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 Faithâ—…w â—…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 threatensâ—…re â—…re he strike 1 108 Wickednes shall nos alway thrive 1 47 To tremble at Gods word 1 133 Men naturally trust soâ—…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 owâ—… will a great judgement 1 21 Will when accepted for
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 joyâ—…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
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
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 reasâ—… â—…nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit â—…o draw the soule to these reasons without this we never yeeld to those reasons but stand â—…ut in rebellion GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the â—…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it and â—…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 â—…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 â—…he promises are stronger then the temptations of Saran and the corruptions of the â—…esh or then the candals of the world that nothing â—…an separate us from Christ nothing can drive â—…s from our faith and hope the perswasion is â—…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 â—…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 â—…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 mâ—…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 theâ—… things were too good to be true Considerâ—… our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse 〈◊〉 the excellency of these things laying theâ—… together the unbelieving heart of man 〈◊〉 prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes 〈◊〉 can hardly conceive that there are such thinâ—… 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 singâ—…ed them out and set his seale and stampe on them above other men by some evidenceâ—… 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 secâ—…et messengeâ—… goes with the outward peech both of the preacher and of the Scripture or else all the â—…guments will not be to purpose they will be â—…f no efficacy As the Israelites they had arguments and â—…otives enow to perswade them of Gods love â—…nd care to them yet notwithstanding GOD â—…ave them not a heart Deut. 29. In Christs â—…me what miracles did they see yet their â—…earts were hardned because God together â—…ith his shining in the outward meanes did â—…ot subdue the rebellion of their wiâ—… and afâ—…ections and therefore the more they saw â—…he more they were hardned the Scribes and â—…harisees and some of their desperate folâ—…owers Well then considering that the spirit doth â—…his great worke let us labour that our knowâ—…edge may be spirituall that our perswasion of divine truth in generall and our part and â—…ortion in divine truth that it may bee spirituâ—…ll for as Saint Paul divinely and excellentâ—…y sets it downe 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. that as no â—…an knowes the things that are in man but the spiâ—…it that is in man so no man knowes the things of Gods word divine truths nor his part and porâ—…ion and interest in them but by the spirit of God If wee bring the Engine of our owne â—…it and parts to Gods truth â—…o sermons and â—…ookes wee may never be the better if wee â—…ome not with a spirituall intention with â—…everent and humble hearts and implore the â—…eaching of the spirit that together with the revelation of the word there may beeâ—… 〈◊〉 ving of the vaile by the spirit that vvith 〈◊〉 outwâ—…rd teaching there may bee the inwarâ—… teaching of the spirit that with the 〈◊〉 opening the â—…are there may be the opening 〈◊〉 the hearâ—… that he that hath the key of 〈◊〉 may open and inoline and perswade the 〈◊〉 that hee may perswade Iaphet as the Scripâ—… phrase is It is facâ—…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 thinâ—… 〈◊〉 be saved and the spirit never tell us with 〈◊〉 word so but it is only a presumpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a sacrilegious surpation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods glory The spirit of God knowâ—… 〈◊〉 things are in God towards us and reveales 〈◊〉 our spirits Gods inward love to us The 〈◊〉 â—…eacheth us to know the things that are 〈◊〉 God Wee only know the good that Gâ—… 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 â—…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
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 wâ—…ll hold out Whatsoever is not spirituall Christ will not owne at the day of judgment Iâ—… the spirit seale 〈◊〉 and set a stampe upon us Christ will looke on his owne stamp of the spirit where the 〈◊〉 frâ—…its are not the harvest will not so low The spirit is an earnest where the earnest is not the bargâ—…ine will not follow I beseech you let us labour for the spirit in the use of all meanes let us â—…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 â—…end upon the means the more 〈◊〉 shall see it and the more we pray the moâ—… 〈◊〉 shall have the spirit and the more wee obâ—… God the more we shall have the spirit of Goâ—… 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 Loâ—… 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 〈◊〉 â—…sh teach my heart thou must perswade 〈◊〉 incline me incline my heart Lord. Wee waâ—… religious carriage in this 〈◊〉 come presumptuously upon conâ—… 〈◊〉 wit to heare Seâ—…ons and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so wee come away worse than wee 〈◊〉 Why wâ—… doâ—… not 〈◊〉 too Goâ—… 〈◊〉 swaâ—… us They â—…ere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Manâ—… here 〈◊〉 he opens â—…he eyes and 〈◊〉 hee perswades God perswades the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Vlcar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…wade by darknesse by maintaining 〈◊〉 â—…ome of darknesse The Devill all 〈◊〉 shewes no reason he keepes the soule 〈◊〉 â—…esse and blindnesse Anti christ peâ—… 〈◊〉 men to their religion how by fleshly allure men's not instructing them and opening their eyes inlightning their understandings â—…ut GOD opens their eyes to see and â—…hen teaches and perswades The devils instruments they perswade and so they teach â—…nd draw away they perswade with carnall objects and the like to draw and bewitch the â—…ffections and so the judgment is darke still But where there is true dealing there is no â—…are of the light Therfore those that are enemies to the means of salvaâ—…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 sâ—…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 mâ—…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 whoâ—… 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 haâ—… to râ—…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
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 està te 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 oâ—… 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. Hâ—… 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 improoveâ—… 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 notâ—… 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 â—…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.
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 seeâ—… things past it sees the creation of the â—…ld it sees the redemption of us by Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 sees our sinnes there punished in Christ our suâ—…ety it sees us crucified with Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 sees all discharged by him Faith seeâ—… 〈◊〉 the Sacrament when we take the bread 〈◊〉 hath recourse presently to the breaking of 〈◊〉 body of Christ and the shedding of the bloâ—… 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 resuâ—…ction of the body and life everlasting 〈◊〉 sees the generall judgement it sees eternall happinesse in heaven it sees things afarâ—… oâ—… 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 coloâ—… and a lustre in them yet till light coâ—…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 wiâ—…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
as we see in the story And so for particular perswasion the spirit of God may give assurance that may bee shaken I but he recovers himselfe presently the tenour of a Christians life is usually a state of fight and perswasion when he is himselfe and when he remembers his owne principles To come particularly you see here that Spirituall perswasion is necessary Both of the things in generall and of our interest in them It may bee asked whether there may be a perswasion of the truth in generall without a perswasion of our owne particular interest in them I answer no not a sound undoubted spiritual perswasion There is a double conviction a conviction when a man cannot tell what to say against it but spirituall conviction is when a man is convinced of the truth and goodnesse of â—…he thing and this alwayes drawes the other with it first or last A man may be convinced that he cannot tell what to say against the truth but that is not properly perswasion A man is perswaded by divine truth that all the promises aâ—…e true in the Gospell and it draws with it a particular light he sees and is perswaded of his owne interest in it first or last for a strong perswasion of divine truth of Gods word when I know it is Gods word it workes in my flesh it changeth me it lifts me up it casts me down c. So that a Christian knowes that the word of GOD is the word of GOD by a spirituall perswasion wrought by the efficacy of the word from an intrinse call principle in the word it selfe But sometimes it fals out that a Christian may be convinced of the truth of the word in generall that it is Gods word and that the promises of salvation are true and yet notwithstanding he may not feele the particular perswasion of the forgivenesse of his sinnes and of his acceptation to life everlasting and his interest in Christ these two are somtimes separable in regard of feeling A Christian hath alway a perswasion of the truth of GOD of the things but hee hath not alway a like perswasion of his owne interest in them How doe you prove that these are severed sometimes Thus There is the birth and infancy of a Christian when a Christian is in his birth he is not perswaded of his owne good estate as hee is after when hee is growne then hee knowes his estate A soule that is in the state of grace that hungers and thirsts after good things at that time it may be it is not acquainted that it shall be satisfied it is not acquainted of its owne interest but stretcheth it selfe forward for intire satisfaction and it shall be satisfied that is the soule that hungers and thirsts after the perswasion of GODS love in Christ and the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting there is never soule that thus â—…gers and thirsts but God satisfies it at length for the most part in this world or else certainly in the world to come forever But alway where there is this perswasion supernaturall that the word of GOD is true indeed that there is salvation to all true believers when it is wrought by the spirit there is either a perswasion of our interest or somewhat tending to perswasion some hungering and thirsting some desire that God accepts for the deed to shew that such a man is in the state of grace I speake this the rather because some are deceived in their owne estates they doe not conceive aright of themselves they thinke they are not in the state of grace when they find not that particular strong assured perswasion I answer they may be in the state of grace notwithstanding A Christian knowes not his owne estate alway at all times It is one grace to bee in a good estate and another to have the knowledge of it they bee different gifts of God and God suspends the knowledge of a mans being in a good estate for severall ends Sometimes among the rest for this one to humble us to keepe us from security to make us carefull and diligent to make us know that hee hath the keeping of our feeling and perswasion in his owne hands As hee hath the keeping of all our grace so he hath the keeping of the knowledge that we have grace and of our comfortable walking that wee may know we have every thing from him both grace and the feeling of grace and if wee take liberty to our selves hee will take libertie to keepe our feeling at that time to make us humble and to make us seeke reconciliation againe It is one part of Gods dispensation with his children to hinder their perswasion of their particular interest sometimes Sometimes the children of God may be in such a condition as that they may thinke for a time in their judgement that they bee in a contrary estaâ—…e they are misperswaded of themselves not to bee Gods children as it were God may suffer this that they shall not only have a weake staggering perswasion but a perswasion to the contrary though it bee a false perswasion But how shall they know that they are Gods children at that time They say they are so shaken and at a stand they are so conceited that they are none of Gods that God hath left them and forsaken them You may know it by this that at the same time they are conscionable of al heavenly duties at the same time they neglect no meanes of salvation at the same time they complaine against their owne corrupt course of life that hath given God occasion to leave them thus to themselves at the same time they strive against this and labour to be perswaded of GODS truths in generall And though the devill sometimes shake that perswasion that Gods truth is not Gods truth and make them question whether it be the word of God or no and whether there bee such a thing as life everlasting the devill shakes us in principles sometimes but yet a Christian in such temptations though he be shaken in his principles by the force of wickednesse yet he attends upon the meanes and goes on more conscionably he doth not give backe but labours for satisfaction and further setling still and is ashamed of himselfe that hee should have such beastly thoughts as the Psalmist saith so foolish was I and ignorant and as a beast before thee when hee began to stagger in the principle of the providence of God So sometimes a Christian is brought to stagger in principles in the maine generall perswasion of the word of God but he likes not himselfe he accounts himselfe as a beast and labours for satisfaction still in sanctified meanes and never gives over Though he have not particular perswasion he gives not over holy duties but goes on in spirituall duties he labours to obey God in all things he is conscionable to God in feare and trembling in the least
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 â—…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