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A12182 Evangelicall sacrifices In xix. sermons. I. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the papists powder-plot. 2. The successefull seeker. 3. Faith triumphant. 4. Speciall preparations to fit us for our latter end in foure funerall sermons. 5. The faithfull covenanter. 6. The demand of a good conscience. 7. The sword of the wicked. By the late learned and reverend divine, Rich. Sibbs. Doctor in Divinity, Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher to the honourable society of Grayes-Inne. The third tome. Published and perused by D. Sibbs owne appointment, subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect copies after his decease. Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635. 1640 (1640) STC 22491; ESTC S117285 286,033 622

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lookes scornefully upon the things of conscience and of the spirit only the spirit of God brings the proud heart of man to be subject to the word of God Nothing that is not spirituall w●…ll hold out Whatsoever is not spirituall Christ will not owne at the day of judgment I●… the spirit seale 〈◊〉 and set a stampe upon us Christ will looke on his owne stamp of the spirit where the 〈◊〉 fr●…its are not the harvest will not so low The spirit is an earnest where the earnest is not the barg●…ine will not follow I beseech you let us labour for the spirit in the use of all meanes let us ●…ttend upon the word which is the ministery of the spirit and wee shall find that the spirit will alter and change us and shew us our interest in the promises and the goodnesse of them 〈◊〉 more we a ●…end upon the means the more 〈◊〉 shall see it and the more we pray the mo●… 〈◊〉 shall have the spirit and the more wee ob●… God the more we shall have the spirit of Go●… God gives his spirit to them that obey him And this should reach us when we come 〈◊〉 heare or to read the word of God Lo●… pen mine eyes LORD penswade my 〈◊〉 LORD bow the necke of my soule 〈◊〉 my inward man that Iron sinew Lord 〈◊〉 away my hard heart and give mee a 〈◊〉 ●…sh teach my heart thou must perswade 〈◊〉 incline me incline my heart Lord. Wee wa●… religious carriage in this 〈◊〉 come presumptuously upon con●… 〈◊〉 wit to heare Se●…ons and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so wee come away worse than wee 〈◊〉 Why w●… do●… not 〈◊〉 too Go●… 〈◊〉 swa●… us They ●…ere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Man●… here 〈◊〉 he opens ●…he eyes and 〈◊〉 hee perswades God perswades the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Vlcar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…wade by darknesse by maintaining 〈◊〉 ●…ome of darknesse The Devill all 〈◊〉 shewes no reason he keepes the soule 〈◊〉 ●…esse and blindnesse Anti christ pe●… 〈◊〉 men to their religion how by fleshly allure men's not instructing them and opening their eyes inlightning their understandings ●…ut GOD opens their eyes to see and ●…hen teaches and perswades The devils instruments they perswade and so they teach ●…nd draw away they perswade with carnall objects and the like to draw and bewitch the ●…ffections and so the judgment is darke still But where there is true dealing there is no ●…are of the light Therfore those that are enemies to the means of salva●…ion that feare Gods people should know too much they take a course contrary to God for God enlightens and then perswades and knowledge enlightneth so that knowledge is necessary All divine perswasion of faith hath the name of knowledge They were perswaded by the spirit of God of the truth of GOD having their eyes opened It is an evidence we are not perswaded we come to Church and attend upon the means we goe on in a course of sinne wee are not divinely perswaded God hath not perswaded our hearts he hath not enlightned us For if the covetous man were perswaded that neither covetous nor extortioners should enter into the kingdome of heaven would hee not leave that course Light and perswasion alway rule the action for we work as we see and are perswaded in every thing The very beasts do as they see and as sense leads them an Asse beares burthens you know nature hath s●…amed and made him for it but can you drive the silly creature into the fire he knowes that will consume him So that men they are brutish they will not bee perswaded by the spirit of God they runne into courses that if they had light in their soules and if they were perswaded whither it tends they would never runne into hell fire If there were a pit open before a m●…ns eyes would hee plunge himselfe into that pit that were before his eyes A man that lives in sinnes against conscience hee runs into a pit There are no manner of liers of who●… mongers of covetous persons of such wretches as take the name of God in vaine that shall escape unpunished Men leada life in a course wherein they see a pit before them and yet they runne on are they perswaded No no certainely they are not perswaded And so for the meanes of salvation men that care not for hearing the word are they perswaded it is the word of God to salvation they are not perswaded We may know the truth of our perswasion by the power it ha●… to r●…le our lives and conversations What is the reason that a simple man a weake man 〈◊〉 lives Christianly and dies in the faith he lived by when as a great man in conceite in know ledge he lives wickedly and dies worse he cause the one hath not this knowledge of the spirit the spirit of God never opened his eyes the spirit of God never perswaded him hee hath it in bookes and by education and the like There are none that ever hold out but those that have the spirit of God to be their teacher and perswader Wee must see things in their owne proper light the spirit of God hath to deale with the heart God hath only power of that he must deale with the heart we must not trust therefore to education or to outward things If a man should aske the reason of men why doe you leave these courses why doe you doe this good a Christian doth not say I was brought up to this or I cannot doe otherwise but I do it from a principle of the New Creature Let us desire God that we may doe things from reasons of Scripture from reasons of pleasing God that we may doe them from a holy sanctified affection that we may bee perswaded by the spirit and then it will hold out They were perswaded of them And imbraced them They imbraced the promises the good things promised Christs comming in the flesh and Canaan the type of heaven and heaven it selfe though they had not these things yet they imbraced what they had they imbraced the promises That is the nature of faith if it have not that it lookes as it hath not till it come to heaven yet it makes much of that it hath it imbraceth the promises and in the promises the thing it selfe promised Now these things follow one another in a most naturall order for sight brings perswasion sight and conviction brings strong perswasion and perswasion breeds imbracing for we imbrace that in our affections that wee are perswaded of to be good According to the strength of conviction and perswasion is the strength of the affections those things that we have a weake perswasion of we have a weake affection to those things that we are fully perswaded of and are great withall the affections cannot but stretch forth themselves to imbrace them When the understanding was enlightned to see the truth and to be perswaded of
an increase of peace comes You see what a good conscience is here in this place the answer of a good conscience I will not speake largely of it To come a little further to the point How know we that a man hath a good conscience a peaceable good conscience when it is troubled For here is the difficultie a conscience is never so peaceable and gracious but there is a principle of rebellion in us the flesh that casts in doubtings and stirres up objections as indeed our flesh is full of objections against Gods divine truth there be seeds of infidelitie to every promise and of rebellion to every command in the word How shall a man know that hee hath a peaceable good Conscience in the middest of this rebellion Let him looke if the conscience answer God in the middest of opposition and rebellion my flesh and blood saith thus my sins are great and Sathan layes it hard to my charge yet notwithstanding because God hath promised and commanded I cast my selfe upon God Let us aske our owne hearts and consciences what they say to God what is the answere to God Wee see what Iob saith Though he kill me yet I will trust in him flesh and blood would have shewed its part in Iob as if God had neither respected nor loved him yet when Iob recovered himselfe Though hee kill me I will trust in him So a man may know though conscience be somewhat troubled yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience if peace get the upper hand and grace subdue corruption when the conscience so farre as it is enlarged by Gods spirit can check it selfe Why art thou disquieted oh my soule why art thou troubled trust in God trust in God reconciled now in Christ when conscience can lay a charge upon it selfe and check it selfe thus it is a signe that conscience hath made this gracious answer Againe one may know though conscience be troubled somewhat yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience when it alwayes allowes of the truth of God in the inward man Whatsoever the flesh say the word is good the commandement is good the promise is good as St. Paul saith I allow the law of God in my inward man by this a man may know though his peace be somewhat troubled that yet notwithstanding there is the answer of a good conscience Againe when a man can breake out of trouble and such an estate as the Divell weakens our faith by for he useth the troubles of the Church and our owne troubles to shake our faith as if God did not regard us now when conscience can rise out of this as in Psal. 73. Yet God is good to Israel yet my soule keepe silence to the Lord though things seeme to goe contrarie to a man as if God were not reconciled as if he had not part in Christ Yet my soule keepe silence and God is good to Israel This conflict shews that there is a gracious part in the soule and that conscience is a gracious conscience It is said here it is the answer of a good conscience Towards God For conscience indeed hath reference to God and that will answer another question for conscience as it performes holie duties as it is a gracious conscience it lookes to God whether may a man know or how shall he know that he doth things of conscience whether he be in the state of grace and doth things graciously He may for why is conscience set in man but to tell him what he doth with what mind he doth it in what state he is this is a power of the soule which conscience shewes A man may know what estate he is in and whether he performe things graciously or no Now how shall a man know whether he doth things of conscience or no First whatsoever the answer of conscience is it is towards God if a man doe things from reasons of Religion if a man be charitable to his neighbour if he be just and good if it be from reasons of Religion because God commands him this is a good conscience A good conscience respects God and his command What we doe for company or for custome is not from a good conscience A good conscience doth things from God with reasons from God because he commands it it is Gods deputie in our hearts Againe what we doe from a good conscience we doe from the inward man from an inward principle from the inward judgement because we thinke it is so and from an inward affection When we have not a right judgement of what we doe and doe it not out of love and from the inward man we doe it not out of a good conscience what is done out of conscience is done from the inner man Therefore in all our performances let us examine our selves not what we doe but upon what ground we doe it in conscience to God to obey him in all things I cannot dwell upon these things The answer of a good conscience that saves us together with Baptisme when there is the answer of a good conscience then Baptisme seales salvation To come more neere to the answer of a good conscience in Baptisme You will object if the answer of a good conscience in Baptisme doe all and not the outward washing of the body why are Children Baptised then they cannot make the answer of a good conscience I answer the place must be understood of those of yeares of discretion For infants that dye in their infancie we have a double ground of comfort concerning them First they are within the Covenant have they not received the seale of the Covenant which is Baptisme And how-ever they actually answer not the Covenant of grace by actuall beleeving yet they have the seed of beleeving the spirit of God in them and God doth comprehend them by his mercie being not able to comprehend him nay we that are at yeares of discretion are saved by Gods comprehending and imbracing us we are comprehended of him as the Child is of the nurse or of the Mother The Child holds the nurse and the nurse the Child the Child is more safe from falling by the nurse and the Mothers holding of it then by its holding of them Those that are at yeares must claspe and graspe about Christ but Christ holds and comprehends them much more doth God comprehend those that are Children that are not able to comprehend him For those that live to yeares of discretion their Baptisme is anngagement and obligation to them to beleev because they have undertaken by those that answered for them to beleeve when they come to yeares and if when they come to yeares they answer not the Covenant of grace and the answer of a good conscience if they doe not beleeve and renounce Sathan all is frustrate their Baptisme doth them no good if they make not good their Covenant by beleeving and renouncing It is
to seeke Gods face 1 189 Faith Faith in the use of meanes 1 70 Faith said to do that God doth 1 71 Faith enlivens all graces 1 72 Faith strengthened by experience 1 90 Faith to be laboured for 1 94 Faith one from the beginning 1 196 Perseverance in Faith 1 197 Faith carries a Christian through all passages 1 198 To die in faith what 1 199 Faith over comes all that is terrible in death 1 201 Faith the eye of it 1 218 Faith seeth afar off how 1 219 Sight of faith how to help it 1 228 Two branches of faith 1 262 Faith●…w ●…w cherished 2 65 Faith of Christians how shaken 2 218 Faith to be strengthened 2 220 Farre see Faith Favour Favour of God to bee sought first 1 181 Feare How to know God is ours by feare 2 125 Feeling Christians may want feeling 1 207 First-borne Death of the first-borne a great judgment 1 110 Free Freedome in sin a judgment 1 22 Covenant of grace free 2 249 See Will. G Glory Glorious God gets glory by weake meanes 1 68 Why wee shall bee glorious with Christ. 2 19 Wherein that glory shall be 2 21 When the Saints shall be glorified 2 23 To think of the glory to come 2 25 Glory why revealed before-hand 〈◊〉 28 See Body God Two things wherin we are like God 1 144 What it is for God to be our God 2 117 God ours in the covenant of grace 2 120 How to know God is our God 2 121 To labour that God may be our God 2 140 To make use of all in God as ours 2 143 Goodnesse God is willing to bestow his goodnesse 1 143 See Communicative Gospell Punishment of slighting the Gospell 1. 43 Grace see Covenant Guidance Guidance of God to be prayed for 1 24 H Happinesse Wicked men out-live their happines 2 78 Happines of the godly 2 80 Wicked men may know the happinesse of Gods children 2 84 Hatred Affection of hatred due to the beast 1 47 Heaven Heaven the country of a Christian. 1 292 See desire Hid hidden The life of a Christian hidden 2 4 God sometimes hides himselfe 2 223 Hope see Faith I Satans kingdome like the walls of Iericho 1 73 Our corruptions like the walles of Iericho 1 74 Antichrists kingdom like the wals of Iericho 1 75 Meanes to east downe mysticall Iericho 1 78 How to prevent the building of spirituall Iericho 1 80 120 Iericho why not to be built againe 1 106 How men build Iericho againe 1 114 118 Imbrace Faith imbraceth what it hath 1 259 Imbracing followeth perswasion 1 260 What affections imbrace good things 1 272 Imbracing how wrought 1 274 Ioy. Knowing God ours is our joy 2 129 Iudgement see spirituall K Kings The tenne Kings wherein sinfull 1. 28 Knowne knowledge God willing to be known 1 141 Knowledge of our estate sometime suspended 1 238 L Life Christ our life how 2 11 To improve the time of life 2 75 Life 3. degrees of it 2 82 See die hidden soule Love God knowne to be ours by our Love 2 127 M Malice see reproach False confidence over-turned by weake meanes 1 67 See Faith Blessing of Ministers to bee regarded 1 103 Ministers duty 2 176 God the only Monarch 1 26 Good Motions to be cherished 2 99 N 3. Things in man by Nature 1 64 O Quality of obedience 1 160 Obedience sutable to the command 1 164 To know God is ours by our obedience 2 131 God to be sought in his Ordinances 1 186 Men give too much to Outward worship 2 172 Why men are prone to Outward performances 2 174 Papists work their own overthrow 1 53 How to set against Popery 1 87 Popery how it sprung up 1 117 Covenant of grace Peculiar 2 252 Perswasion followes sight 121 Perswasion what 1 233 Perswasion degrees of it 1 235 Perswasion spirituall necessary 1 236 Perswasion particular sometimes weake 1 237 Perswasion how to know it is not supernaturall 2 242 Perswasion wrought by the spirit 1 247 How the spirit doth perswade 1 248 The manner of working perswasion 1 250 A strong worke to perswade the soule 1 251 To labour for spirituall perswasion 1 253 To desire God to perswade us 1 256 Evidences that we are perswaded 1 257 Persons see Curse Pilgrims Difference betweene Pilgrims and strangers 1 289 To resolve to please God 2 141 Power see Truth To know God is ours by our prayer 2 134 Preaching the force of it 1 78 Presence of God how considered 1 171 Things as present affect us 1 218 Promises to alleage them to God 1 167 God deales with men by promises 1 210 Faith lookes to God by the Promises 1 211 Promises oft to be thought on 2 13 Proportion see Punishment Providence see Evill Punishment proportionable to sin 1 109 R Religion disgraced how it affects us 2 132 Reproach the expression of malice 2 216 Not to be cast downe for reproach Ibid. David sensible of reproach 2 228 God doth not reveale all things at all times 1 215 Righteous man who 2 84 S See Sight Things requisite to sight 1 222 Sight of faith necessary 1 223 3. Things in strong sight 1 224 See Faith perswasion Mercies and judgments apprehended in our seed 2 156 To seeke GOD by his strength 1 158 Seeking what it doth implie 1 170 Ground of seeking of God 1 171 See Strength betimes face Sensible see reproach Sentence of Christ unavoydable 1 132 Men must not appoint how to serve God 1 138 Sinne considered in three times 1 17 Soule made for heavenly things 1 267 Love of earthly things abase the Soule 1 268 Soule how quieted Ibid. Soule continues after death 2 74 Life of the Soule double Ibid. How to use our Soules 2 75 Spirit Spirituall Spirituall judgements greatest 1 22 Order of the Spirits working 1 217 To begge the Spirit to perswade us 1 254 Stranger Gods people strangers here 1 290 CHRIST a stranger on earth 1 294 To have the affections of strangers 1 295 Wicked men how strangers here 1 297 Carriage of a stranger 1 300 See Pilgrim Strike see threaten The covenant of grace sure 2 250 T Covenant of grace a Testament 2 110 Difference of a covenant and Testament Ibid. To be thankfull for that we have 1 215 God threatens●…re ●…re he strike 1 108 Wickednes shall nos alway thrive 1 47 To tremble at Gods word 1 133 Men naturally trust so●…what 1 62 Try all of our trust 1 65 How to know GOD ours by trust 2 129 Truth of God 1 150 Faith looks to Gods power truth 1 224 V The best mens bodyes vile in this world 2 40 God revealed to man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding creature 2 107 Our nature prone to unthankefulnes 2 116 W To goe to Christ in all wants 2 15 Degrees of wicked men 2 86 Will of man free in sinne 1 20 To be left to our ow●… will a great judgement 1 21 Will when accepted for
Lord will I seeke therefore I am incouraged to pray to thee In the words are contained GODS Command and Davids Obedience Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke Gods warrant and Davids worke answerable the Voice and the Ecchoe the Voice Seeke m●… face the rebound backe againe of a gracious heart Thy face Lord will I seeke When thou saidst it is not in the originall i●… only makes way to the sense passionate speeches are usually abrupt seeke my face thy f●… Lord will I seeke The first thing that I will observe from the inco●…ragement is that God shews himselfe to his understanding creature God begins you see seeke my face he mu●… open his meaning and shew himselfe first God comes out of that hidden light that hee dwels in and discovers himselfe and his will to his creature especially in the word It is our happinesse now that we know the mind and meaning of God What is the ground of this what need God stoope thus There is the same ground for it as that there is a God these things goe in an undivided knot God The reasonable understanding creature and Religion that ties that creature to God a discovery of God what that Religion shall be For in the entercourse betweene God and Man man can doe nothing except he hath his warrant from God It is extreme arrogance for man to devise a worship of God Doe we thinke that God wil suffer the creature to serve him as hee pleaseth No that were to make the creature which is the Servant to be the Master It belongs to the Master or Lord to appoint the service what Master or Lord will bee served according to the liberty and wisedome and will of his servant And shall ●…he great God of Heaven and earth bee worshipped and depended upon as man pleaseth or from any incouragement from himselfe shall not hee designe his owne worship hee that singles out his owne worke makes himselfe master in that therefore God begins with this command seeke my face and then the heart answereth thy face Lord will I seeke God must first discover his mind of necessity to the creature Scriptures might be forced hence to shew the dutie owing from the creature Man to God for the creature must have a ground for what ●…he doth it must not be will worship Infringit c. It is a rule it weakens the respect of obedience that is done without a cause though a man doth a good deed yet what reason what ground have yee for this and that wee may doe things upon ground God must discover himselfe therefore he saith Seeke my face It may bee objected that every thing proclaimes this to seeke God though God had not spoken nor his word every creature hath a voice to say seeke God all his benefits have that voice to say seeke God whence have we them If the creature could speake it would say I serve thy turne that thou mayest serve God that made thee and me as the Prophet saith the rod and chastisement hath a voice Heare the Rod and him that smiteth every thing hath a voice We know Gods nature somewhat in the creature that he is a powerfull a wise 〈◊〉 just God we see it by the works of creation and providence but if we should know his nature and not his will towards us his commanding will what hee will have us doe and his promising will what he will doe for us exce●… wee have a ground for this from God the knowledge of his nature is but a con●…ed knowledge it serves but to make us unexcusable as in Rom. 1. it is proved at large It is too confused to be the ground of obedience unlesse the will of God bee discovered before therefore we must know the mind of God And that is the excellencie of the Church of God above all other people and comp●…nies of men that wee have the mind and will of God what heere qui●… of us by way o●… dutie to him and what he will doe to us as a liberall and rich God These two things which are the maine are discovered what wee looke for from God and the dutie wee owe backe gaine to God these are distinctly opened in the word you see here God begin●… with David seeke yee my face Indeed God is a God of order in this subordination of God and the creature it is fit that God should begin it is Gods part to command and ours ●…o obey This point might be inlarged but it is a point that doth but make way to that that followes therefore I will not dwell upon it Againe in this first part Gods command or warrant seeke yee my face you see here God is willing to be knowne He is willing to open and discover himselfe God delights not to hide himselfe God stands not upon state as some Emperours doe that think their presence diminisheth respect God is no such God but he may bee searched into Man if any weakenesse be discovered wee can soone search into the depth of his excellencie but with God it is cleane otherwise the more we know of him the more we shall admire him None admire him more then the blessed Angels that see most of him and the blessed Spirits that have communion with him therefore hee hides not himselfe nay hee desires to be knowne and all those that have his Spirit desire to make him knowne Those that suppresse the knowledge of God in his will what he performes for men and what he requires of them they are enemies to God and of Gods people they suppresse the opening of God cleane contrary to Gods meaning seeke my face I desire to be made knowne and lay open my selfe to you Therefore we may observe by the way that when wee are in any darke condition that a Christian finds not the beames of God shining on him let him not lay the blame upon God as if God were a God that delighted to hide himselfe oh no it is not his delight he loves not strangenesse to his poore creature it is not a point of his policie hee is too great to affect such poore things No the fault is altogether in us we walke not worthy of such a presence wee want humility and preparation If there be any darkenesse in the creature that he finds God doth not so shine on him as in former times undoubtedly the cause is in himselfe for God saith seeke my face he desires to open himselfe but it is a point that I will not be large in We see hence likewise that Gods goodnesse is a Communicative spreading goodnesse That is peculiar to God and to those that are lead with the Spirit of God that are like him they have a communicative diffsive goodnesse that loves to spread it selfe Seeke my face I am good in my selfe but I desire to shine on you to impart my goodnesse to you If God had not a communicative spreading goodnesse hee
Scripture is for comfort to poore distressed soules and when they refuse their comforts and set light by them as they tell Iob Settest thou light by the consolations of the Almighty Then Sathan the enemy of mankind and especially the enemy of our comfort since he hath lost all comfort and al hope of it himselfe hee rejoyceth to see us in this condition comfortlesse therefore let us lay claime to the promises by a spirit of Application Againe we are inju●…ious to our selves wee rob our owne soules the want of this makes Christians be discouraged and droope as they doe when they are cast downe all comfortable truths belongs to them yet they put them off this is not for me and those in my case when God saith hee will come and dwell with a humble heart this is not for me this spirit of peevishnesse and frowardnesse is that that keepes them long from that comfort that they might enjoy What to be in the middest of comforts and to starve for a man to be at a feast and to starve because he hath not a spirit to digest and to take that that is fit for him We detest and deservedly those misers that in the middest of all their abundance will not spend six pence upon themselves what a spirit of basenesse is this in the middest of spirituall contentments and refreshings when God offers to feed our soules with the sa●… things of his house to say oh no this belon●… not to mee and cherish a peevish froward spirit that puts all away Why doe we not labo●… to be in such a condition that we may be cherished and that wee may have satisfaction to be truly hungry and poore in spirit that we may be filled and satisfied and not to goe on thus stubbornly There is a proud kind of modesty oh this belongs not to me I am unworthy if we will hearken to our owne misgiving hearts in the time of temptation wee shall never answer God and say Lord thy face will I seeke Therefore let us labour for aspirit of supplication I will not inforce that point further Now from this spirit of Application from this generall seeke yee my face comes obedience for it is a speech of obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke I will seeke by thy strength and grace for when God utters a generall command to his children theregoes with that command a secret vertue whereby they are enabled to seeke him There came a hidden vertue with this seeke my face when Davids spirit was raised by God to thinke of it together with the thought of this seeke my face there was a vertue enabling his soule to returne back to God to say Lord thy face will I seeke So though David said I will seeke thy face yet there was a spiri●…uall vertue that enabled him God must find is before we can seeke him he must not only give the command to seeke his face but toge●…her with the command there goes a work of ●…he Spirit to the children of God that ina●…leth them to seeke him In the covenant of grace God doth his part ●…nd ours too our part is to seeke God to ●…lease him and walke before him they are all ●…ne I need not be curious in particulars Now ●…his was not a speech of selfe confidence but 〈◊〉 speech of the spirit of God that went with the command to him This is a greatincouragement by the way to heare good things and to come to the Congregation we heare many great things high duties but we are not able to performe them It is true but the Gospel is the ministerie of the Spirit and together with the dutie there goes the spirit to inable us to the duty Stand up and walke saith Peter to the poore lame man and there went an enabling vertue to raise him Arise saith Christ to Lazarus and there went a divine vertue to make him rise and here seeke my face there went a divine vertue to make him seeke which those that contemne the ordinances of God want because they will not attend upon the ordinances so much for that Now I come to his obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke This obedience ariseth from Application and his obedience hath these qualifications It was present as soone as hee heard God will as soone as his heart did thinke of the word he puts not off The Spirit of God and the workes of it are not slow in the children o●… God but when they heare their dutie then is a spirit presently Thy face will I seeke before the heart grow cold againe Againe this returne and answer as it wa●… present so likewise it was a pliable obedience Thy face will I seeke It is a speech of a ready cheerfull pliable heart Where the Spirit o●… God workes it makes not only present and quick but cheerfull and pliable For the Spirit of God is like fire that softens the hardnesse of the heart that naturally is like iron and makes it pliable Gods people are a voluntary people as it is Psal. 110. a people of devotion of readinesse of will and cheerfulness a free hearted people a people set at large they are lead with a Royal spirit a spirit above their owne and that makes that easie and pleasant to them that otherwise is difficult and impossible to nature When Isaiah's lips were touched with a co●… from the Altar that is he had somewhat from the Spirit of God to incourage nature th●… here I am Lord send me he detracted the busines●… before and put it off as much as he could The Spirit of God makes pliable as wee see in the Acts they cared not for suffering whips or any ●…hing because they were made pliable to Gods service they accounted it an honour to suffer ●…ny thing for Gods sake the obedience that is good is pliable and cheerfull God would have things in the Church done by such people the very building of the Ta●…ernacle was done by such voluntary people ●…hat brought in as God moved their hearts Oh Beloved a Christian knowes what it is to have a Royall Spirit a free spirit David knew it when he had lost it by his sin he pra●…ed that he might have a free spirit a cheerfull spirit in the service of God and in his particular calling for sin darkens and straitens the soule Thy face will I seeke his heart was weary and pliable now as God would have it So should our hearts be and they will be so if we have the Spirit of God ready and cheerfull God hath none to fight his battailes against Satan and the Kingdome of Darkenesse but voluntaries all Gods people are voluntaries they are not prest souldiers I meane not against their wils in that sense Indeed they have presse-money in Baptisme to fight against the world the flesh and the Devill but they are not prest they are voluntaries they know they serve a good Generall that will pay them abundantly
acknowledge that they have Our covetousnesse and greedinesse of that that wee have not and yet would have it makes us that wee doe not see that we have already Wee all looke forward wee would have more and more and are not thankefull for the present grace The Patriarchs were not so they wanted many things that they desired heartily to have and yet they comforted themselves and died in faith though they did not receive the promises They saw them afarre off They saw them afarre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them c. This is the order of Gods spirit first to open the eye to see and by sight to perswade and upon perswasion to stirre up the heart and affections to imbrace for good things are brought into the soule through the understanding by the spirituall sight of the understanding and from that into the will and affections by imbracing the things wee know this is GODS course daily therefore he saith they first saw them and then were perswaded of them and then imbraced them They see them afarre off Indeed they saw them a farre off they were not fulfilled till many yeares and generations after yet they see them By what eye By the eye of faith faith makes things present though in themselves they be farre off It is the nature of faith to make things that are absent to be present to the believing soule and it affects the soule somewhat as if it were present Wee know things worke not upon the soule but as present a danger that is many yeares to come it affects not the soule unlesse it be apprehended as present nothing affects the soule but as present Now there are two wayes of things being present One is when the things themselves be present that is when we shall be in heaven and enjoy Christ and all the joyes of heaven then the things are present themselves And then there is a presence of faith when faith apprehends the things promised to us as present faith makes the things present in somesort not in all respects for then faith were all one with vision and possession but in regard of certainty they are present and in regard of sound comfort therefore God gives other graces betweene faith and possession to strengthen and enable faith that it doe not sinke in the worke between faith and the full possession of the good things we believe we have patience and hope and many other sweete graces but all dispose the soule comfortably to waite for the accomplishment of the things beleeved Now though the presence of faith affect not so much as the presence of sight yet it doth affect What is the reason that a holy man is so much affected with heavenly things hee feeles no more joy many times than a wicked man It is the nature of faith that so represents them to him and sets before his eyes the excellencie of the things that hee sees them as present Faith hath her eye faith hath her sences faith hath feete of her owne whereby shee goes to Christ faith hath armes of her owne to graspe and to claspe Christ. Faith hath eares of her owne to heare the word of God and believe it faith hath eyes of her owne and what kinde of eyes to seethings afarre off to see things invisible to see things within the vayle to see things that are upward things that sence and reason can never reach unto Reason sees more then sence but faith sees more than reason Faith sees the resurrection of the body faith sees the glory in heaven that all the eyes in the world cannot see Faith correcteth the errour of reason reason corrects the errour of sense They saw him afarre off with the blessed eye of faith Faith hath an eye that sees a farre off it sees things remote both intime and place It sees things farre off inplace faith sees things in heaven it sees Christ there it sees our place provided for us there it sees God reconciled there by it we see our selves there because we shall be there ere long faith sees all this it breakes through and looks through all it hath most piercing beames the eye 〈◊〉 faith And it workes in an instant it goes 〈◊〉 heaven in a moment and sees Christ. And for distance of time the eye of faith it sees things past and things to come It see●… things past it sees the creation of the ●…ld it sees the redemption of us by Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 sees our sinnes there punished in Christ our su●…ety it sees us crucified with Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 sees all discharged by him Faith see●… 〈◊〉 the Sacrament when we take the bread 〈◊〉 hath recourse presently to the breaking of 〈◊〉 body of Christ and the shedding of the blo●… of Christ. Then Christ is crucifyed 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 dies to us when we believe Christ was 〈◊〉 fied for us and died for us faith makes it present And so for the time to come faith hath 〈◊〉 eye that lookes a farre off it sees the resu●…ction of the body and life everlasting 〈◊〉 sees the generall judgement it sees eternall happinesse in heaven it sees things afar●… o●… It is the Evidence of things not seene What is the reason of it It makes things not otherwise seene be seene and presently seene it gives a being to things It is a strange power that faith hath faith is the eye of the sanctified soule it is the light of the soule In the darke though things have a colo●… and a lustre in them yet till light co●…e to make them cleare they are all as if they 〈◊〉 not they are not seene but when the light discovers them then those things that were impossible to bee seene and had in them collour and lustre they come to be actually seene So it is wi●…h faith there is the happinesse of a Christian there is glory and grace reason it seeth not this here is a night of all these things if there be not light in the eye of faith now when there comes the promise of God as a light discovering them and the eye of faith to see all this then here is an evidence of the things a cleare sight of them which without faith are as excellent things in the night that no eye can see Faith is a further light a light beyond all a supernaturall heavenly light and sight it sees beyond all other eyes beyond the eye of the body or beyond the other eye of the soule which is reason Now this worke of faith is called sight among other respects for this that sight is the most capacious and comprehending sence it apprehends its object quickly and sight it works upon the affections so faith hath a quick eye sight it pierceth through the darke things of the world it pierceth through contraries Gods children though they see their estate oft times contrary to the promise as if God did not regard them yet they breake through
that You know Gods manner of working is in contrary estates when we die faith sees life when we most apprehend our sins faith sees the forgivenesse of sinnes when we are in the greatest mystery faith hath so quicke a sight that it sees happinesse and gl●…y through all It sees a farre off notwithstanding the interposing of any thing contrary by flesh and bloud Faith is sometimes called tast and by the name of other senses but especially by the name of sight As in sight there is both the light outward and a light in the eye and the application of the light in the eye to the object so in faith there is a light in the things revealed a promise and discovery of it by the light of the Gospell and an inward light in the soule answerable to the inward light in the eye for a dead eye sees nothing and a quick living eye sees nothing without the light of the ayre So there is a double revelation by the word and by the spirit the spirit works an eye of faith in the soule and then it discovers to it the things of God They saw them a farre off God created a new eye in the soule a new sight which they had not by nature for even as the natural eye cannot see things that are invisible so the naturall man cannot see the things of God which are seene not by a naturall but by a supernaturall eye eye hath 〈◊〉 seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared 〈◊〉 his children 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The eye there-therefore that must see things a farre off it must bee a supernaturall eye and the light that must discover them must be the light of Gods truth for reason cannot see the resurrection of the body and the life to come and such glorious things as the word of God reveales to us If you aske why this sight of faith is so necessary this supernaturall sight I answer nothing can be done in religion without the supernaturall eye of the soule nothing at all for a man may see heavenly things with a naturall eye and be never a whit the better a man may see the joyes of heaven he may heare much of heaven and happinesse and forgivenesse and thinke oh these are good things but yet notwithstanding he doth not see these things with a supernaturall eye he doth not see these things to be holy and gracious and to be fit for him he wisheth them with conditions but not with the altering of his disposition As a man may see an earthly thing with a heavenly eye because he sees God in it and there is somewhat of God in it to lead him to see him so a man may see heavenly things with a carnall eye as Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous A carnall man may be ravished with heavenly things but he must look upon them as things sutable or else all is to no purpose How doth faith see this how comes faith to have this strength Because faith sees things in the power of God it sees things in the truth of God he 〈◊〉 Iehovah he gives being to things therefore as God Almighty gives being to things in their time when they are not so faith in his promises sees that these things will bee it sees things in the truth of God in the promise of God there it hath these eyes to see a farre off It selfe is wrought by the mighty power of God in the soule for it is a mighty power for the soule to neglect the things it sees to neglect riches and honours and pleasures and to stand admiring of things that it sees not for a man to rule his course of life upon reasons which the world sees not because there is a happinesse to come and a God that he believes in c. It is a mightie power that plants such a grace in the heart faith is wrought by the mighty power of GOD. As it selfe is wrought by the power of God so it layes hold upon the power of God that the promises shall be performed In all the promises it sees and layes hold on the mighty power and truth of God and therefore it hath such an eye Our duty then is to labour to have our faith cleare to have this eye of faith to have a strong faith a strong sight When is the sight of faith strong When it is as the faith of these Patriarchs was There are three things that make a strong sight that makes us conceive that he sight of faith is a strong sight When the things are farre of that we see then if the eye see them it is a strong sight a weake eye cannot see a farre off Secondly when there are clouds betweene though the things be neare yet when there are clouds betweene to breake and pierce through them there must be a strong sight Then thirdly when there is but a little light when there are many obstacles in the middest and to breake through all by a little light to seethings remote here is a strong eye and this was the sight of these blessed men they had a strong eye For the things they looked on were remote a farre off diverse thousands of yeares they saw Christ by faith the soule mounted up on the wing of faith it flew over many thousands of yeares in a moment and see Christ the Messias and see heaven it selfe typi fied in Canaan So swift is the eye of faith it mounts over all in a moment As the eye of the body in a moment can looke to the v●…sible heavens so a strong faith it sees Christ in heaven And then betweene them and that they looked to what difficulties were there Blessed Abraham who was a type of Christ how many difficulties had he besides other of the Patriarchs We see God commanded him to slay his sonne a command one would thinke against reason against affection against hope it was faith against faith as it were It was against reason in the eye of flesh Now in this case to strive against all these difficulties what a many clouds must Abraham breake through here against sense and against affection hee must hope against hope hee must have faith against faith he must deny affection hee must goe and take his only begotten son Isaac and he must be the executioner and butcher himselfe and slay him for a sacrifice Here must be a strong faith in the power of God that must see God raysing Isaac from the dead as he did after a sort for when he was bound for a sacrifice ready to bee slaine he caused a Ramme to be taken in the thicket and to be offered and Isaac escaped It was a strong faith to breake through all these Indeed blessed Abraham saw more excellency and power in the work of God then in his beloved Isaac So faith that is strong it
we would be glad to see all the dimensions of Gods love in Christ the height and bredth and depth and all So much for that They saw them a farre off They were perswaded of them It was such a sight of the things as was with convincing with perswasion And indeed this followes well upon sight for sight of all other sences perswades best hearing is not so perswasive as sight supernaturall sight brings forth supernaturall perswasion Sight is a convincing sense even outward sight so inward sight it is a convincing thing it perswades and sets downe the soule that a thing is so when a man sees it All the men in the world cannot perswade the weakest man in the world when it is day or night when the sunne shines or it is darke that it is not so when he sees it he will believe his owne eyes more than all the world besides And as it is in sensible things we believe our owne eyes so much more in spirituall things we believe our eyes When there is a spirituall light of revelation in the word discovering such things and also to spirituall light a spirituall eye when the spirit puts an eye into the soule to see supernaturall things that reason cannot attaine to then there is perswasion though all the world should perswade the soule that such a thing were not so it would say it is so it will believe its owne eyes If all the world should perswade a Christian that there is no such excellency in religion that his wayes are not good that he is but foolish c. he knowes the contrary and will not be scorned out of his religion and driven out of it by any contrary perswasion of men whom hee pitties though perhaps they are otherwise beyond him in the state of nature for sight it is a convincing thing Especially when there is some taste with sight for tast together with sight convince 〈◊〉 of the goodnesse of things as we see in those that lead their life by tasting and feeling The creatures maintaine their life by tasting some proportionable food fit for them So a Christian when once hee hath tasted of spirituall things the proper food of his soule when he hath seene and tasted of them he will never be driven out of his religion and his 〈◊〉 by any meanes when he hath seene and 〈◊〉 ed he is throughly perswaded A man must not dispute against tast when he hath tasted a thing to be so talke to him otherwise he saith I have tasted and feele and see it to be so and therefore wee see that after sight comes perswasion Now this perswasion is a supernaturall perswasion and it is Generall Particular A generall perswasion of the things of the generall truths and a particular personall perswasion of our interest in them When wee are perswaded that the truths are so generally that are revealed in the word of God and when we are perswaded by the help of the spirit that wee have a particular interest in them a portion in them And both are here meant They see them a farre off and were perswaded of them they were convinced both of the truth and goodnesse of them and of the truth and goodnesse to them in particular Now perswasion is a setled kind of knowledge Perswasion comes diverse wayes there be diverse degrees tending to perswasion First the poorest degree of the apprehension of things is conjecture a guessing that such a thing may bee so or otherwise but I guesse it rather to be so Beyond conjecture there is opinion when a man thinkes it is so upon more reasons swaying him one way and yet in opinion there is feare on the contrary that it may bee otherwise And the third degree beyond opinion is certaine knowledge when a man is not only conceited that the thing is so his opinion is so upon some reasons inducing him but hee knowes it by arguments and reasons that is science and knowledge when the mind is perswaded by arguments but that is not so much here meant the perswasion by argument There is another degree then of knowledge which is by the authority of the speaker a perswasion from thence when I know not the thing by the light of the thing so much because I see the reason of the thing but because I know such a one saith it that is the perswasion of faith When one is perswaded of a thing not so much out of his owne knowledge out of the principles of the thing setting out the causes of the thing as out of the credite of the person that speakes Now this perswasion riseth out of faith in the authority of the person when I believe a thing for the authority of the speaker it ariseth from the knowledge of him that speakes that he is able and that hee is true and that he is honest and good that he will not deceive because he is good and he will not bee deceived because he is wise we conceive that he is wise and holy and able with all one that we trust If together with this knowledge and perswasion from the authority and truth and goodnesse and wisdome of the speaker there be joy●…ed sense and experience we see it proved and when there is experience there is reason why wee should believe that he saith because wee have found the thing to be so So when there is both the authority of the speaker and some inward sense some sight and taste and feeling and experience of the thing spoken here comes that setled perswasion for hee is undoubtedly true that hath spoken it and I have found in some degree the thing true that hee hath spoken Now both are here meant in some degrees they saw the things a farre off both by the authority of the promise as likewise by their owne sight and some taste they had For God reserves not all for heaven God gives his children some taste and feeling some little joy and comfort the first fruits of the spirit here So they were perswaded from the authority of the speaker and some sense and feeling of the thing in somemeasure Now this perswasion hath its degrees There is a full perswasion And there is a perswasion that is not so full that is growing to further perswasion still And this perswasion hath degrees both in the generall perswasion of the truths themselves and in their particular interest for all Christians are not alike perswaded of divine truths themselves nor all Christians are not a like perswaded of their particular interest in those truths There bee degrees in both respects For the things themselves wee may grow stronger and stronger perswaded even as the light and our eye growes clearer the stronger is our sight so our perswasion while we are here may grow stronger and stronger It was strong in Abraham yet not so uniformely strong but that it was weaker sometimes then others
thing A man may say to such a soule it shall finde peace at the length for Gods wayes are unsearchable GOD hath cause and reason why he keepes such a soule under for a time and withholds some sense and perswasion but usually GODS comforts come more abundantly to such a soule he reserves it for the time of affliction or the houre of death The truth is it is a constant rule that though it may be thus with some in some cases yet ordinarily Gods children may be perswaded of their particular condition yea and they ought to labour after this perswasion and assurance that their soules may be filled with marrow and fatnesse and that they may joy in God and have boldnesse to come before God in prayer that they may be fruitfull in all holy duties that they may be strong to suffer afflictions and to resist temptations Therefore though God sometimes in his wise dispensation suffer them to be hindred yet not withstanding this is a thing that is both attainable and that they ought to labour for and never give their hearts rest till they attaine to it I say wee ought to labour for it for the soule is never in such a frame as it ought to be but when it hath gotten some assurance of Gods love But I must adde this we must labour that this perswasion be supernaturall by the spirit of God both of the truths in generall of the promises in generall and of our interest in particular in them we must labour that it be by the spirit to our spirits that the spirit may seale them to our spirits For it is not sufficient to know the word of God to be the word of God and the promises to be the promises because we have beene brought up in them and can say them by heart and it were a shame for us to conceive the contrary that is not sufficient for that will deceive us Wee must labour as I said of knowledge that we may be supernaturally convinced so also that is from that knowledge that it may be spirituall or else it will deceive us How doe we prove that To make it a little clearer because it is a point of some consequence even as I shewed of what consequence the sight of faith is so I may say of this perswasion We must labour therefore to know how we come by this perswasion and whether it be such as we can hold out in whether it be such by which wee can stand out in the time of temptation If there be nothing but that argument of breeding and of generall light of discourse that we see one thing how it followes from another I say it will deceive us because constant obedience will never follow upon such a perswasion nor constant holding out to death nor constancy in death if the conscience be once awaked neither will wee be fruitfull in our lives and conversations To make this cleare If the soule be not perswaded by the spirit of God together with the spirit of the Scripture for the same spirit that is in the Scripture must be in our spirit working our natures sutable to the Scriptures to be holy if we doe not by that spirit by which the Scripture was endited know those truths we shall never be obedient to them not constantly For what is the reason that men when they are told God doth forbid you to take his name in vaine God forbids you to seeke after earthly things God forbids you by the Scriptures to defile your vessels he forbids you to seeke these things below he forbids you these courses Now a man that hath knowledge that is not supernaturall that hath it not by the spirit he heares these things with a kind of scorne and despiseth them as nicities he never maks scruple of these things because he knows they are forbidden or commanded of God because he heares so but he hath not knowne by the spirit of God that penned the Scriptures that these indeed are Gods divine truths the spirit hath not sealed these truths to his soule this is Gods word he hath not felt it in converting his soule in mortifying his corruptions in raising him being cast down in working wonders in his conscience in bringing all into a spirituall subjection When he hath not felt the word worke thus for all his generall knowledge by education and breeding and reading he may be a disobedient wretch and live and die a rebell and bitter opposite against the power of grace because he hath not knowledge of the word of God and of particular truths by the spirit of God it is no perswasion of the spirit And this is that that men wonder at that know not the mystery of these things to see great Schollers men of great knowledge perhaps Divines that are Preachers to others to see such an one vicious to see him carnally disposed as others when a man seeth this hee thinkes what doe you talke of the word of God if there were such a thing men that know these things must needs lead their lives after the rule It is no wonder the devill hath knowledge enough but he is no divine at all because he hath it from his nature being a spirit so a man may be a devill incarnate he may have knowledge of these things and yet no true divine But hee that is taught by the spirit of God the things in the word of God the spirit workes a taste in them Historicall truths are knowne by their owne light there is no such need of the spirit to discover them but the promises and threatnings and such things are knowne by the spirit a man feeles the power of the word of God then a man is convinced otherwise if the spirit doe not reveale these things a man will never obey but be rebellious And as there will be no obedience so there will be no holding out in time of perill and temptation The perswasion that a carnall man hath that is not a sanctified perswasion it will not hold out in the houre of death in the time of temptation in strong temptation either on the right hand by preferments and favours or on the left hand by threatnings and persecutions it is but a seeming perswasion when any thing comes that is stronger than it it will not hold when there is afflictions and persecutions in the Church we see many excellent learned men hold not out in their profession Why they were drawne to the profession of Religion by dependance on such kind of men or they only followed religion as they saw reason for it or they have been so bred in it c. Now reason may bee brought against reason when men have no other motives then these when persecution comes that they must loose their preferments or their friends or their life they fall away altogether because that perswasion that they seemed to have before it was no spirituall perswasion wrought from intrinsecall
manner is by removeing contratraries and moving the heart and drawing it With the word of man God enters into the very will and affections for as hee made the soule and framed it so hee knowes how to worke upon it and to draw it sweetly by reasons but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule and sweetly with reasons For God first comes into the soule by divine light by reas●… ●…nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit ●…o draw the soule to these reasons without this we never yeeld to those reasons but stand ●…ut in rebellion GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the ●…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it and ●…he sutablenesse to our condition and the reasons of it how they agree to our nature hee doth not force the soule but doth it with reasons and arguments sweetly And ●…e doth it strongly that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind it is so strong that the perswasion and ●…he promises are stronger then the temptations of Saran and the corruptions of the ●…esh or then the candals of the world that nothing ●…an separate us from Christ nothing can drive ●…s from our faith and hope the perswasion is ●…et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion It is a strong worke to perswade the soule For the spirit of God When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many graces with it when it shines upon the soule and discovers better things it brings other graces ●…o perswade and to imbrace the things it discovers As it is an infinite mercy and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent things as we may be perswaded of as if 〈◊〉 estate to be such as indeed it is above our 〈◊〉 prehension in this world neither eye hath 〈◊〉 nor ●…are heard nor hath entred into the heart 〈◊〉 man the things that God hath prepared for 〈◊〉 that love him so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be perswaded of this it is as m●…ch power to 〈◊〉 the soule to this perswasion as it is mercy 〈◊〉 discover them in a manner there is such 〈◊〉 ward rebellion and distrust in the soule 〈◊〉 ling these truths into question as if the●… things were too good to be true Consider●… our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse 〈◊〉 the excellency of these things laying the●… together the unbelieving heart of man 〈◊〉 prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes 〈◊〉 can hardly conceive that there are such thin●… for Gods children except the heart be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tily wrought on unlesse together with 〈◊〉 swasion there be some worke in the soule whence it may gather by the work of the spirit that they are those to whom such good things belong because the spirit of God hath sing●…ed them out and set his seale and stampe on them above other men by some evidence●… of grace It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be For as I said before together with the Scripture there must a spirit of perswasion goe there is a sec●…et messenge●… goes with the outward peech both of the preacher and of the Scripture or else all the ●…guments will not be to purpose they will be ●…f no efficacy As the Israelites they had arguments and ●…otives enow to perswade them of Gods love ●…nd care to them yet notwithstanding GOD ●…ave them not a heart Deut. 29. In Christs ●…me what miracles did they see yet their ●…earts were hardned because God together ●…ith his shining in the outward meanes did ●…ot subdue the rebellion of their wi●… and af●…ections and therefore the more they saw ●…he more they were hardned the Scribes and ●…harisees and some of their desperate fol●…owers Well then considering that the spirit doth ●…his great worke let us labour that our know●…edge may be spirituall that our perswasion of divine truth in generall and our part and ●…ortion in divine truth that it may bee spiritu●…ll for as Saint Paul divinely and excellent●…y sets it downe 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. that as no ●…an knowes the things that are in man but the spi●…it that is in man so no man knowes the things of Gods word divine truths nor his part and por●…ion and interest in them but by the spirit of God If wee bring the Engine of our owne ●…it and parts to Gods truth ●…o sermons and ●…ookes wee may never be the better if wee ●…ome not with a spirituall intention with ●…everent and humble hearts and implore the ●…eaching of the spirit that together with the revelation of the word there may bee●… 〈◊〉 ving of the vaile by the spirit that vvith 〈◊〉 outw●…rd teaching there may bee the inwar●… teaching of the spirit that with the 〈◊〉 opening the ●…are there may be the opening 〈◊〉 the hear●… that he that hath the key of 〈◊〉 may open and inoline and perswade the 〈◊〉 that hee may perswade Iaphet as the Scrip●… phrase is It is fac●…legious presumption to come 〈◊〉 holy places and to set upon holy duties 〈◊〉 heare or read the word of God without 〈◊〉 ting up our hearts to God for his holy 〈◊〉 We cannot plow without his Heifer Can 〈◊〉 know the mind of God without the 〈◊〉 God What arrogancy is this to thin●… 〈◊〉 be saved and the spirit never tell us with 〈◊〉 word so but it is only a presump●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a sacrilegious surpation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods glory The spirit of God know●… 〈◊〉 things are in God towards us and reveales 〈◊〉 our spirits Gods inward love to us The 〈◊〉 ●…eacheth us to know the things that are 〈◊〉 God Wee only know the good that G●… meanes us by his owne 〈◊〉 and therefore let us labour every day more and more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall and heavenly minded And above all things to make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our desires as it 〈◊〉 Luke 11. to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit he will give his holy spirit to them that 〈◊〉 it it is the best and the chiele gilt of all 〈◊〉 this makes our knowledge heavenly our 〈◊〉 swasion heavenly and sound and constant in ●…e and death And this spirit carries the whole soule with it this spirit makes us like the word of GOD because it is spirituall it makes us so and we love it in our inward man and consent to it and joy in it Whereas naturally there is inward rebellion in the greatest Scholler in the world against the word of God the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire and water as heaven and hell The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world it slights the comforts of the word to carnall comforts and the Commandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men The proud man
the truth of the promises then the will and affections they joyne and imbrace those things the will makes choyse of them and cleaves to them the affection of desire extends it selfe to them the affection of love imbraceth them the affection of joy delights in them Spirituall conviction alwayes drawes affection For God hath framed the soule so that upon discovery of a good o●… of it selfe it doth stretch out it selfe to imbrace that object the good thing presented it cannot be otherwise We see the eye it cannot but delight in beautifull objects so the understanding of itselfe it delights in true things and the will in things that are good that are delightfully good or spiritually and conveniently good to the person it cannot but be so The author of nature God doth not overthrow nature but preserves it in its owne worke therefore where hee gives a light to discover and perswade both of the truth in generall and of our particular interest in those things hee gives grace likewise to the will and affections to that part of the soule that is carried to good things to imbrace them and upon discovery of evill in that part of the soule that is affected to evill there is an ave●…sation and loathing of things that are in convenient and ●…itfull it must needs 〈◊〉 in the light of reason We may know whether the spirit of God have wrought any thing in 〈◊〉 by o●… imbracing of good things for as I said Godhath made our soules thus when the soule 〈◊〉 convinced of the truth and goodnesse of a thing and isperswaded the affections will alway follow that that is shewed to be the best Now when the spirit of God discovers to the soule the excellencies of religion to bee above all other excellencies whatsoever That the favourof God is better than life itselfe and discovers to the soule the vanity of all other things then comes the soule to imbrace them for the soule cannot but 〈◊〉 which the understanding being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best and best for me in comparison of all other things this is now at this time all things considered best for mee to doe hereupon comes imbracing alwayes the affections follow spirituall perswasion There bee two maine branches of faith One is spirituall conviction and perswasion that things are so good and that they belong to us Another branch of faith is to goe out and close and meet with the things Vpon discovery of the excellency of the things the heart opens it selfe to let in those things It is in grace as it is in nature the heart is open upwards and pointed downeward 〈◊〉 the heart and soule of a man opens to heaven ward when those things are discovered by the spirit to bee best the spirit opens and closeth with those things A man may know what he is in religion by his affections by his affection of love for the affection of love will open to the things that are discovered to bee best whereof heeis perswaded and his affection of joy h●… will delight in those thing●… and his affection of griefe his heart will bee shut to things that are contrary and his affection of zeale in the p●…sute of the meanes and in opposing that that is an enemy to that good it is alway so the heart imbraceth what wee are perswaded of God hath made the affections of the soule for supernaturall things hee 〈◊〉 made our understanding to conceive of the heavenly light and those prerogatives and priviledges and hee hath made our affections to imbrace those heavenly things And then a man is in his right subordination in his right state under God he is framed as he should be he is in a right frame of soule when his soule is convinced of the excellency of the best things and when his affections of joy and love and delight of zeale and trust and all are set on those things For then a man is raysed above the condition of an ordinary man such a man is come to his perfection hee is come out of that cursed estate that naturally all are in for now the soule is set upon things that make it better than it selfe For the soule is as the things are it is carryed to when the soule is perswaded of heavenly things and of its interest in them and is carryed to them by the sway and weight of the affections of love and joy and delight which is called here im bracing then the things imbraced transforme the soule to be like them as they be heavenly and glorious and excellent there is nothing in the world to be named with them all else is ●…g and drosse then a man comes to bee holy and heavenly and spirituall hee is raysed in a condition farre above others above all othermen though hee bee never so meane in the world when his soule is enlightned and answerable to the light there is heate when there is light in the understanding and heate in the affections accordingly to imbrace then the soule is in a right temper a man is a holy and happy man therefore no wonder if upon perswasion and sight they imbraced those things Let us trie the truth of our estate by our affections by our imbracing of good things by opening our hearts to the best things by our joy and delight in them Is there a holy wonderment at them Oh! how I love thy 〈◊〉 and one day in thy courts is better than tenne thousand elsewhere and Oh the depth of his mercie and one thing have I desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life When the soule stands in admiration of God and good things when it is ready to welcome Christ and heavenly things and the state of religion now away all former vanities away all lusts of youth away all confidence in beauty and strength and riches all these are but dung to the soule the soule hath seene better things there is a discovery of better things and now the respect of all other things falls downe in the soule when there is a discovery of better things The soule cannot doe otherwise when it is convinced supernaturally the same spirit that discovers better things opens the soule to ●…low them it is so with every soule that hath the true worke and stampe of the spirit in it it is set upon heavenly things it saith with Saint Paul I account all dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. There is an attractive a drawing magneticall power in heavenly things when they are propo●…nded to the soule by the spirit to draw the affections and to make us spirituall like themselves Let us therefore labour more and more to have our affections wrought upon As wee are in our affections we are in religion It is impossible that a Christian should be spiritually convinced that there are such excellent things belong to religion and that hee hath his part and
The Spirit of God in every Christian saith come and that is not in vaine the desires of the Spirit of God must be fulfilled therefore he shall come and the Spirit of God stirres up our spirits to say come There are all kind of proofes arguments for it It is an Article of our faith it is laid here for a ground and therefore I will not inlarge my selfe in it but come to the next point Christ will appeare and We shall also appeare with him in glory We shall appeare and appeare with him and appeare in glory with him Christ himselfe his glory is in some sort hid now for though he be King of the Church yet wee see what enemies are in the Church and Satan ruffles in the Church a great while and the nearer he is to his end the more he rageth so that Christs glory seemes to be hid but Christ then shall appeare and his Church shall appeare with him in glory Why shall wee appeare with Christ and be glorious with him I answere this is cleare partly because it is Christs will in Iohn 17. Father I will that where I am they may be also It is Christs last Testament that we should be where he is and be glorious with him and Christs will must be fulfilled Againe consider what we are to Christ how neare wee are brought to him and then this will be cleare that when Christ shall appeare in glory we must appeare with him for Christ is our Husband and we are his Spouse when Christ comes to be glorious therefore his Spouse must be glorious now is but the time of contract the time of the marriage solemnity shall be at the appearing of Christ therefore when he shall appeare we shall appeare with him in glory Christ in his owne person distinct from his Church is now glorious as a head but Christ mysticall is not glorious Christ mysticall suffers there are many members that are not yet called Some are abased some are not brought to the fold And Christ hath a care of his mysticall body as of his naturall body and as that is glorious in heaven so hee will bring all his members to be one glorious body He gave his naturall body to redeeme his mysticall body therefore as he is glorious in that in heaven so hee will be glorious in his mysticall body in every beleeving soule at the last when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints as the Apostle saith 2 Thess. 1. Hee is glorious in himselfe now then he will be glorious in his Spouse And then from the ground of predestination Rom. 8. We are predestinate to be conformed to Christ that he might be the first borne among many brethren Now Christ being glorious and we being predestinate before the world was to be like unto Christ first in abasement to be abased for him that was abased for us to suffer for him that suffered for us and to be conformed to him in grace there must be a time to be conformed to him in glory From the ground of Election there must be a state of glory our glory must be revealed when Christ shall come and appeare I will presse no more reasons that we must be glorious at the second comming of Christ as well as himselfe Wherein stands this glory To cleare this point a little I will not be long in it because indeed this glory is such as eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man The Apostles speake not much of it they speak of it in negative tearms by denying imperfections It is an inheritance incorruptible immortall c. And when it is resembled to earthly things it is compared to a banket to a marriage c. But this glory it shall be in body in soule in the whole man In soule there shall be the knowledge of those mysteries of salvation that now wee are ignorant of Now wee are in the Grammar schoole but that shall be as the University Then we shall know things more clearely we shall see God face to face and then our soules shall be raised to be capable of more knowledge and grace Now the vessell of our soule is not capable to know that that we shall then they are not capable as they shall be in heaven Saint Paul himselfe was not capable therefore when he was taken up into the third heavens least he should be proud of his revelations he was faine to be abased Wee are not capable we cannot know the glory of heaven in a full measure now but then God shall inlarge the heart and sanctifie it that we shall have strong spirits and holy understandings and affections to understand holy things we shall know God face to face There shall be a proportion betweene the glorious things in heaven and our soule there shall be a heavenly soule for a heavenly place where as yet it is not so I forbeare to shew the particulars of the glory of the body the Apostle Paul sets it downe 1 Cor. 15. It shall be a spirituall body it shall be guided by the Spirit and the body it shall not then need meats and drinks but God shall be all in all Now our life at the best is fed and cloathed by the creatures then all shall be taken out of God himselfe God himselfe shall be All in all The presence of God and of Christ our Saviour shall supply all that we have now other wayes Now comfort is conveyed from this creature and from that but whatsoever comfort we have now dropped by the creatures we shall then have all in him and in fulnesse and for evermore So we shall be glorious in soule and body And in our whole man the Image of God and Christ shall be perfectly restored we shall be like Christ reserving the difference between the head and the members reserving the difference of a naturall Sonne and of sonnes adopted he shall be more glorious then we we shall be glorious as much as we are capable off in all fulnesse of joy and grace and dominion over the creature in freedome from ill and readinesse to good we shall be glorious sons of God I need not to be long in unfolding these things When shall this be When he shall appeare saith the Apostle we shall also appeare with him in glory It is carryed indefinitely to stoppe curiosity there is no time set downe but when hee shall appeare c. In a word when all the Elect shall be gathered together It is not meet that our bodies and soules should be glorified till all Gods people be gathered together As in a family they doe not sit downe till all the servants be come in and then they sit downe together so in this great family of God the Saints in heaven and earth there shall not be perfect glory till all be gathered and saved And then what a blessed time will
body of our blessed Saviour now in heaven is wondrous beautifull and so shall our bodyes be how deformed soever they be now Let us not stand therefore upon any present deformity of our bodyes now with yeares or sicknesse or other meanes they shall not alway be so we shall have beautifull bodyes Nay more then so the third indowment is we shall have glorious bodyes as we see Christ in the mount when hee was transfigured and Moses and Elias were with him his body was glorious they could hardly behold him And Christ in Revel 1. he appeares as the Sunne in his full strength his body is wondrous glorious now in Heaven and so hee is represented there If the very representation of him while he was upon earth was so glorious in the mount what is it in Heaven S. Paul could not endure the light that shined to him Act. 9. So shall our Bodies bee like the glorious Body of Christ. What a glorious time will it be when the glorious body of Christ shall appeare and all the Saints shall appeare in glory what a reflexion of beauty and glory will there be one shining upon another when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints Oh! the glory of the body of Gods children it shall put downe all created glory all the glory of the Sunne and Moone and all the glory of these inferiour bodies are nothing to the glory of the body of a Christian that doth abase his body here for Christ and the Churches sake You see then these bodies shall be perfect and beautifull and glorious bodies in regard of the Iust●…e of them And likewise in the fourth place they shall be immortall bodies bodies that shall never die unchangeable bodies there shall be no altoration no death no sicknesse all teares shall be wiped from our eyes they shall be immortall bodies that shall never die as Saint Peter saith Wee shall have an inheritance undefiled immortall c. This is cleare therefore I will not stand in the inlarging of it In the next place our bodies shall be powerfull and vigorous now they are weake as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. Our bodies are ●…wen in weakenesse but then they shall be able to ascend and descend they shall be strong even as the body of Christ wee shall have strong bodies as all imperfection so all weaknesse shall be taken away In the sixth place they shall be spirituall bodies that is they shall not stand in need of meat and drinke and sleepe and refreshings as now they doe but Christ will be all in all to them he will be instead of meat and drinke cloathes yea and in stead of the Ordinances that we stand in need of here the Word and Sacraments he will be all in all And our bodies shall be spirituall in another regard because they shall be subject to the spirit whereas now our very spirits are flesh because the flesh rules and tyrannizeth over them so our soules follow our bodies the soule of a carnall man is flesh but then out flesh our bodies shall be spirituall not that they shall be turned into spirits that is not the meaning but spirituall bodies obedient and obsequious to the very guidance of the soule to a sanctified and glorious soule these shall be the indowments of our bodies They shall be perfect bodies beautifull glorious shining bodies immortall unchangeable bodies powerfull strong and vigorous bodies ready to moove from place to place and spirituall bodies they shall stand in need of no other helpe and they shall be obedient altogether to the spirit You see now how these vile bodies draw away our soules then all imperfections shall be taken away wee shall have purged bodies and purged soules Thus you see wherein the glory of the body shall consist Let us therefore often seriously thinke of these things and let me renew my former exhortation let us be content to make our bodies here vile for Christs sake that they may be thus glorious Let us abase them in labour and paines in our calling in suffering we doe no more then he did for us first Was not his body first vile and then glorious and doe we thinke that our bodies must not be vile before they be glorious not onely vile whether we will or no but we must willingly make them vile we must be willing to be disgraced for Christs sake to carry his death about us to die daily in the resolution of our soules How was he abased before he was glorious hee tooke on him our bodies at the worst not in the perfection as it was created but hee tooke the body of man now fallen Againe what paines did hee take in this body and how was he disgraced in this body that sacred face was spit upon those blessed hands and feet were nayled to the Crosse that blessed head that is revere●…ced of the Angels it was crowned with thornes How was his body every way in all the parts of it abased and made vile for us he neglected his refreshings for us it was meate and drinke to him to doe good If he became vile for us if he abased his body for us certainely wee should be ashamed if wee be not content that our bodies should be made vile for him that afterwards they may be made like his glorious body Away with these nice Christians that are afraid of the wind blowing on them or the Sunne shining upon them that are afraid to doe any thing or to suffer any thing and so in sparing their bodies destroy both body and soule Consider whoever thou art this is not a life for thy body this present life is a life for the soule we come now to have the Image of God in our soules in this life especially and to have in our soules the life of grace here but the life and happinesse of our body is for this second comming of Christ the glory of the body this life is not a time for the body doe what wee can it will be a vile body cherish it set it out how thou canst those painted sepulchres that would out-face age and out-face death and by colours and complexion c. hide those furrowes that age makes in the face they are but vile and age and death will be too good for them to dust they will Why should we regard our bodies this life is not for them though we 〈◊〉 dainty of them Let us use this body here so as it may be glorious in the world to come we should suffer our soules to rule our bodies and to doe all here that both body and soule may be glorious after For indeed all that the body hath here it is beholding to the soule for why therefore should it not be an instrument for the soule in holy things doth not the soule quicken it hath it not its beauty from the soule when the soule is gone out of the body where is the life where is the
beauty where is any thing the body is a loathsome carkasse Now therefore while the soule is in this body looke to the soule especially that when the soule shall goe to heaven the soule be mindfull of and speake a good word for the body as Pharaohs Butler did for Ioseph that the soule there may thinke of the body that it may thinke of the paines of the suffering as the soule doth it hath an apetite in heaven a desire to be joyned againe to the body which it useth to labour in to pray to God in which it used to fast in which it used as an instrument to good actions Let us use it so here that the soule may desire to meete it againe that Christ at that day may bring body and soule together to be glorious for ever That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body We see here then that the best is to come the best change after which there shall be no change is to come The weakest is the first and the second is better the second Adam is better then the first and the second life shall be better then the first our bodies as they shall be glorious shall be better then they were in the first creation they shall be glorious bodies like unto Christs Oh! the comfort of a Christian there is nothing that is behind nothing to come but it is for the better there shall be a change but it shall be a change for the better A Christian is a person full of hope he is under a glorious hope under a hope of glory of soule and body he is alway under hope the hope of glory therefore he joyes under this hope Rom. 5. 1. That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body But how shall any Christian know that his body shall be like to the glorious body of Christ I answer hee may know it from this The change of a Christian begins in his soule Christ begins the change of our soules to be like his full of love and obedience to God full of pitty and compassion to men full of industry to doe good our soules will be like Christs soule first looke to thy soule what stampe that beares is there the Image of Christ on thy soule certainely he that hath transformed this soule to be gracious he will transforme the body to be glorious like his glorious body Looke to thy soule then if thou art the child of God by adoption if thou hast the spirit of adoption and grace and findest peace of conscience and joy in the Holy-Ghost thou maist know thou shalt have the adoption of thy body thou hast the first adoption in thy soule thou art the child of God know that thou shalt have the second adoption spoken of Rom. 8. Wee wayte for the adoption of our bodyes If thou partake of the first resurrection that thy soule is raysed from sinne thou shalt partake of the second resurrection at the day of Judgement For Christ is a perfect Saviour hee saves not onely the soule but the body though hee begin with the soule he ends with the body He tooke our bodies as well as our soules and hee will glorifie our bodies as well as our soules and if wee find the worke of grace a Spirit of glory in our soules undoubtedly wee may know that our bodyes shall be glorious Againe thou maist know that thou shalt partake of this glorious estate that thy body shall be like the glorious body of Christ by the use that this body is put to how doest thou use this vile body for the time thou livest now dost thou use it to the base services of sinne doest 〈◊〉 beat thy braine and thy breast and thy spirits doest thou take up thy time and all to provide for the flesh whither doth thy feet carry thee what dost thou ●…eddle with in the world are all thy members weapons of an unsanctified soule to offend God and to fight against thy soule to cherrish lusts that fight against thy soule and against thy Maker and Redeemer then know this that thou hast no hope of glory He that hath this hope purgeth himselfe and is pure as hee is pure This hope where it is found it is a purging a cleansing hope and all the members of the body will be used to a sanctified purpose a man will not sacrilegiously use those members that are dedicated to Christ that are Temples of the Holy-Ghost that are fellow heires as Saint Peter saith concerning the wife and the husband the body is a fellow-heire with the soule of glory he will not use it to the base services of sinne Hee that shall have a glorious body will esteeme so of it here What shall I use the Temple of the Holy-Ghost that that is a fellow-heire of heaven with my soule that is the Spouse of Christ a member of Christ as well as my soule shall I use it to these and these base services It cannot be if a man have the new nature in him he cannot it will not suffer him to sinne in this manner hee cannot prostitute his body to base services those that doe so how can they hope that their bodies should be glorious like unto Christs Saint Paul gives three Evidences in one place to know our interest in this glory of our bodies in 2 Cor. 5. 1. saith hee wee know that when this earthly house or Tabernacle shall be disolved wee have a building c. We know we have a glorious building a double building heaven and our bodies wee have two glorious houses heaven and these bodies shall be a glorious house But how doe we know this Saith he in the second verse we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon there is a wondrous desire after this cloathing Rom. 8. The creature groaneth much more wee that have the first fruits of the Spirit There will be a sighing for this glory awayting for the blessed comming of Christ for Christ to redeeme soule and body perfectly that is the first signe a desire and groaning earnestly In the fourth verse there is another evidence He that hath wrought us for the same things i●… God He that hath wrought us for the blessed estate to come is God so whosoever hopes for a house in heaven when this Tabernacle is dissolved he is wrought for it that is he is a new creature for it God hath wrought his soule and body for it God fits our soules here to possesse a glorious body after and hee will fit the body for a glorious soule so both shall be glorious a glorious soule and a glorious body he hath wrought us for the same If a man therefore find the beginning of the new creature that it is begun to be wrought in him he may know that he shall partake of this glory of the body because He is wrought for it The third is Who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit whosoever finds in
them the Spirit of God sanctifying their soules and bodies stirring them up to holy duties guiding and leading and mooving them to holy actions they may from the sanctifying Spirit that is an earnest to them know what shall become of their bodies Hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit To confirme this there is an excellent place in Ro. 8. 10 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his If Christ bee in you the body is dead c. It is a vile body it as good as dead it hath the sentence of death already it is dead in regard it is sentenced to death for sinne as a malefactor that hath his sentence But the Spirit is life in regard of righteousnesse What then if the sanctifying Spirit of Christ dwell in you Hee that raised Iesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies The same Spirit that sanctifies these soules of ours our bodies and quickens them to holy duties the same Spirit shall raise our bodies As the same Spirit that sanctified the blessed masse of the body of Christ that he carryed and raised his body the same Spirit that sanctifies our soules shall raise our bodies The Spirit of God when hee hath begun to sanctifie us he never leaves us hee goes along in all changes in life in death to the grave as God said to Iacob I will be with thee there The Spirit of God he will mold our dead bodies and make them like the glorious body of Christ the Spirit of God never leaves our soules or bodies Therefore if wee find the earnest of the Spirit if we find the worke of the Spirit or the comfort of the Spirit which is the tearme the Scripture gives Ioy in the Holy-Ghost and peace of conscience together with the Spirit sanctifying us especially in the time of trouble when God sees his Children have most need they have the earnest of the Spirit the beginnings of grace and joy the beginnings of heaven upon earth by this they may know as the first fruit is so likewise is the harvest as the earnest is even so is the bargaine as wee have it now in our soules so we shall also have it in our bodies and soules hereafter These three grounds Saint Paul hath why his hope of heaven was a good hope wee groane for it and wee are wrought for it wee are fitted for it There is no man can hope to be glorious in his body but his soule must be fitted for it it must be a fit jewell for so glorious a casket a fit inhabitant for so glorious a Temple as the body shall be the body shall be fitted for the soule and the soule for the body they are wrought for it And then hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit What need I quote further evidences the Scripture being thus pregnant I beseech you often consider your desires whether you be content to live here alway or no to satisfie the vile lusts of your body or whether you desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ when you have done the worke that God sent you for into the world if wee be content to abase our selves for God here who hath provided so much glory for us hereafter and when the time comes we can desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ it is a good signe if wee have the beginnings of the new creature yee are wrought for it that our soules are fitted for a glorious body we have the earnest of the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctifieth our soules and that quickens our soules with joy and peace the same Spirit shall raise our bodies Comfort your selves you that are Christians though you bee weake with this that if you have but the earnest of the Spirit undoubtedly you shall have a glorious house instead of this tabernacle of dust Christ will change these vile bodies that they shall be fashioned like his glorious body I beseech you therefore oft thinke of this think of the time to come comfort your selves with things to come In 1 Thess. 4. Saint Paul would have us talke one to another often of this this should be the matter of our conference not onely the state of the Church and our owne estate here but how it shall be with us when we are gone hence how it shall be with us world without end hereafter we should conferre and speake and oft meditate and thinke of these things What can be grievous what can be over burdensome to that soule that knowes it hath the pledge and earnest of glory hereafter How doth it quicken the soule to any indeavour when once we know that how soever we abase our selves here yet we shall have glorious bodies hereafter It will quicken us to any indeavour to any thing for Christ therefore let us oft thinke of our estate to come let us set our thoughts foreward to the time to come Let faith make the times to come present and that will make us heavenly minded What made Saint Paul converse as if he were in heaven faith made the estate to come present and hope which is grounded on faith it lookes to Christs comming to change our vile bodies so faith and hope they make the soule looke upward they make it heavenly minded Our soules are dull and our bodies are dull in this world but as Iron if it be touched with a Load stone up it will so if wee get faith and hope to looke foreward what shall be done to us for the time to come the spirit of faith and hope if it touch the soule will carry our dull bodies and our dead soules upward Therefore let us cherish our faith and hope by often meditation of the blessed estate to come and thinke of these two things of the excellent estate of our bodies and soules then for if our bodies shall then be glorious like the body of Christ our soules much more the inhabitant which is the speciall part the soule shall be much more glorious Let us thinke oft of this glory as it is described in the Word it transcends our thoughts wee cannot thinke high enough of it and our interest and assurance of it And daily search our selves whether our hope be good or no that we have sound evidence that our title is good to glory Let us examine our selves by those signes I named before Where are our desires what worke hath the Spirit of God in us how doe we use these bodies of ours As we use them now wee must looke they shall be used hereafter Let our tongues be our glory now and they shall be glor●…ous tongues afterward to praise God in heaven their bodies that have beene glorious here shall be glorious in heaven Wee may read our estate to come by that we are here those that carry themselves basely and filthily and dishonourably here we may know what will become of them hereafter Let us oft thinke of the estate
confederate without there be a likenesse or an agreement there must be more word then on to a Covenant though Gods grace doe all yet wee must give our consent and therefore the Covenat is exprest under the title of marriage in marriage there must be a consent of both parties In reconciliation betweene a King and subjects that are fallen out when they are Rebels there must be an accepting of the pardon and a promise of new subjection So then if God be our God there will bee grace given to take him for our God to give him homage as a King to give him our consent as to our Spouse thou shalt be my God and I will cleave to thee as to my Lord and Husband Can two walke together saith the Prophet and not be friends there can bee no friendship with God except there be somewhat wrought in us by his Spirit to make us fit for friendship that we may looke on him as an object of love and delight if wee looke on him as an object of hatred what termes of friendship can there be Now that we may looke on him as an object of love fit for converse with him hee must make us such by consent and yeelding to him by framing the inward man to his likenesse that so there may a peace be maintained with him you see the ground of it of necessity it must be so Well to come to the tryalls but let me first adde this to the former whomsoever God is a God to it is knowne specially by spirituall and eternall favours a man cannot know certainely that God is his God by outward and common things that cast-awayes may have for a cast-away may have Ishmaels blessing and Esaus portion blessings of the left hand common graces To know undoubtedly therefore that God is our God must be by peculiar matters for those whose God God is are a peculiar people a holy nation severed from others First of all then know what the Spirit of God saith to thy soule for they that are Gods have his Spirit to reveale to their spirits the secret and hidden love of God but if the voyce of the Spirit be silent in regard of testimony goe to the worke of the Spirit but goe to the peculiar worke of the Spirit For though the Spirit may be silent in regard of his testimony yet there are some workes or other of the Spirit in a man whereby hee may know that God is his God As the Spirit of God workes in some sort a proportion in him unto God and none can know better what God is to him then by searching of his owne heart what hee is backe againe to God for as God saith to him by his Spirit thou art mine so they say to God thou art mine Let us then come to the tryall by our carrying our selves to God Can we say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee or what is there in earth in comparison of thee when the conscience can tell us that we make God our treasure and our portion above all earthly things then wee make him our God A Christian singleth our God above all things in the world for his happinesse Lord thou art mine whatsoever wealth is mine or riches mine or friends mine I stand not upon that but thou art mine A rich man runneth to his wealth and make flesh his arme he runneth to friends to beare him out in ill causes but a true Christian that hath God for his God he may know it by this he singleth out God for his portion runnes to him in all extremities Lord thou art mine this is a signe that God hath said to his soule first I am thy salvation How can the soule appropriate God to himselfe how can he say as Thomas did My Lord and my God except the Lord have spoken peace to the soule before and have said I am thy salvation It is a signe we have made God our God when wee prize him and value him above all the world and when with Saint Paul Phil. 3. wee count all things dung and drosse in comparison of Jesus Christ our Lord what we will doe most for that is our God if wee will doe most for God he is our God if we doe most for pleasures they are our God if wee doe most for riches breake o●…r rests and cracke our consciences for them that is our God In a word whatsoever we value highest that is our God Examine what affections wee have to God for it is affection that makes a Christian single out some few that we are most offending in As first for feare it may shame us all indeed a Christian upon his best resolutions is better but the ordinary carriage of men is they feare men more then God they feare every thing more then him that they should feare above all For instance is the retyred carriage of men to God such as their carryage is to the eye of the world will not they doe that in secret ofttimes that they will not doe openly in secret they will commit this or that sinne and thinke who seeth there are secret abominations in the closet of their hearts they will not feare to doe that in the eye of God that they feare to doe in the eye of a child of sixe yeares old that is of any discretion Is this to make God our God when wee feare the eye of a silly mortall creature more then the eye of God that is tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne that is our Judge is God our God the whiles undoubtedly when God is made our God there is an awe of the eye of heaven upon a man in all places therefore this is the condition of the Covenant Walke before mee or walke as in my sight how doe wee walke before God as in his sight when there is such a great deale of difference in our carriage secretly and before the eyes of men when wee labour more to approve our carriage to men then we make conscience of our spirits to God This may shame us even the best of us who are in Covenant with God and have made God our God we have cause to be abased for this and surely one of the best wayes to make Gods children abased and humbled is to compare the different proportion of their carriage how they carry themselves to men whom they respect and to outward things in the world and how they carry themselves to God if God be our God there will be an universall feare and care to please God in all times and in all places because hee is every-where darkenesse and light are all one to him Trie your selves therefore by this affection if we make God our God wee will feare him above all for there being such a distance betweene God and us He the mighty God and we creatures whose breath is in our nostrils there can no other way be a Govenant of peace betwixt us but with much reverence
the knowledge of being in a good estate 1 To humble us Quest. Answ. How to know Gods children in losse of assurance Psalme 73. Vsually Gods children have particular perswasion Quest. Answ. If perswasion be not supernaturall 1 There will not be obedience 2 No holding out 3 No fruitfulnes Quest. Answ. Perswasion wrought by the spirit Quest. Answ. How the spirit perswades The manner of working this perswasion 1. Sweetly 2. strongly A strong work to perswade the soule Deut. 29. Use. To labour for spirituall perswasion 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. To begge the spirit Luke 11. Use. To desire God to perswade us God perswades with enlightning Evidence that we are not perswaded Faith makes much of what it hath Imbracing followes perswasion Triall of our estate by imbracing 2. Branches of faith To trie our estàte by our affections Faith carries the whole soule The soule made for heavenly things Love of earthly things abaseth the soule What quiets the soule Micah 2. Want of faith scene by want of affections How to know nature is corrupted To shame our selves in want of affections To pray for affections Quest. Answ. What affections imbrace good things Gen. 17. 3. Quest. Answ. How this imbracing is wrought 1. By supernaturall knowledge To let goe other things Keepe the affections tender To meditate of Gods love in Christ. The excellency and necessitie of the good we hope for The hopefulnesse of them Iohn 17. Case Sol. Why the affections of Gods children are somtimes dead Scope of the words Difference betweene pilgrims and strangers Doct. Gods people strangers on earth Christians borne anew from heaven Heaven a Christians Country 1 Chron. 29. 15. August Christ a stranger on earth Iohn 1. We must have affection of strangers The Patriarchs strangers 1. In their owne esteeme Psal. 39. 12. 2. In Gods esteeme 3. In the worlds esteeme Object Answ. Wicked men how strangers here The carriage o●… him that is a stranger 1. He is going toward his country 2. Hee is contented Jerem. 45. 3. Patient 4. Thankefull The way to heaven smoother to some 5. He is glad of company 6. They minde their journies end 7. Though he step out of his way he comes in againe 8. He provides for all incumbrances 9. Inquires of the way 10. He useth things as they may help in his journey Indifferent things Apparent sins I Peter 2. 11. H●… values not himselfe by outward things Dependance of the words A Christian dead how Life of a Christian hidden Psal 73. 7. Object Answer Question Answer 2 Cor. 4. Question Answer Iohn 17. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rom. 8. Quest. Answer 1 Cor. 15. Quest. Answer Simile 1 Tim. 6. 13. 2 1 Pet. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Simile Simile Simile Iohn 14. 1. Quest. Answer Revel 1. Act. 9. 1 Cor. 15. Rom. 5. 1. Quest. Answer Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Observ. 1. The righteous die as well as the wicked Vse 1. To improove●… the short time of life Vse 2. To use the world moderatly Observ. 2. The soule continues after death Life of the soule double 1 Reason It crosses the desires of the bodie 2 Reason It operates most in the bodies weakenesse 3 Reason It projects for the time to come Vse To use our soules to the end they were given Worldly men out live their happinesse Observ. 3. Great difference between the death of the godly and the wicked 1 The godly happy in life 2 In death 1 In disposition 2 In condition * See the Sermons on Philip 3. 21. 3 After death Three degrees of life Vse Who truly wise Godly mans end what Vse 2. To labour to partake of this happinesse Righteous man who A wicked man may know the happy estate of Gods children Reason 1. To justify God in their condemnation Reason 2. To restraine their malice Degrees of wicked men Vse Not to refuse all that ill men say Vse 2. To go beyond wicked men in our desires Difference of desires in true Christians others 1 They are not●… constant 2 They are not from an inward principle 5 They are not growing desires Cant. 1. 6 They are not strong Desires the best character of a christian 7 They desire happines not holinesse Wicked men desire not heaven aright Simile Conviction of such as come short of Balaam Directionshow to have holy desires 1 Beg the spirit of revelation Simile See what hinders good desires To ●…cherish good motions To renewe our covenants Question Answer Quest. Answer Why men want comfort in death Objection Answer When God accepts the will for the deed Objection Answer God leaves not good desires Gal. 2. Zach. 13. Gen 15. 1. Psal. 84. 1. The Arke a figure of Baptism in divers respects 2. Parts of the Text. 2. Parts of Baptisme The Devill carries to extreames Men prone to give too much to outward worship Psal. 50. Isay 1. Isay ult Reason outward performances easie and glorious 2. They dawbe Conscience Vse To performe inward service 2 Tim. 3. Vse 2. Ministers duty Christ the foundation of the Covenant of Grace Observ. There must be somewhat in us to make use of that is in Christ. Reas. 1. From the nature of the Covenant Reas. 2. Where agreement is there is a like disposition Vse To search our hearts for the evidence of our estate Covenant of grace why so called Demand of conscience proceedes from the answer of it Good conscience what Three degrees of a good conscience A troubled good Conscience 2. A peaceable good Conscience 3. A gracious good Conscience Heb. 13. Double ground of comfort Quest. Ans. How to know a good Conscience though troubled 1. If it answer God in trouble 2. By allowing Gods truth 3. By acknowledging Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. Quest. Ans. A man may know when he doth things graciously Ans. How to know what we doe from a good Conscience 1. It answeres towards God 2. From an inward principle Object Ans. Why Children are Baptised Simile Baptisme binds when we come to yeares Covenant in Baptisme Those that live in sins against Conscience renounce their Baptisme Exhortation to get this answer of a good Conscience Marke 9. Cant. 6. Psal. 51. How to get the answer of a good Conscience To make use of our Baptism 1. Against temptations to sin 2. In temptations to discouragment Ier. 3. 2. To distrust Comfort from the answer of a good Conscience Levit. 26. Verse 5. Psal. 41. Gal. 4. Psal. 109. Colos. 3. Simile Prov. 12. 18.
to hate the Whore and to eat her flesh that is to overthrow the Monasteries those Cages of uncleane Birds and those Peter-pence those exactions for indeed the Pope made England his Asse to beare his burthens It would move any mans patience to see how pittifully the Popes of Rome have abused this Iland so that we may now truly say as Christ saith If the Son make you free you are free indeed Christ hath made us free the Gospel hath made us free and ever since the comming of the Gospel wee have flourished King Henry shooke off the yoke first and after him King Edward and after him Elizabeth of blessed memory and now our gracious King So that this Vntill it begun long since to hate the Beast and to eat her flesh one thing ther●… is yet undone To burne her with fire if they hate the Beast and eat her flesh this will c●…me to●… to burne her with fire even the ten Kings that were subject to her before shall doe that Wee see wickednesse shall not thrive alwayes it shall not alwayes bee night but the Sunne shall arise at the last Impostures shal not alwayes abuse the world their madnesse shall be made manifest at length as Paul saith 2 Tim. This is our Comfort that there is an Vntill a time prefixed of God to discover and to lay open all Impostures And now the time is come that most of this should be fulfilled some of these words of God are fulfilled the Beast is hated and now the Beast is known to bee the Beast to bee cruell witnesse the blood of Saints the Murther of Kings those horrible acts that are allowed from Rome The Beast I say is now discovered and hated The Affections that are due to the Beast is hatred If ever we hatred any thing we may hate the state of Rome It is a Beast and the object of hatred and ever was and if ever I say wee hated any thing that was deserveable of our hatred it is that why do we not hate a Harlot doe we not hate an old Strumpet an old painted Strumpet doe wee not hate her that is a Bawd there was never Bawd there was never Whore that did the thousand part of that harme that this Bawd this Beast this Whore of Rome hath done drawing so many thousand soules to hell Of all the Iudgements that ever were since the beginning of the Christian world that God hath visited the pride and wickednesse of men with there was none so grievous as to suffer this Man of sinne to rule in the Church the spirituall judgement of the Papacie it is the greatest judgement of God that was ever inflicted upon any We hate them that misuse us under the pretence of love that cheat and cozen us and we delight in their punishment there was never Cheater never Cozener like this And surely so God hath fulfilled his word that shee is hated even in our Children that know but the grounds of Religion to whom Christ hath shined by the evidences of his thuth that have the Spirit of God in them they hate those Impostures those abuses of Christian Religion with which this Beast hath deluded the Christian world which shewes that they have a contrary spirit to the Spirit of God and indeed so they have for besides their own base government they maintaine the corruptions of men feeding the pride and vanity of mens natures with outward formall empty things so that the very weake ones even Children now they hate the Whore hate her Impostures hate her Cruelty hate her Lying and all I see the time is past I can goe no further ●…ut will draw to an end only a little to still us up Shall God then reveale and discover this painted Strumpet this Bawd and shall wee labour to conceale her ill shall we dawbe shall we make her better then she is shall we hinder Gods purpose Gods word is that shee shall be revealed the Princes shall hate her and consume her with fire Let every one of our purposes helpe Gods purpose and Providence and decree in this point that this shall be it is Gods purpose and whosoever stops it certainely they bring the judgement of God upon them those that would reare up ●…ericho againe wee know what befell them and they that reare up Rome that begins now to bee discovered they bring the Iudgement of God upon them God will performe this as well as he performed the other as he put it into the hearts of these Kings to betray their Kingdomes to the Beast so hee will put into their hearts to hate the Whore Now that we may hate her let every one labour in his place Ministers in their place to lay open their Impostures their cousenings and all their filthinesse whereby they deceive the people Magistrates in their place to ocuntenance the Ministers to see the lawes executed as they may These that through ignorance are seduced that are not Iesuited for there is no hope of them but others their persons many times in the policie of state may have favour but not their Religion Let us all take heed that wee grow in knowledge Let us labour to make more of the Gospel of Christ the more Christ appears in glory the more Antichrist will appeare in shame Let us labour by prayer and not give God over by prayer to plant the love of the truth in our hearts to entertaine the truth with love to value it according to the respect it deserves at our hands and let us labour to be molded into that truth to obey it else though we have it yet if wee doe not love it if wee be not transformed into it though our wits and parts be never so great we may be seduced to errour God gave over these Kings men of great place and of great parts because they did not love the truth to beleeve lies My purpose was to have shewed the danger if we do not further Gods purpose in discovering this wicked Antichrist A state wherin the Devill the Dragon is effectuall and this Book wondero●…sly sets downe the danger It is another manner of danger now to relapse and to apostatize after the appearing of the glorious Gospel of Christ then it was a hundred years agoe under darkenesse and we know it to bee so of all the judgements in this world it is the greatest for God to give up a man to decay in his love to the truth to affect this cursed Religion that the sentence of God hath past upon and it must be fulfilled That they shall hate the Whore and burne her with fire that she shall be left desolate and naked But you may object Alas how is that likely to be when wee see now what strength the Beast hath gotten and how he ru●…fleth in the world at this time how he triumpheth and trampleth the poore Church under his feet Well it is but a living before death undoubtedly Babylon is fallen it is fallen saith Iohn
in the ●…ane time before a man come to enjoy and ●…eive what hee looks for Faith gives God 〈◊〉 glory of all his attributes the glory of his ●…th he hath spoken and therefore hee will ●…ke it good The glory of his wisedom that 〈◊〉 hath found out such a course for us to walke 〈◊〉 The glory of his mercy that hee hath ●…de such promises to such wretches so all ●…er attributes faith gives glory to therfore ●…od glorifies faith and the speciall act of ●…ith is waiting If I tarrie long waite thou ●…nd we have need of patience Faith stirs up ●…tience to helpe and assist it as wee see here ●…ese waited seven dayes Remember there●…re to exercise faith in continuall dependance ●…pon God take heed of being short spirited ●…ough God deferre the rewarding of the ●…ighteous and the punishment of the Wic●…ed yet hold out still hee that hath promi●…d will come in time and make good that that ●…e hath said in due time Give God the glory ●…f appointing the fittest time Hee is the best ●…iscerner of opportunities Our times are in ●…is hand all kind of times therefore let us de●…end upon him for that only labour to have a ●…trong spirit of faith that wee may waite his good leisure And to helpe us doe but consider what if wee waite a few yeares what is that to Eternitie I might inlarge the point what great matters faith will doe both in heaven and earth every way Wee see here faith shakes the very earth God he is the Lord of heaven and earth The earth is the Lords because these wals were built upon Gods earth we see here one puffe of God blowes them all down and faith laying hold upon this casts them downe though faith doth it not immediatly yet God doth it because he is laid hold on by faith Let us labour therefore to have faith above all other graces It is the Mother Grace it is the Grace that is the spring of all Graces if we wo●…ld have patience and hope and love and perseverance and constancie together let us labour to have faith strengthened and to feed our faith the more let us looke to the word of God make it familiar to us the Spirit goes together with the word to strengthen and increase our faith and that being strengthned all is strengthned whatsoever Now the way to try whether we have this faith or no not to speake largely of the point but as the Text leads me is if we humbly attend upon the meanes that God hath appointed though they seeme base to carnall reason As how doe we know that these Israelites had faith when they went about the wals of Iericho because they have humbled themselves to use the base means that God had appointed though they were very unlikely Naaman out of the pride of his heart saith he what are the waters of Iordan have not wee waters that can doe as much but if the servants had not beene wiser then the Master hee had gone home a Leaper as he came so when men hear the word preached they thinke cannot wee reade good bookes at home and for the Sacrament it is a poore Ordinance what is there but wine and bread and such like Take heed of a proud heart God will have weaker meanes to try us whether we will humble our selves to his vvisedome or no vvhere there is true faith it will be carefull to use all good meanes or else it is a tempting of God and not a trusting of him when wee doe not use the meanes that he hath sanctified And where there is faith as there will bee a carefull use of all meanes so there wil be a care in the use of meanes not to depend upon the meanes but to trust in God There will bee a joyning of both together faith doth not take away the use of means nay he that is most certaine of the end should strive to be most careful of al means used to that end There ought no man to be more diligent in using the means then he that is most certaine of the end because hee is incouraged to use the meanes knowing that he shall not beat the aire that he shall not loose his labour so if we by faith lay hold upon God for the destruction of Antichrist and that God would subdue our corruptions and that they shall fall before the Spirit by little and little if by faith we lay hold upon this that God will perfect the good worke hee hath begun in the use of good meanes this will stirre us up to use all means with chearfulnesse and constancie There are none that are more carefull of the means then those that are most sure of the issue Those that are carelesse of the meanes let them pretend what they will they are presumptuous persons they have no faith for that will stirre us up to use the meanes and in the use of meanes to depend upon God so carefull is faith to use the meanes as if without them God would doe nothing and yet in the meanes it is so carefull to depend upon God as if the means could not doe any thing without God Thus faith walkes betweene the means and the great God Let us goe on constantly in living the life of faith and using all the blessed means that God hath sanctified God ha●…h sanctified the preaching of the Word to beat downeal these spirituall wals let us goe on all our life time and at length the last Trump shall sound another Trumpet shall sound and then not only the wals of Iericho but the wals of heaven and earth shall fall downe and then wee shall enter into that heavenly Canaan both body and soule In the meane time let us exercise faith and to quicken our faith the more let us have those blessed times in the eye of our soule let us see them as present It is the nature of faith to apprehend things to come as present let us see heaven and earth on fire see Christ coming to judgement let us see ●…ll the wals downe the Graves open whatsoe●…er opposeth and stands betweene us and glo●…y see all gone let us see our selves at the ●…ight hand of Christ and triumphing in hea●…en For the Scripture speakes of that that is ●…o come as if it were past Wee sit in heavenly ●…laces with Christ and we are saved by faith and ●…ee are glorified Thus the Spirit of faith ●…eakes of the glorious times to come when ●…ll enemies shall be trodden under foot Sa●…han and all enemies whatsoever shall goe to their place the opposite Church shall bee no longer when the last Trump shall blow wee shall all stand together at the right hand of Christ and be for ever glorious with Him THE VNPROSPEROVS BVILDER A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall
say the Sunne is in the house and in the place we are in though there bee only his influence there But there must bee application of divine truth to the soule it must be brought neere the soule before the soule can moove There is a necessity of Application from a principle of nature to make it our owne Now as in nature there is a power in the soule to worke out of the food that that is good for every member which we call a digestive power and faculty that applies and as●…milates the meat and nourishment we take to every part There be fibra sucking veines that suck out of the meat strength for this and that purpose So there is in the soule of every Christian and holy man there is a spirituall sucking there is a drawing assimilating digesting Spirit that digests and drawes out nourishment out of the booke of God that is fit for him that hee can say this is mine this is for me I want comfort and strength and direction here it is I want light here it is I am weake here is supply for it so there is a digestive power by the Spirit of God in every Christian to suck and to draw out of the word that that is fit for all purposes and turnes and he can apply the word upon every occasion as if it be a command hee obeyes it if it be a threatning hee trembles at it if it be comfort he rests in it if it be a direction hee followes it likewise Hee applies it answerable to the nature of the word whatsoever it is his heart is moulded answerable to the word by reason of the Spirit of Application As there is a ground of the Application of the word and a necessity of it so there is a principle of Application that is the Spirit of God in the hearts of the children of God teaching their spirits to draw wholsome truths fitting to themselves and none but the children of God can doe it that have the Spirit of God they cannot apply the word of God aright False Application of the word of God is the cause of all mischiefe sometimes when those that apply the law should apply the Gospel and on the contrary when those that should apply the law sinfull secure persons apply the Gospel Many times poore distressed persons that comfort belongs to Oh comfort my people they apply the Law that belongs not to them in that case false application is the ground of mischiefe therefore the Spirit of God is the principle of Application of divine truths according to the exigence and estate of Gods people Therefore wee should be stirred up to beg the Spirit of Application to maintaine our communion and entercourse with God that we may apply every thing duely and truly to our selvs our own foules all is to no purpose else if we do not apply it if it be not brought home to our soules and digested throughly in our hearts wee must say this is from God and this belongs to me when we heare truths unfolded to say of our selves this concernes me and say not this is a good portion and a good truth for such a one and such a one but every one take out his owne portion this is for me God saith Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke with a spirit of Application If wee doe not as indeed it is the fault of the times to heare the word of God loosely wee care not so much to heare the word of God as to heare the gifts of men wee desire to heare fine things to increase notions we delight in them and to heare some empty creature to fasten upon a storie or some phrases by the by alas you come here to heare duties and comforts if you be good and sentences against you if you be naught wee speak Gods threatnings to you that will wound you to hell except you pull them out by repentance It is another manner of matter to heare then it is took for Take heed how you hear saith Christ so we had need for the word that we hear now shall judge us at the latter day thereupon wee should labour for a spirit of Application to make a right use of it as we should Therefore those humble soules that are cast downe in the sight and sense of their sins they must apply the sweet and blessed comforts of the Gospel such as are contrite in spirit Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavie laden c. Those on the other side that goe on in a course of sin and will not be reclaimed let them consider what Moses saith Deut. 29. If a man goe on and blesse himselfe my wrath shall smoake against such a man and burne to hell I will not remove my wrath from him till by little and little I take my good spirit from him and let him goe with some temporall comforts and then bring him to hell I will curse him in his blessings hee shall have blessings but he shall be cursed in all that he doth and all things shall bee in wrath and anger that shall burne to hell Such like places let such men apply to themselves there is no comfort at all to men that live in sin wittingly and willingly If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare my prayer If a man 〈◊〉 me ordinance of God hearing and good means His prayer shall be abhominable Hee that will 〈◊〉 heare the Law his prayer is abhominable The applying of these things would make men bethinke themselves and turne to God when he considers what part of the word belongs to him and makes a right Application If we make not a right Application of Gods truths this mischiefe will come ofit we 〈◊〉 hour God and his bounty hath God beene so bountifull as to give us so many instructions and such promises and shall not we 〈◊〉 them our own what is the end of the ministery but to spread before us the unsearchable riches of Christ they are yours if you will take them when you have not a spirit of Application and are not in case to take them they are lost Gods bounty is discredited The Devill rejoyceth when hee seeth what excellent things are laid open in the Church of God in the ministery what sweet promises and comforts but here is no body to take them and lay hold on them Like a table that is richly furnished and there is no body comes and takes it it makes the Devill sport it rejoyceth the enemy of mankind when we loose so great advantage that wee will not apply those blessed truths and make them our own There is no greater delight to Sathan then for us to refuse those dainties that God hath provided for us what can rejoyce an enemy more then to see courtesies refused He sees that all the
therefore they labour to be voluntarie It is a good saying there is no vertue in men that doe things against their wils for that is vertue and grace that comes from a man from his owne principles from cheerfulnesse God loves a cheerfull giver I might inlarge this but I doe but take it as it may strengthen the point our obedience to God it must be pliable and cheerfull and voluntary Againe obedience if it be true it is perfect and sincere looking to God Thy face Lord will I seeke we must eye God in it and Gods commandement and not have a double eye wee must not looke to our own selves it must be perfect obedience that is opposite to that which is hypocriticall that is the best perfection for the perfection of degrees is not to be attained here but this perfection of soundnesse is to be laboured for as wee see here it was a sound obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke I will not seeke thy favours and blessings so much as thy face It was perfect obedience as perfection is opposed to unsoundnesse It was likewise a professed obedience before all the world in spight of Satan Thy face will I seeke let the devill and the world doe what they can let others doe as they will but as Iosua saith If you will worship other Gods if you will fall away doe But I and my house will serve the Lord what if his house will not serve the Lord If my house will not serve the Lord I will So wee should all be of Iosua's mind I and my house will serve the Lord let the world goe which way it will In blessed Saint Pauls time oh saith he There are many of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping who are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation who mind earthly things What doth Paul in the meane time oh but our conversation is in heaven we swim a contrary way we care not to let the world know it our conversation is another way So our obedience must not only be present and pliable and perfect but a professed obedience that is to breake through all the oppositions of the Devill and the world with an invincible resolution to b●…eak through all difficulties and scandals and examples of great persons and of this and that if we will goe to God and say truely Lord thy face will I seeke Let other men seeke what they will let them seeke the face and favour of others thy face will I seeke thou shalt be in stead of all to me as indeed hee is Againe as it is a professed so it is a continued a perpetuall obedience hee is resolved for the time to come Thy face will I seek not onely now and then turne my back upon thee afterwards but I will seeke thy face till I see thee in heaven I see thy face in thine ordinances in the word in thy people where two or three bee gathered thou are among them I will see thy face as I may till I see it in heaven so here is a perpetuall resolution Thy face I will seeke Lastly the●…e is one thing more in this obedience and answer to Gods command that his answer to God is an answerable answer that is the answer and obedience is sutable to the command Gods command was seeke my face his answer is thy face Lord will I seeke So the point is that Our obedience to God must be proportionable to that that is commanded It must not be this or that devised by men when the Lords eye is on you in this place and gives you a charge to doe thus the obedience must be sutable when he saith seeke my face wee must obey thy face Lord will wee seeke Therefore it may in some poor sense be compared to an Eccho we returne obedience in the same kind the Spirit of God teacheth the children of God to doe so to answer God in al the things hee doth I know not a better evidence of a child of God then this answering Spirit How shall I know that God loves me I love him againe therefore I know hee hath loved me first it is an undoubted argument How shall I know that God hath chosen mee I chuse him Whom have I in heaven but thee and what is there in earth in comparison of thee It is an undoubted Argument shall I be able to single out God to be instead of all to me and hath not hee chosen me first Can there bee any thing in the Current that is not in the Spring before It is impossible I know God I looke on him as my father certainly he hath shined on me first I have said to him thou art my God certainly he hath said before thou art my servant If I say to him thou art my God certainly he hath said before I am thy salvation hee hath begun for this is the order God begins he saith Seeke my face then if wee have grace to returne answerable obedience to God Thy face Lord will I seeke when thou biddest me Lord I will love thee I will chuse thee and delight in thee thou shalt bee my God if we have this returning spirit back againe we cannot have a better argument that God loves us then by answering Gods course This is that that Saint Peter hath in 1 Pet. 3. that that doth all in Baptisme it is not the washing of the filth of the body but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the answer or the demand of a good conscience but answer is better the answer of a good conscience cleanseth in Baptisme What is that In Baptisme dost thou beleeve saith the Minister in God the Father Almighty I doe beleeve that was the answer dost thou beleeve in God the Son I doe beleeve dost thou beleeve the Forgivenesse of sins the Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting I doe beleeve dost thou renounce the Devill and his workes I renounce them that is the answer of a good conscience where that is from the heart there God hath spoken to that heart before and there is obedience to purpose Thy face will I seeke it is that that brings comfort not the washing of the water it is not the eating of the bread and drinking the wine and hearing the word of God when there is not the answer of a good conscience when we say we beleeve and we will doe this to doe it indeed Lord I will beleeve I will goe out of the Church with a purpose to practise what I heare Here is the answer of a good conscience when wee mingle what we heare with faith and labour to practise it or else it will doe no good Our obedience must be sutable and answerable as I said before if it be a direction to follow it if it be a command to obey it if it be a threatning to feare it if it be a comfort a promise to rest upon it Let
Canaan and of heaven the benefits by Christ is the upshot of all this They died in faith He doth not say how otherwise they died because it is not materiall whether they died rich or poore great or meane God takes no great notice of that nor a Christian takes no great notice of it They died in faith Whether they died a violent or a peaceable death it is no matter they died blessed in that they died in faith They died in faith which in other phrases is to dye in the Lord to sleepe in the Lord because whosoever dies in faith dies in Christ. Faith lifts them up to Christ and they steepe in Christ. It is a happy thing to dye in Christ Now those that die in faith they die in Christ Blessed are those that dy in the Lord they rest from their labours saith the Apostle All these died in faith They continued in faith to death and then they ended their dayes in faith When death closed up the eyes of their bodies then with the eye of faith they looked upon Christ upon God in Christ reconciled to them the point is cleare that The grace of faith it is such a grace that it carries a Christian through all the passages of this life It inableth him to hold o●…t to the end to suffer those things that he is to suffer and in the end by it he dies and when all things else leave him in death when riches leave him when friends leave him when honour and great places leave him when his life sences leave him when all leave him yet faith will never leave him till it have put him in full possession of heaven and then it ceaseth when it hath done the worke it hath to doe which is to bring us to heaven then it is swallowed up in vision and sight and hope into fruition and enjoying of the thing hoped for It is a blessed grace that stands by us and goes along with us and comforts us in all the passages of this life and even in death it selfe in those darke passages it never forsakes us till it have put us in possession of heaven All these died in faith What is it to die in faith To die in faith as I said is to die in the Lord by faith and it lookes to the Time Past. Present To come To the time past to die in faith is to die in assurance of the forgivenesse of sins when by faith and repentance we have pulled o●…t the sting of sins past for faith looks upon Christ and Christ hath taken the sting of death in his owne body and death ever since hath beene stinglesse and harmelesse to his members he hath disarmed it death had nothing to doe to kill Christ now seizing upon him who should not have died who was our suretie death hath lost his sting so that to die in faith is to die in assurance of forgivenesse of sinnes past by Christ. For the present in the present instant of death to die in faith is to see God reconciled to us in Christ and with the eye of Stephen to see Christ ready to receave our soules to see Christ sitting at the right hand of God to breake through all that is betweene to see our selves sitting at the right hand of God in heavenly places with Iesus Christ This is to die in faith to see our selves there with our head where wee shall bee ere long Faith makes things to come present To die in faith is to die in assurance of that blessed salvation presently even at that instant of time at the parting of soule and body that Christ will receive our soules that are redeemed with his precious bloud that cost him so deare he will not suffer the price of his bloud to miscarry Faith apprehends that Christ will goe downe with us to the grave as God said to Iacob feare not to goe downe into Egypt I will goe with thee so God would not have us feare to goe down into the grave those darke cels and dungeons God will goe downe with us Our flesh shall rest in hope because Christ our surety was raysed out of the grave and sits in heaven in glory and majesty therefore our flesh rests in hope as it is Psalme 16. 5. Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption therefore our flesh rests in hope till the resurrection because GOD did not suffer his holy one to see corruption this is to dye in faith And for the time to come to die in faith is by faith to overcome all the horrour of death Death is a terr●…ble thing and of all the passages wherein we have occasion to use faith it is most exercised in death It requires more to die in fa●…th then to live in faith for then the soule it lookes to the horrour of the grave it sees nothing there but dust and rottennesse It lookes to the panges of death sense and nature doth And likewise the soule so farre as it hath noth●…ng but nature in it it looks to the dissolution of two friends the body and the soule who have been long coupled together and their parting is bitter And then it looks to the parting with friends here with whom they have lived lovingly and sweetely In death nature sees an end of all imployment in this world of all the comforts of this life c. and therefore it is a terrible thing Now to die in faith is to die in conquering all these with a spirit above all these What doth faith in the houre of death It over-comes all these and all such like For when the soule by faith considers the horrour of the grave as the chambers of death faith considers they be but resting places for the body that it sleepes there a while till the day of the resurrection and then they meete againe And it considers that the flesh rests there in hope of a glorious resurrection and faith sees a time of restoring as Saint Peter saith There shall be a day of restoring of all things There is a day of refreshing and restoring to come when those eyes where with wee now looke up to heaven and those fee●…e that carry us about our callings and about the exercis●… of religion and those hands that have beene lift up to God that body that hath beene the vessell of the soule shall be restored tho●…gh it be turned to dust and rottennesse Faith seet●… the faithfulnesse of God that God in Christ hath taken these bodies of ours in trust 〈◊〉 know whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1. 12. and be is able to keepe that I have committed to him I have committed to him my soule my body my whole salvation I know he is able to keep that I have committed to him And I kn●… that my Redeemer liveth saith Iob it was his comfort in all extremity that he should see him with his very same eyes And then for the
grounds of divine truth that hath a majesty and a spiritualnesse in it selfe but it was meerely wrought out of forraine grounds Now we see a meaner man that hath his knowledge wrought by the spirit of God the same spirit seales that knowledge to him with the word of God that indited the Scripture and acted the holy men of God that wrote the Scriptures As his portion is incomparably great so he is perswaded of his interest in those good things the same spirit that convinceth him of the truth and of the certainty of the things it convinceth him likewise of his part in them and this supernaturall perswasion together with his interest in those good things perswaded of sets downe the soule so as it will not move he holds out in persecution because he hath felt the worke of divine truth in his soule he hath found the spirit of God casting him downe and raysing him up to comfort therefore he holds out in his perswasion in all tryalls and never apostatizeth from that estate and condition And so for unfruitfulnesse in conversation notwithstanding all those motives we have in the word of God a man that is not convinced spiritually of those excellent things he goes on deadly as if there were no motives because the spirit of God hath not sealed them to his spirit hee hath not given him an apprehension of the divine incouragements wrapped up in the promises in the Scripture and when death and danger come for the most part such men are desperate notwithstanding all their learning and knowledge literall that they have For it will not hold water all knowledge that is not wrought by the spirit of God sealing divine truth to the soule with some evidence of the power of it it will not hold out in the tryall all Especially when Satan with his fiery darts comes with strong temptations for the soule never felt the working power of the word It feeles then the temptation it apprehends the poysonfull fiery temptation but it hath not so inwardly digested the truths of the spirit and therefore is surprized with the horrour and spaire there is not wrought in heart an deexperimentall feeling of knowledge and therfore the heart cannot beat backe the temptation When the Devill shall come and tell men you have beene thus and thus and they have not felt the truth of that they seemed to believe conscience tels them it is true I have heard and read such and such things I never believed them they never sunke deepely into my heart when temptation shall bee nearer the soule then the truth shall bee when temptation presseth sore they are swallowed up of despaire therefore let us labour that our generall knowledge from the word and our particular knowledge and perswasion that it may be spirituall Now how doth the spirit worke this particular perswasion I answer the spirit of God workes it in the soule together with the word the spirit and the word goe together All the men in the world cannot perswade the soule without the spirit of God joyne Paul preached but God opened Lidia's heart We have it not of our selves it must come from without from Gods spirit opening our eyes and perswading and convincing our hearts God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem no creature can do it it is passive it is said here they were perswaded That perswasion that is sound that carries a man to heaven by which hee dies in faith 〈◊〉 must be from the spirit of God All the words of the ministery and all reasons nothing will do it but God God must perswade thesoule Now what doth the spirit here The spirit enlightens the understanding which I spake of before it opens the understanding in perswasion it doth propound arguments and motives from the excellency of the things promised and the priviledges of religion and the good things we have by Christ c. and together with propounding these excellent incouragements and motives the spirit strongly works upon the disposition upon the will and affections it works upon the soule and so doth perswade and convince And thereupon comes imbracing which I shall have occasion to speake of afterward The soule being perswaded imbraceth Now this perswasion is not only by propounding of arguments by the word and spirit but likewise a working upon the will from whence there followes an inclination of the will and an imbracing of the things wee are perswaded of For let all the arguments in the world bee brought to a man to perswade him that God will be mercifull to him in Christ tell him of the free offer Whosoever will let him come in all that will a large offer let him joyne to that offer of mercie the inviting Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you a sweete inviting Ioyne with the invitation a command it is his command that wee should believe in his son Iesus let him strengthen that command with the threatning he that believes not is damned already Let a man remove all objections that the soule can make of its unworthines Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you though you groane under the burden of your sinne Let a man object againe I have nothing worthy in my selfe Why come and buy though you have no money Let him strengthen all these proposalls with examples of the mercy of God to Manasses to Peter to Paul a persecutor to Mary Magdalen and the like let all these arguments be wondrous effectually propounded the soule will not yeeld unlesse Gods spirit joyne with these arguments and all in that kind and convince the soule of our particular interest in these things and perswade the will to imbrace these things offered That God hath reserved in his own power to bring our hearts and the promises together to bring our hearts and divine truths together Let there be never so much set before us in the ministery he hath reserved this prerogative and authority that our hearts and the truth should close together to imbrace them in hearing All things depend upon the spirit when we doe not regard the spirit in hearing and reading c. Let all the things the Scripture hath be propounded and set on with all the excellency and eloquence that may be GOD hath reserved it to himselfe by his spirit to give faith to perswade our soules that these belong to us and to incline and draw the will I have shewed you then the kinds of perswasion generall and particular and how it is wrought by the spirit that unlesse this perswasion be wrought by the spirit we shall never hold out in it though we have all the arguments in the world we shall be disobedient Disobedience comes when things are not discovered by the spirit and apostacie when the perswasion is not wrought by the spirit and desperation when the knowledge is not spirituall Now the
should not be carried in his affections to a good that he is perswaded of and how is it possible he should not loath ill and dest 〈◊〉 things If he were perswaded that hell were such as it is and that these courses lead to hell and destruction and estrange him from the favour of God whose loving kindnesse is better then life it self if men were perswaded of 〈◊〉 things in any strength their soules would not be affected as they are Therefore if wee would know whether nature be corrupted or no we may do it by this You have some men that are conceited especially when they are in their ruffe and have all things plenty Divines talke much of the corruption of nature and such things they think all is well O! but do but lay these things together the excellency of the things promised and the terrour of the things threa●…ed and our ●…ndisposition to these things in regard of perswasion that we live as if we did not think these things to be true What a disposi●…on o●… soule is that that cals divine truths into question To believe the lies of our owne hearts and the temptations of the devill and the world that lies in mischiefe before the 〈◊〉 ved truth of GOD it selfe that is sealed 〈◊〉 the oath of God And yet the heart of man 〈◊〉 naturally carried to believe these things mo●… than God himselfe Witnesse the lives of me●… who have dead car●… base affections 〈◊〉 regard of heavenly things they shew 〈◊〉 they are not perswaded of them notwithstanding all the sweete arguments and perswasions that the Scripture hath They doe not professe that they call them in question yet they live as if they made no doubt that they are all false It is a folly not to believe those things that are sealed by so many evidences as divine things are but it is more desperate folly to live as if wee did not believe them at all If these things were digested they would make us out of love with our owne naturall estate and to labour for a spirit of faith to perswade our soules both that those things are so indeed that God hath revealed and to get assured perswasion of our part and interest in them Indeed a dead faith is no faith at all it is the effect of the whole Epistle of S. Iames that it is no faith that is dead it doth not worke upon the heart and affections nor the life and conversation a dead faith is no faith at all Let us shame our selves therefore Lord doe I professe I see things above nature that I see Christ in heaven and see my selfe there and do I professe that I am perswaded that the word of God is true and am I no more affected where is my love where is my joy where is my comfort doth my heart runne after other things that professe my selfe to bee perswaded of better things Let us never rest but bee angry and wroth with our hearts and affections for they are made for these promises our precious faith is made to imbrace precious promises and to carry the whole soule to them And let us helpe this with complaining of our selves and with prayer Lord thou hast discovered excellent things in thy word and hast perswaded me Lord open my heart the heart is thy throne the heart and will and affections thou dealest with especially Lord incline my heart inlarge my heart The LORD hath promised in the new covenant to teach our bowels to love Lord teach my heart to love thee Thou hast opened my understanding to conceive holy things or else I had never beene able to understand thee and thy truth teach my bowels also to love teach them to cleave to the things take off my love my joy and delight from earthly things and plant them where they should be inlarge them the right way fill my heart with thy selfe as thou hast made it for thy selfe This should be our desire What be the affections wherby the soule imbraceth these good things it is perswaded of The soule imbraceth these things in the affections of faith and hope in the first place for faith is an emptiegrace in it selfe it is carried to somewhat out of it selfe that it imbraceth and layeth hold on and hope is with faith alway Together with the work of faith and hope there is a sanctifyed affection of the imbracing soule there is a love of the things promised which is imbracing and a love of the meanes and likewise joy and delight in them expressed by thankfulnesse As you see the Patriarchs in the story of Genesis when God discovered holy things to them a●…resh that he would give them the land of Canaan and the Messias to come and all that happinesse there was thankfulnesse presently they built Altars to God And which alway accompanies thankfulnesse humility As Abraham Genesis 17. 3. downe he falls when God made him such a large promise he fals downe on his face as if he were unworthy of such a thing so this disposition alway accompanies a soule that imbraceth together with faith and hope that leads the affections after them there is love expressed in a constant obedience and care of duty to God many wayes As it is an affection that will not bee concealed And joy and delight with thankfulnesse and humility considering the excellency of the things and our unworthinesse that we cannot but have this disposition alway thankfulnes and humility And likewise contentment to end our dayes a disposition that followes imbracing in faith for where imbracing of faith and love is in an imperfectestate there will be joy when that comes that makes way to full imbracing that is in heaven it selfe as Simeon rejoyced when hee imbraced Christ in his armes what did the old man thinke we when he came to heaven when Christ and he met there And Abraham rejoyced to see CHRISTS day with the eye of faith and likewise imbraced it with faith and that wrought joy What did Abraham then when he came to heaven when he see all ended there I say death that makes way to full enjoyning and imbracing in this very respect it is not only patiently entertained of Gods children but comfortably as letting them in to the good things that they esteeme above all the world besides to the possession of Christ to heaven and happinesse Let us consider of these things To come to direct us a little about this imbracing in faith and hope and love and joy and the whole soule when the soule as it were goes out to the things wee are perswaded of How shall this be wrought upon the soule This imbracing wee see it followes upon perswasion and perswasion followes seeing they saw them farre off and were perswaded of them and thereupon they imbraced them Therefore let us labour for a cleare understanding of divine things That which the eye sees the heart grieves for in ill and that that
the eye sees the heart imbraceth in good And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer and our perswasion stronger in that measure our imbracing is lovely and full of joy and delight Therefore let us labour to grow in knowledge in supernaturall spirituall knowledge and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more for answerable to that our affections will grow and will be carried to the things discovered And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this that it is a meanes to work a holy and heavenly disposition and temper in us especially if it be spirituall And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of let us dwell upon things still to work them upon the will and affections let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule are these things so doe I know these things and am I perswaded of these things that they are so how is my disposition answerable then am I so affected as I should be is my love so hote and my joy so working and spiritly and quicke as it should or no and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves and to checke our owne soules Alas that I should have such things discovered and that I should see such things in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times And if we find our affections any thing working that wee are disposed to imbrace these things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed together with the excellency of the things themselves to shew us our portion by his holy spirit to enlighten our understandings and to perswade us let us blesse God for this for it is a worke above nature And withall because the soule cannot close with and imbrace these things but it must let loose other things for you know in imbracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe if we would gripe these things in our affection and will we must have them only we must not think to graspe the world and them together the things here below and them together as wee shall see after in that point they accounted themselves strangers to earthly things Therefore this is one way to come to this imbracing to come to the sight of the vanity and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment the insufficiencie of workes and merit and such like in the matter of justification the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall And so in matter of conversation to see the insufficiency and emp●…nesse and vanity yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and affections what are all to these and effectually thinke so thinke what should draw a mans affections after it beauty or strength consider what will become of these ere long And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body and soule in heaven if we carry our selves as wee should doe and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition let us lay these things together and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other If it be for honour and favour of the world consider the vanity of them and how short a time wee may enjoy them and the things themselves are subject to alteration And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life in death and for ever And so for riches and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left and how the soule is larger then all these things if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have and that our soules that are more large and more excellent they are not made for these things but for better and what use we shal have of better things when these faile the soule being immortall and eternall This will make us let goe earthly things in our affections and hold them in their place in a secondary place as things serviceable in the way to heaven and not to graspe them in our affections for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation And if we would be affected as we should be to good things let us keepe our affections tender and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne that may work feares and doubts for together with sin goes feares and doubts they are bred in sinne naturally therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing oh let us keepe our soules as we keepe our understandings cleare so keepe our affections tender by all meanes and keepe our consciences unspotted that so our affections of joy and delight and love may bee ready prest to good things even to the best things Another way is in particular to meditate of the love of Christ the love of GOD in Christ and of his imbracing of us For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswasion of Gods imbracing of us We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe this imbracing of Christ and heaven it is a mutuall imbracing and it is a second reflexive imbracing wee imbrace God and Christ because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love therefore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections Therefore let us attend upon the meanes upon private reading of the word and upon the ministry for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together they are friends of the Bridegroome to discove CHRISTS love to us and his lovelinesse his lovelinesse in himselfe his riches in himselfe and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST the ministery is for this end especially to draw Christ and the foule together And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it but to discover to us the excellen ci●… of Christ and the good things we have by him his love good intention to our soules Now hearing these things in the ministery they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ and Christs love to us God having made our soules for love to himselfe and friendship with himselfe and the nearest and sweetest conjugall friendship now therefore the more his
love is discovered to us the more we shall love him Therefore let us be constant in attending upon good meanes we shall alway heare something that will either strengthen our faith in the promises of God or shew us our duty to God againe we shall have something discovered whereby the spirit will bee effectuall to help this imbracing Let us go to reading and hearing with this scope and intention Now I come to heare I come to have my soule wrought on I come to heare some message from heaven to heare some good thing to draw my minde from the world and worldly things and upon hearing our duty to God to walke lowly in thankefulnesse for those good things that wee have and that wee hope for in another world It is no wonder that men lose their affections that are carelesse in the use of me●…nes and if they loose them will they not loose all The best man living if he be care lesse in using the meanes of salvation and give himselfe to the world altogether or to his calling things not in themselves unlawfull his affections will be dead he shal loose them for God hath ordained that our affections should be quickned by heavenly meanes and GOD knoweth better than wee our selves that hath sanctified these meanes to this purpose In attending upon the meanes we shall heare a discovery of good things and heare comforts and have our light strengthened by new discovery of new Scripture or by old Scriptures lively applyed something to increase the life of our perswasion at every Sermon and reading good bookes and by every good company and that which increaseth knowledge and perswasion makes our affection and imbracing stronger I beseech you let us take these courses or else all is to no purpose the maine thing in religion is the will and affections and when the wil and affections are wrought on the worke is done in the matter of grace And there is no other way to know whether the former wor●… of the understanding and perswasion bee effectuall and to purpose or no but this to know whether the will choose and cleave to good things and whether our affections joy and delight in them there is the tryall of the maine worke The worke indeed is especially in the judgment when it heares soundly and supernaturally of the ills that are to bee avoyded and of the good things that are to be imbraced bu●… where is the tryall of the judgement but when it carries the whole soule with it when it carries the sterne of the soule with it Now that which is immediate to our soules is our affection of joy and delight and the the like Therefore let us take to heart these things and never think we are any thing in religion till our hearts and affections be wrought upon till our knowledge be such as may sway that whole inward man Againe consider the excellency of these good things that we have discovered to us in the Gospell that are the object of our imbracing together with the necessity of them that without them we are wretched creatures there is no hope for us Let us every day consider what ground of hope wee have though the things be not yet possest whether the things be true that we hope for whether they bee confirmed to be true or no and how we rest on them for let things be never so excellent and necessary unlesse the soule conceive of them as things attainable as things belonging to us all is to no purpose this effect of imbracing will not bee wrought in the soule Therefore consider more and more the hopefulnes of them that may help this imbracing A Christian when he believes and hopes for that happines that shall be revealed to him the things promised what a world of grounds of hope hath he for it hee hath the word of God for an inheritance immortall and 〈◊〉 he hath the will of Christ Father I will th●… where I am they may bee Ioh. 17. his prayer to his father is his will and his will must be performed for he lives for ever to make good his own legacy to his Church And he is now in heaven preparing that happinesse for us that we so imbrace with faith And he hath left us here his spirit to be a pledge that he will come againe he hath left his spirit and hath taken our flesh to heaven to strengthen our hope that this shall follow Our flesh is in heaven in him already and his spirit is in earth in 〈◊〉 as a mutuall depositum in trust betweene him and us and all to strengthen the hope of that happinesse that is reserved Besides the Seale of the Sacrament the end of which is to cherish hopefulnesse of Christ and of all the good we have by him His oath is added to his promise that all things might be immutable and unchangeable of the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting c. Now especially when we find our hearts 〈◊〉 sinke downward and not to have that life 〈◊〉 they should have by meditating on these things of their excellency and necessitie and to conceive in Scripture the grounds of hope of them it will quicken us Adde likewise for our owne interest what worke of the spirit we have and then what singular promises we have that where GOD hath begun he will make an end For why is the worke of the spirit called an earnest but that God will make good the bargaine Consider what worke of the spirit we have for whatsoever is spirituall is eternall in a man what joy is spirituall what love is spirituall what knowledge is spirituall it shall be made up in perfection it shall never be taken away See then how the spirit seales us by the worke of it and what earnest wee have in peace of conscience and the work of it This will cherrish hope for that is part of this imbracing to imbrace them with faith and hope And this should be a daily course to work upon the affections to estrange them from all things and from the meditation of all things else And as I said before to consider the love of God to us and to love him again And consider likewise the hopefulnesse of good things that nothing in the world is so made good to us as the things of a better life the things of grace and glory And God hath borrowed from all assurance amongst men terms to shew the assurance of the good things we have in hope and faith The pledge of the spirit the earnest of the spirit the seale of the spirit the witnesse of the spirit What termes are there used among men that may confirme any thing that you have not used to strengthen this supernaturall assurance of these supernaturall good things GOD herein succours our weakenesse knowing how prone we are to call these things into question And consider especially our owne unworthinesse our vilenesse and basenesse that we deserve none of
earthly respects Therefore how ever they are strangers here that they cannot be here long and they have soules that are of an everlasting continuance yet because their affections and the bent of their soules are all here they account themselves at home here and here they plant themselves and their posterity therefore though in some sence they be strangers yet not in that sence that the children of God are Every Christian is borne from above and borne to things above and hee is a stranger here All his course from his new birth till he come to the possession of his inheritance in heaven it is nothing but a travailing he never sits down but is alway in his motion and passage Every good work is a step of his way he is in motion still he takes degrees from better to better from grace to grace from knowledge to knowledge till he come to his home Let us make a tryall of our selves how our affections stand to these things whether our hearts bee weaned from earthly things undoubtedly if we have imbraced Christ we shall use the world as though wee used it not We shall be transformed into the Image of Christ and he used the things of this world as a stranger only to comfort him in the way we shall have the same mind that he had We shall carrie our selves as strangers as those that hope for a country in heaven Therefore I will name some particulars to shew the condition and carriage of a stranger First of all a stranger is travailing to another country to joyne both in one for the one followes the other he that is a stranger that apprehends what he is and apprehends that he hath a countrie to goe to hee travailes toward it A stranger that is travailing homeward he is content with his present condition for he knowes he shall have better at home In Iere. 45. God by Ieremy speakes to Bar●…ch a good man I will destroy all these things and dost 〈◊〉 seeke great things for thy selfe If a Christian did consider Iam going to heaven to God what do I seeking great things here which God will destroy What will become of heaven and earth and all things here ere long And if the time be long ere heaven and earth be destroyed yet what will become of me ere long I shall be turned to earth and shall I seeke great things here upon earth Shall I not be content with my portion certainely a stranger is content with his present portion he that is a traveller when he comes to his Inne if perhaps things be not so cleane if his usage bee not so good he thinkes it is but a night and away it is no great matter this is not the maine he will not be over much discontent and quarrell at any unkind usage in the way for he knowes he shall have better usage when he comes home Therefore as he will bee content with little be it what it will be he knows it is not the maine So he will be patient if he meete with unkind usage hee will not stand quarrelling by the way and so hinder himselfe in his journey he will be patient in the injuries and wrongs in this life If a Prince be mis-used in another country he is contented and thinkes with himselfe I have a country where I shall be more respected and therefore he beares it the more willingly So a Christian is a King he is an heire and being a stranger he shall meete with dogges in this world as who doe dogs bark at but at strangers now being strangers we must looke for dogged usage It is no wonder that dogs barke at strangers it is their kind they consider it is the disposition of wicked men to doe so they doe but their kind Would a man have dogs not to barke and would we have wicked men that have evill tongues not to scorne that they know not to doe otherwise is to forget their kinde A Christian knowes they doe but their kind he pitties them and he doth not stop his journey and his course for it He will not be scorned out of his religion by a company of prophane spirits hee will not be laughed out of his course he knowes what he doth better than they they are madde and fooles he knowes it and they shall know it themselves ere long He knowes that he is in a serious judicious course that he can approve and they cannot theirs therefore he will not be scorned out of his course Thus faith in Christ makes him that is a stranger here content and patient He whose soule hath imbraced Christ is contented with any thing any thing is sufficient to his soule that is filled with better things Nothing will content a covetous earthly man a man of the earth such men think themselves at home they make a league with hell and death the men of the world they thinke they shall live here alway but a Christian that imbraceth a better life with Christ in happinesse to come he knowes he shall not be here long hee is here but as a stranger and shall shortly bee at home and therefore he is contented with any thing Likewise the knowledge of this that we are strangers and pilgrims it will make a man not only content and patient but thankfull for any kindnesse he finds in this world that God sweetens his absence from heaven and his pilgrimage on earth what that God should love me so not only to give me heaven but to give me contentments on the earth to sweeten my way to heaven what a mercy is this He is thankfull for any contentment hee is thankfull to the world to those that doe any thing for him that afford him any courtesie here that may helpe him in his pilgrimage and make it lesse troublesome and cumbersome to him All the Saints in former time were wondrous thankfull for that they had for what can a travailer look for but discourtesies and hard usage and if he find any thing better he will be thankfull certainely it is more then I ●…ooked for saith he When a man is bent toward heaven hee cannot but looke for hard ●…sage from the world We see when Christ did but look toward Ierusalem the Samaritans ●…ad enough they began to maligne him why his face was toward Ierusalem So when base worldlings see that a man will to heaven and leave their company and courses they cannot digest this A man of an ill conscience when hee sees another oppose that course that he resolved to sticke to he sees he confutes his course he sees his face is toward heaven and therfore labours to disgrace him As the wench said to Peter Thou speakest as one of Galile thy speech bewrayes thee So when a man is going toward heaven every base person the veriest rascall of all hath pride enough to scorne Religion So wee see they make not much of the world nor the world
labour to get assurance of another a better country for what made these holy men confesse themselves strangers and pilgrims here They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and in that measure they were assured of a better condition they carryed themselves as strangers and pilgrims here To wind up all in a word you see here their disposition I beseech you make this text your patterne to be molded into you see how these blessed men long agoe lived in faith when their light was lesse then ours is and they died in faith and will welcome us when we shall come to heaven we shall goe to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the rest of the Patriarchs and holy men It will bee a blessed time when all the blessed men that have gone before shall welcome us to heaven If we looke to be happy as they are we must live as they did and die as they did though we cannot so strongly as they did see that with the eye of faith that no eye else can see yet let us desire God to perswade us of these truths more strongly then the devill of our own lusts shall perswade us to the contrary let us desire God to set on his truths so strongly that all other things may not hinder us that we may imbrace them with our best affections of love of desire of contentment that we may witnesse all this by our demeanour to earthly things by our base esteem of them and carry our selves as pilgrims and strangers on earth If we do thus live in faith and die in faith we shal live with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven eternally FINIS THE HIDDEN LIFE In two Funerall Sermons upon COL 3. 3 4. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 JOHN 3. 2. Beloved now yee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what wee shall bee LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. THE HIDDEN LIFE COLLOS 3. 3 4. For yee are dead your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glory THE dependance of these words in a word is this The Apostle after he had laid the grounds of some Doctrines hee doth frame the building of a holy life and conversation It is in vaine to believe well unlesse a man worke accordingly hee that lives against his faith shall be damned as he that believes against it Thereupon in this Chapter hee comes to raise their affections to be Heavenly minded and stirres them up to subdue what soever is contrary to Heavenly mindednesse And because it is a duty of great moment to be heavenly minded and to subdue base affections he inserts weighty reasons betweene If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And among other reasons the●… 〈◊〉 this yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God And therupon he forceth seeking of the things that are above and the mortifying of earthly members For the duties of Christianity ●…e to be applyed two wayes to be heavenly affected to subdue that which is contrary to be heavenly minded to mortifie our earthly members Now how shall we doe both For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God c. You see the first proposition yee are dead with whom with Christ in God A Christian is dead many wayes He is dead to the law to the morall law he lookes not to have comfort and salvation by it by the law he is dead to the law and so flyes to Christ. A Christian is dead also to the ceremon●…ll law now in the glorious lustre of the Gospell what have we to doe with those 〈◊〉 element that were for Children A ceremo●… disposition is opposite to the glory and lustre of the Gospell as the Apostle speakes in the former Chapter He is dead likewise to sinne having communion with Christ when he dyed for sinne hee is dead to sinne He that hath communion in the death of Christ hath the same affection to sinne that Christ had Christ hated it infinitely when he suffered for it so every Christian thinkes that Christ dyed for my sinnes and by union with Christ he hath the same affection to it he is dead to it And because this is but an inchoation and beginning a Christian is not perfectly dead to sinne hee stands in need of afflictions and in regard of afflictions he is dead they must help the worke of mortification And because no affliction can sufficiently worke mortification but death it self which is the accomplishment of mortification we are dead in respect of death it selfe which is the accomplishment of all though we live here for a time we are dead in regard of the sentence that is passed on us as wee say a man is dead when the sentence is passed on him in that respect wee are dead men for our life is but a dead life besides the sentence that is passed upon us death siezeth upon us in the time of our life in sicknesses c. And so they prepare us to death thus and many other wayes we are dead The second proposition is Our Life is hid with Christ in God We are dead and yet we have a life A Christian is a strange person hee is both dead and alive he is miserable and glorious he consists of contraries he is dead in regard of corruption and miseries and such like but he is alive in regard of his better part and he growes two wayes at on●… it is a strange thing that a Christian doth hee growes downewards and upwards at the same time for as he dyes in sin and misery and naturall death approaching so he lives the life of grace and growes more and more till he end in Glory This life is said to be a hidden life It is hid with Christ in God The life of a Christian which is his glorious spirituall life it is hid among other respects It is hid to the world to worldly men because a Christian is an unknown man to them because they know not the Father that begets therefore they know not them that are begotten as S. Iohn saith they know not the advancement of a Christian he is raysed into a higher ranck then they Therefore as a beast knowes not the things of a man no more doth a carnal man in any excellency know the things of the spirit for they are spiritually discerned therefore it is a hidden life in the eyes of the world a wordly man sees not this life in regard of the excellency he passeth scornes and contempts of it of folly and the like A Christian in respect of
common field but when the sunne shines and appeares then the hearbs appeare in their lustre so it is with a Christian there is light and immortality and happinesse sowne for him when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare then we shall appeare with him in glory As wee may say of all things below they have a hidden life the plants and the flowers in the winter they live by the roote and when the Sunne appeares then they also appeare with the Sunne in glory So it is with the Righteous they have a hidden life it is hid now in the roote in their head in this life when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare when the spring comes when the resurrection comes then we shall appeare with him in glory and so I come to speak of that verse When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee appeare also with him in Glory Our life is now hid our happinesse is vayled over there are many things betweene us and our life but shall it alwayes bee so Oh no When Christ who is our Life shall appeare wee shalt appeare also with him in Glory hee meets with a secret objection The parts here to be stood on are these First Christ hee is our Life hee shall appeare in Glory as our Life This is taken for granted it is a supposed truth When Christ who is our Life shall appeare it is taken for granted that he shall appeare in glory The next thing is that wee shall appeare likewise with Christ. Christ shall appeare and wee And then the consequence how these depend one upon another because Christ appears in Glory therefore we when Christ who is our life shall appeare The Apostle cannot mention Christ without an addition of comfort and the Christian soule loves Christ it sees such matter of comfort and such righteousnesse in him that it cannot thinke of Christ without a comfortable addition of Lord Saviour Life Hope Glory c. Christ carryes with him all comforts hee is food the bread of life the water of life all that is good to the soule therefore the Apostle gives this sweet addition Christ out life How is Christ our life He is every way the cause of the Life of Grace and of Glory And not only so the cause but the roote and spring in whom it is wee have it from Christ and in Christ wee have it in Christ as a root and from Christ as a working cause and by Christ as a Mediator For Christ procured Life at Gods hands by his Sactifice and Death Wee have it in Christ as a head from him as a cause together with both the other persons and through him as Mediator who by his death made way to life appeasing the wrath of God so we are reconciled and pardoned by the death of Christ. Christ is not only our Life so but as the matter of our life that wee seed on when hee hath wrought spirituall life in us then the Soule lives by Faith in Christ still and seedes upon him hee is our life because wee feed on him for as food nourisheth the body so the Soule being every day set on by fresh temptations and afflictions and troubles and fresh discomforts the Soule of necessity is forced to looke to Christ every day and to feed upon Christ to feed upon his blood af●…esh which runnes conti nually for hee is a Mediator for ever and he is in Heaven to make good that hee hath done by his death and wee looke upon him every day and feed on him and so hee maintaines the life he hath begun Christ is our life thus More particularly for memorie sake Christ when by faith wee have union with him once as we can have no communion without union with him when wee are one with him once by faith wee have life from Christ the life of reconciliation in law opposite to our death in law and in sentence for by nature we are all dead and damned as soone as we are borne for our owne sins and the sins of our first parents wee are dead in sentence Now by Christ there is a reversion of this sentence Christ by his obedience and suffering hath satisfied his father so by our union with Christ wee are alive in sentence we are absolved in GODS court of justice for hee will not punish sin twice And then after the life of justification being justified by faith we have the life of sanctification and holinesse for GOD out of his love when he hath pardoned our sin he gives his spirit as the best fruit of his love and we having our consciences absolved and acquitted by the spirit of GOD through the obedience of Christ wee love GOD. GOD so loveth us when he is appeased by Christ that the barre being taken away our sinnes being pardoned and the sluce of mercy open there is way made for another life the life of sanctification by the spirit upon pardon of our sinnes he gives the spirit and we feeling that love have love wrought in us to him againe and that love stirs up every Christian to obedience In the next place after he hath acquitted us by his Alsufficient satisfaction being God and Man and hath given us his spirit there is another life the life of comfort which is the life of our life in peace of conscience and joy unspeakable and glorious this life issues from the former for when we find our conscience appeased that God saith to our soules hee is their salvation and find a newnesse wrought in our nature by the spirit of God and some strength to obey him then we begin to have a sweet peace as the Children of God find in themselves and joy unspeakable and glorious This is the life of this life having union with Christ and his Righteousnesse and spirit wee have this peace which is the way to Glory and the beginning of it For besides that Christ is our life in Glory afterwards in this life he is our life Answerable to our servile feare as wee are dead in law we have a life in justification As wee are dead in nature so we have a life in sanctification wee are dead in despaire and runne into terrours of Conscience so wee have a life in joy and peace But all those in this life are imperfect because there is only an union of Grace here till wee come to the union of Glory in Heaven and then at the day of judgement there will bee a perfect justifying of us wee shall not only be acquitted in our conscience as we are now but wee shall bee acquitted before Angels and Divels and Men and Christ will acknowledge us these are they for whom I dyed these are they for whom I made intercession in Heaven we shall be acquitted there and there wee shall be acknowledged And then the life of sanctification that is now in part shall then be perfect and likewise the peace that now passeth understanding shall then bee
ascension riseth from his and our sitting at the right hand of God from his And so at the day of judgement our being glorious it comes from his He then shall appeare in glory as the head and husband of his Church and shall shine upon all his members He as the Sun shall cast a lustre and beauty and glory upon all that are his and then they shall reflect that glory they have from him upon him againe and he upon them againe so he shall be glorious in them and they in him but the ground of all is he is first in glory he shall appeare in glory and then we in him I speake this the rather because I would have humble consciences to make use of it in times of desertion when God seemes to bee a God that hides himselfe when they find no life nor comfort yet if they have but grace to believe they may comfort themselves in this well I have it but from Christ and he is perfect in glory he is ascended and I shall ascend and rise and be glorious because hee is so Put case now I feele no such matter it is no matter I live by faith in Christ that hath all in fulnesse and what hee hath done for me hee will doe in me if I believe in him Let a troubled soule comfort it selfe with this it is as impossible that he should be damned that believes in Christ as that Christ should be damned because hee believing in Christ is one with him and as verlly as Christ is in heaven hee shall bee there for Christ rose for all his The little finger lives the same life as the hand or the foot doth so a weake christian that hath little grace he lives by the same faith in Christ that is in glory as well as they that are stronger Let us strive and fight with this encouragement as S. Paul saith fight the good fight of Faith Oh! but shall we be alwayes fighting and striving No saith hee lay hold of eternall Life and then wee may well fight against doubts and despaire Let us therefore labour to fight so that we may lay hold on eternall life which Christ keepes for us and keeps us for it and ere long we shall partake of that wee hope for FINIS THE REDEMPTION OF BODYES In one Funerall Sermon upon PHIL. 3. 2●… BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 COR. 15 44. It is sowne a naturall Body it is raised a spirituall body LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. THE REDEMPTION OF BODIES PHIL. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile Body that it may bee fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe THE Apostle was now in prison yet hee had a spirit of glory resting upon him for he speakes as if he were entred into Heaven as if he were there before his time and therefore in Chap. 1. saith he I desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And I account all dung in comparison of Christ as he saith in this Chap. and here in the former verse Our conversation is in Heaven from whence we looke for the Saviour Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodyes c. God reserves abundance of comforts to the fittest times as we see here in Saint Paul in this place Now he brings in his owne example to good purpose as opposite to false Christians and false ●…eachers that he had mentioned before There are many walke of whom I have told you oft c. they are enemies to the crosse of Christ that mind earthly things c. verse 18. But saith hee our conversation is in heaven he regards not which way they went hee tooke an opposite course to the world and swims against the stream As we see the stars they have a motion of their own opposite to the motion that they are carried with So S. Paul had a motion of his owne opposite to the course of the world their end is damnation but our conversation is in Heaven A christian hath his conversation in Heaven while hee is on earth hee rules his life by the lawes of heaven There are alway in the visible Church some that walke contrary wayes who make their Belly their God whose end is 〈◊〉 There were some that were christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…achers of Christians many of them yet he saith their end is damnation their God is their belly carnall Christians say wee have all 〈◊〉 the sacrament c. Alas we may all partake of this common privilege and yet our end may be damnation St. Paul looked on them with a a spirit of compassion I tell you weeping So it may be with us in our Goshe●… here there may be a spirit of cast-awayes in many and in the abundance of meanes there may bee many dead souls But S. Paul regards not what their course was for saith he our conversation is in Heaven From whence we looke for the Saviour c. That shewes why his conversation was in heaven because his Saviour was in heaven and therefore his hope was in heaven Where the treasure is the heart will be Having entred into this blessed discourse he goes on still who shall change our vile bodies and fashion them like his glorious body He brings it in by way of answering an objection If our conversation be in heaven why are our bodies yet subject to such afflictions and basenesse in this world It is true they are but the time shall come that Christ shall change these vile bodies of ours and fashion them like to his glorious body I but this requires a great deale of power and strength and we see not how it may be Therefore saith he he shall doe it by that almighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe therefore he shall subdue death the last enemy he will not doe it perhaps according to thy fancy and conceit but according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things to himselfe we must not regard our weake conceits in great matters but Gods power yee erre saith Christ to the Pharisees not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Saint Paul then in these words and in the verse before sets downe three reasons why his course is opposite to the course of wicked men in his time First my City is in heaven and my conversation is answerable I take a contrary course for I am a citizen of another City And then another reason is his hope and expectation of a Saviour from heaven the Lord Iesus Hope faith which is the ground of hope carry up the soule where the thing hoped for is Our conversation is in
heaven wee hope for a Saviour from thence The third reason is from the condition of the body how ever it was now for the present He shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body Who shall change our vile body You see here the Apostle having set himselfe upon a holy and heavenly meditation he could not satisfie himselfe but goes from point to point setting downe his present holy conversation grounded upon his future hope of a blessed state to come Christ shall change our vile body Our bodies are vile and our bodies here is the point then that The best mens bodies in this world are vile Vile in regard of the matter whence they are taken the earth from the dust the fairest body is but well coloured dust base and vile from the beginning from the wombe base in the whole life base in death most base after death They are base I say in the beginning But especially base in our life our bodies are base in regard of labour Man is borne to labour in this world as the sparkes flie upward God would humble the body of every man with labour or else those that have not the labour of men here shall have the labour of devils hereafter The best body of the best Saints are condemned to labour Vile likewise in regard of sicknesse and diseases which grow out of the body so that be it kept never so warme and tenderly yet as the wormes grow out of the very wood and consumes the wood that breeds it so diseases grow out of and come from the body There is a fight and conflict betweene moysture and heate till the one prey upon the other and consume it In regard of sickenesse therefore they are vile bodies In regard likewise of disposing the soule the worst way for take all tempers of the body they incline the soule to some sinne or other to some ill disposition or other Choller inclines it to intemperate anger Melancholy to distrust and darkenesse of spirit The Sanguine inclines it to liberty and loosenesse c. Phlegme to deadnesse and dulnesse of spirit So our base bodies make the soule dull it becomes an unfit instrument whereby the soule cannot worke as it would an unfit house the body is oft times a darke house sometimes a house that drops in with moist diseases a house that lets in water and so consumes it to rottennesse sometimes it is a house fired by hote diseases it is thus indisposed and therefore a vile body A vile body likewise that when it is thus indisposed there is no comfort in the earth that can comfort it for all the foundation of comfort in this world is the health of this poore body A Kingdome nay all the Kingdomes in the world will not comfort a man if his body be not in tune and alas how soone is this body out of tune An instrument that hath many strings is soone subject to be out of tune and there are many strings in the body how many turnings how many instruments doth the soule use if any be out of tune the musicke is hindred it becomes an unfit instrument in this regard it is a vile body In regard likewise of the necessities of nature this body is vile in this world I speake not of what comes from the body in which respect it is base and vile but how many things doth this vile body stand in need of man in that respect is the basest creature in the world he is b-holding to the wormes he is beholding to nature to feed him in health in sickenes the body needs patching up and piecing by this creature and by that so it is a vile body in regard of the necessities of it in health in sickenesse in youth in age It is vile in life I need not stand on this It is more vile in death in the houre of death then it is base and vile indeed can wee indure the sight of our dearest friends how noysome is their presence after death and the most exquisite temper is the most vile and noysome of all those that are most delicately fed and most beautifully faced are most offensive and this is the condition of all That head that wore a Crowne those hands that swayed a Scepter those braines and that understanding that ruled many Kingdomes all are subject to death yea and to basenesse after death as well as those that are poorer And then they are vile bodies because they are subject to all manner of deaths the bodies of Gods Saints have beene cast out to the fowles of the Ayre the poore Martyrs how many wayes have they tasted of death These bodyes are subject to all manner of deaths to variety of deaths therefore they are vile bodies And then they are vile after death as wee were taken out of dust at the first so we returne to dust againe and if these bodies be not transformed to be like the glorious body of Christ they are most vile of all The spirit of despayre the spirit of anger that is in reprobate persons how doth it disfigure their faces one may see their shame their griefe their despayre in their very lookes so their bodies are most vile and dishonourable but I speake of Gods Children I say here in this world in regard that they come of parents that are miserable and sinfull Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery Iob 14. 1. Man that is borne of a woman of a weake miserable sinfull woman in this respect it is a vile body And in all the passages of our life in respect of labour and paine and sickenesses and diseases and likewise for indisposing the soule that it is an instrument to ill and in death it selfe more vile then in life and after death most of all vile So you see they are vile bodies every way To make some use of this If this be so considering what the condition of our body is here let this abate the pride of the greatest let them consider when they looke upon their gay apparell what doth these garments hide when great Magistrates and others have their purple on let them consider what doth this glorious garment cover nothing but dust a vile body why should wee be proud then of our bodies or of any ornament of our body seeing it is a vile body Againe if our bodies be vile and base why should wee spend the strength of our soules in searching to satisfie the lusts of so vile a body and so make our soules nothing else almost but stewards to proule how to content how to cloath and how to feed this body as it is the study of many idle vaine persons almost all the day long to give contentment to the craving lusts of this vile body they make even an idoll of this poore base piece of flesh and sacrifice the best of their thoughts and the best of their studies
blessed meanes either in private admonitions or publike teaching let men pretend what they will there is no true desire of grace and to be in the estate of Gods people for then they would not be contrary to the means This wretched man Balaam when the Angell stood in his way with his sword drawne to stoppe his way yet notwithstanding he goes on still he was so carryed with covetousnesse and so blinded that neither the miracle of the beast speaking nor of the Angell in his way nor God in the way could stoppe him alas where was this desire then No no the glo ry of earthly things dazeled the glory of the estate of Gods people therefore wee see hee goes against all meanes that was used to stop him in his journey If a man desire to be good and to leave his sinnes he will not stand against the meanes Have wee not many that stand against the Ministery of Gods Ministers are Gods Angels they stand in the way and tell people if you live in this course you shall not inherite heaven if you live in oppression and base lusts unlesse you be changed you shall all perish They come to particular reproofes and hold forth the sword of Gods Spirit yet men breake through all and wreake their malice upon Gods Messengers Is here a true desire when they are not willing to have the hinderances removed when there is not respect of the meanes that should be used Againe true desires of grace they are growing desires though they bee little in the beginning as springs are yet as the springs grow so doe the waters that come from them so these desires they grow more and more still They grow sometimes in Gods children that they will have no stop till they come to have their sull desire to have perfect union and communion with God in heaven The desires of a blessed soule they are never satisfied till it come to heaven Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth saith the Church oh let mee have nearer communion with Christ. It desires in the vord and sacraments to come nearer and closer to God and in death then Come Lord Iesus come quickly And when the soule is in heaven there is yet nearer union a desire of the bodies resurrection that both may be for ever with the Lord. Till a Christian be perfect in body and soule there is desire upon desire till all desires be accomplished they are growing desires as S. Peter saith As new born babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby It is a desire that is never satisfied because there is alway somewhat to be desired till we be perfectly happy And then they are desires that will not bee stilled A child if it have not strong desires it will be stilled with an apple but if the desires be strong nothing will still it but the dug so Gods Children if their desires be strong it is no bauble they desire nothing but grace and inward comfort will quiet the inward man It is a desire that is growing and strong it will not be staid with any thing in this world but wil break through all impediments as a strong stream it will never rest till it have communion with God And therefore the desires that men think are good and earnest enough that goe on plodding in a constant course and never labour to grow they are no desires at all no sanctified desires from a supernaturall principle of grace The desires of a Christian grow and are never satisfied till hee have perfect happinesse The three worthies of David brake through the host and got the water of Bethel for David oh that I had of the water of Bethel So where there are strong desires they are like Davids worthies they carry the soule through all impediments they grow stronger and stronger and are never satisfied till they come to the water of life Let us consider these things whether we have this desire or no if we have but sometimes flashes inconstant ineffectuall desires desires that grow not that are soone satisfied and are stilled with any thing alas these desires the spirit of God never kindled and bred in the heart they are ordinary flashes that shall serve for our deeper damnation Therefore let us take heed and not rest in a cast-awayes estate let us not rest in Balaams state but labour that the desires of our souls may be as they should Desires I confesse are the best character to know a Christian for workes may be hypocriticall desires are naturall Therefore wee ought to consider our desires what they are whether true or no for the first thing that issues from the soul are desires thoghts thoghts stir up desires This inward immediate stirring of of the soule discovers the truth of the soule better then outward things Let us oft therefore examine our desires And let me adde this one thing to the other let us examine our desires by this besides the rest whether we desire holinesse and the restauration of the Image of God the new creature and to have victory against our corruptions to be in a state that we may not sinne against God to have the spirit to be new born as well as we desire happinesse and exemption from misery Balaam desired happinesse but hee desired not the Image of God upon his Soule for then he would not have bin carried with a covetous divell against all meanes No his desire was after a glympse of Gods childrens glory only A wicked man can never desire to be in heaven as he should be for how should we desire to be in heaven to be freed from sinne that wee may praise God and love God that there may be no combate betweene the flesh and the spirit Can he wish this No his happinesse is as a swine to wallow in the mire and he desires to enjoy sensible delights as for spirituall things especially the Image of God and the vision of God they are not fit objects for him as farre as it is a freedome from sin but as hee hath a conceit oh there are goodly things to be seene c. So it corresponds with his disposition but to bee free from Sin and from the conflict of the flesh and spirit and to be set at liberty to serve God alway he cannot desire it so Tell him of heaven he loves it not there is no gold there is not that that he affects therfore he cares not for it he cannot relish it he is not changed Therefore it is a notable Character of a true Christian to desire heaven to be freed from sinne to have communion with God in holinesse other prerogatives will follow this Let us therefore consider what our desires are how they are carryed for desires discover what the soule is As a spring is discovered by the vapours that are about it so is this hidden state of the soule discovered by the
breaking out of desires They are the breath and vapour of the soule Let us consider what is set highest in our soules what we desire most of all Oh! a Christian soule that hath tasted of the loving kindnesse of the Lord accounts it better then life it selfe It is not Corne and wine and oyle he desires but Lord shew me the light of thy countenance The desires of his heart are large to serve God and to doe good more then for the things of the world He desires earthly things but as instruments for better things and this is the desire of every sanctified soule in some measure Let us hence make a use of convinction of the folly of base men that live in the Church and yet come not so farre as Balaam that come not so farre as those that shall goe to hell They turne over all Religion to a Lord have mercy upon us and Christ dyed for us and we hope we have soules to God ward as good as the best and to a few short broken things They turne Religion to compendiums to a narrow compasse and make the vvay to it wide and broad and complaine of Preachers that they straiten the way to heaven This is the disposition of worldlings whereas alas there must be a righteousnesse that must exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises there must be a righteousnesse from an inward principle there must be a strong constant desire of righteousnesse more then of any thing in the world before we can be assured of our interest and part with Gods people Let us take heed that we delude not our selves this way But to come to an use of direction How may we so carry our selves as we may have a spring of blessed desires a spring of holy desires that may comfort us that we may have our interest and portion in the state of Gods people That we may have these desires let us desire of God the spirit of revelation desires follow discovery for desires are the vent of the soule upon the discovery of some excellency it beleeves Therefore let us beg of God the spirit of revelation to discover the excellent estate of Gods people And because this is given in the use of meanes let us present our selves with all diligence under such means as where we may have somewhat of the Kingdome of God that the riches of Christ being unfolded our desires may be carryed to such things for there is never any discovery of holy and good and gracious things to a Christian soule but there are new desires stirred up Our soules are like a mill that grinds what is put into it so the soule it workes upon the things that are put into it if it have good desires and good thoughts put into it by good meanes used and by prayer it feeds upon them let us alway therefore be under some good meanes that good thoughts may be ministred unto us that may stirre up gracious desires for the soule to worke upon Let us be in good company Saul among the Prophets we see hee prophesied and the heart is kindled and enflamed when we are among those that are better then our selves especially if their hearts be inlarged to speake of good things but to come nearer That we may have holy and gracious and constant desires let us take notice and make tryall continually of the state and frame of our soules which way for the present they are carryed in what current our desires run If they runne the right way to heavenly things it is well if not take notice what drawes and diverts and turnes the streames of our desires the false way let us thinke what the things be and the condition of those things that drawes our desires downe and make us earthly and worldly whether the pleasures or profits or honours of this life The way to have better desires is to weane our selves from these things by a constant holy meditation of the vanity of these things that the soule is carryed after Salomon to weane his heart from these desires from placing too much happinesse in these things he sets them before him and saith they were vanity and vexation of spirit Let us set them before us as nothing as they will be ere long Heaven and earth will passe away the world will passe away and the concupiscence and lust of it Let us consider the basenesse ficklenes and uncertainety of things that our soules are carryed after and this will be a meanes to weane them from them And the soule being weaned from earthly things it will run amaine another way Let us study therefore to mortifie our base affections and study it to purpose to cut off the right hand and to pull out the right eye spare nothing that God may spare all that God may have mercy upon us and spare us let us spare nothing These lusts they fight against our soules And as I said before feed our soules minister unto them better thoughts continually Those that are governours of those that are yong season them while they be yong with good things for while the soule is not filled with the world and while covetousnesse and ill lusts have not wrought themselves into the soule good things and good desires are easily rooted and planted and grow up in the soule As letters graven in the body of a tree they grow up with the tree and the fruit of the tree growes up with the tree and therefore the twigs breake not with the greatnesse of the weight of it because they grow up together so plant good things in those that are yong inure them to know good things to hate ill wayes plant in them blessed desires and inure them to holy exercises and good duties that good exercises may grow up with them as the fruit wth the tree We see what 〈◊〉 hard matter it is to convert an old man to draw the desires of a carnall worldly man to heaven when we speak of good things to him his soule is full of the world what is in his brain the world what is in his heart the world So he is dry and exhausted of all good things and that that is in him is eaten up with the world It is a great improvidence in those that governe youth that they labour not that their desires may be strong to the best things And let us all both young and old labour for heavenly wisedome that when good things are ministred to us from without or good motions stirred up by the Spirit of God to close with them and not to quench those motions and resist the Spirit but to imbrace those motions and cherish them till they come to resolutions and purposes and actions If we have a motion stirring us up to repentance let us ripen it till it come to perfect repentance till we repent indeed and have turned from all our evill wayes and turne to God with full purpose of heart
the generall is to give being to the creature that had no being of it selfe and to protect and preserve the creature in its being in a word to be a Creatour for providence is the perpetuity and continuance of creation this is to be a God The office of God as God is a most glorious function to be a King is a great matter but to be a God to give being to the creature to support it when it hath a being to doe all that God should doe this is a most glorious worke but this is but creation this is not intended especially here for thus hee is the God of all his workes thus by creation and preservation he is the God of all the men in the world out of the Church What is then to be thy God I will be thy God I Answer to be a God in a more peculiar manner is to be a God in Covenant that is not onely to be a God to preserve and continue this being of ours in a civill life but it is to be a God in a higher relation to us to be a God in a reference to an eternall supernaturall estate in heaven to be a God here in grace and hereafter in glory and thus God is a God in a gracious covenant onely by Iesus Christ and to those that beleeve in him I will be thy God that is I will be thy God in Christ to give thee a better being then this world can aford to free thee from the cursed estate thou art in by nature to deliver thee from all ill spiritually and eternally especially to bestow on thee all good spiritually and eternally especially as wee have it in the words of the Covenant Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy shield and thy exceeding great reward a shield to keepe off all ill and a reward for all good So in the 84. God will be a Sun and a shield c. a Sun Psal. for all sweet comfort and good and a shield in regard of defence from ill a Sunne and a shield till wee come to the possession of eternall happinesse This is to be a God in a peculiar manner to give all things necessary for grace and life too for this life and for a better to doe all things requisite to bring us to heaven and happinesse through Christ in whom all the promises are yea and Amen to be all in all to direct the protections and provions of this life of our estate here to a supernaturall happinesse hereafter to a state beyond nature for God directs the favours of this life so that he takes them away or hee giveth them as he seeth them advantageous or hinderances to a better estate So is God a God to those that are in convenant with him to doe all this and to doe all this in opposition of all enemies whatsoever to doe all this in weakenes and in the impotency of the creature to doe all this when all second causes are contrary as it were to bring a man to heaven in spite of the Devill of our owne corruptions or all oppositions whatsoever This is to be a God indeed But why doth he say onely I will be thy God why doth he not say I will give thee grace and protection I will give thee heaven and life everlasting Because all is one for all things in the world are in this one promise I will be thy God See the wisedome of heaven how much he speakes in how little there cannot be more spoken then thus I will be thy God for in saying I will be thy God he implies that whatsoever he is or hath or can doe shall be thine too I will be thy God that is my wisedome shall be thine to watch over thee to find out wayes to doe thee good my power shall be thine to keepe thee from danger to defend and rescue thee from all enemies and to subdue them by degrees unto thee my providence shall be thine to turne all things to thy good my mercy shall be thine to forgive thy sins my love shall be thine to bestow on thee all necessary comforts there is no phrase in the Scripture that hath so much in so little as this here I will be thy God if wee could unfold and lay open this excellent promise all other particular promises in the covenant of grace are members of this what is the reason as Saint Paul saith all things are yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods God is the God of Christ and our God wee are in covenant with the God of Christ Christ is the heire of all and we are members of Christ God who is the God of all things is ours It is a wondrous comprehensive promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed The substance of thy Covenant then is that God will be a God to us the point to be observed is this That God graciously in the blessed seed the Messiah Christ Iesus he takes ●…pon him to be a God to all those that are in Covenant with him that is to be All-sufficient to bring us to happinesse All-sufficient in this world and in the world to come to be our portion to be all in all This is the first and fundamentall promise of all other indeed it is the life and soule of all the promises and it is the life and soule of all comfort whatsoever for all other relations spoken of God tend to this that hee is our God this is before to be a Father before to be any thing God first is a God and then a Father and then all in all to us As he is first the God of Christ and then the Father of Christ as you have it usually in the beginnings of the Epistles God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ first the God and then the Father to be a God then is the fundamentall and principall favour from thence commeth our Election his chusing of us to eternall salvation before all time his protection and preservation of us in time unto heaven I shall not need to speake more of this having unfolded it before But you will say how shall we know that this Covenant belongeth to us that wee are such as we may say God is our God I answer first to lay this for a ground you must know that to be a God is a relation whosoever God is a God to he perswadeth them by his Spirit that hee is a God to the same Spirit that perswadeth them that there is a God that Spirit telleth them that God is their God and works a qualification and disposition in them as that they may know that they are in covenant with such a gracious God the Spirit as it revealeth to them the love of God and that he is theirs so the Spirit enableth them to claime him for their God to give up themselves to him as to their God And the Spirit doth this because friends cannot be in convenant and
his God Againe if we make God our God we may know it by our obedience especially by the obedience of the inward man when the inward man is vowed to God when a man yeeldeth inward obedience to God it is a signe that God is his God when a man can araigne his thoughts and desires before God when lusts rise in his heart contrary to the Spirit he checks them presently this becommeth not those that are Gods it beseemeth not those that walke after God that have Gods Spirit for their leader therefore he is ashamed presently of base tentations A Christian can performe the first and last Commandements which are the most spirituall Commandements hee can make God his God in his affections his affections are placed upon him alone as I have shewed before he can yeeld up all his inward affections of feare and love and joy and such like unto God which is the summe of the first Commandement and hee can be content not to have his lusts rage and range suppresses his very thoughts and desires will not suffer any thing to rise in his heart unchecked and uncountrouled which is the summe of the tenth Commandement I meane he can doe it in some measure And there is a inward passive obedience too It is God as David and other Saints said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes I am Gods and he shall dispose of me the soule that knoweth God to be his God hath an inward obedience of contentation with his estate God is my portion and it is large enough the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof therefore I will be content to be at his disposing whether it be more or lesse and if any murmuring arise in his heart against God in respect of his estate or otherwise he presently suppresseth it as being contrary to the blessed government that a Christian is under that should resigne his whole soule unto God Thus by our affections by the tryall of them wee may know whether God be our God if wee give him the affections of the heart which Religion most stands in when we make the whole inward man stoope and bow and bend unto him when we make him our King and give him the supremacy when we set the Crowne upon his head when hee hath our feare our joy and delight our love our trust I meane when he hath the supreame of all for we may love man as God deriveth good to us by him and so for the rest but God must be supreme others must be loved and feared c. in him and for him but hee chiefely when wee depend upon him for all deliverance out of ill and for all good and shew our dependance on him by our subjection to him in all his wayes by our yeelding to him obedience answerable to all this and especially when we shall shew it by performing inward worship to him when we walke before him pefectly sincerely as it is in the beginning of this Chapter I am God All-sufficient walke before me and be perfect By this we may know that God is our God I need not enlarge it the practise of the first Commandement will teach us what is our God whatsoever we give the supremacy of the inward man to whatsoever we love most whatsoever wee trust most whatsoever we feare most whatsoever we joy and delight most whatsoever wee obey most that is our God I am the Lord thy God in the first Commandement there is the ground what followes Thou shalt have no other Gods but me that is thou shalt love nothing in the world nor feare nothing nor trust in nothing nor joy in nothing more then me no nor with me but all things else thou shalt trust them and feare them c. in me and for me otherwise what is our love is our God what is our trust is our God what is our greatest feare is our God if wee feare man feare him to doe ill man is our God if we love the creature or sinne that is our God if wee cracke our consciences for wealth the covetous mans wealth is his God if wee cracke our consciences for pleasures or for our bellies our pleasures and our bellies and our lusts are our God we make not God our God except we give him the supremacy of the inward man But to proceed and to come to some few familiar signes more that will try us though these may try us in the intercourse that is betweene God and us Whosoever hath God for their God they have the spirit of supplication prayer to cry unto God to run unto him specially in extremity all Gods children have the spirit of adoption to crie Abba Father they have the spirit to give them boldnesse to God when otherwise their nature and likewise trouble joyning with nature and tentations would make them runne from God yet the Spirit of God in them makes them bold to goe to God in Jesus Christ Gods children that are in Covenant vvith him can at all times pray to God if they cannot pray they can chatter and sigh to God there is somewhat they can doe there is a spirit in them that groaneth and sigheth as Rom. 8. and God heareth the voyce of his owne Spirit they are cryes in his eares My groanes and sighs are not hid from thee saith the Psalmist The spirit of supplication vvill shevv God to be our God because if he vvere not ours vvee could not be bold to goe to him in the time of extremity especially this signe you have in the 13. Zach. last They shall call upon my name and I will heare them they shall be my people and I will be their God Invocation prayer is a signe that God is our God vvhen vvee goe to God presently in all our vvants and necessities by prayer Pharaoh and reprobate spirits say to Moses pray you for me but as for a spirit of supplication in themselves they have not they may speake of prayer but they cannot pray whosoever is Gods he can crie to God a child wee know the first voyce it uttereth as soone as it is borne it cryes so Gods new borne children they can crie unto God Paul in the 9. Acts you shall find him praying as soone as ever he was coverted and certainely those that use not to pray morning and evening and upon all occasions that acquaint not themselves with God God is not their God if he were their God they would seeke to him and be acquainted with him the Spirit will teach them to goe unto God as to a Father Againe wee may know that God is our God by this by our separating from all others in our selves and out of our selves there is a separation in our selves for there is the first separation God whose God hee is hee giveth them his Spirit and that like fire severeth the drosse and gathered the sold together and as heate in the body that severeth
good nourishment and separateth that which doth not nourish the body sowhere the Spirit of God is hee workes a separation betweene the flesh and the spirit the spirit will know what is spirituall and vvill discerne vvhat is in us that is fleshly and vvill joyne to spirituall things and the spirit vvill be one as it vvere there vvill be a sweet agreement in the vvord in the Sacraments in good company in holy meditation and the like and a separation from the flesh A Christian knowes that hee is redeemed from himselfe as farre as hee is naught we are redeemed from our selves and our owne base nature as vvell as from hell and damnation therefore there is first a separation in our selves from our selves it begins there vve have nothing to doe vvith our corruptions we will not owne them And vvhere this sweet Covenant is that God is our God as there is a separation from our selves and our corruptions so there is a separation from all that joyneth with our corruption a separation in affection from delighting in all that is not God from all such occasions and company as strengthneth our corruption A Christian knowes what hee hath of Gods in him and what he hath of Satan and that he must weaken therefore he severeth himselfe from that which strengthneth the one and weakeneth the other this tryall is exprest in 2. Cor. 6. last Comeout from amongst them separate your selves and I will be your God and you shall be my people he speakes for direction especially in our society and acquaintance for that is the thing hee aymeth at how shall wee know that God will be our God we must separate our selves and touch no uncleane thing nothing that will helpe rebellion therefore those that have an indifferent disposition to all companies and can so●…ace themselves in any society though never so corrupt that beare themselves plausible to all and would be thought well of all and so will venter upon all occasions it is an ill signe that they are carnall people when in the nearest league in friendship or amity or in intimate familiarity they will joyne with any all are alike it is a signe they have not God for their God for then they would have common enemies and common friends with God common enemies with God whom God hated they would hate as God in Covenant blessed them that blesse us and curseth them that curse us so they that are in Covenant and friendship with God will hate with a perfect hatred whatsoever it is that hateth God they will have nothing to doe in intimate familiarity further then their callings presse upon them they will give them their due in humanity and curtesie but no more their love and delight will be in God and those that are his that represent him that have his Spirit and Image How oft is this I am the Lord your God repeated by Moses as a ground of separation from Idolatry it is exprest almost every where and indeed if the Lord be our God there is ground enough of separation from all that is not God it cannot be otherwise Another signe and evidence that God is our God is victory over our base corruptions in some measure this you have in Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things I will be his God and he shall be my sonne how shall I know that God is my God and that I am his sonne if by the power of his Spirit I am able to overcome and conquer in some comfortable measure base tentations and my base corruptions and lusts when I lye not as a beast or as a carnall man under sinne but God hath given me in some measure spirituall strength over sinne Vndoubtedly these and such like workes of the Spirit together with the testimony of the Spirit will be wheresoever God is our God In a word to name no more tryalls but this whosoever God is a God to there will be a transforming unto God a trans●…orming unto Christ in whom God is our God for wee must know that we are renewed according to the Image of the second Adam our comfort is by God revealed in Christ If God be our God in Christ we will be like to God and that will be knowne that we are like to God if wee be like to God in the flesh God incarnate for we are predestinated to be like God incarnate God first hee is Christs God before hee is ours and as Christ carryed himselfe to God so if wee be Gods wee must carry our selves like Christ be transformed unto him how did Christ carry himselfe to God God was his God My God my God saith Christ upon the Crosse. Now the Gospell sheweth that be obeyed his Father in all things in doing and suffering Not my will but thy will be done You know how full of mercy and compassion he was how hee prayed all night sometimes though he knew God would bestow things on him without prayer yet hee would pray in order to Gods appointment you know how full of goodnes he vvas going about continually doing good and that in obedience and conscier ceto Gods command in a vvord looke how Christ made God his God and carryed himselfe to God so must we for wee are predestinated to be transformed to the Image of the second Adam Christ. Especially observe one thing I touched it before whom vve runne to and trust to in extremitie is our God Christ in extremitie vvhen hee felt the anger and indured the wrath of God being a surety for our sinnes yet My God my God still so if wee make God our God chiefly in the greatest extremitie in the time of desertion as Christ did it is a good signe I doe but touch these things the point you see is large I onely give you matter of meditation you may inlarge them your selves in your owne thoughts These I thinke sufficient tryals whereby you may know vvhether God be your God Having now thus unfolded these Termes let us see vvhat vve may draw from thence for our use and comfort First then if by these tryals wee find that God be not or have not beene our God Alas let us never rest till wee make it good that God is our God For vvhat if vvee have all things if wee have not God vvith all things all other things are but streames God is the Fountaine if vve have not the Spring vvhat vvill become of us at last Achitophel had much vvit and policie but hee had not God for his God Ahab had power and strength but hee had not God for his God Saul had a Kingdome but he had not God for his God Herod had eloquence but he had not God for his God Iudas vvas an Apostle a great professour but hee had not God for his God vvhat became of all these vvit they had strength they had honour they had friends they had but they had not God and therefore a miserable end they made vvhat
doe it sometimes because he is gracious and good he will be good to the children though their parents bee naught as Ioshua and Caleb came into Canaan though their parents were rebels and died in the wildernesse Yet it is a discomfortable thing when parents are naught they may looke that God should punish their sin in their Children There is a great deale of care taken by carnall parents here in the City and every where too but in the City especially by covetousnesse a reigning sin they will not make God their God but the wedge of Gold to be their God They labour to make their children great if they can leave them rich men great men in a parish to beare office to come to honour that is their maine endeavour for this they drudge and neglect heaven and happinesse But alas what is this Thou mayst leave them much goods and the vengeance of God with them thou maist leave them much wealth and it may be a snare to them it were better thou hadst left them nothing Looke into the state of the City those that are best able in the City doe they not rise of nothing and they that have bin the greatest labourers for these outward things that they may call their lands after their owne names God hath blowne upon them and all hath come to nought in a short time because they have not made God their portion Of all things parents should labour to leave them God for their God to leave them in Covenant with him lay up prayers in heaven for them lay the foundation there sowe prayers there that may be effectuall for them when you are gone And this likewise should bee a comfort to poore Christians that have not much to leave their children I can leave my childe nothing but I shall leave him in Covenant with God for God is my God and alwayes hath bin and ever will be he will bee the God of my seed I shal leave him Gods blessing and a little well gotten goods that the righteous hath is better then a great deale ill gotten God addeth no sorrow with that There is no fearefull expectation another day as there is of that which is ill gotten when the father and childe shall meet in hell and curse one another when the sonne shall say to the father you insnared your selfe to make me happy and that turned to my ruine this shall make wicked wretches curse one another one day A poore Christian that cannot say he hath riches to leave his children yet he can say God is my God and I am sure he will be their God though I have but little to leave them else I shall leave them Gods blessing Good parents may hope for a blessing upon their children because God is their God and the God of their seed For the sacrament a word The Sacrament is a seale of this Covenant that God is our God in Christ and wee are his people God to his word addeth seales to help our faith what a good God is this how willing is hee to have us believe him one would thinke that a word from him a promise were enough but to his promise hee addeth a covenant one would think a covenant were enough but to that hee addeth seales and to them an oath too I have sworne to David my servant Thus hee stoopes to all conditions of men he condescendeth so farre to use all these meanes that hee may secure us You know that a promise secures us if it be from one that is an honest man wee say that wee are sure to have it because of his promise but when wee have his Covenant then wee are assured more because there is somewhat drawne Now wee have Gods covenant and his seale the sacrament and then his oath If we will take him for our God and renounce our wicked courses wee shall lose nothing by it wee shall part with nothing for God but we shall have it supplied in him If we lose honour wealth or pleasure we shall have it abundantly in him What doe we heare in the sacrament doe we come only to receive his love to us No we make a covenant with God in the Sacrament that hee shall be our God and wee promise by his grace to lead new lives hence forth wee have made a Covenant with God at first in Baptism now we renew it in taking the Sacrament and it is fit for if he renew his covenant oft to us in love to be ours we should renew ours oft with him to take him to be our God Seaven times in Gen. he renewed his covenant to Abraham because hee would have him trust what hee said then we should seven times that is oft come to the Sacrament and renew our Covenant with him to take him for our God and remember what ti●… to sin after the receiving the sacramē●… Sins against conscience break off a covenant renewed sin hath an aggravation now you that mean to receive if you sin willingly after 't were better you had not received what makes adultery worse thē fornication saith Mal T was the wife of thy covenant adultery breaks the covenāt of marriage it is worse then fornication where there is not a covenant So you have made á covenant with God in your Baptisme and now you come to renew it if you sinne now it is an aggravation of the sinne it is adulterie it is disloyaltie against God Remember therefore that we doe not onely take here Gods kindnesse sealed in the Sacrament but we repromise back againe to lead new lives All must resolve by his grace to obey him henceforward and to take him for our God The way therefore will be to put this into the condition of your promise now and prayer after Lord I have promised this but thou knowest I cannot performe the promise I have made and the condition thou requirest of my selfe but in the Covenant of grace thou hast said that thou wilt make good the condition thou hast promised to give the spirit to them that aske him thou hast promised to Circumcise my heart thou hast promised to teach me thou hast promised to delight over me for good thou hast promised to Wash me with cleane water thou hast promised to put thy feare in my heart thou hast promised to write thy Law in the affections I would feare thee and love thee and trust in thee and delight in thee thou knowest I cannot fulfill the conditions thou art able and willing thou art as able to make me doe these things as to command me to doe them Thus we should desire God to give the grace that he requires in the use of the meanes for that must not be neglected we must attend upon the Ordinances use the parts that are given us and in that to him that hath shall bee given thou shalt not need any necessary good to bring thee to heaven if thou wilt clayme the promise of the covenant in the use of
the Covenant of grace they are operative and working when he commands us to beleeve and obey he gives us grace to beleeve and obey It is our selves that answere but not from our selves but from grace yet notwithstanding let us make this use of it letus search our selves though it be not from our selves that we answere Gods promise by faith and his command by obedience yet we must have this obedience though from him before we can challenge any thing at Gods hands It is arrogant presumption to hope for Heaven and Salvation before we have grace to answere all Gods promises and commands by a good conscience To come more particularly to the words some will have it the Questioning the Demand of a good Conscience but that followes the other For when wee answere truely the interrogatories in Baptisme when we beleeve and renounce then we may from a good conscience demand of God all the good in Christ we may cal upon him pray unto him hath not Christ died and made peace betweene thee and us And may we not triumph against all enemies when there is the answere of a good Conscience If Sathan lay any thing to our charge Christ died and rose and sits at the right hand of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people We may with a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ now ascended into heaven answere all objections and triumph against all enemies wee may goe boldly to God and demand the performance of his promises Hence comes all the spirit of boldnesse in prayer from the answere of a good Conscience for that drawes all other after it Now to come more particularly to the words The answere of a good Conscience It would take up all the time to speake of Conscience in generall and it were not to much purpose I will take it as it serves my purpose at this time A good conscience in this place is a Conscience peaceable and gracious peace and purity make up a good Conscience To make this clearer there be three degrees of a good Conscience though the last bee here meant especially There is first a good Conscience that is troubled a troubled good Conscience and then a pacified good Conscience and then a gracious good Conscience A troubled good Conscience is when the spirit by conviction opens to us what we are in our selves he opens our sins and the danger and soulnesse of our sins whereupon our Conscience is terrified and affrighted Therefore this good Conscience whereby we are convinced of our estate by nature in itselfe it is a good Conscience and tends to good for it tends to drive us to Christ. There is a good Conscience therefore that hath terrour with it The second degree of a good conscience is that that comes from the other when we are convinced of sinne and of the Miserie that coms by sinne then that good conscience speakes peace to us when God shines upon the conscience by his spirit from whence there is peace that is a peaceable good conscience For God takes this course after he hath terrified conscience by his spirit and word then he offers in the Gospell and not onely offers but commands us to beleeve he offers all good in Christ and commands us not only so but invites us Come unto me all ye that are wearie c. Nay he beseecheth us We beseech you to be reconciled he takes all courses Now his spirit going with these intreaties he perswades the soule that he is our gracious Father in Christ Iesus Christ hath suffered such great things and he is God and man he is willing and able to save us Considering he is annoynted of God for this purpose hereupon conscience is satisfied and doth willingly yeeld to these gracious promises it yeelds to this command of beleeving to these sweet invitings This is a peaceable good Conscience Hereupon comes in the third place a gracious good conscience which is a conscience after we have beleeved that resolves to please God in all things as the Apostle saith Heb. 13. We have a good Conscience studying to please God in all things we have a good conscience toward God and toward men When the conscience is appeased and quieted then it is fit to serve God as an instrument that is in tune An instrument out of tune yeelds nothing but harsh Musique so when the soule and conscience is distempered and not set at peace it is not gracious So now you see the order there is a troubled good conscience and a peaceable good conscience and then a gracious heart forwhile conscience is not at peace by the blood and resurrection of Iesus Christ by considering him and by application of him there is no grace nor service of God with that heart but the heart shuns God it hates God and murmurs against God men thinke why should they doe good deeds when they beleeve not when they cast not themselves upon Christ and when conscience is not sprinkled with the blood of Christ they are able to doe nothing out of the love of God and whatsoever is not of faith and love it is sinne The heart cannot but be afraid of God and wish there were no God and murmur and repine till it be pacified That is the reason why the Apostles in the latter part of their Epistles they presse conscience of good duties when they had taught Christians before and stablished them in Christ because all duties issue from faith if they come not thence they are nothing if there be first faith in Christ then there will be a good conscience in our lives and conversations And from the gracious conscience comes the increase of a peaceable conscience there must be peace before we can graciously renew our Covenants to please God but when we have both these faith in Christ and a resolution to please God in all things there comes an increase of peace for then there is an argument to satisfie conscience when first of all conscience goes to Christ to the foundation I have answered Gods command I have beleeved and cast my selfe upon Christ I have answered Gods promise he hath promised if I doe so he will give me Christ with all his Benefits I have yeelded the obedience of faith hereupon comes some comfort here is the foundation of this obedience But then when Conscience likewise from this resolves to please God in all things in the duties to God and man hereupon comes another increase of peace when I looke to the life of grace in my owne heart For a working carefull Christian hath a double ground of comfort One in the command to beleeve and in the promise whether he hath evidences of grace or no but when he hath power by the spirit to lead a godly life and to keepe a good conscience in all things then he hath comfort from the evidence of grace in his owne heart from whence
the Apostle speakes of what a comfort is this in the worst times Those that live in Rebellion and make no Conscience of their vowes and covenants to God that they have made and repeated oft-times and renewed in taking of the Lords Supper but goe on still in their sinnes alas what comfort can such as these have how can they look for an answer from God if any promise that hee hath made when their lives are rebellious their conscience tels them that their lives doe not witnesse for God in keeping covenant with him but they rebell against him their hearts tell them they cannot look to heaven for comfort they carry a hell in their bosome a guilty Conscience they doe not labour to be purged by the blood of Christ nor labour for the spirit of God to sanctifie them in renewing them to holy obedience to God Those that have their conscience thus stained especially that purpose to live in sin they can looke for nothing but vengeance from God It is not knowne now who are the wisest people In the times of trouble and at the houre of death at such times it will be knowne that they are the wisest people that have made Conscience of keeping their Covenant with God of renewing their Covenant with God first in all things that they would serve him better and then when they have renewed their Covenants with God as we have cause now indeed if ever to renew them when wee are warned by publike dangers or when wee have cause to take occasion to renew our Covenants that we made with God in Baptisme to bind our Consciences to closer obedience and those that have renewed their Covenant and have grace to keepe it those are wise people Wee see in the current of Scripture in dangerous times there was still renewing of their Covenants with God And those that God delights in he puts his spirit into them that they shall be able by the helpe of his spirit to keep their Covenant in some comfortable measure and those God will chuse and marke out in the worst times FINIS THE SWORD OF THE WICKED In two SERMONS Being the leading Sermons to that Treatise called The SOULES Conflict BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE PSAL. 57. 4. Their Tongue is a sharpe Sword LONDON Printed by E. P. for N. B. and R. H. 1639. THE SWORD OF THE WICKED PSAL. 42. 10. As with a Sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say unto me daily where is thy GOD THE Psalmes are as it were the Anatomy of a holy man they lay the inside of a true devout man outward even to the view of others If the Scripture be compared to a body the Psalmes may well bee the heart they are so full of sweet and holy affections and passions In other portions of Scripture God speakes to us in the Psalmes holy men especially David who was the pen-man of most of them speakes to God wherein we have the passages of a broken humble soule to God Among the rest in this Psalme David layes open varietie of passions His condition at this time was such as that he was an exiled man from his owne house and his owne friends and which grieved him worst of all from the Tabernacle the house of God It was upon the occasion of Saules persecution or of Absaloms his sonne but I take it rather of Sauls that hunted him as a partrich in the wildernes Hereupon you have a discovery how this holy man of God stood affected with this case and condition of his First hee layes open his griefe his griefe ariseth from his desire hee that loves most and desireth most he alwayes grieves most and all other affections have their scantling from love which is the first borne affection of the soule Therefore before he layes out his griefe he sets out his desire to the house of God the want whereof grieved him most of all As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soule after thee Oh God As the chased Hart panteth after water so the soule thirsteth for God for the living God ●…h when shall I come and appeare before God Then after his desire he layes forth his grief My teares have bin my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God Grievances never come alone but as Iobs Messengers they come one after another even to Gods Children when he is disposed to correct them they are multiplyed therefore here is not only a griefe of want that he was debarred of those sweet comforts which hee had before in the Tabernacle but here is likewise a griefe from the reproach of his enemies that tooke occasion from his disconsolate estate to upbraid him Where is thy God My teares have bin my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God He dissolves the cloude of his griefe into the showr of teares my teares have bin my meat They were so plentifull that they did feed his soule as it were Then he sets downe another ground of his grief from the remembrance of his former happinesse as usually that doth make the griefe raw and more sensible for f●…ix miser maxime miser he that hath binne happy in former time and now is miserable is most miserable of all because his former happinesse makes him most sensible therefore of all men in hel the torment of great men is most because they had most sence of comfort in this world mighty men shall be mightily tormented that is all the privilege they shall have in hell Therefore to aggravate his griefe oh saith he when I remember what comfort I had formerly in the house of God I poure out my soule It was not enough that he poured out his teares or words but I po●…re out my soule for in former times I went with the multitude to the house of God and lead a goodly traine to the house of God The picture of a good Magistrate and a good master of a family hee goes not alone to the house of God but hee leads his traine he is attended on by his servants David went not alone into the house of God but with the multitude with the voyce of them that kept holiday Well hee had griefe enough his heart was full of griefe Now in the next verse he takes up his soule and expostulates with himselfe why are thou so sad oh my soule and why are thou disquieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance So you see here he is not so flat in his griefe that he gives over-long way to it but hee even fals a chiding of his soule why art thou cast downe oh my soule why art thou disquieted within me oh but yet griefe will not be so stilled affliction is not
miserable creatures are all such when they shall say friends have forsaken me wealth hath forsaken me and health hath forsaken me terrours lay hold upon me the wrath of God hath over-taken me but they cannot say God is my God oh such are in a miserable case in a fearefull estate indeed nay suppose they have all these suppose they could say they have a vvorld of riches they have inheritances they have friends c. yet if they cannot say God is my God all is vanity the whole man is this to have God to be our God this is the whole man to feare God keep his Commandements Eccles. 1●… l●…st If a man have all the world and have not God for his God all is but vanity and vexation of spirit never rest therefore till wee can proove our selves to be in the Covenant of grace till we can say God is my God But secondly when wee have found God to be our God then make this use of it a use of resolution is God my God then I will resolve to please him though all creatures bee against me this was their resolution in the 4. Micah Every Nation walketh in the name of his God but we will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever resolve with Ioshuah and others to please God whosoever saith the contrarie to walke after the Commandements of God whatsoever others do or say In all discouragements from men or Devils let us set this as a buckler God is my God Arme our selves with resolution against all feares and threatnings of men of men of terrour against the Arme of flesh they say they will doe this and this I but God is my God all that they doe they must doe in his strength Arme our selves with this against the power and gates of hell feare not the Devill if wee feare man or Devill more then God feare them so as to doe any thing to displease God we make them God If our conscience rightly tells us that what is to be done by us is the will and command of God and that herein I serve God wee need not feare any opposer but oppose this as an Armour of proofe against all creatures against all discouragements whatsoever And certainely experience telleth us and approoveth it to be true that nothing can dismay a man that doth things in conscience to God and knowes God will beare him out in it though not from danger in this world and yet for the most part he doth that too those that are the stoutest men for God are oftentimes most safe alwayes freed from inward dejection yet God disposeth of it so as that he that keepes a good conscience shall alwayes be a King and rule over the world and therein hee performes his promise whatsoever discouragements hee endureth outwardly yet no discouragement can cast downe that soule that lookes to God In his conscience hee knowes that he takes God to be his that hee serveth him and that it shall goe well with him at last that God will be Alsufficient to him and this rayseth him above all makes him rule and raign over his enemies and be a terror to those that doe him hurt Againe if God be our God then let this stop all base and covetous desires after earthly things if God be our portion why should we grapple too much after the world then what need we cracke our consciences and breake our peace for the mucke of the world is not God our portion is he not rich enough is not hee Lord of heaven and earth hath not hee promised that hee will not faile us nor forsake us I am thy exceeding great reward saith God to Abraham is not this enough what doth Satan for us when hee getteth us to crack our consciences by griplenesse after earthly things hee promiseth thou shalt have this and that but I will take God from thee as he did Adam in Paradise thou shalt have an Apple but thou shalt loose thy God All his solicitations to base and earthly courses tend to nothing else but to take God from us Now when God is our God and he hath promised to be our portion let it be sufficient for us let us not for the displeasing of him take any condition from Satan or the world upon any termes Againe if so be wee know this for a truth that God is our God then let it be a use of exhortation to stir us up to keep and maintaine and cherish acquaintance and familiarity with him as it is in Iob. 22. Acquaint thy self with God if we be acquainted with him now hee will be acquainted with us in time of sorrow in the houre of death therefore cherish acquaintance with him wheresoever wee may meete with God be there much bee much in aring inreceiving the Sacrament in praying to him and making our suits known to him in all our necessities be much in the society of Saints God hath promised to be there therefore cherish the society of all that are good what a friendly course doth God take with us he seekes for our acquaintance and therefore giveth us his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments sendeth his messengers the good motions of his Spirit to our hearts to leave the world and vanities of it to make us out of love with bad courses and joyne with him in friendship and familiarity oh let us make use of these blessed meanes checke not these good motions but yeeld unto them and obey them grieve them not the Spirit is sent to make God and us friends who were enemies grieve not the Spirit entertaine his motions that we may be acquainted with God But doe we doe so truly no indeed if God will be our God to save us and let us live in our swearing and lying and deceiving and in other base courses wee would be content with him upon these tearmes but to be our God so that wee must serve him and love him and feare him and joy in him above all and have nothing in the world without his favour then let him take his favour to himselfe wee will have none of it though men speak it not with their mouths to the world yet the inward speech of their hearts is to this purpose if wee must bee the people of God upon these tearmes to renounce our pleasures and profits let him bee a God to whom he will for us if he will save us then welcome his favour we will bee glad of his acquaintance otherwise we will have none of it what is the speech of the world but this these men when they shall at the day of judgement clayme acquaintance with God and say Lord Lord open to us wee have knowne thee in the streetes c. what will God say depart from me you workers of iniquity I know you not you were acquainted with me indeed outwardly in the ministery of my word but you kept not an inward and spirituall familiarity with me in my
ordinances you used not the society of the saints you entertained not the motions of my spirit which I sent to you to leave your ill courses I know you not this shall bee the answer to such wretched persons Lastly if by these comfortable signes wee finde God to be our God then here is a spring of comfort opened to a Christian if God be mine then all that he hath is mine hee is my Father hee is my husband hee is my rocke his goodnesse his wisedome his providence his mercy whatsoever hee hath is mine If wee had any man in the world that had all wisedome in him and all the strength of the world and all goodnesse and all love in him and all this for us what an excellent creature were this God hath all this and a Christian that hath God for his God hath all this and much more for whatsoever is in the creator is much more in him Hereupon commeth all those styles and sweet names that God hath taken upon him in the scripture because he would have us to know that all comforts are together in him the names of all the creatures that are comfortable God hath bin pleased to take upon him to shew us what a God he is he is water to refresh us a sun to comfort us a shield to keepe evill from us a rocke to support us chambers to cover us in the time of danger and such like and in every creature God hath left foot steps and beames of himselfe that man being an understanding creature might finde out God in them In water there is a beame of his refreshing power in the sunne a beame of his cherishing power and the like and when we receive comfort from the creature which hath but a droppe a beame of his goodnesse wee should consider how good God himselfe is if this bee so comfortable what is God that is my God here wee use the creatures to refresh us and God deriveth his goodnesse usually to us by them what will he be to us in heaven when he will be all in all and whatsoever comfort God hath Christ hath because God and Christ joyne together for our good for God is in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe and if God be ours Christ is ours and if God and Christ be ours all things are ours because all things are Gods Angels are ours Cherubins are ours because God is ours It is a point of wondrous comfort a poor christian when he hath nothing to trust to he may perhaps say sometime that hee hath no friend in the world and hee hath many enemies I but hee hath a God to goe to if hee have not the beame yet he hath the Sunne if he have not the streame yet hee hath the fountaine if wee have not particular benefits that others have yet hee hath better whatsoever portion hee have in the world hee hath a rich portion for God is his portion God is my portion saith the Church in the 3. Lumenta therefore will I hope in him The poor Church had nothing else in the world to comfort it for it was in captivity in the middest of enemies had no wealth nor friends nor any thing yea but God is my portion saith my soule and therefore God being mine in him I have friends and wealth and pleasure and all whatsoever and so hath every Christian soule and never more then when the creature and the comfort of it is taken away hee never findes God more his God then when hee is deprived of those meanes that usually derive comfort to him for then God immediately commeth to the soule and comforteth it and the disposition of a true Christian is at those times to take advantage by grace to get nearer to God to cling faster to him to solaae himselfe more in him as his portion What a spring of comfort is here arising to a Christian in all estates If God be his God then hee may claime him upon all occasions and at all times as the saints in the Scripture have done David Iehosaphat and all the saints what doe they alledge in their prayers to God thou art our God we are thy people the sheepe of thy pasture the vine that thy right hand hath planted the Lord is my shepherd c. What made the disciples when they were ready to bee drowned to cry out Master save us but because they knew that they were servants in Covenant that hee was their Master we should use this as a plea to God in all the Calamities of the Church we are thine thou art ours doubtlesse thou art our God saith the Church though Abraham have forgotten and Israel be ignorant of us It is a point of spiritual wisedome when we know we are in Covenant with God to improve it as an argument to perswade God to helpe us in any streight I am thine Lord save mee saith David Psal. 119. Thou art my God Lord looke to me protect me direct me ease me recieve my soule this is a plea that obtaineth any thing of God in all extremities whatsoever I will establish my Covenant betweene me and hee and thy seed after thee c. I come now to the qualities of this covenant and before I speak in particular of them I beseech you observe one thing which I will but touch to make an entrance to that which followes from the manner of setting downe the Covenant it is not here set downe as it is in other places of Scripture I will bee thy God and thou shalt bee my people but here is only the first part the maine of the covenant of grace recyted I will be thy God why doth he not say too thou shalt take me for thy God because where the first is he ever works the second our part depends upon his all our grace that wee have to answer the Covenant is by reflexion from God hee chuseth us and then we chuse him he knoweth us and therefore wee come to know him he loveth us first and then we love him he singleth us out to be a peculiar people and we single out him above all things to be our portion whom have I in heaven but thee It is therefore to come to the first quality called a free Covenant it cometh from God meerely of grace it is of grace that he would enter into any tearmes of agreement with us it is of grace that he would send Christ to dye to be the foundation of the covenant it is of grace that he giveth us hearts to take him for our God to depend upon him to love him to serve him c. All is of grace and all commeth from him So you see that it is a free Covenant that 's the first quality Againe secondly it is a sure a certaine Covenant I will establish my covenant But in whom it is established how commeth it to be sure It is established in Christ the Mediator of the covenant in the Messiah for in thy