A CLUSTER OF Sweetest Grapes for Saints Newly brought from the Heavenly Canaan. OR, The Saints Assurance, Upon 1 PET. 1.9. Even the Salvation of your Souls.

MY Soul longs, and loveth to be there where she may be happy, and so she looks upon this Text as a Theme, whose handling and following (with God's blessing) is able to [Page 2]centre her so, as that she shall be blessed; for it carrieth happiness in its bosom, and is ready to bring Salvation, and the Assurance of it to it, and to every believing Saint, who carries Christ in his heart: so that for this very end I have chosen it, that thereby I may unload my fraighted mind, and pursue my much drawn forth, and (for the Saints Assu­rance of their salvation) bound and bent intention. If we look a little higher we shall see a very heap of Blessings cumulated and laid together by blessed Peter, as streaming from the Fountain of all blessings, to wit, God's infi­nite, and not to be fathomed mercy, v. 3.

More particularly he enume­rates these following mercies:

1. Regeneration, v. 3. Then

2. Glorification, v. 4. And

3. Perseverance, by the power [Page 3]of God here to be enjoyed, v. 5. Then

4. Onspeakable joy already obtained, v. 6.

Which done, he superadds the procreant cause of the said great and glorious joy, as namely, a most certain hope of eternal life in my Text, Even the salvation of your souls. Where, let us con­sider, Parts of the Text.

• 1. What.
• 2. Whose.

1. What. Even the salvation, Partwhich cometh in thus, Receiving, which neces­sarily infers a great Assu­rance.Recei­ving the end of your Faith, Gagneius in Loc. per Me­ton. Adj. Haebr. or fruit, as some, by your unspeak­able joy, v. 8. and then by way of Amplification, Even the sal­vation, &c. Salvation is taken,

1. For an external Delive­rance, Exod. 14.13.

2. For the Metonymice. Author of any sal­vation, Ps. 27.1.

3. Christ especially the Au­thor [Page 4]of our salvation, Luke 2.30.

4. Our spiritual deliverance in the beginning of our conversi­on, Luke 19.9.

5. Our eternal deliverance from Sin and Satan and everlast­ing happiness, consisting of two degrees.

The first is enjoyed, when be­ing unmanned by death, we are carried in the arms of Angels, in­to the arms of Christ who is the head of Angels, as Luke 16.22.

The second will be enjoyed after judgment, when being re­suscitated out of the dust of the earth, we shall be enroabed with the refulgent beams of sparkling glory, in the Kingdom of glory, Heb. 1.14. Tropic.

6. The sure and certain Spes est in­dubitatus ante thesaurum the­saurus, Joh. Clim. gr. 30. hope of ever during bliss, and never fading glory in the foretast of it, as here, where I find some Expo­sitors so to understand this fa­mous [Page 5]Scripture; I for my part, took this to be the sense of this high and lofty place, before I saw what others say; but when I found others to be of the same mind, I was glad and mightily corroborated in my judgment. I will cite at present, but one passage out of Piscator in Loc. one, who wri­ting upon this Text, Even the salvation of your souls; saith thus, that is the certain hope of eternal life, in that they did most certainly hope that they should obtain salvation, as the re­ward of Faith; thus he: but I do most of all ground this Exposition upon Rom. 8.24. For we are sa­ved by hope, that is, we are assu­red by an undoubted and a cer­tain hope, that we shall be saved. For otherwise we are not alrea­dy saved, but shall be, a notable place for our But if any will not re­ceive this Ex­position, yet will he be forced to ad­mit of this by me here un­derstood Assu­rance, by the foregoing word Recei­ving, for wha [...] we receive we are sure of. purpose and this Assurance. The Greek word for [Page 6]salvation here is [...] from [...], which signifies, I defend, and preserve; and so it shews how when salvation comes, defence comes; and preservation comes. For when it comes, we come to be defended against and preser­ved from all the evils which now we feel, or fear, and especially, Death and Damnation, by a great and glorious deliverance.

2. Whose. Part. Your souls.

1. Souls. And yet hath each man but one, Videatur Suaretz Disput. Suet. to. 2. dep. 15. Sect. 8. not two, as some have held. For God breathed into Adam the breath of life, (that is, a rational Soul) not breaths, Gen. 2.7.

But what is a Soul?

It is an Act, saith the Philoso­pher, of a body Arist. l. 2. de Anim▪ cui assentit Suaretz Met. Disp. to. 1. Disp. is S. W 8. organical, which hath life Religio me­dici, p. 79. potentially, in it self being inorganical; mark, inorga­nical, for the Learned in Anato­my tells us, that among those [Page 7]rare discoveries, and curious pieces they observe in the Fa­brick of man, they find no Or­gan, or instrument for the ratio­nal Soul of man; for in the brain, which we tearm the seat of Rea­son, there is not any thing more of moment, than there is in the Crany of a Beast: thus we speak according to Philosophers, as far as they are agreed, for they do not all, nor can agree among themselves, so as to tell us exact­ly what it is. But what saith Di­vinity of it?

I Answ. That it is a spirit, Lactant. 1. de Opif. Dei, c. 17. and breath of life, Gen. 2.7. Eccl. 12.7. Heb. 12.9. If you go farther, and ask me, But what is that spi­rit and that breath of life? I An­swer, It is something in us, and in Est tota in toto corpore, & in qualibe [...] parte ejus, Petr. Lomb. c. 8. l. 1. Et non in cor [...] de tantum, ut scribit, Ter­ [...]. l. 3. de Anim. c. 15. every part of us; but can be without us, and will be after us; though it be hardly known how it came into us; and how seated [Page 8]in us, blessed Austin ingeniously confesseth it that he cannot tell, or thus, it is a truly spiritual Es­sence; Num sit ex raduce, vel [...]reata, ut nos [...]ensemus cum Lactant. de Opif. Dei, c. 19. & aliis. [...] Bucan. l. 8. [...]. 115. incorporeal, immaterial, and subsisting; when it is sepa­rated from the body.

2. Your Souls, [...] Contra Ter­ [...]ull. qui eam definet esse [...]orproream, [...]. 3. de Ani­ [...]a, c. 7. meaning the Souls of Saints, v. 8. who belie­ving and rejoycing in Christ, re­ceive the end of their Faith, which is the certainty of their sal­vation, which cometh by Christ.

Whence note.

Doct. That If any would have this Doct. to run thus, That Saints in this life may gain and have this Assurance, he may take [...]it so. But I, to encourage all Men to labor for it, shall use here the word Men, and yet chiefly aim at Saints. men in this life may gain and have the Assurance of their Souls salvation. See Job. 9.27. Heb. 10.22.34. 2 Tim. 4.78. and especially Heb. 3.14.

Where give me leave to shew,

1. What this Assurance is.

2. Why men in this life may gain it.

1. What it is, namely, The soul of Faith, the Paradise of Saints, the Canaan of Believers, [Page 9]the Ladder of Life, the Life of Heaven. Or thus, it is that where­by we re-enter Paradise, sur­mount all ordinary men, triumph over hell, transcend our selves, and ascend into Heaven it self. See Calvin. Inst. l. 3. c. 2. Sect. 16. how he defines it.

2. Why Men in this life may gain and have it.

As Namely, 1. By reason of, Reason. faith Fidem ipsam quisque videt in corde suo, si credit Augustinus. Cui assentit Petr. Lomb. dist. 23. l. 3. fol. 259. sure of their faith, and see it, if they have true faith, 2 Tim. 1.12. I know, whom I have believed; and there­fore they may be sure, also that they shall be saved; for, He that believeth, and is baptised shall be saved, saith Christ, Mark 16.16. see also John 3.36. and note it well: So that the Apostle might well call faith an evidence Heb. 11.1. and Ʋnde Basil de vera & pia fide, p. 345. Est approbatio sine ulla haesi­tatione cum summa per­suasione. Basil a most­high [Page 10]and undoubted perswasion, according to, Rom. 4.21.

2. Men may be sure of their Vocation in this life, Rerson. if they be called, For you see your calling, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.26. mark, you see it, as a man may see himself to be out of a pest­house, out of a prison, out of darkness, so a man may see him­self called out of the pest-house and prison of sin, and out of dark­ness brought into God's marvel­lous light. 1 Pet. 2.9. Whereup­on it followeth, that a man may also be assured that he shall be saved; For whom he calleth he glorifieth, Rom. 8.30.

3. Men may be sure of their election by the use of means, Reason. al­though some of the Error Au­gustini de cor. & grat. c. 3. Ancients denie it, it is evident from, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6. and if so, they may be of their salvation too; for whom he did Rom. 8.30.predistinate, he also glo­rified; [Page 11]and if chosen, then chil­dren, Eph. 1.7. Having predisti­nated us to the adoption of chil­dren; and if children, then heirs, Rom. 8.16. For who shall have what we have, but our children? so, who shall have what God hath, viz. life and Heaven, but his Children?

4. Men may be sure of their justification, if justified, Reason. Hoc nega [...] concil. Trid. Sess. 6. c. 9. sed temere. Quid aliud peccata nostra tegere potuit quam Christi justitia. Ju­stin Martyr Epist: ad Di­ognetum. where­by their sins are forgiven, and covered with Christ's Righteous­ness, Psal. 32.5. Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Er­go, For whom he justified them he also glorified, Rom. 8.30.

5. Men may be sure of their sanctification, if sanctified; Reason. For to be sanctified, is to shine as a light in the dark, Phil. 2.15. Now, a light in darkness must needs be seen, so as that a man may truly say, here is light, where­upon it followeth, that when a [Page 12]man seeth that he is light in the Lord, and shines as a light, he may also be assured, that he shall be saved by the Lord, see a [...] Thes. 2.13. how therefore san­ctification and salvation are en­link'd together.

6. Men may be sure here of their Reason. Videatur Cy­pr. p. 141. perseverance, and o [...] God's constant love to them in Christ, if once they be in Christ, let the Papists deny it a thousand times, after the tradition of their Fathers; who Cyril. Alex. in John 5. p. 703. intel­ligit nostram charitatem; & dicit fide­les nunquam [...]b ea deficere. Anathematize us for saying so; It is clear from, John 13.1. and from Rom. 8.31. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? and v. 37, 38. I am perswaded that neither life, nor death, &c. Read that famous place. † Bellarmin, and Staple­ton Rome's great Champions would have this place to yeild, but only a Stapleton Antid. p. 503. moral, and Bellarmine l. 3. c. 2. de justificatione. con­jectural certitude, but how can Concil. Trid. Sess. 6. c. 116. [Page 13] [...]hey prove it, sith the Apostle saith expressely; I am perswa­ded of it; they have a shift, that Paul was perswaded by a Reve­ [...]ation, which we have not, and that he speaks of Stapl. ibid. himself, and [...]ot us; but what saith Paul when he comes to his Revelati­ons; he tels us, they were of things not lawful for a man to [...]utter, 2 Cor. 12.4. but this he doth utter. Ergo,

Besides, he doth not only speak of himself, but us also; as his ve­ry words shew, who shall sepa­rate us? Mark, us, not we. See also, Jer. 32.40. Rom. 11.29. John 10.28. 2 Tim. 2.19. For the Saints perseverance, and compare all with Matth. 24.13. He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Now all these 7 Rea­sons will serve for Saints also, if you leave out if still and that which goeth with it, and put in Saints for Men. Reason. Men in this life may feel the joys of Heaven, 1 Pet. 1.8. where­upon my Text infers; that then [Page 14]they receive the salvation of their souls; that is, the certain hope of their salvation, being already rapt up into Heaven; heavened in glory; embosomed in God, & elevated to the highest zenith of divine consolation.

Now to the Application of this grand Conclusion. Use of Consut.

And first, May not this serve to confute the Doctrine of the Concel. Trid. Sess. 6. c. 9. & 16. Church of Rome; averring that no man can in this life be sure of his justification (and so conse­quently salvation) without a Revelation.

The Champions of that Church, stand chiefly upon these two Objections, or places of scripture which Ile therefore briefly an­swer.

1. That, Object. in Eccles. 9.1. No man knoweth love, or hatred, by all things before him;

Answered. To this I answer 2 wayes.

1. That which followes, v. 2. shewes the meaning of this place; that no man knoweth that by these outward things, and by the event of things.

2. The words love and ha­tred, are Metonymically ren­dered; and expounded by Jun. or Tre­mel. juxta, v. 8. Ex­positors; to be things loved; and hated.

3. The other place is that in Heb. 6.4, 5. For it is impossible for those that were once enligh­tened, &c. Read the place. From whence they infer; that a man may go very far; and yet fall away at last; and if so, how can any man be sure of salvati­on, seeing he may fall away, though he be never so eminent now for holiness before he dieth?

To this I answer thus.

Either the Apostle speaketh of real, or of seeming Saints; if of [Page 16]real, as some would have it; then these words, if they fall away, must be understood, as spoken by way of supposition. As 1 Cor. 9. ult. 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. and Gal. 1.8. Though I (or if as v. 9.) we, or an Angel from Hea­ven, preach any other Gospel un­to you, than that which we have preached unto you; let him be accursed. If, of seeming Saints, as I take it, then these words, were once enlightened, &c. must be understood of grace tempo­raliter, as Divines speak, or for a time received; and of the com­mon work of God's Spirit; and common gifts which Reprobates, and Temporaries, and such as sin against the Holy Ghost (which sin, some say, the Apostle here speaks of) may partake of, so that, no wonder it is, if they fall away.

2. But secondly, Use of Ad­dubitation. may not this afford me matter of Addubita­tion also? as thus; What shall I think then of those, who being Protestants do think that they cannot possibly be assured of their salvation in this life; and therefore alwaies doubt and rest so contented? There was a sect of men once called Skepticks, because they questioned every thing, and I take these men to be partly of that sect too, (for sects do not perish with their Authors altogether, but like the River A­rethus [...], though they lose their current in one place, they rise up again in another) but oh the in­sufferable infidelity in men pro­fessing Christianity!

3. And may not this Doctrine afford us matter of Communica­tion too? Yes verily, as thus; Use of Com­munication. Addubitati [...] est deliberati [...] nobiscum Com­municatio cum aliis. Then why do not men and wo­men labour for this Assurance; I [Page 18]say this Assurance which here I treat of, some Assurance some have, but it is that which is call­ed Confidence in the flesh, or Carnal, not this. This not one of a thousand hath, nor seeks after. But why? my Brethren why? shall I tell you my thoughts, some do not, because they are not will­ing to go to the pains which this Assurance costs him that will ob­tain it, and herein even some true Believers may be faulty. O­thers do believe that they do be­lieve, when they do not, and so do not labour after Faith, nor Assurance, for why should they labour after it, say they, seeing they have it already? when either they have no Faith at all, or if any but a Dogmatical, or Tem­porary, which is but a deceitful Faith like Alcumi. The Alcu­mists are grown to that skill, that they will make Alcumi appear [Page 19]to be perfect Silver and Gold, & much of it will bear the touch­stone, that one can hardly disco­ver it, but when fire and hammer come to it, it will bear neither of them, for it comes not from the right place whence Gold and Silver comes, namely from mines; so men are come up to that height of skill in deceiving that they will deceive any, for they will make their Temporary Faith e­ven to glisten like Gold, and it will pass for true Faith amongst men; and for a time hold even under some tryals, but when greater tribulations indeed come and the word like fire and a ham­mer comes, their Faith is disco­vered to be no true saving Faith, for it cannot endure either, be­cause it came not the right way, whence true faith comes, namely by the Word, and by true, and sound, and deep humiliation; [Page 20]and there is much of that Alcumi. Faith now going, & that is much the cause of it why men want this Assurance, but I wonder how some of you, who are under this want, can be so contented; if a woman have a husband that can assure her of something, she will be assured of something, or else she will not be contented, nor let him to be quiet; and if a man have but one child, he will do what he can to make it assu­red of something after his death, and till then he will not rest; but you methinks can rest, and sit still, and be contented, though you be certain of nothing; that is, though you be nothing at all assured, as ye ought to be, of a­ny bliss or blessedness that you shall have hereafter in Heaven, and though you have but one poor soul each of you to be ca­red and provided for, & though [Page 21]you know that God, who is an e­verlasting Husband to some of you, is able to assure you of something indeed, I mean of Heaven and happiness for ever, O monstrous carelesness! O stu­pendious security! O how can you chuse but even doubt whe­ther you have any Nam vere fiddis non est nisi qui divina benevolentiae promissionibus fretus indubi­tatam salutis expectationem praesumit, Cal­vin Inst. l. 3. c. 2. s. 10. true faith at all yea or no, it being a [...], or Though wrestling with doubt­ings which oppose it and by degrees are overcome by it. full perswasion? Heb. 10.22.

4. I come next to a Use of Ex­citation, to stir up my self & you to labour therefore for this Assu­rance; Use of Ex­citation. seeing it is so to be had in this life. For the better ma­naging of which Use I shall ten­der to you.

• 1. Directives, or Mediums.
• 2. Incentives.

1. Directives, to wit, these. Directives.

1. Labour to be born again if ye are not, Direct. for so were those blessed Saints here; who were so assured of their salvation, as [Page 22]you may see v. 3. Hath begotten us again. Give me leave there­fore to insist upon Regeneration a little while. And

1. Let me intrat you to im­bibe, receive, and take inward­ly the word of Regeneration; whereby we are born again; as it is written, 1 Pet. 1.23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, where note, that this Regenerating word of God is partly Law & partly Gospel.

1. As Law, and so it doth three things.

1. It discovereth unregenera­cie, and unregenerate men, and shewes what manner of men they are like a glass, Jam. 1.23. as for example, by that famous place, [...]m. 3.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. where it descri­beth them, what throats, mouths, [Page 23]tongues, feet, they have, I pray you read the place. It is stori­ed of Luther, that a certain Jew would have poysoned him, but was discovered by his picture, sent to Luther, by a faithful friend, warning him to beware of such a man, when he did see him, such a faithful friend is the law which so discovers unregenera­cie, which would kill us, by such a portracture that we may escape it, and live.

2. It puts life into sin, as you may read, Rom. 7.8, 9. I was alive without the law once; but when the commandement came, sin revived, and I dyed: this is a notable place, I pray you, let me open it a little, sin revived, that is, it began to stir, to tear, Nitimur in vetitum sem­per, cupimus (que) negata. to irrit, to exite, to do what is forbidden; and to affright withall, as some understand the place so that I felt it. Before [Page 24]the law comes home close; sin is as it were dead; like a dead adder or Lion, and so quiet; but when the law comes, it is like an adder which is alive, so it bites, and 1 Cor. 15.56 stings, and like a living Lion, so it roars, and so it ter­rifieth, and makes men afraid to Deducit e­nim talis me­tus ad poeni­tentiam. Clem. Alex. strom: l. 2. p. 58. bring them to repentance, and Regeneration.

3. It killeth, according to the fore-alledged place, Rom. 7.9. Sin revived, and I died; that is, I felt and saw, that I was dead and damned by the law, where­as before I was alive; that is, I thought as sure that I should be saved as any man alive. Thus the law kills men, and makes them sensible of the miserable sad and damnable condition wherein they are, whilest they are in the state of unregeneracie: according to that dreadful place, John 3.3. Read it.

2. As Gospel, so the regene­rating word of God holds forth one sweet & precious promise or other, like an orient pearl, to re­vive the dying, drooping spirits of men when the law hath brought them as it were to deaths door; as for example, That most refulgent and reviving pro­mise, in Ezek. 36.26. And new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Thus the Gospel opens a Hos. 2.15. door of hope for poor creatures condem­ned by the law; that though they are, and must be prisoners, and condemned prisoners, yet they may be prisoners of hope, Zac. 9.12. that is, may not be with­out some hopes of mercy; and of a gracious deliverance,

Thus the law kills, but the Gos­pel [Page 26]saves. The law cometh, bringing Damnation, but the Gospel comes bringing salvation; the law cometh with a dagger to stab those that are alive; but the Gospel cometh with a plai­ster to cure those that are stab'd; and lie for dead, as Christ him­self came to save those that were lost; so the Gospel cometh to bring men to Christ, that they may not be lost; for when souls come to Christ, being born again by the word of Christ; Christ comes to them, and when he comes, salvation comes; for he cometh bringing Salvation, Zach. 9.9. (Read the place) that those which were under the sentence of Damnation, may at­tain to the state of Salvation, even the Salvation of their souls, according to my text. Now, this regenerating word of God, you must take, and apply every [Page 27]one of you, and not put it off, or let it lie as dead; saying; Am not I such an unregenerate man now? have not I such filthy hands, which have touched the unclean thing? Such a throat, such feet, such a mouth, and such a tongue▪ which hath talked so filthily? &c. But yet may not I hope that the Lord will shew me mercy, and regenerate me al­so, as well as others, Giving me a new heart? &c.

3. Betake your selves to your Matth. 6.6. and I allude to Esa. 26.20 Chamber, and spend at least one day as a day of Jejuniis & orationibus vacato. Igna­tius fasting; I have done the same upon the same account; if you think that the time of your regeneration is near come, as I hope it is, and that the pangs of the new birth are at the door, and shut your door, and there, and then see your selves convert, according to Psal. 4.4. thus rendered in your English meetre.

4. Begin to be in pain there as a woman in travel, for the pangs of Child-birth must go before the Child's-birth, and you must make this Dr. Preston on Gods Al­suff. account, that if you never yet received the spirit of bondage, you also never received the spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15. and many there are, who, because they have withstood the troubles of their mindes, and the terrors of the spirit of bondage, have withstood their Salvation; wherefore let me intreat you to take the pains, to be in pains for a little season, that you may be at ease to an endless duration, and for a small moment to be in hea­viness, through some necessary perturbations, that for ever you may be in joy and gladness, through unspeakable consolati­ons. O let even all your joy be [Page 29]turned into sorrow now, and your Esto sicut Rex in corde tuo; sublimis & risui jubens vade ut vadat, & dic tu fletui, veni ut veni­at. Clim. Grad. 15. laughter into grief; that all your grief and sorrow had for sin now, may be turned into laughter hereafter; For blessed are ye that weep now, for you shall laugh, saith Christ, Luke 6.21.

5. Then cry out, and

1. For Anguish.

2. For, and to the spirit.

1. For Anguish, as a I allude to that famous place in Esa. 26.17. Like as a Woman with child, that draweth neer the time of her delive­ry, is in pain and cryeth out in her pangs: so have we been in thy sight, O Lord. woman when her time is near, and her pangs begin to come upon her, or as a child cryeth as soon as it is born, so you before you be new born; as thus, what will become of our poor souls? for they are yet unregenerate, and there­fore cannot in any wise enter in­to the Kingdom of Heaven, un­lesse extraordinary mercy be shewn them by the God of Hea­ven; or thus, as the Egyptians once cryed out, when there was [Page 30]not an house in all Egypt, where there was not one dead; saying We be all dead men, Exod. 12.30, 33. And there was a great cry in Egypt (See the place.) So let there be a great cry among you in every house and family, (For I believe that there is scarce an house where there is not one or more unregenerate and dead) and in your several chambers, [...] un­to which you have, according to my premised advice, betaken your selves, and let your cry be the same that was in Egypt. O [...] we are all dead men; we that are unregenerate men, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, That except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God, John 3.3. Not all the art and wit of man, Not all the [...]he [...]orick of the eloquent'st Orator, Not all the in [...]rea [...]ies of Saints and Angels can therefore, or will perswade [Page 31]God to take one that is a drunk­ard, or Whoremaster, or Usurer, or Lyar, or Thief, or covetous man (and such have been some of us) into his Kingdom, [...] even as not all the perswasions of the men of this Country are or will be able to prevail with any one of us, to take but one toad, or snake into his bosome. Thus cry out for an­guish.

2. Cry out for, and to the spi­rit of Regeneration, for by the spirit also a man must be born a­gain, according to that famous saying of our Saviour, John 3.5. where note that the Spirit doth three things to regenerate souls.

1. He convinceth them, John 16.8, 9.

2. He injects the feed of Re­generation into them, according to that of Saint John, His seed remains in them, 1 John 3.9.

3. He delivers them and makes [Page 32]them free, 2 Cor. 3.17. helping them to come forth out of the dark womb of nature, into his marvelous light, that by him as by a Irenaeus adv. haeres. bal. l. 3. c. 40. Ladder they may ascend into John 3.35. Heaven to our Father which is in Heaven; so that unto him you must cry and say, O blessed spirit of Regeneration, Regenerate our souls, O our poor souls that they may live, O con­vince them of their unregenera­cy; O inject the feed of Rege­neration into them from above; Oh help them to come forth; Oh let a new heart be given to us, O let us have flexible, and ten­der hearts, like the heart of a lit­tle child; for we also must be like little children; Oh come blessed spirit, come and help us, Oh come quickly, come present­ly and deliver us [...] come now whilest we are in this Room, waiting for thee, as thou comest [Page 33]upon the Apostles in that house wherein they were sitting, Acts 3.2, 3. O, let this be the time of our regeneration, that we also may be sure of our Salvation: here be earnest, and cry mightily; Nay, if need be, and thou canst not be heard in that day, cry in the night too; and so come to the Spirit at this time, as Nicode­mus came to Christ in old time; even by night, and so cry day and night; and then it will not be long before thou shalt be de­livered, being regenerated; for as Christ said once, Luk. 18.7, 8. And shall not God hear his elect, which cry unto him day and night; though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. So I, shall not the spi­rit of God hear his elect which cry unto him day and night? I tell you that he will hear them, and deliver them speedily; For ask, [Page 34]and you shall have (saith Christ) Luk. 11.9. It is no more but ask and have; ask therefore the spi­rit and you shall have How much more shall your heavenly Fa­ther give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Luke 11.13. him; ask Regeneration of the spirit (un­derstand in the manner afore­said) and you shall have it, and it will not be long before you shall hear the spirit cry Abba Fa­ther, Rom. 8.15. even most emphatically; For, therefore to the Abba from the Hebrew [...] Jun. & Tremel. in Marc. 14.14. Syriack word Abba, is added Father; if you shall so cry day and night for the spirit to the Father, Be­loved, there is no crying which the Father of mercies loves bet­ter, and the Father of lies likes worse than this crying, and there­fore use it.

6. Strive to come forth; For as endeavour without God can­not, so God without endeavors will not help us. See Phil. 2.12, 13. and therefore as Christ said once, strive to enter; so I, strive [Page 35]to come out, Luk. 13.24. for ye will find a very hard bout before ye will be able to come out; therefore I say again, strive, and strive as other children do, when they come to their birth, or thus, strive as once Gen. 38.29. Pharez and Za­rah in Tamars womb; nay, as Pharez so strove as that he made a breach, and was therefore cal­led Pharez from that breach; so do you, make a breach as it were and tear away from Natures womb, and tear away from your beds of ease and sin, and tear a­way especially from your lusts, your pride of life, your vile affe­ctions, your violent passions, your vain, and filthy conversati­ons, your usury, your atheism, polytheism, and abominable epi­curism, and whatsoever else is contrary to the holy Law of God, thus strive to come out. I pray you pardon my boldness which I [Page 36]took by this digression, which carried me so far in this Sea of matter concerning our Regene­ration, and be pleased to impute it unto the vehemency of my love, which made me thus to for­get and to lose my self, that you might not lose your selves, which God in mercy grant.

2. Labour to believe, Direct. or Medium. for so did those holy ones, who accor­ding to my Text were so assured of their salvation, v. 8. and be­sides, if a man do believe, and be sure of it that he doth, he must needs be assured also that he shall be saved; For so God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be­lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3.16. Mark, He Nay, he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Joh. 3.36. which much more and plainly demonstrates, that a believ­ing soul must needs be assu­red of its sal­vation, because it hath it. shall have it, saith Christ, as if he should say, he may be sure of it, for the mouth of truth hath spoken it. Believe [Page 37]then in the Lord, you that never did yet, and you may be sure & certain that your shall be saved: Here give me leave again to en­large my self a little upon this most needful Medium, whereby you may gain the assurance of your salvation; shewing how you must go to work that you may believe.

1. Hear a powerful and faith preaching Ministery as much and as often as you may; for Faith cometh by hearing, the Word be­ing like water which brings forth fruit, and especially the fruit of Faith, Isa, 55.10. John 8.30. Calvin Inst. l. 3. c. 2. s. 6. Rom. 10.17. some Divines do therefore call it the Fountain of Faith.

2. Be convinced, and labour to be convinced, 1. Of your un­belief, as he Mark 9.23. for there­fore it is partly that so many be­lieve not, because they will not [Page 38]believe that they believe not; & therefore why should they labor to believe, seeing they believe already, say they. Beloved, go from house to house, and ask, ho, are there any Believers here? and they will be ready to stone you, saying; What do ye make of us? do ye think that we are Devils, or Infidels? we are Christians, we are Christians, and believe in Christ as well as you; and as difficult a task it is for a Minister to convince men of their unbe­lief, as any thing almost I know of. A Drunkard, a Fornicator, a passionate man, a swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, he may soon convince of his sin, for to that they will say, it is true, we are such, it is an infirmity we cannot leave; but when he comes to deal with men about unbelief, telling them that they have no Faith, Oh what a do is there! oh [Page 39]how do their colours rise! they are even ready to fly in his face, none will believe him, or be con­vinced that he doth not believe; therefore labour to be convinced of unbelief.

2. Of Damnation, For he that believeth not shall be damned, Mark 16.16. which also is a thing that unbelievers will not be con­vinced of; for tell them of it, and they will tell you, God for­bid, for God is merciful, and we hope to be saved as well as you; and not all the Ministers in Eng­land can make men believe other­wise, till God give them a sight of their unbelief; Then, O then, they can and will cry out, saying, Oh we shall be damned, and we cannot be saved; therefore la­bour to be convinced of damna­tion also.

Quest. You will say, if it be such a hard thing to be so con­vinced, [Page 40]then what shall we do to be convinced?

I Ans. Pray to the Spirit, that you may be convinced by the Spi­rit, for it is his work, John 16.8.9. as thus, O blessed Spirit convince me of mine unbelief, for I must confess I am one that would not hitherto believe, that I do not believe. O open mine eies that I may see my unbelief, I humbly pray thee. Do the like for convictions about Damna­tion.

2. Take on, and begin to be troubled, as that poor man in the Gospel, Mark 9.23, 24. who so cryed, and wept, and took on, and said, Lord help mine unbe­lief; and those Acts 2.37. for else you build without a foundation, and then, how will your build­ing stand? There is a notable place for this in Gal. 3.23. Be­fore Faith came we were kept un­der [Page 41]the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revea­led. Mark, 1. Before Faith comes we are under the Law, that is, under the lashes and terrors of the Law, especially a little be­fore Faith cometh, indeed, we are whipt, and troubled indeed, by that grim Schoolmaster whose name is Law. And 2. Before the Law comes we are shut up like Prisoners, and therefore must suffer as Prisoners. O my Bre­thren, if then you mean to have Faith, you must not refuse to be under the lashes of the Law, you must be content to be in Prison a while; and as Scholars which are grievously whipt, grievously to weep because of your unbe­lief; and because of the miseries which shall come upon you if ye believe not, For he that believ­eth not shall be damned, saith Christ, Mar. 16.16. Mark, he [Page 42]shall be damned, and what is that, you will say? Oh! it is to be sentenced to Hell; and what is that? Oh! it is a place called Hieron. in Matth. 10. Ge­henna, a word first of all used by Christ, & afterwards by Sic (que) usurpa­tur in lib. Pir­keaboth admo­dunt antiquo, cap. 1. & 5. others also for the place of the damned, and compounded of Gee and Hin­nom, which signifieth a Valley of Hinnom, which was a Valley nigh to Jerusalem, in which the old Idolatrous Jews were wont to burn their children alive to the honour of the Devil, at the sounding of Trumpets and Tim­brels, and other loud sounding instruments, that they might not hear the cry of their poor dying children, and for that the place was afterwards used for the re­ceipt of all filthiness; as dung, carrion, and the like, and proba­ble it is that our Saviour used this word above all other to sig­nify the miserable burning of un­believers [Page 43]in that place, the pit­tiful cries of the tormented, the barbarous and confused noise of the Tormentors, together with the most loathsome filthiness of the place it self. Go to now, ye Unbelievers, I say now as St. Jam. 5. [...]. James once to rich men, and weep for the miseries that shall come upon you in that woful place called Gehenna; nay go and howl together, O ye Drunk­ards, and Usurers, and Adulte­rers, and Adulteresses, and For­nicators, and Harlots, and Swea­rers; and Lyars, and covetous Worldlings, and riotous Livers; as ye were wont to be merry to­gether some of you, so now, mourn and weep bitterly toge­ther because you have no Faith, and because you will and must, except you get Faith in Christ, lie and fry and burn like the lit­tle children of the idolatrous [Page 44]Jews, in that woful place of tor­ment; thus howl together, say­ing, Oh that Valley of Hinnom! for so Hell is called; and, Oh that place of torment! where there is such screeching and cry­ing of men, women and children, that receptacle of all filth and filthy livers; Oh it will come for us, and for our portion! for un­believers (such as we are) will be damned, Rev. 21.8.

I have read of one Rich. Baxter in his Everl. Rest. Brumo a famous Preacher in his time, that when he was dead and to be bu­ried he cryed out 3 times, 1. Ac­cusatus sum. 2. Judicatus sum. 3. Damnatus sum. I am 1. Accu­sed, 2. Judg'd, 3. Damn'd. Where­as both others, and himself be­fore that, verily thought he would surely be saved; so let every one of you, as dead and condemned by the John 3.18. words of Christ, now say; Oh, I am Dam­ned, [Page 45]I am Damned, I am Dam­ned. I thought once that I should be saved assoon as any, and would not be otherwise perswa­ded, but that my Soul should be heavened as well as others; but now I see that unless infinite mercy do save me, and help me to believe in Christ, I shall be most certainly condemned by Christ. For he that believeth not is Enallage Temporis.condemned already, saith Christ, John 3.18.

4. Desire to believe, as he Mark 9.24. For a desire of faith, if true, is faith; Or thus, as a wor­thy Downam in his Christian warfare. c. 42. Writer saith confidently. Our desire of Grace, Faith, and Repentance, if true, are the Graces themselves; at least in God's acceptation, see Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they which hun­ger and thrist after righteousness. Mark, they are blessed, who have such gracious desires, as are [Page 46]called hungring and thirsting; and therefore they cannot be without faith; and the cause hereof is the blessed Blessed Bol­ton. Nobleness of God's Nature, which by infi­nite distances doth transcend the noblest spirit upon earth, now men of ingenious dispositions are wont to take sweetest content­ment in prevailing over and gai­ning the hearts, good wills, and affections of those that wait up­on them; how much more then must needs spiritual longings, gracious aspires, and thirsty de­sires be kindly accepted with that most kind God; whose most lo­ving disposition passeth all mens kindness; especially sith mens good turns, turn many times to our good and benefit, but our well doing extendeth not unto God, Psal. 16.2. Were all the sons of men Abrahams or Angels, and as many in number as the stars [Page 47]of Heaven, and as shining both with inward Graces, and out­ward acts of piety, as they are in visible glory; yet could they make no addition to that incom­parable Majesty above, nor con­fer so much as one drop to that boundless and bottomless Sea of goodness, or the least glimpse unto that Almighty Sun of glory. If thou be righteous, what givest thou unto him? or what receiveth he at thy hands? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the Son of man, Job. 35.6, 7, 8. Our holiness helps him not; our sins hurt him not; it is only for our good that God would do us good; no good nor gain accrues unto him by our goodness; for, what good can come by our imperfect goodness, to that which is alrea­dy infinitely good? What glory can be superadded by our dim­ness [Page 48]to him which is already in­comparably glorious? Every in­finite thing is naturally, and ne­cessarily uncapable of addition. Possibility of which supposed im­plies contradiction, and destroys the nature of infiniteness, where­fore (to return to my purpose) sith desires are excepted with God for deeds, let every one of you that would be assured of his salvation, desire to believe to his salvation. It is reported of Lu­ther, that when a certain poor student at Wittenberg would not be perswaded by any to believe, or that he did believe, and so was exceedingly troubled in his mind, and left by all, he was sent for, and when he came, did ask him (when he said he neither did nor could believe) but do not you desire to believe? where­unto the poor student replyed, yes, with all my heart I do desire [Page 49]it, why then, said Luther, you do believe; whereat the poor Scho­lar was exceedingly comforted, satisfied, and perswaded that he did believe: so you be satisfied in this point, that if you truly desire to believe, you do believe. Our most gracious God As in Abra­ham, Gen. 22.16, 17. read the place. accept­ing the will for the deed, and your affections for actions; and so long, so thirst, Dyke of self­deceiving, cap. 19. so hunger af­ter Faith, as a Fame-lik after meat, a Febricitant after drink, a Mendicant after a piece of sil­ver, and you shall be satisfied. For they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, and so con­sequently after Faith, which ap­prehends Christs righteousness, shall be satisfied. Mat. 5.6. and Bern. de Lect. Evan­gel. Serm. 7. so much as they can desire, they shall receive.

5. Labor to see an excellency in Christ surpassing all things, and fixing thy heart upon him, re­solve [Page 50]to seek him without re­sting; and seeking him, to sell all for the gaining of him; like the Merchant in the Gospel [...], who seeking after him and met with him, and seeing him to be a For Christ is that pearl, Hilar. in Loc. pearl of great price; and so estee­ming him above all, sold all and bought him, Matth. 13.45, 46.

For Rogers of Dedham in his Doctrine of Faith; e. 2. p. 128. then is Faith begun, when namely, a man begins to be of Kilians, a Dutch School-masters and blessed Martyrs mind; who being asked if he loved not his Wife and Children? said, Yes, if the World were gold, and were mine to dispose of, I would give it to live with them, though it were but in prison; yet my soul and Christ are dearer to me than all. O souls, souls, how do your hearts now stand affected? are ye so resolved to sell all? do you so prize Christ above all? will you seek after him upon such [Page 51]terms? if you will, well; for as­suredly you shall have him, and faith in him, and with him. O my God, help this people so to prize thy Son; help thy Sons to be­lieve in thy Son. I humbly pray thee.

6. Labour to have your hearts over-powered with the evidence of truth and reason: For we find by experience, that though truth and reason, and conscience, and all make for it, so as that we may truly say Amen to what is said; yet the heart is stubborn, and will not yield, but stands out like a contentious Adversarie, which, though he be overthrown in eve­ry trial, yet will begin again. So the heart, though it be answered and overcome with Arguments, and Pleas, and Reasons again and again; yet will begin again to plead against it self: For, say some, when they are non-suited, [Page 52]and have nothing to say; Mini­sters are mercifull, and good Christians compassionate, & will not discourage us; but did they know our hearts, what base un­clean Cages they be, they would judge otherwise than they do. Therefore I say, give over quar­relling, and be satisfied and per­swaded, when Truth and Rea­son tell ye, that ye ought to yeild, and to believe; because the Lord of Life and God of Truth hath said, Him that cometh to me, whatsoever his heart be, or have been, and whatsoever his former life have been; for he saith not, unlesse he have a base, filthy heart. Again, him that cometh to me, though he have been the vilest wretch that ever the Earth bore, though a notorious Belialist, a beastly liver, a filthy fornica­tor, an insatiable Drunkard, an unreasonable Extortioner, I will [Page 53]in no wise cast him out, John 6.37. O my Brethren! what could Christ say more? Christ you see speaks for you; and will you have us speak against you? nay, will you speak against your selves! O be overcome by Rea­son, overcome by Truth; for Reason tels you, that you ought to yield, when your Reasons are answered; and Truth commands you to submit, when you are so well promised by the God of Truth.

7. Beg Faith, for it is the gift of God, Phil. 1.29. say, as Ra­chel, Give me children or else I die, Gen. 30.1. So, Lord, give me Faith, or else I die, and he will not say thee nay. For eve­ry one that asketh, receiveth, saith Christ, Luke 11.9. Ask therefore and say, Lord, thou hast said, e­very one that asketh receiveth; O let me receive for one, or how [Page 54]else can it be every one, if I may not for one; Prayer is the souls recourse to the fountain of life, and a Christians address to the God of all power, to fetch pow­er and help in a time of need, Heb. 4. ult. Go therefore, O dear Christians, to the Christians God, for power and help in this time of need; Go, and cry, and say with that poor man in the Go­spel, Lord help mine unbelief, Mar. 9.24. Lord help my poor soul to believe; Beloved, no less power is here required for you to be able to believe, being dead; than was for the raising of Christ from the dead, Eph. 1.19.20. see the place; and place your selves therefore before his Throne of grace, that you may get grace and power to believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him [Page 55]from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places. And thus beg power to believe, and to be good, and do not think that it is in Ʋt Platonici & Stoici aiunt apud Clem. Alex. l. 1. c. 61 your po­wer to have faith in God, when all your power must come from God; Videatur Concil. Arau s. c. 24. It is man's greatest weak­ness to presume upon his own strength, when his greatest strength is but weakness; and therefore I press and perswade you to beg, which if ye do as ye ought, I assure you in the words of Christ, that it will not be long before you get faith in Christ, & not long neither before ye will be blessed with that heavenly Assurance of the Saints which cometh by Christ, Christ not be­ing able to deny you, because he cannot deny himself, 2 Tim. 2.13. and not deny himself, because he is Truth it self, John 14.6. and being Truth it self, hath said; Ask [Page 56]and you shall have; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be o­pened unto you, Luke 11.9.

Thus labour by all these holy waies and means to believe, and when your carnal friends shall go about to hinder thee, saying; what needs all this praying, and all this weeping, and all this run­ning to Sermons? say, would ye not have me to live? if I do not believe I cannot live: Again, say, Would ye have me be assu­red of nothing? I will be (by Gods grace) assured of some­thing, and especially of my sal­vation. Again, if Satan seek to hinder you from striving and praying that ye may not believe, yet pray, and use all the means premised; because God hath promised that you shall be heard; and he will do his best for you, when Satan shall do his worst a­gainst you.

The Lord give you hearts to pray, and hearts to believe, that believing you may be assured that you shall be saved; so pray­eth from his heart your faithful friend, to his & your best friend, who is a hearer of prayers, and can do abundantly above all that you or I can ask or think, or conceive; to him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, through­out all ages, world without end,Medium. Now this and the rest of the ensuing Me­diums are properly and chiefly provi­ded for Saints, who do be­lieve, for which cause and for whose sake I call this Tract the Saints Assu­rance à potio­ri.Amen, Eph. 3.20.21.

3. Labour to live as spotless a life as you can possibly; for 1 Joh. 3.3.e­very man that hath this hope in him; What hope? that he shall see God, v. 2. namely, in Irenaeus, l. 4. c 37. Christ, and by himself, purifieth himself even as he is pure. Observe, e­very man that hath this hope; and so consequently, whose soul is safe; whose faith is sound; whose heart is sure: Again, ob­serve, purifies himself; that is, [Page 58]labours to be pure; and how is that? even as he, namely, God himself, is pure. O height of ho­liness! O profunditie of purity! are there any such in the world? say the men of the world; Yes, saith the Apostle, there are such, which though they are not with­out sin, yet are not 1 Joh. 3.9. & 1 Joh. 1.9. under sin; that is, under a reigning sin, pres­sing hard towards perfection; which is to be pure as he is pure; that is, aspiring to it, and climb­ing after it, and towards it, as Johnathan's Armor-bearer after his Master. I remember what a Anselm, de Simil. Father saith, that he had rather be in Hell, than lie in any sin a­gainst God: and I have been much taken with his saying; God grant that by it you also may be so taken, as that you may not be so often overtaken; But to the Law and Testimony for all the Fathers: Who is she that looketh [Page 59]forth as the morning; fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun? Cant. 6.10. Observe, how Christ praiseth his Church, for her transcendent pureness, and surpassing fairness. Some spots she hath, and there­fore she is assimilated to the Moon as well as Sun; and yet called fair, because she alloweth them not; and because of that Christ seeth them not: No, no, even Balaam could say, He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perversness in Israel, Numb. 23.21. Again, She is fair as the morning; for she is Instar dilu­culi quando aurera incipit tenebras dis­pellere. Parae­us. partly clear, and partly dim, like that wonderfull day which is only known to the Lord, not day nor night, Zech. 14.7. for so is the Vide Chry­sost. in Rom. 13.12. Morning, and so is she; not al­together day, because of sin re­maining in her, nor altogether night, because of sin resisted by her; and so, and after this man­ner [Page 60]fair and clear and pure: but farther, what saith Christ of her? Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee, Cant. 4.7. that is, no spot Rom. 7.15. allowed, no spot ap­proved; for whilst she is able to stand she stands, and Heb. 12.4. striveth a­gainst sin: so do you, labouring to cleanse your selves from all fil­thiness of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. and that by the Spirit, Rom. 8.13. For as any one blemish in the face mars beauty, and one dram of poison spoils a whole box of precious Ointment: so if you let alone but one sin to reign in you, and over you, that one will spoil all, even all your fair car­riage, and all your confidence; for no Si unum in locum collata sint, omnia mala cum tur­pitudinis ma­lo non erunt comparanda. Cicoro 2. Thusc. evil like the evil of sin to spoil a man. When Phocas, the Roman Emperor had built a most fair and stately Pallace, there was a voice heard in the night, Sin within will destroy all: So, [Page 61]when we have built Castles in the air, and by our fair and specious performances have gotten some Assurance & confidence towards God, but afterward give way to one sin or other, we shall hear one time or other a voice from within, Sin within will destroy all, our own consciences Rom. 2.15. accusing us, yea, condemning us for the same, and So the Pro­phet Jonah lost his con­fidence by his disobedience. Dr. King on Jonah 1.6. taking away our Assurance from us, for sin allowed by us. Let us fall therefore upon sin, and destroy it, that sins punishment may not fall upon us, and destroy us, and our confidence with us. Oh that this people were wise! Oh that they would so strive a­gainst sin, and against every sin! Oh that they would unreserved­ly cleanse their hands! Oh that they would thorowly purifie their hearts, Jam. 4.8. and cleanse them from lust, even every lust! Oh that I could help them! Oh [Page 62]that I could even pull them away from their beloved sins! for then they should not live, or lodge in and with any of them one day, or one night longer: well, you must do this work with God's help; therefore go every one of you and kill every one of them; spare none, no, not the least; Oh save none alive, to be assu­red that God will save you alive; else you cannot be so perswaded as long as any one sin is by you allowed: thus labour to purifie your selves, and to destroy sin, and when you have so done, la­bour to keep your selves so; and if the Tempter re-assault you, do you also re-encounter him, and that with the Word, for that is a Christians sword: tell him as the Spouse told Christ in another sence, I have washed my feet, how shall I defile then [...]? Cant. 5.3. Oh [...] I cannot; Oh! I will not, by [Page 63]God's help. When Satan came to Christ he found nothing in him, but when he comes to you, he finds much in you, even much corruption; but do you resist him in the faith: I say 1 Pet. 5.9. as Peter, that that which he findes in you, may not be found to be yours, but his; because you do not own it, but resist it, to be assured, as then you Damasc. Er­ror de Perser. may be, that you shall be saved. Nay, crie to God to keep you; for it is not as Da­mascene and others teach, in the power of man to hold out; no, no, we are kept by the power of God, through faith to salvation. 1 Pet. 1.5. and therefore you must beg this power of God, [...] and that very much and often, yea, continually; for then Satan will not be able to harm you. It is storied of a malicious woman, that she gave her self to the De­vil, provided he would do a mis­chief [Page 64]to such a Neighbour, whom she deadly hated; the Devil went once and again to do his work; but at last returns, and tels her, that he could not hurt him, because he found him al­waies praying, or reading: do you likewise; pray so alwaies, and you will also speed as he did; especially then when Satan tempts you to make you fall; then do you fall to your prayers and say; Lord, this is the power and hour of darknesse; now therefore keep me in this hour of temptation, that I may keep up the Assurance of my Salva­tion.

4. Make your calling and ele­ction sure; Medium. for then you also make Heaven sure, 2 Pet. 1, 5, 6. giving all diligence, add to your faith vertue, &c. And then, v. 11. so an entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly, into the ever­lasting [Page 65]Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I pay you observe your work; you must become good Arithmeticians, ac­cording to the perfect Rule of Addition, to be certain of your everlasting salvation: And there­fore go, and add vertue to ver­tue, and still say; But do I not mis-reckon? Am I in the right? Do I not miss temperance though I have knowledge. And do I not want patience, though I have temperance? Is not godlinesswan­ting-though patience be not? Is not brotherly kindness forgotten by me though godliness be not? Have I not left out Charitie, though I do not miss Brotherly kindness? Are all the Graces of Gods Spirit here? and if any be wanting, go, and reckon again, and make a farther Addition; more especially if Patience be wanting in thy reckoning; Go, [Page 66]and write, I should say, add pa­tience, the like may be said of all the rest; and so labour to be compleat in Grace, having in you every Grace, and striving still to have more Grace, even more of every Grace; for though, if we believe in Christ we are sanctifi­ed in every part, yet are we san­ctified but in part; even as we 1 Cor. 13.1 [...].know but in part, so that we shall need still to add somewhat to e­very part, if in the Saints Assu­rance we would have our part; Nay, had need to give all dili­gence, as the Apostle tels us, v. 5. by our continual additions to make our calling, and election, and salvation sure, and to live an extraordinarie holy, strict, and Seraphical life to attain to it. I knew a most eminent holy walk­er once, his name was Ignatius Jourdan a Justice of the Peace, who was after his conversion al­waies [Page 67]assur'd of his salvation, as he told me; but the course that he took was this, he would every morning rise at 3 of the Clock, as I was told, and spend his time in prayer, reading, and medita­tion, till 7, and then do justice to all that came to him: Again, he would punish any for swearing, and other offences, if he were ne­ver so great; and I never heard a vain, or evil word come out of his mouth, but he would be al­waies talking of Heaven: do you live such an holy, and heavenly life too, and give all diligence thereunto, and you will be sure also, as he was, of Heaven.

5. Ger the pardon of your sins sealed, Medium. for what is remission of sin but justification from sin? Now, whom he justifieth, he also glorifleth, Rom. 8.30. Again, what is it but a covering of sin? and what saith David of that? Blessed [Page 68]is he whose sin is covered, in Ps. 32.1. so that if I can but know that my sins are forgiven me, I may know also that Heaven will be given me; Wherefore be ear­nest, even importunately earnest with God to have thy sins forgi­ven thee by God, Dan. 9.19. you may see how earnest and eager he was in this thing, saying, O Lord, O Lord forgive, O Lord hearken and do; Never was a condemned Malefactor so earnest for a pardon with his King. Ne­ver was a poor Mendicant so im­portunate for a piece of bread, or for an Alms with his rich Neighbor, as he for a pardon with his God and King, and so must you be, and therefore even press into the presence of God, for thy pardon to be sealed by God; Go and cry, saying, O God forgive, O God forget, O God Psal. 51. blot out all my transgressions, [Page 69]and cleanse me throughly from my sins; O Dan. 9.19. Lord hear, O Lord defer not for thy own sake; here be more than ordinarily fervent, and instant; for the pardon of sin is the Carde & caput foederis. Paraeus. principal thing in the co­venant of Grace so much urged, and to be pressed in prayer; he that is sure of that, may be sure also of God's being reconciled to him in Christ; Christ making for him his peace, peace passing all his understanding, his under­standing now knowing that he shall have life everlasting. I for my part am therefore wont to be more large and more earnest in this, than in any other part of my more solemn supplications, and I desire, and strive still to be so prolix, and so long in this thing, till I have my errands end, other­wise I am loath to make an end, and I have found much success and comfort in it, to God's glory [Page 70]be it spoken, I pray you, do ye pray so too; and withall take this Corollary with you.

When you are upon your knees asking God forgiveness, A Corollary. have in readiness a Catalogue of your many and knowable sins, either in your memories, or in writing, and spread them all before the Lord, as once Isa. 37.14. Hezekiah Rabshe­ka's letter, for then you are most like to speed, because it is ex­presly written, That if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cheanse us from all unrighteous­ness, I John 1.9. and you will be able then thus to plead with God, when you ask pardon of God; O God thou hast said, if they shall confess their iniquities, then will I remember my Covenant, Lev. 26.40, 42. and lo, we O Lord confess here our iniquities before thee, O do thou therefore re­member [Page 71]the Covenant made by thee, whose capital matter is the forgiveness of our sins. Again, you may then plead that famous place in Job 37.27. He looketh upon men, and if any say, Mark, if any say, and so if any of us here shall say so, I have sinned perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, He will de­liver his Soul; as thus, we may say, Lord it is written, and said of thee (likewise shew him the book, the chapter, the place wherein this precious Scripture lies) That thou lookest upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, thou wilt deliver his Soul. O look upon us therefore here pro­strate before thee, or in the sin­gular upon me, a poor sinner here lying before thee, and cry­ing, and saying, thus and thus I have sinned, and deliver my poor Soul, Oh! my poor Soul from hell, [Page 72]and death, and damnation, I pray thee having forgiven me all my sins, for it is said, If any shall say I have sinned, now Lord, I say, and say it from my heart; therefore O God forgive me, O Lord wash me, and pardon all my offences, for they are won­drous great, but not too great for so great a God to forgive. Thus confess, and so crave the pardon of thy sins, and withall to have the pardon of them Eph. 1.13. 2 Cor. 1.22. sea­led, that is to be assured by the Spirit that they are pardoned, as David was, when he said, Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Selah, Psal. 22. O Sirs, here is work for you, to have sin not only pardoned, but also to be perswaded that it is par­doned, which is a thing not so easily obtained, as is commonly believed, No, no you must sweat about it, and labour hard to have [Page 73]it done, if you desire to be assu­red that you shall be saved.

6. Get an undeceiving tast of the joys of Heaven, as those Be­lievers did, which were so sure of their salvation, v. 8. For then you also must needs be sure of your reception, entrance and ad­mission into Heaven; because they are fore-runners, and the earnest of it, Eph. 1.14. the Greek is [...], which properly is part of a price promised to be paid ( Vulteius in sua Jurispr. l. 1. c. 30. Distinguish­ing it from Hypotheca, as being move­able, whereas Hypotheca is not. Civilians call it a pledge) as here, part of the joys of Heaven promised to us, to be enjoyed by us hereafter; And these joys are so great for their quantity, and so sweet for their quality, as that I hope I shall not need to press you overmuch to the gaining of them; For are they not most sweetly resembled to Apples, to Cant. 2.5. Flagons, to ‖ Mannah, all which things though they are so Ibid. id est salutari potio­ni Jesu Chri­ste. Jun & Tremel. Rev. 2.17. [Page 74]exceeding sweet, yet cannot possibly come near or match those joys which without all de­gree of comparison, and measure of proportion do surmount and surpass the same; even infinite­ly, infinitely, For they are un­speakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8.

1. Ʋnspeakable; were all the world full of Orators, and all they like Angels, speaking with the tongues of Angels, and able to utter their minds, and to pour out their conceptions with tor­rents of elocution, yet would not they be able to express those joys.

2. Full of glory. The great, and main Ocean is not so full of water, though it be Mare nil nisi aquae. Owen. nothing but water, nor the spangled skie so full of Stars, nor the gay dia­pery of the earth so full of flow­ers, as they are full of glory. Methought I was in a Tryumph, [Page 75]and even covered and deck'd all over and over, and over with most refulgent beams of glory, when it pleased God all-graci­ous, to make my unworthy self a partaker of those joyes which are so full of glory. And there­fore, oh! how should your Souls be now enamoured with them, and long, and labour after them? O Souls, Souls here are Apples, flagons, here showers of Mannah for you to be had by you. Oh! go after them, Oh! get them, for the Assurance of Salvation lieth in, and thorow them to be had by them.

Quest. 2. You will say, how shall we get them?

Answ. I Ans. Beg them, for Christ hath promised them.

Quest. Q. Where?

Answ. I Ans. Rev. 2.17. Read the place; And so place your selves again before the Lord Christ; [Page 76]and say; Lord, give us, or me, in the singular, this Mannah, this sweet bread of of Heaven; Oh showre it down upon my poor Soul, and having tasted it, may be thereby assured; that as I have been fed with Angels food on earth; so I shall feed on the Angels bread in Heaven. But here

A Case of conscience comes to be resolved, A Case of Conscience. for you will say happily, Sir, we have begged these joyes; and yet cannot en­joy them; and therefore tell us what we must do in such a case?

Answered. I Answer, It may be you have left undone some thing, which ye ought to have done; and where­upon the fore mentioned promise was made, I mean overcoming; for so saith Christ, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Mannah, Rev. 2.17. Now if so, then you must for the obtaining of them covercome.

1. Satan by the blood of the Lamb, Rev. 12.11.

2. The World by faith, 1 John 5.4.

3. Your selves Matt. 16.24. denying your selves in many things, which as yet you have not denied your selves in, as in meats, in sleep, in pleasures, in the putting on of Apparel, &c.

4. God himself, as Jocob did the Patriarch, especially when you beg those joyes. Beloved, never did Luk. 16.21. Lazarus so beg crumbs that fell from Dives his table; nor Judg. 4.19. Sisera beg drink of Jael which then gave him milk to drink, as that holy man did beg those crumbs of comfort, which he wanted; and that glorious vision of Jehovah's face, which he to see so desired, when he said, I'le not leave thee; till thou bless me; constraining God thereby to bless his wrestling, with the Gen. 32. [Page 78]sight of refulgent beams of the light of his pleased, and pleasant countenance, which runs parel­lel with the joys of Heaven, and are infinitly sweeter then Jael's milk, which she gave Sisera to drink in a Lordly dish; yea, than all the milk of all the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey; O let your earnestness, and importunity match his; and let every one of you, now say after him; Lord I will not leave thee till thou bless me, as thou did'st bless him with a glimpse, and glance of the light of thy countenance; or thus, as the Spouse of Christ, said to Christ in the Cant. 2.5. Canticles; so say thou to him, in thine heart, and in thy Closet, comfort me, oh me also! with apples, even the sweet apples of they divine Consolations, pro­mised from thy most Expos. 3. pa­trum in Loc. sweet, and holy word; and stay me with [Page 79]flagons, even flagons of love, for I am sagitia amo­ris istius con­fixa. Theodor. in Loc. sick of love. O my love do not, O do not deny me thy love; O my joy, do not with­hold from me thy joy. Or thus, O my dear, thou hast said to him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Mannah; and wilt thou not give to me that Mannah, who come to thee for it's Manducation, to be assured of my Salvation; O my God, thou hast promised it to him that overcometh; and loe, I de­sire to overcome, and to over­come Satan by thy blood; my self, by thy love; the world by my Faith; and thy self by my prayers, and for that end am now come to overcome both my self, and thee; Oh! give me therefore, & let me have, what here I crave, even that Mannah which thou hast promised me, and that joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

7. Nay, Medidum. beg this great Assu­rance it self, and beg it much, for it is a gift worth your asking, and all pains taking with it, they that have it are In Angeli statum prove­hit. Euseb. Euris. hom. de Epiph. Angelized by the Spirit, extatized in the spi­rit, and emparadized in God; God being their Assurer, who al­so by this assurance, becomes their exceeding great reward; As for their life, it is the life of Heaven, as their joy is the joy of Heaven, Heaven being in their hearts, their hearts in Heaven. Labour therefore, dear hearts, for this Assurance, begging it of God, who is both able and wil­ling to give it to those that ask it; Ask it therefore, and when you ask it do as Achsah Caleb's daugh­ter, which wanting springs of wa­ter, came to her Father, lighted off from her Ass, and said, Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a South-land, give me also [Page 81]springs of water, Judg. 1.14. answerably whereunto, do you also light off from your most eager pursuit after the gains, profits, emoluments, and pre­ferments of this present world, and falling down before your heavenly father, say; Father, give me a blessing, for thou hast given me these outward things, and I want nothing but only the assurance of my Salvation; give me therefore springs of water al­so; that is, the assurance of mine eternal bliss, which is like springs of water, yea, Fountains of liv­ing water springing from that O­cean and Sea of ineffable de­lights, which are in thy blessed self. O blessed Father, give me both the upper springs, and the neither springs as Judg. 1.14. Caleb did his Daughter.

The upper springs hereafter in Heaven; to wit, the joyes of Hea­ven [Page 82]in Heaven, and the neither springs; I mean, the assurance of Heaven here upon earth; I humbly pray thee, thus beg, and beg as earnestly, and ardently as a beggar begs his alms, because he needs it; so you this assu­rance, because you cannot well live without it; I told you of a very holy man, Justice Jour­dan. a Justice of the Peace; how holily he lived to gain his assurance; and now, let me tell you, what once he said to a Visitant that came to see him. How is it with you? Are you assu­red now of your Salvation, or are you not yet? And, when the Vi­sitant answered no. He told him, were it my case, I would go to my Closet, and shut my door and never leave begging it of God, till I had it bestowed on me, by God. Beloved, this was good Counsel; whether the Visitant fol­lowed it or no, I know not, but [Page 83]do you follow it, and so go, O go, and betake your selves to your Closets, again upon this account also; & shut your doors, Matth. 6.6. and pray to your heavenly Father which is in secret that he will give you this assu­rance of your Salvation, which will reward you amplie and a­bundantly, for all your paines taking in such a supplication; O Souls, when once ye are in, never come out, [...] 8 till assurance comes in. Nay, go, and tell God so, thou that hearest me this day, and wantest this assurance, Lord, I will not go hence, till thou give it me, for thou hast said; Ask, & it shall be given to you, Luk [...] 9. and do not doubt, but per­swade thy self for certain, that as Caleb, Achsah her Father gave his Daughter, petitioning him, both the * upper-springs, Judg. 1.14. and the neither springs which she [Page 84]wanted; See Luk. 11.11, 12, 13. so your heavenly Fa­ther, in respect of whose tender compassions and bowels of pity, the kindest Father's greatest mer­cy is but harshness; in respect of whose incomparably melting and sweetest inclination; the most loving Nature of any man living is but moros [...]ty, will give you also this by you so begged and petitioned Assurance of your souls salvation.

8. Medium. Get the Spirits testimony of which we read Rom. 8.16. The Spirit himself bears witness to our Spirits, that we are the chil­dren of God, and if children then heirs; that follows v. 17. and therefore this Assurance of Sal­vation must needs follow. Mark, here are two witnesses to assure us of our both filiation and sal­vation.

1. Our own spirit, How? our own Spirit? what more deceitful [Page 85]than a mans own Jer. 17.9. heart? but stay, it is not the carnal heart; but theregenerate heart, as the word spirit is taken, 1 Cor. 2.11. whence Origines in Loc. Origen. The Spirit bears witness, not to the Soul, but to the Spirit, that is, the heart regenerated by the Spirit, which goes for sence, and feeling, and finding it self to have Faith in­deed, and truly to be regenera­ted by the Spirit, is able to say truly with the Apostle, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1.12. and I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2.20. see the place. Stapleton that sub­tile Popish Writer, would have this witness to be our charity, but there is not a syllable for it in the Text; and therefore his asser­tion I reject for false.

The second witness is the Spi­rit of God; who as a [...], or [Page 86]Co-witness steps in, and confirms what our own spirit affirms, say­ing; it is true, thou art a child of God; But how shall I know that this testimony is not a delu­sion, but the Spirits truly? Thus you may be sure of it, saith a worthy Writer. Either it is the Spirits or the fleshes perswasion; Not the fleshes, for that doth not lead us, nor adduce us to divine, and heavenly things, therefore the Spirits, and the Spirit doth not lie. [...] Bellarm. l. 3. de justif. c. 9. Thus he. Bell armine saith that this testimony of the Spirit begets but a conjectural certi­tude of our salvation; but that is as false as God is true, for can any thing be more true and cer­tain, than that which is asserted by the God of truth? well then, here are two Witnesses for you, and you know what the Law saith, that at the mouth of two Witnesses, matters shall be esta­blished, [Page 87]Deut. 19.15. and there­fore why should ye doubt? Chry­sostom upon this place triumphs as it were, saying; Chrysost. in Rom. 8.16. to be noted against Bellar­mines conje­ctural Assu­rance. What ambi­guity is there then left for us? if a Man, Angel, or Arch-Angel promise a thing, a man may hap­pily doubt, but sith the supreme essence of God's Spirit, who makes us pray, promises to them that pray, and performs what he promises, doth so bear witness within us, what room is left for hesitating and doubting to us? Labour therefore for this testi­mony of the Spirit.

Q. But you will say, Qnest. How shall we come by it?

Answ. I Answ. Luk. 11.15. Crave it, as thus, O blessed Spirit, bear witness to my Spirit, that I am a child of God: Venisancte Spiritus, Come O holy Spirit, and tell my Spirit so, that my Spirit may rejoyce [Page 88]in the God of my salvation, I be­ing assured of my salvation. Men suppine men to be witnesses for them; but do you only intreat the Spirit to be a witness for you, and he will be willing to do it for you; For as Christ saith of the Father, The Father himself loveth you, John 16.27. so I of the Spirit; The Spirit himself, who is one with the Father, loveth you. Therefore go again, and again to the Spirit, and pray to the same effect, saying, Holy Spirit, speak to my Spirit, and speak plain, e­ven so plain as that I may know that it is thy voice, and not the voice of a stranger, for thy sheep do not love to hear the voice of Joss. 10.4, 5. Joh. 10.3. strangers; Nay, come blessed Spirit and call me, as it were by my Rev. 22.17. name, as Christ calls his sheep by name, saying, Christo­pher, John, Peter, Mary, thou art a Child of God. O sirs, let every [Page 89]one that heareth me this day say so; come blessed Spirit, come, and testifie so, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, and when he cometh, Assurance cometh, for he comes not alone, when he cometh, but his reward is with him, and before him, to wit, his testimony, and his ear­nest, 2 Cor. 5.22. which is the exceeding great reward of our supplications, and the merciful compensation of a truly graci­ous conversation.

9. Medium. But I have one help more for you, and that is, you must try your selves daily by some evid en­ces for Heaven; When a Travel­ler, being bent for a certain place, and told by signs and tokens which is the way to it; as namely, there are such Meadows at the one hand, which he must pass by; such miry places at the other, which he must leave, and such [Page 90]Mountains before him, which he must pass over, and he findes it so, he is sure that he is in his right way, and shall certainly come to the place appointed; For, saith he, when he is past the places spoken of; lo, there be the mea­dows, the miry places, the moun­tains which I was told of, I am past them; now a child of God being bound and bent for Hea­ven is such a Traveller too, ac­cording to that of the Psalmist, Psal. 84.6. and * thus rendred in your English meetre. Psal. 24.6. This is the brood of Travellers, in seeking of his grace: As Jacob did the Is­ralite, in that time of his race. And this Traveller is told in the holy Scriptures, and by us Mini­sters which is the way to Hea­ven, and how he shall know that he is in his way, and shall certain­ly arrive there; As for example, such sins and waies, which are [Page 91]like miry places, and meadows must be left on the right, and on the left hand, and that such and such duties and perfections, which are like high and craggy Mountains he must go over, whereupon it followeth, that when he looketh back into his life and courses, and finds it to be so as he was told, he must needs be assured that for certain he shall be saved; for saith he, are not these sins which I have left, the miry places which I was told of? and these pleasures of sin for a season which I have passed by, the pleasant meadows which I was told of? and those difficult duties which I have laboured to perform, as believing, self deny­al, a spotless walking, and a con­stant, and laborious serving of God, even day and night, the high and craggy mountains which I was fore-shown? Beloved, it is [Page 92] Mr. Nichols hath it, in his life. reported of that holy man Ig­natius Jordan; whom I former­ly mentioned, that when he was near his end, and one did ask him, how he did, and could so keep up and maintain his Assurance so constantly, even to the end? he answered, that every day, he did try himself, by some undeceiving signes; and evidences for Hea­ven, & that kept it up, & so died. Do you therefore likewise as he did, and you may be assured as he was.

But I know, you will be very inquisitive now, what those e­vidences are, whereby you are to try your selves so; and there­fore besides that which hath bin already spoken, I shall give you a more full information about it, and shew you more directly, which they are, out of Psal. 15. Where they lie even evidently before you. For there the Psal­mist [Page 93]states the Question, who shall be saved; saying, Lord, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy Hill? mean­ing Heaven, which is called Mons, a Hill, or Mountain, a Bern. in Serm. 29. Jan­sen in Loc. Clarius in Loc. Engu [...]. in Loc. Jacob. Panis­cotus in Loc. Burgensis 1. p. scrut. 4. dist. 4. c. 4. Lorin in Lo [...]. Dr. Boys in Loc. Mollerus in Loc. non mo­vendo, because it shall never be shaken, or moved; Heb. 12.28, And then resolves it, saying, he that walketh uprightly, &c. where we have the most glorious evi­dences, & blessed properties of a Athanasius in Lpist. de Interpr. Psal. Citizen of Heaven set down in order before us: They are 12.

The 1. is, He that walketh up­rightly. The word in the Hebrew is [...] which, though it be usual­ly rendred perfect; yet signifieth, not Melancthen in Loc. one that is simply and abso­lutely so, and altogether free from sin; for that is absolutely denied Pro. 20.9. Jam. 3.2.1. John 1.9. but one that in his desires & pur­poses is without dissimulation, 1 Eviden [...]. and hypocrisie, and so walks up­rightly; [Page 94]as it is here rendred: where give me leave, because this is the prime and chiefest Mark of a Citizen of Heaven to dwell a little while, and to shew you how this uprightness may be discerned, by these 3 proper­ties.

1. By a right aim; [...] Properties. of upright­ness.

2. By true desires.

3. By Ʋniformity. A Right Aim.

1. By a right aim, for an up­right man doth in all things, aim at the glory of God; above all things, like David himself, (who hath penned this Psalm, and here set down this property of up­rightness) Psal. 115.1. where­as Hypocrits, and such as are not upright do all that they do to be seen of men, Matth. 23.5.

2. By true desires, True De­sires. after Christ and grace, I mean, which are e­quivalent with deeds, as when Abraham had but a desire, and [Page 95]purpose to please God, and to obey his command; it was taken for the deed, Gen. 22.16, 17. Read the place.

And the truth of such desires may be known again by 3 marks. 3 Marks of true Desires.

1. True desires are flaming, and fervent, called hungring and thirsting, Matth. 5.6. pan­ting, and breathing, Psal. 42. [...]. for look, as the Hart, having swal­lowed Serpents, and being there­by most mightily inflamed, and put into a grievous heat, pank­eth, and panteth after Rivers of water to quench his thirst, so do true desires which are flaming and come from a fervent spirit, even long and thirst after the things desired; whether it be Christ, or grace, or faith, in a most vehement measure, and manner.

One writes of a gracious wo­man; Bolton. that being asked in her a­gony, as she was complaining of [Page 96]the want of Christ, and Grace, and Faith; but doth not your heart desire, and long after Christ? Answered and said; O yes, I have an Husband, and Children, and many other comforts; but I would give them all, and all the good I shall ever see in this world, or in the world to come, to have my poor, thirsty Soul re­freshed with that precious blood of his, &c.

2. True and upright desires are ever enterwoven with a sin­cere and holy use of all such means, as may procure the enjoy­ment of the things desired; as fasting, praying, hearing, reading, selling of all, and the like. See Isa. 26.9. how desires are fol­lowed by seeking after God.

3. They are growing from lit­tle to more, I mean more actions, from more to much more; from much more to habit, from habit [Page 97]to some competent perfection & bigness in Christ. See, 1 Pet. 2.1. how desires and growing are conjoyned, and look upon Eph. 2.21. 2 Thes. 1.3. and try your selves often by these 3 signes of true desires; for if you have them, you have the graces which you desire to have, and so must needs be assured of your Salva­tion. I speak after famous Mr. Rogers of Dedham; who hath converted so many Souls, his words are in his Doctrine of faith. c. 2. p. 128. What graces thou desirest, and constantly usest the means to attain, thou hast. Thus he.

3. Ʋniformity, Uniformity. an upright and sincere walker striveth, and la­bours to be the same in all pla­ces and at all times, like true Gold, which is the same in dirt, and when it is trodden upon, that it is when it is lifted up on [Page 98]high; and worn in a Ring, or Crown, it shineth wheresoever it is put: so he is the same in ad­versity, as well as in prosperity; among filthy livers, as well as a­mong Saints; in bad company, as well as in good; at home as well as abroad; and like Aristotle's homo [...] he is, cast him this way, and that away, and try him every way, and you shall find him right, and square, in evil times as well as in good times; For he knoweth, that to be good at all times, and in all places, is but a Christian's duty; but to be good in evil times, and among evil men, is an upright man's glo­ry, and to be blameless among a wicked and crooked Generati­on, yea, to the very credit of Religon, and Garland of Chri­stianity; and so lobours to be like a Rock unmoveable; as he is re­quired to be, 1 Cor. 15.58. See [Page 99]also, Psal. 1.3. his leaf also shall not wither, understand with any weather, and Gen. 6.9. where the [...] Hebrew is, and Noah wal­ked indesinently with God; though the world was bad, yet he was good, nay, as Chrysost. in Gen. Chrysostome speaks of him, like a spark he was in the midst of the Sea, which all that wickedness which did overslow the whole earth could not quench. Whereas Hypocrites, and such as want this uprightness are like Alcumy, which looketh like Gold, but proves not so; for when it is tryed; appears to be but counterfeit Gold: so they seem to be good, because of some glistering shewes which they make by their profession, pray­ers, and performances, but when they are tryed, and faln into some Company or meet with op­position; they prove false, and appear to be but counterfeits. [Page 100]And like the fish Ambros in [...]exaem. l. 5. [...]. 8. Polypus which changeth colours, with every kind of stone it meets with in the Sea; so they in the Sea of this world shift and change their co­lours, according to the place where they are, and the company into which they come; among the good, they will seem to be good, and talk as if they were good; yea, pray as if they were Saints; but among the bad, they are all as bad; so they will talk, and so they will do, and walk; abroad they will be like Angels, so they will behave themselves, and so pure and heavenly they will seem to be, and so they will speak, and pray very admirably; and as it were, with the Tongues of Angels; but follow them home, and you will see them car­ry themselves as if they were Devils; so they will lie▪ and be proud, and envious, and spight­full, [Page 101]and so some of them will roar, and tear, and rave, and stamp, and be contentious and unclean, and when it comes to family Duties, they will scarce pray at all some of them, or read, or have a savory speech come out of their mouths all the day long; or if it happen that they do pray some of them, as brief, and could, and dry as may be, and com­monly but a Repetition of the same things which they are still wont to have in their domestick Devotions; and a kind of I speak a­gainst hypo­critical forms and repetiti­ons, as Christ, Matth. 6.7. & not against all sorms, and repetitions. form, and how can it be other­wise, seeing they have but a form of godliness; denying the power thereof? 2 Tim. 3.5. But I have done with uprightness, but I hope you have not done with it, for it is the chief mark of all David's marks; and it will, if you can find it, yeild you as much Assurance as any. I know the [Page 102]man, saith Blessed Hooker, he is yet alive, that in extremity of horror of heart, said, he had sinned against the Holy Ghost; and therefore would have made away himself; but now that which kept him, was, his consci­ence told him, that at such a time his heart was upright before God, and that restrained him; & God after that blessed him with assu­rance of his love, and favour; & therefore this uprightness; oh! this uprightness, what a mark it is? O try your selves daily by it. But I see that I have transgressed by my prolixity; I humbly crave pardon, and promise to be brief­er hereafter,

2. Evidence. He worketh Righteousness. Righteousness i [...] his trade, where­by he trades for Heaven, la­bouring to give to God what is Gods, and to Man what is Mans, and to every man his due.

3. Evidence. He speaketh the truth in his [Page 103]heart. Another man may speak truth too, but he speaketh it not from his heart; because it is not in his heart, but commonly such as are none of Heavens Citizens will lie for advantage. It is gi­ven to them all inasmuch as that they are called lyars. And ly­ing Children, Isa. 30.19. because As Rabby Moyses, l. 1. c. 30. used to them, and not used to speak truth; whereas God's Children are called Children that will not lie, Isa. 63.9. Evidence.

4. He backbiteth not with his tongue; His tongue knoweth how to speak well, but it know­eth not how to speak ill, 1 Pet. 2.23. especi­ally of any man; For it hath not so learned Christ, * who when he was reviled, reviled not a­gain; whereas some will do lit­tle else, but revile, and slander, and backbite, and speak evil of other men, who many times are better than themselves.

5. He doth no evil to his neigh­bour, Evidence. if he can do him good he will, hurt him he dares not, in his body, goods, or goodname; where­as some will be good to no body, but themselves, and scarce them­selves as they ought, but they will wrong any one to get by it.

6. He takes up no reproach a­gainst his neighbour, Evidence. v. 3. for his charity will not suffer him which hopes better, because it 1 Cor. 13.7. hopeth all things.

7. He is one in whose eies a vile person is contemned, Evidence. v. 4. But how? it is not his Brother, (for so is even a vile person) but his Brothers fashions and vile cour­ses, which he hates, and for which by him he is so scorned, and de­spised; again, he contemns him not as he is a man, but as he is a vile man.

8. He honoureth them that fear the Lord. Evidence. I have read of a certain gracious King, called Jugo, King [Page 105]of the Dranes, that once he made a great feast, and placed his No­bles and Lords in his Hall; but the poor Christians which also were some of his guests, in a state­ly higher Room, and kept them company; and when his Nobles repined, and wondred at it, he said, these poor. Christians I look upon, as those that will reign with me as fellow Kings, and such as will be my Companions in that other world; and therefore I place them and use them so. So highly he honoured them that feared the Lord; and so doth every Citizen of Heaven, where note, that this esteem goeth ac­companied with love, as you may see, 1 Thes. 5.13. to esteem them very highly in love; concerning which love, you know what is said, We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the Brethren, 1 John 3.14. [Page 106]which once so satisfied a gracious woman, that when she could find no other mark but this, this did gain her the Assurance of her sal­vation, because her heart told her that she loved the Brethren from the bottom of her heart.

9. He sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not, Evidence.v. 4. He is a man of his word, what he swears or promises shall stand, because he knoweth that else he cannot stand, whether he win by it or lose he careth not; though it be to my utter undoing, saith he, it matters not, if I may but go to Heaven at last, it shall not trou­ble me much, though I must for­go all that I have upon earth first.

10. He doth not put his money upon Ʋsury,Evidence.v. 5. And what is Usury? It is not only interest of a due quantity, as Ʋsura defi­ [...]iti [...] interesse quantitat is de­ [...]it [...]. Civilians define it; but the loan of a thing [Page 107]that may be De Ʋsur. 22. consumed in the use thereof, upon a compact for encrease; where note, that a man may commit it, whether he lend so to the rich or to the poor, the Tho. Aqu. 2.2. q. 79. [...]. [...]. [...] Hebrew calls it biting, because it alwaies bites, either actually, or potentially, see Deut. 23.19. Thou shalt not lend upon Ʋsury to thy Brother, Ʋsury of money, Ʋ ­sury of victuals, Ʋsury of any thing that's lent upon Ʋsury, which must be understood thus, and which may be consumed in the use thereof. Here observe how generally God speaketh, not ex­cepting at all, him that is rich, but saying, to thy Brother. Now is not the rich thy Brother as well as the poor. I did preach once 16 Sermons against Usury, as near as I can remember, upon this Psalm, but now I must be very brief, because I have promised brevity.

11. He taketh no reward against the innocent, Evidence. v. 5. He is an ene­my to bribery, because God ha­teth it, and because it blinds mens eies; and therefore whe­ther he be a Judge or Justice, or Lawyer, or Minister, or Commissi­oner, or Arbitrator, and ender of differences; he will rather beg from door to door, and from man to man, than be a false and bribe taking man.

12. He doth, Evidence. that is, labours to do all that is required to be done h [...]re, and else where, consequen­tially; I say all, for we have a Rule in the School, that an in­definite proposition in a necessa­ry matter is equivalent to an u­niversal, and such a proposition is this, Ergo. And besides, by this All, the close of this Psalm, and this last mark doth sweetly symphonize with the beginning of it, & with the first, for the first [Page 109]maketh him in a manner perfect, because the word for uprightness is [...] which signifieth perfect, namely in the sense foreshewn. So that a Citizen of Heaven is truly a Catholick, a man com­pleat in Christ, a general trea­der into all the vestigaes of God's Saints, like Zachary and Eliza­beth, who walked in all the Com­mandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless, Luk. 1.16. and one that would not willing­ly omit, or neglect any one duty [...]joyned by God, any one fer­vice to be performed to God, any good turn to be done for God; no, not for a world, nor live in a­ny one known sin with allowance, because he knoweth that if he should, he would never be able to hold up his head with joy, nor have any confidence at all, that Heaven he shall have after all. That makes him to be so for all, [Page 110]even all that is to be done, I add and consequentially to do it with his All. All the powers of my Soul, and all the members of my Body, and all the moments and minutes of my time (saith he) shall go and be for God, for Christ, for Heaven; Heaven at last, and the Assurance of it will pay for all; and then I shall not be Psal. 119.6.ashamed neither, whilest I am here, when I shall have respect to all the Lord's Commandments: For this is the confidence that I shall have, that Heaven hereafte [...] I shall have; where drinking at the cistern of life. I shall take my fill of the waters of life & foun­tains of pleasures streaming from Jehovah's face, blessed for ever. Now my Brethren, shall I entreat and exhort you after all this, to try your selves by these never­failing Evidences; even daily to be assured that you shall inhabit [Page 111]with God, that holy hill above everlastingly. I believe it is a thing which some of you never did. For men think it to be e­nough if they try themselves then, when signs and marks are delivered in some certain Ser­mons; Nay, some will not try themselves then, and therefore no wonder that such as are assu­red of their salvation, are like Rara avis in terris. Turtles very rare; and shall I not for that cause perswade you as earnestly as I may, to take this new course of trying your selves; so every day hereafter to gain the Assurance of the salvation of your Souls. O Souls, in the bow­els of Christ Jesus, I beseech you that you will be perswaded, and no longer neglect so great salva­tion, I should say, the gaining of the Assurance of so great salva­tion.

But shall I pray to God for you [Page 112]too? By God's help I will, say­ing, the Lord bless these my la­bours to you, and bless you. He grant that these very evidences may not only lie before ye in this Book, but also to you in your hearts. He minde you of them, because else some daies you will neglect them; that so you may come to be assured daily, that you shall mansion with his holy self, in that holy Hill it self, which is so far beyond all other Hills, and high Mountains in this world, most certainly, and ever­lastingly. So be it.

But, A Case of Conscience. here I must resolve a great case of conscience. For some will he ready to say; Sir▪ we have used such means as these, and yet cannot gain this Assu­rance; and therefore what shall we do in this case?

Answered. I Answer, There is a two-fold Assurance.

1. The Assurance of Evidence; when with blessed Stephen, we see Heaven as it were open, and the Son of man in it, that is, when we see the splendor of his coun­tenance, when his countenance is lifted up upon us, and in us; when in us for the present is no­thing but Heaven; when Heaven is poured out upon our souls; when our souls are enroabed with the garment of salvation; when salvation crowns us, fills us, swal­lows us; when we can see nothing, tast nothing, feel nothing but Heaven, and must say as Jacob, This is none other but the house of God, and this the gate of Heaven, Gen. 28.17.

2. Of Adherence. As when we can see no such thing, when eve­ry thing goes against us, when God frowns, Christ withdraweth, [Page 114]the Spirit chides; when if we look up, we can behold nothing but wrath, even the wrath of a sin-revenging God; if about us, nothing but horrour; if within us, nothing but despair; if under us, nothing but Hell, and yet can say as Job, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, Job 13.15. Now, when the first Assurance cannot for the present by any means be had, we must stick to the second, we have a notable place for it, Isa. 50.10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his ser­vant, (and so doth, what here hath been spoken as from the Lord, by his servant) that walk­eth in darkness? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. The Hebrew is [...]? whence is [...] a staff, to shew that a man in darkness goeth by a staff, sustaining himself by it, to [Page 115]keep himself up; so such a one must rest himself upon God in this his dark and dismal estate to be kept up. See Psal. 23.4. con­cerning this staff; and let me say unto you yet farther, let such a one cloath himself with patience, and never think himself the more For he may be more safe than he who feels the sweetness of joy, and may be lifted up with it, saith Gerson. unsafe, let him centre himself in Christ, let him wrap up him­self in his merits; let him say, here I will live, and here I will die: If I perish, I perish, (as Esthe [...]. [...].16. Est­her said once) it is all one, but it shall be upon this So Ʋrse [...]. tels us. staff which I will not let go, but keep to my grave whither I go. As for the other of Evidence, ye will, or may, in that also before you de­part, and cease to be retainers to the Sun, sun yourselves, and have your part.

2. Incentives of a sorts. Now Incentives; and

1. Let me deduce some from the evils that will follow, if you [Page 116]will not follow these directi­ons.

2. Others from the good that will come, if you will come to labour for this Assurance.

1. As for the evils. You will live

1. In continual doubts.

2. In continual fears, and sor­rows.

1. You will live in continual doubts, and question even every thing, as whether. ye did not all that ever ye did in Hypocrisie; & whether your love be true, your conversion true, your godliness true; and especially you will doubt of your Faith, whether that be true saving Faith, Nam fidel is non est, nis [...] qui suae salutis se­curitati in­nixus Diabolo & morti confi­denter insul­tet quomo do doceinur, Rom. 8.38. Calv. Inst. l. 3. c. 2. s. 16. yea, or no, because so few have it, and because so much temporary and hypocritical Faith is going; where give me leave to dwell a little while, because I hear most doubt­ing Christians call their Faith mostly in question. And because [Page 117]those two kinds of Faith carry men so far as they do, and there­by raise such doubts. As▪

1. The Temporary carry men so far as to make them hear the word, even with j [...]y, Luke 8.13. Oh! me-thought, saith the Tem­porary, I was even ravished when I heard such a Sermon.

2. It maketh men to be not hearers only, but doers also of many things, both in their Fami­lies and apart, even to admirati­on, Mark▪ 6.20.

St. Basil knew such a Tempo­rary at Jerusalem, Basil Epist. mihi p. 515. who for a time lived so strictly, as that he did e­ven admire him; for he had fast­ed so often as that he had brought himself to nothing almost, but skin and bones, and counted the greatest wealth as dung, and wa­tered his cheeks with rivers of tears, and walked as he thought with God day and night; in brief, [Page 118]lived so solitarily, and retired­ly, as if he had cared for no earth­ly creature; and yet at last fell not only off, but also in love with a strange woman, having forsa­ken his own wife, and I do not read in the same Basil of his reco­verie at all; and this and the like examples cannot but make any man who wants this Assurance, to tremble, and doubt. So the hy­pocritical, I mean the sturdie Hy­pocrites faith, Famous Mr. Hooker. as Divines call it, Good Lord! how far it car­rieth?

1. It brings him to a great deal of sorrow, being Matt. 13.22. thorny ground, and having his thorns in him, that is, pricking sorrows, and troubles of mind; The Tempo­rary, saith he, is deceived; for he came easily by his faith; he was never much troubled before it, or about it; he believed by and by, but mine cost me dear; [Page 119]and the truth is, such a Hypo­crite commonly hath sorrow e­nough for the quantitie of it, though not enough for the quality or uprightness, because everie valley is not filled, according to Luke 3.5. though he himself, like a high Mountain, was thrown & cast down by a soul-piercing Ser­mon, there being a hollow false heart left in him.

2. It makes him even to trade with Christ, and that much too, like that Mat. 19.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. young man who also was so sorrowful, and had so much talk with Christ about his salvation; and made as if he would do much by Christ's per­swasion, though not to the losing hand upon any terms, but only so far, and to so much as will suit with his estate and occasions.

3. Nay, it will carry him out e­ven unto suffering; for saith he, the Temporarie cozeneth him­self, [Page 120]for he is Mat. 13.21. offended & yields, and De quo So­crates, l. 3. c. 1. Ezebolius-like complies by and by, Luk. 8.13. and is gone; but I scorn to do so, I will stand it out to the last, though I die for it. See 1 Cor. 13.3. how a man may give his bodie to be burnt, and yet want Charitie; and so conse­quently true saving faith, which works by love, Gal. 5.6. Beloved, there is a Rule in Logick. Those disjunct Propositions, both parts whereof are true, the whole must needs be true; if either part be false, then the Proposition must be false. Now here both parts are true, I may give my bodie to be burnt, and yet want Cha­ritie; so a man may suffer, and yet want faith, Ergo. For there be many things in mans heart that he will rather die than yield, as Pride, Obstinacie, self-wildness, sturdiness, and the like: This, this maketh men doubt so; and [Page 121]doubt they will, till by the use of means formerly prescribed, they gain that Assurance which is here required: and therefore get it, O, by all mean [...] get it, my dearly beloved; for, how long will ye doubt so?

2. You will live in continual fear and heaviness; for you are whilst you want this Assurance in darkness, and see no light, Isa. 50.10. the Hebrew is brightness, which is more than light, and seemeth to allude to the bright­ness of God's countenance, which a child of God walking in dark­ness, and wanting this Assurance, cannot see. Now when a man walketh in darkness, you know what a sad fearful man he is, be­cause he can see no light; every man that he meets he takes to be an enemie; everie voice he hears he thinks to be the voice of Rob­bers; everie step he makes, he [Page 122]fears will make him fall: so, when men are not assured of their salvation; and of God's fa­vour, how sad and fearful are they? everie Scripture almost they meet with they take to be against them; everie step of theirs to be a step into hell; everie glimpse of comfort to be a delu­sion of the Devil; and so they live the sorrowfullest, the dis­mallest, the disconsolatest life that poor creatures can live, liv­ing in a continual fear of death, of Devils, and of hell fire, which burns for ever. It hath been my own case when I wanted this as­surance; I was afraid to be alone, and afraid of Satan, because of his buffetings, and so will you be, or are alreadie. O my brethren, the tongue of man is hardly able to express the sorrow, the fear, the perplexity that a poor doubt­ing [Page 123]Christian is in whilst he wants this Assurance, and cannot see the light of the Lord's counte­nance; when he looks upon his Wife, (if he have any) his Chil­dren, his Goods, wherein others take a world of comfort, he saith, what comfort can I take in them who cannot be assured at all, as others are, of the favour of God, which is better than ten wives, ten sons, nay, 10 thousand worlds? when he looks upon his meat and drink, he saith, what good can all this good meat & sweet drink do to me, who have no assurance at all that ever I shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and drink of that new & sweetest wine which they drink of in the Kingdom of God? When he looks upon his bodie, he saith; O, how will this bodie of mine be a­ble to dwell in that flaming fire? and how, O how will it be able [Page 124]to indure those * everlasting burnings? When he thinks up­on his soul, he saith, O my poor Isa. 33.14. trembling soul, whether wilt thou go, when thou goest hence? to Heaven or Hell? I know not, God knows; or thus: As that great Emperor Ani­mula Vagula Blandula. anxiviously I have li­ved, doubtfully shall I die, not knowing whether I shall go; as Aristotle said, that great Philo­sopher; or as David, that great King of Israel, 2 Sam. 18.15. said of Absalom his Son once; so saith he of his soul, with a little change; O my soul, would to God; I did know what would become of thee after me; but I know it not, and therefore O sad man that I am, and O sad soul that thou art, Oh! my soul, my soul; Oh! how should this prick ye on there­fore like a Spur, to the getting of that here required, Assurance of the salvation of your souls.

2. Some Incentives I shall de­duce from the good that will come,Sort of In­centives.if you will come to labour for this Assurance: as,

1. Look as they that are sure of their vocation and election, so they that are sure of their salva­tion; by a necessary consequence shall not be barren in the know­ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in 2 Pet. 1.8. know­ledge a man may have, though no assurance of his salvation he have. As good a Logician he may be as ever was Austin, Augustinus à petitiono vo­cabatur diale­cticus. who for it was called the Dialectick; speak he may diverse tongues, as He­brew, Greek, Latine, &c. nay, as many as Genusbrey Sultan, Soly­man's Interpreter, 15 Languages, or as Mithridates 22, as the French Academy hath it. An Oxford of learning, a walking Library, an ocean of wit, he may [Page 116]be; abilities he may have to wade into the Abyss of the Ora­cles of God, and to interpret my­steries; a dexterity he may have with the piercing key of his most excellent knowledge, to un­lock the golden cabinet of Go­spel secrets; parts he may have with the far seeing eie of his large understanding, to penetrate the occult qualities of nature; able he may be to discover what is in the bowels of the earth, in the bottom of the seas, in the heights of mountains; nay, he may with the wings of his profound learn­ing even sore up to that flaming hill above, where the stars are, yea, beyond the Castiopeia it self, and be able to discourse of the altitude, magnitude, natures, influences of those glorious lights which are in that spangled skie, even to admiration; but as bar­ren he will be for want of god­liness [Page 127]and goodness, if he want the the Assurance of his election, of salvation, as the mountain of Gilboa, 2 Sam. 1.21. Contrarily, if he be sure of that, then, oh how fruitful will he be then in all manner of holiness, and godly conversation? and how, oh how will that even fill his sails, with life, with motion, with action, and make him navigate even with expansed sails, through seas of duties? For, what, oh! what will not a man do for God, when once he is certain of the favour of God? Oh! how he will pray, fast, read, meditate, love, when once he is perswaded of his love? and therefore who is there among all this people that fain would grow in grace, and not be barren in knowledge? let him labour for the assurance of his salvation, and he shall have his hearts de­sire. O my God, fulfil thou the [Page 128]desire of that soul, I humbly de­sire, and beseech thee with my very soul.

2. You shall never fall, 1 Pet. 1.10. nor look back, like Lot's wife, which for it was turned in­to a Pillar of Salt; yet to be seen, saith Tertullian, to season such as fall. Now, you do nothing almost but fall, as being in dark­ness, Isa. 50.10. now into the sin of pride, then of passion, then of luxurie; now ye are too jo­vial, then too fantastical, in your gates, cloaths; now too light, then too melancholick; now ye talk too much, then too little; now ye sell too dear, then ye use false weight, or mix your wares bad with good, some of you: now ye are too strange, then too familiar, too wanton, some of ye; now as high as Lucifer for pride, then as low as Demas for world­liness; for even in our time are Tertul. in Sodom. Carm. p. 646. Aug. in Ps. 77. p. 830. [Page 129]many Demases. The world is now as it was formerly; there was none then, but there hath been, or is some one now that parallels him, and is, as it were, his revived self. But let a man get the Assurance of his salvati­on; let him sun himself in the light of God's countenance; let him be crowned with the certain hope of glorie; let him be re­fresh'd once with the over-flow­ing streams of divine consolati­ons: Let God's Spirit once speak peace to his spirit, and he will say; O, I would not be as I have been, nor do as I have done, no, not for a thousand worlds; I was proud, passionate, envious, lascivious, covetous, as others are, but I would not be so again, if one would give me all the wealth of England. Oh! how much swee­ter is the assurance of my salva­tion, than all the pleasures of sin [Page 130]for a season; or thus, as Joseph said to his Mistress, being enticed by her, Gen. 39.9. My Master hath kept nothing from me, but thee, because thou art his Wife, How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? so saith he when he is enticed by sin; My Lord Jesus Christ hath kept nothing from me but his glory, which, he saith, he will give to none other; Isa. 42.8. He hath put such joy in my heart, such light into my mind, such assurance in­to my soul, as that I am even ra­vished with him in my soul; and therefore how can I commit this wickedness, and sin against my God? Oh! I will not do it for the whole world.

3. You will thereby enter Hea­ven: this also follows by a con­sequence from the ensuring of our calling and election; for, he that is sure of the one must needs [Page 131]be sure of the other also, as I shewed From Rom. 8.29, 30. formerly. Now, what saith Peter? Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, 2 ch. 1.10. and then v. 11. For so an entrance shall be mini­stred unto, abundantly into the e­verlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which words may be understood, not only of an entrance to be mini­stred hereafter, but also ministred now, when we are made sure of Heaven, as Rom. 8.16. when we are saved by hope, when namely Jesus Christ is pleas'd to shine up­on us with the light of his coun­tenance, beaming into our hearts; Quae est luae, quae irradiat cor meum. Aug. in Med. when our hearts do leap for joy; when joy triumphs over sorrow; when sorrow is turned into sing­ing; when rivers of comfort are shed and showred down from the Throne of Grace upon our souls; when our souls feed on [Page 132] Ambrosian dainties, then are we entred into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which then is in us, as well as a­bove us, and consists in Righte­ousness and peace, and joy in the Holy-Ghost, Rom. 14.17. and therefore if now as well as here­after you would live as it were in Heaven, then get the Assurance of Heaven, then beg it, then seek after it, by the means shewn for it, and never be at rest, till ye be so blest; for then, oh the extati­call leaps of your rejoycing hearts! oh the dancings of your gladded spirits! oh the gloryings of your rav [...]shed souls! which then you will be able to tell of, saying; O what a Heaven did I feel in me, when my Beloved spake to me, and assured me that my poor soul should be saved undoubtedly! Oh, how sweet was that voice, that word, that [Page 133]saying to my soul! O how was my soul then even heavened in God, embosomed in Christ, ex­tatized in the Spirit, and eleva­ted to the highest horizon of di­vine consolation! To say no more, this entrance gotten by As­surance is the sweetest, the deli­ciousest, the pleasantest thing that ever beatified and warmed the heart of man upon earth; for a very Paradise it is, and a Heaven upon earth; wherein I now de­sire to leave you upon earth, and therefore I do so press it, to make you press for it, that you may gain it; beseeching you by the mercies of God, that you will af­ter all this, sadly and seriously consider all this, and remember the sad condition wherein you formerly lived, living in doubts; and that if you love your souls, you will now even heaven your selves upon earth, ensouling your [Page 134]selves in God, sunning your selves in Christ, and emparadi­sing your selves in that ever, and over-glorious Assurance of sal­vation, which I have so urged by believing, and those other bles­sed means which have been fore­shewn; shewing your selves to be not hearers only, but doers also, and such doers as are ex­citated by the Word, suscitated by the Spirit, animated with heat of zeal, elevated with height of hope, and even ready to soar up upon the wings of confidence, and joy, beyond that flaming hill where the stars are, and to enter that holy hill above, where ful­ness of joy is unutterable, tran­quility blessed, immortality im­mortal, felicity to be enjoyed thorow all eternity.

To God alone be all praise, laud, and glory.