls I can only call for Conscience to answer I beseech you stop not its mouth but let it give an Answer in the presence of God whether your hopes of salvation by Christ did so root that principle in your hearts that nothing could satisfie your souls but a full conformity to the Lords will so as you have been unsatisfied in the fullest acts of Obedience you have performed that thence you have caused the Name of God to be exalted through you that you have born witness to the world that the perfection of holiness dwells in God only and all ought to bow down in subjection to that absolute holy will of his 2. I beseech you try whether your apprehension of salvation by Christ did so sweetly build your souls up in the belief of that great Truth that no less than a perfect conformity to the Lords will ought to satisfie the desires of any soul that thence you have been perpetually groaning after a larger portion of the sanctifying spirit of Chrit What do your hearts answer Have you not satisfied your selves with freedom from gross sins and thought your condition should be safe enough because free from the gross pollutions of the world And others of you have you not satisfied your selves with holy duties and thought you gained a sufficient degree of holiness that your hearts never groaned after a larger portion 3. Examine whether your apprehensions of your salvation by
gracious c. Vse I. By way of information Is it thus that the Lords intent and purpose in revealing the precious truths of the Gospel is to draw souls into union with Christ 1. Then hence we may see a discovery of the dolefull dreadfull and too too common abuse of the Gospel of Jesus Christ how is the Gospel troden under foot by a multitude of souls How far do they come short when they come to attend upon Gospel Ordinances How few consider that Christ hath appointed his Ordinances to draw their wretched corrupt obstinate hearts into union with Christ 1. Consider The neglect of desiring a conformity to this intent of God in the Gospel is a profanation of the precious Ordinance of God it is a pollution of the great name of God in his Ordinances 2. Consider what a mockery and dissimulation thy attendance upon the Gospel hath been unto God Every Ordinance of God is appointed for God to be worshipped in and thou by thy attending upon an Ordinance professest thou dost worship God Now it is impossible for a soul to worship God whilst he is ignorant or regardless of the intent of God in an Ordinance 3. Thy neglect of this great intent of God in his Ordinance is a direct contrary walking unto God In coming to an Ordinance thou dost come with some intent or other It is inseperable from a rational creature upon a deliberate act to work for some end Now if thou dost always come with an intent and hast neglected the intent of God it follows directly it is a contrary walking to God II. Hence we may learn what a small number of hearts have had the right effect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon them How few hearts can be found who are drawn into union with the Lord Christ by the power of the Gospel this day How many are careless and regardless whether they be one with Christ or no III. We may learn hence to behold the working of the heart of God towards us in propounding of Gospel truths it is to bring your souls to be one with Christ IV. Hence learn that every soul that refuseth the Lord Christ tendered upon what ground soever can be imagined is a rejecter of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Many poor souls through the cursed delusion of the old Serpent the Devil conceive they do well to stand off from receiving the Lord Christ tendered in the Gospel Take notice of the sad doleful miscarriage of thy heart thou neglectest the very principal command of God remainest disobedient while thou thinkest thou goest on in a way of obedience V. Learn what is the general rule by which we may judge persons to be embracers or refusers of the Gospel of Christ The general rule is whether they appear to be made one with Jesus Christ or no. If fruits can manifest there is an union with Jesus Christ then we may judge such to be embracers of Christ But if fruits manifest there is no union with Christ then can we not charitably judg that they are embracers of the Gospel of Christ for the present VI. Hence learn what the sum perfection and highest end of all Scripture is It is nothing but this the Lord Christ and the soul made one It 's Christ alone that is the Alpha and Omega of the Scriptures Therefore hence we may learn how to read and hear the Scriptures The way is to make Christ the punctum the center of every line that when we find nothing of Christ we are far from reading the Scripture Look upon the Types Ceremonies Genealogies all lead to Christ VII Hence learn what was the end of all those infinite wise counsels of God from before the foundation of the world was laid What was the end of all the mysteries of the Gospel that the Angels desire to pry into The end of all is to bring souls into union with Jesus Christ VIII Hence learn the reason of the near Sympathy of affection between the Lord Christ and those souls upon whom the Gospel hath had its right effect Why is Christs honour the souls honour and Christs advancement the souls advancement And on the contrary the affliction of the soul is Christs affliction the dishonour of the soul is Christs dishonour The reason is because the soul is brought into union with the Lord Christ and where there is such a nearness of relation there will be a nearness of affection IX Hence learn the intrinsical specifical difference between the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments of the Gospel The preaching of the Gospel is to draw souls into union with Christ but the administration of the Sacraments of the Gospel is to manifest communion between souls and Christ already united 1 Cor. 10 16. Thence it is that there is a difference to be made between persons that partake of the Sacraments of the Gospel though not of those that partake of the preaching of the Gospel Every soul is a sutable subject to have the Gospel preached because every soul by nature is a separated soul and therefore hath need to be brought into union with Christ but onely some few souls that are sutable subjects may partake of the Sacraments of the Gospel because they are those that do manifest a soul to have communion therefore they presuppose union Vse II. The second Use is a word of admonition Seeing the purpose of God in revealing Gospel truths is to gather souls into union with the Lord Christ let this warn every soul from heaven to take heed how he hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ It is a good caution the holy Ghost gives Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God He means take heed and watch over the affections intents and purposes of your souls when you approach near to God in any duty of his worship Then beware your affections swerve not from God There are three great miscarriages in coming to Gospel Ordinances 1. A carelesness and mindlesness of the nature end and effect of the ordinances of God in approaching to them It may be said of most souls in a Congregation as of those Acts 19.32 In that great assembly the most part knew not wherefore they were come together Consider of two things in this wretched miscarriage of heart in attending upon the Gospel First this heedless frame of spirit is a contempt of God himself When the great God of heaven and earth sends a precious Embassage to thy poor loveless soul and cries to thee come and be one with me in a Mediator and thou sit carelesly neither minding nor regarding the nature of the Embassage how is it possible for thee to cast higher contempt upon God Secondly it is the highest indignity and affront that can be offered in that kind to the glorious Majesty of heaven and earth 2. The second great miscarriage of heart is the taking satisfaction to the soul in attaining other ends by Gospel
first embracing of Christ had strange conceits of a temporal kingdom of Christ and yet no question the union between Christ and their souls was real only through want of clearness of light many disorderly affections were in them which were set in order afterwards Premise 3. Thirdly I must premise also That there is a vast difference to be observed between arguments or confirming signs of union with Christ and evidences of union with Christ Those properly are called evidences that do in their proper nature discover union whenever they are present So that when such things are present the soul cannot question his union with Christ And those cannot properly be called evidences that are not able to clear up union with Christ whenever they are present in the soul Now of that nature are many holy dispositions and holy qualities in the soul that may be present in the soul and not able to clear up the souls union yet these are evidences that may and do clear unquestionably whenever the Lord discovers them The Question you ask is a great question The question is how we shall know our union with Christ That is how we may attain evidences of union our union either being dark or doubtful or else never had clear evidences You that have it do not ask how you shall have it confirmed more and more but how you shall have evidences of your union Now I shall answer First Negatively how you may not Secondly Affirmatively how you may Neg. First negatively how you may not in three or four things Ans 1. First the souls union with Christ cannot be evidenced from any work of the spirit of God that is effected in or upon the soul That is neither by his Illumination Humiliation or Reformation Neither by a restraining work from sin or preventing work of sin or alluring work from sin that the spirit of God hath effected upon the soul All these works are too weak to clear up union to the soul and that upon three grounds 1. In regard all the works of the Spirit upon the Soul that do go before Union may be and are wrought upon Souls that never obtain Union with the Lord Christ As Humiliation sorrow for Sin restraint from Sin some kind of turning the Heart away from Sin some kind of love to the Ordinances of God All those that go before the very instant wherein the Soul is United to Christ may be effected in many Souls that never obtain Union Nay they may be and appear greater in many Souls that never obtained Union than in Souls that attain unto Union with Christ And in regard those works of the Spirit upon Souls are common to Souls that are not United as well as to Souls United thence they are no Evidences of a Souls Union Whatever must evidence Union to a Soul must be proper and peculiar to Souls United that it may be properly said that no Souls that are not compleatly United to Christ can have such a work upon their Hearts Now no such work goes before immediate union but may be common to a Soul never United to Christ For Conviction of Sin and Sorrow for Sin I might instance in Judas In reformation and desire to Ordinances we need go no further than a Wretched Herod Mark 6.20 He heard John Baptist gladly and reformed many things For a Souls Mourning after God apparently we may see it in Esau A Soul out of the sense of want of Union may Mourn most bitterly Now in regard of rhe Commonality of the works to Souls not United as well as unto Souls United they can be no Evidences of Union 2. In regard these works of the Spirit upon the Soul can yield no Divine Witness or Testimony unto the poor doubting Soul Indeed all the works of God Originally are Divine Works and Works of Divine Power yet they have no Power to yield a Divine Testimony Now nothing can be a sufficient ground for the Soul to believe its Union with Christ unless it be a Divine ground The proper object of all Divine Faith must be a Divine ground If it be a Fallible Ground it is a Fallible Faith if an uncertain Ground it is an uncertain Faith if a Humane Ground it is a Humane Faith Now in case upon those grounds as the sight of such works of the Spirit of God the Soul should believe its Union with Christ it should not believe it with a Divine Faith because there is no Divine ground to believe it upon 3. In regard there is no promise of Union with Jesus Christ made by God unto Souls that have these works of the Spirit of God upon them That is no promise to the Soul that is Burdened with Sin or the like I mean thus the Lord doth not engage in any of these promises to Souls that had such and such Works of the Spirit of God upon them that those he would bring into Union and none but those That is because my Soul is burdened with Sin or because the Spirit of God hath now convinced my Soul in this or that manner that therefore I have right to such and such a promise No these Promises are made to Souls in reference to Union with Christ that by Union with Jesus Christ I might have right to these Promises and to the effecting those Qualifications in the Soul too Ans 2. Secondly we cannot evidence our Union by any thing inherent in the Soul That is not by any gracious Quality Habit Inclination or Disposition that is infused from God into the Soul The Graces of the Spirit Communicated to the Soul and dwelling in it are as insufficient to manifest and evidence this interest in Christ as the workings of the Spirit upon the Soul I mean all holy Dispositions and Inclinations that are Communicated to any Soul And that upon these grounds I. In regard of the neer similitude and likeness of Counterfeit Qualities and Graces to all those Holy Qualities and Graces and Habits that can be discovered in a Soul The Devil hath his Artists at work as well as the Spirit of God is at work and there is no precious Jewel of Grace the Spirit frames in the Soul but the Devils Artists can Counterseit a Jewel of as neer Similitude as possible only to delude poor Souls Yea there is such a neerness of likeness in those false Dispositions to those True Precious Holy Qualities as the imperfect sight of the Soul cannot possibly discern the difference when the Union of the Soul is dark As to instance in Poverty of Spirit which is an emptiness of the Soul of all Confidence in it self being nothing in its own eyes Mark what a neer Counterfeit the Devils Artists can make cursed Pride of Spirit so as it can scarce be discerned nay so neer as the Soul commonly mistakes A Soul is convinced of Sin and moved to accept of the Lord Christ tendred Now comes the Devil What such a Cursed Wretch as thou art receive the Lord
opinion Perfection of conformity to Scripture rule is the command and injunction that lies upon every soul Now these evidences of opinion being attained and yet the soul falls short of Scripture rules thence it necessarily follows that no soul may or ought to content it self with those evidences III. You must note That the seeking after and walking by these evidences of opinion only do expose the soul to the want of all props supports and comforts in the greatest necessities of the soul These evidences are like the little Brook the Prophet Elisha sat down by when he went from Jezebel that ran only in the beginning of the famin and after was dry Or rather they are like Jonah's Gourd Jonah 4.6 of which the poor man was exceeding glad for a night and felt the shadow of it but when the Sun arose a worm struck the Gourd and Jonah was exposed to the heat of the Sun Thus may the evidences of the soul from inherent qualities and the working of those qualities be like a precious Gourd for a season where the soul may have refreshments but if the Sun gets to the mid heavens and there come any scorching heat then do they vanish like Jonah's Gourd and the soul is exposed to a comfortless hopeless condition for eternity There are four great necessities of the soul when it hath the greatest need of evidences and in all these the evidence of opinion fails the soul 1 When any Sin in the heinousness of its guilt and the dreadfulness of its merit and desert is charged upon the conscience When Sin comes once to be thus charged it causeth all the evidences of opinion to vanish and perish and leaves the soul comfortless As it was with David Psal 51.3 he cries out My sin is ever before me Or as it was with poor Job Chap. 13.26 27 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth Now when the soul is either in Jobs case or Davids case that any iniquity comes thus before the soul then is a soul in great necessity of union with Christ When a debt comes to be charged upon a person and the Bayliff comes to arrest him then there is necessity of some bayl now conscience comes to arrest the soul and offers to carry it into hell and now do those evidences of opinion from the souls graces leave the soul hopeless and helpless The thing is evident when conscience is thus charging an iniquity upon the soul it becomes Witness and Advocate and Judg It witnesseth the fact to be done it pleads the fact condemnation and pronounceth the sentence 2. The second great necessity is when some strong master corruption leads the soul captive and even keeps the poor distressed soul in chains You must know though the reigning power of sin be destroyed in souls united to Christ Rom. 6.14 yet the tyranizing power of sin is not destroyed Though sin cannot have the Throne of the will to sit there as Lord Commander yet it will be always striving for the Throne then is the soul in great straights and knows not what to do without evidence of union with Christ that he knows he shall be conqueror over such a corruption Now in this condition the inherent qualities of the soul and the works of sanctification leave the soul helpless and comfortless now the eye of the soul is upon corruption and it is hard for him at that time to discern grace 3. Another great exigency of the soul for the evidence of his union is when the influences of the quickning spirit are suspended from the soul When not only a state of deadness is grown upon the heart but as with those Psal 80.4 God seems to be angry with their prayers and comes not in That the soul begins to complain as in Lament 3.44 that the Lord shuts out his prayers or complain as Job Chap. 23.8 9. Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him c. Then is the soul in great extremity that now unless there be some grounds of evidence of union the soul begins to be hopeless and altogether comfortless And alas when the soul is brought to this exigency then doth its evidence of opinion from its own grace fail and the soul questions whether it ever drew a right conclusion 4. The fourth extremity is When the Lord delivers the soul to the buffetings of Satan for a season When Satan begins to use all his policy to shake the foundations of the soul to make his hope and faith to shake when the Devil chargeth his Cannons against the soul and letteth loose all temptations at once blasphemous thoughts come into the heart questioning whether there be a God or no and the soul can meddle with nothing but one blasphemous thought or other comes upon the soul and it knows not from whence they come And when Satan is thus buffeting the soul then a mans inherent graces and the workings of them that he saw before do now fail the soul in regard Satan in this case first strikes at the strongest hold he strikes at the foundation he strikes at union with Christ 4. There is a fourth note about evidences of opinion That the souls cleaving unto them doth make the certainty of the truth of God increase and diminish according to the increasing and diminishing of the workings of his soul and of the influence of the spirit of God upon his heart Experience it self teacheth us that while our souls take our evidences from those qualifications so long as we find the spirit of God working lively in our hearts our hopes are lively and our confidence firm and no sooner these cease again but our confidence and our hope fail then the Soul questions again whether Jesus Christ be tendred to his Soul in particular whereas before he had some confidence of it 5. There is a fifth note about these evidences of opinion and that is this That the cleaving unto those evidences of opinion doth make the whole life and comfort of the soul depend only upon sense When the soul trusts to those alone he trusts only the eye of sense both in seeing his happiness for the present and for eternity Now from thence First The fulness of the souls consolation is prevented The soul as it were shuts the great window which is the evidence of grace in the promise unto the soul and only opens the small crevis of sense and experience Now needs must the fulness of light in the house be prevented when the greatest window is shut voluntarily And much more is the comfort of the soul prevented when the great window of comfort is shut Secondly The constancy of consolation is prevented The soul may both see the Lords will to be unchangeable towards him in taking him into union and may see the command of God to his soul to believe that his union and receive the promise of God to take his soul
opened and that is this Que. 3. To what purpose are all the promises made to Qualities inherent in Souls and to the workings of the Spirit of grace in hearts seeing Vnion with Christ cannot be evidenced from them Answ 1. For answer First there is no promise the Lord makes to any quality inherent in a soul as a condition upon which the promise should be fulfilled to the soul That is there is no promise that the Lord hath made to any quality so or in such a manner as upon the Lords beholding that quality in the Soul he should repute himself bound to fulfil that promise or to convey that mercy included in the promise to the Soul Nor doth the being of the quality lay any such engagement upon God to perform it Every promise is a part of the Covenant of grace that the Lord holds forth in Christ for the Covenant of grace is nothing else but a bundle of promises All the promises of God in the word bound up in one is the Covenant of grace so that it is a thing consisting of so many Articles of agreement between God and the Soul Now the Covenant of grace should prove no Covenant of grace if any of those promises were made to a quality as a condition upon which the Lord were bound to perform the promise Ans 2. Secondly the promises of God to qualities inherent in Souls are not made to qualities as qualities That is not as they are good dispositions and good inclinations not as they are works of the Spirit of grace begotten in such Souls All inherent qualities in souls are to be considred under a two-fold notion either as they are qualities that is as they are affections and dispositions in a soul Or they are to be considered as they put a soul into such a state or condition as they make a soul either in a good condition or a bad condition Now no soul may look upon any one promise that God hath made to any one quality and look upon that quality in his heart as that good quality that good disposition to which the Lord hath bound himself by promise to convey such or such mercies or benefits As for example should I name most of the conditional promises in the word you will find none of the promises made to qualities are made to them as qualities but as to a state of Want and Penury and Misery out of which the Lord promiseth Refreshment Ease and Relief out of the Bowels of his own mercy 1. To begin with thirsting ones That notable place in Isa 55.1.2 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Come saith he take all sutable refreshment for your poor thirsty souls There is Christ holden forth to thirsty ones in all the precious priviledges tendred to souls in Christ Yet this is not made to thirsty ones as thirsting is a quality or grace flowing from the Spirit of grace in their hearts And that the promise is not made to thirsting Souls as thirsting after Jesus Christ or as thirsting is a quality will appear in three particulars in that the persons to whom those glorious priviledges are tendred in Christ are persons void of any quality or grace proceeding from the Spirit of grace in their Hearts They were so far from any Holy quality as it doth appear from the Text that they had not any one right desire after receiving any Holiness For 1. They are said to be such as are thirsting after false refreshments digging broken Cisterns for their Souls to drink of they spent their Money for that which was no bread that is their desires and endeavours They were the Jews that sought for Justification by the Law and Cerimonies 2. They were such as thirsted to supply their wants in a wrong way and were neglecters of Jesus Christ They spent their labours and desires after wrong objects that which was not Bread things that could not profit And these were the persons to whom the promise was made and therefore it could not be made to any quality 3. The same promise is holden forth to every Soul equally whether thirsting or not thirsting This you may see Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come there is the same promise yea let whosoever will come and take of the Water of Life freely Every one under Heaven is joyned under as equal a notion as the thirsty ones Therefore the promise cannot be made unto thirsty ones as having such a quality of grace in them but as poor and penurious Souls in a sad condition not knowing how to get their Souls refreshed and their wants relieved So again Mat. 5 6. where the promise seems to have more colour to be made to a quality as a quality Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled This promise is not made to Souls as hungering and thirsting after Righteousness as Holy Dispositions in their Souls but the promise is made to them only as being needy and penurious as being in want and extremity Therefore you shall observe in the promise they shall be filled what is promised Nothing to the quality it self but to the supply of the wants of the poor Soul 2. If you observe the promises made to humbled Souls groaning under the burden of Sin they are not made to any Souls as groaning under the burden of Sin or as groaning under the burden of Sin is a quality or grace in the Soul As for example look that promise Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Now saith the Soul I am burdened and therefore I shall have rest And here I am perswaded many a Soul sits down in his being burdened and not in his coming to Christ and so sits down short of Christ Now that this promise is not made to Souls burdened as burdened but as being in a sad condition ready to sink under grievous pressures appears in two things 1. In regard there is nothing promised by God to the Soul remaining in his present estate The promise holds forth rest and ease to the poor burdened Soul but how Not as the Soul remains in his present estate but through his coming unto Jesus Christ Come unto me and ye shall have rest that is receive me as the only refuge of your Souls and by receiving me by Faith your Souls shall have rest 2. In regard there is nothing promised in this promise to be given to the Soul for the future more then to other Souls that are not for the present burdened under Sin Whatever is holden forth in this promise to Souls groaning under their burden is held forth in other Texts to Souls not groaning under their burdens in as equal a manner There can but two things be held forth First An invitation to believe But there is
no more sutableness held forth in this promise for an invitation for poor burdened Souls to believe in Christ than there is in other promises held forth in Scripture to Souls for present not groaning under the burden of Sin There lies as great an invitation upon every Soul under Heaven as the burdened there lies a command upon every Soul the invitation runs as equally to the dead in Sin under the greatest captivity to Satan as to Souls groaning under the burden of Sin Secondly The second thing that can be held forth in the promise is Rest and Refreshment Now you see that the rest is held forth to them to be received for the future only through believing and so it is held forth to every Soul under Heaven Therefore this promise cannot be made to burdened Souls under Sin as they are so burdened or as they are qualified with any such quality of grace You will say then what is the meaning of the promise The meaning is this God discovers to poor necessitous Souls where they shall have refreshment The voice of God from Heaven is Thou poor necessitous Soul wouldest have refreshment and thou poor burdened Soul wouldst have ease Come to me cast thy burden upon me by faith and take my word saith Jesus Christ thou shalt have rest III. If you look into promises made to mourning Souls As in Mat. 5.5 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted So Isa 61.1 2. speaking of Christ he shall come to comfort those that Mourn in Sion But now those promises are not made to Mourners as having the quality of sorrow in their Hearts as being afflicted for their Sins and grieving for them no not as grieving for the dishonour done to God by their Sins as if the Lord should have respect to that in the promise And that will appear in two things 1. If the promise were to sorrow as a quality in the Soul then it must needs be as it is a good quality Now were the promise made to the Soul as a good quality it were the happiness of the soul to have the good quality increase and continue in his soul Whereas the promise made to the mourning soul is to remove the quality by comfort comfort and mourning being two contraries So that if the promise were made to souls having a good quality in them it were rather a misery to have the promise than a happiness 2. If the promise were made to sorrow as inherent then the soul might claim comfort by his mourning or because of his mourning And so the original of the souls comfort should be in the quality inherent in the soul 4. If you go on to poverty of Spirit Blessed are they that are poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven The promise here is not made to a soul poor in spirit as having that quality in him For then were the promise of giving the Kingdom of Heaven to be held forth to no souls but to those that were thus poor and empty and so the Kingdom of Heaven should be held forth particularly as the Lords not being willing to give it to any souls but to such as are thus poor in spirit that had a true sence of their own nothingness And so the first promise were to be received by a soul as having true holiness and grace in his soul and so consequently the receiving of the promise by Faith should not be the first act of grace in the soul but the sight of grace should be necessary in the soul to make him receive a promise There is a fourth question to be answered before we can pass to the affirmative answer Quest 4. Are not the promises made to faith and believing as believing that through faith a man can only claim right to the promise Saith the soul surely faith is a quality in the soul and if the promises be made to faith they are made to qualities as qualities Answ 1. First I answer That it is apparent that many promises are made to souls actually void of faith Though I dare not say without respect unto believing for the future yet I say without any present believing The most primary principal fundamental promises are made to souls void of faith actually they are made only to sinners and that in their very estate of sinfulness though not properly as they are sinners that is not because they are sinners as if sinners were the qualification of the promise But heinous sinners in that doleful condition the Lord makes the promise to As in 1 Tim. 1.15 that precious promise This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief He looks upon himself only as a sinner in the application of that promise that Jesus Christ came to save him Thus the promises of reconciliation are made to such actually without faith calling them as they are enemies to close with Jesus Christ as a Mediator between God and them to make up reconciliation Thus also that of Luk. 19.20 That Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost another precious promise yet made to souls only lost without respect to any present being of faith in their hearts Answ 2. Secondly I answer that some promises are made for the begetting of faith in souls and therefore not made to faith as being a quality in the soul to which those promises should be made As that promise Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you The promise is made for the begetting of the habit of faith in the soul whereby the heart should be changed whereby the whole work of redemption should be wrought in the soul Answ 3. Thirdly I answer That no one promise in the whole Covenant of grace is made unto faith as a quality pre-existent in a soul That is as a quality to be remaining in a soul before he claim right to the promise So that no promise is made unto a believer because he doth believe The ground of the promise is not the souls believing nor the ground of the souls particular interest in the promise is not the souls believing though the ground of the knowledge of that his interest is his believing For if faith should be in a soul as a quality to receive the promise then these three things would follow 1. No promise could be fulfilled in and to a soul before it actually believe And then either faith it self must not be a gift from God unto the soul or else the great fundamental gift should be conveyed unto the soul not by vertue of the Covenant of grace nor by vertue of a promise 2. Then no soul might receive a promise nor believe a promise before he saw his own faith That is a soul till he could say the Lord hath infused the habit of faith into my soul he might not receive any promise The
or precious habit of love to Jesus Christ in the soul is an effect of the Covenant of Grace it self Now that the Covenant should be made to that which is the proper effect of the Covenant of Grace it self no man can conceive And that demonstration is sufficient to clear all other promises of this nature So if you examine the promise made to fear Psal 34.7 8. The Angels of the Lord pitch their tents about them that fear him It is taken for a promise but it is only the priviledge of the Saints So likewise look to all the promises of obedience Deut. 5.10 The Lord reserves mercy for a thousand generations of them that love him and keep his commandments There is a large promise that seems to be made to obedience But no soul understanding the absolute decree of God from eternity can conceive the obedience of any soul should be the motive that should move God to shew mercy to the soul or body or that God should bind himself to his own people yielding obedience to him to become a debtor to their posterity in respect of their obedience for then the mercies their posterity should enjoy should owe their immediate being and the glory of their being to their immediate ancestors and not to God as the immediate cause of the being of their mercies Therefore these are only declarations of the priviledges of the people of God and all these promises are only manifestations of his goodness to them for the manifestation of the riches of his Grace for refreshing their spirits and for the causing them to be precious in the esteem of others 3. If those promises that seeem to be made to qualities in the soul as unto conditions be not thus then they are only descriptions of the persons of those that God doth interest in the glorious priviledges of Christ by the special peculiar Graces that God communicates to them Or else 4. They are discoveries of the means through which God doth convey those priviledges of Christ and of the Covenant of Grace unto persons Of this nature is that promise which seems to be made to a condition Isa 57.17 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit This that seems to be a promise made to a soul indued by the Spirit of God with the Grace of Humility it is but either a description of those persons whom the Lord doth interest in his own special favour out of the riches of his own Grace alone Or else it is a precious Cordial given to a poor drooping Spirit as considered in an estate of penury and poverty as one contrite and ready to give up himself Of this nature are all those promises made to believing and repenting He that believeth and repenteth shall be saved The promise of salvation is not made unto faith as a special grace of God in the soul nor to the person indued with that grace But the thing it self properly is no promise but rather a description of the means through which the Lord makes his people partakers of the special priviledg he conveys through Christ and of the persons he communicates them to by their qualities 5. Those words of God that seem to be promises made unto conditions if none of the four former things contain them then they are descriptions given by the Holy Ghost of the way the Lord requires and inables his people to walk in while he communicates of his own free mercy to them Of this nature is that place so mistaken Ezek 36.27 28 29 30 which is the greatest place conceived to be of weight to prove promises to be made to conditions saith the Lord I will do these and these things for you I will bring you into your Land and make you dwell quietly and safely in your Land and I will save you from your Vncleanness c. But v. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them Generally the soul conceives here is the promise and the condition of the promise The promise to be the multitude of Mercies And the condition to be the seeking of the face of God But the meaning of the Holy Ghost is nothing else but to describe the way the Lord requires his people to walk in whilst they are in expectation to receive those precious mercies freely promised by God for them Likewise that in 1 Kings 8 47 48. Solomon prays for his people If they bethink themselves in the Land whither they were carried Captives and repent and make Supplication c. Now saith the Soul here is both the promise and the condition of the promise The condition is seeking Gods face humbling themselves for their Sins turning to God with all their hearts And then there is the promise that God will deliver them but they must observe these conditions else God binds not himself to give deliverance Now the true meaning of the Holy Ghost is only this Solomon in praying here at the dedication of his Temple the Typical House of God beseecheth the Lord that the prayers of all his people made towards that Temple that is towards Jesus Christ typified by that Temple and according to the will of God that they might be all acceptable to God Therefore observe Solomon in praying doth only describe the frame of spirit in Gods people when they come to pray which is an humble frame a turning frame from their Sins Neither doth God make the promises in either of both those places to depend upon any of these duties named not so much as prayer it self Therefore for the clearing these Texts I pray consider these things which may be useful for us for the right understanding the Covenant of grace and the nature of it I. That the duties here required by God from his people are the way wherein it is his will his people should walk in receiving mercies They are not precedent in order of time before the Lords intituling the soul to the whole Covenant of grace and every promise contained in it no nor so much as in order of nature That is that it must be presupposed that the soul have performed such and such duties before it can be presupposed the Lord to have interested the soul in every promise of the Covenant of grace And that will appear in these two things First that the act of the Lords will alone before and without any act of the will of man concurring doth fully intitle the soul to every promise of the Covenant of grace Otherwise it should be conceived that there should be some good will in man towards God before there be any good will in God towards man And so some act of good will from man to God should not flow from the acts of Gods good will to the soul Secondly in regard the
things being thus cleared the question that the soul propounds cannot stand The question was whether it was not from the sight of the condition to which the promise was made and fulfilled in the soul that the soul did conclude his right to the promise and so had his evidence of union with Christ There being no condition in the whole Covenant of Grace to which God hath made any promise it cannot be that it should be from the sight of any such condition that a soul should have his evidence of his union with Christ But then the question will be resolved into this question Quest But saith the soul Doth not the Lord first reveal those graces that he describes his own people by to be in souls and then through the sight of them clear to souls that he hath given them the Lord Christ out of his own good will alone through the promise And so it must be through the sight of such graces as God describes to be in his people that a soul must see himself to be one of Gods people Answ 1. Now to this I answer First That the Lord doth reserve to himself his own liberty concerning his own particular word from whence he doth reveal to souls infallibly their union with Christ The Lord doth not bind himself from a revealing unto souls their union with Christ by some word describing the Graces of the people united unto Christ nor from some word only inviting souls unto Christ Answ 2. Secondly I answer That the Lord doth not evidence unto souls their union with Christ without the sight of those graces in some measure or degree that the holy Ghost describes the Lords own people by When the Lord reveals his own free gift of Christ to the soul he doth reveal to the soul his willing accepting of Christ so given And that 's all one as if I should say the soul sees his own faith and so consequently doth see such graces to be in his soul Answ 3. Thirdly I answer That the Lord doth never reveal any Graces of the Spirit to any Soul as the ground or cause of evidencing unto the soul his union with Christ There are two things intended in this First That the Lord never reveals those graces in souls to be that which gives the soul right to the promise of the gift of Christ The Lord never manifests unto any soul that because there are such and such holy dispositions or precious heavenly qualities that he hath communicated to him that therefore he is enclined towards him and is willing to confer the Lord Jesus upon him or to accept him into union through Christ But the Lord reveals himself willing to accept souls into union with himself in Christ as they are considered under the notion of poor despicable worthless Souls without the least good disposition or holy inclination that can possibly be imagined in their hearts Secondly The Lord never reveals those Graces in the Soul to be the foundation of the Souls assurance That is the Lord doth not manifest to the Soul that because there are such Graces or such precious habits in his Soul therefore upon the sight of those the Soul ought to believe the Lords free sender and free gift of the Lord Christ to it The Lord doth not make those Graces to be the foundation of the Souls faith So that the Souls hope and comfort should rest upon the sight of those Graces that God should discover to be communicated to the Soul And that will appear in two things First If the Lord should cause the Soul by discovering Graces to be in him to bottom its hope upon the sight of those Graces then should the Graces of the Spirit in the Soul be the object of Faith and so Faith should not be the evidence of things not seen but rather the evidence of things seen Now the Scripture never propounds any holy quality in the Soul to be the object of Faith considering the quality as being inherent in the Soul It is out of all question the Scripture propounds believing without the sight of any of those qualities as that which every soul ought to seek after with his greatest strength John 20.29 Secondly Should the Lord manifest Graces to be in Souls first so as to bottom the hopes of their union with Christ upon the sight of those Graces then the Lord should not settle the faith of such Souls upon an immutable unchangable ground The Spirit it self in all its workings both in regard of the person in whom it works in regard of the manner and time of such workings is well compared by Christ to the wind that bloweth where and when it listeth And so all the graces of the Spirit and the workings of those Graces may be said to be changable things and should the Lord ground the Faith of a Soul upon a changable ground he should walk contrary to his revealed will Heb. 6.18 he hath given two immutable grounds his word and oath the Lords will is there should be everlasting constant unchangable grounds upon which every act of Faith should be built in relation to the Lord Christ that there may be unmoveable and unchangable consolation Answ 4. Fourthly I answer That the Lord may and doth to some Souls reveal Graces to be in them before he doth evidence unto their Faith their Union with Christ The Lord may manifest that there is some poverty of Spirit some broken heartedness for Sin some precious change before he doth assure unto their Faith their Union with Christ But then there are two things to be noted for the clearing of this conclusion First That the Lord doth not reveal the truth of such Graces to be in such a Soul unquestionably so as to enable the Soul to conclude from thence the acceptance of his Soul into Union with Christ The dreadfull storm of fear and terrour that may be risen upon the soul may be much alayed but alas there will be many a wave go over the Soul still Secondly That the evidence of the truth of those Graces in the Soul holds equal proportion with that evidence the Lord gives to Faith of the Souls Union with Christ or of the Lords free gift of Christ to him The evidence of the truth of those Graces and the evidence unto Faith runs parallel together They are dark and clear together holding one equal proportion And therefore untill God assure the Faith of the Soul that he is willing to accept him into union with Christ the Soul hath not an unquestionable assurance of the truth of those Graces that are in his Soul Answ 5. It is not the discovery of Grace in a poor doubting Soul but the discovery of the Lords absolute uncontroulable will to receive a Soul into union with the Lord Christ that is the ground from whence the Souls Faith is assured of his Union with Christ that is the ground from whence the Soul is assured of his Union with him Now this
and the same time and they are both but witnessing one and the same thing and helping the soul to draw one and the same Conclusion at the same time III. There is the manifestation of the true inseparable effects of union with Jesus Christ to be in the soul That is the souls beholding the very juice of Jesus Christ the precious Vine flowing down into his soul as into one of his Branches The soul finding the same graces that are in Jesus Christ the head drop down into his Bosom So that the soul concludes he must needs be a Member to the Head having influences from it Now there are three things to be opened about this which are concauses which may clear up to our understandings what may be safely holden forth in these 1. That none of these neither the shining of Faith nor the Testimony of Conscience nor the inseparable effects of union are concauses in evidencing unto the soul the Will of God in taking the particular soul into union with Christ The promise it self affords this light to the soul by the sole aid of the Spirit of God without respect to any Dispositions Inclinations believing qualifications whatever can be imagined 2. These three are only concauses in producing to the soul the effects of that first evidence That is in producing in the soul the conclusion of his own union with Jesus Christ that doth arise from the first evidence of the Lords will to take his soul into union with Christ 3. That it is only the first of those three things which is the shining forth of the light of Faith that 's properly a coadjoyning cause in the making up a souls evidence from the promise of his union with Christ Those two latter do follow after the first clear evidence in the soul of his union with Christ from the promise and so cannot come in as joynt concauses to make up the evidence Answ 3. Thirdly I answer There are indeed three joynt concurring causes for the making up this union to the souls Faith of its union with Christ And that is the Spirit of God the light of Faith and the Witness of Conscience taking the Witness of Conscience only for an experimental knowledge that soul doth receive and hath received the Lord Jesus freely given by God to be one with the soul so that Conscience doth only answer as it were like a precious Eccho to the soul the voice of the Spirit of God to the soul The Spirit of God revealing the light of the promise or applying the promise to the soul The light of Faith shewing the souls receiving of the promise And the voice of Conscience consenting to the voice of the Spirit of God or giving the Echo to the voice of the Spirit of God in the soul Answ 4. Fourthly I answer There be some that may be said to be concauses or joyn concurring causes in the evidencing to the soul his union in the promise Yet they are all but subordinate causes to one prime principal cause which is the Spirit of God Should I take these three which some have conceived to be joynt concurring causes which is the light of Faith the Witness of Conscience and the manifestation of the inseparable effects of union yet all these come in a way of Subordination to the principal Efficient Instrumental cause which is the Spirit of God As you may see if you look upon the light of Faith 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God You see the internal Vision or internal Light they have of any grace of any gifts is by the light of the Spirit of God put upon those gifts or put into the soul to discern those gifts So likewise of the second the Testimony of Conscience whatever Testimony Conscience would give be it either through practical or experimental reason drawn from the Word of God Or be it only to bear Witness to the souls own act and so taken only for a sense of the souls own beleiving yet also this Witness of Conscience hath its Subordination to that principal cause the Spirit of God As Rom. 9.1 When the Conscience is said to bear Witness of any good act in the soul it s said to be through the Spirit And indead the Conscience being altogether corrupt naturally the habit of Spiritual Light and discerning by which it Judge being only from the Spirit of God Thence it must necessarily follow also that every acting of that renewed light that the Spirit of God hath infused into the Conscience must be by the Spirit of God For out of all question the acting of every habit of grace received doth as well depend upon the Spirit of God as the first infusion of it into the soul did And if you look upon the third also which is the manifestation of all the effects of union that comes under that in 1 Cor. 2.12 All gifts All gifts of grace through union must be discerned through the Spirit of Wisdom in the heart inabling souls to discern the things freely given them of God As the Apostle doth well Illustrate it v. 11 comparing the light that the Spirit which they have received gives to them to discern the gift of God to the light of Conscience to discern what is in man What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Whereby he makes it evident that the use of the Spirit of God dwelling in the soul is the same for the discovering of all the workings of the soul to it as the use of the Spirit of a man is to discover to him the heart of man as man Answ 5. Fifthly I answer That the Spirit of God alone is the principal most immediate and natural Instrumental efficient cause of the promises evidencing to the soul his union with Christ Though you see there be divers causes that may afar off have some kind of influence yet no Influences further then they have a dependance upon the Spirit of God working in them and through them And however the sight of Faith and the Testimony of Conscience may in some measure be said to be concauses yet the Instrumental efficient cause that hath the Alpha and Omega that which strikes the first and last stroke that assures the souls Faith that he is united to Christ that 's the Spirit of God alone It s that which set on work all other means for that end Now that the Spirit of God alone is this principal efficient instrumental cause I shall clear to you by some demonstrations I. It appears by the general office of the Spirit of God The Spirit is designed to that office alone to reveal truths or to guide souls into all truth as appears John 16.43 When the Spirit of truth is come he will
and Afflicted in Conscience but it is only to such as are truly afflicted that is such whose Hearts are truly Broken and truly Contrite Isa 66.2 Now herein are two mistakes to be observed 1. That though it should be true that the promises of Life and Salvation are made only to such as were thus Broken and Contrite the contrary to which you have heard formerly opened yet first the tender of the promise of the gift of Jesus Christ is made to souls that have not the least degree of Contrition nor the least degree of Sorrow That is to say the Lords Declaration of his Will to receive every soul that will into union with Jesus Christ is as well propounded to souls not having the least degree of Contrition in their Hearts as it is to those that are the most Contrite and the most Broken 2. If the promise of Life and Salvation were made only to those that were Contrite yet that Contrition could proceed from nothing else but the particular application of the Lord Jesus to himself All fulness is appointed by the Father to dwell in Christ and whatever grace the soul receives must be an Influence that flows down from the grace of Jesus Christ III. There is a third ground and that is this That it is for the Glory and Honour of God and for the advantage of the soul that it should lie under affliction of Conscience and under the Burden of his Sin some time before he doth apply the Lord Jesus Here I must Premise one thing and that is That the Glory and Honour of God is the result of all his ways to his people The Lord being the Fountain of Wisdom cannot work without an end And his own self alone that is the manifestation of his own Glory is the highest end Therefore of necessity in all the ways of God that end must be attended This Premised I answer That properly and by it self the souls lying under the Spirit of Bondage or affliction of Conscience for Sin is neither for the Glory of God nor for the souls advantage It is ordinarily concluded that the soul lying under the Spirit of Bondage doth make for the manifestation of the Glory of God 1. In the Glory of his Justice to the Soul Saith the soul it makes much for the magnifying the Justice of God in the eye and Heart that the soul hath deserved according to justice to be plunged into the everlasting Pit of Wo that he is liable to all the dreadful Torments that the Wisdom of God can invent against such a cursed Rebel for breaking such a Righteous and Holy Law And it magnifies justice also in the eyes of others when others shall see that those souls do acknowledge themselves that they did expect nothing according to the strictness and of justice but everlasting Wrath and Indignation 2. That it doth make for the magnifying of God in his mercy Say they it makes mercy more sweet to the soul and more highly to be prized by it when the spirit of bondage hath lain upon the soul and afflicted the conscience for a time Now though at first view it should seem thus yet properly the afflicting the soul for sin that is the spirit of bondage working fear and terrour for sin doth not magnifie God neither in his justice nor mercy First It doth not magnifie God in his justice properly And that will appear because the magnifying of the justice of God in the heart of any is only by causing it clearly to apprehend his own infinite worthiness to lie under the wrath and indignation of God to all eternity Now the soul is thus made apprehensive of his worthiness to have the utmost justice of God executed upon him only through receiving the Lord Jesus tendered There are two things that must necessarily concur to make up this apprehension of his worthiness to have justice executed in his utmost indignation upon him and so consequently to make justice to be sanctified in any soul 1. A spiritual discerning to behold the nature of sin Now this must be received from Jesus Christ and that by infusion of influences from Christ to the soul by vertue of union between Christ and the soul A spiritual object cannot be discerned in the spirituality of it but by a spiritual eye Now both the justice of God and sin when looked upon aright it must be by a spiritual eye that is sutable to apprehend such an object 2. There must be a discovery of the dimensions of sin that is the height length and breadth of it before there can be a sanctifying the justice of God in the heart Now the dimensions of sin are only discovered to the soul through the application of the Lord Jesus tendered Till the soul seeth the right object against whom sin is committed he never seeth sin in the heinousness and abominable wickedness of it Now the soul never apprehends God aright till he beholds him in Jesus Christ as the object against whom he hath committed all his wickedness So that the aggravations of a souls sin appearing only from the right apprehension of Jesus Christ thence it appears it doth not make for the glory of the justice of God that the soul should lie a time under affliction of conscience for sin in regard the Justice of God is more exalted and magnified in the heart in one moment in the right application of the Lord Jesus than it can be in twenty years should the soul lie under the affliction of conscience all that time not applying the Lord Jesus to himself Neither can the justice of God be more magnified in the eyes of others in case the spirit of bondage lieth upon it for a season before the tender of Jesus Christ more than it can by the application of that tender immediately as soon as he is tendered The justice of God is magnified before others only by discovering before them his thoughts of himself of his own unworthiness and desert according to justice to be everlastingly tumbling up and down in the gulf of wo and misery Now the clearest apprehension of the unspeakableness of his own unworthiness proceeds only from the tender of Jesus Christ to his soul Secondly Hence also it necessarily follows That the name of God is not properly magnified in his mercy in the soul that partaketh of it by the spirit of bondage working upon the heart for a season before the application of the Lord Jesus to the soul The more clearly the soul apprehends its own wretched rebellion and cursed trechery against the Crown of the Lords glory the more clear is the Lords mercy manifested to the soul Now this is made more apparent by the application of the Lord Jesus to himself than it could be though the soul could discern the dreadfull everlasting burnings Nay if he could discern by a sense and feeling the justice of God reaching of him though he were in hell for a season and should partake of
one Iota or Tittle from the great God should not be able to command a fulness of belief from every soul 2. The Soul maketh all these inviting promises to be meerly in vain For if these inviting promises do not sufficiently reveal the Lords will to receive a poor loveless Soul that hath been at enmity to union with the Lord Jesus so as to make the Soul believe it with firmness of confidence then they are altogether useless they can be no incentive and motive to invite the Soul to Jesus Christ 2. The Soul must say thus That those inviting promises may not lawfully be applyed particularly unto particular Souls with that fulness of confidence Now herein is great injury done to the truth as will appear in two things 1. The Soul must deny those portions of the word to be believed by any one Soul under heaven Now herein the Soul shews much impudence and boldness to set limits to the will of God where he is pleased to set no limits 2. Then those inviting promises should not be the object of justifying faith according as it doth justifie For questionless that which is called justifying faith according as it doth justifie or in the exercise of it in that justifying way that doth particularly apply those promises to the particular Soul 3. There is one imagination more of the Soul upon which it grounds this conceit that the inviting promises of God are no grounds of assuring the Soul of union with Christ and that is this That a Soul may with a fulness of assurance believe the Lords will to be to receive his particular Soul into Union with Jesus Christ and yet the Soul at the same time be doubtfull and questioning of his Union All that is possible for the Soul to say in this is only thus much that a Soul may believe with all fulness of assurance the Lords will to take the Soul into Union with Christ habitually though not actually and so be questioning his Union with Christ though he do believe it habitually But alas this comes nothing to the purpose for indeed though it may be said truly that a Soul hath the habit of faith to believe it is the will of God to take Souls into union with Christ yet a Soul cannot be said properly habitually to believe this for indeed the weakest believers that have the lowest degree of faith have the act of faith from whence this habit of faith proceeds and so he doth in some degree believe the Lords will to receive his Soul into union with Jesus Christ in the promises Thus I have done with the first kind of beams the Devil forges to cast into the Souls eye There is a second kind of Beams of Darkness and those are Dark Distempers Though the Devils grand policy be to keep false principles in the souls judgment whereby the soul may discern all in a false way that God propounds to him yet he hath another policy to flee to and that is Distempers in the Heart Now these are also dangerous and keep the soul from assurance of union with Christ while those remain in the soul Therefore that is a second work of the spirit to pluck out those dark distempers And these are also divers The first Dark Distemper is Spiritual Pride It is Natural Pride working Spiritually though sometimes it is Spiritual Pride Dark Distemper And that is a kind of humor or swelling in the Spirit Or it is a kind of lifting up the spirit in a crossness and aversness to the will of God This the Devil causeth to grow like a wen upon the souls spiritual eye whereby he prevents the souls seeing what the promise holds forth to him There are two special workings of this distemper whereby the soul is prevented from discerning what the promise holds sorth 1. It inclineth the soul to have his thoughts taken up chiefly in looking after and seeking out some excellency and goodness in the soul it self whereupon it might stay its soul and uphold its sinking spirit And hence you shall observe though the heart little mind it and think it self far enough off from pride the souls eye is always upon his own prayers and duties of worship upon his own tears mourning and groaning upon the desires of his own heart and its workings toward God upon his own hungering and thirsting after God And all the soul complains of under this distemper is commonly that which a soul would little think proceeds from pride that he cannot find any goodness in himself Whereas if the truth be found out and the heart searched to the bottom he thinketh he hath much goodness 2. It maketh the heart averse to the thoughts of receiving all that ever he shall have only through meer gift alone The proud heart will not be beholding to God in Christ for all but would have all in his own way Hence ariseth a three-sold distemper 1. The soul insnarles it self in the interpretation of the promises and interprets all the promises against it self Thence the souls thinks concerning every promise it is but given to aggravate my condemnation 2. Hence ariseth a conclusion in the soul that it must not nay sometimes that it will not receive the Lord Jesus till it find such and such dispositions as the soul conceives necessary to be in it self Saith the soul if I could find my heart enlarged towards God and my deadness and coldness removed if I could find a mighty fervency of the spirit of prayer in my heart I could think indeed that the promise of the Lord Jesus might belong to me So that here the soul sits waiting for and pursuing after something that he might bring with him to the Lord Christ that he might come with his peny to take his penyworth of that which God propounds in Jesus Christ 3. From this aversness to receive all from free grace ariseth a neglect and disregard of searching into the promises what they hold forth Propound the promises to the soul alas saith the soul what is this to me none of these promises belong to me Now thence the soul is kept in his dolefull blindness and darkness through want of gazing upon the promise and looking upon the beam of light it holds forth A second Distemper is the rashness and unadvisedness of the soul This rashness is an unadvised sudden drawing up determinations concerning the souls condition Dark Distemper without a due examination of the ground from whence the soul draws that determination and without a due weighing of those conclusions drawn from thence in the ballance of the Sanctuary Questionless this is none of the least distempers nor none of the least beams that the Devil keeps in the souls eye It is one of the most secret dangerous snares that the Devil catches the feet of souls in to put them upon looking on the things of God out of a rational way I know no greater difference between true faith and the hypocrites temporary
faith the one believes in a rational way by his judgment when the other have confused motions towards God without judgment Now for the further clearing of this distemper of spirit 1. Saith the soul through this rash distemper prevailing in his heart those to whom the promises of God are intended to be made good God draws them to embrace them but I do not find that God draws me or giveth me power therefore I am none to whom this promise is made The principle is true but the conclusion is drawn rashly from it 1. The soul commonly draws this conclusion without weighing what the drawings of God are and what the secret power infused into the soul to receive those promises tendered to it is I have heard a soul draw this conclusion from this principle but when asked what are the drawings of God in the soul to inable it to embrace Jesus Christ tendered in the promise the soul knows not Ask it didst ever find the Lord making thy heart willing to receive the Lord Jesus to be one with thy soul and to make up an union with the father for thee O yes saith the soul I confess my soul longs for that I cannot but say I am willing And yet in the mean time through the distemper of rashness draws this conclusion that he is none of the number of those to whom the promise is made because God does not draw him 2. Suppose there was not this willingness yet the conclusion is rashly drawn from the principle in regard there is no time that God hath limited or prescribed to himself wherein he will draw the hearts of those that he intends the promises for 3. The souls ground is false in regard the Scripture determines not that the Lord always acts those inward habitual drawings of his when he hath once actually drawn 2. Say some souls through this rash distemper that those God intends good to he will not suffer them to grow worse and worse under the means and to decay in their affections and grow more corrupt But saith the soul I grow worse and worse under the means more corrupt and my affections decay and therefore I am afraid the Lord never intends to do good to me Now I pray observe but thine own rashness in not weighing and trying and searching all things to search whether indeed thou beest grown worse and worse under the means or no and to see in what degree thou art grown more corrupt and whether it be such a degree as the Scripture evidenceth God lets not those that he intends good to in Christ to fall into sin or no. Here should have been a great many things weighed before thou hadst drawn that conclusion I. Thou shouldest have weighed whether thine heart be grown more corrupt or no. Divers things things are considerable there 1. Though thou judgest thy self more corrupt yet thou mayst not truly have more corruption than thou hadst A soul is to distinguish between corruptions that are effectively so and those that are formally so It may be thou mayst see corruptions formally in thy soul more than before whereas thou mayst not be more corrupt effectively I mean thus thou mayst find more motions unto sin and wickedness than before and yet not those motions prevail to sin effectively that is to deprave and corrupt thy soul Though indeed interpretatively and according to the strict law of God those stirrings of corruption may be called sin yet they cannot properly be called corruption and thou canst not be said to be more and more corrupt for then they grow corruptions when the heart is inclined to them 2. Thou mayst judge thy self to have more corruption and yet there may not be more corruption neither First God may have cast more light into thy soul than before when thou didst judge thy self not to be so full of corruption Now through light every iniquity hath a greater weight upon the spirit than it had formerly Now the more weight it hath upon the spirit the more it is taken notice of And through more light there is a clearer discovery of the duty that the Lord requireth of the soul and of the nature and spirituality of the duty Now the more exquisitly the soul discerns the duty God requireth at his hand the more abominable he seeth his own heart Secondly if there be not more light it may be there is a greater tenderness of spirit infused into thee than formerly So that thou feelest corruptions more because the burden of them is more spiritually upon thy heart than before and so they appear to be the greater to thee 3. Corruptions may appear more when they are not more in regard there may be many occasions offered to draw forth inherent corruption into exercise There might be as many legions of iniquity in thy heart formerly though they did not appear because they had not the same occasion 4. Satan may be suffered by God to endeavour to draw out corruption for the discovery of corruption and the mortifying of it The Lord may suffer Satan contrary to his intentions to war against his own kingdom in thy heart in drawing out all his power to stir thy corruptions that thou mayst go to heaven for power to slay them So that if all these things were well considered it may be the heart would not be found to be more corrupt II. Suppose the heart should be grown more corrupt under means for a season Suppose the root of sin should get some sap and bud and sprout again and send forth its branches more plentifully and bring forth more fruit yet it were to be weighed before a soul draws such a conclusion whether sin may not revive again and grow more lively for a time even in those who are near to the heart of God to whom God intends all the good in the promises tendered by Christ III. It would be also considered whether the Scripture warrants the drawing such a conclusion from a real sense of growing worse and worse It would be considered whether the Lord be not tendered to at that time that thou mightest receive such influences of grace from him as might prevent thy soul from still growing worse and worse IV. It would be considered whether the soul can find that such a degree of declension as it is now fallen into be such a one as the Lord Christ hath excluded all that fall into it from receiving himself in the Covenant of Free Grace If I should follow up this rashness of the soul further I might open that the souls real declension in affections that were formerly may not be a sufficient ground to conclude that the soul is grown worse and worse 1. It would be considered whether affections did work in the Lords own orderly way through the following of the judgment in closing with the truth propounded in Christ It may be the novelty of the truths affected thy heart as being new things and it was not from the dictate
of thy judgment declaring the excellency of Jesus Christ tendered that thy affections did work so powerfully 2. It would be considered whether the Lord may not and doth not more frequently stir up higher affections in souls in the first holding forth of the Gospel to them than he always intends afterwards to them Do you think that the Prodigal Luke 15.44 had always those expressions of his fathers delight in his return that he had when he first returned Then there must be the best robe put upon him and a feast and musick But it is a question whether his father put him on such apparel every day and make him a feast every day So the Lord may and I believe doth at the first revealing of his truth give more affections than he intends to continue and more stirrings of grace infused than he intends afterwards constantly to continue yet though there remain not the same activity vivacity liveliness of affection yet there may be the same affection remain nay it may be the affection may be grown in its fixedness and steadiness and in its orderly way of working towards Jesus Christ though it appear not working so powerfully and mightily as it did before You see plainly the conclusion is rashly drawn though from a true principle considered in some sense A third Distemper is fearfulness the timerous disposition of the soul Dark Distemper Now you must rightly understand this distemper for though the Devil cast in the distemper of fearfulness into some souls to keep them from union with Christ yet he casts in the distemper of presumption into more souls to prevent them from seeing the face of God in the glass of the Gospel and so leads their souls into the pit of darkness We shall clear it in two or three conclusions 1. There cannot be too much holy fear possessing any heart That is there cannot be too much awfull reverence of the holy Majesty of God nor too much awfull respect of God as he presents himself cloathed with the precious robe of mercy loving kindness goodness This fear God requires Ps 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared 2. There is a fear which is a terrour and dread and horrour of the avenging justice of the Almighty God There is a fear of displeasing this God appearing in this manner least his anger should be so kindled that flames of indignation should proceed from him to the consuming of soul and body for ever And it is this fear that is too much in the souls of Gods dear ones This kind of fear is but a Judas his fear and a Cain's fear and a Saul's fear 3. There is a natural affection of fear that possesseth the hearts of men and women as men and women That 's this a perturbation or a troubling or perplexing or causing the heart to suffer through the motions of the blood and animal spirits to and fro upon the souls apprehending some evil that he is in danger to suffer This kind of fear is not an evil fear absolutely considered But this fear becomes a sinfull distemper through the inordinateness of it As 1. When it exceeds the bounds of reason That is when the heart is perplexed with some evil he shall suffer and can give no ground of this fear The soul is afraid of the loss of heaven and the glorious priviledges tendered in Christ and can render no good account according to reason why his soul is thus afraid 2. When it exceeds the bounds of Grace That is when it exceeds the bounds God hath appointed in his word when it proves a distracting fear and unfits the soul for the duty God requires at his hand And this distemper arises from three principles and accordingly produces three effects whereby the soul is prevented from discerning the light the promise holds forth 1. Commonly it arises from the sense of the souls own guiltiness The sense of a soul to be a guilty person naturally stirs up fear of punishment according to the disposition of men as men and working with natural conscience it stirs up fear of divine vengeance hereafter and so by this means that sinful fear prevails and clouds the soul 2. It ariseth from the souls apprehension of the height of the consequence of the souls right establishment Fear is begotten by looking upon the danger It is like a man standing upon a high Tower and looking upon the downfall though he stands firm it pales the man and makes him afraid So they standing upon the Tower of Eternity come to be sensible of the great danger and thence arises this fear of heart 3. This fear ariseth from the darkness and ignorance wherein the soul remains I mean his ignorance of the way of the right establishment of the soul his ignorance of the nature and large extent of those promises that God vouchsafes to his soul Like a blind man that is in continual fear lest he meet with danger and stumble and fall Walking in darkness strikes a fear naturally in any person much more doth this spiritual darkness produce fear in the soul Now this darkness thus risen hath three effects to prevent the soul from the sight of the promise held forth 1. It causeth the soul to create strange unheard of dangers to himself through the strength of imagination working by fear The very strength of fancy when this distemper of fear prevails causeth the soul to make new dangers to it self every moment and to fear where no fear is And thence he multiplies one objection upon another and the answering of one objection is but the bringing in of another objection 2. This distemper of fearfulness doth prevent the souls right use of the appointed means for the Prevention of real danger discovered The soul thinking to escape presumption by receiving Jesus Christ lest it have no right to him prevents it self of the use of the right means to come to Christ it makes the soul mindless of what the promise holds forth 3. This distemper darkens the reason of the soul and clouds the precious divine light that God hath infused into it It looks upon God in Christ through the dark glass of fear and so is driven from God in Christ rather then drawn to a close with fuller confidence Now there are two things the spirit of God is to do for the removing of this distemper 1. The Spirit of God presents the Lord in his love compassions and tender nature cloathed with the nature of loving-kindness and thereupon begins to allay that passion of fear to prevent the rage and dominion of it The spirit presents the Lord as it were coming down with a still gentle voice speaking to the soul in a precious alluring soul-conquering heart-inamouring way and thereby the heart begins to have dispositions begotten in it to close with God to draw near to God whereas it stood before afar off afrighted and astonished 2. The spirit useth to expostulate with the
poor trembling soul about the cause of his fear and distemper of heart The spirit cometh and expostulateth with the soul why art thou so afraid thou trembling soul why dost stand shaking like a leaf in the forest shaken with the wind why is thy heart so perplexed Saith the spirit Christ will receive thee if thou beest willing to receive Then it may be the passion of fear is allayed and the soul brought to close with the tender of love in Jesus Christ and the soul is brought to a holy fear and trembling laying his mouth in the dust before God thinking himself worthy to go into the pit of wo for ever yet yielding to receive what the Lord propounds in Christ A fourth Distemper is Over much Jealousie Jealousie of God and Jealousie of his own heart Dark Distemper The soul is exceeding prone out of measure to a strange unheard of Jealousie of God to have evil surmisings of God Look to some prophane ones 1. They have such evil surmisings as they suspect God in his being Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God 2. A Second sort surmise that God regards not the commission of sin so as others would perswade them Like those Psal 50 21. that think the Lord to be such a one as themselves they think there need be no such strictness to go to heaven as others would make toem believe That 's the meaning of that thou thoughtest I was such a one as thy self thou thoughtest I would admit thee into heaven notwithstanding all the transgressions thou livest in 3. Others surmise that God is a hard master one that puts heavy yokes upon the neck of his people that they cannot be able to bear They think it a heavy yoke that they can take none of their cursed pleasures and delights and therefore they had as good be out of the world should they come to that near closing and joyning with God in Christ to be one with him 4. A Fourth sort surmise that God will accept of them though they go on in the way of iniquity if they repent at last 5. A Fifth sort are the formal civil ones who think God will be satisfied if they pay every man his own and do none any wrong and perform the duties of Gods worship he requireth at their hands 6. A Sixth sort are those that are detained from God by a distemper of unbelief Unbelief cannot think that the love of God should be extended to the worst of sinners Nay saith the soul the word of God hath declared the contrary All shall not be the objects of the loving-kindness of God in Christ therefore those expresions of his love belongs not to me saith the Soul Now there are two ways how this distemper comes thus to prevail and there are two or three sad effects it hath in the heart 1. This distemper proceeds from another distemper even as bad and that is from a sensual Judgment maintained in the Soul The glorious things of the Gospel being inevident unto the eye of sense yea to the eye of reason being things the eye of man as man never saw nor the ear of man as man never heard nor the heart of man as man never conceived a man must needs pass a false Judgment upon them when he Judgeth by a sensual Judgment and say with Nicodemus how can these things be what to have such iniquities and rebellions cast by into the bottom of the Sea and never remembred any more To have my polluted Soul looked upon as righteous as an Angel it self by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ how can it be Now by judging the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel thus by a sensual judgment the soul cometh to be jealous and supicious of God that it cannot be that God intends such love towards his soul as he manifests in his expressions 2. This Jealousie ariseth from the souls measuring Gods way by its own way According to this principle the soul thinks if any man should offer such injury to me as I have done to God I might profess love but I could never forget him Therefore he concludes the Lord can never forget those injuries his soul hath offered to him But God tells us Isa 55.7 His ways are above our ways and his thoughts above our thoughts As if he should say do not conceive because it is impossible for man to pardon so abundantly that therefore I will not Now in judging Gods ways according to our ways this jealousie prevails and doth produce these sad effects in the heart that prevent the souls discerning its union with Christ in the promise 1. By this Distemper there are groundless conclusions drawn up by the soul against it self The soul once entertaining jealous thoughts of God seldom stays there but jealousie like a Canker eats off more and more the good thoughts it should have of God till at last it draws full conclusions that the Lord hath no good thoughts at all towards it The soul commonly proceeds from care to fear from fear to jealousie and from jealous suspitions to hard conclusions 2. This distemper causeth an evil eye in the soul I mean this he draws an evil conclusion from all Gods works Let God vouchsafe precious revelations of the mystery of his will through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him while the heart remains under this distemper What says the heart I am afraid it is but to harden me I am afraid it is to increase my condemnation Let God take away his ordinances again and there is as ill a construction made of that the soul under the jealousie presently concludeth iâ— if the Lord intended any good to his soul he would let him use the means but saith the soul I have abused the means and now am deprived of it and therefore now I fear there is no hope Again if you look upon the Lords dealing with the soul outwardly if the Lord lay affliction upon him now I may see indeed saith he that the Lord is angry the Lords indignation is kindled against me for my sin and I know not but it may be a beginning of my everlasting torments and the soul never searcheth whether it may out of faithfulness that the Lord comes thus to chastise outwardly according to that in Ps 119.95 Or let the Lord vouchsafe prosperity outwardly to such a soul ten to one as sad constructions are made of such dealings of God too 3. It causeth the soul to rely upon sight and sense alone in its searching and seeking for the manifestation of his union with Jesus Christ The jealous heart will trust God no further than he sees him So that hereby the soul remaineth under an impossibility of attaining any assurance to his faith of his union with Christ in regard by this the soul doth even renounce the use of faith Now the spirit seeks to remove this distemper and to bring the heart into a sweet confidence of God and
Scripture speaks of 1. There is a Jealousie over others least they should miscarry Which is a holy supition mingled with a holy fear of their departing from God and also joyned with a strength of desire of their keeping close unto God This kind of jealousie was in the heart of Paul 2 Cor. 11.2 I am Jealous over you with a Godly Jealousie that I may present you as a chast Virgin unto Christ 2. There may be a jealousie in the heart that is occasioned upon the sight of good in others and the excellency they have attained to That 's a kind of emulation That you shall read of Rom. 11.11 Paul tells the Jows that God had not cast them off altogether out of a purpurpose that they might fall but that through their fall the Gentiles might be called that the Jews might be provoked to Jealousie that is that they might be provoked to a kind of emulation to envy to go beyond the Gentiles Thus a Christians heart may be Jealous least another go before him and attain to a greater degree of holiness then his Soul attainneth to This is a Godly Jealousie 3. There is a Jealousie over the deceitfulness of the heart least the cursed heart should delude it and prove treacherous and joyn hand in hand with the Devil in some cursed Plot against the Soul This is a Godly Jealousie if it be kept within bounds This Jealousie over the heart if it be right is a compounded affection made up of two simple affections of the zeal of love and the zeal of hatred Or rather it is a kind of third thing that ariseth from both these that is a zeal of love to God and the ways of God and a zeal of hatred against whatever is contrary to the will of the blessed God so that there arises a kind of suspition of every thing that may possibly step in to dishonour God This Jeaiousie hath but two objects to which it can work 1. All things that may step in to be corrival with God That is whatever might strive to insinuate into the heart to steal away the heart from God or to be co-sharer with God to be a fellow beloved one with God himself Thus the world and all the world afords comes in to be the object concerning which the Soul exerciseth this Jealousie the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life these strive with all their strength to be corrivals with God in the heart to have as equal a share in the heart as God and to be as highly loved and honoured as God Now over these things the heart may be exceeding Jealous and ought to maintain a constant Jealousie 2. The second object of Jealousie is the Souls own act towards God That is whatever working there may be towards God there may be a disposition in the heart to deal fainedly and hypocritically Now in that regard because the heart is treacherous against it self a heart false to God filled with enmity against God therefore all the actions and motions of the heart are the objects upon which this Jealousie may be exercised in a right holy godly way There may be five acts of Jealousie in every Soul lawfull nay that ought to be 1. The Soul may be so Jealous of it self as to call his heart to a strict account concerning all the motions of it throughout all the whole course of his conversation He may be so suspitious as never to give credit to his heart in any thing any further than it can give a good account to him in all the motions of it First It may call its heart to account in what degree it hath wrought towards any of those objects To call the heart to account whether the affections did not run out too much after the world Secondly It may call its heart to account concerning the occasions it hath had to deal with any object whatever 2. The Soul may discover the danger and spread forth all the evil before the treacherous heart The Spirit of Jealousie may work so far that it may strive to put a bit and bridle into the wanton heart to restrain it It may strive to propound principles that may prevent its treachery 3. A soul may cry mightily to God with all his strength to prevent the wretched deceitfulness of his own heart To discover all the hidden by-paths that his own heart hath to walk in to give him light from heaven to see every step that his heart sets 4. The Soul may summons his own deceitful heart to appear before the Lord to act as in the sight of the heart-searching God in its closing with the Lord Christ tendered 5. It may so work as to cause the soul to renounce all confidence in it self of an uprightness in his own heart in its closing with the Lord Christ tendered So that thus far you see there is a Holy Jealousie of Spirit over the cursed deceitful heart that may possess yea ought to possess any Godly Soul But there is a distempered Jealousie too that darkens the Soul and prevents the Souls receiving assurance to his faith from the promise of his union with Christ and that is when this Spirit of Jealousie works in these four or five ways 1. When the Spirit of Jealousie prevails so far as to obtain the sole command of the heart Now this Jealousie cometh to be the rage of a man so as it becomes a distempered passion in stead of a holy affection So as instead of putting the soul into a precious way of searching out the deceit of his own heart it rather draws conclusions against it self without weighing and examining what the deceits of the heart are that are suspected 2. When this Jealousie makes the Soul negligent or careless of the use of the means to find out the truth of what it suspects So that in stead of this the heart sits down under those fears and suspicions crying out my wretched heart will deceive me I dare not think of receiving the Lord Jesus tendered 3. When the Soul is so overcome with Jealousie that it takes no account of it self of the ground of the working of the Jealousie It is the ordinary distemper of Souls that are overcome with this Jealousie that they never look out to the precious promises wherein the Lord engages himself to prevent the deceitfulness of the heart and its departing from God 4. When this Jealousie so prevails as it is taken up by the Soul as a sufficient Plea against the Souls present believing and receiving the Lord Jesus tendered When the Soul sets this Jealousie over his own deceitfull heart like a bulwark against all that can be propounded to him to make him give credit to the will of God and to yield obedience to the Lord Christ tendered when the heart thinks it is enough that he is able to say truly the very desire of my Soul is to yield obedience to the command of God in
believing sain would I receive the Lord Jesus tendered but alas I have such a cursed deceitfull heart that I dare not least my heart delude me 5. When the Jealousie over the heart prevails so much as the Soul spends all his thoughts in finding out the uprightness of his heart in closing before the soul venture upon an actual closing with the Lord Jesus as tendered When a Soul through this Jealousie sets porcing and gazing upon the many windings and turnings of his own spirit and calling to remembrance how wretchedly his heart deluded him formerly and hereupon concludes with himself that he may not close till he can see the uprightness of his heart in closing with the Lord Jesus And so thereupon afterwards spends all his prayers and pours out all his desires to God for uprightness for integrity of heart in closing and in the mean time forbearing that actual closing that the Lord requires without the least delay from every Soul Thus you see also how this Jealousie comes to work in a sinfull way and becomes a sinfull Distemper And indeed when 〈◊〉 cometh thus work it exceedingly darkens the Soul and prevents its discerning what the promise holds forth 1. In regard Jealousie prevents the souls gazing upon the absolute promise that is tendered to the soul Now the soul must needs be kept from discerning what the promise holds forth when it is kept from so much as looking into the promise for though there be habitual divine light in the promise yet that 's not usefull till it be drawn out into exercise Habitual divine light in the understanding is like the eye when it is asleep or like the eye when it is shut It is the exercise of that that makes the soul discern any thing that the Lord discovers in the promises And then it is the very gazing upon the promise that draws out that divine light formerly received in exercise also 2. This Distemper of Jealousie maintains perpetual fear in the soul of its false applying of the promise of the Lord Jesus Fear is always the companion of Jealousie the more fearful the soul is the more jealous and the more jealous the soul is the more fearful and those fears are like a thick fog or mist that darkens the divine light received So that by this means the soul is kept from discerning any of those beams of divine light in any clearness that the promise of God holds forth and thereby the soul is kept from discerning his union with the Lord Jesus that might be discerned from the promises Now this jealousie over the heart it self must be healed before the soul can receive clear satisfaction to it self of its union with Christ Two ways the spirit of God usually heals this 1. The spirit presseth with all urgency upon the soul the present immediate necessity of his yielding obedience to the command of God without any pretence whatever of any delay and deferring Commonly upon these distempers of Jealousie prevailing the soul denies not the Lord Jesus tendered only conceiveth himself to have sufficient ground to delay and defer a while till he see clearly a more sutable uprightness in his heart to close Now the spirit comes upon the soul and presses it upon his heart to be his duty immediately without the least delay Hereby the soul begins to be drawn to adventure to believe though it be with trembling lest his wretched heart should deceive him 2. The spirit discovers to the soul the independency of his own interest in the promise upon any act of his own considered in himself The spirit clears to the soul the Lords engagement of himself as well to make the heart faithful and true and upright in receiving the Lord Jesus tendered as to give the Lord Jesus to the soul that would receive him The spirit it may be brings such a promise as that Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people and reveals to the soul from thence the Lords engagement of himself to put in faithfulness into the deceitful hypocritical heart whereby the close shall be in truth and sincerity notwithstanding all the wretched wickedness of his own heart striving to deceive him The Fifth Dark Distemper is The souls measuring and judging its self too too much by other Christians Dark Distemper by the graces and excellencies that shine forth in other souls We shall open it to you how far it is lawful for a soul thus to measure himself by other Christians and by the rule of their graces And then how this distemper comes to prevail and how it works It must be concluded that there is a lawfulness in a souls measuring himself by the rule and line of the graces of other Christians to try his own heart and way by comparing his own heart way by the heart way of other Christians as far as he can discern There are seven or eight particular acts that are not only lawful for a soul in this case but the soul is bound to them 1. Every soul allured towards the Lord Jesus ought with the greatest diligence and circumspection that is possible to have a full prospect a full view into the hearts and lives of other Christians The Lord hath intended from eternity to propose the whole number of Saints like so many glorious heavenly Stars set in the lower region of the earth from whence the beams of his own excellency may shine forth They are set like so many Suns in the Firmament for all the World to gaze upon according to Prov. 4.18 The righteous is like the Sun that shineth more and more untill the perfect day Yea further The precious beams of the Lords own glory are appointed to shine forth through their light So that every soul neglects the beholding of the glory of God himself in the precious glasses that he hath appointed for his people to see the reflection of his glory in when they neglect to make a diligent search into the hearts of all Christians within view 2. Every soul ought in the view that he takes of the hearts and lives of Saints and their graces to have a reflection upon his heart and life and his own grace Every soul ought to look upon these Saints as we look upon glasses that we may discern our own faces 3. Every Christian ought to compare his own graces with the graces he discerns in all Christians within his view First they ought to measure the graces themselves Secondly the expressions of those graces in their duties First they ought to measure the graces themselves even the inward habits of grace so far as they can discern them in others 1. They ought to compare the strength of their own graces with the strength and vigor of those graces they discern in other Christians 2. They ought to compare the strength of their own graces with the graces of
others in the fruit and increase of it When any Christian flourisheth like a Tree planted by the waters side that brings forth his fruit in due season every Christian ought to compare the growth of his own grace to the growth of the grace of such a Christian 3. They ought to compare the time of growth of the grace of such a Christian with the time that their grace hath had to grow 4. To compare the means of growth of grace A soul discerning any grace exercised in any Christian ought to consider what means he hath had to grow to that eminency in such a grace whether have I had the same means whether hath the means been as effectual upon my heart as upon such a Christian 5. To compare the liveliness and activity of all those graces constantly with the liveliness and activity of their own Secondly they ought to compare the expressions of their own graces in way of duty to God with the expressions of the graces of others First in the quantity of the duties Secondly in the quality of the duties First in the quantity of the duties in the number and bulk of them God sometimes stands much upon quantity of duty to his people Therefore upon a Souls discerning some Christians to be much in duty it may be to spend much time in prayer they ought to compare themselves and their own duties with the duties of others Only these two rules are to be observed in it First to observe whether the duties of any such Christians be not extended too far that they do not place the opinion of all good in duty that they do not bound and stint God to such a length in duty Now duties may be extended too far there may be excess in performing duties of prayer 1. When ordinary duties are performed in excess by a soul without an extraordinary occasion 2. When duties are extended beyond the souls ability and opportunity Ability and opportunity are constant limitations set to all the duties God requires Secondly this rule also must be observed That a soul does keep a right proportion in all his measuring of his own duties by others duties 1. Every soul upon discerning any Christian to excell in the quantity of duty ought to compare his own ability with others ability According as the Lord giveth so he requireth to whom much is given from him he expects much Luke 12.48 Though the duty of one Christian should not be so much in quantity as the duty of another yet it may be as much considering the souls ability every way for the duty that he performeth 2. The soul must always look to proportion the occasion It must see upon what occasion such a Christian is so much exercised in duties and see whether the same occasion be his souls In time of temptation or in time of violent corruption or in time of much inward bitterness of soul it ought to exercise the quantity of duties more than at another time If occasions come in extraordinary the Lord requires extraordinary duties As in 2 Cor. 12.7 8 when Paul was urged with an extraordinary temptation a thorn prickt him in the flesh then Paul falls upon extraordinary duty he prayed thrice that is often So in Act. 12 when Peter was in prison and likely to be brought to execution the Church went to prayer without ceasing 2. The soul must always proportion his own opportunity to the opportunity of those he discerns to be much in duty Opportunity is a talent as well as any thing else and the Lord expects the improvement of that talent as well as other talents where the Lord gives opportunity for duty he requireth much duty 4. The soul also is to proportion its necessity Now the necessities of souls are various One needs a great deal of food to maintain the life of his soul and another may be maintained with less 5. There must be a proportion held in the spiritual engagements and obligations wherein a soul stands engaged to God 1. The proportion must be observed in the souls reception of the spirit of adoption from God The more fully the spirit of adoption is come down into the heart the more neerly is the heart engaged to duty and to greater multiplication of duty in regard by the receit of the holy spirit of adoption there is greater ability conveyed into the soul for the duty 2. The soul must hold proportion in his revelations of the truth of God to the soul The more clear beams of divine light of truth the Lord communicates to any soul the more deeply is that soul engaged to God unto duty 3. The soul must proportion the engagement of the Lords making his person more conspicuous to the world The more conspicuously the Lord sets up any soul to be gazed upon by the world the more doth the Lord engage the soul to all kind of duty 4. They must proportion the degree of communion that God vouchsafeth to take the soul into with himself Gradually according to the degree of communion the soul hath with God so are the souls engagements to the multiplication of duty That 's the first branch of this way of measuring The soul must measure the quantity of his duties Secondly The soul must also measure and compare the quality of his own duties with the quality of the duties he perceiveth to be performed by others It is not the bulk only God accepts but it is the manner the spirituality the exactness and exquisitness of the performing those duties that the Lord especially looks at The Israelites seldom failed in the bulk of the duty the Lord required they gave him his Oxen and Lambs and He Goats and Sheep and the like but they failed in the spirituality of those duties of worship that the Lord required and therefore the Lord called those obblations vain oblations So that though the quantity of a souls duty should hold proportion with the quantity of the duty of others yet he must look whether the quality will hold proportion whether the spirituality of the duty will proportion with their duty whether there be as much inward adoration before God as much inward self abasement of spirit as much strength in pursuing after Communion with God Neither is it sufficient for the quality of duties to hold proportion with the quality of the duties of some other Christians but all the former rules also must be observed as far as they can be applied to this Where the Lord hath furnished with more inward ability and inward strength there he looks for the duty to excell in quality as well as quantity Thus you have the third act of the soul opened which is the comparing of his own graces with the graces it discerns in the hearts and lives of other Christians Fourthly The soul may from comparing himself with other Christians and his graces and his duties with theirs endeavour to convict himself of all the evil that can be found out
whence to draw a conclusion of his contrary state to the state of other Christians that he beholds to excel him in so a high a measure When it riseth to this it becomes a sinful dark distemper and that will appear in divers things 1. This may prove a measuring of Gods love by the acts of his love 2. It may be an arguing meerly from a Souls want of light to discern Gods good will to him in Christ 3. It makes the Soul draw a conclusion of the total want of the being of Grace while a Soul thus concludes because he seeth no Graces shining forth in himself as he doth in others that therefore he is not beloved of God in Christ it may come to argue in this manner because I see my Soul is not such a burning and shining light as such a Christian therefore I am not so much as smoaking flax 4. This argument from the defect of Grace may be an argument from the Souls infirmity It may be but an argument from the Tyranny that some lust hath exercised over the Heart to the concluding it is under the voluntary service of his lust 5. It may be a reasoning from the want of fruitfulness in Christianity to the want of Christianity it self and the want of all fritfulness whatsoever Now when the Soul is about to draw such conclusions as these from its measuring it self by other Christians let these things be observed 1. He must first assure himself that the defect he beholds in his own Soul is a sinful defect Four things the Soul must be assured the defect comes not from before he can be assured the defect is Sin First That it is not barely through the suspension of the influence of the comforting Spirit of Christ Secondly It must be assured that the defects he beholds in his own Soul of the Graces of others be not through the Lords suspending the arbitrary influences of the quickning Spirit of Christ You must conceive there are influences that are for the Souls Being and influences that are for the Souls well Being These influences of the quickning Spirit of Christ that are for the Souls Being are never withdrawn But the influences that are for the Souls well Being are communicated in various degrees to various Souls which therefore I call arbitrary influances of the Spirit of Christ that is such as God disposes of according to his meer pleasure to the Soul in divers degrees at divers times and to divers Souls in divers times Thirdly The Soul must be assured that the defect he beholds in his own Soul in respect of the Graces of other Christians proceeds not only from the defects of gifts thar others furnished with the same Graces injoy above him Gifts are like a pretious cundit-pipes that the Lord hath appointed to let out the streams of the Spirit of Jesus Christ through Now if another Soul hath more abundance of those kind of gifts more readiness of Capacity quickness of Understanding greater depths in the apprehension of the things of Christ clearness of light more readiness of expression Then thy Soul may be deceived in judging a greater degree of Grace in such a Soul than in thy Soul in regard he hath a greater opportunity of expression of Grace and a greater aptness to hold forth Grace received than thou hast Fourthly The Soul must be assured that it is not from the defect of the means and opportunity only without any negligence of any means by the Soul that his defect of Grace proceeds from 2. The Soul must be assured that those defects that he beholds in himself are such defects as are altogether inconsistent with the state of the union of the Soul with Christ Whatever gives a true and sufficient demonstration of its cause must be an effect that proceeds properly from such a cause only that cannot proceed from another cause 3. The Soul must be also sure that Spiritual Rashness and Wilfulness or Ignorance or Temptation do not overcloud his Judgment in his searching out and trying the defects in the Soul Therein I shall advise to three things 1. The Soul ought to be sure that he trust not his own light alone 2. The Soul ought to bring all things both in their substance and in their circumstances that are worthy to be weighed to the rule of the Word alone 3. A Soul must endeavour that his Judgment be settled by God That 's thus The Soul that hath his Judgment past upon his own defects and the nature of them to be such as is inconsistent with the state of union with Christ must endeavour to draw near to God to bring himself into the presence of the Heart searching God with a serious apprehension and meditation that all the secrets of his Spirit are open before God and then and there in this frame to view over again and meditate upon that Judgment that he finds himself ready to pass against his own Soul and then observe whether his Spirit then dare pass this conclusion against himself III. When a Soul in measuring himself by others makes the defect of Grace in himself to be the matter of discouragement of his Soul and matter of impediment to the exercise of his Faith in Christ That is when the Soul by looking upon some other Christians and beholding many pretious gratious holy dispositions shine forth like so many Stars in the lower orb when he sees much holy fire drop down from Heaven into their Hearts that drop forth in their Conversations and looks upon himself and sees a defect in all Sees his own Heart overgrown with dulness stupidness blockishness carelesness forgetfulness of God regardlesness of Communion with God in Christ and the Soul makes these defects of Grace apprehended in himself matter of discouragement to his Soul to beat it off and to keep it back from the exercise of Faith Then this distemper of Judging themselves by others prevails too far 1. It is a joyning with the wretched corrupt opposit Heart against Christ and the furnishing the Soul with matter of cavil and scruple against the blessed tenders of receiving the love of Jesus Christ 2. By this the Soul maketh that part of his duty that he seems to perform to be nothing but disobedience The Soul by looking upon the Graces that shine forth in any Christian seems to do a part of his duty because it is one thing commanded and in reflecting upon his own Heart in the sight of those Graces seems to do another part of his duty but both these are made disobedience when the Soul makes the defect of Grace he finds in himself when he looks upon the Graces of others discouragements to himself in exercising Faith 3. The Soul crosses God in his highest end which is to make the excellencies of Jesus Christ shine forth in the Souls of his People IV. The fourth case wherein a Soul doth measure himself too much by others so as it becomes a sinful distemper is when the
disproportion a Soul finds out between himself and other Christians his Graces and their Graces his Duties and their Duties are made a sufficient ground for the Soul to draw a final conclusion of his own estate from As thus when a Soul argueth in this manner I see there are none of those pretious workings of the Spirit of God in my Spirit that I behold and see apparent are in the Spirits of such and such Christians they have their Hearts so powerfully drawn by Jesus Christ to close with him in a way of union that they are inabled by a mighty power from God to believe but saith the Soul I do not find that God draws my Heart and comes with a mighty power to constrain my Soul to close with the Lord Jesus tendred and therefore surely God never intended good to my Soul That this is a dark and sinful distemper will appear in divers things for there may be many disproportions between one Christian and another that are not sinful disproportions 1. There may be a disproportion without a mans sin in the manner and order and degree yea in the very Being of all the workings of God in the Soul before the actual union of the Soul with Christ by any act of believing First There may be a disproportion in the fear of Conscience that other Christians have had upon them before their actual consent to the Lord Christ tendred and the fear of Conscience that thou hast hitherto had Secondly A disproportion may be in the grief of mind for sin that other Christians have had upon them for sin before their union with Christ and the grief of mind thy Soul hath hitherto had upon thâ—â— Thirdly There may be a disproportion in the effects that fear of Conscience and grief of mind do naturally produce in Souls As doubtfulness and multitude of scruples and objections against thine own Soul These indeed are the common effects that grief of mind and the fear of conscience produce And there may be a great disproportion between thy doubtings and the doubtings of other Christians and yet no sin neither as appears in this because neither fear of Conscience nor doubt of mind nor scruples and objections against the Soul do in the least commend any Soul to God As all things are sin before union with Christ so is the fear of Conscience and grief of mind sin and all those doubts and objections sin and therefore have not the least vertue in them to commend a Soul to God 2. There may be a disproportion in the degrees of Grace without sin First There may have been a difference in the time of the growth of his Grace and the Graces of others by which he measures himself It may be he yet remains but a green tender plant in the House of the Lord and measures himself by an old flourishing green Olive in Gods house Secondly There may be a difference in the helps and means of growth The field is not blamed because it is not so fruitful as the garden when the garden is daily watred and dressed 3. There may be a disproportion in the actings of Grace and yet no sin First In regard there may not be the same necessity to occasion to act Grace in thee that is in others The occasions are like the Wind to the Ship that set the Ship a going They are but the heavenly Winds as it were that blow upon Grace that set Graces a working and various Graces must and ought to work according to the variety of occasions Now according to the necessity of the Soul so God binds himself in Covenant to provide for the Soul Secondly The Graces of other Christians may be acted by an extraordinary influence of the quickning Spirit of Christ I call it extraordinary in regard it is that which is not common at all times to all Christians that have some of the influences of the quickning Spirit of Christ so that by some extraordinary gale from Heaven his Graces may be acted and through thy want of those quicknings of the Spirit of Christ thy Graces may not be so acted and yet not sin Thirdly There may be a difference in the outward excitation and quickning unto the actings of Grace A Soul stands not only in necessity of the inward breathings of the Spirit of Christ but of the outward excitation too in regard it is through the outward excitation that the Lord hath appointed those inward breathings of his quickning Spirit Now if other Christians by whom thy Soul do measure it self should injoy more excitations that is that they have more Bellows blowing upon Grace in their Hearts than thine though there may be difference in the acting the bare disproportion may not be thy sin Secondly There may be many sinful disproportions that yet destroy not the Being of the Souls union with Christ 1. There may be a disproportion in Faith it self First There may be a want of most of the highest and excellent operations of Faith and yet not the Being of union destroyed Secondly Faith may be oppressed with doubting and distrust and yet not be suppressed Thirdly There may be the want of almost all stedfastness stability and constancy in the acting of Faith so that a Soul can seldom keep his Heart in a believing frame one moment and yet that sinful defect may not nullifie the union with Christ 2. There may be a sinful disproportion in all the Spiritual life of the Soul and yet the union with Christ hold That is all the principles of Spiritual motion towards God may be unactive when thou seest others full of life and activity and yet this sinfull disproportion doth not destroy the union Now it appears to be a sad distemper thus to measure the Soul by others 1. In regard there is such a disproportion between the one and other Christians that can possibly be found out discovers nothing but the heinousness of the Souls sin in its neglect of union with Christ Now from hence to conclude God intends no good to the Soul is contrary to the blessed will of God revealed Isa 55.7 where God hath promised abundantly to pardon to multiply to pardon 2. In regard when the greatest disproportion between the one and other Christians is found out yet thou art one of those that Jesus Christ now comes to woo and perswade and beseech to be one with his Father Now I shall shew you the grounds of this distemper upon which it is built or whence it arises in Souls I. It is commonly built upon this principle That the Lord maintains a proportion in his Gifts and Graces unto his people Now what a dark blind principle is this For the clearing of it 1. You must conceive the Lord doth equally dispense to all his peoples Souls all kind of Graces He leaves suitable dispositions in the Heart to yield obedience to all his blessed will Thus far the Lord proportions Grace but then the Lord doth not proportion the
embrace the loveless Soul that makes the bowels of the Soul yern towards Christ again 4. The Soul must discern the sufficiency of the promise to assure the Soul of what it longs after Now it being of necessity that all these must be discerned in the promises of acceptance of the Soul into union with Christ before the Soul can be satisfied from the promises that he is united to Jesus Christ an hours view or a days view in an ordinary way I mean unless the Spirit cast in superlative light extraordinary will not suffice a Soul to discern all these through the promise II. This inconstancy in the Souls resolutions exposes the Soul to the violence of all temptation This will appear in three things 1. In regard the sword of the Spirit to fight against the Temptations with is made void The sword of the Spirit is the pretious word of God Eph. 6.17 Now the Soul being unsettled in his own determinations concerning the truth of the Word of God to his own Soul in particular he hath no pretious use of that pretious sword the Word of God to resist the tempter with 2. The habit of Faith is weakned I mean the readiness of the disposition of Faith to be in exercise is in a great measure hindred The Heart is more indisposed to the exercise of Faith by how much the seldomer Faith is drawn out to exercise 3. Carnal reasonings of the Heart grow strong The more any corruption prevails the more strength it gets Sin is never decrepit the older it grows the stronger it grows Thus carnal reasoning of the Heart growing old by the constant prevailing over the Soul it grows stronger All these concurring a Soul is in a dreadful measure exposed to the tyranny of all Temptations First Temptations that batter down the hopes of Election Secondly Temptations unto slavish fear and dread and horrour of execution of present vengeance Thirdly A Soul is exposed to the power and violence of that temptation that it is wicked abominable presumption for his wretched Soul to have a thought that God will be willing to accept him in Christ III. Through that inconstancy the Devil himself is provoked to tempt It is observed in Scripture that the rule the Lord gives concerning our fighting with Satan is to resist and the rule concerning fighting with sin is fleeing 1 Pet. 5.9 Now it is thought it is upon this occasion the Lord gives this rule because fleeing gives the Devil advantage and makes him more violent in his temptations There is nothing that gives the Devil discouragement in tempting but a sight of an impossibility of prevailing IV. The inconstancy of the Soul in these resolutions and determinations prevents the increase and growth of all the knowledge of Jesus Christ You shall observe in 2 Pet. 3.18 That the Holy Ghost urging the Saints to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he gives them an admonition to take heed they fall not from their own steadfastness intimating thus much while their Souls remain unstable in receiving and giving credit to those pretious Truths of Christ that were revealed there could be no growth in the knowledge of Jesus Christ V. This inconstancy of the Soul doth leave it like a lost one in a meer wilderness It leaves it wandering in devious paths it knows not whither When the Judgment of the Soul is thus unstable concerning those pretious principles forenamed the Soul is left without a Pilot without a Compass so that the Soul knows not how to steer its course to the pretious haven of happiness So that this distemper must be healed before the Soul can discern its union with Christ Now the Spirit heals this distemper two ways 1. By vouchsafing a clear and full manifestation to the Soul of those pretious forenamed principles by casting in such a high degree of divine light as makes the truth of those forenamed conclusions out of question It is according to the evidence the Soul receives of a truth that the judgment is settled either more or less firmly upon it Now the Spirit doth so manifest those pretious Truths and so clears the Eye as it seeth them without scruple and then the Judgment begins to be settled with some firmness upon them 2. The Spirit heals it by a continuation of the first manifestation of those Truths So that a fulness of evidence of the Truth that the Soul concludes upon remaining in the Soul the Soul remains in a fixed settled way cleaving and sticking to those Truths so concluded upon Now thus you have the second work of the Spirit in that first general effect of it upon the Heart opened which is the removal of all impediments that hinder divine light and you have seen what beams of the principles of darkness and also what dark distempers are pulled out before the Soul is fit to discern the light of Jesus Christ held forth Now the third work of the Spirit in this illumination is the Spirits acting by its own power the Divine light communicated to the Soul It is necessary not only that a Soul receive a faculty from the Spirit but also the acting of the faculty too Though all acts of the renewed man be firmly the acts of the Mind yet they are originally the acts of the Spirit it self So that also in this case concerning illumination there is a necessity not only that the Soul hath a seeing Eye but that it must also have the seeing of the Eye from the Spirit Though the Soul hath an Eye disposed to see the divine light that the promise discovers yet there must come in a power from the Spirit also whereby the Soul may be inabled to act that very power received As it is in the cleared Eye it hath a fitness to see any colour but it must be acted by the rational Soul otherwise the inward disposition of the Soul effects nothing that 's the reason the Eye sees not in sleep because the rational Soul is bound up as it were in its operations Thus it is with the divine man though influences be communicated from Jesus Christ to the Soul that the Soul hath a spiritual Eye rightly disposed to see spiritual objects yet there must be also the Spirits power to act that very Eye that is so disposed to see the spiritual object So that thus the Spirit comes in by a renewed power and as it were blows up those holy sparks of divine light that are communicated to the Soul and makes them to work in their own proper natural way to make them see that pretious divine light that the promises of the Lord discover to the poor dark Soul Thus you see the first work or the first effect that the Spirit of God hath upon Souls towards the revealing to them from the promise that they are united to the Lord Jesus The Spirits Irradiation II. We are now to proceed to the second work of the Spirit upon Souls in
secondly it evidenceth the sutableness of the satisfaction and that in two things 1. In regard of the things suffered by Christ to give satisfaction Those things every way sutable to what Justice could require from the Soul it self in regard of his sin Two things sin declareth the Soul hath merited to suffer for ever First The Death of the Body wherein sin is acted and committed Secondly The Death of the Soul it self in the separation of it from God which was the chief actor in the transgression of the Law Now the Spirit evidences the Death of Christ a sutable satisfaction in regard of the things suffered by Christ First In regard the humane Body died that stood in the stead of those that had been the transgressors of the Law he took upon him flesh and so died for sin in the flesh in the same nature in the same kind of Body that sin was acted in Secondly In that there was a separation of the Soul of Christ from injoyment of communion with his Father as appears Matth. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That is why hast thou deprived me of communion with thee And though indeed the separation was not eternal yet in regard of the person bearing the separation it was equivalent to an eternal separation One moment of separation was as great an evil inflicted upon such a person as an eternal separation could have been to have been inflicted upon a poor finite Creature 2. The Spirit evidenceth the sutableness of satisfaction to the Father in regard of the sins themselves laid to the charge of Christ in his suffering what Justice could require should be suffered by the transgressor and that both in the kind of sin and also in the degree of sin yea and also in the circumstance of sin too That which was equivalent to all kind of sin was imputed to Christ to be suffered that should have been suffered by transgressors Apostacy from God was imputed to him by being imputed to be a Devil Enmity to God in the highest degree was imputed to him in that he was imputed the Prince of Devils All kind of fighting against God was imputed to him in that he was imputed a Blasphemer and a striver to sit down in the Throne of God himself and an impostor and deceiver So that no kind of sin that Conscience can object against the Soul but the Spirit can and doth evidence at such a time was imputed to Christ and Christ suffered for such a sin that was equivalent to that kind of sin II. In the Spirits evidencing the Lord Christ to have fully and everlastingly taken away all the wickedness of what kind soever from every Soul that shall embrace him it evidenceth the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead This is clear Rom. 8.34 It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again In this the Spirit evidenceth three things to the Soul 1. It evidenceth the Fathers acknowledgment of his own satisfaction for the sins of all the persons that should ever embrace Christ and believe on him The Spirit evidenceth to the Soul Christ having once taken upon him as a surety to bear the transgressions of all that should believe on him having entred into Bond to pay all their debts and suffered himself to be arrested by the Justice of God yea to be carried to the prison of the Grave by the Hand of Justice for those transgressions he must never have come out till he had paid the uttermost farthing And that 's the reason that in 1 Cor. 15.14 the Apostle tells them That their Faith is vain and their Preaching of Christ is vain unless Christ be risen Whence the Apostle noteth That though the Death of Jesus Christ was the matter of sattisfaction to the Justice of the Father for the Justifying of all the persons that Christ sustained yet there is no evidence unto Faith that God the Father is satisfied for those transgressions by the Death of Christ unless Christ be risen 2. The Spirit evidenceth to the Soul Christs own triumphant victory over sin and all the concomitants and consequents of sin Now therein the Spirit evidenceth Christs removal of all kind of sin from every Soul that shall hereafter embrace him in regard he hath now captivated sin he hath got sin under his own power to trample under his Feet and to do with as he please he hath taken sin and tied it to his Chariot wheel as the word imports 3. The Spirit doth evidence in and from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead as he was a surety that the Lord doth account his acquittance given to Jesus Christ for sin that was charged upon him to be an acquittance of all those that ever should embrace Christ through believing and also that Christ in receiving that acquittance from God did receive it in the room and in the stead of all that ever should embrace him And thence the Spirit evidenceth to the Soul that the Scripture attributes unto every believer a participation of the resurrection of Christ yea that it attributes to them a Co-resurrection with Christ Col. 2.13 You being dead in your sins hath he quickned together with him that is hath made you partakers of the vertue of his resurrection and raised you with himself and vers 14. Blotting out the hand writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross that is Justifying our Souls from all that ever Sin Conscience the Law or the Devil could bring against us III. The Spirit evidenceth to the Soul the Ascension of Jesus Christ to the right Hand of the Father as he was a surety and as he did represent sinners that should receive him to be their Mediator Thus Rom. 8.34 Paul through the Spirits manifestation of Jesus Christ at the right Hand of the Father had such a full evidence as he could make a challenge to the Law and to Sin and Hell and the Devil to bring all their accusations and see if they could lay any thing to his charge Who shall condemn saith he Jesus Christ is gone to the right Hand of the Father Now from Christ's Ascension to the right Hand of the Father the Spirit is wont to evidence these four things 1. That the Lord Christ as a surety for all sinners that should embrace him as their Mediator hath now received an acknowledgment in Heaven that he hath fully taken away all the sins of all that ever so receive him The Spirit brings to the Souls remembrance what welcom as it were Jesus Christ had into Heaven It shews the Soul from such a place as that Psal 110.1 The Father said to Christ when he came into Heaven Well done thou obedient Son sit thou down at my right Hand There are two things observable in that First In that welcom given by the Father there is an evidence that the Father acknowledgeth the work
by Christ to be fully done Sitting imports a rest after a work fulfilled Heb. 10.1 Secondly The Spirit evidenceth that high favour that Jesus Christ had in Heaven as he was a surety for those sinners that should embrace him to be their Mediator Heb. 1.5 2. The Spirit evidenceth from Christs Ascension that he as a surety for all those sinners that should embrace him hath fully prepared Heaven Now this Spirit evidenceth by two things First That the very end of the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven to sit at the right Hand of the Father was to prepare places in Heaven for all that should embrace him John 14.2 Secondly That Jesus Christ is gone to Heaven as a fore-runner of those that should embrace him Heb. 6.20 Now a fore-runner implys many followers 3. The Spirit evidenceth from Christs Ascension that he hath a Soveraignty and Supremacy of all power committed to him This Christ himself hints Matth. 26.64 Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sit at the right Hand of power That is exalted in the highest power So Eph. 1.20 21. And thence in two things the Spirit evidenceth the Lord Christs taking away all kind of sin from the Soul First The Spirit evidenceth that Christ hath such a supremacy of power over all things that it is impossible that the power of sins guilt should prevail against any for whom Jesus Christ hath undertaken seeing he hath the keys of Hell and of Death and hath all things under his Feet in a vassalage to him Secondly The Spirit evidenceth to this supremacy of Christ as Mediator that the Lord was well pleased with him as a surety for such Souls as should embrace him 4. From the ascension of Jesus Christ to the right Hand of God the Spirit evidenceth that the Lord Christ had the highest authority of Judgement committed to him Sitting is the posture of Judges Prov. 20.8 and John 5.21 22. The Father hath committed all Judgement unto the Son Thence in Eph. 1.21 22. he is said to have all things put under his Feet and was given to be Head of all things to the Church Now from hence the Spirit evidenceth by two things the Lords full compleat taking away all sin from every Soul that shall embrace him First In that no Judgment of condemnation can be passed upon such a Soul but what Judgment Christ as surety passeth seeing all Judgement was committed to him as the Son and as Mediator And what can be more sure than that all sin and guilt shall be compleatly removed seeing the Son himself that is the surety for Souls must pass the Judgment concerning all guilt that must be imputed to lie upon Souls Secondly In that no Judgment of condemnation or guilt can pass against those Souls that shall embrace him as their Mediator but what shall pass against themselves The Spirit manifests that whoever embraces Christ must be interessed in every sentence of Judgment that pass out because the Judgment that Christ passeth as he is the surety of Souls and represents them it must pass out in their names even with their votes So that no Judgment of condemnation for guilt can pass out against them without their joynt vote and consent IV. The Spirit evidenceth the intercession of Jesus Christ with the Father for all those Souls that shall embrace him Therefore in Rom. 8.34 the Apostle proceeds to that step Who shall condemn It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again that sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Now in the Spirits manifesting this it doth manifest divers things for the satisfying of the Soul for the full and everlasting taking away all sins by Christ for every Soul that shall embrace him 1. In the Spirits evidencing the intercession of Christ for sinners with the Father it doth evidence the Lord Christ to be a Son to the Father and to plead as a Son with the Father for sinners This you shall see Heb. 7.25 compared with vers 28. he tells you he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him and vers 28. he puts an emphasis upon it that he was a Son This the Spirit commonly reveals to Souls in drawing them to Faith of assurance that Jesus Christ as the natural Son of God intercedeth in Heaven for Souls Now from thence there are two evidences given to a Soul of Christs fully taking away sin from every Soul that shall embrace him First The Spirit evidenceth that it is impossible that any guilt whatever should cleave to the Soul in regard the Son can ask nothing but what the Father will The Father and I am one saith Christ so their wills are one and their thoughts and dispositions one Secondly The Spirit evidencing that it is impossible for the pleading of Jesus Christ to be denied There is such a complacency and acquiescence of delight of the Father in Jesus Christ that the Father hath no more power to deny what the Lord Christ pleadeth for then he hath power to deny himself and that is impossible 2. The Spirit evidenceth the intercession of Christ doth evidence that the Lord Christ pleads with the Father as an obedient Son to his Fathers will Now from this the Holy Ghost evidenceth in two things the full compleat everlasting taking away of sin from every Soul that shall embrace him First The Spirit evidenceth that there is an obligation upon the Father to accept his Sons intreaty for poor sinners Secondly The Spirit evidenceth that it was the fulfilling the same will of the Father that Jesus Christ pleaded for when he pleaded for the pardon of the sins of those that embrace him It was his Fathers design originally out of his love to poor lost wretches to take away their sins only it was his purpose to effect it through Jesus Christ doing and satisfying his Justice for sin So that Jesus Christ in yielding obedience unto his Father unto Death did it to effect the end of his Father in the pardon of the sins of lost sinners 3. The Spirit evidenceth in this intercession of Christ that though he died as a common person and rose as a common person yet he doth not intercede as a common person not in their steads but for them That you shall observe Heb. 7. comparing vers 22. with vers 25. He was made the surety of the new Covenant vers 22. And then he tells you He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him There are two things the Spirit evidenceth in that First It evidenceth that he pleaded as a surety appointed by his Father for Souls According to Heb. 5.5 he did not glorifie himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee His Father ordained him to the office of an high Priest which contains the suretiship Secondly He pleads as a surety to his Father to accomplish
sinner that would give him entertainment as his Mediator This you shall see in John 6.37 38. whoever cometh unto me saith Christ I will in no wise cast him out that is whoever receiveth me through believing I will in no wise reject him or cast him off or refuse to be a Mediator between God and him I will in no wise cast him out that is under no respect no notion or consideration that can be imagined Now observe what 's the reason of this you shall see vers 38. For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the Fathers will that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing that is of all that he should draw to believe on me I should lose none but should raise him up at the last day and this is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life So John 10.15 to 18. 2. The Spirit reveals God the Fathers infusion of a disposition of love into the Heart of Jesus Christ purposely that he might embrace every lost sinner that would entertain him as his Mediator Saith he Psal 40.7 8. Lo I come to do thy will O my God thy Law is within my Heart that is a disposition to yield obedience to this thy will and in effect it was a disposition of love the Law of being a Mediator was nothing but a Law of love and this Law was written in the Heart by God the Father 3. That the Father prepared a sutable body for the second person in Trinity to become Mediator in Heb. 10.4 A body hast thou prepared me that is thou hast prepared me a Body fit to be offered up for sin that is fit to become a ready willing sacrifice for poor lost sinners that I might redeem them 4. In that God the Father did engage the Lord Jesus by his own love to him to love every such lost undone sinner as should embrace him This you shall see if you compare John 10.17 18 with John 15.10 Saith Christ therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it again And saith Christ to his Disciples If you keep my commandments you shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Hence Christ intimateth not only that his Father loved him for his undertaking that work of mercy and pitty to poor lost undone sinners but that his Father did lay the engagement of his love upon him So that as he respects his Fathers love and desires the continuance of it to him so he should be pittifull to every lost sinner that embraceth him II. The consent of the Son the Lord Jesus himself is revealed by the Spirit for the clearing of this And that the Spirit may and doth reveal in two things 1. In the free ready consent of the Lord Jesus to the blessed will of his Father The Lord Christ made no objection against the blessed command though take it in all the latitude of it it was the hardest command that ever was imposed upon any creature in heaven or earth a command to spend his dearest innocent blood a command to become a curse a command to deprive himself of the ravishing vision of his Fathers face yet this command he never stuck at but saith in the Volumn of the Book it is written Lo I come to do thy will 2. In that he took infinite delight in the yielding obedience to this his Fathers will Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God He took pleasure in it and was straightned in his Spirit till it was accomplished III. The Spirit reveals the consent of the blessed Spirit proceeding both from God the Father and God the Son in this blessed design And that 's in this that the spirit freely and in the very fulness of it took up his habitation in the Lord Christ thus constituted to be Mediator to fill him with grace and love and pitty for the accomplishment of this blessed work of gathering in lost sinners into union with himself This the Spirit reveals in two things 1. In the manner or form of the Spirit descending down upon Christ Luke 3.22 It came down in the shape of a Dove to shew it came on purpose to furnish the Mediator with mercy and pitty to poor despicable loveless sinners that he might be nothing but a lump of love wrapped up in flesh 2. The Spirit reveals the end for which the Spirit was thus poured out upon him in the fulness of it The end is revealed Isa 61.1 2 3. To preach good tidings to the meek to bind up the broken hearted that is poor captivated inslaved souls under the power of their hellish enemy and the opening of the prison to them that are bound that is deliverance of them that are held fast in the chains of darkness under the power of the Prince of darkness to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Secondly The Spirit reveals the sutable Office that is established upon the Lord Christ purposely to engage him to shew mercy and pitty to every lost sinner that should embrace him The Spirit manifests that he is ordained by God the father to be an High Priest to sacrifice for the sins of the people Here the Spirit reveals two things 1. That the qualifications that God looks upon in Christ in ordaining him to be the High-Priest were sutable dispositions to shew mercy and pitty to poor undone Sinners This you shall find in Heb. 5.2 He can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way Therefore Heb. 4.25 That 's made a special qualification in Christ as High Priest that he was one who had a fellow feeling of those that he was High Priest to that he had a sweet sympathy rolling in his bowels to them under the infirmity of Sin and misery 2. The Spirit reveals that the end of that Office of the Priest-hood that was established upon him was to shew mercy to poor despicable undone sinners You shall see in Heb. 5.1 what are the ends of an High Priest First he is ordained to come to the Mercy-seat for man that is for the good of poor miserable men Secondly that he might offer gifts and sacrifice for sins that he might pacifie the angry God that was incensed against sinners that he might reconcile perishing lost undone sinners to God the father Thirdly For evidencing that unquestionable willingness of the Lord Jesus to accept every sinner that will embrace him the spirit reveals the exact and exquisite care the Lord Jesus hath taken to reveal himself to prevail with poor undone sinners to gather them into union with himself This the spirit evidenceth in five things 1. By revealing the provision of Officers that Jesus Christ hath made to allure and beseech souls to accept the Lord Christ to
Christ 1. That the love of Christ to those souls is augmented There is no more prevailing argument of love than suffering evil for the beloved one 2. The spirit evidenceth from thence that Jesus Christ hath a nearer interest in them The propriety of Christ is as well augmented by his sufferings as his love Therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own why for ye are bought with a price 3. The spirit reveals that there is a higher degree of Joy in the bosom of Christ in the obtaining of union with them Therefore Isa 53.11 Christ is said to see of the travel of his soul and to be satisfied That is he shall see souls gathered in to him as the fruit of all his sufferings and this shall satisfie him Now from hence the spirit reveals the unsatiable longings of Christ after the union of those souls that shall embrace him 3. The spirit reveals the sensibleness of the Lord Christ of his own duty as he is Mediator to gather such lost souls as will embrace him into union with him This you may find John 10.15 16. Saith Christ I have other sheep which are not of this fold them also I must bring in As if Christ should have said there is necessity I am engaged by duty to my father in respect of the command my father laid upon me to gather those lost souls into union with me 4. The spirit reveals that it is onely sutable to the nature of Jesus Christ to be gathering lost undone Sinners into union with him His nature is nothing but an abstract or quintessence of love as Mediator and therefore it is only natural to him to be pouring out of his love into empty souls Secondly the spirit evidenceth the expressions of those longings of Jesus Christ by himself I. The spirit presents Jesus Christ seeking after such lost sinners to gather them into union with him when their backs are altogether turned upon him and when they have altogether forgotten him This spirit causeth the soul to hear from the mouth of God himself Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seek and save that which is lost It is my office saith Christ for which I came down from heaven II. The spirit manifests the Lord Christs strong compassionate cries of love after such souls to accept of a blessed union and communion with himself This the spirit causeth the soul to hear Rev. 22.17 Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely So Isa 55.1 2. Ho every one that is in any want in any necessity any poor thirsty soul come ye saith he buy wine and milk without money and without price Here the spirit causeth the soul 1. To discerern the loud cry of Jesus Christ after such poor dead sluggish souls to embrace them 2. The spirit causeth the soul to see the redoubling of his cry and call Come ye saith Christ yea again come and again come as if his bowels yearned 3. The spirit lots the soul see his propounding all the precious arguments that can possibly be imagined to prevail with souls Come saith Christ buy Wine and Milk take the most precious soul-ravishing comforts the sweetest Cordials to thy poor needy fainting soul III. The spirit reveals the low condescention of Jesus Christ to become an intreater a beseecher of souls to accept of that union propounded According to 2. Cor. 5.20 We are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God that is be ye one with God IV. The spirit reveals that the Lord Christ hath put his own Spirit in commission for that end to make all these longings of his evident to the soul and these expressions of his longings in his Cries and Intreaties effectual upon souls The spirit reveals to the soul the strength of the desires of Jesus Christ to be so superlative as to take care least after all the expressions of his longings the soul should still remain unconquered and therefore he adds as it were a supplement to all his former desires of union with him he adds his own spirit to stand as a constant Officer for that end to convince the soul of his longings that they should have union with him Therefore he sends the comforter John 16.7 V. The spirit reveals the Lords Tender Pittiful Compassionate discovery of the dreadful danger of neglect of union with him According to that in John 3.17 18. God sent not his Son into the World to condemn but that the World through him might be saved I tell you souls saith Christ the very intention of my Father in sending me is not to augment your Sins that your condemnation should be augmented but it is his intention that you might be saved And then v. 18. he reveals to them the desperate state of them that neglect this Salvation that he brings He that believeth not is condemned already VI. The spirit reveals that the Lord waits to be gracious and even waits as it were the leisure of poor lost undone souls to accept of that blessed union tendered The spirit presents the Lord Jesus standing at the door of hearts and knocking till his head is wet with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night waiting for the souls accepting of that blessed union with himself that he tenders There is a fourth beam of divine light the spirit causeth further to sparkle forth from the Gospel in this work of Irradiation or manifestation of it Fourth beam of divine light and that is this The absolute independency of this willingness of Jesus Christ to accept souls into union upon any thing in the Souls whom he is thus willing to accept and after union with him his soul thus longs There can be no act of Faith by way of fulness of confidence or assurance till there be such a clear apprehension of the acceptance of the particular soul into union with the Lord Jesus that all matter of fear vanisheth and all occasion of doubt is taken away by the clearness of that light that the spirit casts into the understanding and by the clear satisfaction it gives the soul concerning his acceptance by Jesus Christ to be one with him Therefore the spirit in respect to those Multitudes of fears that commonly arise in souls concerning the unsutableness of themselves to be taken into union with Christ for the taking away those occasions of fear doth reveal to the soul that the willingness of the Lord Jesus to accept it into union and the longings of Jesus Christ after union with souls hath not the least dependance upon any thing in the soul it self whence he accepts it into union Now for the evidencing of this the spirit may and doth evidence these three things to the soul I. The spirit evidenceth the impossibility of the will of the glorious Deity to be moved 〈◊〉 any thing
united to him to Write his Law in their Hearts that is to conform their spirits to all his Blessed Will to make their Hearts answerable and sutable to the union with Christ and all the ways of God that they ought to walk in by vertue of that union 6. The Spirit manifests the Lords undertaking the preservation of the Soul by his own power to the full everlasting injoyment of all the fruits of union This the Spirit may and doth reveal it may be from that in Ezek. 36.26 27. when the Lord declares it to be his own resolution concerning those he accepts to be partakers of those promises of Love through union with Christ that his own Spirit shall dwell within them and he will cause them to walk in his Statutes and do them and keep them that they shall not depart from him That it shall not be in the power of the Soul to bereave it self of all those pretious fruits of that blessed union with the Lord Jesus but the Soul must of necessity unless the Almighty power of God should fail injoy the fulness of all love and communion as the consequence of the union with Christ And for the further evidence of this the Spirit may and doth reveal it by two things First The Spirit remembers the Soul that the Lord hath made it his own chosen delight to be carrying on the Soul towards the injoyment of that fulness and perfection of love and through his union even the perfection of communion Secondly The Spirit reveals the Lord to hang the highest manifestation of his glory upon the filllng those with all fulness of love and mercy that are received into that union with the Lord Jesus And hereby the Spirit satisfies the Soul and convinceth it that the Lord himself is so interested in perfecting the fruits and consequences of the Souls union with Christ that unless the Lord should deny himself there is an impossibility of the Lords failing to preserve the Soul by his own power unto the perfect and full injoyment of the perfection of communion as the consequence of the union with Christ The Sixth beam of Light the Spirit manifests from the Gospel is this Sixth beam of Divine Light The Spirit manifests the compleat sufficiency yea the abundancy and superabundancy of security that is given to secure Souls of their injoyment of all the Gospel thus discovers to them Now for the making this beam of light shine forth in its Beauty and Glory the Spirit may and doth evidence many things I. First The Spirit evidenceth the Lords entering into Covenant with Jesus Christ the Mediator and engaging himself in that Covenant to effect the mercy and love that the Gospel discovers for every Soul that shall embrace him Two things are to be opened here First That the Lord did thus enter into Covenant with Christ Secondly What security the believing Soul hath from thence of the Lords effecting of what is so discovered in the Gospel First That the Lord did thus Covenant with Christ himself is apparent 1. In regard all the whole bundle of the promises that make up the whole Covenant of the Gospel they run primarily to Christ and in his name To shew that God and Christ were the Covenanters together that the Covenant was struck up between the Father and the Son from before the foundations of the World were laid If you observe the first promise that ever God the Father gave or the first discovery of Gospel that ever was unto Souls in Gen. 3.15 The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head There is the whole Gospel the whole Covenant but observe in whose name it runs in the name of Christ The seed of the Woman that is Christ that is Christ mystically including his Members too but it is Christ primarily He shall break the Serpents head that is shall triumph over Satan shall get the victory over Hell and spoil him that hath formerly taken Souls captive 2. It appears in regard Christ himself takes God the Father as his God John 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God So that hence it appears that God the Father hath engaged himself in a solemn Covenant unto Jesus Christ as Mediator from before the foundations of the World were laid to effect what ever the Gospel discovers for every Soul that should embrace him And it is from thence that Christ prays in John 17.24 Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Secondly We may see what assurance this affords unto Souls of their unquestionable infallible injoyment of all that the Gospel thus discovers There is a two fold security from hence 1. In regard God the Father stands engaged in a solemn Covenant to effect all that the Gospel thus discovers unto those Souls that have in believing received Christ to be their Husband and Head 2. The believing Soul is to know and understand the Lord Christ to have represented every Soul that shall embrace him in entering into Covenant with the Father Though the Covenant runs to Christ it was but as Christ was the first Elect of God representing all the other Elect it was but as Christ was a common person a second Adam that had all that should believe in him in his person as the first Adam had all that were to come out of his loins included in him and bound up in him in the first Covenant II. Secondly The Spirit reveals the Father to have paid the highest and dearest price for the effecting it and for every Souls embracing Christ what the Gospel discovers in the surest way unto Souls apprehensions This the Spirit reveals in discovering God the Father to have given the dearly beloved of his Soul for that end to bring about Gospel mercies to be conveyed to Souls in the surest way to Souls own conceptions and apprehensions According to that in John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. For the clearing of this there must be two things opened First That the Father was at the highest cost and charge and did pay the greatest price to effect those mercies for Souls Secondly That one intent of the Father in paying so high a price for Souls was to satisfie Souls of the injoyment of them in their own apprehensions First That the Father paid so high a price for the effecting that mercy and love that the Gospel discovers for Souls that will embrace him will appear in three things 1. In that it cost the Father the abasement for a season of his own essential glory I do not mean as if there could have been an extenuation of the essential glory of God but I mean there was a vailing of that essential glory so as those resplendent beams of his glory shined not forth This the Father did in that his dearly beloved his only begotten Son that had but one
and the same essence and so the same essential glory with himself should take upon him that frail vile despicable nature of Man 2. In regard the Father deprived himself for a season of his highest delight his most infinite contentment for the effecting those Gospel mercies The Fathers delight is in Communion and the higher degree of Communion the higher is the delight of God Therefore it is said Prov. 8.31 That he delights in the habitable parts of the Earth and with the Sons of Men that is because there are Creatures capable of Communion with God there are empty Vessels that he may be pouring out of his transcendent fulness into Now God deprived himself of his own highest delight in withdrawing the communications of himself from that his dearly beloved Son that he was forced to complain My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 3. It cost the Father the very death yea the accursed death of the most dearly beloved of his Soul the Lord Jesus He delivered him up to death for us saith the Apostle Yea it cost the Father the suffering the execution of his full wrath and indignation upon the dearly beloved of his Soul Secondly It must be opened that the Father was at the highest cost and charge in effecting that mercy for Souls that shall embrace the Lord Christ tendered on purpose to make it the surer to Souls apprehensions to give them the fuller security of all that the Gospel discovers This will appear in three things I. In regard there was no absolute necessity in respect of God himself to effect that which the Gospel discovers for Souls embracing Christ in that way at such high cost and charge to himself That will appear in two things 1. In regard there was a fulness of power in the Lords mercy to give absolute pardon unto sinners irrespectively to satisfaction The Lord being the high Soveraign of Heaven and Earth whose sole incommunicable property is that his will is the original of all Law the original of the being of all goodness he hath an absolute power in his own mercy to have given an absolute pardon to every transgression committed against his own Law The Lords Will being the only rule that he walks by and that Will of his being altogether independent hath a power within it self to have given an absolute pardon to every transgression against his Will 2. In regard the Lord in the effecting of the love and mercy that the Gospel discovers to Souls did not proceed according to the exactest rule of Justice Do not mistake me I mean not according to the height and rigor of Justice as Justice which of necessity must have been had the Lord been bound to his Justice to proceed that way That appears in two things First The highest exact rule of Justice admits of no surety in capital Crimes It requires the individual person to be the sufferer of the evil threatned for the breach of the Law that was the transgressor of the Law The voice of exact Justice was only in this wise The Soul that sinneth shall die without any admission of any Surety Now it is apparent that the Lord himself in the bringing about or effecting the Love and Mercy that the Gospel discovers unto Souls he propounds this way to admit of a Surety Those that were the offenders of Justice were not sufferers under Justice but another steps in and bears the stroke of Justice that in regard of his own personal transgression was not guilty of the breach of the Law or of the Offence against Justice Secondly Were it possible for exact Justice to admit a Surety yet not possible for exact Justice to find out a Surety working still as Justice Justice never looks further than the Transgressor himself to exact Justice upon unless it be to lay the merit and desert of the transgressor in some degree upon all that have dependance upon him Never came a thought into Justice as Justice of remitting the least degree of punishment of the Transgressor yet you see in the way that he proceeds he casts about in his own thoughts to find out one sufficient to bear all the burden of wrath and indignation that is due to Transgressors themselves The Lord in his design of glorifying his Justice in effecting Love and Mercy for Souls discovered in the Gospel he proceeds only according to Love it self yea according to nothing else but Love in respect of Souls it being an act of simple absolute pure Love to impute the transgression of the poor guilty Spirit to the spotless Lamb the Lord Jesus as if he had been to have pardoned those Transgressors and to have delivered them clearly from Sin without the imputation of those Transgressions to another Therefore observe the whole Work of Salvation though contrived by the infinite Wisdom of God that Mercy and Justice might meet together and kiss each other it is attributed to Love alone Eph. 2.5 By Grace or Love ye are saved So Tit. 3.4 5. Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Still the whole Work is attributed to the Fathers Love 2. There was no absolute necessity of Gods being at that cost and charge to procure Love and Mercy for Souls that would embrace him in respect of the Souls themselves that were to be partakers of it That will appear in two things 1. In regard Souls partaking of that Love and Mercy that the Gospel discovers were not the Objects of that Love and Mercy primarily by that cost and charge that the Lord was at in the Death of Christ to effect that Love and Mercy If you observe the whole Current of the Scripture it runs thus God so loved the World that he gave Christ To us a Child is born to us a Son is given So that Christ being a Gift of Love unto the Soul it could not be that they should be made objects of Love primarily by that Gift that is originally in the first place Christ was therefore given because they were first beloved not they beloved because Christ given seeing the Love of God was fixed upon all its peculiar objects that ever it should be fixed upon in that Gift and then Christ himself came forth as a Gift of that fixed Love it could not be that they should be primarily made objects of Love by the Lords effecting that Love and Mercy for them through his great Cost of giving the dearly beloved of his Soul for them 2. Those Souls that shall embrace Christ tendered in the Gospel were the Objects of that Gospel-Love and Mercy discovered in order of nature before the Lords intention to effect that Gospel-Love and Mercy for them by that his own cost in giving his own Son The Lord Christ is discovered as the Means by which God brings about the conveyance of his Love unto his beloved ones and the End is discovered in the Gospel to be the Glory of his own Love
to make his Love glorious in those objects Therefore the End must in order of Nature according to our conception be before the Means though all things are at once and by one Act done by God so that according to our conceptions the Love must be first fixed and setled upon Souls in order of nature I mean the intention of Love must be first unto Souls before the conveyance of that Gift of Love through Christ Thence 't is that the Scripture speaks of Christ not only as given but also called out to the work of Mediatorship Heb. 5.1 He was ordained to be the High Priest by God the Father to offer Sacrifice for Souls 3. There can be no End of the Lords being at that high charge for the effecting of the Love and Mercy that the Gospel discovers to Souls that will embrace him but his own praise and his peoples comfort Seeing there was no necessity I speak of absolute and indispensable necessity all this while I would not be mistaken in a thing of so high a nature I say seeing there was no absolute simple necessity for the Lord to be at such high cost in respect of himself and in respect of Souls to partake of this Mercy but it is done freely of God according to his own wisdom Thence it appears there can be no higher End than the Lords own praise the manifesting the Beams of the Lords transcendent Glory more abundantly in the Eyes of Saints and Angels And this you shall find to be the very End of it Eph. 1.4.6 Saith the Apostle He hath chosen us in Christ That is He hath chosen us as the Members of Christ the first Elect of God and that Head of the Mystical Body that God hath glorified himself in This he hath done saith he before the foundation of the world and therefore he destinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Here is the Fathers Love in the Means and in the End v. 6. To the praise of the Glory of his Grace that is of his own Love wherein that is in which Love he hath made us acccepted in the Beloved that is in Christ Now this may be taken rwo wayes Either for his praise actively to be given to him by the Soul that partakes of that Love and Mercy that the Gospel discovers Or else passively to be manifested through this way unto those that partake of that Love and Mercy that the Gospel discovers In both ways the Lord intended to have his glorious Love admired and adored and himself sanctified in the beholding of it through the effecting and conveying of that his Love and Mercy unto Souls through such cost and charge in giving his dearly beloved Son Now observe it There are especially two wayes how the partaker of that Love and Mercy the Gospel discovers doth actively give the Lord the praise of the glory of his Love 1. In admiring the unmeasurable dimensions of his Love in gazing upon the height and depth and length and breadth of his Love so as to see it unmeasurable and bottomless and to adore God in beholding it 2. In their Souls relying with a fulness of confidence upon God for that his Love in Christ It is alwayes in the same degree wherein a Soul takes up its rest in God for any thing that a Soul sanctifies God in his heart therefore Is 8.13 when the Prophet exhorts them to sanctifie God he saith Fear not their fear but make him your fear and your dread as if he should say therein you shall sanctifie him when your spirits take up their rest in him alone Now as God is thus sanctified in the heart in general so he is sanctified in the heart in respect of every particular Attribute of his in this way only when a Souls confidence is in him alone And thus in particular in respect of his Love God hath the praise of the glory of his Love from the Soul when the Heart takes up its full rest in God with a fulness of confidence for all Love through Christ Now observe these being the two special wayes how the Lord hath the praise of his glorious Love from Souls that partake of the Love that the Gospel discovers and then both these proceeding from a Souls apprehension of the certainty and infallibility of the Lords Love in Christ thence it must needs appear that the Lords being at the high cost to effect all that Love and Mercy discovered in the Gospel for Souls through the death of that dearly beloved of his Soul that this must be on purpose done by God for the making that his Love and Mercy that the Gospel discovers more sure and certain unto Souls embracing it in their own apprehensions Thirdly The Spirit discovers the Lords own Bond given out to the persons themselves that shall embrace the Gospel for their assurance of all that the Gospel discovers All the Promises written in the Lords Blessed Book are but as so many Bonds of Gods own writing by the hand of the great Secretary of Heaven the blessed Spirit of God on purpose to confirm and assure Souls of all that the Gospel discovers The Spirit reveals Promise upon Promise to seal to and confirm the same thing as you may see Heb. 6.12 13 14 15. The Promise is said to be given there as a Discovery of the Immutability of the Lords Counsel that is of the infallible and unchangeable certainty of all that the Gospel discovers Fourthly The Spirit riseth higher he adds the confirmation of his own Oath the highest Oath that was possible for God to swear which was by himself that the Soul might have security upon security to his weak apprehension Fifthly The Spirit reveals the adding of the Blood of Christ as the Seal to the Bond. The Spirit manifests the Lord to have employed Jesus Christ to be the Testator to Souls that by the Death of the Testator the Testament or the Will of God revealed in the Gospel might be made unquestionably certain that the Soul might have fulness of security to his poor scrupulous Spirit now security comes in upon security to a superabuddance of it Sixthly The Spirit reveals the Lord to have engaged the Honour and Credit of his ever-blessed Name for the better securing Souls and fuller assuring them of all that the Gospel discovers to them This you shall see in Exod. 33.19 I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee saith God to Moses and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy which doth both include a disposition to be gracious and a free disposition to be gracious and it includeth that Grace of his to be ordered only according to his own will Now did not the Lord freely love loveless sinners upon no other ground but his own will which is the very Sum of all that the Gospel saith then this Title of Gods Honour should be defaced and blemished But God saith
reveal'd a fulness of all goodnes and so strength it self to the Soul but he may behold the Lord to have called himself by that Name of Abundant in Goodness 2. The Soul is secured by the Credit of the Lords Name against all fears of his not prevailing with God in Christ to be partaker of that Mercy and Love and Goodness that the Gospel discovers He may behold the Lords Name to be Abundant in Goodness not only goodness but abounding having more than a fulness so that it should run over into empty Souls like Rivers abounding with water freely overflowing his Banks 5. The Credit of the Lords Name is engaged to a compleat perfect fulfilling of his revealing mercy and goodness towards loveless Sinners His Name you see is Abundant in Truth So that God must lose that Beam of the glory of his blessed Name which is Abundant in Truth should the least Tittle the least Iota of any word revealing Mercy and Love to loveless Sinners fall to the ground 6. The Credit of the Lords Name is engaged for the accepting every Soul into grace and favour discovered in the Gospel without making any exception against any one Soul whatever The Lords Name you see is the Lord keeping Mercy for thousands that is for infinite numbers That is to say his Name is he that is ready to shew mercy to every Soul without exception 7. The Credit of the Lords Name is engaged to secure Souls that no kind or degree of wickedness can be a prevention of his acceptance of a Soul into his favour and love His Name you see is the Lord forgiving iniquity transgression and sin that is forgiving all kinds and degrees of sin 8. The Credit and Honour of the Lords Name is engaged that the ground of his receiving Souls into love and favour shall be only his own precious will His Name is He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy Exod. 33.9 So that when the Souls confidence begins to waver about the Lords willingness to accept him into love and favour because he beholds no ground or argument of love then the Soul may behold the blessed Name of God that hath mercy upon whom he will have mercy looking for no Arguments of his love and mercy but his own Will Thus you see that the Credit of the Lords blessed Name is engaged for assuring Souls of whatever the Gospel discovers And that 's the Sixth Particular Seventhly The Spirit reveals the Lord to have given in his blessed word Presidents Examples and Patterns sutable to the Case and State of every Soul upon whom the Lord hath already effected whatever mercy and love the Gospel discovers to forlorn despicable loveless Sinners The Lord hath so abounded and superabounded in the riches of his own love that out of the bowels of those his compassions towards loveless Sinners he hath condescended beneath himself and his own super-excellent Majesty to give all kind of securities whatever are possible to be given to poor doubting Spirits concerning his Gospel-love There are eight particular Cases wherein the Lord hath given Paterns and Examples unto Souls which Cases comprehend all kinds of Estates and Tempers that it is possible for any Soul to be under I. In the case of the superlative height of Souls wickedness the being plunged into a bottomless Ocean of all kind of abominations and pollutions that are imaginable In this case the Lord hath given eminent patterns First If you look into that place 1 Cor. 6.9 10. and read over the black bill of almost all kind of abominations that are there reckoned up Fornicatours Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate abusers of themselves with mankind Theeves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners And you shall see v. 11. that some that are contained in the black bill of all pollutions were Washed Sanctified Justified in the name of the Lord Jesus all Gospel mercy and love was discovered unto them for saith the Text Such were some of you Another pattern the Lord left 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. of Manasseh who heaped up wickedness upon wickedness yet the Lord made him a pattern of Gospel-love and mercy Another you have in Paul in 1 Tim. 1.15 One drinking up the blood of Saints like water one blaspheming Jesus Christ offering all kind of injuries and indignities to the name of Christ and yet the Lord did shew forth all long-suffering that is all kind of love manifested in patience and forbearance and admitted him into union and communion with himself through Christ and this he did on purpose that he might leave it as an experiment of his Love and Mercy to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting So Act. 2.30 those that had washed their malicious and envious Hands in the innocent blood of the Lord Jesus were not excluded from Gospel Mercy and Love So if you look into the doleful story of our first fall by Eve who did first provoke the anger and indignation of God yet she was made a pattern of Gospel Mercy and Love Gen. 3.15 II. The second case wherein God hath given patterns is in the case of unbelief the potency and prevalency of unbelieving dispositions I shall propound but two patterns to you in this case First of David who under the rage of unbelief Psal 116.11 said in his hast all men are liers that those Prophets that had revealed to him from the mouth of God that he should inherit the Kingdom were but dissemblers notwithstanding he had been satisfied of the truth of the message coming from God The second pattern is in unbelieving Thomas John 20.24 25 26. that would not believe the resurrection of Christ except he should see in his Hands the print of the nailes and thrust his Hands into his side yet Gospel Love and Mercy was discovered to him vers 27. under this case come in these two cases of Souls wherein they are much perplexed 1. In case of the Souls not feeling the Lord by his Almighty power drawing their Hearts to believe Saith the poor perplexed Soul surely the Lord draws all that he intends should come to Christ through believing but alas saith the Soul I do not see that God hath drawn my Heart therefore surely God hath not chosen me to be an object of Gospel Grace and Love now the Spirit may witness from hence that there hath been a Soul as much under the dominion of unbelieving dispositions as his unbelieving Spirit yet the bowels of Love and Mercy revealed in the Gospel were not restrained from them 2. Here comes in that case of the weakness of affections and desires towards believing and of the strong inclination of the Spirit to receive security of the Lords willingness to make him the object of Gospel Mercy and Love from something that should be visible and sensible to the Soul That 's also a common case of Souls that they cannot discern any disposition in their Hearts to believe the Lords willingness to receive them into the bosom
of his Mercy and Love revealed in the Gospel from the bare word of God alone but if they could see any fruit of that Love and Mercy in their bosoms then they think they should believe You see the Spirit hath here in this case also evidenced the Lord to have afforded a real experiment of his Mercy and Love to a Soul in the case of unbelieving Thomas who was not only inclined to see ground of believing in a visible way from the sight of his Eyes and the feelings of his Hands but he was resolved to have it that way or no way unless I see thus and thus I will not believe III. A third case wherein the Lord hath given presidents is in the case of loathsom horrible dreadful and most hateful imaginations working in the Heart against God In this case the Lord hath not left himself without some experimental witness of the discovery of his Mercy and Love Now the case being very high I find an experiment of Gospel Mercy and Love discovered in a case that is as high In this case the Lord hath left Jesus Christ himself as a pattern his Heart and Spirit was perplexed and troubled with as hateful horrible imaginations propounded to him as ever were propounded to any Soul in Matth. 4.6 9. the Devil propounded to him that he should murder himself If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down Secondly That he should presume upon his Fathers promise to him and be careless of walking according to his Fathers will saith the Devil He hath said that his Angels should have charge over him least he should dash his foot against a stone There is a third sort of thoughts propounded to his imagination worse then these and that is that he should worship the Devil What more hateful and horrible thoughts could be injected into any bosom than this to worship the Devil himself Now under this general are comprehended these two particular cases 1. There is comprehended the cases of all blasphemous thoughts that are wont to perplex distressed Souls That if a Soul should say within himself sure never any object of the Lords Love ever had such hellish thoughts as are presented to my mind such thoughts as my Heart trembles to name the Spirit may then bring to the Souls remembrance this pretious pattern of Christ the Devil injecting into his pure mind thoughts that were as dreadfully derogatory to the honour of the Lords highest Majesty thoughts that had as much of the poison of Hell in them as ever thought that was injected into thy cursed Heart 2. Under this comes in all kind of Temptations concerning self murder or self destruction In this case the Spirit may bring to remembrance the Lord Christ himself as the Souls president or pattern the Lords letting him be perplexed with temptations of the same kind IV. A fourth case is the want of all sensible manifestations of God to the Soul either in quickning and reviving or in comforting In this case you may take the dearly beloved one of God David Psal 22. wherein indeed he speaks typically relating to Christ especially yet also speaks but the thoughts of his own Spirit at that time too saith he v. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring And v. 14. so Psal 77.3 4. I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed c. Another pattern the Lord gives us of the Holy man Job he cries out Chap. 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my Spirit c. So Chap. 13.24 25 26. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy c. Now under this come in two particular cases of the Soul 1. The case of the defect of all the workings of the quickning Spirit into the Soul 2. Under this comes in the case of the Souls wanting the manifesting light of the Spirit to reveal the Gospel in its beauty and glory to its Soul So that if any Soul wanting this manifesting light of the Spirit should begin to cast off all confidence and to waver and stagger and doubt least the Lord should not be willing to accept it to be an object of Gospel love then the Spirit may and doth sometimes bring to remembrance these eminent patterns of those who were in the very same temper under the same wants and yet they were really the objects of that love and mercy that the Gospel in Christ reveals V. A fifth case is the case of fruitlesness inefficacy of the breathings of the Soul after God in prayer In this case also the Lord hath given eminent patterns Those two forenamed ones both Job and David you shall find to have been in the same case Job 23.8 9. Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him c. His meaning is he used all kind of means the utmost diligence in seeking after God but he would not be found So if you look upon David Psal 22.2 O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent So that here God shews Souls an experiment of some who were in the same case and yet objects of his love and mercy VI. A sixth case is the inability of the Soul to pour out requests That in Isa 63.17 will shew the Lord to have left his whole Church as a pattern in that case Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardned our hearts from thy fear These Souls complain of the Lords suffering such senslesness and blockishness of Spirit to be upon them as made them unsutable for every duty of the Lords worship and yet notwithstanding these were objects of mercy and love VII A seventh case is the beholding all arguments that are possible to be imagined in a Soul against those promises of love and mercy that the Gospel tenders In this case the Lord hath given that pretious pattern of Abraham whom he chose to be the pattern of all believers Rom. 4.18 19. He against hope believed in hope that is against all ground and reason and arguments of hope that could be imagined Though he saw all possibility against that promise of love and mercy that the Lord had given him concerning the Messiah to come through his loins to be his lawful seed by Sarah yet notwithstanding he believed though he saw his own body dead and the deadness of Sarahs womb yet it is said v. 20. he staggered not at the promise through unbelief his Spirit did not so much as waver Under this general may be comprehended these three particular cases of the Soul 1. The case of the Souls thinking himself to be the most unlikely under Heaven to be an object of Gospel mercy and love The Soul considering
himself to be a poor despicable useless wretch a low contemptible worm not having any thing wherein to be serviceable for the Lords honour as others have yea being far deeper drenched into sin than other Souls are Here is a pattern the Lord hath made to stand upon sacred Record of his fulfilling a promise of mercy and love notwithstanding all unlikelihood that can be imagined 2. Under this comes in that particular case of the Souls inability and insufficiency to receive and embrace that mercy and love the Gospel reveals according as the Lord requires That is when the Soul in gazing upon those blessed tenders of love and mercy begins to say within it self I am so dead in sin that I have not the least ability to receive that mercy and love tendered according as God requires and therefore I shall never be the object of Gospel mercy and love seeing I cannot receive it Now in this case also this pretious pattern that the Lord hath given of Abraham may be brought to the Souls remembrance by the Spirit to testifie that the Lords promise of mercy and love to Abraham was fulfilled when he was in the same case when he could do nothing had not the least ability and power to effect what was necessary to be effected by him for the fulfilling of the promise 3. Under this comes in that particular case of the Souls beholding nothing but opposition in his Heart against that mercy and love that the Gospel reveals So that if the Soul should begin to say within it self it cannot be that he should be admitted by God to be an object of that Gospel mercy and love seeing his Heart nothing else but speaks against it Then the Spirit may bring to the Souls remembrance that which the Lord gave as a promise of mercy and love unto Abraham He against hope believed in hope There was not only no hope but all things against hope of that promise being fulfilled to him that he might be a pattern of believing VIII There is an eighth case of wretched treacherous backsliding from God after mutual closures and embraces between God and the Soul In this case the Lord hath given pretious presidents of his Gospel love and mercy that have been communicated unto Souls so backsliding You may first look upon Aaron's case who was none of the least backsliders Exod. 32.2 3 4 5. Aaron that had made choise of God alone to be his God here became a wretched backslider from the pure worship of God according to his own will to an Idolatrous worship to make a graven Image an Idol after the manner of Egypt and to make an Altar too still all contrary to the way of the Lords worship And yet if you look into Exod. 40.12 13. you shall find this very Aaron notwithstanding this backsliding taken to be an object of that love and mercy so as to be chosen Minister of the Lords Sanctuary to be of the very highest office of the Lords worship here below to be made the most immediate type of representing Jesus Christ that blessed true High Priest Another pattern of backsliding you may behold in Solomon in 1 King 7.11 He built an high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab yet this backslider notwithstanding was an object of his special Gospel love and mercy as appears Psal 89.32 33. My love will I never take from him I need not name Peters case and Davids case it is known to you all You see it is apparent the Lord hath given eminent patterns in this case of the Souls backsliding So that herein many particular cases of Souls come in as the case of negligence and slightness of Heart towards God the case of estrangeness from God after it once tasted of communion with him The case of all kind of wretchedness that the Soul can call to remembrance against it self or that possibly the Soul can be guilty of after the injoyment of the discovery of the Lords love and mercy in the Lord Jesus to him So that in case upon any such ground as the Souls wretched wicked dealing with God after union and communion with him and its turning aside from God the Soul should suffer its Confidence to waver concerning the will of God to accept his loveless backsliding Soul into the bosom of his love and mercy then the Spirit may bring to its remembrance those precious parterns that the Lord hath given concerning his acceptance of such backsliding wretches after such discoveries of himself That 's the seventh Particular that the Spirit may reveal and bring to Souls remembrance to shew that the Lord hath given Security upon Security abundance and superabundance of Security to assure Souls of what the Gospel reveals Eighthly The last particular that the Spirit brings to the Souls remembrance or doth or may reveal to it is this That there are peculiar near invaluable Engagements upon God himself in respect of himself to fulfil those precious Gospel-Discoveries to every Soul that shall embrace or accept them The Lord out of his incomprehensible wisdom hath so curiously contrived that Gospel-love to loveless Sinners that he hath sweetly interwoven his own interest with their interest And certainly the Lord hath revealed his own interest thus to be in the compleating of his Gospel-love and mercy to loveless Sinners that shall embrace him on purpose to secure their wavering unstable Spirits and to settle them in a more fulness of confidence in Christ that their Spirits might be filled with joy and peace through believing The engagements that are upon God himself in respect of himself to fulfil Gospel-love and mercy to Sinners that shall embrace him are divers 1. The first Engagement upon God himself in regard of himself from whence Souls may have security is this That the Lord hath chosen every such particular loveless Sinner as shall accept of his Gospel-discovery to be one of his own Family and his own Houshold Hence you shall find in Eph. 3.15 That all Believers are called but one Family And they are called the Houshold of God Eph. 2.19 And in Heb. 3.6 The whole Church is called The House of Christ Now what abundant security may the believing Soul receive concerning fulfilling Gospel-discoveries from the Spirits bringing to remembrance this Engagement of God in respect of himself to fulfil Gospel-discoveries 1. From hence the Soul may behold through believing God himself to be engaged to remove all Jars Differences Breaches and Disagreements from himself and every Soul that shall accept those Gospel-discoveries From thence the Soul may argue sweetly within his own Spirit against all Objections and Scruples concerning its Rebellion and Disobedience and say thus Will not the God of Peace have peace in his own Family in his own Houshold 2. From thence the believing Soul may behold the Lord engaged to compleat and perfect a work of Sanctification in his own Soul if he will embrace the Gospel-discovery though he be altogether unclean though he
be polluted in the most superlative degree The Soul may argue within its own Spirit thus Seeing every Soul that will embrace Gospel-discoveries is chosen to be one of the Lords Houshold his own Family surely the Lords Family shall be all sutable to himself 3. Thence the Soul may discern the Lord to be engaged to communicate all sutable love and mercy to his poor needy Spirit The Soul may say within it self Seeing every Soul that shall embrace or accept Gospel-discoveries is chosen to be one of the Lords Family surely there can be no provision wanting for the Family of God himself 4. Hence the Soul may discern through believing God to be engaged to accomplish perfect and compleat the whole work of Salvation against all impediments whatever if his Soul will embrace those Gospel-discoveries The Soul may say within it self Seeing every Soul that will embrace the Gospel-discoveries is chosen to be of the Family and Houshold of God it is beyond the power of Hell and the corrupt heart to deprive the Lord of any of his own Family 2. A Second Engagement that is laid upon God in respect of himself to fulfil Gospel-discoveries unto loveless Sinners embracing him is That every particular despicable Sinner accepting Gospel-discoveries is chosen by God himself to be one of his peculiar Children According to that in John 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God They are called Christs Brethren John 20.17 Now what full compleat Security may every Soul through believing receive from thence And here first I shall open to you what full Security Souls may have for the fulfilling every Gospel-discovery to them Secondly What security they may have of these Gospel-discoveries being fulfilled to them in every case that it is possible for them to be in when the Gospel-discovery shall come to them First We shall shew you what security Souls may have for the fulfilling every Gospel-discovery to them from the Engagement 1. From hence the Soul through believing may discern the Lord to be engaged to accept every forlorn Sinner that will accept these Gospel-discoveries into the nearest union and conjunction of Love that is possible 2. Hence it may behold the Lord engaged to receive its forlorn Soul into that near union of Love though there is nothing that is amiable in it 3. Hence it may behold the Lord engaged to communicate all fulness of love and mercy that the poor empty Soul shall be capable of if it will accept these Gospel-discoveries If the Soul be chosen to be one of the Lords Children it is chosen to be an Heir Rom. 8.17 4. The Soul may behold the Lord engaged to an everlasting unchangeable continuance of all love and favour to it in its embracing these Gospel-discoveries Secondly Hence the Soul may have a fulness of Security for the fulfilling those precious Gospel-discoveries to it in whatever case it is possible for any Soul to be in to whom these Gospel-discoveries come 1. In case of desperate wickedness and great unworthiness In this case the Soul may have Security and behold the Lord engaged in respect 〈◊〉 himself to fulfil those Gospel-discoveries to it notwithstanding his superlative degree of wickedness and highest unworthiness The Soul may argue thus Will not a tender-hearted Father accept a poor rebellious Child to Amity Love and Agreement with himself though he have been rebellious in the highest degree 2. In the case of the most horrible Temptations The worst the Soul can imagine of it self in this case is this That through some accursed wickedness it should wilfully cast away its own Soul and join in League and Amity with those infernal powers and suppose this yet from hence the Soul may discern the Lord engaged to fulfil all his Gospel-discoveries of love and mercy to his particular Soul in this case if he will accept those Gopel-discoveries 3. Hence it may have Security in the saddest damps straitness and deadness and indisposedness that ever possessed any Soul in Prayer The Soul may say Suppose a tender-hearted Father should have a beloved Child that is sick and distempered that he cannot so much as speak to him for succour but look upon his Fathers face with watery eyes with sighs and groans what thinkest thou O my Soul would not the dearest pangs of compassion in the Father be working towards the Child 4. Hence the Soul may have full Security for fulfilling Gospel-discoveries into his bosom though he be in that doleful state of captivity to an unbelieving heart void of all sensible visible dispositions in his Spirit The Soul in this case may and ought to argue within it self thus O my Soul it is true indeed thou hast neither power nor disposition in thee to yield obedience to the precious Command of the ever blessed God who commands thee to accept of love and mercy tendered to thy loveless Soul in the Lord Jesus but dost thou think it possible that thy want of power to believe should prevent the Lords acceptance of thee into the bosom of his fatherly affection Yea I may add more in this case from this engagement of God to fulfil Gospel-discoveries the Soul may behold him engaged to contribute believing dispositions 5. The Soul may have full Security concerning the fulfilling the Gospel-discoveries to it self though it be in the case of slavery and vassallage to the most crooked untoward perverse heart that ever dwelt in any Son or Daughter of Adam It may thus say O my Soul is it possible for thy crookedness to have an influence upon the heart of the immutable unchangeable God to blot out the Name that is written there from eternity if thou wilt accept Gospel-Discoveries 6. The Soul from hence hath full security of the fulfilling all Gospel-discoveries into his bosom though it be in the saddest backsliding case from what his Spirit was once allured to that ever any was guilty of since the first Apostacy from God in the Loins of Adam Now may it say O my backsliding Soul hath not the blessed Redeemer of poor loveless Sinners said in Luke 15. That the Blessed Father will run to receive such a backsliding wretch as thou art He will fall on his neck and kiss him and call to the Angels to rejoyce at his Return And then may the Soul add and shall not he that dwelt in the bosom of the Father from eternity be credited by thy Soul 3. A third Engagement upon God the Spirit may or doth remember the Soul of is That every Soul that will and shall embrace the precious Gospel-discoveries is chosen from eternity into the Order of Royal Priesthood whereof Jesus Christ himself is Head or High Priest Thence we are said to be Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 16. And to be a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Now from hence the Soul through believing may discern God engaged to fulfill to the uttermost all the precious Gospel-discoveries to every Soul that shall accept
when he looks out of his own bosom it must arise only from that mystical Body and so consequently the mystical Body being looked upon but as one with one single Eye every Soul in that mystical Body may in the same sence be said to be the object of all the delight of God 4. Every such Soul as shall and will accept Gospel-discoveries is the peculiar object of all the delights and contentments of God that he takes from the contemplation of the result of the mystical workings of his own wisdom in the disposing of all things from the creation of the World to its final dissolution It is the property of God to reflect as it were upon the workings of his own attributes as he did upon the whole world when he had made it to behold how good it was that he might delight himself in beholding the workings of his own excellency Now the Lord only beholds the result of the admirable workings of all his attributes in that mystical Body of Christ And so consequently the mystical Body only is the object of his delight that he takes in the result and issue and consequence of the working of all his attributes Now the Spirit may and doth reveal from hence that there are firm engagements laid upon God himself to fulfil whatever the Gospel discovers to every Soul that shall embrace him I. Hence God is engaged by his express Love to the content and satisfaction of his Soul to let out his Love in the most absolute compleat perfect divine unspeakable workings of it to every loveless sinner that doth embrace and accept Gospel-discoveries So that from hence consequently the Lord stands engaged First To let out his love to work freely with out motive incentive or argument inclining his love to work towards every such Soul embracing Gospel Discoveries The freedom of the working of his love towards souls is one of the Divine Glorious Perfections of love and should that be wanting some degree of the Lords own delight and contentment that he hath resolved to receive from every such soul to himself must also be wanting Secondly Thence the Lord stands engaged to let out his love wonderfully beyond the comprehension of Men and Angels Thirdly Thence he is engaged to let out the Discoveries of his love to such souls as shall embrace Gospel Discoveries fully and compleatly to the satisfaction of the soul Fourthly From hence also the Lord is engaged to let out his love to work infinitely without measure to every soul that shall embrace these Gospel Discoveries The love of God is but God himself and therefore works not according to its perfection till it works infinitely Now from hence 1. Here is full security that the spirit may give any doubting Soul concerning the fulfilling of the Gospel Discoveries into his bosom in his embracing of it when the soul doth doubt because of the indisposedness of his spirit to any duty that the Lord requires of him and because of his inability to those duties 2. Hence the spirit may give full security to the Wavering Unstable soul who stands trembling least he should presume in casting his Forlorn Loveless soul into those everlasting arms of Love because of the abominable Perverseness and Crookedness of his Heart against God in all things 3. Hence the Spirit may give security to any wavering Soul whose hands as it were shake and quiver and dare not with any confidence grasp the blessed tender of Union and Communion with the Lord through Christ because of his wretched abuse of the precious working of the Lords love towards him in Christ already II. Hence also the spirit may reveal the Lord to be engaged by the same dearest love to his own delight and satisfaction to dispose every soul that shall embrace Gospel Discoveries into a capacity for the injoyment of neerest most absolute intire Communion with himself Under this particular the Spirit may reveal the Lord to be engaged to these three things 1. To remove all the opposition unto Communion with him that remains in any heart to Suppress Overpower yea to Heal all the Crookedness and all the Averseness of any Heart embracing Gospel Discoveries 2. Hence the spirit may reveal the Lord to be engaged to infuse into the Soul such Dispositions as shall be fully compleatly sutable to his own nature so as to make so blessed a concurrence between his own purest nature and the Souls Corrupt nature as that there should be nothing in the nature of God himself opposite to the Souls Disposition nor nothing in the Souls Disposition or nature opposite unto God 3. In this the Spirit may reveal the Lord to be engaged to heighten or elevate and enlarge the faculties of the Soul that are to receive those Communications and Influences from God Now what abundant security may the Spirit give to any soul that trembles to embrace Gospel Discoveries against fears 1. What security may the Spirit give to Souls fearing to give credit to those Gospel Discoveries because of the Averseness and Contrariety of their Spirits unto Communion with God! Hence the Spirit may say to every Soul without exception that shall embrace Gospel Discoveries it is a chosen object of the highest eternal delight of God in the Communication of his goodness 2. Hence the Spirit may give full security unto the Soul against all fears because of the Unstableness and Fickleness of his Heart in any degree of Communion once attained 3. Hence the spirit may give security fearing that the Gospel Discoveries may not be Grasped and Embraced by the soul because of the Straitness and Narrowness of his Heart void of all Thirstings and Longings yea of all Desires The Spirit may hence declare the Lord to be engaged by his love to the pleasure of his own Soul to enlarge every such Heart to a kind of infinite Capacity for Communion III. Thence the Lord is engaged by his infinite Valuation and Estimation of the delightful Contemplation of his own Transcendent Excellencies as they sparkle forth from the creatures to effect the neerest most intire Union of likeness that is possible between himself and every such Sinner that shall embrace Gospel Discoveries The Lord stands engaged by this to make every such Soul a Partaker of his own spotless Purity and Holiness yea to make it Participate of his Divine Nature of his own life so as the same life that dwells in himself and that himself lives by should also dwell in every such Sinful Soul embracing those Gospel Discoveries Nay the Engagement is so Invincible that if the Lord should not Communicate the highest degree of his Communicable Perfection to every such Loveless Forlorn Sinner as shall and will embrace Gospel Discoveries he should bereave himself of that sweetest Pleasure and Contentment that his Soul takes in the Contemplation of the Beams of his own Glory seeing every such Soul is the chosen object in whom the Lord determins from eternity to delight himself by the
Spirit upon the Soul towards the drawing forth its Faith by way of assurance or by which the Spirit doth proceed to give the Soul a full assurance of his Union with Christ There is a fourth effect of the Spirit of God upon Hearts for revealing to them their Union with Christ Certainly and Infallibly The Spirits Excitation so as to give the Demonstration and that is the Spirits Excitation of the Habits of Grace formerly Infused into their proper and peculiar Exercise Now here you must observe the Spirit doth not Quicken Inliven and Actuate all kind of Gratious Dispositions Infused into the Sanctified Soul in any immediate Revelation assuring its Faith of his Acceptance into Union with the Lord For indeed the Souls assurance unto Faith doth not properly arise from any of the actings of those Holy Dispositions that are Infused into it but proceed only from the right Apprehension of the good Will of the Lord in Christ unto Loveless Sinners For indeed the Spirit in this work of Excitation as it stands in Relation to the assuring the Soul through Believing of his Union with Christ hath only and peculiarly the Believing Disposition that was Infused into the Soul at Christs first Comprehending the Soul for its proper Object and as Exercising Influences chiefly flow down from that believing Disposition Now the Spirits Excitation of the Believing Disposition doth necessarily follow the three former effects of the Spirit upon Hearts in regard all these effects of the Spirit upon the heart are but preparative to this fourth effect for indeed it is this fourth effect which is the Spirits drawing forth Believing Dispositions into act which is the Formality of Assurance or Assurance it self The other only are absolutely necessary Preparatives unto the assurance they are Preparations indeed both Privatively and Positively But they are but Preparations First These three acts of the Spirit are Preparations privatively by preventing all Impediments and Obstructions that hinder the Soul from acting Faith by way of assurance I. The first work of the Spirit which is its Illumination that doth privatively prepare the Soul for the assuring act of Faith 1. By preventing the Soul from bottoming its Confidence upon the Sands Before the Blessed work of Illumination souls mistake the right Bottom of their Confidence of the Lords accepting them into Union with Christ and so consequently cast out the Anchor of their Souls upon the ground of their own Humiliation for Sin another time upon the Quickenings and Enlargings of their Hearts through the Sanctifying Spirit and so Consequently never entertain the least Confidence of the Lords accepting of them into Union with Christ any further then they can discern those Quickning Enlargeth 〈◊〉 Inlivenings of that Sanctifying Spirit in their Hearts 2. That doth prepare privatively for the assurance by Preventing the Soul from seeking in a false manner after the attaining of Confidence upon a true bottom Before the Spirits full Illumination the Soul commonly mistakes about the manner of casting out an Anchor of Confidence upon that true ground as conceiving there is no right manner of any Souls casting himself with Confidence upon the Lord unless the Soul doth first discern himself to be a Beleiver II. The second work also of the Spirits Irradiation of the Gospel unto Souls is to prepare privatively for the assuring of the Souls Faith of his Union with Christ Through the Spirits Irradiation all Misapprehensions about the Tender of Union with Christ with the Soul are removed III. By the Spirits Conviction the Soul is prepared Privatively for the assuring his Faith of his union and that three ways 1. By removing of the Contrariety of the reasoning that possessess the Soul Before the Spirits Irradiation of the Gospel in some Degree and Conviction of the Conscience by that Irradiation the Heart is haled hither and thither by an Apprehension of reasoning that always dwells within him The Heart sometimes Inclining to a Dreadful Conclusion that the Lord will never accept of his Forlorn Soul into Union with the Lord Jesus Another time again inclined to believe that the Lord is willing to accept even his Soul into Union with Christ Now by the Irradiation of the Gospel to the Soul and the spirits Conviction of the Conscienee the Contrariety of Reasoning in the soul is removed The Reasons for accepting the soul into Union with the Lord Jesus bearing more weight with the spirit than all the Objections and Contradictions that Hell and the Corrupt Heart can make against it So that the soul discerns more ground to imagine that the Lord is willing to accept his soul into Union with Christ than he discerns ground to think the contrary 2. Through the spirits Conviction the Uproar and Tumult in the souls Affections are Allayed and Helped Through the Contrariety of reasoning in the soul all the Affections are put into a Tumult and Rage When one kind of reasoning Prevails then one kind of Affection works strongly and when contrary Reasonings prevail then contrary Affections work as highly 3. The spirits Conviction that is annexed to the spirits Manifestation of the Gospel doth prepare for the souls receiving assurance unto his Faith of his Union with Christ by removing the Distraction that possesses the souls thoughts As the Affections commonly are in a Confusion so the thoughts also the mind is constant in nothing else but unconstancy staying or fixing upon nothing Now this being a great Impediment to the souls receiving assurance unto his Faith of his Union with Christ the spirit privatively to prepare the soul for it removes this Distemper Secondly they are Preparations positively also I. The spirits work of Illumination that doth prepare the subject for assurance It is through that Illumination that the soul is disposed into a possible condition and a capable condition to discern that everlasting Rock of Ages whereupon the Confidence of the souls union with Christ shall be cast II. The spirits Irradiation or Manifestation of the Gospel doth also prepare positively for the assuring the soul of his union with Christ in regard that prepares the very matter of assurance That Discovers the true ground whereupon the soul may be Confident of his Acceptance into union III. The third work of the spirit which is Conviction that prepares the soul for receiving the assurance unto his Faith of his union with Christ by applying the matter of assurance particularly unto souls It is the spirits manifestation of the Gospel that Discovers the ground whereupon souls may be confident of their acceptance into union with Christ It is the spirits Conviction that makes particular application of that ground of Confidence Those three former works of the spirit are only Preparative unto assurance the Formality of assurance is still behind Therefore the spirit comes with this fourth work which is the Exciting and Stirring up this believing Disposition into Exercise Therefore now we must open to you what this Excitation of the Spirit is
and what the particular acts of the Spirit upon the soul are that are Included under this work of the spirits Excitation of the believing Disposition unto its Operation The Spirits Excitation is a Gracious Free Extraordinary Concurrence of the spirit with the believing Manifestation What the Spirits Excitation is formerly Infused into the Soul Or it is a Precious Powerful influence of the spirit upon the believing Disposition The Holy Disposition that Inclines the Heart Habitually to believe is as it were the Seed of assurance Sown in the Heart but there must be the Concurrence of the Spirit with the Seed or the Influence of the Spirit upon the Seed to make it Fructify so as there shall be an act of assuring Faith in the Soul So that this Excitation of the Spirit or the Spirits stirring up the believing Disposition is but a Continuance of that Holy Influence into the Soul that was begun at the Souls first passive Union with the Lord Jesus whereby the Holy Disposition that was then Infused is Maintained Preserved Increased Actuated and Enlivened Yet to open this more particularly I. I say it is a Gracious Concurrence of the Spirit with the believing Disposition I do not call it a Gracious Presence of the Spirit because the Spirit takes up its Everlasting Habitation in the Heart at that passive Union between the Soul and Christ that is when it first Comprehends the Soul and the Habitation of the Spirit may be said to be equal at all times in the Soul but its Conveyance of Grace into the Soul is not always equal II. This Excitation of the Spirit to the believing Disposition is a Gracious and Free Concurrence of the Spirit with the believing Disposition Free not only as other Holy Motions of the Spirit in the Heart are free which is in respect of their sole Dependance upon the free good Will of God to a Loveless Sinner But it is a free Concurrence of the Spirit to the believing Disposition in regard of the Lords absolute freedom that he Exerciseth in Vouchsafing this unto Souls That I may speak the more clearly you must conceive there is a Two-fold Influence of the Spirit into believing Souls The first is an absolutely necessary Influence The other is a more Free Arbitrary Influence The absolute necessary Influence is Two-fold First That that 's absolutely necessary to Maintain the Life of a believing Soul Secondly That which is absolutely necessary to Maintain the Growth of a believing Soul 1. The Influence of the Spirit that is absolutely necessary to Maintain the Life of the Believing Soul Every Creature that hath any Life hath some Maintenance for that Life which Maintenance being withdrawn the Creatures Life would decay However do not mistake me every Living Creature must have some kind of Influence from the first Being of Beings to maintain its Life As the Angels have a more immediate Spiritual kind of Influence from God Now that that the Wisdom of the Lord hath Determined should Maintain the Spiritual Life begotten in a believing Soul is the Influence of the Holy spirit into the soul Now this absolutely necessary Influence is that which is never wanting to any one Believing soul The Covenant of Grace that the Lord freely passeth to the believing soul lays an Engagement upon the Blessed God to maintain the Influence of the Life of the soul So that the Blessed God of Heaven and Earth is no more at Liberty in that he is bound and Obliged to Maintain that Life he begets in a believing soul According to that in Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their Hearts and they shall not depart from me they shall never dye again a spiritual death 2. The absolute necessary Influence of the spirit is that which maintains the Growth of the believing soul toward Perfection Now that Influence of the spirit also the Lord hath absolutely engaged in the Covenant of Grace to communicate at all times to a believing soul in regard he hath engaged to perfect the likeness of Jesus Christ in every believing soul and therefore the spirit doth continually issue down life from the head of the Lord Jesus into every believing soul which is a Member unto that Head every Member receives from the Head continually some kind of vertue Now both these Influences of the spirit being absolutely necessary though they be free originally yet the Lord having passed his promise to sinners embracing the promise he stands obliged to Communicate those Influences of the spirit continually But now this other Influence is a free Influence in another manner It is not absolutely necessary to the Life nor Growth of the soul in this manner that we are now speaking of and therefore the Lord is not engaged to Communicate it unto the souls of his People but he stands at his own Liberty to Dispence it to whom he will to send this Exciting spirit into what soul he pleases out of the number of all believing souls So that it may in an eminent superlative manner be said of this Exciting work of the spirit to the believing Disposition what Christ saith of the Breathing of the spirit in general that the spirit breatheth where it listeth It is meerly according to the good pleasure of the Lord that any believing soul partake of this Exciting work of the spirit to the believing Disposition III. You must observe in the Description That it is a Gratious Free and Extraordinary Concurence of the spirit with the believing Disposition infused There is an ordinary Exciting Influence of the spirit to the believing Disposition no Gratious Disposition Infused would shew forth any of its Operation did not the spirit Concur with the Gratious Disposition and so consequently there would be no Operation of Faith at all Now in regard there are constant Operations of Faith in every believing soul in the course of his Conversion in one degree or other therefore it must needs be concluded there is an ordinary Concurrence of the spirit into the believing Disposition that is in every believing soul But this Exciting Influence into the believing soul that I now speak of is not that ordinary but it is extraordinary It is an abundant Breathing of the spirit upon the believing Disposition mightily drawing it forth into Exercise in its full Strength and Power causing the believing Disposition to be Victorious and Triumph Gloriously over all Doubts Objections and Questions This is the spirits Excitation of the believing Disposition infused into the soul Now we may conceive that there are three Particular acts of the spirit on the soul that may be included under the spirits Excitation of the believing Dispositâ—on in the soul which do all tend unto the Full Powerful Mighty Excitation of the believing Disposition in the soul unto exercise I. It affects the Heart sweetly with the Pretious Divine Light Discovered unto the soul by the Manifestation of the Gospel to it The light of truth Discoveries affects not the Heart
any further than the spirit concurs with the Light Revealed Now 1. The spirit causeth the soul to be filled with a Holy Complacency in beholding the Pretious Divine Light that the Gospel Reveals 2. The spirit moves an insatiable Thirst in the soul after the continuance of that Pretious Divine Light shining from the Gospel into his Poor Obscure Heart 3. The spirit melts the Heart by the beholding that Light that the spirit puts into it so as the Heart is made most pretiously Tender and Pliable and Flexible to the Blessed Will of God in every thing 2. The Spirit impels constrains the Soul to believing strongly The Lord rules in the heart of believers by the Royal Scepter of his Word but not as the Word is barely revealed unto a Soul in the letter of it but as the Word is brought into the heart by his own Spirit And therefore when the Spirit sways not the Scepter of the Word in their hearts the word looseth its Imperial Royal Authority that it hath over the Soul and so the Soul lies not under so strong an Obligation to any Duty as it doth when the Spirit brings the Word to the heart 3. The third Act is the inabling the soul powerfully to believe According to that in Phil. 2.13 By him we receive both to will and to do that is both the disposition and the Act of the Disposition both an inward bent of Spirit to believe and power also to act that Disposition This is that mighty Power that works in those that believe Eph. 1.19 So that the Soul that could only Believe waveringly that it was the Lords will to receive his despicable loveless Soul into union with the Lord Jesus shall by the powerful ability of the Spirit infused into the Soul by the Spirit be able to receive it fixedly to believe it undoubtedly unquestionably without the least inconstancy for the present that the blessed God of Love will out of his own free love accept his despicable loveless Soul into the nearest union with the Lord Jesus and himself through him That is the exciting work of the Spirit There is now the fifth and last work of the spirit unto souls for that end to be opened which is the spirits Attestation to the soul The Spirits Attestation that is to say his Witnessing unto the soul that it shall be certainly Infallibly in its Cleaving to Lord Jesus admitted into Union and Communion with him It is the good pleasure of the Lord not only to shew the immutability of his Counsel concerning believing souls and the infallibility of their acceptance into Union and Communion with the Lord Jesus in their souls cleaving to him but it is also the good pleasure of the Lord to shew more than Sufficiency the Unchangableness of his Counsel to such souls According to that Pretious place Hebr. 6.17 The Lord willing more abundantly to shew the Immutability of his Councel Ex Abundanti as Beza Translates the Original The Lord having a Pretious good will to shew in a way more and beyond what was necessary to believing souls the Impossibility of their souls failing of Union and Communion with the Lord Jesus in their cleaving to him he doth therefore now add his Blessed Spirit to be the Comforter of Believing souls not only in a Degree that is necessary for them for which end all those four former Effects of the spirit upon souls were appointed but the Lord appoints the Spirit to be a Comforter beyond what is necessary And therefore after the Spirit hath given to Believing souls a clear Evidence of their Acceptance into Union with the Lord Jesus so as thereby the spirit had filled their souls with strong Consolation Yet the Lord appoints the Spirit to add a higher work which is its Attestation This Attestation of the Spirit is that you shall find Eph. 1.13 In whom also after that ye Believed ye were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise Or as the Word may be rendered In whom Believing ye were Sealed which Imports the neer Conjunction of these two Blessed works of the Spirit or the immediate following of the Spirits Attestation upon the Spirits Excitation of their Souls to Believing And this work of the Spirit is that you find also in 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Now he that Establisheth us with you in Christ and hath Annointed us is God who hath also Sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts And this you shall find also Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit of God by which you are Sealed unto the day of Redemption And so Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth Witness with our Spirit thaâ— we are the Children of God Now least any should question whether the Spirit doth thus work in a Witnessing way it would be necessary to clear the Interpretation of most of those places from some other Glosses that are Frequently put upon them It is true say some the Scripture speaks of the Sealing work of the Spirit unto Souls but the meaning of the Spirit of Truth is only that by Graces and Holy Dispositions that the Spirit Communicates unto Believing Souls it doth confirm Souls in the certainty of their Acceptance into Union with Christ So that by the receiving of the Spirit by Beliveâ—s spoken of in the Scripture of Truth is only meant Believers receiving the Precious Working of the Spirit in their Hearts in Holy Habits and Dipsositions For Answer I must acknowledge that by the Spirit is frequently meant in Scripture the Holy Dispositions infused by the Sanctifying Spirit into Believing Souls And I must acknowledge also that the Graces or Holy Habits infused by the Spirit in Believing Souls are spoken of as Witnesses unto Souls of their Union with Christ And indeed it is questionless that an effect may Witness its own proper cause And the Scripture speaks expresly that the works of God are Witness of God Act. 14.17 And so Christs works were Witnesses of his Godhead John 5.36 Yet this is not that which is primarily intended in the former Scriptures by the Spirits Sealing the Believing Soul which may appear to you by two or three Reasons I. In regard the Spirits Sealing the Believing Soul is declared to follow the Souls act of Believing in order of Nature As in Eph. 1.13 In whom after ye Believed ye were Sealed Or In whom ye Believing were Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise Now all the Pretious Holy Habits that the Sanctifying Spirit Infuses into any Soul are in order of Nature Infused before there is any Believing act in the Soul Though the Believing act in a Believing Soul may be Contemporary that is at one and the same time yet the Infusing of all the Holy Habits and Dispositions into the Soul must be conceived to have a precedency in order of Nature before there can be a Believing act I confess some and those learned ones too have imagined that the Sanctifying Spirit should work as an external
him from time to time as it dare not trust its Heart when it deals most Plainly and Uprightly Now from this Holy Jealousie there ariseth a Difficulty to settle and Establish the Heart and to free it from all Wavering in its Conscience Now in respect of this the Lord adds this work of the spirits Attestation that the soul may have a full Satisfaction that there may be no inward Misgivings of Heart in its Confidence of the Lords acceptance of it into Union and Communion with the Lord Jesus in its Cleaving and Adhering to him IV. There is a natural Unconstancy that possesseth every such Believing soul in some degree Ever since the Heart of Man was drawn from that first Blessed Center it hath naturally been Unconstant in all its Restings Now from this Unconstancy of the spirit the Heart is exceeding prone to have its Confidence shaken when the spirit hath raised it to a high Degree And in respect of that the Lord Vouchsafeth to add the work of Attestation for the perfect Establishing of the Wavering Soul V. There is all the Concurrent Rage of Hell Imployed against every Soul attaining that Confidence of his Acceptance into Union and Communion with the Lord Jesus in his Adhering to him Now should there not be a Witness from Heaven or greater Authority in the souls Apprehension than any Dictates of the Counsel of Hell the Believing soul would soon call in question the Pretious Word of the Majesty of Heaven and Incline to give Credit to the Dictates of Hells Counsel Therefore in respect to this least the Believing soul through this means should be Robbed of that Pretious Joy and Peace in Believing that the Lord intends the Lord hath Determined that his Blessed spirit should become the souls Comforter by way of Attestation to bear Witness to the certainty of the souls Acceptance into Union and Communion with the Lord Jesus in the souls Cleaving to him that so the Witness of Heaven might be of higher Authority to the soul than all those Cursed Lying Dictates of Hell frequently propounded to that Believing soul Now the second thing to be opened is what this Attestation or Witness unto the souls Faith is What the Spirits Attestation unto Faith is I conceive that this Attestation unto Faith is a Pretious Beam of Heavenly Light darted into the Understanding whereby the spirit clearly Demonstrateth to the Believing soul the Lords Approbation of the souls act of Believing or Confidence and that with such an unspeakable Divine Authority as is irresistable by the soul so that hereby the soul is Established in a Plerophery or more than a fulness of Confidence There are four things in this Description that you must observe I. This Attestation unto Faith is a Pretious Beam of Heavenly Light darted into the Understanding That is the nature of the Witness This is as commonly called by Divines and Christians a secret Voice or a sweet Whispering of the spirit And thence many have sadly Mistaken and Conceived that Witness to be some strange kind of Revelation by a Voice from Heaven But indeed it is therefore spoken of as a secret Voice because it is a secret Beam of Heavenly Light And thence it is rightly called the Witness of the Spirit of the Lord Witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God Witness that is bear Record give a Testimony Now to give a Testimony is to declare a thing Verbally Now indeed in this respect it is not unfitly called the Voice of the Spirit for a Voice is nothing else but an Expression of the inward Conception of the mind by words Now by this secret Beam of Heavenly Light darted into the understanding the spirit of the Lord doth secretly express the mind of God II. This Attestation or Witness of the spirit unto Faith is such a Beam of Heavenly Light as doth Clearly and Infallibly and Unquestionably Demonstrate or Manifest to the soul the Lords Approbation of his act of Believing or of his act of Confidence All the Unquiet Tossings and Agitations and Perplexing Waverings of souls from what occasion soever they have their Original in some kind of Doubting whether it be according to the Blessed Will of God that their Forlorn Despicable souls should be so Confident of their Acceptance into Union with the Lord Jesus in their adhering to him Now therefore the Light that the spirit casts into the Understanding is on purpose to clear and make it out of all doubt to the soul that it is Infinitely pleasing to the Blessed God that even that particular soul should be so Confident of his Acceptance into Union with the Lord Jesus That is the matter it self that the spirit doth Testify to the soul or the Testimony it giveth III. You must observe in the Description That this Attestation of the Spirit is such a Beam of Heavenly Light that so clears to the Believing Soul the Lords Approbation of his act of Believing or his act of Confidence that it carrieth along with it an Inconceivable Divine Authority It is such a Beam of Light as hath such an Impression of the Majesty of the Blessed God upon it that it is impossible for the Heart to make Resistance IV. Observe in the Description that it Establisheth the Soul in a Plerophery a more than a fulness of Confidence a Triumphing Confidence That is the peculiar Inseparable effect of this Testimony that the spirit gives it fixeth the Wavering Unconstant Soul This is the Spirits Attestation unto Faith Now we shall come to the Spirits Attestation unto Sence But there is an Objection will be cast in that must first be opened whereby the depth of this Unspeakable Mystery may be something more Unfolded Obj. Some Soul may say If the Spirit giveth no other Testimony to the Soul than this That his particular Soul shall be Certainly and Infallibly Accepted into Union and Communion with the Lord Jesus in his Adhering to him and Produce no other Confidence in the Soul than this that I even I this Unlovely Soul of mine in Adhering to the Lord Jesus shall Infallibly have Union and Communion with him to all Eternity then saith the Soul even after the Witness of the Spirit unto the Soul it may remain doubtful of its Union with Christ still seeing by this Testimony of the Spirit unto Faith the Soul is not assured of his own Cleaving and Adhering unto Christ and seeing the certainty that the Spirit giveth by the Testimony to the Souls Faith of his Union with Christ hath its whole Dependance upon the certainty of the Souls Cleaving and Adhering unto Christ Ans 1. For Answer to this Grand Objection First When this Testimony of the Spirit is given unto the Souls Faith and he is assured that his particular Unlovely Forlorn Soul shall certainly and Infallibly be accepted into union with the Lord Jesus in his resting upon Christ for union it is not then possible that there should be any Solid Ground
into Union through his Adhering to him II. In regard the spirits Excitation of the Believing Disposition into Exercise is General and Universal Now there being strength to Inable the soul to Adhere unto Christ tendered as well as Union with Jesus Christ is tendered and the spirits Exciting work being thus General and Universal it cannot be but the Heart should be Established in the constant Expectation of the one as of the other To be as Confident of the souls everlasting Cleaving unto Christ as of his Acceptance into Union with Christ upon his Cleaving to him III. In regard the spirit doth Adjoyn a Testimony unto the soul that it doth Cleave unto Christ to its Testimony that it gives to its Faith that it shall be admitted to the Lord Jesus infallibly in cleaving unto him The Spirit is so blessed a Comforter that it sends down living streams of refreshing both to faith and spiritual sense when it hath once testified to the souls faith that unquestionably and infallibly that particular soul shall be accepted into union with the Lord Jesus in his embracing of him it then also testifies to the soul that it hath embraced Christ and that the soul is already actually instated in union and communion with him Now having opened the spirits attestation unto the souls faith The spirits attestation unto sense The second act of the attestation of the spirit is it's attestation unto the souls spiritual sense in this we must open three things to you First that there is such a witness of the spirit to the souls sense and feeling besides the former Record that it gives unto Faith Secondly In what respects this witness of the spirit is added unto the spirits witness unto the souls faith Thirdly what this witness of the spirit to the souls sense and feeling is First that there is such a testimony of the spirit unto sense and feeling may appear from that one place alone Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness mith our spirits that we are the sons of God this holds forth that there must be a witness of the spirit unto the soul above and besides those holy dispositions or precious gracious habits that the spirit doth communicate unto souls and therefore that there is such a witness of the spirit unto faith Now from hence appears that there is such a witness of the spirit unto the souls sense and feeling in that the spirit is said to give a particular testimony unto particular souls of their actual union with the Lord Jesus The spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons of God that we it is not only a determinating sentence that the spirit passeth upon the truth of what the Gospel reveals in general unto every soul that shall embrace him for that is only thus that thou or thou or that particular soul in his accepting the Lord Jesus tendered shall infallibly be one with Christ which is still a testimony unto faith but the Scripture speaks it plainly the spirit gives testimony of their souls real accepting of Jesus Christ tendered The spirits testimony of saith could be only thus much to witness from the promise that this or that particular soul shall be adopted to be a Child of the Blessed Majesty of Heaven in his accepting the Lord Jesus tendered But this testimony is a witness to the particular soul of it's actual adoption already that we are the sons of God therefore this must be a testimony of the spirit unto the souls sense and feeling in regard the proper object of faith is to receive what is promised not receive what is done 2. The spirit is said to be a Co-witness with believers spirits that they are united unto Christ and adopted sons and daughters of God through their union with Christ Saith the Original the spirit doth bare witness together with our spirits so that the spirit is said here to bear witness to the soul of the same things that the souls own spirit that is the renewed understanding or the sanctified Conscience bares witness to Now the renewed conscience in the believing soul can only bear witness unto the souls sense and feeling and therefore the spiris witnessing the same thing that the renewed conscience in a believing soul doth witness it must needs be that this witness of the spirit must be a witness to the souls sense and feeling III. It appears from the peculiar office to which the spirit of the Lord is destinated The spirit is appointed to be the comforter the most superlative eminent comforter now should not the spirit witness unto the souls sence and feelâ—ng spiritually it's union with Christ it could not comfort in the highest manner There are three degrees of spiritual comfort 1. A souls appehension that union and communion with the Lord Jesus is tendered to his despicable lost soul There is a degree of comfort from the possibility that his poor lost sinking soul may be admitted into union and communion with Christ but alas this is weak 2. There is the souls actual embracing this union with the Lord Jesus tendered There is infinite sweetness and peace in that very believing act of the soul though as yet there is no sensibleness in the soul of that his own believing and so no sensibleness of his union with Christ 3. Which is the Top Stone of the Souls Consolation and that is the sensibleness of the souls union with the Lord through believing Now if the spirit should not give such a witness to the believing soul as this to witness to the souls actual close with Christ in union and communion the blessed spririt who is sent from the Lord Jesus on purpose to be a comfort to believing souls should not comfort in the highest manner he should not be the most eminent comforter II. The second thing to be opened is the reasons of the additions of the spirits testimony unto the souls sense and feeling to the testimony that it gives to the souls faith There are five or six reasons of it I. To prevent the souls receiving that determination of its corrupt conscience concerning its everlasting estate In all the various actings of conscience as a Law Witness and Judge it is corrupted by vertue of our first Transgression so that in whatsoever state the soul remains when its conscience worketh according to its natural disposition and inclination it bears false witness and passeth false judgement Now therefore doth the Lord vouchsafe to add the spirits testimony of the souls union unto sense and feeling that the false sentence that conscience passeth upon the soul might not be received by it There are three respects wherein the Lord vouchsafeth to add the spirits testimony to sense unto the the testimony it gives to faith 1. The depravedness and perverseness of conscience in its testimony 2. The unavoidableness of the souls hearing that testimony that conscience gives when the soul is once alive through the life of Jesus Christ 3.
The readiness of the soul naturally to concur and agree with the testimony of corrupted conscience while it bares witness against Faith The reason is evident in regard the ful bent of the spirit stands to judge of all things according to sense and reason Now therefore the Lord adds this testimony of the spirit unto sense and feeling to give matter for conscience to build a new judgement upon concerning the souls everlasting estate II. The Lord addeth the testimony of the spirit unto sense and feeling to its testimony unto faith that the evidence of the souls union unto Christ might every way counterpoise the evidences that the soul hath received of its separation from Christ There are three evidences unto a soul of his separation from Christ and this testimony of the spirit unto sense and feeling doth parallel the soul with a sufficient evidence of his union with Christ answerable to those three evidences of the souls seperation from Christ 1. There is the blessed word of the Majesty of Heaven determining that every Son and Daughter of Adam is by merrit and desert everlastingly seperated from the Lord Jesus and actually the first moment of his Being void of union and communion with Christ 2. There is the evidence of the souls work The contrary opposite rebellious working of the soul against Christ doth evidently declare that there is no union between Christ and any soul naturally as the Apostle saith 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin that is with full purpose and bent of spirit with a full determination of his judgement and will is of the Devil 3. There is the testimony of conscience founded upon these contrary workings of the Heart unto Christ that a soul is seperated from Christ Now in opposition to these three the spirit gives testimony unto faith that even such a particular despicable lost sinner shall infallibly in his cleaving to the Lord Jesus enjoy everlasting union and communion with him And then the Spirit adds this Testimony also unto sense and feeling whereby he makes the Soul discern even from the moving and working of his Heart towards the Lord Jesus that he is actually united to him and from thence Conscience cannot but bear witness that the Soul is actually united unto Christ III. The Lord doth vouchsafe to make a super-addition of the Spirits Witness to sense that the whole blessed word of God might sweetly concur together in bearing Witness to the Souls union with the Lord Jesus As for example that word in 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwells in us and we in him that is that we have union and communion with God in Christ because he hath given us of his Spirit This vvord bears not Testimony to the Souls Faith of its union vvith Christ but it bears Testimony unto the believing Souls sense that is united vvhen the Soul is sensible that the Spirit is conveyed from God into its Bosom Likevvise that other vvord in 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you that is to say that the life and grace and holiness of Jesus Christ is communicated to you that Jesus Christ acts and vvorks in you and through you knovv ye not this except ye be Reprobates Novv this Word bears no testimony to the Souls faith of its union vvith Christ because the indvvelling of Christ in the Believing soul is not the object of Faith but the object of spiritual sight IV. The Lord adds the testimony of his spirit unto the souls sense that believing souls might receive the earnest of their everlasting union with the Lord Jesus here below according to that Eph. 1.13 Ye were sealed with the Holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession So in 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of his spirit in our hearts The earnest imports two things First That the Lord giveth the soul part of his everlasting portion before hand 2dly That the Lord gives that small portion as a pledge to assure the soul of the enjoyment of the full inheritance Now in the spirits testifying unto sense the souls union the spirit doth clearly manifest the very entrance of the soul into union and its participation of some degree of union with Christ already in regard it discovers some of the graces of Christ to be actually inherent in the soul V. The Lord superadds the testimony of the spirit unto sense unto its testimony unto faith that he might effect the fuller degree of conformity to his whole will in the soul Two commands are impossible for the soul to yield a perfect obedience to without this Testimony of the spirit to the souls sense of his union with Christ First The command of examining and proving the soul whether it be in Christ and all commands of the like nature that enjoyn the soul to examine whether this or that fruit of the spirit be in the soul whether love to God or love to the Brethren be in the soul or no There can be no effectual obedience to any command of that nature without the spirits testimony to the souls sense of his union with Christ in regard it is the proper and peculiar Office of the spirit only to discover all its pretious workings to the soul to be in the soul Secondly The command of perpetual rejoycing in the Lord could not be effectually obeyed without the testimony of the Spirit unto the souls sense Though indeed believing be the primary original of all spiritual joy yet the souls sense of its believing is a necessary adjunct to make up the perfection of that spiritual joy VI. The Lord adds the testimony of the spirit to the souls sense of union with Christ to his testimony to faith that the believing soul might be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory All those glorious portions of the Lords word whereby believers are described by the pretious habits of grace infused into their hearts would be as so many strong holds for the powers of Hell to fortifie in against the Believers soul and would be turned by the policy of Hell into condemning sentences against the soul so as the precious Tower of the souls consolation would be always battered the sweetest streams of comfort would always meet with one interruption or other in their flowing down into the bosom of the soul did not the Lord add the testimony of his spirit unto sense What the Spirits witness is unto sense The third thing to be opened is what the spirits attestation to the souls sense and feeling of his union vvith Christ is It is a precious secret immediate clear and authoritative irradiation of the souls believing act or confidence causing the truth sincerity and uprightness of the heart in believing to shine so resplendently that the soul in the
act of believing is made sweetly conscious to it self that it doth rightly believe whence the renewed Conscience determines boldly that the soul is everlastingly one with Christ That I might the more perspicuously unfold this work of the spirit we shall take the description in peices and open it in parts First You are to understand in the description the act of the spirit in this testimony unto sense The act is an act of irradiation a cloathing the Believers soul with a transparent glory and brightness In a word it is but a precious beam of Heavenly light that the spirit casts upon the act of believing for indeed it is nothing else but light to faith and light to sense that is the original of all the comfort to believing souls There are three acts to be observed concerning this irradiating work of the spirit I. It is an immediate irradiation Nay it proceeds from that blessed spirit so immediately that nothing can concur with the spirit in casting that pretious light upon the souls believing act 1. It is so immediate as none of the precious Ordinances of the Lord can properly be said to effect or produce instrumentally this precious manifestation of the souls believing act to it self Though it is frequently yea constantly through some precious Ordinances that the spirit doth vouchsafe thus to irradiate or manifest to the believing soul the truth of his own believing act yet it is not by vertue of any of these Ordinances 2. It is such an immediate work of the spirit upon the soul that demonstrations either from the antecedent or consequent from the cause or from the effect of believing hath no place here Though it is certain there may be infallible demonstrations drawn by a believing soul from the effect of his believing that his heart was true sincere and upright in believing yet the Spirit doth so immediately manifest this believing act in the truth sincerity and uprightness of it to the believing soul that it doth not send the soul to this or that work to see what holiness or strength of love or affection unto Christ nor what readiness of heart to all obedience to the will of God were the consequence of his believing but the blessed spirit doth immediately in the very moment of the souls acting that believing act cast a beam of Heavenly light upon that very act that there is evidence enough in the act it self that the act is a true believing act according to the evidence of the Lords revealed will 3. This act of the spirit is such an immediate act that the spirit useth not the assistance of the discursive power of the mind to collect from the description of true Believers in the word that his act of believing is upright and sincere according to the Lords will It is certain that in the spirits irradiation of the souls believing act it doth discover clearly infallibly and unquestionably all the properties whereby believers are described in the word to be in the soul also yet in this that is properly called the witness of the spirit unto sense in its manifesting the believing act of the soul it doth not make the discursive power in the mind the instrument whereby the soul should compare together his own believing act and the description of the true believing act that the Lord requireth in the word so as thence to collect by discourse that the believing act is true 2dly It is a clear act full of perspicuity and transparency The spirit in this irradiation casts as clear a light upon the souls believing act to make it discover it self as the rational soul doth cast a natural light upon its own natural act so that it is proportionably evident to the soul that his soul doth believe as it is evident that the soul liveth or that the soul wills or that it hath a being 3dly The act of the spirit in irradiating the souls believing act is authoritative irresistibly powerful This beam of light that the Spirit casts upon the believing souls act hath such a commanding power included in it that it even commands the beâ—… yea it commands undeniably so as it is not possible for the believing soul to shut its eyes but it must see II. The second thing to be observed is the object of this act of the spirit in its testimony unto sense The object named in the description is the souls believing act or confidence That is to say the very act of credit that the soul giveth to the blessed word of God testifying that it is his will that that particular loveless souls should adhere cleave to the Lord Jesus to be one with him to have communion with him and likewise testifying that in the souls giving credit to that word oâ— God it shall everlastingly enjoy union and communion with the Father and the Son and Spirit Now there are 4. things observable under this to prevent mistakes I. You must observe that it is only the present believing act that is the object of the Spirits manifestation or irradiation The Spirit doth not cast those beams of Heavenly light upon the souls former and past acts of believing though they have been multiplied but only upon the present momentany act of believing that the Spirit hath drawn forth from the soul by its manifesting of the Gospel and revealing the tender of union and communion with Jesus Christ to the despicable sinner in its Glory and Brightness II. You are to observe that the believing act of the soul is only the principal and primary Object of the spirits irradiation or manifestation So that the spirit casts beams of Heavenly Light upon no other act in the believing soul at present but only upon that act commonly the spirit doth at the same time so cloath the act of Love with such a Glorious splendor and brightness as that 's also visible in the same moment to the believing soul that it seeth unquestionably his Arms of Love grasping the Lord Jesus as well as he sees the truth of his own confidence in the Word of Christ that he will admit him into union and communion with him III. You must observe the vertue of the spirits irradiating or manifesting this believing act to the soul The Vertue of it is to discover the Truth Sincerity and Uprightness of the heart in believing 1. The Truth and Sincerity To make it unquestionable and Undeniable to the believing soul that his Wretched Corrupt heart doth not delude nor deceive him but that his heart doth rely with some degree of strength and embrace the Lord Jesus tendring union and communion to the soul 2. It makes apparent the uprightness that is the strait Conformity of the heart in some degree to the rule and command of believing IV. You may observe here how the spirit is the earnest of the souls everlasting inheritance or of the souls everlasting union and communion with Christ It is only as the spirit doth irradiate the souls believing
of the Spirits witness of the Souls evidence unto Faith and Sense before the Spirits attestation unto Faith and Sense though the Spirits witness is the Formality as I may call it its that which gives the being of the Souls evidence both to Faith and to Sense yet you must observe the certainty of the union principally belongs to the Souls Faith 2. Whatever degree of evidence unto the Souls sense and feeling any such believing Soul doth enjoy before the witness of the Spirit unto Faith and Sense the witness unto Sense is exceedingly weak imperfect and unsatisfying to the believing Soul Now the Soul conceiveth that he doth feel his heart rightly answering that precious tender of union immediately again fearing that that wretched cursed heart of his doth but delude and deceive him 3. You must observe that this comfortable evidence that the Spirit doth vouchsafe to many believing Souls of their union with Christ it is frequently an addition unto Faith only and to Faith principally And indeed this is very common that the Lord doth vouchsafe thus a comfortable evidence unto Faith when his blessed pleasure is to withdraw all evidence of union from the Soul's sense and feeling This was the case of that blessed head of all believing Souls the Lord Jesus Mat. 27.46 Saith he My God My God Here was a clear evidence that vouchsafed to the Faith of the Lord Jesus his certain and infallible union with the blessed Father but the evidence unto Sense was totally wanting Why hast thou forsaken me 4. You must note also that this comfortable evidence of union with Christ that the Lord doth vouchsafe to many believing Souls to whom he doth not send the Spirit to attest their union is never an evidence to the Sense of those believing Souls without an evidence unto their Faith Though the evidence unto Faith hath no such dependance upon the evidence unto Sense but it may consist without it yet the evidence of union unto the Souls sense hath an entire and full dependance upon the Souls evidence unto Faith that it cannot consist without it The very matter or original of the Souls evidence unto Sense of his union with Christ is the believing act the Souls reliance upon the truth and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus to fulfil his blessed Word offering reconciliation unto every unlovely Sinner that will Now without evidence unto Faith of that Souls particular admission into union with the Lord Jesus that believing act is never drawn forth in the believing Soul Caution 2. Secondly You must understand That there is much variety in this testimony of the Spirit both unto Faith and unto Sense It doth witness in a various manner to believing Souls their union with Christ 1. There is much variety in the Spirits testimony unto believing Souls of their union with Christ in the full perspicuity and clearness of the Spirits testimony The Spirit speaks both to Faith and unto Sense only by a secret resplendent Beam of heavenly Light and that Beam of heavenly light hath various degrees of Brightness wherein it shines in a various manner unto various believing Souls To some believing Souls that precious Beam of heavenly light shines with such an orient transcendent brightness with such transparent heavenly Glory that no Curtain of Darkness or Distrustfulness or Unbelief or sinful Jealousie can keep out the virtue of that precious Beam but to some other believing Soul that precious Beam of Light to Faith or light to Sense shines only like a Beam of the Sun through a Key-hole when the Door remains shut still There is a threefold degree of its clearness and perspicuity that may be collected from Rom. 5.1 2 3. where a threefold effect of it is mentioned 1. There is such a testimony as procureth rest and peace to the tossed perplexed believing Soul That 's laid down in the first Verse Being justified by Faith we have peace with God 2. A second degree We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God There is a kind of joy and contentment in the Souls rest 3. Sometimes the testimony is so clear and perspicuous as it produces a holy triumph and glorying in the believing Soul vers 3. Not only so but we glory in tribulation also Yea this ful perspicuity and clearness of the Spirits testimony is that which procures such a general Triumph of the Soul that it doth not only triumph over all external evils as being more than a conqueror over persecutions and tribulations but the heart in that moment also triumphs over all temptations even all the evil workings of natural distrust and unbelief in his own Spirit 2. There is also a variety in the testimony of the Spirit both unto Faith and Sense in regard of the permanency and continuance of the Testimony To one believing Soul the Spirit bears witness of union by a precious beam of heavenly light shining to Faith's eye and by sweet holy Rayes cast upon the Souls believing act but these are but like a flash of Lightning shut up again in a moment but to another believing Soul the Spirit renders this testimony unto Faith and unto Sense in an abiding way 3. There is a variety in the testimony of the Spirit unto believing Souls in regard of the frequency of its renewing the same Testimony To one believing Soul the Spirit will testifie again and again upon every occasion the Spirit will step in very opportunely when the Soul is at a pinch and renew its Record to another believing Soul to whom the Spirit vouchsafes also the same Testimony it shall be rarely and for a moment Caution 3. Thirdly You must understand That whenever the blessed spirit doth avouch and attest most fully to a believing soul its union with Christ this testimony doth not always actually abide in the believing soul without interruption and intermission This heavenly Light that the spirit of light and wisdom vouchsafeth to a believing soul may like Elijah's fiery Chariot mount the soul to the third Heavens for a season yet it must come down again though Paul be wrapped up into the third Heavens yet he must not abide there while he remains in the flesh Though Peter might have a soul-ravishing view of the glory of the Lord Jesus for a season in the Mount yet he must not have a Tabernacle there There are four or five reasons why it is the blessed pleasure of the Majesty of Heaven that the testimony should not actually abide in the believing soul I. That there might be a difference between Heaven and Earth II. That the Lord might have his honour in believing souls in his predestinated way The prime and principle way wherein the Lord hath determined from Eternity to have honour from his Saints while they are here below is from their believing his Majesty upon his bare word 2. Cor. 5.7 III. That there might be a constant lively experimental sense of the souls absolute dependance upon the Lord still for the evidence of
Union and Communion with the Father through Christ The Soul doth not only possess Union and Communion but hath the knowledge of it the sweet and comfort of it and that 's the fruition of Union and Communion Now the Union of Souls with the Father through Christ is the most proper object of all the Devils envie and malice 5. The very first-born power of his malice works against the Believers evidence of his Union in regard Believers through their enjoyment of that evidence of their Union with Christ do hold forth the most orient brightness of the Lords grace love in Christ Now the Lords peculiar delight being in receiving the honour of his love from poor despicable worms thence the Devils malice works infinitely against the Souls receiving evidence of his union with the Lord Jesus because it works infinitely against the Lords receiving his own intended glory Secondly I must premise That all the most profound policy subtilty and craft of all the Princes and Rulers of the Region of darkness is employed in that most cursed insinuation to a believing Soul that the evidence of his Union with Christ received either to faith or sense is but a diabolical delusion The policies of Hell all concur together in its strength in this temptation or insinuation to a believing soul that his evidence is but a delusion I. In regard by the Devils prevailing in this temptation he leads the Soul in the most extricable labyrinth that there is no possibility by all the diligence the soul can use to evade or escape and find the way out The Soul once passing a Sentence against his own evidence that it is nothing but a fancy or a hellish delusion he is lost in a wood as it were of fear and perplexity of questions and scruples he is then caught indeed in the Devils thicket in the bryars that are of Hells own planting There is nothing then left to clear the Souls way I mean if the actual evidence of that Souls Union be suspended until a renewed actual evidence of the same Spirit comes to the Soul There is no way left for the Soul wherein it is possible for it to make a tryal of his own estate The Soul can make no proof from the light of his own Grace that light must be supposed to have been discovered to the Soul in its union received that being rejected no other light can manifest Grace to be in the Soul II. In regard the prevailing in this temptation grieves the very Comforter himself it wearies the Spirit of the Lord whose Office is thus To reveal to the Lord its acceptance into union with Christ it causeth the Soul to make a direct opposition against the blessed Comforter So that now in the Devils prevailing in this insinuation he noâ— only leaves the Soul in a most inextricable labyrinth but provokes the blessed Spirit of the Lord to withdraw himself and to withhold all renewed beams of light from that believing Soul 3. In regard the prevailing of that temptation would bereave the Soul at least of the fruition and benefit of all that 's past over to the Soul in Christ If that temptation take hold upon the Spirit that the Soul draws that conclusion that his evidence is a delusion then all the boldness and freedom of access to the Throne of Grace for supply is vanished in a moment In a word by the prevailing of this the Devil in a manner snatches the believing Soul from among the number of the Friends of the Almighty and sets him among the poor strangers by the prevailing of this he snatches the believing Soul from among the Vessels of honour I mean in the Souls apprehension and in regard of the Souls enjoyment and places it among the Vessels of dishonour it makes the the Soul disclaim all interest right and title to any mercy and love 4. In regard the prevailing of this insinuation with the believing Soul doth reduce or bring back the believing Soul and make it liable and subject to the power and force of all other cursed insinuations from the Devil The prevailing of this suggestion brings the Soul under the force of all those temptations that his Soul was formerly delivered from all the temptations grounded upon the Souls unworthiness all that were grounded upon the Souls long continuance in sin Pre. 3. Thirdly Every believing Soul that hath received the evidence of his union to faith and sense must expect all the rage power and strength that Satan can afford to be employed against the Soul to darken and obscure that evidence 1. All the powet of Hell is employed to suggest false reasonings carnal sensual arguments into the mind of that believing soul 2. All the power in the corrupted Conscience of that believing Soul is and will be employed to accomplish that design to perswade the believing Soul that the evidence of his union received is but a diabolical delusion His power in the corrupted Conscience will be employed to edifie and stir it up to bring in false Accusations against the believing Soul 3. His whole power and strength will be employed in stirring up passions and disordered tumultuous affections in that believing Soul Any believing of fear and terror the Devil will foment and nourish and by his mighty power over those passions and affections make such a confusion and tumult as if the Soul and Hell were to come together immediately The Devil will employ his power over the affections themselves and his power upon the humours of the Body through which those passions and affections work The Devil upon the very suggestion that the Souls evidence of his union is a delusion will exercise his power so upon the humours of the Body as to dispose the Body to a timerous trembling it may be almost every joynt shaking upon the imagination it may be deluded and then nourish and augment by bringing in renewed accusation upon accusation against a believing Soul So that all the false reasonings of the mind and the false accusation of the conscience hath a more power upon the Soul in regard of the disposition of the body and the working of the affections Fourthly I must premise That all the utmost power and possibility of corruption that remains in a true Believer are ready to comply with and second the Devil in the exercise of his malice policie and power against the believing soul to receive that cursed suggestion of Hell that his evidence of his union received is but a delusion Wretched Man in his first transgression joyned a cursed amity with the Devil himself and ever since Mans Heart hath set at the Devils Councel Table joyning all the strength of its policie and power with that infernal Spirit to maintain his tyranny over the poor Soul that whatever Hell-bred design the Devil acts against the believing Soul the Heart doth immediately comply with that hellish design And though indeed Mans corrupt heart be ready to comply with every motion and
his Union with Christ without sufficient ground from the Lords Blessed Word Now the soul apprehending the danger of Miscarrying is filled with Fear yea prone to fear where no cause of fear is Every thing makes a man already in fear to be more afraid Fear clouds the Understanding with Darkness and maketh every thing seem black and dreadful So that thence believing souls are sutable Objects for the Devil to work upon by that Perswasion that the Evidence of their Union is a Delusion V. Every believing soul doth prie and search into the Rottenness and Unsoundness and Hypocrisy of his own Heart and discerns some degree both of Unsoundness and Rottenness and Hypocrisy And thence it is that the Devil Imploys his Power against the believing soul in regard he hath a foundation whereupon to build his cursed suggestions that the soul is deluded Now on the contrary the depth of the Devils policie is employed to perswade unbelieving souls of their certain reconciliation with God in Christ upon these grounds I. Because self-flattery hath a high Throne erected in every unbelievers heart There is a cursed Principle of self-love that naturally possesses every heart and from thence proceeds this wretched principle of self-flattery a powerful inclination to speak pleasing things to our own souls Now from the power of self flattery in unbelievers hearts 1. There proceeds an inward aversion or turning their hearts away from all fears and doubts of their own acceptation of God in Christ It is a Thorn in their sides and a Thistle in their Eyes that the Spirit of God should but cast in a doubt whether they be joyned to the Lord in Christ or be still in the state of nature 2. From the power of self-flattery proceeds also an indisposition in every unbelievers heart to examine the ground whereupon he builds his confidence and hope of his union with Christ 3. From the power of this self-flattering proceeds also a readiness in the heart to give credit to all vain hopes and cursed suggestions from Hell to his unbelieving soul Now in regard of the strength of self-flattering in unbelieving souls as it is backed with these three attendants the depth and policie of Hell is employed to perswade unbelieving Souls that they are unquestionably accepted of God in Christ and shall everlastingly be saved by him II. The depth of the policie of Hell is concerning unbelieving souls to delude them with false hopes of their union with Christ in regard there is a dreadful spiritual blindness fallen upon every unbelieving soul whereby the Prince of darkness hath his advantage to lead the blind soul to those cursed paths of darkness First There is a privative blindness fallen upon unbelieving souls Secondly A positive blindness First There is a privative blindness that is various Privative blindness I. There is an inability in the unbelieving Soul to discern the nature of the caelestial mystery of a Souls union with the Lord Jesus All the things of God are but dark to a Soul who is under the power of the Prince of darkness 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of the World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not And 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural Man cannot discern the things of God because they are spiritually discerned But there is a more peculiar blindness upon an unbelieving soul in the mystery of the Souls union with Christ than in most of the things of God besides because the mystery of union with Christ hath supernaturalness in it and is more contrary to carnal reason Thence it is no great difficulty to perswade the soul that a false groundless qualification is the true believing act that the spirit of God requires that this blind confidence is that strength of assurance that the Lord commands the soul to receive through faith II. There is such a privative blindness in an unbelieving soul that there is an inability an insufficiency to discern in any degree the infinite transcendent excellency of their souls union with Christ The most Eagle-eyed carnalist that ever proceeded from the loyns of Adam the most accurate disputant the most deep sighted politician never saw the least glimpse of the transcendent excellency of a divine union with the Lord Jesus likewise the multltude of unbelievers they conceive of union with Christ in a carnal way apprehending that it should save them from torment and that it should bring them to some kind of joy they know not what nor how Now thence the depth of Satans policie is active in perswading their souls that they are certainly one of Christs III. There is such a privative blindness in unbelieving souls as disenables them to conceive of the infinite danger of the loss of union The multitude of unbelieving souls apprehend nothing but some restless torment that will seize upon them in case they fail of union with God in Christ Now from their ignorance of the danger of the loss of union thence it is that their thoughts are little taken up about their union IV. Such a privative blindness is fallen upon unbelieving souls that there is an inability in their souls to discern the matter and ground of suspition that the Lord should not receive their souls into union with Christ The souls enmity against God and the nature of the enmity is the ground whereupon suspitions are built that the Lord will not accept their souls into union with the Lord Jesus Now unbelieving souls discern not that enmity wherewith their hearts are filled gainst the blessed majesty of Heaven Thence the policie of Hell is employed to perswade them that they are certainly joyned unto the Lord Jesus V. There is such a privative blindness fallen upon unbelieving souls as that there is an utter inability in them to discern the ground and occasion of suspition that their hopes of union with the Lord Jesus are delusions Commonly the experience of that wretched guile and deceitfulness of the corrupt treacherous false heart is the original of those suspitions that their union is but a delusion This unbelievers cannot discern and thence it is that the depth of the policie of Hell work against unbelieving souls in perswading them of their certain union with the Lord Jesus when as they are utterly strangers to him Positive blindness Secondly There is a positive blindness also That is a multitude of false Principles and notions of darkness doctrine of Devils possess the minds of every unbelieving soul commonly unbelievers minds are possessed with wretched Principles that surely God will damn none of those whom himself created Or with that Principle that if Men do what they can surely God will accept them the Lord will take the will for the deed Or else that Principle that such strictness severity and austerity of life such a height of holiness constantly in all their ways is not required of God men may be saved without such strictness of holiness Now from this positive darkness there is some suitableness in
to close with and accept of the precious tender of the Lord Jesus to the Soul now when the Spirits light of manifestation whereby it doth irradiate the word to the Soul is withdrawn the Soul must needs be uncapable to examine the truth of his own evidences for it is only through the Spirits irradiation or manifestation of the word that any believing Soul doth at first clearly and satisfyingly and unquestionably discern the Lords will to accept his Soul into union with the Lord Jesus and therefore when this Light of manifestation from the Spirit is withdrawn again it cannot be that the believing Soul should clearly discern their precious truth and so long as the Soul enjoy not this evidence unto his saith of his certain acceptance of union with Christ it is impossible the Soul should have any evidence unto sense seeing the evidence unto sense doth wholly depend upon the evidence unto faith 2. In regard all the opposite powers of corruption in his Soul unto the Souls evidence of union with Christ do renew in some degree their Tyrranny over the Soul Yea not only so but all the powers of corruption that do oppose the Souls union with Christ are then furnished with renewed arguments and objections against the poor Souls acceptance into union yea with such objections as nothing can answer but saith it self As for example 1. Then carnal Reasons ' mouth is filled with new matter of objection against the Souls union Carnal Reason that said formerly thou art a Rebel an Enemy that have continued thus many years in enmity therefore cannot be admitted into union with the Lord Jesus can now say more thou hast now dealt unfaithfully with God thou art an Hypocrite a Bacstslider it is impossible that the Lord that bore thy enmity and rebellion should bare thy falseness and hypocrisy 2. Natural Distrust of God cursed Jealousies and Suspitions of the Faithfulness of God do renew their Tyranny also when Holiness decay Now natural Distrust and cursed Jelousy of God can say what dost thou think it is possible for the Majesty of Heaven who is so just who hath said he will avenge himself upon those that go on in their wickedness should ever accept theâ— into reconciliation with himself 3. The corrupt Conscience renews his Tyrannizing Power when the Soul decay in Holiness Now Conscience is furnished with a new Bill of Indictment against the Soul it can now lay to the Souls charge guile and deceitfulness of heart with God and willing Apostacy from God so that now it can with a full mouth pass the sentence of Condemnation against the Soul afresh and is furnished with such arguments as nothing but Faith can answer nothing but a renewed vision of the Lords will declared in his blessed word to accept of every poor undone perishing Soul be he as bad as an incarnate Devil in case the Soul will accept of union with him can satisfy either carnal reason or suspitious argmments or consciences accusations 3. The Soul decaying in Holiness is unsutable to examine the evidence of his union in regard the Soul remain under an inevitable an unavoidable necessity to submit to the Judgement that Sense shall pass upon his Soul Now Sense can pass no other Judgemennt upon a Souls estate that is decayed in Holiness but that certainly the evidences of his union with the Lord Jesus that he conceive he had received were delusions Sense can see none of those precious inseparable effects of a Souls evidence of union with Christ and sense can pass no other Judgement unless it be captivated unto the power of Faith 4. In regard there is apparent defect in such a Soul of the proper inseparable effects of the true manifestation to a Soul that it is united to the Lord Jesus The inseparable effects of an evidence unto a Soul that it is united to the Lord Jesus is an heighth of Holiness now when Holiness is decayed Satan can say by a fallacious argument thy evidences of thy union that thou thoughtest thou hadst are delusions indeed dost not see by the effects of the evidences those that have evidences of their union with Christ have their hearts in an adoring admiring frame of God they have their hearts enlarged to the utmost towards God in Christ but thou hast a blockish senselese careless heartless mindless unprofitable Spirit surely thy evidences therefore are delusions Now indeed here is a fallacy in Satans arguments that is hard to be discerned here is a depth of Satan here is one of those cunning devices that most Souls are ignorant of He fails of nothing in his argument but only in time His arguments should have run thus only Souls that have true evidence of their union with Christ whilst those evidences remain they are in an admiring adoring frame and their hearts elivated and enlarged in all kind of Holiness If this had been Satans major proposition his assumption must have been false then he could not have said but thou in that moment and instant when those evidennes were given to the during the continuance of those evidences in their clear light that thou wert united thy heart was not enlarged in all kind of Holiness and taken with a precious admiration of the Lord Jesus 5. In regard the Soul is under an actual provocation of the Lord to a penal suspension of all kind of manifestation unto the Soul either that the Lord would admit him into union with Christ or that he is admitted The Soul he can never discern the truth of his own evidence satisfyingly and infallibly without the manifestation of the same light both manifesting the word to the believing disposition and manifesting the believing act also to the Souls apprehension Now therefore the Soul must needs be unsutable to examine the truth of his evidence of union with Christ while he is actually provoking the Lord to withdraw that blessed Spirit and to suâ—pend his operations unto the Soul Now here is a question necessarily cast in to be opened by the way before we can proceed any farther Que. But will the Soul say if Souls under the dominion of impatiency rashness irrational affections prejudicial conceits against the truth of the evidence of their union with Christ and Souls under decays of Holiness be unsutable for a right tryal of their evidences then what sutable means remain for such Souls under fear that the evidences of their union are delusions Ans First I answer that the only immediate effectual means of redemption of such Souls from such torturing fears suspitions and jealousies that the evidences of their union with Christ are but delusions is a renewed act of confidence in the truth of the Lords word to their particular Souls wherein the Lord doth declare his will to give the Lord Jesus freely to every perishing Sinner that shall accept him to mediate a reconciliation with the Father for him though plunged into the most bottomless depth of Sin The Universal Unlimitted Offer
of the Lord Jesus to every particular perishing and lost Soul that will accept it is the prime foundation of all the righteous hopes that ever dwelt in a believing Soul all the expecttations and hopes of believing Souls are but the building upon that foundation now when the building of the Souls hope shake the only means to establish the building is to add strength to the foundation This you shall observe was the remedy of the poor distressed Church Lament 3.40 after many distractions in her spirit many tossings and tumblings this way and that way when she had fed upon gaul and wormwood for a long time at last she was constrained to take this course to search and trie her ways and turn again to the Lord she was constrained now to make a new converting work of the matter according as Christ tells his Disciples except ye be converted when they were already converted that is unless you renew the close of your spirits with me whereby you may have power against this particular sin and I conceive this also may be intended by the spirit of God Isa 50.10 in that sweet councel to poor distressed souls in this case that walk in darkness and hath no light that is no refreshment no comforting hope to trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is first a renewed act of Faith immediately commanded to such a distressed soul let him trust in the name of the Lord. Secondly here is a direct act of Faith an act of Faith proper to the soul that did never put forth a believing act formerly Here is an act of Faith required and commanded to be done by these souls without respect to any thing in themselves without respect to their former comforts whether they 〈◊〉 be true or false without respect to their receiving grace whether they have received grace or not received grace It is worth the clearing that this should be the only immediate means to deliver such declined souls from under the fears that the evidences of their union with Christ are but delusions This will appear in three things 1. In regard it is in this renewed act only that the former evidences and manifestations given to such souls of their union with Christ do shine forth in their perspicuity clearness and satisfying power Then only when the soul doth thus close afresh with that union with the Lord Jesus offered to it there is both light within and light without whereby the soul is able to discern the former manifestation unto the soul of its union with the Lord Jesus in their glory and power afresh 2. In regard through this renewed act only the proper effects of evidence of union with Jesus Christ are again stirred up and drawn forth into their powerful operation Now it is the souls apprehension of the want of those precious effects that evidences of union with Christ do naturally beget in believing souls that do occasion the poor distressed soul to suspect his own evidences and to be Jealous they are but delusions Now the only means to deliver these dark and doubtful souls from under the Tyrannical Power of these Jealousies and Suspitions must be this renewed believing act this renewed confidence in that truth of the Lords word wherein he tender Christ in general to every sinner in regard these blessed effects the evidence of union with Christ do naturally beget in souls are only made visible to these believing souls again by that means 3. In regard both the incapacity of souls for the tryal of their evidences and the unsutableness of souls for tryal also are removed by that renewed believing act in regard those distempers are healed These are healed two ways First By a more general influence of that believing act Secondly by a more particular influence First By a more general inffuence of the believing act into those distempers The believing Soul closes with the Lord Jesus tendered so as he accept of a redemption from his sin and from under the power of corruption through Christ the notion under which the Lord makes the proffer of Christ unto sinners is that he should mediate a reconciliation between the Father and the soul shall so accept him that he should beget a precious amity between the Fether and the Soul establish the soul in a state of love that is the soul as well to be filled with love towards the Lord as the Lord to be filled with love towards the Soul Now in a souls acceptance of Jesus Christ thus tendered the soul accepts of Christ necessarily as a Redeemer to redeem him from slavery under those Enemies of the Majesty of Heaven even Sin and Satan so that there must be a State of Amity and Love between God and the Soul Secondly this particular act hath a particular influence into those particular distempers that made the Soul uncapable for a just examination of the evidence of his union with Christ 1. In this renewed belieeving act formerly mentioned there is a precious sweet act of submission in the will of the believing Soul to the will of God Indeed the believing act is the highest submission to the Lord that ever is given by any Soul to him in regard the Soul in that case captivateth all his reason and Judgement only to the Lords authority because the Lord hath spoken so and so concerning his Soul Now from hence this renewed believing act hath a precious influence into the distempered Soul under impatiency to heal the impatiency of the spirit that domeneerd in him for now the will is contented to wait on God it is contented the will of God should be fulfilled in him 2. This believing act hath a particular influence into the Souls rashness to heal that distemper also In this renewed act there is a renewed sense of the believing Souls absolute nothingness Now from the Souls actual sense of his own nothingness proceeds a holy awe a holy reverential fear of the Majesty of Heaven which doth hold in bounds the rash disorderly Spirit so that by this the Spirit is more carefull how it draw conclusions from any precious word of God 3. The believing act hath an influence upon the disorderly affections the irrational affections which did also incapacitate believing Souls for a just examination of their evidences In the believing the Soul doth captivate all the imaginations and thoughts of sense and carnal reason unto the truth and authority of God and so all the disorderly affections jealousies doubts and fears are even captivated and brought under 4. This renewed believing act hath an influence also into the prejudicial conceits or opinions against the evidence of union received to subdue those In the believing act there is a renewed sight of the truth of the souls former evidence unto his Faith of his union with Christ in some degree so that the soul while he was under the power of his fears that the evidence of his union were delusions having lost the
satisfying power of the manifesting light unto his faith that he should be accepted into union with Christ doth now again in this renewed act gain a sight and manifestation of that satisfying power in a manifesting truth that his Soul should be acepted into union with the Lord Jesus Now thence the Lord discerns the causelesness of his own prejudicial thoughts and opinions of his former evidences unto faith and so consequently abhor himself in that he dishonoured the blessed work of the Spirit 5. Through the vertue and efficacy of this believing act that decay in holiness which did make the soul unsutable to take a just impartial tryal of the evidences of his union with Christ are repaired that appears in two things 1. The mind of the believing soul is filled with all the notions conceptions and apprehensions from whence Holy Actings do arise are Maintained and Increased and through the defect of which Holiness Decays and Consumes in any Soul These Holy Notions from whence Holiness proceeds are principally these That there is a fulness of all Love and Mercy tendred freely by God to this Poor Unlovely soul that the Lord is so infinitely rich in his love that he doth pass over all that can be sutable for the poor empty Soul freely to it in Christ Now it is impossible there should be a Renewed Believing act without these Notions being brought fresh to the Remembrance of the Believing Soul 2. All the Holy Affections are excited also to a Renewed exercise by vertue of the Renewed Act. All the Affections are under the command of these two Love and Hatred Now both these are excited to a Renewed Exercise and that with a Mighty strength by vertue of the Renewed Act. Love towards God is nothing but the very reflecting of the Lords love cast upon the soul upon God again The actings of love always proceed from the Apprehensions of the Lords love to the Soul Now in the Believing Act there is an actual view of the infinite unspeakable Riches of Love to the Unlovely Forlorn Soul and thence Love is drawn forth in its very strength towards God again Likewise Hatred which command the other part of the Affections is nothing else but the Displicency tha is in the Will against any object whatever which affections do naturally proceed from the souls love Now therefore the hatred of the soul is properly against Sin and whatever is contrary to God and his Will In the same degree that Love acts in the soul towards God in the same degree doth hatred work towards every thing that is contrary to God Now by the stirring up of these two all the other Holy Affections also are excited into their exercise thence the decays of Holiness are sweetly repaired and the soul put into a sutable temper for the tryal of his own Evidence Answ 2. Secondly I answer That all the Lords Ordinances and Appointments for his peoples souls to injoy Communion with himself in are also mediate and second means of the delivery of those souls from the dreadful Tyranny of the Fear and Jealousie that the Evidences of their union are Delusions Thus Prayer Conference Meditation hearing the Word are all secondary means to wait for the spirit to breath in power from the Lord Jesus to enable the soul in this Renewed Believing Act and to continue the Believing Act in the soul So that you see a sufficient means left for these Distempred or Declined souls that are either Uncapable or Unsutable for a just examination of the Evidence of their Union to deliver them from Fear and Terrour that the Evidences of their Union with Christ Received are Delusions Now in Regard the question is about a matter so practical I shall therefore turn the last Answer into a kind of Advise Beseeching and Intreating every Distempered or Declined soul in Holiness to take this course to strive for deliverance of his soul from under the power of his Tormenting Fears that the Evidences of his union with Christ are Delusions And for that end I desire you would take these four Directions Direct 1. First that you forbear for a little season the Trial and Examination of your own Evidence with the Lord cease a little to Plead your Title with the Lord Spend not all your thoughts about what Evidence you have Received as though there were no good to be expected except your former Evidences were real Direct 2. Secondly let me advise you to take a strict accompt of your own hearts of all your fears and all the grounds of your suspitions whereupon you suspect that your evidences where delusions gather together and sum up all hypocrisie and falseness the unconstancy the loosness the vanity the rashness the blindness that 's now brought to your remembrance to prove your evidences received were but meer delusions gather together all the defects of those precious effects of real evidence from God to any soul of its union with Christ that you apprehend your souls want and further suppose them all to be true take all for a little season for granted suppose that your heart was false and that you were wholly and altogether an Hypocrite that all the workings of your spirit were nothing but common workings of the blessed spirit But then Direct 3. Thirdly search the holy records the Lords blessed word for all the discriptions of those to whom union with Jesus Christ is freely tendered and find out whether thy soul supposed to be in the estate fore-named be excluded from the number of those to whom union with Jesus Christ is freely tendred Search from Scripture whether thou canst find any one Hypocrite any one captivated soul by the Devils deluding reasonings any one false hearted treacherous wretch ever excluded from the number of those to whom the Lord freely offers union with the Lord Jesus search whither any lost Soul any Rebel whether any rational Creature to whom the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes be exclured from the number of those to whom the Lord freely offers union with the Lord Jesus strive beseech you now to gain that clear apprehension that so at last thou maist baffle the Devil in all his arguments and silence him in one word saying well though I have been false to the blessed Majesty of Heaven all this time though I be now under thy cursed power O Satan though thou holdst me fast in thy cursed Chains of Darkness yet thou maist say the blessed Majesty of Heaven he that can never lye tells me that union with the Lord Jesus and so Redemption from thy cursed slavery is freely offered to my Soul still the Lord tells me his will admits me to be still one with Christ if I can be contented that he should mediate a reconciliation between the Father and me Direct 4. Fuorthly Plead with thy opposite contrary mind to make thy heart consent to the blessed word of God wherein he doth offer union with Jesus Christ and himself through Christ to every
to Heb. 6.17 he confirms it by an Oath that by 2. immutable things two things that were subject to no alteration or diminution that is to say by the word of the Majesty of Heaven and by his Oath also they might have strong consolation that do flee from refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them that is that do accept of the Lord Jesus tendred to them So that the hanging thus the eternal estate of the soul upon the former evidences is too high an use to put the former evidences too It is the truth it self that the former evidencing beams of light manifest that is only destinated to that pretious use to build the confidence of the souls admission into union with Jesus Christ upon even that truth that the Lord doth declare that it is his will to admit even that particular soul into union with Jesus Christ if he will aceept it and whenever scruples and objections and doubts possess the soul concerning the truth of any former evidences the first-born of the souls endeavour should be taken up in in clearing that truth that the soul did conceive some beams of light did evidence to him Prop. 4. There is a strait command from the highest Majesty of Heaven and Earth given unto every believing soul to make a holy use advantage and improvement of his former evidences of his union with Jesus Christ vouchsafed to him That one Scripture gives sufficient testimony Heb. 10.32 Call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions This the Apostle commands them in order to the strengthning of their confidence ver 35. Thus Asaph did Psal 77.5 6. When he was under darkness when the powers of unbelief began to rage in his soul and to tyranize over him then he began to make improvement of his former evidences of the Lords love and favour to him he remembred God and was troubled now he recalls himself and begins to make diligent search into the former testimony of the Lords kindness to him I considered the days of old the years of ancient times I call to remembrance my Song in the Night I commune with mine own Heart and my Spirit made diligent search I call to remembrance my Song in the Night that is the former comfortable Communion I enjoyed in God how God delighted himself in Communion with my soul and my soul delighted it self in Communion with God again how God spake peace to me and I answerably rejoyced in God again And I Commune with mine own Heart I looked over the Records of my Heart and made diligent search to see what experience of truth and goodness and loving kindness of God to my soul are treasured up there Yea then to help himself further ver 10.11 he endeavours to make some improvement of the manifestation of the Lords love and kindness truth and faithfulness even to others I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old There is a command from Heaven upon believing souls to make use of their former evidences and there is some kind of inherent power in every believing Soul to act something in order to this holy use or improvement of his former evidence Now the holy use of those former evidences that believing souls are engaged from Heaven to make they are various We shall endeavour to sum up 5. or 6. 1. Every such soul ought to gather from his former evidences of his union with Jesus Christ some strength to his present confidence that the Lord will admit his soul into union with Christ I beseech you mistake not I speak not of those probable fluctuating hopes that some souls have enjoyed of their union with Jesus Christ from some apprehensions of some present actings of the Holy spirit in their Hearts to clear to them in some degree their union with Jesus Christ and to foster up some hopes of it Those I say though they may be and are frequently such as really descend from the spirit of Jesus Christ yet also from such conceited and supposed actings of the sanctifying spirit of Jesus Christ proceeds most of those soul-deluding hopes that poor blind souls are deluded with by the Prince of Darkness And therefore because the difference between these two is a matter of so great difficulty to discern I durst not perswade any soul who conceives that he hath had evidences of his union with Jesus Christ whose evidences have been only some flashes of light from some conceived actings of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ to believe firmly impregnably and unmoveably that the truth and reality of those his evidences did descend from God when he doth not discern them Those fluctuating evidences unto sense questionless if Souls adhere unto them they must put them upon the tryal by sense again Therefore now observe I speak of the pretious clear infallible evidence given unto a believing soul from the blessed Spirit of light and manifestation to clear unto the Souls faith unquestionably that the Lords good will is to admit his particular Soul into union with Jesus Christ in case his Soul will accept it through which evidence unto faith also the evidence unto sense hath attained a clear beam from the Spirit of light discerning the truth of the close of the believers Heart with the blessed will of God yet mark also that which I speak hath its relation solely to those evidencing beams of light given unto the believers faith of his union with Jesus Christ Now I say though such a soul be unsuitable to take a just examination of those evidencing beams of light formerly given to his faith when their glory is obscured and darkned yet the Soul ought to believe the truth of those evidencing beams of light though it cannot so clearly and sensibly discern it The matter that was evidenced to the Soul is no more than that there lies an Obligation upon the Soul from Heaven continually to believe And therefore the matter that was evidenced being true and the Soul engaged from God to believe it the Soul also stands engaged to believe the truth of that his former evidence that his Soul received concerning the blessed will of God towards him and from the remembrance of such a former mamanifestation given unto the Soul by the blessed Spirit concerning that blessed good will of God towards him the Soul ought to gather heart and strength and courage to renew the confidence of his poor wavering rrembling unstable Heart 2. The believing Soul ought from the remembrance of his former evidences given unto his faith of his union with the Lord Jesus to foster and nourish a lively hope in his soul that the same blessed light of manifestation to manifest unto his faith clearly his union with the Lord Jesus may return That experience that such a Soul have had that there is a time of light and a time of darkness that the wisdom of Heaven seeth
suitable for believing Souls that there is a Night and a Day as well in the Spiritual life as in the natural life ought to be a ground to maintain a lively hope that when it is Night Day may break and therefore it is his Duty unquestionably to nourish and cherish such a lively hope 3. From the remembrance of its former evidence the Soul ought to obstruct it self in the obscurity darkness and dreadful blindness of his own mind The believing Soul ought to say within himself O when the Spirit of Jesus Christ irradiated the blessed word of God how clear how unquestionable was it to my Soul that it was the Lords blessed will to receive my Soul into union with Jesus Christ if I will embrace him and though I have now the same word to testifie the same thing to my Soul yet how dark is it to my Soul for the present how hard is it for my poor blind Mind to receive and apprehend that the Lords will is to receive this my Soul into union with Jesus Christ 4. From the remembrance of the Souls former evidence the Soul ought to instruct it self in the mystery of the Lords way towards believing Souls From hence the Soul may learn that the Lord carries on the Soul towards full Communion with himself through Christ as well by sensible decays in Communion as by sensible encreases in Communion And from thence the Soul might instruct it self that joy and peace ravishment of Spirit triumphing acts of faith are not so inseparable from believing Souls but that they may be wanting that they are not absolutely necessary to be constant at least to the Souls attaining unto perfection of Communion so that thus the Soul may learn to adore the Lord in apprehending the unsearchableness of his ways even towards believing Souls the unsearchableness of his Wisdom that neither Man nor Angel can measure 5. From the remembrance of the Souls former evidences whose brightness and glory is now ecclipsed the Soul may instruct it self in the absolute necessity of an intire constant uninterrupted dependance upon Jesus Christ for the Spirit of light and manifestation The Soul ought in remembrance of that full satisfaction that it enjoyed when that blessed Spirit of light gave beams of light to his dark mind to clear up the will of God revealed in his precious word to say O how infinite is the necessity of hanging upon Jesus Christ continually for the constant operation of the Spirit of light into this my dark Heart 6. From the remembrance of the Souls former evidence of his union with Jesus Christ the Soul ought to collect holy Pleas and pretious Arguments to intercede with the Majesty of Heaven for the return of the blessed Spirit of light and manifestation unto his Soul This was the constant practice of all the Saints who had enjoyed any experiences of the Lords mercy and kindness they did endeavour to engage the Lord to return when he seemed to be absent Many are the Arguments that a believing soul may collect from the former enjoyment of evidences of union with Christ to plead with the Majesty of Heaven to return with the same spirit of light and manifestation again to his Soul 1. From the remembrance of the Souls former evidence the soul may remember the pretious suitable disposition that possessed his Heart for the worshipping of the Lord in every Ordinance Now from thence the Soul may raise a pretious Argument wherewith he may go boldly to the Throne of Grace and cry to the blessed Majesty of Heaven when shall that blessed Spirit of light return to this darkned Soul of mine 2. The Soul may remember the readiness the quickness the activity of the Heart in all manner of obedience to the Lords blessed will Now from hence the Soul may fetch a strong Argument wherewith to come before the Throne of Grace O my God may the believing Soul say When thy blessed Spirit of light had the pretious operation upon my Heart what a blessed concurrence was there in this my crooked opposite will to this thy holy will O what an union of love was there between this thy Majesty and my opposite Heart how impatient then was my Soul of any disagreement between my will and thy will how readily was my heart disposed for any thing thy blessed Majesty commanded But now alas Lord now the workings of the Spirit of light are suspended what a disagreement is there between thy Majesties will and my will how strait and narrow and weak and feeble are the inclinations of my Heart now to obedience to thy blessed will Lord may the Soul say Have respect to thine own honour send down the Spirit of light into this dark Heart 3. The Soul may remember how highly the blessed Name of God was exalted and magnified in his Heart when that blessed Spirit of light continued its blessed operation to evidence actually its union with the Lord Jesus Now from thence the Soul from whom the lustre and glory of these his former evidences of union with Christ is now Ecclipsed may argue with the blessed Majesty of Heaven to send down the same Spirit of light and manifestation again to his dark Soul 4. Even when the orient brightness and Heavenly lustre of the Souls former evidences is Ecclipsed and darkned yet then the Soul may remember the capaciousness and enlarged openness of his Heart towards communion with God while the orient lustre of the evidences of his union with Christ did actually remain Now from hence the Soul may gather strength of Argument to appear before the Lord to Petition the return of the blessed Spirit of light and manifestation again to his Soul The Soul may plead that the suitableness and right disposition of the Heart for Communion with the Lord depends upon the enjoyment of the Spirit of light and manifestation 5. Even when the orient brightness of the Souls former evidences are ecclipsed and obscured yet then the Soul may remember how gloriously the lovely beauty and Soul enamouring brightness of the way of holiness was transparent through him when the Heavenly lustre of his former evidences did actually remain in the Soul Now from hence the Soul may gather a pretious Argument whereby he may lay an engagement upon the Majesty of Heaven to send down the Spirit of light again Thence the Soul may plead that the lustre and Heavenly beauty of the ways of holiness to be manifested through him depend upon his enjoyment of the Spirit of light and manifestation 6. When the cammanding power of the evidence of a Souls union with Christ is ceased for the present to evidence to the Soul its union yet then the Soul may remember that the tender compassionate bowels of God have moved within him and yearned toward his Soul formerly Now from thence the feeble almost fainting drooping Soul may still gather more strength and lift up its Head again to claim the Spirit of light and manifestation to
be sent from Heaven into his dark Soul 7. When the splendor and beauty and satisfying power of the evidences that the Soul have received of his union with Jesus Christ be decayed yet then the Soul may remember that all his abominable wickedness and most cursed vileness did not formerly prevent some movings of the Bowels of the Lords mercy towards him Now hence may the Soul gather strength to plead for the returns of theâ—â— blessed Spirit of light into his dark Soul Hence the Soul may plead that there is the same reason the same motive to incline the Lords blessed will to send now the Spirit of light and manifestation to it that ever there was to incline his Majesty to the least thought of kindness towards it 8. The Soul from whose Eyes some dark Clouds hath obscured the former lustre of his Evidences yet may remember that some spark of holy confidence in the Lords blessed will to admit the Soul into union with Jesus Christ was formerly infused into his unbelieving Heart Now from thence the Soul may again gather some strength whereby to lay hold upon the Lord and to engage him to give as it were a new Commission to the Spirit of light to come down to his dark Soul Thence the Soul may plead the Lords engagement never to recall the gift once past out of the hand of his pretious love he having declared his Gifts are without Repentance and thence the Soul may plead that the Lord stands engaged to nourish up that confidence so begotten in the Heart by his blessed Spirit 9. When the irresistible commanding power of the evidence that any Soul hath received of his union with Christ be weak yet then the Soul may remember the uselesness the inefficatiousness of all terrors and distractions upon his Spirit and the most blessed efficacy that the least glimpse of light discovering to the Soul the Lords will to admit it into union had upon his Heart Now from hence the Soul may cry to the Lord and complain in the bitterness of his Soul that he understands not what his blessed will concerning him is in terrifying and affrighting suffring his Spirit even to be distracted with terror Lord may the Soul say Hath thy Majesty its honour from me this way Is thy Name exalted in my Heart in this manner Will my Heart ever bow in obedience to thy blessed Will through the power of those terrors and distractions that are upon me This holy arguing and expostulating with the blessed Majesty of Heaven and engaging him by Arguments collected from what the Soul remembers in his former evidences of his union with Christ is the last holy use that the Soul may make of his former evidences of his union when their Heavenly lustre and commanding power and beauty cease And I would perswade every obscure Soul from whose Eyes those sweet Heavenly beams of light are now hidden with which his Eyes were once blessed above all the other uses to have a particular respect to this last use thus to gain upon God to insinuate its self into the love and favour of the Lord again to engage the Majesty of Heaven by this kind of pleading with him to send down the Spirit of light and manifestation afresh This indeed is the very principal use of the former evidence whereforâ— present darkness overspread it and that in these Two respects First In regard in this kind of pleading the poor decaying sparks of the Souls confidence is kept in some degree alive Now the stronger the Souls confidence is the more suitable is the Soul to make a righteous examination or just and impartial tryal of those former evidences of his union with the Lord Jesus Secondly In those pleadings the Spirit of light may be again expected to return The blessed Spirit and all the actings of it are reserved in the Golden Closet of the Promises wherein the Lord hath engaged himself to Communicate whatever mercy and love shall be suitable to the poor believing Soul and these holy pleadings are the Key to the Door of the Golden Closet I mean the Key of the Promise to open the Door for the Spirit of lighr to have its free access Questionless by such a holy improvement of former evidences as this believing Souls might be much furthered towards the obtaining of the renewed operations of the spirit of light and manifestation of renewed discoveries from the same Spirit unto the Souls faith of the Lords will to receive him into union with the Lord Jesus Thus now you have the Question also cast in upon this occasion opened It is apparent there is a pretious holy use that Souls may make of all former evidences when their orient brightness is ecclipsed and their commanding power is weakned though the Soul cannot then take an impartial examination of those his evidences or put them upon such a righteous Trial whether they be really from God or no. One consideration also I must add concerning knowledge whether evidences of union received be really from God or whether they be Diabolical inspirations .. The Soul must understand that this knowledge is a collection or gathering of this conclusion that his evidences received are really from God from a certain necessary infallible reason The difference between knowledge of the evidence to be really from God and Opinion and Faith must always be kept clear in the Souls understanding who shall be able to receive a right answer to that grand Question propounded To believe the Souls evidences that he hath received of his union with Jesus Christ to be really from God is an act of the Soul that hath its foundation only upon the authority of him that relates or discovers it to the Soul There are two things whereupon faith is founded First That the thing believed is spoken or declared Secondly That the Speaker or Declarer is true and faithful Now to have an Opinion that the evidences of the Souls union with Christ received are really from God is to collect or gather the conclusion of it from some probable reason as from the adjunct or the consequence that follow in his Soul upon his receiving the evidences of his union with Christ But the knowledge that the evidences of a Souls union with Christ received is really from God is the collection of this conclusion to the Soul from a certain necessary and infallible reason Therefore your Philosophers in distinguishing between knowledge and opinion define knowledge to be a certain true habit of the mind And they define Opinion to be an uncertain habit in the mind So that he that propounds the Question How a Soul that conceiveth he hath received sufficient and satisfying evidence of his union with the Lord Jesus may know certainly and infallibly that the evidence of his union received is really from God he must understand that he asks How a Soul may demonstrate to himself from certain necessary reasons that the evidences of his union with Christ received
are really from God Now I beseech you every Soul believing or unbelieving remember as far as possible all the considerations that have been premised about this Question and withall these fixed and established in your minds proceed with me to make a righteous trial of the evidences that you conceive your Souls have received of your union with the Lord Jesus So then all these considerations premised our Question propounded must be thus staâ—ed Quest How shall any Soul that conceiveth he hath received and doth actually enjoy certain and sufficient evidences of his union with the Lord Jesus demonstrate from certain necessary and evident reasons that those his evidences are really from God Answ For Answer then directly to the Question There are but two kind of Demonstrations whereby a Soul can demonstrate to its self the reality of his evidence received proceeding from God You must understand we are now speaking of knowledge and what was spoken before of faith must not come into our remembrance in this thing For you must remember we gave you a distinction between knowledge faith and opinion we look not for opinion now That is some probable ground of our union with Jesus Christ nor we do not look to faith which is the declaration of Gods will to admit it into union with Jesus Christ But we look to knowledge and there are but Two Demonstrations a Demonstration Priori and a Demonstration à Posteriori A Demonstration taken from the Causes and a Demonstration taken from the Effects The first and most certain ground whereupon the Soul may prove its union from God is taken from the causes now the Causes are various But the Two Principal Reasons must be taken from the Two Principal Causes Now there are but Two Principal Causes of the Souls union with the Lord Jesus both which concur together and are never separated one from another The Two efficient Causes instrumental is the Lords blessed written Word and that pretious Spirit of Jesus Christ The written Word is the more remote cause and the Spirit of the Lord Jesus is the more immediate efficient cause Now because the reason whereby we may draw any conclusion is most strong that it is taken from the most immediate cause of any thing And in respect that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is the most immediate efficient cause though but still instrumental because the Spirit doth more immediately send down those beams of light that do most clearly reveal to faith the Lords will to take the Soul into union with Christ and also those beams of light that discover to the Soul the integrity of his Heart in believing Thence we shall first speak of that reason which is taken from the blessed Spirit of Jesus Christ and so I answer thus That the first primary and principal reason from whence a Soul may conclude that the evidences of his union received are really from God is that those evidencing beams of light doth proceed from the blessed Spirit of Jesus Christ And it is the knowledge of this that they are those beams of light proceeding from the Spirit of Christ by which a Soul attains the most certain and infallible knowledge that his evidences were from God by this he attains that which is most properly called knowledge according as the Philosophers say to know a thing is to discern the nature or being of it by its most proper immediate cause But now least the Soul should say you here answer one doubt by another which is as great a doubt and leads the Soul but on into further darkness the Soul is as doubtful of this you will say whether those beams of light proceed from the Spirit of Jesus Christ as it is whether they were from God Therefore for your satisfaction here must be Two things opened First That the light that doth proceed from the blessed Spirit of Christ to evidence unto any Soul its union with Jesus Christ doth evidence that it doth proceed from the blessed Spirit Secondly It must be opened that the light that so proceeds from the Spirit to evidence to the Soul its union with Christ is the most potent and powerful demonstration that begets the most certain knowledge of the Souls union with Christ even the most proper and highest kind of knowledge First It must be manifested that the light that proceeds from the Spirit to evidence to any Soul its union with Christ doth evidence it self to proceed from the Spirit There are such sparklings of Divinity in those pretious Beams of Light that the spirit sends down into any Believing soul to discover its union that the eye that beholds those Beams of Light see the very Divinity of them he seeth that they come out from God There is such Coruscations or Bright shinings of Heavenly Glory upon those Beams of Divine Light as gives a satisfying discovery that they are from the Spirit of God Those beams of light they bear the Image of God upon them they have in a manner the name of the blessed spirit of Jesus Christ Ingraven upon them that the soul that beholds them even reads the name of the blessed spirit Ingraven there So that those Beams of light by an inseparable property that the Lord hath annexed to them do so discover their Original to be from the spirit of God as they do satisfy every soul to whom they are sent down and make it unquestionable that they are from the Spirit of God Yea the name of the spirit of God is so palinly Ingraven upon those beams of Light that the soul so easily discerns it that all Fears Doubts and Suspitions all workings of Jealousie that those evidencing beams of light are not from the spirit are Banished by their Mighty Power I mean the soul injoying those at that instant while their lustre their Hevenly bright shining Coruscations and Glory continue the soul fears not that they are Delusions he doth not so much as question that they are Delusions According to that in 1 John 2.27 But the Anointing which ye have Received of him abideth in you That is the spirit of Jesus Christ Communicated to you abides in you which is here called the Anointing because according to that in Isa 61.1 2. The pouring out of the spirit of Grace and Holiness upon Christ as Mediatour is called the Anointing of Christ for his Mediatorial Office and so the participating of the spirit by Believers is called the Anointing of Believers to partake of their head Now saith he the Anointing abides in you that is the spirit abides in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teaches you all things and is truth and is no lye The spirit teaches you all things He doth not mean of all truth and the whole Counsel of God for that no believing soul yet understood while he dwelt in Houses of Clay Paul himself understanding but in part but he speaks of the truths forenamed the grand Gospel Truths
the spirit it self teaches you all things that is of these things mentioned Teach ye that you shall have eternal Life in Jesus Christ And mark and is truth and is no lye That is to say it teaches you so that you know it is truth and you know ye are not deceived while that so teaches or in its teaching And therefore he saith in the former words that they need not that any man should teach them Not that there is no necessity of the Pretious Ordinances of Jesus Christ still for their souls whereby the truth of Jesus Christ should be brought to their Remembrance and the Pretious Actings of the Believing Disposition in all these drawn forth for that 's necessary for every believing soul But thus you need not that any man teach you that is you need no other Confirmation of the truth of these things then what the Spirit of Jesus Christ gave you you need not that any man should come to give a clearer discovery of the certainty and truth of those And thence also in 1 Cor. 2.12 The Apostle affirms that they had received the Spirit of God that did teach them to know the things given to them of God v. 10. That God had revealed his truth to them by the Spirit Now this must be further confirmed by divers reasons that the light that proceeds from the Spirit of Christ revealing to the Soul its union with Christ doth evidence to the Soul that it doth proceed from Christ 1. In regard it is the testimony of God unto the Soul concerning its union Now that witness or testimony of God to the soul concerning its union if it did not evidence even by its own light that it did proceed from the Spirit of God it were no witness of God at all unto the Soul concerning its union It is of greater concernment to the Soul in this case to understand who it is that speaks than to understand what it is that is spoken unless the Soul understands clearly that the light that now came into his Soul doth proceed from the Spirit of God he understands not that it is Gods witness It is not so much the thing that is testified as the consideration of him who it is that testifies that satisfies the soul or makes it to be the Witness of God to the soul 2. In regard the evidence is the testimony from God on purpose to give the soul satisfaction concerning his union to revive refresh and comfort the soul by the discovery of his union with Christ Thence it is that Christ in his promising to the Disciples to send his blessed spirit to dwell in their hearts while he was absent from them John 14.16 He names the spirit the Comforter revealing what the Office of the spirit is by his Name Now should not the light from the spirit that doth evidence to the soul his union with Christ evidence it self also to be from the spirit of Christ that testimony of God that is from that light to the soul could give no satisfaction to the doubtful scrupulous soul Therefore doubtless the light from the spirit doth always carry sufficient evidence for it self to evidence from it self whence it is seeing God intends those beams of light to give satisfaction to the soul 3. In regard that light from the spirit of Jesus Christ is the highest witness or testimony unto a soul concerning his union Now seeing that those beams of light are the highest witness there is a necessicity that those beams of light should evidence themselves what they are by an inseparable property of their own otherwise their witness must be subject to be tried by the testimony of something else so that the highest witness of the spirit must come to be subject to this holy quality and that precious disposition 4. Should not the light that proceeds from the spirit to discover to a souls faith and sense his union with Christ evidence it self to be from the spirit of Christ then the blessed testimony of the spirit of Jesus Christ should be altogether vain and useless Those sweetest beams of heavenly light are the spirits voice and should it speak in an unknown tongue that is should not its voice be distinguished from all other voices the spirit should but beat the air that is all the light that it discovers to the soul of its union with Christ should be frustrated void and of none effect 5. In regard the spirit of Christ necssarily fulfills the office to which Jesus Christ hath appointed it The Lord hath destinated that Spirit of his to Seal up Believers to Seal up their Inheritance Eph. 13. Chap. 4.30 Now a Seal is destinated on purpose to give a peculiar Confirmation of the thing Sealed Yea likewise the spirit of Jesus Christ is destinated to be the Earnest in the Believers soul whom it is sent to Seal to be the Earnest of his Inheritance according to that in Eph. 1.13 Saith the Original it is Translated which but it is rather who is the earnest of our Inheritance or who is the Pledge The word signifies some part of a price paid beforehand to assure the Payment of a full Price for some Commodity bought So that the meaning is who is given you as a part before-hand of that full Inheritance that you may expect and may be the better assured that you shall injoy the full Inheritance Now did not the spirit of Jesus Christ make those Beams of Light sent down into any soul to discover to them their union with Christ to discover themselves to be from the spirit the soul should remain dubious after the clearest Testimony of the spirit whether he had received the spirit of Christ or no and so the spirit of Christ in his Sealing Office should be no earnest seeing the spirit must be an earnest as it discovers it self to be in the soul 6. In regard it is the Light of the spirit of Jesus Christ that is the only Discoverer of all Divine things that makes all things manifest It is light that makes all things manifest Now the Spirit of Christ is the only spirit of Light and Wisdom and Revelation So that there can nothing be made manifest to the soul but what some Beam of Light from the spirit of Light must manifest And then observe it whatever reason any soul should study to prove the Beams of Light that were sent down into his soul to discover to him his union with Christ were from the spirit even that reason must be discovered in the Truth and Reality of it by some Beam of Light from the spirit and then unless the Beam of Light from the spirit doth carry sufficient Evidence in it to discover it self to be from the spirit the soul should be deceived in the reality of that very reason that he studied up to prove that the former Beams of Light that were sent down into his soul came down from the spirit To speak more plainly thus seeing the
spirit of Jesus Christ is only the spirit of light whatever Holy Dispositions whatever Pretious Heavenly Quality any Believing soul shall discern in it self it must be discerned by a Beam of light from the Spirit of Jesus Christ Secondly The second thing to be opened is That the light that proceeds from the spirit to discover to the soul its union with Christ is the most Potent Invincible Demonstration of its own proceeding from God which begets the most Certain and Infallible knowledge in the soul of his union with Christ That pretious light of the spirit of Jesus Christ doth so clearly discover it self to be from the spirit of Christ that there can be no reason that can make any Addition or Increase of that pretious clearness It shines so brightly with the very Image of the spirit of Jesus Christ upon it as nothing can make it more manifest to be from the spirit than its own light This will appear in divers particulars I. In regard that Beam of light that proceeds from the spirit to discover to the soul its union with Christ discovers nothing but what is infallibly true Not only what is infallibly true in it self but it discovers nothing but what is infallibly true to the souls Apprehension to whom it doth discover it Now when the Principles of a Demonstration are infallibly true then hath it the first property of the highest and most Potent Demonstration II. In regard that light which discovers the first light of the spirit to be the light of the spirit doth also again Evidence it self to be the light of the spirit also Now that 's the highest demonstrative Reason to prove that any thing proceeds from God that is to say that it is discovered by the spirit of God Now that light of the spirits first light doth plainly demonstrate that to the soul that it comes from the spirit of God So that there is no other Medium no other reason that can be imagined higher to prove that the first light from the spirit that discovers to the soul its union with Christ was from God III. In regard it is the most evident perspicuous discovery of those beams of light to be from God that can possibly be given Every reason from whence any Conclusion is Collected must be clearer and more evident than the Conclusion it self Now it is only the light of the spirit of Jesus Christ which is more evident and clear than the Conclusion it self drawn that the Evidences are really from God So that if it were possible for a higher proof to be made of the certainty of the beams of light that discovers to a soul its union with Christ of the certainty of their being from God then this very light that these Beams of light contain in themselves then there must be some light clearer than the very first light that proceeds from the spirit of light and manifestation whose office it is to discover all things to the soul IV. In regard it is that light only that can truly inforce or cause the Conclusion to be drawn that the Beams of light that did discover to the soul its union with Christ were from God Now that 's the highest kind of demonstrative Reason to shew the truth or reality of any thing when the principles that is the reasons from whence the Conclusion is Collected are the cause of the Conclusion Now thus the light of the spirit was those Beams of light that discovered to my soul its union with the Lord Jesus was really from God why because they came from the spirit of God Such Premises as these to say what the spirit of God reveals and discovers that must of necessity proceed from God doth even force the Conclusion to be drawn Whereas nothing else hath so much power in it to cause the Conclusion to be drawn as that light that proceeds from the spirit Now from these things opened you may hence take notice that every soul to whole Faith and Sence the spirit of Christ hath truly Revealed their union with Christ have full satisfaction clear undoubted satisfaction concerning his union with the Lord Jesus in all its most Serious Deliberate Meditations and Contemplations So that so long as those Pretious Beams of light from the spirit do remain actually shining into the soul there is no kind of Doubt Scruple or Darkness in the soul about its union with the Lord Jesus So that any soul that hath received this truâ—… discovery from the spirit of light both unto Faith and Sense of his union with the Lord Jesus need not inquire for any more proofs than his own soul possesseth at that instant that God and his soul are one through Christ § Secondly The second Instrumental cause that shines into any heart really from God to discover to that heart his union with Jesus Christ is the Lords Pretious Word That Heavenly light that shines into any dark and doubtful heart to reveal its union with the Lord Jesus to it clearly is only a pretious spark that sparkles forth from the Pretious Burning Lamp of the Lords Written Word And it is the Blessed Spirit of Jesus Christ that doth as it were Incense and Inflame that burning lamp of the Lords Blessed Word and cause it to send forth those Blessed sparks into dark hearts And it is that same Blessed spirit also that enlightens those dark hearts to see discern and behold those sparks that that burning lamp of the Lords Word send forth So that the spirit of Jesus Christ and the Written Word are but Concauses that joyntly and sweetly joyn together to enlighten the Doubtful soul and clearly reveal its union with the Lord Jesus So that the soul hath for his assurance the hand of the ever Blessed God and the Testimony of God that it is his own hand He hath that secret light that discovers it self to be of God which discovers to the souls faith his union with Christ and to his sense the truth of his own believing act And hath the Written Word which is a Letter Written from the Almighty to loveless souls that bears Witness also to the same thing So that then the second reason next to the prime reason that the light that the soul receiveth proceeds from the spirit of God is this that the soul beholds it clearly shine forth from the Lords Written Word But to clear this there must be two things opened First That a believing soul ought to receive the light that discovers to him his union with the Lord Jesus from the Written Word of God and ought to receive that light as certain and infallible because it shines from the Written Word Secondly That the Lords Pretious Written Word doth discover to particular believing souls their particular union with the Lord Jesus both unto their Faith and unto their Sence First It must be cleared That a believing soul ought to receive the light that discovers to his soul his union with the Lord Jesus from
Martyrdom for the Name of Christ is accounted such an high honouring of Jesus Christ and that the Lord testifies such respect to those that do suffer for his Name in regard by those their sufferings wherein they seem to slight their Estates their outward Liberty their Lives for the sake of Christ they declare there is all fulness of contentment in him that there is happiness enough for them that all outward contentments the confluence of all the happiness that the Earth doth afford is not to be compared to the enjoyment of the love of God in Christ and to the pretious manifestation and sweetest operation of it Thirdly When the Soul sends forth the whole strength of his soul in his pursuit of the enjoyment of the sweetest discovery of that love and the most pretious operations of it into and upon his soul Fourthly When there is a deadness in the Heart towards all things else in comparison of the love of God that is in Christ Fifthly When the soul can take its fulness of contentment in that love in the absence of all things else When a soul can actually drink such full drafts of the love of God that is in Christ that is to say promise himself such happiness contentment unspeakable perfection of glory in the enjoyment of that love that the Heart says practically it is enough though the Heavens should withdraw their light and the Earth all her advantages that ever she can afford seeing there is the love of my God in Christ that I shall actually enjoy Now further we are to shew you that this manifestation or declaration practically by the believer that all perfection and glory is eminently contained in God in Christ to unlovely sinners is the necessary certain infallible effect of a beam of light shining from God to a believing soul to discover its union with the Lord Jesus So that whenever any beam of light is cast down from Heaven into the dark soul of any believer to manifest certainly its union with the Lord Jesus then certainly also that ever blessed Name of God is exalted through the believing in that that pretious beam of light doth necessarily cause that believer to manifest and declare practically the fulness of the Lords love in Christ that there is all perfection excellency and glory that can possibly be suitable for the believing soul contained in that love eminently transcendently infallibly as will appear further by opening every particular way and means how the believing soul doth practically manifest that there is fulness in the Lords love in Christ to such unlovely sinners as the Lord declares As I. The kind of fulness of joy and rejoycing which is a prime and principal means how the name of God is exalted by a believing soul is the necessary and infallible effect of a beam of light shining from Heaven into a soul to discover its union with the Lord Jesus That you may observe from 1 Pet. 1.8 whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory With joy unspeakable Joy that cannot be uttered either by the Tongue of men or Angels Joy it is full of glory that is full of excellency and sweetness delight and contentment Their believing produced this effect an unspeakable joy in their Hearts Then much more a beam of light from the spirit of light discovering unto faith the Lords blessed will to admit the soul into union with Christ and thereby powerfully enabling the believing soul to believe afresh and also a beam of light from the blessed spirit manifesting the souls believing act unto the soul it self and so discovering both unto faith and sense such unspeakable matter of joy and rejoycing much more must this fill the believing soul with joy unspeakable and full of glory According to that in Eph. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is peace and joy Mark it the proper effect of the spirit of Jesus Christ dwelling in the believing soul is joy then certainly that joy that possesses a believing soul must needs be exceedingly eminently raised to a high strain to a superlative degree when the spirit of Jesus Christ shall dwell so plentifully as it doth when it thus bears testimony to faith and testimony to sense of the Souls union with Jesus Christ Yea such is the nature and power and vertue of a beam of light sent down from God to discover to a soul his union with Christ that it cannot but infallibly produce such a superlative degree of joy and rejoycing in that love of God that is in Christ I. In regard through that beam of light from the spirit and discovering to the Soul its union the enlarged longing restless breathings of that believing soul are in some measure accomplished Now Solomon tells us Prov. 13.12 that the accomplishment of the desire is a tree of life There is such infinite sweetness contentment and satisfaction in the souls attaining his desires that from thence the soul seems to gather Apples of life from a Tree of life II. In regard that light gives the believing soul a pretious taste of his mutual Communion with his God through Christ Every believing act doth occasion some Communion to be between God and the believing soul but much more in that believing act that is heightned by the power of the spirit of Christ to a certainty Then there are large degrees of life and holiness communicated from God to the believing soul and a kind of full communication of all the powers and possibilities of the believing soul to God again then God delights himself in the believing soul sweetly and the soul reciprocally delights himself in God Now the very taste of the communion which is the earnest of the souls full inheritance which is eternal communion with God in Christ that cannot but fill the believing soul with joy and peace III. In regard that light occasions the believing soul to enjoy all that Heaven it self can afford through hope It causes the soul to sit together with Christ by hope Eph. 2.6 It causeth the soul to discern certainly through believing the Lord Jesus as his blessed head to be gone before as an Harbinger to prepare a place for him that the soul by hope sits there already and is saved already 4. That light draws out the actings of faith in such certainty that all the glory of Heaven it self is presented also to the believing soul Faith saith the Apostle in Heb. 11.1 Is the evidence of things not seen That is it is such a disposition as by its pretious working gives things not seen an evident certainty unto the believing soul yea it is the substance of things hoped for The word in the original is very emphatical it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is that which gives a substantial being to things hoped for a being already that the soul not only enjoys all that Heaven affords by hope but through the
certainty of the actings of faith raised by the power of the Spirits working to discover to the soul its union with Christ the soul enjoys all that Heaven affords at present So that needs must a superlative degree of joy possess the believing soul when he in a manner sits in Heaven as enjoying the sweetest communion of the Lords love as gazing upon that precious face of God in Christ and blessing himself also in the contemplation of it to all eternity II. The second means by which the believing soul practically declares that there is all perfection and glory contained in the love of the Lord in Christ to unlovely sinners whereby the name of God is exalted through him is the souls despising and disregarding all difficulties for the enjoyment of that love of God in Christ That is also the necessary the infallible effect of a beam of light proceeding from the spirit of light to discover to a soul his union with Christ This you may observe Rom. 8.34 35. There you find the assuring act of faith concerning the souls union with Christ who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died and ver 37. You shall find the Apostle triumphing over all kind of difficulties trampling under foot persecution necessity famine nakedness piril and sword and professing we are more than Conquerors over all to overcome them so as they are no impediment or hindrance to us but we are able to be more than Conquerors to make advantage even of those difficulties whereby we shall the more closely pursue after Jesus Christ Yea such is the power of that light that discovers to the soul its union with Christ that it doth necessarily cause the soul thus to despise all difficulties for the enjoyment of the love of God in Christ 1. In regard that light enobles and raises the spirit of every one to whom the spirit of light communicates it Heirs views of their great Possessions greatens their Spirits likewise do the believing souls vision of those glorious things prepared for them heighten and elevate their Spirits above all things below 2. In regard the pretious light from the fpirit of light doth present such unparalled such incomprehensible glory to the believing souls view that all things appear as nothing in comparison of that glory that is revealed Now thence it cannot be but difficulties must appear as nothing upon the sight of such glory hence Moses Heb. 11.26 disregarded Pharoahs wrath because he saw God that was invisible and the Apostle calls the afflictions they met with light afflictions because they looked at things that were not seen 2 Cor. 4.17 18. 3. In regard it doth necessarily produce enlarged enlivening actings of love Every believing act produces a proportionable act of love Therefore certainly that high noble act of faith that act of certainty that is drawn forth by the spirit of light at such a time doth produce enlarged acts of love it proportionably doth send out the strength of the soul in love towards God in Christ as well as the strength of the soul goeth out in believing 3. A third means whereby the soul practically declares that there is a fulness of the Lords love whereby the Lord is exalted in the soul is the souls pursuance with his utmost strength the enjoyment of the clearest visions of that love and the sweetest freedom of the actings and workings of that love into and towards the soul Now this also is the necessary effest of a beam of light coming down from Heaven to evidence or reveal to a soul his union with Christ You shall observe in 2 Cor. 5.1 2 4. That Souls certainty of their union with Christ which was the effect of the spirit of light shining into their hearts it did produce such groaning and longing with the strength of their Souls 〈◊〉 the sweetest and clearest enjoyment of the fulness of that love We know saith he there is the act of certainty that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Mark for this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven So ver 4. we groan being burdened and so ver 1. they were willing to absent from the body and to be present with the Lord The strength of their Souls so pursued after the fullest the clearest enjoyment of that love that they desired to breath out their lives to be dissolved that they might have the clearest vision of that love of God in Christ and the sweetest enjoyment of it Neither can it possibly be otherwise considering 1. In that things appear in their despicable nothingness by such a beam of light shining from the blessed Spirit into a believing Soul to discover its union Thence it is that the strength of the soul pursues after the enjoyment of the love of God in Christ only seeing no other object appears worthy to be desired in comparison to the enjoyment of the love of God in Christ 2. In regard the love of God in Christ discovered by that light appears in such a manner as takes up the whole intention of the believing Soul and implies every faculty of it Such a mystery appears in that fulness of the love of God in Christ to unlovely sinners as takes up all the strength of the Souls capacity to view and meditate upon yea it at last appears to be a depth never to be fathomed and so drowns the understanding in a depth of admiration yea that fulness of the Lords love appears so to comprehend all beauties and glories and all things desirable as it is the object of every desire of every motion or reaching forth of the Spirit So that thence it takes up all the intentions of all the faculties of the Soul IV. A Fourth means whereby believing Souls do declare the Lords love to be according as the Lord reveals whereby the Name of God is exalted in the Soul is the deadness of the Heart to every thing in comparison to that love of the Lord in Christ Now even this crucifying of the Heart to all things else in comparison of that love is the infallible effect also of such a beam of light from the Spirit of God to reveal to the Soul its union That 2 Cor. 5.8 is enough to manifest it Their certainty of their acceptance with God produced a willingness in them even to be absent from the body it self a readiness in their Hearts to part with every thing for the enjoyment of that love it choaked and quenched all desires of earthly objects of beauty or excellency so as their Spirits were so dead so void of desire so empty of all thirstings and endeavours after earthly objects as they rather deny to be dissolved to be dead indeed that they might have the full benefit of their union even the full presence of God in Christ And certainly it cannot be but such a light from
we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness all our duties and performances our most holy actings they are but as filthy raggs Likewise it is observable in the holy man Job who stood much upon his own uprightness and integrity Chap. 23.11 12. and Chap. 27.5 6. Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me that is I will not deny my innocency and righteousness I have walked before God with a perfect heart I will never reproach my self till I die so Chap. 31.6 Let me be weighed in an even Ballance that God may know my integrity yet in Chap. 4.3 4. this Job that could declare so many righteous acts of his own begins freely to acknowledge that all his righteousness was as vileness though those actions of righteousness had been performed by him with much integrity yet there was an infinite disproportion between the holy actings of the Lords blessed will then saith Job behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I have laid my hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further I will not call to God to weigh me in a Ballance any more that he may know my integrity so Chap. 42.5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes repent that is the thoughts of my self now change I am so ashamed I loath and abhor my self in the sight of all my integrity and righteousness that I so much stood upon And certainly there is an infallible necessity of a Souls exalting the name of God through those sensible free acknowledgements of the infinite disproportion between the holy actings of his will and the holy actings of the Lords will whenever the spirit of Christ do reveal to any Soul his union 1. In regard the faculty of the Souls spiritual sight was then lively active and ready for exercise The eye of the Soul is as it were open and in every duty that he performs to God he can behold the least inward sluggishness and indisposedness so as the least of those infirmities is burdensom and mark that is the reason that believing Souls once decaying in the life of holiness lose the sense of the evidence to their Souls of their union with Christ because every day their own formality hardness blockishness insensibleness is less burdensom to them because the faculty of spiritual sight is out of exercise And that 's the reason also that under the clearest sight of the Souls union with Christ there is the largest confession of the Souls own vileness the spiritual faculty of sight in the believing Soul is then drawn up in its strength that 's one of the great reasons why those Souls that enjoy the clearest revelations of the Lords love in Christ are the most abased Souls 2. When the spirit reveals to the Soul its union with Christ then the precious heavenly light that discovers all the unsutableness of the Souls will to Gods will shines clearly and actually The transparent light of the Lords love in Christ to so unlovely a Soul is like a blessed heavenly Lamp lighted up within the Believers heart through the light of which the Soul may see every unsutableness in his will to the Lords blessed will and that in its vileness in its most odious native colours yea that light of the Lords Love in Christ to the loveless Soul causes the infinite right that the Lord hath to claim all the powers and possibilities of the Soul to be subject to him to shine clearly in the Soul it makes the heart say within it self O how infinitely due is every acting of my Soul to God to be employed only for his blessed pleasure so that now there is light without to enable the Soul to see the unsutableness of its will to Gods will as well as there is light within that the Soul seeth not only like a man having a perfect sight but as a man with a perfect sight in a clear Sun-shine day that shall discern every more in the Sun Beams that a man with a clear sight in a dark day cannot behold and thence it is that the evidence unto the Soul of its union with Christ cannot but draw sorth an acknowledgement of the infinite disproportion of the Souls actings to the Lords holy will in regard the Soul is then enabled to discern the smallest unsutableness that is in his will to the Lords will 3. In regard that light that shines into the Soul at that time discovers those unholinesses in the holy actings of the Soul whereof a believing Soul is most peculiarly guilty in all his holy actings There are four wants of holiness in all the actings of believing Souls in some measure and degree First The want of pure Love in all the holy actings of the Soul The want of the Souls aiming meerly at the exaltation and glory of his dearest Father in the Lord Jesus and so acting in obedience to the Fathers blessed will from a pure Child-like disposition working in the heart that disposes him to comply with the Fathers will only only because his Fathers will This is pure Love when the Soul out of Love to God himself without relation to any benefit or advantage that the Soul enjoys without relation to any fear of any loss or dammage that the Soul should suffer through disobedience to aim at and intend only the fulfilling of his blessed Fathers will now this in every holy duty the Soul performs is in some degree of its perfection wanting Secondly There is the want of freedom of Spirit or liberty in their holy actings in their wills agreeing with the Lords blessed will When the Spirit of Jesus Christ breaths upon the holy disposition and inclination infused into Believers wills most sweetly and powerfully and assist them strongly in their exercise yet then while they dwell in these Bodies of Clay while the old man remains not wholly crucified there wants some perfection of Liberty in their Spirits in these holy actings the soul is not wholly void of some inclination and disposition acting secretly that bends the soul from those holy actings that yet the Soul is exercised in Thirdly In the holy actings of believing Souls there is a want of fulness of complacency delight and contentment in those holy actings The flesh mutters and murmurs against the actings of the Spirit this made Paul say with my mind I serve the Law of God and with my flesh the Law of Sin and I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man still there is an opposite party that is not satisfyed in those holy actings the Spirit is willing saith Christ concerning his Apostles but the flesh is weak the flesh will never answer the spirits readiness perfectly so as all the whole powers and possibilities of Soul and Body should run parallel with one another in their holy
actings till this mortal shall have put on immortality Fourthly There is a want of an absolute nothingness in the Soul in the precious holy actings of the Soul That vile principle of Self-confidence is so firmly rooted in our natures that when the sanctifying Spirit of Jesus Christ hath had a blessed work upon the unholy heart yet then the bitter root of Self-confidence will be sending forth some cursed sprigs be will sprouting forth in some unholy actings even in the midst of the Souls actings the Soul being never perfectly and absolutely nothing in himself in his holy actings Thence you may observe from your experience an infinite difficulty that you find after great enlargements of heart in a holy duty then to think no better of your selves for the duty It must be a mighty power of the spirit that must draw forth from a Soul at such a time that voice in sincerity saying not I but the grace of God that was in me Now that Light that discovers unto a believing Soul those unholinesses of his whereof the believing Soul is constantly guilty in some degree in all his holy actings is an unseparable attendant upon the Spirit of Light evidencing to the Soul its union with the Lord Jesus There is only the light of the Lords Love in Christ to the worthless nothing-like Soul that discovers the want of pure Love in the Souls actings of holiness It is the vision of the Lords Love unto the Soul that excites and stirs up actings of Love in the Soul unto God So likewise the vision of the Lords Love in Christ unto the Soul enables the Soul to discern the want of pure perfect Love in his Soul unto God It is then when a Soul sees that Love of God in Christ unto his unlovely unspeakable soul that he apprehends deeply that the most superlative actings of his Love are due from him unto God again and then doth the Soul discern the great evil of the imperfection of the actings of his own Love so as to answer the actings of the Lords will out of pure Love only Thence it is when the Spirit of Jesus Christ doth evidence unto it his union with Christ then any slavish workings of fear are tedious and burdensom unto the Soul whereas before the Soul thought those actings of fear if they brought sorth but some Tears to be precious actings but now it loaths them So likewise it is only the Light of the Lords Love in Jesus Christ to the worthless soul that discovers clearly the want of freedom and liberty in the heart in its holy actings Then indeed the soul groans not only for the want of his heart answering the Lords will in obedience and so for want of holy actings but he groans under the want of freedom of spirit in those holy actings also So likewise the want of perfect rest and complacency of the Soul in his holy actings is made manifest only through the light of the glorious Love of the Lord in Jesus Christ to the loveless Soul No Soul can discern matter wherein he may take up a fulness of rest only in obedience to the Lords will till he discerns God as he is in Jesus Christ to his unlovely Soul and therefore the want of the Souls fulness of contentment in the actings of holiness can never be made clearly manifest till the light of the Lords love in Jesus Christ shines upon it yea the lively beauty excellency and glory that is in the bare fulfilling of the Lords holy will only shines clearly to the Soul through the light of the Lords love in Jesus Christ Yea the want of an absolute nothingness in himself in his holy actings is made apparent to the Soul through the light of the Lords Love in Jesus Christ shining upon him Never can a Soul apprehend that all that he is and all that the powers and possibilities of his Soul can perform and infinitely more is due from his Soul unto God till the glorious light of the Lords love in Christ shine upon him It is only when the light of that love shines that the heart says in sincerity to it self what thinkest thou O my heart is due to thee though now thou hast been enlarged by the assistance of the Spirit of Christ in this holy duty Art not an unprofitable Servant not having given to the Lord the hundred thousandth part what thou dost owe to him IV. When the Spirit evidenceth unto any Soul his union with the Lord Jesus sensible free acknowledgements of an infinite disproportion in the most holy actings of the Soul to the Lords holy blessed will are necessarily drawn forth in regard the unholiness that constantly attends in some degree the actings of holiness in Souls are at the same time most cross and opposite to the Souls desires The desires of the soul being but the reachings forth of love and the highest actings of love being the necessary effect of those highest discoveries of the Lords love to the soul thence necessarily the highest desires of the soul are raised to a superlative height after fulness of unity and perfect communion with God in Christ when the spirit evidenceth to the soul his union with Jesus Christ V. When the spirit evidenceth to the soul its union with Christ the spiritual sense of the soul is then most lively The spirit of Jesus Christ being constantly a quickening spirit where he is a comforting spirit the soul being filled with comfort cannot but be filled with life and when the soul is filled with life sense is also lively so that thence the soul at that time is most sensible of his own unholiness and thence necessarily is constrained to acknowledge sensibly the disagreement of his will in his most holy actings to the Lords most holy blessed will 2. The spirit evidencing to any soul its union with the Lord Jesus doth certainly draw forth free declarations from the soul that the least transgression of the Lords blessed will is just occasion of incensing the wrath of God infinitely and eternally against the soul and just occasion of unspeakable perplexipy and grief to the soul So that through this a soul declares that blessed will of God to be so absolutely so perfectly holy that the least opposing of that blessed will might justly deprive him of acceptance Thus you may observe when the spirit of Jesus Christ stirred up the heart of the Church to precious believing Acts Lament 3.22 23 24. then did the same spirit draw from their mouths sensible declarations that the least of their transgressions did justly expose them to the everlasting burning to be consumed in the fire of the Lords Indignation then she cries out It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fails not So likewise in Psal 130.3 when the heart of the Psalmist was up in believing actings then saith he If thou shouldest mark iniquity who shall stand The least iniquity that remains in the most sanctified souls
of his holiness Secondly This is the reason why the sins of those that are united to Jesus Christ do stir up the displeasure of God in a superlative manner though his displeasure works but in a fatherly manner against their Persons because by their sins the glory of his holiness is ecclipsed they profess God not to be so absolutely holy but a Soul may have fellowship with God and yet be unholy and this casts a black cloud upon the Lords perfect holiness Hence it is that the Lord complained so bitterly against the chosen Nation of the Jews when they walked unholy and unsutably because they caused his name to be polluted among the Heathen Ezek. 36.21 22 23. Thence the displeasure of God was incensed so high against the holy man David because of his unworthy walking 2. Sam. 12.14 Thou hast caused the enemies of God to blaspheme that is to speak against God to have unworthy thoughts of God and thence it is that the Lord testifies an higher degree of abhorrence of his Peoples sins than he doth of the sins of those that are not joyned to him and remitted into union with him in Christ thence the Lord commands the Apostle to profess more displeasure against the sins of them that profess themselves to be one with God then against the sins of any other 1. Cor. 5.9 10 11. If any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eat It is not meant eating at the Lords Table but to sit down in a civil way of eating at the Table with him he vails Gods glory and professesâ—â— God is not so absolutely pure but he can behold iniquity or not so absolutely holy but there may be communion with him and yet be unholy Thirdly This is the reason that Souls enjoying the evidence of their union with Christ declares such ardent desires after and such a constant necessity of attending upon the Lords appointments for communion because hereby they declare that converse and communion with God doth necessarily make a Soul partaker of his holiness And it is from hence that Souls are always longing and breathing after communion with God through his ordinances that they might be partakers of his holiness so it is through the manifestation of those breathings after communion with him that their Souls declare practically that still further every degree of communion with God doth make the Soul further partaker of his holiness seeing they declare it is for that end they attend upon the Lord in ordinances and long after ordinances that they might go on to perfect holiness Fourthly This is the reason that the spirit of God doth so vehemently press and urge believing Souls to manifest holiness to walk worthy of God and worthy of their high calling that is in Christ because hereby they declare that communion and converse with God doth necessarily make a Soul partaker of the holiness of God And thence it is that walking holily is call'd a walking holy of their high calling Eph. 4.1 And it is called a walking worthy of God Col. 1.10 Thus the Scripture evidenceth that 〈◊〉 spirits revealing his union with Christ doth necessarily occasion the Soul to declare that the least degree of communion and converse with God doth make a Soul partaker of the holiness of God And likewise even reason it self testifies it 1. In regard the spirits evidencing unto the Soul its union with Jesus Christ gives the Soul such large and sweet experience that communion with God doth make the Soul participate of the holiness of God that thence the Soul cannot but declare what he sees and knows by his own experience When once the spirit of light reveals to the Soul his union with Christ both to faith and sense a Soul is made to discern so clearly such precious dispositions of holiness to be infused from the spirit of Jesus Christ into his heart that thence he hath such undeniable experience that the least vision of the glory of God in Christ the least communion of wills between God and the Soul in Christ doth make the Soul so partake of the holiness of God that the Soul cannot but manifest it upon all occasions practically he cannot but declare it proverbally upon every call he hath to give such a testimony according to that in Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard 2. The spirits evidencing unto a Soul his union with Christ gives the Soul such affecting experiences of the sanctifying vertue of communion with God that the heart is even fired with affection and thence it cannot but declare the glorious sanctifying-vertue in communion with God in Christ The soul receiving light from the spirit of light to declare to his union with Christ doth not only enjoy the experience of the vertue of communion but at that time that experience so takes and ravishes the heart stirs up such rapture of love and delight in those acts of holiness that thence fire may as soon keep in the Bosom and the Cloaths not smell as Solomon speaks aâ— the experience that the soul enjoys be kept close unrevealed 3. The spirits evidencing unto any soul his union with Christ begets such ardent such superlative actings of love towards the honour of God and such an high degree of abhorrence of all dishonour unto God that thence the manifestation of the absolute perfection of holiness that dwells in God by declaring that the least communion with him makes a soul holy doth necessarily grow in that soul It is the great Maxim of the Covenant that the vision of the Lords love to the soul begets love in the soul to God again so that then the glorious testimony of the Lords Love in Christ in admission of the soul into union with Christ cannot but raise the highest actings of love to God in the soul and those actings of love towards God do and will take the honour and glory of God for their object as well as any other attribute that can be conceived in God 4. The spirits evidence unto any soul of his union with Christ doth cause all the engagements that are laid by God upon a believing soul to exalt the name of God in his holiness to return upon the Soul with power and irresistible strength There is indeed constantly some degree of sense in every believing soul of infinite engagements laid by God upon him to oblige and engage him to exalt God in his holiness but those engagements are weaker or stronger according to the clearness or darkness of the spirits evidence to the Soul of its union with Christ And those engagements that the Soul apprehends to be laid upon him to exalt God in his holiness are also actually brought to the souls remembrance and prest upon the Soul according to the frequency of the spirits giving actual evidence unto the Soul of his union with
Christ So that then only when the Spirit doth actually evidence unto the Soul with most clearness and perspecuity its union with Christ then do all the engagements that believing Souls apprehend that God have said upon them to bind them to exalt God in his holiness come upon them with power and force so as a constraint comes upon the spirit the Soul being drawn as it were by cords to study and exalt the name of God in his holiness As for instance First when the spirit evidenceth to the Soul his union with Christ the Soul is actually at that time sensible that he was chosen from eternity to be a vessel of honour into whom the holiness of God should be poured that the glory of the Lords holiness might appear So that then the Soul stands strongly bent through the strength of this engagement God hath laid upon him to lift up the name of God in his holiness and to make the holiness of the name of God appear Secondly When the spirit evidenceth to the Soul his union with Christ the Soul is actually sensibl◠that the Lord hath created him anew for that ver end that he might glorifie the Lord in his holiness According to that in Eph. 2.10 We are all his workmanship created unto good works that is created unto holiness to fruits of holiness and so consequently to the manifestation of the glory of the Lords holiness Thirdly When the spirit manifests unto the soul his union with Christ it is actually sensible that the very end of God in the communication of any of his holiness unto him is the manifestation of the glory of his holiness through the Soul Thus then in regard the spirits evidence of a souls union with Christ doth occasion a being actually sensible of deep engagements laid upon him by God to be exalting him in his holiness thence the spirits evidence doth necessarily occasion the Soul to declare that the least degree of communion with God doth make it to participate in some degree of the Lords holiness So that it is evident both from Scripture and Reason that this third Testimony concerning the absolute perfection of the Lords holiness whereby he is exalted through any Soul is the necessary certain infallible effect of the spirits evidencing to any soul his union with the Lord Jesus 4. The fourth way whereby God is exalted through the Soul by bearing witness to the perfection of his holiness is this when a Soul doth declare that a perfection of conformity to the Lords blessed will in every thing ought to be the only satisfying object of the desires of any Soul Now even this precious God magnyfying act of a believing Soul is also the necessary effect of the spirits evidencing to any soul its union with Christ Thus you shall observe that the spirit of Jesus Christ produced this blessed effect in Paul's heart to whom the spirit did vouchsafe the clearest revelation and most Soul-ravishing Testimony of his union with Jesus Christ Phil. 3.12 13 14. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things that are before I press towards the mark of the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Here are four or five things the Apostle testifies to be the practice of his own Soul for the exalting of the Lord in his holiness and so consequently testifies it to be the effect of the spirit of Jesus Christ in any believing Soul to whom he reveals his union with Christ First He testifies his estimation of himself that he doth account himself as yet to be altogether imperfect unholy I count not my self to have apprehended he testifies that the power and vertue of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not yet fully made manifest in his Soul that is the sin mortifying vertue of the death of Jesus Christ the quickening and enlivening vertue of the resurrection of Christ is not yet fully attained to in his Soul Secondly He testifies that the only end upon which the eye of his Soul was fixed was ' a perfect conformity unto Christ The fulness of an experimental knowledge of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as he tells you ver 12. he follows after that he may apprehend that for which also he was apprehended of Jesus Christ and also he tells us ver 14. he pressed forward towards the mark and ver 10 that the only end of his was to know Christ that is to know him experimentally in the vertue of his death and the power of his resurrection having the sense of the glory vertue and power of his death and resurrection in his own spirit so that herein he testifies that his Soul stands resolved to be satisfyed with no degree of holiness and therein by consequence testifies that nothing but the fulness of likeness to Jesus Christ shall ever satisfie Thirdly he testifies that all his labours and endeavours after this experience of all the vertue of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are acounted by him as nothing I forget saith he those things that are behind ver 13. not that his Soul was forgetful of those precious experiences that the Lord hath given him of the death of Christ in killing his sin and the power of Christ in enlivening his Soul but he minded not all the degree of the 〈◊〉 of the death and resurrection of Christ that his Soul was partaker of so as to please himself with thoughts that he had attained to what he was commanded he minded them not so as to satisfie himself with that measure though questionless the measure was very large seeing he testifies often that he was more than a Conqueror over all the powers of sin and that he was able to do all things through Christ strengthening of him and that he was ready to abound and ready to want his heart being disposed in a holy temper in all condition ready to sanctifie God in all his providences yet saith he I forget all those that is I do not so remember them as to satisfie my self that I had attained so much The whole form of the expression is but an allusion to Runners in a Race that never look how many paces of ground they have passed over so as to hinder them from running to the mark but they keep their eye singly fixed upon the mark that they are to attain to so saith he forget the things that are behind Fourthly He testifies that the strenght of all his affections the whole intention of his soul is bent towards the attaining the fulness of the experience of the vertue and power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this he testifies ver 13. reaching sorth unto those things that are before breathing forth still in a metaphorical way he alludes to Runin a Race that run without stretched arms reaching forth towards the mark the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza renders contending
with the strength of my Soul after the things before after the height of the vertue of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that is the experimental knowledge of the vertue of his death and resurrection that is to say the full communion with Christ in his holiness Fifthly He testifies that he passeth over or leaps over all difficulties all impediments and hindrances in his striving after this perfect conformity to Jesus Christ in his Death and Resurrection which is also contained in that he doth profess towards the mark he doth thrust through all troops of impediments that stand to oppose him in his way and with all the powers and possibilities of his soul extended makes the persuit after the full experience of the vertue of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Yea likewise he hears witness that every sincere believing soul ought to walk according to this rule to be thus minded ver 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded That is let us thus count of our selves to be infinitely short of that which ought only to satisfie our souls whatever degree of holiness we have apprehended and let us fix our eyes singly and constantly upon the perfect holiness that souls attain to through Communion with Christ in his Death and Resurrection and let us forget all our labours and endeavours and all the degrees of holiness that we have attainted to so as not to satisfy our selves in that measure and degree and let us stretch out our Arms after full Communion with Jesus Christ and let us pass over all difficulties pressing towards the mark the fulness of Conformity to the Lords will which the Lord hath determined to bring beleivers to through Communion with Jesus Christ their Mediatour in his Death and Resurrection Likewise the Apostle John testifies as much in 1 John 3.3 Every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Mark what hope he speaks of The second verse tells you saith he we are the Sons of God and we know that when Christ appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is So that the hope that he speaks of is the hope of Adoption the hope of their union with Christ the first-born of all the Elect ones and the hope of their perfect Union and Communion with Jesus Christ in the highest Heavens Now mark what the effect of this hope is Those that have received this hope infused from the spirit of Jesus Christ it occasions the souls to purify themselves as Jesus Christ is pure that is all one as God the Father is pure Christ being but the express image of his Father The Apostle means not that actually any soul having such an evidence of his union with Christ from the spirit as produceth that blessed hope in him is actually purified according to purification of purity that is in Christ But he means that the soul into whom this hope of his union with Christ is infused doth desire breath after long for endeavour with all the intentions of his soul the same purity that is in Jesus Christ satisfying his soul with no degree no measure less then the fulness of likeness unto Jesus Christ himself Likewise it is evident that the spirit revealing unto any soul his union with Christ doth occasion the soul to declare that a conformity to the will of God is the only satisfying object of the desires of any soul in regard the spirit of Christ makes the promises of union and Communion with God in Christ to be the motive unto perfection of holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 Now if the very propounding of the promise be that which excites an heart unto perfect holiness perfect Conformity to the Lords will then much more must the sense of the souls interest of Union and Communion with God in Christ necessarily constrain a soul to pursue with all his strength after perfection of conformity to the Lords will and to declare that no less then Conformity to the Lords will perfectly ought to satisfie the desires of any soul And likewise it might be evident from the very prayer of the Apostle that he always made for believing souls which was for their perfect Conformity to the Lords will 1 Thes 5.23 Now the very God of Peaee sanctify you wholly in Spirit Soul and Body And he prays that they might be filled with the fulness of God Eph. 4.19 And as Scripture thus Testifies that God is thus exalted in his holiness in any soul to whom the spirit doth reveal its union with Jesus Christ by that souls declaring that a Conformity to the Lords will perfectly ought only to satisfy the desires of any soul So likewise the experience of souls receiving the evidence from the spirit of their union with Christ bears Witness of the same I. Hence it is that those souls that injoy the Evidences of ther union with Christ are unsatisfyed with their most holy duties and acts of purest Obedience to the Lords blessed will So that souls injoying their union with Christ are always complaining of Imperfections and wants in their most holy actings And 1. Hence it is that we shall hear constantly those pretious souls complain with much Bitterness of the narrowness and straitness of the working of their wills in Conformity to the Lords Will. 2. You shall hear them always complaining when Assisted most mightily by the spirit of Christ of their want of singleness of Simplicity of heart in their wills conforming to the Lords will 3. They are constantly complaining of the want of liberty of spirit in the compliance of their wills with the Lords blessed will This David Intimates when cries out 51.12 Restore to me the Joy of thy Salvation and Establish me with thy free Spirit He Apprehended his spirit to be much under Bondage and Thraldom and with much earnestness he desires Communion with God again 4. Hence those souls are always sadly complaining in their acts of purest obedience of their want of fixedness and stability of the workings of the disposition of their wills to comply with Gods will 5. You shall hear them complain of the Weakness and Imperfection of the inward acts of the most pure Obedience that their souls render of the Imperfection of their desires in prayer even when they are drawn out by a mighty power from the spirit of Christ II. It is from hence also that souls injoying the evidence of their union with the Lord Jesus are perpetually groaning after a fuller measure of the sanctifying spirit of Jesus Christ in what measure soever the sanctifying spirit is poured out upon them Thus David often in the 119. Psalm begs for quickening which in a word is but this Lord send down more of the spirit of Life and Holiness from the Lord Jesus Yea this you may observe from the workings of the spirit of the great Apostle Paul Rom 7. how his soul groans after a larger portion of the sanctifying
Christ did ever engrave that great Maxim in your hearts that nothing ought to satisfie your souls but a full conformity to the Lords will that thence you have ever since been enquiring and making diligent search to find out the hidden iniquities of your own hearts Do not many of your Consciences attest this before the Lord that it was never made your work one moment to search what iniquity was in your hearts undiscovered 4. Was ever your spirit so caused to apprehend that nothing ought to satsfie your souls but a perfect conformity to the Lords will by your apprehension of your being saved by Christ that thence you have appealed to the Lord to be the trier and examiner of your rotten deceitful hearts to find out your Iniquities for you that your wills might be brought into a more precious conformity to his blessed will Did ever your souls breath forth one such request before the Lord to this day Nay let me ask you whether you durst now in the presence of the heart-searching God come to say Lord search me try me see if there be any way of wickedness in me If so then how far are you from receiving the true evidence whose descent is from heaven whose Father is God that evidence that proceeds from the spirit of Christ of our union with Christ and salvation by him 5. Did ever your apprehensions of your salvation by Christ so confirm in your Souls that great Gospel-Truth that the Lords blessed will ought to have the most absolute perfect subjection from the will of any soul that thence your Souls have delighted and taken contentment in the light of the Lords precious Truth revealing the Lords will to you and revealing the disagreement of your own wills to the Lords will Are not your souls to this day so far from delighting in the discovery of the Lords will to your souls as your spirits loath and hate those blessed discoveries of the Lords will to you and your hearts inwardly bulk and swell against the discoveries of the Lords will that you have hard thoughts and think if God require such holiness such praying such watching over the heart words and thoughts this is a hard Master indeed to require such strictness as no holy heart can observe and answer How then can you say confidently that you shall be saved by Christ when your apprehensions of salvation by Christ cannot testifie in the least degree from this effect of the causing the Name of God to be exalted through you that the descent is from God 6. Lastly Examine whether your apprehension of being saved by Christ begat such a principle in you that nothing could satisfie you but a perfect conformity of your wills to the will of Christ that your hearts have groaned after a dissolution after the time of breaking the corrupt union between Body and Soul that you might no longer be detained under corruption and a necessity of sinning that you might no longer have your wills opposite to the Lords will Alas do not your souls answer that such a time of dissolution is rather a time of horrour to your souls Do not your hearts answer that want of unity to the Lords will is so little burdensom to you that could you dwell in your corrupt bodies it would be accounted happiness to enjoy the pleasures of sin for ever rather than that perfect union and communion with God in Christ If your hearts answer any of these things I beseech you see how far you are from being able to prove to your own souls that the apprehension of your salvation by Christ did descend from God Questionless did they proceed from God they would cause the Name of God and his Holiness to be exalted through you they would cause your souls to bear record to the glory of the Lords holiness do testifie that such a perfection of holiness dwells in God that his will ought to be the Rule for the conforming of the will of every Soul FINIS ERRATA Pag. 6. l. 29. read dependance p. 38. l. 1. for in r. of p. 44. l. 12. r. knowledge p. 83. l. 21. r. but promises p. 87. l. 3. for it r. them p. 93. l. 17. for of r. to p. 94. l. 26. for proceeding r. preceding p. 121. l. 17. for Union to r. Evidences to p. 174. l. 2. for into r. upon p. 188 l. 31. r. receive him p. 189. l. 19. r. make them p. 115. l. 30. r. have one p. 121. l. 32. r. or joynt p. 129. l. 33. r. to recieve p. 132. l. 26. r. in every p. 146. l. 27. dele to p. 160. l. 22. r. of that l. 25. for af r. after p. 193. l. 26. for Lord. r. old p. 205. l. 16. for to r. in p. 213. l. 33. r. fruitfulness p. 241. l. 12. r. glorious subject p. 244. l. 12. 14. 16. for imputed r. reputed p. 259. l. 6. r. Hebr. 4 15. p. 263. l. 32. for perection r. perfection p. 265. l. 28. r. to discern p. 268. l. 12. for to any r. by any p. 284. l. 33. r. superabundance p. 292. l. 17. r. name p. 311. l. 9. r. Rev. 1.6 p. 330. l. 15. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 20. r. he nearer p. 331. l. 18. 19. for Ministers r. miseries p. 350. l. 15. for into r. in p. 352. l. 13. dele of p. 354. l. 1. r. discovered p. 381. for be r. believer to p. 393. l. 7. for there are r. three or p 394. l. 12. r. chiefly jealous p. 395. l. 24. for less r. left p. 39â— l. 5. r. inextricable l. 27. for Lord. r. Soul p. 399. l. 8. for edifie r. excite p. 401. l. 27. for to r. that p. 407. l. 33. r. a believing soul p. 410. l. 12. for fahen r. fallen p. 415. l. 7. r. compass l. 31. for fafly r. falsely p. 417. l. 22. for charge r. chang p 422. l. 12. for also r. able l. 32. dele that p. 423. l. 16. for declare r. compare l. 22. for act r. art dele into p. 428. l. 17. for for r. of l. 18. for so r. for p. 4â—9 l. 22. for poor r. pure p. 430. l. 21. for abstrenuous r. obstreperous p. 441. l. 20. for them r. view p. 432. l. 2. after to add make p. 445. l. 10. after admission add into Vnion p. 448. l. 7. for Confusions r. Conclusions p. 449. l. 7. r. easy l. 31. r. view of p. 450. l. 8. for safe r. false l. 13. for Contradiction r. conclusion l. 27. for but. r and. l. 26. for shalt r. hast l. 30. for God r. good p. 451. l. 35. for of r. into p. 452. l. 30. for dust r. dost l. 34. for them r. the. p. 454. l. 26 r. evidences p. 455 l. 12. 13. r. suspend p. 456. l. 31. for hath r. have p. 460. l. 25. for Lord. r. soul p. 464. l. 5. r. excluded l. 7. r. I beseech l. 28. r. blessed p. 170. l. 16. r. really from God l. 17. for slow r. flow p. 471. l. 15. for then r. when l. 19. r. work in l. 20. r. only then p 476. l. 20. for sealed r. are ceased p. 477. l. 29. for from r. for p. 482 l. 9. for will r. would p. 486. l. 20. for their r. the. p. 488. l. 15. foâ— is r. are so p. 400. l. 10. p. 492. l. 10. p. 494. l. 5. p 462. l. 16. dele in l. 32. for doth r. do p 496. l. 15. r. union l. 32. r. necessarily p. 50â— l. 15. for was r. i as l. 28. for his r their
to crediting what God propounds by these means 1. The spirits represents the expressions of the Lords love to the soul in the latitude and fulness of them It makes it appear to be so full so compleat and perfect a love as there is not the least imaginable cause of jealousie And surely this is the very intention of the Spirit of God in so often heaping up expressions upon expressions in setting out the love of God in Christ the Spirit of God doth even rise to the highest kind of expressions that is possible in this way for this end seldom names the grace of God that is to say the love of God but he calls it riches of grace nay abundant riches and the exceeding riches of his grace 2. The Spirit in this case reveals the Lords strong confirmation of all those expressions of his love The Spirit reveals how the Lord hath bound himself to the performance of all those expressions of love in the latitude and fulness of them to every Iota and point to the least tittle 1. The Spirit reveals the Lords promise of faithfulness in the expression of his love Then in Hos 2.19 God tells the Church I will betroth thee unto my self in righteousness and judgment and in loving kindness and in mercies 2. The Spirit reveals the Lords confirmation of it by his own hand writing All the Scriptures are given as the hand writing of himself only for the manifestation of the sincerity and integrity of the heart of God in the love he intends to Souls The very end of writing all the Scriptures is primarily to draw Souls to believe and secondarily to believe gradually more and more to perfection till they come to this full assurance of Faith The whole Scriptures of the Lord and New Testament are but one blessed letter of love sent from heaven by God written by the blessed Secretary of heaven the blessed Spirit of God The Inscription is nothing else but this My love to poor loveless rebellious souls through my dearly beloved Son the Lord Jesus The whole matter is nothing else but this Come in and embrace my love 3. The Spirit reaveals that the Lord hath added his oath to it Heb. 6.17 And this he doth that the soul may receive the strongest consolation from the Lords intentions in the reality of his love 4. The Spirit reveals the Lord hath confirmed it by Witnesses 1 John 5.7 8 9. The glorious Trinity the three persons in one Essence they are Witnesses to it Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are Witnesses in Heaven and the Water and Blood are Witnesses on Earth 5. The Spirit reveals that the Lord hath confirmed it by Seals The common broad Seals I mean the Sacraments that are outward Witnessing signs or Confirming signs of the Lords intentions of love to Souls in the Lord Jesus What is the Lords Supper but a meer confirming sign to confirm the Soul in believing the Faithfulness of God and his loving Souls in Jesus Christ To witness to the Soul thus much that as surely as he seeth the Bread broken as he seeth the Wine poured out so surely did the glorious God of Heaven and Earth send the Dearly Beloved of his own Soul cloathed with an humane nature to have his Body broken and his Blood poured out that thereby there might be an union with himself for such a rebellious Soul Nay the Lord hath given his privy Signet which is the Seal of his own Spirit that his Spirit should assuredly Witness and Seal up unto Souls his love in receiving them into Union with the Lord Jesus 3. The Spirit reveals the nature of God himself to the soul It is not the knowledge of what God hath said but the knowledge of what God is in himself that causeth the soul to trust in him Psal 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee That is they that know the Lord indeed while the nature of God is unknown unbelief of necessity bares rule in every Soul 4. The Spirit of God reveals the Lords removal of all causes of suspition or Jealousie whatever concerning the Lords faithfulness and love There are but two general grounds of Jealousie First Some experience of the unfaithfulness of God Now the Spirit hath prevented the least imaginary ground this way in regard the Lord hath never failed in performing to the uttermost all the love he expressed hitherto Secondly The second ground of Jealousie must be some fear of the Lords taking dislike of the Soul because of the Souls unfaithfulness to God Now the Spirit of God reveals to the Soul the Lords removal of all grounds of suspition by shewing the Lord intends not to take any mislike from loving of souls whatever imaginary wickedness the Soul should commit against him That is the Spirit reveals the Lords declaration of passing by the treachery and filthiness of the Soul or remembring its iniquity no more That is the Spirit reveals the Lords constant acceptance of Souls after treachery without respect to the treachery to diminish his love for it Jer. 3.1 5. And lastly The Spirit of God reveals the Lords pressing urgent perswasions invitations and commands to a fulness of confidence of all the love to poor Souls that he hath expressed to them Thereupon the Spirit comes to argue thus Wilt thou not trust the Lord that knows his own love and compassions best of all He alone knows himself and thou art not able to comprehend him The light that thou hast is but a small spark saith the Spirit of God to that great light that dwels in him and wilt thou trust to thine own spark of light rather then to the fountain of light Hereby in all these ways the Spirit of God removes this Jealous Distemper plucks out this Beam from the Souls Eyes and brings the Soul into a precious believing frame This is the First part of the Fourth Distemper that the Spirit of God must remove and that is the Jealousie of God There is a second Branch of this Jealousie or a second way how this Distemper of Jealousie works and that is as it works towards the Souls own heart The Devil endeavours to make the Soul Jealous of his own heart and would have him suspect that his own wicked heart cannot receive the will of God rightly and to make it fear it should close falsly if it should think of receiving the blessed will of God This Distemper of Jealousie is hardly healed because it hath so strong a hold it comes under the shape of Godliness It hath a pretence of the greatest sincerity and integrity that is possible it tells the Soul it is a sign of sincerity to be jealous of its own deceitfulness it tells the Soul it were a sign of presumption if it were not jealous This Distemper we shall endeavour to discover and for the clearing of it you must conceive that I do not condemn all jealousie in a Soul There are divers kindes of Jealousie that the
view of the evidences of his union 2. Impatiency of Spirit under the doubtfulness of the truth of the souls evidence of his union with Christ doth occasion every seeming opposition to the truth of the souls evidences to appear greater than it is in its own nature Thence it is frequent with souls under this distemper every suggestion from Hell bears such weight upon the Spirit as it is in a fume upon every such suggestion conceiving there is abundant argument against the truth of his union whereas upon the examination of the same objection by the same soul with a quiet calm spirit those objections appear to be invalid to have no weight nor scarce any colour whereby they should manifest the falseness of the Souls evidence of his union II. The second sinful distemper is an irrationality that the Soul subjects it self to in all the conclusions that it draws up against it self Now whenever a believing Soul subjects himself to this sinful distemper that he endeavours not to suppress every affection of Hope Fear or Joy which is not founded upon some blessed word of God then the Soul doth make it self uncapable of examining and trying justly the truth of his own evidences of his Union 1. In regard the Soul will of necessity be irrational in all its conclusions But when the Soul is irrational in its confusions it is uncapable of a just trial of the evidences of his union it is uncapable of comparing that blessed golden Rule of the Lord word and his own evidences together 2. In regard the thoughts of the Soul are all distracted when any thing is brought to the thoughts for the truth of his union that Soul without examination immediately entertains some hopes Again when any thing is objected to the Soul to prove the falseness of his evidence immediately again the soul entertains fears without examining the reality of what is objected against his evidence and those hopes and fears continuing enterchangeably working make such distraction in the souls thoughts that it makes it uncapable for any deliberate view of the evidences of his union 3. The third sinful distemper is a rashness hastiness or suddenness of spirit Thus some doubting of the truth of their former evidences of their union with the Lord Jesus because of some backsliding from God that they are conscious to themselves of will suddenly from such a place as that Heb. 6.4 concludes that they have sinned presumptuously and that there is no renewing them again by Repentance or unto Repentance The words run thus For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gifts and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to renew them again unto Repentance whereas did those Souls examine the intent of the Holy Ghost in these words it were easily to discern that the Holy Ghost intend those who finally apostatize from God not intending any slips and falls and backslidings that are incident to every believing Soul were there but a just examination of this portion of the word by collecting it and comparing with another word that would testify many Saints to have had their fallings and backslidings after their tasting of the heavenly gifts and after their being partakers of the Holy Ghost â—…ly in a higher way than the Spirit means here he mean here by partaking of the Holy Ghost only some participation of common gifts of the Spirit other Scriptures testify David and Abram to have had their falls yea almost every Saint after their tasting of the heavenly gift and yet to be renewed again by Repentance Now this distemper doth make the soul uncapable of a just examination of the truth of the evidence of his union with Christ 2 ways I. In regard this rashness makes the Soul uncapable of discerning the depths of Satan whereby he endeavours to obscure the truth of every Believers evidence of his union with Christ This sinful rashness occasions the Soul only to take a superficial of whatever is suggested or propounded Now Satans Suggestions have some sparkling of Angelical Glory some vernish of truth and holiness so that every suggestion of Hell whilst the distemper of rashness prevails in the soul cannot but be judged a sufficient ground to build a doubt and scruple upon and then Satan being always watchful to maintain a dispute that he once began with the Soul to make reply against whatever can be objected against his first suggestion every of these objections of Satan they will be counted sufficient ground for the rash Soul to draw another safe conclusion or to strengthen the Soul in the drawing its former false conclusion 2. This rashness also begets a confusion in the Soul the soul drawing conclusion upon conclusion upon every seeming ground and one conclusion maintains contradicting another a contradition of hope contradicting a conclusion of fear and there being no examination through the domineering power of rashness in the Soul of the truth of the one and the falseness of the other these conclusions begin to fight in nhe Soul at once yea multitudes of conclusions seem contrary each to other 4. The Fourth distemper that doth incapacitate a Soul for the just tryal of the truth of his own evidence is a prejudicial conceit against his own evidences even before any examination of the truth of the evidences of his union This is the sad distemper that prevailed in Asaph Psal 77.2 my Soul refused to be comforted he did refuse to receive any evidence that the Lord would be faithful But certainly this was the distemper of the Church Lamen 3.17 18. Thou hast remove my Soul far off from peace I forgot prosperity or rather as it is rendred by some I forgot God it is most probable she refused to entertain any of those thoughts that the Lord would yet be gracious Hence it is that many Souls under the Power of this distemper do study to wind themselves from under the Power of any truth that should lay hold upon their hearts so as to answer their objections and cavils against their acceptance into union with the Lord Jesus Now this Distemper doth make Souls uncapable while it prevail of a just examination of the truth of their own exidences in regard it causeth slighty unworthy thoughts of their own union Pre. 4. Fourthly it is to be considered that whenever any Soul is declined from or decayed in his former activity and operation of holiness he is then unsutable to examine and to try justly the truth of his own evidence of his union with Christ He is unsutable in these five respects 1. In regard the light of manifestation from the spirit is always suspended when the heart is in this decaying temper in holiness When ever any heart decay in holiness his first original decay is in the activity and strength of the precious believing disposition of the will