The particular Cures.

1. Naturall corruption was The first cure, an­swering the first cause of doubtings. the first spring of Doubtings, and Mortification is the first help and remedy: That is the Disease, and this is the Cure. I may say that of our faith, which the Apostle speaks of our persons, Rom. 8. 13. If yee Rom. 8. 13 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The more our sinnes doe die in us, the more our faith will live in us. We are diseased men, (take us in our best condition) Similies. and you know the more any disease doth lose of its strength, the more doth our health rise up and thrive: and so we are as a garden which hath many plants, and severall weeds, the abating of these, the rooting up, and killing of these contri­butes the greater reliefe and strengthning to our plants.

The Apostle (Heb. 10. 22.) Heb. 10. 22 [Page 111] would have them to draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of Faith: he would have them to cast out their doubtings in their approaches unto God, he would have them to come with assurance, with a full as­surance; to come so, as verily to be perswaded of Gods ac­ceptation of them; not indif­ferently to come with, May be I shall be accepted, may be I shall not; this is a doubtfull approaching. But what doth he adjoyne to this exhortati­on? Observe the next words, Having your hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience. d. As long as your hearts are evill, as long as Conscience can charge you for entertained evill, you will be wavering and doubtfull; But if your hearts were sprinkled, if the evill of sin were washed from them, then you might come with a full assurance of faith, [Page 112] (i.) Then faith might fully per­swade you to come confident­ly unto God; for Faith cannot well perswade, if Conscience can yet truely charge and con­demne.

Therefore saith S. John, If our hearts condemne us not, then 1 Joh. 3. 21 have we confidence towards God. (i.) If sin be mortified, if con­science finds no sinne harbou­red, but condemned, if it can­not condemne us for not con­demning our sins; then wee have confidence towards God: (i.) Then if we come to God in Prayer, and aske any thing of him in the Name of Christ, Faith may confidently rest up­on it, that God doth heare, and will answer. Whatsoever wee aske, we receive of him, ver. 22. 22

There are two effects of our sinnes.

1. They keepe downe our faith. I am so troubled (saith [Page 113] David) that I cannot look up. See the place, Psal. 40. 12. Innume­rable Psa. 40. 12. evils have compassed mee a­bout: Mine iniquities have taken Two ef­fects of sin. hold on me, so that I am not able to look up: They are more then the haires of my head; therefore my heart faileth me. You see here that his sinnes made his heart to faile, to misgive it selfe; and like a heavy rheume they fell on his eyes, that hee could not well look up. They are a hinderance to faith, our naturall inclination is a very clog unto the spirit of faith; and when faith would doe some good for us, it ever (like a malicious person) throws in doubts & scruples, and breeds with-holding arguments and reasonings against the Truths and Promises of God.

2. They make the incou­ragements By contra­ry reaso­nings and denyals. of faith to be diffi­cult; they keep off the things which would edge & quicken [Page 114] our faith. As Peter said in ano­ther case, Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinfull man; So the heart here, God is or will de­part from me, because I am such a sinner; He will not hear my prayer, because of my sins; nor be gracious to me, because of my sins; nor may I pitch upon his Promises, because of my sins.

Now consider, if that which did keep downe faith in re­spect of its proper inclination, (for faith naturally bends up­ward) and in respect of its o­peration, that it cannot exer­cise it selfe without interrup­tion, were removed; would not faith be higher? If the chain and bolts were off, if the rheume were dryed, should we not walk better, should we not look better? Againe, If the incouragements of faith were kept close to faith, if faith could see them, and dwell [Page 115] upon them, would not our doubtings sinke? Therefore it is more then evident that our doubtings would sink, if our naturall corruption did sinke, if our sinfull lusts did sinke, which doe breed those indis­positions, those interruptions, those continuall difficulties un­to our faith. Faith would rise, if its contrary did abate. Cast Gen. 21. 10 out this bond-woman and her son, (said Sarah to Abraham) for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heire with my son: So say I, cast out this bond-woman and her sonne, cast out natu­rall corruption and infidelity, that Isaac may be alone, that faith may be (as much as may be) alone, and then it will pos­sesse the Promises (and the soule too) with more quiet­nesse.

But here the soule replyes, Obj. No question but doubtings would sinke, if sinfull corrup­tion [Page 116] did fall; If the fountaine did decay, the streams would lessen; But alas, 1. Who can mortifie his sinfull nature? 2. What kind of mortifying of it is requisite? 3. What way may be taken to effect it?

I will briefly say something to each of these demands. Sol.

1. To the first, Who can mortifie his sinfull nature? I answer, Of himselfe, no man can; naturally he hath neither will nor power thereto: But as Chrysostome spake in the bu­sinesse Tu non po­tes, sed Dominus tuus potest. of Repentance, Thou canst not turn thee, but yet thy God can turn thee; That I say here in the businesse of morti­fying, Thou canst not mortifie thy sins, but God can doe it: He can doe it for thee, though thou canst not doe it for thy selfe: Though thy naturall corruption be a spreading le­prosie, he can heale it: Though it be a violent plague, he can [Page 117] cure it: God hath put enough in Christ to save a sinner, and therefore enough to heale a sinner. Remember one thing, In all commands, the duty is thine, and the power is Gods: He who commands thee to mortifie sinne, is ready enough with sufficient power to effect it, if he be sought unto.

Neverthelesse observe by the way, that Mortification may be effected two wayes; 1. Passively, as when the Lord doth infuse holy principles of Grace, which are contrary in their nature and vertue to the nature and power of sin, wor­king out sinfull corruption by degrees. 2. Actively, as when the renewed and converted soule doth by faith successively apply and draw down the cru­cifying vertues of Jesus Christ; Though the meere naturall man can doe nothing to the mortification of sinne, yet the [Page 118] renewed person having recei­ved grace from God, is by the help of Gods Spirit to stir up the grace that is in him, and especially his faith, to trust on Jesus Christ for the further subduings and crucifyings of his sinfull nature.

2. But now for the second demand, What kind of Morti­fication is most requisite, so as in more measure to free the heart from doubtings? In a word, this; be sure the morti­fying be

1. Radicall: lay the axe to the root: As all Graces thrive most when their springs are quickned, so all sinnes decay most when their roots are mortified. Corrupt acts will fall quickly, if a corrupt heart were more sanctifyed. The strength of sinne is inward, there are the strong holds which need most to be cast downe: By all means set up a [Page 119] crucifying Christ in thy bo­some.

2. Impartiall. It is true, one sin may trouble more then a­nother, but it will be thy wis­dome to trouble all sin: Sins are chained together as well as Graces; and one sin serves to help another, and the neg­lected sinne may perhaps sud­denly wound thee, and make thee to stagger. The whole bo­dy of sinne in every member of it, must be the object of thy mortifying work: This will testifie the truth of Grace re­ceived, and the sincerity of thy conscience, and conse­quently will remove many bottomes of feares and doub­tings.

3. Diurnall: (i) a daily work. Perhaps sometimes thou art fervent in the work, (when conscience is struck, or when afflictions strike thee) but af­terwards thou art negligent, [Page 120] and then sinne gets strength againe. But as thou shouldst live by faith daily, so thou shouldst die to sinne daily: Watch thy spirit, resist the mo­tion of it, insist on divine pro­mises, implead the strength of Christ every day: Thou shouldst so beleeve still, as if thou never yet hadst enough of Christ; and so live still, as if thou wert to live thy last; and so mortifie sin still as thou didst at the first time wherein God looked on thee.

4. Speciall. If thou wouldst make thy battell strong in a­ny part, doe it then against Infidelity, and whatsoever up­holds and contributes unto it. It is granted, that the Radicall principle of thy doubts is ori­ginall sinne; but then the im­mediate principle of it is re­maining Infidelity. Out of it immediately come all thy staggerings, and reelings, and [Page 121] questionings, and doubtings: That is it (O weak beleever) which disables thy apprehensi­on of the Covenant, of Christ, of the Promises, of thy Title: That is it which perverts thy judgment, and mis-perswades it with cunning reasonings, so that either thou canst not dis­cerne the full truth of Gods Promises, or thou canst not see prevailing reasons to perswade thy selfe that they belong to thee.

Therefore let the main care and work of thee be, to strike at unbeliefe: Be humbled much for it, beseech the Lord to cure thee more and more of it, to remove the ignorance of the Covenant out of thee, and to cast downe carnall and proud reasonings, which give the lye to the way of Gods free and full Grace; which would have thee to be first, and of thy selfe, that which thou [Page 122] canst never be without Christ: and to doe and bring that which God never imposed on thee to doe or to bring, but hath told thee plainly, the working of it in thee belongs onely to himselfe, and hee is also really and graciously wil­ling to bestow upon thee.

3. As for the third demand, What way thou mayst take for the mortifying of all this sin; I answer,

1. Generally, touching all of it, Do but insist in the ways on which already thou art falne; Did any vertue in the death of Christ, (laid hold on by faith) did that heretofore help against sinne? It will doe so still: Did any love of God help thee the more to hate sin? It will doe so still: Did any assurance of a reconciled God in Christ, freely and abun­dantly pardoning of thee, wea­ken sin in thee? It will doe so [Page 123] still: Did solemne confessions of sin, selfe-judgings, speciall mournings, sufficiently help thee with conquest of sinnes? They will doe so still: Did the humble application of thy self to the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, (through which he is pleased to reveale his arme) confer any strength against thy sins? It will help still: Did any holy feare, any tendernesse in conscience, any declining of occasions? Did vehement wrestlings with God in Pray­er? Did serious meditation and consideration? Did close socie­ty with the Saints? Did stu­dies of farther holinesse? Did frequent reviewings of thy condition, and renewings of Covenant with thy God in his strength? Did holy watchings? Did resistings of the first births of sin? Did these, any of these, all of these, or any other spiri­tuall course besides these, cause [Page 124] thy sinfulnesse to be vile unto thee, to be abhorred by thee, to be cast downe in thy judge­ment, to be cast out in thy af­fections, to be cast off in thy life? Goe on with these, and sinne will then be more and more mortified, and doubts will be more and more weak­ned: the more that thy consci­ence is thus sprinkled from dead works, the more shalt thou be able to draw neere unto God in assurance of faith.

2. Particularly, for the mortifying of remaining Infi­delity, doe three things:

1. Study exactly the Cove­nant of Grace, in the Author of it, foundation of it, matters contained in it, and all the ad­juncts and termes of gracious­nesse, sutablenesse, fulnesse, faithfulnesse, &c. appertaining to it.

2. Study JESUS CHRIST▪ [Page 125] throughly; know him distinct­ly in the person of a Mediator, and offices, and effects, and works.

Then 3. To much medita­tion in these, abound in Pray­er, that God in particular would cause thee by faith to set thy seale unto them: But more of this will follow in an­swering some other causes of doubtings.

2. The second spring was weaknesse and imperfection in faith: The cure and remedy of which, is, to perfect and strengthen faith: put more strength, more growth, more ripenesse into faith, and your doubtings will be lesse. The Simile. more purely the fire burnes, the lesse smoke it hath; and when the light and heat of the Sunne are greatest, then the clouds and misty vapours are fewest.

Faith and Doubtings are [Page 126] like a paire of scales, where the waight of the one beares away the other. The Disciples I remember prayed, Lord, in­crease our faith; and so did he of whom you heard in Mark 9. Mar. 9. 24. Lord, help my unbeliefe.

You will say, No man can Ob. deny, that if his faith had more strength, then his heart should have lesse doubting; But how may that be done? How may faith be streng­thened?

I answer, Sol.

1. God who gave faith, can strengthen it; for every grace depends upon him, not onely for birth, but also for comple­ment: his strength must lead us on frō strength to strength, from faith to faith; he who is the Author, is also the finisher of it: And therefore if thou wouldst have a strong faith, thou shouldst goe to a strong God, and beg of him, Lord, in­crease [Page 127] my faith; My knowledge is dim, lighten that candle, open mine eyes yet more, that I may see thy truths; My as­sents many times shaking, but do thou establish and comfirm my heart in thy truths; My embracings, applications, very trembling, and broken, and interrupted, but doe thou guide mine eye to look upon my Sa­viour, do thou guide my hand to lay hold on him, doe thou Doe thou perswade me, and I shall be perswaded. enable my will and affections to embrace all the goodnesse of thy selfe, of thy Christ, of thy Word.

It is Gods method to lay in (at the first) weak faith, that we might beg for more faith, and give him the honour of all. Had we it strong at first, he should not heare of us; but he dispenseth it by degrees, that in all our gettings, and in all our victories over doubt­ings, &c. his strength may­have [Page 128] the glory. Therefore goe to God, and say, Lord, I would have more faith, thou wouldst have me to perfect it, but all perfection is in thee, and I can­not by my meere strength ri­pen what thou givest, but thou canst water what thou plan­test; though it be sowne a weak body, yet thou canst make it rise a strong body; though faith at first be but as a graine of mustard-seed, yet thoucanst cause it to blossome, and to spread it selfe into a high measure: Therefore thou who alone canst doe it, doe it for thy weak servant: Thou must take charge of thine own graces; and if thou givest my faith more strength, my belee­ving will bring thee in the more glory, &c.

2. The studying of Christ and the Promises more, will bring more strength and per­fection to faith. It is with the [Page 129] Christian as it is with the Scholar, let the Scholar study Simile. more the objects of know­ledge, and then his knowledge will grow to be more large; So let the Christian study more the matters of faith, and his faith will rise to be more full.

Hence the Apostle prayes that the Ephesians, Chap. 3. 19. Eph. 3. 19. might know the love of Christ, that they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God: And ver. 17. 17 That Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith, that so they might be able, ver. 18. to comprehend 18 with all Saints what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and height.

What the Prophet spake of Hos. 4. 6. perishing, we may say of fain­ting and doubting, My people doubt for want of knowledge. Did we know the nature of our Redeemer more, how holy, and compassionate, and help­full it is; did we know the of­offices [Page 130] of our Saviour, how ab­solute they are in removing our guilt, in conquering our corruptions, in making way for us to the Father, in spee­ding our suits and requests; did wee know how fully hee stands for us, he died for us, he intercedes for us, how willing he is yet to be more applyed by us, and possessed of us, we would beleeve more, & doubt lesse. What the Psalmist speaks of God, that same is true of Christ, They that know Psal. 9. 10. thy Name will put their trust in thee.

Yet take a Caution in thy studying of Christ, study him as God reveales him, other­wise thy doubts will stick up­on thee. If a man studyeth his Note. sins in his own way, in a natu­rall way, he shall neither right­ly see them, nor yet be freed from them: So if men study Christ their owne way, if they [Page 131] will have him to be such a one as their fearfull hearts would make him to be, and not such A mighty Saviour & gracious. a Saviour as God hath mani­fested him to be, then not con­ceiving of Christ as he is, they shall be and remaine still as they were.

3. Be in the wayes of strength. There are wayes in which God doth reveale his arme; his arme is that which doth strengthen us, and his arme is revealed in his Ordi­nances: for God doth not call us, nor change us, nor streng­then us, nor save us without meanes.

He who is too good for the Ordinances, will ever be too weak in his faith. A childe Note. which cannot stand when it is borne, may yet goe by the use of the breasts; but that person who is weake, and wants strength, if he feeds not, will abate more, and ere long want [Page 132] life it selfe. This is a truth, A new Christian is sometimes full, and a full Christian is al­wayes weak: for our spirituall Spirituall life like the natu­rall. life is like unto our naturall life, both of which are within us, yet neither of them do rise, but from something with­out us.

What the impotent person spake, Joh. 5. 11. He that made Joh. 5. 11. me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk, that we affirme of Gods Ordinan­ces, Those his meanes which made us good, can make us better; They made us live, and they can make us walk; They gave faith, they brought the hand which did set the plant, and they can enlarge faith, they bring the showres which doe water that plant:

For [...] they evidence Christ more, and open and unfold the Promises (which are the stayes of our faith) more.

2. They enervate or wea­ken, God can answer that in one Ser­mō, which hath trou­bled us more then one yeare. and scatter the grounds of our feares and doubtings, and exceedingly suppresse the rea­sonings and powers of unbe­liefe.

3. They cleare the under­standing, and so keep open the way for faith to God and Christ.

4. They doe instill a secret and drawing vertue, they doe excite, and quicken, and per­swade. Ergo.

Fourthly, let faith know its priviledges, and then it will grow more strong: Faith would do more, if it did know all that it might doe: Assured­ly we should have more confi­dence, did we know our roy­alties.

Beleevers are more to God then the most immediate ser­vants are to a Prince; All the Subjects of a Prince have some priviledges, yet theirs are [Page 134] greatest, who are in nearest service; now none nearer to God then Beleevers: See 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthood, an holy Nation, apeculiar people; Nay, 2 Cor. 6. 18. Ye shall be my sons and daugh­ters, saith the Lord Almighty: and these have those priviled­ges which the servants have not. They who descended from the blood of Abraham, had more priviledges then o­thers, and have not they grea­ter who come from the blood of Christ? The Priests of the Law had singular exemptions, and Kings of all men are most highly priviledged; doe you think Beleevers come short, who are not profane, nor ci­vill, nor typicall Priests, but royall Priests? who are not Priests onely, nor Kings onely, but both Kings and Priests, a royall Priesthood? who are a holy nation, a peculiar people, [Page 135] (i.) a people of treasure, such by whom onely God gets something?

O, say many weak Belee­vers, Ob. The Lord doth not re­spect nor love us.

No? Doth not God love Sol. those, whom (out of his meere love) he hath chosen? Doth not God respect the descent & generation of Christ? those who come of his blood? They who come from Christ, and are borne of God, are surely beloved of God.

But the world, all men dis­countenance Ob. us, and regard us not.

Ye are Kings in Gods ac­count, Sol. ye have the royall oynt­ment, even the Spirit of Grace; the royall garment, even the righteousnesse of Christ; the royall attendance, even the Angels of God ministring un­to you. You have a Kingdome which consists in righteous­nesse, [Page 136] and peace, and joy, Rom. 14. 17. Cannot this stir up faith?

We are oft times afraid to Ob. come before God, we feare ac­cesse.

Are ye not Beleevers? And Sol. are not Beleevers the Priests of God? And are not Priests priviledged by their calling to come before God? The Priests might enter in, when none else might. And is not Jesus Christ the Altar upon which we tender all our sacrifices and services to God? and is it not the Altar that sanctifies the gift? Mat. 23. 19. The Apo­stle Mat. 23. 19 Gal 5. 1. Eph. 2. 13. saith, Gal. 5. 1. that Christ hath gotten us a liberty: and Eph. 2. 13. that we are made nigh by the blood of Christ: and Heb. Heb. 10. 19 10. 19. that we may have bold­nesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

If therefore we did once throughly know what privi­ledges [Page 137] the first-borne have, the sons of God have, the genera­tion of Christ have, the Priests That 1. Gods 1. Love is ready. 2. Eare open. 2. Accesse made. 3. Speciall Inte [...]cessi­ons. 4. Imper­fections nothing. 5. Grants certaine. of God have, the purchased by Christ have; if we knew the grants of favour, and free ac­cesses, and singular acceptan­ces with God, in and through Christ, O how might we keep down our fears and our doub­tings, and singularly encourage our faith to run, and with ful­lest eagernesse to embrace our God, our Christ, our Pro­mises?

There be other meanes for the perfecting of faith, as, Ex­periences, Observation, &c. which I have touched long since, and our Divines are plentifull this way, and there­fore I spare.

3. The third spring of doub­tings, was, the study of the life of sense: The remedy of which, is, the keeping of it downe: If you will keep off [Page 138] doubtings, you must keepe down sense and feeling. Bles­sed (saith Christ to Thomas, Joh. 20. 29.) are they that have Joh 20. 29 not seene, and yet have beleeved.

If a man thinks this, That Christ is not mine, unlesse I handle him; and God is not mine, unlesse I see him; and grace is not mine, unlesse I feele it; he will be for ever full of doubts and feares.

For the helping of which, consider these things.

1. Sense is not a fit Judge of our condition; it cannot re­port our estate but by what it feeles: but the spirituall estate is not alwayes under feeling; wee should be good and bad, found and lost, cheerfull and sorrowfull, many times in one day, nay in one houre, if that sense gave sentence on our condition.

Beloved, think well on this, How can sense reach unto the [Page 139] times of desertion? unto the There is not a lati­tude in sense. As a rich mans hād cannot hold all his lands, so a Christians sense can­not com­prehend all his con­dition. times of want? unto the times of indisposition? unto the times where faith doth ex­presse no acts, but such as are pure and cleare, and onely grounded upon the Promises? In these abstracted times, Sense finds nothing to speak to us, to evidence for us, for God holds off, and wants hold up, and dulnesses hold in, and we have nothing but a word of promise (all other things seeme to faile and forsake) to sustaine and retaine us.

2. The spirituall course ma­ny times goes against our sense, and therefore sense must be kept downe. You know that Abraham against hope beleeved in hope, Rom. 4. 18. Rom. 4. 18 Faith and sense are many times at a contradiction; faith will beleeve what sense per­ceiveth not; and what our sense doth perceive, that same [Page 140] our faith will not beleeve, but the contrary. Though [...]e kill me, yet will I trust in him, saith Job: And Abraham beleeved his sons safety, in the sacrifi­cing of him; and we our im­mortality, notwithstanding our death and corruption. This is very certaine, that when we For your wayes are not my waies, &c. As the hea­vens, &c. Esay 55. My times are in thy hands. Psal. 31. 15 Heb. 11. 1. The evi­dence of things not scene. 2 Chron. 20. 12. We know not what to doe, but our eyes are upon th [...]e. feele corruptions living, faith will beleeve them to be dy­ing; and when we feele our selves in trouble, faith will then beleeve our comforts and deliverances: Faith usually (I doe not say alwayes) beleeves the contraries unto sense.

For sense goes our way, and faith goes Gods way: Sense allowes and sets it selfe a time, and Faith is content to receive and take Gods times: Sense moves upon what appears, and Faith upon what is not yet: Sense looks downward, and Faith looks upward: Sense doth sustaine it selfe by some­thing [Page 141] within us, and Faith sustaines it selfe by something without us: Psal. 27. 3. So Hab. 3. 17, 18. So Esay 8. 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hi­deth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will looke for him. Esay 50. 10. Who is he that wal­keth in darknesse and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

3. Sense or feeling is not medium credendi, but fructus fidei: (i.) It is not the ground of beleeving, but a fruit of faith. v. g. Take feeling in the most excellent parts of it, as in assurance, and joy, and peace, these are not Antecedents to faith, but Consequents of it. What is that? That is, a man hath not these first, and then faith for or from these, but he hath faith first, and these after­ward.

Why dost thou not beleeve? Quest.

If I had assurance that God were my God, and Christ were my Christ, and the Pro­mises were mine, I would: But say, Is the Word or thy Assurance the ground of faith? And wouldst thou have the fruit before the tree? or thy safety before thou layest hand on the rock? If thou wouldst have assurance, thou must then beleeve; for the sweetnesse of Eph. 1. 13. After ye beleeved, ye were sealed assurance flowes from that faith which by beleeving feeds on Christ. So if thou wouldst have joy, beleeve; for true 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom though now ye see him not, yet be­leeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeaka­ble, &c. joy doth not prevent, but at­tend beleeving.

We are oft times troubled by our owne pride and folly; God sets us a way to beleeve, and we will follow our owne way; He gives unto us his Word of Promise to ground our beleeving, and wee will have our sense to be the ground: Of which course, I [Page 143] dare say, what Abraham spake to the curiosity of Dives, who would have some to be sent from the dead, that his bre­thren might beleeve; to whom Abraham thus replyes, If they heare not Moses and the Pro­phets, neither will they be perswa­ded though one rose from the dead. Luk. 16. 31. Luk. 16. 31.

So say I, If men will not beleeve because God hath pro­mised, neither will they be­leeve if sense should stand up and speak; for we have more reason to suspect our owne te­stimony, then to distrust Gods invitation and promise.

You will reply, This testi­mony Ob. of sense in Assurance is Gods owne answer, and there­fore if we had it, it would the more settle our faith.

I answer,

1. Gods testimonies are in­deed Sol. of a setling and quieting vertue, whether they be the [Page 144] evidencing of our present in­terests in him, or speciall an­swerings of our present de­sires.

2. But then know, thou must first put to thy seale and hand of faith, before he delivers o­ver to thee the assuring Evi­dences. And as yet I never knew any Christian who could be answered without faith, or took comfort in that which yet he did not beleeve. For though it be the favour of God which doth properly comfort, neverthelesse it doth not actually comfort, unlesse faith hath taken in that fa­vour.

But are not former experi­ences Ob. (which are nothing else but sensible feelings) grounds to future beliefe? Did not Da­vid remember the dayes of old?

I answer, True, Experience [...] Sol. are good encouragements [...] [Page 145] the future acts of faith, but the Word of God is stil the ground of faith: They are not intrin­secall grounds, but extrinsecall motives.

You may consider the ex­periences, either in things granted and performed, or in Note. the manner of their perfor­mance. Thou hast had Gods favour, thou hast had an an­swer, but how did thou ob­taine them? was it not by be­leeving? was it not by wait­ing upon some good word of Promise? Thy injoying of them did not prevent thy be­leeving of the word of Pro­mise, but the beleeving of that word of Promise did let in and bring unto thy soul that sweet and gracious experience: And therefore thy experience was not the ground heretofore, nor is it now; onely thus farre it serves as a singular furtherance to faith, that that God on [Page 146] whom heretofore thou didst beleeve, and from whom (in beleeving) thou receivedst such gracious helps and an­swers, will againe (he being the same for ever, and his Pro­mises being Yea and Amen) by further beleeving on his Word, renew his gracious goodnesse and merciful favour unto thy soule.

4. A fourth spring was, the restraining of faith, the curb­ing of it in its work, and in oc­casions. Now the remedy of this is, to give way unto faith; give it scope, let it doe its whole service: As the Apostle said of patience, Jam. 1. 4. Let Jam. 1. 4. patience have her perfect worke, so let faith; doe not restraine it, and then you shall be stay­ed, you shall be freed: The workings of one contrary re­straine the other.

Therefore Christ checks his Disciples for their anxieties, [Page 147] for their carkings and solici­tudes, and would have them to let their faith loose to see a Fa­ther who would provide, Mat. Mat. 6. 32. 6. 32. They had poverty, or feared it; their wants came in, and losses, and so their fears came in, and thoughts. But how should they cast them out? Thus: If faith did be­leeve helps, as well as impati­ence find wants; if they would give way to faith to beleeve Gods providing, as well as sense to see the world abridg­ing and ebbing, they would not have beene so full of thoughts: Shall he not much more clothe you of little faith? ver. 30.

But for the farther help in this point, consider,

1. In any occurrence, Faith Three things. here. may be our Agent, it can deale for us, because, 1. Our tempo­rall life is by faith, 2. The tem­porall Promises which reach [Page 148] over all the externall conditi­on, are the bottome of faith: Hence it is said, Hab. 2. 5. The Hab. 2. 5. just shall live by his faith. When we have no other help, yet faith can be our staffe; when we have no other feeding, yet faith can be our bread: It can negotiate for the soule, it can make repayre to God, and sin­gularly solace and sustaine the soule in his word of Pro­mise.

Suppose a mans means be­gin to shrinke, his condition is drawing thin, he is neare to want, at such a time this man may keep downe his doubts, and tearing thoughts, if he will give faith a scope to worke: I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Heb. 13. 5. Here is a Pro­mise Heb. 13. 5. now, and here is plenty enough to faith; and faith (if it may have its perfect work) will sustaine thee against all doubtings.

I shall be left, sayest thou. Ob.

Thou shalt not, saith Faith. Sol.

Not now, perhaps, for yet I Ob. have something.

Nay, never, saith faith, for Sol. thou hast a continuall God, and he hath promised a conti­nuall help. Thou wouldst be a free man, if faith were free, for faith will not leave God, Psal. 9. 10. They, &c. for thou Lord hast not forsake them that se [...]k th [...]e. and God will not faile faith; and why shouldst thou faile, when faith holds up thy heart, and God holds up thy faith?

So for any crosse and trou­ble; Not any burden this way, but faith may be a shoulder to ease us: As long as there is a Promise to beare up faith, faith will have strength to beare off the disquietments of our troubles.

I know not what to do, saith Ob. the person.

No? saith Faith, Is not the Sol. Lord good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and doth not he [Page 150] know them that trust in him? Nahum 1. 7. Nah. 1. 7.

But troubles are renewed, Ob. Gods arm is not shortned. and come againe; and though I was delivered heretofore, yet now I feare.

Feare? saith faith, No rea­son Sol. for that. See a notable place, Job 5. 17. Happy is the Job 5. 17. man whom God correcteth. If a man hath wounds, it is wel for him to have a searching plaister: and if a man hath a full stomach, it is well for him if he hath a potion; and if his spirits putrifie, it is well for him to be let blood: So, &c.

18 For he maketh sore, and 18 bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

19 He shall deliver thee in 19 sixe troubles, yea in seaven there shall no evill touch thee.

There is nothing new to God, nor difficult. Though our troubles be grievous to us, yet their deliverance is easie to [Page 151] God, and faith can find a har­bour for every storme: yea, give faith but its scope, it will conclude present helps from former deliverances; and the escape out of old troubles, shall ensure faith in the new: He who hath delivered, doth, and will still deliver, 2 Cor. 1.

God doth not alter, neither 2 Cor. 1. in his truth, nor in his good­nesse, nor in his power, al­though our conditions doe va­ry: The temptation may be new, and affliction new, but God is still the same, and the Promises the same, and faith can make use of one God to conquer twenty temptations, and one Promise to beare up against many afflictions.

2. In every occurrence there is a providence, and the issues depend upon it. If Satan tempts if afflictions, and cros­ses, and losses, and contempts befall us, there is a Providence [Page 152] to permit them, to order them, to direct them, to re­straine them; and if we gave faith a scope to work upon that Providence, we would not be so full of doubts.

1. For Satan, he doth in­deed tempt and suggest, but he cannot doe this when he plea­seth, he must ask leave of God But his a­ctions and the issues of them are subor­dinate and under re­straint. to touch Job any way: And when he doth tempt, the issue doth not depend upon his malice; The Lord lookes on, and subministers marvellous strength, and makes his ser­vants to pray earnestly, and heare earnestly, and apply his Promises, and will deliver.

We look upon Satan, and not upon God; we look upon Note. strong temptations, but wee look not upon mighty assistan­ces; we consider our owne weaknesse, but doe not consi­der Gods omnipotencie; wee think how unable we are, but [Page 153] not how able God is; we find yet no deliverance, and doe not give faith its perfect worke, to beleeve that God will find a way to conquer for us. If faith did but dwell up­on Gods providence in this, how he suffers Satan to buffet us, and how his grace is suffici­ent for us, and how his power will be made manifest in weaknesse; how he hath deli­vered, and doth in our very resistance deliver us, and hath In God is my trust, I will not feare what man can do unto me, said David. So here, &c. promised to bruise Satan un­der our feet, wee would not doubt, we would not gratifie Satan with feares of fainting, but resist him stedfastly by en­couraging our selves in our God.

2. For our crosses and losses; There is a Providence in them, He is in Egypt, & in the fie­ry fornace, and in the prisons, &c God is in all our troubles and wants: His wisdome is there, and his goodnesse: O how shall I be delivered? How? [Page 154] Let faith work, and that will tell thee how. Why should I thus be troubled? Why? Let faith work, and that will tell thee: It is in very faithfulnesse, saith David: And It is good for me that I am afflicted. No child of God thus! Nay, let faith work, and it will cleare all; That a good condition is not exempted from afflictions, and that though God had one Son without sin, yet he had no Son without sorrow.

3. Our incouragements are more then our discourage­ments, and our helps exceed our oppositions; therefore faith is not to be restrai­ned.

The Prophet healed up his servants doubtings, 2 King. 6. 2 Kin. 6. 16 El [...]shaes servant. 16. Feare not, for they that bee with us are more then they that be with them.

And so Christ to his perple­xed Christ to his Disci­ples. and doubting Disciples [Page 155] about those exigencies and casualties to which they were exposed, Feare not little flocke, A King­dome op­posed to temporall safety. it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome. q. d. Be not so disquieted, so anxious for your lives, for your safeties. Though you be a flock, and a little flock, and the wolves are ma­ny, yet let the worst come to the worst, you shall have a Kingdome. Oppose that to this, and you need not doubt and feare.

So S. John, 1 Joh. 4. 4. Ye are 1 Joh. 4. 4. Gods Spi­rit oppo­sed to Sa­tans & An­tichrists. of God, (little children) and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world.

Once more, S. Paul, Rom. 5. Rom. 5. 20 Grace op­posed to sin. 20. Where sinne abounded, grace did much more abound; And 21. As sinne reigned unto death, so grace reignes through righteous­nesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

So againe for outward trou­bles, [Page 156] Esay 41. 14. Feare not thou Esa. 41. 14 Help to trouble & weakness. And 2 Cor. 1. 5. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also, &c. 2 Cor. 4. 17 Our light afflictions, &c. work for us a far more ex­ceeding waight of glory. worme Jacob, (q. d. Thou art a weak creature, contemptible creature, a worme yet thou art Jacob, and therefore fear not) for I will help thee, saith the Lord. Though Jacob be weak, yet the God of Jacob is strong.

So for outward losses, 2 Chron. 25. 9. said Amaziah to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the Army of Israel? The man of God an­swered, The Lord is able to give thee much more then this.

From all which we see, that Faith hath the better grounds to rest on; there are more with faith then against it: for none can be against it, except the evill creatures; and he who is for it, is the mighty Creator; All his power, and his good­nesse, and his Christ, and his My Father is greater then all, saith Christ Spirit, and his Word of Truth is for it: He is greater then all, [Page 157] so that faith may have singular matter to work upon in all oc­currences.

It is on the better side, and on the greater side, on that side which will carry it, and beare downe the contrary.

Satan is against me.

But greater is he (is that Ob. Sol. Spirit of Christ) in me, then he that is in the world.

Sin is against me.

But greater is Christ who is Ob. Sol. for me, then sinne which is in me. Grace hath much more abounded.

Men in their power are a­gainst Ob. me.

But greater is that Almigh­ty God, before whom the Na­tions Sol. are but as the drop of the bucket, and lighter then a dust in the ballance.

Troubles are upon me. Ob. Sol.

But my comforts are grea­ter then my sorrows, and the glory which I expect, infinite­ly [Page 158] exceeds the trouble which I suffer.

Wants are upon me. Ob. Sol.

But my supplies are excee­ding; I have a provident Fa­ther: And though I have not a large portion of earth, yet I have a sure Kingdome in hea­ven.

Beloved, if we would but often consider of this, that faith is still on the better, on the surer side, we would quit all our doubtings; we would Note. not feare what man can doe unto us, what Satan can doe unto us; our owne infirmities would not disable us, nor affli­ctions; for still faith falls to the surest partie, and there­fore give it scope. Faith pitch­eth upon no weak causes, upon no weak helps, upon no weak stayes; it stayes upon the Name of the God of Iacob.

O how might faith out-face the greatest oppositions, and [Page 159] trample-under all our affronts, and losses, and doubts, if we did let it get out unto its en­couragements, could we once come with faith to be perswa­ded indeed, that they who are for us are more then they who are against us!

Brethren, in our spirituall combats we have the better cause, and the better strength; what help heaven can afford, we have. Therefore in all our distresses let us hearten our selves, and incourage our faith: Let us (as Iehu in another case) look up, and say, Who is on my side, who? and then wee may even say what the Psalmist spake, Psal. 124. 1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our Psa. 124. 1 side, now may (the Beleever) Israel say, 2. If it had not been the Lord, &c. 7. Our soule is 2 escaped as a bird out of the snare, 7 &c. 8. Our help is in the Name 8 of the Lord, &c.

5. A fift spring of doub­tings, was speciall and particu­lar sins after conversion: These, like a strong disease, do shake the very heart and spirit of the Christian, and stagger him on every side; and like a cloud, fold up all our comfortable communion with God; like a dead fly they fall in all our ser­vices. If thou dost ill, sinne lies at the doore, said God to Cain: And so you shall find it, that speciall sinnes after conversion doe much interrupt us in our approaches, and in our confi­dences.

Now the way to cure this spring, is,

1. To renew our sorrowes, to set upon the fountaine: Da­vid David. did so after his great sins, and so did Peter; the one did Peter. water his couch, and his teares were his meat day and night, and the other went out and wept bit­terly.

Bitternesse of sorrow, (you read of it in Zach. 12. 10.) im­ports, Bitternes, what it imports. 1. Anguish 1. an anguish of spirit: As David said for his Ionathan, My soule is distressed for thee; so here the falne Christian is distressed for sinning thus a­gainst his God, for losing his God; There is oft times a very tearing and renting in the soule.

2. A sensible fulnesse of 2 Fulnesse of griefe. griefe: As Ioseph was full of compassion, and his bowels could hold no longer upon the oration of Iudah; so the falne Christian is full of holy mel­tings, his heart is ready to break, and like a full vessell it must have vent.

Many a time he must, and doth consider this vile sin, and hies him alone to poure out his grieved heart before the Lord, and shames himselfe be­fore him, and confesseth with confusion of face his treache­rous [Page 162] and unworthy dealing against his God.

There is, you know, a natu­rall Three sorts of sorrows. sorrow, as for the losse of children; and a politicall sor­row, as was that for the good King Josiah, and there is a spi­rituall sorrow, which is for our sins: This must now be excee­dingly renewed, and you may raise it by consideration of mercy. O Lord, what have I How to raise our sorrow. done? Why have I done this? Thou shewedst me mercy in opening my eyes, in changing my heart, in calling me to ho­linesse, in pardoning of former sins; yet after all this, I have sinned against thee, I have wounded my heart, dishonou­red thy Name, turned thy grace into wantonnesse, lost thy favour, broke my peace, injured my Christ, grieved thy Spirit, turned away thine eare, given advantage to Sa­tan, and deserved for ever to [Page 163] sit in darknesse, &c. Beloved, if you find your hearts unhum­bled, you shall finde your hearts still to be unbelee­ving.

For besides that great sins are great provocations to our Note. gracious God; they are also (til we are humbled for them) great impediments to faith; faith cannot do service for us, it cannot uphold us, it cannot bring a comforting Promise unto our hearts, untill our hearts are humbled for our sins. God comforts none but mourners; and faith cannot fall in with him, untill our hearts fall out with our selves.

And here take heed you be not sleight and too quick: if you be, you shall have your doubtings againe. God doth seldome or never speak easie peace after a great sin. If you skin up a sore, it will break [Page 164] out againe: If your sorrows be not deep and sound, your fears will be fresh and multiplyed: but let them be pious, and se­rious, and then the soule will after a while recover it selfe, and plead, and find mercy with God, and be able to an­swer and silence all the doubt­full reasonings which will rise against faith in its wonted communions and applica­tions.

But you will say, If wee Ob. should sorrow thus, yet wee should still doubt of mercy and Gods favour.

I answer, Sol.

1. Thou hast now to answer A great current wil bear down the dam, and true sorrow will carry away our doubtings. thy doubtings. True, I did sin thus, but I have truely grieved for this sinne: and though I might not apply mercy be­cause I sinned, yet now I may, because I am grieved.

2. See Gods disposition to Ephraim, Ier. 31. 18. I have sure­ly Jer. 31. 18. [Page 165] heard Ephraim bemoaning him­selfe, &c. ver. 19. I was asha­med, 19 yea even confounded, because I did beare the reproach of my youth. But then ver. 20. Is E­phraim 20 my dear son? Is he a plea­sant child? for since I spake a­gainst him, I doe earnestly remem­ber him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

Though God be offended with our sins, yet he is deligh­ted in our sorrows; and no­thing melts him more, then to see us come melting before him. The mournfull behavi­our of Iosephs brethren moved him, and the returning Prodi­gals The father likes the sons sub­missions, though not his re­bellions. falling downe to his Fa­ther, and cryings out, went to the heart of him: And it is not without cause that David prayes, Regard my teares that fall; And, Are not my tears regi­stred? And, Put thou my teares [Page 166] into thy bottle. Melting teares doe melt a tender God and Father.

2. To renew our repen­tance; in which I would com­prehend both detestations and forsakings. These sins must be made very hatefull to the soul, you must imbitter them, you must purge out all the sweetnesse of them, all the li­king of them; Nay you must set upon them as on things most abominable. Hence that phrase of loathing your abomina­nations, Ezek. 36. Ezek. 36.

S. Iohn, Rev. 2. 5. adviseth de­cayed Rev. 2. 5. Ephesus to remember from whence she was falne, and to re­pent. Beloved, this is not a con­dition to stay in; This water is deep, and drowning is possi­ble, if we lie in it: But if wee rise out of our sinnes, then our doubtings will fall. It is with our consciences, as it is with water in a pot; if you put no Simile. [Page 167] fire under it, it is quiet; but if you kindle a fire, the water will boyle and bubble, it hath no quiet: So though consci­ence be quiet and kind, and molests us not, if yet fire come under, if any notable sin come in, and kindle in the heart; now the boylings, now the feares and doubts of the soule.

And in these tumblings, the way to cease them, is to re­move the fire, and then you shall see how the water grows to a stilnesse again, and by de­grees The sea will be calme, if the winds cease. leaves fuming: So will our soules come to a pacified temper, to a setlednesse, if once our sins be removed; leave the Esay 1. 16, 17. Cease to doe evill, learne to doe well. 18. Come now and let us rea­son toge­ther, &c. sins, and ordinarily the doubts will leave the sinner.

For as sinne is our unquiet sea, so Repentance is our secure harbour: Any knowne sinne unrepented, still puts in, and inlivens doubts in us; but Re­pentance [Page 168] plucks out the ve­nome, and the rage. An amen­ded child comes againe before his Father, and a reformed Christian and penitent, may Loc. cit. yet be confident.

3. Sue out a speciall assu­rance: You may see by Davids disposition, after his speciall sins, that a generall acquitance would not serve the turne; for speciall sins you must sue out speciall assurance of pardon.

Your consciences will ne­ver be quiet else; Nay this will not satisfie thee, that yet they are pardonable, that they are such as doe not exclude thee out of the Proclamation; thou wilt never be quiet untill God speaks peace, untill he doth put his seale to acquit thee of par­ticular sins.

Sin will rise, it will lie up­permost, thou shalt feele it so, it will fly in thy face, it will come up in serious times, untill [Page 169] thou repent of it, and sue out thy discharge; therefore be earnest with the Lord for par­don of it, for a speciall acqui­tance: If the Lord Jesus did seale his blood upon thy heart, thy doubtings would cease.

But you will say, There is Ob. now no hope: though wee should grieve, though we should repent, though wee should sue for pardoning mer­cy, there is now no hope; for these are sins after conversion, and they are great ones too; and besides we find no parti­cular promise to ease our souls upon.

Let me answer this doubt Sol. fully, for it is a folded one; there are many in it: Consider therefore,

1. The promise of pardon Three things. The par­doning promise is exclusive, in respect of sinners; but inclusive in respect of penitents: not all sinners, but all repenting sinners shall be pardoned. is indefinite to repentance: and [Page 170] I beseech you mark this point: God doth not say, I will par­don sins simply, but if men re­pent and forsake sins, they shall have mercy. So againe, in pro­mising pardon to Repentance, he doth not promise it respe­ctively, and conditionally, but absolutely and fully.

What is that? That is, God doth not say, If you repent of such or such sinnes, then you shall have pardon; but hee saith simply and absolutely, If you repent: So that let the sins be never so great, never so many, yet if they be sinnes of which thou now truely repen­test, they are assuredly pardon­ed. Esa. 55. 7. Let the wicked for­sake Esa. 55. 7. his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him re­turne unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly par­don. Here you see a promise of abundant pardon to be made [Page 171] unto the penitent; though he hath had thoughts, though he hath had wayes, yet if he for­sakes them, the Lord will par­don and shew mercy.

Againe, because that par­don is promised to actuall re­pentance indefinitely, there­fore let the sinner be what he will, let him be a person who was not converted before, or let him be a person already converted, yet if he begins true repentance, or the other renews his true repentance, they shall be pardoned: And the reason is, because it is not sinne simply in such an estate which God pardons, but it is sinne repented of, which God doth promise to pardon: And therefore if an evill man, whose life hath been a course of sins, repents and leaves his sins, he shall have mercy: Or if a good man fall accidentally into sin, upon his repentance [Page 172] he may confidently plead out Gods promises of pardon, for he shall have mercy upon his repentance, as you may see Prov. 28. 14. He that forsakes his sinnes, shall find mercy. Ezek. Pro. 28. 14 18. 32. Turne your selves, and Eze. 18. 32 live. See ver. 21, 22. If the wic­ked will turne from all his sinnes, ver. 21, 22. they shall not be mentioned unto him.

Whence we may infer, that if God will forgive his ene­mies, he will then (upon the same repentance) forgive his children. If a King will pardon a returning Traitor, wil he not Simile. receive then a returning son? It was a pious speech of S. Chrysostome, Si Deus promittat gratiam nobis offendentibus, quid faciet nobis poenitentibus? If he promiseth grace unto us when we are sinning, what then will he confer on us, if we be re­penting?

2. Christ is of great vertue [Page 173] stil, and as able to put away the sins after conversion, as well as before: therefore is he called the same, yesterday, to day, and Heb. 13. 8. for ever: And the Apostle rea­sons it in the Romans, If when Rom. 5. 10 we were enemies, we were recon­ciled to God by the death of his Son, how much more being recon­ciled, shall we be saved by his life?

We must think of the pacifi­cation by Christ, of the atone­ment, of the propitiation, of the satisfaction, not as confi­ned to any one sinne, or to any one estate, but in respect of its sufficiency, reaching over both estates, and all the sins in both. What is that? That is, the death of the Lord JESUS was not onely to reach the sins thou didst commit in thy un­converted estate; and the rest afterward in thy converted estate, thou art to satisfie for by thine owne power some [Page 174] other way. What is this but that Popish leaven? that self­justification? those humane satisfactions? What is this but to divide our salvation twixt Christ and our selves? What is this but to restraine either the sufficiencie or the efficacie of his death?

No, Christ is unto us in re­spect of sins before, and sins af­ter conversion, as the Lord was to the Israelites, a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire. Jesus Christ is a cloud in the Christ a pillar of cloud, and a pillar of fire. day, (in the time of conversi­on) to cover our sins upon our repentance; and a pillar of fire by night, (for the times of former darknesse) upon our re­pentance to consume away our sins, &c.

The difference of our estates doth no way adde or diminish to the strength and efficacie of his death: His bloud can cry as loud now as heretofore, and [Page 175] is not lesse effectuall to get par­don for our falls in the way, then for our sinnings when we were not in the way, as is evi­dent in the sins of Paul before his conversion, and in sins of David and Peter after their conversion: for Christ is our continuall Mediator, and ever­living Intercessor.

But you will reply, These Ob. sins cut off all our interest in Christ, and all relations, and therefore no hope now.

I answer, though the com­fortable Sol. No sinne that thou cāst grieve for, cuts off our com­munion & interest. interest be cut off, (untill the time of sound re­pentance) yet the radicall in­terest is not: As the leprous person was debarred the use of his house, (untill he was cleansed) yet he was not de­barred the title and right of his house: and therefore thou mayest (upon thy repentance) sue unto the Lord by the bloud of thy Saviour, the [Page 176] pardon of these sinnes.

3. The Lord is mercifull still unto repentants: You shall read in Psal. 136. that his Psal. 136. mercy is set downe 26 times with the adjunct of everla­stingnesse, His mercy endureth for ever. And Psal. 86. 5. Thou Psal. 86. 5. Lord art good, and ready to for­give, and plenteous in mercy, unto all them that call upon thee. So ver. 13. Great is thy mercy to­wards 13 me. And ver. 15. Thou, O 15 Lord, art a God full of compassi­on, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. So Micah 7. 18. Who is a God Mica. 7. 18 like unto thee, that pardoneth ini­quitie, and passeth by the trans­gression of the remnant of his he­ritage? He retaineth not his an­ger for ever, because he delight­eth in mercy. 19. He will turne 19 againe, he will have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniqui­ties, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Mercy is not strange unto God, it is his nature, it is his delight, and repentance will not be hid from his eyes, if it be not hid from our hearts: He calls us to repent, and cau­seth us to repent, that he might shew us his mercy, and ever­lastingnesse of his mercy.

6. A sixt spring of doub­tings was indisposition unto or about spirituall duties: Whence we feare the truth of grace, which is active and live­ly, and doubt our acceptance with God, by reason of our dulnesse and deadnesse.

For the curing of this, con­sider,

1. That dulnesse in holy duties is possibly incident to men truly sanctified. Beloved, there is a great difference be­twixt a dead heart, and a dull heart: That heart is proper­ly A dead heart. termed dead, which wants a living spring, and therefore [Page 178] spirituall duty is contrary un­to it, it hath a secret a versnesse to holy services, it cares not for holy prayer; there is not onely an indifferency whether the work be done, but a deter­minate dislike, and positive The diffe­rence twixt a dead heart and a dull heart. unwillingnesse, or rather (a Nolition) a nillingnesse to the same. Whence ariseth that shuffling carriage in wicked men, to find diverting occasi­ons, and arguing reasonings a­gainst the strictnesse and spiri­tualnesse of duty.

But againe, that heart is A dull heart. properly termed dull, which hath in it a living spring, but hath not a lively operation: The Spirit is willing, (said Christ) there the spring was open; but the flesh is weake, there the operation was nar­row. The Christian may say with David, My heart (O Lord) Rom 7. 21, 22. is ready, my heart is prepared; and as Paul, I would doe good, [Page 179] and I delight in the Law of God after the inward man; but yet, saith he, I find a law; that when I would doe good, evill is present with me; And I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. So in the Galatians, The flesh lusteth a­gainst Gal. 5. 17. the spirit, &c. and these are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot doe the things that yee would. Ye would doe, but yee cannot do; Ye cannot alwayes do the work ye would do, and ye cannot do it in such a man­ner as ye would doe it.

You know that a full vessell which hath a narrow neck, it cannot send out the waters so speedily, nor so fully; and a sick man, who would fetch more then a turne about his chamber, he cannot doe that, sometimes; if he doth it, it is Simile. with extream wearisomnesse, not of his mind, but of his bo­dy: Or as a lusty and able man [Page 180] escaped out of prison with a great chaine about his leg, he would run away, but the chain hinders him, and vexeth him, so that it doth indispose him in the motion.

In like manner is it many times with good people; The heart, the will is bent, it is re­solved for Prayer, for hearing, &c. but then there is a chaine clogs them, there is a spirituall weaknesse, there is flesh in them as well as spirit, and this doth dull them, this doth in­dispose them about the doing, about the exercise of their in­tentions and desires.

Therefore let us take heed of denying or concluding the absence of grace, from the in­firmity of working. David Psal. 119. 25. My soule clea­veth to the dust, (that [...]as low enough) quicken thou me, &c. 28. My soule melteth for heavinesse, strengthen thou me according to thy word. prayed often to be quickned, and so may we, and yet bee [Page 181] alive. It is one thing to have Life and livelihood are diffe­rent. life, another thing to have livelihood: That may be pre­sent, when this is absent: for a Christian, 1. may have a dull temper of body, not able to render unto him the spiri­tuall sense of spirituall duties, melancholy doth intercept the vitality not onely of nature but of grace.

2. He may not so seriously meditate and dwell upon the wayes and motives of liveli­hood, hee may have but re­misse, and unpiercing, or un­applying thoughts of Gods great love and mercy, of Christs blood and intercessi­on, of the Promises's good­nesse and fulnesse; and there­fore his spirit may be dull.

3. He may not have such The oyle may not be on the wheel, nor that gale to the ship. an actuall aid and speciall in­fluence from the Spirit of Christ to excite his spirituall frame and temper; and then [Page 182] if that wind be more slack, our ship will move on with lesse forwardnesse.

Or lastly, perhaps he may have over-lasht, he hath been (improvidently or accidental­ly) in the dulling wayes; hee hath been surfetting upon some sin, or too greedily em­bracing the heavy world, or been idle in his particular cal­ling. But,

Whatsoever the cause may be, this is certaine, that In­disposition Indisposi­tion is not funda­mentall. is not fundamen­tall; it is not such a case, which nullifies the estate of Grace: For as in our most lively times there is more duty then wee Note. can throughly doe; so in our dullest times there is not more duty then we would doe.

And this know, that the Christian condition keeps up for truth of being, notwith­standing the many pauses, the many eclipses, the many in­dispositions [Page 183] which may, and doe accompany it.

But yet againe, secondly, be informed of this, that God ob­serves the bent of the heart in the duty, and accordingly ac­cepts of it. You know that place in the Chronicles, how that the good Lord did pardon 2 Chro. 30. 18, 19. every one who prepared his heart to seek him, though he Gods eye is more on the intent of the workman, thē on the extent of the work. were not cleansed according to the purification of the San­ctuary.

The greatest actions mana­ged from a corrupt heart are not accepted with God: (All the superfluous and abundant Note. gifts of the Pharisees were worthlesse, yet the Widowes mite found acceptance) The meanest duties set forth with a perfect heart are acknowled­ged by God; he will take no­tice of them; for God looks to the heart: He eyes not so much thy behaviour, he listens not [Page 184] so much to thy words, but (through these) he considers thy heart; if that come with life, though thy body come with dulnesse, though thy tongue be not so fluent, yet if there be life and truth in the heart, he will find duty and ac­cept of it.

You remember that Simile Simile. of the Goldsmith, who hath a skilfull eye to find out the smaller and neglected wayes of gold, though covered with much drosse; and many times there is much fire and much gold, when both are hidden with dust and cole: So is it with the Lord, he can sent out the secrets of our desires, and what we would doe is obser­ved and taken with him for Our grones are not hid from him. well done, notwithstanding the many indispositions which cover our Altar.

Therefore it is Davids coun­sell 1 Chron. 28. 9. to Solomon his son, Know [Page 185] thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and under­standeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: If thou seek him, he will be found of thee, &c.

Beloved, we are mistaken God can find duty in speech­lesse tears, and sighs, & grones. Rom. 8. about duty; we judge it not to be duty, unlesse the tongue can speak much, and our be­haviours be fresh, &c. as if a man were not a man, and did no work in course cloathes: But know we, that the sealing of spirituall service with inte­grity of heart, is duty.

And that is it which God considers, and unto which he hath made many promises of acceptance, and audience, and grant.

This is something to stay Ob. us, will you say: But now wee stick at this, Whether the bent of our hearts bee in­tire, notwithstanding our in­dispositions [Page 186] and dulnesses?

That may easily be discer­ned: Sol. You may know that the bent of the heart is right and eaven in duties,

1. By not contenting your How to know that the bent of the heart is right. selves with this heavy kind of performing of duties: You will have life enough to dislike your selves, though you have not power enough to mend your services.

There are some men (and they have evill hearts) which will be picking some help and pleas for their lazy and dull serving of God, from what hath been spoken.

O say they, though we can­not Ob. doe as others doe, yet our hearts are as good, and as wil­ling; God knowes the heart, and regards it.

He doth so, and he knowes Sol. this of thy heart, that it yeelds him lazy service, and dislikes not it selfe therein: But now [Page 187] the true Christian is not satis­fied with this, that God accepts of a weak heart; but it would also hereupon bring him a better heart.

It doth many times fall out with it selfe, and rebuke its owne dulnesse, Why art thou so heavy, O my soule? and why art thou so indisposed within me? Thou art serving of a living God, why dost thou not serve him with a more lively heart? And then it breaks out on the sudden, Well, Lord, If I had a better heart, thou shouldst have it; If I could find more affections, I would bestow them on thee.

Hereupon,

2. It falls upon the wayes of livelihood, and exerciseth the art of quickning: It will not rest in this indisposition, but will use all the meanes to better it selfe; and this doth abundantly manifest its bent.

As you know, the weak per­son Simile. he will have one turne more, and the ingenuous Scho­lar will write one line more, and the desirous Archer will make one shot more; So the sincere heart, he will assay yet more in duty; Perhaps fre­quencie in duty (saith he) may breed fervencie in duty. (A man may get him an heat by walking, and by rubbing his benummed parts.) Or perhaps saith he, one duty more in a­nother kind, may quicken me to duty in every kind; as some physick and cordiall to the heart, may cause more nimblenesse in the hands and feet. I am somewhat dull in praying, I will therefore read more, or heare more, that I may find matter to set on my Note. Prayer: I may perhaps meet with that in reading, which may set me on in praying. Or I am somewhat dull in hea­ring, [Page 189] I will therefore pray more, perhaps God may heare my prayer, and then I may heare his word with more at­tention, delight, profit, &c. And assuredly so it falls out many times, that our indispo­sitions are more about some particular duties which are sin­gularly removed by the small dispositions, yet left in us a­bout some other duties.

Or if all this betters not, yet, saith he, I will even goe to Gods Ordinances, and will come before him, and bring him my soule thus indisposed, perhaps yet he may be dispo­sed to quicken mee by his Word, to cheere me by his Sacrament; Who knows but that he may let fall a blessing? that he may so powerfully di­rect himselfe to me, as to shake my heart, as to throw off all my dull distempers, and re­vive my Graces, and ex­cite [Page 190] my affections? &c.

So that if you perceive your dulnesses, if they griev [...] and displease you, if you will not rest in them, if you yet set out to the meanes of removall, assuredly your hearts are sincere; God seeth that the bent is honest, that thou art indeed willing; and take this for thy comfort, that if it be thus with thee, God (for present) accepts of thy services, and ere long thou shalt be freed of these indi­spositions which doe accom­pany thee in thy services: God will drive this sleepe from thine eyes, and these fowles from thy sacrifice. Once again though, note, that

3. The cause of all accepta­tion is in Christ: therefore doe not doubt that God will reject thy services because of thy indispositions, but be­leeve he will accept of thy [Page 191] sincere indeavours, because [...] Christ. Beloved, it [...] for us to consider all things about duty. A sin­cere heart must set it out, a gra­cious God must take it, and a mighty Redeemer and In­tercessor must present it. Note. Christ presents that to his Father, which we present to Christ: The duty belongs to us, but the reason of accepta­tion is not in the Petitioner, but in the Intercessour: God accepts not for our fulnesse, not for our livelinesse, but for his Sonnes worthinesse, Rev. 8. 3. The Angel had a gol­den Censer, and much iucense: that he shonld offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Al­tar. for his merits, who ever lives to make intercession for [...] who offers up the prayers of the Saints with the per­fume and odours of his righ­teousnesse.

Are thy Prayers fervent? They are not accepted for their own strength: Are they weak? They are not rejected for [Page 192] their impotencie. Is thy heart sincere? Then know that He appears for us. Heb. 9. Christ hath sufficiencie of me­rits to cover thy (self-blamed) indispositions, and to gain the acceptance of the weakest (if sincere) services.

Therefore this were a good way, in case of disliked indi­spositions, not to place the ac­ceptance in our selves, but in Christ, And though there be Note. inequality of expressions in duty, quoad nos, in us, yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ, propter nos, for us. Sometimes we come more fully, sometimes more empti­ly; sometimes we run, and other times all that we can do [...] is to move; sometimes affecti­ons are smart, judgements quick, expressions ready, re­quests fervent, hearings reve­rent and delightfull, [...] at [...] ther times the wh [...] [...]ences be­most downe [...] have prayed a [Page 193] slowly, our affections turne not so lively, our judgements are barren, language sticks, Re­quests breath only, but flame not, we heare, and give credit, and stocke it up and that is all: Here you see the various car­riages of our holy services in respect of the person, yet there is no such variety in Christ.

Whence it would follow, that if our duties found grace with God, bccause of their ac­cidentall vivacity in our per­formance, all our weaker ser­vices were utterly lost, and in case of the more lively servi­ces, Christ also were lost; be­cause the reason of their ac­ceptation would be in them­selves.

But Christ is required to make up our duties, as well as to make up our persons; hee must be a Mediator for these, servants Intercessor for those: the talents [...] there is a con­stant [Page 194] merit, and a perpetuall offering of that same up, with As our persons, so our prayers must stand before God by Christ. all the prayers of all Saints; hence it is that they are accep­ted, not for their owne worth, but for his Name.

7. A seventh spring of doub­tings, was, a conceit of succes­lesnesse in duty: We have pray­ed much for the perfecting of such Graces, or the subduing of such corruptions, or esta­blishing in such duties and courses, yet nothing comes of it, we are as we were, and where we were; therefore we doubt that we are not good, or that God doth not intend any good to us.

This is the spring, the cure and remedy of which may be made up by these considerati­ons: viz.

1. Service and progresse [...] duty belongs to us, and [...] rewards and recompences be­long to God. I have prayed a [Page 195] long time to God: True, and thou art bound to pray still. I have heard a long time: True, and thou art bound to heare still. Thou dost but what thou art bound to doe. It is the Simile. Husbandmans part to plow the land, and to sow the corne, and it is Gods part to give the harvest. Hereupon, saith the Apostle, Let us not be weary in Gal. 6. 9. wel-doing, for in due season wee shall reap, if we faint not: For God is a God hearing Prayer, and he Psal. 65. 2. will be found of them that seeke him, and will not forsake them. 9. 10.

2. God is a good Master: Job did not serve him for nought. I called upon the Lord, Psal. 118. 5 and he answered me, said David. And in another place, He hath 116. 1, 2. heard my voice and my supplicati­ons, and inclined his eare unto me, therefore will I call upon him as [...] I live. Not one of the servants who trasfiqued with the talents that could com­plaine [Page 196] he was an austere Ma­ster. Therefore God takes it to heart, when they in Malachie Mal. 3. 13. charged him with neglect and irrecompence for serving of him; Your words have beene stout against me, saith the Lord. How so? Ye have said it is in 14 vaine to serve God, and what pro­fit is it that we have kept his Or­dinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord? Whereupon the Lord instant­ly manifesteth his bountifull and tender disposition to them who did serve him, and think 17 on his Name, They shall bee mine, (saith he) and when I make up my jewels, I will spare them as a man spareth his owne son that serveth him. Then shall ye re­turne 18 and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. (i.) Then you shall know that it is not lost labour to serve him.

[Page 197]3. Petitioners must wait an answer, as well as present a re­quest: Therefore know that faith in point of seeking unto God hath a double office:

1. One is, to deliver up in Faith hath a t [...]ofold office. the Name of Christ our wants, which God hath promised to supply in his Word.

2. Another is, to expect and wait those supplies which God hath promised. Therefore saith David, As the eyes of ser­vants Psal. 123. 2 look unto the hand of their Masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mi­stresse, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, untill (even so long, let it be never so long) until that he have mercy upon us.

And (beloved) this wai­ting doth notably distinguish betwixt desires which come Waiting do [...]h di­stinguish desires of unsetled humour. from an unsetled humour, and those which come from po­verty of spirit. In them, wee give on, but presently give up, [Page 198] as we doe in sleight visits with Simile. men, knock at doore, and if none answer, away we goe, our businesse was little, and so our stay is answerable: but in those desires which spring from poverty of spirit, Poverty of spirit. these have faith to beleeve that God is at home, and have patience to wait his an­swer.

As a poore begger, (suppose Simile. such a one as Lazarus) he will lie at the gate, and knock more then once, & wait more then an houre for some alms, for some crums of our tables; and so will humble Christians, who are truly poore in spirit, they will be at heaven gates, and put up request after re­quest, and expect day after day the speeding of them from the throne of grace and mercy.

But we cannot wait. Ob. Sol.

You cannot! And that is [Page 199] the reason you misse of your answers. If beggers will not stay, they lose their alms; and if Christians will not wait, they lose their grants.

Yet let me not goe off easily from this scruple, for in it lies the choicest part of the cure: If we could but wait on God, then assuredly we should see that we have no reason to cry out of fruitlesnesse in see­king.

How may we doe to wait? Ob. Sol. Four mo­tives to wait.

Thus.

1. You are sure to speed. Certainty of answer will be­get constancy in seeking. Sure to speed? How shall wee be sure of that? Thus.

1. Take it in Promises, and so you are sure.

2. Take it in performan­ces, and so likewise you are sure.

For Promises, you know, Promises. there is a certainty in them; [Page 200] we have no way to pierce in­to Gods intentions of doing us good, but by his Promises; and in them we have: For as Simile. the words of man doe deliver unto us the thoughts of man; so the Promises of God doe discover unto us the intenti­ons and purposes of God. Now then observe what God hath promised to waiting;

Hab. 2. 3. The vision is yet for Hab. 2. 3. an appointed time, but at the end it shall speake, and not lye: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Here is the duty, Wait; Here is the Promise, delivered, dou­bled, trebled, It shall speake, It will come, It will surely come: Nay doubled againe, It shall not lye, it will not tarry. It is as if God had said, Doe but wait, and you shall be delivered, you shall be delivered, you shall be delivered, you shall be delive­red, you shall be delivered. [Page 201] O the rhetorike of God! O the certainty of his Promises!

Psal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord, Psal. 27. 14. be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.

Esay 40. 31. They that wait up­on Esa. 40. 31. the Lord, shall renew their strength: They shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walke and not faint.

Micah 7. 7. I will look unto Mica. 7. 7. the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will heare me.

Will you now see a certain­ty Perfor­mances. in performances? Then read Psal. 40. 1. I waited patient­ly Psal. 40. 1. upon the Lord, and he enclined to me, and heard my cry. Here was waiting, and here was sure speeding.

He was but one man. Ob. Sol. Heb. 6. 12.

Then Heb. 6. 12. Be ye follow­ers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the Promises. [Page 202] They did inherit the Promi­ses, (i.) got all the good out of them by patient waiting. If we be sons, let us wait, and then we also shall be heires of the Promises: The good of them shall be setled up­on us.

See also Esay 25. 9. and Esay 49. 23. None shall be ashamed Esa. 49. 23 who wait on me. From all which we infer, If God hath made sure Promises, If hee hath hi­therto performed those Pro­mises unto such as wait upon him, Then if we wait, we shall surely speed, &c.

2. The things you desire are great; and worth the wai­ting. You would thinke him Simile. a strange man, who would not wait the sealing of the pardon which the King hath promised him. It is a wonderfull thing, that when God promiseth us pardon of sinnes, wee cannot have patience to seek [Page 203] and wait the sealing of it: Yet pardon of sinnes is such a thing, as our very life lies in it.

So againe, Is not grace a sin­gular thing? Is not mortifying of sin an excellent thing? And is it much that the Lord puts us to more frequent seekings, to iterated prayers and duties, for those gifts and grants which are so high in their na­ture? so admirable in their use? so saving in their end? can you be better im­ployed?

3. The answers will swee­ten and easily recompence all the times and labours of see­king. When the man-child is borne, all the labour in travail is forgotten; the joy of it drownes the sense of that. Let As the Wisemen when they saw the star, rejoy­ced. God but lift up the light of his countenance on thee, it will answer and quit to all the prayers that ever thou madest [Page 204] in thy life. I found him whom Cant. 3. 4. And Da­vid doth forget the aking of his bones, &c. when God did answer him. my soule loveth, I held him, &c.

4. Doubled services have usually doubled mercies: for when God prepares the heart, he will incline the eare; and when he intends a great mer­cy, he first enlargeth the heart to a greatnesse of desire and seeking. Every true seeking of God opens the heart wider, and secretly addes to the stock: The more prayers we have put Prayers are our mo­ney at use. up to use in the hands of God, the larger will the returne of them prove: When we have been long suiters, God doth (ordinarily) at length dismisse us with more then what wee aske; So that he will answer us not onely for our prayers, but also for our time.

4. We shall have the best things in the fittest times: therefore we should not accufe our services as lost, for God will answer them; but then it [Page 205] shall be in the best things, at the best times.

O, will you say, Is it not Ob. more then time that I had more grace, and sin more sub­dued?

I answer, Perhaps not: God Sol. doth know that thou hast a proud temper, and thou grow­est big, and art apt to swell up­on enlargements: Thou art apt to despise others, and to make glorious conceits of thy selfe, and therefore he doth answer thee, not by victory, but by combat: That is, he doth not presently subdue thy sinne, that it shall not trouble thee, but lets it alone that it shall exercise thee, thou shalt find matter to keep thee low and humble, when still thou feelest such remnants and wor­kings of corruption. To the resistance of which God doth yet enable, and after thy heart growes more emptied, thou [Page 206] shalt have victory. Againe, though thou prayest against thy sins, yet thou dost venture upon the provocations and occasions of sinne, and there­fore the Lord may justly hold up, because thou holdst not in. Now the Lord (by his silence) will teach thee in these times, forbearance on thy part, as well as forbearance on his part; and then upon thy next prayers accompanied with this watchfulnesse and avoidance of occasions, he will let fall more strength and power to mortifie thy sinfull disposi­tions.

Wherefore let us not faint in case of suspensions, for God doth suspend his grants to the times, when thou art fitted to receive them, and when it is fit for him to open them.

Is it sin that thou wouldst have subdued? Doe thou seek his subduing power, and with­all, [Page 207] decline inviting occasions either from thy selfe or others, and then God will heare thee. Now thou art fitted, and now is it fit for God to help thee; but if thou wilt pray against the disposition, and runne still upon the occasion, God will not answer thee.

Is it grace and eavennesse in duty which thou wouldest have? Then thou must use for­mer grace, and stick close with humblenesse, and diligence, and reverence to the meanes, and now God will supply all thy wants. Untill thou hast a more humble and doing heart, thou art not fitted for more grace. God giveth more grace to the humble, saith James. James 4.

I say, he will give thee more grace; Thou shalt have enough for thy condition, and enough for thy salvation, although thou hast not such an equall measure with others, whom [Page 208] God intends for more pub­lique use and service, then he doth thee.

5. Gods forbearings should not occasion cessation, but earnestnesse: He is not silent, that we thereby should be­come speechlesse, but that our desires should grow more fer­vent.

You know that the skilfull Simile. Angler doth not draw back his bait that the fish should not bite, but that by this meanes he should the more greedily leap after the bait.

And the tender mother steps aside, not that she would not have the child seek her, but that it may even dote af­ter her.

So doth God many times draw back and step aside, and as the Prophet Jeremie speaks, Jer. 11. 8. He becomes as a stranger, and as a way-faring man who turneth aside, &c. And as David spea­keth, [Page 209] He is as one that sleeps. Why? What? Is it that hee He knowes our thoughts long before. doth not know us? No. Is it that he doth not hear us? No. Is it that he will not speed us? No. His eare is open, and before they call I will answer. Esa.

Why then? Surely because 1. He delights in this musick, he smels a sweet odour and sa­vour in all our humble sacrifi­ces, he delights in the broken Whiles they are speaking, I will an­swer. Loc. cit. Ro. 15. 30. Hos. 12. 3, 4 heart.

2. He loves that we should strive with him for his grants, (that is the phrase, Rom. 15. 30) and wrastle with him, (as Jacob) and so prevaile upon him; And that we should give him no rest, (Esay 62. 7.) untill he hath sa­tisfied Esa. 62. 7. our soules with mercy, and established them with his grace.

3. He would inhance the goodnesse of the things desi­red, and make us to weare the answers with more thankful­nesse to himselfe, with more [Page 210] comfort to our selves, and with more benefit to others.

8. An eighth cause of doub­tings was, weaknesse of judg­mēt about the essentials of sal­vation, which necessarily doth cause doubtings, both in re­spect of those suspicions, and errors, & mistakings to which it is subject: as also in respect of that scrupulosity which e­ver adheres to the conscience, where weaknesse adheres to the judgment.

Now the remedy of this spring, consists in these parti­culars.

1. Get a distinct know­ledge of Fundamentals: It is the emptinesse of our minds that we be preposterous in our searches. Many a Christian loseth himselfe in a sea of opi­nions, before he hath squared himselfe with the first grounds of Religion.

Remember this, that the [Page 211] first truths doe support and maintaine the rest, (as the cor­ner-stone the rest of the buil­ding) and are as the originall Will, which decides many scruples in Law. Hence is it, Simile. that some men doubt about speciall conclusions, because they are ignorant of the gene­rall principles; which were they distinctly knowne, the falsity of any conclusion would easily become evident unto them. Men usually dispute first, and know last: As if a Simile. Souldier would range an Ar­my, before he hath learned to handle his weapons. How or­dinary is it to heare disputes Ergo, saith Paul, Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith, receive you, but not to doubt­full dispu­tations. of Originall sin, of Predestina­tion, of Redemption, of Faith and Justification, of Assurance and Obedience, of the degrees of grace and duty, of the direct and absolute way of life? &c. I say it is ordinary to heare some arguing of these, who yet [Page 212] are ignorant of the nature of these. But,

Pauls method was to lay Heb. 6. 1. down his foundation of repen­tance from dead works, and of faith towards God: which if Paul thought fit to teach, I think fit for us to learne. That Ship rowls least, which is well bottomed; and that house shakes least, which is well founded; and that Christian True knowledg is as the day wher­in wee walk more sted fastly; and igno­rance like the night, in which we are full of feares, and often stumble. doubts least, who is well groun­ded in the maine points of Re­ligion: For besides this, that Primitive truths give an aime to all truths, so likewise they uncase all errors, and heresies, and opinions, and arguments which come to pervert the mind another way. And surely when the mind obtaines an evidence by one truth for ano­ther, and by truth also of er­rour contrary unto it, it is in the least hazard of doubting; for as much as doubtings or­dinarily [Page 213] arise from some error or mis-apprehension in the minde.

2. Get a distinguishing knowledge of Fundamentals from Accessories. Every part of the house is not the corner­stone, or the pillars: A man Simile. may take away much, and yet the house may stand: If you take away the painting and musick, or some seelings and annexed posts, yet the house may stand.

So may a Christians salva­tion, though he know not ma­ny accessory truths; nay, al­though hee mistake about them; nay, although he deny them, if this denyall be not ac­companied with a proud per­versnesse, but arise onely from inevidence and inability.

There are three things, about which it were good for Chri­stians to have a distinguishing knowledge, viz.

• [Page 214]1. Fundamentalls.
• 2. Consequents.
• 3. Indifferents.

Fundamentals, I call those Three things. Truths which take up the work and way of salvation; as the doctrine of sinne, and of Christ, and faith, and repen­tance, &c. for these are such things, without the know­ledge of which, no man can be saved.

Consequents, I call those il­lations or inferences which doe flow from the primitive truths, either virtute rei, in the nature of the thing, just as a streame [...]lowes from the foun­taine; or virtute intellectus, in the judgement of the person, as the conclusion is made by such or such a mans conjectu­rall opinion, to flow from such a principle or such a Text.

Indifferents, I call those actions which in themselves are neither holy nor evill; [Page 215] neither is a man by any ex­presse Yet actiōs in them­selves in­different, in respect of circum­stances, may be of­fensive & sinfull. See Rom. 14. 14, 15, &c. command from God, (specificativè) injoyned them, or (specificativè) prohibited them: Which things conside­red absolutely, if a man doth use them, he shall not be sa­ved; if he doth not, he shall not be damned. They doe no more constitute a Christian, then a garment doth a man; which whether he doth weare it yea or no, yet still he is a man.

Now this distinguishing knowledge doth exceedingly assoyle the doubting heart, which doth oft times shake and rowle about the lawfulnes of indifferents, &c.

3. Reduce all conjectures and consequent truths unto the first truth: It is the coun­sell of the Apostle, 1 Thes. 5. 21. Prove all things: And the Pro­phet Esaiah, To the Law, and to the testimony. Esa. 8. 20.

It was a good speech of S. Austine to Manicheus, con­testing with him for audience, Heare me, Hear me, said Ma­nicheus, Nay, saith S. Augustine, Necego te, nec tu me, sed ambo audiamus Apostolum, dicentem, Peccatum non cognovi, &c.

Beloved, we may see what weak creatures we are: when truths fall downe amongst us, and when we sit in the Tribu­nall; alas, what distractions, what severall stamps doe our severall opinions set on them! what distinctions, limitations, qualifications! We will be sure every one of us to handle the question so, that it shall be so far true, as may stand with our owne delights, profits, aimes and ends; We do many times for personall respects, discourse and determine of truths.

But now reduce them to the first truths, how do our empty and contrary opinions and [Page 217] fancies clatter and shiver to dust? they fall downe before the word of God, as Dagon did before the Arke of God; for the Scriptures are the touch-stone which will easily decide counterfeit glosses and errors from genuine and pro­per truths: Genuine truths are like the young Eagles, that can with open eyes behold the light of the Sun, and erroneous glosses and opinions are like sore eyes which cannot behold the Sun without twinckling, and watering, and closing.

And note by the way, that if the truth be the truth of God, it doth tend to these three things: viz.

• 1. The glory of his rich grace, Eph. 1. 12.
• 2. Setling of peace in the con­science, Rom. 5. 1.
• 3. Mortifying of sinne, Titus 2. 12.

4. Establish the minde in [Page 218] declared truths. Beware, saith the Apostle Peter, (seeing yee know these things) lest ye being led away with the error of the wicked, fall away from your owne stedfastnesse.

It is not unknowne, that some (like Pedlars) wander up and downe, and make a li­ving by their errors; subtill people, and crafty to their owne confusion, who have on­ly a strength of parts to glosse over sins and errors, and to weaken the strength of truths and wayes to heaven: Most rendring children of Satan, for they cease not to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. And yet so artificially do they vent their wares, so neatly do they Act. 13. 10. set them out with the applause of reason and carnall licenti­ousnesse, that many weak hea­ded Christians swallow up their baits, drink up their cups, lick in their tumultuous and [...] [Page 221] after, are cleare, expresse; hee who runnes may reade them.

Busie thy self most in these; study to be a good man, and a good master; a good man, and a good servant, &c. Exercise thy selfe to know what con­cernes thee, and then to pray thy selfe into the practise of that. This is a wise way, and setled, and which is exempted from vaine turmoiles and ma­ny judiciall doubtings.

6. Informe the conscience with the nature of a Christian and saving condition: Some things are required towards salvation, some things unto salvation; some things give a being, other things a comfor­table being; Of all which if a person had a speciall and di­stinct knowledge, hee might walke more quietly without feares and doubtings. Shall I give you an hint of some par­ticulars? [Page 222] Remember then these Propositions.

1. Preparations to Grace are Four par­ticulars worthy of weak chri­stians di­stinct con­sideration. different and unequall: All men are not prepared by the same degrees, or in the same manner for Christ: Convi­ction of the naturall estate, and attrition, and anguish, and those legall operations, these are preparations: for men must know their sinfull condition, Ro. 7 7, 9. Rom. 8. 15 Mat. 11. 28 they must have the spirit of bon­dage, they must be heavy, and weary, before they can lay hold on Christ.

Now those legall impressi­ons are different: Every Be­leever (of ripe yeares) hath felt them, more or lesse, yet all cannot say alike. Every child feeles something in his birth, Simile. but some children are brought forth with more paines, and others with lesse difficulty. Lydia was quickly delivered, but Paul lies by it some dayes. [Page 223] Some people can say, as David in another case, Sorrow endured for a night, but joy came in the morning: Others may say as the same David, Night and day thy hand was heavy upon me.

The Lord is pleased (for he is an arbitrary Agent both for the matter and manner in our spirituall alteration) to single out some persons, & to charge their sinnes deep upon their consciences, and to pursue them with singular terrors, to stick his arrows and their own sins so close that they know not which way to turne them­selves. He doth almost grinde Some per­sons great­ly prepa­red. them to powder, and casts them to the dust, and to the lowest amazements and di­stractions; and then as the skilfull Artificer, who hath bruised, and battered, and bro­ken the masse into pieces, and throwne it into the fire, and melted it, hee yet at length [Page 224] takes it out, and fashions from all this, a most comely, and precious, and usefull vessell: So doth the Lord many times with some people, he returnes them their old sinnes, and po­werfully mingles the Law and their sinnes, and their consci­ences together, and so with that hammer bruiseth and breaks their sinfull hearts, and with that fire melts them and dissolves them as it were; yet after a long and sad time of sensible conviction and horri­ble bondage, hee graciously formes the Lord Jesus in their hearts, and renewes his blessed image of grace, and they be­come the most acceptable ves­sels of glory.

But with other persons hee deals not in this high measure; He doth indeed arrest them Others gently prepared. with the Law, but doth not so fetter and iron them; he doth not so imprison them, but up­on [Page 225] on their falling downe he is pleased to release them from their guilt and feares, and to deliver them from the powers of darknesse, into the marvellous liberty of the sons of God.

Therefore know this, that Note. when God hath attained his end, he ceaseth in this way of legall operation.

Quest. What is his end? wil you say.

Sol. I answer, his end is in these legall preparations,

• 1. To evidence unto a man the foulnesse of his heart and life
• 2. To convince him of a to­tall
  Legall troubles & workings cease, whē God at­taines his end:
  unworthinesse.
• 3. To produce most inward dislikes of such an abominable thing as sin is.
• 4. To make a man willing, upon Gods owne conditions, to take and receive Christ.
  Which is in some sooner, & in some later.

These are the ends, which being in some sooner, in others later, accomplished, the Lord [Page 226] doth cease the workings of preparation.

You know that if a piece of stone or wood will break with one or two blows, we spare the rest; and if the masse will yeeld Simile. in one dayes firing, we then let it out: So, &c. But if yet the knottinesse be great, and resi­stance long, then knotty wood must have iterated blows, and un-yeelding metall must have the greater fire.

From all this, the doubtfull heart may perhaps be setled about his estate in grace: Aske him, Dost thou love God? I doe: Serve him with all thy might in all thy wayes? I do: Rest upon Jesus Christ? I do: Combat and war against sin? I doe; and yet I feare all is not right: Why? Because I never had such terrors as others. Now then informe thy weak judgment, If God hath shewn unto thee thy sinfulnesse, If he [Page 227] hath abated thee, and emptied thee of thy self, If sin and thou are now at defiance, If thou hast yeelded unto the recei­ving of Christ upon his owne termes and conditions, though thy legall preparations were not answerable to others, ei­ther for intension of strength and measure, or for extension of length and time, yet thy condition is good and safe: For that humiliation which is accompanied with these issues, is assuredly blessed and com­fortable. If the physick car­ries away the humour, though Simile. it doe not make the person so sick, yet it is good: And though a man want a storme to drive him to shore, yet is he safe enough, if he be landed with a softer gale and tide.

2. The operations of Grace are also different and unequall, notwithstanding that Christi­ans may have one common [Page 228] principle, and the same exter­nall means of grace. I beseech you observe this.

1. There is one and the same (specificall) seed of rege­nerating grace in all Christi­ans; the same spirit of holi­nesse, of faith, of repentance, of love, &c. All Christians are bottomed alike, and rooted alike for the substantiall part of Grace.

2. That many Christians may live under the same means of Grace, as many peo­ple doe live under the same light and heat of the Sun, and children under the same pa­rents.

3. That the exercises of their graces may yet be diffe­rent: as children having the same schoole, may yet sit in Simile. severall formes; and having the same food, may yet have severall agilities and abili­ties.

So Christians, who have the same principles of belee­ving, and repenting, and pray­ing, and doing, and who have the same ministery, and com­mon assistances, may yet vary and differ in the active part of graces and duties. One may know more then another, one may rest upon Gods Promises more then another, one may pray with more fervencie then another, one may do the other parts of duty more then ano­ther, &c. yet all of these may have truth of grace, and may be saved.

Therefore know, that ine­quality of holy operation doth not spring from nullity or fals­nesse of Grace, but sometimes from the variety of particular Inequality of holy operation, whence. occasions, sometimes from the variety of particular ends, sometimes from the variety of particular assistance. Every Christian hath not alike,

1. Forcible occasion to exercise his faith and patience:

Nor 2. doth God intend every Christian for some sin­gular ends and services, to which hee fits others by the greater improvement and use of their graces.

3. Neither hath every man at all times an equall gale or breath of spirituall assistance to enlighten him, to excite, and affect, and draw him. I might also adde,

4. Neither doth every Christian stir up the gifts and graces in him; hee doth not wi [...]ely on all occasions and mo­tions improve his stock.

Neither 5. hath every man alike temper & constitution, which conduceth much to the actions of the soule.

6. Neither doth every cal­ling admit unto every Christi­an those spaces, and leasures, and remissions, or vacations, [Page 231] which some have to set on their heavenly frame and course.

It is with true Christians, as with true men; Every man Simile. hath a soule, and faculty from that soule, and actions issuing out of those faculties; yet eve­ry man is not equall in the expressive wayes of nature: So is it with Christians, all have truth of grace alike, but the exercise of it is different and personall.

3. As the actions, so the de­grees of Grace are different: Compare Christian with Chri­stian, it is as if you should com­pare Branches. one branch and limbe of a tree with another; where though all be set in one com­mon root, yet their particular measures are more and lesse. Or as if one did compare the Stars together, where though all be interested in the hea­venly Stars. orbes, yet they differ [Page 232] among themselves in respect Sheepe. of magnitude and light.

Ye are the body of Christ, Members. (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 12 27 27.) and members in particular; this was a glorious and graci­ous condition: But then, ver. 29 29. Are all Apostles? are all Pro­phets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? doe all speake with tongues? Nay, Eph. 4. 11. He gave some Apostles, Eph. 4. 11. and some Prophets, and some Euangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers.

Now as this holds firme enough in various degrees of singular gifts for edification, so likewise it is as evident in those speciall graces for sancti­fication: As gifts for edifi­cation, so graces for sanctifica­tion are different. For, Are all in the fold of Christ, sheep? There are some lambes: (Peter is commanded to feed both, Ergo there are both.) Are all in the garden of Christ, Cedars? There are some tender Vines. [Page 233] Are all in the houshold of Christ, strong men? There are some young, there are some babes in Christ too. So Heb. 5. 13. and 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13. 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13. I write unto you, little children, because your sinnes are forgiven you, and because you have knowne the Father. You see little chil­dren there, as well as young men and fathers; and these children, though children, though little children, though very tender Christians, yet they know the Father, and they had pardon of sin.

Brethren, how exceeding­ly doe we disturbe our selves with doubtings here? Many people, through a weaknesse (I say no more) of judgement, doe fall out with their estate and condition, molest and af­flict their hearts, close up all against themselves, suspect, and foolishly reason and argue the nullity of a gracious con­dition, [Page 234] from the imperfections which they observe in their graces, from their behind­ments in faith, and zeale, and sorrow, &c. Ah ignorant peo­ple! who are truly industrious after the great measures of Grace, and will not yet quiet their feares, and still their Note. doubtings with this,

1. That such earnest pant­ings, and inquietations, and unsatisfiablenesses cannot but spring from truth of grace.

2. Then, that where grace is in truth, though in the low­est measure, there the soule hath interest in Christ, in all the Promises, in God, in hea­ven, in all.

Remember this, He who hath least in grace, hath not that which he would have; and hee who hath most in grace, hath not that which he should have; and he who hath any truth of grace, hath e­nough [Page 235] to change his heart, and save his soule. I would beleeve in that fulnesse of assurance and reliance as thou dost, and if I cannot, I will yet yet beleeve as well as I can. He who said, O woman, great is thy faith, said also to another, not so strong, Thy faith hath saved thee. No man misseth of heaven for want of measure, but of truth. Our consolation lies much in the comparative degree, but our salvation is in the positive: Much grace will yeeld unto us here our heaven, and any grace, if true, will yeeld us hea­ven hereafter.

4. The separable fruits of true grace are different, not only if you compare one Chri­stian with another, but if you compare the same Christian with himselfe in divers times and occurrences.

1. If you compare Christi­an with Christian in respect of [Page 236] comfortables, it is night with one, when it is day with ano­ther: One goes on heavily op­pressed, walking in darknesse, (that is the Prophets phrase, Esay 50. 10.) He hath not that Esa. 50. 10 Light. sensible light of divine favour, (Thou hidst thy face, said Da­vid, and I was troubled, Psal. 30. Psal. 30. 7. 7.) He hath not that sensible joy or testimony of his graci­ous Joy. condition, (Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, Psal. 51. 12. 51. 12.) How many mour­ners are there in Zion? Many who lament the absence of favour, of joy, of peace.

Yet some others there are who doe beleeve, and doe re­joyce in beleeving: They see As Sim [...]on. As Paul. Christ in their armes, they know whom they have beleeved, and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and 2 Tim. 1. 12 1 Pet. 1. 8. glorious, 1 Pet. 1. 8.

2. If you compare the same Christian with himselfe: For it is with our day of grace, as in [...] [Page 239] many doubts. For the cure and remedy of which, be pleased to consider of some particular Propositions, which I will lay downe, to unfold the busi­nesse and comforts of Justifi­cation unto beleeving peni­tents; for to these onely I ad­dresse my speech.

1. In Justification, our debts are charged upon Christ: they goe upon his accounts. You know that in sin, there is the vicious and staining qua­lity of it, and then there is the resulting guilt of it, which is the obligation of a sinner over to the judgement seat of God, to answer for sin.

Now this guilt, (in which lies our debt) this is charged upon Christ: Therefore (saith the Apostle) God was in Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 19 reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: And, hath made him to be sinne for us, who knew no sinne [...] [Page 240] You know in Law, the wifes debts are charged upon the husband; and if the debtor be Simile. disabled, then the creditor sues the surety. Fidejussor, or surety, and Debitor in Law, are repu­ted as one person: Now Christ is our Fidejussor, He is made sin Heb. 7. 22. Iesus was made a surety of a better te­stament. for us, saith the Apostle: For us, (i.) vice nostra, or loco nostro, (i.) in our stead. A surety for u [...], one who put our scores on his accounts, our burden on Fidejussor his shoulder: So the Prophet, Esay 53. He hath born our griefs, Esa. 53. 4, 5 and carried our sorrows. How so? He was wounded for our trans­gressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: (i.) He stood in our stead, he took upon him the answering of our sinnes, the satisfying of our debts, the clearing of our guilt, and there­fore was it that he was so brui­sed, &c.

You remember the scape­it [...]ev. 16. 21 [...]at, Ʋpon his head, all the ini­quities [Page 241] of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, in all their sins, were confessed and put.

And the Goat did beare upon 22 him all their iniquities, &c. What is the meaning of this? Surely Jesus Christ, upon Christ. whom ou [...] sins were laid, and who alone died for the ungod­ly, and bare our burdens away. Therefore the Beleever in the sense of guilt should run unto Christ, and offer up his bloud unto the Father, and say, Lord, it is true, I owe thee so much, yet Father forgive me, re­member that thine owne Son was my ransome, his bloud was the price, he was my sure­ty, and undertook to answer for my sins; I beseech thee ac­cept of his atonement, for he is my Surety, my Redempti­on; Thou must be satisfied, but Christ hath satisfied thee, not for himselfe, what sinnes had he of his owne? but for [Page 242] me, (gracious Father) they were my debts which he satis­fied for; and look over thy book, and thou shalt find it so, for thou hast said, He was made sin f [...]r us, and that he was woun­ded for our transgressions.

Now this is a great stay, a great comfort, that wee our selves are not to make up our accounts and reckonings, but that Christ hath cleared twixt us and God. Therefore it is said, Ephes. 1. 7. that in his Eph. 1. 7. bloud we have redemption, even the forgivenesse of sins.

2. In Justification, the be­leeving penitent hath an uni­versall discharge. What is that? That is, when a man is in Christ, when he is a true be­leever, he doth not then re­ceive a particular acquitance from such or such sins, but an universall discharge from all the sins he hath committed. You know the promise. Jer. Jer. 33. 8. [Page 243] 33. 8. I will pardon all their uni­quities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgres­sed against me. 9. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and honour, &c.

Therefore David speaking of Gods fulnesse and extent of pardoning and remitting mer­cy, he saith, Psal. 85. 2. Thou Psal. 85. 2. hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sinne. Selah. Which covering of all sinne, is in sense the same with the Apostles not imputing of sin, Rom. 4. and 2 Cor. 5.

This is a true axiome, Pec­cata non minuunt justificationem; Though sins be different, yet justification is not. When the Lord God justifies a person, the different qualities and cir­cumstances of former sins doe not hinder their pardon and discharge. You know that one may with a pen crosse a great summe as well as a little [Page 244] summe; and a King can give a pardon not onely for petty Simile. offences, but also for rebellions and treasons, and so he doth many times. It is therefore an observable passage in holy Writ, that there is scarce a sin in any kind, but we may read the blotting of it unto a be­leeving Note. and repenting person: viz.

Original sin, which was the Justificati­on reach­eth all sorts of debts. great deluge of our natures, and the first fire which infla­med the whole world of man­kind, yet this sin was pardoned to Adam.

Drunkennesse, another sin which the Apostle (in 1 Cor. 6. 8.) raiseth to the height of eternall separation, yet was it pardoned to Noah a beleeving penitent.

Lying, another sin, which is of it selfe apt to lock the gates of heaven, (Rev. 22. 15.) yet was it pardoned to Abraham, [Page 245] the father of the faithfull.

Incest, that unnaturall com­mixture, yet pardoned to Lot.

Murder, a crying sinne, and Adultery, a fearfull sinne, yet both pardoned unto a repen­ting and beleeving David.

Idolatry, that ang [...]ing and provoking sinne, a sin which unthrones God, and makes a god, yet pardoned unto So­lomon.

What should I mention more? Impatience, a sin, yet pardoned to Job.

Passion, a sin, yet pardoned to Jonah.

Denyall of Christ, against knowledge and resolution, a high sin, (and such as a Dona­tist upon no termes would ad­mit, as capable of a re-accepta­tion) yet graciously pardoned to Peter.

Persecuting of the Gospel of Christ, blasphemy, and [Page 246] compelling of others to blas­pheme, (i.) injuriously and despitefully to oppose Jesus Christ, his word, his members, O how piercing and bleeding a sin! yet pardoned to Paul, he obtained mercy.

Oppression and covetous­nesse, by which a man doth suck the bloud and life of o­thers, yet pardoned to Za­cheus.

Nay yet once more, as you And all sorts of debtors. may see pardon in Justificati­on releasing all sorts of debts, so you shall find it releasing all sorts of debtours. Take one place for all, in Levit. 4. where the Lord goes over all sorts and divisions of sinners, and appointed offerings for them all, and proclaimes pardon to them all: viz First, the Priests, ver. 3. Then secondly, the whole congregation, ver. 13. and 20. Then thirdly, a Ruler, ver. 22, 26. Then fourthly, any [Page 247] one of the common people, ver. 27, 28, 31, &c.

Under which foure ranks, he draws in all sorts and con­ditions of men; and not one­ly appoints a sin-offering for them all, but also accepts of the same: By which, what is else meant but the power and efficacie of the bloud of Christ, by which all sorts of sins are pardoned to all sorts of beleeving and repenting sinners?

Ah Lord! will many a per­son Ob. cry out. Why? What is the matter? Why art thou so hea­vy? Why, such and such a sin heretofore.

I reply, Is there not a Justi­fication? Sol. Yes: And how comes sin to be pardoned? Is it not by the bloud of Christ? Yes: But these were great sins; And did Christ die for the expiation of little sins onely? What, did he satisfie for infirmities only, [Page 248] & not for enormities also? And doth Christ indeed leave the greatest debts for us to cleare? Or cannot faith receive the ac­cuitance of great sins, as well as indeliberated sins? Was not the sin-offering for all sorts of persons? And have not all sorts of sinnes come within the Proclamation? No no, my brethren, Justification (with­out all doubt) crosseth the book. Thou art a debtor, saith God: I am, Lord, saith the penitent, I acknowledge my sins, and am [...]orry for my transgressions, but I intend to run on the score no longer. Thou art a debtor, saith God; I am, Lord, saith the Beleever, and thou hast said, If any man 1 Joh. 2. 1. sin, he hath an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righte­ous, and he is the propitiation for sins, and I beleeve on him Lord; I take him to be my sin­offering, and in his bloud one­ly [Page 249] I seek for pardon and re­demption from all my sinnes; This were the way to support our selves against our many and strong doubtings about pardon of sins; Yet the Lord knowes I have repented of them, and I doe beleeve in Je­sus Christ for the pardon of them, I heare and know that he is the Mediator of the New Testament, and that his bloud satisfies for all sorts of debtors, and debts too; Though one sin may differ from another, yet his me [...] it and satisfaction differs not from it selfe, but is all-sufficient; and therefore I acknowledge the debt, and rest on his bloud for a full dis­charge.

3. Discharges in Justifica­tion are not repealed, they are not called in againe. Peccata non redeunt, (i.) Subsequent sins and falls doe not nullifie and evacuate former grants [Page 250] and pardons: for as much as 1. Pardon of sin springs from speciall love and mercy, which alter not their consigned acts. 2. It is founded in an unaltera­ble, and absolute, and con­stant satisfaction; for sinne is not pardoned for any dignity in the person. In the person pardoned, there is no reason or cause of pardon, but that is in the bloud of Christ, which bloud alters, and lessens, and abates not, though our carria­ges doe.

Hence it is that pardon of sin in Justification, is styled the blotting out of the hand-wri­ting, Col. 2. 14. If a writing be blurred a little, and somewhat blotted, yet it may be read; but if it be blotted out, it is no more legible; and who can be called to account upon record when the writings are oblite­rated? The same phrase is used, Esay 44. 22. I have blotted out [Page 251] as a thick cloud thy transgressi­ons, and as a cloud thy sinnes. Where me thinks something else falls in to our comfort, viz. That God himselfe doth blot out. Though an under­officer should blot out an in­dictment, that perhaps may help nothing; but when the King doth it, who is chiefe Judge, then the indictment cannot returne.

Now it is the Lord himselfe who doth blot out transgressi­ons; he doth it, who onely hath power of life and death, of condemning or absolving.

In like manner there is ano­ther phrase, Mica. 7. 19. Thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the sea. If a thing were cast into a river which might be fathomed, then it might be brought up againe; or if it were cast upon the sea onely, yet it might be discerned, and taken up againe; but when it [Page 252] is in the depths, cast into the depths, the bottome of the sea, now it cannot be fathomed up againe.

By which Metaphor the Lord intends to expresse unto us the powerfull energy of pardoning mercy, that our sins shall rise no more against us; He will cleare them so, that they (being once forgiven) shall come on the account no more: He will drowne their guilt, that it shall not come up against us before him the se­cond time.

Therefore Paul discoursing of Justification, Rom. 4. hee useth another phrase to ex­presse this point, ver. 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are for­given, and whose sins are covered. Covered: Covering is such an action which is opposed to disclosure, and judiciall evi­dences; and to be covered, is to be hid so, and closed, as not [Page 253] to appeare with a judiciall guilt upon it.

Now the Lord here is said to cover sinne in Justification: What is that? That is, the Lord will look on those sinnes no more with a judiciall eye, he will not call them to account any more, that is the meaning of the phrase.

As when a Prince reads o­ver many Treasons, and meets with such and such which he hath pardoned, he reads on, he passeth by, he now takes no notice of them, he is not stir­red, he sends not our against those whom he hath pardo­ned: So, &c. This is for God to cover sin, viz. not to looke on the sin pardoned with a ju­diciall eye. It is not, as some most empty and dull heads fancie it, God doth not see sin at all, and he cannot. Of all the opinions in the world, this is the most ridiculous and chil­dish [Page 254] to men who beleeve an All-seeing God: But to cover sin, is not simply not to see it, but to look it over as it were, and not to sit or stand upon it with a judiciall eye, (i) to ac­count for pardoned sinnes no more.

Hence in the New Cove­nant, God promising to justifie or to pardon sin, he saith not onely, I will forgive their ini­quity, but addes, I will remem­ber their sin no more, Jer. 31. 34. What is that? That is, if I once As the Go­spel needs to be givē but once, so a mans sin needs but once to be for­given: once is enough: because if once, then for ever. forgive their sin, I wil not for­give it againe, it shall not need againe to be forgiven, once shall serve the turne, I will re­member it no more. The mea­ning is it shall quite be forgot­ten, I will no more plead with them for what I have once pardoned.

I confesse, that the sense, and fruit, and assurance of a sin pardoned, this may (redire) Note. [Page 255] returne; this may be lost and got; and the acts of faith con­cerning the particular pardon The ap­prehensiō of pardon is variable, and yet the pardon it self is im­mutable. of a particular sin, may doe so, but Gods justifying act, his pardoning act is a free and constant act: Otherwise if he pardoned [...] respectively upon an absolute Incessation about sinne, there were no flesh li­ving that could be justified.

4. Discharges in Justifica­tion reach not onely to the guilt, but also to the conse­quents of guilt: For it is a true And, re­missa cul­pa, remit­titur poena rule, Justificatio tollit poenalia. Therefore saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemna­tion to them that are in Christ Jesus. You know that if the body falls, then the shadow which attends the body, that falls too; and if the debt be discharged, the prison is dis­charged. We have by the bloud of Christ the forgivenesse of our sins, and therefore the re­mission [Page 256] of all satisfying pu­nishments: Why else doth the Apostle say, Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us? As Christ is said to be made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. so is he here said to be made a curse for us. He is made sinne for us, by taking upon him the guilt of our sinnes; and he is made a curse for us, by bearing that wrath and punishment which was due to us because of our sinnes.

Nay, let me speak a bold truth; To have sinne remitted, and yet to be exposed to pu­nishment, (I speak onely of satisfying punishment) cannot stand with that unspotted ju­stice of God; for no man is justly punished but by reason of unsatisfied guilt. (In peccato fundatur reatus poena, saith Aqui­nas well.) Now if Christ hath fully and perfectly satisfied for [Page 257] the guilt, then punishment hath no ground, unlesse wee will say that God will punish for that which is already satis­fied; or that Christs satisfacti­on is not totall, but partiall, (i.) he satisfied for a part, and left some parts of satisfying punishment to us, which is the opinion of the Papists for their humane satisfactions.

But to draw up again; What a comfortable stay and sup­port is this unto a distressed soule, to see and find all in Christ? When a person brought to the true sight and sense of sin, and loathing and forsaking of it, and to the giving of him­selfe up unto Christ, shall be­hold his many fore-past guilts, and see these charged upon Christ, nay and discharged by Christ, nay and so discharged that they shall never be char­ged upon him againe, nay and all the consequents of guilt [Page 258] removed, so that Christ hath set him at liberty, he hath made him a freeman, and that against all Satans accusations: He may hold out the bloud of Christ, which will answer all; I am a sinner, but Christ was made sin for me; I deserve dam­nation, but Christ was made a curse for me. If Beleevers did skill the nature, and extent, and vertues of remission by the bloud of Christ; if they did know, and were possessed more with this part of Justifi­cation, they would strengthen their faith and their comfort more, and their doubtings and fears would sink more. Be of good comfort, thy sins are for­given thee.

5. One thing more, which I had almost forgotten, falls in, which is this, That the sub­stantiall part of Justification is alike to all Beleevers. What is that? It is this, God for the [Page 259] bloud of Christ doth not one­ly charge the sins of strong be­leevers on Christ, but of weak beleevers too; and these onely are not discharged, but those also. True faith in any degree may take out all the benefits of Justification. For as Justifi­cation doth not admit of de­grees, no more is it made over to the degrees, but to the truth of faith: So that not onely Abraham, the father of the faithfull, who was strong in faith, but the father of the child, who cryed out with tears, I beleeve, help mine unbe­liefe, he also hath all the reall interests, the very same reall interests in the bloud of Christ.

You know the arme hath not an interest in the head and influences thereof, because it is big, or because it is strong, but because it is a member, by reason whereof the least [...]in­ger, [Page 260] and weakest member doth also claime and hath a share. So because every Beleever by true faith is made a member of Christ, he hath therefore a concurrent share in the bloud of Christ, in the Justification purchased by Christ.

And therefore it is a weaker argument of weak beleevers to deny, or doubt their dis­charge by Christ.

True, say they, Christ is a Ob. strong Saviour, and hath strong merits, and by him is pardon of sinne, and by his Name a person is justified, but this is onely for men of stron­ger faith then mine.

Doe not deceive, nor unne­cessarily Sol. afflict thy selfe, Christ hath done great matters for great sinners, and a weak faith is a joynt possessor, though no faith can be a joynt purchaser of sins remission.

And thus have I briefly in­formed [Page 261] you with some notions about that part of Justificati­on, which respects our sinnes; there is yet another part, which respects our graces and duties: from the weaknesse and mixture of which, do arise many doubtings, and such as are not to be disputed downe by any thing in our selves, but onely to be answered with the doctrine of Justification.

O, saith the humbled sinner, Ob. and experienced in himselfe, what a broken estate is here! what an imperfect draught of holinesse! My very light is dim, and in all my duties there is yet undutifulnesse; my righ­teousnesse is defective, in my faith much unbeliefe, in my prayers much coldnesse, irre­verence, distraction; & when I have sorrowed for my sins, I may even grieve for grie­ving no more, and may hate my selfe, that I cannot other­wise [Page 262] hate my sins: How can I stand before God, who is of purer eyes then to behold sin? Will the Lord accept of such a person, of such discharging of duties? &c.

Let me stop the complaint, Sol. & close up the doubtings with a little more inlargement of the doctrine of Justification: Therefore remember,

1. Our persons stand not before God in their own righ­teousnesse, nor our owne ser­vices in their owne strength. Indeed the Lord requires ho­linesse in our natures, and holy duties from us; we are his chil­dren, we are his people, there­fore we should be holy as our Father is holy, therefore the people of his pasture should serve him. An unholy Belee­ver were a monster upon earth, and an undutifull son is a plain unbeleever; for though Christ did die for those who were [Page 263] once rebellious, yet he dies for none to make them licenti­ous: So that holinesse, inhe­rent grace is absolutely requi­red to salvation.

To salvation I say,

But to Justification in no wise. What is that? That is, though a man cannot be saved without inherent holinesse, yet is he not justified by it; When he comes to account it with God, he may not say this, Lord, loe, here I am, see if there be any sin in my person, or defect in my holinesse; I have not offended thee, I need not any help, any mercy; my heart is totally cleane, and my duties performed at all times in every respect for matter and manner to the full as thou re­quirest: Enter into judgment with me if thou pleafest, I will be tryed by my owne ho­linesse.

2. But in the righteousnesse [Page 264] of Christ, I desire, saith Paul, to be found in him, not having my owne righteousnesse, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith. Phil. 3. 9. See more in Rom. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21.

There is such a thing as the So cal­led, not as if the act of faith were our justifying righteous­nesse, for that act is but 1. An perfect thing. 2. A transient thing. 3. A part of in­herent ho­liness [...]: but be­cause faith only layes hold on, & makes us to fly unto & rely on the righte­ousnesse of Jesus Christ. righteousnesse of faith; it is none other then the righteous­nesse of Christ: (We think lit­tle of it, we make little use of it; there is a kind of Popery in us all; we look downward too much on our righteousnesse for a Justification) and when we are to be pronounced just and righteous, when either we or our services expect acceptati­on, it is in and by that righte­ousnesse of Jesus Christ.

Whence two things arise to keep doubtings and feares off, viz.

1. That though our holi­nesse [Page 265] be weak, yet Christs is strong; that righteousnesse which justifies, is full. When And so it must be, or else wee could not truly be reputed just. we look upon our selves, Ah Lord! think we, How shall we appeare before God! How will he accept of us! Such poor, such weak, such sinfull, hol­low people! I answer, Christs righteousnesse is full, his coat was seamlesse; ours is made up, and strangely cut, but his righ­teousnesse is compleat, and He is made unto us righteousnesse, yea, and that of God, 1 Cor. 1. 30. God hath set him out to be our righteousnesse, and he justifies us by it.

2. Though our services be weak, yet we are justified by Christs righteousnesse: Aaron was to beare the iniquity of the holy offerings, Exo. 28. 38. Their holy offerings had some unho­ly mixtures; but Aaron was to beare them, (i.) he was to take the iniquities away from [Page 266] them, and to make the offe­rings accepted.

Christ is this Aaron, who by his righteousnesse covers all the blemishes, makes up all the weaknesses in holy duties.

Therefore my brethren, in all our approaches to God, wee should not doubt. It is the Apostles own argument, Heb. 10. 21. Having such an High­priest over the house of God, 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. And ver. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wa­vering, &c. It is as if the Apo­stle had said, If men did know what a Christ they have, what a full righteousnesse there is in him, what he doth with it, how he justifies their persons, and justifies their services, pleads for them, beautifies them, ingratiates them with the Father, they would not doubt so much as they doe, [Page 267] they would be better perswa­ded of God, when they come and pray unto him.

I remember the Apostle hath an excellent phrase in Heb. 9. 24. that Christ doth ap­peare for us. It is a Metaphor from a Lawyer; If a man hath a case, he goes to his Lawyer, and reports all to him, desires him to undertake the whole businesse, and upon the com­mitting of the Case to him, he appeares for his Plaintiffe, o­pens the Case, pleads for him before the Judge, and the Cause is carryed: So is it with Christ, he appears for us, (i.) When a poore sinner, a weak beleever comes to him, and opens his condition, his wants, his infirmities, Christ under­takes for him, he pleads for him, (he ever lives to make in­tercession) he moves his Fa­ther in his behalfe, brings out his righteousnesse, his bloud, [Page 268] and merits, and what he did and suffered for him, &c. And thus doth Christ for every particular service, duty, and prayer for him who beleeves on him.

The tenth cause of doub­tings, was, disputation against the Promises.

O, saith the troubled and fearfull soule, all these promi­ses which you produce and apply to my condition, they are nothing to me; they be­long not to me: There is in­deed goodnesse, and truth, a wonderfull worth in them, and they suit with my condition exactly, but I may not lay hold on them; I should but presume to take the bread which belongs to children, but not to dogs, not to such a sin­ner as I am.

Good Christian, doe but track thine owne spirit, or the spirit of any distressed in con­science, [Page 269] thou shalt find this to be the last hold usually of un­beliefe, namely, a reasoning against Gods Promises; the which reasoning is sometimes through meere tendernesse of spirit: as when the soule hath arguments to it selfe of that force, to represent a present incapacity of any good which God hath promised, and till they be removed, it dares not lay hold on the Promises; but if they could be satisfied, then it is drawne in to beleeve: But sometimes there is a rea­soning against the Promises, through wilfulnesse of spirit, as when all the arguments of a doubting sinner are so clear­ly resolved and answered by the expresse words of God, that the person cannot gain­say it; yet the person rather bends still against the Promi­ses, then labours to honour God in them by beleeving. [Page 270] This later reasoning is an irra­tionall way, and unworthy of our abetting: I should think such a Christians doubtings to arise rather from a fixed and heavy melancholy, then any other speciall cause. Neverthe­lesse, somewhat to help the o­ther Christian, who argues & reasoneth against the Promi­ses, meerly out of tendernesse and feare of his right and title, I would commend a few things to his consideration.

1. No spirituall good is fur­thered, nor evill weakned by keeping the soule and Gods Promises asunder. Tell me se­riously, Is not all our help for sould and body (in the full and whole latitude of it) couched in Gods Promises? Are they not our wells of salvation, and breasts of consolation, our sun and shield? and what vessell hath a poore sinner to draw with out of those wells? what [Page 271] mouth hath he to milk out those breasts but faith? It is faith which knits the Promi­ses and our conditions toge­ther; it is faith which makes them to meet each other; And till the Promises meet (in their vertue and influence) with this condition of thy soule, thou shalt never be hel­ped or bettered by them: Till the plaister and the wound doe meet, it will never be an hel­ping nor healing plaister. Thou shalt be (utieras) as thou wast, and the Promise shall be (ubi erat) where it was, it shall ne­ver do thee good till thou dost apply it.

2. It is beleeving which must cleare our title. O, saith the Christian, if I knew that the Promises belonged unto me, I would then beleeve. I an­swer.

First, this is a preposterous course, and utterly impossible; [Page 272] as if there could be any well­grounded perswasion of our interest, before we have any such interest. No, but per­sonall perswasion is a conse­quent worke, it cannot be the antecedent or leading work. You must buy the lands, be­fore you can be perswaded that they are yours.

But secondly, if ever you would cleare your title to the Promises, you must then be­leeve; for it is faith which doth intitle you, and gives you interest and propriety. As the Apostle spake of a great good, After ye beleeved, ye were sea­led with the holy spirit of promise, Ephes. 1. 13. that I say in this case; I fever you would be per­swaded that God seales his Promises unto you, then doe you first put your seal unto the Promises: Beleeve, and then thou shalt see the good of them to be thy good.

[Page 273]3. The ground of a Chri­stians beleeving Gods Promi­ses, must not be in him who is to apply them, but onely in him who makes them. O! this is it which gravels, and laby­rinths, and still distresseth us, that we set up the grounds of faith in our selves, and not in God. We are loth to acknow­ledg that the sole ground of be­leeving is to be found only in that God who promiseth.

It is said of Abraham, when God promised him a child in his old age, that by faith he gave Rom 4. 20 glory to God: But how came he so to doe? The Text saith, that He considered not his owne body, now dead, when he was about an hundred yeares old, nor the ver. 19. deadnesse of Sarahs wombe; but he considered him who had promised, and was perswaded that what he had promised, hee ver. 21. was able also to performe. Why? This is the right course to eli­cite [Page 274] or draw out our belee­ving: We must not consider our selves, but we must consi­der him who promiseth: Our reasons of beleeving must be found in him alone on whom we are to beleeve.

Therefore I beseech you to remember, that the Promises of God are not onely objects of faith, but they are also grounds of beleeving: They doe not onely containe excel­lent good for us, but likewise the motives to beleeve that good. Besides the goodnesse in them which respectively an­swers our conditions, and the presenting of that goodnesse unto us by way of gift, there is all reason conjoyned with these to affect our hearts to lay hold on them, namely,

1. A graciousnesse, that the Lord will freely and for his owne sake doe us all that good.

[Page 275]2. A fidelity, that the Lord who hath graciously promised, will also faithfully performe.

And 3. sufficiencie of power in God to make good unto us whatsoever word of goodnesse, is gone out of his lips.

So that from all these, a Christian against all his doub­tings may yet see ground to beleeve the Promises of God, because,

1. The Promises are the Declarations of God for good unto us.

2. They are willing Decla­rations, arising onely from the good will of our God.

3. He dispenseth the good in them to sinners freely, with­out any worthinesse or desert on their parts.

4. There is not any good promised, which God is not willing or able to make good.

Lastly, let any person be­leeve on them, and he shall [Page 276] confesse that faithfull is that God who promised, and that that God who hath promised cannot lye.

But now on the contrary, If you look for grounds of belee­ving in and from your selves, it cannot be that ever your hearts should be free from doubtings; If either you make your owne worthinesse the cause of beleeving, you shall never come to beleeve: This were not to receive good from God, but to buy and purchase it; and is absolutely against the nature of free promises, as also against the disposition of true faith, which empties us of our selves, and seeth the cause of all our good to be on­ly in him who is All-good­nesse.

Or if you think that you must first finde the good in your selves which ye are to fetch from the Promises, you [Page 277] cannot then beleeve, you must unavoidably doubt still: be­cause it is impossible for a sin­ner or a needy Christian ever to draw his helps out of him­selfe, or to prevent the promi­ses of God. As he cannot de­serve any good from God pro­mising, so he cannot bring any good to Gods promises. Ho, Esa. 55. 1. every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, saith the Prophet, and he that hath no money: Come ye, buy and eat. yea come, buy wine and milk without money and with­out price. If thou be a thirsty person, here is all provision freely for thee.

4. Another thing which I would commend also to doub­ting Christians in this case, shall be this: Take some solid paines to cleare your entrance into Covenant with God: thereby you shall cleare your interest in all particular pro­mises upon your occasions.

There is a gracious Cove­nant Jer. 31. 33 32. 38 Eze. 36. 28 Hos. 2. 23. Heb. 8. 10. (spoken of in the Scrip­ture) twixt God and his peo­ple: He makes us to be his peo­ple, and we take him to be our God. And when that Cove­nant is passed twixt God and a person, that there is a mutuall acceptation; then the Lord estates this person into all the particular promises: As when the woman and man enter in­to the covenant of mariage, now all is setled on her, and she hath title sufficient.

So when the Lord God and a sinner are married to each other, when they are entred into a Covenant, Thou art my God, and none else, my heart is thine, my life shall be thine, &c. The Lord saith unto such a one, And I am thine, & all my mercy is thine, my Christ is thine, my Promises thine: If thou needest any good for soul or body, all good is thine.

I assure thee, O Christian, if If this door were unlocked, all the roomes would ea­sily be seene. this were once out of doubt, that thou and God were en­tred into Covenant, thou wouldst not so much doubt thy title, or question thy right to apply any particular pro­mise to any condition of exi­gence wherein thou lyest. All are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods. 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23.

5. Lastly, consider well, whether there be nothing in a Christ which may not be able to over-argue thy disputes a­gainst thy applying of the Pro­mises I remember that Luther in his Commentary on Genesis prescribes unto tempted per­sons one very compendious way to withstand all tempta­tions whatsoever: Let Satan Luthers speech. come any way, or the world any way, or sinne move any way, doe thou answer all with this onely, Christianus sum, I am a Christian; I may not [Page 280] yeeld to any sin, for I am a Christian. And surely me thinks this also might be a compendious way to resolve the doubtings of a Christian, Christum habeo I have a Christ. O Christian, if thou didst look more on thy Christ, thou mightst look more on the Pro­mises: When wilt thou re­member, No look­ing on the Promises without a Christ. that as there is no comfortable looking on God without a Christ, so there will be no confident looking on the Promises of God without a Christ?

Christ Jesus is thy Jacobs ladder, thy prayers get up by him, and Gods Promises come down by him: All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in him, 2 Cor. [...]. 20.

There was a Book in the Revelation which none of the Elders and Worthies could open, but yet the Lambe could open it: The Promises are a [Page 281] precious Book, every leafe drops myrrhe and mercy, yet the weak Christian cannot open it, nay he is afraid to open it, and to reade his por­tion there: Neverthelesse thy Christ can open the Promises for thee, and by thy Christ as thou mayst find a way for hea­ven hereafter, so mayst thou espie a way for thy comfort now.

And why, may Christ reply to the doubting Christian, art thou afraid to beleeve? to be­leeve my Fathers word, and thy Fathers word? Did he ever faile any who trusted on him? Is hee not willing to give, who was willing to pro­mise? Should he lose of his glory, if thou receivedst of his grace? Or shouldst thou lose of thy comfort, if thou shouldst beleeve in his pro­mise? Dost thou not care for his good? Why then art thou [Page 282] troubled? Or in good earnest, Wouldst thou enjoy that good? Why then dost thou not beleeve? Thou seest the worth of the commodity, but stickest at the price. Did my Father ever sell grace or mercy to any upon the price of their owne worthinesse? How canst thou imagine him to answer thee in justice, who yet deales with thee upon promises? And if worthinesse must be found, tell me, Who am I? Is a Christ of no worthinesse to thee? or of no worth with his Father and thine? I have dyed for thy soule, I have reconciled thy person, I have made God him­selfe to be thine, and therefore his Promises to be thine.

If thou thinkest that God will start from his word, O thou errest: His Promise is made with Goodnesse, is sea­led with Truth, and is ratified with my bloud.

If thou thinkest it is an in­exorable and deafe eare to thy prayers, yet consider, it is al­wayes an open and plyable eare to my merits. Come, then, I once gave my selfe for thee, and since that I have gi­ven my selfe to thee, Be not afraid, O thou of little faith: Look on me, and through me unto a God, so shalt thou see him fully gracious and merci­full, and holding forth the gol­den Scepter to thee. Look on me and through me unto the Promises, then shalt thou see them to be my purchase, and thy portion. Lay hold on them by faith, and inrich thy selfe with them, in so doing thou shalt please my Father, plea­sure thy selfe, and honour thy Saviour.

11. The eleventh spring of doubtings, was, the suspension of divine favour. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled, [Page 284] said David. O, the hiding of Gods favour is more then the hiding of the Sun, or then the withdrawments of David from Absolom: It is even the time of our fainting, the se­questration of our soules and life. Thy favour is life, saith David againe.

Here now consider,

1. In these times of seque­stration, a man hath just cause of trouble; he should be mo­ved at it, that he cannot be­hold his God in that gracious­nesse as before, in that loving­nesse, in that light of his coun­tenance. And verily there is not a Christian really sensible of the divine favour, who should not be as much perple­xed in the clouding of it, as he was affected and gladded in the rising and discovering of it.

Beloved, it is ill with that man who can equally beare [Page 285] up in the absence, as in the conceived presence of Gods favour; who is of that hard and unperceiving temper, as not to solace his soul in finding God to be gracious; and not to be abundantly disturbed in not apprehending the wonted manifestations of his loving favour. How excessively di­stressed is the Church in the Canticles, that her Beloved had withdrawn himself! And David doth in the violence of his distemper and jealousie, (whether culpably, I know not yet) strongly charge God (sure with much heaviness of heart) that he had forgotten to be gracious.

2. Neverthelesse in the times of such suspension, it is an error, and a dangerous er­ror, a fruitlesse error, absolute­ly to conclude against our God, or against our selves, of any present or hopeful interest [Page 286] in his blessed favour: There­fore remember these parti­culars.

1. Observe the wayes and times of the interception of divine favour. This is certain, that God hath ever some spe­ciall end in the holding up of his countenance; and we may and doe many times give him just cause and reason. In Scripture we may observe on our part ordinarily two occa­sions:

1. Some grosse sins, which indeed are as a thick cloud to hold up the blessed light of Gods countenance, for he is of purer eyes then to behold sin. These are the wall of se­paration, these shut the doore, and draw the curtaines, and doe like some closing rheume fall upon the eye, and indispose it to the comfortable enjoy­ment of the light: As we may see in Davids two great sinnes [Page 287] of Adultery and Murder, they did suspend the presence, (i.) the comfortable presence of God, and held up the joy of his salvation, which he did so earnestly desire to be restored, Psal. 51. 11, 12.

2. Remisnesse and careles­nesse in our esteems and affe­ctions towards him in his Or­dinances. When Christians come to a moderation, to a cooling of their spirituall fer­vour, to a more negligent ac­quaintance with God, and a more in different performance of holy services and duties; then the Lord holds back, and calls in the sensible light of his countenance: As a father doth alter the set of his looks to­wards his child, who is wanton upon his love, and lets downe the diligence of his just obser­vance and duty.

See this in Cant. 5. 2. Open to me (saith Christ) my sister, my [Page 288] love, my dove, my undefiled. Here was a gracious entreaty, and full of wooing compellations: What doth the Church now? Surely she stirs, she riseth, she runneth, she easily embraceth these calls of Christ; No, ver. 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? What is this? She was care­lesse, negligent, full of excuses, so those phrases import, of put­ting off the coat: For as the keeping on of cloathes was a sign of care and watchfulnesse, [Nehem. 4. 23.] so the putting them off was a signe of drow­zinesse, of a disposition prepa­red for sleep or rest: Nay (she had washed her feet) which was another signe of her sleepy and negligent dispositi­on; It being the manner in those hot countries (where or­dinarily they went bare-foot­ed) to wash their feet after [Page 289] their travel, & so prepare thē ­selves-to rest. The meaning of all which, is this: She made many pretences and delayes; all which did spring from an acquired sluggishnesse and re­misnesse of spirit.

Now mark the issue, Though the Church did not rise to o­pen, yet Christ, ver. 4. puts in his hand at the hole of the doore: (i.) Though she had neglected him in his Ministe­ry, yet he sent into her heart a notable item of it by his Spi­rit, and then her bowels were moved for him. Why? What is the matter? Now she rose, ver. 5. and opened the doore, ver. 6. but my Beloved had withdrawn himselfe, and was gone; I sought him, but could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no an­swer.

Here you see, that careles­nesse of duty causeth absence of favour: And when men are [Page 290] negligent in the entertain­ments of the meanes of grace, God doth in a just wisdome go off with the sensible presence of his gracious favour.

2. Observe the wayes of re­gaining Gods favour suspen­ded from us: What are those? will you say.

I answer,

1. Be affected for the losse: every absence of Gods coun­tenance should trouble us, but the losse of his favour, that should grieve us. So was it with the Church there, Cant. 5. 4. My bowels were troubled for him, Or, My bowels soun­ded, rumbled, made a trou­blous noise. What doe these words intimate but an emi­nent disquietnesse, an hearty sorrow for so great a losse, springing from so great a re­misnesse? I say an eminent disquietnesse; For where bo­wels are mentioned, there an [Page 291] eminent degree is suggested, either of commiseration, as in that of God to Ephraim, Jer. 31. 20. or of singular love and affection, as of the mother to the child, or of most sorrowfull affliction, as here.

Nay, so great was this sor­row and bewaylment, that ver. 6. her sould failed when he spake: My soule failed (i.) my soule went forth, it was gone, it departed, because of the de­parture of Christs loving fa­vour: For as the heart is said to goe forth when men are a­stonished with feare, so the soule is said to goe away, when men are surcharged with griefe and sorrow. Whence it is evident, that the Church was almost dead for her folly and negligence, whereby she had caused her Christ to with­draw himselfe.

And surely if negligent and regardlesse entertainments of [Page 292] God, or Christ, or his Word, (which cause the cessation of favour) are thus abundantly bewayled with bowels and faintings, how much more should the bowels be doubled, and the measures of griefe and repentance be swelled, when the suspension of Gods love and favour is caused by our injurious handling of his bles­sed Spirit, by fighting against his motions, and presuming a­gainst the directing and con­vincing light, to dishonour and grieve him with the most foule iniquities.

Yet if we can humbly and throughly bemoane our losse, and repent of our sins, we shall behold the Lord in mercy and love againe. David could not but yeeld out the countenance of his favour to Absolom, though an untoward sonne: If the clouds did break, the sunne would shine againe; for [Page 293] God will not onely give, but restore comforts to his mour­ners.

2. Revive thy uprightnesse, and then God will renew his favour. A good man (saith So­lomon, Prov. 12. 2.) obtaineth fa­vour of the Lord: (i.) An up­right man, a man whose heart is single, (for he is opposed to the man of many devices) whose heart is single and plain with God in his walkings, such a man shall obtaine favour from the Lord.

David assures us of it, Ps. 5. 12 Thou Lord wilt blesse the righte­ous, and with favour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield. It was a good speech of Davids, Psal. 36. 9. With thee is the foun­taine of life, and in thy light shall we see light. q. d. Lord, thou hast comfort and favour e­nough, thy favour indeed is life, the very fountaine of it, and in the light of thy paths [Page 294] shall the sons of men see the light of thy favour.

For, brethren, we cannot see light by darknesse, light must be seene by light; and what­soever Psal. 17. 15 I will be­hold thy face in up­rightnesse. is contrary to light, is an impediment of seeing. Gods favour cannot be seene by any thing which is contra­ry to Gods nature. Crooked Note. hearts and crooked wayes, an heart and an heart, a tongue and a tongue, a life and a lise, (i.) a doubling heart, and a doubling tongue, and a dou­bled conversation, which hath a veine of sinfulnesse and approbation, this the Lord hates and abhors; for God is ever single in all his dealings with men: They shall have mercy, or they shall not have it: and so he exceedingly de­lights in the simplicity of Christians: Let them deale in­genuously with him, give him all the might they have, and [Page 295] him onely, though they have not a present sight, yet they have a sure promise of his fa­vour.

The Lord will meet them, Esa. 64. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteous­nesse, those that remember thee in thy wayes. Walk thou towards God in uprightnesse, and God will walk towards thee in comfortablenesse. Be thou a son, and he will be a Father. Give him thy heart, and hee will shew to thee his face.

Therefore let us cast about not onely for our generall, but also for the services of our par­ticular callings and relations, in which if the Lord sees us upright in walking, wee shall assuredly find him to be gra­cious in distributing the beams of his favour unto our soules.

3. Earnestly seeke Gods favour.

[Page 296]1. Seek it by enquiries in the ordinances of his favour. Saw ye him whom my soule lo­veth? said the Church in her losse, Cant. 3. 3. unto the watch­men. And as Mary, Joh. 20. 13. weeping, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: And ver. 15. Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. What came of this? See ver. 16. Jesus saith unto her, Mary; It was one onely word, but enough to make her turne her selfe, and say, Rabboni. So may it, and so doth it oft times fall out with us in our seekings of Gods fa­vour, The Lord doth meet us & shew himself with his loving countenance, in his Ordinan­ces: For these Ordinances of God, they are the Exchange, the heavenly Exchange twixt God and his people, wherein they present unto him their [Page 297] duty, and he confers on them his grace and favour; So that they who have come hither with sighs. O that God would be my God! have returned with Psalms of joy, The Lord is my God and my Father, I will praise thee, O Lord my God.

2. Seek it by prayers. How abundant is David in this kind? Psal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people, O vi­sit me with thy salvation, 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen. So Psal. 31. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant. So Psal. 4. 6. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: For God hath promised his fa­vour, and therefore his people may seek his favour. Nay he hath commanded his people to seek his favour, and therefore they should seek it. See Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst, Seeke ye my face, My heart said unto me, [Page 298] Thy face (Lord) will I seeke. It is an unadvised folly in the suspension of Gods favour, to unsonne our selves, and un­people our selves, (i.) to deny that grace and spirituall rela­tion twixt us and God. This is not the way to gaine favour; for when we have undone our relations of children, we ex­clude our selves from the ex­pectations of favour; No, the wisest and surest way is to seek the renewing of Gods loving countenance, and say as Da­vid, Lord, thou hast hid thy face, and I am troubled, yet thou bid­dest me to seek thy face, and Thy face (Lord) will I seeke: Nay I doe seeke it, for Thy fa­vour is life, nay, Thy favour is better then life, so I esteeme it, so I acknowledge it, and as my life, as that which is a life un­to my life doe I earnestly de­sire it: Therefore, Lord, Make thy face to shine, and behold mee [Page 299] againe, as thou beholdest thy peo­ple with thy ancient favour: O vi­sit me with thy salvation, and let me see the good of thy counte­nance.

Now here take in two help­full advices more: viz.

1. When you seek the light Two things to be remem­bred in our seeking of Gods fa­vour. of Gods countenance, doe not blind your eyes: Remember still, that a man who will shut his eye, shall hardly find: Now nothing can see Gods favour but the eye of faith, for in Christ Jesus onely we see and discerne him our gracious God and Father; Therefore keep open that eye. The direct wor­kings of faith can alwayes see God, and the reflexive will at length see God to be my God. When thou commest unto him thus, Lord, I doe need, I doe prize, I doe desire thy fa­vour and countenance, and thou hast promised it, but thou wilt not keep thy promise, [Page 300] thou wilt never shew the light of thy countenance to my soul more; now though wee seek much, no marvaile we find not the heavens to open; You must Simile. use the key, as well as the hands, if you will come in and see the roomes: Our hands of Prayer must use the key of Faith, if we would open the countenance of God towards us; for faith is that which gives us our sights of God and Christ.

2. Judge not of the issue by what thou feelest, but by what God promiseth: And in case therefore that God doth not shew thee his ancient love presently or easily, yet knock againe, and provoke thy heart to out-beleeve all reasonings offeare and corruption.

As David, Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe, O my soule? and why art thou disquieted with­in me? Hope thou in God, for I [Page 301] shall yet praise him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

O my God, saith he in ver. 6. of that Psalme, my soule is cast downe within me, (no question but for the absence of Gods favour, ver. 7. My rocke, Why hast thou forgotten me [...]) there­fore (saith he) will I remember thee. Remember him, O Da­vid? What incouragements so to doe? Thy Rock seemeth to forget thee, and all his waves and billowes are gone over thee, thou art in a tossed, and forgotten condition, and yet thou sayest, I will remember thee. Now see ver. 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

q. d. It is true, these afflicti­ons and sorrows are upon me and God seems to forget me [Page 302] for present, yet I will remem­ber him, I know he thinks on me, he hath loving kindnesse, and he will command it, he can shew it when he pleaseth, I shall assuredly have it, per­haps in the day time, perhaps in the night time, and there­fore day and night will I seek him for his loving kindnesse, I will remember him.

But how may one support Ob. himselfe in the interims of this suspension of divine favour? How to support our selves in the in­terim. Can one be good, who is thus? Or will God doe good or doth hee thinke any good of such a one?

I answer, you may support Sol. your selves thus:

1. By remembring the dayes of old. Psa. 77. 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? This is mine infirmity. q. d. For me thus to conclnde that God [Page 303] will not be favourable and gracious unto me, because I feele him not so, this is my weaknesse, and sinfull error: But how then will you support your selfe? See ver. 10. I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most High, 11. I will I had his favour once, and am in it still, and shall have it againe. remember thy wonders of old. And assuredly the remem­brance of what God hath done, is able to support us with a confident expectation of what God will yet doe for us.

If we remember the dayes of old, the method of Gods former proceedings and beha­viours towards us, we shall ac­knowledge, and so comfort our selves, that when he with­drew, it was an withdraw­ment either of necessity, or ex­pediency, and his loving coun­tenance hath risen again with­out a cloud, after a night of sor­row, after a day of seeking.

For the suspensions of his fa­vour are temporary, though his truths be eternall. I will come againe, saith Christ: And, It was but a little (said the Church, Cant. 3. 4.) that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soule loveth.

2. Thou art in favour, though thou feelest none; And though thy comfort be in the feeling of it, yet thy happiness is in the being of it: Thou art saved because God loves, not because thou perceivest that love.

2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure, the Lord knoweth who are his. He know­eth them in respect of the free­nesse of his election, and in re­spect of the immobility of his affection; He knowes them still, but they know not him still. Is Ephraim my deare sonne? Jer. 31. 20. q. d. He is so, but he thinks I think not so.

Sometimes the walking child holds the parent, and sometimes the parent holds the child; there is safety in both respects; for whiles either I hold, or am held, I am safe: So is it with us and God, some­times we lay hold on him by faith, sometimes (nay all times) he layes hold on us by his love; our salvation is in this, that we are Gods, and God is ours; that he hath our hearts, and we his love, though alwayes we see it not.

3. Thou shalt have fa­vour, though now it be drawn up: He will behold thy upright heart, and thou shalt see his face with joy. Esay 54. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with ever­lasting kindnesse will I have mer­cy on thee, saith the Lord thy Re­deemer.

Therefore the Church ele­gantly, Micah 7. 8. Rejoyce not [Page 306] against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me. 9. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousnesse. Re­member this one thing, Up­right and beleeving persons have alwayes a favourable God, though they have not al­wayes the sense of Gods fa­vour: yea though Satan doe testifie the contrary, which is the next spring of doubtings, and comes in now fitly to be handled.

12. A twelfth spring of doubtings, was, the crediting of Satans testimony about our spirituall condition, and inte­rests in God and Christ; to which if any distressed Chri­stian doth hearken and attend, he shal never be freed from in­quietations and rowlings of mind, because Satans testimo­ny is ever directly or oblique­ly [Page 307] against the truth and com­fort of our spirituall estate.

For the remedy and cure of which spring, be pleased seri­ously to consider of these sub­sequent conclusions.

1. The finall tryall of our eternall estate doth immedi­ately and solely appertaine to the Court of heaven. Indeed the disquisitive part belongs to A twofold tryall of a mans estate. us, but the decisive part be­longs to God: We ought to search and prove our selves, but no man hath immediate power to decide his estate, by acquitting or condemning himselfe. This must be done by the voice of God in his re­vealed Word, which com­mands and forbids, and there­fore absolves or binds.

No subject you know hath this power, to release or bind of himselfe, but that is the royall prerogative of the King. It is true, if the Word [Page 308] condemnes us, then our con­sciences may doe so too; and if the Word absolves us, so may our consciences too: But this is virtute prima, not virtute propria; It is because the Word doth it, not because Consci­ence of it selfe without the Word can doe either rightly.

Whence two things arise to informe and direct us: viz.

1. Satans judgment of our Satans judging is but usur­ped. estate is but usurped: It doth not belong to him to sit upon our soules: It is against the Law of Nations, that the same party should be witnesse and Judge: And we may say to him truly, what the Pharisees proudly objected to Christ, By what authority doth he these things? Or as they to Moses, who made thee a Judge over us? Assuredly the enemy of our salvation is not to be the Judge of it, he being so maliciously [Page 309] vowed against our happinesse, it is most unfit for him to de­cide it: and therefore though he usurps a judgement upon Christians, yet as David spake in another case, Thou Lord wilt not leave the righteous when he is judged; No assuredly, Sa­tan shall one day be judged for taking upon him the judg­ing of Gods people: And doe you thinke that Satan will give a true judgement unto us of our spirituall condition, who dares give in false evidence before God himselfe of Job, and who is said to accuse the brethren before God day and night?

2. No testimony is to be admitted, which is contrary to the judgment of the Word: Beleeve not every spirit, 1 Joh. 4. All judge­ment of our estates, being con­trary to the Word, is false. 1. but try the spirits, whether they are of God. The Word must judge us another day, & there­fore it is to judge of us now.

Satans judgement is usur­ped, and our owne is oft times erroneous, as in wicked and presumptuous sinners, who sentence well for their safe­ty, although God doth pro­claime and pronounce bitter woes unto them.

And as our judgements are oft times erroneous, so are they in the times of distresse, suspicious and hasty: We doe not testifie of our selves with judgements cleared, and to­tally informed by the Word, of all our estate, but with judg­ments affected and distempe­red; as David in his fit, I am cast out of thy presence; God did not cast him off, but his di­stempered judgement did cast him out.

2. Maintain the judgment of the Word, against all judg­ment: When a man hath throughly viewed and pierced into the secrets of his heart [Page 311] and wayes by the informing light of Gods blessed Spirit, and takes his flesh and spirit asunder, I meane his sinnes, weaknesses, graces and dispo­sitions, and layes these, with all he knows of himselfe, before the Lord in a most sincere in­genuity, so that if he were now to die, he durst venture the eternall salvation of his soule, with his God, that hee keeps nothing back, either of what is his owne by nature, or of what is Gods by grace: If now the Word decides for him, that his condition is hea­venly, his heart is upright, hee is indeed one who is truly in­teressed in Christ; this man or woman should now uphold this decisive testimony of the Word, lay it up as the great copy of his eternall salvation; and in case of opposite verdict and testimony, not to molest himselfe with reasoning and [Page 312] doubting, but to preserve the authority of Gods testimony, by beleeving, and most up­right walking with God in all the powers of duty.

There yet remaine two springs of doubtings to be cu­red, and then I have done with that subject.

13. The thirteenth spring of doubtings, was, the new ri­sing of old sinnes: This I told you could not but amaze the soule, to see the dead rise out of the grave againe, and to reade the debt as if it were not yet crossed: It doth excee­dingly disquiet us about our spirituall condition. Now con­sider,

1. There are five times Five times in which former sins may revive when we and our sinnes doe meet.

1. One is the day of our le­gall humiliation, when the Law, like searching physick, enters deep, stirs up the evill [Page 313] humour, casts our sins into our very faces, and sets them in order before us, and reproves us for them with undenyable conviction and horrour.

2. Another is, the day of our piercing afflictions, when the Lord doth send his messen­gers unto us of wrath, cuts off frō us our delights, tears away our joyes, crosseth us in our aims, and we see God hewing our friends from us, our chil­dren from us, our earthly de­lights and contents: for mise­rable evils are oft times a cause to make us see our sinfull evils: We doe many times come to perceive our faults, by our pu­nishments: As Pharaoh did, when the plagues were on him, I have done evill in not let­ting the people goe: And Balaam, when he saw the Angel, and heard him threatning, I will now returne: And so the chil­dren of Israel, then saw, and [Page 314] confest their murmuring and stubbornnesse, when God sent evil Angels amongst them, (i.) some messengers of his wrath and displeasure.

3. A third is, the time of some horrible and common judgement, whether it be up­on particular persons, or a Na­tion, interessed in the same guilt of sinne with our selves; For this is a time of common fire, which raging and flying up and downe, makes men run into their closets, and bring out their concealed jew­els; so doe common and ex­traordinary judgments return us into our selves, and gives up unto us those our hidden sins which we feare will draw the same fire of judiciall wrath upon our owne persons. I doe not doubt but at the last great Plague, many of the sinfull botches broke out, upon a fear lest that judiciall botch should [Page 315] have broken in upon your bo­dies and houses.

4. A fourth time is, the time of death: For though sin and a sinner really meet in all their course of life, yet sense of sin and a sinner doe not al­wayes meet untill the day of death; for death is a strict and unavoidable summons to give up our accounts, and then the unjust steward must look a­bout him, how he shall answer his most just Lord and Ma­ster.

This time of meeting, evi­dently manifests it selfe to our owne experience; who though we have kindled our sinnes in the time of our health and strength, yet have we not met with the flashes of them but in the times of sicknesse and weaknesse.

5. A last time of meeting is, the day of Judgement; and this is a most certaine and in­fallible [Page 316] time; It is possible for a man to escape the legall mee­ting, by conviction; and the miserable meeting, by afflicti­ons, judgements, and death it selfe; (for some die like Na­bal, they live wretchedly, and die senslesly) but at the day of Judgement, they and their sinnes must meet, and shall; because then the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, and Gods righteous judgement shall be evident to the hearts of all the world. Whence it is, that in this day of meeting, they shall cry unto the mountaines to fall on them, and the rocks to hide them (but in vaine) from the wrath of him who sits upon the throne.

2. There are severall causes of the rising of sin: Some are Divers causes of sins rising afresh. on Gods part, some on our part, some on Satans.

1. For Gods part: God doth many times cause our [Page 317] former sins to rise, by the po­wer of his mighty spirit in the ministery of his Word: For whereas the sinner would hush his fears, and griefs, and con­science asleep, yet the Lord will not have it so: He doth rub the sore, and gall the con­science, makes it sensible of the guilt and wounds; Hee doth pierce by the two-edged sword of his Word, even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and discernes the ve­ry thoughts and intents of the heart. He meets the person oft times many years after the commission of the sinnes, and most expresly revives and re­members them in all the act­ing circumstances, which the sinning person either had, or would have buried in silence and forgetfulnesse.

2. For our part: Thus there is double cause of new rising of [Page 318] old sins: One whereof is good, and the other is bad.

1. A new commission of the old sins, which brings back upon us the sting of the old guilt; for relapses into the dis­ease, occasion a relapse of the burden and ache: Cut thy fin­ger againe, and it will smart againe; fall into thy ague a­gaine, it will make thee shake againe: Relapses have ever this judgement with them, that they make a fresh wound, and the old also to bleed a­gaine. You know in some Wells, there are two buckets, put downe the one, and you bring up the other; so the fal­ling into the same sin againe, brings up the old burden a­gaine. Though we may not revive sinne to practise it, yet we may to mourn for it.

2. Renewed humiliations; for then we doe voluntarily look back upon our former accounts, that thereby we may more humbly sue out a totall [Page 319] discharge. Though wee may sin the sin over no more, yet we may weep it over and o­ver; and though the acting of it may be no more, yet the bewailing of it should last us ever.

3. On Satans part, who like an envious and malicious wretch never gives over to throw unto us our errors and failings, though corrected with truest reformation. So Satan, who is the great cause and in­centive to sin, will not cease after our truest repentance, to vexe, and sad, and (if he could, to) despaire our hearts with the fresh memory of former and forsaken sins; so that we seldome or never lay hand on a blessed promise, or gaine our selves into the comfortable fa­vour of God, or delight our selves in the sweet peace of conscience, but he falls in, and checks, and troubles us with [Page 320] the representations of former sins, and perchance makes us let goe our gracious hold, with the feares, and suspici­ons, and chargements of for­mer guilts.

3. Now according to the variety of the causes, fetching up upon us our former guilts, must we deliver unto you se­verall helps and remedies.

Consider therefore, on Gods The ends of reviving of sin. part, there are severall ends in respect of severall persons, why he brings on the sinnes againe.

1. To make the ground­work more deep and sure: We make our tents too short for our wounds; Wee sinne much, and defile our selves much, and we think that a lit­tle washing will serve the turne. O! this businesse of self­tryall, of laying the axe to the root of the tree, of diving into the secrets of sin, of applying [Page 321] the corrasives unto the core & heart of our natures, this goes against us, wee are quickly weary of it.

Indeed, some trouble, and some bitternesse we grant to be convenient; but to be still accusing our selves before God, still to be lashing and wounding our hearts for wounding of God, Ah, this, this goes against us.

You shall see people some­times very sensible of their dis­eased bodies: O now some physick were good, they find such aches, such distempers, surely some physick were good; and some they take, which makes them excessively sick; but then away with it, no more physick: yet at length the disease comes upon them againe, and the Physitian pre­scribes more physick, even that which must goe to the root of the disease, which [Page 322] though it makes them more sick, yet it procures their safe­ty, and better health.

Beloved, God would have men (perhaps) a longer space to sit upon their sinnes; they stint themselves after great sins, and make themselves friends with God prefently. Now the Lord knowes that this skinning of the sore will spoile all, and therefore after a short time he returnes them their sins againe, makes Con­science to startle at the guilt againe, and deales with us as the skilfull Chirurgion with a man whose leg is broken, and ill set, he breaks it againe, that it may be well set.

So doth the Lord, he breaks our soules againe with the guilt of sins; He will make us know, that wee must bring him more broken hearts; we shall know what it is to sinne against him, and shall not [Page 323] make a reall and lasting peace without a sound and solid hu­miliation.

And truly this is the great mercy of his wisdome to work thus; for hereby he makes our foundation low, and sure, and hereby he prevents subse­quent stirs, and makes way for our surer and more comforta­ble apprehensions and appli­cations of his love in Christ. You know that a wise School­master, when a boy skips from a hard lesson to that which is more easie, he puts him back againe, and makes him say it over and over, ere he takes it forth. Men think to be catch­ing at Christ, however they love to lay load on him, and throw their vile burdens upon him, though perhaps they ne­ver yet weighed their vile sin­ings and dishonourings of God: But the Lord will turne them back againe, he will take [Page 324] off these pragmaticall presu­mers, and set them to learne their first lesson better: He will make them more sensible of their vile hearts, and waies, and actions; they shall not so easily come off from their ac­cursed transgressions; the Lord will hold up the comfortable answers of his favours, and the sweet tasts of the Lord Jesus Christ, and make them againe to sit downe in bitter sorrow for piercing the Lord Christ, and shedding his bloud, and grieving of his Spirit, and all that men might be more hum­bled, and more really fitted for Christ.

2. To make us more hum­ble. I assure you oft times our very victories make us proud, and that very grace which should be a cause to a­base us, occasionally and acci­dentally is a means to puffe us: we rise too often above our [Page 325] selves, beyond measure: And therefore as to Paul there was given a sting to abase him, lest And that we might bestow our tears & not our tongues on others sinning. he should be over-exalted; so to many Christians the Lord doth returne unto them the sensible sting of some notable guilt, to abase their hearts, to put them in mind of them­selves.

For this reduction of for­mer gilt, it gives up unto us our base and treacherous natures, and the births of our owne hearts: Ah! faith such a per­son, this heart, this nature of mine, what was it? what is it, if the Lord leaves it? See here the grapes, the sowre grapes of this wild-vine, little reason have I to be so highly concei­ted of my self, as long as I per­ceive such loath some accounts and issues from my selfe.

And veri [...]y, it makes us oft­times to despise our selves, to abhorre our selves in dust and [Page 326] ashes: And this is one great Our pre­sent graces make us good, and the sense of former sins keeps us humble end and use which the Lord makes of former sins, To keep the heart in a very humble frame: We must have some­thing or other still put unto us of our owne, which will let us see how foolish we are by na­ture, that is Davids phrase, and how brutish we were, that is Solomons phrase.

3. To make us more care­full: For the sharp remem­brance of sinne doth in a godly heart work stronger detesta­tion, and stronger watchful­nesse: God doth make their Remem­bring the gall & the worm­wood, Lam. 3. new considerations to be our present preventi [...]s: Future commissions of sin [...]e are ma­ny times prevented by new impressions of former sins.

What? should I sinne thus again? saith the humble heart: have I not reason to crush these births? to crucifie that bitter root, to pray against it, [Page 327] to watch against it, to resist it, to deny it, which hath beene and is now a sword in my con­science?

But now consider that there is a double carefulnesse wrought by the new rising of sinne.

1. One respects the guilt of it; and here our care is to get our acquitance renewed and inlar­ged. O how doth the Lord by these risings of sin, soone cause the soule to rise up in suing out his grace and favour▪ It causeth many a teare, many a prayer, many a wrestling with God, many pressings upon the promises, many an earnest be­seeching to have our pardon and discharge more fully sea­led unto our consciences, by the bloud of Jesus Christ, and testimony of the Spirit.

2. Another respects the sins themselves, in their corrupt qualities, and inclinations, and [Page 328] motions; and this is a greater study against them: firmer re­solutions, strengthning of co­venants, confirmations of grace, of circumspection, of detestation, of resistance, of any thing or way by which the powers of sin may be more subdued and cast downe.

4. To make us more thank­full: Perhaps the Lord hath pardoned those sins which rise anew in thy heart; they doe not alwayes rise, because God hath not discharged their guilt, but because thou hast not discharged thy new debt; they arise as a debt, for the discharge of a debt: as we use to put men in mind of their former miseries, not that thereby they are made mise­rable, but because thereby they should be made thank­full. Beloved, to have former sins discharged, it is mercy, I say mercy, yea and a rich mer­cy, [Page 329] greater then to give a con­demned person life, or to give an imprisoned person liberty, far greater: No such mercy as that which blots out our sins, which saves a soule from hell, and gives it pardon and life. Now great mercies should be answered with great thankful­nesse: Thou didst, in the sense and sting of thy guilt, go with an heavy heart, with bitter sighes, with deep oppressions, O that I had mercy! O this burden! O this wound! O this sinne! Yea and with deep pro­testations, If the Lord will but pardon it, If he will shew me mercy, If he would receive me graciously, he should have the calves of my lips, I would love him indeed, I would serve him, I would praise and thank him, I would speak good of his name, I would say, Who is a God like him, that forgi­veth iniquities, transgressions and [Page 330] sins, and passeth by the sins of his people?

Well, the Lord hath shewed himselfe like himselfe, a God very gracious and mercifull; but we perhaps have shewed our selves like our selves, in di­stresses, earnest, and full of pro­mises; but in our exemptions, flat, and full of forgetfulnesse. Now the Lord doth excee­dingly dislike this vanity and doubting of heart; he loves that mercy should be still ac­knowledged to be mercy? he would have us to look back, as well as to look up; and to give him thanks for that mercy, for which not long since wee would have given all the world and our soules too: And therefore doth he cast unto us our accounts, he lets us thereby see what they were, and what he hath done, that wee may confesse our error for not answering great mercy with [Page 331] great thankfulnesse.

But perhaps you will in­quire, Ob. What if we our selves for our part be the cause of re­viving of former guilt and sting of former sins?

I answer, If it be by way of Sol. humiliation, to seek the par­don, and to make confession to the God of mercy, and to get victory over them, this should no way discourage us; for this is no more hurt or prejudice to the soule, then the after laying open of the wound to the Chi­rurgion to dresse and cure it, is prejudiciall to the safety and welfare of the body.

But if it be by way of com­mission, either by relapsing in­to the same sins, or multiply­ing of sinne in another kinde, (both which will dig up again our buried and fore-past guilts) then I know no way of peace and safety, no way to allay these renewed accusations [Page 332] and stings, but by renewed sorrow and repentance. And verily what I delivered unto you heretofore about recovery from relapsing, that is the course presently to be taken here: O let us haste in before the Lord with hearts trickling down with tears of bloud, for old and present wounds: the very abundance of sorrow, the bitternesse of griefe, the art of self-affliction, I cannot say that sorrow of sorrow, that hatred of hatred, that indignation of indignation, that revenge of revenge, that repentance of re­pentance, which are here ne­cessarily required, and that too with longest continuance. Doe what thou wilt, shuffle off, cut to thy selfe a peace, thou shalt never have it, thy sinnes shall ever and anon gall, and vexe, and wound thee, untill thou hast renewed thy bitternesse of most humbled sorrow for [Page 333] renewing thy filthinesse and basenesse of thy audacious sin­ning.

But then suppose, that Satan Ob. through his malicious art doth revive our former guilt by his accusations, for our greater in­terruption and disquietment; what is now to be done?

I will shew you here briefly Sol. two things:

1. One is, how you may know that the reviving of for­mer guilt be from Satan or no.

2. Another is, what is then to be done by us.

1. You may know that How to know whether Satan re­vives for­mer sins. your sins are revived by Sa­tan, from two effects.

1. One is from the despe­rate issues of their reviving: you may know whether a man be a friend, or a malicious ene­my, who doth revive the er­rors and failings amongst men; a friend, hee revives [Page 334] them that you may be bette­red either to reforme, if the thing be evill, or to be circum­spect whether the thing be true or false; but the malicious enemy he revives them, onely to make you odious and loath­some. Now Satans reviving of former sins is ever odious, it is of evill, for evill, his end is desperate: What is that? That is, that we might give up all possible interests in mercy, all hope of pardon and accep­tance. Whence it is, where he revives sins, former sins, hee bends the heart to some pre­sent mischiefe, to renounce all hope of mercy, and to selfe­murder, and such desperate issues; both which are against the ends of God, and the de­sires of an holy heart; which upon their reviving of sinne, doe ever propose mercy and betterment unto the soule.

2. Another is from the fil­thy [Page 335] issues, which is this: Hee revives the sting of sinne, that he may make us more bold and mad in sinning: He re­vives sin unto sin, there is no hope of mercy, of recovery, therefore as good to goe on as not: Whence he inclines the heart to a leaping into the wa­ter, to a wallowing in the mire, to a greedinesse in the course of sinning; which hee doth the more easily win from the evill hearts of evill men, by those temporary allay­ments and cessations of sting­ing guilt, which they observe in themselves, by their furi­ousnesse, constant, and hard­ning revolutions or exercise of the same sins.

So that, if you whose hearts are tender, have been hum­bled for former sins, and are so upright as still to hate them, if former g [...]ilts be revived with an inclination either to [Page 336] give up all mercy, or to give over your selves now with li­centiousnesse to the same or other sins; here is Satan in this, Satan now revives thy guilt, and now another course is to be taken.

2. The course then is this, and I beseech you mark it;

1. Strengthen thy heart with more detestations of the sins: The more he revives the guilty accusation, the more doe thou revive thy upright detestations: And as he poures out malice to disturb thy con­science, so doe thou poure out revenge to sub due the grounds of it: And if he vexeth thee, doe thou goe and vexe thy sinnes.

2. Beleeve not a malicious Thy case is not wic­ked, be­cause a wicked devill saith so. accuser: Satan doth oft times serve a Writ in the Kings name, without the Kings seale; he forgives where God doth not, and he binds where God [Page 337] hath released: And this know, It is God that justifieth, who then shall condemne? If the King him­selfe hath pardoned thee, how unjust is it for the under-offi­cer to arrest and challenge?

3. But in case of frequent inquietations, when Satan will not be answered, but still char­geth, now make thine appeale The Chri­stian must appeale. from him to God; and if he charge thee in the Court of Conscience, remove it wisely to the higher court of heaven; let God once more have the hearing, and the deciding. And now Satan, what hast thou to say unto me? Thou hast sinned heretofore, (saith Satan) and thy Judge doth know the truth of this indict­ment. I have (Satan) I confesse it, and my God doth know the truth of my sorrow and repen­tance. Lord, dost thou not know my teares, my retur­nings, my judgings of my self, [Page 338] my feeling of mercy & grace? Lord thou hast knowne it, and hast knowne my soule with thy pardoning and accepting mercy.

4. Rest the soule and fasten it unto the bloud of Christ, which will alwayes cry downe the testimonies and clamours of guilt; Nothing but that wil satisfie God, and vanquish Sa­tan; and then by faith, not onely lay hand on mercy, but hold out the stability of mer­cy. The Kings pardon will serve twenty years hence in case of suit. Satan may often trouble & question, but Gods accepting of thee into mercy, will (I am sure, it may) quiet and uphold thee.

14. The last spring of doub­tings, was, silence in the con­science, long silence there.

For the closing of this spring, and with it, this sub­ject of doubtings, observe [Page 339] these particulars in a word.

• 1. The speech of consci­ence, what that is.
• 2. The speechlesnesse of conscience, what and how.
• 3. To make conscience speak againe, what required.
• 4. To support our selves in the times of its silence, what can and may.

1. The speech of consci­ence: The speech of consci­ence, what This is no more then its testimony for us, or against us; for conscience is intimate with our secret frames, and intenti­ons, and motives, and actions: By its naturall light it can tell much, by implanted light more, by renewed and sancti­fied light, most of all Now the speech of conscience for us, is nothing else but an approbati­on of our estate, answerable to the Word, acquiting us against all feares and objections that we are the sons of God, that we are truly changed, that we sin­cerely [Page 340] love him, beleeve in Christ, and walk before him: for really the voice of Consci­ence is but the eccho of the voice of the Word, and saith that unto us touching our par­ticular, what the Word deli­vers in the generall. Its voice is but the Assumption, and the voice of the Word is but the Proposition: The Word saith, that should be; and Consci­ence saith, here it is: The Word requires such and such things in a man to be saved, and who is in favour with God, and Conscience brings them out, and answers for the person.

2. The speechlesnesse, or si­lence The speechles­nesse of conscience what it is. of conscience, is the sus­pension of its determining and acquiting acts touching our estate in generall, or touching some particular doubts: Some­times conscience calls upon us, and sometimes we call upon [Page 341] conscience. In matters of di­rection to practise or forbea­rance, we usually heare a reall and inward word, Do it not, or, Thou mayst do it: In after doubts we call upon consci­ence for its testimony, In the uprightnesse of my heart did I it, and my conscience doth beare me witnesse.

Now of all the silences of conscience, that is heaviest which befalls us in our spiri­tuall combats and tryals; wherein our gracious conditi­on is questioned, but cannot be issued, because conscience holds up, and doth not testifie for us by any sensible approba­tion and acquitance, which is caused diversly.

1. Sometimes through par­ticular Silence in conscience diversly caused. mis-behaviours against the directing voice of consci­ence, these hold in the acqui­ting voice of conscience, for conscience will not speak for [Page 342] us, if we presume to sinne against it.

2. Sometimes through dis­regard to the voice of God in the Ministery; for Conscience takes not that well, which the Word takes ill: and therefore God doth usually make us know our neglects of his Word, by the silences of our consciences: And assuredly something is ordinarily a­misse, when Conscience speaks unto us neither good nor bad.

3. Sometimes Conscience is silent, to make us look high­er then Conscience, and that wee might know there is a higher Court to which wee must make our addresses.

4. Sometimes Conscience is silent, to make us see upon what bottomes our faith is grounded, whether we can be­leeve, because God saith, as well as rejoyce, because Con­science speaketh.

3. But to make Conscience speak, what must we doe? We have had its gracious testimo­nies, by which we have been much comforted and suppor­ted: How shall we recover it to speech againe?

I answer,

1. Speak to God, and then The waies to recover conscience to spee [...]h againe. God may speak to Consci­ence, and Conscience will speak to thee. God hath a greater command over Con­science, then it hath over us: It is with God and Consci­ence, as with a King and his Courtiers, let the King speake kindly to a Petitioner, the Courtiers will then imbrace him lovingly: and indeed Conscience will carry Gods face, and expresse his dispositi­ons of love: Therefore this doe, speak to the Lord, 1. To shew thee the cause of Consci­ences silence. 2. To give thee the testimony of his owne [Page 344] Spirit, which will draw with it againe the testimony of thine owne conscience, Rom. 8. 16.

2. Speak to duty: Be sure thou doe not displease Con­science: If thou hast, repent, and adde no more to make Conscience displeased, or si­lent.

4. But how may we support our selves in the times of si­lence?

I answer, thou mayst com­fort thy selfe, if

1. The Word can approve thee: the testimony of the Word is ever open, though that of Conscience be not: What is the reason? Because men may have a constant audience and tryall of their estates. And take one thing by the way, If the Word (which is alwayes open and speaking) if it acquits thee, Conscience (though now si­lent, whensoever it speakes) will cleare thee.

[Page 345]2. Thou hast and dost ap­prove the Word: How is that? That is, If the Word be thy rule, thy light, by which thou hast and dost walk: for when Conscience comes to speak, it gives its sentence from the Word, (by which thou wal­kest) and of thy frame and course which thou preservest in an upright answerablenesse to the directions of the Word.