beloved Son of God all the while but yet there is a time a coming when all those that are discharged in Gods Court in Heaven shall be cleared both in the Court of their own consciences and also before the whole world We shall observe this method in our brief handling of it 1. To shew you the truth of it from Scripture 2. To give you the properties of this discharge that is given out by God to believers 3. The ground upon which God proceeds in the discharge 4. The time when the Soul is taken into this priviledge and hath the discharge given out to him And then the Application 1. Scripture clears this That there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ they are absolved they are discharged by God Believers are so but as for all those that are in their Sins they are under the sentence of condemnation it hangs over them and it follows them where-ever they go John 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already really condemned he hath the sentence really denounced against him he is really declared a dead man in the sense of the law as we say when the judge hath denounced sentence of death against a Malefactor he is a dead man so every one in his sins is a dead man he is condemned already There is indeed this difference between him and one that is in Hell he that is in Hell is condemned and executed but the sinner upon Earth is condemned and not executed The Sinner in Hell is condemned and executed and there remains no hope for him The Sinner upon Earth he is condemned and yet there is hope that comes in at the door of the Gospel which gives some probability that if he will bestir himself the sentence may be removed the patience of God is exercised and it is drawn out into a great length and it is to lead the Sinner to repentance Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance After the Sentence God waits upon the Sinner and will not suffer the law presently to take hold and to do its work the hand of Justice that is held from smiting the Sinner is not presently executed and in the patience in the forbearance and long-suffering of God there is a pardon that is tendered and a way discovered whereby the Sinner may come to get free from the doom that was upon him but the sentence that hangs over the head of every unbeliever as John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not sâ—e life but the wrath of God abideth on him the wrath of God that hangs over his head it hangs over his head in that ancient sentence that was denounced against man upon his first transgression Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die or thou shalt die the death here is the sentence here is the doom and God abideth by his word to this day hereupon saies the Apostle Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them being under the works of the law you are under the curse because the broken law doth denounce a curse against all the breakers of it so as all those that are unbelievers all those that are under the first Covenant all those that are in a state of sin before God they are condemned already But now all those that are in Christ Jesus have this sentence of death taken off they are absolved and discharged by the Lord saies the Prophet Isaiah 38.17 For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back It is spoken by God after the manner of men when a man gives out the bond of another and freely dischargeth him of the Debt the Bond is cancelled and thrown away it is cast behind his back for wast-paper never more to be made use of the Debt never more to be brought into question again nor yet the Debtor upon the account of the Debt Now says he thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back thou hast given me a discharge that they shall no more lie against me Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna Manna of old was a type of Christ The Apostle to the Corinthians clears it Now says he he shall eat of the hidden Manna he shall feed upon Christ every overcomer shall have communion and fellowship with Christ and that is not all but I will give him a white stone The Lord in this expression doth allude unto the Custom that was amongst the Romans when a person upon his tryal was found guilty he had a black stone given him in token of his condemnation and he that was discharged and cleared he had a white stone given him in token of his absolution Now says he I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which none knows but he that receiveth it I will discharge him says the Lord Every overcomer every one in Christ he hath a white stone given him by the Lord. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus 2. We shall proceed to shew you what are the properties of this discharge that the Lord grants unto those that are in Christ First It is a real discharge It is no imaginary thing It is a real truth that the Apostle doth here affirm There is says he therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The absolution of a Believer is as real as his sinning was real as his condemnation was real he was really a sinner and he was really condemned on the account of his sin and he is as really discharged You have the word of the Lord for it The same word of truth that tells us there is condemnation to every Unbeliever tells us that there is no condemnation to the Believer But you have not only the Word of God for it but you have your discharge under hand and seal And therefore the Apostle tells us that those that believe they are sealed by the Spirit of the Lord. The Seal of the Spirit it is God's Seal Eph. 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after that you believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise And again Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of Redemption He comes and gives you a sealed pardon he gives you the Seal of God's pardon upon your own hearts And hence the Apostle speaks with as much confidence as man can speak upon a sure testimony 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that
he shall be able to do even to amazement to bear and to suffer to astonishment A little of the Grace of Christ O now patient will it make the Soul under great afflictions and how will it strengthen a poor weak believer to hold on in the face of all difficulties he shall be able to hold pace not only with the Footmen but with the Horsemen by the grace of Christ are we sweetly swiftly and joyfully carried on in the ways of new obedience hence is it that we are oft-times commended unto the grace of the Lord Jesus in divers Epistles I commend you saies the Apostle to the grace of the Lord Jesus and the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you and indeed there needs no more because there is enough for our supply at all times and therefore when we are poor and weak and empty and low in our selves we should look up to Jesus Jesus is alwaies full we know not how to go through such a duty nor how to manage such a condition we have not grace for it and we think we shall sink and fail under discouragements why Christian if indeed thou hadst no more then what thou hast in thy self thou mightest fear this but keep thine Eye upon Jesus he is full and filled for the supply of thee and he will communicate according to thy necessities we may therefore at all times and upon all occasions wait upon him SERMON III. Habakkuk 3.18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will Joy in the God of my Salvation VVE are shewing you from this Scripture what a constant ground of joy and rejoycing there is in Jesus Christ for the believing Soul at all times and in all conditions as to what Christ is and as to what Christ hath we spake the last day and shall now proceed unto the third particular proposed to be considered 3. And that is what Jesus Christ will do and is a doing for the believing Soul that may be a ground of comfort and joy to him in all his heart saddening conditions and tribulations in this world And first Jesus Christ appears as an Advocate in Heaven at the right hand of God for all believers answering and silencing all accusations and charges brought in against them whereby they are continued in that justified peace state that in their first coming over to God they were stated in There are many failings and provocations in a Christians way and walking with God The remains of sin that yet abide in them they will be rising up and putting forth into the life and life-acts of a Christian But Jesus Christ as his Advocate in Heaven ever stands up before God to see the peace of a Christians state kept Satan that old accuser of the Brethren he is daily observing a Christians walking and viewing a Christians steps to see if he can gather up any thing in his life to improve it and carry it unto God against him and believe it friends he won't better your case as he represents it unto God he won't lessen your fault but he will greaten it and make it worse than it is he is called 1 Pet. 5.8 The adversary of believers The word that we translate adversary some read it a Court adversary one that puts in something against you in the Court of Heaven but I would rather read the word thus one that will charge beyond truth one that will go beyond the bounds of truth in the charges and accusations that he brings in for the word in the Original does import so much one that acts against all rules of justice in the plea's that he shall put in or the charges that he shall deliver against a Christians state in the Court of Heaven Rev. 12.10 he is there called the Accuser of the Brethren which accused them before God day and night he is the old Accuser and Traducer of the Saints at the Bar of Gods justice Now Jesus Christ he alwaies stands up at the right hand of God there to appear as an Advocate on the believers account suing out on the account of his blood new pardons for their renewed transgressions or the continuance of justification and of pardons upon their state so as nothing may be heard in the Court of Heaven against them Jesus Christ stands up to see that a Christians peace with God be not violated and therefore he removes sin as fast as it appears and he answers the accusation as soon as it is made and he silenceth the adversary as soon as he comes Rom. 8.34 Who saies the Apostle shall condemn It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us If sin appears he will remove it and if Satan step in he will silence him he is there upon this account as an Advocate or as an Attorney to answer for you whenever your name is called in Question and therefore saies the Apostle 1 John 2.1 My little Children these things write I unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous as soon as ever an offence is committed Christ steps up and he pleads your case and he urges the value of his blood that was shed for the remission of sins that your peace with God into which you were brought in your first coming over to him may be maintained Now Christians do but consider this and you will find that it is a ground of joy and comfort in your present state It may be your outward peace is broken in upon you have enemies that have disturbed you as to your outward comforts and as to your outward joy and settlement you have those that have incensed it may be your intimate friends against you that now they stand aloof from you well though it be so yet your peace with God that abides and Jesus Christ as your Advocate continues you in your justified state before God let the Devil do his utmost he shall never incense God against a believer because Jesus Christ is an Advocate alwaies at his right hand speaking for him let him tell never such stories of a Christians carriage and conversation unto the Lord yet he shall never incense God against him You know that he did his utmost to incense God against Job he told the Lord fair stories of him that there was no truth no sincerity in him and that he served him but for the comforts of his state and for the outward advantages that he did enjoy but Jesus Christ he saw the peace of Job kept he was his Advocate then so early and he maintained Job in the love and favour of God and thus will he do for all believers he will silence all accusations and remove all objections and he will continue you in your peace state with God the vertue of Christs death is a continued vertue it is alwaies influential upon the heart of God
Satan will indefatigably endeavour to darken your evidence and to obscure the sense of interest Satans design is to keep Souls as long as he can from a closure with Christ he will meet the Soul in all waies if possible to turn him out of his way and if he cannot do that his next design is to obscure your evidence and to darken your sense of interest that so he may make you to walk heavily and in the dark he will follow you with false reports and false suggestions he will hint to you this falsity and the other if possible to make you to believe a lye and to deny what Jesus Christ hath done and to deny your interest and standing in him that it may be is clear upon undenyable grounds and demonstrations the Devil you know came to Christ with this very temptation to make him to question the truth of his relation to God though the Devil knew it well enough that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the true Son of God yet he comes and sets upon him with this temptation if possible to make him question If thou beest the Son of God then do so and so And he levels at the Believer in the same manner and his design is to keep you in the dark to rob you of all the peace and comfort and joy that you might have upon the sense and evidence of your Interest Tenthly There are many that presume upon a groundless confidence that they have an interest in Christ and yet are wholly ignorant of the nature of a Gospel-Interest There are many that do promise themselves great things in and from Christ Jesus and yet they are wholly ignorant of him they have hopes of large blessings that shall come in by Christ and yet are ignorant of Christ and the nature of a close with Christ that gives right to him Doubtless the foolish Virgins had hopes that as to the bulk of them were as large and as promising as the hopes of the wise Virgins were they never at all questioned their admittance when the Bridegroom should come In Deut. 29.19 And it shall come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my heart c. So when we are discoursing of the terrours of the Law that do belong to persons uninterested in Christ there are many that bless themselves in their hearts and say These things do not belong to us And when we are opening the comforts that Believers have in Christ those that are strangers to Christ will presume and say All these are mine Micah 3.11 The Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no evil can come upon us In the midst of all their wickedness they would still presume upon an Interest in the Lord and think all should go well with them My friends what think you of the Church of Laodicca they were a people of a very great and high profession they stood in a Gospel body and lived under the enjoyment of the great Priviledges of a Gospel-state and they promised themselves that all was well with them and yet see what the Lord says Rev. 3.17 Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art poor and miserable and wretched and blind and naked They had a profession upon them and they thought there was a great deal in that They were in a Church-state and they thought that would serve their turn They did enjoy Church-Priviledges and they thought upon it that their condition was good and that they might well say Now we are rich we are Professors in a Church-state we are under the common and sacred blessings of the Gospel and who better than we We are rich but says the Lord you say so but I say otherwise you say you are rich but I say you are poor you say you are full but I say you are empty you say you are encreased with goods and have need of nothing but I say you have nothing and have need of all things Verily my friends this is a deceivable Age an Age wherein many do not only deceive others but their own Souls and therefore it concerns you to enquire whether the Lord be your God or no and not to satisfie your selves with general notions of the Lord 's being your God In the Eleventh and last place An evidence of Interest obtained maintained and Gospelly managed will be of singular advantage to a Christian in his whole Christian course You do not know Believers you that are careless in and about the clearing of your state you do not know what a change a Gospel sight of your Interest in Christ will make in your hearts an evidence of your Interest will expel all your fears and will resolve all your doubts and will cause a calm in your hearts whatsoever the present storm is Why if that we could look into the hearts of many or most of us I believe they would be found very tempestuous storms they threaten sore fears are ready to overwhelm and doubts are even ready to swallow up a Christian why an evidence of your Interest will remove all these Christian an evidence of your Interest will make all in Christ Jesus precious to you and will strangely raise and inhaunse the price of Christ and the blessings of Christ in your esteem The evidence of Interest O how precious will it make the Blood of Jesus to you O how precious will it make the Death of Jesus to you O how precious will it make the Life of Jesus to you O how precious will it make the Offices of Jesus to you when you can see that you are concerned in his Blood that Jesus he is your Surety your Mediator that he hath suffered for you and satisfied for you that he is your forerunner in Heaven this will make all of Christ exceeding precious An evidence of Interest is that that will carry your Souls chearfully through all sufferings that do or may befal you in the way of Christ There are reproaches that Believers meet withal in the way of Christ and the sense of Interest will help you to bear them all There are great losses that we are exposed to in bearing our Testimony to the Truths of Jesus sense of Interest will bear you up under all Why we have a building of God that is above It is said of those in the Hebrews that they did not regard their outward comforts knowing that they had in Heaven a better and an induring substance Sense of Interest will bear you up under all changes of providences when the Lord is taking as well as when he is giving Why will the Soul say there is still enough in Christ Christ is still
full my Jesus is full though I am robbed he is not robbed though I have little or nothing Jesus Christ he hath all and Christ is all and all his fulness is mine Sense of Interest will raise your hopes and expectations upon Christ Jesus My friends now we look upon Christ and have low thoughts of him we look upon Christ and our expectations are not raised upon Christ We come to an Ordinance where Christ is discovered and displayed in the riches of his Death and in the glories of his Life and our hearts are not raised upon this why but because we have not the sense of our Interest The sense of Interest will raise your expectations and will comfort you against the thoughts of death Now Lord says good old Simeon lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Luk. 2.29.30 And says the Apostle I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all The sense of Interest will lay you in against all fears of the approaching Judgment instead of being afraid of it it will make you long for it when the Soul comes to see and know and be ascertained that the judge of the Court is his friend and is in relation to him and hath loved him so as to lay down his life for him and hath ever been designing upon him in a way of love and grace this Soul will not be afraid to appear before him but will long for the day when he shall come to see his Jesus clothed with glory So as a clear evidence of interest in Christ obtained maintained and gospelly managed will be of singular advantage unto a Christian in his whole Christian course SERMON V. Habakkuk 3.18 Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation THe Proposition was this Doct. That there is enough in Jesus Christ alone for the Souls full rejoycing and triumph whatsoever his state and condition is in this world Now we proposed First To give you several introductory particulars by way of premise These we have dispatched And shall now proceed to consider what are the grounds of a believers darkness about his interest 2. It may be said in the second place if there be such solid and substantial grounds of joy in Christ Jesus for the believing Soul at all times and in all conditions what is the reason then that believers are so often in a dark dubious uncomfortable shattered state that they are seldom able in any stedfastness of spirit to look up unto Christ Jesus and glory in him Ans 1. I answer The darkness of the believers interest doth oft-times arise from a looking more unto such things in the examination of himself as argue the height of an interest then to such things as do discover the truth of an interest They do fix upon such things as are discoveries of a grown state in Christ when as they should fix upon such things as do discover an in-being in Christ they propose to themselves that corruption must be so and so brought under and mortifying work must be carried on to such a height or else they can have no grounds of their interest in Christ they propose to themselves such a measure of love as must be flaming to Christ at all times or else they think they have no love at all they think they must have such a measure of faith as to believe without staggering or else they have no part in Christ Now hereby they â—o ensnare their own Spirits and encrease their darkness But you should look more at such things as argue the truth of an interest then at those things that do argue the growth and improvement of that interest Secondly Darkness of evidence doth oft-times arise from the believers viewing his wants and overlooking his present receits Jesus Christ hath done a great deal for him and hath given out a great deal to him and hath made a wonderful change in him he cannot deny it if he be put to it but he overlooks all this and considers his present wants his weaknesses his short comings his failings his smallness of strength his staggering before a temptation the uncertainty of his Spirit in his walking with God and he bears the stress of his condition upon his present wants not considering what Jesus Christ hath already done nor considering that the work is gradually carried on Now Christians if you would lay your selves fair for the Spirits Gospel evidence in your souls then you must take in the encouragements of your condition as well as your discouragements you must not only insist upon your discouragements but consider also what Jesus Christ hath done and what a change he hath begun to work and what have been the movings of your souls towards him from divine influences upon your Spirits Thirdly The darkness of evidence or obscurity of interest do oft-times arise from the prevailings of sin in the heart upon which Christ suspends Sin that rallies that gathers head in the Soul that presses forward and the Soul gives way to the temptation and is overcome and upon it darkness does arise this was Davids case David was assured ay but sin prevailing in his heart drove him into the dark that all the joys of the holy Spirit were for a time taken from him 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. And Nathan said unto David thou art the man thus saith the Lord God of Israel I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul c. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight I have done all this for thee saith the Lord thou hast despised my commandment and done evil in my sight So the Lord Jesus speaks unto the Soul I have thus and thus manifested my self to thee I thought it not too much to take thee into communion with my self I thought it not too much to dandle thee upon my knee and to give thee the assurance of all that I have done for thee But thou hast wickedly departed from me and broken my Commandments and it is just with the Lord now to suspend prevailings of sin will cause a suspense You know that Absolom upon his rebellion was excluded for a while from his Fathers House he must not see his Fathers face just thus it is with a Soul when it hath turned aside into some way of folly after it hath provoked the Lord the Lord he hides himself from him he won't let him see his face he must not come into his presence to see him and to rejoyce in the light of his countenance as formerly he had done The prevailings of sin after Grace do many times cause a suspense Fourthly Darkness of evidence is occasioned from the Souls crediting the reports of Satan that lead him to deny what Jesus Christ hath done for him and in him upon undenyable demonstrations of the power of his Grace in his
these things that we have laid down in truth though not in high degrees and measures you may be comforted Many Persons they wrong their case and so darken themselves thereupon by looking more unto the height of those things that are notes of evidence then the truth of them Now examine your selves I say by the truth of these things though you cannot yet find that you have overcome temptation that you have got into an holy triumph over temptation yet if that you can find that under all contrary inclinations and drawings the habitual frame and inclination of your heart is secured for Christ you may be comforted though you cannot find that you are able to do much towards the repairing of the glory of Christ in your place yet if you have a heart that is deeply affected with the dishonour that is done to Christ because Christ is dishonoured thereby you may be comfotted Though Christians you can find in your searches but very little of Christ in your hearts yet if your Souls are restlesly carried out after Christ in all your seekings of him that you must compass something of Christ or you cannot be satisfied this seeking heart and restless Spirit after Christ is a note of evidence to you and though you cannot live up to Christ as you would yet if your preparations and reformations be heart-preparations and heart-reformations that the work is begun and going on in you this may be matter of comfort to you and so you may go on to all the other particulars that I have given you look more to the truth of them then to the height and degree of them if you would upon them come to a right understanding of your present state Secondly If upon a search you can find but some of those things that have been given you as evidential of an interest you may be comforted though for the present you cannot speak of them all upon a particular experimental sense The Lord he speaks unto one Soul by one word and he speaks unto another Soul by another word and we don't know what particular word the Lord will make use of nor what particular of all these the Lord hath singled out and made of use advantage and comfort unto any of you but if the Spirit of the Lord hath singled out any one of them and given you a hint of interest thereupon you have cause to rejoice in the Lord and if the Lord hath given you but the least hint of his love and the least intimation by any word of Grace of your interest let not this be lookt upon as a small thing Take heed of refusing the consolations of the Lord when they are offered to you remember him of whom it is said Psal 77.2 My Soul refused to be comforted Thirdly Know this that full assurance and clear evidence of interest is gradually brought into the heart as the light of Grace comes in gradually so also does the light of comfort which is a light unto your Souls to discern Christ and to take comfort in him now the Lord it may be at first let in a little light as it were through the cravis don't set light by this thus doth the Lord work he gives in a little light at one time that doth as it were put the Soul between hope and fear and by and by he comes in with a little more light and then with a little more light and so gradually he carries on the Soul until he hath led him unto a clear evidence and given him a full assurance of interest so as if you have but yet the day star in your hearts don't despise it if you have yet but the beginnings of the light of consolation don't judge this small though comparatively to what some do enjoy it is but small yet let it not be small in your apprehensions but know that the light of interest gradually comes in encreases I may liken the light of interest unto the Prophets Cloud that was at first but like a mans hand and it was a great way off there was some hope of rain upon it but they did not know what would come of it but this was the beginning of such a Cloud that brought abundance of rain So thou hast Christian a little light that is glimmering in thy heart that sets thee it may be between hope and fear well let not this be small to thee for though for the present thou canst not come to a full assurance yet thou dost not know what this will come to thou doest not know what a growing light this is and how much it may encrease in thy heart Now unto those that have as yet but a little light in their Souls some small hopes through grace of an interest but they dare not positively conclude nor they dare not absolutely deny they have not that full assurance that some have neither are they left wholly in the dark unto these Souls I would speak something by way of encouragement and something by way of direction First By way of encouragement to those that have a little hope through grace and have some small glimmerings of their interest and some buddings of their evidence though it is not yet fully blown let such hearts consider First That if thou hast any thing that is a note of evidence or gives thee hope through grace any thing I mean that is in truth know that though it be never so small yet thy interest in Christ is as great as his is that dwells in the height of assurance my friends your interest in Christ is not the less because your evidence of interest is very small but your little evidence that is in truth or this little word of grace that the Spirit hath spoken that gives you some hopes about your condition doth give you as full an interest in Christ as he hath that hath the highest measures of assurance in this world The young Child that can but run to his Father and cry Father Father he hath as full an interest in and relation to his Father as the grown Child that in understanding and judgment is able to reflect upon and improve the relation and so it is with thy Soul in thy union with Christ though thou canst but look up unto the Lord and cry unto him that he would help thee though thou canst but just cry Father though thou art not able to improve thy interest as some others can yet if upon the least hint of grace from the Spirit thou art able to cry Father thy interest is as good and as great as that Souls that is able to rejoyce in Christ in full evidence Christ is yours and you are Sons you are heirs as well as others and you have the same Spirit and the same Fountain of Grace to go to under the smallness of the evidence of your interest Secondly You are under the same preservable maintainable care that those are that dwell upon the top of
reason suggested to them under some providence or other that disquieted their spirits it was through the suggestion of sense and reason that Zachartas questioned the truth of the Word of God sent to him by the Angel about having a Son Luk 1.18 And Zacharias said to the Angel whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in years It was from the instigation of sense and reason that that unbelieving Lord did question that great plenty that the Prophet told him should be the next day 2 King 7.1 2 Thus saith the Lord To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flower be sold for a shekel c. Then a Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the man of God and said If the Lord should make windows in Heaven might this thing be He only argued upon the Prophecy in his own reason and in his own sense and this made him so unbelieving as to reject the Prophecy of the Prophet This sense and reason made the Disciples themselves to question the intention of the Lord about feeding so great a multitude as there was with such small provision as they had Mark 8.1 2. In those daies the multitude being very great c. At the 14th verse his Disciples said unto him From whence shall we buy bread that these may eat So that if you would get into this life of Faith keep down sense and reason and cast out their suggestions which will not bring you near to but set you further off from the Lord. Do not say upon a new difficulty here is no way to escape or upon a loss this or that is gone and can never be made up to me again but throw out the reasonings of sense if the discouraging suggestions of sense be resisted and set by Faith will then get up and speak in the heart 9. Look through and beyond the discouragements of second Causes unto the encouragements of the first Cause that is alwaies absolute and independent and there fix your eye in a strait Second Causes they are failable but so is not the first Cause that is the efficient of all and the Lord who is the first Cause and efficient of all oftentimes dries up all creature streams and causes visible humane help to fail that we may see how great the first Cause is Though the Lord doth ordinarily make use of second Causes yet the Lord will so walk towards us to discover to us that he is not tyed to means that he is not tyed to second Causes and he oft-times causeth visible helps to fail that our eyes may be upon him as the first absolute independent Cause of all I will give you an instance for this and it is that of Israel Israel was in the way of the Lord marching towards the Land of Promise and as soon as ever they were come into the way of the Lord that they were entered into the wilderness they were brought to the mouth of the Red Sea Now all second Causes failed for help there was not a Ship nor a Boat to be got to carry the Hosts of Israel over the water but the first Cause was not at a strait and therefore says Moses from the Lord Israel stand still and see the Salvation of God Now let not your eyes be upon the second Cause but upon the first Cause and you shall see what a deliverance God can make for you and he carried all the Host of Israel men women and children through the drowning Sea and not a man woman nor child was lost in the passage and yet there was neither Ship nor Boat to aid them over And so afterwards when they came at Jordan the waters were before them there was no Boat to swift them over the waters but the Lord he commands Israel to go on and the waters made a lane for them they run on heaps on both sides and Israel hath a path made in the great deep for them And I will give you an instance now of a good man a man of great Faith and that was Moses Moses in a considerable strait fixes his eye upon the second Cause and pored upon the discouragements of that and was lost in his spirit by not looking beyond unto the first Cause and the encouragements that the first Cause did administer It is Numb 11.19 20.21 and so on The people in the preceding verses they murmured against Moses because they had no flesh they were come from their full Tables in Egypt and they had not now their dainties to live upon and they did not know now how to be content why says God you shall not eat one day nor two but even a whole month Now see what Moses said at the 21th verse The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh that they may eat a whole month Shall the Flocks and the Herds be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the Fishes of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice them c. Here is the relation God tells this whole Congregation that they should have Flesh to eat for a month they should eat their bellies full they should eat till they could eat no more Moses had his eye fixed upon second Causes and not upon the first Cause and he questions this Lord says he how can this be So many hundred thousands of us and what shall we all have flesh to eat Now on the other hand we read of Asa when a mighty Host came out against him 2 Chron. 14.11 An Host of a thousand thousand that came out against him he lookt beyond the discouragements of second Causes unto the encouragements of the first Cause that is absolute and independent and see how his spirit held up And Asa cryed unto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to save whether with many or with those that have no might help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this multitude c. He looks unto God the first Cause of all and he saw there the Power of God was enough to charge this whole Army and to engage against this great multitude that came out against him And this was the Prophet's Spirit and the course that he took here in the Text all second Causes failed and frowned and administred only discouragement The Figg-tree that blossomed not there was no fruit in the Vine the labour of the Olive failed the Fields yielded no meat the Flocks were cut off from the fold and there was no herd in the stall Here was a failure of all second Causes now saith he I will look unto the first Cause I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Christians let me tell you that if you lay the weight of your case upon second Causes you will never come to rejoyce in Christ Jesus
in Isa 9.6 Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and his name shall be called Wonderful Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father So Isaiah 8.18 Behold I and the Children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel behold I and the Children we are the Lords Children And Isaiah 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not O Lord thou art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from everlasting this is spoken of Christ Jesus Now the relation of a Father it is a relation of pity it is a relation of love it is a relation of tenderness when the Lord tells us he stands in this relation unto us he tells us that he will exercise the tenderness the pity and the kindness of a Father unto his Child Now a Father a tender-hearted Father he will consider his Child in all conditions in all his streights and though it be a rebellious Child yet still he will consider it and he will exercise the pity and the tenderness of a Father to it this you may see in David to Absolom Absolom was a rebellious Son that proclaimed war against his Father and would have cut off his Father and yet see how Davids bowels did work towards his rebellious Son when he heard he was dead O Absolom my Son my Son would to God I had died for thee O Absolom my Son my Son these were the workings of his heart towards rebellious Absolom now if there be so much tenderness in a Father in the flesh towards his Children much more in Christ to his Children Saies Christ Luke 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him Why the Fathers in the flesh cannot out-love Jesus Christ they have not a larger heart for their Children then Christ hath for his again Jesus Christ he is stiled the Husband of Believers now that is a relation of great care and tenderness the faithful wise able loving Husband how will he defend his Wife and how will he provide for his Wife and how will he safeguard his Wife and how will he pity his Wife in all her exigencies she shall be as his own Soul Eph. 5.28 29 30. So ought men to love their Wives even as their own bodies he that loveth his Wife loveth himself and no man ever yet hated his own flesh this is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church So as all believers they are betrothed and married unto Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ as a loving able wise tender-hearted Husband will secure and defend and provide for those that are married to him much more then the Husbands in the flesh can do for their Wives Again Jesus Christ he is our Brother our elder Brother Now a Brother under the law was not to see any of his younger Brethren under decay and in a low condition but he was to relieve him if thy Brother be waxen poor and fall into decay then thou shalt relieve him was a Scripture law now saies Christ I am not ashamed to call thâ—m Brethren and he will be a most loving tender-hearted faithful Brother unto all his Brethren whatsoever their streights and their trials are Christians do but propose those aiding relieving auxiliary relations of grace that Christ stands in to your Souls and exercise faith upon them propose them I say to your faith and exercise faith upon them do you consider in your own imaginations what if you had such a Father so wise so able so loving so tender hearted how should your heart rejoice in him why Christian you have all that you can imagine in Christ as a Father to you O you would think if you had such a tender Husband such a kind hearted Husband how would you take comfort in him Christian thou hast all in Christ Jesus that thou canst imagine and much more abundantly imagine the lovingest faithfullest Brother that ever was upon earth and thou hast more in Christ Jesus then can be imagined Christ stands in all these relations to thee and these relations are obligations unto him according to the relation will he act and dispense and according to the obligation of every relation shall the dispense be so as he is not only a Husband but you may believe that he will do all for you being betrothed to him that the relation of a Husband obligeth him to and he will do all as a Father for you that the relation obligeth him to he will do all as a Brother that the relation binds him to And know Christians that you can never out-live the love and the grace of the relations of Christ neither can you ever burthen the love of any of his relations you can never overcharge his love there is a natural love arising in the heart of a Father towards his Children a growing springing love every day that notwithstanding many provocations still the Father keeps his heart upon his Child so though there are provocations in your way unto your heavenly Father yet his heart is kept towards you and his heart is the heart of a Father and his heart is the heart of a Husband and his heart is the heart of a Brother and you can never burthen his love nor out-live his grace nor over-believe the fulness of these relations of grace that he stands in to your Souls Now then if you would come to an exercise of faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ then consider the auxiliary relations of grace that he stands in to your Souls and what is dispensible upon those relations and wait upon him for the fulfilment of all 12. Again If you would come to live a life of faith upon Christ Jesus rejoycing in him under a strait and trial of providence then take up a promise and believe it upon the bare faithfulness of God and never dispute with the difficulty or apprehended impossibility of it There are sometimes great mountains of difficulty that lye before the promise you must not consult with these Christians but consult with the promises as they are in the hands of the faithfulness of God and believe the truth of every promise because God hath spoken it how unlikely and improbable soever unto sense and reason the accomplishment of it is don't say how can this be how can such a promise be fulfilled It is not likely it should be fulfilled to me so unsuitable and so unanswerable but eye the faithfulness of God that made the promise and believe it upon Gods bare truth because he hath spoken it when you have nothing else to encourage you to take it up Thus it was with Abraham the Father of believers Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. Who against hope believed in hope and being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about
that will keep up your spirits O pray unto the Lord that he would encrease your Faith Pray for the encrease of this grace above all and be earnest with him that he who hath been the Author would be the promoter of your Faith And for your encouragement Christians let me tell you that the more you believe in Christ Jesus the more 1. In the first place you will glorifie Christ every act of Faith glorifies Christ Jesus it doth glorifie his Fulness it glorifies his Alsufficiency it glorifies his Advancement and Enthronement at the right hand of the Father it glorifies him in his Gospel-Offices as he is intrusted with the Fulness of all grace for you Nay 2. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ doth engage Jesus Christ to come in for your help Every act of Faith doth not only glorifie him but engage him it will awaken his Power and cause him to arise and open his hand and give out more liberally and freely He says therefore unto his Servants many times According to your Faith be it unto you Nay 3. This living upon Jesus Christ is the only way to make your lives comfortable in this world What had this Prophet to comfort his heart with but only this the Lord Jesus Christ resting upon him alone The Figg-tree that was withered and his creature-comforts were gone emptiness and nothingness was before him well says he I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Behold this it was that made his condition comfortable why Christians you will never have comfort in your own spirits under a loss under a cross and in a time of temptation if you have not Faith upon Christ Jesus and there fix your Souls Nay let me add 4. In the fourth and last place That hereby you shall have confirmation and establishment and settlement in the greatest shakings of providence that may be brought upon your condition And therefore O Christians let me in the winding up of all once more call upon you to live upon and to glory in Christ Jesus alone As to all your comforts in this world you cannot promise your selves they shall abide with you God may empty you from vessel to vessel till he have taken all these away but now there is enough in a naked Jesus to take comfort in there is enough in Jesus Christ alone for you to glory in O come and draw your comforts from Christ and do not draw them from the creature do not draw them from secondary helps but draw them from the fountain do not sit down at the streams but away to the fountain to the Ocean that is alwaies full In every strait have your eye upon Jesus in every cross keep your eye upon Jesus in every loss keep your eye upon Jesus under every strait and trial have recourse to Jesus and acquaint your selves more with him that you may be in the Prophets frame here To rejoyce in the Lord and to joy in the God of your Salvation THE SAINTS Hope in Heaven In one Sermon Together with Freedom from Condemnation in Christ Jesus Discovered in Two Sermons Preached Octob. 2. 1681. being the last that were Preached By Robert Asty late Minister of Jesus Christ in Norwiâ—h Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth V. 34 Who is he that condemneth LONDON Printed by Tho. Snowden for Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-place 1683. THE HOPE OF THE Saints in Heaven Colos 1.5 For the Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel THis holy Apostle being in bonds for the sake of Christ understanding by Epaphras that this Church with whom he had taken much pains in the Lord was in danger to be carried off from the purity and simplicity of the Gospel by some Seducers and false teachers that would set up the abrogated institutions of Moses with the institutions of Christ makes it his business to confirm them in the faith that they had received after the inscription and salutation the Apostle gives thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for what he had done for this people he declares how much they were upon his heart he could not cease praying for them and he rejoyced in their faith and in their love as you may see v. 3 4. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying alwaies for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have to all the Saints and he speaks of their hope in this 5th verse which saies he is laid up for you in Heaven by hope he doth not mean the grace of hope as 't is sometimes to be taken in the Scripture but he means the object of hope or the thing hoped for as sometimes hope is to be understood as in Gal. 5.5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith And Titus 2.13 Looking for that blessed hope So as the hope that he speaks of which is laid up in Heaven is Heaven itself and the glory and blessedness of it that did belong unto them that had laid hold upon Jesus and upon eternal life in laying hold upon Jesus There are some to make out the dependence of these words with the preceding do thus understand them we give thanks unto God for your faith and for your love which is an evidence that you have a hope which is laid up in Heaven for you Some others thus we are rejoyced in your faith and in your love which you have received and wherein ye stand fast for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven Some others they understand the Apostle expressing in the fourth verse the causes and grounds of his giving thanks to God for them and rejoycing on their account and that is their faith and their love which are illustrated in the fifth verse both in the final cause and also in instrumental cause the final cause is Heaven and the blessedness thereof which their faith and their love will issue its self in the instrumental cause is the word of the truth of the Gospel by which faith and love have been wrought in them and by which they were making meet for the heavenly inheritance It is only a short discourse that I intend upon the words The Proposition from the words is this Doct. That the Saints have a hope which is laid up in Heaven for them They have the glory and the blessedness of Heaven to seed and to feast their expectations upon whilest they are here There is a world beyond this world where the Saints have their treasure where their great estate and their inheritance lyeth Some things they have here but truly as the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable if that there were nothing more then is to be enjoyed here