CHAP. I. Shewing that beleevers may in this life attain unto a Well-grounded As­surance of their everlasting happiness, and blessedness.

FIrst, The ground on which the Apostle Paul builds his Assurance, is not any special Revelation, but such a foundation as is common to all Beleevers, as cleerly ap­pears in that Rom. 8. 32, 33, 34. Hee that spared not his owne Sonne, but deli­vered Rom. 8. 32, 33, 34. him up for us all; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of [Page 2] Gods elect? it is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that dyed, yea rather that is risen againe, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. It is cleer from these words, that this blessed A­postleImmediate Re­velations are fleeting & in­constant, and therefore men had need be carefull how they build up­on them. had not that glorious Assurance that he speaks of in the two last verses of this Chapter, by immediate Reve­lation, for he concludes it from such arguments as are generall, or common to all the godly; and therefore it roundly follows, that beleevers may in this life attain unto a Well-grounded Assurance of their everlasting happi­nesse, and blessednesse. So Hezekiahs assurance did spring from a principle that is common to all beleevers, 2 King. 20. 3. Ergo.

Secondly, It is the very scope and end of the Scripture, to help beleevers to a well-grounded Assurance of their everlasting happinesse, and blessed­nesse. These things (saith John) have I written unto you that beleeve on the name 1 Joh 5. 13. of the Sonne of God, that yee may know that yee have eternal life. These pre­ciousTit 1. 2. soules did beleeve, and they had eternal life, in respect of the [Page 3] promise of eternal life, and in re­spectEph. 2. 6. of Christ their head (who had taken up their roomes aforehand in heaven, and who as a publick personSurely glory is nothing else but a bright constellation of grace; hap­pinesse, is no­thing but the quintessence of holiness [...]. doth represent all his people) and they had eternal life in respect of the be­ginnings of it; for what is grace but glory begun? and what is glory, but grace perfected? Grace is Glory in the bud, and Glory is Grace at the full. Now though they had eternal life in all these respects, yet they did not know it; though they did be­leeve, yet they did not beleeve, that they did beleeve; therefore the A­postle in those precious Epistles of his, doth make it his businesse by variety and plenty of arguments to helpe all, but especially such as are weak in the faith, to a Well-grounded Assurance of their eternal welfare.

It is the very drift and design of theGregory calls the Scripture (Cor & animam Dei) the heart and soule of God. whole Scripture to bring souls first to an acquaintance with Christ, and then to an acceptance of Christ, and then to build them up in a sweet assurance of their actual interest in Christ; which made Luther to say, That hee would not live in Paradise if he might, [Page 4] without the word, but with the word, he could live in hell it selfe.Adoro plenitu­dinem Scriptura­rum, I adore the fulnesse of the Scripture. Ter­tul. No Histories are comparable to the Histories of the Scripture; First, For Antiquity; Secondly, For Rarity; Thirdly, For Variety; Fourthly, For Brevity; Fifthly, For Perspicuity; Sixtly, For Harmony. And seventhly, For Verity. The Word evidences truth, it evinces falshood; it fights against folly; it opens the bowels of mercy, and it assures beleeving soules of eter­nal felicity. That is a precious wordHeb. 6. 18. Assurance produces such strong conso­lations, as swal­lows up all worldly griefs, As Moses Ser­pent did the Sorcerers Ser­pents, or as the fire doth the fuel. in that Heb. 6. 18. God hath given us his word, his oath, his seale, that our consolation may be strong, and that our salvation may bee sure. Now what comfort can a beleever have without Assurance. It is the assurance of my interest in the land of Canaan, in Gospel cordials, in precious pro­mises, and in a precious Christ that comforts and delights my soul. It is not enough to raise strong consolation in my soul, barely to know that there are Mines of gold, mountaines of pearle, heaps of treasures, a land flowing with milke and honey; but it is the know­ledge of my interest in these that [Page 5] raises joy in my soule. To know that there are such things, and that I have no interest in them, is rather a vexa­tion,Non in hono­rum cognitione, sed fruitione. then a consolation to me. To know that there is a feast of choisest Delicates, but not a taste for me, that there are pleasant fountaines and streames, but I must perish for thirst in a wildernesse; to know that there are royall Robes for such and such, but I must dye in my rags; to know that there is a pardon for such and such, but I must be turned off the lad­der of life; to know that there is pre­ferment for such and such, but I must still lie with Lazarus at Dives doore; such knowledge as this may well adde to my vexation, but it will not adde to my consolation. It was rather matter of sorrow, then joy to the menSpira cryed our, Christ is to me a grief, a torment, because I de­spised him, I rejected him, and I have no part in him. of the old world, to know that there was an Arke, when they were shut out, and to the Israelites to know that there was a Brazen-serpent set up whereby others were cured, when they died with the stinging of the Fiery serpents. So how can it comfort mee to know that there is peace in Christ, and pardon in Christ, and righteous­nesse [Page 6] in Christ, and riches in Christ, and happinesse in Christ, &c. for o­thers, but not for me. Ah, this know­ledgePsal. 15. Ps. 24. Ps 119. Ps. 1, 2, 3 will rather be a hell to torment me, then a ground of joy and comfort to me. But now God hath in the Scrip­ture discovered, who they are that shal be eternally happy, and how they may reach to an assurance of their felicity and glory; which made One to say, That he would not take all the worldLuther. for one leafe of the Bible. The Bible is a Christians Magna Charta, his chiefe evidence for heaven. Men highly prize, and carefully keep their Charters, Priviledges, Conveyances, and Assurances of their Lands: And shall not the Saints much more highly prize, and carefully keep in the closet of their hearts, the precious word of God, which is to them instead of all assurances for their maintenance,Psal. 119, 11. & 12. verses compared. deliverance, protection, confirma­tion, consolation, and eternall salvation.

Thirdly, Other beleevers have in an ordinary way attained to a sweet assurance of their everlasting happi­nesse, and blessednesse. Wee know [Page 7] (saith the Apostle in the name of the2 Cor. 5. 1, 2. Saints) that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, wee have a building of God, [...]n house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; for in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be cloathed upon with our house, which is from Nec Christus, nee C [...]lum, pati­tur hyperbolem Neither Christ nor heaven, hyperbolized. heaven. Their assurance sets them in triumph upon the Throne. We have a house, a house above, a house in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens: Wee have a house, a heavenly house, a house made by the greatest wisdom, and the highest Love, a house that for honour, plea­sures, riches, safety, stability, glory, and perpetuity, transcends all the royal Pallaces in the world. It is a house not made with hands, but e­ternal in the heavens. So the ChurchCan. 2. 16. in that Solomons Song, 2. 16. My be­loved is mine, and I am his. I know sayes the Spouse, that Jesus Christ is mine; I can with the greatest confi­dence,Eph. 1. 22, 23. 1 Cor. 1. 30. c. 6. 26. Ps. 110. 3. Joh. 10. 29. Joh. 5. 16. Ezek. 16, 8. Hos. 2. 19, 20, and boldnesse affirme it, hee is my head, my husband, my Lord, my Redeemer, my Justifier, my Saviour; And I am his. I am as sure that I am his, as I am sure that I live. I am his [Page 8] by purchase, and I am his by conquest, I am his by donation, and I am his by election, I am his by covenant, and I am his by marriage; I am wholly his, I am peculiarly his, I am universally his, I am eternally his: This I well know, and the knowledge thereof is my joy in life, and my strength and crown in death. So the Church in that Isa. Jsa. 63. 16 vide Calvin. Psal. 73. 25, 26. Psal. 19. 94. Job 19. 25. Ioh. 20. 28. 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Is­rael acknowledge us not: Thou, O Lord, art our Father, and our Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting. David could say, The Lord is my portion for ever; And at another time he could sweetly sing it out, I am thine, save me. Job could looke through the darkest cloud, and see that his Redeemer lives. Thomas cryes out, My Lord, and my God; And Paul trumpets it out, That nothing Rom. 8. 38. 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. should separate him from the love of Christ; and that he had fought a good fight, and finished his course, and that there was Quicquid fie [...]i potuit, potest, that which hath been done, may be done. laid up for him a crowne of Righteous­nesse. By what hath been said, it clearly appears that other beleevers have obtained assurance in an ordinary way, and therefore beleevers now [Page 9] may attain to a sweet assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse. Certainly, God is as loving, and his bowels of compassion are as strong to­wardsHeb. 13. 8. Rev. 1. 8. 11. Plato, a hea­then saith, that God is one and the same, and always like himself. Beleevers now, as ever they were to Beleevers of old; and it makes as much for the honour of God, the lifting up of Christ, the stopping of the mouthes of the wicked, and the rejoycing of the hearts of the righte­ous, for God to give assurance now, as it did for God to give it then.

Fourthly, God hath by promise en­gaged himselfe to assure his people of their happinesse, and blessednesse, The Psal. 84. 11. Antiochus pro­mised often, but seldome gave; but God gives as much, and as often as he promiseth, he hath a kings heart, as wel as a kings purse. Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke uprightly. If hee will with-hold no good thing, then certainly he will not alwayes with­hold assurance, which is the great good thing, the only thing, the chie­fest thing, the peculiar thing that be­leevers seek after. So in that thirty fourth of Ezek. 30, 31. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel are my people, saith the Lord God. And yee my flock, the flock of my pasture, [Page 10] are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God. So in that, John 14. 21. 23. He that hath my Commandements, and keep­eth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my Nil Deo diffi [...]ilo there is no­thing hard for God. Tully an hea­then frequent­ly called God (optimum maxi­mum) the best and greatest. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Plato called God the Horn of plenty, and the Ocean of beauty, with­ou [...] the least spot of inju­stice. Isa. 64 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Psal. 21. 3. Isa. 65. 24. selfe to him. If any man love me (saith Christ) he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come un­to him, and make our abode with him. Now hath the Lord spoken it, and shall it not come to passe? Men say, and un­say, they eate their words as soon as they have spoken them: but will God do so? Surely no, Hee is faithful that hath promised. All the Promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, that is, they are stable and firme, and shall really be made good. The Promises are a precious Book, every leaf drops Myrrhe and Mercie: Therefore, set down and suck at these brests, warme thy self at this fire: God hath been always as good as his word; yea, hee hath sometimes been better then his word; he hath ever performed, and he hath over performed; hee promised the children of Israel only the Land of Canaan, but he gave them, besides the [Page 11] whole Land of Canaan, two other Kingdoms which hee never promised. Ah! how often hath God prevented us with his blessings? and hath givenVi [...]es reports of a Jew, that having gone o­ver a deep ri­ver on a nar­row planck, in a dark night, & comming the next day to see what danger he had escaped, fell down dead with astonish­ment. Ah the astonishing mercies that we have had in these late yeers. us in such mercies, as have been as far beyond our hopes as our deserts? How hath God in these dayes of darknesse and blood, gone beyond the prayers, desires, hopes, and confidences of his people in this Land? and beyond what we could read in the Book of the Pro­mises. Satan promises the best, but payes with the worst: hee promises honour, and pays with disgrace; hee promises pleasure, and pays with pain; he promises profit, and pays with losse; he promises life, and pays with death: But God pays as he promises, all his payments are made in pure gold; there­fore take these promises wherein God hath engaged himself to assure thee of his love, and spread them be­fore the Lord, and tell him, that it makes as well for his honour as thy comfort, for his glory as for thy peace, that he should assure thee of thy ever­lasting happinesse and blessednesse.

Fifthly, There is in all the Saints the springs of assurance; and therefore they [Page 12] may attain to assurance: precious Faith is one spring of assurance, and this is in all the Saints, though in different de­grees, [...]. Obtained by lo [...]. I may say of Faith, as Luther says of Prayer, it hath a kind of Omnipoten­cy in it, it is a­ble to do all things Est quae­dam omnipoten­tia pre [...]um. Tantum possu­mus, quantum credimus, Cyp. 2 Pet. 1. 1. Simon Peter, a Ser­vant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousnesse of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Faith in time will of its own accord raise and advance it self to assurance. Faith is an appropriating grace, it looks upon God, and saith with David, this God is my God for ever and ever, and hee shall be my guide unto the death. It lookes upon Christ, and saith with the Spouse, I am my Beloveds, and his de­sire is towards me. It looks upon an im­mortall crowne and saith with Paul, Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse. It looks upon the righ­teousnesse of Christ, and saith, this righteousnesse is mine to cover me: It looks upon the Mercy of Christ, and saith, this mercy is mine to pardon me: It looks upon the Power of Christ, and saith, this power is mine to sup­port me: It looks upon the Wisdome of Christ, and saith, this wisdome is mine to direct me: It looks upon the [Page 13] blood of Christ, and sayes, this blood is mine to save me, &c.

As Faith, so Hope is another spring of Assurance, Col. 1. 27. Christ in you (saith Paul) the hope of glory. So Heb. 6. 19. which hope wee have as an anchor of the soule, both sure and stedfast, and which entreth into that within the vaile. Hope taketh fast hold upon heaven it selfe, upon the sanctum san­ctorum. A Christians hope is not like that of Pandora, which may flye outA Saints motio is, Spero meliora, the hypocrites hope is like the morning dew, Job 8. 13, 14. Iob 20. 11. Prov. 7. of the box, and bid the soule fare­well, as the hope of the hypocrites do; no, it is like the morning light, the least beame of it shall commence into a compleat Sun-shine, it shall shine forth brighter and brighter till per­fect day. When Alexander went upon a hopefull expedition, hee gave away his gold, and when he was asked what he kept for himselfe, he answer­ed (Spem majorum & meliorum) the hope of greater and better things. So a Christian will part with any thing rather then with his hope; hee knows that hope will keep the heart both from aking, and breaking, from fainting, and sinking; he knowes that [Page 14] hope is a beame of God, a sparke of glory, and that nothing shall extinguish it, till the soul bee filled with glory. Soules that are big in hope, will not be long without sweet assurance. God loves not to see the hopeing soule go alwayes up and downe sighing, and mourning for want of a good word from heaven, for want of possessing what it hopes in time to enjoy: hold out hope and patience, a little, little longer, and he that hath promised toHeb. 10. 37. [...]. come, will come, and will not tarry.

Againe, a good conscience is ano­ther spring of assurance, 2 Cor. 1. 12.Tolle conscien­tiam, Tolle om­nia. For our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God, we have had our con­versation in the world, and more abun­dantly Conscientia pura semper secura. to you wards. So in that 1 Joh. 3. 21. Beloved, if our heart condemne us not, then have we confidence towards God. A good conscience hath sure confi­dence; he that hath it, sits, Noah-like, in the midst of all combustions and distra­ctions, sincerity, and serenity, up­rightnesse and boldnesse; a good con­science, and a good confidence go to­gether. [Page 15] What the probationer Dis­ciple said to our Saviour in that Mat. 8. 19. Master, I will follow thee whither­soever It is a notable speech of Salvī. Such as are truly blessed in their owne consciences, cannot be mi­serable by the false judge­ments of o­thers. thou goest; that a good conscience sayes to the beleeving soule, I will follow thee from duty to duty, from ordinance to ordinance; I will stand by thee, I will strengthen thee, I wil uphold thee, I wil be a comfort to thee in life, and a friend to thee in death; though all should leave thee, yet I will never forsake thee: A good con­science will look through the blackest clouds, and see a smiling God. Looke as an evill conscience is attended with the greatest fears and doubts; so a good conscience is attended with theInnocency is bulwark e­nough if you be not guilty, saith Seneca. greatest clearnesse and sweetnesse; And as there is no hell in this world to an evill conscience, so there is no heaven in this world to a good conscience; He that hath a good conscience, hath one of the choysest springs of Assu­rance. And it will not be long before God will whisper such a man in the eare, and say unto him, Son be of good Matth. 9. 2. chear, thy sinnes be forgiven thee.

Again, real Love to the Saints is another spring of Assurance, and this [Page 16] spring is a never failing spring; this spring is in the weakest, as wel as in the strongest Saints. Joh. 3. 14. Wee know [...], to know certainly we are as cer­tain of it, as we are certain that we live. that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren; hee that lo­veth not his brother, abideth in death. The Apostle doth not say, we thinke, we hope, &c. that we are translated from death to life; but we know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren: Love to the brethren, is not the cause of our passing from death to life, that is, from a natural state, to a spiritual state; from hell to heaven, but an evidence thereof. I confesse it is very sad to consider how this precious stream of love is even dried up in many. It was wont to be a Proverb, (Homo ho­mini Deus) One man is a God to ano­ther: But now it may bee truly said, (Homo homini Daemon) One man is aOr Homo homi­ni Leo, one man is a Lion to another. Devil to another. Hee that wants love to his brethren, wants one of the sweetest springs from whence As­surance flowes. A greater hell I would not wish any man, then to live, and not to love the beloved of God.

Now is it not as easie a thing as it is pleasant, for a man that hath severall sweet Springs in his Garden, to sitJoh. 4. 14. down, draw water, and drinke. O be­leeving souls there are Springs, there are Wels of living water not only nearGen. 21. 15. to the 19. ver. you, but in you; why then doe you with Hagar sit down sorrowing, and weeping, when you should be a tast­ing, or a drinking, not only of the springs above you, but also of the springs within you. A man that hathGal. 5. 22, 23 fruit in his Garden may both delight his eye, and refresh his spirit with tasting of it; certainly we may both eye and taste the fruits of the Spirit in us, they being the first fruits of eternall life; I thinke none but mad souls will say, that grace is that forbidden fruit that God would have us neitherCol. 1 27 Solomons Song, 1. 5. Solomons Song, 4. 7. Psal. 45. 13. see, nor taste; we ought not so to minde a Christ in heaven, as not to minde Christ in us the hope of glory: Christ would not have his Spouse so to minde her owne blacknesse, as to forget that she is all faire and glorious within.

Sixthly, The Holy Ghost exhorts us to give all diligence to make our cal­ling [Page 18] and election sure, and presses us to looke to the obtaining of a full assu­rance, therefore Beleevers may attaine unto an assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse. Wherefore 2 Pet. 1. 10. the rather Brethren (saith the Apostle) give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you doe these things you shall never fall. The Greeke word [...] Vide Beza and Jansen. Luther saith, he had rather obey, then work Miracles. translated, give diligence, signifieth two things; 1. All possible haste and speed; 2. All manner of seriousness and intention in doing; make it your maine businesse, your chiefest study, your grea­test care, to make your calling and election sure, saith the Apostle; when this is done, your all is done, till this be done, there is nothing done: and to shew the necessity, utility, excellency, and pos­sibility of it, the Apostle puts a rather upon it, wherefore the rather give all [...] firme or stable; God loves curristas, not quaeristas, the runner, not the questioner; he is taken most with them that are more for motion then notion, for do­ing then talk­ing. diligence to make your calling and e­lection sure; or as it is in the Origi­nall, firme, or stable; it is the one thing necessary, it is of an internal and eter­nal concernment, to make firme and sure work for your souls. Assurance is a jewel of that worth, a pearle of that price, that he that wil have it, must [Page 19] work and sweat, and weep and wait to obtaine it; he must not only use dili­gence, but he must use all diligence; not only digge, but he must dig deep, before he can come to this golden Mine. Assurance is that white stone, that new name, that hidden Manna, that none can obtaine, but such as labour for it as for life; Assurance is such preci­ous gold, that a man must win it before he can wear it: win gold and wear gold is the language both of heaven & earth.

The Riches, Honours, Languages,Psal. 127. 1, 2. Luk. 5. 5. Prov. 14. 23 and favours of this world cannot bee obtained without much trouble and travell, without rising early, and go­ing to bed late, &c. and do you think that assurance, which is more worth then heaven and earth, can be obtained by cold, lazie, heart-lesse services, if you doe, you doe but deceive your own soules. There are five things that GodQui fecit te sine te, non salvabit t [...] sine te. Aug. wil never sell at a cheap rate, Christ, Truth, his Honour, Heaven, and Assu­rance; he that wil have these must [...]ay a good price for them, or goe for ever without them.

And as Peter exhorts you to give all [...]iligence to make your calling and election [Page 20] sure. So Paul presseth you to looke to the obtaining of full assurance, which does clearly evidence, that there is a possibility of attaining unto a full as­surance of our happinesse and blessed­nesse in this life. And we desire (saithHeb. 6. 11. 12 Vide Calvin and Piscator on the text. Praecepta decent, exempla mo­vent. Precepts may instruct, but examples doe perswade, See from the 13. vers. to the 19 ver. of this chapter. the Apostle) that every one of you doe shew the same diligence, to the full assu­rance of hope unto the end, that yee be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherite the Promises. We must not only strive after assu­rance, but we must strive and shew all diligence to the attaining of that rich and full assurance which wil scatter all feares and doubts, which wil make a soule patient in waiting, couragious in doing, and cheerful in suffering, and which wil make a heaven in a mans heart on this side heaven, and make him goe singing into Paradise in de­spight of all calamities and miseries. And certainly it can never stand with the holinesse, righteousnesse, faithful­nesse, and goodnesse of God, to put his people upon making their callingIt was a good saying, [...]a quod ju [...]es & jube quod vis. and election sure, and upon obtaining full assurance, if there were not a pos­sibility of obtaining a full and well­grounded [Page 21] assurance of their happinesse and blessedness in this life, and there­fore it doth undeniably follow that they may attaine unto a blessed assu­rance of their felicity and glory, whilst they are in this vale of misery. The contrary opinion we make a mans life a hell here, though he should escape a hel hereafter.

Seventhly, The Lord hath (in much mercy and love) propounded in his Word the wayes and meanes whereby Beleevers may obtain a wel­grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness, and there­fore it may be obtained; take three Scriptures to evidence this: The first is in that, 2 Pet. 1. chap. 5-13. if you2 Pet. 1. ch. 5. 13. turne to the words, you shal finde that the Lord does not only presse them to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, but he shewes them plainly the way, and meanes whereby this may be done, namely, by adding to your faith, vertue, and to vertue know­ledge, &c. The second Scripture is1 Cor. 11. 28 that, in the 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of that bread, and drinke of that cup. By [Page 22] examination, the Soule comes to see what right it hath to Christ, and all the precious things of his House, and beleevingly to eate so of that Bread of Life, of that heavenly Manna, as that it may live for ever. The third Scripture is that, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Exa­mine 2 Cor. 13. 5. [...], as the Gold­smith does the gold in the fire. [...], i. e. unapproved, or counterfeit, not reprobates, as it is translated. vide Gr [...]tius. your selves whether yee be in the faith, prove your selves, know yee not your owne selves how that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates? or unapproved, or rejected; by a serious examination of a mans owne estate, he may know whether he hath faith or not, whe­ther he be Christs Spouse, or the De­vils strumpet, whether there bee a worke of grace upon his heart or not; and certainly it cannot stand with the glorious wisdome, unspotted righte­ousness, and transcendent holiness of God, to put men upon the use of suchE [...]od. 15. 11. and such meanes, in order to the ob­taining of such an end, if that end could not be obtained by the use of the meanes prescribed. Man, that hath but a sparke of that wisdome, righte­ousnesse,Job 38. 5. 5. 18. 21. 33. verses compa­red. and holinesse that is in God, wil not put any upon the use of such o [...] such meanes for the obtaining of [Page 23] health, wealth, or the like, unlesse there be a proper tendency in the use of those means prescribed to reach suchAbstracts do better expresse God, then con­cretes, and ad­jectives. ends; and will God, who is wisdome, righteousnesse, and holiness in the ab­stract? Surely no: God is one in­finite perfection in himselfe, which is eminently, and virtually all perfecti­ons of the creatures; and therefore it is impossible that God should act below the creature; which he should do if he should put the creature upon the use of those meanes that would not reach the ends, for which the means were used. Thus you cleerly see by this seventh Argument, that beleevers may in this life attain to a Well-ground­ed Assurance of their everlasting hap­piness, and blessedness.

Eightly, It was the principal end of Christs institution of the Sacra­ment of the Supper, that he might assure them of his love, and that hee might seale up to them the forgive­nesseMatth. 26, 27, 28. of their sinnes, the acceptation of their persons, and the salvation of their soules. The nature of a Seale is to make things sure and firme amongDan. 6 8. Mat. 27. 66. men; So the Supper of the Lord is [Page 24] Christs Broad-seal; it is Christs Privy­seale, whereby he seals and assures his people, that they are happy here, that they shall be more happy hereafter, that they are everlastingly beloved of God, that his heart is set upon them, that their names are written in the2 Tim. 4. 8. Book of life, That there is laid up for them a crowne of righteousnesse, and that nothing shall be able to separate them from him▪ who is their light, their life, theirCol 3. 11. crowne, their all in all. In this Sacra­ment Christ comes forth, and shews his love, his heart, his bowels, his blood, that his children may no longer say, Doth the Lord Jesus love us? doth he delight in us, &c? but that they may say with the Spouse, I am my be­loveds, Ca [...]. 7. 10. [...] and his desire is towards me. Many precious Christians there are, that have laine long under fearesHis desirous affection is to­wards me, as the wive [...] is towards her dearest hus­band. So the Hebrew word signifies. and doubts, sighing and mourning, and that have run from Minister to Mini­ster, and from one duty to another, &c. and yet could never be perswaded of the love of Christ to their poor soules, but still their fears and doubts have followed them, till they have waited upon the Lord in this glorious [Page 25] Ordinance, by which the Lord hath assured them of the remission of their sins, and the salvation of their soules. In this Ordinance God hath givenRev 2. 17. them mannah to eat, and a white stone, and new name, which no man know­eth, but he that receiveth it. Tell me, you precious beleeving souls, whether you have not found God in this Or­dinance, often whispering of you in the ear, saying, Sons and daughters be of Mat. 9. 2. good cheer, your sinnes are forgiven you? I know you have.

Those Scriptures that do expresly require Saints to be abundant, and constant in rejoycing, and in praising of God, to have alwayes harps in theirNulla verior miseria qu [...]m falsa laetitia, there is no [...]uer misery then false joy [...]. hands, and Hallelujahs in their mouths, doe clearly evidence that beleevers may attaine to a well-grounded Assu­rance in this life. How can they re­joyce and glory in God, that doe not know whether hee will bee an everlasting friend, or an ever­lasting enemy to them, whether hee will alwayes breath out love, or wrath upon them; how can theyPsal. 13 7. 2. but hang their harps on the Willows that do not know, but that they may [Page 26] live in a strange land, yea in a land of darknesse) all their dayes? How can they be cheerful, or thankful, that doe not know but that they may at last heare that heart-breaking, that con­science-wounding, that soul-slaying word, Depart from me ye cursed into ever­lasting Matth. 25. 4. It would even be an endlesse businesse to cite every Scripture wherein this duty is injoyn­ed. It is a duty that is much pressed in both Testaments, & as little pra­ctised by all whimpering Christians. fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels. Now there is no duty in the whole Book of God, that is more frequently and abundantly prest upon beleevers then this of joy and re­joycing, of praise and thanksgiving, as all know that know any thing of the Scripture, 1 Thess. 5. 16. Rejoyce evermore. God would not have his children alwayes a putting finger in the eye. Ah Christians, remember what Christ hath done for you, and what he is still a doing for you in heaven, and what hee will doe for you to all eternity, and spend your dayes in whining and mourning ifPsal. 32. 1. Psal. 33 11. The word no­teth a faire and comely grace, for which a thing is to bee liked and de­sired, Ainsw. you can, Ps. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous, & shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart, Psal. 33. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord, O ye Righteous; for praise is comely for the upright. Chri­stians, are not your mercies greater [Page 27] then your miseries? yes; is your grea­test sufferings comparable to the least spark of grace, or beam of glory revea­led in you, or to you? No: wil not oneAeterna erit exultatio qu [...] bono l [...]tatur aeter [...]o. Their joy lasts for e­ver, whose ob­ject remaines for ever. houres being in the bosome of Christ recompence you for all your trouble and travell? Yes; Why then doe you spend more time in sighing then in rejoycing, and why doe you by your not rejoycing, sad those precious hearts that God would not have sad­ded, and glad those graceless hearts that God would not have gladded.

A beautifull face is at all times pleasing to the eye, but then especi­ally when there is joy manifested in the countenance: joy in the face puts a new beauty, and makes that which before was beautifull to be exceeding beautifull, it puts a luster and glory upon beauty; so does joy in the face, heart, and life of a Christian, cast a generall splendor and glory upon him, and the wayes of God wherein hee walkes. The joy of the Lord is notNehem. 8. 10. only the strength, but also the beauty and glory of Christians.

Joy and rejoycing is a consequent and effect of assurance, as many belee­vers [Page 28] by experience finde, and there­foreMrs. Kath. Brettergh un­der the power of assurance cryes out, O the joyes, the joyes, the un­conceiveable joyes my heart is filled with. without all peradventure belee­vers may attaine unto a well-groun­ded assurance of their everlasting hap­piness, else it is impossible that they should rejoyce evermore; so that by this argument, as by the former, it clearly appeares, that beleevers may in this life be assured of their eternal wel being.

The tenth and last Argument to prove, that beleevers may in this life attaine to a well-grounded assurance, is this, That God would never have made such a broad difference in the Scripture between the seed of theGen. 3. 15. Ezeck. 18. Mat. 25. Mat. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Woman, and the seed of the Serpent, between the righteous and the wicked, between Saints and sinners, between Sons and Slaves, Sheepe and Goats, between Lions and Lambs, between Wheat and Chaffe, Light and Dark­ness, &c. if it were impossible for men to know which of these two e­states they are in: therefore they may know whether they are in a state of life, or in a state of death, in a state of misery, or in a state of felicity; inMat. 13. a state of wrath, or in a state of love. [Page 29] O it is much below the grace of God! it is repugnant to the wisdome of God, to make such a wide diffe­renceJoh. 8. 44. between his owne Children and Satans; if it were not possible for e­very Childe to know his owne Father, and his interest in him, Jer. 3. 19. And Jer. 3. 19. The Saints Motto is, Tam pius nemo, tam pater nemo; no Father is like our Father, Rom. 8. 15. I said, thou shalt call me, my Father, and shalt not turne away from me. Here God ingages himselfe that his people shall know him, account him, and acknow­ledge him for their Father. Thou shalt call me, my Father, Isa. 63. 16. Doubt­lesse thou art my Father, though Abra­ham be ignorant of us, and Israel ac­knowledge us not; thou O Lord art our Father, and Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting. The weakest Saint can say,Ioh. 14. 18. [...], God hath no childe so young but can more or lesse call him Father. Abba, Father; the Lord will not leave his Children comfortless, or as Orphans, and fatherless children, as it is in the Greek; though the salvati­on of beleevers doe not depend upon their knowledge of God to be their Father, yet their consolation does:Ier. 3. 4. We say he is a wise childe that knows his Father, such wise ones beleevers are. therefore the Lord wil not be only a Father to Israel, but he wil make Israel know that he is his Father, Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, [Page 30] my Father, thou art the guide of my youth? By these ten Arguments, it doth evi­dently appear, that beleevers may in this life attain unto a well-grounded Assurance of their everlasting hap­pinesse, and blessednesse. I shall ap­ply this a little, and then close up this Chapter.

Use. This precious truth thus pro­ved, looks sourely and wishly upon all those that affirme that beleevers can­not in this life attaine unto a certaine well-grounded Assurance of their ever­lasting happinesse and blessednesse: As Papists, and Arminians; all know that know their writings, and teachings, that they are in Armes against this Christ-exalting, and soule-cheering Doctrine of Assurance. I know no such thing, as Assurance of Heaven in this life, saith Greevinchovius, the Arminian. Assurance is a Pearle thatSensum electio­nis ad gloriam in hac vita nul­lam agnosco, Greevinchov. they trample under feet; it is a beame of Heaven that hath so much light, brightnesse, & shining glory in it, that their bleer eyes cannot behold it. As­surance is glory in the bud, it is the Suburbs of Paradise; it is a cluster of the land of Promise; it is a sparke of [Page 31] God; it is the joy and crowne of a Christian, the greater is their impiety and folly that deny assurance, that cry downe assurance under any names or notions whatsoever. They are rather tormenters then comforters, that say, poore souls may know, that there is a crowne of Righteousnesse, but they must not presume to know, that they shall have the honour to weare that Crowne: Is the surety of the New Co­venant growne so poor▪ Heb. 7. 22. 2. Is the promise now come to be yea and nay? 2 Cor. 1. 20. 3 Is the power of God growne so weak? 1 Pet. 1. 5. 4 Is the decreeing will of God become mutable, 2 Tim. 2. 19. 5 Is the free eternal, and everlast­ing love of God become changeable, Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 13. 1. that these things can be? Ezek. 13. 22. and that makes God like King Xerxes, who crowned his Steers­man in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the same day. Arminians are not ashamed to say that God may crowne a man one hour, and uncrowne him the next; they blush not to say that a man may bee happy and miserable under love, and under wrath, an heire of heaven, and a firebrand of hell, a childe of light, and a childe of darknesse, and all in an houre. O what miserable comforters are these? what is this, but to torment the weary soule? to dis­spirit the wounded spirit, and to make them most sad, whom God would have most glad. Ah, how sad is it for men to affirme, that wounded [Page 32] souls may know, That the Son of righ­teousnesse Mal. 4. 2. hath healing in his wings, but they cannot be assured that they shall bee healed. The hungry soule mayLuke 15. 17. know that there is bread enough in his Fathers house, but cannot know that he shall taste of that bread: The na­ked soule may know that Christ hathRev. 3. 18. Robes of righteousnes to cover al the spots, sores, defects, and deformities of it, but may not presume to know that Christ will put those royal Robes upon it: The impoverished soule may know that there bee unsearchableEph. 3. 8. [...], not to b [...] tra­ced out. riches in Christ, but cannot be assured that ever it shall partake of those riches; all that these men allow poore foules, is guesses, and conjectures that it may be well with them; they will not allow soules to say with Thomas, My Lord, and my God; nor with Job, to say, My Redeemer lives; nor withJoh. 20 28. Job 19. 25. Can. 7. 10. the Church, I am my beloveds, and his desire is towards mee: And so they leave soules in a cloudy, questioning, doubting, hovering condition, hanging like Mahomets Tomb at Mecha, between two Load▪ stones; or like Erasmus, as the Papists paint him, [Page 33] hanging betwixt heaven and hell. They make the poor soul (a magor missabib) a terrour to it selfe.

What more uncomfortable Do­ctrine then this? what more soule-dis­quieting, and soul-unsetling doctrine then this? Thou art this moment in a state of life, thou mayest the next mo­ment bee in a state of death; thou art now gracious, thou mayest the next houre be gracelesse: Thou art now in the promised Land, yet thou mayest dye in the wildernesse: Thou art to day a habitation for God, thou mayestThe heathens used to absolve men by giving them white stones, and condemn them by giving them black ones. tomorrow be a Synagogue of Satan: Thou hast to day received the White­stone of absolution, thou mayest tomorrow receive the Black-stone of condemnation. Thou art now in thy Saviours Arms, thou mayest tomor­row bee in Satans Paws: Thou art now Christs free man, thou mayest tomorrow bee Satans bond-man: Thou art now a vessel of honour, thou mayest suddenly become a vessel of wrath: Thou art now greatly be­loved, thou mayest soon be as greatly loathed▪ This day thy name is fairly written in the Book of life, tomor­row [Page 34] the Book may be crost, and thy name blotted out for ever. This is the Arminians doctrine; and if this bee not to keep soules in a doubting and trembling, and shivering condition, what is it? Well, Christians, Re­member this is your happinesse and blessednesse, That none can plucke you out of your Fathers hand; That you are kept (as in a Garrison, or as with a Guard) by the power of God through faith unto sal­vation: That the Mountains shall de­part, Ioh. 10. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. [...] kept safe, and fast as in a strong Garri­son. Isa. 54. 10. Heb. 7. 25. and the hils be removed, but the kindnesse of the Lord shall not depart from you, neither shall the Covenant of peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on you: That Christ ever lives to make intercession for you: And that men and devils are as able, and shall as soon make a world, dethrone God, pluck the Sun out of the Firmament, and Christ out of the bosom of the Fa­ther as they shall pluck a beleever out of the everlasting Arms of Christ, or rob him of one of his precious Jewels. I shall close up this Chapter, with anDeut. 33. 26, 27 Mal 3. 17. excellent saying of Luther. The whole Scripture, saith he, doth principally aime at this thing, that we should not doubt, but [Page 35] that we should hope, that we should trust, that we should beleeve, that God is a mer­ciful, a bountiful, a gracious, and a patient God to his people.

CHAP. II. Containing several weighty Propositions concerning Assurance.

THE first Proposition that I shall lay downe con­cerning Assurance, is this, That God denies Assu­rance for a time to his dearest and choysest ones, and that upon many considerable grounds.

As first, for the exercise of their grace; a gracious soule would alwayes be upon Mount Tabor, looking into Canaan, he would alwayes bee in his Fathers arms, and under his Fathers smiles, hee would alwayes bee in the Sun-shine of divine favour, hee would alwayes have the heavens open, thatTam pater nemo, tum pius nemo, Tertul. he might alwayes see his Christ and his Crowne, he would, with Peter, bee alwayes upon the Mount, hee is loath [Page 36] to walke through the valley of dark­nesse, through the valley of Baca. AsGen. 14. 21. If Saints should alwayes have Assurance, they would be too apt to say (bo­num est esse hic) it is good for us to be here. the King of Sodome said once to Abraham, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thy selfe. So gracious soules are apt to say, Give mee joy, give me peace, give me Assurance, and doe you take trials, afflictions, and temptations, to your selves. But pray what use would there be of the Starres, if the Sunne did alwayes shine? why none; why no more use would there bee of your graces, if Assurance should be alwayes continued; therefore the Lord for the exercise of his childrens faith, hope, patience, &c. is pleased (at least for a time) to deny them Assurance, though they seek it by earnest prayer, and with a flood of penitent tears.

Secondly, The Lord denies Assurance to his dearest ones, that he may keep them in the exercise of those Religious duties that are most costly, and contrary to flesh and blood, as to mourning, repenting, selfe-judging, selfe-loathing, selfe-abhorring, and selfe-searching; As that 1 Sam. 16. For these things I weep, mine eye, mine [Page 37] eye runneth downe with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soule, is far from me, Chap. 3. verse 2, 3. Hee hath led me, and brought me into darknesse, [...] not into light; Surely against me hee is Bring back my soule, or fetch again my soule i. e. Comfort, refresh, and rejoyce me as in former times. [...] turned, he turneth his hand against▪ mee all the day, verse 17. And thou hast re­moved my soule far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. Now what this sad dealings of God puts the Church upon, you may see in verse 40. Let us search and try our wayes, and turne again to the Lord: And if you look through­out [...] the book, you shall finde theThese two He­brew words are joyned toge­ther to inti­mate to us, that diligent nar­row and accu­rate enquiry that they should make into their wayes to search as men do into the bowels of the earth for the discovery of rich mines and treasures; Which made one of the Rabbins cry out, (veniat Messias at ego non videam) let the Messias come, but let not me see him. Church much in selfe-examining, selfe-judging, selfe-loathing, &c. upon this ground, That God had hid his face, and drawne a curtaine between him and them, and stood at a distance from them, and would not speak com­fortably, and friendly to them.

Now if you aske me why God will put his children upon those duties of Religion that are most costly and [Page 38] contrary to flesh and blood:

I answer first, That his strength and power may appear in their weaknesse, 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9.

2 To discover not onely the truth, but also the strength of their graces; a little grace will put a man upon those Religious duties that are easie, and pleasing to flesh and blood, and not chargeable, but rather profitable, and pleasureable, but it must bee strength of grace that puts a man upon those services that are costly and crosse to the Old man.

3 That they may bee more fully and eminently conformable to Christ their Head, who from first to last, who even from the cradle to the crosse was most exercised in those du­ties and services that were most costly and crosse to flesh and blood, as is most evident to all that study the wri­tings of the Holy Ghost, more then the writings of men.

4 Because in the performance of such duties they do in a more singular way bear up the name and credit, the ho­nour and glory of God, Christ and the Gospel in the world; the very [Page 39] world will cry out, Ah these are Christians indeed.

5 Because the more they are in the exercise of such duties, the grea­ter, at last, will be their reward.

6 That Satans plots, and designesHeb. 11. 7. may be the better prevented, and the wicked world more justly condemned, who doe not onely despise the hardest duties of Religion, but also neglectMat. 25. 4. 46. the easiest.

The third Reason why God denies Assurance to his most precious ones, is,Ier. 2. 19. that they may be the more cleerly and fully convinced of that exceeding sinfulnesse, and bitternesse that is in sinne. Ah Lord, sayes the soule, that sits sighing and mourning, under the want of Assurance, I see now that sinne is not onely evil, but the greatest evill in the world, in that it keeps mee from an Assurance of my interest in thee who art the greatest good in the world, and from an Assurance of that favour of thine that is better then life,Sin is, Malum Catholicum; Tis aeterna macula; Tis corruptio optimi pessima. Ps. 63. 3, 4. Ps. 4 7. and from the light of thy sweet countenance, that is better then corne and wine, and oyle; and from those joyes and comforts that can onely [Page 40] make a Paradise in my soule. AhThis made one cry out, Quid restat O peccator, nisi ut in tota vita tua deplores rotam vitam tuam; O what then remains but in our whole life to lament the sins of our whole life. Lord now I finde sinne not onely to bee bitter, but to bee the very quin­tessence of bitternesse: Ah, no bitter­nesse so bitter as sinne, that keeps my soule from that sweet assurance, that is not onely the top and crowne of mercy, but also the sweetner of all mercie, misery, and glory. Oh what unspeakable evill do I now see in that evil that keeps me from the most desirable good. Oh what bitternesse do I now find in that which Satan, theHeb. 3. 13. Sin hath its original from a deceitfull subtle Serpent, and is the ground of all the deceit in the world, and is the great couzner of souls. Yea peccatum est Deicidium, Sin is a killing of God. world, and my owne deluded heart told me I should finde sweetnesse in. Ah, now I finde by experience, that to be true, which long since the faith­full Messengers of the Lord have told me, viz. That sinne debaseth the soule of man, that it defiles and pollutes the soule of man, that it renders the soule most unlike to God, (who is opti­mum maximum) the best and greatest, who is (omnia super omnia) all, and above all, and renders it most like to Satan, who is a very sea and sinke of sinne. That it hath robbed the soule of the image of God, the holinesse of God, the beauty of God, the glory [Page 41] of God, the righteousnesse of God, and that keepes the soule from wearing this Golden Chaine of As­surance.

A fourth reason, why God denies Assurance to his dearest ones, is, be­causeChristus op er nostra non tam actibus quam finibus pensat. Zanchius, The glory of God must con­sume all other ends, as the Sun puts our the light of the fire. they seeke Assurance more for themselves, then they doe for his ho­nour and glory; more that they may have joy without sorrow, comfort without torment, peace without trouble, sweet without bitter, light without darknesse, and day without night; then that he may bee exalted and admired, and his name alone made great and glorious in the world.

Many Christians are like the Bee that flyes into the field to seek honey to eat, but brings it not into the Masters hive; So they seek for Assurance, that they may feed upon that sweet hony­comb, more, then to fill their Lord and Masters hive with thanks and praise.

That servant that mindes his wages more then his worke, must not won­der if his Master be slacke in paying; no more should hee that mindes com­fort, [Page 42] more then obedience, that mindsIt was a no­table saying of Nazianzen, Let me (sayes he) be cast into the Sea, let me lose my place rather then the name of Christ should suffer; so tender was he of the ho­nour and glory of Christ. assurance more then divine honour, wonder that God delayes the givings in of assurance, though it bee sought with many prayers and teares. He that is most tender of Gods ho­nour, shall finde by experience that God is most mindful of his comfort. God will not see that soule fit long in sackcloath and ashes, that makes it his businesse to set him up upon his Throne. He that minds Gods glory, more then his owne good, shall quick­ly finde that God will even obscure his owne glory to doe him good. If wee are not wanting to Gods glory, he will not long bee wanting to our joy.

A fifth reason why God denies Assurance to his children, is, that when they have it, they may the more highly prize it, the more carefully keep it, the more wisely improve it, and the more affectionately and effe­ctually blesse God for it; none sets such a price upon light, as hee that hath laine long in a Dungeon of dark­nesse:Life without light, is but a life-lesse life. Mich 7. 8, 9. So none sets such a price upon Assurance, as those children of light [Page 43] that have walked most in spirituall darknesse. Ah! how sweet was theJonah 2 2. light to Jonah that had been in the belly of hell; so is Assurance to those that (through slavish fears, and un­beliefe) have made their beds in hell, as the Psalmist speaks. Gold that isPsal. 139. 8. far fetched, and dearly bought, isSocrates prized the Kings countenance above his coyn his good looks above his gold; so do Saints prize Assu­rance above all worldly en­joyments. most highly esteemed; so that Assu­rance that costs the soule most paines and patience, most waiting and weep­ing, most striving, and wrestling, is most highly valued, and most wisely improved. As by the want of tem­porals, God teaches his people the better to prize them, and improve them when they enjoy them; so by the want of spirituals, God teaches his people the better to prize them, and improve them, when they enjoy them.Numb. 14. 33. 34. Exod. 11. Ezra 1. Ah, how sweet was Canaan to those that had been long in a wildernesse. How precious was the gold and ear­rings to Israel, that had been long in Egypt, and the gifts and Jewels to the Jewes that had been long in Babylon? so is Assurance to those precious soulsThe longer I stay for the Empire, said the Emperors son, the greater it will be: So the longer a Saint stayes for Assurance, the greater at last it will be. that have been long without it, but at last come to enjoy it. After the Tro­jans [Page 44] had been wandring a long time in the Mediterranean Sea, as soon as they espied land, they cryed out with ex­ulting joy, Italy, Italy; so when poore soules shall come to enjoy Assurance, who have been long tossed up and downe in a sea of sorrow and trouble, how will they with joy cry out, As­surance, Assurance, Assurance.

The sixth reason, why God denies Assurance to his dearest ones (atHumility is, Conservatrix virtutum, saith On [...] least for a time) is, that they bee kept humble and low in their owne eyes; as the enjoyment of mercy glads us, so the want of mercy humbles us. Davids heart was never more low, then when he had a Crowne onely in hope, but not in hand. No sooner was the Crowne set upon his head, but his blood rises with his outward good, and in the pride of his heart, he sayes, I shall never be removed. Hezekiah wasPsal. 30. 6. 2 Chron. 32. The whole Chapter is worthy of rea­ding. a holy man, yet hee swels big under mercy: No sooner doth God lift up his house higher then others, but hee lifts up his heart in pride, higher then others. When God had made himAs I get good by my sins, so I get hurt by my graces, said Mr. Fox, they being ac­cidental occa­sions of pride to him. high in honours, riches, victories, I, and in spiritual experiences, then his [Page 45] heart flyes high, and he forgets God, and forgets himselfe, and forgets that all his mercies were from free mercy, that all his mercies were but borrow­ed mercies. Surely, it is better to want any mercy, then an humble heart, it is better to have no mercy, then want an humble heart. A little,Augustine saith that the first, second, and third vertue of a Christian is humility. little mercy with an humble heart, is far better then the greatest mercies with a proud heart. I had rather have Pauls coat with his humble heart, then Hezekiahs lifted up heart with his rich Treasures, and royal Robes. Well Christians, remember this, God hath two strings to his bow; if your hearts will not lye humble and low under the sense of sinne and misery, he willGod hath two hands, a hand open, and a hand shut, and he makes use of both to keep souls humble. make them lye low under the want of some desired mercy. The want of Assurance tends to bow and humble the soul, as the enjoyment of Assurance doth to raise and rejoyce the soule, and therefore doe not wonder why precious soules are so long without assurance, why Christs Charet (Assu­rance)Judg. 5 28. is so long a coming.

The seventh, and last reason, why God denies Assurance (for a time) [Page 46] even to his dearest ones, is, that they may live cleerly and fully upon Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ may be seenCol. 3. 11. (Omne bonum in summo bono) All good is in the chiefest good; Christ is all things to a Christian, he is bread to feed them, a▪ fountaine to refresh them, a Physitian to heal them, a rock to shelter them, a light to guide them, and a crown to crown them. to bee all in all. It is naturall to the soule, to rest upon every thing below Christ, to rest upon creatures, to rest upon graces, to rest upon duties, to rest upon divine manifestations, to rest upon celestial consolations, to rest up­on gracious evidences, and to rest upon sweet Assurances. Now the Lord to cure his people of this weaknesse, (and to bring them to live wholly and solely upon Jesus Christ) denies com­fort, and denies assurance, &c. and for a time leaves his children of light to walk in darknesse. Christians, this you are alwayes to remember, that though the enjoyment of assurance makes most for your consolation, yet the living purely upon Christ in the want of assurance makes most for hisHeb 11. 27. Isa. 60. 19. Mic. 7. 3. 9. Iohn 20. 28, 29 exaltation. No Christian to him that in the want of visibles, can live upon an invisible God, that in thicke darknesse can live upon God as an everlasting light. Hee is happy that beleeves upon seeing, upon feeling; but thrice happy are those soules that [Page 47] beleeve when they doe not see, that love when they doe not know that they are beloved, and that in theChrist is omni [...] super omnia. want of all (comfort and assurance) can live upon Christ as their onely all. He that hath learned this holy art cannot bee miserable; hee that is ignorant of this art cannot bee happy.

The second Proposition is this, That the Scripture hath many sweet significant words to expresse that well-grounded Assurance by, which be­leevers may attaine to in this life: sometimes it is called a perswasion, Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither 1 There is a natural per­swasion; nam­ral principles may perswade a man that there is a God, and that this God is a great God: a beaute­ous God, &c. but this will not make a man happy. 2 There is a moral perswa­sion. 3 There is a traditional perswasion. death, nor life, &c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is [...]n Christ Jesus our Lord. It is rendred a perspicuous and peculiar manifestation of Christ to the soul, John 14. 21, 22, 23, 24. It is often rendred to know, as in that 1 John 3. chap. 2. 14. 19. 24. verses, and chap. 5. 13. 19, &c. but the word that the Scripture doth most fully expresse this by, is (plerophoria) full assurance, that is, when the soule (by the Spirit and word) is so fully perswaded of its eternal happinesse [Page 48] and blessednesse; that its carried like4 There is a divine perswa­sion that flows from divine principles and causes. Noahs▪ Arke above al waves, doubts and fears, and Noah-like fits still and quiet, and can with the Apostle Paul triumph over sinne, hell, wrath, death, and devill. This is sometimes calledCol. 2. 2. Heb. 6 11. 18, 19 cha. 10. 22. full assurance of understanding, some­times it is called full assurance of hope; and sometimes it is called full assurance of faith, because these are the choice and pleasant springs, from whence assurance flows. Now though this full assurance is earnestly desired, and high­lyThis full As­surance is the maximum quod sic, the highest pinacle of As­surance. prized, and the want of it much la­mented, & the injoyment of it much en­devoured after by al Saints, yet tis only obtained by a few. Assurance is a mercy too good for most mens hearts; it is a Crowne too weighty for most mens heads. Assurance is optimum maxi­mum, the best and greatest mercy, and therefore God will onely give it to his best and dearest friends.

Augustus in his solemne feasts, gave trifles to some, but gold to others; honours, and riches, &c. are trifles that God gives to the worst of men;Rev. 3. 18. But Assurance is that tryed gold, that God onely gives to tried friends. A­mong [Page 49] those few that have a share orMost Saints I beleeve can give aloud testimony to this truth. I shall rejoyce when their experiences shall confute [...]r portion in the special love and fa­vour of God, there are but a very few that have an assurance of his love. It is one mercy for God to love the soule, and another mercy for God to assure the soule of his love. God writes many a mans name in the Book of life, and yet will not let him know it till his houre of death, as the experience of many precious soules doth cleerly evidence. Assurance is a flower of Paradise that God sticks butRom. 8. 16, 17. in a few mens bosomes. It is one thing to be an heire of heaven, and another thing for a man to know, or see him­selfe an heire of heaven. The childe in the arms may be heire to a Crown, a Kingdome, and yet not understand it; so many a Saint may bee heire to a Crowne, a Kingdome of glory, and yet not know it. As the babes that passes the pangs of the first birth, do not presently cry Father, Father; so the new borne Babes in Christ that have1 Pet. 2. 2. past the pangs of the second birth, doe not presently cry Abba Father, they doe not presently cry out, Heaven, Heaven is ours; Glory, Glory is ours.

The third Proposition is this, ThatThe third Pro­position. a man may have true grace that hath not Assurance of the love and favourThe blinde man in the Gospel called his faith unbe­leef. of God, or of the remission of his sins, and salvation of his soule. A man may be truly holy, and yet not have assurance that he shall be eternal­ly happy. A man may be Gods, and yet he not know it; his estate may be good, and yet he not see it; he mayMat. 15. 22. 29. be in a safe condition, when he is not in a comfortable condition: All may be well with him in the Court of glory, when hee would give a thousand worlds, that all were but well in the court of conscience.

The Canaanite woman shewed much love, wisdome, zeale, humility, and faith, yea such strength of faith, as makes Christ admire her, and yeeld to her, grace her, and gratifie her, and yet shee had no assurance that wee read of. So Paul speaking of the be­leevingEph 1. 13. They that ho­nour God by sealing to his truth, those God will ho­nour by sealing them with his Spirit. Ephesians saith, In whom ye also trusted after that yee heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that yee beleeved, yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. First, They heard the word; and then [Page 51] secondly, they beleeved; and then thirdly, they were sealed, that is fully assured of a heavenly inheritance, of aSaints have eternal life, 1 In praetio, 2 In promisso, 3 In primitiis. purchased possession. So 1 John, 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God, that yee may know that yee have eternal life, and that yee may beleeve on the name of the Son of God. So in that Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voyce of his servant, that walketh in darknesse, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himselfe upon his God. So in that Mich. 7. 8. 9. verses, Rejoyce not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall arise, when I sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me: I will bear the indig­nation [...] of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, untill he plead my cause, and Zagnaph Signifies ve­hement anger, with a sad and lowring coun­tenance, Dan. 1. 10. vide Mer [...]. execute judgement for me; he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his Righteousnesse. Asaph was a very holy man, a man eminent in grace, and yet without assurance, as may bee seen at large in that 77. Ps. Heman (doubtlesse) was a very precious soule, and yet from his youth up, hee was (even) distracted with terrours, Psalm 88. [Page 52] There are thousand Christians that are in a state of grace, and shall beeIsa. 8. 17. Chap. 49. 14, 15, 16. Ch. 54, 6 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. saved, that want assurance, and the pro­per effects of it, as high joy, pure comfort, glorious peace, and vehe­ment longings after the coming of Christ.

Assurance is requisite to the well­being of a Christian, but not to the being, it is requisite to the consolation of a Christian, but not to the salva­tion of a Christian; it is requisite to the well-being of Grace, but not to the meer being of Grace. Though a man cannot be saved without faith, yet he may bee saved without assurance. God hath in many places of the Scripture declared, that without faith God never said except you be assured, I will pardon you, I will never pardon you, except you are assured, I will save you, I will never save you; this is language God never spoke, and why then should men speak it? there is no salvation; but God hath not in any one place of Scripture de­clared, that without assurance there is no salvation. A man must first bee saved, before he can be assured of his salvation; for he cannot be assured of that which is not: and a man must have saving grace, before he can bee saved; for hee cannot be saved by that which hee hath not. Againe, a man must be ingrafted into Christ, before [Page 53] he can be assured of remission, or sal­vation, but this he cannot bee before he hath faith, therefore there may bee grace, where there is no assurance. Christ went to heaven in a cloud, and the Angel went up to heaven in the smoak and flame of the sacrifice, and so I doubt not, but many precious soules doe ascend to heaven in cloudsAct. 1. 9. Judg. 13. 20. and darknesse. Now a man may have grace, and yet want assurance, and that may arise from these causes.

First, from his cavilling spirit, andCease cavil­ling thou weak soul, and say (Quod fui De­mine ignosce, quod sum corrige quod ero dirige) O Lord forgive what I have been, correct what I am, di­rect what I shall be. from his siding with the old man a­gainst the new, with the flesh against the spirit, with corruption against grace, with the house of Saul, against the house of David, with the worke of Satan, against the worke of God. Sinne is Satans worke, grace, holiness, is Gods; yet such is the weaknesse, yea madnesse of many poore soules, that they will fall in, and side with Satans worke, rather then with Gods against their owne soules. Ah Christians, will you condemne that Judge for in­justice, and unrighteousnesse, that shall open his eares to the complaints of [Page 54] the Plaintiffe, but stop his ears againstWhen John Prostiborski Baron of Scha­now was laid on the racke, he with an he­roical indigna­tion cut out his tongue, and cast it away, being demand­ed why he did so, set down his answer with a quill on the wall, I did it (said he) be­cause I would not be brought by any tor­tures to say any thing, that is false against my selfe, or o­thers. Ah, ca­villing souls, I had almost said, that you were better cut out your tongues then suffer them to be still a ca­villing against the grace of God, the image of God, that is stamped upon you. the answers of the Defendant; and will you not condemne your selves for that you doe with both ears heare what Sinne and Satan hath to say a­gainst the soule, but have not one eare open to heare what the Spirit, what grace, what the New-man, what the noble part of man, what the rege­nerate man can say for the justificati­on, satisfaction, and consolation of the soule. Let mee tell thee, O thou cavilling soule, that it is thy wisdome, and thy duty to remember that that command of God, that doth prohibit thee from bearing false wit­nesse against thy neighbour, that same command doth enjoyne thee not to beare false witnesse against the worke of grace upon thy owne heart, against the precious and glorious things that God hath done for thy soul. And thou shouldest make as much conscience of bearing false witnesse against any thing the Lord hath wrought in thee, and for thee, as thou doest make conscience of bearing false witnesse against thy neighbour. It cannot but be sad with the soule, but be night with the soule, [Page 55] when it makes much conscience of the one, and no conscience of the other. Many heathens have been so loving and faithful one to another, that they would rather dye, then they would beare false witnesse one against an­other: How dare you cavilling souls then to beare false witnesse against your owne soules, and the gracious worke of the Lord upon them. If this bee not the way to keep off assurance, and keep the soule in darknesse, yea in a hell, I know nothing.

Againe, a man may have grace, and yet want assurance, and that may arise in the second place from the ex­ceeding littlenesse, and weaknesse ofMatth. 14. 30, 31. Mark 9. 24. his grace. A little Candle yeelds but a little light, and a little grace yeelds but a little evidence: Great measures of grace carries with them great and cleer evidences, but little measures carries with them but little evidence. Some Stars are so small that they are scarce discernable; So some SaintsLuke 13 18, 19. Pythagoras sa [...]th, That Mustard-seed hath the pre­eminence a­mong those things whose power is to ascend up­wards Pli [...]. in h [...]s Rhet. Hist. lib. 20. cha. 22. speaks more of this grain, vide. graces are so small, that they can hardly see their graces to bee graces. A little fire will yeeld but a little heat; a little grace will yeeld but a [Page 56] little comfort, a little evidence: A little grace will yeeld a man a heaven hereafter; but it is a great deale of grace that must yeeld us heaven here. A little stock will bring in but a little profit, a little grace will bring in but a little peace: A little Jewel yeelds but a little lustre, a little glory; no more doth a little grace; and therefore it is that Christians that have but a little grace, have but a little of the shine and lustre of Assurance, they have but little joy and comfort in this world. Yet that the spirits of weake Christians may not utterly faint, let mee give them this hint, viz. That the weakest Chri­stianThe Babe in the arms, as much pro­priety in the Father, as hee that is growne up to ripe years, though he cannot make such im­provement of it, as the other. is as much justified, as much par­doned, as much adopted, and as much united to Christ as the strongest, and hath as much interest and propriety in Christ, as the highest and noblest Christian that breaths, though hee cannot make so much advantage and improvement of his interest and propriety as the strong Chri­stian, who hath a greater degree of grace.

Hierom observes upon the Beati­tudes, that there are many of the [Page 57] promises made to weake grace, Mat. 5.A childs hand may receive a pearle, as well as the hand of a Gyant; so may a weak faith, a Christ as well as a strong. 3. 4. Blessed are the poore in spirit; v. 4. Blessed are they that mourne; and v. 5. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst. Weake Saints, remember this, the promise is a ring of gold, and Christ is the precious tried stone in that ring, and upon that stone must you rest, as you would have grace to thrive, and your soules to bee safe and happy. Weake soules, remember this; as Jo­seph sent Chariots to bring his Father,Gen. 45. and his brethren to him, so God would have your weake graces to bee as Chariots to bring you to himselfe who is the cherisher, strengthner, and increaser of grace: Hee that makes his graces to be servants, and hand­maids to convey him to Christ, theIt would very much discom­fort us, and ter­rifie us, to see one haunt us that was long since laid in the grave, whose resur­rection we did neither feare, nor repent till the sounding of the last Trumpet. fountaine of grace; hee shall finde the greatest sweetnesse in grace, and the greatest increase of grace.

Againe, a man may have true grace, and yet want assurance, and this may arise from the resurrection of old sins; Ah when those sinnes which were long since committed, and long since lamented, and long since loathed, and long since crucified, when those old [Page 58] sins, which hath cost a soule many prayers, and many tears, and many sighs, and may groans, and many com­plaints, when those sinnes that have been long buried, shall bee againe re­vived, and meet the soule, and stare upon the soule, and say to the soule, We are thine, and wee will follow thee, wee are thine, and wee will haunt thee: Ah, how will this cause a mans countenance to bee changed, his thoughts to be troubled, his joynts to be loosed, and his heart to be amazed; David, and Job meeting with the sins of their youth (long after they werePsal. 25. 7. Job 13 26. lamented and pardoned) makes their hearts startle and tremble. Upon the new risings of old sinnes, the soule begins to question all, and thus to ex­postulate the case, Surely my estate is not good, my pardon is not sealed, if it be, how comes these sinnes to bee revived, to be remembred? hath not God ingaged himselfe in the promisesIsa. 43. 25: Jer. 31. 34. of Grace, that those sinnes that are pardoned, shall never be remembred? and surely if these sinnes be not par­doned, I have reason to feare that o­thers bee not pardoned; and if my [Page 62] sins bee not pardoned, how shall I escape being destroyed: Surely my repentance was not sound; my sorrow was not sincere, the blow, the wound I gave sinne, was not mortall, if it had, how comes it to passe that it now meets mee like an armed enemy. Thus these new risings of old sinnes keeps many a mans soule, and assu­rance asunder.

Again, a man may have grace, and yet want assurance, and this may arisePerfection is de­sireable on earth, but shall be onely en­joyed in hea­ven. It was a sweet saying of One (In libro t [...]o scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt si quod debent non possunt) They are sure­ly written all▪ in Gods Book, that doe what they can, though they cannot but under do. from his falling short of that per­fection that the word requires, and that other Saints have attained to: Ah, sayes such a soul, surely I have no grace! Oh how short do I fall of such and such righteous rules, and of such and such precious Christians! Ah how cleer are they in their light, how strong are they in their love; how high are they in their attainments; how are their hearts filled with grace, and their lives with holinesse; all their mo­tions towards God, and towards man, speaks out Grace, Grace; they pray in­deed like Saints, and live indeed like Angels. Now many poore soules comparing themselves with the per­fect [Page 60] rule of righteousnesse, and with those that are in the highest formes in Christs Schoole, and that are the noblest and choicest patterns for purity, and sanctity, and finding such a vast dis­proportion between their hearts, and the rule between their actions and lives, and the lives and actions of o­thers, they are apt to fit downe sadded and discouraged.

Suetonius reports of Julius Caesar, that seeing Alexanders statue, hee fetched a deep sigh, because hee at that age had none so little; So many pre­ciousRemember this. Though your consola­tion depends upon degrees of grace, yet your salvation de­pends upon the truth of grace. soules sit downe sighing and weeping, that they have lived so long, and done so little for God, and for their owne internal, and eternal good. This wounds and sinkes their spirits, that they are so unlike to those in Grace, that they desire to be like unto in Glory; and that they are so far below such and such in spirituals, whom they are so far above in temporals.

5 Again, a man may have true grace, and yet want assurance; and this may arise from that smoak and clouds, those feares and doubts that cor­ruption raises in the soule; so that [Page 61] the soule cannot see those excellentThe being of grace is a dif­ferent thing from the seeing of grace. The blind man, you know in the Gospel, calls his faith, un­beleef. graces that otherwise might bee dis­cerned, though there may bee many precious gems and jewels in the house, yet the smoak may hinder a man from seeing them sparkle and shine: So though there be many precious graces in the soules of Saints, yet corruption may raise such a dust, such a smoak in the soule, that the soule is not able to see them in the beauty and glory.Gen. 21. 19, 20 The Wel of water was neer Hagar, but she saw it not till her eyes were opened by the Lord. So grace is neer the soul, yea in the soul sometimes, and yet the soul doth not see it till God opens theGen. 28. eye and shews it. The Lord was in this Yet a Saint at worst, is not like him in Plutarch, who would not bee resolved of his doubts, because he would not lose the plea­sure in seeking for re­solution. No he loves and looks, and longs for reso­lution to all his doubts. place, said Jacob, and I knew it not; so many a precious soule may say, Grace was in my heart, and I knew it not, I saw it not. Blessed Bradford in one of his Epistles, saith thus, O Lord, mee­thinks, I feel it so with me, sometimes as if there were no difference between my heart and the heart of the wicked; my minde is as blinde as theirs, my spirit as stout, stub­borne, and rebellious as theirs, and my thoughts as confused as theirs, and my affections as disordered as theirs, and [Page 62] s [...]rvices as formal as theirs, &c. Ah, Christians, have not many of your soules found it so? Surely yes; no wonder then, that though you have grace, yet you have not seen it spark­ling and shining in your soules, as some have thought that their fields have had no corne, because they have been so full of weeds, and that their heap hath no wheat, because nothing hath ap­peared but chaffe, & that their pile hath no gold, because it hath been covered with much dross: So some have thought that their hearts have been void of grace, because they have been so full ofMatth. 14 30 Mat. 12. 15. Gen 20. Chap. fears and doubts. Peter at one time be­leeves, and walkes, at another time he doubts and sinkes; Abraham beleeves, and offers up Isaac at one time, hee feares and falls at another time, Say thou art my sister lest they kill mee. So David and Job, they had their shufflings, tremblings, faintings, sha­kings,Psal. 116. 11. Psal 31. 22. and questionings. It is not al­wayes high water with Saints, some­times they are reduced to a very low ebbe. The best of Saints are like theRara hora, bre­vis mora, Ber. Arke tossed up and downe with waves, with feares, and doubts; and so it [Page 63] will bee till they are quite in the bo­some of Christ.

6 Lastly, a man may have grace, and yet not see it, yet not know it; and this may arise from his non-searching, his non-examining, his non-ransacking of his owne soule; there is gold in the Mine, and men might finde it, if they would but dig and search diligently after it. There is grace in the heart, and you might see it, if you would but take the candle of the Lord, and looke narrow­ly after it. Looke as many a man up­on a diligent search, may finde his tem­porall estate to bee better then hee ap­prehendsWorthlesse Dayses grow in sight upon the surface of the earth, but the precious and richest ra­rities are hid within the bowels of the earth. You are wise, and know how to apply it. it: So many choice soules upon a diligent search may finde their spiritual estate to bee far better then they conceived or judged it to bee; therefore soules cease from com­plaining, cease from rash judging, and dooming of your selves to hell, and be diligent in enquiring what the Lord hath done, and what the Lord is a doing in you, and for you; compare the books together, compare his working upon you, and others to­gether; what is there no light? no love, no longings, no hungrings, no [Page 64] thirstings after God; what is there noThe cry that was heard in the Temple was (migremus hinc) Let us go hence, Let us go hence. sighing, no complaining, no mourn­ing under the sense of sinne, and un­der the want of divine favour: Surely if you search, you will finde some of these things; and if you doe, prize them as jewels that are more worth then a world. God will not despise the day of small things; and will you? will you, dare you say that that is little, that is more worth then heaven? the least sparke of grace shall at last be turned into a crowne of glory. Well, remember this, that as the least grace, if true, and sincere, is sufficient to salvation; so the sense of the least grace should be sufficient to your con­solation.

The fourth Proposition is this, viz. The fourth Proposition. That God may deny assurance long, and yet give it in to his children at last, af­ter patient waiting. God appears to David, and brings him out of an hor­rible pit (or out of a pit of noise) and Psal. 4. 1, 2, 3▪ 4. sets his feet upon a rocke, and puts a new song into his mouth. After the Church in the Canticles had run throughChap. 3. 5. many hazards and hardships; many difficulties and dangers, she findes him [Page 65] whom her soule loved. The Prophet sitsPsal. 69. 2, 3. downe, and bewayles his sad conditionVers. 20. thus, I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes faile while I wait for my God. And I am full of heavinesse, and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. I but at last, God appears, and then sayes he, I will praise the name of Vers. 30. Job 8. 9. God with a song, and will magnifie him, with thanksgiving. Job sighs it out, Behold, I goe forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand where he doth worke, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himselfe on the right hand, that I cannot see him. Chap. 27. 5, 6. But after this sighing, he sings it out, Till I dye I will not remove my integrity from me: My righteousnesse I hold fast, and will not let it goe; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Mr. Frogmorten was as holy, and as choice a Preacher as most was in England in those dayes, and hee lived seven and thirty yeers without assu­rance, and then dyed, having assurance but an houre before hee dyed; he went to dye at Mr. Dods (who is now with the Lord) and did dye there in full [Page 66] Assurance of the justification of his per­son, Experience doth abun­dantly evi­dence that this is the manner of Gods deal­ing with abun­dance of those precious souls, of whom this world is not worthy. I could say much to this point from my owne knowledge, but I must forbear lighting a candle to see the Sun at noon. the remission of his sinnes, and the salvation of his soule. God denied assurance a great while to Mr. Glover, though hee sought it with many pray­ers and tears; and yet when hee was in sight of the fire, the Lord shined forth in his favor so sweerly upon him, that he cries out to his friend, He is come, he is come, meaning the Com­forter. So Mrs. Katherine Bretterge after many bitter conflicts with Satan, the day before she dyed, she had sweet assurance of that Kingdome that shakes not, of those riches that cor­rupt not, and of that Crowne of righteousnesse that sades not away. I have read of three Martyrs that were bound and brought to the stake, and one of them gets from under his chaine to admiration, and falls downe upon the ground, and wrastles earnest­ly with God for the sense of his love, and God gave it him then at that in­stant, and so he came, and imbraced the stake, and died cheerfully, and resolutely, a glorious Martyr. God de­layed till he was bound, and then lets out himself sweetly and gloriously to him.

Now God doth delay the giving in of assurance to his dearest ones, and that partly to let them know that hee will be waited on, and that assurance Voluntas Dei ne­cessitas rei, God will have eve­ry childe of his to put his fiat, his places to Gods, go it never so much against the hair. is a jewel worth waiting for. The least smile from God when our last glasse is running will make our soules amends for all their waiting; and partly that wee may know that hee is free in his workings, and that he is not tied to any proportions or qualifica­tions in the creature, but is free to come when he will, and goe when hee will, and stay as long as hee will, though the soule doth sigh it out, How long Lord, how long will it bee be­fore my mourning bee turned into re­joycing.

Again, God delayes the giving in of assurance, not because he delights to keep his children in feares and doubts, nor because hee thinks that assurance is too rare, too great, too choice a jewel to bestow upon them,Isa. 59. 1, 2. Jer. 5. 25. but it is either because he thinks their soules doe not stand at a sufficient distance from sinne, or because their soules are so taken up and filled with creature-enjoyments, as that Christ is [Page 68] put to lodge in an out-house, or elseLuke 2. 7. it is because they pursue not after assurance with all their might, they give not all diligence to make their cal­ling, 2 Pet. 2. 5. and election sure; or else it is be­cause their hearts are not prepared, are not low enough for so high a fa­vour.

Now Gods delaying assurance upon these weighty grounds, should rather worke us to admire him, to justifie him, and quietly to wait for him, then to have any hard thoughts of him, or to carry it unkindly to him, or impa­tientlyJud 5 28. to say, Why is his Chariot so long a comming.

The fifth Proposition is this, ThatThe fifth Pro­position. those choice soules that have assurance, may lose it, they may forfeit it, the freshnesse and greennesse, the beauty, lustre, and glory of assurance may bee lost. It is true, beleevers cannot lose the habits, the seeds, the root of grace, yet they may lose assurance, which is the beauty and fragrancy, the crowne and glory of Grace. These two lo­vers, Grace and Assurance, are not by1 Joh. 3. 9. 1 Per 1. 5. God so neerly joyned together, but that they may by sinne on our side, [Page 69] and justice on Gods, bee put asunder.It is wonder­full rare (if possible) for a man that ever had a well­grounded Assu­rance, not to exper [...]ence this truth at first or last. The keeping of these two Lovers, Grace, and Assurance together, will yeeld the soul two heavens, a heaven of joy and peace here, and a heaven of happinesse and blessednesse hereafter; but the putting these two Lovers a­sunder, will put the soule into a hell here, though it escape a hell here­after. This Chrysostome knew well, when hee professed that the want of the enjoyment of God, would bee aA separation between the body and the soul, will not so torment the soul as separa­tion between grace and as­surance. far greater hell to him then the feel­ing of any punishment. As you would keep your Christ, as you would keep your Comfort, as you would keep your Crowne, keep Grace and As­surance together, and neither by lip, nor life, by word, nor works, let these be put asunder. It is possible for the best men so to blot and blur their Evi­dences for felicity and glory, as that they may not bee able to read them, nor understand them. They may so vexe and grieve the Spirit (either by grosse enormities, or by refusing hisSpiritus Sanctus est res delicata; the Holy Spi­rit is a very render thing. comforts and cordials, or by neglect­ing, or sleighting his gracious actings in themselves and others, or by [Page 70] mis-judging his worke, as calling faith fancy, or sincerity hypocrisie, &c. or by fathering those brats upon him that are the children of their owne distempered hearts) as that hee may refuse to witnesse their interest in him,1 Sam. 16. Joh. 14. though he be a witnessing Spirit, and refuse to comfort them, though he be the onely Comforter.

The best beleever that breaths,What Latimer said of the spi­rit, it is going and coming, may be truly said of Assu­rance and joy, it is coming and going. may have his Summer-day turned in­to a Winter-night, his rejoycing into sighing, his singing into weeping, his wedding Robes into mourning weeds, his wine into water, his sweet into bitter; his Mannah, his Angels­food into husks, his pleasant grapes into the grapes of Sodome, his fruit­full Canaan, his delightfull Paradise into a barren and unlovely wilder­nesse. Look as faith is often attended with unbeleef, and sincerity, with hypo­crisie, and humility, with vaine glory; so is Assurance, with feares and doubts. Blessed Hooker lived neerSo d [...]d Mr. Burroughs of blessed memo­ry goe to hea­ven in a cloud. thirty yeers in close communion with God, without any considerable with­drawings of God, all that while; and yet upon his dying-bed, he went away [Page 71] without any sense of assurance, or dis­coveries of the smiles of God; to the wonder, and deceiving of the ex­pectation of many precious soules, and without doubt in judgement to wick­ed men. Look as many a man loses the sight of the City when he comes neer to it: So many a choice soule loses the sight of heaven, even then when hee is neerest to heaven. Abra­ham (you know) had assurance in an extraordinary way concerning his protection from God, and yet saiesGen 12. 19. Chap. 20. 2. We should ra­ther dye then lie, we are not to tell an offi­cious lye, to tell a lye for no hurt, but for good, though it were to save all the world, said Austin. Abraham, say thou art my sister, for otherwise they will kill me. Ah, how was the freshness, the greenness, the beauty and glory of his assurance wore off, that he should out of slavish fears, ex­pose his wife to other mens pleasure, and himselfe, and his neighbour to Gods displeasure, that hee should wound foure at once, the honour of God, his wives chastity, his owne conscience, and Pharoahs soul. David, you know, sometimes sings it out sweetly, The Lord is my portion, and the lot of mine inheritance, he is my salva­tion, of whom shall I be afraid, he is my Psal. 18. 2. Rocke, and fortresse, and my deliverer, [Page 72] my God, my strength, my trust, my buckler and my high Tower. At other times you have him sighing it out, Why art thou cast downe, O my soule, why art thou disquieted in me, why hast thou forgotten me, O God, my Rock, why goe I mourning? Vers. 9. Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no sound­ness Psal. 38. 2. in my flesh, because of thine Vers. 3. Vers. 4▪ anger, neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sinne; for mine ini­quities Vers. 6. are gone over my head, as an heavy burden they are too heavy for mee. Psal. 30. 7. Ps 51. 8. to 13. I am troubled, I am bowed downe greatly: I goe mourning all the day long. Thou diddest hide thy face, and I was troubled. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce. His heart was more often out of tune then his harpe: He begins many of his Psalms sighing, and ends them singing; and others he begins in joy, and ends in sorrow: So that one would think (saith one) that Peter Moulin. those Psalms had been composed by two men of a contrary humor. Yea, it is very ob­servable, that though David had assu­rance in an extraordinary way, that he should be King, being ano [...]nted by [Page 73] that great Prophet Samuel; yet the lustre and glory of this assurance wears off, and he (overcome by slavish fears)Psal. 116. 11. [...] cryes out, That all men are lyars, (even Samuel, as well as others,) and that he shall one day perish by the hand ofIn my trem­bling, or in my affrightment, I said all men are lyers. Saul. It is true, says David, I have a Crown, a Kingdom, in a promise, but I must swim to the Crown thorow blood, I must win the Crown before I wear it; and the truth is, I am like to die, before I attain it. Yea, and af­ter he was King, when King Jesus did but hide his face, he was sorely trou­bled;Psal. 30. 6, 7. [...] so that neither his gloriousBahal, I was troubled like a withered flower that loos [...]th sap and vigor. So it is used in Exod. 15. 15. Throne, nor his Royal Robes, nor his Golden Crown, nor his glistering Courtiers, nor his large Revenues, nor his cheerful temper, nor his former Experiences could quiet him, or satisfie him, when God had turned his back upon him. Look as all lightsWhen God is gone, it is night with the soul. cannot make up the want of the light of the Sun, so all temporal comforts cannot make up the want of one spiri­tual comfort. So Job sometimes singsJob 16. 19. & 19. 25. Job 6. 4. it out, My Witness is in Heaven, and my Record is on high, and my Redeemer lives, &c. At other times you have him [Page 74] complaining, The Arrows of the Al­mighty stick fast in me, and their poyson drinketh up my spirit; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. And in the 29 Chapter, you have him sigh­ingJob 29. 2, 3, 4, 5. Tota vita boni Christiani san­ctum desiderium est. The whole life of a good Chri­stian, is an holy wish, saith One. it out thus, O that I were as in moneths past, as in the days when God preserved me; when his candle shined up on my head, and when by his light I walk­ed thorow darkness. As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle; when the Almighty was yet with me, &c. Now by all these clear instances, and by many others Saints Experiences, it is evident, That the choicest Saints may loose their assurance, and the lustre and glory of it may decay and wither. What the Soul should do in such a case, and how it should be recovered out of this sad state, I shall shew you towards the close of this Discourse.

The sixth Proposition is this, ThatThe sixth Pro­position. the certainty and infallibility of a Chri­stians assurance, cannot be made known to any, but his own heart. He can say as the blinde man once said, This I know, John 9. 25. that once I was blinde, but now I see; once I was a slave, but now I am a son; [Page 75] once I was dead, but now I am alive; Rom. 8. & 6. 11, 13. once I was darkness, but now I am light in the Lord; once I was a childe of wrath, Ephes. 5. 8: & 2. 3. John 8. 36. an heir of Hell, but now I am an heir of Heaven; once I was Satans bondman, but now I am Gods freeman; once I2 Cor. 3. 17. was under the spirit of bondage, butGal. 5. 1, 13. Eph. 1. 13, 14. now I am under the spirit of adoption, that seals up to me the remission of my sins, the justification of my person, and the salvation of my soul. All this ICan you com­pass the Hea­vens with a span, or con­tain the Sea in a Nut-shel, then may you fully evidence your assurance to others. know, says the assured Saint; but I can­not make you know it certainly, and in­fallibly. if you would give me a thou­sand worlds. What I have found and felt, and what I do finde and feel, is wonderfully beyond what I am able to express; I am as well able to tell the Stars of Heaven, and to number the Sand of the Sea, as I am able to de­clare to you, the joy, the joy, the uncon­ceivable joy, the assurance, the glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. So my yong Lord Harring­ton, and Nazi­anzen, and Vin­centius, and Fa­ni [...]us, an Italian Martyr, with many more that might be named. assurance that God hath given me. Se­verinus the Indian Saint, under the power of assurance, was heard to say, O my God, do not for pity so ever joy me, if I must still live, and have such consola­tions, take me to Heaven, &c. So say souls under the power of assurance. [Page 76] Lord, we are so filled with joy and comfort, with delight and content, that we are not able to express it here on Earth, and therefore take us to Heaven, that we may have that glory put upon us, that may inable us to de­clare and manifest those glorious things that thou hast wrought in us.

Parents do by experience feel such soundings, such meltings, such rowl­ings, such sweet workings of their affections, and bowels, towards their children, that for their lives they can­not to the life describe to others what it is to be a Father, to be a Mother; what it is to have such rowlings of bowels towards children. Assurance is that white stone that none knoweth,Vide Beza, Bul­lenger, Pererius, and Brightman, on the words. but he that hath it, Revel. 2. 17. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. White stones were in great use among the Romans. 1. In white stones they used to write the names of such as were victorious and Conquerors; so in that Text, To him that overcometh, will I give a white stone. [Page 77] 2. They used to acquit the innocentAnd they gave black stones to note their con­demnation. in Courts of Justice, by giving them a white stone; and so here the white stone points out absolution and remissi­on. 3. They used to give a white stone to those that were chosen to any places of honor; so the white stone of assu­rance Heb. 12. 28. Matth. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 4. is an evidence of our Election, of our being chosen to a Kingdom that shakes not, to riches that corrupt not, and to a crown of glory that fades not. And thus much for this sixt Proposition, viz. That the certainty and infallabil­lity of a Christians assurance cannot be made known to any but his own heart.

The seventh Proposition is this, ThatThe seventh Proposition. there are some special seasons and times, wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to give to his children a sweet assurance of his favor and love, and they are these that follow.

First, Sometimes (I say not always) at first conversion, the Lord is pleased to make out sweet manifestations of his love to the penitent soul; when the soul hath been long under guilt and wrath; when the soul hath been long under the frowns and displeasure [Page 78] of God, and hath long seen the gates of Heaven barred against him, and the mouth of Hell open to receive him; when the soul hath said, surely there is no hope, there is no help, surely I shall loose God, Christ, and Heaven for ever: Then God comes in, and speaks peace to the soul; then he says, I will blot out thy iniquities for my name sake, and will remember thy sins no more. Hark soul, hark, says Christ, My Isai. 55. 8, 9. thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my ways as your ways. My thoughts to­ward you, are thoughts of peace, and thoughts of love. Hark soul, here is Mercy to pardon thee, and here is Grace to adorn thee; here is a Righ­teousness1 Cor. 1. 30. to justifie thee, here is eye­salve to enlighten thee, and gold toRevel. 3. 18. enrich thee, and rayment to cloath thee, and balm to heal thee, and bread to nourish thee, and wine upon the lees to chear thee, and happiness toIsai. 25. 6. crown thee, and my self to satisfie thee. Ah souls! have not some of you found it so? surely you have. God deals sometimes with rebellious sin­ners, as Princes do with those that are in arms, that are in open rebellion [Page 79] against them. You know Princes willThis h [...]h b [...]n a practise a­mong all Prin­ces, whether they have been Christians or Heathens. put such hard to it, they shall fare hard, and lie hard. Chains and Racks, and what not shall attend them; and yet after the sentence is past upon them, and they are upon the last step of the Ladder of Life, ready to be turned off, and all hope of escape is gone, then the Princes pardon is put into their hand: So the Lord brings many poor souls to the last steps of the Ladder, to a hopeless condition, and then he puts their pardon into their bosoms, then he sayes, Be of good chear, I have received you into favor, I have set my love upon you, I am re­conciled to you, and will never be se­parated from you. You know how God dealt with Paul, after he had a­waknedActs 9. 3, 4, 5, 6. Vide Bezam, & Grotium, & Calvin. and convinced him, after he had unhorsed him, and overthrown him, after he had amazed and astonish­ed him, then he shews himself graci­ously and favorably to him, then he takes him up into the third Heaven, and makes such manifestations of his love and favor, of his beauty and glo­ry, of his mercy and majesty, as he is not able to utter. So upon the prodi­gals [Page 80] return the fatted Calf is killed,Luk. 15. 22, 23. and the best Robe is put upon his back, and the Ring is put on his hand, and shoes on his feet. Some understand by the Robe, the Royalty of Adam, o­thers,The dignity which Adam lost; nay, I think in this parable God sets forth his goodness, and our happiness in restoring to us more by the death of the second Adam, then we lost by the sin of the first Adam. the Righteousness of Christ; and by the Ring, some understand the pledges of Gods love, Rings being given as pledges of love; some the seal of Gods Spirit, men using to seal with their Rings. Among the Romans the Ring was an ensign of Virtue, Ho­nor, and Nobility, whereby they that wore them, were distinguished from the common people. I think the main thing intended by all these passages, is to shew us, That God sometimes up­on the sinners first conversion, and re­turning to him, is graciously pleased to give him some choice and signal manifestations of his love, and favor, of his good will and pleasure, and that upon these following Grounds.

First, That they may not be swal­lowed up of sorrow, nor give up the ghost under the pangs and throws of the new birth: Ah, did not the Lord set in some beams of love upon the soul, when it is (magor Missabib) a [Page 81] terrour to its self, when the heart is a hell of horrour, the conscience anAn awakned conscience is like Promethe­us Vulture, it lies ever gnaw­ing. Acheldema, a Field of black blood, when the soul is neither quiet at home, nor abroad, neither at Bed, nor Board, neither in company, nor out of com­pany, neither in the use of Ordinances, nor in the neglect of Ordinances, how would the soul faint, sink, and despair for ever? But now when it is thus night with the soul, the Lord sweetly comes in, and tells the soul, that all is well, that he hath found a ransom forJob 33. 24. the soul, that the Books are crost, that all debts are discharged, and that his favor and love upon the soul is fixed: And so God by his sweet and still voice, speaking thus to the soul, quiets and satisfies it, and keeps it from sink­ing and despairing.

Secondly, God gives in assurance sometimes at first conversion, that he may the more raise and inflame their love and affections to him. Ah! How does a pardon given in, when a man is ready to be turned off, draw out his love, and raise his affections to that Prince that shews bowels of mercy, when he is upon the brink of misery: [Page 82] So when a poor sinner is upon the lastTitus Motro was, Pri [...]c [...]ps bonus orbis a­mor. All the world falls in love with a good Prince, with a merciful Prince. step of the Ladder, upon the very brink of Hell, and misery; now for God to come in, and speak peace and pardon to the soul, Ah how does it inflame the soul, and works the soul to a holy admiration of God, and to a spiritual delighting in God. King Antigonus his pulling a sheep with his own hands out of a dirty ditch (as he was passing by) drew his Subjects ex­ceedingly to commend him, and love him. So King Jesus pulling of poor souls out of their sins, and as it were out of Hell, cannot but draw them to be much in the commendations of Christ, and strong in their love to Christ. Christ hath nothing more in his eye, nor upon his heart, then to act towards his people in such ways, and at such seasons as may most win upon their affections. And therefore it is, that sometimes he gives the strongest consolation at first conver­sion.

Thirdly, Christ sometimes at first conversion grants to his people the sweetest manifestations of his love, that they may bee the more active, [Page 83] servent, abundant, and constant inAmor Dei [...]un­quam otiosus est operatur enim magna si est fi vero operari re­nuit amor non est; the love of God is never idle, for if it is, it worketh great things, but if it resuse to work, it is not love. wayes of grace and holinesse; hee knows that divine manifestations of love, will most awaken, quicken, and engage the soule to wayes of piety and sanctity. Look what wings are to the bird, oyle to the wheels, weights to the clock, a reward to the coward, and the load-stone to the needle, that is the smiles and disco­veries of God to a poore soule at his conversion: The manifestations of di­vineSo said Brad­ford, and other blessed souls. love puts heat and life into the soule, it makes the soule very seri­ous, and studious how to act for God, and live to God & walk with God: Ah, saies a soul, under the beams of divine love: It is my meat and drinke, it is my joy and crowne to doe all I can, for that God that hath done so much for me, as to know me in darknesse, and to speak love to me when I was most unlovely, to turn my mourning into rejoycing, and my hell into a heaven.

Fourthly, Christ sometimes at first conversion gives his people the sweetest manifestations of his love, to fence, and fortifie them against Satans fiery temptations, before Christ shall bee [Page 84] led into the wildernesse to be temptedMat. 3. 16, 17. [...] is an emphatical word, and sig­nifies that in­finite affection, delight, and contentt hat God the Fa­ther did take in Christ. Eph. 6. 16. by the devill, the Spirit of the Lord shall descend upon him, like a Dove, and he shall hear a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well-pleased, that so he may be strong in resisting, and glorious in triumphing over all the assaults and temptations of Satan; So many times at first conversion, the Lord makes out sweet manifestations of his love to the soule, that so the soule may stand fast, and not give ground; and in the sense of divine love may so manage the shield of faith, as to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil. The Lord knows that when hee sets upon the delivering of a poor soule from the Kingdome of darknesse, and translating it into the Kingdome of his dear Sonne, that Satan will roar andCol. 1. 13. rage, rend and tear, as he did him in.Pharaoh in his furious and violent pur­suing after Israel, when he saw that God would bring them from un­der his power was a type of Satan. Mark 9. 25, 26. When Jesus saw that the people came ranning together, hee re­buked the foule spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee to come out of him; and the spirit cryed, and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead; in so much, that [Page 85] many said, He is dead. No sooner did Jesus Christ look with an eye of love, pity, and compassion, upon the Boy, but the Devil in his rage, and wrath,The Greek word [...] signifies to tear and rent, as the dog doth. falls a renting and tearing of him, as mad dogs do those things they fasten upon. This poor childe had never so sore a fit as now he was nearest the cure; when rich Mercy, and Glorious power is nearest the soul, then Satan most storms, and rages against the soul. The more the Bowels of Christ do work towards a sinner, the more fu­rious will Satan assault that sinner. Therefore Divine Wisdom and Good­ness, does the more eminently shine, in giving the poor soul some sight of Canaan, and some Bunches and Clu­sters of that Land, upon its first com­ing out of the Wilderness of Sin and Sorrow. But that no soul may mistake this last Proposition, give me leave to premise these two Cautions.

First, That God does manifest hisCaut. 1. love onely to some, at their first con­version, not to all: Though he dearly loves every penitent soul, yet he does not manifest his love, at first conversi­on, to every penitent soul. God is a [Page 86] free Agent to work where he will, and when he will, and to reveal his love, how he will, and when he will, and to whom he will. It is one thing forA man may enjoy the warmth and heat of the Sun, when he cannot see the Sun; so a man may have grace, when he cannot see that he hath grace. God to work a work of Grace upon the soul, and another thing for God to shew the soul that work. God of­tentimes works Grace in a silent and secret way, and takes sometimes five, sometimes ten, sometimes fifteen, sometimes twenty years, yea, some­times more, before he will make a clear and satisfying report of his own work upon the soul. Though our Gra­ces be our best Jewels, yet they are sometimes, at first conversion, so weak and imperfect, that we are not able to see their lustre. The being of Grace, makes our estates safe and sure, the seeing of Grace, makes our lives sweet and comfortable.

The second Caution is this: A manCaut. 2. I have con­versed with se­veral precious souls, that have found this true by experience, and upon this very ground have question­ed all, and strongly doubted, whe­ther they have not taken Sa­tans delusions, for divine ma­nifestations. may, at first conversion, have such a clear, glorious manifestation of Gods love to him, and of his interest in God, and his right to glory, that he may not have the like all his days after. The fatted Calf is not every day slain, the Robe of Kings is not every day [Page 87] put on, every day must not be a Feasti­val day, a Marriage day; the wife is not every day in the bosom, the childe is not every day in the arms, the friend is not every day at the table, nor the soul every day under the mani­festations of Divine Love. Jacob did not every day see the Angels ascend­ing and descending; Steven did not every day see the Heavens open, and Christ standing on the right hand of God. Paul was not every day caught up to Heaven; nor John was not every day rapt up in the Spirit. No Saint can every day cry out, I have my Christ, I have my Comfort, I have my Assurance; as the Persian King cryed out in his dream, I have Themistocles, I have Themistocles. Job had hisJob 30. 31. Harp turned into mourning, and his Or­gan into the voice of them that weep. The best of Saints are sometimes put, to hang their Harps upon the Willows, andPsal. 137. 2. cry out, Hath God forgotten to be graci­ous, Psal. 77. 7, 8. 9. and will he be favorable no more.

The second special season or time, wherein the Lord is pleased to give to his children, a sweet assurance of his2 Cor. 5. 14. favor and love, and that is, when he [Page 88] intends to put them upon some high and hard, some difficult and dangerous service; O then he gives them some [...] Divine love hath a compulsive fa­culty, it is very powerful to put the soul upon acting in the highest and hardest ser­vices for Christ. sweet taste of Heaven before hand: Now he smiles, now he kisses, now he embraces the soul, now he takes a Saint by the hand, now he causes his goodness and glory to pass before the soul, now he opens his bosom to the soul, now the soul shall be of his Court and Councel, now the Clouds shall be scattered, now it shall be no longer night with the soul, now the soul shall sit no longer mourning in the valley of darkness, now Christ will carry the soul up into the Mount, and there reveal his glory to it, that it may act high and brave, noble and glo­rious, in the face of difficulties and discouragements. Christ did intend toMatth. 17. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. put Peter, James, and John, upon hard and difficult service; and therefore brings them up into an high mountain, and there gives them a vision of his Beauty and Glory; there they see him transfigured, metamorphosed, or trans­formed, there they see his face shining as the Sun, and his Rayment glistering. In the Mount, he shews them such [Page 89] beams of his Deity, such sparkling glory, as did even amuse them, and a­maze them, transport them, and asto­nish them; and all this Grace and Glo­ry, this Goodness and Sweetness Christ shews them, to hearten and en­courage them, to own him and his truth, to stand by him and truth, to make him and his truth known to the world, though hatred, bonds, and contempt did attend them in so doing. Thus God dealt with Paul, before heActs 9. 1, to 23. put him upon that hard and dangerous service, that he had cut out for him; he takes him up into Heaven, and sheds abroad his love into his heart, and tells him, That he is a chosen Vessel; he appears to him in the way, and fills him with the Holy Ghost, that is, with the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Holy Ghost. And straightway heChrysostom saith, that he was Insatiabilis Dei cultor, an un­satiable server of God. falls upon Preaching of Christ, upon exalting of Christ, to the amazing and astonishing of all that heard him. And as he had more clear, full, and glorious manifestations of Gods love and favor, then others; so he was more frequent, more abundant, and more constant in2 Cor. 11. 21, ult. the work and service of Christ, then others.

And this hath been the constantIt is sufficient to point at these instances, they are so notori­ously known to all that know any thing of the Scripture in power. As he in Plutarch said of the Scythians, that although they had no musick, nor vines a­mong them, (yet as better things) they had gods; so the Saints, though they may want this, and that out­ward encou­ragement in the service of God; yet they shall injoy his presence, that is better then all other things in the world. dealing of God with the Patriarks; as with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, &c. and with the Prophets; as with Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, &c. when he hath put them upon weighty services, he hath shed abroad his love into their hearts, he hath set his seal upon their spirits, and made them to know, that he hath set them as a seal upon his hand, he hath assured them of his countenance, and of his presence, and of his assistance; he hath told them, though others should desert them, yet he will stand by them, and strengthen them, and support them, and uphold them with the right hand of his Righ­teousness; he hath told them, that his power should be theirs to defend them, and his wisdom should be theirs to direct them, and his goodness should be theirs to supply them, and his grace should be theirs to heal them, and his mercy should be theirs to pardon them, and his joy should be theirs to strengthen them, and his promises should be theirs to chear them, and his spirit should be theirs to lead them. And this hath made [Page 91] them as bold as Lyons, this hath made them stand fast, and stand close to the work of God, in the face of all dan­gers and difficulties, this hath made them with stout Nehemiah, scorn to desist or flie from the work of the Lord, this hath made their Bows to abide in strength, though the Archers have shot sore at them. Now there are considerable Reasons, why God is pleased to give his Children some sweet tastes of his love, some assurance of his favor, when he puts them upon some hard and difficult service, and they are these that follow.

First, That they may not faint nor Reas. 1 faulter in his service, but go thorow itApollonius, as Philostratus re­ports, being asked if he did not tremble at the sight of the Tyrant, made this answer, God which hath given him a terrible coun­tenance, hath given also unto me an un­daunted heart, &c. resolutely and bravely, in the face of all difficulties and oppositions. When God put Joshua upon that hard service of leading and governing his people Israel, he assures him of his love, and of his presence: Fear not, be of good courage, I am with thee. And this makes him hold on, and hold out in the ser­vice of the Lord bravely and resolute­ly, in the face of all discouragements. Chuse you whom you will serve, whether your fathers gods, or the gods of the [Page 92] Amorites; but as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord. So when the Lord put Paul upon such service thatActs 20. 23. occasioned bonds and afflictions to a­bide him in every City, he gives him a taste of Heaven before hand, and lifts up the light of his countenance upon him; and this makes him resolute and bold in the work of the Lord. Now Paul will not consult with flesh and blood; Gal. 1. 15, 16, 17. now it is not reproaches, nor stripes, nor prisons, nor whips, nor perils, nor deaths, that can make him look back, having put his hand to the Lords plough. O, the beamings forth of Divine Love upon his soul filled him with that courage and resolution, that with Shammah (one of Davids wor­thies) he stands and defends the field,2 Tim. 4. 16, 17. when others fall, and flie, and quit the field.

Secondly, God gives his people Reas. 2 some tastes of his love, some sense of his favor, when he puts them upon hard and difficult services, because else he should not onely act below himself, as he is a wise God, a faithful God, a powerful God, a merciful God, a righteous God, &c. But also act be­low [Page 93] his poor weak Creatures: ForAnd to ima­gine that ever the great God will act below the wisdom of those that are foolishness in the very ab­stract, is the greatest mad­ness and blas­phemy in the world. what Husband will put his Wife, what Father will put his childe, what Master will put his Servant, what Captain will put his Souldier, what Prince will put his Ambassadors upon hard and difficult services, but they will smile upon them, and speak kind­ly to them, and make large promises to honor their persons, and kindly to accept, and nobly to reward their ser­vices? &c. Surely none. And will God,Isa. 42. 8. & 48. 11. will God, who will not give his glo­ry to those that have the most glori­ous Beings, suffer his glory to be cloud­ed, and eclipsed by the prudent actings of weak worms? Surely no.

Thirdly, God lifts up the light of Reas. 3 his countenance upon his people, whenSolus amor ne­sci [...] difficultates. Love knows no difficulties. he puts them upon hard and difficult services, that they may never repent of listing themselves in his service. Ah, did not the Lord warm the hearts of his people, with the glorious beams of his love, when he puts them upon hard work, they would be ready, when they meet with oppositions, and haz­ards, to throw up all, and to sit down lamenting and repenting, that ever [Page 94] they were engaged in his service, they would be as peevish and froward as Jonah, and with him venter a drown­ing, to shift off Gods service. Ah,Melancthon was such a man whom Luther encourages thus, Why should we fear a conquered world that have Christ the Conqueror on our side, &c. but now the Lord by letting his good­ness drop upon their hearts, and by putting an earnest-penny into their hands, he causes them to go chearfully on in his work, without sighing or re­penting. The kisses and embraces of God, do put such life, such spirit, such mettle into their souls, as makes them bid defiance to the greatest dangers, and as Crowns them Conquerors of the greatest difficulties. Ah, says a soul, that hath walked some turns in Paradise; what is dross to gold, what is darkness to light, what is Hell to Heaven; no more is all difficulties and oppositions to me, who have foundAs they said once of the Grecians in the Epigramme, whom they thought invul­nerable; we shoot at them, but they f [...]ll not down; we wound them, and yet not kill them, &c. the sweetness of Divine Grace, and have had the happiness to lie in the bosom of God. Dioclesian, the worst, and last Persecutor in all the Ten Per­secutions, observed, That the more he sought to blot out the name of Christ, the more it became legible; and to block up the way of Christ, the more it became passible; and whatever of [Page 95] Christ he thought to root out, it root­ed the deeper, and rose the higher in the hearts and lives of the Saints, a­mong whom he had scattered the beams of his love, and the rich pearls of his grace. Such souls as have once been in the arms of God, in the midst of all oppositions, they are as men made all of fire, walking in stubble, they consume and overcome all oppositions; all difficulties are but as whetstones to their Fortitude. The Moon will run her course, though the Dogs bark at it; so will all those choice souls that have found warmth under Christs wings, run their Christian race, in spight of all difficulties and dangers. The Horse neighs at the Trumpet; the Leviathan laughs at the Spear; so does a Saint, under the power of assurance, laugh at all hazards and dangers that he meets with, in the Lords service. The sense of Gods love, and goodness, makes him to triumph over the great­est difficulties.

Fourthly and lastly, God gives his Reas. 4 people some tastes of his love, when he puts them upon hard and difficult ser­vices, that the mouths of the wicked [Page 96] may be stopt; should God lay heavy burdens upon his peoples shoulders; and not put under his finger to give some ease; should God double their tale of brick, and yet deny them straw; should God engage them against a po­tent enemy, and then desert them; should God send them upon some weighty embassage, and not give pro­portionable encouragements to them; what would the world say? wouldExod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. they not say, That he is a hard Master, and that his ways are not equal; would they not say, Verily they are lyers, that say he is glorious in power, and wonderful in counsel, and infinite in mercy, and admirable in goodness, and rich in grace, and unsearchable in his understanding? for surely, were he, he could not, he would not put his children upon such hard, and dange­rous services, but he would own them, and stand by them, he would assist them, and smile upon them, he would be as careful to bring them bravely off, as he hath been ready to bring them freely on. O, he could not see them in garments rouled in blood, but his bowels would yern towards them, [Page 97] and he would arise, and have compassion on them.

Then thirdly, Waiting times, are times wherein God is pleased to give his people some sweet tastes of his love, and to lift up the light of his countenance upon them. I waited pa­tiently Psal 40. 1, 2, 3. [...] for the Lord (saith David) and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry: Waiting I waited. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit (or out of a pit of noise,) out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. After God had exercised Davids patience in waiting, he sweetly breaks in upon him, and knocks off his bolts, and opens the prison doors, and takes him by the hand, and leads him out of the pit of noise and confusion, in which he was, and causes his love and goodness so to beam forth upon him, as causes his heart to rejoyce, and his tongue to sing. So after devout Simeon had waited for the consolationLuke 2. 25, to 33. of Israel, that is, for Christs coming, the Holy Ghost falls upon him, and leads him to a sight of Christ in the Temple; and this makes the good old [Page 98] man sing, (nunc dimittas) Now let thy servant depart in peace. Ah says Simeon, I have lived long enough, now I have got Christ in my heart, and Christ in my arms; who is my light, my life, my love, my joy, my crown; let me depart according to thy Word. Ah Saints, I appeal to you, have not many of you found by experience, the sweet breathings of Christ upon you, even whilest you have been waiting at the door of Mercy; while you have been weeping and waiting, hath not the Lord Jesus come in, and said, Peace be to you, waiting souls, be of good cheer, it is I, be of good cheer, your sins are par­doned? surely you have: Hath not God made that word good unto you, Wait Psal. 37. 14. on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord; yes. And hath heIsa. 49. 23. These words, Shall not be a­shamed, in the Hebrew Dia­lect, do not simply import, that such shall not be brought to shame, or shall not pe­rish, but that he shall be ad­vanced to great dignity and glory, to everlasting happiness and blessedness. Isai. 30. 18. Lam 3. 25. not made that good to you, They shall not be ashamed that wait for me; that is, they shall not be deceived, or disap­pointed of their hopes and expectati­ons, that wait for me? yes. And have you not found that word made sweet to your souls, Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious; blessed are [Page 99] all they that wait for him? Yes. And hath not the Lord made that word good to you, The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him? Yes. Waiting souls, re­member this assurance is yours, but the time of giving it, is the Lords; the Jewel is yours, but the season, in which he will give it, is in his own hand; the Gold Chain is yours, but he onely knows the hour wherein he will put it about your necks. Well, wait patiently and quietly, wait ex­pectingly, wait believingly, wait af­fectionately, and wait diligently, and you shall finde that Scripture made good in power upon your souls. Yet a Heb. 10. 37. [...]. Hab. 2. 3. Mal 3. 1. little little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry; he will cer­tainly come, he will seasonably come, he will suddenly come, as the Pro­phet Malachi speaks, Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple; even the messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. Well, I will say but this, If assurance of Gods love be not a [Page 100] Jewel worth a waiting for, it is worth nothing.

Fourthly, Suffering times are timesNon poenae sed causa facit mar­tyrem. wherein the Lord is pleased to give his people some sense of his favor; when they are in sufferings for Righteousness sake, for the Gospels sake, then usu­ally God causes his face to shine upon them. Now they shall hear best newsAdversus gen­tes, gratias a­gimus quod à molestis dominis liberemur, saith One. We thank you for delivering us from hard task-masters, that we may enjoy more sweetly the bosom of Christ. from Heaven, when they hear worst from Earth; God loves to smile most upon his people, when the world frowns most, when the world puts their Iron chains upon their legs, then God puts his Golden chains about their necks; when the world puts a bitter Cup into their hands, then God drops some of his honey, some of his goodness and sweetness into it; when the world is ready to stone them, then God gives them the white stone, and when the world is a tearing their good names, then he gives them a new name, that none knows but he that hath it, a name that is better then that of sons and daughters; when the world cryes out, Crucifie them, crucifie them, then they hear that sweet voice from Hea­ven, These are my beloved ones, in whom I [Page 101] am well pleased; when the world cloaths them with rags, then the Lord puts on his Royal Robes, and makes a se­cret Proclamation to their spirits, Thus shall it be done to the men whom the King is pleased to honor; when the world gives into one hand a Cup of Water, God gives into the other a Cup of Nectar, a Cup of Ambrosia; when the world gnasheth upon them, and presents all imaginary tortures before them, then the Lord opens paradise to them, as he did to Stephen; when Paul and Silas were in prison for theActs 7. 50. & 16. 23, 24. Me thinks, said one, I tread upon pearls, when he trod upon hot burn­ing coals; and I feel no more pain, then if I lay in a bed of down, and yet he lay in flames of fi [...]e. Revel. 1 9, 10. He was banish­ed thither by Domitian the Tyrant. Vide Euseb. l. 3. c. 18. Vide Pli [...]. l. 4. c. 12. Gospel sake, then God fills them with such unspeakable joy, that they can­not but be singing; when others were sleeping, God turns their prison into a pallace, a paradise, and they turn his mercies into praises. Paul and Silas found more pleasure then pain, more joy then sorrow, more sweet then bit­ter, more day then night in the pri­son. God will make some beams of his goodness and glory to break tho­row stone walls, to warm and glad the hearts of his suffering-ones. When John was banished into the Isle of Fathmos, for the Word of God, and [Page 102] the testimony of Jesus, then he is fil­led with the Spirit, and hath the choicest manifestations, and the most glorious Revelations that ever he had all his days. Now God makes him one of his Court and Counsel, and tells him what glorious and mighty things shall be in the latter days. Now he is in a Spiritual rapture, and extasie, and carried above himself, and above all outward things, to attend those glorious Visions, that God would make known to him. It was Gods lifting up the light of his countenance that made the Martyrs to sing in the fire, to clap their hands in the flames, and to tread upon hot burning coals, as upon Beds of Roses. This made one say, when he felt the flame come toVincentius. his Beard, What a small pain is this, to be compared to the glory to come? what is a drop of vinegar, put into an ocean of wine? what is it for one to have a rainy day, that is going to take possession of a Kingdom. The smiles of God made another to sing under dreadful suffer­ings, (Christianus sum) I am a Christian. Sanctus. And this made the Christians to sing in Tertullians time, (Crudelitas vestra [Page 103] gloria nostra) Your cruelty is our glory. This made a French Martyr to say, when the rope was about his fellows neck, Give me that golden chain, and dub me a Knight of that noble order. This made another to desire, when he was to die, the favor of having his chains buri­ed with him, as the ensigns of his honor. This made Basil to say, Fire, Nihil seutit erux in nervo, quando animus est in caelo. sword, prison, famine, are all a pleasure, a delight unto me. This made Paul to rattle his Iron chains, and to glory in it, more then worldly men glory in all their outward glory. This made Theodoret to complain that his perse­cuters did him wrong, when they took him off the Rack, and ceased tormenting of him; for said he, All the while that I was on the Rack I found, me thought, there was a yong man in white, an Angel stood by me, which wiped off the sweat; and I found a great deal of sweet­ness in it, which now I have lost. ToSufferings are the ensigns of heavenly no­bisiry; no [...] wonder then that the Saints are so joyful under them. conclude, the smiles of God upon the prisoners of hope, is that which makes them more chearful and de­lightful in their sufferings then Jesus Christ was in his. When Faninus an Italian Martyr was asked by one, why [Page 104] he was so merry at his death, sith Christ himself was so sorrowful, Christ, said he, sustained in his soul all the sorrows and conflicts with Hell and Death, due to us, by whose sufferings we are delivered from sorrow, and fear of them all; and therefore we have cause of rejoy­cing, in the greatest sufferings.

Now there are these special Rea­sons to be given, why the Lord is plea­sed in suffering times, to visit his peo­ple with his loving kindness, and to lift up the light of his countenance upon them.

Reas. 1 First, That their patience and con­stancyChristian for­titude is in fe­rendo n [...]n in fe­rierdo, not in smiting, but suffering. under the Cross, may be invin­cible: God knows right well, That if his left hand in suffering times, be not under his people, and his right hand over them; if he does not give them some sips of sweetness, some rellishes of goodness, they would quickly grow impatient and incon­stant. O, but now the smiles of God,William Flow­er, Appolo [...]us, Basil, Fulgen­tius, Giles of Brussels, Alexander Hales, Polyca [...]us, Cal­vin, Luther, Brentius, Bul­linger; these and many more have been eminent in patience under sore try­als. the gracious discoveries of God, makes their patience and constancy invinci­ble, as it did Vincentius, who by his patience and constancy, madded his tor­mentors; wherefore they stripped him [Page 105] stark naked, whipped his body all over to a gore blood, sprinkled Salt and Vinegar over all his wounds, set his feet on burning coals, then cast him naked into a loathsom Dungeon, the pavement whereof was sharp shells, and his bed to lie on a bundle of thorns. All which this blessed Mar­tyr received, without so much as a groan, breathing out his spirit in these words, Vincentius is my name, and by the grace of God I will be still Vincentius, inspight of all your torments. Persecu­tion brings death in one hand, and life in the other; for while it kills the body, it crowns the soul. The most cruel Martyrdom, is but a crafty trick to escape death, to pass from life to life, from the prison to paradise, from the cross to the crown. Justin Martyr says that when the Romans did immor­talize their Emperors (as they called it) they brought one to swear, that he see him go to Heaven out of the fire. But we may see (by an eye of Faith) the blessed Souls of suffering Saints flie to Heaven, like Elias in his fieryJudg. 13. 20. chariot, like the Angel that appeared to Manoah in the flames. John Hus [Page 106] Martyr, had such choice discoveries of God, and such sweet in-comes of the Spirit, as made his patience and con­stancyA patient man under re­proaches, is like a man with a Sword in one hand, and a Salve in the other, he could wound, but he will heal. invincible: When he was brought forth to be burned, they put on his head a Triple Crown of Paper painted over with ugly Devils, but when he saw it, he said, My Lord Jesus Christ, for my sake, did were a Crown of Thorns, why should not I then, for his sake, wear this light crown, be it never so ignominious? truly, I will do it, and that willingly. And as they tied his neck with a chain to the stake, smiling, he said, That he would willingly receive the The Motto of patient souls is (plura pro Christo toleran­da) we must suffer more then so for Christ. same chain for Jesus Christs sake, who he knew was bound with a far worse chain for his sake. Well, remember this, their names, that by a patient suffering, are written in Red Letters of blood in the Churches Calender, are written in Golden Letters in Christs Register, in the Book of Life.

A second Reason, why the Lord Reas. 2 lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in suffering times, and that is, for the confirmation of some, for the conversion of others, and for the greater conviction and confusion [Page 107] of their adversaries, who wonder, and are like men amazed when they see the comfort, and the courage of the Saints in suffering times. Pauls choice carriage in his bonds, was thePhil. 1. 14. vide Estius. confirmation of many. And many of the Brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear. And as the sufferings of the Saints do contribute to the confirmation of some, so by the blessing of God, they contribute to the conversion of others. I beseech thee (says Paul) for Philem. v. 10. my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. It was a notable saying of Luther (Ecclesia totum mundum conver­t [...]t sanguine & oratione,) The Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayer. Basil affirms, That theThey knew it could be but a days journey between the cross and para­dise, between that short storm, and an eternal calm. Primitive Saints shewed so much comfort and courage, so much He­roick zeal and constancy, that many of the Heathens turned Christians; so that choice spirit that the Saints have shewed in their sufferings (when Christ hath overshadowed them with his love, and stayed them with flagons, and comforted them with apples) hath [Page 108] madded, grieved, vexed, and extreamlyIt would be too tedious to give you an account of all particu­lar persecutors in this case whom the cou­rage, faith, and patience of the Saints have tyred out, tor­mented, and made weaty of their lives, and also bred wonder and astonishment, in beholders and readers. tormented their tormentors. Lactan­tius boasts of the braveness of the Martyrs in his time; our children and women (not to speak of men) do in silence overcome their tormentors, and the fire cannot so much as fetch a sigh from them. Hegesippus reports an observation of Antoninus the Emperor, viz. That the Christians were most couragious and confident always in Earth-quakes, whilest his own Hea­then Souldiers were at such accidents most fearful and dis-spirited. Certainly no Earth-quakes can make any Heart­quakes among the suffering Saints, so long as the countenance of God shines upon their face, and his love lies warm upon their Hearts. The suffering Saint may be assaulted, but not vanquished; he may be troubled, but can never be conquered; he may lose his head, but he cannot lose his Crown, which the2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. righteous Lord hath prepared and laid up for him. The suffering Saint shall still be master of the day, though theyMori posse, vin­ci non posse. kill him, they cannot hurt him; he may suffer death, but never conquest. And they overcame him by the blood of Rev. 12. 11. [Page 109] the Lamb, and by the word of their testi­mony, O Lord Jesus, said one, I love thee (plusquam mea, plusquam meos, plusquam me,) more then all my goods, more then all my friends, yea, more then my very life. and they loved not their lives unto the death. They love not their lives, that love Christ and his truth, more then their lives; they that slight, contemn, and despise their lives, when they stand in competition with Christ, may be truly said not to love their lives. In these words you see, that the Saints by dying, do overcome, They may kill me, said Socrates of his enemies, but they cannot hurt me; A Saint may say this, and more. The Herb Heliotropium doth turn about and open it self, according to the motion of the Sun; so do the Saints in their sufferings, according to the internal motions of the Sun of Righteousness upon them.

A third Reason, Why the Lord Reas. 3 causes his goodness to pass before his people, and his face to shine upon his people in suffering times, and that is, for the praise of his own Grace, and for the glory of his own Name. God would lose much of his own glory, if he should not stand by his people, and comfort them, and strengthen them in the day of their sorrows. Ah the [Page 110] dirt, the scorn, the contempt, thatExod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 13. vain men would cast upon God. Look as our greatest good comes thorow the sufferings of Christ, so Gods greatest glory (that he hath from his Saints) comes thorow their sufferings. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ. 1 Pe [...]. 4. 14. Vide Bezam. happy are ye, for the Spirit of glory, and of God, resteth upon you: On their part, he is evil spoken of, but on your part, he is glorified. It makes much for the glory of God, that his people are cleared and comforted, quickned and raised, spiritualized and elevated in the dayDan. 3. 28, 29, 30. of their sufferings. O, the sight of so noble a spirit in the Saints, cause o­thersDan. 6. 25, 26, 27. to admire God, to lift up God, to fall in love with God, and to glori­fie God; for owning his people, and for being a light to them in darkness, a joy to them in sorrow, and a pallace to them in a prison. God is very sen­sible of the many praises and prayers that he should lose, did he not cause his love, and his glory to rest upon his people in suffering times. There isIsa. 48. 11▪ nothing that God is so tender of, as he is of his glory, and that his heart is so much set upon as his glory; and [Page 111] therefore he will visit them in a pri­son,Gen. 39. 20. ult. and feast them in a dungeon, and walk with them in a fiery furnace; and shew kindness to them in a Lyons den, that every one may shot and cry,Dan, 6. Grace, Grace. God loves to act inZech 4. 7. such ways of Grace towards his suffer­ing ones, as may stop the mouths of their enemies, and cause the hearts of his friends to rejoyce.

Fourthly, Believing times are times Reas. 4 wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people; when his children are in the Exercise of Faith, then the Lord is pleased to make known his goodness, and to feal up to them ever­lasting happiness, and blessedness, Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: In whom also, after that ye believed. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise; or, In whom believing [...]. Vide Beza and Calvin. ye were sealed, that is, As you were in the very Excrcise and Actings of Faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit of the Lord made sure, and sealed up to you, your Adoption, your Recon­ciliation, your Pardon, and everlast­ing [Page 112] Inheritance. Him that honors Christ, by believing, by fresh and fre­quent actings of Faith upon him, him will Christ certainly honor and secure by setting his seal and mark upon him, and by assuring of him of a Kingdom that shakes not, of riches that corrupt not, and of glory that fades not. Ah Christians, you wrong two at once, Christ and your own souls, whilest you thus reason, Lord give me first assu­rance, and then I will believe in thee, and rest upon thee; whereas your great work is to believe, and to hold on be­lieving and acting of Faith on the Lord Jesus, till you come to be assured and sealed up to the day of Redemp­tion. This is the surest and the short­est way to assurance. That is a remark­able passage of the Apostle in Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with [...] ▪ Shall fill you; from signifies to be filled with joy and peace, as the sails of a ship are fill [...]d with wind. all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. The God of hope (saith the Apostle) shall fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that is, whilest you are in the Exercise and Actings of Faith, the God of hope shall fill you with that joy that is unspeakable, and [Page 113] full of glory, and with that peace that passes understanding. Faith is the Key that unlocks paradise, and lets in a flood of joy into the soul. Faith is an appropriating Grace, it appropriates all to it self, it looks upon God, & says with the Psalmist, This God is my God, for ever and Psal 63. 1. & 48. 14. ever; it looks upon Christ, and says, My beloved is mine, and his desires are towards Can. 7. 10. me; it looks upon the precious promises, and says, these precious promises are2 Pet. 1. 4. mine; it looks upon Heaven, and says, Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of 2 Tim 4 8. Righteousness; and this fills the soul with joy & peace. Faith hath an influence up­on other graces; it is like a silver thredTantum possu­mus, quanium credimus. that runs thorow a chain of Pearl; it puts strength & vivacity in to all other vertues; it made Abraham to rejoyce, and it made Noah sit still & quiet in the midst of a deluge. Faith is the first pin that moveth the soul, it is the spring in the Watch that sets all the Golden Wheels of Love, Joy, Comfort, and Peace a going. Faith is a root of Grace, from whence springs all the sweet flowers of joy, & peace. Faith is like the Bee, it will suck sweetness out of every flower, it will extract light out of [Page 114] darkness, comforts out of distresses, mercies out of miseries, wine out ofJudg. 14. 14. water, honey out of the rock, and meat out of the eater. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Upon the Exercise of Faith, their hearts are filled with joy, with unspeakable joy, with glorious joy. Faith sees in Christ (Plenitudo abun­dantiae, There is in Christ not onely (plenitu­do vasis, but ple­nitudo fontis) the fulness of a vessel, but the fulness of a fountain, and this makes the heart of a Saint leap, when he sees it by an eye of Faith. and plenitudo redundantiae) a ful­ness of abundance, and a fulness of re­dundancy; and this fills the heart with glorious joy. Ah Christians, believing, believing is the ready way, the safest way, the sweetest way, the shortest way, the onely way, to a wel-grounded assurance, and to that unspeakable joy and peace, that flows from it, as the effect from the cause, the fruit from the root, the stream from the fountain. There is such assurance, and such joy, that springs from the fresh, and fre­quent actings of Faith, that cannot be exprest, that cannot be painted; no man can paint the sweetness of the honey comb, the sweetness of a clustre of Canaan, the sweetness of paradise, [Page 115] the fragrancy of the Rose of Sharon. As the being of things cannot be painted, and as sweetness of things cannot be painted, no more can that assurance, and joy, that flows from be­lieving, be painted or expressed; it is too great, and too glorious for weak manRom. 4. 18. to paint or set forth. When Abraham believed in hope, against hope, and when in the face of all dangers and dif­ficulties, he put forth such noble and glorious acts of Faith, as to conclude, That the Lord would provide himself a Gen. 22. 8. Dominus pro­videbit, the Lord will pro­vide, was Maxi­milians pious Motto, and should be eve­ry Saints Mot­to in straits and troubles. Lamb for a burnt-offering, and that in the Mount, he would be seen; God is so taken with the actings of his Faith, and the effects of it, that he swears by himself, That in blessing, he would bless him (that is, I will certainty bless him, and will bless his blessing, to him) and in multiplying, he would multiply his seed as the stars of Heaven, and as the sand which is upon the Sea shore. Now the An­gel of the Lord (viz. the Lord Jesus, as his own words shew, Verse 12, 15, 16.) calls unto Abraham out of Hea­ven, not once, but twice; and now he shews his admirable love in counter­manding of Abraham, and in providing [Page 116] a Ram (even to a miracle) for a burnt­offering. And thus you see, that be­lieving times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to reveal his love, and make known his favor to his people, and to look from Heaven up­on them, and to speak again and again in love and sweetness to them.

Fifthly, Hearing and receiving Reas. 5 times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to cause his face to shine upon his people; when they are a hearing the Word of Life, and aPsal. 63. 3, 4. breaking the Bread of Life, then God comes in upon them, and declares to them that love that is better then life, Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word. As Peter wasAlso by the Holy Ghost is meant the ex­traordinary gifts of the Spirit. Vers. 45, 46. Acts 11. 15. Therefore, says the Apostle, do not leave the substance for a shadow, the Sun for a Candle, and speaking, the Holy Ghost (that is, the graces of the Holy Ghost, viz. the joy, the comfort, the love, the peace, &c. of the Holy Ghost) fell upon them. So in that Gal. 3. 2. This onely would I learn of you, received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? By the Spirit here, Cal­vin and Bullinger, and other Expositors, do understand the joy, the peace, the [Page 117] assurance that is wrought in the heart,solid Meat for Milk, which none would do, except they were bewitch­ed, Gal. 3. 1. by the hearing of Faith, that is, by the Doctrine of the Gospel; for in these words of the Apostle, hearing is put for the thing heard, and Faith for the Doctrine of the Gospel, because the Gospel is the ordinary means of work­ing Faith: Faith comes by hearing, saith the Apostle. So in that 1 Thes. 1. 5, 6.By the Holy Ghost in this Text cannot be meant the ex­traordinary gifts of the Spirit, and that first, because they were no evidences of Election; se­condly▪, be­cause many vessels of wrath have been partakers of them; thirdly, many of Gods choice and chosen ones, have been destitute of those extra­ordinary gifts. For our Gospel came not unto you in word onely, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. In these words you have a Divine Power attending Pauls Mini­stry, a power convincing, enlightning, humbling, raising, delighting, reform­ing, renouncing, and transforming of them that heard him. Also you have the sweet and blessed testimony of the Spirit attending his Ministry, and as­suring those of their Effectual Calling and Election, upon whom the Word came in power, and raising up their spirits to joy in the midst of sorrow. Ah you precious Sons and Daughters [Page 118] of Sion, that have sate waiting and trembling at Wisdoms door, tell me, tell me, Hath not God rained down Manna upon your souls, whilest you have been hearing the Word? Yes. Hath not God come in with power upon you, and by his Spirit sealed up to you your Election, the Remission of your sins, the Justification of your persons, and the Salvation of your souls? Yes. Without controversie, many Saints have found Christs lips (in this Ordinance) to drop honey and sweetness, marrow and fatness.

And as Christ in hearing times, when his people are a hearing the Word of Life, does lift up the light of his countenance upon them; so when they are a receiving the Bread of Life, he makes known his love to them, and their interest in him, in this feast of fatThis Ordi­nance is a Cabine [...] of Jewels, in it are abundance of Spiritual Springs, and rich Mines, heavenly Treasures. things, the Master of the Feast, the Lord Jesus comes in the midst of his guests, saying, Peace be here. Here the beams of his glory do so shine, as that they cause the hearts of his Children to burn within them, and as scatters all that thick darkness and clouds that are gathered about them. When [Page 119] Saints are in this Wine Celler, Christs Banner over them is Love. When they are in this Canaan, then he feeds them with Milk and Honey. When they are in this Paradise, then they shall taste of Angels Food. When they are at this Gate of Heaven, then they shall see Christ at the right hand of the Father. When they are before this Mercy Seat, then they shall see the Bowels of Mercy, rowling to­wards them. In this Ordinance they see that, and taste that, and feel that of Christ, that they are not able to declare and manifest to others: In this Ordinance Saints shall see the truth of their graces, and feel the increase of their graces, and rejoyce in the clear­ness of their evidences: In this Ordi­nance Christ will seal up the Promises, and seal up the Covenant, and seal up his Love, and seal up their pardon sensibly to their souls. Many precious souls there be, that have found Christ in this Ordinance, when they could not finde him in other Ordinances, though they have sought him sorrow­ingly: Many a cold soul hath been warmed in this Ordinance, and many [Page 120] a hungry soul hath been fed withEvery graci­ous soul may say not onely (credo vitam ae­ternam, & edo vitam aeternam) I believe life eternal, but I receive, I eat life eternal. Manna in this Ordinance, and many a thirsty soul hath been refreshed with Wine upon the Lees in this Ordinance, and many a dull soul hath been quick­ned in this Ordinance, (Every wick­ed soul that takes the cup, may say (Calix vitae, calix mor­tis) the Cup of Life is made my death. 1 Cor. 11. 27. I do not say, That ever a dead soul hath been in live­ned in this Ordinance, this being an Or­dinance appointed by Christ, not to be­get Spiritual Life where there was none, but to increase it where the Spi­rit hath formerly begun it.) In this Ordinance, weak hands, and feeble knees have been strengthned, and faint­ing hearts have been comforted, and questioning souls have been resolved, and staggering souls have been setled, and falling souls have been supported. Ah Christians, if you will but stand up▪ and speak out, you must say, That in this Ordinance▪ there hath been be­tween Christ and you, such mutual smiles, such mutual kisses, such mutual embraces, such mutual opening and shutting of hands, such mutual open­ing and closing of hearts, as hath made such a Heaven in your hearts as cannot be exprest, as cannot be declared. Christ in this Ordinance opens such [Page 121] boxes of precious Oyntments, as fill the Saints with a spiritual savor; he gives them a cluster of the Grapes ofNum. 13. 23, 24, 25. Canaan, that makes them earnestly look and long to be in Canaan. TheCypr. l 4. ep. 6 Aug. in John, Tract. 27, &c. Christians in the Primitive times upon their receiving the Sacrament, were wont to be filled with that zeal and fervor, with that joy and comfort, with that faith, fortitude, and assurance, that made them to appear before the Tyrants with transcendent boldness and cheerfulness, as many Writers do testifie. Now there are these Reasons, why God is pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people, when they are a hearing the Word of Life, and a breaking the Bread of Life.

First, That they may highly prize Reas. 1 the Ordinances, the choice Discove­ries that God makes to their souls in them, works them to set a very highPsal. 63. 2, 3. Cant 2 3. Psal. 19. 10. This age is full of careless Gallioes, (Acts [...]8. 17.) that care not for these things. price upon them. O, say such souls, we cannot but prize them, we cannot but affect them for what of God we have enjoyed in them. Many there are that are like old Barzillai, that had lost his taste and hearing, and so cared not [Page 122] for Davids feasts and musick; so many there are that can see nothing of God, nor taste nothing of God in Ordinan­ces; they care not for Ordinances, they slight Ordinances. O but soulsPsal. 84. 10, 11. that have seen, and heard, and tasted of the goodness of the Lord in Ordi­nances, they dearly love them, and highly prize them. I have esteemed thy Word, says Job, above my necessary food: Job 23. 12. Better that the Sun shine not, then that Chry­sostom Preach not. And David sings it out, The Law of thy mouth is better unto me, then thou­sands of gold and silver. Luther prized the Word at such a high rate, that he saith, He would not live in Paradise, if he might, without the Word; (At cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere) but with the Word he could live in Hell it self.

Secondly, God lifts up the light of Reas. 2 his countenance upon his people in Ordinances, that he may keep themPsal. 27. 4. close to Ordinances, and constant in Ordinances; the soul shall hear good news from Heaven, when it is waiting at Wisdoms door. God will acquaintProv. 8. 34, 35. the soul with Spiritual Mysteries, and feed it with the droppings of the Honey Comb, that the soul may [Page 123] cleave to them, as Ruth did to Naomi, Ruth 1. 15, 16, 17. and say of them, as she said of her, Where these go, I will go, where these lodge, I will lodge; and nothing but death shall make a separation between Or­dinances and my soul. After Joshua Josh. 1. 5. had had a choice presence of God, with his spirit in the service he was put upon, he makes a Proclamation; Chuse you whom you will serve, I and my Josh. 24. 15. houshold will serve the Lord. Let the issue be what it will, I will cleave to the service of my God. I will set my soul under Gods spout, I will wait for himMal. 3. 1. in his Temple. I will look for him inRevel. 2. 1. the midst of the seven Golden Candle­sticks, I have found him a good Ma­ster, I will live and dye in his service, I have found his work to be better then wages, I have found a reward, not onely for keeping, but also in keeping his Commandments, as thePsal. 19. 11: Psalmist speaks. The good words, the sweet aspects, the choice hints; the heavenly intercourse that hath been between the Lord Jesus, and my soul, in his service, hath put such great and glorious engagements upon my soul, that I cannot but say with the [Page 124] servant in the Law, I love my Master, Exod. 21. 5. Deut. 15. 16, 17. and I will not quit his service, because it is well with me; my ear is bored, and I will be his servant for ever.

The third Reason, Why the Lord Reas. 3 causes the beams of his love, and the brightness of his glory to shine forth upon his people in Ordinances, is, To fence and strengthen their souls a­gainst all those temptations that they may meet with, from Satan and hisEphes. 4. 14. [...] signifies cogging with a Dy, such slights as cheaters and false-gamesters use at D [...]ce. instruments, that lie in wait to deceive, and by their cunning craftiness, endea­vor with all their might, to work men first to have low thoughts of Ordi­nances, and then to neglect them, and then to despise them. Now the LordChrysostom saith, That by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, we are so armed a­gainst Satans temptations, that he fleeth from us, as if we were so many (Leones ignem expuentes) Lyons that spit fire. by the sweet discoveries of himself, by the kisses, and love tokens that he gives to his people in Ordinances, does so indear and engage their hearts to them, that they are able not onely to withstand temptations, but also to triumph over temptations, thorow him that hath loved them, and in Ordinan­ces manifested his presence, and the riches of his grace and goodness to them; the sweet converse, the blessed turns and walks, that the Saints have [Page 125] with God in Ordinances, makes them strong in resisting, and happy in con­quering of those temptations that tend to lead them from the Ordinances, which are Christs bankquetting-house,Can 2. 4. Beith Haiin is Domus vini, the House of Wine. where he sets before his people, all the dainties and sweet-meats of Heaven, and bids them eat and drink abundant­ly, there being no danger of surfeit­ing, in eating, or drinking of Christs delicates. Truly, many a soul hath sur­feited of the worlds dainties, and died for ever; but there is not a soul that hath had the honor and happiness to be brought into Christs bankquetting­house, and to eat and drink of his dain­ties, but they have lived for ever.

The fourth Reason, Why the Lord Reas. 4 is pleased to give his people some sense of his love, and some tastes of Hea­ven in Ordinances, is, That he may fit and ripen them for Heaven, and make them look and long more after a per­fect, compleat, and full enjoyment of God. Souls at first conversion are but roughcast, but God by visiting of them,Isa. 64. 5. and manifesting of himself to them in his ways, doth more and more fit those Vessels of Mercy for Glory. [Page 126] Ah Christians, tell me, do not those Holy Influences, those Spiritual Breathings, those Divine In-comes, that you meet with in Ordinances, make your souls cry out with David, As the Hart panteth after the water Psal. 42. 1, 2. The Greeks derive their word for▪ desire; from a root that signifieth to burn. Now if one should heap never so much fuel up­on a fire, it would not quench it, but kindle it the more; so no­thing can sa­tisfie the de­sires of a Saint, but a full cele­stial enjoy­ment of God. brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God: When shall I come and appear before the presence of God? So in that Psal. 63. 1, 2. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my soul thirst­eth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty Land, where no water is. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary. In these words you have Davids strong, earn­est, and vehement desires; here you have desire upon desire; here you have the very flower and vigor of his spirit, the strength and sinews of his soul, the prime and top of his enflamed affecti­ons, all strongly working after a fuller enjoyment of God. Look as the e­spoused Maid longs for the marriage day, the Apprentice for his freedom, the Captive for his ransom, the con­demned man for his pardon, the Tra­veller for his Inn, and the Mariner for [Page 127] his Haven; so doth a soul, that hath met with God in his Ordinances, long to meet with God in Heaven: It isIt is not drops, but swimming in the Ocean, that will satis­fie a soul that hath looked into paradise. not a drop, it is not a lap and away, a sip and away, that will suffice such a soul: No. This soul will never be quiet, till it sees God face to face, till it be quiet in the bosom of God. The more a Saint tastes of God in an Ordinance, the more are his desires raised and whetted, and the more are his teeth set on edge for more and more of God. Plutarch faith, ThatPlutarch in vita Camilli. when once the Gauls had tasted of the sweet Wine, that was made of the Grapes of Italy, nothing would satis­fie them, but Italy, Italy. So a soulA full enjoy­ment of God is the most sparkling Dia­mond in the Ring of Glo­ry. that hath tasted of the sweetness and goodness of God, in Ordinances, no­thing will satisfie it, but more of that goodness and sweetness; a little mer­cy may save the soul, but it must be a great deal of mercy that must satisfie the soul: The least glimps of Gods countenance may be a staff to support the soul, and a cordial to cherish and comfort the soul, and an ark to secure the soul, and a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night to guide the [Page 128] soul; but it must be much, very much of God, that must be enough to satisfie the soul.

The fifth and last Reason, Why the Reas. 5 Lord is graciously pleased to give his people some sense of his love, and some assurance of his favor in Ordinances, is, That they may have wherewithal to silence, and stop the mouths of wicked and ungodly men, whose words areMal. 3. 13, 14. stout against the Lord; who say, it is in vain to serve God, and what profit is there in keeping his Statutes and Or­dinances, and in walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts. Now theThe Saints by the gracious Experiences that they have of the sweet breathings of God upon them in Ordinances, are able to confute, muz­zle, halter, or button up the mouths of vain and wicked men, who say unto the Lord, Depart from us, for we de­sire not the knowledge of thy ways. Lord causes his face to shine upon his people in Ordinances, that they may stand up, and bear him witness before the wicked world, that he is no hard Master, that he reaps not where he sows not. In Ordinances he kisses them, and there he gives them his love, and makes known his goodness and glory, that his Children may from their own experiences, be able to confute all the lies and clamors of wicked men a­gainst God and his ways. And blessed be God, that hath not left himself without witness, but hath many thou­sands [Page 129] that can stand up before all theWhat is the Almighty, that we shou [...]d serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray un­to him? Job 21. 14, 15. world, and declare, That they have seen the beauty and glory of God in his Sanctuary, that they have met with those joys and comforts in the ways of God, that do as far surpass all other joys and comforts, as light does darkness, as Heaven does Hell: That they have met with such heart melt­ings, such heart humblings, such heart revivings, such heart cheerings, as they never met with before, in all their days. Ah, say these Souls, One day in his Courts, is better then a thousand years elswhere. O! we had rather with Moses, loose all, and be whipped and stripped of all, then lose the sweet en­joyments of God in Ordinances. O! in them, God hath been Light and Life, a Joy and a Crown to our Souls. God is tender of his own glory, and of his Childrens comfort; and therefore he gives them, such choice aspects, and such sweet visits in Ordinances, that they may have Arguments at hand to stop the mouths of sinners, and to de­clare from their own experience, that all the ways of God are ways of plea­santness,Prov▪ 3. 17. Psal 65. 11. and that all his paths drops [Page 130] fatness. And thus much for the Rea­sons, Why God lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in Ordinances; before I pass to the next particular, it will be necessary, that I lay down these Cautions to prevent weak Saints from stumbling and doubting, who have not yet found the Lord giving out his favors, and making known his Grace and Love, in such a sensible way to their souls, in breaking the Bread of Life, as others have found.

Now the first Caution I shall layCaut. 1. down, is this, That even Believers may sometimes come and go from this Ordinance, without that comfort, that assurance, that joy▪ that refreshment, that others have, and may meet with. And this may arise, partly from their2 Chro. 30. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 11. 20. to ult. unpreparedness and unfitness, to meet with God in the Ordinance, and part­ly from their playing, and dallying with some bosom sin; or else it may arise from their not stirring up them­selves, to lay hold on God, as the Pro­phet Isaiah complains, There is none Isa. 64. 7. that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; or else it [Page 131] may arise from the Spirits standing atSam. 1. 16. a distance from the Soul; it may be, O soul, that thou hast set the Com­forter, the Spirit a mourning; and therefore it is, that he refuses to com­fort thee, and to be a sealing and wit­nessing spirit unto thee. Thou hast grieved him with thy sins, and he will now vex thee by his silence; thou hast thrown his Cordials against thePsal. 77. 2. wall; thou hast trampled his Manna under thy feet, and therefore it is, that he hath vailed his face, and chan­gedGen. 31. 5. his countenance and carriage to­wards thee; thou hast been unkinde to the Spirit, and therefore he carries it towards thee as an enemy, and not as a friend.

The second Caution is this, ThatCaut. 2. The longer mercy is a coming, the greater, the sweeter, and the better usu­ally it is when it come [...]. Many a childe hath got a Benja­mins portion, a Hannahs por­tion, a double pot [...]ion by waiting; so hath many a Saint got a worthy po [...]ti­on, a double portion of comfort, and assurance by waiting. Ergo, wait patiently, and work heartily. though God doth in this Ordinance withhold comfort and assurance from thee, yet thou must hold on in thy duty, thou must wait at Hopes hospi­tal; at this heavenly Pool, thou must lie till the Angel of the Cove­nant, the Lord Jesus comes and breaths upon thee; at the [...]e waters of the Sanctuary, thou must lie, till the Spirit moves upon thy soul; thou must [Page 132] not neglect thy work, though God de­layes thy comfort; thou must be as obedient in the want of assurance, as thou art thankful under the enjoy­ment of assurance. Laban often changed Jacobs wages, yet Jacob never changed nor neglected his work; though God should change thy wages (thy comforts into discomforts, thy Spring into an Autumn, &c.) yet thou must never change, nor neglect thy work, which is obeying, believing, and waiting, till God (in his Ordinances) shall lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, and turn thy night into day, and thy mourning into rejoycing. God is the same, and the commands of the Gospel are the same, and therefore thy work is the same, whether it be night or day with thy soul, whether thou art under frowns or smiles, in the Arms, or at the Feet of God.

A third Caution is this, Many ofCaut. 3. the precious Sons and Daughters of Sion, have had, and may have so much comfort and sweetness, so much life and heat, so much reviving and quick­ning, so much marrow and fatness in [Page 133] this Ordinance, as may clearly evi­dence the special presence of God with their spirits; and as they would not exchange for all the world, and yet would give a world (were it in their power) for those strong comforts and full assurance, that others enjoy in this Ordinance: In this OrdinanceKing Cyrus gave a kiss to Chrysa [...]tes, and a golden cup to Artabazus. Christ looks upon one, and kisses an­other; he gives a nod to one, and his hand to another: Some in this Ordi­nance shall have but sips of mercy, others shall have large draughts of mercy; some in this Ordinance shall see but the back parts of Christ, o­thers shall see him face to face; to one he gives silver, to another he gives gold, to one he gives but a glass ofCant▪ 2. 5. consolation, to another he gives flag­gons of consolation; some shall haveThe least star gives light, the least drop moystens, the least pearl sparkles, and the least dram of special Grace saves. but drops, others shall swim in the Ocean; some shall have a large har­vest, others shall have but a few glean­ings, and yet they, if rightly valued, are more worth then a world. The Sun of Righteousness is a free Agent, and he will work and shine forth as he pleases, and when he pleases, and on whom he pleases; and who art thou, [Page 134] that darest say to Christ, why doest thou so? Ah Christians, you may not, you must not say, we have not met with Christ in the Sacrament, because we have not met with joy and assurance in the Sacrament; for you may enjoy very much of Christ in that Ordi­nance, and yet not so much as may boyl up to full assurance, and make you go a way singing, My beloved is Cant. [...]. 16. mine, and I am his. We may enjoy the warmth and heat of the Sun, when we cannot see the Sun; so souls may enjoy much of Christ (by holy influ­ences) in the Sacrament, when they cannot see Christ in the Sacra­ment.

Seventhly, Times of personal affli­ctions, are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to vouchsafe to his people sweet manifestations of his love and favor, when his hand is heavy on them, then he lifts up the light of his countenance upon them, Psal. 71. 20, 21. Thou which hast shewed me great, and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again; and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness [...], and comfort me on every [Page 135] side. So in that Psal. 94. 19. In the [...] multitude of my careful troubled thoughts, My cogitations, i. e. My care­ful troubled thoughts per­plexed, as the branches of a tree, by a strong wind. It comes from [...] a Branch, by interposing [...]. thy comforts delight my soul. Ah Christi­ans, hath not God by all afflictions lifted up your souls neerer Heaven, as Noahs Ark was lifted up neerer and neerer Heaven, by the rising of the water higher and higher. The Ball in the Emblem says, (percussa surgo) The harder you beat me down in affliction, the higher I shall bound in affection towards Heaven, and heavenly things; so afflictions do but elevate and raise a Saints affections to Heaven; and hea­venly things. When Munster lay sick, and his friends asked him, how he did, and how he felt himself, he pointed to his sores and ulcers, (whereof he was full,) and said, These are Gods gems and Qui non est cru­cianus, non est Christianus, saith Luther. The Proverb is, Smart makes wit, and vexa­tion gives un­derstanding. jewels, wherewith he decketh his best friends, and to me they are more precious then all the gold and silver in the world. (Afflictiones benedictiones) Afflictions are blessings. Gods corrections are our instructions, his lashes our lessons, his scourges our school-masters, his cha­stisements our advertisements; and to note this; the Hebrews and Greeks both, do express chastning and teaching [Page 136] by one and the same word ( [...], Musar, [...]aideia,) because the latter is the true end of the former. AhI bless God I know several precious souls, of whom this world is not worthy that have found more of God in afflictions, then in any other gracious dispensation. Manasses got more by his Iron chain, then ever he got by his Golden Crown. [...] Oculos quos pec­catum claudit poena apcrit. P [...]r issem nisi per [...]issem. I had perished, if I had not perished. you afflicted Sons and Daughters of Zion, have you not had such sweet discoveries of God, such sensible de­monstrations of his love, such bowels of affections working in him towards you, have you not had such gracious visits, and such glorious visions, that you would not exchange for all the world? yes. Have you not had the precious presence of God with you, quieting and stilling your souls, sup­porting and upholding your souls, chearing and refreshing your souls? yes. And have you not had the Lord applying precious promises, and suit­able remedies to all your maladies? Have you not found God a bringing in unexpected mercy in the day of your adversity, suitable to that promise, Hosea 2. 14. I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort­ably to her (or, I will earnestly speak to her heart, as the Hebrew reads it?) yes. Have you not found, that God hath so sweetned and sanctified afflictions to you, as to make them a means to dis­cover [Page 137] many sins that lay hid, and to purge you from many sins that cleaved close unto you, and to prevent you from falling into many sins, that would have been the breaking of your bones, and the loss of your comfort? yes. Have you not found, that you haveMusk, saith one, when it hath lost its sweetness, if it be put into the sink amongst filth, it recovers it; so doth afflictions re­cover and re­vive decayed graces. been like the Walnut tree, the better for beating; and like the Vine, the better for bleeding; and like the in­genious childe, the better for whip­ing? yes. Have you not found afflicti­ons to revive, quicken, and recover your decayed graces? have they not inflamed that love that hath been cold, and put life into that Faith that hath been dying, and quickned those hopes that have been withering, and put spirits into those joyes and com­forts that have been languishing? yes. O then stand up, and declare to all the world, That times of affliction have been the times, wherein you have seen the face of God, and heard the voice of God, and sucked sweetness from the brests of God, and fed upon the delicates of God, and drunk deep of the consolations of God, and have been most satisfied and delighted with [Page 138] the presence and in-comes of God. When Hezekiah in his great affliction lamentingly said, I shall go mourning Isai. 38. 9. to 21. to my grave, I shall not see the Lord in the Land of the living; he will cut me off with pining sickness, he will break all my bones. Like a Crane, or a Swallow, so did I chatter; I did mourn as a Dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me. So now, God comes in a way of mercy to him, and prints his love upon his heart, Vers. 17. Thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of cor­ruption, or rather as the Hebrew reads [...] it, Thou hast loved my soul from the grave; for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back. Ah, says Hezekiah, I have now found, that in my afflictions, thy affections have been most strongly car­ried towards me, as towards one whom thou art exceedingly taken with. O, now, thou hast warmed me with thy love, and visited me with thy grace, thou hast made my darkness to be light, and turned my sighing into singing, and my mourning into rejoy­cing. So when Habakkuks belly trembled,Hab 3. 16, 17, 18. and his lips quivered, and rotten­ness [Page 139] entered into his bones, and all Creature comforts failed, yet then had he such a sweet presence of God with his Spirit, as makes him to re­joyce in the midst of sorrows: Yet (says he) I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. And thus you see it clear, That in times of af­fliction God makes sweet manifestati­ons of his love and favor to his Chil­drens souls.

Eighthly, Praying times are times wherein the Lord is graciously plea­sed to give his people some sweet and comfortable assurance, of his love and favor towards them. Prayer crownsNunquam abs te, absque te recedo, Bern. ep. 116. O Lord, saith he, I never go away from thee, with­out thee. He was a man very much in prayer, as some Writers ob­serve. God with the honor and glory that is due to his Name; and God crowns prayer with assurance and comfort; usually the most praying souls, are the most assured souls. There is no service wherein souls have such a neer familiar and friendly entercourse with God, as in this of prayer; neither is there any service, wherein God doth more de­light to make known his grace and goodness, his mercy and bounty, his beauty and glory, to poor souls, then this of prayer. The best and sweetest [Page 140] flowers of paradise, God gives to his people when they are upon their knees. Prayer is (Porta coeli, clavis pa­disi) the Gate of Heaven, a Key to let us into paradise: when John was weep­ing (in prayer, doubtless) the Sealed Book was open to him. Many Christi­ans have found by experience, praying times to be sealing times, times where­in God hath sealed up to them the re­mission of their sins, and the salvation of their souls: They have found prayer to be a shelter to their souls, a sacri­fice to God, a sweet savor to Christ, a scourge to Satan, and an in-let to assu­rance. God loves to lade the wings of prayer with the choicest, and chiefest blessings. Ah! how often, Christians, hath God kist you at the beginning of prayer, and spoke peace to you in the midst of prayer, and filled you with joy and assurance, upon the close of prayer. That nineth of Daniel, from the seventeenth to the four and twentieth verse, is full to the point in hand. I shall onely cite the words of the four last Verses. And whilest I was speaking, and pray­ing, Dan. 9. 20. and confessing my sin, and the sin of [Page 141] my people Israel, and presenting my suppli­cation before the Lord my God, for the Holy Mountain of my God: Yea, whilest I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the begin­ing, [...] With weari­ness, or flight, tired as it were with his mak­ing speed. being caused to flie swiftly, touched me about the time of the Evening Oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel; I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee, for thou art greatly be­loved; therefore understand the Matter, and consider the Vision. In these words you see, whilest Daniel was in prayer, the Lord appears to him, and gives him a Divine touch, and tells him, That he is a man greatly beloved, or as the Hebrew hath it, a man of desires. So [...] Chamudoth, a man of desires, that is, one singularly be­loved of God; one that is very pleasing and delightful to God. Act, 10. 1, 2, 3, 4. There was a certain man in Caesarea, called Cornelius, a Centuri­on, of the Band, called the Italian Band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, an Angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. [Page 142] And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers, and thine alms, are come up for a memorial before God. Pray­ingVide Calvin: and Oecume [...]ius on these words. Cornelius you see is remembred by God, and visited sensibly and evidently by an Angel, and assured, that his prayers and good deeds, are not onely anodor, a sweet smell, a sacrifice ac­ceptable and well-pleasing to God, but also that they shall be gloriously re­warded by God. So when Peter wasVers 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, of Acts 1. praying, he fell into a trance, and saw Heaven opened, and had his minde ele­vated, and all the faculties of his soul filled with a Divine Revelation; so when Paul was a praying, he sees aActs 9 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19. vision, Ananias; a coming and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. Paul had not been long at prayer, before it was revealed to him, that he was a chosen Vessel, before he was filled with the voice and comforts of the Holy Ghost; so our SaviourLuke 17. was transfigured as he was praying. Thus you see, that praying times are times, wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to lift up the light of his coun­tenance upon his people, and to cause [Page 143] his grace and favor, his goodness and kindness to rest on them, as the spirit of Elijah did rest on Elisha. 2 Kings 2. 15.

But some may object and say, We have Object. been at the door of mercy, early and late, for assurance, and yet we have not obtain­ed it; we have prayed, and waited, and we have waited, and prayed; we have prayed, and mourned, and we have [...] ­ed, and prayed, and yet we cannot get a good word from God, a smile from God, he hath covered himself with a cloud; and after all that we have done, it is still night with our souls. God seems not to [...]e at home, he seems not to value our prayers; we call, and cry, and shout out for assurance; and Lam. 3. 8. yet he shutteth out our prayer. We are sure, That we have not found praying times to be times of assurance to our souls, &c.

Now to this Objection, I shall give Answ. I It is better to ask, and not receive, then to receive, and no [...] ask. Cl [...]m. these answers; first, that it may be, you have been more earnest and vehement for assurance, and the effects of it, viz. Joy, comfort, and pe [...]ce, then you have been for grace and holiness, for communion with God, and conformity to God; it may be your requests for [Page 144] assurance have been full of life and spirits, when your request for grace and holiness, for communion with God, and conformity to God, have been liveness and spiritless: If so, no wonder that assurance is denied you. Assurance makes most for your com­fort, but holiness makes most for Gods honor; mans holiness is now his greatest happiness, and in Heaven mans greatest happiness will be his perfect holiness. Assurance is the daughter of Holiness, and he that shall more high­ly prize, and more earnestly press after the enjoyment of the daughter, then the mother, it is not a wonder, if God shuts the door upon him, and crosses him in the thing he most desires. The surest, and the shortest way to assu­rance, is to wrastle and contend with God for holiness, as the Angel con­tendedJudg. 2. 9. with the Devil about the body of Moses. When the stream and cream of a mans spirit runs after holiness, it will not be long night with that man, the Sun of Righteousness will shineMal. 4. 2. forth upon that man, and turn his winter into summer, and crown him with the Diadem of Assurance. The [Page 145] more holy any person is, the more ex­cellentThe Jews have a saying, That those seventy souls that went down to Egypt, were more worth then the seventy Nati­ons of the world. he is; all corruptions are di­minutions of excellency, (the more mixt any thing is, the more it is a­based; as if Gold and Tin be mixed; and the more pure it is, as meer Gold, the more glorious it is.) Now the more divinely excellent any man is, the more fit he is to enjoy the choicest, and the highest favors. Assurance is a Jewel of that value, that he will be­stowPsal. 16▪ 3. Revel. 3. 18. it upon none but his excellent ones: Assurance is that tried gold, that none can wear, but those that win it in a way of grace and holiness. It may be, if thou hadst minded, and endeavored more after communion with God, and conformity to God, thou mightest before this time have looked upward, and seen God in Christ smiling upon thee, and have looked inward (into thy own soul) and seen the Spirit of Grace witnessing to thy spirit, Rom 8. 15, 16 17. that thou wert a Son, an Heir, an Heir of God, and a joynt heir with Christ. But thou hast minded more thy own com­fort, then Christs honor; thou hast minded the blossoms, and the fruit (Assurance and Peace) more then [Page 146] Christ, the Root; thou hast minded the Springs of comfort, more then Christ, the Fountain of life; thou hast minded the beams of the Sun, more then the Sun of Righteousness; and therefore it is but a righteous thing with God, to leave thee to walk in a valley of darkness, to hide his face from thee, and to seem to be as an enemy to thee.

But secondly, I answer, It may be Answ. 2 thou art not yet fit for so choice a mercy, thou art not able to bear so great a favor; many heads are not a­ble to bear strong-waters; why? the very quintessence of all the strong con­solationsJob 15. 11. Divine com­fort is a deli­cate thing, and it is not given to him that ad­mits of any other. of God are wrung out into this golden cup of assurance, and can you drink of this cup, and not stam­mer nor stagger? Believe it, assurance is meat for strong men, few babes (if any) are able to bear it, and digest it. The Apostle saith, That strong meat be­longeth Heb. 5. 12, 14. [...]. to them that are of full age, (or, that are comparatively perfect, or full grown) even those, who by reason of use, (Greek, by reason of habit, which is got by continual custom, and long pra­ctice) have their senses exercised to discorn [Page 147] both good and evil. The Greek word properly signifies such an exercise, as wrestlers, or such as contend for victo­ry do use, which is with all their might and strength, being trained up unto it by long exercise. It may be, O com­plaining1 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3. Christian, that thou art but a scrub, a babe in grace; happily thou art not yet got beyond the brest, or if thou art, yet thou art not past the Spoon. Ah Christian, if it be thusInvalidum omne natura queru­lum, Seneca. Weak spirits are ever quar­relling and contending. with thee, cease complaining of the want of assurance, and be up and grow­ing, be more aged in grac [...] and holi­ness, and thou shalt finde assurance growing upon thee. Divine Wisdom sparkles much in this, in giving milk to Babes (that are more carnal then spiritual) and meat, i. e. Assurance to strong men, that have more skill and will, that have a greater ability, and choicer faculty, to prize and improve this Jewel Assurance, then babes have. The Hebrew word Chabodh signifies, [...] So the Chal­dee. [...] both weight, and glory; and verily, glory is such a weight, that if the body were not upheld by that glorious power that raised Jesus Christ from the grave, if it were not bore up by [Page 148] everlasting Arms, it were impossible itDeut. 33. 27. should bear it. Now assurance is the top of glory, it is the glory of glory;Psal. 45. 13. then certainly, they had need be very glorious within, that shall be crowned with such a weight of glory, as assu­rance is. Well, remember this, It is mercy to want mercy, till we are fit for mercy, till we are able to bear the weight of mercy, and make a divine improvement of mercy.

Thirdly, You must distinguish be­tween Answ. 3 Every audi­ence increaseth love, thanks, and trust, Psa. 116. 1, 2, 3. And those mercies are best improved, which we re­ceive after we have been long upon our knees. delays and denials: God may delay us, when he does not deny us; he may defer the giving in of a mercy, and yet, at last, give the very mercy begged. Barren Hannah prayes, yeer after yeer, for a mercy. God delayes her long, but at last gives her her de­sire; and the Text sayes expresly, that her countenance was no more sad, 1 Sam. 1. 18. After many prayers and tears, the Lord comes in, and assures her, that she should have the desire of her soul; and now she mourns no more, but sits down satisfied, com­forted and cheered. After much pray­ing, waiting, and weeping, God usually comes with his hands, and his heart [Page 149] full of mercy to his people. He loves not to come (Vacuis manibus) empty handed to those that have sate long with wet eyes at Mercies door. Christ tries the faith, patience, and constancy of the Canaanite woman, he deferredMatth. 15. 21, to 29. and delayed her, he reproached and repulsed her; and yet, at last, is over­come by her, as not being able any longer to withstand her importunate requests. O woman, great is thy faith, Be Exclamat tan­quam victus. Brugensis. He cryes out as conquered. it unto thee, even as thou wilt. Christ puts her off at first, but closes with her at last; at first, a good word, a good look is too good for her, but at last, good words, and good looks are too little for her, Be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. At first, Christ carries him­self to her as a churlish stranger, but at last, as an amorous lover; though at first, he had not an ear to hear her, yet at last he had a heart to grant her, not onely her desires, but even what else she would desire over and above, what she had desired. God heard Daniel atDan. 9. 15. to 25. the beginning of his supplications, and his bowels of lo [...] was working strongly towards him, but the Angel Gabriel doth not inform Daniel of this [Page 150] till afterwards. Praying souls, you say that you have prayed long for as­surance, and yet you have not obtained it. Well, pray still, O pray and wait, wait and pray, the Vision is for Hab. 2. 3. an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. God hath never, God will never fail the praying soul; at the long run, thou shalt be sure to obtain that assurance that will richly recompence thee, for all thy praying, waiting, and weeping; therefore hold up, and hold on praying (though God doth delay thee) and my soul for thine, thou shalt reap in due season such a harvest ofGal. 6. 9. joy, and comfort, as will sufficiently pay thee for all thy pains. Shall the Husband-man wait patiently for the precious fruits of the Earth; and wiltJam. 5. 7. not thou wait patiently for assurance, which is a Jewel more worth then Heaven and Earth. Praying souls re­member this, It is but weakness to think that men shall reap as soon as they sow, that they shall reap in the Evening, when they have but sowed in the Morning. Titus Vespasian neverSuelonius. [Page 151] dismist any Petitioner with a tear in his eye, or with a heavy heart; and shall we think, that the God of com­passions will always dismiss the Petiti­oners of Heaven with tears in their eyes? Surely no.

Ninthly, Sometimes before theThis truth many choice Christians have found by experience. soul is deeply engaged in fore conflicts with Satan, the Lord is graciously pleased to visit his people with his lo­ving kindness, and to give them some sweet assurance, That though they are tempted, yet they shall not be worsted; though they are tried, yet they shall be crowned; though Satan doth roar as a Lyon upon the soul, yet he shall not make a prey of the soul; for the Ly­onRevel. 5. 5. John 10. 28. of the Tribe of Judah will hold it fast, and none shall pluck it out of his hand. God first fed Israel with Manna from Heaven, and gave them water toEx [...]d 17. 8, &c. drink out of the Rock, before their fore fight with Amalek. Before Paul 2 Cor. 12. 1. to 8. was buffetted by Satan, he was caught up into the third Heaven, where he had very glorious visions, and revela­tions of the Lord, even such, as he was not able to utter. Before Jesus ChristMatth. 3: ult. was led into the wilderness to be [Page 152] tempted by Satan, to question and doubt of his Son-ship, he heard a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my be­loved Son, in whom I am wel-pleased. The Spirit of the Lord did first de­scend upon him as a Dove, before Sa­tan fell upon him as a Lyon. God walks with his people some turns in paradise, and gives them some tastes of his right-hand pleasures, beforePsal. 16. ult. Satan by his tempting shall do them a displeasure: But I must hasten to a close of this Chapter; and there­fore

Tenthly and lastly, After some sharp conflicts with Satan, God is graciously pleased to lift up the light of his coun­tenance upon his people, and to warm and cheer their hearts with the beams of his love. Matth. 4. 11. Then the Non tanquam misericordes in­digenti, sed tan­quam subjecti om ipotenti, Aug. Hom. 8. Devil leaveth him, and behold, Angels came and ministred unto him. When Christ had even spent himself in soil­ing and quelling, in resisting and scat­tering Satans temptations; then the Angels come and minister cordials and comforts unto him. So after Paul had2 Cor. 12. 7, [...] [...] 10. been buffetted by Satan, he heard that sweet word from Heaven, My grace is [Page 153] sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness; which filled his heart with joy and gladness. The hid­den Manna, the New name, and theRevel. 2. 17. White stone, is given to the conqueror, to him that hath fought with principa­lities, Ephes. 6. 12. and powers, and spiritual wicked­ness in high places, and is come off with his garments dipt in blood. After the Roman Generals had gotten victory over their enemies, the Senate did use not one way, but many ways to ex­press their loves to them. So after our Faith hath gotten victory over Satan, God usually takes the soul in his arms, and courts it, and shews much kind­ness to it. Now the soul shall be car­ried in triumph, now the Chariot of state attends the soul, now WhiteRevel. 3. 5. & 7. 9. rayment is put upon the soul, now Palms are put into the Conquerors hands, now the Garland is set upon the Conquerors head, and now a Roy­al feast is provided, where God will set the Conqueror at the upper end of the Table, and speak kindly, and car­ry it sweetly towards him, as one much affected and taken with his victory over the Prince of darkness. [Page 154] Conflicts with Satan, are usually theAs many have found by ex­perience. sharpest, and the hottest; they spend, and waste most, the vital and noble spirits of the Saints; and therefore, the Lord after such conflicts, doth or­dinarily give his people his choicest, and his strongest Cordials.

And thus, by Divine assistance, we have shewed you the special times and seasons, wherein the Lord is gra­ciously pleased to give his people some tastes of his love, some sweet assurance, that they are his favorites, that all is well, and shall be for ever well be­tween him and them; and that though many things may trouble them, yet nothing shall separate them from their God, their Christ, their Crown.

CHAP. III. Containing the several Hinderances and Impediments that keep poor souls from Assurance, with the Means and Helps to remove those Impediments and Hin­derances.

NOw the first impedi­ment1. Impedi­ment. and hinderance to Assurance, that we shall instance in, is, Despairing thoughts of mercy. O these imprison the Soul, and make it always dark night with the Soul; these shut the windows of the Soul, that no light can come in to cheer it. Despair­ing There is a threefold De­spair. 1. Worldly. 2. Moral. 3. Spiritual. And this last is the worst and greatest. thoughts make a man fight against God with his own weapons; they make a man cast all the Cordials of the Spirit against the wall, as things of no value; they make a man suck poyson out of the sweetest promises; they make a man eminent in nothing, un­less it be in having hard thoughts of God, and in arguing against his own Soul, and happiness, and in [Page 156] turning his greatest advantages into disadvantages, his greatest helps into his greatest hinderances. DespairingIt makes a man call good evil, and evil good, light darkness, and darkness light, sweet bitter, and bitter sweet, a Savi­our, a destroy­er; a Redeemer, a revenger, &c. thoughts of mercy, make a man a beast; yea, below the beast that perisheth. Pliny speaks of the Scorpion, that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting, as be­ing unwilling to lose any opportunity of doing mischief: Such Scorpions are despairing souls, they are still a putting out their sting, a rangling with God, or Christ, or the Scripture, or the Saints, or Ordinances, or their own Souls. A despairing soul is (Magor Missabib) a terror to himself, it cannot rest, but like Noahs Ark is al­ways tost here and there, it is troubled on every side, it is full of fears and fightings. A despairing soul is a bur­den to others, but the greatest burden to it self, it is still a vexing, terrifying, tormenting, condemning, and perplex­ing it self: Despair makes every sweetA despairing soul is like the spider that draws poyson out of the sweetest flow­ers. bitter, and every bitter exceeding bit­ter, it puts Gall and Wormwood in­to the sweetest Wine, and it puts a sting, a cross into every cross. Now whilest the soul is under these despair­ing [Page 157] thoughts of mercy, how is it pos­sible that it should attain to a well­grounded assurance; therefore for the helping of the soul out of this despair­ing condition, give me leave a little to expostulate with despairing souls.

Tell me, O despairing souls, is not despair an exceeding vile and con­temptible sin, is it not a dishonor to God, a reproach to Christ, and a mur­derer of souls, is it not a belying of God, a denying of Christ, and a crown­ing of Satan; it doth without doubt proclaim the Devil, a Conqueror, and lifts him up above Christ him­self. Despair is an evil that flowsDespair is Sa­tans master­piece, it carries men he adlong to hell, it makes a man twice told a childe of hell; it is a Viper, that hath stinged many a man to death. from the greatest evil in the world, it flows from unbelief, from igno­rance, and mis-apprehensions of God, and his Grace, and from mistakes of Scripture, and from Satan, who being for ever cast out of paradise, labors with all his art and might to work poor souls to despair of ever entring into paradise. O despairing souls, let the greatness of this sin effectually awaken you, and provoke you to labor as for life, to come out of this con­dition, which is as sinful as it is [Page 158] doleful, and as much to be hated, as to be lamented.

Again, tell me, O despairing souls,Acts 2. Plus peccavit Judas desperan­do quàm pro­dendo Christum, saith one. hath not despairing Judas perished; when as the murderers of Christ be­lieving on him were saved. Did not Judas sin more hainously by despair­ing, then by betraying of Christ? De­spairing Spira is damned, when repent­ting Manasseh is saved. O despairing souls, the arms of mercy are open to receive a Manasseh, a Monster, a Devil incarnate; he caused that Gospel Pro­phet Isaiah to be sawed in the midst with a Saw (as some Rabbins say;) he turned aside from the Lord to commit2 Chro 33. 1, to 15. Idolatry, and caused his sons to pass thorow the fire, and dealt with famili­ar spirits, and made the streets of Je­rusalem to overflow with innocent blood. The soul of Mary Magdalen Mark 6. 9. was full of Devils, and yet Christ casts them out, and made her heart, his house, his presence Chamber; why dost thou then say there is no hope for thee, O despairing soul? Paul was fullActs 1. 1, 2. & 26. 11. of rage and malice against Christ, his people, and ways, and he was full of blasphemy, and impiety, and yet be­hold, [Page 159] Paul is a chosen Vessel, Paul is1 Tim. 1. 13, 15, 16. caught up into the third Heaven, and he is filled with the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost. Why shouldst thou then say, there is for thee no help? O despairing soul! Though the ProdigalLuke 15. 13, 14. had run from his Father, and spent, and wasted all his estate in ways of baseness, and wickedness, yet upon his resolution to return, his Father meets him, and instead of killing him, he kisses him, instead of kicking him,Vers. 22, 23. he embraces him, instead of shutting the door upon him, he makes sumptu­ous provisions for him. And how then dost thou dare to say, O despairing soul! that God will never cast an eye of love upon thee, nor bestow a crumb of mercy on thee. The Apostle tells you of some monstrous miscreants that were unrighteous, fornicators, idola­ters, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankinde, theeves, cove­tous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners; and yet these monsters of mankinde, thorow the instant goodness and free­grace of God, are washed from the filth, and guilt of their sins, and justi­fied by the Righteousness of Christ, [Page 160] and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, and decked, and adorned with the pre­cious Graces of Christ. ThereforeO despairing souls, are you good at burn­ing, that you have no mercy on your selves, but to argue to your own un­doing. do not say, O despairing soul, that thou shalt die in thy sins, and lie down at last in everlasting sorrow. Did it make for the honor and glory of his free grace to pardon them; and will it be a reproach to his free-grace, to pardon thee? Could God be just in justifying such ungodly ones, and shall he be unjust in justifying of thee? Did not their unworthiness and unfitness for mercy, turn the stream of mercy from them? No. Why then, O de­spairing soul, shouldst thou fear that thy unworthiness, and unfitness for mercy, will so stop and turn the stream of mercy, as that thou must perish eternally for want of one drop of spe­cial Grace and Mercy.

Again, tell me, O despairing soul! Is not the Grace of God free-grace, isSub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae. Aug. The Patrons of mans freewil, are enemies to Gods free­grace. not mans salvation of free-grace. By grace ye are saved, Ephes. 2. 8. Every link of this golden chain, is Grace. It is free-grace that chose us, Rom. 11. 5. Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the electi­on [Page 161] of Grace. It is free-grace that chuses some to be Jewels from all eternity, that chuses some to life, when others are left in darkness. The Lord Jesus Christ is a gift of free-grace; Christ is the greatest, the sweetest, the choicest, the cheifest gift that ever God gave; and yet this gift is given by a hand of love. God so loved the John. 3 16. Isa. 9. 6. world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, &c. Here is a sic without a sicut, God Joh [...] 4 10. But God, O thou desp [...]i [...]ing soul, is Pater mis [...]rationum, he is als b [...]w­els, he will not stand upon giving his most lovely Son to most unlovely souls. so loved the world; so freely, so vehe­mently, so fully, so admirably, so unconceivably, That he gave his onely Son. His Son, not his servant, his be­gotten Son, not his adopted son, yea, his onely begotten Son. I have read of one that had four sons, and in a Fa­mine being sore opprest with hunger, the Parents resolved to sell one for re­lief; but then they considered with themselves which of the four they should sell: they said, The eldest was the first of their strength, therefore loth they were to sell him; the second was the very picture of the Father, and therefore loth they were to part with him; the third was like the Mother, and therefore they were not [Page 162] willing to part with him; the fourth, and the yongest, was the childe of their old age, their Benjamin, the dearly be­loved of them both, and therefore they were resolved not to part with any of them; and so would rather suffer themselves to perish, then to part with any of their children. O but Gods heart is so strongly set upon sinners,Heb. 1. 1, 2, 3. Matth. 3. ul [...]. that he freely gives Jesus Christ, who is his first-born, who is his very picture, who is his beloved Benjamin, who is his cheifest joy, who is his greatest de­light, as Solomon speaks, Then I was Prov. 8. 30. by him as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, (in the Hebrew, [...] his delights, that is, his greatest delight) rejoycing always before him; or, sporting greatly before him, as little ones do before their parents. Why then, O despairing soul, dost thou sit down sighing, and walk up and down mourning, and sad­ly concluding, that there is no mercy for thee? Hold up thy head, O despair­ingChrist is called the gift of God, and the free gift of God five times together in Rom. 5. 15, 16, 17, 18. soul, Jesus Christ himself is a gift of free-grace; the consideration of his free, boundless, bottomless, and endless love, may afford thee much matter of admiration and consolation, [Page 163] but none of despairation? And as Jesus Christ is a gift of free-grace, or a free-grace gift, so the precious Co­venant of Grace is a gift of grace. Gen. 17. 2. I will make my Covenant be­twixt me and thee; but in the Original [...] it is, I will give thee my Covenant. Here you see that the Covenant of Grace, is a free gift of grace. God gave the Covenant of the Priest-hood unto Phineas as a gift, so God gives theNum 25. 12, Covenant of Grace as a gift of favor and grace, to all that he takes into Covenant with himself; from first to last, all is from free-grace. God lovesHosea 14 4. freely; I will heal their back sliding, I will love them freely, &c. So Moses. The Lord (saith he) set his love upon you Deut 7. 7, 8. to take you into Covenant with him; not because you were more in number then o­ther people, but because he loved you, and chose your Fathers. The onely groundGod will have all blessings and happiness to flow from free-grace. 1. That the worst of sin­ners may have strong grounds for hope and comfort. of Gods love, is his love; the ground of Gods love, is onely and wholly in himself. There is neither portion, nor proportion in us, to draw his love; there is no love, nor loveliness in us, that should cause a beam of his love to shine upon us; there is that enmity, [Page 164] that filthiness, that treacherousness,2. For the praise of his own glory. 3. That vain man may not boast. 4. That our mercies and blessings may be sure to us. unfaithfulness to be found in every mans bosom, as might justly put God upon glorifying himself in their eter­nal ruine, and to write their names in his black Book, in characters of blood and wrath. And as God loves freely, so God justifies us freely, Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. And as poor sinners are justified freely, so they are pardoned freely, Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted (speaking of Christ) with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour; for to give repen­tance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And as they are pardoned freely, so [...] The gracious gift of God. Charisma signi­fies a gift flow­ing from the free-grace and favor of God. John 10. 28. they shall be saved freely, Rom. 6. ult. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus you see, O despairing souls, that all is of free-grace, from the lowest to the highest round in Jacobs Ladder, all is of Grace. Christ is a Donative, the Covenant of grace is a Donative, Pardon of sin is a Dona­tive, Heaven and Salvation is a Dona­tive. Why then, O despairing souls, should you sit down sighing under [Page 165] such black, sad, and dismal apprehen­sions of God, and your own state and condition. Verily seeing all happiness and blessedness comes in a way of free­grace, and not in a way of doing, not in a way of works, you should arise,Revel. 21. 6. & 22. 18. O despairing souls, and cast off all de­spairing thoughts, and drink of the waters of life freely. What though thy heart be dead, and hard, and sad? what though thy sins be many, and thy fears great? yet behold, here is glorious grace, rich grace, wonderous grace, matchless and incomparable riches of free-grace, spread before thee. O let this fire warm thee, let these waters refresh thee, let these Cordials strengthen thee, that it may be day, and no longer night with thee, that thy mourning may be turned into re­joycing, and that thy beautiful gar­mentsIsa. 52. 1. may be put on; that so the rest of thy days may be days of gladness, and sweetness, and free-grace may be an everlasting shade, shelter, and rest unto thee.

Again, tell me, O despairing souls, do you understand, and most seri­ously, and frequently ponder upon [Page 166] those particular Scriptures that do most clearly, sweetly, and fully dis­cover the mercies of God, the bowels of God, the grace and favor of God to poor sinners, as that Psal. 86. 5. For thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, unto all them that call upon thee. Gods mercies are above all his works, and above all ours too; his mercy is without measures and rules. All the acts and attributes of God, sit at the feet of mercy; the weapons of Gods artillery are turnedThe Rainbow is signum gratiae & foederis. into the Rainbow; a Bow indeed, but without an Arrow, bent, but with­out a string. The Rainbow is an em­blem of mercy, it is a sign of grace and favor, and an assurance that God will remember his Covenant, it is fresh and green to note to us, that Gods mercy and grace to poot sinners, is always fresh and green. Again, tell me, O despairing souls, have you seri­ously pondered upon Nehe. 9. 16, 17. But they and our Fathers dealt proudly, and hardned their necks, and hearkned not to thy Commandments: And refused to obey, neither were mindful of the wonders that thou didst among them, but hardned [Page 167] their necks, and in their rebellion appoint­ed a Captain to return to their bondage; but thou art a God ready to pardon, gra­cious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. Thou art a God (says he) ready to pardon, or rather, as it is in the Original, and [...] thou a God of pardons: There is a very great emphasis in this Hebraism, a God of pardons; it shews us, that mercy is essential unto God, and that he is in­comparable in forgiving iniquity, trans­gression, and sin. Here Nehemiah setsMicah 7. 18. him forth as one made up all of par­doning grace and mercy; as a circle begins every where, but ends no where, so do the mercies of God. When Alexander did sit down before a City, he did use to set up a light, to give those within notice, that if they came forth to him whilest that light lasted, they might have quarter, if otherwise, no mercy was to be expected. O butLuke 13. 7. Jere. 3 1. to 15. such is the mercy and patience of God to sinners, that he sets up light after light, and waits year after year upon them: When they have done their worst against him, yet then he comes with his heart full of love, and his [Page 168] hands full of pardons, and makes a proclamation of Grace, that if now at last they will accept of mercy, they shall have it. Why then, O despairing soul, dost thou make thy life a hell, by having such low and mean thoughts of Gods mercy, and by measuring of the mercies, and bowels of God, by the narrow scant­ling of thy weak and dark under­standing?

Again, tell me, O despairing souls, have you seriously pondered upon those words in Isai. 55. 7, 8, 9. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un­righteous [...] Veish Aven, The man of ini­quity, i. e. One that makes a trade of sin. man (or rather, as it is in the Original, the man of iniquity) his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abun­dantly pardon; or as it is in the Ori­ginal, [...] He will multi­ply to pardon, or he will in­crease his par­dons, as the sinner increases his sins. He will multiply to pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nei­ther are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth, so are my ways higher then your ways, and my thoughts, then your thoughts. Turn, O despairing [Page 169] souls, to these Scriptures, Numb. 14. 19, 20. Exod. 34. 6, 7. Micah 7. 18, 19. Isai. 30. 18, 19. Psalm 78. 34, to 40. & 103. 8. to 13. Jere. 3. 1. to 12. Luke 15. 20. to 24. 1 Tim. 1. 13. to 17. and tell me, whether you have seriously and frequently pon­dered upon them.

O how can you look so much grace and mercy, so much love and favor, and such tender bowels of compassion in the face, as appears in these Scriptures, and yet rack and tear your precious souls with despair­ing thoughts!

O there is so much grace and good­ness, so much love and favor, so much mercy and glory, spark­ling and shining thorow these Scri­ptures, as may allay the strongest fears, and scatter the thickest dark­ness, and chear up the saddest spirits, &c.

Again, tell me, O despairing souls, do you not do infinite wrong to the1 Pet. 1. 19. precious blood of the Lord Jesus? Three things are called precious in the Scripture, the blood of Christ is called precious blood, and faith is called preci­ous 2 Pet. 1. 1, 4. [Page 170] faith, and the promises are called precious promises. Now what a re­proach is it to this precious blood, that speaks better things, then the blood of A­bel,Heb. 12. 24. for you to faint and sink under the power of delpair? what doth this speak out? O, doth it not proclaim to all the world, that there is no such worth and vertue, no such power andUna gu [...]tula plus valet quam caelum & terra. Luther. efficacy in the blood of Christ, as in­deed there is? O, how will you answer this to Christ in that day wherein his blood shall speak and plead, not onely with the profane that have trodden it under their feet, but also with despair­ingHeb. 10. 29. souls that have undervalued the power, vertue, and merit of it? Hath not the blood of Jesus Christ washed1 John 1. 7, 8, 9. away the sins of a world of notorious sinners, and is it not of vertue to wash away the sins of one sinner? Hath itSanguis Christi clavis coeli. The blood of Christ is the Key of Hea­ven, that hath let in millions. Revel. 7 9. Isai 66 8. A nation shall be born in a day. When the Jews shall be converted, a very glorious converting power shall accompany the means of sal­vation, that Christ may rain from Sea to Sea, &c. had that vertue and power in it, as to bring many thousands to glory already, and is there not so much vertue left in it, as to bring thy soul to glory? Hath it actually delivered such a mul­titude from wrath to come, as cannot be numbred, and is the vertue of it so far spent, as that it cannot reach to [Page 171] thy deliverance. Are there not yet millions of thousands that shall here­after be actually saved and justified by this blood? Why then shouldst thou despair of being justified, and saved from wrath to come, by the vertue and power of this precious blood? There were five Monks that were studying, what was the best means to mortifie sin: One said, To meditate on death; the second, To meditate on judgement; the third, To meditate of the joyes of Heaven; the fourth, To meditate on the torments of Hell; the fifth, To meditate on the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ; and certainly, the last is the choicest and strongest motive of all to the mortify­ing of sin. O despairing souls, de­spairing souls! if ever you would cast off your despairing thoughts, and get out of your present hell, then dwell much, muse much, and apply much this precious blood to your own souls: So shall sorrow and mourning flee Isai. 5. 11. & 56. 5. & 60. 19, 20. & 62. 4, 5. away, and everlasting joy shall rest upon you, and the Lord shall give you an ever­lasting name, and be everlasting light and glory to you, and you shall be no more [Page 172] called Forsaken; for the Lord will re­joyce over you, and be a wel-springJohn 4. 21, 23. of life unto you, and make his abode with you, and turn your sighing in­to singing, your trembling into re­joycing, and your prison into a para­dise of pleasure; so that your souls shall be able to stand up, and say, O blessed be God for Jesus Christ, bless­ed be God for that precious blood that hath justified our persons, and quieted our consciences, and scat­tered our fears, and answered our doubts, and given us to triumph over Sin, Hell, and Death. Who is Rom 8. 33, to 38. he that condemneth? it is Christ that died. The Apostle upon the account of Christs death, of Christs blood, cryes out, Victory, Victory; he looks upon all his Enemies, and sings it sweetly out, Over all these we [...] is Supervinci­mus. We do over-over­come. are more then conquerors, or, above con­querors.

O despairing souls, to all your former sins, do not adde this, Of making light and slight of the blood of Christ; as there is no blood, that saves souls like the blood of Christ, [Page 173] so there is no blood that sinks souls like the blood of Christ; a drop of this blood upon a mans head at last, will make him miserable for ever; but a drop of it upon a mans heart at last, will make him happy for ever. In the day of vengeance, theExod. 12. 7. destroying Angel will spare you, if this blood be found upon the door posts of your hearts, otherwise you are lost for ever.

Lastly, I can tell you, O despair­ing souls, that God hath brought some out of the very gulf of despair, out of the very belly of hell; and therefore thou mayest hope that thy sins, that are thy present bur­den, shall not be thy future ruine. Doth not Asaph resemble the de­spairing soul to the life? My soul Psal 77. refused to be comforted, I remembred God, and was troubled, I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Thou holdest mine eyes waking, I am so troubled, that I cannot speak. Will the Lord cast off for ever, and will he be fa­vorable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever, and will his promise fail [Page 174] for evermore. Hath God forgotten to be gracious, hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Now out of this gulf God delivers him, Verse 10. And I said, This is my infirmity, or, this maketh [...] me sick, as it is in the Original. Here Asaph checks himself for casting the cordials, the comforts of the Spirit against the wall, and for his having such hard, sad, and black thoughts of God. And in the thirteenth Verse, he speaks like one dropt out of Heaven. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary, who is so great a God, as our God? For­merly the thoughts of God troubled him, and overwhelmed him; but now at last the thoughts of the greatness of God, and of his interest in God is mat­ter of admiration and consolation to him. So Heman sighs it out thus, My Psal. 88. All conclude that he was very holy, and his soul very happy, even while he was in this gulf of misery. soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Lord why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors, I am distracted. Thy fierce [Page 175] wrath goeth over me, thy terrors have cut me off. And yet for all this, Hemans state was good, his soul was safe and happy; he calls God in the same Psalm, The God of his salvation. So Jonah, when he was in the belly ofJonah 2. [...] Garash signifies to expulse and cast out, as A­dam was ex­pulsed out of paradise. Gen 3. 24. It signifies an ignominious expulsion. Hell, concludes, That he was cast out of the sight of God. The sense of his sin, and of Gods anger and wrath, was so eminent and transcendent upon him, that it even distracts him, and makes him speak like a despairing soul, I am cast out from the presence of the Lord, I am expulsed out of Gods sight, as Moses was expulsed out of Egypt. God hath cast me out, as one in whom he can take no pleasure, nor delight; as a Husband doth a Wife that hath been false and unfaithful to him; and yet Gods heart and love is so set upon Jonah, that he will save him by a mi­racle, rather then he shall not be saved. Jonah was much in the heart of God, and God made his faith at last victori­ous. To these I shall adde some other famous instances. In King James his time, there was one Mistress Honi­wood of Kent, an ancient and religious Gentlewoman, who lived many years [Page 176] in much horror and terror of Consci­ence, for want of assurance of the fa­vor of God, and of her eternal wel­being. She would very often cry out, She was damned; she was damned. Seve­ral men of eminent piety and parts, left no means unattempted, whereby her doubts might be answered, her conscience pacified, and her soul satis­fied and cheared; yet she being strong­ly under the power of despair, persist­ed in crying out, O she was damned, she was damned. When these GentlemenThe truth of this whole sto­ry is notori­ously known. were about to depart, she called for a Cup of Wine for them, which being brought, she drank to one of them a glass of the Wine, and as soon as she had done, in an extream passion she threw the Venice-glass against the ground, saying, As sure as this glass will break, so surely am I damned. The glass re­bounded from the ground without any harm, which one of the Ministers sud­denly caught in his hand, and said, Be­hold, a miracle from Heaven to confute your unbelief, O tempt God no more, tempt God no more. Both the Gentlewoman, and all the company, were mightily a­mazed at this strange accident, and all [Page 177] glorified God for what was done; and the Gentlewoman by the grace and mercy of God, was delivered out of her Hell of despair, and was filled with much comfort, and joy, and lived, and died full of peace and assurance.

Take another instance. There lived lately at Tilbury in Essex, a Gentleman who was a long time under such an e­minent degree of despair, that he re­jected all comfort that was tendered to him by any hand, and would not suffer any to pray with him; nay, he sent to the Ministers and Christians that lived near him, and did desire them that as they would not increase his torments in Hell, they would cease praying for him; he would not suffer any religious service to be performed in his family, though formerly himself was much in the use of them; yet God gave him at last such inward re­freshings, and by degrees filled him with such abundance of heavenly com­sorts (as he told all that came to him) that it was impossible for any tongue to utter, or heart to imagine, that did not feel them; at last God gave him [Page 178] the new name, and the white stone, that none knows, but he that hath it. He lived about three quarters of a year enjoying Heaven upon Earth, and then breathed out his last in the bosom of Christ.

Poor I, that am but of yesterday, have known some that have been so deeply plunged in the gulf of despair, that they would throw all the Spiritu­al Cordials that have been tendered to them against the walls; they were strong in reasoning against their own souls, and resolved against every thing that might be a comfort and support unto them; they have been much set against all Ordinances and Religious Services; they have cast off holy Du­ties themselves, and peremptorily refused to joyn with others in them; yea, they have out of a sense of sin and wrath, which hath lain hard upon them, refused the necessary comforts of this life, even to the overthrow of natural life: And yet out of this hor­rible Pit, this Hell upon Earth, hath God delivered their souls, and given them such manifestations of his grace and favor, that they would not ex­change [Page 179] them for a thousand worlds. O despairing souls, despairing souls, you see that others, whose conditions have been as bad, if not worse then yours, have obtained mercy, God hath turned their Hell into a Heaven, he hath remembred them in their low estate, he hath pacified their raging consciences, and quieted their distract­ed souls, he hath wiped all tears from their eyes, and he hath been a well­spring of life unto their hearts: There­fore be not discouraged, O despairing souls, but look up to the Mercy-seat, remember who is your Rest, and kick no more by despair, against the bowels of Divine love.

Now the second Impediment to2. Impedi­ment. 2 Sam. 14. 19. Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? You know how to apply it. assurance, is, Mens entring into the lists of dispute with Satan about those things that are above their reach, as about the Decrees and Counsel of God. O by this Satan keeps many precious souls off from assurance, since God hath cast him out of paradise, and bound him in chains of darkness, he will make use of all his skill, power, and experience, to draw men into the [Page 180] same misery with himself; and if he cannot prevent their entring at last in­to paradise above, he will labor might and main to make their life a wilder­ness here below. And to this purposeEorum qua scire nec datur, nec fas est, docta est ignorantia, sci­entiae appetentis insaniae species. Aug. he will busie their thoughts and hearts about the Decrees of God, and about their particular elections; as, whether God hath decreed them to Eternal Happiness, or chosen them to Ever­lasting Blessedness, &c. That so by this means, he may keep them from that desirable assurance, that may yeeld be­leevers two Heavens, a Heaven of joy and comfort here, and a Heaven of felicity and glory hereafter. It is said of Marcellus, the Roman General, that he could not be quiet (nec victor, nec victus) neither conquered, nor conque­ror. Such a one is Satan, if he be conquered (by Faith) yet he will be assaying; if he conquers, he will be roaring and triumphing. Satans great design, is eternally to ruine souls; and where he cannot do that, there he will endeavor to discomfit souls, by busying them about the secret Decrees and Counsels of God; if the soul break thorow his temptations, as Davids [...] Sam. 24. [Page 181] Worthies did break thorow the Hosts of the Philistims, and snap his snaresJudg. 15. 13, 14. in sunder, as Samson did his Cords; then his next shift is to engage them in such debates and disputes, that nei­ther men nor Angels can certainly and infallibly determine, that so he may spoil their comforts, when he cannot take away their Crown.

Now thy wisdom, and thy work, O doubting soul, lieth not in disputing, but in believing, praying, and waiting on God. No way to Heaven, no way to assurance like this; Adam disputes with Satan, and falls, and loses Para­dise; Job believes, and resists Satan, and stands, and conquers upon the Dunghil. When Satan, O trembling soul, would engage thee in disputes about this or that, say to him, Satan,Deut. 29. 29. Revealed things belong to me, but secret things belong to the Lord. It is dangerous to be curious in prying into hidden matters, and careless, and negligent in observing known Laws: say to him, Satan, thou hast been a lyer, and a mur­derer John 8. from the beginning; thou art a profest enemy to the Saints confidence, and assurance, to their consolation and [Page 182] salvation: If thou hast any thing to say, say it to my Christ, he is my com­fort and crown, my joy and strength, my redeemer and intercessor, and he shall plead for me. Ah Christians, if you would but leave disputing, and be much in believing, and in obeying, assurance would attend you; and you should Lye down in peace, and take Job 11. 13. to 20. your rest, and none should make you afraid.

The third Impediment that keeps3. Impedi­ment. poor souls from Assurance, is the want of a thorow search, and examination of their own souls, and of what God hath done, and is a doing in them. Some there be that can read better inConradus Mot­to was a nota­ble rule (Omni­um mores, tues imprimis obser­vato,) observe all mens car­riages, but especially thy own. other mens Books, then in their own, and some there be that are more cri­tical and curious in observing and stu­dying other mens tempers, hearts, words, works, and ways, then their own. This is a sad evil, and causes many souls to sit down in darkness, even days without number. He that will not seriously and frequently ob­serve the internal motions, and actings of God, in, and upon his noble part, [Page 183] his immortal soul, may talk of assu­rance, and complain of the want of assurance, but it will be long before he shall obtain assurance. O you stagger­ing, wavering souls, you tossed, and disquieted souls, know for a certain, that you will never come to experi­ence the sweetness of assurance, till your eyes be turned inward, till you live more at home then abroad, till you dig and search for the Mines, that be in your own hearts, till you come to discern between a work of Nature, and a work of Grace, till you come to put a difference between the precious and the vile, between Gods work, and Satans work. When this is done, you will finde the clouds to scatter, and the Sun of Righteous­ness to shine upon you, and the Day­star of assurance to rise in you. Doubt­ing, trembling souls, do not deceive your selves, it is not a careless, slight, slender searching into your own hearts, that will enable you to see the deep, the secret, the curious, the mysterious work of God upon you. If you do not seek as for silver, and search forProv. 2. 3, 4, 5. Christ and grace as for hid treasures, you [Page 184] will not finde them. Your richestSo saith Pliny, Seneca, and others. mettals lie lowest, your choicest gems are in the bowels of the Earth, and they that will have them, must search diligently, and dig deep, or else they must go without them. Doubting souls, you must search, and search again, and dig, and dig again; you must work, and sweat, and sweat, and work, if ever you will finde those Spiritual Treasures, those Pearls of price that are hid, (under the ashes of corrupti­on) that lie low in the very bowels of your souls.

Tell me, O doubting souls, hath that sweet word of the Apostle been ever made to stick in power upon you, [...], from [...], to pierce t [...]orow, &c. [...], to prove and try; as Gold-smiths trie their met­tal by the fire and the touch­stone. God brings not a pair of scales to weigh our graces, but a touchstone to try our graces; if our gold be true, though it be never so lit­tle, it will pass currant with him, He will not quench the smoaking flax, &c. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves, whe­ther you be in the Faith (or, Whether Faith be in you) prove your selves, &c. The precept is here doubted, to shew the necessity, excellency, and difficulty of the work; to shew, that it is not a super­ficial, but a thorow, serious, substantial Examination, that must inable a man to know, whether he hath precious Faith, or no; whether he be Christs Spouse, or the Devils strumpet. All is not gold that glisters, all is not Faith [Page 185] that men call Faith; therefore he that would not prove a cheater to his own soul, must take some pains to search and examine, how all is within. Cli­macus reports, that the Ancients used to keep in a little Book, a memorial of what they did in the day, against their night reckoning. But ah, how few be there in these days, that keeps a Diary of Gods mercies, and their own infir­mities, of Spiritual Experiences, and the inward operations of Heavenly Graces? Seneca reports of a Heathen man that would every night ask him­self these three Questions: First, What evil hast thou healed this day; se­condly, What vice hast thou stood against this day; thirdly, In what part art thou bettered this day. And shall not Chri­stians take pains with their own hearts, and search day and night to finde out what God hath done, and is a doing there. God hath his doing hand, his working hand in every mans heart; either he is a working there in ways of mercy, or in ways of wrath; ei­ther he is a building up, or a plucking down; either he is a making all glo­rious within, or else he is a turning all [Page 186] into a Hell. Well, doubting souls, remember this, That the soundest joy, the strongest consolations flow from a thorow examination of things with­in. This is the way to know how it is with you for the present, and how it is like to go with you for the future: This is the way to put an end to all the wranglings of your hearts, and to put you into a possession of Heaven, on this side Heaven.

The fourth Impediment that keeps4. Impedi­ment. many precious souls from Assurance is, their mistakes about the work of grace. Look, as many Hypocrites do take a good nature for grace; and those common gifts and graces that may be in a Saul, a Jehu, a Judas, for a special distinguishing grace, &c. So the dear Saints of God are very apt to take grace for a good nature, to take Pearls of price for stones of no value,Mark 9. 24. to take special grace for common grace. Many trembling souls are apt to call their Faith, unbelief, with the man in the Gospel, and their Confi­dence, presumption, and their Zeal, passion, &c. And by this means many [Page 187] are kept off from Assurance. Now the way to remove this Impediment, is, wisely and seriously to distinguish be­tween renewing grace, and restraining grace, betwixt common grace, and spe­cial grace, betwixt temporary grace, and sanctifying grace. Now the differ­ence betwixt the one, and the other, I have shewed in Ten particulars in myThe same man sells that, that sells this: Treatise, called Precious remedies against Satans devices, from page 217. to page 230. And to that I refer thee for full and compleat satisfaction; if thou wilt cast thy eye upon the parti­culars, I doubt not, but thou wilt finde that profit and content, that will re­compenceMore to that point, I cannot easily say. thee for thy pains. And this I thought more convenient to hint to thee, then to write over the same things, that there thou wilt finde to thy delight and settlement.

The fifth Impediment to Assurance5. Impedi­ment. is, their grieving and vexing the Spirit of grace, by not harkning to his voice,Nil nisi sanctum a sanct [...] spiritu prodire potest. Nothing can come from the holy Spirit, but that which is holy. by refusing his counsel, by stopping the ear, by throwing water upon that fire he kindles in their souls, and by attributing that to the Spirit, that is to be attributed to mens own passions, [Page 188] and distempers, and to the Prince ofSmoak drives away Bees, and an ill savor drives away Doves. Sin is such a smoak, such an ill savor, as drives away this Dove-like spirit. darkness, and his associates. By these and such like ways, they sad that precious Spirit that alone can glad them; they set him a mourning, that alone can set them a rejoycing; they set him a grieving, that alone can set them a singing; and therefore it is, that they sigh it out with Jeremiah, Lam. 1. 16. Behold, he that should com­fort our souls, stands afar off. Ah doubt­ing souls, if ever you would have Assurance, you must observe the moti­ons of the Spirit, and give up your selves to his guidance, you must live by his Laws, and tread in his steps, you must live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, you must let him be chief in your souls. This is the way to have him to be a sealing Spirit, a witnessing Spirit, and an assuring Spirit to your hearts. Believe it souls, if this be not done, you will be far off from quiet­ness and settlement. The word that in [...], The soul will not quite leave wrangling, till it be quiet in the bosom of Christ. 1 John 3. 19. is rendred assure, signi­fies to perswade, to note to us, that our hearts are very froward, and peevish, and apt to wrangle, and raise objecti­ons against God, against Christ, against [Page 189] the Scripture, against our own and others experiences, and against the sweet hints and joyings of the Spirit; and this they will do, especially when we omit what the Spirit perswades us to; (omissions raises fears, and doubts, and makes work for Hell, or for the Spirit and Physitian of souls,) or else, when we do that which the Spirit disswades us from. If you be kinde and obedient to the Spirit, it will not be long night with your souls, but if you rebel and vex him, he will make yourIsai. 63. 10. life a hell, by withholding his ordi­nary influences, by denying to seal you to the day of redemption, and by giving you up to conflict with horrors and ter­rors, &c. Therefore be at the Spirits beck, and check; and assurance, and joy will ere long attend you.

The sixt Impediment to Assurance,6. Impedi­ment. is, doubting souls, making their Sense, Reason, and Feeling, the judges of their Spiritual Conditions: Now so long as they take this course, they will ne­ver reach to Assurance; Reasons arm is too short to reach this Jewel Assu­rance: This Pearl of price, is put in­to [Page 190] no hand, but that hand of Faith that reaches from Earth to Heaven. What tongue can express, or heart conceive, the fears, the doubts, the clouds, the darkness, the perplexities, that will arise from the souls reasoning thus. I finde not that the countenanceGen. 31. 5. of God is towards me as before, there­fore, surely my condition is bad; I feel not those warmings, those quick­nings, those cheerings, those meltings as before; I am not sensible of those secret stirrings, and actings of the Spi­rit, and Grace in my soul as before; I do not hear such good news from Heaven as before, therefore certainly God is not my God; I am not beloved, I am not in the state of Grace, I have but deceived my self and others; and therefore the issue will be, that I shall die in my sins, &c. To make Sense, and Feeling, the Judges of our Spiritu­al Conditions, what is it but to make our selves happy and miserable, righte­ous and unrighteous, saved and damn­ed in one day, I, in one hour, when Sense and Reason sit as Judges upon the Bench? Hath God made Sense and Feeling the Judges of your Con­ditions? [Page 191] No. Why then will you? Is your Reason Scripture, is your Sense Scripture, is your Feeling Scripture? No. Why then will you make them Judges of your Spiritual Estate? Is not the Word the Judge, by which all men and their actions shall be judg­ed at last? The word that I have spoken John 12. 43. (says Christ) shall judge you in the last day. To the Law, and to the Testi­mony,Isa. 8. 20. [...] if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light, or no morning in them. Why then, O doubting souls, will you make your Sense and Feeling the Judge, not onely of your conditions, but of the truth it self? What is this, but to de­throne God, and to make a god of your Sense and Feeling? What is this, but to limit and binde up the Holy One of Israel? What is this, but to toss the soul to and fro, and to expose it to a labyrinth of fears, and scruples? What is this, but to cast a reproach upon Christ, to gratifie Satan, and to keep your selves upon the rack? Well, doubting souls, the counsel that I shall give you, is this, Be much in believing, and make only the Scripture the judge [Page 192] of your condition, maintain the judge­mentInclinavit Deus Scripturas ad infantium & lactentium capa­citatem, saith one. God hath bow­ed down the Scriptures to the capacity, even of Babes and Sucklings. Id agit tota Scriptura ut credamus Deum esse misericor­dem. Luth. Psal. 119. 24. [...] of the Word, against the judge­ment of Sense and Feeling; and if upon a serious, sincere, and impartial comparing of thy heart and the Word together, of thy ways and the Word together, the Word speaks thee out to be sincere, to be a Nathanael, to be a new Creature, to be born again, to have an immortal seed in thee, &c. Cleave to the Testimony of the Word, joy in it, rest upon it, and give no more way to Fears and Doubts; Let thy countenance be no more sad, for nothing can speak or make that soul miserable, that the Word speaks out to be happy. Constantine would have all differences and disputes in the Nicene Councel, ended by the Bible. O doubting souls, look cheerfully to this, That all differences and contro­versies that arise in your hearts, be ended by the Word; there is danger in looking beside the Scripture, or be­yond the Scripture, or short of the Scripture, or upon sense and feeling, so much as upon the Scripture; there­fore, let the Word be always the man of thy counsel: No way to assurance [Page 193] and joy, to settlement and establish­ment like this. If you are resolved to make Sense and Feeling the Judge of your conditions, you must resolve to live in fears, and lie down in tears.

The seventh Impediment to Assu­rance7. Impedi­ment. is, Mens remisness, carelesness, laziness, and overliness in Religious Ser­vices, and in the Exercise of their gra­ces. Ah, how active and lively are menThe active Christian goes to Heaven, A­lacri animo ac plena fiducia. in pursuing after the world; but how liveless, and unactive in the ways of Grace and Holiness. Ah, doubting Christians, remember this, That the promise of Assurance and Comfort is made over, not to lazy, but laborious Christians, not to idle, but to activeLabor omnia vincit. Christians, not to negligent, but to diligent Christians. John 14. 21, 22, 23. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: And he that loveth me, shall be loved of Non amat qui non zelat. Aug. my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him. Now Judas saith unto him, (not Iscariot) Lord, How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us, and not to the world? Jesus answered, and said unto him, If any man love me, he [Page 194] will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. So in that 2 Pet. 1. 10, 11. Wherefore the rather Brethren, [...], is a significant word, it signi­fies all manner of earnestness, scriousness, and continuance in doing. Also it signifies a spee­dy and swift putting of things in execution. give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure: For if you do these things, ye shall be ministred unto you abundantly, in­to the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A lazy Chri­stian shall always want four things, viz. Comfort and Content, Confidence and Assurance. God hath made a se­paration between Joy and Idleness, between Assurance and Laziness; and therefore it is impossible for thee to bring these together, that God hath put so far a sunder. Assurance and Joy are choice Donatives that Christ gives onely to laborious Christians. The lazy Christian hath his mouth full of complaints, when the active Christian hath his heart full of comforts. God would have the hearts of his children to be hot in Religious Services, be fervent (or, seething hot, as it is in theRom. 12. 11. [...] signi­fies seething hot. Original) in spirit, serving the Lord. That service that hath not heavenly heat, that hath not Divine fire in it, [Page 195] is no service, it is lost service. A lazy spirit, is always a losing spirit. O! Remember lazy Christians, that God is a pure act, therefore he loves activeness in Religious services. Re­member the Angels, those Princes ofEzek. 1 6. Marth. 18. 10. glory are full of life and activity, and they always behold the Fathers face in glory. Remember, he that will finde rich Minerals, must dig deep; he thatProv. 2. 4, 5, 6. will be rich, must sweat for it; he that will taste the Kirnel, must crack the shell; he that will have the Marrow, must break the bone; he that will wear the Garland, must run the race; he that will ride in triumph, must get the victory; so he that will get Assu­rance, must be active and lively in duty. It is onely fervent prayer that is ef­fectualJam [...] 16. [...]. The working prayer. prayer, it is onely the working prayer that works wonders in Heaven, and that brings down wonderful Assu­rance into the heart. Cold prayers shall never have any warm Answers, God will suit his returns to our re­quests; liveless services shall have liveless Answers; when men are dull, God will be dumb. Elias prayed ear­nestly, [...], He prayed in prayer. or as it is in the Greek, He [Page 196] prayed in prayer, and God answered him.Most men have more heat in their brains, then in their hearts and services; and therefore it is that they walk in darkness, that they want assurance. Many there be that pray, but they do not pray in prayer, they are not lively and earnest with God in prayer; and therefore Justice shuts out their pray­ers. When one desired to know what kinde of man Basil was, there was (saith the History) presented to him in a dream, a Pillar of fire with this Motto (Talis est Basilius) Basil is such a one, all on a light fire for God. Ah lazy doubting Christians, were you all on a light fire, in hearing, in praying, &c. It would not be long before the Windows of Heaven would be open, before God would rain down Manna, before he would drop down Assurance into your bosoms.

My advice to you, lazy Christians, is this, Cease complaining of the want of Assurance, and be no more formal, slight, and superficial in Reli­giousGod shot Ana­stasius the Em­peror to death with a thun­der-bolt for his lukewarmness, saith the Histo­rian. services, but stir up your selves, and put out all your might and strength in holy actions, and you shall experimentally finde, that it will not be long before you shall have such good news from Heaven, as will fill you with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

The eighth Impediment to Assu­rance,8. Impedi­ment. is, Mens living in the neglect of some Ordinance, or in the omissi­onOmission of Diet breeds diseases, and makes the life uncomfortable, yea, sometimes a bur [...]en to a man So the omission of holy duties and services, breeds many fears, doubts, and questions in the soul, a­bout its own sincerity, a­bout its inter­est in Christ, about its find­ing audience, and acceptance with God; and so makes the life of a Christian very uncomfortable, yea, a burden to him. of some Religious duties; they seek Christ in some of his ways, but not in all; they wait upon him in this and that Ordinance, but not in every Or­dinance. Are there not many doubt­ing souls that wait upon God, in hear­ing the Word of Life, and yet neglect, and make light of waiting upon Christ, in breaking the Bread of Life? Are there not many that are very careful daily to perform Family duties, and yet are very rarely found in Closet services? Some there be that are all ear, all for hearing; and others there be, that are all tongue, all for speaking and praying; and others there be, that are all eye, all for believing, all for searching, all for enquiring into this, and that; and others there be, that are all hand, all for receiving the Lords Supper, &c. And seriously, when I consider these things, I cease wonder­ing, that so many want Assurance, and do rather wonder, that any obtain Assurance, considering how few there be, that are conscientious and ingenu­ous [Page 198] in waiting upon God in every way and service, wherein he is pleased to manifest his grace and favor to poor souls.

Well doubting souls, remember this, God will give Assurance in one Ordinance, when he will deny it in another, that you may seek his face in all. God loves as well, that you should wait on him, as that you should wrestle with him. He that will not give God the honor of attending him, in every duty, in every Ordinance, may long enough complain of the want of Assurance, before God will give him the white stone, and the new name, that none knows but he that hath it. Many of the precious Sons of Zion have found God giving Assurance in one Ordinance, others have found him giving Assurance in another Or­dinance. God speaks peace to some in such and such services, and comfort to others in such and such duties: Therefore as you would have Assu­rance, O doubting souls, seek the Lord in every way and service▪ wherein he is pleased to make known his glory and goodness. In hearing Christ opens [Page 199] his Box of Ointments to some, and in praying and breaking of Bread he lets his sweet myrrhe fall upon the hearts of others. Some have seen the glory of the Lord in the Sanctuary, that have been clouded in their Clo­sets; others have heard a sweet still voice in their Closets, that have sate long trembling in the Sanctuary. Re­memberDeut. 23. 3, 4. Here the Pro­verb is most false, that says (Modi cum non nocet) A little hurts not. Ah this or that lit­tle omission, as you call it, may expose men to a great deal of wrath. Matth. 25. 41, ult. doubting souls, Moab and Ammon were banished the Sanctuary to the Tenth Generation, for a meer omission, because they met not Gods Israel in the Wilderness with Bread and Water. And I verily believe, that God doth banish (as I may say) many from his favorable presence, (as Abso­lom did David) for their sinful omissi­ons, for their non-attendance upon him in all his ways. Therefore, ifThey did not rob the Saints, but omitted the relieving of them, which was their ruine. ever you would have Assurance, seek the Lord, not onely while he may be found, but also in every gracious dis­pensation where he may be found; Then shall the joy of the Lord be your strength, and his glory shall rest upon you. The days of your mourning shall be ended, and you shall lye down in peace, and none shall make you afraid. I would [Page 200] earnestly desire you, O doubting souls, seriously to consider, That all the ways of Christ, are ways of pleasant­ness (as Solomon speaks,) not onely thisProv. 3. 17. way, or that way, but every way of Christ is a way of pleasantness; every way is strowed with Roses, every way is paved with Gold, every way is at­tended with comfort and refreshing. So the Psalmist, Thy paths drop fatness, Psal. 65. 11, 12. not onely this or that path, but all the paths of God drops fatness. O then walk in every way, tread in every path of God, as you would have your souls filled with marrow and fatness,Psal. 63. 5. and never forget that choice saying of the Prophet Isaiah, Thou meetest him Isa. 64. 5. [...] that rejoyceth, and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. To run and meet the soul as the father of the Prodigal run, and met him afar off, with bowels of love and pity. They that would have God to meet with them in a way of Peace and Re­conciliation, in a way of Grace and Favor, must remember God in all his ways; not onely in this or that parti­cular way, but in every way wherein he is pleased to cause his glory to shine: Therefore doubting souls, Cease complaining, and be more con­scientious and ingenuous, in waiting up­on [Page 201] God in all his appointments, and it will not be long night with you.

The ninth Impediment that keeps9. Impedi­ment. Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri, habendo miseriores. Many are miserable by loving hurtful things, but are more misera­ble by having them. Christians from Assurance, is, An im­moderate love of the World; their thoughts and hearts are so busied a­bout getting the World, and keeping the World, that they neither seek Assurance as they should, nor prize Assurance as they should, nor lament the want of Assurance as they should, nor study the worth and excellency of Assurance as they should; and there­fore it is no wonder, that such are without Assurance. As it is very hardMatth. 19. 23, 24. for a rich man to enter into Heaven, so it is very hard for a worldly Chri­stianHab. 2. 6. Divitibus ide [...] pietas deest, quia nihil deest. Rich mens wealth proves an hinderance to their happi­ness. to get Assurance of Heaven. The thick clay of this world doth so af­fect him, and take him, so satisfie him, and sink him, that he is not able to pursue after Assurance, with that life and love, with that fervency and fre­quency, as those must do that will ob­tain it. It is said, Gen. 13. 2. That A­braham was very rich in Cattle, in Sil­ver, and in Gold; according to the Hebrew [...] Abraham was very heavy, [Page 202] to shew (saith one) that riches are a heavy burden, and a hinderance many times to a Christians comfort, and confidence, to his happiness and assu­rance. Solomon got more hurt by hisDi [...]ia corpora­les paupertatis plen [...] sunt. Aug. Earth by riches are full of po­verty. wealth, then he got good by his wis­dom; such a fire rise out of his world­ly enjoyments, as did even consume and burn up his choicest spirits, and his noblest vertues; under all his Royal Robes, he had but a thred-bare soul. Sicily, saith one, is so full of sweetDiodorus Si [...]u­lus. The same saith Aristotle. flowers, that dogs cannot hunt there, the sent of the sweet flowers diverteth their smell: And ah what doth allQuam sordet mihi terra cum [...]lum intueor? Adrian. the sweet delights and contents of this world, but make men lose the sent of Heaven, but divert men from hunting after Assurance, and from running after Christ, in the sweetness of his oint­ments.

The Creature is all shadow, and vanity of vanities, (vanity is the very quintessence of the Creature, and all that can possibly be extracted out of it.) It is filia noctis, like Jonahs gourd, a man may sit under its shadow for a while, but it soon decayes and dies. Why shouldst thou set thy heart upon that Prov. 23. 5. [Page 203] which is not. Were ever riches trueSi t [...]rram am as terra es; si deum▪ amas, quid vis ut di [...]am Deus es. Aug. If thou lovest the Earth, thou art earthly, but if thou lovest God, thou shalt have whatever thou wilt ask of God. to them that trusted them; as the Bird hops from twig to twig, so doth riches hop from man to man, &c. Worldly Christians, cease complain­ing of the want of Assurance, and sin­cerely humble and abase your souls before the Lord; for that you have so eagerly pursued after lying vanities; for that you have in so great a measure forsaken the Fountain of living water; for that with Martha you have been busied about many things, when Christ and Assurance, the two things necessary, have been so much neglected and disregarded by you. Get this World, this Moon, under your feet, take no rest till you have broken tho­row this silken net, till you have got off these Golden Fetters. A heart that is full of the world, is a heart full of wants. Ah the Joy, the Peace, the Comfort, the Confidence, the Assurance that such hearts wants. The Stars which have least circuit, are nearest the Pole; and men whose hearts are least entangled with the world, are always nearest to God, and to the Assurance of his Favor. World­ly [Page 204] Christians, remember [...]his, You andMundus cada­ver est, & pe­tentes [...]um sunt ca [...]es, (is an Arabick Pro­verb) that is, The world is a carcass, and those that hunt after it are dogs. This Proverb makes a great many of our glistering Pro­fessors to be but dogs. the world must part, or else assurance and your souls will never meet. When a worldly Christian is saved, he is sa­ved as by fire; and before ever he shall be assured of his salvation, he must cry out, (Omnes humanae consolationes, sunt desolationes,) All humane consolations are but desolations. God will not give the Sweet meats of Heaven, to those that are gorged and surfetted with the delicates of the Earth. The Cock upon the Dunghil prefers a Bar­ley Corn above the choicest Pearl; such Dunghil Christians that prefer a little Barley Corn above this Pearl of price, Assurance; that with Esau pre­ferHeb 12. 16, 17. a morsel of meat before this Bles­sing of blessings, that prefer Paris above Paradise, Gods coyn above his countenance, may at last with Esau seek, and seek with tears this Heaven­ly Jewel Assurance, and yet, as he, be rejected and repulsed.

The tenth and last Impediment that10. Impedi­ment. keeps Christians from Assurance, is, The secret cherishing, and running out of their hearts, to some bosom darl­ing [Page 205] sin: It is dark night with the soul, when the soul will cast a propitious eye upon this, or that bosom sin, and secretly say, Is it not a little one, and my soul shall live, though God and Conscience hath formerly checkt and whipt the soul for so doing. Ah how many be there, that dally & play with sin, even after they have put up many prayers and complaints against sin, and after they have lamented, and bitterly mourned over their sins: Many there be that complain of their deadness, barrenness, frowardness, conceitedness, cenforiousness, and other baseness; and yet are ready at every turn to gra­tifie, if not to justifie those very sins that they complain against: No won­der that such want Assurance. After the Israelites had eat Manna in the Wilderness, and drunk water out of the Rock, after God had been to them a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, after he had led them by the arms, and kept them as the apple of his eye, after he had made them spectators of his wonders, they hankered after the flesh-pots of Egypt; so when, after God hath given a man a new name, and a [Page 206] white stone, after he hath made a re­port of his love to the soul, after he hath taken a man up into paradise, after he hath set a man upon his knee, and carried him in his bosom, after he hath spoke peace & pardon to the soul,Psal. 85. 8. for the soul to return to folly, O this cannot but prove a woful hinderance to Assurance, this will provoke God to change his countenance, and to carry it not as a Friend, but as an ene­my: When Love is abused, Justice takes up the Iron Rod, God will strike hard and home, when men kick against the Bowels of Mercy. God hath made an Everlasting separation be­twixt Sin and Peace, betwixt Sin and Joy, and betwixt Sin and Assurance. God will be out with that man, that is in with his sin; if sin and the soul be one, God and the soul must needs be two: He that is resolved to dally with any sin, he must resolve to live in many fears. Never forget this; he that favor­eth any one sin, though he forgoeth many, doth but as Benadab, recover of one disease, and die of another; yea, he takes pains to plunge himself [...]nto two hells, a hell here, and a hell [Page 207] hereafter. Therefore, as ever thou wouldst have Assurance, offer up thy Isaac, part with thy Benjamin, pull out thy right eye, cut off thy right hand, otherwise Assurance and Joy will not be thy portion.

Now that I may remove this Impe­diment which is of such a dangerous consequence to Christians souls, and keeps Christians for ever from smiling upon any bosom sin, I shall first lay down a few considerations to provoke them to dally and play no more with sin, but to put off that sin that does so easily beset them, that sticks so closeHeb. 12. 1. [...]. unto them; and then in the second place, I shall propound some means, that may contribute to the bringing under of bosom sins, that so it may be no longer night with the soul.

The first Motive to provoke you toMotive 1. put out all your strength and might a­gainst bosom sins, that you are so apt to play withal, is, Seriously to con­sider, that this will be a strong, and choice Demonstration, and evidence [...] Gnimme, With him. of the Sincerity, and uprightness of your hearts. Psal. 18. 23. I was also up­right [Page 208] with him, and I kept my self from mine iniquity. I kept a strict and dili­gent watch upon that particular sin that I found my self most inclined un­to. And this, says David, is a clear evidence to me of the uprightness of my heart with God. The truth is, there is no Hypocrite in the world, but doth dandle and dally with someJob 20. 12, 13. bosom sin, or other: And though at times, and upon carnal accounts, they seem to be very zealous against this and that sin, yet at the very same time their hearts stand strongly and affecti­onately engaged to some bosom sin, as might be shewed in Saul, Jehu, Judas, and Herod; therefore as ever you would have a sure Argument of your uprightness, trample upon your Dali­laes. This very evidence of thy up­rightness, may yeeld thee more com­fort and refreshing in a day of trouble and darkness, then for the present thou dost apprehend, or hast Faith to be­lieve. Some there be that can tell thee, that the joy of the Bridegroom, nor the joy of the Harvest, is not to be compared with that joy that arises in the soul, from the sense and evidence2 Cor. 1. 12. [Page 209] of a mans own uprightness. Sincerity is the very queen of vertues, she holds the throne, and will be sure to keep it; yea, the very sight of it, in the soul, makes a man sit cheerful and thankful (Noah-like) in the midst of all tempests and storms. Look, as the playing with a bosom sin, speaks out Hypocrisie, so the mortifying of a bosom sin, speaks ou [...] Sincerity.

The second Motive to provokeMotive 2. doubting souls to trample upon their bosom sins, is, Solemnly to consider, that the conquests of their darling sins, will render the conquests of other sins easie. When Goliah was slain, the rest1 Sam. 17. 51, 52. of the Philistims fled; when a General in an Army is cut off, the common Souldiers are easily routed and de­stroyed. Ah complaining, doubtingThe Lacedemo­nia [...]s in all battles, resol­ved to go home conquerors, or to die conque­red. souls, did you but take the courage and resolution to fall with all your might, and spiritual strength, upon those par­ticular sins that stick so close unto you, and that do so easily captivate you; you would finde, that the great Moun­tainsZach 4 7. that are before you, would soon be made a Plain: Other sins will not [Page 210] be long lived, when Justice is done upon your bosom sins; thrust but a dart thorow the heart of Absalom, 2 Sam. 18. 14. ult. and a compleat conquest will fol­low.

The third Motive to provoke youMotive 3. to crucifie your bosom sins, be they what they will, is, Seriously to con­sider the very great damage that your souls have already sustained by your bosom sins. Saul by casting an amorousSome there be that had rather lose their hearts, then their conceits: others had ra­ther lose their souls, then their sins; these shall be chronicled in hell for Fools and Bedlams. eye upon Agag, lost his Crown and Kingdom. Samson by dallying with his Delilah, lost his strength, sight, light, liberty, and life. But what are these losses to thy loss of Spiritual strength, to thy loss of communion with God, to thy loss of the Spirit of Light, Life, Liberty, and Glory, to thy loss of Joy unspeakable, and Peace that passes understanding, and to thy loss of those fresh and sparkling hopes of glory, that were once sparkling in thy Brest? Mark Anthony was so far be­witched with his Cleopatra, that in the heat of the battle of Actium, when the Empire of the world, his life, and all lay at stake, that he fled from [Page 211] Augustus to pursue her, to the ruine and loss of all. So, many there are so bewitched to some Cleopatra, to some darling sin, or other, that they pur­sue the enjoyment of them to the loss of God, Christ, Heaven, and their Souls for ever.

Ah Christians, that the sense of what you have formerly lost, and of what you daily loose, by your playing with sin, might provoke you to set upon some effectual course for the mortifying of them. It was a blasphe­mous speech of Henry the second, who said, when Mentz, his City was taken, That he should never love God any more, who suffered a City so dear to him, to be taken from him. But it will be a blessed and a happy thing for you, in upright­ness, to say, O, we will never love, we will never favor, we will never dal­ly with our bosom sins more; for they have damnified us in our Spiritual enjoyments, and in our Spiritual re­turns from Heaven. Shall the senseNay, how ma­ny in these days are mad against pub­lick Instru­ments for seeming losses. of outward losses by this and that in­strument, work us out of love with them; and shall not the sen [...]e of our Spiritual losses by bosom sins, work [Page 212] us much more out with them. Ah Lord, of what Iron mettal is that heart that can look upon those sad losses that hath attended playing with bosom sins, and yet still dally with those Delilahs?

The fourth Motive to provoke youMotive 4. The Heathens (as many Pro­fessors now) had not the right art of mortifying sin, (Sapientia eorum plerumque ab­scondit vitia, non abscindit.) All their wisdom was to hide a lust, not to quench it; therefore their joy was like the crackling of thorns un­der a pot. to be the death of your darling sins, is, Solemnly to consider, that the con­quest, and effectual mortifying of one bosom sin, will yeeld a Christian more glorious joy, comfort, and peace, then ever he hath found in the gratifying, and committing of all other sins. The pleasure and sweetness that follows victory over sin, is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetness that is in the gratifying of sin: The joy that attends the subduing of sin, is a noble joy, a pure joy, a peculiar joy, an in­creasing joy, and a lasting joy; but that joy that attends the committing of sin, is an ignoble joy, a corrupt joy, a de­creasing joy, a dying joy; the truth is, were there the least real joy in sin, there could be no perfect Hell, where men shall most perfectly sin, and be most perfectly tormented with their [Page 213] sin. Ah doubting Christians, as everThe Leper un­der the Law, was still to keep his hair shaven. Levit. 14 5. So should we be still a cutting and shaving, that though the roots of sin remain, yet they may not grow and sprout. you would have good days, as ever you would walk in the light, as ever you would like the Angels, have al­ways Harps in your hands, and Allelu­jahs in your mouths, be restless, till in the Spirit and Power of Jesus, you have brought under the sin that sticks so close unto you. Remember this, nothing below the conquest of bosom sins, can make a jubilee in the heart; it is not a mans whining and complain­ing over sin, but his mortifying of sin that will make his life a paradise of pleasure. If notwithstanding all that hath been said, you are still resolved to dally with sin, then you must re­solve to live as a stranger to God, and as a stranger to assurance and peace. You must expect sad trials without, and sore troubles within; you must expect to finde Satan playing his part both as a Lion, and as a Serpent, both as a Devil, and as an Angel of light; you must expect either no news from Heaven, or but bad news from Hea­ven; and you must expect that Con­scienceConscience is Index, Judex, Vindex. will play the part, both of a scolding Wife, and of a Lion, that [Page 214] wants his prey. And this shall be your just reward for playing with sin; if you like the reward, then take your course, and dally with sin still; if o­therwise, then sacrifice your Isaac.

The fifth Motive to work you toMotive 5. Some Hea­thens, and many profane persons have earnestly de­sired, that they had done that at first, that they would fain have done at last, but could not; the worst would be good, and do good at last. But at last they will be found the best and wisest, who have made it their business to do that eve­ry day, that every one would do up­on a dying day. trample upon your bosom sins, is, Wisely to consider that it is your duty and glory to do that every day, that you would willingly do upon a dying day. Ah, how would you live and love upon a dying day? how would you admire God, rest upon God, de­light in God, long for God, and walk with God upon a dying day? how would you hate, loath, and abhor your bosom sins upon a dying day? how would you complain of your bo­som sins, and pray against your bosom sins, and mourn over your bosom sins, and watch against your bosom sins, and flie from all occasions that should tend to draw you to close with your bosom sins, upon a dying day? Ah doubting souls, would you not for all the world gratifie your bosom sins upon a dying day, and will you gratifie them on other days; which for any [Page 215] thing you know to the contrary, may prove your dying days? Thrice happy is that soul that labors with all his might, to do that at first that he would fain do at last; that doth that on every day, that he would give a thousand worlds to do on a dying day. No way to Assurance like this; no way to joy and comfort, like this; no way to rest and peace, like this; no way to the Kingdom, to the Crown, like this. I earnestly beseech you trembling souls, when you finde your spirits running out to bosom sins, that you would lay your hands upon your hearts, and thus expostulate the case: O our souls, would you thus dally and play with sin upon a dying day? would you thus stroke and hug sin upon a dying day? would you not rather shew all the dis­like and hatred that is imaginable a­gainst it? would you not tremble at sin more then at Hell, and abhor the very occasions of sin, more then the most venomous Serpent in all the world? would you not rather suffer the worst and greatest punishments, then to smile upon a darling sin upon a dying day? Yes. O would you fain [Page 216] do this upon a dying day; why not then every day? why not then every day, O our souls?

The sixt and last Motive to provokeMotive 6. One flaw in a Diamond doth not one­ly take away the beauty, glory, and price of it; but it puts men to question, wh [...]ther it be a Diamond. Psal. 40. 12. you to fall with all your might upon bosom sins, is, Seriously to consider that till this be done, fears and doubts will still haunt the soul; the soul will still be fearing that surely all is naught, and that, that work that is wrought upon it, is not a real, but a counterfeit work, that it is not a peculiar and special work, but a common work; that a man may have and perish. Till [...] this be done, the soul can never be ableI am not able to see, sin had put out Davids eyes. to see grace in its own native beauty, and glory; the hugging of sin in a cor­ner, will raise such a dust in the soul, that it cannot be able to see those Pearls of glory sparkling and shining. Till this be done, doubting souls, you will be but Babes, and Shrubs, and Dwarfs in Christianitie, the hankering of the soul after sin, is the casting of water upon the Spirit, it is the laming of Grace, it is the clipping the wings of Faith and Prayer; so that the soul can neither be confident, nor fervent, [Page 217] frequent nor constant in religious ser­vices; so that it will unavoidably fol­low, such souls will be like Pharaohs Gideon had se­venty sons, and but one Ba­stard, and yet that one Ba­stard destroyed all the rest; you may easily apply it. lean Kine, poor and starveling. Look as many men are kept low in their out­ward estates, by having a back door to some Herodians; so many doubting souls are kept low in spirituals, by their hankering after some particular sin.

Remember Christians, sin is the souls sickness, the souls weakness; if the body be weak and diseased, it grows not, sin is poyson that turns all nourishment into corruption, and so hinders the growth of the soul in grace and holiness. Ah Christians, as ever you would be rid of your fears and doubts, as ever you would see the beautie and glory of grace, as ever you would be eminent and excellent in grace and holiness, see that effectual justice be done upon that Achan, that Jonah, that darling sin, that hath oc­casioned storms within, and tempests without. It was a grievous vexationIf there be but one crack in the honey­glass, there the Wasp will be buzzing; and where there is but some one sin favored, there Satan will be rempt­ing and up­braiding. to King Lysimachus, that his staying to drink one draught of water, lost him his Kingdom. Ah Christians, it will [Page 218] grievously vex you; when you come to your selves, and when you come to taste of the admirable pleasure that attends the conquest of sin, to consider that your hankering after this or that particular sin, hath been the loss of that joy and comfort, that peace and assurance that is infinitelie more worth then all the Kingdoms of the world.

But you may say to me, O! we would Quest. fain have our bosom sins subdued, we desire above all that they may be effectually mortified; these sons of Zerviah we would have slain to chuse: But what course must we take to bring under our darling sins, to get off our Golden Fetters, to get out of these Silken Snares? To this Question I shall give these Answers.

First, If ever thou wouldst haveMeans 1. masterie over this, or that bosom sin, then engage all thy power and might against thy bosom sin, draw up thy spiritual forces, and engage them wholly against the sin that doth so easilie beset thee. As the King of Syria said to his Captains, Fight neither 2 Chro. 8. 30. [Page 219] with small nor great, save onely with the King of Israel: So I say, your wisdom, and your work, O doubting souls, lieth not in skirmishing with this, or that sin, but in coming up to a close sharp fight with the King of Israel, with that darling sin that hath a Kingly interest in you, and a Kingly power over you. Constantine the Great his Symbole was (Immedicabile vulnus ense rescinden­dum est) when there is no hope of cu­ring, men must fall a cutting. Believe it souls, you must fall a cutting your bosom sins in pieces by the Sword of the Spirit, as Samuel cut Agag in1 Sam. 15. 33. pieces in Gilgal before the Lord, or else you will never obtain a perfect cure. Slight skirmishes will not do it, you must pursue your bosom sins to the death, or they will be the death of your souls.

The second Means to bring under aMeans 2. As when one Bucket of a Well goes up, the other goes down; as when one of the two Law­rels in Rome flourishes, the other withers; so when grace gets up, sin goes down; when grace flourishes, sin withers. bosom sin, is, To labor to be most eminent and excellent in that particu­lar grace that is most opposite to a mans bosom sin. As it is a Christians glory to be eminent in every grace, so it is a Christians special dutie to excel [Page 220] in that particular grace that is most contrary to his darling sins. Is it pride, is it the world, is it hypocrisie, &c. that is thy bosom sin, that is the cheif favorite in thy soul? O then labor a­bove all, to be cloathed with humili­tie, to abound in Heavenly-minded­ness, to transcend in sinceritie, &c. I know no surer, no choicer, no sweeter way, effectually to crucifie a bosom sin, then this. He that comes up to this counsel, will not be long held in gold­en fetters; it will not be long before such a soul cries out, Victory, victory.

The third Means to help us to tram­pleMeans 3. upon bosom sins, is, To look upon bosom sins now, as they will appear to us at last; to look upon them in the time of health, as they will appear to us in times of sickness; to look upon them in the time of our life, as they will appear to us in the day of our death. Ah souls! of all unpardoned sins, your bosom sins will be present­ed by God, Conscience, and Satan at last, as the most filthy and ugly, as the most terrible and dreadful; your bo­som [Page 221] sins at last-will appear to be thoseMany there be that have found these things by wo­ful experience. Wo, wo to that soul that shall put it to the tryal. monsters, those fiends of Hell that have most provoked God against you, that have shut up Christs bowels of Love and Compassion from you, that have armed Conscience against you, that have barred the Gates of Glory against you, that have prepared the hottest place in Hell for you, and that have given Satan the greatest advantage, e­ternally to triumph over you. Ah Souls! at last your bosom sins will more press and oppress you, more sad and sink you, more terrifie and a­maze you, then all your other trans­gressions. Those sins that seem most sweet in life, will prove most bitterJob 20. 11, to ult. at death; those pleasant morsels, will prove thy greatest Hell, when there is but a short step between thy soul and eternity. Ah Christians, never look upon bosom sins, but with that eye which within a few hours you must behold them; and this you will finde by experience, will be a singular means to bring under your bosom sins.

The fourth Means to subdue bosomMeans 4. sins, is, To apply your selves to extra­ordinary [Page 222] means, as Fasting and Prayer, &c. Ordinary Physick will not re­move extraordinary distempers, nor ordinary duties will not remove bo­som sins; who by long and familiar acquaintance with the soul, are ex­ceedingly strengthned and advant­aged. You read of some devils in the Gospel, that could not be cast out, butMatth. 17. 14, to 22. by Prayer and Fasting. So bosom sins, are those white devils, that will not, that cannot be cast out, but by fervent and constant Prayer, joyned with Fasting and Humili­ation. Souls that are serious and conscientious in observing of this rule, will finde such a Divine power to at­ [...]end their endeavors, as will give them to lead captivity captive, and to triumphCol. 2. 14, 15. over those white devils within, as Christ triumphed over Principalities and Powers upon the Cross.

Fifthly and lastly, As you wouldMeans 5. have victory over bosoms sins, keep off from all those occasions that tend to lead thee to the gratifying of them. He that shuns not the occasions of sin, tempts two at once, Satan and his own [Page 223] heart; he tempts Satan to tempt him to taste of forbidden fruit; and he tempts his own heart to feed upon forbidden fruit. Abstain from all appearance of 1 Thes. 5. 22. Jude v. 23. evil; hate the garment spotted by the flesh. What ever carries with it an ill show or shadow, savor or suspition, that ab­stain from, that you may neither wound God, nor the Gospel, your own Consciences, nor others: If there be any fuel to feed thy bosom sin in thy house, remove it; or before thine eie, remove it; or in thy hand, remove it, put it far away; thy soul cannot be safe, it cannot be secure, so long as the occasions of sin are thy companions. Wouldst thou have a clear evidence of the truth of thy grace, then shun the occasions of sin; wouldst thou imi­tate the choicest Saints, then shun theGen. 39. 10. Job 31. 1. Psal. 26. 4, 5, 6. occasions of sin; wouldst thou stand in shaking times, then keep off from the occasions of sin; wouldst thou keep alwaies peace with God, and peace with Conscience, then keep of [...] from the occasions of sin; wouldst thou frustrate Satans greatest designes and countermine him in his deep [...] plots, then keep off from the occasion [Page 224] of sin; wouldst thou keep thy bones from breaking, and thy heart from bleeding? then keep off from the oc­casions of sin; wouldst thou keep down fears and doubts, and keep up faith and hope? then keep off from the occasions of sin; wouldst thou have assurance in life, and joy, and peace in death? then keep off from the occasi­ons of sin. Do this, and you do all; if you do not this, you do nothing at all. And thus I have done with the Impe­diments that hinder Souls from Assu­rance; as also with the Means to re­move those Impediments.

CHAP. IV. Containing several Motives to provoke Christians to be restless, till they have obtained a wel-grounded Assurance of their Eternal Happiness and Blessed­ness.

NOw the first Motive thatMotive 1. I shall lay down, to pro­voke you to get a wel­grounded Assurance, is, Solemnly to consider that many are now dropped into Hell that have formerly presumed of their going to Heaven; as those that came bouncing at Heaven gate, crying out, Lord, Lord, open to us, for we have pro­phesied Matth. 7. 22, 26, 27. So few in the old world fear­ed an eternal miscarriage. Matth 25. So were the Jews that cry­ed out, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord. in thy Name; and in thy Name have cast out devils, and in thy Name have done many wonderful works; and yet that direful and dreadful sentence is past upon them, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquities. The foolish Vir­gins were in a golden dream, that they were as happy as the best, and yet when they were awakned, they found [Page 226] the Bridegroom entred into his glory, and the door of mercy shut against them. Men are naturally prone toIsa. 40. 27. Deut. 29. 19. flatter themselves, that their sins are not sins, when indeed they be, and that they are but small sins, when they are great and grievous; and they are apt to flatter themselves, that they have grace, when they have none, and thatProv. 30. 12. their grace is true, when it is but coun­terfeit, and that their condition is notRevel 3. 17, 18. so bad as others, when it is worse, and with Agag, that the bitterness ofMicah. 3. 11▪ death is past, when God hath his Sword in his hand ready to execute the vengeance written. I have readI judge as in this world, so in Hell, the most self flat­tering souls will be the most miserable souls. of a mad-man at Athens that laid claim to every rich ship that came into the Harbor, when as he was poor, and had no part in any. Ah, this age is full of such mad souls, that lay claim to God and Christ, and the Promises, and Gospel Priviledges, and all the glory of another world, when they are poor, and blinde, and miserable, and wretch­ed, and naked, when they are Christ­less, and Graceless, &c. Ah Christians, doth it not therefore stand you much upon to labor for a wel-grounded [Page 227] Assurance, that so you may not mis­carry to all eternitie, but may at last be found worthy to receive a CrownMat [...]h. 25. 21, 23. of glory, and to enter into your Ma­sters joy; which is a joy too great and too glorious to enter into you, and therefore you must enter into it.

The second Motive to provokeMotive 2. Christians to get a wel-grounded As­surance, is this, Consider that there be a great many soul-flatterers, soul­deceivers, and soul-cheaters in the world; the Devil hath put his angelicalLeo the Empe­ror used to say, (Occulti immici pessim [...]) A close enemy is far worse then an open. robes upon many of his cheif factors, that they may the more easily, and the more effectually deceive, and de­lude the souls of men: This age af­fords many sad testimonies of this. Ah what multitudes be there, that to some bleer-eies appear as Angels of light, and yet in their principles and practises are but servants to the PrinceMatth. 23. 15. of darkness, laboring with all their might to make Proselytes for Hell, and to draw men to those wilde no­tions, opinions, and conceits that will leave them short of Heaven, yea, bring them down to the hottest, dark­est, [Page 228] and lowest place in Hell, if God do not by a miracle prevent it; therefore you had need look about you, and see that you get a wel­grounded Assurance, and suffer not Satan to put a cheat upon your im­mortal souls. Christ hath foretold us, That in the last days there shall arise false Matth. 24. 23, 24. Christs, and false Prophets, that shall say, Lo, here is Christ, and lo, there is Christ. Luke 4. 21. And verily this Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears. Ah how many blasphemous wretches have there been in these daies, that have asserted them­selves to be the very Christ; and it is to me no little miracle, that the very Earth hath not opened her mouth, and swallowed up such monsters, such firebrands of Hell. The Apostle tellsEphes. 4. 14 [...] signifies Cogging with a Dy. [...]. you of some that lie in wait to de­ceive by such slights, as cheaters, and false gamesters use at Dice; he tells you of cunning craftie men that do diligently watch all advantages, to work, draw, and win weak and unsta­ble souls to those opinions, principles, and practises, that tend to drown them in everlasting perdition. Satans disci­ples [...]. and agents are notable method­mongers, [Page 229] they have a method of de­ceiving, they are Doctors in all the Arts of cousenage, and they will leave no means unattempted, whereby they may draw men to build upon hay1 Cor. 3. 15. and stubble, upon this opinion, and that notion, &c. that so men and their works may burn for ever toge­ther. It is reported of King Canutus, that he promised to make him the highest man in England, who should kill King Edmund Ironside his corrival; which when one had performed, and expected his reward, he commanded him to be hung on the highest Tower in London. So Satan and his factors they promise poor souls, that such and such opinions and notions, &c. will thus and thus advantage them, and ad­vance them; but in the close, poorValerians word was (Non acer­ba sed blanda) Not bitter, but flattering words, do all the misch [...]if. This many have found true, by woful experience. souls shall finde the promised Crown turned into a halter, the promised comfort turned into torment, the pro­mised glory turned into ignominy, the promised exaltation turned into deso­lation, the promised Heaven turned into a Hell. This age is full of soul­flatterers, of soul-undoers, who like evil Chyrurgions skin over the wound, [Page 230] but kill the patient. Flattery undid Ahab, and Herod, and Nero, and Alex­ander. Those flatterers that told Dio­nysius, that his Epistle was as sweet asAnastasius his Motto was (Mellitum ve­nenum blanda oratio) Smooth talk often proves sweet poyson. Many in these days have found it so. Honey, undid him; and those flatter­ers that told Caesar, that his freckles in his face were like the Stars in the Fir­mament, ruined him. And ah how many yong and old in these days have been lost and undone, by those soul­flatterers that lie in wait to ensnare and deceive the souls of men. Oh that this very consideration might be set home by the hand of the Spirit, with that life and power, upon your souls, as effectually to stir and provoke you to get a wel-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness, that so you may stand fast, like the house built upon the Rock, in the midst of allMatth 7. 24, 25. tempests and storms, that nothing may unsettle you, nor disquiet you, and that none may take away your Crown.Revel 3. 11.

The third Motive to stir you up toMotive 3. get a wel-grounded assurance, is this, Consider that a wel-grounded assu­rance of your happiness and blessed­ness [Page 231] will ease you, and free you of a threefold burden: It will free you, first, from a burden of cares; second­ly, from a burden of fears; thirdly, from a burden of doubts. Now the burden of cares, Ah Christian▪ causes thee to sit down sighing and groaning;Matth. 13. 22. ah, how doth the cares of getting this and that, and the cares of keeping this and that worldly content, disturb and distract, vex and rack the souls of men, that live under the power of carking cares. Oh, but now assurance of better things▪ makes the soul sing care away, as that Martyr said, My John Careless in a Letter to Mr. Philpot. Acts & Mon. fol. 1743. soul is turned to her rest, I have taken a sweet nap in Christs lap; and therefore, I will now sing away care, and will be careless according to my name. Assurance of a Kingdom, of a Crown, is a fire that burns up all those cares that or­dinarily fill the head and distract the heart. There is no way to get off the burden of cares, but by getting assu­rance. Again, Assurance will free you from the burden of fears, as well as from the burden of cares. Now your hearts are filled with fears of possessing the Creature, with fears of [Page 232] wanting the Creature, with fears of losing the Creature, &c. And these fears makes many men turn like the Chamelion, into all coulors, forms, andAnd men are apt to make Elephants of Flies, and Gy­ants of Pig­mies, till men reach assurance they will still crea [...]e fears, rather then want them. Psal 23. 3. fashions, yea, they make their lives a Hell. Oh, but now assurance will scat­ter all these fears, as the Sun doth the Clouds; it will extinguish these fears, as the Sun doth the Fire. Assurance made David divinely fearless, and di­vinely careless: Yea, though I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod, and thy staff, they comfort me. Ah, how full of fears, and perplexitiesGen. 21. 16, 19. Vide. was Hagar, till the Lord opened her eyes to see the Well of Water that was neer her. So the soul will be full of fears and perplexities, till it comes to see assurance, to enjoy assurance. Christians, When all is said, that can be, this will be found at last a most certain truth, That there is no way to be effectually rid of your fears, but by obtaining a wel-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness. Again, Assurance will rid you of your burden of doubts; now you are still a doubt­ing; sometimes you doubt, whether [Page 233] that you are a thorow Christian, andRemember Christians, first, that doubts are bred and fed by ignorance, and unbelief, and therefore are sinful. Se­condly, that they rob the soul of all joy, comfort, and content. Third­ly, they render Men Babes in Christianity. Fourthly, they throw reproach upon God, Christ, and the Promises. Fifthly, they give Satan the greatest advan­tage against us. not an Agrippa, an almost-Christian, an half-Christian, as most Professors are; sometimes you doubt of your Sonship, and that leads you to doubt of your Heirship; sometimes you doubt of your acquaintance with God, and that leads you to doubt of your access to God, and acceptance with God; sometimes you doubt of your union with God, and those doubts lead you to doubt of the truth of your communion with God, &c. The truth is, your whole life is a life of doubting, and so it will be, till you reach to a wel-grounded assurance. Though the two Disciples had Christ for their companion, yet their hearts were full of fears and doubts, whilest their eyes were held, that they should not know him, Luke 24. 14, 15, &c. Till a Christians eyes be open to see his assurance, his heart will be full of doubts and perplexities. ThoughJohn 20. 13, 14, 15, 16. Mary Magdalen was very near to Christ, yet she stands sighing, mourn­ing, and complaining, that they had stoln away her Lord, because she did not see him. Christians, though you may [Page 234] be very near and dear to Christ, yet till you come to see your assurance, you wil spend your days in doubting, mourn­ing, and complaining. The sum of all, is this, As you would be rid of your burden of cares, your burden of fears, and your burden of doubts, get a wel­grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness; but if you are in love with your burdens, then neglect but the making of your Calling and Election sure, and you shall certainly make sure your burdens; they shall rise with you, and walk with you, and lie down with you, till they make your lives a Hell.

The fourth Motive to provoke youMotive 4. to labor after a wel-grounded assu­rance, is, To consider that Satan will labor with all his art and craft, with all his power and might, to keep you from attaining a wel grounded assu­rance of your happiness and blessed­ness. Such is Satans envy and enmity against a Christians joy and comfort, that he cannot but act to the utmost of his line, to keep poor souls in doubts and darkness. Satan knows that assu­rance [Page 235] is a Pearl of price that will make the soul happy for ever; he knows that assurance makes a Christians wil­derness to be a paradise; he knows that assurance begets in Christians, the most noble and generous spirits; he knows that assurance is that which will make men strong to do exploits, to shake his tottering Kingdom about his ears, &c. And therefore he is very studious and industrious to keep soulsIt is said of Marcellus the Roman Gene­ral, that he could not be quiet (Nec victor, nec victus,) nei­ther conquered nor conqueror. Satans envy is such against the joy and comfort of the Saints, that he cannot rest, nor cease from making use of all his wiles, whereby poor souls may be kept off from assurance, and their lives made a burden to them. off from assurance, as he was to cast Adam out of Paradise. It is no won­der, that Satan, who envied the first seeds of Grace, that divine Love sow­ed in thy soul, that he should envy the increase of thy grace, yea, thy assu­rance, which is the top and royaltie of grace. When thou wast a Babe, Satan cast water upon thy smoaking flax, that it might not flame forth into as­surance; and now thou art grown up to some more maturity, he is raised in his enmitie; so that he cannot but put out his power and policy to keep thee from assurance of felicitie and glory. Satan envies thy candle-light, thy torch-light, thy star-light, how much more, that the Sun should shine upon [Page 236] thee. Satan envies thy eating of the crums of Mercy under the Table, how much more, that as a childe thou shouldst sit at Wisdoms Table, and eat and drink abundantly of Wisdoms delicates. Satan envies thy feeding up­on Husks among the Swine, how much more that thou shouldst eat of the fatted Calf. Satan envies thy fitting with Mordecai at the Kings Gate, how much more that thou shouldst wear the Kings Robes. Satan envies thy tasting of the least drop of com­fort, how much more thy swimming in those pleasures that be at Gods right hand for evermore. He envies thy sitting upon Gods knee, how much more then thy lying in his bosom. He envies thy being admitted into his service, how much more that thou shouldst be of his Court and Coun­sel. Some say of the Crystal, that it hath such a vertue in it, that the very touching of it quickens other stones, and puts a lustre and beautie upon them. Assurance is that Heaven­ly Crystal that quickens souls, and that casts a beautie and a glory upon souls; and this makes the Devil mad. [Page 237] Satan knows that assurance is Manna in a Wilderness, it is water out of a Rock, it is a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night: He knows that assu­rance is Salve for all sores, and Physick for all diseases, and a Remedy against every malady: He knows that assu­rance is a Christians Anker at Sea, and his Shield upon Land; and that it is a Staff to support him, and a Sword to defend him, and a Pavillion to hide him, and a Cordial to cheer him. And therefore it is, that he labors, both as a Lion, and as a Serpent, to keep poor souls from a wel-grounded assurance. This Son of the Morning is faln from the top of Glory, to the bottom of misery; and therefore he strives to make all as miserable and unhappy as himself.

Ah Christians, have not you needIt is a true Maxime, He findes his ene­my strong, at a dear rate, who contemns him as weak. to seek Assurance with all your might, who have to do with so mightie an adversary, who cares not what tor­ments he heaps upon himself, so he may prove your tormentor, by keep­ing your souls and assurance asunder. O that this very consideration might make you restless, till you have [Page 238] got this White Stone in your bo­soms.

The fifth Motive to provoke you toMotive 5. get a wel-grounded assurance, is this, Consider that a wel-grounded assu­rance is a Jewel of that incomparable value; it is such a Pearl of price, as will abundantly recompence the soul for all the cost and charge it shall be at, to enjoy it; I, the enjoyment ofHujusmodi lucri dulcis odor. The smell of this gain is sweet to many; then what is assu­rance it self? &c. assurance in that hour, when the soul shall sit upon thy trembling lips, ready to take her leave of thee; and all the world will richly recompence thee for all those prayers, tears, sighs, and groans, that thou hast breathed out in one place or another, in one service or another. Surely the Gold in the Mine will recompence the Digger, the Crown at the end will recompence the Runner, the Fruit in the Vineyard will recompence the Dresser, the Corn in the Barn will recompence the Reaper, and the increase of the Flock will recompence the Shepherd; so Assurance at last will abundantly recompence the soul for all its knock­ing, weeping, and waiting at Mercies [Page 239] door. God will never suffer the SeedIsai. 45. 19. of Jacob to seek his face in vain: There is a reward not onely in keep­ing,Psal. 19. 11. but also for keeping of his com­mands. Joseph for his thirteen yearsMatth. 25. 34, to 41. Revel 3. 11, 12 imprisonment, had the honor to reign fourscore years like a King. David for his seven years banishment had a glorious reign of forty years continu­ance. Daniel for his lying a few hours a­mong the Lions, is made cheif President over a hundred and twenty Princes. The three Children for taking a few turns in the Fiery Furnace, are advan­ced to great dignitie and glory. Ah doubting souls, pray hard, pull hard, work hard for Assurance, the pay will answer the pains, Christ will sooner or later say to thee, as the King of Israel said to the King of Syria, I am 1 Kings 20. 4. thine, and all that I have. I am thine, O doubting soul, sayes Christ, and Assurance is thine, and Joy is thine, my Merit is thine, my Spirit is thine, and my Glory is thine; all I am is thine, and all I have is thine. O this is (Alvearium Divini Mellis) an Hive full of Divine Comfort: O this will recompence thee for all thy wrastling, [Page 240] and sweating to obtain Assurance. Augustine in his Confessions hath this notable expression. How sweet was it to me of a sudden, to be without those sweet vanities; and those things which I was afraid to loose, with joy I let go; for thou who art the true and onely sweetness, didst cast out those from me, and instead of them didst enter in thy self, who art more delightful, then all pleasure, and more clear then all light. Ah Christians, do but hold up, and hold on and assurance, and joy will come, and thou shalt after all thy working and waiting, sit down and sing it out with old Simeon, Mine eyes have seen thy Salvation; my heart hath found the sweetness of Assurance; and now Lord, let thy servant depart in peace.

The sixth Motive to provoke youMotive 6. to get Assurance, is this, Consider what labor, and pains, worldlings takeScripture and Histories a­bounds with instances of this kinde, as all know that know any thing of the one, or of the other. to make sure the things of this life, to them and theirs. Ah what riding, running, plotting, lying, swearing, stabbing, and poysoning, is used by men of this world, to make sure the poor things of this world, that are [Page 241] but shadows, and dreams, and meer nothings? How do many with Samson lay heap upon heap, to make their Crowns and Kingdoms sure, to make the tottering glory of this world sure to themselves? what bloody butchers do they prove, they will have the Crown, though they swim to it tho­row blood? Men will venture life and limb, to make sure these things that hops from man to man, as the Bird hops from twig to twig. O, how should this stir and provoke us to be up and doing, to labor as for life, to make sure spiritual and eternal things. Is Earth better then Heaven? is theMatth 6. 19, 20. The laborious, the active Chri­stian is tempted but by one De­vil, but the idle slothful Chri­stian is tempted by all, saith one. It is very sad when world­lings are a reaping, that Saints as to spirituals, should be slumbering and sleeping. glory of this World, greater then the glory of the World to come. Are these riches more durable then those that corrupt not▪ that are laid up in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where theeves do [...]not break thorow, nor steal? No. O then be a­shamed Christians, that worldlings are more studious and industrious to make sure Pibbles, then you are to make sure Pearls to make sure those things, that at last will be their bur­den, their bane, their plague, their [Page 242] hell, then you are to make sure those things that would be your joy and crown, in life, in death, and in the day of your account. Pambus in the Ecclesiastical History, wept when he saw a Harlot dressed with much care and cost, partly to see one take so much pains to go to Hell, and partly because he had not been so careful to please God, as she had been to please a wanton lover. Ah Christians, what great reason have you to sit down and weep bitterly, that worldlings take so much pains to make themselves miserable, and that you have taken no more pains to get assurance, to get a pardon in your bosoms, to get more of Christ into your hearts?

The seventh Motive to provoke youMotive 7. to get Assurance, is, To consider that Assurance will inable you to bear a burden without a burden. As in Heb. 10. 34. For ye had compassion of So Moses, and all those Wor­thies in the eleventh chap­ter. me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoil­ing of your goods, knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better, and an enduring substance. Here you see that assurance of Heavenly things, makes [Page 243] these Worthies, patiently, and joy­fully bear a burden without a burden. So the Apostles knowing, that they 2 Cor. 5. 1. & 6. 8, 9, 10, 11. had a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens, went thorow honor and dishonor, evil report, and good report. They went thorow many weaknesses, sicknesses, wants, and deaths; they had nothing, and yet possest all things; they had burden upon burden, cast upon them by the Churches, by false Apo­stles, and by an uncharitable world; and yet they chearfully bore all bur­dens without a burden, thorow the power of a wel-grounded assurance. Assurance makes heavy afflictions2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18. light, long afflictions short, bitter af­flictions sweet. Where a man wants assurance, there the shadow of a bur­den frights him, and the weight of the least burden sinks him; such a man is still a crying out, No mans burdens to my burden, my burden is greater then others, my burden is heavier then others. The want of assurance often times makes mens very mercies a burden, their comforts a burden, their relations a burden, yea, their very lives a burden unto them.Job 7 20. [Page 244] Ah Christians, you will never bear burdens without a burden, till you come to attain an assurance of better things: This will inable you to leap under the weight of any cross, to re­joyce under the weight of any Moun­tain. Assurance fits a mans heart to his condition, and when a mans heart is fitted to his condition, nothing proves a burden to him. Assurance of betterI have read of Albas Paulus who handled Serpents and Scorpions, and cut them in pieces without any hurt, and said, If a man be holy, all things are sub­ject to him as to Adam, be­fore his sin in paradise. Surely assu­rance will in­able a man to do much this way. things takes away the sting, the poy­son that attends these lower things; and the sting, and the poyson being taken away, the very worst of these things, are so far from being a burden to a man, that they be­come rather a pleasure, and a de­light unto him. When the sting is taken out of this, or that venomous Creature, a man may play with it, and put it in his bosom. Ah, assurance pulls out the sting that is in every cross, loss, &c. And this makes the assured soul to sit down singing, when others under far less crosses and losses, sits down sighing, mourning and com­plaining, Our burdens are greater then we are able to bear. If there were but more assurance of better things among [Page 245] Christians, there would be less com­plaints among them of this burden, and that Mole-hills then would be no longer Mountains. Christians, it is not new notions, new opinions, new nothings (as I may say) in your heads, but the gaining of a wel-grounded assurance in your hearts, that will in­able you to bear all kinde of burdens without a burden.

The eighth Motive to provoke youMotive 8. to get assurance, is drawn from those particular commands of God, where­by he engages Christians to get assu­rance;The Saints in Heaven have felix necessitas an happy ne­cessity of obey­ing God al­way, but we infelix necessitas an unhappy necessity of disobeying continually. The precepts of God, saith Lactantius, do so change the whole man, and make him new, that you can hardly know him to be the same. Lactant. de falsa sapient. lib. 3. cap. 27. A thing which Philosophy hath much la­bored in, but could never archieve Christians. The pressing of those very commands last cited upon your own hearts, may produce that comfort and peace; and make such a bless [...]d change in your in­ward conditi­on, as may be­speak much ad­miration. as that in the 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren, give dili­gence to make your Calling and Election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. So 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves, whether ye be in the Faith; prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you; except ye be reprobates, or unappro­ved, as the Greek imports. So Heb. 6. 11. And we desire, that every one of you do shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end. Ah you dull, doubting, drousie Christians, you [Page 244] [...] [Page 245] [...] [Page 246] should take all these commands of God, and press them with all the power and authority you can, upon your hearts, to awaken them, and provoke them to get assurance of your eternal wel-being. Take one command, and charge that upon the heart; if the heart be stout, and will not yeeld, then take another command, and press that upon the heart; if that will not do it, then take another, and lay that home upon the heart, and never leave this work, till your souls be effectually stirred up to labor for assurance, with all your might. Christians,) on should tell your souls, that the commands of God, binds directly and immediately, that they binde absolutely and univer­sally. You must obey God intuitu vo­luntatis, upon the bare sight of his Will, and in one thing as well as an­other. Christians, if I am not much mistaken, you should make as much conscience of those commands of God, that requires you to get assu­rance of your future happiness, as you do of those commands that requires you to pray, to hear, &c. It is very sad to consider, that many that com­plain [Page 247] much of the want of assurance, should make no more care and consci­ence of those commands of God, that requires them to get assurance, then some of the Heathens have done of the commands of their gods; who when they have called for a man, have offered a candle, or as Hercules, who offered a painted man, in stead of a living. Verily Christians, while you make light of any of Gods commands, God will make as light of your com­forts. Did you make more consci­ence to act answerable to the fore­mentioned commands, I am very apt to believe, that the Sun of Righteous­ness, would certainly and speedily cause his love, and glory to beam out upon you. Minde Gods commands more then your own wants and com­plaints, and light will break in upon you. By obeying Christs commands, you shall gain more then you can give, by kissing the Son you shall even com­mand him, and make him and assu­rance yours.

The ninth Motive to provoke youMotive 9. to get assurance, is this, You cannot [Page 248] gratifie Satan more, nor injury your selves more, then by living without assurance; by living without assurance, you lay your selves open to all Satans snares and temptations; yea, you do instigate and provoke Satan to tempt you to the worst of sins, to tempt you to the greatest neglects, to tempt you to the strangest shifts, and to re­duce you to the saddest straits. Ah Christians, in what, in what hath Satan so gratified you, that you should thus gratifie him; hath he not rob­ed you of your glory in innocency? hath he not kept your souls and your Saviour long asunder? when with Joshua you have been standing beforeZech. 3. 1, 2. the Lord? hath not he stood at your right hand, as an adversary to resist you? hath he not often set the gloryMatth. 4. of the world before you, that he might bewitch you, and ensnare you? hath he not often cast water upon those Divine Motions, that hath been1 Thes. 2. 18. kindled in you? have you not often [...]ound him a Lion and a Serpent, a tempter and a deceiver, a lyer and a murderer? Yes. O then never gratifie him any longer by living with­out [Page 249] assurance. He that lives without assurance, lives without a comfort­able fruition of God, and so gra­tifies Satan: He that lives without assurance, lives upon some Creature-enjoyment, more then upon God, and so gratifies Satan: He that lives without assurance, lives not like the beloved of God, and so gratifies Satan: He that lives without assu­rance, is very apt to gratifie Satan, sometimes by complying with him, sometimes by following after him, and sometimes by acting his part for him, &c. Verily Christians, there is no way effectually to prevent this sore evil, but by getting a wel­grounded assurance of your Everlast­ing Happiness and Blessedness. Assu­rance will make a man stand upon terms of defiance with Satan, it will make the soul constant in resisting, and happy in over-coming the evil one. And assured soul will fight it out to the death with Satan; an assured soul will not flie like a coward, but will stand and triumph like a Da­vid.

And as you gratifie Satan by living [Page 250] without Assurance, so you wrong your own souls by living without assurance,Rapit animam sua [...]. He plun­dreth his own soul. 1 In the point of comfort and joy, you wrong your own souls. 2 In the point of peace and content, you wrong your own souls. 3 In the point of boldness and confidence, you wrong your own souls. A man that lives without assu­rance lies his precious soul open to many blows and knocks, to many frowns and wounds, from God, from the world, from carnall friends, from hypocrites, and from Satan. Therefore as you would not, Christians, gratify Satan, and wrong your own soules, and exercise over your selves, spirituall cruelty and tyranny, which is the ve­ry worst of all cruelty and tyranny; give God no rest till hee hath made known to you the sweetnesse of his love, and the secrets of his bosome; till he hath gathered you up into him­self; till he hath set you as a seal upon C [...]nt. 8. 6. his heart, as a seal upon his arm.

The tenth Motive to provoke youMotive 10. to get a wel-grounded assurance, is this, consider the sweet profit and glorious advantage that will redown to you by [Page 251] gaining assurance, and if the gain that will certainly redown to you by assu­rance, will not provoke you to get as­surance, I know not what will.

First, It will bring down Heaven in­to your bosomes, it will give you aHeb. 11. 1 possession of Heaven, on this side hea­ven; an assured soul lives in Paradise and walks in Paradise, and works in Paradise, and eats in Paradise, and rests in Paradise; hee hath Heaven within him, and Heaven about him, and Hea­ven over him, all his language is Hea­ven, heaven; Glory, glory.

Secondly, Assurance will exceeding­ly sweeten all the changes of this life; this life is full of changes, Assurance will sweeten sickness and health, weak­ness2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18. and strength, wants and abun­dance, disgrace and honour, &c. while a man lives in the sense of unchangea­ble loves, no outward changes can make any considerable change in his spirit; Let times change, let men change, le [...] powers change, let Nati­ons change; yet a man under the pow­er of assurance, will not change his countenance, nor change his Master, nor change his work, nor change his [Page 252] hopes; though others under changes, turn like the Camelion into all coloursSouls that want assurance are like him in Aesop, that blew hot and cold with the same breath. The wind is not more subject to change, and shift from one quarter to an­other, from one corner to another, then they are sub­ject to change and shift in changing times. to save their little all, yet the assured soul under all changes is (semper idem) always the same. Antistines a Philo­sopher, to make his life happy, desired onely, that he might have the spirit of Socrates, who was always in a quiet temper of spirit, what ever wrongs, injuries, crosses, losses, &c. befel him. Let the trials be what they would, that did attend him, yet he continued one and the same. Ah Christians, the want of assurance hath made many changlings in these days; but if ever you would be like Socrates, if ever you would be like the Philoso­phers good man, that is, ( [...], Tetragonos) Four-square, that cast him where you will, like a Dy, he falls always sure and square, then get assurance of Everlasting Happi­ness.

Assurance will make your souls like the Laws of the Medes and Persians, that alters not, it will sweeten the darkest day, and the longest night, under variety of changes, it willHab. 3. 17, 8, 19. make a man sit down with Habakkuk, [Page 253] and rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of his Salvation.

Thirdly, Assurance will keep the heart from an inordinate running out after the World, and the glory thereof. Moses having an assurance of the recompence of a reward, andHeb 11. 24, 25, 26, 27. of his love and favor, that is invisi­ble, could not be drawn by all the honors, pleasures, and treasures of Egypt: He slights all, and tram­ples upon all the glory of the world, as men trample upon things of no worth. So after Paul had been in the2 Cor. 12. 1, 2, 3. Rom. 8. Third Heaven, and had assurance, that no thing should separate him from the love of God in Christ; he looks upon the world, as a crucified thing. The world is crucified to me (saithGal. 6. 14. he) and I am crucified unto the world. The world is dead to me, and I am dead to it; the world and I am well agreed; the world cares not a pin for me, and I care not a pin for the world.

The Loadstone cannot draw the IronSo when God gave Gol [...]acius that Italian Ma [...]quess an assurance of everlasting happiness; he withstood many golden temptations, and cryed out, Cursed be he that prefers all the glory of the world to one days communion with Christ, &c. when the Diamond is in presence, no more cannot the vanities of this world draw the soul after them, when Assu­rance, [Page 254] that choice Pearl of price is in presence. I have read of Lazarus, that after he was raised from the Grave, he was never seen to smile; the assurance that he had of more glorious things, did deaden his heart to the things of this world; he saw nothing in them worthy of a smile. Ah were there more assurance among Christians, there would not be such tugging for the world, and such greedy hunting and pursuing after it, as is in these days, to the dishonor of God, the reproach of Christ, and the shame of the Gos­pel.Justice would not be sold and bought, as it is in these days, were there more assurance in the world. Get but more assurance, and less money will serve your turns; get but more assurance, and less places of honor and profit will serve your turns; get but assurance, and then you will neither transgress for a morsel of Bread, nor yet violently pursue after the Golden Wedge, &c.

Fourthly, Assurance will exceed­ingly heighten you in your communi­on with God, and it will exceedingly1 John 1. 1, 2, 3, 4. sweeten your communion with God. Assurance of a mans propriety in God raises him high in his fellowship with God: There are none that have such [Page 256] choice and sweet communion with God, as those that have the clearest assurance of their interest in God; as may be seen thorowout the whole Book of Solomons Song. My beloved Cant. 2. 16. is mine, and I am his, saith the Spouse. I am assured of my propriety in him, sayes she, and therefore he shall lie all night betwixt my Brests; and uponChap. 1. 13. Chap 7. 5. this account it is, that she holds King Jesus in the Galleries, that she is sick of love, that she is raised and ravished with his kisses and embraces. His left Chap. 2. 6. hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. None had more assurance of her interest in Christ, then she, and none higher and closer in communion with Christ then she. The Wives assurance of her interest in her Husband, sweetens and heightens her communion with her Husband▪ The Childes assurance of his interest in his Father, sweetens his commerce and fellowship with his Father: So the Believers assurance of his interest in God, will exceedingly heighten and sweeten his communion and fel­lowship with God. Assurance of a mans interest in God, sweetens every [Page 256] thought of God, and every sight of God, and every taste of God, and e­very good Word of God. God is asHabet omnia qui habet ha­bentem omnia. He hath all that, hath the honor of all. sweet to the assured soul, when he hath a sword in his hand, as when he hath a Scepter; when he hath the rod of in­dignation, as when hee hath the cup of consolation; when his garments are rowled and dyed in blood, as when hee appeares in his VVedding Robes; when hee acts the part of a Judge, as when hee acts the part of a Father, &c.

Fifthly, Assurance will be a choyce preservative to keep you from back­sliding from God and his wayes: Ah Assurance will glue the soul to God and his wayes, as Ruth was glued to her Mother Naomi; It will make a man stand fast in the Faith, and quit himself like a good Souldier of Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 10, 11. Wherefore the rather Brethren, give Luther writing to his friend Melancthon troubled with fears, saith (Si nos ruimas ruit & Christus) If we fall, saith he, Christ falls. diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if yee doe these things▪ yee shall never fall. Stumble yee may, and hee that does but stumble, gets ground by his stumbling. Assurance will keep a man from falling foully, and from falling utterly. Verily, the reason why [Page 257] there is so many Apostates in these days, is, because there are so few that have a wel-grounded assurance in these days. Pliny speaks of some fishes that swim back-ward. Ah many ProfessorsPulchrior inpra­lio occisus miles quam fugâ sal­vus. Better be slain in the Bed of Honor, then be safe by running away. in these days swim back-ward, they swim from God, and Christ, and Con­science, yea, they swim from the very principles of morallity, and common honesty. Believe it Friends, it is not high notions in the Brain, but found assurance in the heart, that will keep a man close to Christ, when others back-slide from Christ. An assured Christian will not exchange his Gold for Copper, he knows that one old peece of Gold is worth a thousand new Counters: One old truth of Christ, is worth a thousand new errors, though cloathed with glistering Robes; and therefore he will prize the truth, and own the truth, and keep close to the truth, when others that want a sound assurance, make merchandize of Christ, precious2 Pet. 2. 3. truths, and of their own and others immortal souls. Get assurance, and thou wilt stand, when seeming Cedars fall; want assurance, and thou canst [Page 258] not but fall to the breaking of thy bones, if not to the utter loss of thy precious soul.

Sixthly, Assurance will very much imbolden the foul with God, it will make a man divinely familiar with God, it will make a man knock bold­ly at the door of Free-grace, it will make a man come boldly before the Mercy-seat, it will make a man enter boldly within the Holy of Holies, Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neer with a true [...], Such full assu­rance as fills all the sails of the soul. heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil consci­ence, and our bodies washed with pure water. Assurance makes the soul top and top gallant, it makes the soul con­verse with God, as a Favorit with his Prince, as a Bride with her Bride­groom, as a Joseph with a Jacob. Lu­ther under the power of assurance, lets fall this transcendent rapture of a during Faith (Fiat mea voluntas,) Let my will be done, and then falls off sweet­ly (Mea voluntas domine quia tua,) My will Lord, because thy will. It is the want of assurance that makes the counte­nance sad, the hands hang down, the knees feeble, and the heart full ofHeb. 12. 12. [Page 259] fears and tremblings. O therefore get assurance, and that will scatter your fears, and raise your hopes, and chear your spirits, and give wings to Faith, and make you humbly bold with God. You will not then stand at the door of Mercy, with a may I knock, with a may I go in, with a may I finde audi­ence and acceptance; but you will with Esther, boldly adventure your selves upon the Mercy and Goodness of God.

Now verily I think (saith one, speak­ing of Christ) he cannot despise me, who is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; for if he neglect me as a brother, yet he will love me as a husband, that is my com­fort. Assurance will remove all strange­ness from between Christ and the Soul, of two, it will make Christ and the Soul one.

Seventhly, Assurance will sweeten the thoughts of death, and all theNemo ante s [...]ne­ra f [...]lin. Solon. aches, pains, weaknesses, sicknesses, and diseases, that are the fore-runners of it; yea, it will make a man look and long for that day, it will make a man fick of his absence from Christ, it makes a man smile upon the King of [Page 260] terrors, it makes a man laugh at the shaking of the Spear, at the noise of the battel, at the garments of theIsa 9. 5, 6. Nazianzen said to the King of Terrors, De­vour me, de­vour me. Death cures all diseases, the aking head, and the unbe­lieving heart. Ultimus morbo­rum medicus mors. Warriors rolled in blood; it made the Martyrs to complement with Lions, to dare and tire their persecu­tors, to kiss the stake, to sing, and clap their hands in the flames, to tread upon hot burning coals, as upon Beds of Roses.

The assured Soul knows, that Death shall be the Funeral of all his sins and sorrows, of all afflictions and temptations, of all desertions and oppositions. He knows that Death shall be the Resurrection of his joyes, he knows that death is both an out-let, and an in-let, an out-let to sin, and an in-let to the souls clear, full, and constant injoy­ment of God. And this makes the assured soul to sing it sweetly out, O 1 Cor. 15. 35, 36, 37. death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? I desire to be dis­solved. Phil. 1. 23: Make haste my beloved. Come Cant. 8. ult. Revel. 22. Lord Jesus, come quickly. Now Death is more desirable then life: Now says the Soul, (Ejus est timere mortem, qui ad Christum nolit ire.) Let him fear [Page 261] Death, that is loth to go to Christ. So I may be with Christ, though I go in a Cloud, I care not, sayes the assured soul; so I may be with Christ, I care not, though I go in a Fiery Charriot, sayes the assured soul. The Persians had a certain day in the year, in which they used to kill all Serpents, and venomous Creatures; The assured Christian knows, that the day of Death will be such a day to him, and that makes Death love­ly and desirable; he knows that SinMorimur dum non morimur. was the Midwife that brought Death into the World, and that Death shall be the Grave to bury Sin.Ambrose said to his friends a­bout him, when he was dying, I have not so lived, that I am ashamed to live; nor yet fear I death, because I have a good Lord, &c.

And therefore Death is not a terror, but a delight unto him; he fears it not as an enemy, but wel­comes it as a friend. As Crook­back Richard the Third, in his distress cried, A Kingdom for a Horse, a Kingdom for a Horse: So souls that want assurance when they come to die, will cry out, A Kingdom for Assurance, a Kingdom for Assurance. And as Severus said, If I had a thousand worlds, I would now give them all for [Page 262] Christ; So a Soul that wants Assu­rance when he comes to enter upon a state of eternity, will cry out, O had I now a thousand worlds, I would give them all for assurance; whereas the assured soul would not for a thousand worlds but die. When his glass is out, and his sun is set, he cryes not out, as that Lady did, A World, a World, for an inch of time; but rather, why is it, why is it Lord, that thy chariots be so long a coming?

Eightly, Assurance will very much sweeten that little oyl that is in the1 King. 17. 12, &c. Cruse, and that handful of meal that is in the Barrel. Assurance will be sauce to all meats, it will make all thy mer­cies to taste like mercies, it will make Daniels pulse to be as sweet as PrincesDan. 1. delicates, it will make Lazarus RagsLuke 16. as pleasurable as Dives Robes, it will make Jacobs bed upon the stones, to beGen. 28. Amos 6. 4. as soft as those Beds of Down and Ivory, that sinful great ones stretch themselves upon.

Look as the want of assurance im­bitters all a sinners mercies, that he cannot taste the sweetness and the [Page 263] goodness of them; so the enjoyment of assurance casts a general beauty and glory upon the Believers meanest mercy.

And hence it is, that assured soulsProv. 15. 16. live so sweetly, and walk so chearfully, when their little all is upon their backs, and in their hands; whereas the great men of the world, that have the world at will, but want this assu­rance (that is more worth then the world) live as slaves and servants to their mercies; in the midst of all their abundance they are in straits and per­plexities,Job 20. 22. full of fears, and cares, and nothing pleases them; nor is sweet unto them, because they want thatA Believer knows, 1. That his little mer­cies are from great love. Se­condly, That they are pledges of greater. Thirdly, That his blessings are blest unto him Fourthly, That they shall not at last be wit­nesses against him. assurance that sweetens to a Believer the ground he stands on, the air he breaths in, the seat he sits on, the bed he lies on, the bread he eats, the cloaths he wears, &c. Ah were there more assurance among Christians, they would not count great mercies, small mercies, and small mercies no mer­cies; no, no, then every mercy on this side hell, would be a great mercy, then every mercy would be a sugared mercy, a perfumed mercy. Look as [Page 264] the Tree that Moses cast into theExod. 15. 23, 24, 25. waters of Marah, made those bitter waters sweet; so Assurance is that Tree of Life, that makes every bit­ter, sweet, and every sweet, more sweet.

Ninthly, Assurance will make a manThe Rabbins say, That the Angels attend in all Judica­tories. very Angelical, it will make him full of motion, full of action, it will make him imitate the Angels; those Princes of glory that are always busie and active, to advance the glory of Christ; they are still a singing the Song of the Lamb; they are still pitching their Tents about them that Psal. 34. 7. Heb. 1. ult. fear the Lord; they are Ministering Spirits, sent forth for the good of them that are Heirs of Salvation. Assurance will make a man fervent, constant, and abundant in the Work of the Lord, as you may see in Paul. TheAssurance makes a Saint all fire, it makes him like [...]he burn­ing Seraphims. Isal 6. 2, 3, 4. assured Christian is more motion then notion, more work then word, more life then lip, more hand then tongue: When he hath done one work, he is a calling out for another. What is next Lord, sayes the assured soul, what is next. His head, and [Page 265] his heart is set upon his work; and what he doth, he doth it with all his might, because there is no working in the Grave. An assured ChristianBellarmi [...] is of opinion, that one glimpse of Hell were e­nough to make a man not one­ly turn Chri­stian, but a Monk, to live after the strict­est rules, to be abounding in wel-doing. Surely assu­rance of Hea­ven will make a man do more. will put his hand to any work, he will put his shoulder to any burden, he will put his neck in any yoke for Christ; he never thinks that he hath done enough, he always thinks that he hath done too little; and when he hath done all he can, he sits down, sighing it out, I am but an un­profitable servant.

In a word, Assurance will have a powerful influence upon thy heart; in all the duties and services of Re­ligion, nothing will make a man love like this, and live like this; nothing will make a man humble and thank­ful, contented, and chearful like this; nothing will make a man more seri­ous in Prayer, nor ingenuous in praises then this; nothing will make [...] man more chearful and joyful then this; nothing will make a man fit to live, and more willing to die, then this.

Ah Christians, if ever you would act as Angels in this world, get an [Page 266] assurance of another world, then you shall be dumb no more, nor dull no more, but be active and lively, like those whose hopes, and whose hearts are in Heaven.

Tenthly, Assurance will sweeten Christ, and all the precious things of Christ to thy soul. Ah, how sweet isIpse Deus suffi­cit ad praemium. Bern. It is Heaven enough to see your interest in Christ. the Person of Christ, the Natures of Christ, the Names of Christ, the Offices of Christ, the Benefits of Christ, the Blood of Christ, the Word of Christ, the Threatnings of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, the Or­dinances of Christ, the Smiles of Christ, the Kisses of Christ, to an assured soul? Now thy Meditations on Christ, will be no more a terror, nor a horror to thee; nay, now thy heart will be always best, when you are most in pondering upon the sweet­ness and goodness, the kindness and loveliness of the Lord Jesus. Now all the Institutions and Administrati­ons of Christ will be precious to thee upon every thing; where Christ hath set his Name, there thou wilt set thy heart. Now thou wilt call things, as [Page 267] Christ calls them, and count things as Christ counts them; that shall not be little in thy eye, that is great in the eye of Christ; nor that shall not be great in thy eye, that is but little in the eye of Christ. Assurance will also exceedingly sweeten your carriage to all that bear the Image of Christ; no­thingRom. 14. Assurance is like fire very operative, Si non operatur, non est, if it do not work, it is an argument it is not at all. will make men bear with those weak Saints, whose light is not so clear as yours, whose parts are not so strong as yours, whose enjoyments are not so high as yours, whose judge­ments are not so well informed as yours, whose consciences are not so well satisfied as yours, and whose lives are not so amiable as yours. AssuranceWe are united in the same Head and Hope, (Eodem sanguine Christi glutinati.) We are cemented with the same blood of Christ, as Augustine said of his friend Alypius, and himself. makes men of a God-like disposition, easie to pardon, ready to forgive, a­bundant in goodness, admirable in patience: It makes men to study the good of others, and joy in all oppor­tunities, wherein they may strengthen the feeble, and comfort the dejected, and enrich the impoverished, and re­cover the seduced, and enlarge the straitned, and build up the wasted. Verily, the reason why men are so bitter, and sowre, and censorious, is, [Page 268] Because God hath not given into their bosoms this sweet flower of delight, Assurance.

Ah were their souls fully assured, that God had loved them freely, and received them graciously, and justified them perfectly, and pardoned them absolutely, and would glorifie them everlastingly. They could not but love where God loves, and own where God owns, and embrace where God embraces, and be one with every one, that is one with Jesus. Were thereMagnes amoris est amor. Love is the at­tractive Load­stone of love. more assurance among Christians, there would be more of Davids and Jonathans spirit, among Christians, then there is this day; were there more assurance among Christians, there would be more life, and more love, more sweetness, and more ten­derness; were there more assurance, there would be less noise, less conten­tion, less division, less distraction, less biting, and less devouring among the Saints. Assurance will make the Lion and the Calf, the Wolf andIsai. 11. 6, 7, 8. the Lamb, the Leopard and the Kid, the Bear and the Cow, lie down toge­ther, and feed together. Men that [Page 269] want assurance, love their Brethren as Flies love the Pot; so long as there is any meat in the Pot, the Flies love it; so those men will love, as long as there is an external motive to draw love, but when that ceases, their love ceases. Dionysius loved his bottles, when they were full, but hurled them away when they were empty; so many that want assurance, love the Saints while their bags are full, and their houses full of the good things of this life; but when they are empty, then they throw them away, then they cast them off, as Jobs friends did him.

Ah but assurance will make a man love as God loves, and love as long as God loves. The assured Christian will not cease to love, so long as the least Buds and Blossoms of Grace appears. Lazarus in his rags, is as lovely to an assured Christian, as Solomon in his robes. Job is as delightful to him upon the dung-hil, as David is upon his throne. It is not the outward pomp and bravery, but the inward beauty and glory of Saints that takes the as­sured Christian.

The last Motive to provoke you toMotive 11. get a wel-grounded assurance of your Everlasting Happiness, is this, Con­sider, that as there is a great deal of counterfeit knowledge, counterfeit faith, counterfeit love, counterfeit re­pentance, &c. in the world, so there is a great deal of counterfeit assurance in the world: Many there be that talk high, and look big, and bear it out bravely, that they are thus and thus, and that they have such and such glo­rious assurance; whereas when their assurance comes to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, it is found too light; and when it comes to with­stand temptations, it is found too weak; and when it should put the soul upon Divine action, it is found to be but a lazy presumption. Shall the counter­feit gold that is in the world, make men active and diligent to get that which is currant, and that will abide the Touchstone, and the Fire? and shall not that counterfeit assurance, that is in the world, provoke your hearts to be so much the more careful and active to get such a wel-grounded assurance, that God accounts as cur­rant, [Page 271] and that will abide his Touch­stone in the day of discovery, and that will keep a man from shame and blush­ing, when the Thrones shall be set, and the Books shall be opened? I have been the longer upon these Motives to provoke your souls to get a wel­grounded assurance, because it is of an eternal concernment to you, and a work, to which mens he arts are too backward, though assurance carries a reward in its own bosom, yet few look out after it; though the pains of getting it, be nothing to the profit that accompanies it; yet few will sweat to gain it. If the inducements laid down, will not awaken and pro­voke you to be restless, till you have got the White stone, and New name, till you have got the assurance of your pardon in your bosoms, I know not what will.

CHAP. V. Shewing the several Ways and Means of gaining a wel-grounded Assu­rance.

FIrst, if ever you will attainMeans 1. to Assurance, then be much in the Exercise and Actings of Grace, as the believing Ephesians wereEphes. 1▪ 13. A Christian that would have assurance, must never leave blowing his little spark, till he hath blowed it into a flame. in the very Exercise and Actings of Grace; the Spirit of the Lord sealed them up to the day of Redemption. Assurance flows in upon the actings of Grace; assurance is bred, and fed, it is raised and maintained in the soul by the actings of Grace. Grace is most discernable, when it is most in action; and Grace is made more and more perfect by acting: Neglect of your Graces, is the ground of their decrease. Wells are the sweeter for drawing; you get nothing by dead and useless Habits. Talents hid in a Napkin, ga­ther rust; the noblest faculties are imbased, when not improved. Grace [Page 273] in the habit, is no more discernable, then fire under the ashes, then gold in the Ore, then a dead man in the grave; but Grace in its lively actings and ope­rations, is as a Prince upon his throne, sparkling and shining. Ah Christians, were your grace more active, it would be more visible; and were your grace more visible, your assurance would be more clear and full. As Saint Paul once spake to Timothy, Stir up the gift 2 Tim. 1. 6. The words are an allusion to the fire in the Temple, which was al­ways to be kept burning. Vide Calvin up­on the Text. of God that is in thee. So I say to you, if ever you would have assurance, stir up the grace of God that is in you, blow up that heavenly fire, raise up those noble spirits, never cease belie­ving, nor repenting, till it be clearly given into your bosome, that you are sure that you do believe, and that you do repent, as you are sure that you live, as you are sure that God rules in Jacob, and dwells in Zion. Remember Christians, all the honor that God hath from you in this life, is from the actings and the exercise of your grace, and not from the habits of grace. Re­member Christians, that all your con­solations flow not from the habits, but from the acts of grace. Remember [Page 274] Christians, that the want of the exer­cise of grace, is the reason why you do not discern your grace, and why you have no more assurance of your future happiness. He that will be rich, must still be turning the peny, and he that will attain unto the riches of as­surance,Col. 2. 2. must still be acting his graces; there are none but lively active Chri­stians, that knows and feels those joys, comforts, and contents, that attends the exercise of grace. If thou wouldst not be always a Babe in Grace, and a stranger to Assurance, then see that thy Lamp be always burning, see that the Golden Wheels of Grace be al­ways going.

Secondly, If you would, Christians,Means 2. attain unto assurance, then you must minde your work more then your wages; you must be better at obeying, then at disputing; at doing, at walk­ing, then at talking, and wrangling. Assurance is heavenly wages that Christ gives, not to loyterers, but to holy laborers; though no man merits assurance by his obedience, yet God usually crowns obedience with assu­rance. [Page 275] John 14. 21, 22, 23. He that Non enim passi­bus ad Deum sed affectibas currimus. Ambulas si a­mas. Thou walkest if thou lovest to walk. hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him. Vers. 22. Judas saith unto him, (not Iscariot) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us, and not unto the world? Vers. 23. Jesus an­swered and said unto him, If any man love me, he will keep my words; and my Fa­ther will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. In these words you see, that doing Chri­stians, working Christians, are the onely Christians that shall have most of the love of the Father and the Son; and that shall have the choicest mani­festations of grace and favor, and that shall have most of their presence and company. So in Psal. 50. 23▪ Unto him [...] that ordereth his conversation aright, That disposeth his way, as God ha [...]h pre­scribed. will I declare the salvation of God: That is, I will declare my self to be his Sa­viour. I will shew him Salvation, and I will shew him his interest i [...] Salva­tion, I will save him, and I will make him see, that I have saved him; he shall see the worth of Salvation, and [Page 276] taste the sweetness of Salvation. So in Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk ac­cording to this rule, (that is, the rule of the new Creature) Peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. The Greek word that is here rendred [...]. Vide Bezam, and Pareus on the Text. walk, signifies not simply to walk, but to walk by rule, in order, and measure, without treading aside, but making straight steps to our feet. Now those choice souls that thus walks according to the Law of the new Creature, shall have peace and mercy in them, and peace and mercy with them, and peace and mercy on them: As many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be on them. Assurance is a jewel of too high a price, to be cast into any of their bosoms that walk con­trary to the Laws of the new Crea­ture; such may talk of assurance, and make a stir and a noise about assurance, but it is the close walking Christian that shall be crowned with assurance. Assurance is a choice part of a Belie­versVis nunquam esse tristis bene vive. Wouldst thou never be fact, then live well, says Ber­nard. happiness, and therefore God will never give it out of a way of holi­ness. The Lord hath set apart for himself, the man that is godly, Psal. 4. 3. None [Page 277] are favorites in Gods Court, nor none are admitted to be of his Counsel, but those who are all glorious within, and whose rayment is of imbroidered gold: That is, such whose principles are full of spiritual glory, and whose practises are amiable and answerable in purity and sanctity. These are the persons that shall have the honor to have Gods ear, and the happiness to know his heart.

The third Means to gain assurance,Means 3. is, To be kinde to the Spirit, hear his voice, follow his counsel, live up to his Laws: The Spirit is the great Revealer of the Fathers secrets; he lies in the bosom of the Father; he knows every name that is written in the Book of Life; he is best acquaint­ed with the inward workings of the heart of God, towards poor sinners;Rom. 8. John 14. he is the great Comforter, and the onely Sealer up of souls to the day of Redemption. If you set him a mourn­ingEph. 1. 13. by your wilful sinnings, that a­lone can glad you, by whom will you be gladed. Verily, Christians, when you turn your back upon the Spirit, [Page 278] he will not turn his face upon your souls; your vexing of the Spirit willIsai. 63. 10. be but the disquieting of your selves. Look as all lights cannot make up the want of the light of the Sun, so all Creatures cannot make up the want of the testimony of the Spirit. Let me speak to you, as God once spake to his people in that of Exod. 23. 20, 21,This Angel is the Lord Je­sus, as Exposi­tors do gene­rally agree. [...] 22, 23. Behold, (sayes God) I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in thy way, and to bring thee into the place, which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will Malachi, which Hebrew word is here render­ed Angel, is by transpositi­on of letters Michael, as some of the Rabbins have observed. not pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him, & [...]. So I say, Behold, the Spirit of the Lord, that is, your guide and guard, he also is onely able to make a soul satisfying report of the love and favor of the Father to you; therefore as ever you would have assu­rance, beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for if you do by wilful transgressions, he will nei­ther comfort you, nor counsel you; he will neither be a sealing, nor a wit­nessing spirit unto you; nay, he will raise storms and tempests in your souls; he will present to you the Father [Page 279] frowning, and your Saviour bleeding, and himself as grieving; and these sights will certainly rack and torture your doubting souls. The Spirit of the Lord is a delicate thing, a holy thing, a blessed guest, that makes eve­ry soul happy where he lodges. There­fore Ep [...]es. 4. 30. This phrase is Tropically to be understood. The Greek cannot be fully exprest in our tongue. [...]. i. e. The Spirit, the holy, of that God. To shew the transcen­dent excellen­cy and glory of the Holy▪ Spirit. grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Re­demption. You will not grieve your guests, your friends, but courteously and friendly entertain them; Why then do you make so little conscience of grieving that holy Spirit, that a­lone can stamp the Image of the Fa­ther upon you, and seal you up to life and glory.

Ah Christians, the way to assurance, is, Not to sit down sighing and com­plaining of the want of assurance, but it lies in your eying of the Spirit, in your complying with the Spirit, in your cleaving to the Spirit, in your following of the Spirit, in your wel­coming of the Spirit, and in your honoring and obeying of the Spirit. As he said of the sword of Galiah, none like to that. So I say, no mans like to this, to gain a wel-grounded [Page 280] Assurance of a mans Happiness and Blessedness. And as he said, If there be any way to Heaven on horse-back, it is by Prayer: So I say, If there be any way in the world to assurance, it is by being fearful to offend, and careful to please the Spirit of the Lord; whose office it is, to witness to poor souls, the remission of their sins, and the salvation of their souls.

Fourthly, If you would obtain As­surance,Means 4. then be sincere, be diligent and constant in assuring Ordinances: He that will meet the King, must waitIsai. 64. 5. Revel. 2. 1. on him in his walks; Christs Ordi­nances, are Christs walks; and he that would see the beauty of Christ, and taste of the sweetness of Christ, and be ravished with the love of Christ, must wait at Wisdoms door, theyProv. 8. 34, 35. must attend Christ in his own appoint­ments and institutions, that comfort and assurance that flowes not in tho­row the Golden Pipes of the Sanctu­ary,Hos. 6. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 24. will not better the soul, nor long abide with the soul, it will be as the morning dew, and as the flower of the field that soon fadeth away. I have [Page 281] in the former Discourse, shewed at large, How the Lord is graciously pleased to cause his love and glory, to beam forth upon souls in Ordinances; and therefore, I shall say no more unto this particular at this time.

The fifth Means to obtain Assu­rance,Means 5. is, wisely and seriously to observe, What gift of God there is in thee that brings thee within the compass of the promises of eternal mercy? Now let the gift, be this or that, if it be a gift that brings thee within the compass of the promise of Eternal Mercy? that gift is an infallible evidence of thy Salvation: For the better and further opening of this Truth, premise with me these two things.

First, No man can have any sure evidence to himself of his Happiness and Blessedness, from absolute pro­mises: Absolute promises do not de­scribe to whom Salvation, and all E­ternalIsai 42. 6. & 49. 8. Joel 2. 28. Ezek. 36. 26, 27. Jere. 32. 40. Heb. 8, 10, 11, 12. Isai. 23. 25. Blessings, do belong; the pro­mise of giving Christ, of giving the Spirit, of giving a new heart, and of pardoning and blotting out sin, are all absolute promises. Now God is free [Page 282] to make good these to whom he pleases; therefore he often steps over the rich, and chuses the poor; the learned, and chuses the ignorant; the1 Cor. 1. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. strong, and chuses the weak; the no­ble, and chuses the ignoble; the sweet nature, and chuses the rugged nature, &c. That no flesh may glory, and that all may shout out Grace, Grace.

Secondly, Though no man can have any sure evidence of his Happiness and Blessedness from absolute pro­mises, because absolute promises do not describe the persons to whom Sal­vation, and all Eternal Blessings, do belong; yet absolute promises are of most choice and singular use: First, In that they discover to us, that our Sal­vation is onely from Free-grace, and not from any thing in us, or done by us. Secondly, They are a most sure and glorious foundation, for the very worst of sinners to stay their filthy, guilty, wearied, burdened, perplexed souls upon; seeing, that God looks not for any peny or peniworth, forIsai. 55. 1, 2. any portion, or proportion in the Creature to draw his love; but he will [Page 283] justifie, pardon, and save, for his Name sake; seeing all the Motives that moves God to shew mercy, are in hisDeut. 7. 7, 8. Psal. 68. 18, own bosom; seeing they are all with­in doors, there is no reason why the vilest of sinners should sit down, and say, There is no hope, there is no help. Thirdly, Absolute promises may, and doubtless often are choice Cordials to many precious souls, who happily have lost the sense and feeling of Divine favor. Absolute promisesBilney was much comfort­ed in a great conflict, by that promise 1 Tim. 1. 15. And Ʋrsine by that in John 10. 29. An­other by that in Isai. 57. 15. Another by that in Isai. 26. 3. Mr. Wheat­ley with that in Heb. 10. 37, &c. are waters of life to many precious sons of Zion; they are a heavenly fire, at which they can sit down and warm themselves, when they cannot blow their own spark into a flame, and when all Candle-light, Torch-light, and Star-light fails them; when all other comforts can yeeld a perplexed, distres­sed soul no comfort; yet then abso­lute promises will prove full Brests of Consolation to the distressed soul.

These things being premised, see now what gift of God there is in thee, that brings thee within the compass of the promise of Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness; and to help you a little [Page 284] in this, I shall put you in minde of these following particulars.

First, Faith is a gift of God that brings the soul within the promise of Everlasting Blessedness, as the Scri­pture doth every where evidence, He Mark. 16. 16. John 3. 15, 16, &c. that believes shall be saved; he that be­lieves, shall not come into condemna­tion, he shall not perish, he shall have eternal life, &c. Now believing is no­thing else, but the accepting of ChristJohn 1. 12. vide. for thy Lord and Saviour, as he is of­fered to thee in the Gospel; and this ac­cepting is principally (if not onely) the act of thy will; so that if thou art sincerely and cordially willing to have Christ upon his own terms, upon Gospel terms, that is, to save thee, and rule thee, to redeem thee, and to reign over thee, then thou art a Belie­ver, thy sincere willingness to believe, is thy Faith; and this gift brings thee within the compass of the promise of Eternal Happiness, and Blessedness. Christian Reader, in the following Discourse thou wilt finde the nature, the properties, and the excellencies of a found saving Faith, clearly and large­ly laid open before thee; and there­fore [Page 285] I shall say no more to it in this place, but refer thee to what follows.

Secondly, Waiting patiently on God, is a gift that brings thee with­in the promise of Everlasting Happi­ness and Blessedness. And he that hath but a waiting frame of heart, hath that, that God will eternally own and crown. Isa. 30. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judge­ment. Blessed are all they that wait for him. Verily, it is no iniquity to pro­nounce them blessed, that God pro­nounces blessed; it is no piety, but cru­elty and inhumanity, for any not to be as merciful to themselves, as God is merciful to them; not to have as sweet and precious thoughts of their present condition, as God hath. If God sayes the waiting soul is blessed, who dares judge, who dares say, it is not blessed? Let God be true, and every man a lyer. Isa. 64. 4. For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him [Page 286] that waiteth for him. Prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me; watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Isai. 49. 23. They shall not be a­shamed that wait for me: That is, I will never fail the waiting soul, I will never put him to blushing, by frustrating his patient waiting on me. The waiting soul shall bear the Bell, and carry a­way the Crown at last. Verily, glori­ous love and power, is as much seen in keeping up a poor soul, in a patient waiting on God, as it was in raising Christ from the Grave, and as it is in bringing souls to glory. Nothing can make the waiting soul miserable. Hold out Faith and patience, but a little, and Revel. 22. 11, 12. he that shall come, will come, and bring his reward with him.

Thirdly, Hungering and thirsting after Righteousness, is a gift that brings the soul within the compass of the promise of Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness. Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness; for they shall be filled, or [...]. as it runs in the Greek, Blessed are they that are hungring and thirsting. Inti­mating, that where ever this is the pre­sent [Page 287] disposition of mens souls, they are blessed, and may expect spiritual repletions. Considerable to this pur­pose is that of Isai. 44. 2, 3, 4, 5. Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the Womb, which will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, and thou Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, By Water is meant the Spi­rit, say some; others under­stand it of the Spiritual Wa­ters of Grace, That God will power out up­on those that thirst, and long after an abun­dance of Grace, &c. and flouds upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my Blessing upon thy Off-spring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as Willows by the Water-courses. One shall say, I am the Lords; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and sirname himself by the name of Israel. Of the like conside­ration is that of Isa. 35. 6, 7. Then shall the lame man leap as a Hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the Wil­derness shall waters break forth, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a Pool, and the thirsty Land springs of Water: In the habitation of Dragons, where each lay, shall be Gross, with Reeds and Rushes. To the like pur­pose is that in Psal. 107. 9. For he [Page 288] satisfieth the longing soul; and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. But that none may mistake, nor miscarry in this business, that is of an eternal concern­ment to them; I shall desire them to premise with me these following things, for a better and fuller clearing of this particular truth that is under our present consideration.

First, Premise this with me. All real hungerings and thirstings after Righteousness, are earnest and vehe­ment thirstings and longings, they are like Rachels longing for children, and like Samsons longing for water. Psal. 42. 1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God? Philosophers ob­serve, That of all Beasts the Hart is most thirsty by nature, but most of all thirsty, when she is hunted and pur­sued by Dogs: Sayes David, As the hunted Hart, as the wounded Hart, yea, as the She-hart, in whom the passions of thirst are strongest, panteth after the water-brooks; so doth my soul pant after thee, O God. A graci­ous [Page 289] soul panteth and fainteth, itPsal. 119. 20. breatheth and breaketh for the long­ing it hath at all times, after the Righ­teousness of Christ, imputed and in­fuled. The Greeks derive their word for desire, from a Root that signifies to burn.

Ah Christians, real desires, are burning desires, they set the soul all in a holy flame after God and Christ; if they are not vehement, if they do not put an edge upon thy affections, if they do not make thee like a burning Seraphim. Christ will take no plea­sure in them, they shall return into thy own bosom without working any wonders in Heaven, as those desires do that flow from the souls, being touched with a coal from the Altar.

Secondly, Premise this with me,Psal. 63. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 27 4. Cant. 1. 2. Phil 3 7, 8, 9; 10. All real longings and hungerings in the soul after Righteousness, arises from Spiritual and Heavenly Conside­rations; they spring in the soul from some convictions, some apprehensions, some perswasions, that the soul hath of a real worth, of a real beauty, glory, and excellency that is in Christ, and in his Righteousness, imputed and im­par [...]ed. [Page 290] Such desires after Righteous­ness, that flow from external conside­rations, are of no worth, weight, or continuance; but those desires after Righteousness, that flow from Spiri­tual considerations, are full of spirit, life, and glory; they are such thatPsal. 145. 19. God will not onely observe, but ac­cept; not onely record, but re­ward.

Thirdly, Real hungerings and thirst­ings after Christ and his Righteous­ness, &c. will put the soul upon live­ly endeavors: If they are true born desires, they will not make the soul idle but active, not negligent but di­ligent in the use of all holy means, whereby the soul may enjoy Christ and his Righteousness. Isa. 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me, wil I se [...]k thee early. Real desires will make men ear­nest and early in seeking to obtain the thing desired, as the Hebrew word [...] from [...] imports. A thirsty man will not onely long for drink, but labor for it; thewhich signifies to seek in the morning, when it is but dim and dusky, scarce twilight; for of duskiness it hath its name, and it notes both an earnest and an early seeking. condemned man will not onely desire his pardon, but he will write, and in­treat, and weep, and set this friend [Page 291] and that to solicite for him; the co­vetous man doth not onely wish for wealth, but will rise early, and go to bed late; he will turn every stone, and make attempts upon all hopeful op­portunities, whereby he may fill his bags, and fill his Barns. Even so, all holy desires will put souls upon the use of the means, whereby the mercy desired may be gained. And thus to run, is to attain; thus to will, is to work; thus to desire, is to do the will of our Father, who accepts of pence for pounds, of mites for millions. The Persian Monarch was not so famous for accepting a little water from the hand of a loving Subject, as our God is, for accepting of a handful of Meal,Levit 2. 2. Ex [...]d. 35 6 2 Cor. 8 12. for a Sacrifice, and a gripe of Goats­hair, for an oblation, for accepting of that little we have, and for account­ing our little, much. Noahs Sacrifice could not be great, and yet it was greatly accepted, and highly accounted off by God. Such is Gods condiscend­ing love to weak worms, that he looks more at their will, then at their work; he mindes more what they would do, then what they do do; he always pre­fer [Page 292] the willing minde, before the wor­thiest work; and where desires and endeavors are sincere, there God judges such to be, as good as they desire and endeavor to be.

Fourthly, Spiritual hungerings and thirstings, are onely satisfied with Spi­ritual things. John 14. 8. Shew us the Father, and it suffic [...]th us. All the things in the world cannot suffice us, but a sight of the Father, that will satisfie us. Psal. 63. 5, 6. My soul shall be satis­fied, as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. When I remember thee upon my bed, and Christus est mi­hi pro omnibus. Saith one. meditate on thee in the night watches. Psal. 65. 4. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple. It is onely God, and the pre­cious things of his house, that can sa­tifie a thirsty soul. It was a sweet say­of one, As what I have, if offered to thee, pleaseth thee not, O Lord, without my self; so the good things we have from thee, though they may refresh us, yet they cannot satisfie us, without thy self. The Rattle without the Brest, will not satisfie the Childe; the House without the Husband, will not satisfie the Wife; the Cabinet with­out [Page 293] the Jewel, will not satisfie the Virgin; nor the World without Christ, will not satis­fie the Soul. Luther in a time of wants,Valde protestatus sum, me nolle fic satiari ab eo. Luth. receiving unexpectedly a good sum of money from the Elector of Germany, at which, being some-what amazed, he turned himself to God, and protested, That God should not put him off with such poor low things. The hungry soul will not be put off with any Bread, but with the Bread of Life. The thir­sty soul will not be put off with any Water, but with the Well-springs of Life. As the King of Sodom said once,Gen 14. 21. Take you the goods, give me the per­sons; so sayes the hungry soul, take you the goods, take you honors, and riches, and the favor of Creatures; take you the Corn, the Oyl, and the Wine; give me Christ, give me the light of his countenance, give me the joy of his Spirit, &c. O the answering of Spiritual breathings, is very sweet to the soul. Prov. 13. 19. The desire ac­complished, is sweet to the soul. Returns from Heaven makes a paradise in the soul. I have read of Darius, that when he fled from his enemy, and being in great thirst, he met with a dirty pud­dle [Page 294] of water with Carrion lying in it; and he sucked in, and drunk very heartily of it, and professed, That it was the sweetest draught that ever he drunk in his life. Ah how sweet then are those Waters of Life that be at Gods right hand? how sweet are the droppings of Gods Hony-comb upon the hungry soul? Water out of the Rock, and Manna in the Wilderness, was not so sweet to the hungry thirsty Israelites, as Spiritual answers, and Spiritual returns, are to those that hunger and thirst after Spiritual things.

The sixth Means to obtain a wel­groundedMeans 6. Many may be much, in and for Church-Ordinances, whose hearts are very car­nal▪ and whose liv [...]s are very vain. Ezek 24▪ 21, 22. You have se­ven expressi­ons of carnal hearts, prizing Church privi­ledges▪ So Jer 7. 4. Ezek. 33. 30, 31, 32, 33. Isa▪ 1. 11, 12, 13, 14. Zach 7. 4, 5, 6, 7. Isa. 58. 1, 2, 3, &c. Assurance of your Everlast­ing Happiness, is, to be much, yea, to excel in those choice particular things, that may clearly and sully, difference and distinguish you, not onely from the prophane, but also from the high­est and most glistering Hypocrites in all the world. It is nothing to be much in those duties and performances, wherein the worst of sinners may equa­lize, yea, go beyond the best of Saints. O but to excel in those things, that [Page 295] the most refined Hypocrites cannot reach to. This cannot but much help you on in assurance: He that hath those Jewels in his bosom, that God gives onely to his choicest favorites, needs not question, whether he be a favorite, &c. If he doth it, it is his sin, and will hereafter be his shame. But you may say to me, What are those choice particular things that may dif­ference and distinguish Christs true Nathaniels from all other persons in the world? Now to this question, I shall give these following answers.

First, A true Nathaniel in his con­stant course, labors in all duties and services to be approved and accepted of God; he is most stud [...]ous and in dustrious to approve his heart to God in all that he puts his hand to. So David, Search me, O God, and know my Psal. 139. 23, 24 [...] heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. So Peter To make a strict search and inquisiti­on. John 21. 15, 16, 17. approves his heart to Christ three se­veral times together. Lord, thou know­est that I love thee; Lord thou knowest that I love thee; Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. [Page 296] Thou knowest the sincerity and reality of my love, and therefore to thee I do appeal; to the same purpose the Apostle speaks in 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labor, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. The Greek word that is here translated labor, is a [...] very emphatical word, it signifies to labor, or endeavor with all earnestness and might, to endeavor with a high and holy ambition, to be accepted of God; judging it the greatest honor in the world, to be owned and accepted of the Lord. Ambitious men are not more diligent, earnest, studious, and laborious to get honor among men, then we are (saith the Apostle) to get acceptance with God. Ah but your mostMa [...]th. 6. & 23. Also it is Chry­sostoms obser­vation, that she that paints tears and blub­berings, is worse then a wanton woman that paints to seem fair. Hom. 6. in Matth. refined Hypocrites labor onely to ap­prove themselves to men in their Pray­ing, Fasting, Talking, Hearing, Giving, &c. Let them have but mans eye to see them, and mans ear to hear them, and mans tongue to commend them, and mans hand to reward them, and they will sit down and bless themselves, saying it is enough; Ah, ha, so would we have it. They say of the Nigh­tingale, that when she is solitary in [Page 297] the Woods, she is careless of her note, but when she conceives that she hath any auditors, or is near houses, then she composes her self more quaintly and elegantly. Verily this is the frame and temper of the best of Hypocrites. O but a sincere Nathaniel Noli peccare, Deus videt, an­geli astant. Take [...]eed what thou doest, God be­holds thee, Angels observe thee, saith one labors in all places, and in all cases and services to approve himself to God; he labors as much to approve himself to God in a Wood, where no eye sees him, as he doth when the eyes of thousands are fixt upon him. The Sun would shine bright, though all men were a sleep at High noon, and no eyes open to see the glory of his Beams; so a sincere heart will shine, he will labor to do good, though all the world should shut their eyes; yet he will eye his work, and eye his God; he knows that God is totus oculus, all eye; and therefore he cares not, though others have never an eye to observe him, to applaud him. Let God but secretly whisper him in the ear, and say, Well done good and faithful ser­vant, and it is enough to his soul, e­nough to satisfie him, enough to cheer him, and enough to encourage [Page 298] him in the ways, and the work of his God.

Secondly, He labors to get up toHe cannot be satisfied with so much grace, as will keep him from dropping into Hell; but he must have so much Grace as will make him shine glori­ously in Hea­ven. the very top of Holiness; he labors to live up to his own Principles: He cannot be satisfied with so much Grace, as will bring him to glory; but he labors to be high in Grace, that he may be high in glory. Phil. 3. 11. I desire, if by any means, I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead. That is, to that perfection that the dead shall attain to, in the morning of the Re­surrection. Verily, that man is ripe for Heaven, who counts it his greatest happiness to be high in holiness; that man shall never be low in Heaven, a door-keeper in Heaven; that cannot be satisfied, till he be got up to the very top of Jacobs Ladder, till he hath attained to the highest perfection in Grace and Holiness. Psal. 45▪ 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. Her in­ward principles are all glorious, and her outward practise ecchoes to her inward principles, her clothing is of wrought gold. It was the honor, and glory of Joshua and Caleb, that they Num. 14. 24. [Page 299] followed the Lord fully. That is, they lived up to their own principles; So those Virgins in Revel. 14. 4, 5. that were without spot before the Throne of God, They followed the Lamb, where­soever he went: That is, they lived up to their Profession; there was a sweet harmony betwixt their principles, and practises. And thus the ApostlesVivimus pra­ceptis non factis) We live by precepts, not by deeds, (Legibus Dei, non e [...]emplis homi [...]um) by the Laws of God, not by the examples of men. lived, 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity; not with fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God; we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you wards. 1 Thes. 2. 10. Ye are witnesses, and God also; how holily, and justly, and unblameably, we behaved our selves among you that be­lieve? Thus we see these worthies living up to their own Principles. Blested Bradford and Bucer lived so up to their principles, that their friends could not sufficiently praise them, nor their foes finde any thing justly to fasten on them. Believers know, first, That their living up to their own prin­ciples, doth best evidence Christ livingGal. 2. 20. in them, and their union with him; secondly, They know that it is not [Page 300] their profession, but living up to their principles, that will effectually stop the mouths, and convince the consciences of vain men. 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the Will of God, that by wel-doing (that is, by living up to your own principles) you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. There is no such way in the world, to still and silence wicked men, to make them dumb and speechless, to muzzle and tie up their mouths (as the Greek word notes) as by living up [...]. to your own principles. The lives of men convince more strongly, then their words; the tongue perswades, but the life commands; thirdly, They know by living up to their principles, they cast a general glory upon Christ andMatth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 11, 12. his ways: This makes Christ and his ways to be well thought on, and well spoke on; fourthly, They know that the ready way, the onely way to get2 Pet. 1, 5. to 13. and keep Assurance, Joy, Peace, &c. is to live up to their principles; fifth­ly, They know that by their living below their own principles, or con­trary to their own principles, they do but gratifie Satan, and provoke wicked men to blaspheme that worthy Name, [Page 301] by which they are called: They knowJam. 2. 7. The very Heathen, as Salvian ob­serves, did thus reproach Chri­stians that walk­ed contrary to their princi­ples. Where is that good law which they do believe? they read and hear the holy Scrip­tures, and yet are drunk and unclean; they follow Christ, and yet disobey Christ; they profess a Holy Law, and yet do lead im­pure lives. that by their not living up to their own principles, they do but multiply their own fears and doubts, and put a sword into the hand of Conscience, and make sad work for future Repent­ance.

Now these, and such like Conside­rations, do exceedingly stir and pro­voke Believers to labor with all their might, to live up to their own princi­ples, to get to the very top of Holi­ness; to be more and more a pressing towards the mark, and to think that nothing is done, till they have attained to the highest perfections, that are at­tainable in this life. It is true, many Hypocrites may go up some rounds of Jacobs Ladder, such as make for theirGen. 28. 12. profit, pleasure, applause, &c. and yet tumble down at last to the bottom of Hell, as Judas and others have done. Hypocrites do not look, nor like▪ nor love, to come up to the top of Jacobs Ladder, to the top of Holiness; as you may see in the Scribes and Phari­sees, and all other Hypocrites that the Scripture speaks of.

Thirdly, It is their greatest desire [Page 302] and endeavor that sin may be cured, rather then covered. Sin most afflicts a gracious soul; David cryes not perii, Psal. 51. out peccavi; not I am undone, but I have done foolishly. Daniel complainsDan. 9. 5. not, we are reproached and oppressed, but we have rebelled. Paul cryes notRom. 7 23. If a Snake should sting thy dearly be­loved Sp [...]use to dea [...]h, wouldst thou preserve it a­live, warm it at the fire, hug it in thy bo­som, and not rather stab it w [...]th a thou­sand wounds? You are wise, and know how to apply it. out of his Persecutors, but of the law in his members, rebelling against the law of his minde. A gracious soul grieves more that God by his sin is grieved and dishonored, then that for it he is afflicted and chastned. The heart feeling within her, the operation of the Serpents poyson, runs from the thorns and thickets, and runs over he green and pleasant Pastures, that she may drink of the Fountain, and be cured: So gracious souls being sensi­ble of the poyson and venom of sin, runs from the Creatures that are but as thorns and thickets, and runs over their own duties and righteousness; which are but as pleasant Pastures to come to Christ the Fountain of Life, that they may drink of those Waters of Consolation, of those Wells of Salvation that be in him, and cast up, and cast out their spiritual poyson, and [Page 303] be cured for ever. Believers know that their sins do most pierce and grieve the Lord, they lie hardest and heaviestAmos 2. 13. upon his heart, and are most obvious to his eye. The sin of Judah is writ­tenJere. 17. 1. with a Pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond; their sins areWhen Brutus went to stab Julius Caesar, he cried out, What thou my sen Brutus, &c. So may God well cry out, (what thou my Son) what wilt thou stab me w [...]th thy sins? is it not enough that others stab my honor? but wil [...] thou my Son? against beams of strongest light, they are against the bowels of tenderest mercy, they are against the manifesta­tions of greatest love, they are against the nearest and dearest relations, they are against the choicest and highest ex­pectations. And this makes believing souls cry out, O a cure Lord! a cure Lord! O give me purging grace, give me purging grace; though I should ne­ver taste of pardoning mercy, yet give me purging grace. It was a notable Speech of C [...]smus Duke o [...] [...]lorence, I have read (saith he) that I must forgive my enemies, but never that I must forgive my friends. The sins of Gods friends, of Gods people, provoke him most, and sad him most; and this makes them sigh and groan it out, Who shall de­liver us from this body of death. O but now wicked men labor, not that sin may be cured, but onely that sin might [Page 304] be covered, and that the consequents of sin, viz. Afflictions, and the sting­ingsHosea 7. 10. to ult. of Conscience may be removed, as you may see in Cain, Saul, Judas, and divers others. In their affliction they Hosea 5. 14, 15. will seek me early (saith God;) they w [...]ll then seek to be rid of their affliction, but not to be rid of their sins, that hath brought down the affliction upon them. Like the patient that would fain be rid of his pain and torment, under which he groans, but cares not to be rid of those evil habits that hath brought the pain and tormentSin doth ill in the eye, worse in the tongue, worser in the heart; but worst of all in the life. upon them. Psal. 78. 34, 35, 36, 37. When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned, and enquired early after God. And they remembred that God was their Rock, and the High God their Redeemer: Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth; and they lied un­to him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him; neither were they stedfast in his Covenant. In these wordsAh England, England, as face answers faee, so doth thy carri [...]ge towards God, answer the carriage of these people, whose baseness and falseness God hath put upon record to this very day, &c. you see plainly, that these people are very early and earnest in seeking God, to take off his hand, to remove the judgement that were upon them; but not that God would cure them of [Page 305] those sins that provoked him to draw his sword, and to make it drunk with their blood; for notwithstanding the sad slaughters that Divine Justice had made among them, they did but flat­ter, and lie, and play the Hipocrites with God; they would fain be rid of their sufferings, but did not care to be rid of their sins. Ah but a gracious soul cryes out, Lord do but take away my sins, and it will satisfie me, and cheer me, though thou shouldst never take off thy▪ heavy hand. A true Na­thaniel sighs it out under his greatest affliction, as that good man did (A me, me salus Domine.) Deliver me, O Lord, from that evil man my self. No bur­den to the burden of sin, Lord, sayes the believing soul, deliver me but from my inward burden, and lay up­on me what outward burden thou pleasest.

Fourthly, Are not your souls taken with Christ as cheif? is he not in your eye the cheifest of ten thousand, isCant. 5. 10, 16. Prov. 3. 15. Psal 73 25, 26. Phil. 3. 7, 8. he not altogether lovely? Yes. Have you any in Heaven but he, and is there any on Earth that you desire, in com­parison of him? No. Do not you [Page 306] lift up Jesus Christ as high as God the Father lifts him; God the Father lists up Christ above all principalities andEphes. 1. 21. Phil. 2. 9. powers; he lifts up Christ above all your duties, above all your priviledges, above all your mercies, above all your graces, above all your contentments, above all your enjoyments. Do not you thus lift up Jesus Christ? Yes. As he is the Fathers chiefest Jewel, soNone but Christ, none but Christ, cries the Mar­tyr. he is your choicest Jewel, is he not? Yes. Verily none can lift up Christ as cheif, unless Christ have their hearts, and they dearly love him, and believe in him; for Christ is onely precious to them that believe▪ 1 Pet. 2. 7. Luther Amat Deus non ali unde hoc h [...] ­bet, s [...]d ipse est unde amat. Aug. had rather be in Hell with Christ, then in Heaven without him: Is not that the frame of thy heart? Yes. Why then doest thou say, thou hast no grace, thou hast no Christ; surely none but those that have union with Christ, and that shall eternally reign with Christ, can set such a high price upon the person of Christ. The true believer (Amat Christum propter Chri­stum) loves Christ for Christ; he loves Christ for his personal excellencies, Cant. 5. 10. to ult. What Alexander [Page 307] said of his two friends, is applicable toWhen one asked Catoes daughter why she would not marry again, she being yong when her hus­band died, an­swered, because she could not finde a man that loved her more then her goods. Few there are that love Christ more then his Goods, &c. many in our days, sayes he, Haphestion loves me as I am Alexander, but Cra­terus loves me as I am King Alexander. One loved him for his person, the other for the benefits he received by him. So some Nathaniels there be that love Christ for his person, for his per­sonal excellency, for his personal beauty, for his personal glory, they see those perfections of grace and holi­ness in Christ, that would render him very lovely and desirable in their eyes, though they should never get a King­dom, or a Crown by him: But most of those that bear any love and good will to Christ, do it onely in respect of the benefits they receive by him. It was Augustines complaint of old (Vix deligitur Jesus propter Jesum) that scarce any loves Christ, but for his re­wards. Few follow him for love, butJohn 6. 26. for loaves; few follow him for his in­ward excellencies, many follow him for their outward advantages; few fol­low him, that they may be made good by him, but many follow him, that they may be great by him. Certain­ly, you are the bosom Friends of [Page 308] Christ, you are in the very heart of Christ, who prizes Christ above all, who lifts up Jesus Christ as high as God the Father lifts him, and that because of his rich anointings, and because all his garments smell of Myrrhe, Psal. 45. 6, 7, 8. Aloes, and Casha. This is a work too high, and too hard, too great, and too noble, for all that are not new born, that are not twice born, that are not of the Blood Royal, that are not par­takers of the Divine Nature.

Fifthly, Is not your greatest, and your hottest conflicts, against inward pollutions, against those secret sins,It was a good prayer of him that said Lord, Libera me ama­lo homine, à meipso. that are onely obvious to the eye of God, and your own souls? The light of natures education, and some com­mon convictions of the Spirit, may put men upon combating with those sins that are obvious to every eye; but it must be a supernatural power and principle, that puts men upon conflict­ing with the inward motions, and se­cret operations of sin, Rom. 7. 23. the Apostle complains of a law in his mem­bers warring against the Law of his minde. The war was within doors, the fight was inward, the Apostle was deeply [Page 309] engaged against a law within him, which made him sigh it out, O wretch­ed man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? So David criesPsal. 19. 12. out, Who can understand his error? cleanse thou me from secret faults. So Hezekiah humbled himself for the2 Chro. 32. 26. pride of his heart, or for the lifting up of his heart, as the Hebrew hath it. [...] His recovery from sickness, his victo­ries over his enemies, and his rich treasures lifts up his heart. O but for those inward risings, and vauntings of heart. Hezekiah humbles himself, he abases and layes himself low before the Lord. A sincere heart weeps andThe Persian Kings reign powerfully, and yet are sel­dom seen in publick. Secret sins reign in many mens soul, powerful­ly and dan­gerously, when least apparent­ly. laments bitterly over those secret and inward corruptions, that others will scarce acknowledge to be sins: Many a man there is that bleeds inwardly, and dies for ever; many a soul is eter­nally slain by the inward workings of sin; and he sees it not, he knows it not till it be too late. O but a true Natha­niel mourns over the inward motions, and first risings of sin in his soul, and so prevents an eternal danger. Upon every stirring of sin in the soul, the Be­liever cries out, O Lord help, O Lord [Page 310] undertake for me. O dash these brats of Babylon in peeces; O stifle the first motions of sin, that they may never conceive, and bring forth, to the wounding of two at once, thy Honor, and my own Conscience.

Sixthly, Are you not subject to Christ as a head? Yes. Devils and wicked men are subject to Christ as a Lord, but those that are by Faith united to him, and that have a spiri­tual interest in him are subject to him as a head. I shall open this parti­cular thus unto you.

First, The Members are willinglyEvery true Nathaniels motto is (om­nia [...]x voluntate D [...]i) all must be as God will have it. and sweetly subject to the head, their subjection is voluntary, not compulso­ry; it is so with a believing soul, Psal. 27. 8. When thou saidst, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seek. So in Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness. So [...]aul criesActs 9. 6. out, What wilt thou have me to do. And professes that he is willing, not to be Acts 21. 13. bound onely, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of Christ. A gracious soul is in some measure naturalized to the work of Christ, and Christs work [Page 311] is in some measure naturalized to the soul.

Secondly, The Members are sub­jectTheir obedi­ence is univer­sal. First, In re­spect of the act of esch [...]wing al evil, doing all good. Second­ly, In respect of the rule, the whole Word of God. Thirdly, In respect of their general and particular cal­lings. to the head universally, they do all the head enjoyneth, so the real Members of Christ do in sincerity endeavor universally to subject to all that Christ their head requires, with­out any exception or reservation, Luke 1. 5, 6. Zacharias and Elizabeth walk­ed in all the Commandments and Ordi­nances of the Lord blameless. They walk­ed without halting or halving of it with God; they fell in with every part and point of Gods revealed Will, without prejudice or partiality, with­out tilting the ballance on one side or another, Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, which shall fulfil all my will: Or rather all my wills as the Greek hath [...]. it, to note the universality and sinceri­ty of his obedience.

Thirdly, The Members are subject to the head constantly, unweariedly; the Members are never weary of obey­ing the head; they obey in all places▪ cases, and times; so are the real Members of Christ, Acts 24. 16. And [Page 312] herein do I exercise my self, to have always [...]. Always, or throughout in all cases, or at all times. a conscience void of offence, toward God, and toward men. I use all diligence, skill, cunning, and conscience to be sin­cere and inoffensive, in all my motions and actions towards God, and towards men. So David in Psal. 119. 112. I have enclined my heart (or rather as the Hebrew word signifies, I have stretched [...] out my heart, as a man would do a peece of parchment) to do thy statutes (the He­brew [...] from [...] word signifies to do accurately, exactly, perfectly) alway, even unto the end. A gracious soul is not like a de­ceitful bow, nor like the morning dew; but he is like the Sun that re­joyceth to run his race; he is like the stone in Thracia, that neither burneth in the fire, nor sinketh in the water. Now tell me, pray tell me, O you doubting souls, whether you do not, First, Labor in all duties and services to approve your hearts to God? Se­condly, Whether you do not endeavor to get up to the very top of holiness, and to live up to your own principles? Thirdly, Whether it be not your greatest desire and endeavor, that sin may be cured rather then covered▪ [Page 313] Fourthly, Whether you are not taken with Christ as cheif? whether you do not in your judgements and affecti­ons, lift up Christ above all, as God the Father doth? Fifthly, Whether your greatest, and hottest conflicts, and combates, be not against inward polu­tions against those secret stirrings and operations of sin, which are onely ob­vious to the eye of God, and your own souls? Sixthly, Whether you do not (in respect of the general bent & frame of your hearts) subject to Christ, as your Head? 1. Freely and sweetly? 2. Universally, in one thing as well as another, without any exception or reservation? 3. Constantly and un­wearily? Yes, we do these things, we should belie the grace of God, if we should say otherwise, these things the Lord hath wrought in us, and forIsa. 26. 12. us. Well then, know first, that your estate is good, you have certainly a blessed interest in the Lord Jesus. None can do these things but souls that have union with Christ, that are interessed in Christ, that are acted by the peculiar, and special influences of Christ, and that [Page 314] are highly beloved of Christ; VerilyIf these things could be found in the most shining hypo­crites, or any o­thers but reall Saints, they could not pos­sibly be either a first or second evidence, though a man could see them in the light of the Spirit, this is carefully to be observed a­gainst those that hold these good second evidences, &c. these are such flowers of Paradise that cannot be gathered in Natures Gar­den; they are Pearles of that price, that God bestows them upon none but those that are the price of Christs blood. All the men in the world can­not prove by the Scripture, that these Jewels can be found in any mens breasts, but in theirs that have union and communion with Christ, and that shall reign for ever with Christ. Se­condly, Know, that it is no iniquity, but rather your duty for you to suck sweetnesse out of these hony-combs, and to look upon these things as infal­lible pledges, and evidences of divine favor, and of your everlasting happi­nesse, and blessednesse. Some there be that make the witnesse of the Spirit (of which I shall towards the close of this Discourse speake at large) the only evidence of our interest in Christ, and deny all other evidences from the fruit of the Spirit; but this is to deny the fruit growing upon the tree, to be an evedience that the tree is alive; whereas all know, that the fruit grow­ing upon the tree, is an infallible and [Page 315] undeniable evidence, that there is lifeWe have cause enough to keep off doubtings, and distresse of Spirit upon the bare sight of our eviden­ces, this com­plaining, cavil­ling soules will not understand. in the tree. Certainly it is one thing to judge by our Graces, and another thing to rest upon our Graces, or to put trust in our Graces: When one argues from the beames of the Sun, that there is a Sun, one would thinke that the most cavilling spirit in the world should lye quiet and still.

Now the seventh Means to get aMeans 7. Though our graces be our best Jewels, yet they are im­perfect, and do not give out their ful lustre, they are like the moon, which when it shineth brigh­test, hath a dark spot. Therefore we should adde still grace to grace. [...] well-grounded Assurance of your e­verlasting happinesse, and blessednesse, is, to grow and increase more and more in grace, 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 11. Add to your Faith, vertue; and to vertue, know­ledge, &c. to v. 11. for so an enterance shall be ministered unto you abundant­ly, into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By enterance into the everlasting King­dome of Christ, is not meant a locall enterance into Heaven; for Heaven is no where called the Kingdom of Christ, but the Fathers Kingdome, the opposition, ver. 9. sheweth clearly that it is meant of Assurance. Now the way to full Assurance is by adding grace to grace: The Greek word that [Page 316] is here rendred adde, hath a greater emphasis, it signifies to link our graces together, as Virgins in a Dance doe link their hands together. O we must be still a joyning grace to grace, we must still be adding one grace to a­nother; We must still be a leading up the dance of graces. Great measures of grace carry with them great evi­denceIf moral ver­tue, saith Plato could be seen with mortal eyes, it would soon draw all hearts to it self O how much the more should our hearts be drawn out af­ter the highest measures of grace, the least dram of grace being more worth then all morall vertue. of truth; little measures, carry with them but little evidence; great measures of grace carries with them the greatest evidence of the soules uni­on and communion with Christ, and the more evident your union and communion with Christ is, the more cleare and full will your Assurance be.

Great measures of grace, carries with them the greatest and the clearest evi­dences of the glorious indwellings of the Spirit in you, and the more you are perswaded of the reall indwellings of the Spirit in you; The higher will your Assurance rise. Great mea­sures of grace will bee a fire that will consume and burn up the drosse, the stubble, the fears, and doubts that perplex the soule, and that causes [Page 317] darknesse to surround the soule; Now the more you are rid of your fears, doubts, and darknesse, the more easily, and the more effectually will your hearts be perswaded that the thoughts of God towards you, are thoughts of love; that you are precious in hisJere. 32. 41. eies, and that he will rejoyce over you to do you good for ever, &c.

The eighth Means to gaine a wel­groundedMeans 8. Assurance of your everlast­ing happinesse and blessednesse, is, to take your hearts when they are in the best and most spiritual frame and tem­per God-wards, Heaven-wards, and Holinesse-wards: Times of temptation, and desertion, &c. are praying times, hearing times, mourning times; and beleeving times; but they are not trying times, they are not seasonable times for doubting soules to set them­selves about so great and so solemn a worke as that is, of searching and ex­amining how things stand, and are like to stand between God and them for e­ver:

Be diligent, and constant, be stu­dious2 Cor. 13 5. and consciencious in observing [Page 318] the frame and temper of your owneOur hearts are ponderous, mul­tum trahit de terra, de carnum multum: there­fore we had need take them when they are in the best tem­per, &c. hearts, and when you find them most plain, most melting, most yeelding, most tender, most humble, most sweet­ly raised, and most divinely compo­sed, then, O then is the time to single out the most convenient place where thou mayst with greatest freedom open thy bosome to God, and plead with him, as for thy life, that hee would shew thee how things stand between him and thee, and how it must fare with thy soule for ever. And when thou hast thus set thy selfe before God and opened thy bosome to God, then wisely observe what report God, and thy owne renewed conscience do make concerning thy eternall condition. I wil hear what God the Lord wil speak (saithPsal. 85. 8, 9. [...] David) for he will speak peace unto his people, and they shall not return to folly, (so the Hebrew may be read) O so must thou stand still (when thou hast sincerely unbowelled thy selfe before the Lord) and listen, and hearken what God will say unto thee. Surely he will speak peace unto thee, he will say, Son be of good chear, thy sins be forgiven thee, thy heart is upright with [Page 319] me, my soul is set upon thee; I have already blest thee, and I will hereafter glorifie thee.

I have read of one who was keptA good con­science is mille testes, a thou­sand witnesses; therefore make much of its testimony. from destroying of himself (being much tempted by Satan thereunto) by remembring that there was a time, when he solemnly set himself in pray­er and self-examination before the Lord, and made a diligent enquiry in­to his spiritual condition; and in the close of that work it was evidenced to him, that his heart was upright with God; and this kept him from laying of violent hands upon himself. O, a wise and serious observing what that testimony is, that God, Consci­ence, and the Word, gives in upon solemn Prayer, and self-examination, may beget strong consolation, and support the soul under the greatest affli­ction, and strengthen the soul against the most violent temptations, and make the soul look, and long for the day of desolution, as Princes do for their day of Coronation.

Lastly, The last Means to gain aMeans 9. wel-grounded Assurance, is, To make [Page 320] a diligent enquiry, whether thou hast those things that do accompany eter­nal salvation, Heb. 6. 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation; or as it is in the Greek that have salvation; [...]. as it were in the very bowels of them that comprehend salvation, and that touch upon salvation.

O Beloved, If you have those things that accompany salvation, that comprehend salvation, you may be a­bundantly assured of your salvation. But you may say to me, What are those things that accompany salvati­on? To this Question I shall give this answer, viz. That there are seven special things that accompany salvati­on, and they are these. First, Knowledge: Secondly, Faith: Thirdly, Repentance: Fourthly, Obedience: Fifthly, Love: Sixthly, Prayer: Seventhly, Perseve­rance.

First, Knowledge is one of those special things that accompanies salva­tion, John 17. 3. And this is life eter­nal, Vide Piscat. on the words. that they may know thee the onely true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Divine Knowledge is the begin­ing [Page 321] of eternal life, it is a spark of glo­ry;It is called Eternal life, Quia radix & erigo vitae. In legend is libris non quaeramus scientiam, sed saporum. Bern. In reading Books, let us not look so much for Sci­ence, as a Savo­riness of the t [...]uth upon our own hearts. it works life in the soul, it is a taste and pledge of eternal life. 1 John 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understand­ing, that we may know him that is true: And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; this is the true God, and eternal life. 2 Pet. 1. 3. Accord­ing as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and god­liness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue. What this Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation, I shall shew you anon.

Secondly, Faith is another of those special things that accompanies Sal­vation. 1 Thes. 2. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, Bre­thren, Beloved of the Lord; because God hath from the beginning chosen you to sal­vation, thorow sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth. 1 Pet. 1. 5. You Vide Parcus Esteum, & Ger­hardum on the Text. who are kept by the power of God, through Faith unto Salvation. Vers. 9. Recei­ving the end of your Faith, even the sal­vation of your souls. Heb. 10. 30. But we are not of them who draw back to per­dition; but of them that believe to the [Page 322] saving of the soul. John 3 14, 15, 16.Mark 16. 16. Acts 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9. Isa. 45. 22. Phil. 2. 8. Joh 11. 25, 26. 1 John 5. 10. All [...]hese and many more Scriptures speaks out the same truth. This d [...]uble asseveration, or protestation, is used onely in matters of we [...]ght, and unhappy are we, [...]hat we cannot believe without them. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever belie­veth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life; for God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son; that whosoever belie­veth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Vers. 36 He that believeth on the Son hath ever­lasting life. Chap. 5. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath ever­lasting life, and shall not come into con­demnation; but is passed from death unto life. Chap. 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth he Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Vers. 47. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, hath everlasting life.

Thirdly, Repentance is another of those choice things that accompanies salvation. 2 Cor. 7. 10. For godly sor­row The very word rep [...]nt was very dis­pleasing to Luther, till his conversion; but afterward he took de­light in the work, (Paehi­tens de peccato dolet & de do­lore, gaudet. Luth) to sor­row for his sin, and then re­joyce in his sorrow. worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Jere. 4. 14. O Jeru­salem, wash thy heart from wickedness, [Page 323] that thou mayest be saved. Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Matth. 18. 3. And Jesus said, verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Hea­ven. Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore; and be converted, that your sins may be blot­ted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Fourthly, Obedience is another of those precious things that accom­panies salvation. Heb. 5. 9. And being Vide B. Dew [...]h. of Justificati­on. 17. c. 7. made perfect. (speaking of Christ) he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him. Psal. 50. 23. whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation a­right, will I declare the Salvation of God.

Fifthly, Love is another of those singular things that accompanies sal­vation.Deus nihil core­nat nisi dona sui, August. When God c [...]own [...]th us, he doth but crown h [...]s own gifts in us. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me onely, but unto them also that love his appearing. [Page 324] James 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren, ha [...]h not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the King­dome, which he hath promised to them that love him? 1 Cor. 2. 9. It is written, eie hath not seen, nor eare heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. James 1. 12. Blessed is the man that indureth temptation: for when The word Crown notes to us the perpetu­ity of that life the Apostle speaks of, for a Crown hath neither begin­ning nor end­ing. 2. It notes plenty, the Crown fetches a compasse on every side, 3. It notes dig­nity, it notes majesty Eter­nal life is a co­ronation day. It notes all joys, all de­lights, in a word, it notes all good, it notes all glory he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Matth. 19. 28, 29. And Je­sus said unto them, verily I say unto you, that yee which have followed me in the regeneration. When the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his glory, yee shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father or Mother, or Wife, or Chil­dren, or Lands for my name sake, shall re­ceive an hundred fold, and shall inherit e­verlasting life. The whole is as if Christ had said, whosoever shall shew love to mee, this way or that, in one thing or another, out of re­spect to my Name, to my Honor; mercy shall bee his portion here, [Page 325] and glory shall bee his portion here­after.

Sixthly, Prayer is another of those sweet things that accompanies salva­tion, Rom. 10. 10. 13. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse, and with the mouth confession is made unto sal­vation. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Act. 2. 21. And it shall come to passe, that who­soever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. That is saith one, hee shall be certainly sealed up to salvati­on. Or as another saith, he that hath this grace of Prayer, it is an evident sign and assurance to him that he shall be saved: Therefore to have grace to pray is a better and a greater mercy, then to have gifts to prophesie, Matth. 7. 22. Praying souls shall finde the gates of heaven open to them, when prophecying souls shall find them shut against them.

Seventhly and lastly, Perseverance is another of those prime things that accompanies salvation, Matth. 10. 22. And yee shall be hated of all men for my name sake: but he that indureth to the end the same shall be saved. Chap. 24. 12, 13. [Page 326] And because iniquity shal abound, the love The same words you have in Mark 13. 13. of many shal wax cold, but he that indureth unto the end the same shal be saved. Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold the Devil shal cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tryed, and yee shall have tribulation ten dayes; be thou A crown with­out cares, fears, co [...]rivals, envy, end. God turns the crown of thorns into a crown of glory Pericula non re­spicit Martyr, coronas respicit. Basil. faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Chap. 3. 5. He that overcommeth, the same shall be cloathed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life, but I will confesse his name before my Father and be­fore his Angels. To him that overcom­meth, will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, as I also overcome and am set down with my Father in his Throne. Thus you see these seven choyce things that accompanies salvation. But for your further and fuller edification, satis­faction, confirmation, and consola­tion, it will be very necessary that I shew you,

1. What Knowledge that is, that accompanies Salvation, that bor­ders, that touches upon salvation. 2. What Faith that is, that accompanies salvation. 3. What Repentance that is, that accompanies salvation. 4. What [Page 327] Obedience that is, that accompanies sal­va [...]ion. 5. What Love that is, that accompan [...]es salvation. 6. What Prayer that is, that accompanies salvation. 7. What Perseverance that is, that ac­companies salvation. I hope when I have fully opened these precious things to you, that you will be able to sit down much satisfied and cheated in a holy confidence and blessed assurance of your everlasting wel-being.

I shall begin with the first, and shew you what that Knowledge is, that accom­panies salvation, that comprehends sal­vation, that touches upon salvation; and that I shall open in these follow­ing particulars.

First, That Knowledge that accompa­nies salvation, is a working Know­ledge,Knowledge that swims in the head only, and sinks not down into t [...]e heart, doth no more good then rain inth m [...]ddle re [...]ion or then the Un [...]corns horn i [...] the Unicorns head. an operative Knowledge, 2 Cor. 11. 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ: Divine light reaches the heart as well as the head. The beames of Divine light shining in upon the soule thorow the glorious face of Christ, are very working; they warm the heart, they [Page 328] affect the heart, they new mould the heart. Divine knowledge masters the heart, it guides the heart, it governs the heart, it sustains the heart, it re­lieves the heart. Rom. 6. 6. We know that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that hence­forth 1 John 3 6. Whosoever sinneth (viz. Customarily, habitually, de­lightfully) hath not seen him, neither known him. we should not serve sin. Divine knowledge puts a man upon crucifying of sin, it keeps a man from being a servant, a slave to sin, which no other knowledge can do. Under all other knowledge, men remain servants to their lusts, and are taken prisoners by Satan at his will. No knowledge lifts a man up above his lusts, but that which accompanies salvation. The wisest Philosophers, and the greatestAs Socrates and others. Doctors, under all their sublime no­tions, and rare speculations, have been kept in bondage by their lusts. That knowledge that accompanies salvation, is operative knowledge. 1 John 2. 3, 4. And hereby we do know, that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a lier, and the He is a lier in a double re­spect. 1. In that he saith he hath that knowledge which he hath not. 2. In that he denies that in his works, which he af­firms in his words. truth is not in him. By keeping his Commandments they did know, that [Page 329] they did know him; that is, they were assured that they did know him. To know that we know, is to be assured that we know. So in Jam. 3. 17. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be intreat­ed; full of mercy, and good fruits; with­out partiality, and without hypocrisie. Verse 13. Who is a wise man, and en­dued with knowledge amongst you? Let him shew out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisdom. Divine knowledge fills a man full of spiri­tual activity, it will make a man work, as if he would be saved by his works; and yet it will make a man be­lieve that he is saved onely upon theEphes. 2. 8. account of Free-grace. That know­ledge that is not operative and work­ing, will onely serve to light souls to Hell, and to double damn all thatMatth. 23. 14. have it.

Secondly, That Knowledge that ac­companies Salvation, is transforming knowledge, it is metamorphosing knowledge, it is knowledge that trans­forms, that metamorphosies the soul. 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we with open face behold­ing [...]. the glory of the Lord, as in a glass, are [Page 330] changed into the same image, from glory to glory. Divine light beating on the heart, warms it, and betters it; it transforms and changes it; it moulds and fashions it into the very likeness of Christ. The Naturalists observe, That the Pearl by the often beating of the Sun beams upon it, becomes radiant; so the often beating and shining of the Sun of Righteousness, with his divine beams upon the Saints, causes them to glister and shine in Holiness, Righte­ousness Heavenly-mindedness, Hum­bleness, &c. Divine light casts a ge­neral beauty and glory upon the soul, it transforms a man more and more into the glorious Image of Christ. Look as the Childe receiveth fromA Father stands obliged not onely in point of ho­nor, bu [...] also by the Law of nature to re­ceive his childe that bears his i­mage, so doth Christ to re­ceive those that by divine light have his image stamped upon them. his Parents, Member for Member, Limb for Limb; or as the Paper from the Press receiveth Letter for Letter, the Wax from the Seal, Print for Print, or as the Face in the Glass answers to the face of the man, or as Indenture answers to Indenture; so the beams of Divine Light and Know­ledge, shining into the soul, stamps the lively Image of Christ upon the soul, and makes it put on the Lord [Page 331] Jesus, and resemble him to the life. Notional knowledge may make a man excellent at praising the glorious and worthy acts and vertues of Christ; but that transforming knowledge that accompanies salvation, will work a man divinely to imitate the glorious acts and vertues of Christ. 1 Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People, that ye should shew forth the praises of him ( [...], the vertues of him) who hath called you out of darkness, into his marvellous light. When God causes his Divine light, his marvellous light, to shine in upon the soul, then a Christian will ( [...]) preach forth the vertues of Christ in an imi­table practise; and till then a man under all other knowledge, will re­main an incarnate Devil. When a beam of Divine Light shined from Heaven upon Paul, Ah how did itActs 9. 3, &c. Divine light layes upon a man, Felix ne­cessitas, a hap­py necessity of obeying God, &c. change and metomorphise him? how did it alter and transform him? it made his rebellious soul obedient? Acts 9. 6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? God bids him arise and go into the City, and it should be told him [Page 332] what he should do; and he obeyes the Heavenly vision. Chap. 26. 19. Divine light makes this Lion a Lamb, this Persecutor a Preacher, this Destroyer of the Saints, a Builder up of the Saints, this Tormentor a Comforter, this Monster an Angel, this Notorious Blasphemer, a very great admirer of God, and the actings of his Free-grace, as you may see by comparing the nineth, and twenty sixt Chapters of the Acts together. So when a spark of this Heavenly fire fell upon the heart of Mary Magdalen, Luke 7. O what a change, what a turn doth it make in her; now she loves much, and believes much, and repents much, and weeps much. O what a change did Divine light make in Zacheus, and in the Jailor. Verily, if thy light, thy knowledge doth not better thee? if it doth not change and transform thee? if under all thy light and knowledge thou re­mainest as vile and base as ever? thy light, thy knowledge, thy notions, thy speculations, will be like to fire not on the Hearth, but in the Room, that will burn the House, and the Inhabitant too; it will be like mettle in a blinde [Page 333] horse, that serves for nothing but to break the neck of the rider. That knowledge that is not a transforming knowledge, will torment a man at last more then all the Devils in Hell; it will be a Sword to cut him, a Rod to lash him, a Serpent to bite him, a Scorpion to sting him, and a Vulture, a Worm eternally gnawing him. When Tamberlain was in his wars, one having found and digged up a great pot of Gold, brought it to him, Tamberlain asked whether it had his Fathers stamp upon it; but when he saw it had the Roman stamp, and not his Fathers, he would not own it. So God at last will own no knowledge, but that which leaves the stamp of Christ, the print of Christ, the image of Christ upon the heart. But that which changes and transforms the soul, that makes a man a new man, another man, then what he was before Divine light shined upon him.

Thirdly, That Knowledge that ac­companies salvation, is experimental Knowledge; it is knowledge that springs from a spiritual sense and taste of holy and heavenly things. Cant. 1. [Page 334] 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for thy loves is better then wine. The Spouse had experienced the [...] By loves, his plural loves, she means all the fruits of his love, viz. Righteousness, Holiness, Joy, Peace, Assu­rance, &c. sweetness of Christs loves; his loves, sayes she, is better then wine. (Though wine is an excellent creature, a useful creature, a comfortable and delight­ful creature, a reviving and restorative creature;) and this draws out her heart, and makes her insatiable in longing, and very earnest in courting not a kiss, but kisses, not a little, but much of Christ: Her knowledge be­ing experimental, she is impatient and restless, till she was drawn into the nearest and highest communion and fellowship with Christ. So in Verse 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my wel-beloved Psal. 45. 8. Prov. 7. 17. So Plin. l. 12. c. 15, 16, &c. unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my brests. Myrrhe is marvellous sweet and savory, so is my wel-beloved unto me, sayes the Spouse, I have found Jesus Christ to be marvellous sweet, and savory to my soul. Myrrhe is bit­terEvery good man hath in him two men. Rom 7. 15, ult Gal. 5. 17. to the taste, though it be sweet to the sm [...]ll; so is my wel-beloved unto me, sayes the Spouse, I have found him to be bitter and bloody to the old man, to the ignoble and worser [Page 335] part of man. And I have found him to be sweet and lovely to the New Man, to the Regenerate Man, to the noble part of man, I have found him to be a bitter, and a bloody enemy to my sins; and at the same time to be a sweet and precious friend unto my soul. Myrrhe is of a preserving na­ture, it is hot and dry in the second de­gree, as the Naturalists observe; so is my wel-beloved unto me, sayes the Spouse, O I have found the Lord JesusAustin thanks God that his heart and the temptation did not meet together. preserving my soul from closing with such and such temptations, and from falling under the power of such and such corruptions, and from fainting under such and such afflictions, &c. Considerable to the same purpose is that of Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgeme [...] The Greek word that is here rendr [...] [...]udge­ment, [...], Sense. The soul hath her senses, as well as the body, and they must be exer­cised. Heb▪ 5. 14. properly signifies sense; not a corporal, but a spiritual sense and taste, an inward experimental knowledge of holy and heavenly things. The A­postle well knew that all notional and speculative knowledge would leave men on this side Heaven, and there­fore [Page 336] he earnestly prayes that their knowledge might be experimental, that being the knowledge that accom­paniesWhat is the Schollers knowledge of the strength, riches, glories, and sweetnesses of far Coun­tries obrained by Maps and Books, to their knowledge that daily see and enjoy those things? salvation, that will give a man at last a possession of salvation. Verily that knowledge that is onely notional, speculative, and general, that is gathe­red out of books, discourses, and other outward advantages, is such a know­ledge, that will make men sit down on this side salvation, as it did Judas, Demas, the Scribes, and Pharisees, &c. Christ will at last shut the doore of hope, of help, of consolation, and salvation upon all those that know much of him notionally, but nothing feelingly, as you may see in his shut­ting the door of happinesse against the foolish Virgins, Matth. 25. and againstSurgunt in docti & rapiu [...]t coe­lum, & Nos cum doctrinis detrudimur in Geheunam. Aus. those forward Professors, Preachers, and workers of Miracles, Mat. 7. who had much speculative knowledge, but no experimental knowledge, who had much outward general knowledge of Christ; but no spiritual, inward ac­quaintance with Christ. A man that hath that experimental knowledge that accompanies salvation, will from his experience tell you, That sin is theRom. 7. [Page 337] greatest evill in the world, for he hath found it so; That Christ is the onePsal. 27. 4. thing necessary, for hee hath found him so; That the favour of God isPsal. 63. 3. better then life, for he hath found itPsal. 32. 1, 2. so; That pardoning mercy onely makes a man happy, for he hath found it so; a That wounded spirit is suchProv. 18. 14. a burthen that none can bear, for hePsal. 51. 17. hath found it so; That an humble and a broken heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God, for he hath found it so; That the Promises are precious pearles, for2 Pet. 1. 4. hee hath found them so; That the smiles of God will make up the wantPsal. 4. 6, 7. of any outward mercy, for he hath found it so; that communion withPsal. 48. 10. God can onely make a Heaven in a Be­leevers heart, for he hath found it so;John 16. That if the Spirit be pleased and obey­ed, he will be a comforter to the soul, for he hath found it so: But if his mo­tions and laws be slighted, and neglect­ed,Lam. 1. 16. Isa. 63. 10. 11. he will stand far off from the soul, he will vex and gall the soule. Well souls remember this, That knowledge that is not experimental will never turn to your account; it will only in­crease your guilt, and torment, as it [Page 338] did the Scribes and Pharisees. What advantage had the men of the old world, by their knowing that there was an Arke, or by their clambering about the Arke, when they were shut out and drowned in the flood. What doth it profit a man to see heaps of Jewels, and Pearles, and mountains of Gold and Silver, when he is monylesse and pennilesse? It is rather a torment then a comfort to know that there is a pardon for other malefactors, but none for me; that there is bread for such and such hungry souls, but none for me; that there is water and wine to chear, comfort, and refresh such and such, but not a sip a drop for me; my bottle is empty, and I may die for thirst, whilst others are a drinking at the fountain head: That there is houses and cloaths to shelter such and such from colds, storms, and tempests, whilst I lie naked with Lazarus at Dives door exposed to the miseries of all wea­thers. This kind of knowledge doth rather torment men then comfort them, it does but adde fuell, to the fire, and make their hell the hotter▪ the knowledge that Devils and Apo­states [Page 339] have of God, Christ, and the Scriptures, &c. being onely noti­onal, is so far from being a comfort to them, that it is their greatest torment,James 2. 19. [...], signi­fies, so roars the Sea, and to tremble and shake horribly. it is a worm that is eternally gnawing them, it makes them ten thousand times more miserable then otherwise they would be: They are still a crying out, O that our light, our light were put out; O that our knowledge, our knowledge were extinguished. O that we might but change rooms, change places with the Heathens, with the Barbarians that never knew what we have known. O how happy would damned Devils and Apostates judge themselves in hell, if they should e­scape with those dreadfull stripes that shall be eternally laid upon the backs of fools. Remember Reader, that a little heart knowledge, a little expe­rimental knowledge, is of greater effi­cacy and worth then the highest noti­ons of the most acutest wits. He doth well that discourses of Christ; but he doth infinitely better, that by experi­mental knowledge feeds, and lives on Christ. It was not Adams seeing [...]ut his tasting of forbidden fruit that made [Page 340] him miserable; and it is not your see­ingPsal. 34. 8. of Christ, but your experimentall tasting of Christ that will make you truly happy. As no knowledge will save you but what is experimental, so let no knowledge satisfie you but what is experimental.

Fourthly, that Knowledge that accompa­nies salvation is a heart-affecting-knowledge; it affects the heart with Christ and all spiritual things. O it doth won­derfully1 John 4. 7, 8. indear Christ and the things of Christ to the soul, Can. 2. 5. Stay me with flaggons, and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love. O saith the Spouse, my heart is taken with Christ, it is raised and ravished with his love, my soule is burning, my soul is beating towards Christ; O none but Christ, none but Christ. I cannot live in my selfe, IPlusquam mea, plusquam meos, plusquam me, Ber. cannot live in my Duties, I cannot live in externall Priviledges, I can­not live in outward Mercies, I can­not live in common Providences; ICol. 3. 3, 4. Ignatius cryed out, amor meus crucifixus, my love, my love is crucified, &c. can live onely in Christ, who is my Life, my Love, my Joy, my Crown, my all in all. O the hearing of Christ affects me, the seeing of Christ affects me, the taste of Christ affects mee, [Page 341] the glimmerings of Christ affects me; the more I come to know him in his Natures, in his Names, in his Offices, in his discoveries, in his appearances, in his beauties, the more I finde my heart and affections to prize Christ, toPsal 73. 23, 25, 26. run after Christ, to be affected with Christ, and to be wonderfully indea­red to Christ, Cant. 5. 10. He is white and ruddy the cheifest of ten thousand: The knowledge that she had of Christ did so affect and indear her heart to Christ that she cannot but make use of all her Rhetorick to set forth Christ in the most lovely and lively colours. Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory in a­ny thing, save in Christ Jesus. O God forbid that my heart should be affect­ed or taken with any thing in compa­rison of Christ: The more I know him, the more I like him; the more I know him, the more I love him; the more I know him, the more I desire him; the more I know him, the more my heart is knit unto him His Beauty is taking, his Love is ravishing, his Goodnesse is drawing, his Manifesta­tions are inticing, and his Person is in­amoring. His lovely Looks pleases me, [Page 342] his pleasant Voice delights mee, his precious Spirit comforts me, his holy Word rules mee; and these things make Christ to be a Heaven unto me. O but now, all that notionall know­ledge, that speculative knowledge, that leaves a man on this side salvation; never affects the heart, it never draws it, it never indears the heart to Christ, or to the precious things of Christ. Hence it is, that such men under all their notions, under all their light and knowledge, have no affection to Christ, no delight in Christ, no workings of heart after Christ. Well Reader, re­member this, if thy knowledge doth not now affect thy heart, it will at last with a witnesse afflict thy heart; if it doth not now indear Christ to thee, it will at last the more provoke Christ against thee; if it doth not make all the things of Christ to be very preci­ous in thy eyes, it will at last make thee the more vile in Christs eyes. A little knowledge that divinely af­fects the heart, is infinitely better then a world of that swimming knowledge that swims in the head, but never sinks down into the heart, to the bet­tering [Page 343] to the warming, and to the af­fecting of it. Therefore strive not so much to know, as to have thy heart affected with what thou knowest. For heart-affecting knowledge is the onely knowledge that accompanies salvati­on, that will possess thee of salva­tion.

Fifthly, That Knowledge that ac­companies2 Cor. 5. 16. Divine know­ledge made the Apostle easily over­look all the world as a man doth easi­ly over-look other things, that looks to finde a Jewel, a Peal of price, &c. Salvation, is a world de­lpising, a world crucifying, and a world contemning knowledge; it makes a man have low, poor, mean thoughts of the world; it makes a man slight it, and trample upon it, as a thing of no value. That Divine light that accompanies salvation, makes a man to look upon the world, as mixt, as mutable, as momentary; it makes a man look upon the world, as a lier, as a deceiver, as a flat [...]erer, as a murde­rer, and as a witch that hath bewitch­ed the souls of thousands to their eter­nal overthrow, by her golden offers and proffers. Divine knowledge put Paul upon trampling upon all the bra­very and glory of the world. Phil. 3. 4, to 9. I shall onely transcribe the seventh and eighth verses, and leave [Page 344] you to turn to the rest. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord: For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, ( [...] [...] Di­cuntur quasi, [...] micae quae canibus pro­jiciuntur. dogs dung, or dogs meat, course and contemptible) that I may win Christ. Divine knowledge raises his heart so high above the World, that he looks upon it with an eye of scorn and dis­dain, and makes him count it as an excrement, yea, as the very worst of excrements, as dogs dung, as dogs meat. Of the like import is that of Heb. 10. 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoil­ing of your goods, knowing in your selves, that ye have in Heaven a better, and an enduring substance. Divine knowledge will make a man rejoyce, when his enemies makes a bonfire of his goods. This man hath bills of exchange un­der Gods own hand, to receive a pound for every penny, a million for every mite, that he looses for him: AndMatth. 19, 27, to ult. this makes him to rejoyce, and to trample upon all the glory of this [Page 345] world, as one did upon the Philoso­phers Crown. It was heavenly know­ledge that made Moses to disdain andHeb. 11. 24, 25, 26. Greek, Grown a great one. scorn, the pomp and pleasures, the bravery and glory, the riches and ad­vantages of Egypt and Ethiopia too, as some Writers observe. So when a beam of divine light had shined upon Zacheus. O how doth it work him toLuke 19. 2, to 10. part with the world, to cast off the world, to slight it and trample upon it, as a thing of naught. And Za­cheusMany Turks and Heathens will rise in judgement a­gainst those Professors that act not as Za­cheus did. stood, and said unto the Lord, Be­hold Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is Salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is the son of Abra­ham. Before the Candle of the Lord was set up in Zacheus soul, he dearly loved the world, he highly prized the world, he eagerly pursued after the world; he would have it right or wrong, his heart was set upon it, he was resolved to gather riches, though it was out of others ruines. I, but when once he was divinely enlightned, he throws off the world, he easily [Page 346] parts with it, he sets very light by it he looks with an eye of disdain upon it: His knowledge lifts him up above the smiles of the world, and above the frowns of the world; the world is no longer a snare, a bait, a temptation to him; he knows that it is more to be a son of Abraham (that is, to be taken into covenant with Abraham, toRom 4. 12, 16. & 9 1. tread in the steps of Abrahams faith, as children tread in the steps of their fathers, and to lie and rest in the bo­som of Abraham, as sons do in their fathers bosoms,) then to be rich, great, and honorable in the world. And this made him shake hands with the world,Isa. 30. 22. Hos. 14. 8. and say to it, as he to his Idols, Get you hence, for what have I more to do with you. Verily, that light, that knowledge, will never lead thee to Heaven, it will never possess thee of salvation, that1 John 2. 15. Jam. 4. 4. leaves thee under the power of the world, that leaves thee in league and friendship with the world: If thy knowledge doth not put the world un­der thy feet, it will never put a crown of glory upon thy head. The Church hath the Moon under her feet (Revel. 12. 1.) that is, cloathed with the Sun, [Page 347] and that hath a Crown upon her Head.

Ah knowing Souls, knowing Souls! do not deceive your selves; verily, if you are cloathed with the comeliness and righteousness of the Sun, which is Jesus Christ, and have a crown of victory and glory upon your heads? You will have the Moon under your feet, you will tread and trample upon the trash of this world; all the riches, glories, and braveries of this world, will be under your feet, in respect of your non-subjection to it, and your holy contempt of it. If thy know­ledge doth not inable thee to set thy feet upon those things that most set their hearts? thou art undone for ever, thy knowledge will be so far from lifting thee up to Heaven, that it will cast thee the lower into Hell. Therefore let no knowledge satisfie thee, but that which lifts thee above the world, but that which weans thee from the world, but that which makes the world a foot-stool: This know­ledge, this light will at last lead thee into Everlasting Light.

Sixthly, That Knowledge that ac­companies [Page 348] salvation, is, Soul-abasing, soul-humbling knowledge, it makes a man very, very little, and low in his own eyes, as you may see in the most knowing Apostle, Ephes. 3. 8. Unto me, [...], a Comparative made of a Superlative. who am less then the least of all Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach a­mong the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Pauls great light makes him very little; though he was the greatest Apostle, yet he looks upon himself, a [...] less then the least of all Saints. Of all the Evangelists, John was most sharp­sighted,John in the Hebrew signi­fies The grace of God. This Barbari­an, said the Philosopher, hath comprised more in three lines, then we have done in all our volum­nious discour­ses. Matth. 11. 9, 10, 11. Christ wonder­fully extols John: Sayes Christ, he is a Prophet, yea, and more then a Prophet, yea, a greater is not born of wo­men: But the greatest won­der of all is, that John is so low in his own eyes. most Eagle-eyed, he had the clearest sight of Christ, he lay most in the bosom of Christ, he knew most of the minde of Christ, he had the fullest manifestations, and revelations of Christ; and yet, O how little, how low is John in his own eyes. John 1. 26, 27. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: He it is, who coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose. In this phrase, John alludes to the custom of the Hebrews, those among them which were more noble then others, had [Page 349] Boyes who carried their shooes, and untied them when they laid them by. O, sayes John, I am a poor weak, worthless Creature, I am not worthy to be admitted to the meanest, to the lowest service under Christ, I am not worthy to carry his shooes, to unloose his shooes. After Peter had been in the Mount, and instructed and enlight­ned by Christ, he cryes out, Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man. ( [...].) A man, a sinner, a very mixture, and compound of dirt and sin, of vileness, and baseness; as you may see in comparing Matth. 17. 1, 2, 3, 4. with Luke 5. 8. Abraham un­derGen. 18. 27. all his light and knowledge, ac­knowledges himself to be but dust and ashes. Jacob under all his knowledge,Gen. 32. 10. acknowledges himself to be less then the least of all mercies. David underPsal. 22. 2. & 73 22. all his knowledge, acknowledges him self to be a worm, and no man; he acknowledges himself to be foolish and ignorant, and as a beast before the Lord. Job under all his knowledge,Job 42, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. acknowledges that he hath much rea­son to abhor himself in dust and ashes. Agur was very good, and his know­ledge [Page 350] very great, and yet under all his knowledge. O how doth he villifie, yea, nullifie himself. Surely (saith he) I am more bruitish then any man, and Prov. 30. 1, 2, 3, 4. have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. The Evangelical Prophet Isaiah under all his knowledgeIsa. 6. 1. to 8, &c. and visions, which were very great and glorious, acknowledges himself to be a man of unclean lips, and to dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Divine and heavenly knowledge brings a manThe light that the Moon bor­rows from the Sun, discovers her own spots, and makes them the more conspicuous. Isa 6. near to God, it gives a man the clearest, and the fullest fight of God, and the nearer any man comes to God, and the clearer visions he hath of God, the more low and humble will that man lie be­fore God. None so humble, as they that have nearest communion with God. The Angels that are near unto him, co­ver their faces with their wings, in token of humility. Divine knowledge makes a man look inwards, it anatomi­zes a man to himself; it is a glass that shews a man the spots of his own soul; and this makes him little and low in his own eies. In the beams of this heavenlyWhen a beam of Divine light had shined up­on Augustine, he cryed out, Teneo in memo­ria, scribo in charta, sed non habeo i [...] vita. Gal. 6 3. Many in these days are like the Chineses, who use to say, That they one­ly did see with two eyes, all others but with one. light, a Christian comes to see his own [Page 351] pride, ignorance, impatience, unwor­thiness, conceitedness, worthlesness, frowardness, and nothingness. That knowledge that swells thee, will un­do thee; that knowledge that puffs thee, will sink thee; that knowledge that makes thee delightful in thy own eyes, will make thee despicable in God and good mens eyes. 1 Cor. 8. 1, 2. Knowledge puffeth up, (that is, Notional knowledge, Speculative knowledge, Knowledge that ripens a man for destruction, that will leave him short of salvation; this knowledge puffs and swells a man, and makes him think himself something, when he is no­thing.) And if any man thinketh that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know, saith the Apo­stle. Will not that Philosopher rise in judgement against many of our high-flown Professors (who swell, who look big, and talk big, under their notional knowledge) who said under all his knowledge (which was very great) (Hoc tantum scio, quod nihil scio.) This onely do I know, that I know nothing. Well, if that know­ledge thou hast, be that knowledge [Page 352] that accompanies salvation, it is a soul humbling, and a soule abasing know­ledge; if it bee otherwise, then will thy knowledge make thee both a Pri­soner and a Slave to the Devill at once.

Seventhly, That Knowledge that ac­companies salvation is an appropria­ting knowledge; a knowledge that appropriates and applies spiritual, and heavenly benefits to a mans own par­ticular soul. As you may see in Job, my Job 19: 25. and 16. 19. Redeemer lives, and my witnesse is in Heaven, and my record is on high: So David, the Lord is my portion, in Psal. Psal. 16. 5. 18. 2. he useth this word of proprie­ty eight times together, The Lord is my rock, and my fortresse, and my deli­verer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high Tower. So the Spouse, my Beloved is mine, and I am Cant. 2. 16. John 20. 28. his. So Thomas, My Lord and my God. So Paul, I am crucified with Christ, ne­verthelesse, This is the pith and power of heavenly knowledge to appropriate Christ to a mans selfe. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved me and gave himself for me. Applicatory knowledge, is the sweetest [Page 353] knowledge, it revives the heart, it chears the spirits, it rejoyces the soul, it makes a man go singing to duties, and go singing to his grave, and sing­ing to Heaven. Whereas othersThose that have a blemish in their eie think the Skie to be ever clou­dy, and nothing is more com­mon to weak spirits then to be criticizing, and contend­ing, &c. (though gracious) that want this ap­plicatory knowledge, have their hearts full of fears, and their lives full of sorrows, and so go sighing and mour­ning to Heaven. But lest any preci­ous soule should turn this Truth into a sword to cut and wound himselfe, let me desire him to remember that every Beleever that hath such knowledge that accompanies salvation, hath notIt is com­monly said of knowledge (non habet inimicum praeter ignoran­tem) that it hath not a greater e­nemy then ignorance, &c. this applicatory knowledge that makes so much for the souls consolation, and that doth accompany some mens sal­vation (I say not all mens salvation.) if thou findest thy knowledge to be such a knowledge as is before descri­bed in the six former particulars, though thou hast not attained to this applicatory knowledge, yet hast thou attained to that knowledge that ac­companies salvation, and that will (my soule for thine) give thee a posses­sion of salvation. This applicatory knowledge that accompanies salvation, [Page 354] is onely to bee found in such eminent Saints that are high in their communi­on with God, and that have attain­ed some considerable assurance of their interest in God. Many mens sal­vation is accompanied with an appli­catory knowledge, but all mens salvati­on is not accompanied with an appli­catory knowledge of a mans particu­lar interest in Christ, and those bles­sed favors and benefits that comes by him: thy Soule may bee safe, and thy salvation may bee sure, though thou hast not attained unto this appro­priating knowledge; but thy life can­notA man doth not attain to health by rea­ding Galen or Hippocrates his Aphorisms, but by the practi­cal application of them [...] move his dis­eases. You know how to apply it. be comfortable without this appro­priating knowledge. Therefore if thou hast it not, labor for it as for life, it is a pearle of price, and if thou findest it, it will make thy soul amends for all thy digging, seeking, working, swea­ting, weeping, &c.

Eightly, and lastly, that Knowledge that accompanies salvation, is ac­companied and attended with these things.

First; that Knowledge that accom­panies salvation is attended with holy indeavors, and with heavenly desires, [Page 355] thirstings, and pantings after a further knowledge of God, after clearer visi­ons of God, Prov. 15. 14. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh [...] knowledge, but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishnesse. The Hebrew word that is here rendred seeketh ( [...]ebakkesh) is in pihil, and signif [...]es an earnest and dili­gent seeking; to seek as an hungry man seeks for meat, or as a covetous man for gold; the more he hath, the more he desires; or as a condemned man seeks for his pardon, or as the diseased man seeks for his cure. The word in the Text is from a root ( [...]ash) that sig­nifies [...] to seek studiously, laboriously, in­dustriously, to seek by s [...]ing, praying, enquiring, and walking up and downe, that we may find what we seek. So in [...] that Prov. 18. 15. The heart of the pru­dent getteth knowledge, and the eare of Seeketh as men do for hid trea­sure, &c. the wise seeketh knowledge. A man that divinely knows, will set his heart and his ear, his inward and outward man, to know more and more. Divine knowledge is marvellous sweet, plea­sing, comforting, satisfying, refresh­ing▪ strengthening, and supporting; and soules that have found the sweet­nesse [Page 356] and usefulness of it, cannot but look and long, breath and pant after more and more of it. The new-born1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. Babe doth not more naturally, and more earnestly long for the brests, then a soul that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious, doth long for further, and fur­ther tastes of God. David under allPsal. 119. 18, 19. his knowledge, cryes out, I am a stran­ger in the Land, hide not thy Command­ments from me. Open mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. Job under all his knowledge,Job 34. 32. which was very great, cryes out, That which I see not, teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

A second thing that attends and ac­companies that knowledge that ac­companies salvation, is holy endea­vors,The way to get more knowledge, is to communi­cate that we have, according to that, Habenti dabitur. to edifie others, to instruct others, to enlighten, and inform others in the knowledge of spiritual and heavenly things. Heavenly light cannot be hid under a bushel; you may as easily hin­der the Sun from shining, as you may hinder a gracious soul from diffusing, and spreading abroad that knowledge and light that God hath given him. Divine light in the soul is like a light [Page 357] in a bright Lanthorn, that shines forth every way, or like a light in a room, or on a Beacon that gives light to others. A Christian that divinely knows, is like the Lamp in the story, that was always burning and shining, and never went out. So in Gen. 18. 17,Thus did Phi­lip of Bethsaida. John 1. 45. Thus did the woman of Sa­maria, John 4. 28, 29. Thus did the Spouse, Cant. 5. 10. to ult. Thus did that Scraphical Preacher St. Paul, Acts 26. 29. 19. And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham, that which I do; for I know him, that he will command his children, and his houshould after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he hath spoken of him. He that communicates his know­ledge to others, shall be both of Gods court and council; he shall lye in the bosome of God; he shall know the secrets of God. Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge; but the heart of the foolish doth not so. The He­brew word that is here rendred dis­perse, is a metaphor taken from Seeds­mens scattering abroad of their seed in the furrows of the field. HeavenlyAugustine ac­counted no­thing his own, that he did not communicate to others. knowledge is very spreading and dif­fusive, it is like the Sun; the Sun casteth his beams upward and down­ward, upon good and upon bad, so [Page 358] divine light in a gracious soul will break forth, for the advantage and pro­fit of friends, and enemies of those that be in a state of nature, and of those that be in a state of grace. Acts 4. 18, 19, 20. And they called them, and Opposition is the black an­gel that dogs the Gospel at the heels. Divine know­ledge is like new wine, it must have vent, it is hea­venly fire that will break forth. Jer. 5. 14. & 20. 9. commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the Name in Jesus. But Peter and John answered, and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you, more then unto God, judge ye▪ For we cannot but speak the things, that we have seen and heard. The Bee doth store her Hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common be­nefit; so a heavenly Christian sucks sweetness out of every mercy, and every duty; out of every providence, and out of every ordinance; out of every promise, and out of every pri­viledge, that he may give out the more sweetness to others. L [...]mod [...] a [...]ed, we therefore learn, that we may touch, is a Proverb among the Rabbins. And I do therefore lay in, and lay up (saith theSocrates, &c. Heathen) that I may draw forth a gain, and lay out for the good of many. This Heathen will rise in judgement against those that monopolize knowledge to [Page 359] themselves, that imprison their light within their own brests, least others should out-shine and darken them. Synesius speaks of some, who havingSome such there be in these dayes. a treasure of rare-abilities in them­selves, would as soon part with their hearts, as with their conceptions. Verily such men are far off from that knowledge that accompanies salvati­on;2 Cor. 6. 10. Gal 4. 19. for that knowledge will make a man willing to spend, and be spent for the edification, consolation, and salvation of others. Prov. 10. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many.

A third thing that attends and ac­companies that knowledge that ac­companies salvation, is holy zeal▪ cou­rage,Prov. 28. 1. and resolution for God. Divine knowledge makes a man as bold as a Lyon. Dan. 11. 32. And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall be cor­rupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do ex­ploits. So Prov. 24. 5. A wise man is strong, yea, and a man of knowledge in­creaseth [...] strength, or, he strengthneth might, in strength [...] as it is in the Hebrew. Divine light makes a man full of mettle for God, it makes the soul divinely fearless, and [Page 360] divinely careless. Josh. 24. 15. Chuse you whom you will serve, I and my hous­hold will serve the Lord. Come what will on it, we will never change our Master, nor quit his service. ThoseThe heavenly light and knowledge that the Pro­phets and A­postles had, made them very zealous and couragious for their God, in the face of all difficulties and deaths, as might be shewn in very many Scrip­tures. beams of light that shined in upon Chrysostome, did so heat and warm his heart, that he stoutly tells Eudoxia the Empress, that for her covetousness she would be called a second Jezabel; whereupon she sent him a threatning Message: To which, he returned this Answer, go tell her, (Nil nisi peccatum timeo,) I fear nothing but sin. A Pro­phetical man in the Ecclesiastical Hi­story, went to the Pillars a little before an Earthquake, and bad them stand fast, for they should shortly be shaken. Ah Christians, there is an Earthquake a coming, and therefore as you would stand fast, as you would not have any Earthquakes to make your hearts quake, get this zeal and courage that attends Divine knowledge, and then you shall in the midst of all Earth­quakesPsal. 125. 1, 2. be as Mount Zion that cannot be removed. They that write the story of the Travels of the Apostles, report, That Simon Zelotes Preached [Page 361] here in England. Ah England, England, Epiphanius saith that Eliah sucked fire our of his Mothers Brests, there are very few such Eliahs in these days. if ever thou needest some Zelotes, it is now. O how secure, how dull, how drowsie, how sleepy in the midst of dangers art thou? For this and other of thy abominations, I desire my soul may weep in secret.

The fourth and last thing that at­tendsKnowledge and Faith are Twins, they live and lodge, and act toge­ther, they are two lovers that may be di­stinguished one from an­other, but they cannot be se­parated one from another. or accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation, is, Faith and confidence in God. Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name, will put their trust in thee; for thou, Lord, hast not for­saken them that seek thee. 2 Tim. 1. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed; and I am perswaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. I shall not inlarge upon this Branch, because I shall speak at large concerning Faith, in the next parti­cular.

And thus I have shewed you from the Scriptures, what that Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation. Now the second thing I am to shew you, is, What that Faith is that accompanies Salvation, I have formerly shewed [Page 362] you that Faith doth accompany salva­tion; but now I shall shew you what Faith that is, that doth accompany Salvation, and that I shall do by Di­vine assistance thus.

First, That Faith that accompaniesFides est inter­dum id quod credimus, inter­dum id quo cre­dimus. Aug. Salvation, that comprehends Salvati­on, that will possess a man of Salva­tion, is know first by the objects a­bout which it is exercised, and second­ly, by the properties of it. First, By the objects about which it is exer­cised. Now the objects of Faith are these.

First, The person of Christ is theChrist as Re­deemer, is the mediate object of Faith, and God is the ulti­mate; for we believe in God through Christ. Rom 6. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 4. object of Faith, it is Christ in the Promises that Faith deals with. The Promise is but the Shell, Christ is the Kernel; the Promise is but the Casket, Christ is the Jewel in it; the Promise is but the field, Christ is the Treasure that is hid in that field; the promise is a Ring of Gold, and Christ is the Pearl in that Ring; and upon this sparkling, shining Pearl, Faith de­lightsFaiths M [...]rto is, Nolo bene­dictionem tuam, sed te. most to look. Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth. I held him, and I would not let him go, until I [Page 363] had brought him into my Mothers house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. So in Cant. 7. 5. The King is held Not but that the Father is also the object of Believers faith. Iohn 14. 1. Isa. 63. 15, 16. with many o­ther Scriptures, but Christ is the object held forth by the Father, for our faith to close with, in respect of our justifi­cation and sal­vation. God is (objectum ulti­mum fidei) the ultimate or highest object of Faith; and Christ (ob­jectum media­eum) the medi­ate object thereof. in the Galleries. Faith hath two hands, and with both she layes earnest and fast hold on King Jesus. Christs beau­ty and glory is very taking, and draw­ing, Faith cannot see it, but it will lay hold on it. Christ is the principal ob­ject about which Faith is exercised, for the obtaining of Righteousness, and Everlasting Happiness. Acts 16. 30, 31. And the Jailor said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, be­lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Christ is in a world of Scriptures held forth to be the object about which Faith is most conversant; and the more Faith is exercised upon the person of Christ, the more it buds and blossoms like Aarons Rod. Faith looks upon him, as the express Image and Character of his Father: Faith beholds him as the chiefest of ten thousand: Faith sees him to be the most glorious object in all the World.

The second object that Faith is ex­ercised about, is the Righteousness of [Page 364] Jesus Christ. Phil. 3. 9. I desire to be found in Christ, not having my own Righ­teousness, which is of the Law, but that which is thorow the Faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by Faith. Paul would not be found in a legal righteousness, for he knew all his legal righteousness was but as filthy rags,Isa. 64. 6. all his legal righteousness sowed toge­ther, would but make up a coat of patches, a beggars coat, that is good for nothing, but to be cast away; therefore he desired to be found in the righteousness of Christ by Faith; he knew that Christs righteousness was a pure righteousness, a spotless righte­teousness, a matchless righteousness, a compleat righteousness, a perfectCol. 2. 10. righteousness, an absolute righteous­ness, a glorious righteousness. Faith loves to fix her eye upon that rich and royal Robe, that blameless and spot­lessCant. 4. 7. Revel. 145. Ephes. 5. 27. righteousness of Christ, where­with the soul stands gloriously cloathed before God, as being all fair, as being without spot or wrinkle in divine ac­count. O it is the actings of Faith upon this blessed object, this glorious righteousness of Christ, that makes a [Page 365] man familiar and bold with God, that makes a man active, and resolute for God, that strengthens a man against temptations, that supports a man un­der afflictions, that makes a man long for the day of his dissolution, that makes him prefer his Coffin above a Princes Crown, the day of his death above the day of his birth, that makes him triumph over Sin and Satan, Hell and Wrath. Adams righteousnessRom. 3. 21. & 10. 3. was but the righteousness of a Crea­ture, but the righteousness about which Faith is exercised, is the righteousness2 Cor. 5. 21. of a God. Adams righteousness wasThe righteous­ness of Angels, is but the righ­teousness of Creatures, but the righteous­ness that the Saints are cloathed with, is the very righteousness of God; and in this respect the meanest Saint is more excellent and glorious, then the most glo­rious Angel. a mutable righteousness, a righteous­ness that might be sinned away; but the righteousness that a Believers Faith is exercised about, is an Everlasting Righteousness, a righteousness that cannot be sinned away. Prov. 8. 18. vide Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are de­termined upon thy people, and upon thy holy City, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make re­conciliation for iniquity, and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Psal. 119. 142. Thy Righ­teousness [Page 366] is an Everlasting Righteousness; and thy Law is the Truth. The righte­ousness of Adam was a righteousness subject to shaking, and we know that Satan did shake all his righteousness about his ears, as I may say; O but that glorious Righteousness about which Faith is conversant, is an un­shaken Righteousness, a Righteous­ness that cannot be shaken. Psal. 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great moun­tains, or rather as it is in the Hebrew, [...] Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God. What more stable then a moun­tain,The Hebrew useth to note excellent things, by add­ing the name of God; as Cedars of God, Psal. 80. 11. Rivers of God, Psal. 65. 10. Wrastlings of God, Gen 30. 5. Harps of God, Revel. 15. 2. and what Mountain so stable as the Mountain of God. The Mountains cannot be shaken, no more can that glorious Righteousness of Christ a­bout which a Believers faith is exerci­sed. Adams righteousness was a low righteousness, a righteousness within his own reach, and a righteousness within Satans reach; it was not so high, but Adam could lay his hand up­on it, as I may say; it was not so high but Satan could reach to the top of it, yea, to the over-topping of it, as we have all found by woful experience. O but that righteousness that Faith is [Page 367] conversant about, is a righteousness of such a height, as that neither Satan, nor the world can reach to it. Psal. 71. 15, 16, 19: My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness, and thy salvation all the day: For I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God, I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine onely. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hath done great things. O God, who is like unto thee. This glorious Righteousness of Christ about which Faith is busied, is called The Righteousness of Faith,Rom. 3 28. because Faith apprehends it, and ap­plies it, and feeds upon it, and de­lights in it. Rom. 4. 13. For the promise that he should be the Heir of the World, was not to Abraham, or to his Seed tho­row the Law, but thorow the Righteous­ness of Faith. Chap. 9. 30. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which fol­lowed not after righteousness, have attain­ed to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. The Righteousness ofRom. 10. 6. But the righ­teousness which is of Fai [...]h. i. e. Which is appr [...]hended by Faith, &c. Christ about which Faith is imployed, is called The Righteousness of Faith, because Faith puts on this Righteous­ness upon the Soul. Faith wraps the [Page 368] soul up in this Righteousness of Christ, and so justifieth it before God instrumentally. The actings of FaithMark, Faith is onely the in­strument, it cannot be the substance of that righteous­ness, as it were, whereby we are justified and saved. First, Because it is imperfect Secondly, The acts of Faith are transient. Thirdly, Then should man have some­thing within him whereof to boast. Fourthly, faith is a part of in­herent holi­ness. Fifthly, Then some men should be justified more, and some less, according to the different measures of Faith in them. on this glorious Righteousness, doth most strengthen the soul. Isai. 45. 24. Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength. The actings of Faith on this blessed Righteousness, doth most glad and rejoyce the soul. Isa. 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. The actings of Faith upon this compleat Righteous­ness of Christ, renders souls just and righteous, pure and holy, in the account of God. Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness, to every one that believeth. Christ fulfils the Law for Believers, and they by be­lieving do fulfil the Law in him; and so Christ by doing, and they by be­lieving in him, that doth it, do fulfil the Law, and so are reputed fair and spotless, compleat and perfect, before the Throne of God. Faiths putting this righteousness on the soul, brings down blessings upon the soul: When [Page 369] Jacob had put on his elder BrothersGen. 27. 15. garment, he carried the blessing away. The actings of Faith upon this Pear­less Righteousness of Christ, brings down the blessing of Peace, and theRom 5. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Acts 10. 43. blessing of Joy, and the blessing of Remission of sins; and in a word, all other blessings that contributes to the making us blessed here, and happy hereafter, &c.

The third object that Faith is exer­cised about, is the precious promises,2 Pet. 1. 4. Mark, the whole Word of God is the ob­ject of Faith, but the pro­mises, more especially are the prime ob­ject about which Fa [...]h, is most con­versant. which are a Christians Magna Charta. As every precious stone hath an [...]gre­gious vertue in it, so hath every pro­mise: The promises are a precious Book, every Leaf drops Myrrhe and Mercy; and upon these precious pro­mises, precious Faith looks and lives. From these Brests Faith sucks comfort and sweetness. Psal. 119. 49, 50. Re­member thy word (that is, thy promise) unto thy servant; upon which, thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickned me. So in Psalm 27. 13. I had faint­ed, unless I had believed, to see the good­ness of the Lord, in the Land of the living. Heb. 11. 13. These all died in faith (or [Page 370] according to faith) not having received the promises, but having seen them a far off, and were perswaded of them, and em­braced them (or as the Greek hath it, [...], i. e. Perseve­ring in Faith. [...], some think that it is an allusion to the custom of sa­luting one an­other, by em­bracing or lay­ing hold of each other. saluted them by Faith, they kissed the promises, and kissed Christ in the pro­mises) and confessed that they were stran­gers, and pilgrims on the Earth. It would be an endless thing to shew you, how the faith of the Patriarks, Prophets, Apostles, and other Saints, have been acted and exercised upon promises of Sanctification, upon promises of Justi­fication, upon promises of Salvation, upon promises of Glorification, upon promises of Protection, upon promises for Direction, upon promises for Sup­portation, &c. Look as the Lamp lives upon the Oyl, and the Childe upon the Brests, so doth Faith upon the promises. For the further advan­tage and comfort of your souls▪ in eye­ing the promises, let me give you these two sweet hints.

First, In your looking upon the promises, minde most, eye most spiri­tual promises, absolute promises, viz. Those and such-like that you see inJere. 32. 40, 41. Ezek. 11. 19, 20. the Margent. These spiritual and ab­solute [Page 371] promises are of nearest andEzek. 36. 25, 26, 27. I a 42. 1. Ezek 20. 41, 42, 43. Psal 91. 15. Isa 65. 24. Jere. 33. 3. Isa. 32 15. Ezek 34 30, 31. with many others of the like import. greatest concernment to you; these carry in them most of the heart of Christ, the love of Christ, the good will of Christ; these are of greatest use, to satisfie you, and to settle you; when you are wavering, to support you; when you are falling, to reduce you; when you are wandering, to comfort you; when you are fainting, to coun­sel you; when you are staggering, &c. Therefore make these your choicest, and your chiefest companions, espe­cially when it is night within your souls, when you are sensible of much sin, and but a little grace, of much cor­ruption, but of little consolation, of much deadness, but of little quickness, of much hardness, but of little tender­ness, of many fears, and but a littleSpiritual and absolute pro­mises, are the most precious Mines to in­rich you; in them you will finde he greatest Pearls of price. Faith. The Jews under the Law, had more temporal promises then spiritual, but we under the Gospel, have far more spiritual promises then tem­poral; therefore sit down at this fire, and be warmed; drink of these springs, and be satisfied; taste of these deli­cates, and be cheered. Let the eye of Faith be cast upon all the promises, [Page 372] but fixt upon spiritual promises, upon absolute promises; they will have the greatest influence upon the heart to holiness, and to prepare it for Everlast­ing happiness.

Look not onely upon some of theHaman took notice, yea, and would have his friends take notice of all his greatness, honors, and riches. Esth. 5. 10, 11, 12. And will not you stir up your hearts to see all those riches and pleasures that be in precious promises. riches, the Jewels, the Pearls, that be rwapped up in the promises, but enlarge and expatiate your understandings to an effectual contemplation of all those riches and treasures that God hath laid up in the promises. Cast not the eye of your Faith onely, upon one beam of the Sun, but endeavor to see all the beams of the Sun: Look not upon one branch of the Tree of Life, but upon every branch of that Tree; look not upon one bunch of the Grapes of Canaan, but look upon the whole Land. As understanding Heirs, when they come to read over their Eviden­ces and Writings, they will see what they have in Houses, what in Goods, what in Lands, what in Money, what in Jewels, what at home, what abroad. They will not sit down, and say, Well, we finde in our Evidences, that such and such Land is ours, and look no further; no, no, they will look all over, [Page 373] and take exact notice of every thing; they will say, We have so much Land, and so much Money, &c. O beloved, there is much Marrow and Fatness, there is much Honey and sweetness, much Grace and Glory wrapped up in the promises. O press them, and op­press them, till you have got forth all the riches, and sweetness that is in them.

Ah Christians, did you this, God would be more honored, the promises more prized, your Graces more strengthned, your fears more abated, your hearts more warmed and en­gaged, and your lives more regulated, and Satan more easily and frequently vanquished. And so much for this third object, about which Faith is exercised.

The fourth object (and last that I shall mention) that Faith is set and fixt upon, is, That Glory, Blessedness, and2 Tim 4. 8. Faith ante­dates glory. Life, which God hath laid up for them that love him. The things of eternity, are the greatest things; they are the most excellent things, they are most excellent in their natures, in their causes, in their operations, in [Page 374] their effects in their ends; and upon these, Faith looks and lives; FaithHeb. 11. 1. [...], the Subsistance. i. e. That which gives a sub­stantial being to the things of eternal life. Faith alters the Tensis, it puts the Fu­ture into the Present. Psal. 60. 6. Heb. 12. 2. realizeth things, it makes absent things present; Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen; Faith makes absent glory present, absent riches present, absent pleasures present, absent favors present; Faith brings an invisible God, and sets him before the soul, Moses by Faith saw him that was invisible; Faith brings down the recompence of reward, and sets it really, though spi­ritually before the soul; Faith sets Divine favor before the soul, it sets peace, it sets pardon of sin, it sets the Righteousness of Christ, it sets the Joy of Heaven, it sets Salvation be­fore the soul; it makes all these things very near and obvious to the soul. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith makes invisible things visi­ble, [...], the Index or clear conviction by disputation. absent things present, things that are afar off, to be very near unto the soul. By convincing Demonstrations, by Arguments, and Reasons drawn from the Word, as the Greek word signifies. 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, work­eth [Page 375] for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the [...], To look with a diligent eye, as men do at the mark, whereat they shoot. things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: For the things which are seen, are temporal, but the things which are not seen, are eternal. Faith trades in invisible things, in eternal things; its eye is always upwards, like the Fish called (by Galen) Urano Scopos, that hath but one eye, and yet looks continually up to Heaven. FaithHeb 6. 19. Rom. 8. 18. Heb. 10. 34. Acts 7. 55, 56. An adopted Heir to a Crown, can­not but have his heart at Court, his minde and thoughts will be upon his future glori­ous condition. He will be still a creating Ide­a's and Images of it. enters within the vail, and fixes her eye upon those glorious things of eternity, that are so many, that they exceed number; so great, that they exceed measure; so precious, that they are above all estimation. Sayes Faith, the spangled Firmament is but the Foot­stool of my Fathers house; and if the Foot-stool▪ the outside, be so glorious, O how glorious is his Throne. Verily, in Heaven there is that life that can­not be expressed, that light that can­not be comprehended, that joy that cannot be fadomed, that sweetness that cannot be dissipated, that feast that cannot be consumed; and upon these Pearls of glory, I look and live, sayes Faith.

And thus I have shewed you the choice and precious objects, about which, that Faith is exercised that ac­companies Salvation. I shall now in the next place shew you the Properties of that Faith that accompanies Sal­vation, and they are these that fol­low.

The first Property of that FaithQuid est igitur fides? Opinior fideliter homi­nem, Christi creder [...], i. e. Fidelem esse, boc est fideliter Dei mandata serva­re, saith one. that accompanies Salvation, is this, It puts forth it self into vital operati­ons, it makes a man full of life and activity for God; it will make a man diligent and venturous in the work, and wayes of God. Faith is a most active quality in it self, and so it makes a Christian most active; it is a doing thing, and it makes the person doing, Faith will not suffer the soul to be idle; Faith is like the vertuous Woman in the last of the Proverbs, who put her hand to every work, who would suffer none of her Hand-maids to be idle; Faith puts the soul upon grieving forZach. 12. 10. sin, upon combating with sin, upon weeping over sin, upon trembling at the occasions of sin, upon resisting temptations that leads to sin, upon fighting it out to the death with sin: [Page 377] Faith puts a man upon walking withThe eleventh of the Hebrews is a full proof of these things. Gal. 2. 20. God, upon waiting on God, upon working for God, upon wrastling with God, upon bearing for God, and upon parting with any thing for God: Faith makes Religious duties to be easie to the soul, to be delightful to the soul, to be profitable to the soul: Faith makes the soul to be serious and conscientious in doing, to be careful & faithful in do­ing, to be delightful & chearful in doing, to be diligent and faithful in doing.Jam. 2. 17. to the end. Faith looks to precepts, as well as to pro­mises. Psal. 119. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge, for I have believed thy Command­ments. That faith that is not a working faith, is no faith; that faith that is not a work­ing faith, is a dead faith; that faith that is not a working faith, is a deluding faith; that faith that is not a working faith, is a worthless faith; that faith that is not a working faith, will leave a man short of Heaven and happiness, in the latter day. Faith that accom­panies Salvation, is better at doing, then at thinking, at obeying, then at disputing, at walking, then at talk­ing. Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. Faith will make a man endea­vor [Page 378] to be good, yea, to be best at [...], the word signifies, to bend their wits, and beat their brains to maintain good works. every thing he undertakes: It is not leaves, but fruit; not words, but works that God expects; and if we cross his expectation, we frustrate our own Salvation, we further our own condemnation. Faith makes the soulIsa 65 24. Gen. 4 4. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Cant. 2. 14. Luther prefers the meanest work of a Country Chri­stian, or poor Maid, above all the victo­ries and tri­umphs of A­lexander, and of Julius Caesar. Matth. 27. ult. Isa. 41. 10, 11. Heb. 13 5, 6. Ezek. 36. 26, 27, &c. much in doing, abundant in working, and that partly by perswading the soul, that all its works, all its duties, and services, shall be owned and ac­cepted of God; as in Isa. 56. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain, and make them joyful in my House of pray­er: Their burnt-offerings, and their sa­crifices, shall be accepted upon mine Altar; for mine House shall be called an House of prayer for all people. Faith assures the soul, that every prayer, every sigh, e­very groan, every tear is accepted: And this makes the soul pray much, and sign much, and mourn much. Again, Faith spreads the promises of Divine assistance before the soul; O sayes Faith, here O soul, is assistance suitable to the work required: And this makes a man work, as for life; it makes a man work and sweat, and sweat and work. Again, Faith sets the Recom­pence, [Page 379] the Reward, before the soul. OHeb. 11. 25, 26. One good work of a Christian, is more precious then Heaven and Earth, saith Luther. sayes Faith, Look here soul, here is a great reward, for a little work; here is great wages, for weak and imperfect services; here is an infinite reward, for a finite work. Work, yea, work hard, sayes Faith, O believing soul, for thy actions in passing, pass not away; every good work is a grain of Seed for eternal life. There is a Re­surrectionRev. 14. 13. of works, as well as of per­sons, and in that day, wicked men shall see, that it is not a vain thing to serve God; they shall see the most doing souls, to be the most shining souls, to be most advanced and rewarded. O the sight of this Crown, of this Re­compence, makes souls to abound in the work of the Lord, they knowing1 Cor. 15. ult. that their labor is not in vain in the Lord. Again, Faith draws from Christs fulness, it sucks vertue and strengthJohn 1. 16. from Christs brests: Faith looks upon Christ as a Head, and so draws from him; it looks upon Christ as a Hus­band, and so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Fountain, and so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Sea, as an Ocean of goodness, andCol. 1. 19. [Page 380] so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Father, and so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Friend, and so draws from him; and this Di­vine power and strength, sets the soul a working hard for God, it makes the soul full of motion, full of action. In a word, Faith is such a working Grace, as sets all other graces a work­ing. Faith hath an influence upon e­very Grace, it is like a silver thred that runs thorow a chain of Pearl, it puts strength and vivacity into all o­ther vertues. Love touched by a hand of Faith, flames forth; hope fed at Faiths table, grows strong, and casts anckor within the vail. Joy, courage,Acts 5. & 16. Rom. 15. 13. and zeal, being smiled upon by Faith, is made invincible, and unconquerable▪ &c. Look what Oyl is to the wheels▪ what weights are to the clock, what wings are to the bird, what sails areExcept it be winter with the soul. to the ship, that Faith is to all Religi­ous duties and services.

And thus you see, that that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is a work­ing faith, a lively faith, and not such a dead faith, as most please, and deceive themselves with, for ever.

The second Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is this, It is of a growing and increasing na­ture; it is like the waters of the San­ctuary, that rise higher and higher, as Ezekiel speaks; it is like a tender Plant that naturally grows higher and high­er;Matth. 13. 32. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree. Psal. 92. 12, 13, 14. Now the Palm tree never looseth his leaf, or fruit, saith pliny. it is like a grain of Mustard-seed, which though it be the least of all Seeds, yet by a Divine power it grows up beyond all humane expectations. Faith is imperfect, as all other graces are, but yet it grows and increases gra­dually. Rom. 1. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from Faith to faith: As it is written, The just shall live by Faith. As a gracious soul is still a adding knowledge to knowledge, love to love, fear to fear, zeal to zeal; so he is a adding faith to faith. A gra­cious soul knows, That if he be rich in Faith, he cannot be poor in other Gra­ces; he knows the growth of faith, will be as the former and the latter rain, to all other graces; he knows that there is no way to out-grow his fears, but by growing in Faith; he knows that all the pleasant fruits of paradise, viz. Joy, comfort, and [Page 382] peace, flourishes as faith flourishes; he knows that he hath much workAn old man being once asked, If he grew in grace, answered, Yea, doubtless I be­lieve I do, for God hath said in his Word, that we shall flourish and bring forth fruit in old age. Ille non est bo­nus, qui non vult esse melior. upon his hands, that he hath many things to do, many temptations to withstand, many mercies to improve, many burdens to bear, many corrupti­ons to conquer, many duties to per­form: And this makes the believing soul thus to reason with God; Ah Lord, whatever I am weak in, let me be strong in Faith, whatever dies, let Faith live, whatever decayes, let Faith flourish: Lord, let me be low in re­pute, low in parts, low in estate; so thou wilt make me high in Faith: Lord, let me be poor in any thing, poor in every thing; so thou wilt but make me rich in Faith: Lord, let the eye of Faith be more opened, let the eye of Faith be more quick-sighted, let the eye of Faith be the more raised, and it shall be enough to me, though Jo­seph 2 Th [...]s. 1. 3. That is but a Wooden leg, that grows not, no more is that any more but a Wooden faith, a counterfeit faith, that grows not. be not, though Benjamin be not. It was the glory of the Thessalonians, that their faith growed exceedingly: A growth in Faith, will render a man glorious in life, lovely in death, and twice blessed in the morning of the Resurrection; so will not a growth in [Page 383] honors, a growth in riches, a growth in notions, a growth in opinions. That Faith that accompanies Salvati­on,The union be­tween Christ and the Saints, is the nearest and the high­est union; and so it advan­tages their graces, and ad­vances them to a higher de­gree of hap­piness, then any other Creatures whatsoever. John 17. Christ would have his people one with him, and the Fa­ther, though no [...] essentially, nor personal­ly, yet really and spiritually. unites the soul to Christ, and keeps the soul up in communion with Christ. And from that union and communion that the soul hath with Christ, flows such a Divine power, and vertue, that causes Faith to grow: Yet that no weak Believers may be stumbled, or sadded, Let them remember, First, That though that Faith that accom­panies Salvation, be a growing faith; yet there are some certain seasons, and cases, wherein a man may decay in his faith, and wherein he may not have the exercise, and the actings of his faith. This blessed Babe of Grace may be cast into a deep slumber; this Heavenly Pearl may be so buried un­der the thick clay of this world, and under the ashes of corruption and temptation, as that for a time, it may neither stir, nor grow, as might be shewn in Abraham, David, Solomon, Peter, and others. Secondly, Remember this, That the strongest faith at times, is subject to shakings, as the strongest men are to faintings, as the [Page 384] stoutest ships are to tossings, as the wisest men are to doubtings, as the brightest stars are to twinklings, &c. Therefore if at certain times, thou shouldst not be sensible of the growth of thy faith, yet do not conclude, that thou hast no faith: Faith may be in the habit, when it is not in the act; there may be life in the root of the Tree, when there is neither leaves, blossoms, nor fruit upon the Tree; the life that is in the root▪ will shew it self at the Spring, and so will the habits of Faith break forth into acts, when the Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth, and make it a pleasant spring to thy soul. And thus much for this se­cond particular.

The third Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is this, It makes those things that are great and glorious in the worlds account, to be very little and low in the eyes of a Believer. Faith makes a Believer toHeb. 11. 9. live in the Land of Promise, as in a strange Country; it is nothing to live as a stranger in a strange Land, but to live as a stranger in the Land of Pro­mise, this is the excellency and glory [Page 385] of Faith. Faith will make a man set his feet, where other men sets their hearts. Faith looks with an eye of scorn and disdain, upon the things of this world: What, sayes Faith, are earthly treasures, to the treasures ofMatth 6. 19, 20. Heaven? what are stones to silver, dross to gold, darkness to light, Hell to Heaven? No more, sayes Faith, are all the treasures, pleasures, and delights of this world, to the light ofPsal. 4. 6, 7. thy countenance, to the joy of thy spi­rit, to the influences of thy grace. I see nothing, sayes David, in this wide world, onely thy Commandments are ex­ceeding Heb. 11. 24, 25, 26. broad. Faith makes David ac­count his Crown nothing, his trea­sures nothing, his victories nothing, his attendants nothing, &c. Faith will make a man write nothing upon the best of worldly things; it will make a man trample upon the Pearls of thisPhil. 3. 8. world, as upon dross and dung. Faith deadens a mans heart, to the things of this world, I am crucified to the world, Gal. 6. and the world is crucified to me, sayes Paul. This world, sayes Faith, is not my house, my habitation, my home, I2 Cor 5. 1, 2. look for a better Country, for a bet­ter [Page 386] City, for a better home. He that is adopted Heir to a Crown, a King­dom, looks with an eye of scorn, and disdain, upon every thing below a Kingdom, below a Crown. Faith tells the soul, that it hath a Crown, a King­dom2 Tim 4. 8. in reversion; and this makes the soul to set light by the things of this world. Faith raises and sets the soul high; And hath raised us up together, Ephes. 2. 6. and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, saith the Apostle. Faith makes a man live high, our con­versationPhil. 3. 20. is in Heaven; and the higher any man lives, the less, the lower will the things of this world be in his eye. The fancy of Lucian is very pleasant, who placeth Charon on the top of an high Hill, viewing all the affairs of men, and looking on their greatest, richest, and most glorious Cities, as little Birds Nests. Faith sets the soul upon the Hill of God, the Mountain of God, that is, A high Mountain; and from thence, Faith gives the soul a sight, a prospect of all things here below. And, ah how like Birds Nests does all the riches, braveries, and glo­ries of this world look, and appear to [Page 387] them, that Faith hath set upon Gods high Hill. Faith having set Luther upon this high Hill, he protests, that God should not put him off with these poor, low things. Faith set Moses Heb. 11. high, it set him among invisibles, and that made him look upon all the treasures, pleasures, riches, and glories of Egypt, as little Birds-Nests, as Mole-hills, as dross and dung; as things that were too little, and too low for him to set his heart upon. Verily, when once Faith hath given a man a sight, a prospect of Heaven, all things on Earth will be looked upon, as little and low. And so much for this third Property of Faith.

The fourth Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is this, It purifies the heart, it is a heart-purify­ingActs 15. 9. faith: Purifying their hearts by faith. Faith hath two hands, one to lay hold on Christ, and another to sweep the heart, which is Christs house. Faith knows that Christ is of a Dove­like nature, he loves to lie clean, and sweet; Faith hath a neat Huswifes hand, as well as an Eagles eye; Faith is as good at purging out of sin, as it [Page 388] is at discovering of sin. There is a cleansing quality in Faith, as well as a healing quality in Faith. Sound faith will purge the soul from the love of sin, from a delight in sin, and from theEzek. 16. reign and dominion of sin. Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are Rom. 6. 14, 21. not under the Law, but under Grace. Now Faith purges and cleanseth the heart from sin; sometimes by pressing, and putting God to make good the pro­mises of Sanctification. Faith takes that promise in Jere. 33. 8. And I will [...] I will purifie them, is an al­lusion to the purifications prescribed in the Law, for the cleansing of polluted persons, till which purifi­cations were performed, they could not be admitted into the Camp, or Congrega­tion, &c. cleanse them from all their iniquity, where­by they have sinned against me; and that promise in Micah. 7. 19. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the bottom of the sea. And that promise in Psal. 65. 3. Ini­quities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them a­way. And that promise in Isai. 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take a­way all thy Tin. And spreads them be­fore the Lord, and will never leave urging and pressing, seeking and suing, till God makes them good. Faith [Page 389] makes the soul divinely impudent, di­vinely shameless. Lord, sayes Faith, are not these thine own words; hast thou said it, and shall it not come to pass? art thou no [...] a faithful God? is not thine honor engaged to make good the promises that thou hast made? A­rise, O God, and let my sins be scatter­ed; turn thy hand upon me, and let my sins be purged. And thus Faith purifies the heart. Again, sometimes Faith purifies the heart from sin, by engaging against sin in Christs strength, as David engaged against Goliah, not in1 Sam. 17. 45. his own strength, but in the strength and name of the Lord of Hosts. Faith leads the soul directly to God, and engages God against sin; so as that the combate, by the wisdom of Faith, is changed and made now rather between God and sin, then between sin and the soul; and so sin comes to fall before the power, and glorious presence of God; that is a choice word. Psal. 61. 2. From the ends of the earth, will I cry to thee▪ When my heart is over-whelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher then I. Look as a childe that is set upon by one that is stronger then he, cryes out [Page 390] to his Father, to help him, to stand by him, and to engage for him against his enemy; so Faith being sensible of its own weakness and inability, to get the victory over sin, cries out to Christ, and engages Christ, who is stronger then the strong man; and so Christ binds the strong man, and casts him out. Faith tells the soul, That all purposes, resolutions, and endeavors, without Christ be engaged, will never set the soul above its sins; they will never purifie the heart from sin. Therefore Faith engages Christ, and casts the main of the work upon Christ, and so it purges the soul from sin. Luther re­ports of Staupicius, a German Divine, that he acknowledged, that before he came to understand the free and power­ful grace of Christ, that he vowed and resolved an hundred times against some particular sin, and could never get power over it; he could never get his heart purified from it, till he came to see that he trusted too much to his own resolutions, and too little to Jesus Christ: But when his faith had en­gaged Christ against his sin, he had the victory. Again, Faith purifies the [Page 391] heart from sin; by the application of Christs Blood. Faith makes a plaisterIt is the excel­lency of Faith, that it can turn the Blood of Christ, both into food and into Physick. of Christs blessed Blood, and layes it on upon the souls soars, and so cures it. Faith makes a heavenly vomit of this blessed Blood, and gives it to the soul, and so makes it cast up that poyson that it hath drunk in. Faith tells the soul, that it is not all the tears in the world, nor all the water in the Sea, that can wash away the uncleanness of the soul; it is onely the Blood of Christ that can make a Blackmoor white; it is onely the Blood of Christ that can cure a Leprous Naaman, that can cure a Leprous soul. This Fountain of Blood, sayes Faith, is the onely Foun­tain for Judah and Jerusalem, to washZach 13. 1. themselves, to wash their hearts from all uncleanness, and filthiness of flesh and spirit. Those spots a Christian findes in his own heart, can onely be washed out in the Blood of the Lamb by a hand of Faith. Again, Faith pu­rifieth the soul from sin, by putting the soul upon heart-purifying Ordi­nances, and by mixing and mingling it self with Ordinances. The word profit­ed Heb. 4 2. them not (saith the Apostle) because [Page 392] it was not mixt with faith in them that heard it. Faith is such an excellent in­gredient, that it makes all potions work for the good of the soul, for the purifying of the soul, and for the bet­tering of the soul, and no potion, no means will profit the soul, if this heavenly ingredient be not mixt with it. Now Faith puts a man upon pray­ing, upon hearing, upon the fellowship of the Saints, upon publick duties, up­on family duties, and upon Closet du­ties; and Faith in these, comes and joyns with the soul, and mixes her selfAs Christ came and joyn'd himself to his Disci­ples. with these soul-purifying Ordinances, and so makes them effectual for the purifying of the soul, more and more, from all filthiness and uncleanness. Faith puts out all her vertue and effi­cacy in Ordinances, to the purging ofSin is like the wilde Fig-tree, or Ivy in the Wall, cut off stump, body, bough, and branches; yet some sprigs or other will sprout out a­gain, till the Wall be plucked down, &c. souls from their dross and Tin: Not that Faith in this life shall wholly pu­rifie the soul from the being of sin, or from the motions or operations of sin, no; for then we should have our Hea­ven in this world, and then we might bid Ordinances adue; but that faith that accompanies Salvation, doth na­turally purifie and cleanse the heart [Page 393] from the remainders of sin by degrees. Sound Faith is still a making the heart more and more, neat and clean, that the King of glory may delight in his habitation, that he may not remove his Court, but may abide with the soul for ever. And thus you see that that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is a heart-purifying Faith.

The fifth Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is this, It is soul softning, soul mollifying, O nothing breaks the heart of a sinner, like Faith. Peter believes soundly, andMatth. 26. ult. Luke 7. weeps bitterly, Mary Magdalen be­lieves much, and weeps much. Faith sets a wounded Christ, a bruised Christ, a despised Christ, a peirced Christ, a bleeding Christ before the soul; and this makes the soul sit down and weep bitterly. I will pour upon the Zach. 12. 10, &c. house of David, the Spirit of Grace, and of Supplications: And they shall look upon him, whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him (All Gospel-mourn­ing flows from believing) as one mourn­eth for his onely son, and shall be in bitter­ness for him, as one that is in bitter­ness for his first-born. O the sight of [Page 394] those wounds, that their sins have made, will wound their hearts, thorow and thorow, it will make them lament over Christ, with a bitter lamentation. They say, nothing will dissolve the Adamant, but the Blood of a Goat. Ah, nothing will kindly, sweetly, and effectually break the hardned heart of a sinner, but Faiths beholding the Blood of Christ trickling down his sides. Pliny reports of a Serpent, That when it stings, it fetches all the blood out of the body; but it was never heard that ever any sweat blood, but Christ; and the very thoughts of this, makes the believing soul to sit down sweating, and weeping, That Christ should love man, when he was most un­lovely; that mans extream misery, should but inflame Christs bowels of love and mercy: This melts the be­lieving soul, that Christ should leave the eternal bosom of his Father; that he tha was equal with God, should come in the form of a servant; that he that was cloathed with glory, and born a King, should be wrapped in raggs; that he that the Heaven of Heavens could not contain, should be cradled [Page 395] in a Manger; that from his Cradle, to his Cross, his whole life should be a life of sorrows and sufferings; that the Judge of all flesh, should be con­demned; that the Lord of Life, should be put to death; that he that was his Fathers joy, should in anguish of Spi­rit, cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. That that head that was crowned with honor, should be crowned with thorns; that those eyes that were as a flame of fire, that were clearer then the Sun, should be closed up by the darkness of death; that those ears which were wont to hear nothing but Hallelujahs, should hear nothing but Blasphemies; that that face that was white and ruddy, should be spit upon by the beastly Jews; that that tongue that spake, as never man spake, yea, as never Angel spake, should be accused of blasphemy; that those hands which swayed both a Golden Scepter, and an Iron Rod; and those feet that were as fine-brass, should be nailed to the Cross; and all this for mans transgression, for mans rebellion. O the sight of these things, the believing of these things, the act­ing [Page 396] of Faith on these things, makes a gracious soul to break and bleed, to sigh and groan, to mourn and lament: That Faith that accompanies Salvati­on, is more or less a heart-breaking, a heart-melting Faith.

The sixt Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation, is this, It is a world-conquering faith, it is a world over-coming faith. 1 John 5. 4. For whatsoever is born of God, over-cometh the world; and this is the victory that over-cometh the world, even our Faith. Faith overcomes the frowning world, and the fawning world, the tempting world, and the persecuting world, and that it doth thus. First, Faith by uniting the soul to Christ, doth interest the soul in all the victories and conquests of Christ, and so makes the soul a con­queror with Christ. John 16. ult. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace, in the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good chear, I have overcome the world. We have to deal but with a conquered ene­my, our Jesus hath given the world a mortal wound; we have nothing to do, but to set our feet upon a subdued [Page 397] enemy, and to sing it out with the Apostle, Over all these, we are more then Rom. 8. 37. conquerors. Secondly, Faith over­comes the world by out-bidding fights, Faith out-bids the world, and so makes the soul victorious. The world set honors, pleasures, &c. before Moses, but his Faith out-bid the world, it presents the recompence of reward, it brings down all the glory, pleasures, and treasures of Heaven, of that o­ther world, and sets them before the soul; and so it over-tops and over­comes the world by out-bidding it; so Christ for the joy that was set be­fore him, endured the Cross, despisingHeb. 12. 2. the shame. Thirdly, Faith overcomes the world by telling the soul, that all things are its own; sayes Faith, This God is thy God, this Christ is thy Christ, this Righteousness is thy Righteousness, this Promise is thy Promise, this Crown is thy Crown, this Glory is thy Glory; these Trea­sures are thy Treasures, these pleasures1 Cor. 3. 22. are thy pleasures. All things are yours (saith the Apostle) things present (are yours) and things to come are yours. Thus the Faith of the Martyrs acted,Heb. 11. 35. [Page 398] and so made them victorious over a tempting, and a persecuting world. Fourthly, Faith overcomes the world by valuing the things of this world as they are; most men over-value them, they put too great a price upon them, they make the world a god, and then they cry, Great is Diana of the Ephe­sians. O but Faith now turns the in­side of all Creatures outward; Faith presents all worldly things, as impo­tent, as mixt, as mutable, as momen­tary to the soul, and so makes the soul victorious; Faith makes a man to see the prickles that be in every Rose, the thorns that be in every Crown, the scabs that be under every Gown, the poyson that is in the Golden Cup, the snare that is in the delicate dish, the spot that is in the shining Pearl, and so makes a Christian count and call all these things, as indeed they are, vanity of vanity; and so the believing soulOmnis vita in­fidelium pecca­tum est, & nibil bonum fine sum­mo bono. Aug. There is no good without Christ, the cheifest good. slights the world, and tramples upon it, as dung and dross. Fifthly and lastly, Faith overcomes the world by present­ing Jesus Christ to the soul, as a most excellent, glorious, and comprehensive good, as such a good that comprehends [Page 399] all good. Christ is that one good that comprehends all good, that one thing that comprehends all things. All the beauties, all the rarities, all the excel­lencies, all the riches, all the glories of all created Creatures are comprehend­ed in Christ. As the worth and value of many peices of silver, is connected in one peice of Gold, or in one pre­cious Jewel, so all the whole volume of perfections which is spread thorow Heaven and Earth, is epitomized in Christ; and the sight and sense of this makes the soul to triumph over the world. Faith presents more excellen­cies, and better excellencies in Christ, then can be lost for Christ, and so it makes the soul a conqueror. I have been long upon these things, because they are of much weight, and worth, I shall be the briefer in what follows; but before I leave this point, I shall give you these hints.

In the first place, I shall give you some hints concerning strong Faith; in the second place, I shall give you some hints concerning weak Faith. My design in both, is to keep precious souls from mistaking and fainting, [Page 400] concerning strong Faith, I shall give you these short hints.

First, Strong Faith will make a soul resolute in resisting, and happy in con­quering the strongest temptations. Heb. 11. 3. Dan. 6.

Secondly, It will make a man own God, and cleave to God, and hang upon God, in the face of the greatest difficulties and dangers. Rom. 4. 18, &c. Psal. 44. 16, 17, 18. So Job will trustJob 13. 15, 16. in God, though he slay him.

Thirdly, It will inable men to pre­fer Christs Cross, before the worlds crown, to prefer tortures, before de­liverance. Heb. 11.

Fourthly, Strong Faith will make a soul divinely fearless, and divinely careless, it will make a man live as the childe lives in the family, without fear or care. Psal. 23. 4. Dan. 3. We are not careful to answer thee, O King, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us, and he will deliver us, &c. Micah 7. 7, 8, 9.

Fifthly, Strong Faith will make a man cleave to the promise, when providence runs cross to the promise. Num. 10. 29. 2 Chro. 20. 9, 10, 11. Psal. 60. 6, 7. [Page 401] God hath spoken in his holiness (saith Da­vid)So Joshua and Caleb. Numb. 14. 22, 23, 24. I will rejoyce, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth: Gi­lead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, &c. Though David was in his Banishment, yet his faith accounts all his, as if he had all in possession, and that because God had spoken in his holiness. His faith hangs upon the promise, though present Providences did run cross to the Promise, &c.

6. Strong faith will make men com­ply with those commands that do most cross them, in their most desirable comforts, Heb. 11. 8, 9. & 10. 34. Gen. 22.

Now, O precious Souls, you are not to argue against your own souls, that surely you have no faith, because thatAs it is dange­rous to make false definiti­ons of sin; so it is dangerous to make false definitions of grace. your faith doth not lead you forth to such and such noble things; thou maist have true faith, though thou hast not so great faith, as others of the Lords Worthies have had. The Philosophers say, That there are eight degrees of heat; we discern three. Now if a man should define heat onely by the highest degree, then all other degrees will be cast out from being heat: So [Page 402] if a man should define Faith onely by the highest degrees and operations of it, then that will be denied from be­ing faith, that indeed is faith, as I shall presently shew.

In the second place, I shall give you some hints concerning weak faith.

1. A weak faith doth as much ju­stifie, and as much unite a man to Christ, as a strong faith; It gives a man as much propriety and interest in Christ, as the strongest faith in the world. The Babe hath as much inter­estBut a Babe cannot im­prove his in­terest, as he that is of grown yeers. 2 Pet. 1. 1. in the Father, as he that is of grown years. A weak faith gives a man as good a title to Christ, and all the pre­cious things of Eternity, as the strong­est faith in the world. A weak hand may receive a Pearl, as well as the strong hand of a Gyant. Faith is a re­ceiving of Christ, John 1. 12.

2. The promises of Eternal Hap­piness and Blessedness are not made over to the strength of Faith, but to the truth of Faith; not to the degrees of Faith, but to the reality of Faith. He that believes shall be saved, though he hath not such a strength of Faith, as to stop the mouth of Lyons, as to [Page 403] work Miracles, as to remove Moun­tains,Heb. 11. 33, 34, 35. as to subdue Kingdoms, as to quench the violence of Fire, as to re­sist strong Temptations, as to rejoyce under great persecutions. No man that is saved, is saved upon the account of the strength of his faith, but upon the account of the truth of his faith. In the great day Christ will not bring bal­lances to weigh mens graces, but a touch-stone to try their graces; He will not look so much at the strength, as at the truth of their graces.

3. The weakest faith shall grow stron­ger and stronger. A weak Believer shallRom. 1. 17. Heb. 12. 2. go on from Faith to Faith. Christ is the finisher, as well as the Author of our Faith. Christ will nurse up this blessed Babe, and will not suffer it to be stran­gled in its infancy. He that hath begun a good work, will perfect it. Christ is asPhil. 1. 6. well bound to look after our graces, as he is to look after our souls. Grace is1 Pet. 1. 5. Christs work, therefore it must prosper in his hand; he is the great Builder and Repairer of our Graces; he will turn thy spark into a flame, thy dropMat [...]h. 12. 20. & 13. 32. into an Ocean, thy penny into a pound, thy mite into a million: Therefore [Page 404] do not sit down discouraged, because thy faith is weak. That which is sow­ed in weakness, shall rise in power; Thy weak faith shall have a glorious Resurrection: Christ will not suffer such a Pearl of price to be buried un­der a clod of Earth.

4. A little faith is faith, as a spark of fire is fire, a drop of water is water, a little Star is a Star, a little Pearl is a Pearl. Verily, thy little faith is a Jewel that God doth highly prize andMatth. 18. 10. value; and thy little faith will make thee put a higher price upon Christ,1 Pet. 2. 7. and Grace, then upon all the world. Well, remember this, That the least measure of true faith will bring thee to Salvation, and possess thee of Salvati­on, as well as the greatest measure. A little faith accompanies Salvation, as well as a great faith; a weak faith as well a strong. Therefore do not say, O precious Soul, That thou hast not that faith that accompanies Salvation, because thou hast not such a strong faith, or such and such degrees of faith. A great faith will yeeld a man a Heaven here; a little faith will yeeld him a Heaven hereafter.

The third thing that I am to shew you, is, What Repentance that is that accompanies Salvation. That Repentance doth accompany Salvation, I have for­merly shewed. Now I shall manifest in the following particulars what Re­pentance that is that doth accompany Salvation, that comprehends Sal­vation, that boarders upon Salva­tion.

First, That Repentance that accom­panies Salvation, is a general, a univer­sal change of the whole man; a change in every part, though it be but in part. That Repentance that accompanies Salvation, changes both heart and life, word and work; it makes an Ethiopian an Israelite, a Leaper an Angel. Wash ye, make you clean; there is the change of your hearts: Put away theIsa. 1. 16, 17, 18. evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well; there is the change of their pra­ctices. So the Prophet Ezekiel, Cast Ezek. 18. 30, 31, 32. True Repen­tance is a tho­row change both of the minde and manners. away all your transgressions (saith he) whereby you have transgressed; there is the change of the life: And make you a new heart, and a new spirit; there is the change of the heart. That Re­pentance [Page 406] that accompanies Salvation,Optima & ap­tissima paeniten­tia est nova vita, saith Luther. It is said, that upon ones Preaching, Re­pent, Repent, for the King­dom of Hea­ven is at hand, There follow­ed almost e­very where, Delictorum pae­nitentiae, morum reformatio, omni­um contritio, cessabant blas­phemiae, aleae lu­di, &c. works a change in the whole man; in all the qualities of the inward man, and in all the actions of the outward man. The Understanding is turned from darkness to light; the Will from a sin­ful servility, to a holy liberty; the Affections from disorder into order; the Heart from hardness into softness: So in the outward man, the wanton eye is turned into an eye of chastity; the uncircumcised ear is turned into an obedient ear; the hands of bribery are turned into hands of liberality; and the wandering feet of vanity, are turn­ed into ways of purity. And verily, that Repentance that changes a man in some part, but not in every part, that onely makes a man a Herod, or an Agrippa, a half Christian, an almost Christian. That Repentance will never bring down Heaven into a mans bosom here, nor never bring a man up to Heaven hereafter. That Repentance that accompanies Salvation, makes a man all glorious within, and his ray­mentPsal. 45. 13. to be of imbroidered gold; it stamps the Image of God, both upon the inward, and the outward man; it [Page 407] makes the heart like the Ark, all Gold within; and it makes the life like the Sun, all glorious without.

Secondly, That Repentance that accompanies Salvation, is, a total turn­ing, as well as an universal turning; a turning from all sin, without any re­servation or exception. I hate and ab­hor every false way, but thy Law doPsal. 119. True hatred is ( [...]) to the whole kinde. Arist. And God hath engaged him­self to cleanse the hearts of his people from all, and to set their soul [...] against all. Jere. 33. 8 Ezek. 36. 25, 29, 33. 1 Iohn 1. 9. Repentance for sin; is no­thing worth, without repen­tance from sin. I love. So in Ezek. 18. 30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God, Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruine. So in Ezek. 33. 11. As Noahs flood drowned his neerest, and his dearest friends; so the flood of penitent tears drowns mens neerest and their dearest lusts. Be they Isaacs or Benjamins, be they right eyes, or right hands, Repentance that accom­panies Salvation, puts all to the Sword; it spares neither Father nor Mother, neither Agag nor Achan; it casts off all the rags of old Adam; it leaves not a Horn, nor a Hoof behinde; it throws down every stone of the old building; it scrapes off all Leviathans skales: it washeth away all leprous spots. Ezek. [Page 408] 14. 6. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Repent, and turn your selves from your Idols, and turn away your faces from all your abomina­tions. Sin is a turning the back upon God, and the face towards Hell; but Repentance is a turning the back upon sin, and a setting the face towards God. He that looks upon Jerusalem, and up­onThus did Herod and Judas to their eternal ruine. Jam. 2. 10. Babylon, with a learing eye at the same time; He that looks upon God, and at the same time looks upon any sin with a learing eye, hath not yet reached unto this Repentance that ac­companies Salvation; his Repentance and Profession cannot secure him from double damnation: He that serves God in somethings, and his lusts in other things, sayes to God as David 1 Sam. 19. One stab ar the heart kills, one hole in the ship sinks her, one act of treason makes a Traytor: So one sin not forsaken, not turned from, will undo a soul for ever. Sin ever ends tragically, and this puts the penitent in battel array against every sin. said to Mephibosheth concerning his Lands, Thou and Ziba divide the Lands, So thou and Satan divide my soul, my heart between you: Ah doth not such a soul deserve a double Hell? Christ takes every sin at a penitent mans hands, as Caesar did his wounds from him, of whom he merited better usage, with [...], And thou my son? What thou wound me? what [Page 409] thou stob me? that shouldst venture thy own blood to save mine. There are no wounds that are so grievous and terrible to Christ, as those that he receives in the house of his friends. And this sets the penitent mans heart and hand against every thing that makes against Christ. A true penitent looks upon every sin as poyson, as the vomit of a dog, as the mire of theIsa. 30. 22. Nihil in lege menstruato im­mundius. Hie­ron. street, as the menstruous cloath, which of all things in the Law was most un­clean, defiling, and polluting, (Pliny saith, that the very Trees with touch­ing of it, would become barren.) And his looking thus upon every sin, turns his heart against every sin, and makes him not onely to refrain from sin, but to forsake it, and to loath it more then Hell.

Thirdly, That Repentance that ac­companies Salvation, is, not onely aIsa. 1. The Hebrew word for Re­pentance is from [...] Shob, which signifies to re­turn, implying a going back from what a man had done. turning from all sin, but it is also a turning unto God; it is not onely a ceasing from doing evil, but it is also a learning to do well; it is not onely a turning from darkness, but it is also a turning to light, as the Apostle speaks, Acts 26. 18. To open their eyes, and to [Page 410] turn them from darkness to light, and It notes a re­turning or con­verting from one thing to another, as from sin to God, from evil to good, from Hell to Hea­ven. from the power of Satan unto God: So in Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, &c. It is not enough for the man of iniquity to forsake his evil way, but he must also return unto the Lord; he must sub­ject his heart to the power of Divine Grace, and his life to the Will and Word of God. As Negative goodness can never satisfie a gracious soul, so Negative goodness can never save a sinful soul. It is not enough that thou art not thus and thus bad, but thou must be thus and thus good, or thou art undone for ever. Ezek. 18. 21. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my Statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Negative Righteousness and Holiness is no Righteousness no Holiness, in the account of God. It was not the Pharisees Negative Righteousness, norLuke 18. 5. Matth. 20. 13, 14. his Comparative Goodness, that could prevent his being rejected of God, his being shut out of Heaven, his burning in Hell. It is not enough that the Tree [Page 411] hears no ill fruit, but it must bring forth good fruit, else it must be cut down and cast into the fire; that Tree that is not for fruit is for the fire. E­very Matth. 7. 19. He that holds nor wholly with Christ, doth very shamefully neglect Christ. Aut totum me­cum tene, aut totum omitte. Greg. Nazian. And therfore if Christ trample upon them at last, it is just. tree that brings not forth good fruit (sayes Christ) is hewn down and cast into the fire. Men that content themselves with Negative Righteousness, shall finde at last Heaven Gates bolted upon them with a double bolt. All that Negative Righteousness and Holiness can do, is to help a man to one of the best Chambers, and easiest Beds in Hell: That Repentance that accom­panies Salvation, brings the heart and life, not onely off from sin, but on to God; it makes a man not onely cease from walking in the wayes of death, but it makes him walk in the wayes of life. They do no iniquity, they walk in his wayes. Psal. 119. 3.

Fourthly, That Repentance that accompanies Salvation, strikes mostAugustine a great sinner wrote Twelve Books of Re­pentance, and walked most cross to the particular sins he had most lived in. effectually, and particularly, against that sin or sins, that the sinner was most apt and prone to before his Conversi­on. The hand of Repentance is most against that sin, it is most upon that sin that the soul hath looked most [Page 412] with a learing eye upon. The chief and principal sins that Israel was guilty of, was idolatry and sinful compliance; Now when God works kindly upon them, they put the hand of Repentance upon those particular sins, as you may see Isa. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the This was the great sin of Israel, but after their return out of captivi­ty, they never set up Idols more, but were wonder­ful zealous to keep their Temple from such defile­ments, both in the time of Antiochus Epi­phanes, and of the Romans, and do accunt them as a men­struous cloth▪ to this very day. iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin: When he maketh all the stones of the Altar, as Chalk stones, that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up. Here you see, when God appears, and acts graci­ously for, and towards his people, they put the hand of Repentance upon their Groves and Images, these must down, these must no longer stand: The Groves and the Images shall not stand up, they shall be utterly abandoned and destroyed, demolished and abolish­ed. So in Isa. 30. 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Sil­ver, and the ornament of thy molten Images of Gold: Thou shalt cast them a­way as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Here you see the hand of Repentance is against their Idols of Silver and Gold, and not onely against their Idols, but also [Page 413] against whatsoever had any relation to them. Now they shew nothing but a detestation of their Idols, and a holy indignation against them; Get youThe Jews were willing in the Romans time, rather to die then to suffer the Eagle, the Imperial Arms, to be set up in the Temple. hence. The hand of Repentance makes a divorce between them and their Idols, between their Souls and their especial Sins. Now they are as much in hating, abhorring, abominating, and contemn­ing their Idols and Images, as they were formerly in adoring, worshipping, and honoring of them. So Mary Magda­len in the seventh of Luke, walks quite cross and contrary to her former self, her sinful self, she crosses the flesh, in those very things wherein formerly she did gratifie the flesh. So the penitent Jailor in that sixteenth of the Acts, washes those very wounds that his own bloody hands had made: He acts in wayes of mercy, quite contrary to his former cruelty: At first there was none so fierce, so furious, so cruel, so bloody, so inhumane in his carriage to the Apostles; at last, none so gentle, so soft, so sweet, so curteous, so affecti­onate to them. The same you may see in Zacheus in the nineteenth of Luke; In Paul, Acts the ninth; and in [Page 414] Manasse, in that of the second of Chro­nicles, chap. 33. 6.

Fifthly, That Repentance that ac­companies Salvation, is, very large and comprehensive; it comprehends and takes in these following particulars, be­sides those already named.

1. It takes in a sight and sense of sin. Men must first see their sins, they must be sensible of their sins, before they can repent of their sins. Ephraim had first a sight of his sin, and then he repents and turns from his sin. After I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, Jer. 31. 18, 19. A man first sees himselfIt was so with Paul, who thought him­s [...]lf in as good a way for Hea­ven as any, Acts 9. and 26. compared. out of the way, before he returns in­to the way; till he sees that he is out of the way, he walks still on, but when he perceives that he is out of the way, then he begins to make inquiry after the right way: So when the sin­ner comes to see his way to be a way of death, then he cryes out, O lead me in the way of life, lead me in the way everlasting, Psal. 139. 24.

2. (For I shall but touch upon these things) That Repentance that accompanies Salvation, doth include not onely a sight and sense of sin, but [Page 415] also confession, and acknowledgmentAct 19. 18. Confessio peccati est vomitus sor­dium anim [...] ▪ Aug. of sin. Psal. 51. & 32. 3, 4, 5. While I kept close my sin, my bones consumed; but I said, I will confess my sin, and thou for­gavest the iniquity of my sin. Job 33. 21, 27. The promise of remission is made to confession, 1 John 1. 9. If we Non dico ut con­fitearis conservo tuo peccata tu [...], diceto Deo, qui curet ca. Chrys. in Psa. 50. confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. So Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sin, shall not prosper; but he that confesseth, and forsaketh it, shall finde mercy. If we confess our sins sin­cerely, seriously, humbly, cordially, pardon attend us; Homo agnoscit, Deus ignoscit. Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin, or all is lost; God is lost, Christ is lost, Heaven lost, and the Soul lost for ever. The true Penitent can say with Vivaldus, I hide not my sins, but I shew them; I wipe them not away, but I sprinkle them; I do not excuse them, but I ac­cuse them; (Peccata enim non nocent, si non placent,) My sins hurt me not, if I like them not: The beginning of my Salvation is the knowledge of my transgression.

3. That Repentance that accom­panies Salvation, doth include not [Page 416] onely confession of sin, but also con­tritionJer. 13. 17. Joel 2. 13. David cryes not perii, but peecavi, not, I am undone, but I have done foolishly. Basil wept when he saw the Rose, be­cause it brought to his minde the first sin, from whence it had the prickles, which it had not while man continued in innocence, as he thought. You know how to apply it. for sin, Psal. 51. 4. 1 Sam. 7. 2. Zach. 12. 10, 11. Ezra 10. 1, 2. 2 Cor. 7. 11, &c. It breaks the heart with sighs, sobs, and groans, for that a loving Father is offended, a blessed Saviour crucified, and the sweet Comforter grieved. Penitent Mary Magdalen weeps much, as well as loves much, Luke 7. Tears instead of gems were the ornaments of Penitent Davids Bed, and surely that sweet Singer, never sung more melodiously, then when his heart was broken most penitentially. How shall God wipe away my tears in Heaven, if I shed none in Earth? And how shall I reap in joy, if I sow not in tears? I was born with tears, and shall die with tears; why should I then live without them in this valley of tears? saith the true Penitent. The sweetest joys are from the sourest tears. Penitent tears are the breeders of spiri­tual joy. When Hannah had wept, she1 Sam. 1. 18. went away, and was no more sad. TheTrue Repen­tance is a sor­rowing for sin, as it is Offen­sivum Dei, aver­sivum à Deo. Bee gathers the best Honey of the bit­terest Herbs. Christ made the best Wine of Water; the strongest, the purest, the truest, the most perma­nent, [Page 417] and the most excellent joy isPeters was for sin, Judas his for punish­ment. Peter grieves because Christ was grieved, Judas grieved be­cause he should be damned. Psal. 42. 5. made of the Waters of Repentance. If God be God, they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. But that no mourner may drown himself in his own tears, let me give this Caution, viz. That there is nothing beyond remedy, but the tears of the damned. A man who may persist in the way to Paradise, should not place himself in the condition of a little Hell; and he that may, or can hope for that great all, ought not to be dejected, nor over­whelmed for any thing.

4. That Repentance that accom­panies Salvation, doth include, not one­ly contrition for sin, but also a holy shame and blushing for sin. Ezra 9. 6. Jer. 3. 24, 25. & 31. 19. Ezek. 16. 61, 63. And thou shalt be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, be­cause of thy shame, when I am pacified to­wards thee for all that thou hast done, saith [...] Bosh, to blush, to be abashed, to wax pale and wan, &c. Quantum displi­cet Deo immun­di [...]ia peccati, in tantum placet Deo erubiscentia paenitentis. Ber. the Lord God. When the Penitent Soul sees his sins pardoned, the anger of God pacified, and Divine Justice sa­tisfied, then he sits down ashamed. So in Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? [Page 418] Sin and shame are inseparable compa­nions:So much the more God hath been di [...]pleased with the black­ness of sin, the more will he be well pleased with [...]he blush­ing of the sin­ner. A man cannot have the seem­ing sweet of sin, but he shall have the real shame that accompanies sin; These two God hath joyned together, and all the world cannot put them a­sunder. It was an impenitent Cali­gula, that said of himself, that he loved nothing better in himself, then that he could not be ashamed. Justinus Motto was, (Quod pudet hoc pigeat) that should grieve most which is shameful in it self, and done against conscience. And doubtless those things are onely shameful, that are sinful: A soul that hath sinned away all shame, is a soul ripe for Hell, and given up to Satan. A greater plague cannot befal a man in this life, then to sin, and not to blush.

Fifthly, That Repentance that ac­companies Salvation, comprehends loathing and abhorring of sin, and ofVis magnus esse? incipe ab imo. Wilt thou be great? begin from below, saith one. It is very ob­servable, that those brave Creatures, the E [...]gle, and the Lyon, were not offered in sacrifice unto God, but the poor Lamb and Dove, to note, That God re­gards not your brave high lofty spirits, but poor meek and contemp­tible spirits. our selves for sin, as well as shame, and blushing for sin. Job 42. 6. Ezek. 16. 61, 62, 63. Amos 5. 15. Ezek. 20. 41, 42, 43. And ye shall remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight, for [...]all the evils that you [Page 419] have committed. The sincere penitent loaths his sins, and he loaths himself also, because of his sins. He crys out, O these wanton eies, O these wicked hands, O this deceiptful tongue, O this crook­ed will, O this corrupt heart! O how do I loath my sins, how do I loath my self, how do I loath sinful-self, and how do I loath my natural-self, because of sinful-self! My sins are a burden to me, and they make me a burden to my self; my sins are an abhorring to me, and they make me abhor my self in dust and ashes. A true Penitent hath not onely low thoughts of himself, but loathsome thoughts of himself; none can think or speak so vilely of him, as he doth, and will think and speak of himself. Ezek. 6. 9. And they that escape of you, shall remember me among the Na­tions, whither they shall be carried cap­tives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, (as the heart of a Hus­band is at the adulterous carriage of his wife) which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their Idols; and they shall loath themselves for evils which they have com­mitted in all their abominations. If thy [Page 420] Repentance do not work thee out withSome people can shed tears for nothing, some for any thing, but a sound penitent sheds more tears for his sins, then he doth for his sufferings. thy sins, and thy sins work thee out of love with thy self, thy Repentance is not that Repentance that accompanies Salvation. And thus you see the parti­cular things that that Repentance that doth accompany Salvation doth com­prehend and include.

Sixthly, That Repentance that ac­companies Salvation, hath these choice companions attending of it. First, Faith. Zach. 12. 10, 11. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn, &c. Mourning and beleeving go together. So in Matth. 4. 17. Mark 1. 14, 15. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, Preach­ing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: Repent ye, and believe the Gospel. Secondly, Love to Christ doth always accompany that Repentance that accompanies Salvati­on, as you may see in Mary Magdalen, in that seventh of Luke. Thirdly, A filial fear of offending God, and a holy care to honor God, doth always ac­companie that Repentance that ac­companies Salvation. 2 Cor. 7. 11. For [Page 421] godly sorrow worketh Repentance to Salva­tion, Repentance is, post naufragium tabula, the fair daughter of a foul mother. Repentance is a fruitful Womb. not to be repented of; for behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a god­ly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of your selves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge: In all things ye have ap­proved your selves to be clear in this matter. Verily, Repentance to life hath all these lively companions attending of it; they are born together, and will live together, till the penitent soul changes Earth for Heaven, Grace for Glory.

Seventhly and lastly, That Repen­tance that accompanies Salvation, is a continued act, a Repentance never to be2 Cor. 7. 10. repented of. Repentance is a continual spring, where the waters of godly sor­row are alwayes flowing. A sound Penitent is still a turning nearer and nearer to God; he is still a turning further and further from sin: This makes the Penitent Soul to sigh andRom. 7. mourn, that he can get no nearer to God, that he can get no further from sin: The work of Repentance is not the work of an hour, a day, a yeer, but the work of this life. A sincere Peni­tent [Page 422] makes as much conscience of re­pentingQuid restat ò peccator nisi ut in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuam. Anselmus. O then, what then remains, but in our whole life, to lament the sins of our whole life. daily, as he doth of believing daily; and he can as easily content himself with one act of Faith, or Love, or Joy, as he can content him­self with one act of Repentance. My sins are ever before me, sayes David. Next to my being kept from sin, I count it the greatest mercy in the world, to be still a mourning over sin, sayes the Penitent soul. The Penitent soul never ceases repenting, till he cea­ses living. He goes to Heaven with the joyful tears of Repentance in his eyes: He knows that his whole life is but a day of sowing tears, that he may at last reap everlasting joyes. That Repentance that accompanies Salvati­tion, is a final forsaking of sin; It is a bidding sin an everlasting adieu; it is a taking an eternal farwel of sin, a never turning to folly more, What have I to do any more with Idols? says Ephraim, Hos. 14. 8. I have tasted of the bitter­ness that is in sin, I have tasted of the sweetness of divine mercy in pardoning of sin; therefore away sin, I will never have to do with you more; you have robbed Christ of his service, and me [Page 423] of my comfort and crown: Away, away sin, you shall never be courted, nor countenanced by me more. That man that onely puts off his sins in the day of adversity, as he doth his gar­ments at night when he goes to bed, with an intent to put them on again in the morning of prosperity, never yet truly repented. He is a dog that re­turns to the vomit again, he is a swine that returns to the wallowing in the mire; such a dog was Judas, such a swine was Demas. It is an extraordi­nary vanity in some men, to lay aside their sins before solemn duties, but with a purpose to return to them again; as the Serpent layeth aside his poyson when he goeth to drink, and when he hath drunk, he returns to it again, as they fable it. It is sad when men say to their lusts, as Abraham said to his servants, Abide you here, and I will go and worship and return again to you, Gen. 22. 5. Verily such souls are far off from that Repentance that accom­panies Salvation, for that makes a fi­nal and everlasting separation between sin and the soul; it makes such a di­vorce between sin and the soul, and [Page 424] puts them so far a sunder, that all the world can never bring them to meet as two lovers together. The Penitent Soul looks upon sin, and deals with sin, not as a friend, but as an enemy; it deals with sin as Amnon dealt with Tamar, 2 Sam. 13. 15. And Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater then the love wherewith he had loved her: And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. Just thus doth the Penitent Soul carry it self towards sin.

And thus you see what Repentance that is that accompanies Salvation.

The fourth thing I am to shew, is, What Obedience that is that doth ac­company Salvation: That Obedience doth accompany Salvation, I have for­merly proved. Now what this Obedi­ence is that doth accompany or com­prehend Salvation, I shall shew you in these following particulars.

First, That Obedience that accom­panies Salvation, is cordial and hearty, the heart, the inward man doth an­swer and eccho to the Word and Will of God. The Believer knows, That no Obedience, but hearty Obedi­ence [Page 425] is acceptable to Christ; he knowsIsa. 29. 13. Matth. 15. 7, 8, 9. The heart is (Cam [...]ra omni­potentis regis,) i. e. The pre­sence chamber of the King of Heaven, and that upon which his eye, his hand, his heart is most set. that nothing takes Christs heart, but what comes from the heart. Christ was hearty in his obedience for me (sayes the Believer) and shall not I be hearty in my obedience to him? Christ will lay his hand of love, his hand of acceptance, upon no obedience, but what flows from the heart. Rom. 6. 9. Ye have obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine which was delivered you. So in Rom. 7. ult. So then with the minde, I myself serve the Law of God. My heart sayes Paul, is in my obedience. So in Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son. Many serve God with their bodies, but I serve him with my spirit; many serve him with the outward man, but I serve him with my inward man. God hath written his Law inEzek. 36. 26, 27. Believers hearts, and therefore they cannot but obey it from the heart. I delight to do thy will, O my God (how so?) why thy Law is within my heart; or, in the midst of my bowels, as the Hebrew [...] hath it. The heart within ecchoes and answers to the Commandments with­out, as a Book written answers to his [Page 426] minde that writes it; as face answers to face, as the impression on the wax answers to the character engraven on the seal. The Scribes and Pharisees were much in the outward obedience of the Law, but their hearts were not in their obedience; and therefore all they did, signified nothing in the ac­count of Christ, who is onely taken with outward actions as they flow from the heart and affections; their souls were not in their services, and there­fore all their services were lost ser­vices. They were very glorious inMatth. 23. their outward profession, but their hearts were as filthy Sepulchres; their out-sides shined as the Sun, but their in-sides were as black as Hell. They were like the Egyptians Temples, beau­tiful without, but filthy within. Well, remember this, No action, no service goes for current in Heaven, but that which is sealed up with integrity of heart. God will not be put off with the shell, when we give the Devil the Kernel.

Secondly, That Obedience that ac­companies Salvation, is universal as well as cordial; the soul falls in with [Page 427] every part and point of Gods will, so far as he knows it, without prejudice or partiality, without tilting the bal­lance on one side or another. A soulNon eligit man­data, He doth not pick and chuse. He obeyes all in respect of his sincere pur­pose, desire, and endeavor; and this God accepts in Christ, for per­fect and com­pleat Obedi­ence, &c. sincerely obedient, will not pick and chuse what commands to obey, and what to reject, as Hypocrites do; he hath an eye to see, an ear to hear, and a heart to obey the first Table as well as the second, and the second as well as the first; he doth not adhere to the first and neglect the second, as Hypo­crites do; neither doth he adhere to the second and contemn the first, as prophane men do; he obeys not out of humor, but out of duty; he obeys not out of choice, but out of consci­ence. Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy Commandments. Look as Faith never singles out his object, but layes hold on every object God holds forth for it to close with; Faith doth not chuse this truth, and reject that, it doth not close with one, and reject another; Faith doth not say, I will trust God in this case, but not in that; I will trust him for this mercy, but not for that mercy; I will trust him in this way, [Page 428] but not in that way; Faith doth not chuse its object; Faith knows that he is powerful and faithful that hath pro­mised, and therefore Faith closes with one object, as well as another: So a true obedient soul singles not out the commands of God, as to obey one, and rebel against another; it dares not, it cannot say, I will serve God in this command, but not in that. No: In an Evangelical sense it obeyes all, Luk. 1. 5, 6. Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking in all [...], Without com­plaint. An obedient soul is like a chrystal glass with a light in the midst, which shines forth thorow every part thereof: So that Royal Law that is written upon his hea [...]t, shines forth in­to every parcel of his life; his outward works do ec­cho to a Law within. the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord, blameless. They walked not onely in Commandments, but also in Ordi­nances; nor onely in Ordinances, but also in Commandments. They were good souls, and good at both. A man sincerely obedient layes such a charge upon his whole man, as Mary, the Mo­ther of Christ, did upon all the ser­vants at the Feast, John 2. 5. Whatever the Lord saith unto you, do it. Eyes, ears, hands, heart, lips, legs, body, and soul, do you all seriously and affectionately observe what ever Jesus Christ sayes unto you, and do it: So David doth, Psal. 119. 34, 69. Give me understand­ing, [Page 429] and I shall keep thy Law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. The proud have forged a lie against me; but I will keep thy Precepts with my whole heart. The whole heart includes all the facul­ties of the soul, and all the members of the body; sayes David, I will put hand and heart, body and soul, all within me, and all without me, to the keeping and observing of thy Precepts. Here is a soul thorow-paced in his o­bedience, he stands not halting nor halving of it; he knows the Lord loves to be served truly and totally, and therefore he obeys with an entire heart, and a sincere spirit. I have read of a very strange speech that dropped out of the mouth of Epictetus, a Hea­then, If it be thy will (sayes he) O Lord, command me what thou wilt, send me whither thou wilt, I will not withdraw my self from any thing that seems good to thee. Ah how will this Heathen at last rise in judgement against all Sauls, Jehues, Judases, Demases, Scribes, Pharisees, Temporaries, who are partial in their obedience, who while they yeeld obe­dience to some commands, live in the habitual breach of other commands? [Page 430] Verily, he that lives in the habitual breach of one command, shall at last be reputed by God guilty of the breachJam. 2. 10. of every command, and God accord­ingly will in a way of Justice proceed against him, Ezek. 18. 10, 11, 12, 13. It was the glory of Caleb and Joshua, Num. 14. 24. that they followed the Lord fully in one thing, as well as another. So Cor­nelius, Acts 10. 33. We are present before God to hear whatsoever shall be commanded us of God; He doth not pick and chuse: So in Acts 13. 22. I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will; or rather as it is in the Greek, he shall fulfil all my [...] wils. He mindes not onely general duties of Re­ligion, but also particular du­ties, as a Magi­strate, as a Mi­nister, as a Fa­ther, as a Ma­ster, as a Son, as a Servant. wills: To note the universallity and sin­cerity of his Obedience. A sincere heart loves all commands of God, and prizes all commands of God, and sees a Divine Image stamped upon all the commands of God, and therefore the main bent and disposition of his soul, is to obey all, to subject to all. God commands universal obedience, Josh. 1. 8. Deut. 5. 29. Ezek. 18. The Promise of Reward is made over to Universal Obedience, Psal. 19. 11. Josh. 1. 8. Universal Obedience is a [Page 431] Jewel that all will wish for, or rejoyce in, at the day of death, and the day of account; And the remembrance of these things, with others of the like nature, provokes all upright souls to be impartial, to be universal in their Obedience.

Thirdly, That Obedience that ac­companies Salvation, springs from in­ward Spiritual causes, and from holy and heavenly Motives, it flowes from Faith. Hence it is called, The obedience of Faith, Rom. 16. 26. So in 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandment, is Love out of a pure Heart, and of a good Conscience, and of Faith unfeigned. Faith draws down that Divine Vertue and Power into the soul, that makes it live­ly and active, abundant and constant in the work and way of the Lord. AndWhere Love is, the Soul says of every com­mand, Bonus Sermo, it is a good saying; but where Love is wanting, the man cryes out, Durus Sermo, It is a hard saying, who can bear it. as Faith, so Love puts the Soul for­ward in ways of Obedience. John 14. 21, 23. If any man love me, he will keep my Commandments. So Psal. 119. 48. My hands also will I lift up to thy Com­mandments, which I have loved. Divine Love is said to be the keeping of the Commandments, because it puts the Soul upon keeping them. Divine Love [Page 432] makes every weight light, every yoke easie, every command joyous; it knows no difficulties, it facilitates obedience, it divinely constrains the soul to obey, to walk, to run the ways of Gods commands. And as sound Obedience springs from Faith and Love, so it flows from a filial Fear of God, Psal. 118. 119. Mine heart stands in aw of thy Word. So Heb. 11. 7. Noah being warned of God, touching things not seen, as yet, moved with fear, prepared an Ark.

Ah but Hypocrites and Tempora­ries are not carried forth in their Obe­dience, from such precious, and glori­ous principles; and therefore it is, that God casts all their services as dung inIsa. 1. 11. their faces. And as that Obedience which accompanies Salvation flows from inward Spiritual Principles, so it flows from holy and heavenly Mo­tives, as from the tastes of Divine Love, and the sweetness and excellen­cy of communion with God, and the choice and precious discoveries that the soul in wayes of Obedience hathIsa. 64. 5. had of the beauty and glory of God. The sweet looks, the heavenly words, [Page 433] the glorious kisses, the holy embraces that the obedient soul hath had, makes it freely and fully obedient to the Word and Will of God. Ah! but all the Motives that move Hypocrites and carnal Professors to Obedience, are onely external and carnal, as the eye ofMatth. 6. the Creature, the ear of the Crea­ture, the applause of the Creature, the rewards of the Creature; either the love of the loaves, or the gain ofJohn 6. custom, or the desire of ambition: sometimes they are moved to obedi­ence from the fear of the Creature, and sometimes from the want of theHos. 7. 14. Creature, and sometimes from the example of the Creature, and some­times from vows made to the Crea­ture; sometimes the frowns of God,Hos. 5. ult. Psal. 78. 34. the displeasure of God, the rod of God moves them to obedience; some­times the quieting and stilling of Con­science, the stopping of the mouth of Conscience, and the disarming of Conscience of all her whipping, rack­ing, wounding, condemning, terrify­ing, and torturing power, puts them upon some ways of Obedience. Their Obedience always flows from some [Page 434] low, base, carnal, corrupt considerati­on, or other. O but that Obedience that accompanies Salvation, doth al­ways flow (as you see) from inward and Spiritual causes, and from holy and heavenly Motives.

Fourthly, That Obedience that ac­companies Salvation, is a ready, free, willing, and chearful Obedience. First; It is ready Obedience. Psal. 27. 8. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Psal. 119. 60. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. Psal. 18. 44. Assoon as they hear of me, they shall o­bey me; the strangers shall submit them­selves unto me. I have read of one whoCassianus, lib. 4. c. 24. readily fetched water near two miles every day, for a whole year together, to pour upon a dry stick, upon the bare command of a Superior, when no reason could be given for the thing. O how ready then doth Grace make the Soul, to obey those Divine com­mands that are backed with the high­est, strongest, and choicest Arguments! Secondly▪ As that Obedience that ac­companies Salvation, is ready Obedi­ence; so it is free and willing Obedi­ence. [Page 435] Acts 21. 13. Then Paul answer­ed, Voluntaes semi­plena est volun­tas; An half will, an in­compleat will, an unwilling will, is a will in Divine ac­count. What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? For I am willing, not to be bound onely, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus. The beamings out of Divine love and glory, make gracious souls willing in the day of his power, Psal. 110. 3. Those Divine principles that be in them, make them willingly obey, without coaction or compulsion. So 2 Cor. 8. 3. The Ma­cedonians were willingly obedient, or as the Greek hath it, They were vo­luntiers, [...]. not onely to their power, but beyond their power. All the motions and actings of Christ towards his peo­ple, for his people, and in his people, are free; He loves them freely, he par­dons them freely, he intercedes for them freely, he acts them freely, and he saves them freely; and so they move and act towards Christ freely; they heat, they pray, they wait, they weep, they work, they watch, freely and willingly, that Spirit of Grace and1 Chron. 29. 6-18. 1 Tim. 6. 18. 1 Thes. 2. 8. A Saint at worst is obedi­ent, either Holiness that is in them, makes them Voluntiers in all Religious duties and services. It is reported of Socrates, that when the Tyrant threatned death unto [Page 436] him, he answered, He was willing;(Voluntate ple­na, or semi-ple­na) with a will or an unwil­ling will, like the Merchant that is unwil­lingly willing to throw his goods over board, into the tempestuous Sea, to save his life. nay, then says the Tyrant, You shall live against your will; he answered again, Nay, whatsoever you do with me, it shall be my will. Yet nature a little raised and refined, will inable a man to do this; will not Grace, will not Union and Communion with Christ, inable a man to do as much, yea infinitly more? Thirdly, As that Obedience that accompanies Salvation, is free and willing Obedience, so it is cheerful and delightful Obedience; it is a Believers meat and drink, it is his joy and crown, it is a pleasure, a para­dise to his soul, to be still obeying his Fathers will, to be still found about his Fathers business. Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy Law is in my heart. As the Sun rejoyceth toPsal. 19. 5, 11. compared. Tanto magis delectat opus bonum, quanto magis diligitur Deus, summum & incommuta­bile bonum. Aug. A good work, so much the more delight­eth, by how much the more God the chief­est and un­changable Good is loved. In hoc cognosci­tur amor Christi, si quis servat praecepta Christi. Bern. run his race, so do the Saints rejoyce to run the race of Obedience. Gods work is wages, yea, it is better then wages; therefore they cannot but de­light in it; not onely for keeping, but also in keeping of his commands, there is great reward. Psal. 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that de­lighteth greatly in his Commandments; [Page 437] that is, in the studying and obeying of his Commandments. Psal. 119. 16. I will delight my self in thy Statutes; I will not forget thy Word. Vers. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments; for therein do I delight. V. 47. And I will delight my self in thy Commandments, which I have loved. V. 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; yet thy Commandments are my delight. Divine commands are not grievous to a lover of Christ; for nihil difficile amanti, no­thing is difficult to him that loveth. The love of Christ, the discoveries of Christ, the embraces of Christ, make a gracious soul studious and industri­ous to keep the Commandments of Christ, in lip and life, in word and work, in head and heart, in book and brest.

Thus you see that that Obedience that accompanies Salvation, is, Ready, Free, and Chearful Obedi­ence.

Fifthly, That Obedience that accompanies Salvation, is, Peremptory Obedience, Josh. 24. 15. I and my Josephus reports of such resolute Christians, that in the face of al reproach­es and difficul­ties, followed Christ to the Cross. houshold will serve the Lord. He is fully resolved upon it, come what come [Page 438] can, in the face of all dangers, difficul­ties, impediments, and discourage­ments, he will obey the Lord, he will follow the Lord; so those Worthies in the eleventh of the Hebrews (of whom this world was not worthy) obeyed Divine commands peremptorily, resolvedly, in the face of all manner of deaths and miseries. So Paul was obedient toActs 20. 23. Gal. 1. 15, 16. You may as well stop the Sun from run­ning his race, as you are able to hinder gra­cious souls from obeying Divine com­mands. Psal. 44. 13. 24. As a wicked natu [...]e makes the wicked pe­remptory in their disobe­dience: Jer. 44. 15, 16, 17. So the Di­vine nature makes gracious souls peremp­tory in their Obedience. the heavenly vision, though bonds did attend him in every place; he is better at obeying, then at disputing; I conferred not (sayes he) with flesh and blood: So Peter and John, and the rest of the A­postles, in despight of all threatnings and beatings, they obey the Lord, they keep fast and close to their Masters work. Whether it be right in the fight of God, to hearken more unto you, then unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. And now Lord, behold their threatnings, and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy Word. And when they had called the Apostles, and bea­ten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the pre­sence of the Council, rejoycing, that they [Page 439] were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name. And daily in the Temple, and in every House, they ceased not to Teach and Preach Jesus Christ. Acts 4. 19, 20, 29. & 5. 40, 41, 42. compared.

Thus you see, no tryals, no troubles, no terrors, no threats, no dangers, no deaths, could deter them from pe­remptory Obedience to Divine pre­cepts. It is not the Fiery Furnace, nor the Lyons Den, nor the Bloody Sword, nor the Torturing Wrack that can fright gracious Souls from their Obe­dience to their dearest Lord. Psal. 119. 106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judge­ments.

Sixtly, The end of that Obedience that accompanies Salvation, is, DivinePropter te domi­ne, propter te, Is every godly mans Motto. Quicquid agas, propter D [...]um agas, Was an Eastern A­pophthegm. Drusius. glory; the Eye of the obedient Soul, in prayer and praises, in talking and walking, in giving and receiving, in living and doing, is Divine glory. Rom. 14. 7, 8. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whe­ther we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lords. In all actions, the obedient Soul intends [Page 440] and attends most Divine glory: If Sa­tan, the World, or the Old man, do at any time propound other ends to theFinis movet ad agendum, The End moves to doing. Soul, this great end, Divine glory, works out all those ends; for this is most certain, That which a man makes his greatest, and his highest end, will work out all other ends. Look as the light of the Sun doth extinguish, and put out the light of the fire; so when a man makes the glory of God his end, that end will extinguish and put out all carnal, low, base ends. That man that makes himself the end of his actions, that makes honor, riches, ap­plause, &c. the end of his actions, he must at last lie down in eternal sorrow, he must dwell in everlasting burnings;Isai 50. ult. & 33. 14. the man is as his end is, and his work is as his end is; if that be naught, all is naught; if that be good, all is good, and the man is happy for ever.

Seventhly, That Obedience that accompanies Salvation, that borders upon Salvation, that comprehendsSi dixisti suffi­cit, teriisti. Aug. If once thou saidst it is e­nough, thou art undone. Salvation, is a constant Obedience. Psal. 119. 112. I have enclined my heart to do thy Statutes alway, even unto the end. [Page 441] The Causes, Springs, and Motives of holy Obedience, are lasting and perma­nent, and therefore the Obedience of a sound Christian, is not like the morning dew, or a deceitful bow. Psal. 44. 17, 18, 19. All this is come upon us, History re­ports, that it hath been the ancient custom of pious Chri­stians, under persecuting Emperors, to meet, and by the Sacrament to binde them­selves for ever, to flie what was evil, and follow what was good, what e­ver it cost them. yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy ways. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. The love of Christ, the promises of Christ, the presence of Christ, the discoveries of Christ, the example of Christ, and the recompence of reward held forth by Christ, makes a sound Christian hold on, and hold out, in ways of O­bedience, in the face of all dangers and deaths: Neither the hope of life, nor the fear of death, can make a sin­cere Christian, either change his Ma­ster, or decline his Work. Phil. 2. 12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence onely, but how much more in my absence: Work out your own salvation with fear and trem­bling. This was the Philippians glory, That they were constant in their Obe­dience, [Page 442] whether Paul was present or absent, they constantly minded their work.

Ah but Hypocrites and Tempora­ries,Such Hypo­crites may well cry out as Ece­bolius did, who was onely con­stant in incon­staney, [...]. Tread upon me that am unsavory Salt. are but passionate, transient, and inconstant in their Obedience; they talk of Obedience, they commend O­bedience, and now and then in a fit, they step in the way of Obedience, but they do not walk in a way of Obedience, they are onely constant in inconstancy, Job, chap. 27. vers. 10. Will the Hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God? Or as the Hebrew hath it, Will [...] he in every time call upon God? will he call upon God in time of prosperi­ty, and in time of adversity; in time of health, and in time of sickness; in time of strength, and in time of weak­ness; in time of honor, and in time of disgrace; in time of liberty, and in time of durance, &c? The answer to be given in, is, He will not always, he will not in every time call upon God. As a lame Horse, when he is heated, will go well enough, but when he cools, he halts down-right; even so an Hypocrite, though for a time, he [Page 443] may go on fairly in a Religious way, yet when he hath attained his ends, he will halt down-right, and be able toThe Monk in the Fable be­ing a poor Fisher-mans son, still spread a Net over his Table, as a re­membrance of his mean ori­ginal, till he had by these shews of humi­lity attained to the highest preferments; which when he had attain­ed, he laid a­way the Net, because the Fish was caught. go no further. The Abbot, in Me­lancton, lived strictly, and walked de­murely, and looked humbly, so long as he was but a Monk; but when by his seeming extraordinary sanctity he got to be made Abbot, he grew intolera­bly proud and insolent; and being asked the reason of it, confest, That his former carriage, and lowly looks, was but to see if he could finde the Keys of the Abbey. Ah! many un­sound hearts there be, that will put on the Cloak of Religion, and speak like Angels, and look like Saints, to finde the Keys of Preferment, and when they have found them, none prove more proud, base, and vain, then they. Ah! but that Obedience that accom­panies Salvation, is constant and dura­ble: A Christian in his course goes strait on Heaven-wards. The two milch Kine, 1 Sam. 6. 12. took the strait way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went a­long the high-way, loughing as they went, and turned not aside to the right-hand, or to the left: So gracious Souls go strait [Page 444] along the High-way to Heaven, whichA Christians emblem should be an house moving to­wards Hea­ven, saith Cle­mens. is the way of Obedience; though they go loughing and weeping, yet they still go on, and turn not aside to the right-hand, nor to the left: If by the violence of temptation or corruption they are thrust out of the way at any time, they quickly return into it again. They may sometimes step out of the way of Obedience, but they cannot walk out of the way of Obedience.Psal. 119. 3, 4. The honest Traveller may step out of his way, but he soon returns into it again, and so doth the honest Soul.

Eightly and lastly, Passive Obedi­ence accompanies Salvation, as well as Active. Every one that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution,2 Tim. 3. 12. & 2. 12. Rom. 8. 17, 18. Acts 14. 22. from Tongue or Pen, from Hand or Heart. If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him; there is no pas­sing into Paradise, but under the fla­ming Sword. Thorow many afflicti­ons we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. A sincere heart is as willingI might pro­duce a cloud of witnesses that have been ex­cellent at suf­fering, at burning. to obey Christ Passively as Actively. Acts 21. 13. I am ready, not to be bound onely, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus. I am willing, [Page 445] says Paul, to lofe my comforts for Christ, I am ready to endure any do­lors for Christ, I am willing to lose the Creature, and to leave the Crea­ture for Christ. Paul, Phil. 3. 8. speaks of himself as having been like one in a Sea tempest, that had cast out all his precious wares and goods for Christs sake; For whom, says he, I have suffer­ed the loss of all. So must we in stormy times, cast all over-board for Christ, and swim to an Immortal Crown, tho­row sorrows, blood, and death. But because I have in this Treatise, spoke at large of the sufferings of the Saints, I shall say no more of it in this place. And thus you see what that Obedience is that accompanies Salvation. The fift thing that I am to shew you, is, What Love that is that accompanies Salva­tion.

That Love doth accompany Salva­tion, I have formerly shewed you; but now I shall shew you what that Love is, that doth accompany Salva­tion, and that I shall do in these fol­lowing particulars. I shall not speak of the firstness, freeness, fulness, sweetness, and greatness of Christs [Page 446] love to us, but of that Love of ours that accompanies Salvation, concern­ing which I shall say thus.

First, That Love that accompanies Salvation, is a Superlative Love, a Transcendent Love. True love to Christ doth wonderfully transcendMatth. 10. 37, 38. Luke 14. 26, 27, 34. and surpass the Love of all relations; The love of Father, Mother, Wife, Childe, Brother, Sister, yea, Life it self. Psal. 73. & 25. Whom have I in Heaven, but thee? And there is none upon Earth, that I desire besides thee. ChristFriends may have the Milk of a Believers love, but Christ hath the Cream. will be Alexander or Nemo, he will be all or nothing at all: There are the greatest causes of love, there are the highest causes of love, there are all the causes of love to be found in Christ; in Angels and Men, there are onely some particular causes of love; all causes of love are eminently and onely to be found in Christ. Col. 1. 19. It pleased [...]. the Father, that in him should all Fulness dwell. There is not onely plenitudo a­bundantiae, but plenitudo redundantiae, an over-flowing of Fulness in JesusCol. 2. 3. Christ. All Wisdom, all Knowledge, all Light, all Life, all Love, all Good­ness, all Sweetness, all Blessedness, all [Page 447] Joys, all Delights, all Pleasures, all Beauties, all Beatitudes, all Excellen­cies, all Glories, are in Christ. The true lovers of Christ, know that ChristWe so far love as we know, Tantum diligi­mus, quantum cognoscimus. loves as a Head, as a King, as a Father, as a Husband, as a Brother, as a Kins­man, as a Friend: The love of all re­lations meets in the Love of Christ; and this raises up a Believer to love Christ with a transcendent love: They know that Christ loves them more, then they love themselves; yea, that he loves them above his very life. Joh. 10. 11, 17, 18. And Magnes amor is a­mor, Certe non amant illi Christum, qui aliquid plus­quam Christum amant. Aug. Certainly they do not love Christ, who love any thing more then Christ. Love is the Loadstone of Love. Christ is amiable and lovely; he is famous and conspicuous; he is spotless and matchless in his Names, in his Natures, in his Offices, in his Graces, in his Gifts, in his Discoveries, in his Appearances, in his Ordinances; he is full of Gravity, Majesty, Mercy, and Glory; He is white and ruddy, the chief­est Cant 5. 10. ult. among ten thousand. His mouth is [...] sweetnesses; yea, [...] all of him is desires, or all ofHe that holds not wholly with Christ, doth very shamefully neglect Christ. Aut totum me­cum tene, aut totum omitte. Greg. Nazian. him is delights. Christ is wholly de­lectable, [Page 448] he is altogether desirable from top to toe, he is amiable and lovely, he is glorious and excellent: Christ is lovely, Christ is very lovely, Christ is most lovely, Christ is always lovely, Christ is altogether lovely: He is the express Image of God, he is the brightness of his Fathers glory; if the soul can but anatomize him, it shall finde in him all high Perfections and supereminent Excellencies. And upon these and such-like considerati­ons, the Saints are led forth to love Jesus Christ with a most transcendent Love.

Secondly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, is Obediential Love, it is Operative and Working Love; the Love of Christ makes a man sub­ject to the commands of Christ; If any John 14. 21, 22, 23. man love me, he will keep my Command­ments. And again, He that hath my Com­mandments and keepeth them, he it is that I have read a story of an E­lephant, who being f [...]ln down and un­able to help himself, or get up again, by reason of the inflexibleness of his legs, a Forrester com­ing by, helped him up; wher­with the Ele­phant by the very instinct of nature, was so affected, that he followed this man, and would do any thing for him, and never left him till his dying day. Ah Sirs, will not Di­vine Love make a man do more? loveth me. Divine Love is very Opera­tive. Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord, says David. Well, but how doth this Love work? Why says he, I will walk in his ways: I will pay my vows: I will take the cup of salvation: I will offer the [Page 449] of thankssgiving; and I will call upon the Name of the Lord, as long as I live, Vers. 2, 9, 13, 14, 17. Divine Love is not stinted nor limited to one sort of duty, but is free to all: He that loveth, flieth; he that loveth, runneth; he that loveth, believeth; he that loveth, rejoyceth; he that loveth, mourneth; he that loveth, giveth; he that loveth, lendeth; he that loveth, beareth; he that loveth, waiteth; he that loveth, hopeth, &c. Heb. 6. 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Love makes the soul laborious; that Love that accompanies Salvation, is very Active and Operative, it is like the vertuous Woman in the Proverbs, that sets all her Maidens on work; it is never quiet, but in doing the Will of God; it will not suffer any Grace to sit idle in the Soul; it will egg and put on all other Graces, to act and ope­rate. Love sets Faith upon drawing from Christ, and Patience upon wait­ing on Christ, and Humility upon sub­mitting to Christ, and Godly-sorrow upon mourning over Christ, and Self­denial upon forsaking of the nearest and dearest comforts for Christ, &c. [Page 450] As the Sun makes the Earth fertil, so doth Divine love make the Soul fruit­ful in Works of Righteousness and Holiness. He that loves, cannot be idle nor barren; Love makes the Soul con­stant and aboundant in wel-doing, 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constrain­eth [...]. Loves proper­ty is to do e­ternally, it is an eternal, lasting princi­ple, and acti­ons will last as long as princi­ples; its acti­on is as abid­ing as it self. us; it doth urge us, and put us for­ward; it carries us on, as men possess­ed with a vehemency of spirit, or as a ship which is driven with strong winds towards the desired Haven. Na­tural love makes the Childe, the Ser­vant, the Wife obedient; so doth Di­vine love make the soul, better at obeying, then at disputing. A Soul that loves Christ, will never cease to obey, till he ceases to be. That Love that accompanies Salvation, is like the Sun; the Sun you know castethBeatus qui amat te, & amicos in te, & inimicos propter te. Aug. Confess. his beams upward and downward, to the East, and to the West, to the North, and to the South; so the love of a Saint ascends to God above, and descends to Men on Earth, to our Friends on the right-hand, to our Ene­mies on the left-hand; to them that are in a state of Grace, and to them that are in a state of Nature. Divine love [Page 451] will still be a working one way or an­other.

Thirdly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, is a sincere and incor­rupt love. Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all [...] Word for word in incorrupti­on, or with in­corruption. i. e. That love Christ in sin­cerity, and not feignedly and hypocritically. them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sin­cerity. Amen. The true bred Christian (Amat Christum, propter Christum) loves Christ for Christ; he loves Christ for that internal and eternal worth that is in him; he loves him for his incomparable excellency and beau­ty, for that transcendent sweetness, loveliness, holiness, and goodness, that is in him; he is none of those that loves Christ for loaves, neither will he with Judas, kiss Christ, and betray him; nor yet will he with those inMatth. 21. 9, 15. the Gospel, cry out, Hosanna, Hosanna, one day; and Crucifie him, crucifie him, the next. They love Christ with a Virgin love, Cant. 1. 3. The Virgins love thee. They love thee in much sinceri­ty, purity, and integrity; they love thee for that fragrant savor, for that natural sweetness, for that incompara­ble goodness that is in thee; so in the fourth Verse, The upright love thee, or as it is in the Hebrew, Uprightnesses [...] [Page 452] love thee; Uprightnesses being put for upright ones, the abstract for the con­crete;Judas was kin to the bag, he was not kin to Christ; and he in Clemens was not his, but his riches Kinsman. Christ hath many such Kinsmen. A Christian cares not for any thing that hath not ali­quid Christi, something of Christ in it. He sayes with him, Sine Deo omnis copia est eg [...]stas, With­out Christ all plenty is scar­city. Austin prayes, Lord (saith he) whatever thou hast given take all away, onely give me thy self. God gave him himself, and cast in many other mercies, as Paper and Packthred in­to the bargain. or, they love thee in upright­nesses, that is, most uprightly, most intirely, most sincerely; and not as Hypocrites, who love thee for base, carnal respects; who love thee in complements, but not in realities; who love thee in word and tongue, but de­spise thee in heart and life; who love the gift, more then the giver. That Love that accompanies Salvati­on, is real and cordial Love, it is sin­cere and upright love; it makes the Soul love (Christ) the giver, more then the gift; it makes the Soul love the gift for the givers sake, it will make the Soul to love the giver with­out his gifts.

And verily, they shall not be long without good gifts from Christ, that love Christ more then his gifts. Ves­pasian commanded a liberal reward should be given to a woman that came, and professed, That she was in love with him; and when his Steward asked him, What item he should put to it in his Book of Accounts; the Emperor answered, Vespasiano adamato, Item to [Page 453] her that loved Vespasian. Ah Christians, shall Vespasian an Heathen Prince re­ward her liberally that loved his per­son, and will not the Lord Jesus much more reward them with his choicest gifts, that love him more then his gifts? Surely, Christ will not be worse then a Heathen, he will not act below a Heathen. He shall never be a loser that loves Christ for that Spiritual sweetness, and loveliness that is in Christ, Christ will not live long in that mans debt.

Fourthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, is a vehement Love, an ardent Love; it is a spark of hea­venly fire, and it puts all the affections into a holy flame. Can. 1. 7. Tell me, O thou, whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest? &c. This amiable, amorous, Pathetical Compellation, O thouAnima est ubi amat, non ubi animat, The soul is where it loves, not where it lives. whom my soul loveth, speaks the Spouses love to be hot and burning to­wards Christ. So in Isa. 26. 8, 9. The desire of our souls is towards thee, and to the remembrance of thy name. With my [...] In the midst of me; it is an em­phatical phrase soul have I desired thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me, will I seek thee early. This affectionate, this passionate [Page 454] form of Speech, With my soul have I de­sired thee, and that, with my spirit within me, will I seek thee, does elegantly set forth the vehement, and ardent love of the Church to Christ; so doth that pathetical exclamation of the Church, Stay me with flagons, comfort Cant. 2. 5. me with apples, for I am sick of love. The betrothed Virgin cannot shew more strong and vehement love to her be­loved, then by being sick, and surprised with love-qualms, when she meets him, when she enjoyes him; it was so here with the Spouse of Christ. The love of Christ to Believers, is a vehement love, an ardent love (witness his leav­ing his Fathers bosom, his putting up­on us his Royal Robes, his bleeding, his dying, &c.) And it doth naturally be­getAmor non nisi donum amantis. Gul. Par. vehement and ardent Love in all the beloved of God. Where Christ loves, he always begets somewhat like himself, Amor semper habet, quid sui si­mile. That love that is flat, luke-warm, or cold, will leave a man to freeze a this side Heaven, it will fit him for the warmest place in Hell. Dives love was very cold, and he found the flames of Hell to be very hot. That love that [Page 455] accompanies Salvation is full of heat and fire.

Fifthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, is lasting Love, it is permanent Love; the objects of it are lasting, the springs and causes of it are lasting, the nature of it is lasting. The Primitive Christians loved notRevel. 12. 11. their lives unto the death; Persecutors have taken away the Martyrs lives for Christ, but could never destroy their love to Christ. Ephes. 6. 24. Grace be 1 Cor. 13. 8. Love never faileth, or as it is in the Greek [...], never fal­leth away, but shall last for ever in Hea­ven; in which respect the A­postle lifts it up above Faith, Hope, and all the common gifts of the Spirit, in the same Chapter. with all that love the Lord Jesus in sin­cerity, or, in incorruption, as the Greek word signifies, whereby the Apostle gives us to understand, That true love to Christ, is not liable to corruption, putrifaction, or decay, but is constant and permanent, lasting, yea, everlast­ing.

That Love that accompanies Sal­vation, is like to the Oyl in the Cruse, and the Meal in the Barrel, that wasted not; it is like the Apple-Tree of Persia, that buddeth, blossometh, and beareth fruit every moneth; it is like the Lamp in the story, that never went out; it is like the Stone in Thra­cia, that neither burneth in the fire, nor [Page 456] sinketh in the water. Cant. 8. 6, 7. Love is stronger then death, many waters [...] Contemning, it would be con­temned. Om­nia vincit amor. Love rides in her chariot of triumph over all calamities, and miseries, and cryes, Victory, victo­ry. cannot quench it, nor th [...] floods cannot drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be contemned. Love will out-live all enemies, temptations, oppositions, afflictions, persecutions, dangers, and deaths. Loves Motto is (Nulli cedo) I yeeld to none. Love is like the Sun, the Sun beginning to ascend in his circle, never goes back until he comes to the highest degree there­of.

True love abhors Apostacie, it ascends to more perfection, and ceases not, until like Eliahs Fiery-Chariot, it hath carried the Soul to Heaven.

Many mens love to Christ, is like the Morning Dew, it is like Jonahs Goard, that came up in a night, and vanished in a night: But that love that accompanies Salvation, is like Ruthes love, a lasting, and an abidingRuth 1. love; it is Love that will bed and board with the Soul, that will lye down and rise up with the Soul, that will to the fire, to the prison, [Page 457] to the grave, to Heaven with the Soul.

Sixthly, That love that accom­panies Salvation, is an aboundingThis is clear throughout the whole Book of Canti [...]les, as all may ru [...] and read. love, an increasing love. Love in a Saint, is like the Waters in Noahs time, that rose higher and higher. The very nature of true Love is to abound and rise higher and higher, Phil. 1. 9. This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more.

The longer a Believer lives, the more eminent and excellent Causes of Love he sees in Christ. Christ discovers himself gradually to the Soul. Now a Believers love to Christ, rises answerable to the causes of love that he sees in Christ. The more light, the more love, Knowledge and Love, like the Water and the Ice, beget each other.

Man loves Christ by knowing, and knows Christ by loving: Mans love is always answerable to his light; he cannot love much, that knows but little; he cannot love little, that knows much. As a man rises higher [Page 458] and higher in his apprehensions ofAmat Deus? non aliunde hoc habet; sed ipse est unde amat. Aug. Christ; so he cannot but rise higher and higher in his affections to Christ. Again, the daily Mercies and Experi­ences that they have of the love of Christ, of the care of Christ, of the bowels and compassions of Christ, working more and more towards them, cannot but raise their affections more and more to him: As fire is en­creased by adding of fuel unto it, so is our love to Christ, upon fresh and new manifestations of his great love to­wards us. As the Husband abounds in his love to his Wife, so the Wife rises in her love to her Husband; the more love the Father manifests to the Childe, the more the ingenuous Childe rises in his affections to him; so the more love the Lord Jesus shews to us, the more he is beloved by us. Christ shewed much love to Mary Luke 7. 47▪ 48 Magdalen, and this raises in her much love to Christ; She loved much, for much was forgiven her. As the Israelites in the three and thirtieth of Numbers, removed their Tents from Mithkah to Chasmonah, from sweetness to swift­ness (as the words import;) so the [Page 459] sweetness of Divine love manifested to the soul, makes the soul more sweet, swift, and high in the exercise and actings of love towards Christ. A Soul under special manifestations of Love, weeps that it can love Christ no more. Mr. Welch, a Suffolk Minister, weeping at Table, and being asked the reason of it, answered, It was be­cause he could love Christ no more. The true lovers of Christ can never rise high enough in their love to Christ; they count a little love to be no love; great love to be but little; strong love to be but weak; and the highest love to be infinitely below the worth of Christ, the beauty and glory of Christ, the fulness, sweetness, and goodness of Christ: The top of their misery in this life, is, That they love so little, though they are so much be­loved.

Seventhly and lastly, That Love that accompanies Salvation, is open love, it is manifest love, it is love that cannot be hid, that cannot be covered and buried; it is like the Sun, it will shine forth, and shew it self to all the world. A man cannot love Christ, [Page 460] but he will shew it in these, and such­like things as follow.

First, Divine Love makes the Soul even ready to break, in longing after a further, clearer, and fuller enjoyment of Christ. The voice of Divine love is, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Revel. 22. 20. Cant. 8. ult. [...] Be [...]ahh, dod, Flee away speedily my beloved. Make haste my beloved, and be thou like to a Roe, or to a yong Hart upon the Mountain of Spices. I desire to be dis­solved, and to be with Christ, which for me is best of all. It is a mercy, sayes Paul, for Christ to be with me, but it is a greater mercy for me to be with Christ. I desire to die, that IAustin longed to see that head that was crowned with thorns. may see my Saviour, I refuse to live, that I may live with my Re­deemer.

Love desires and endeavors for ever to be present, to converse with, to en­joy, to be closely and eternally united to its object Christ. The longing of the espoused Maid for the marriage day, of the Traveller for his Inn, of the Mariner for his Haven, of the Captive for his Ransom, &c. Is not to be compared to the longings of the Lovers of Christ, after a further and fuller enjoyment of Christ.

The Lovers of Christ do wellGod hath re­served the best Wine, the best things, till last. know, that till they are taken up in­to glory, their chains will not fall off, till then their glorious Robes shall not be put on, till then all sorrow and tears shall not be wiped from their eyes, till then their joy will not be full, their Comforts pure, their Peace lasting, their Graces perfect; and this makes them look and long after the enjoyment of the Person of Christ.

It was a notable saying of one, Let all the Devils in Hell (saith he) beset me round; let fasting macerat my body; let sorrows oppress my minde; let pains consume my flesh; let watchings dry me, or heat scorch me, or cold freeze me: Let all these, and what can come more, happen unto me, so I may enjoy my Saviour.

Secondly, Love to Christ shews it self by working the Soul, to abase it self, that Christ may be exalted, toRevel. 4. 10, 11. Joh▪ 3 26 to 31. Phil. 3. 7, 8. throw down it self, that Christ may be set up, to lessen it self, to greaten [Page 462] Christ, to cloud it self, that Christ a­ [...]one may shine. Love cares not what it is, nor what it doth, so it may but advance the Lord Jesus; Love makes the Soul willing to be a footstool for Christ, to be any thing, to be nothing, that Christ may be all in all.

Thirdly, That love that accom­panies Salvation, sometimes shews it self by working the Soul to be chear­ful and resolute, to be patient and con­fident in sufferings for Christ, 1 Cor. Acts 5. 16. 13. Love endureth all things: Love will not complain; Love will not say the burden is too great, the Prison is too dark, the Furnace is too hot, the Chains are too heavy, the Cup is too bitter, &c. A true lover of Christ can slightActs 21. 13. his life, out of love to Christ; as that blessed Virgin in Basil, who being condemned for Christianity to the fire, and having her estate, and life offered her, if she would worship Idols, cryed, Let money perish, and life vanish, Christ is better then all. So Alice Driver said, I drove my Fathers Plough often, yet I can die for Christ as soon as any of you all. That Love that accompanies Salvati­on, makes a Christian free and forward [Page 463] in suffering any thing that makes for the glory of Christ.

Fourthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, shews it self by working the Soul to be pleased or dis­pleased,It is a saying in Natural Philosophy That it is (Na­turalissimum o­pus viventis generare sibi si­mile) the most natural act or work of every living thing, to produce an­other like unto it self. Ps [...]l. 45. 7. & 1 [...]9. 104, 113, 128, 163. as▪ Christ is pleased or dis­pleased. A Soul that loves Christ, hath his eye upon Christ, and that which makes Christ frown, makes him frown, and what makes Christ smile, makes him smile: Love is impatient of any thing that may displease a be­loved Christ. Look what Harpalus once said, (Quod Regi placet, mihi placet,) What pleaseth the King, pleaseth me, That sayes a true lover of Christ, What pleaseth Christ, that pleaseth me: Holiness pleaseth Christ, and holiness pleaseth me, sayes a lover of Christ. It pleaseth Christ to over­come evil with good, to overcome Ha­tred with Love, Enmity with Amity, Pride with Humility, Passion with Meekness, &c. And the same pleaseth me, sayes a lover of Christ. 1 John 4. 17. As he is, so are we in this world. Our love answers to Christs love, and our hatred answers to Christs hatred; he loves all Righteousness, and hates [Page 464] all wickedness; so do we, say the Lovers of Christ, Psal. 119. 113, 128, 163.

It is said of Constantines Children,Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History. That they resembled their Father to the life, that they put him wholly on. The true Lovers of Christ resemble Christ to the life, and they put him wholly on. Hence it is, That they are called Christs, 1 Cor. 12. 12.

Fifthly, True love to Christ, shews it self sometimes by working the Lo­vers of Christ, to expose themselves to suffering, to save Christ from suffer­ing in his glory, to adventure the loss of their own crowns, to keep Christs Crown upon his head, to adventure drowing to save Christs honor from sinking.

Thus did the Three Children, Da­niel, Moses, and other Worthies. IHeb. 11. have read of a servant, who dearly loved his Master, and knowing that his Master was looked for by his enemies, he put on his Masters Cloaths, and was taken for his Master, and suffered death for him. Divine love will make a man do as much for Christ, it will make a man hang for Christ, and burn for [Page 465] Christ. Revel. 12. 11. They loved not their lives unto the death. Christ and his Truth was dearer to them, then their lives; They slighted, contemned, yea, despised their very lives, when they stood in competition with Christ, and his glory, and chose rather to suffer the greatest misery, then that Christ should lose the least dram of his glory.

Sixthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, shews it self some­times by working the lovers of Christ, to be affected and afflicted with the dishonors that are done to Christ Psal. 119. Mine eyes run down with Ri­vers Jere 9. 1, 2. of tears, because men keep not thy Law. So Lots soul was vexed, racked,2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. [...], sig­nifies two things, 1. The search and ex­amination of a thing, 2. The racking and vexing a man upon the try­al. and tortured with the filthy conversa­tion of the wicked Sodomites: The turning of his own flesh, his Wife, into a Pillar of Salt, did not vex him, but their sins did rack his righteous soul. Psal. 6 [...]. [...]. The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell upon me. A woman is most wounded in her Husband, so is a Christian in his Christ. ThoughThough King Craesus his son were dumb all his life time, yet when one would have struck at his Father, the affection that he had to his Father broke the bars of his Speech, and he cryed out, Take heed of killing the King: You know how to apply it. Moses was as a dumb childe in his own cause, yet when the Israelites by making [Page 466] and dancing about their Golden Calf, had wounded the honor and glory of God, he shews himself to be much affected, and afflicted for the dishonor done to God. The statue of Apollo is said to shed tears for the afflictions of the Grecians, though he could not help them; so a true lover of Christ will shed tears for those dishonors that are done to Christ, though he knows not how to prevent them. It is be­tween Christ and his Lovers, as it is between two Lute strings that are tuned one to another, no sooner one is struck, but the other trembles; so no sooner is Christ struck, but a Christian trembles, and no sooner is a Christian struck, but Christ trembles. Saul, Saul, Acts 9. why persecutest thou me?

Seventhly, That Love that accom­panie [...] Salvation, doth shew it self by working the Soul, to observe with a curious critical eye, Christs counte­nanceƲbi amor, ibi oculus. As love came in by the eye, so it delights by the same door, to run out to Christ. and carriage, and by causing the soul to be sad or chearful, as Christs carriage and countenance is towards the soul; when Christ looks sad, and carries it sadly, then to be sad as Peter was, Christ cast a sad look upon him, [Page 467] and that made his heart sad; he went forth and wept bitterly. And when Christ looks sweetly, and speaks kindly, and carries it lovingly, then to be chearful and joyful, as the Church was in Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him, whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my Mothers house, and into the Chamber of her that conceived me. So the Church in Isai. 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in [...] In rejoycing, I will rejoyce: That is, I will exceedingly rejoyce. the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation, he hath covered me with a robe of Righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh himself with Orna­ments, and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels. A true Lover of Christ hath still his eye upon Christ, and as his countenance stands, so is he glad or sad, chearful or sorrowful. Ti­granes in Xenophon, coming to redeem his Father and Friends, with his Wife, that were taken prisoners by King Cyrus, was asked among other Questi­ons this, viz. What ransom he would give for his Wife, he answered, He would redeem her liberty with his [Page 468] own life: But having prevailed for all their liberties, as they returned toge­ther, every one commended Cyrus for a goodly man; and Tigranes would needs know of his Wife what she thought of him, Truly (said she) I cannot tell; for I did not so much as look on him, or see him. Whom then (said he, wondering) did you look upon? Whom should I look upon (said she) but him that would have redeemed my liberty, with the loss of his own life? So a Christian, a true lover of Christ esteems nothing worth a looking upon, but Christ who hath redeemed him with his own Blood.

Eighthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, reaches forth a handJ [...]rom professed how much he loved Christ in Augustine, and Augustine in Christ. of kindness to those that bear the Image of Christ. 1 John 5. 1, 2. Eve­ry one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know, that we love the Children of God, when we love God, and keep his Command­ments. He that loveth not his Brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen.

Now because many mistake in their love to the Saints, and the consequen­ces [Page 469] that follow that mistake are very dangerous and pernicious to the souls of men, I shall therefore briefly hint to you the properties of that love to the Saints that accompanies Salva­tion. And

The first is this, True Love to the Saints is spiritual, it is a love for the Image of God, that is stamped upon the Soul. Col. 1. 8. Epaphras hath de­clared to us your love in the Spirit. A Soul that truly loves, loves the Father for his own sake, and the children for the Fathers sake. Many there are that love Christians for their goods, not for their good; they love them for the money that is in their purse, but not for the grace that is in their hearts. Many like the Bohemian Cur, fawn upon a good suit: Love to the Saints, for the Image of God stamped upon them, is a flower that grows not in Na­tures Garden. No man can love Grace in another mans heart, but he that hath grace in his own. Men doth not moreRemember, wicked men, God himself is wro [...]ged by the injury that is done to his Image. The contempt and despight is done to the King himself, which is done to his Image or Coyn. naturally love their parents, and love their children, and love themselves, then they do naturally hate the Image of God upon his people, and ways. [Page 470] True love is for what of the Divine Nature, for what of Christ and Grace shines in a man: It is one thing to love a godly man, and another thing to love him for godliness. Many love godly men, as they are Politicians, or Potent, or Learned, or of a sweet Na­ture, but all this is but natural love; but to love them, because they are spi­ritually lovely, because they are all Psal. 45. 13. glorious within, and their rayment is of imbroidered gold, is to love them as be­cometh Saints, it is to love them at so high and noble a rate, that no Hypo­crite in the world can reach to it. Tho Wasps flie about the Tradesmans shop, not out of love to him, but the Honey and the Fruit that is there: This age is full of such Wasps.Ephes. 1. 15. Col▪ 1. 4. It was the glo­ry of the Ephe­sians and Co­lossians, that their Faith and Love reached to all the Saints. It was not narrow, and confined to some parti­culars, but it was universal.

Secondly, True Love to the Saints, is universal to one Christian as well as another, to all as well as any, to poor Lazarus as well as to rich Abraham, to a despised Job as well as to an admired David, to an afflicted Joseph as well as to a raised Jacob, to a despised Disci­ple as well as to an exalted Apostle. Phil. 4. 21. Salute every Saint; the meanest as well as the richest, the [Page 471] weakest as well as the strongest, the lowest as well as the highest: They have all the same Spirit, the same Je­sus, the same Faith; they are all Fellow Members, Fellow Travellers, Fellow Souldiers, Fellow Citizens, Fellow Heirs, and therefore must they all be loved with a sincere and cordial love. The Apostle James doth roundly con­demn that partial love that was among Professors in his days, Jam. 2. 1, 2. Not that the Apostle doth absolutely prohibit a civil differencing of men in place, from others; but when the richNon gens sed mens, non genus sed genius, Not race or place, but grace, truly sets forth a man. mans wealth is more regarded then the poor mans godliness, and when men carry it so to the rich, as to cast scorn, contempt, disgrace, and discourage­ment upon the godly poor, This is a sin for which God will visit the sons of Pride. Pompey told his Cornelia, it is no praise to thee to have loved (Pom­peium Magnum) Pompey the Great, but if thou lovest (Pompeium Miserum) Pompey the Miserable, thou shalt be a pattern for imitation to all posterity. I will leave you to apply it. Romanus the Martyr, who was born of Noble Parentage, intreated his Persecutors [Page 472] that they would not favor him for his Nobility; For it is not (said he) the blood of my Ancestors, but my Christian Faith that makes me noble.

Verily, he that loves one Saint forYet there is a love of fami­liarity which we may law­fully shew more to one godly man, then to ano­ther. Thus Christ loved John more then the other Disci­ples. the Grace that is in him, for that Holi­ness, that Image of God that is upon him, he cannot but fall in love with every Saint that bears the lovely I­mage of the Father upon him; he can­not but love a Saint in rags, as well as a Saint in robes, a Saint upon the dung­hill, as well as a Saint upon the throne. Usually the most ragged Christians, are the richest Christians, they usually have most of Heaven, that have least of Earth, Jam. 2. 5. The true Diamond shines best in the dark.

Thirdly, Our Love to the Saints isYet this must be granted, That grace in a rugged, un­hewn nature, is like a Gold Ring on a le­prous hand, or a Diamond set in Iron; As a Gold Ring is most pleasing, and taking, when it is on a neat, clean hand, and as a Diamond when it is set in a Ring of Gold; so grace is most plea­sing and taking to us in a sweet nature, and not so much when it is in a rugged, un­hewn nature; the beauty and glory of it, being clouded and darkned by a rugged nature. right, when we love them, and de­light in them, answerable to the Spiri­tualcauses of love that shine in them, as the more holy and gracious they are, the more we love them. Psal. 16. 2, 3. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. This is most certain, If godliness be the reason, why we love any, then the more any [Page 473] excel others in the Love, Spirit, Power, and practise of Godliness, the more we should love them. There are those that seem to love such godly men, as are weak in their judgments, low in their principles, and dull in their pra­ctises; and yet look with a squint-eye upon those that are more sound in their judgments, more high in their princi­ples, and more holy in their practises, which doubtless, speaks out more hy­pocrisie then sincerity. Verily, he hath either no grace, or but a little grace, that doth not love most where the Spi­ritual causes of love, do most shine and appear. Surely, those Christians are under a very great distemper of spirit, that envy those gifts and graces of God in others, that out-shine their own. Johns Disciples muttered and murmured, because Christ had more followers and admirers, then John; And Johns Disciples are not all dead, yea, they seem to have a new Resur­rection in these days. Well, as the fair­est day hath its Clouds, the finest Lin­nen its spots, the richest Jewels their flaws, the sweetest Fruits their Worms: So when precious Christians are under [Page 472] [...] [Page 473] [...] [Page 474] temptations, they may, and too often do envy and repine at those excellent Graces, Abilities, and Excellencies, that cloud, darken, and out-shine their own: The best of men are too full of pride, and self-love, that makes them sometimes cast dirt and disgrace upon that excellency that themselves want;Eus [...]bius speaks of him in his Ecclesiastical History. As that great man that could not write his own name, and yet called the Liberal Arts, a Publick Poyson and Pestilence. There is no greater Argu­ment, that our grace is true, and that we do love others for grace sake, then our loving them best that have most grace; though they have least of worldly goods. A Pearl is rich, if found on a dunghil, though it may glister more when set in a Ring of Gold; so many a poor Believer is rich and glorious in the eye of Christ, and should be so in ours; though like Job he sits upon a dunghil; though to the world he may seem to glister most, when adorned with riches, honor, and outward pomp, &c.

Fourthly, True Love to Saints is constant, 1 Cor. 13. 8. Love never fail­eth, it continues for ever in Heaven; [Page 475] that love was never true, that is not constant. Heb. 13. 1. Let brotherly love continue. True love is constant in pro­sperityConsalvus (a Spanish Bi­shop and I [...] ­quisitor) won­dered how the Christians had th [...]t Command­ment, Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thy self, so inde­libly Printed in their hearts. that no torture could blot it out, and make them confess, and betray one another, or cease from lo­ving one an­other. and adversity, in storms and calms, in health and sickness, in pre­sence and in absence. Thy own friend, and thy Fathers friend, forsake not. A friend (sayes the Wiseman) loves at all times, and a brother is born for ad­versity. Prosperity makes friends, and Adversity will try friends: A true friend is neither known in prosperity, nor hid in adversity. True love is like to that of Ruths to Naomi, and that of Jonathans to David, permanent and constant. Many there be whose love to the Saint, is like Jobs Brooks, Job 6. 15, 16. which in Winter when we have no need, over-flows with tenders of service, and shews of love; but when the season is hot and dry, and the poor thirsty Travellor stands in most need of water to refresh him, then the Brooks are quite dried up. They are like the Swallow that will stay by you in the Summer, but flie from you in the Winter.

It is observed by Josephus of the Sa­maritans, that when ever the Jews af­fairs [Page 476] prospered, they would be their friends, and profess much love to them;Augustus Caesar was a constant friends to those whom he loved he used to say, (Amare nec cito desisto, nec te­ [...]ere incipio) Late ere I love, as long ere I leave. but if the Jews were in trouble, and wanted their assistance, then they would not own them, nor have any thing to do with them. This age is full of such Samaritans; yet such as truly love, will always love. In the Primi­tive times, it was very much taken no­tice of by the very Heathen, That in the depth of misery, when Fathers and Mothers forsook their Children, Christians (otherwise strangers) stuck close one to another, their love of Re­ligion, and one of another, proved fir­mer, then that of nature. They seem to take away the Sun out of the World, (said the Orator) who take away friendship from the life of men: And we do not more need fire and water, then constant friendship.

Ninthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, doth manifest and shew it self by working the Soul to be quiet, and still under Christs rebukes.John 21. 16, 17, 18 Peter sits down quiet under a threefold reproof; Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. So Eli, It is 1 Sam. 3. 18. the Lord, let him do what seems good in his [Page 477] own eyes. And Aaron holds his peace,Levit. 10. 3. when he saw the flames about his sons ears: So David, I was dumb, I opened Psal. 39. 9. not my mouth, because thou didst it. The lovers of Christ are like the Scythian, that went naked in the Snow; and when Alexander wondered how he could endure it, he answered, I am all forehead. O the lovers of Christ are all forehead, to bear the rebukes of the Lord Jesus.

The Lovers of Christ know, That all his rebukes are from love; whom he Revel 3. 19. loves, he rebukes; they can see smiles thorow Christs frowns: They know, that to argue that Christ hates them, because he rebukes them, is the Devils Logick; They know, that all the re­bukes of Christ, are in order to their internal and eternal good, and that quiets them; They know, that all the rebukes of Christ are but fore-runners of some glorious manifestations of greater love to their souls. Psal. 71. 20, 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every [Page 478] side. They know that it is the forest judgment in the world, to go on freely in a way of sin without rebukes. E­bhraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone. Hos. 4. 17. And therefore they keep silence be­fore the Lord, they lay one hand upon their mouthes, and the other upon their hearts, and so sit mute before the Holy One.

Tenthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, shews it self by working the heart to be affected and afflicted with the least dishonors that are done to Christ. Love is curious of little things, it is as much afflicted with an idle word, or with an impure dream, as lovers of Christ are with adultery or blasphemy. David did but cut off the lap of Sauls Gar­ment, and his heart [...]mote him, 1 Sam. 24. 5. Though he did it to convince Saul of his false jealousie, and his own innocency. Love will not allow of the least infirmity, Rom. 7. 15. That which I do, I allow not. Love will make a man aim at Angelical purity, and perfect innocency; love will be getting up to the top of Jacobs Ladder; love can rest in nothing below perfection: Love [Page 479] makes a man look more at what he should be, then at what he is; it makes a man strive as for life, to imi­tate the highest examples, and to write after the choicest copies. Love fearsThe sin, and the coat of the sin, is to be hated, saith Ambrose. every Image of offence, it trembles at the appearance of sin, it doth not, it cannot allow it self to do any thing that looks like sin, it hates the Gar­ment spotted with the flesh, it shuns the occasions of sin, as it shuns Hell it self: This is the Divine curiosity and glory of a Christians love. Love says,Melius mori fa­me, quam Ido­lothytis vesci. Aug. Marcus Are­thusius in Juli­ans time. It is better to die with hunger, then to eat that which is offered to Idols. I have read of a holy man, who out of his love to Christ, and hatred of Ido­latry, would not give one half-penny toward the building of an Idols Tem­ple, though he was provoked thereun­to by intollerable torments. LoveThe Nieene Fathers would not gratifie Arrius, no not in one tittle. knows that the least evils are contrary to the greatest good, they are contrary to the Nature of Christ, the Com­mands of Christ, the Spirit of Christ the Grace of Christ, the Glory of Christ, the Blood of Christ. Love knows that little dishonors (if I may call any sin little) make way for [Page 480] greater; as little Theeves unlock the door, and make way for greater. Love knows that little sins multiplied, become great: As love knows that there is nothing lesser then a grain of Sand; so love knows that there is no­thing heavier then the Sand of the Sea, when multiplied.

Eleventhly, That love that accom­panies Salvation, will shew it self by keeping the doors of the heart shut a­gainst those treacherous lovers, that would draw the heart from Christ. Love is a Golden Key to let in Christ, and a strong lock to keep out others: Though many may knock at Loves door, yet Love will open to none but Christ. Cant. 5. 6. I opened to my Beloved. & 8. 7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned, (Bon Jabuzu) contemning it would be con­temned. When the world would buySo did Luther Galeaciou [...] that noble Italian. his love, he cryes out with Peter, Thy money perish with thee. Love makes a man look with a holy scorn and disdain upon all persons and things, that at­tempt either to force or flatter her [Page 481] out of her love and loyalty to her Be­loved. It is neither force, nor fraud; it is neither promises, nor threatnings; it is neither the Cross, nor the Crown; the Palace, nor the Prison; the Rod, nor the Robe; the Hempton Halter, nor the Golden Chain, that will make love embrace a stranger in the room of Christ. Go, says Divine Love, offer your Gold, and empty Glories, to o­thers; your Pleasures, and your Trea­sures to others; put on your Lyons skin, and fright others: As for my part, I scorn, and contemn your golden offers, and I disdain, and deride your rage and threats. Love makes a man too noble, too high, too gallant, and too faithful, to open, to any lover but Christ, to let any lie between the Brests but Christ, Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my welbeloved unto me; be shall lie all night betwixt my Brests. When Basil wasPlato (saith Pliny) took as much delight and glory in those dignities and hono [...], he denied, as he did in those he did enjoy. It [...]s just so with the Saints. tempted with money and preferment, he answers, (Pecuniam da quae perma neat, ac continuo duret, gloriam quae sem­per floreat,) Give money that may last for ever, and glory that may eternally flourish. Love makes a man cry out, when tempted, Let not any man think [Page 482] that he will embrace other mens goods to forsake Christ, who hath forsaken his own proper goods to follow Christ. Love makes a man cry out when tempted, as that worthy Con­vert did, (Ego non sum ego) I am not the man that I was. When my heart was voide of Divine Love, I was as easily conquered, as I was tempted: O but now he hath shed abroad his love in my soul, I am not the man that I was, I had rather die then flie, or fall before a temptation.

Twelfthly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, shews it self by se­cret kindnesses, by secret visits, by se­cret expressions of love. A Soul that truly loves Christ, loves to meet him in a corner, to meet him behinde the door, to meet him in the clefts of theCant. 2. 14. Matth. 6. 6. Rock, where no eye sees, nor no ear hears, nor no heart observes. Feigned love is much in commending and kiss­ing Christ upon the stage; but unfeign­ed love is much in embracing, and weeping over Christ in a Closet. The Pharisee loved to stand praying in theMatth. 6. Market-place, and in the Temple; but Nathaniel was with Christ under theJohn 1. 48. [Page 483] Fig-tree; and Cornelius was at it in theActs 10. corner of his house; and Peter was at it on the Leads; and the SpouseCant. 7. 11. was at it in the Villages. Souls that truly love Christ, are much in secret visits, in secret prayer, in secret sighing, in secret groaning, in secret mourning, &c. True love is good at bolting of the door, and is always best when it is most with Christ in a corner. The se­cret discoveries that Christ makes to souls, do much oblige them to closet services.

Arcesilaus, in Plutarch, visiting his sick friend, and perceiving his necessi­ty that he wanted, and yet his mode­sty that he was ashamed to ask, that he might satisfie the one, and yet salve the other, secretly conveyed money under his Pillow; which his friend finding after he was gone, was wont to say, Arcesilaus stole this: So Christ steals secret kindnesses upon his people, and that draws them out to be much in secret, in closet services.

Thirteenthly, That Love that ac­companies Salvation, shews it self by breathing after more clear evidence, and full assurance of Christs love. To [Page 484] the soul, Divine love would fain have her drop turned into an Ocean, her spark into a flame, her penny into a pound, her mite into a million. A soul that truly loves, can never see e­nough, nor never taste enough, nor never feel enough, nor never enjoy e­nough of the love of Christ; when once they have found his love to be better then Wine, then nothing will satisfie them but the kisses of his mouth. Cant. 1. 3. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. Not with a kiss, but with the kisses of his mouth. A soul once kissed by Christ, can never have enough of the kisses of Christ; his lips drop myrrhe, and mercy; no kisses to the kisses of Christ. TheThe more a Virgins love is drawn out to another, the more she desires to be confirmed and assured of his love to her. more any soul loves Christ, the more serious, studious, and industrious will that soul be, to have the love of Christ discovered, confirmed, witnessed, and sealed to it. That is a sweet word of the Spouse, Cant. 8. 6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm; for love is strong as death. Set me as a seal upon thy heart; that is, Let me be deeply engraven as a seal into thy heart and affections: Let the love and [Page 485] remembrance of me, make a deep im­pression in thee; and set me as a seal or signet on thy arm.

1. The seal you know is for ratify­ing, confirming, and making sure of things. O sayes the Spouse, establish and confirm me in thy love, and in the outward expressions and manifestations of it.

2. Seals among the Jews were used, not as Ornaments onely, but as Monu­ments of love that were continually in sight and remembrance. O says the Church, Let me be still in thy sight and remembrance, as a monument of thy love. In the Old Law, you knowExod. 28. 11, 12, 21, 29. compared. the High Priest did bear the names of Israel engraven on stones, upon his heart and shoulder, for a memorial. Ah says the Church, Let my name be deeply engraven upon thy heart; let me be alwayes in thy eye; let me be always a memorial upon thy shoulder.

3. Great men have their signets up­on their hands in precious esteem. Jere. 22. 24. As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah, the son of Jehojakim King of Judah, were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence. [Page 486] Ah sayes the Spouse, O highly prize me, Lord Jesus highly esteem of me, O let me be as dear and precious unto thee, as the signet that thou carriest about with thee, or as signets are to great men that wear them.

Lastly, That Love that accom­panies Salvation, shews it self by working a true lover of Christ, to com­mit his richest Treasures, his choicest Jewels, to the care and custody of Christ. Where we love, we will trust; and as we love, we will trust: Little trust, speaks out little love; great trust, speaks out great love. The lovers of Christ, commend to ChristsPsal. 31. 15. So Job, so Paul. 2 Tim. 1. 12. & 4. 7, 8 Micah 7. 8, 9. Dan 6. 22. care, their Pearls of greatest price, their Names, their Lives, their Souls, their Crowns, their Innocency, their All. It was a notable saying of Luther, Let him that died for my soul, see to the salva­tion of it. Caesar received not his wounds from the swords of enemies, but from the hands of friends; that is, from trusting in them. Oh! but the lovers of Christ shall never receive any wounds, by trusting in Christ, by com­mitting their choicest Jewels to his care; for he hath a powerful hand, [Page 487] and a wise and loving heart. Christ will hold fast whatever the Father, or the Saints put into his hand. And thus I have shewed you what that Love is, that doth accompany Salvati­on. I come now in the sixth place to shew you, what Prayer that is that doth accompany Salvation. (But I see that I must contract what remains into a narrow room, lest I should tire out both the Reader and my self. Which that I may not, I shall endeavor by Di­vine Assistance, to minde brevity in what remains.)

Now that Prayer doth accompany Salvation, I have formerly shewed. Now I am briefly to shew you what Prayer that is that doth accompany Salvation, and that I shall do in these following particulars.

First, Prayer is a Divine Worship,The matter of Prayer may be reduced to these heads, 1. Petition. 2. Deprecation. 3. Intercession 4. Expostulati­on. There are other distincti­ons in regard of the manner, As first, Mental Prayer, which is the inward lifting up of the heart to God. Second­ly, Vocal, which is uttered by words, As the Publicans, God be merci­ful to me a sin­ner. Thirdly, There is con­ceived prayer, and prescribed prayer. Fourth­ly, There is publick or pri­vate prayer. These hints may suffice as to this. wherein we speak to God in Faith, Humility, Sincerity, and Fervency of Spirit, through the Mediation of Christ, begging those good things that we and others want, deprecating that we and others fear, and giving thanks for that we and others have received. Prayer is a speaking to God face to [Page 488] face; it is Iacobs Ladder, by which the soul climbs up to Heaven; it is Noahs Dove, that goes, and returns not till it brings Assurance of Peace.

But not to please you with notions, you must remember that that Prayer that accompanies Salvation, is such Prayer as hath in it all the requisites of Prayer. Now there are four re­quisites in Prayer.

First, The person must be righteous, Iam. 5. 16. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. John 9. 31. God heareth not sinners. The Jews urge it as a Proverb, An unclean per­son polluteth his own Prayers. Good motions from a bad heart, make no musick in Heaven; the sweet words that drop from a Lepers lips, are but lies in the account of God. Hosea 11. 12.

I have read of a Jewel, that being put in a dead mans mouth, loseth all its vertue: Prayer in the mouth of a wicked man that is dead God-wards, Christ-wards, Heaven-wards, and Holiness-wards, is a Jewel that loseth all its vertue. Psal. 50. 16, 17. But un­to the wicked, God saith, What hast thou [Page 489] to do to declare my Statutes; or that thou Quid prodest voce invocare, quem operibus negas? Jerom. What availeth it to invocate him with thy voice, whom thou de­niest in thy works? shouldest take my Covenant into thy mouth? Seeing that thou hatest instructi­on, and castest my words behinde thee. Bias, an Heathen, being at Sea in a great storm, and perceiving many wick­ed wretches with him in the ship, cal­ling upon the gods, O, saith he, for­bear Prayer, hold your tongues, I would not have the gods take notice that you are here, they will sure drown us all, if they should. You are wise, and know how to apply it.

The second requisite in Prayer, isIt was both a prophane and blasphemous Speech of that Atheistical wretch, that told God he was no com­mon beggar, he never troubled him before with prayer, and if he would hear him that time, he would ne­ver trouble him again. Heil. Mic p. 376. this, viz. The matter of your Prayer must be good, 1 John 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, That if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. The Favorits of Heaven have no further the ear of the King of Kings in Prayer, then the matter of their Prayer is good, and agreeable to his will, Rom. 8. 27. The matter of your Prayer must fall under some par­ticular, or general precept, or promise, or else God will never own it, nor honor it with acceptance. You must not pray as Augustine prayed before his Conversion, he prayed for conti­nency [Page 490] with a Proviso, Lord give me con­tinency (saith he) but not yet. Such Hypocrisie is double Iniquity, and God will deal with such sinners ac­cordingly.

Thirdly, As the matter of your Prayer must be good, so the manner of your Prayer must be right. God re­gards not so much the matter, as the manner of our Prayer; God loves Adverbs, better then Nowns; not toCriton. pray onely, but to pray well; (Non bonum, sed benè agere) not to do good, but to do it well.

Now for the better and further clearing of this truth, I shall shew you, by Divine Assistance, what it is to pray in a right manner; and that I shall do in the following particulars.

First, To pray in a right manner, is to pray understandingly, to pray knowingly, 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with understanding. He that doth not pray understandingly, doth not pray, but prate; as that Parrot in Rome, that could distinctly say over the wholeIgnorat sanè im­probus omnis, saith Aristotle. Ignorance is the source of all sin, the very well-spring from which all wickedness doth issue. Creed. John 4. 22. Ye worship ye know not what (sayes Christ.) So many pray they know not what. Without know­ledge, [Page 491] the minde cannot be good, Prov. 19. And can the Prayer be good, when the minde is bad? A blinde minde, a blinde Sacrifice, and a blinde Priest, are abominable to God. It was a good saying of one, God heareth not the words of one that prayeth, (saith he) unless he that prayeth, heareth them first himself: And verily, God will never understand that Prayer, that we do not understand our selves.

Secondly, To pray in a right manner, is to pray believingly, Heb. 11. 6. He The Philoso­pher could say, Qui timi [...]è ro­gat, docet ne­gare, He that craveth fear­fully, draweth on a denial. that cometh unto God, must believe that he is; that is, that he is really, as good, as gra­cious, as glorious, as excellent, as con­stant, &c. as his word reports him to be. And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Mark 11. 24. Therefore I say unto you, what things so­ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye One of the Ancients de­scribes Prayer thus; It is (saith he) As­census mentis ad Deum, a climb­ing up of the heart to God, which cannot be done, but by the power of Faith. receive them, and ye shall have them. In the Greek it is [...] in the Present­tense, Ye do receive them, to shew the certainty of receiving them: You shall as certainly receive the good things that believingly you ask in Prayer, as if you had them already in your hand. God will never let the hand [Page 492] of Faith go empty away in Prayer: Faith is Gods darling, and he never fails to give it a worthy portion, a Benjamins portion, a Hannahs portion, a double portion, Iam. 1. 5, 6, 7. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth, is like Unbelief is virtually all ill, therefore fight especially against it. a wave of the Sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. For let not that man think, that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. He that prayeth doubtingly, shuts the Gates of Heaven against his own Prayers.

It is reported in the life of Luther, that when he prayed, it was (Tanta reverentia ut si Deo, & tanta fiducia ut si amico) with so much reverence, as if he were praying to God; and with so much boldness, as if he had been speaking to his friend. Faith in Prayer, makes a man divinely familiar, and bold with God in Prayer. That Prayer that hath not the image and stamp of Faith upon it, is no Prayer in Divine account. The sweetest flowers of Paradise, are onely acceptable to [Page 493] God, as they are tendered to him by a hand of Faith.

Augustus, when a poor man came to present a Petition to him, with his hand shaking and trembling out of fear, the Emperor was much dis­pleased, and said, It is not fit that any should come with a Petition to a King, as if a man were giving meat to an Ele­phant, that is, afraid to be destroyed by him.

Verily, Iehovah loves to see every one of his Petitioners to come to him with a stedfast Faith, and not with a trembling Hand. Christ gets most glory, and the Soul gets most good, by those Prayers that are accompanied with the actings of Faith.

Thirdly, To pray in a right manner, is to pray intensly, servently, earnestly. So Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much; [...], Faith is an om­niporent grace, it works won­ders in Hea­ven, in the Heart, and in Earth, Such working-prayer as sets all the faculties of the soul, and all the graces in the soul at work, alwayes speeds; it fails not of win­ning the day, of carrying the Crown. or as the Greek hath it, The working Prayer; that is, such Prayer as sets the whole man a work; the word signi­fies, such a working as notes the live­liest activity that can be. As Physick kills the body, if it work not; so doth [Page 494] Prayer the soul, if it be not a work­ing-prayer. As a painted fire is no fire, a dead man no man; so a cold prayer is no prayer: In a painted fire there is no heat, in a dead man there is no life; so in a cold prayer there is no omnipotency, no devotion, no blessing. It is not cold, but working­prayer, that can lock up Heaven three years, and open Heavens gate at plea­sure, and bring down the sweetest blessings upon our heads, and the choicest favors into our hearts. Cold Prayers are as Arrows without heads, as Swords without edges, as Birds without wings, they peirce not, they cut not, they flie not up to Heaven: Cold Prayers do always freeze before they reach to Heaven. So Jacob was earnest in his wrestling with God. Let Gen. 32. 24, 25, 26, 27. me alone, sayes God: I will not let thee go, except thou bless me, sayes Jacob. Jacob, though lamed, and hard laid at, will not let the Lord go without a blessing: Jacob holds with his hands, when his joynts were out of joynt; and so as a Prince prevails with God. Jacob prayes and weeps, and weepsThe Jews have a saying, That since the de­struction of Jerusalem, the door of prayers hath been shut: But the door of tears was ne­ver shut, saith One. and prayes, and so prevails with God. [Page 495] Hos. 12. 4. Yea, he had power over the Angel, and prevailed; he wept and made supplication unto him, &c. It is not the labor of the lips, but the travel of the heart; it is not the pouring forth a flood of words, but the pouring out of the soul, that makes a man a Prince, a prevailer with God. A man that would gain victory over God in Prayer, must strain every string of his heart; heRom 15. 30. [...], the word signi­fies, to strive to the shedding of blood. Luke 18. 5. [...]. Buffet me, or beat me down with her blows, as wrestlers beat down their adve [...]sa­ries with their fists, or clubs. must in beseeching God, besiedge him, and so get the better of him; he must strive in Prayer, even to an agony; he must be like importunate beggars, that will not be put off with frowns, or silence, or sad answers. Those that would be masters of their requests, must with the importunate Widow, press God so far, as to put him to the blush; they must with a holy impu­dence (as Basil speaks) make God a­shamed to look them in the face, if he should deny the importunity of their souls. An importunate soul will never cease till he speed, he will devour all discouragements, yea, he will turn dis­couragements into incouragements, as the woman of Canaan did, till Christ sayes, Be it unto thee, O Soul, as thou wilt. [Page 496] As a body without a soul, much wood without fire, a bullet in a gun with­out powder; so are words in Prayer,Oratio brevis penetrat c [...]lum, saith one. without fervency of Spirit. The hot­est Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions.

I have read of one, who being sen­sible of his own dulness and coldness in Prayer, chid himself thus; What?The Jews write upon the walls of their Synagogues this sentence, That Prayer without the in­tention of the minde, is but as a body without a soul. You know how to apply it. doest thou think that Ionah prayed thus, when he was in the belly of Hell? or Daniel, when he was in the Lyons den? or the Thief when he was upon the cross? And I may adde, or the three Children when they were in the fiery furnace? or the Apostles when they were in bonds and prisons? O that Christians would chide them­selves out of their cold Prayers, and chide themselves into a better, and a warmer frame of spirit, when they make their Supplications before theJerom speaks of certain holy women in his time, That they seemed in their fervent affections to joyn with the holy company of Heaven. Lord. An importunate Soul in Prayer, is like the poor begger, that prayes and knocks, that prayes and waits, that prayes and works, that knocks and knits, that begs and patches, and will not stir from the door, till he hath an alms. And verily, he that is good at [Page 497] this, will not be long a begger in grace; God will make his heart, and his cup to overflow.

Fourthly, To pray in a right man­ner, is, To pray a [...]iduously, constantly, as well as fervently, Luke 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them, to this end, that men ought alwayes to pray, and not so faint; or as it is in the Greek, not to [...], id est, non de [...]atigati. Cornel a Lap. To pray al­wayes is [...], to pray in every opportunity. shri [...]k back, as sluggards in work, or cowards in war. Now men pray al­ways, first, when their hearts are al­ways prepared to pray, or in a praying frame: Secondly, When they do not omit the duty, when it is to be per­formed; or when they take hold on every opportunity, to pour out their souls before the Lord. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing A man must always pray habitually, though not actually, he must have his heart in a praying dis­positionSemper orat qui benè s [...]mpe [...] agit. To pray al­ways, is to pray omni tempore. in all estates and conditions, in prosperity and adversity, in health and sickness, in strength and weakness, in wealth and wants, in life and death. So in Ephes. 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all Saints. Our daily [Page 498] weaknesses, our daily wants, our dailyPrayer, saith one, is Flagel­lum Diaboli. fears, our daily dangers, our daily temptations, &c. be speak our daily Prayers. Rom. 12. 12. Rejoycing in hope, patient in tribulation, continu­ing instant in Prayer. It is a Metaphor [...]. taken from dogs that hunt, that will not give over the game, till they have got it. A dog of all Creatures is bestAugustines usu­al wish was, That when Christ came, he might finde him, (Aut pre­cantem, aut prae­dicantem) either praying or preaching. able to endure hunger, he will run from place to place, and never leave till he hath got his prey: So a childe of God in his hunting after God, Christ, Grace, Peace, Mercy, Glory, never gives over till he hath found his hea­venly prey, Cant. 3. 4. At length I found him whom my soul loved; I held him, and would not let him go. The Spouse never left hunting after her beloved, till she had found him. Gracious souls reckonAs a hungry man eats, as if he had never eat before. that they have nothing, till they speed in the things they sue for; they pray as if they had never prayed, and think that they have done nothing, till they have done the deed. It is observed by some, of Proteus, that he was wont to give certain Oracles; but it was hard to make him speak, and deliver them, but he would turn himself into several [Page 499] shapes and forms; yet if they would hold out, and press him hard without fear, into whatsoever form or shape he appeared, they were sure to have sa­tisfactory Oracles: So if we will con­tinueHypocrites are inconstant in their prayers, Job 27. 10. they are one­ly at it by sits and starts, they are onely con­stant in incon­stancy. constant in our wrestling with God for blessings, though God should appear to us in the form or shape of a Judge, an Enemy, a Stranger, &c. yet still to press him hard for mercy, veri­ly, mercy will come at the long run, and we shall say, That it is not in vain for men to hold on praying, though God for a time delayes giving the par­ticular favors they sue for. As that Emperor said, (Oportet Imperatorem stantem mori) It behoves an Emperor to die standing: So may I say, (Oportet Christianum mori precantem,) It behoves a Christian to die praying.

Fifthly, To pray in a right manner, is, To pray sincerely, Psal. 17. 1. Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of [...] The very Hea­then gods wo [...]ld be ser­ved in white, the very em­blem of purity. feigned lips; or, as it is in the Hebrew, without lips of deceipt. Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: To all that call upon him in truth. Your heart and tongue must go together, word and work, lip and [Page 500] life, prayer and practise, must eccho one to another, or else all will be lost; God lost, Christ lost, Heaven lost, and the Soul lost for ever. It is not the greatness of the voice, nor the multi­tude of words, nor the sweetness of the tone, nor studied notions, nor elo­quent expressions that takes Jehovah, Psal. 51. 6. but truth in the inward parts. When the Athenians would know of the Ora­cle, the cause of their often unprospe­rous successes in battel against the La­cedemonians, seeing they offered the choicest things they could get, in sacri­fice to the gods, which their enemies did not; The Oracle gave them this answer, That the gods were better pleased with their inward supplication, without ambition, then with all their outward pomp in costly sacrifices. Ah Souls, the reason why you are so un­successful in your religious duties and services, is, Because you are no more sincere and upright in them; wereA Gentlewo­man being in her Parlor in Meditation and Prayer, cryed out, O that I might e­ver enjoy this sweet communi­on with God, and never change it. The first part of her wish is pre­cious, in the latter part of the wish (like Peter) she said she knew not what. there more singleness, and sincerity of heart in your duties, you would have surer and sweeter returns from Hea­ven.

One reports of Joachim, the Father [Page 501] of the Virgin Mary, that he would often say (Cibus & potus mihi erit oratio,) Prayer is my meat and drink. Ah Christians, the more sincere you are, the more will Prayer be your meat and drink; and the more prayer is a de­light and pleasure to you, the more will you be the pleasure and delight of God, who delights in those that de­light in his service, and that count his work better then wages. It was more troublesom to Severus (the Emperor) to be asked nothing, then to give much; when any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him, he would call him, and say, (Quid est cur nihil petis? &c.) What meanest thou to ask me nothing? So sayes Christ, to upright souls; Hitherto have ye asked nothing: Aske and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full, John 16. 24. Christ hath a full purse, a noble heart, and a liberal hand.

The fourth requisit in Prayer, is this, viz. Your Prayer must be ad bonum, Max [...]milians Motto was, (Tene mensu­ram, & respice finem) Keep thy self within compass, and have alwayes an eye to the end of thy life and actions. to a good end, it must be to the glory of God, and to the internal and eter­nal advantage of your own, and others souls. The chiefest end, the white, the [Page 502] mark, at which the soul must aim in Prayer, is Gods glory. Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. When God crowns us, he doth but crown his own gifts in us; and when we give God the glory of all we do, we do but give him the glory that is due unto his Name: For he works all our works in us, and for us. God measures all mens actions by their ends; if the end be good, all is good; if the end be naught, all is naught: The end determineth the acti­on. All actions of worship, are good or bad, as the mark is at which the soul aims. He that makes God the object of Prayer, but not the end of Prayer, doth but lose his Prayer, and take pains to undo himself. God willLord, saith Au­stin, whatever thou hast given, take all away, onely give me thy self. Isai. 1. 11. Zach. 7. 5 Amos 5 22. Hos. 7. 14. Many Hea­thens as Aristi­des, Cato, The­mistecles, with divers others, did unfeignedly many great services for the common good, and not for their own gain, but yet they could not hit the mark, the white, Divine glory; and so their most glo­rious actions were but glo­rious sins, and would never turn to their souls accounts. be all in all, or he will be nothing at all; he will be Alexander or Nemo, he will be both the object and the end of Prayer, or else he will abhor your Prayer. Those Prayers never reach his ear, they are never lodged in his bosom, that are not directed to his glory: The end must alwayes be as noble as the means, or else a Christian acts below himself, yea, below his very Rea­son.

Ah Christians, it is not a flood of words, nor high strains of wit, nor vehemency of affections in Prayer, but holy and gracious ends that will ren­der Prayer acceptable and honorable to God, comfortable and profitable to your selves, and others; yea, the directing of one Prayer to divine glory, doth more torture and torment Satan, then all the Prayers in the world that are directed to ends below divine glo­ry. It is not simply Prayer, but the souls aiming at divine glory in Prayer, that addes to Christs Crown, and Sa­tans Hell.

And thus I have shewed you all the Requisits of Prayer, even of such Prayer as accompanies Salvation. I shall now proceed to some other par­ticulars, for the further and fuller open­ing of this truth.

Secondly, That Prayer that accom­paniesIt was a sweet saying of one, O Lord, I never come to thee, but by thee; I never go from thee, without thee. Salvation, betters the whole Man; by it Faith is increased, Hope strengthned, the Spirit exhilarated, the Heart pacified, the Conscience purified, Temptations vanquished, Corruptions weakned, the Affections inflamed, the Will more renewed, and the whole [Page 504] Man more advantaged. Prayer is a Spiritual Chair, wherein the soul sit­eth down at the feet of the Lord, to receive the influences of his Grace: Prayer is the Regal Gate, by which the Lord entereth into the heart, com­forting, quieting, strengthning, quick­ning, and raising of it. The Scripture affords us a cloud of witnesses to prove this truth, but I appeal to praying Saints, Ah tell me, tell me, praying Souls, have not you, do not you finde it so? I know you have and do, and that is it that makes Prayer a pleasure, a paradise unto you.

Thirdly, You may judge what Pray­er that is that accompanies Salvation, by considering the difference that is be­twixt the Prayers of the godly and the wicked. Now the difference be­tween the Prayers of the one, and the other, I shall shew you in the follow­ing particulars.

First, Gracious Souls do trade and deal with God in Prayer onely upon the account and credit of Christ. TheyIt is a notable saving Luther hath upon the 130 Psalm. Often and wil­lingly, saith he, do I inculcate this, that you should shut your eyes and your ears, and say, You know no God out of Christ, none, but he that was in the lap of Ma­ry, and sucked her Brests. He means none out of him. beg mercy to pardon them, and grace [...]o purge them, and balm to heal them, and divine favor to comfort them, and [Page 505] power to support them, and wisdom to counsel them, and goodness to sa­tisfie them; but all upon the account of Christs Blood, of Christs Righte­ousness, of Christs Satisfaction, and of Christs Intercession at the right hand of the Father, Revel. 4. 10, 11. They seek the Father in the Son, they pre­sent their sutes always in Christs Name; for so is the will of Christ, John 14. 13, 14. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my Name, I will do it. John 15. 16. Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name, he will give it you. Chap. 16. 23. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. [...]. The Greek is pregnant, and may be read, not onely whatsoever, but also how many things soever ye shall ask or beg of the Father in my Name, he will give them to you. There is no admission into Heaven, except we bring Christ in our arms, Ephes. 2. 18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit, un­to [...]. As no access, so no accep­tance without Christ. Eph. 1. 6. Wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. the Father. The Greek word signifies A leading by the hand, it is an allusion [Page 506] to the custom of Princes, to whom there is no passage, unless we be brought in by one of their Favorites. Plutarch reports, That it was wont to be the way of some of the Heathens, the Molossians, when they would seek the favor of their Prince, they took up the Kings Son in their Arms, and so went and kneeled before the King. Ah Christians, Christ is near and dear unto the Father, the Father hath de­termined to give out all his loves and favors through his Son; if you bringAs Jacob said, See not my face, except you bring Benjamin with you: So sayes God, See not my face, except you bring Jesus with you. Gen. 42. 20, to 34. And as David said to Abner. 2 Sam. 3. 13. Christ in the arms of your Faith, you gain the Fathers heart, and in gaining his heart, you gain all. The Fathers Mercies melt, his Bowels roul, his Heart turns, his Compassions are kindled, upon the sight of his Sons Merits and Mediation. As Joseph said to his Brethren, Ye shall not see my face, unless you bring your Brother Benjamin: So sayes God, you shall not see my face unless you bring the Lord Jesus with you.

Now gracious Souls, in all their Prayers, they present Jesus Christ be­fore the Father, and upon his account they desire those things that make for [Page 507] their external, internal, and eternal good. Ah but vain men treat and trade with God in Prayer, upon the account of their own worth, righteousness, wor­thiness, and services, Isa. 58. 2, 3. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a Nation that did Righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinance of their God. They ask of me the Ordinances of Justice, they take delight in approaching to me: Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and thou takest no knowledge? Here you see they stand upon their own practises, and services, and expostulate the case with God in an angry manner, because God did not answer their hy­pocritical performances. So the proud Pharisee stands in Prayer upon his own worthiness, and righteousness, Luk. 18. 11, 12. The Pharisee stood and prayed This Pharisee was like the Egyptian Tem­ple, painted without, and spotted within, varnish with­out, and ver­min within. thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publi­can. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. So did those Hypo­crites in the sixth Chapter, and in the three and twentieth Chapter of Mat­thew, stand very much upon their out­ward [Page 508] services and performances, though they were but shining sins, but filthy rags.

Secondly, Souls truly gracious, pray more to get off their sins, then they do to get off their chains. Though Bonds did attend Paul in every place, asActs 20. 23. himself speaks, yet he never cries out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from my Bonds, but O Rom. 7. 23. wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me, from my sins, from this body of death? David cryes not, Perii, but Peccavi, Psal. 51. Not I am undone, but I have done foolishly: But wicked men strive in Prayer, more to get off their chains, then to get off their sins, more to be delivered from enemies without, then lusts within, more to get out of the Furnace, then to be delivered from their Spiritual Bondage; as the Scrip­turesPsal. 78. 34. Zach. 7. 5, 6, 7. Isai. 26. 16, 17. in the Margent do evidence.

Thirdly, The Stream and Cream of a gracious Mans spirit, runs most out in Prayer, after Spiritual and Heaven­lyPsal. 4. 6, 7. & 27 4. things, as is abundantly evident by those Prayers of the Saints that are upon record throughout the Scripture: But the Stream and Cream of vain [Page 509] mens spirits in Prayer runs most out after poor, low, carnal things, as you may see in comparing the following Scriptures together, Hos. 7. 14. Zach. 7. 5, 6, 7. Jam. 4. 3, &c.

Fourthly, A gracious Soul looks and lives more upon God in Prayer, then upon his Prayer: He knows, though Prayer be his Chariot, yet Christ is his food: Prayer may be a staff to support him, but Christ is that Manna that must nourish him; and up­on him he looks, and lives. Psal. 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer un­to thee, (or Martial, and set in order my Prayer, as it is in the Hebrew) and will look up (or look out, as it is in the He­brew) [...] in Pihil. as a watchman looks out to d [...]scover the approaches of an enemy: But vain men, they live and look more upon their Prayers, then they do upon God; Nay, usually they never look after their Prayers, they never observe what returns they have from Heaven; they are like those that shoot Arrows, but do not minde where they fall. Wicked men think it is Religion enough for them to pray, and to look after their prayers, to see how their prayers speed [Page 510] is no Article of their Faith: But a gra­cious Soul is of a more noble spirit, when he hath prayed he will stand upon his watch-tower, and observe what God will speak. Psal. 85. 8. I will hear that God the Lord will speak; for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints: But let them not return to folly; or as the Hebrew may be read, And they shall [...] I will lissen and lay my o­bedient ear to what the Lord shall speak. not return to folly, Veal iashubu le Chislah. Wicked men would have God to be all ear, to hear what they desire, when themselves have never an ear to hear what he speaks. But deaf ears shall always be attended with dumb an­swers. Justice always makes mercy dumb, when sin hath made the sinner deaf.

Fifthly, No discouragements can take gracious Souls off from Prayer, but the least discouragements willAristotle, though a Hea­then, could say, That in some cases a man had better lose his life, then be cowardly. Ethic. 3. c. 1. take off carnal hearts from Prayer, as you may see in the following Scrip­tures, compared together, Psal. 40. 1, 2. & 44. 10-23. Matth. 15. 21-29. Mal. 3. 14. Isai. 58. 1, 2, 3. Amos 8. 3, 4, 5, &c. When one of the Ancient Martyrs was terrified with the threat­nings of his persecutors, he replied, [Page 511] There is nothing (saith he) of things visible, nothing of things invisible, that I fear, I will stand to my profession of the name of Christ, and contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, come on it what will. It is neither the hope of life, nor the fear of death, that can take a real Christian off from Prayer: He is rather raised then de­jected; he is rather quickned then discouraged by delays or denials; he will hold up and hold on in a way and course of Prayer, though men should rage, and Lyons roar, and the Furnace be heat seven times hotter, &c. But it is not so with carnal hearts, Job 27 9, 10.

Sixthly, When a gracious manIn his course his heart is in his Prayer, he findes by ex­perience that the heart is the Primum mobile, the great wheel that moves all other wheels. It is the chief Monarch in the Isle of Man. prayes; he hath his heart in his Prayer, when he falls upon the work he makes heart-work on it. So David in Psal. 42. 4. When I remember these things, I pour out my heart. So Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 15. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit (saith she) and have poured out my soul before the Lord. So the Israelites in 1 Sam. 7. 6. Poured out their souls like water before the Lord. So the Church in Isa. 26. 8, 9. The desire of our soul is to thy [Page 512] name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. Gracious Souls know,The voice of God is Da Mi­hi cor. that no Prayer is acknowledged, ac­cepted, and rewarded by God, but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly. It is not a piece, it is not a corner of the heart, that will satisfie the Maker of the heart. The true Mother would not have the childe di­vided: As God loves a broken and a contrite heart, so he loaths a divided heart. God neither loves halting, nor halving, he will be served truly and totally. The Royal Law is, Thou shalt The heart as a Prince gives Laws to all o­ther Members. The Heart is Christs Bed of Spices, it is his Presence Chamber, it is his Royal Throne; it is one of those four Keys that God keeps under his own girdle. love and serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Among the Heathens, when the Beasts were cut up for Sacrifice, the first thing the Priest looked upon, was the heart; and if the heart was naught, the Sacri­fice was rejected. Verily, God rejects all those Sacrifices wherein the Heart is not.

Now wicked men are heartless in all their Services▪ in all their Prayers, as you may see in comparing the follow­ing Scriptures together, (I shall not [Page 513] transcribe the words, because I must cut short the work,) Isai. 29. 13. Matth. 15. 7, 8, 9. Ezek. 33. 30, 31, 32. Zach. 7. 4, 5, 6. 2 Chro. 25. 1, 2. As the body without the soul is dead, so Pray­er,Prayer without the heart, is but an empty ring, a tinck­ling symbal. without the heart be in it, is but dead Prayer in the eye and account of God. Prayer is onely lovely and weighty, as the heatt is in it, and no o­therwise. It is not the lifting up of the voice, nor the wringing of the hands, nor the beating of the brests, but the stirrings of the heart, that God looks at in Prayer. God hears no more then the heart speaks; if the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf. No Prayer takes with God, but that which is the travel of the heart.

Seventhly, Gracious Souls usuallyDan 9. 9. Nehe. 10. com­pared. Rom. 8. 26. [...], Helpeth together, or helps us as the nurse doth the little childe. Prayer is the breath of the Spirit, &c. come off from Prayer, with hearts more disengaged from sin, and more vehemently set against it: The preci­ous communion that they have with God in Prayer, the sweet breathings of God into their hearts, whilest they are a breathing out their requests in his ears, and the secret assistance, stir­rings, and movings of the Spirit upon their souls in Prayer, arm them more [Page 514] against sin, and makes them stand up­on the highest terms of defiance with sin. How shall I do this or that wick­edness against God? Sayes the pray­ing Soul, O I cannot, I will not do any thing unworthy of him, that hath caused his glory to pass before me in Prayer.

Ah but wicked men come off from Prayer with hearts more encouraged to sin, and more resolved to walk in ways of sin. Prov. 7. 14, 15-24. I have Peace-offerings with me; (saith the Harlot) This day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, dili­gently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. Come, let us take our fill of love, un­til [...] Be drunken with loves, which shews her un­satiable lusts. the morning; let us solace our selves with loves. So in Jere. 7. 9, 10. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsly, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not, And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my Name, and say, We are delivered to do all these a­bominations? Wicked men are like Lewis, King of France, that would swear, and then kiss the cross, and then swear more bitterly, and then kiss the [Page 515] cross: So they sin and pray, and prayMr. Shepherd in his Sincere Convert speaks of such a monster, yea, this age is full of such Mon­sters, that have no pity upon themselves. and sin; and the more they pray, the more easily, resolutely, and impudent­ly do they sin. They make use of Pray­er to charm their Consciences, that so they may sin with more pleasure, and less regreet. Ah, what pains do such sin­ners take to go to Hell, and to arm their Consciences against themselves in that day, wherein they shall say, There is no help, there is no hope!

Eighthly and lastly, Gracious Souls do more eye and observe, how their own hearts are wrought upon in Pray­er,Psal. 35. 13. My Prayer re­turned into my own bosom. Isa [...]. 26. 8, 9. then how others hearts are wrought upon. When they pray, they look with a curious eye upon their own spi­rits, they look with a narrow eye up­on their own hearts, and observe how they are affected, melted, humbled, quickned, raised, spiritualized, and bet­tered by Prayer: But vain men as they pray to be seen of men; so they eye most how others like their prayers, andMatth. 6. & 23. The vertue of some lieth in the spectators eyes. are affected and taken with their pray­ers; they are most critical in observing what operations their prayers have upon others hearts, but never minde (to any purpose) how they operate [Page 516] upon their own hearts; a worse plague cannot befal them.

And thus I have endeavored to shew you what a wide difference there is be­twixt the Prayers of the godly, and the ungodly; and by this, as by the former particulars laid down, you may see what Prayer that is that accom­panies Salvation.

Now, in the seventh place, I shallThe seventh thing that ac­companies Salvation, is Perseverance. shew you what Perseverance that is that accompanies Salvation, and that I shall do in these following parti­culars.

First, That Perseverance that ac­companies Salvation, is, Perseverance in a holy Profession. Heb. 4. 14. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God: Let us hold fast our professi­on by a strong hand, or by a hand of holy [...]. violence. So in Chap. 10. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without [...], sig­nifies, A forci­ble holding, a holding with both hands. [...]. wavering (or as it is in the Greek, with­out tilting, or tossing to one side or other) for he is faithful that promised. Therefore let no temptation, affliction, oppositi­on, or persecution, take us off from our holy Profession, but let us hold [Page 517] our Profession with a forcible hand, yea, with both hands, in the face of all difficulties, dangers, and deaths. As Cynaegirus, the Athenian Captain, did the ship that was laden with the rich spoil of his Country.

Secondly, That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation, is, a Perseve­rance in holy and spiritual Principles: It is an abiding in love, John 15. 9, 10.So in Col. 1. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 15. Heb. 13. 1. & 11. 13. These all died in Faith; or as it is in the Greek, They all died accord­ing to Faith; that is, Perse­vering in Faith. And an abiding in faith and hope, 1 Cor. 13. 13, &c. Perseverence is not a particular distinct Grace of it self; but such a Vertue as crowns all vertue; it is such a Grace as casts a general glo­ry and beauty upon every grace: It is a Grace that leads every grace on to perfection.

To persevere in holy and heavenly Principles, is, To persevere in Belie­ving, in Repenting, in Mourning, in Hoping; It is to persevere in Love, in Fear, in Humility, in Patience, in Self-denial, &c. Now it is this perse­veranceIt is a Rule in the Civil Law (Nec videtur actum si quid superfit quod agatur) that nothing seems to be done, if there remain ought to be done. Let a man do never so much, if he do not perse­vere, he will be found to have done nothing. in holy and gracious Principles that accompaines Salvation, that leads to Salvation. No grace, no, not the most sparkling and shining grace, can bring a man to Heaven of it self, with­out [Page 518] Perseverance; not Faith, which is the Champion of Grace, if it faint and fail; not Love, which is the Nurse of Grace, if it decline and wax cold; not Humility, which is the adorner & beau­tifier of Grace, if it continue not to the end; not Obedience, not Repentance, not Patience, nor no other Grace, ex­cept they have their perfect work. It is Perseverance in Grace that crowns every Grace, and every gracious Soul with a crown of glory at last. Revel. 2. 10. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Such asAs all Hypo­crites onely do. John 6, &c. onely believe for a time, and repent for a time, and love for a time, and repent for a time, and love for a time, and rejoyce for a time, and hope for a time, &c. But do not persevere and hold out, will be doubly miserable in the day of ven­geance. Perseverance is the accom­plishment of every Grace, without it, he that fights cannot hope to over­come; and he that for the present doth overcome, cannot look for the Crown, unless he still perseveres and goes on conquering, and to conquer, till he findes all his enemies slain before him.

Thirdly, That Perseverance that [Page 519] accompanies Salvation, is, An abidingYou must per­severe and hold fast the faith of the Gospel, with­out wavering in it, or start­ling from it. You must be as the Center, or as Mount Sion, stedfast and unmove­able. or continuing in the Word or Do­ctrine of Christ. John 15. 7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done un­to you. 1 John 2. 14. I have written un­to you yong men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you. Vers. 24. Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning; if that which ye have heard from the beginning, shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 2 John vers. 9. Whosoever tranfgresseth and a­bideth not in the Doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father, and the Son. None shall receive the end ofThe Taberna­cle was cover­ed over with red (and the purple feathers tell us, that they take that habit for the same intent) to note, That we must de­fend the tru [...]h, and abide by the truth, even to essusion of blood. their Faith, the Salvation of their Souls, but those that hold fast the Doctrine of Faith, foundly, sincerely, and entirely, to the end. John 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word, then are ye my Disciples indeed. It is the End that crowns the action, as the Evening crowns the day, as the last act com­mends the whole Scene. It is not e­nough to begin well, except we end well; the beginning of Christians is [Page 520] not so considerable as the end. Manas­seh and Paul began ill, but ended well;Neroes first five years were fa­mous, but after­wards who more cruel? Judas and Demas began well, but end­ed ill. It is not the knowledge of the Doctrine of Christ, nor the commend­ing of the Word of Christ, but the abiding in Christs Word, the continu­ing in Christs Doctrine, that accom­panies Life and Glory, and that will render a man happy at last. Such that with Hymeneus and Alexander, put a­way,1 Tim. 1. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 5. 5. or make shipwrack of the Do­ctrine of Faith, of the Word of Faith, shall by the Lord, or his peo­ple, or by both, be delivered unto Sa­tan, that they may learn not to blas­pheme: Usually the end of such, is worse then the beginning. Double2 Pet. 2. 20, 21, 22. 2 Tim 3. 13. damnation attends those that begin in the Spirit, and end in the Flesh.

Fourthly and lastly, That Perseve­rance that accompanies Salvation, is, A Perseverance in holy and graciusPhil. 3. 10-14 Isa. 40. ult. Actions and Motions, it is a continuing in Pious Duties, and Religious Services. The life of Christian consists in Mo­tion,Non progrediest regredi, Not to go forwards, is to go back­wards. not in Session: A Christians Emblem should be an House moving towards Heaven, he must never stand [Page 521] still, he must alwayes be a going on from Faith to Faith, and from strength to strength. When Saints have done their work in this life, they shall sit upon Thrones in a better life. Perse­veranceActs 13. 43. & 14. 22. [...], of [...], signifying a continuance in Prayer and Supplication, with an invin­cible and strong con­stancy. There was a Temple of Concord among the Heathens, and shall it not be found a­mong Christi­ans that are the Temple of the Holy Ghost? is a going on, a holding out, in ways of piety and sanctity. Acts 1. 14. These all continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication. Chap. 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apo­stles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. Vers. 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking Bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of heart. 1 Tim. 5. 5. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in Supplications and Prayers, night and day. Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer. Christians must work hard in a Wilderness, before they sit down in paradise: They must make a constant progress in holiness, before they enter into happiness.

It is the excellency of Perseverance, that it keeps a Christian still in motion God-wards, Heaven-wards, Holiness­wards. It is a Grace that quickens a [Page 522] man to motion, to action; it keeps a man still going, still doing. And Moti­on is the excellency of the Creature, and the more excellent any Creature is, the more excellent is that Crea­ture in its motions; as you may see in the motions of the Celestial Bodies, the Sun, Moon, and Stars. Perseve­rance is a perpetual motion in ways of Grace and Holiness. Perseverance willPsal. 44. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. make a man hold up, and hold on, in the work and ways of the Lord, in the face of all impediments, discourage­ments, temptations, tribulations, and persecutions. As the Moon holds on her motion, though the dogs bark; so Perseverance will make a Christian hold on in his holy and heavenly Mo­tions, though vain men bark, and bite, &c.

And thus I have shewed you what Perseverance that is that accompanies Salvation.

Now in the Eighth place, I shallThe eighth and last thing that accompanies Salvation is Hope. I shall gather up what I have to say concern [...]ng Hope, into as narrow a com­pass as I can, being unwil­ling to tire the Readers pati­ence, and my own spirits. The Philoso­phers excluded Hope out of their Cata­logues of ver­tues, number­ing it among the perturbati­ons; but God by his Werd hath taught us better. shew you, (very briefly) First, That Hope doth accompany Salvation; Se­condly, What that Hope is that doth accompany Salvation.

First, That Hope doth accompany [Page 523] Salvation, these Scriptures speak it out. Rom. 8. 24. For we are saved by hope. Gal. 5. 5. For we through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Ephes. 1. 18. The eyes of your understand­ing being inlightned; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. 1 Thes. 5. 8. But let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the brest-plate of Faith, and Love, and for an helmet, the Hope of Salvation. Tit. 3. 7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Chap. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began. By all these Scriptures it doth fully appear, that Hope doth accompany Salva­tion, it doth boarder upon eternal life.

The second thing that I am to shew you is, What Hope that is that doth accompany Salvation, that compre­hends Salvation; and that I shall do with as much brevity and perspicuity as I can, in the following particu­lars.

First, That Hope that accompanies [Page 524] Salvation, is, A grace of God, where­bySpes est expecta­tio eorum quae verè à Deo pro­missa fides cre­didit. Calvin. 1 Tim. 6. 17. This very title The God of Hope, may serve as a so­veraign anti­dote against the blackest and horridest temptations; for why should any despair of his mercy who hath proclaim­ed himself to be the God of Hope? Spes est virtus qua inclinam [...]r ad expectationem eorum quae Deus nobis promisit. Perkins. we expect good to come, patiently waiting till it come. First, I call it a Grace of God, because he is the donor of it; and therefore he is called the God of Hope, Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. Now God is called the God of Hope, because he is objectivè, the onely object of our Hope, and he is effectivè, the onely Author and Worker of Hope in the Soul. Hope is no natural affection in men, men are not born with hope in their hearts, as they are born with tongues in their mouthes: Hope is nobly descended, it is from above, it is a heavenly Babe, that is formed in the soul of man by the power of the Holy Ghost. And as Hope is no natural affection, so Hope is no Moral vertue, which men may attain by their frequent actions; but Hope is a Theological vertue that none can give but God. Secondly, I say it is a Grace of God, whereby we ex­pect good to come; I say good, not evil; for evil is rather feared, then hoped for by any. The object of this Hope hath four conditions. 1. It must [Page 525] be Bonum, good. 2. Futurum, future. 3. Possibile, possible. 4. Arduum, hard or difficult to obtain. Thirdly, I say Hope is a Grace of God, whereby we expect good to come, patiently wait­ing till it come: Hope makes the Soul quiet and patient till it comes to pos­sess the good desired and hoped for, Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. The Hebrew word (Kavah) that is often translated Hope, signifies a very vehement intention, both of body and minde, a stretching forth of the Spirit or Minde, in waiting for a desired good.2 Cor. 4. ult. Hope fates well, it keeps a Princes Ta­ble, it lives up­on Honey and Milk, Oyl and Wine, it sives upon the sweet meats, the de­licates of Hea­ven, as God, Christ, and Glory. Psal. 31. 24. & 33. 22. & 38. 15. & 42. 5. & 43. 5. & 39. 7. & 71. 5. & 65. 5.

Secondly, That Hope that accom­panies Salvation, is alwayes conver­sant about holy and heavenly objects, as about God and Christ. 1 Tim. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our Hope. In these words, Christ is set forth as the chief object of our Hope, because by his merits and mercy, we hope to obtain the remission of our sins, and the eternal Salvation of our souls. Sometimes Hope is exercised about [Page 526] the Righteousness of Christ. Gal. 5. 5. For we through the Spirit, wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith. Sometimes Hope is exercised about God the Fa­ther, 1 Pet. 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Jere. 14. 8. O the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble. Chap. 17. 13. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed. Vers. 17. Thou art my hope in the day of evil. Sometimes HopeThe Jewish Rabbins were wont to say, That upon e­very Letter of the Law, there hangs Moun­tains of profit­able matter. Ah then what abundance of comfort and sweetness may hope finde, yea, does hope finde in the Promises? is exercised, and busied about the Word and Promises, Psal. 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to Hope. Vers. 81. My soul fainteth for thy Salvation, but I hope in thy Word. Verse 114. Thou art my hiding place, and my shield. I hope in thy Word. Psal. 130. 5. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait: And in his Word, do I hope. Psal. 119. 74. They that fear thee will be glad, when they see me: Because I have hoped in thy Word. Verse 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cryed: I hoped in thy Word. Hope in the Promise, will keep the head from aking, and the heart [Page 527] from breaking, it will keep both head and heart from sinking and drowning. Hope exercised upon the promise, brings Heaven down to the heart: The Promises are the Ladder by which Hope gets up to Heaven. Hope in the Promise will not onely keep life and soul together, but it will also keep the soul and glory together. Hope inPsal. 4 [...]. 5. & 119. 49, 50. compared. Hol. 6. 1, 2. the Promise will support distressed souls; Hope in the Promise will set­tle perplexed souls; Hope in the Pro­mise will comfort dejected souls; Hope in the Promise will reduce wan­dering souls; Hope in the Promise will confirm staggering souls; Hope in the Promise will save undone souls. The Promise is the same to Hope, thatRom. 8. 24. The Promises are Hopes rich Maga­zin. Hope is to the Soul; the Promise is the Anchor of Hope, as Hope is the Anchor of the Soul. Look what the Brests are to the Childe, and Oyl is to the Lamp, that, are the Promises to Hope. Hope lives and thrives, as it feeds upon the Promises, as it em­braces the Promises: The Promises are the sweet-meats of Heaven, uponHeb. 11. 13. which Hope lives. And every degree of Hope brings a degree of joy into [Page 528] the Soul, which makes it cry out Hea­ven, Heaven.

Again, Hope is exercised about the glory and felicity, the happinessPsal. 16. ult. Tit. 3. 7. [...]. Looking for Christs com­ing as earnestly as men look and long for the coming of some special friends, or as Inn-keepers do for special guests. and blessedness that is at Gods right hand. Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Hope makes a man stretch out his neck, and put forth his hand, and look as earnestly for the glorious appearing of Christ, as Sisera's Mother did for the happy return of her Son. The hoping Soul is often a sighing it out, Why are his Charriot Wheels so long a com­ing. Col 1. 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven. Hope in this placeSo in Rom. 8. 24, 25. Col. 1. 27. Rom. 5. 2, &c. is taken by a Metonimy, for the things hoped for, viz. All that glory and felicity, that blessedness and happiness, that is laid up for us in Heaven. So in Heb. 6. 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Hope here is put for the object of Hope, viz. Heaven and Happiness. Hope layes such fast hold (as the Greek word here [...]. signifies) upon Heaven and Happiness, that none shall ever be able to take those precious things out of Hopes [Page 529] hand. So Hope is put for the glorious things hoped for, Ephes. 1. 18. And thus you see those precious and glori­ous objects, about which that Hope that accompanies Salvation is exer­cised.

Thirdly, That Hope that accompa­nies Salvation, that comprehends Salva­tion, that borders upon Salvation, is grounded upon the firmest foundations, to wit, the Promises of God, as hathPsal. 40. 4. Prov. 10. 28. been fully shewed before; and it is built upon the Free-grace of God, 1 Pet. 1. 13. It is built upon the infinite and glorious power of God, Rom. 4. 21. It is built up­on the truth and faithfulness of God, 2 Tim. 2. 13. These precious and glo­rious Foundations do bear up the hopes of the Saints, as the three Pillars bore up the hangings in the Tabernacle. A Believers hope is founded upon the Love of Christ, the Blood of Christ, the Righteousness of Christ, the Sa­tisfaction of Christ, and the Inter­cession of Christ, &c. But the hopes of Hypocrites, and wicked men, are al­ways built upon weak, slender, and sandy foundations; sometimes they build their hopes upon their outward [Page 530] profession, upon their Lamps, thoughMatth. 25. 3. they are empty Lamps; and some­times upon their duties and services, asIsai 58 1, 2, 3. Matth. 6. Every false principle in Religion is a Reed of Egypt that will cer­tainly deceive souls at last; therefore take heed of lean­ing upon any of those Reeds. the Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees did; and sometimes upon their outward priviledges, crying out, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; and sometimes they build their hopes upon others good opinion of them; and sometimes upon flashes of joy; and sometimes upon enlargements in du­ties; and sometimes upon the heat and vigor of their spirits in Religious ser­vices, &c. And all these are but sandy foundations, and they that build their hope upon them will certainly fall, and great will be their fall. The hopes of the Saints are built upon the surest and the strongest foundations. It was a good saying of one of the Ancients, I Bernard, S [...]rm. 3. de fragm. Sept. Miser. consider (saith he) three things, in which all my hope consisteth, to wit, 1. Gods love in my Adoption. 2. The truth of his Promise. And 3. his power of perform­ance. Therefore let my foolish cogitation murmur as long as it list, saying, Who art thou? or, what is that glory? or, by what merits dost thou hope to attain it? For I can answer with sure confidence, I know2 Tim. 1. 12. [Page 531] on whom I have believed; And I am certain, First, That in his love he adopted me. Secondly, That he is true in his pro­mise. And thirdly, That he is able to per­form it: This is the threefold cord which is not easily broken.

Fourthly, That Hope that accompanies Salvation, that borders upon Salvation, that comprehends Salvati­on, that brings Salvation, may be known from all false hopes, by the ex­cellent properties of it, and they are these that follow.

The first property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, ItMatth 6. 20, 21. Phil 3. 20, Col 3. 1. Mark, wicked mens hopes never raise them as high as Heaven, under all their hopes they are as very e­nemies, and as great strangers to God, Christ, and Heaven, as ever. elevates and raises the heart to live a­bove, where its treasure is: This Hope is from above, and it makes the heart to live above; it is a spark of glory, and it leads the heart to live in glory. Divine hope carries a man to Heaven; for life to quicken him, and for wis­dom to direct him, and for power to uphold him, and for righteousness to justifie him, and for holiness to sanctifie him, and for mercy to forgive him and for assurance to rejoyce him, and for happiness to crown him. Divine hope takes in the pleasures of Heaven [Page 532] before hand, it lives in the joyful ex­pectation of them, it fancies to it self (as I may say) the pleasures and joyes of eternity, and lives in a sweet anti­cipation of what it possesseth by Faith. Hopes richest treasures, and choicest friends, and chiefest delights, and sweetest contents, are in the Country above, and therefore Hope loves best to live there most.

A second property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It will strengthen the Soul against all af­flictions, oppositions, and temptations,Dan. 3. 57. Psal. 4. 6, 7. Heb. 10 34. & 11. 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18. 1 Thes. 5. 8. But let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the brest-plate of faith, and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. Look as the Helmet defends and secures the head, so doth Hope de­fend and secure the heart: Hope is a Helmet that keeps off all darts that Satan or the world casts at the Soul. The hopes of heavenly riches madeIt was a wick­ed and hope­less Cardinal that said, He would not leave his part in Paris, for a part in Para­dise. those worthies, in that eleventh of the Hebrews, to despise the riches of this world; The hopes they had of a hea­venly Countrey, made them willing to leave their own Countrey, and to live in the very Land of Promise, as in a [Page 533] strange Countrey. The hopes they had of possessing (at last) a house not made with hands, but eternal in the Hea­vens, made them willingly and cheer­fully to live in deserts, and in moun­tains, and in dens, and caves of the Earth. The hopes they had of a glo­rious Resurrection, made them couragi­ously to withstand the strongest temp­tations, &c. A Saints hope will out­liveRom. 5. 2, 3, 4, 5. Some are veri­ly perswaded that the want of this Divine hope hath been the reason that many among the Heathen have laid vio­lent hands up­on themselves. See Plutarch in Caesar and Ca­toes lives. Heb. 11. 10, 14, 16, 25, 32, compared. all fears and cares, all tryals and troubles, all afflictions, and tempta­tions. Saints have much in hope, though little in hand, they have much in reversion, though but little in posses­sion, they have much in the promise, though but little in the purse. A Saint can truly say, (Spero meliora) my hopes are better then my possessions. Hope can see Heaven through the thickest clouds; Hope can see light through darkness, life through death, smiles through frowns, and glory through misery: Hope holds life and soul toge­ther, it holds Christ and the Soul to­gether, it holds the Soul and the Pro­mises together, it holds the Soul and Heaven together, and so it makes a Christian to stand and triumph over [Page 534] all afflictions, oppositions, and temp­tations.

A third property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It makes the Soul lively and active, Psal. 119. 166. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. Hope puts the Soul upon doing, upon obeying. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant (or, much) mer­cy, [...]. Much. hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is called a lively hope,A mans duties▪ and services, u­sually are as his hopes are, if his hopes are weak and low, so will his services be; but if his hopes are spiritual, noble, and high, so will his motions and acti­ons be. Divine hope makes Saints as far excel all other men in their actings, as the Angels do ex­cel them. Some say hope and fasting are the two wings of Prayer; fast­ing is but as the wing of a bird, but hope is as the wing of an Angel, bearing our prayers to the throne of Grace. because it brings life and comfort into the Soul; and it is called a lively hope, in opposition to the withering and dy­ing hopes of Hypocrites, and wicked men; and it is called a lively hope, be­cause it flows from lively causes, viz. The Spirit of Christ, and the Souls union and communion with Christ; but mainly it is called a lively hope, because it puts the Soul upon lively en­deavors. Hope will make a man pray as for life, hear as for life, and mourn as for life, and obey as for life, and work and walk as for life: Hope will not say, this work is too hard, and that [Page 535] work is too hot; this work is too high, and the other work is too low: Hope will make a man put his hand to every work; Hope makes a man more mo­tion then notion, it makes a man bet­ter at doing then at saying, &c. Hope gives life and strength to all religious duties and services. 1 Cor. 9. 10. He that plougheth should plough in hope; and he that thresheth in hope, shall be partaker of his hope. Hope will put a Christian upon ploughing and threshing, that is, upon the hardest and difficultest ser­vices for God and his glory. If flesh­lyFleshly hopes put the Romans upon doing very strange and wonder­ful exploits, as you may see in Plutarch, and other Hi­storians. hopes of gaining the honors, riches, and favors of this world, made Abso­lom, Ahitophel, Jehu, Haman, and many Heathens, full of life and activity, full of motion and action: Verily, holy and heavenly hopes will make men much more lively and active, by how much heavenly hopes are more excel­lent then earthly. A man full of hope will be full of action; a lively hope, and a diligently hand, are inseparable com­panions. Hope will make a man do, though he dies for doing.

A fourth property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It [Page 536] will make a man sit, Noah like, quiet and still in the midst of all storms and tempests, in the midst of all combusti­ons, concussions, and mutations; when others are at their wits end, then hope will house the Soul, and lodge it safe and quiet in the bosom of God, Job 11. 18. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. The Hebrew word that is here rendred rest, [...] from [...] To rest as men rest in their beds, or as the body rests in the grave. is from a root that signifies to rest and sleep quietly, as in ones bed: Hope will bring the Soul to bed safely and sweet­ly, in the darkest night, in the longest storm, and in the greatest tempest. Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an an­chor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entreth into that within the veil. Hope is that Anchor of the Soul, that keeps it quiet and still in all storms and tempests; it keeps the soul from dash­ingChrysostome saith, that hope is not onely the Anchor, but the Ship to that good An­chor. upon the Rocks, and from being swallowed up in the Sands: Hope is an Anchor that is fastned above, not below, in Heaven, not in Earth, within the veil, not without; therefore the ship, the Soul of a Believer, must needs be safe and secure. That ship [Page 537] will never be split upon the Rocks,Hypoerites in stormy times are like ships without An­chors, [...]ost up and down with every wave, and in danger of being split upon every Rock. Job 27. 9, 10. whose Anchor is in Heaven. Hope enters within the veil, and takes fast Anchor-hold on God himself; and therefore blow high, blow low, rain, or shine, the soul of a Saint is safe. Divine hope settles the heart; he that cannot look for more then he hath, can never be settled nor satisfied; our best and greatest estate lies in invisibles; our perfect and compleat estate here, lies not in re, but in spe; it lies not in what we have in possession, but in what we have in expectation, in rever­sion.

A fift property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It will work the Soul to a quiet and patientPatience is no­thing else but Hope spun out. If you would lengthen Pati­ence, be sure to strenthen Hope. waiting upon God for mercy, though God should delay the giving in of mer­cy. Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Psal. 130. 5, 6. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord, more then they that watch for the morning: I say, more then they that watch for the morning: Hope will make a man wait, yea, wait long for a mercy, as it did [Page 538] Abraham, Rom. 4. 18, 19, 20, 21. Though the vision stay, yet hope willHab. 2. 1, 2, 3. Heb. 10. 36, 37. Hopes Motto is (Quod defer­tur non aufer­tur,) For bear­ [...]nce is no ac­quittance. wait for it; yet a little, little while, sayes hope, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. The longer I wait for a mercy, the greater, better, and sweeter, at last, the mercy will prove, sayes Hope. It is not mercy, if it be not worth a waiting for, sayes Hope; and if it be mercy, thou canst not wait too long for it, sayes Hope. The men of Bethulia resolved to wait upon God but five dayes longer, but Deliverance stayed seven dayes, and yet came at last: So sayes Hope,Pittacus, one of the seven Sa­ges, used to say, A wise man must re­cover that by patience, which force cannot command. though Deliverance stay, though this and that mercy stayes (as it were in the birth) yet it will come at last, therefore wait. Hope is not hasty in prefixing the time when God shall shew mercy, neither will it limit God to the way or manner of shewing mer­cy, but leave both the time and the manner to him that is wise and faith­ful. Sayes Hope, Christ knows hisThe Lord shews much mercy in ti­ming our mer­cies for us. own time, and his own time is best; though he stayes long, yet he will cer­tainly come, and he will not stay a moment beyond the time he hath pre­fixt; [Page 539] and therefore, sayes Hope, be not weary, O Soul, but still wait pati­ently upon the Lord. 1 Thes. 1. 3. Re­membring without ceasing, your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope. Hope is the Mother of Patience, and the Nurse of Patience; Hope breeds Patience, and Hope feeds Pati­ence: If it were not for hope, theSpes est mesto­rum. Drusius. heart would die, and if it were not for hope, patience would die. Look as Faith gives life and strength to Hope, so doth Hope give life and strength to Patience: Therefore Patience is cal­led Patience of Hope. Hope main­tains Patience, as the Fuel maintains the Fire.

A sixth property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It is Soul-purifying Hope, it puts a Christi­an upon purifying himself, as Christ is pure, 1 John 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as Christ is pure. Divine hope runsIn quality, though not in equality. (As) is not a note of parili­ty or equality, but of resem­blance, and similitude. As there is a si­militude be­twixt the face it self, and the image of the face in the glass, but no equality. out into holiness; he that hath the purest and strongest hopes of being sa­ved, is most studious and laborious to be sanctified. The Greek word ( [...]) that is rendred purifieth, is a Metaphor [Page 540] taken, either from the Ceremonial purifications in time of the Law, or else from Goldsmiths purifying Me­tals from their Dross; and it notes thus much to us, That those that have hopes to reign with Christ in glory, that have set their hearts upon that pure and blissful State, that Paradise, that holy and spiritual State of Bliss that is made up of singleness and puri­ty, they will purifie both their insides, and their outsides, both body and soul, that they may answer to that excellent Copy that Christ hath set before them; knowing, that none shall enjoy Everlasting Glory, but those that labor after perfect pu­rity.

Now Hope purifies the heart and life thus, by keeping the purest ob­jects, as God, Christ, the Word, and the Soul together; and by makingHow lively Hope makes the Soul in Religious ser­vices, I have shewed in the third property. the Soul serious and conscientious in the use of all Soul-purifying Ordi­nances; and by being a fire in the Soul, to burn up all those corruptions, and principles of darkness, that are con­trary to that purity and glory that Hope hath in her eye; and by work­ing [Page 541] the Soul to lean upon Christ, to live in Christ, and to draw purifying vertue from Christ, who is the Spring and Fountain of all Purity and San­ctity. And thus Hope purifies those that expect to be like to Christ in Glory.

The seventh and last property of that Hope that accompanies Salva­tion, that comprehends Salvation, is this, It is permanent and lasting, itProv. 10. 28. Austins hope made him long to die, that he might see that head that was once crowned with thorns. will never leave the Soul, till it hath lodged it in the bosome of Christ. Prov. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death. The righteous mans hope will bed and board with him; it will lie down with him, and rise up with him, it will to the Grave, to Heaven with him; his Motto is, Cum expiro, spero, My hope lasts beyond life. TheHope made the Ancients to call the days of their death (Natalia) not dying, but birth days. Jews ancient custom was, by the way as they went with their Corps, to pluck up every one the Grass, as who should say, They were not sorry, as men without hope, for their Brother was but so cropt off, and should spring up again in the morning of the Resur­rection. And the Jews, to this very day, stick not to call their Golgotha's [Page 542] (Batte Catim) the houses or places of the living.

That Hope that accompanies Salva­tion, is a long-lived hope, it is a living hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God, and Heb. 3. 6. & 6. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Psal. 131. 3. [...]. Living. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath be­gotten us again unto a lively hope, or a living hope: A hope that will not die, a hope that will not leave a man in life nor death, Psal. 71. 14. But I will hope [...] continually, and will yet praise thee more In prosperity and adversity, in wealth and sickness, in life and death, I will hope; it is neither the smiles, nor the frowns of the world, that shall bury a Christians hope. A Chri­stians hope will live in all weathers, and it will make a Christian bear up bravely in all storms, and under all changes. and more. No trials, no troubles, no afflictions, no oppositions, shall keep down my hope, says David. I am per­emptorily resolved, in the face of all dangers, difficulties, and deaths, to keep up my hopes; come what will come on it, I will rather let my life go, then my hope go, I will hope con­tinually. A hopeless condition, is a very sad condition; it is the worst condition in the world, it makes a mans life, a very Hell. If hope deferred maketh the heart sick, (as the Wiseman speaks, Prov. 13. 12.) then the loss of hope will make the soul languish; it will make it chuse strangling, rather then life; it will make a mans life, a [Page 543] continual death. A Soul without hope, is like a ship without anchors: Lord where will that soul stay, that stayes not upon thee by hope? A man were better part with any thing, then his hope.

When Alexander went upon a hope­ful expedition, he gave away his Gold; and when he was asked, what he kept for himself, he answered, (Spem majo­rum & meliorum,) The hope of greater and better things. A Believers hopeI have read of a Rhodian, who being cast in­to a dungeon full of Adders and Snakes (for some hor­rid crimes by him commit­ted) Some perswaded him to rid himself out of that mi­sery by a vio­lent way; but he answered, No; For (saith he) as long as I have breath in my nostrils, I will ever hope for my deliverance. is not like that of Pandora, which may flie out of the Box, and bid the Soul an everlasting farewel: No, it is like the morning light▪ the least beam of it shall commence into a compleat Sun­shine. It is Aurora Gaudii, and it shall shine forth brighter and brighter, till it hath fully possessed the Believer of his Christ, and Crown. This will be the Hypocrites hell and horror, when he comes to die, that his hope will be like the morning dew, like the Spiders web, like the crackling of thorns un­der a pot, and like the giving up of the ghost, Job 8. 13, 14. & 11. 20. & 27. 8. Prov. 14. 32. & 11. 7. And this is now the upright mans joy, that [Page 544] who ever leaves him, yet his hope will not leave him, till he hath put on his Crown, and is set down in Para­dise. And thus you see what Hope that is that doth accompany Salvation; be­fore I close up this Chapter, take these two Cautions with you, they make for your comfort and settle­ment.

The first Caution, is this, That allCaution. 1. The Scripture tells you of Saints of seve­ral sizes, some are babes, some are children, some are yong­men, some are old men; now all these do no [...] attain to the same de­gree, but h [...]p­py is he that hath the least degree. Saints have not these things that ac­company Salvation, in the same degree; if thou hast but the least measure or de­gree of that Knowledge that accompa­nies Salvation, or of that Faith that ac­companies Salvation, or of that Repent­ance, or of that Obedience, or of that Love, &c. that accompanies Salvati­on, thou mayest be as assuredly con­fident of thy Salvation, as if thou wast already in Heaven. The least degree, O Christian, of those things that ac­company Salvation, will certainly yeeld thee a Heaven hereafter, and why then should it not yeeld thee a Heaven here? It will undoubtedly yeeld thee a Crown at last, and why should it not yeeld thee Comfort and [Page 545] Assurance now? I judge it may, if thou art not an enemy to thine own Soul, and to thy own Peace and Com­fort.

The second Caution is this, ThoughCaution 2. No Saints are at all times en­s [...]ble, that all those precious things that ac­company Sal­vat [...]n a [...]e i [...] them. It is not always day with the Saints. thou doest not finde every one of those things in thee that do accompany Salvation, yet if thou doest finde some of those things, I, though but a few of those things, yea, though but one of those things that accompanies Sal­vation, that comprehends Salvation, that borders upon Salvation, thy estate is safe, and happiness will be thy por­tion at last. Thy sense and feeling of one of those precious things that ac­companies Salvation, should be of more power to work thee to conclude, that thy estate is good, then any o­ther thing should work thee to con­clude, that all is naught, and that thou shalt miscarry at last. Do not al­wayes side with sin and Satan, against thine own precious Soul.

Having thus discovered to you the Way and Means of attaining to a wel­grounded Assurance, I shall now hasten to a close▪

CHAP. VI. Shewing the difference between a true and a counterfeit Assurance, between sound Assurance and Presumption.

FIrst, A sound and wel­grounded Assurance is attended with a deep ad­miration of Gods tran­scendent love and favor to the Soul in the Lord Jesus: The assured Soul is often a breathing it out thus, Ah Lord, who am I? what am I that thou shouldst give into my bo­some the white stone of Absolution,Revel. 2. 17. The white stone given among the Ro­mans, was a sign of Abso­lution, and the black stone was a sign of condemnation. when the world hath given into their bosoms onely the black stone of Con­demnation? Lord, what mercy is this, that thou shouldst give me Assurance, give me water out of the Rock, and feed me with Manna from Heaven, when many of thy dearest ones spend their days in sighing, mourning and complaining for want of Assurance? Lord, what manner of love is this, [Page 547] that thou shouldst set me upon thy knee? embrace me in thy arms? lodge me in thy bosome? and kiss me with the sweet kisses of thy blessed mouth, with those kisses that are better then Cant. 1. 2. Psal. 63. 3. wine, yea, better then life, when many are even weary of their lives, because they want what I enjoy? Ah Lord, by what name shall I call this Mercy,Assurance is a wonderful Alchimy it changeth Iron to Gold, Igno­minies to Crowns, and all sufferings to delights. this Assurance, that thou hast given me? It being a mercy that fits me to do duties, to bear crosses, and to im­prove mercies; that fits me to speak sweetly, to judge righteously, to give liberally, to act seriously, to suffer cheerfully, and to walk humbly. I can­not, sayes the assured Soul, but sing it out with Moses, Who is like unto thee, O Exod. 15. 11. Lord, amongst the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, do­ing wonders? And with the Apostle, O the height, the depth, the length and Eph. 3. 18, 19. Assurance of Christs love made Jerome admiringly to say, O my Sa­viour, didst thou die for love of me alone, more dolorous then death, but to me a death more lovely, then love it self? I can­not live, love thee, and be longer from thee. breadth of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. If the Queen of She [...]a (sayes the assured Soul) was so swal­lowed up in a deep adm [...]ration of Solo­mons wisdom, greatness, goodness, ex­cellency, and glory, that she could not but admiringly breathe it thus out, [Page 548] Happy are thy men, happy are these thy ser­vants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom; O then, how should that blessed Assurance that I have of the love of God, of my in­terest in God, of my union and com­munion with God, of my blessedness here, and my happiness hereafter, work me to a deep and serious, to a real and perpetual admiration of God!

Secondly, A wel-grounded Assu­rance doth alwayes beget in the Soul an earnest and an impatient longing after, a further, a clearer, and fuller enjoyment of God and Christ. Psal. 63. 1. O God, thou art my God, (here isDavid, though in a wilderness, seeks not for bread or water, or protection, but for more of God. Phil. 1. 23. Assurance) well, what follows? Early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thir­sty Land, where no water is. The assured Soul cryes out, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; And, Make haste Cant. 8. 14. my beloved; And, Come Lord Jesus, come Revel. 22. 17. quickly. O Lord Jesus, sayes the assu­redThe assured Souls Motto is, O my God, when shall I be with thee, when shall I be with thee? Soul, thou art my light, thou art my life, thou art my love, thou art my joy, thou art my crown, thou art my heaven, thou art my all: I cannot but [Page 549] long to see that beautiful face that was spit upon for my sins, and that glorious head that was crowned with thorns for my transgressions. I long to take some turns with thee in Paradise, to see the glory of thy Jerusalem above, to drink of those Rivers of pleasures that be at thy right hand, to taste of all the delicates of thy Kingdom, and to be acquainted with those secrets andEphes. 3. 5. Col. 1. 26. mysteries that have been hid from all ages, and to be swallowed up in the full enjoyment of thy Blessed Self.

Thirdly, A wel-grounded Assurance is (usually) strongly assaulted by SatanThe Devil marcheth well armed, and in good array, saith Luther. on all sides; Satan is such a grand enemy to the Joy and Peace, to the Salvation and Consolation of the Saints, that he cannot but make use of all his devices and stratagems, to a­maze and amuse, to disturb and dis­quiet the peace and rest of their Souls. No sooner had Jesus Christ heard that lovely voice from Heaven, This is my Matth. 3. ult. & 4. 1, 2, &c. beloved Son, in whom I am wel-pleased, but he is desperately assaulted by Satan in the Wilderness. No sooner was Paul 2 Cor. 12. dropped out of Heaven, after he had [Page 550] seen such visions of glory, that was un­utterable, but he was presently as­saulted, and buffetted by Satan. Stand up, stand up assured Christians, and tell me whether you have not found theIsa. 25. 4. blast of the terrible one, to be as a storm against the wall; Since the LordI verily think that they have very much cause to questi­on the truth of their assurance, who know not what it is to have their assurance as­saulted strong­ly by S [...]tan. said unto you, be of good chear, your sins are forgiven you. Have not you found Satan to play the part, both of the Lyon and the Woolf, of the Ser­pent and the Fox, and all to weaken your Assurance; and to work you to question the truth of your Assurance, and to cast water upon your Assurance, and to take off the freshness and sweet­ness, the beauty and glory of your Assurance? I know you have. His malice, envy, and enmity, is such a­gainstSatan is that old Serpent, as John speaks, Revel. 12. 9. He is as old as the World, and is grown very cunning by experience, he being a spi­rit of above five thousand years standing. Gods honor and glory, and your comfort and felicity, that he cannot but be very studious and industrious to make use of all traps, snares, methods, and wayes, whereby he may shake the pillars of your Faith, and weaken and overthrow your Assurance▪ Pirates you know do most fiercely assault those ships and vessels that are most richly laden; so doth Satan those precious [Page 551] souls that have attained to the riches of full Assurance. Assurance makes a Pa­radise in Believers Souls, and this makes Satan to roar and rage. Assurance fits a man to do God the greatest service, and Satan the greatest dis-service, and this makes him mad against the Soul. Assurance makes a Saint to be too hard for Satan at all weapons, yea, toRom. 8. 32. ult. lead that Sun of the Morning captive, to spoil him of all his hurting power, to bind him in chains, and to triumph over him, and this makes his Hell a great deal hotter; and therefore neverLuther cryes out, I am set upon by all the world without and within, by the devil and all his Angels. wonder at Satans assaulting your Assu­rance, but expect it, and look for it. The Jaylor is quiet, when his prisoner is in Bolts, but if he be escaped, then he pursues him with hugh and cry; so long as the Soul is in bolts and bond­age under Satan, Satan is quiet, and is not so apt to molest and vex it; but when once a Soul is made free, andJohn 8. 36. assured of his freedom by Christ, then sayes Satan, (as once Pharaoh did) I Exod. 15. 9. will arise, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my lust shall be satis­fied upon them: I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. The experi­ence [Page 552] of all assured Saints doth abun­dantly confirm this. Israel going into Egypt had no enemies, no opposition, but travelling into Canaan, they were never free.

Fourthly, A wel-grounded Assu­rance makes a man as bold as a Lyon, it makes him valiant and gallant forProv. 28. 1. Tanto pl [...] glo­riae referemus quoniam eo plu­res superabimus. The number of opposers makes the Christians conquest the more illustri­ous, say Saints, under the power of Assurance, &c. Christ and his cause, in the face of all dangers and deaths. After the Holy Ghost was faln upon the Apostles, and had assured them of their internal and eternal Happiness, O how bold, how undanted, how resolute were they in the face of all oppositions, afflictions, and persecutions! as you may see from the second of the Acts (of the Apostles) to the end of the Acts. So Assurance had this operation upon Davids heart, Psal. 23. 4, 6. compared, Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: Well David, but how doth this Assurance of yours ope­rate? Why saith he, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: So Moses having an Assurance of the recompence of reward, he fears not the wrath of the King; for [...]. Was constant. he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. [Page 553] Heb. 11. 26, 27. So in Heb. 10. 34. And [...], Knowing that you have in your selves, [...], a better being in Heaven, and an abiding one. ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in your selves, that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring sub­stance. O that Knowledge, that Assu­rance, that they had in their own hearts of enjoying in Heaven a better and a more enduring substance, made them bear cheerfully and gallantly, the spoiling of their worldly goods. Though the Archers, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, do shoot sore at a Soul under Assurance, yet his Bowe will still abide in strength. As­surance will make a man to break a Bowe of Steel, to trample down strength, and to triumph over all op­positions and afflictions. Colonus the Dutch Martyr, called to the Judge that had sentenced him to death, and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart, and asked him whose heart did most beat, his or the Judges. Assu­rance will make a man do this, and much more for Christ, and his Cause.

Fifthly, A wel-grounded Assurance of a mans own eternal Happiness and Blessedness, will make him very studi­ous [Page 554] and laborious to make others hap­py. Psal. 66. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul. I will acquaint you with the soul-blessings, with the soul-favors, that God hath crowned me with. I was darkness, but he hathEph. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. made me light; I was unrighteousness, but he hath made me righteous; I wasCol. 2. 10. Isa. 1. 6. Ephes. 5. 26, 27. Cant. 4. 7. deformed, but he hath made me com­pleat; I was full of sores, and spots, and blemishes, but he hath washed me, and made me all fair without spot or wrinkle. I have found the want of As­surance, I now see the worth of Assu­rance; I have long sought Assurance, and now I finde the sweetness of As­surance: Ah it is such a Pearl of price, it is such a Beam of God, it is such a spark of glory, that makes my Soul a rich amends for all its waiting, weep­ing, and wrastling. So when it pleasedGal. 1. 15, 16. [...], In me. God to call Paul by his grace, and to reveal Christ in him, and to him, Ah how doth he labor, as for life, to bring others to an acquaintance with Christ, and to an acceptance of Christ, and to an Assurance of Everlasting Happiness, and Blessedness by Christ! After Paul [Page 555] had been in Paradise, he makes it his2 Cor. 12. all to bring others to Paradise. So the Spouse in the Canticles having assu­ranceCant. 5. 10—ult. & 6. 1, &c. of her interest in Christ, how doth she labor by all holy and heavenly Rhetorick and Logick, by all the strains of love and sweetness, to draw the daughters of Jerusalem to a sight of Christ, and to an assurance of the love of Christ! When a Beam of Divine light and love had shined upon Andrew, John 1. 40, 41, 42. he labors to draw his Brother Simon to the Fountain of all light and love; and when Philip had but a cast ofVers. 43, 44, 45, 46, 47. Christs countenance, his pulse beats, and his heart calls upon Nathaniel, to come and share with him in that loving kindness that was better then life.

The constant cry of Souls under the power of Assurance, is, Come taste and Psal. 34. 8. see how good the Lord is. Ah sinners, sin­ners, his wayes are wayes of pleasantness, Prov. 3. 17. 1 John 5. 3. and all his paths are peace; his commands are not grievous, but joyous; his yoke Matth. 11. 30. is easie, and his burden is light; not one­ly for keeping, but also in keeping of Psal. 19. 11. his commands, there is great reward. As­surance will strongly put men upon [Page 556] winning of others by counsel, by ex­ample, by prayer, and by communi­cating their Spiritual Experiences to them. Assurance will furnish a man with will, skill, and experience, to confute all those false reports that vain men frequently cast upon the Lord, and his ways. It will make a man proclaim to the world, That one Psal. 84. 10. day in the Lords courts is better then a thousand years elswhere; That there are more glorious joyes, more pure com­forts, more abiding peace, more royal contents, more celestial delights, in one dayes walking with God, in one hours communion with God, &c. then is to be found in all things below God. And by these, and such like wayes, Souls under the power of a wel­grounded Assurance, do endeavor to make others happy with themselves. A Soul under Assurance is unwilling to go to Heaven without company; he is often a crying out, Father bless this Soul too, and crown that Soul too: Let us to Heaven together, let us be made happy together.

Sixthly, A wel-grounded Assurance of Gods love, and of a mans Everlast­ing [Page 557] Happiness and Blessedness, will ex­ceedingly arm and strengthen him against all wickedness and baseness. No man loaths sin, and himself for sin,Ezek. 16 60, 61, 62, 63. as such a man; no man wars and watches against sin, more then such a man; no man sighs and mourns,Rom. 7. 22, ult. bleeds and complains under the sense of sinful motions, and sinful opera­tions,Luke 7. 44. ult. more then such a man. Every stirring of sin makes a man that is un­der the power of Assurance, to cry out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak; for he will speak peace unto his peo­ple, and to his Saints: And let them not turn again to folly, or as the Hebrew will bear, And they shall not return to folly. Gods speaking peace to his peo­ple, fences and fortifies them against folly and vanity.

The Assurance that Joseph had of his Masters love, armed him against the lascivious assaults of his lustful Mistress; and will not Divine love that is stronger then death, do thisCant 8. 6, 7. and more? Assurance makes a man say to his sins, as he to his Idols, [Page 558] get you hence, for, What have I any Hosea 14. 8. compared with the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. vers [...]. more to do with Idols? So sayes the assu­red Soul, away pride, away passion, away worldly mindedness, away un­cleanness, away uncharitableness, &c. For what have I any more to do with you? Assurance makes the Soul speak to sin, as David speaks to sinners, Psal. 119. 115. Depart from me ye workers of ini­quity; for I will keep the Commandments of my God: So sayes the assured Soul, depart from me, O my lusts, for I have tasted of the love of God, and I have given up my self wholly and one­ [...]y to God, and I cannot but keep the Commandments of my God. The Jewish Rabbins report, that the same night that Israel departed out of Egypt, towards Canaan, all the Idols and ido­latrous Temples in Egypt, by Light­ning and Earthquakes, were broken down: So when Christ and Assurance comes to be set up in the Soul, all the Idols of Satan, and a mans own heart; are cast down, and cast out as an abomi­nation. Sound Assurance puts a man upon purifying himself, even as Christ is 1 John 3. 2, 3. pure. The assured Christian knows, That it is dangerous to sin against [Page 559] light, that it is more dangerous to sin against love, that it is most dangerons to sin against love revealed and mani­fested. God may well say to such a Christian, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? To sin under Assurance, is to sin against the Bowels of Mercy, it is to sin against the choicest Remedy, it is to sin against the highest Hopes of Glory; and this will certainly provoke God to be angry. 1 Kings 11. 9. And [...] the Lord was angry with Solomon, be­cause Vaiithannaph in Pihil, to shew that the Lord was greatly angry with Solomon, the Root, [...] signifies pro­perly to snuff with anger. It notes such an­ger, as appear­eth in the pale­ness of the face, and snuf­fing of the nose. his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, that had appeared to him twice. To sin under Assurance, is to sin in Paradise, it is to sin under the fla­ming sword, it is to sin in the Suburbs of Heaven; it is to run the hazard of losing that favor that is better then life, of that joy that is unspeakable, and full of glory, and of that peace that passes understanding. To sin under As­surance, is to cast reproach upon Christ, to grieve the Spirit, to wound Conscience, to weaken your Graces, to blur your Evidences, to usher in Calamities, to imbitter your Mercies, and to provoke the Tempter to tri­umph over your Saviour. Verily, that [Page 560] Assurance is but presumption that works men to play with sin, to be bold with sin, to make light of sin, to walk on in wayes of sin: Such Assu­rance will never bring a man to Hea­ven, it will never keep him from drop­ping into Hell, yea, it will double his damnation, and make him the most miserable among all damned, misera­ble, forlorn spirits. Ah Lord! fromThis made Auselm say, That he had ra­ther be thrust into Hell with­out sin, then go into Heaven with sin. such an assurance deliver my Soul, and give me more and more of that Divine Assurance that makes sin to be more hateful then Hell, and that makes the Soul to be more careful to avoid the one, then it is fearful of falling into the other.

Seventhly, A wel-grounded Assu­rance is alwayes attended with three fair Handmaids, or with three sweet Companions:

The first is Love. O! the Assurance1. Handmaid. of Divine Favor doth mightily inflame a mans love to Christ. Mary Magda­len Luke 7. loved much, Christs love to her drew out her love very much to Christ. Assurance makes the Soul sing it out with that sweet Singer of Israel, I will dearly love thee, O Lord, my Psal. 18. 1. [Page 561] strength. Lovers know not how to [...] from [...] To love inti­mately and dearly, as a tender mother loves the fruit of her womb. keep silence; lovers of Christ are full of gracious expressions. Magnes amor is est amor; Love is the attractive Load­stone of love. It is impossible for a Soul not to love Christ, that knows he is beloved of Christ. Christs love constrains the Soul to love, not by for­cible, but loving necessity. Praxiteles exquisitly drew Love, taking the pat­tern from that Passion which he felt in his own heart. A Believer cannot finde the heart of Christ to be beating to­wards him, but his heart will strongly beat towards Christ. Divine love is like a rod of myrtle, which as Pliny reports, makes the Traveller that car­ries it in his hand, that he shall never be faint or weary of walking or loving. Love alone over-powereth all power. Love is the Diadem, none but the Queen must wear it. Love is the Wed­ding Garment, none but the Spouse can fit it. Love is a Loadstone to draw, as well as a fire to warm; he that doth not love Christ, was never assured of the love of Christ.

The second Handmaid or Compani­on2. Handmaid. that attends a wel-grounded Assu­rance, [Page 562] is Humility. David under Assu­rancePsal. 22. 6. [...] the Hebrew word Tolagnah, that is here ren­dred Worm, signifies a very little worm which a man can hardly see or perceive. cryes out, I am a worm and no man; Abraham under Assurance cryes out, that he is but dust and ashes; Ja­cob under Assurance crves out, that he was less then the least of all mercies; Job under Assurance abhors himself in dust and ashes; Moses had the honor and the happiness to speak with God face to face, he was very much in Gods books, in Gods favor, and yet a more humble Soul the earth did never bear. The great Apostle Paul, under all the reve­lations and glorious manifestations of God to him, counts himself less then the least of all Saints, Ephe. 3. 8. That is Presumption, that is a delusion of the Devil, and no sound Assurance, that puffs and swels the Souls of men, that makes men prize themselves above the market, above the value that God hath put upon them.

The third Handmaid or Compani­on3. Handmaid. that attends Assurance, is, holy Joy; Ah this Assurance causes the strong wa­ters of Consolation to overflow the Soule; Assurance raises the strongest joyes in the Soul, Luk. 1. 46, 47. And Mary said, My soul doth magnifie the [Page 563] Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. When a man comes to be assured that God is his Savior, pre­sently his Spirit rejoyces in God; this truth is held forth by three Parables in that of Luk. 15. So in that of 1 Pet. 1. 8, 9. Whom having not seen, ye love, in [...] to dance and leap for joy, [...], glorified already, they have heavens happinesse before hand. whom though now ye see him not, yet be­beleeving, ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. O the Joy, the Joy, the inex­pressible Joy that attends a wel-groun­ded Assurance! Assurance raises a Para­dise of delight in the soul, In quibus ope­ramur, in ill is & gaudemus, saith Tertull. In what things or persons we act, in those things we rejoyce; a Christi­an (under the power of Assurance) works all his works in Christ, in him therefore, and in him alone, he rejoy­ceth.

Eightly, and lastly, A wel­grounded Assurance sometimes springs from the Testimony and Witnesse of the Spirit of God. The Spirit sometimes witnesses to a Beleevers spirit that he is born of God, that he is beloved of God, that he hath union [Page 564] and communion with God, & that he shal reign for ever with God, Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our [...] That same spi­rit. The Spi­rits work is not [...], but [...] to witnesse to­gether with our Spirit, that is to confirme and ratifie what ou [...] spirits have asserted concerning our Adoption. &c. spirit, that we are the children of God. The Spirit it self witnesseth, not onely the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit, but the Spirit it self witnesseth together with our own spirit that we are the chil­dren of God. Sometimes the Saints have two Witnesses joyning their te­stimonies together to confirm and esta­blish them in these blessed and glori­ous Truths, that they are the Sons of God, and Heirs of Glory: And this is their honor, as well as their comfort, that the blessed Spirit should bear wit­ness at the bar of their Consciences, that they are the Sons of God, 1 Cor. God sometimes assures his people of hea­ven aforehand. 2. 12. Now we have received not the spi­rit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God; That is, that we may know our Election, Vo­cation, Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification. A man may receive many things that are freely given of God, and yet not know them till the Spirit comes and makes them known to the soul.

Quest. But you may say to me, how shall wee know the whispering of the holy Spirit from the hissing of the old Serpent? how shall we know the report, the witnesse, and testimony of the Spirit of Christ, from that report, witnesle, and testimony that the old Serpent deludes and de­ceives many by, in these daies wherein he mostly appears in his Angelicall Robes?

I Answer, you may know the whis­pering Answ. of the Spirit, from the hissing of the old Serpent, &c. by these follow­ing things, which I desire that you would seriously consider, as you ten­der the peace, and settlement, the sa­tisfaction, consolation, and salvation of your own souls.

First, The Spirit of Christ doth not witnesse by any outward voice, as GodMatth 3. ult. Luk. 1. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. did from Heaven of Christ; nor by an Angell, as to the Virgin Mary; but by an inward, secret, glorious and un­speakable way, he bids Beleevers be of good chear, their sins are forgivenMatth. 9. 2. them, as Christ said to the palsie man in the Gospel. And this truth is to be solemnly minded against those [Page 566] poor deceived and deluded souls inQuakers and Ra [...]ters. these daies, that would make the world beleeve, that they have had such and such glorious things made known by an outward audible voyce from Hea­ven; It is much to be feared that they never found the inward, the sweet, the secret, the powerful testimony and re­port of the Spirit of Christ, that boast, and brag, and rest so much upon an out­ward testimony. In 1 King. 19. you read of a great strong wind that rent the Vers. 11. Mountains, and brake in peeces the Rocks: but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Vers. 12. Lord was not in the fire; And after the fire Vers. 13. there was a still small voyce, and the Lord spake to Elijah in that still small voice. Ah Christians! the Spirit of the Lord makes not a noise, but he comes in a still small voice, as I may say, and makes a soft and secret report to the soul, that it is beloved, that it is pardo­ned, and that it shall be for ever glori­fied.

Secondly, The testimony and wit­nesse of the Spirit of Christ is onely [Page 567] gained & enjoyed in holy and heavenly waies, as you may clearly see by compa­ringActs 10. 4. Dan. 9. 20. 21, 22. Isa 64. 5. Act. 10. 44, &c. the Scriptures in the margent to­gether. The Spirit of the Lord is a holy spirit, & he cannot, he wil not make any report of the love of the Father to the soule out of a way of holinesse. Veri­ly all those glorious reports that many boast they have met with, in sinfull waies, in wretched and ungodly waies, are from the hissing of the old Serpent, and not from the whisperings of theYet this age hath many such Monsters. Spirit of Grace. I think it is little less then blasphemy, for any to affirm, that the blessed Spirit of Christ doth make reports of the love and favour of God, to persons walking in waies of wickednesse and basenesse.

Thirdly, The testimony and witness of the Spirit of Christ, is a clear, a [...]ul, a satisfying testimony and witnesse, the soul sits down under the home reportsJohn 14 17. 1 John 3. 24. of the Spirit, & saith, Lord it is enough, the soul being full sits down and sweet­ly sings it out, My beloved is mine, and Cant. 2. 16. & 7. 10. I am his, I am my wel-beloveds and his de­sire is towards me. The Lord is my portion Psal. 16. 5. Psal. 73. 25. and the lot of mine inheritance. I have none in Heaven but thee, neither is there [Page 568] any on earth that I desire in comparison of 2 Tim. 4 8. thee. Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. Make haste my belo­ved, Cant. 8. ult. &c. Such power, majesty, and glory attends the glorious testimony of the Spirit of Christ, as scatters all clouds, as resolves all doubts, as answers all objections, as silences the wrangl­ing soul, &c. If the testimony of the Spirit of Christ were not a ful satisfy­ing testimony, it could never fill the soule with such joy as is unspeakable and full of glory, and with such peace as passes understanding; if the testimony were not satisfactory the soul would still be under fears and doubts, the heart would still be a wrangling and quarrelling, I may perish, and I may be undone, I may have the door of Mercy shut against me, &c. If you bring news to a condemned person that the King hath pardoned him, and that he will re­ceive him to favor, and confer such and such dignity upon him, yet this doth not quiet him, nor satisfie him, till he knows it is the Kings act, till he is sa­tisfied in that, he cannot say it is e­nough, he cannot be chearfull, hee cannot be delightful. &c. But when [Page 569] hee is satisfied that it is the Kings act, that the King hath certainly done this, and that for him, then he is sa­tisfied, and then sighing and mourning flies away, and then he rejoyces with joy unspeakable. So it is with a belee­ving Soul under the testimony and witness of the Spirit of Christ.

Fourthly, Though the Spirit be a witnessing Spirit, yet he doth not al­waies witness to beleevers their adop­tion, their interest in Christ, &c. There is a mighty difference between the working of the Spirit, and the witness of the Spirit; There are often times many glorious and efficacious works of the Spirit, as Faith, Love, Repon­tance,Isa. 50. 10. Holinesse, &c. where there is not the witness of the Spirit. David at that very time had the Spirit. andPsa. 50. 10, 11, 12 many sweet workings of the Spirit in him, and upon him, when he had by sin lost the witness and testimony of the Spirit. Though the Spirit of the Lord be a witnessing and a sealing Spirit, yet he doth not alwaies wit­nessJob 23. 8, 9. 1 Joh. 5. 13. Psa 88. Psa. 77. Mich. 7. 8, 9. Isa. 8. 17. and seal up the love and favor of the Father to beleevers souls, as you may see by the Scriptures in the Mar­gent, [Page 570] and as the experience of many precious Christians can abundantly e­vidence. All beleevers do not see a­like need of this testimony, they doe not all alike prize this testimony, they do not all alike observe it and improve it, and therefore it is no wonder if the Spirit be a witnessing Spirit to some, and not to others: You do but gratifie Satan, and wrong your owne soules, when you argue that certainly you have not the Spirit because he is not a wit­nessing and a sealing Spirit to your soules. Though it be the office of the Spirit to witness, yet it is not his office alwayes to witness to beleevers their happiness and blessedness: The Spirit may act one way & in one room of theA man may be a doing in one Room, when he is not in a­nother: So is the Spirit in the heart of a Saint. soul, when he doth not act in another; sometimes the Spirit works upon the Understanding, sometimes upon the Will, sometimes upon the Affections, sometimes upon Faith, sometimes up­on Fear, sometimes upon Love, some­times upon Humility, &c. Our hearts are the Spirits Harps; If a man should alwaies touch one string in an Instru­ment, he should never play various tunes, he should never make pleasant [Page 571] musick; no more would the Spirit, it he should be alwaies a doing one thing in the soule; therefore he acts vari­ously, sometimes he will shew him­selfe a quickning Spirit, sometimes an enlightning Spirit, sometimes an humbling Spirit, sometimes a rejoy­cing Spirit, sometimes a sealing Spi­rit, and alwayes a surporting Spi­rit, &c.

Fifthly, The testimony and witness of the Spirit, is a sure testimony, aTitus 1. 2. John 14. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10▪ 1 Joh. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4 sure witness, the Spirit is truth it self, he is the great searcher of the deep things of God, the Spirit of the Lord is the Discoverer, the Confuter, and Destroyer of all false spirits. The Spirit is above all possibility of being deceived; he is omnipotent, he is om­niscient, he is omnipresent, he is one of the Cabinet-Councel of Heaven, he lies, and lives in the bosome of the Fa­ther, and can call them all by name up­on whom the Father hath set his heart, and therefore his testimony must needs be true. It is a surer testimony then if a man should hear a voice from Heaven pronouncing him to be happy and blessed. You may safely and se­curely [Page 572] lay the weight of your souls upon this testimony, it never hath, it never will deceive any that hath lean­ed upon it. This testimony will be a rock that will bear up a soul, When other false testimonies will be but a reed of Egypt, that will deceive the soul, that will undoe the soul; As I am afraid many in this deluding age have found by sad experience.

Sixthly, The testimony of GodsI do not say that the testi­mony of our spirits is al­ways accom­panied with the testimony of the Spirit; No, for a Be­leever hath of­ten the single testimony of his own spirit, when he wants the testimony of the Spirit of Christ, and the single te­stimony of his own consci­ence, wil afford him much cou­rage and com­fort, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Yea, it wil make a paradise of delight in his soul, &c. Spirit is alwayes accompanied with the testimony of our own, these may be distinguished, but they can never be separated; when the Spirit of God gives in witnesse for a man, his own spirit doth not give in witnesse against him. Look as face answers to face, so doth the witness of a Beleevers spirit answer to the witness of the Spirit of Christ, Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnes­seth together with our spirits that we be the Sons of God. Now if our own Consci­ences do not testifie first, that we are Sons and Heirs, the Spirit doth not testifie, for the Spirit beares witness to­gether with our spirits; St. John is ve­ry expresse in 1 Joh. 3. 21. But if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confi­dence [Page 573] toward God. But if our hearts con­demn us, God is greater then our hearts, and knoweth all things, 1 Joh. 5. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. And there are three that bear wit­ness in Earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one. The Spirit doth witness eminently and efficiently, but Water and Blood ma­terially, and our spirits and Reason, in­strumentally. By the Spirit we may understand the Holy Ghost, by whose strength wee lay hold on Christ; and all his benefits; by Water we may understand our Regeneration, our Sanctification; and by Blood we may understand the blood and righteousness of Christ, that is imputed and apply­ed by faith to us; and these three agree in one, that is, they doe all three of one accord testifie the same thing.

Seventhly, The witness of the Spi­rit is ever according to the Word; there is a sweet harmony between the inward and outward testimony, be­tween the Spirit of God and the VVord of God. The Scriptures were2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. all indicted by the Spirit, and there­fore the Spirit cannot contradict him­selfe, [Page 574] which he should do, if he should give in any testimony contrary to the testimony of the word. It is blasphemy to make the testimony of the [...]pirit to contradict the testimony of the Word. The Spirit hath revealed his whole mind in the Word, and he will not give a contrary testimony to what he hath given in the Word. The Word saith, they that are born again, that are new Creatures, that beleeve and repent, shall be saved: But thou art born again, thou art a new Creature, thou beleevest and repentest; therefore thou shalt be saved saith the Spirit: The Spirit never looseth, where the Word bindeth; the Spirit never ju­stifies, where the Word condemnes; the Spirit never approves, where the Word disapproves▪ the Spirit never blesses, where the VVord curses. InDeu. l 3. 1, 2, 3, 4 the Old Testament, all Revelations were to be examined by the VVord, Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimo­ny, [...] if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light (or no mor­ning) in them. So in that of John 16.We are not only blind but lame too, there­fore the Spirit shall lead us to the knowledge and practice of all necessary saving truths. 13. The Spirit shall lead you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himselfe, [Page 575] but what he shall hear▪ that shall he speak. Here the Holy Ghost is brought in as some Messenger or Ambassador who onely relates things faithfully, accord­ing to that he hath in charge. Such as look and lean upon the hissing of the old Serpent, may have a testimony that they are happy, against the testi­mony of the VVord; But where ever the Spirit of Christ gives in his [...]esti­mony, it is stil according to the VVord. Look, as Indenture answers to Indenture, or as the Counterpaine exactly answers to the principall Conveyance, there is Article for Article, Clause for Clause, Covenant for Covenant, word for word: So doth the testimony of the Spirit exactly answer to the testi­mony of the VVord.

Eighthly, It is a Holy witness, a holyNil nisi sanctū à sancto spiritu prodire potest, Nothing can come from the Holy Spirit but that which is holy. testimony, it is formally holy, it is origi­nally holy, it is effectually holy. Nothing makes the heart more in the love, study, practise and growth of holines, then the glorious testimony of the Holy Spirit; and the more clear & ful the testimony is, the more holy and gracious it will make the Soule. Nothing puts such golden Engagements upon the soul to [Page 576] holiness, as the Spirit sealing a man up to the day of Redemption, as the Spi­rits speaking and sealing Peace. Love, and pardon to the Soul, Psal. 85. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 31. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Nothing makes a man more careful to please Christ, more fearful to offend Christ, more studious to exalt Christ, and more circumspect to walk with Christ, then this testimony of the Spirit of Christ. Verily, that is not the blessed whispering of Christs Spirit, but the hissing of the old Serpent, that makes men bold with sin, that makes men dally with sin, that makes man a ser­vant to sin, that breeds a contempt of Ordinances, a neglect of holy Duties, a carelesness in walking with God; And from those hissings of the old Serpent, O Lord, deliver my Soul, and the Souls of all thy servants that put their trust in thee.

Ninethly and lastly, Assurance is a Jewel, a Pearl of that price, that God onely bestows it upon renued hearts. The Spirit never sets his Seal upon any, but upon those that Christ hath firstRevel 2. 17. Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27. com­pared. printed his Image upon: God gives to none the white stone, but to those [Page 577] from whom he hath taken the heart of stone. Christ never tells a man that his Name is written in the Book ofLuke 10. 20. Life, till he hath breathed into him Spiritual Life. Christ never sayes, Son be of good chear, thy sin is par­doned,Luke 5. 18, 19, 20. till he hath first said, Be thou healed, be thou cleansed. Christ ne­ver gives a man a new name, that isIsa. 56. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 17. better then the names of Sons and Daughters, till he hath made them new Creatures. Of Slaves Christ first makes us Sons, before we cry Abba Rom 8. 15. Ephes. 2. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Father. Of Enemies, he first makes us Friends, before he will make us of his Court or Counsel. Christ will never hang a Pearl in a Swines snout, nor put new Wine into old Bottles, nor his Royal Robes upon a leprous back, nor his Golden Chain about a dead mans neck, nor his glistering Crown upon aEphes. 1. 13. Traytors head. The Spirit never sets his Seal upon any, but upon those that Christ hath first se [...] as a Seal upon hisCant. 8. 6. heart. The Spirit onely bears witness to such as hate sin as Christ hates it, and that love Righteousness as ChristPsal. 45 7. loves it, that hate sin more then Hell, and that love truth more then life. [Page 578] A Soul sealed by the Spirit will pull out right eyes, and cut off right hands, for Christ; such a Soul will part with a Benjamin, and offer up an Isaac, for Christ. And this is to be seriously minded against those deceived and de­luded Souls, that remain yet in their blood, and that wallow in their sins, and yet boast and brag of the Seal, and of the witness and testimony of the Spirit.

And thus I have shewed you the difference between the whisperings of the Spirit, and the hissing of the old Serpent, between a true testimony and a false.

CHAP. VII. Containing Answers to several special Questions about Assurance.

BUt me thinks I hear some precious Souls, saying, Sir, Quest. 1 we have, after much praying, weeping and waiting, gain­ed this Pearl of price, Assu­rance: But, O how shall we do to strengthen it? How shall we do to keep it? Satan will labor to weaken our Assurance, and to rob us of this Jewel, that is more worth than a world; what means must we use to strength­en our Assurance, and to secure it? &c.

Now to this Question, I shall give these following Answers.

First, If you would have your Assu­rance strengthned and maintained, then keep close to Soul-strengthningThe old Rule was Hoc age. ways, be serious and sincere, be dili­gent and constant in the use of those means and ways wherein you first gained Assurance, as Prayer, the Word, [Page 580] breaking of Bread, Communion of Saints, &c. A conscionable and cor­dialA cool spirit is always a losing spirit, the do­ing heart, the diligent heart, turns the spark into a flame, the mite into a million, &c. use of holy and heavenly means is blessed, not onely with a preservation of Assurance, but likewise with an addi­tion and increase of it. The ways of God, and his goings in the Sanctuary, have wrought wonders upon thee, when thou wast dead, how much more will they work upon thee, and for thee, now thou art (by Grace made) alive? He that will not apply himself to Gods strengthning methods, will quick­ly finde his Assurance weakned, if not wholly wasted. He that thinks him­self too good for Ordinances, will quickly grow weak in his Assurance. The choicest Prophets, and highest A­postles (if I may so speak) that had attained to the fullest Assurance, kept close to the ways and precious insti­tutions of Christ. Verily, those that pretend to live above Ordinances, and yet live below them, never knew by experience, what a mercy it was to have a wel-grounded Assurance, or else they have lost that blessed Assu­rance that once they had, &c.

Secondly, If you would strengthen [Page 581] and maintain your Assurance, then dwell much upon your Spiritual and Eternal Priviledges, viz. Your A­doption,Holy and hea­venly privi­ledges, are the food by which Assurance is cherished and maintained. Justification, Reconciliation, &c. 1 Pet. 2. 9. This you will finde by experience will mightily tend to the strengthning and maintaining of your Assurance. He that neglects this Rule, will quickly finde his Sun to set in a cloud, his Harp to be turned into mourning, and his Organ into the voiceJob 30. ult. of them that weep.

Thirdly, If you would strengthen and maintain your Assurance, then look that your hearts and thoughts run more out to Christ [...] then to Assurance, to the Sun then to the Beams, to the Fountain then to the Stream, to the Root then to the Branch, to the Cause then to the Effect. Assurance is sweet,Cant. 1. 13. but Christ is more sweet. Assurance is lovely, but Christ is altogether love­ly.Cant. 5. 16. Prov 3. 15. Assurance is precious, but Christ is most precious. Though Assurance be a flower that yeelds much comfort and delight, yet it is but a flower. Though Assurance be a precious Box, yet it is but a Box. Though Assurance be a Ring of Gold, yet it is but a Ring [Page 582] of Gold. And what is the flower to the Root, what is the Box to the Oynt­ment, what is the Ring to the Pearl? No more is Assurance to Christ; there­fore let thy eye, and heart, first, most, and last, be fixt upon Christ, then will Assurance bed and board with thee, otherwise thou wilt quickly finde thy Summer to be turned into Winter.

Fourthly, If you would strengthen and maintain your Assurance, then look that your hearts are more taken up with Christ, then with your Graces. Though Grace be a glorious Crea­ture,Christ is the pot of Manna, the Cruse of Oyl, the bor­tomless Ocean, the most spark­ling Diamond in the Ring of glory, &c. yet it is but a Creature; there­fore let Grace have your eye, but be sure that Christ have your heart. Christ will not allow your very Graces to be corrivals with him. He that mindes his Graces more then Christ, or that sets his Graces upon the Throne with Christ, will quickly finde what it is to lose the face and favor of Christ. Your Grace are but Christs Servants and Handmaids, you may look upon them, but you must not match with them.When Darius sent to Alexan­der, that he would be wil­ling to divide the Kingdom, no saith Alex­ander, there is but one Sun in the Firmament, and there can be but one King in a Kingdom: So saith Christ, &c. It is a reproach to Christ, that those that have married the Master, should [Page 583] at the same time match with the Ser­vant. The Queen may look upon her glistering Courtiers, but she must live upon the King; the Wife may take pleasure in her lovely Babes, but she must live upon her Husband, and be most observant of her Husband: So gracious souls may look upon their Graces, but they must live upon King Jesus; they may take pleasure in their Graces, but they must live upon Christ, and be most observant of Christ. This is the way to keep Christ and Assu­rance, and he that walks contrary to this rule, will soon find the losse of both. Christ will be Alexander or Nemo, he will be all in all, or he will be nothing at all. Though his Coat [...]oh. 19. 23. was once divided, yet he will never suffer his Crowne to be divided. HisIsa. 42. 8. glory he will give to none.

Fifthly, If you would have yourWe have, saith Cyprian, no such notions as ma­ny Philoso­phers have, but we are Philo­sophers in our deeds, we do not speak great things, but we do great things in our lives. Assurance strengthened and maintai­ned, then labor to improve your As­surance, improve it to the strengthen­ing of you against temptations, to the fencing of you against corruptions, to the raising of your resolutions, to the inflaming of your affections, to the bet­tering [Page 584] of your conversations. Assu­rance is a pearl of price, he that will keep it, must improve it. The ready way to maintain our natural strength, and to increase it, is to improve it: So the ready way to maintain our Assurance, and to increase it, is to improve it. Assurance is one of the choicest and chiefest talents that ever God intrust­ed man with, and he that doth not im­prove it and imploy it, will quickly lose it, &c. God will not suffer soMatth. 25. 28. golden a talent to gather rust. Win gold and wear gold, improve gold and keep gold; win Assurance and wear Assurance, improve Assurance and keep Assurance. Dionysius the elder, being advised of one that had hidden great store of money, commands him upon pain of death to bring it to him; which he did, but not all; But with the re­mainder he went and dwelt in another Countrey, where he bought an Inhe­ri [...]ance, and fel upon some imployment; which when Dionysius heard, he sent him his money againe, which he had taken from him, saying, Now thou knowest how to use riches, take that I had from thee. I shall leave you to [Page 585] make the application.

Sixthly, If you would have your As­surance strengthened and maintained, then walke humbly with your God.Mich. 6. 8. God makes the humble mans heart his house to dwell in, Isa. 57. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwel in [...] low of spirit [...] to quicken or make to live the spirit of humble ones. Isa. 41. 10. the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to re­vive the heart of the contrite ones. The highest heavens, and the lowest hearts, are the habitations wherein the holy one delights to dwel. Now this phrase, I will dwel with the humble, takes in seve­ral things. 1. It includes Gods over­looking the humble. 2. It takes in Gods assisting and strengthning of the humble. 3. It takes in Gods protection, I will dwel with the humble, that is, IJob 22. 29. will protect him and secure him. 4: It takes in Gods sympathizing with the humble. 5. It takes in Gods applyingIsa. 63. 9. Isa. 57. 18. all suitable good to the humble. 6. It takes in Gods ruling and over-ruling the heart and the affections of the hum­ble. 7. It takes in Gods teaching andPsa. 10. 17. Psal. 25. 9. learning of the humble. But 8. and [Page 586] lastly, it includes and takes in a clear­er, a fuller, and a larger manifestation and communication of God to hum­ble souls; ah saith God, I will dwell with the humble, that is, I will more richly, more abundantly, and more gloriously manifest and make knowne my grace and glory, my goodnesse and sweetnesse, my loving kindnesse and tendernesse to humble souls. Now tell me humble soules, will not Gods dwelling thus with you contribute very much to the strengthning and main­taining of your Assurance? Jam. 4. 6. But he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud (or as the Greek [...]. word emphatically signifies, he sets himself in battle array against the proud) but giveth grace to the humble. Humility is both a grace, and a vessell to receive grace. God poures in grace into the humble souls, as men poure liquor into an empty vessel. And ve­rily, the more grace you have, the more will your Assurance be strength­ned and maintained. Well, remember this, the humble mans mercies are the sweetest mercies, the greatest mercies, the most growing and thriving mer­cies, [Page 587] the most blessed and sanctified mercies, & the most lasting and abiding mercies. Therefore as you would have your Assurance strengthned and main­tained, walk humbly with your God; I say again, walk humbly, walk humbly with your God, and you shal wear the crown of Assurance to your grave.

Seventhly, If you would keep and maintain your Assurance, then take heed and watch against those very par­ticular sins by which other Saints have lost their Assurance. Take heed of car­nall confidence and security. David Psal. 30. 6, 7. lost his Assurance by not guarding his heart against those evils. Again, take heed of a light, slight, careless, and negligent spirit in holy and spirituall things. The Spouse in the Canticles lost her Assurance, and her sweet com­munion with Christ, by her slightness of spirit. Again, take heed of a stoutCant. 5 2, 3, 6. compared. and unyeelding spirit under the afflict­ing hand of God, this made God hide his face from them, Isa. 57. 17. In a word, take heed of tasting of for­bidden fruit, remembring what Adam lost by a taste.

Eighthly, If you would maintain [Page 588] and keep your Assurance, then free­quentlyA man may easier make a seeing eie blind, then a blind eye to see; a man may soon put an in­strument out of tune, but not so soon put it in again; A man is easily born down the stream, but cannot swim so easily up the stream. &c. and seriously consider of the wonderfull difficulty of recovering Assurance when it is lost; Oh the sighs, the groans, the complaints, the prayers, the tears, the heart-renting, the soul-bleeding that the recovery of thy lost Assurance will cost. The gaming of Assurance at first cost thee dear, but the regaining of it (if thou shouldest be so unhappy as to lose it) will put thee to more pains and charge. Of the two it is easier to keep Assu­rance now thou hast it, then to re­cover it when thou hast lost it. It is easier to keep the house in reparati­ons, then when it is fallen to build it up.

Ninethly and lastly, consider so­lemnly the sad and wofull evils and in­conveniencies that will certainly fol­lowHow can the bird flye without wings, and the wheeles go without oyle, and the work­man worke without hands, and the painter paint without eies? &c. upon the loss of your Assurance, I will only touch upon a few.

1 None of the precious things of Christ will be so sweet to thee as for­merly they have been.

2 You will neither be so fervent in duty, nor so frequent in duty, nor so abundant in duty, nor so spirituall [Page 589] in duty, nor so lively in duty, nor so cheerful in duty, as formerly you have been.

3. Afflictions will sooner sink you, temptations will sooner overcome you, oppositions will sooner discourage you.

4. Your mercies will be bitter, your life a burden, and death a terror to you; you will be weary of living, and yet afraid of dying, &c.

Now the second Question is this, Sup­pose Quest. 2 Souls have not been so careful to keep and maintain their Assurance, as they should have been, but upon one account or another have lost that blessed Assurance that once they had; how may such sad Souls be supported and kept from fainting, sink­ing, and languishing under the loss of Assurance?

To this Question I shall give these following Answers.

First, Souls that have lost that sweet Support 1 Assurance that once they had, may be supported and kept from fainting and sinking, by considering, that though they have lost their Assurance, yet they have not not lost their Son-ship;Rom. 8. 15, 16, 17. for once sons and always sons: You [Page 590] are sons, though dejected sons; you are sons, though comfortless sons; you are sons, though mourning sons,Psal. 89. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. John 13. 3. Jere. 31. 3. Once children, and always children; once heirs, and always heirs; once beloved, and always beloved; once happy, and always happy. 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: For this is all my Salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. Well, sayes David, though nei­ther my self, nor my house, have been so exact and perfect in our walkings before God as we should, but we have broken our Covenants with him, and dealt unworthily by him, and turned our backs upon him, yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Cove­nant, he hath engaged himself in an Everlasting Covenant, that he will be my Father, and that I shall be his Son. And this is my Salvation, and an Ever­lasting Ground of Consolation, and Supportation to my Soul.

The second Support is this, Con­sider, Support 2 that though your Comfort, Joy, and Peace, doth depend much upon [Page 591] your Assurance, yet your Eternal Happiness and Blessedness doth not de­pend upon your Assurance; if it did, you might be happy and miserable in a day, I, in an hour: Your Happiness lies in your Union with God, in your Communion with God, in your Inter­est in God, and not in your seeing and knowing: Your Interest, your Joy, and Comfort, lies in your seeing and knowing your Interest in God, but your Everlasting Happiness lies in your being interested in God. The welfare and happiness of the childe lies in the interest that he hath in his Father, but the joy and comfort of the childe lies in his seeing, in his knowing of his interest in his Father: It is so between the Lord and Believers. Psal. 144. 15. Happy be the people that be in such a case, yea, happy is that people whose God is the Nemo aliorum sensu miser est, sed suo. Sal. de Gub. Dei, [...]. 1. A godly mans happiness or misery is not to be judged by the worlds sense or feel­ing, but his own. Lord. Among the Philosophers there were Two hundred and eighty Opini­ons concerning Happiness, some affirm­ing Happiness to lie in one thing, some in another. Ah, but by the Spirit and Word we are taught, that Happiness lies in our oneness with God, in our nearness and dearness to God, and in our [Page 592] conformity to God, &c. Mark, theTo make up happiness, these things must concur: First, it must be a conveni­ent good, a suitable good to our natures; Secondly, it must be an ex­cellent good, a good that hath worth and ex­cellency in it; Thirdly, it must be a suffi­cient good, a few scrapings of gold will not make a man rich, &c. Fourthly, it must be a per­manent good, it is permanen­cy that s [...]ts the greatest price, and hath the greatest influ­ence into our happiness and felicity. Scripture pronounces him happy, whose hope is in God, though he want Assurance, Psal. 146. 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Again, he is happy that trusteth in the Lord, though for the present he want Assu­rance, Prov. 16. 20. And who so trust­eth in the Lord, happy is he. Again, he is happy that feareth the Lord, that hath set up God as the object of his fear, though he want Assurance of the love of God, Prov. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth always; That fears to offend, that fears to disobey, that fears to rebel, &c. Again, he is happy that believes in Christ, that rests and stayes upon Christ, as the Scriptures every where testifie, though he may want Assurance.

Happiness lies not in any transient act of the Spirit, as Assurance is, but in the more permanent and lasting acts of the Spirit. The Philosopher could say, That he was never a happy man, that might afterwards become miserable. If a mans Eternal Happiness did lie in the Assurance of his Happiness, then [Page 593] might a man be crowned with Xerxes's Steersman in the Morning, and be be­headed with him in the Evening of the same day.

But this is the Believers Blessedness, That his condition is always good, though he doth not alwayes see it to be good; that his state is always safe, though it be not alwayes comfort­able.

The third Support to keep those Support 3 precious Souls from fainting and sink­ing, that have lost that sweet Assu­rance that once they had, is, to con­sider, that though their loss be the greatest and saddest loss that could be­fal them, yet it is a recoverable loss, it is a loss that may be recovered, as the Scriptures in the Margent do clearlyPsal. 71 20, 21. & 42. 5, 7, 8, Isa. 54 7, 8. Micah 7. 18, 19 Cant. 3. 4. Psal. 84. 11, &c. Glover and many others, yea, a cloud of witnesses might be found to testifie this truth. evidence. And doth not this age, as well as former, furnish us with many instances of this kinde? Doubtless, many there are among the precious Sons and Daughters of Zion, that have lost this Pearl of price, and after wait­ing, weeping, and wrestling, have found it again; therefore be not discouraged, O sighing, losing Souls. In the loss of emporals, it is a great support to [Page 594] mens spirits, that their loss may be made up, and why should it not be so in spirituals also?

The fourth Support to keep their Support 4 hearts from sinking and breaking, that have lost that sweet Assurance that once they had, is, seriously to consider, that your loss is no greater, nor no sad­der, then what the noblest and the choicest Saints have sustained, as you may see by comparing the ScripturesPsal. 30. 6, 7. & 51. 12. Job 23. 8, 9. Isa. 8. 17. in the Margent together. Those that were once the Worthies of this world, and are now triumphing in that other World among the Princes of glory, have lost that sweet Assurance and sense of Divine love and favor, that once they enjoyed; therefore let not your spirits faint and fail. In temporalActs 16. trials, it is a comfort and a support to have companions with us, and why should it not much more be so in spiri­tuals?

The fifth Support to bear up their Support 5 spirits, that have lost that sweet Assu­rance that once they had, is, for them to remember, and seriously minde, that though they have lost Assurance, yet they have not lost the blessed breath­ings, [Page 595] and sweet influences of the Spi­ritCant. 3. & 5. Micah 7. 7, 8, 9. compared. Isa. 8. 17. Isa. 50. 10. upon them; witness their love to Christ, their longing after Christ, their fear of offending Christ, their care to please Christ, their high e­steem of Christ, and their mourning for the dishonors, that by themselves or others are done to Christ, &c. A man may enjoy the warmth, heat, and influence of the Sun, when he hath lost the sight of the Sun: David had lost his Assurance, he had lost the sight of the Sun, and yet he enjoyed the warmth and influences of it upon his heart, as is evident in the One and fiftieth Psalm.

Though thy Sun, O Christian, be set in a cloud, yet it will rise again, and in the interim, thou hast and dost enjoy the warmth and influences of the Sun; therefore sorrow not, mourn not, as one without hope. Those warm influences that the Sun of Righteous­ness hath now upon thy heart, are in­fallible evidences, that he will shinePsal. 42. 5, 7, 8, 11. forth, and smile upon thee, as in the days of old; therefore let thy Bowe still abide in strength.

The sixth Support to keep their Support 6 [Page 596] hearts from fainting and sinking, that have lost that sweet Assurance that once they had, is, seriously to con­sider, that it will be but as a day, but as a short day, before the loss of thy Assurance shall be made up, with a more clear, full, perfect, and compleat enjoyment of God; ere long, O mourn­ing Soul, thy Sun shall rise and never set, thy joy and comfort shall be al­waysIsa. 57. 18, 19, 20. fresh and green, God shall com­fort thee on every side, it shall be night with thee no more, thou shalt be always in the bosom of God. Psal. 71. 20, 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again; and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. The day is at hand, O perplexed Soul▪ when thou shalt have smiles without frowns, light without dark­ness, day without night, wine with­out water, sweet without bitter, and joy without sorrow.

The year of Jubile is at hand, thouLevit 25. Psal. 126. 5. Isa. 35. 2. now sowest in tears, thou shalt short­ly reap in joy, yea, Everlasting joy shall be upon thy head, and sorrow, [Page 597] and sighing shall flee away, therefore faint not.

The third Question is this, viz. Quest. 3 What means must Souls use to recover Assu­rance, when it is lost?

I shall give a few short Answers to this Question, and so draw to a cloze.

First, If thou wouldst recover Assu­rance,Austin saith, Humanum est peccare, diabo­licum perseve­rare, & Ange­licum resurgere, It is a humane thing to fall into sin, a de­vilish to per­severe therein, and an Angeli­cal or super­natural to rise from it. then thou must labor diligently to finde out that sin, that Achan, that hath robbed thee of thy Wedg of Gold, of thy Assurance; surely it is not for infirmities, but enormities, that God hath put out thy candle, and cau­sed thy Sun to set at Noon; surely, thou hast been feeding (I say not tast­ing) of forbidden fruit, that God hath stript thee of thy robes, and taken the crown from off thy head, and turned thee out of Paradise. But this is not all.

Therefore in the second place, weepReve. 2. 4, 5. When ancient Rome was Hea­thenish, if the Malefactor brought to be whipped sell upon his knees at his feet whom he had offended, it was held as a sin if he suffer­ed him to be whipt. much, mourn much, over the Achan, over those wickednesses that have turn­ed thy day into night, thy rejoycing into sighing, &c. David doth thus in that One and fiftieth Psalm, and God takes him up from his knees, and re­stores [Page 598] to him the joy of his Salvation. Though God be displeased with your sins, yet he is wel-pleased with your tears. The promise is, that he will re­vive the spirit of the contrite, Isa. 51. 15. It is said of Adam, that he turned his face towards the Garden of Eden, and from his heart lamented his fall: Ah losing Souls, turn your faces towards Heaven, and from your hearts lament your fall, lament your loss; nothing puts God to it, like penitent tears. No sooner doth Ephraim weep over his sins,Jere 31. 18, 19, 20. It is an excel­lent expression of Basil, It grieves, it irks, it is tedi [...] is to our most muni­ficient, great, glorious King, If we ask any thing little of him, he would have us ask great things of him. but the bowels of God are stirring to­wards him, and God cannot hold but he must proclaim to the world, that mourning Ephraim, bemoaning E­phraim, is his dear son, his pleasant childe, and that he will surely have mercy on him, or, as the Hebrew hath it (Rahhem arahhamenu) I will having mercy, have mercy on him, or, I will a­bundantly have mercy on him. When our hearts are set to weep over our sins, God will so act in ways of love to­wards us, that it shall not be long night with our Souls. God will never suffer them to be drowned in sorrow, that are set upon drowning their sins in [Page 599] penitential tears. The Jews have a saying, That since the destruction of Jerusalem, the door of Prayers hath been shut; but the door of tears wasPsal. 39. 12. Job 16. 20. Mark 9. 24, 25, &c. never shut, saith one. God hath by promise engaged himself, That those that sow in tears, shall reap in joy, Psal. 126. 5. The tears of the Saints have such a kinde of omnipotency in them, that God himself cannot withstand them. 2 Kings 20. 5. I have seen thy tears, behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the House of the Lord.

Thirdly, If you would recover Assurance, then sit not down discou­raged, but be up and doing. Remem­ber what a Pearl of price thou hastRevel. 2. 4, 5. As a man that hath been re­covered for­merly out of such or such a disease, if he be relapsed, he will to the same means again, he will apply the same re­medies again; This did once do me good, I will try it a­gain. lost, and repent and do thy first works; fall close to the good old work of Be­lieving, Meditating, Examining, Pray­ing, Hearing, Mourning, &c. Begin the world again, and set afresh upon those very ways, by which at first thou didst get Assurance; fall upon family Duties, apply thy self to publick Or­dinances, be much in close [...] Services, stir up every gift that is in thee, stir up every grace that is in thee, stir up all [Page 600] the life that is in thee, and never leave blowing till thou hast blowed thy lit­tle spark into a flame; never leave turn­ing thy penny, till thou hast turned thy penny into a pound; never leave im­proving thy mite, till thy mite be tur­ned into a million. God will be found in the use of means, and he will re­store our lost mercies in the use of means, Psal. 22. 26. But this is not all.

Therefore in the fourth place, wait patiently upon the Lord; David did so, and at length the Lord brought himPsal. 40. 1, 2, 3. out of a horrible pit, or out of a pit of noise and confusion, and set his feet up­on a rock, and established his goings, and put a new Song of praise into his mouth. God never hath, nor never will faile the waiting Soul; though God loves to try the patience of his Children, yet he doth not love to tire out the patience of his Children,Isa. 57. 16, 18, 19 therefore he will not contend for ever, neither will he be alwaies wroth, lest the spirits of his people should faile. Assu­rance is a Jewel worth waiting for, it is a Pearl that God gives to none but such as have waited long at mer­cies [Page 601] door; It is a Crown that every one must win (by patient waiting) before he can wear. God doth not think the greatest Mercies too good for waiting Souls, though he knows the least Mercy is too good for impati­ent Soules. The Breasts of the Pro­mises lie fair and open to waiting Soules, Isa. 30. 18. & 64. 4. & 49. 23. The waiting soule shall have any thing of God, but the froward and impati­ent soule gets nothing of God but frowns, and blowes, and wounds, and broken bones. Sad souls should do well to make that text their bosome companion, Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave [...]. you comfortless (or Orphans) I will come to you. And that Text, Heb. 10. 36, 37. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the Promise: for yet a little, little while (as it is in the Greek) and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Fifthly and lastly, If you would re­cover Assurance, then take heed of re­fusing Comforts when God brings them to your door, take heed of throwing Gospel-Cordialls against [Page 602] the wall. This was Asaphs sin, My Psal. 77. 2. Ambrose saith, If I would offer thee gold to day, thou wouldest not say I will come tomorrow: And wilt thou lightly and slightly put God off when he offers peace and comfort to thy soul? &c. soule refused to be comforted. God comes and offers love to the soul, and the soule refuses it; God comes and spreads the Promises of Consolation before the Soul, and the Soul refuses to look upon them; God comes and makes tenders of the riches of grace, and the soule refuses to accept of them. Sometimes the hand, the man that brings the Cordiall is not liked, and therefore men refuse it. Well, remember this, when gold is offered men care not how great or how base he is that offers it; neither should we care by whom the Cordials and conso­lations of the Gospel are offered to us, whether they are offered by the hand of Isaiah a Prophet of the blood roy­all, as some think, or by Amos from amongst the Heardsmen of Tekoa. If the Sweet-meats of Heaven are set before thee, it is thy wisdom and thy duty to taste of them, and to feed up­on them, without stumbling at the hand that presents them.

Now for a cloze I shall make a few short uses of what hath been said, and so conclude.

First, You that have Assurance, be Use 1 thankful for it; it is a Jewel more worth then Heaven, therefore be thankful. Assurance is a mercy nobly descended, it is from above. Man isJam. 1. 17. Plato was very thankful, that God made him a man, and not a woman, a Grecian, and not a Barbarian, a Scholar to Socrates, and not to any o­ther Philoso­pher. O what cause then have you to be thankful for Assurance? not born with it in his heart, as he is with a tongue in his mouth. Assurance is a peculiar mercy, it is a flower of Paradise that God sticks onely in his childrens bosoms. Assurance is a mer­cy, sweetning mercy, it is a mercy that puts the Garland upon all our mercies. Assurance makes every bitter sweet, and every sweet more sweet; he en­joyes little, that wants it, he wants nothing that enjoyes it; therefore be you thankful that have, and do finde the sweetness of it. If Philip rejoyced that Alexander was born in the dayes of Aristotle, How much more cause have you to rejoyce, upon whose heads the Lord hath put the Crown of As­surance, a crown of more worth and weight, then all Princes crowns in the world?

Secondly, If God hath given you Use 2 Psal. 37. 1, 7, 8. Prov. 23. 17. Assurance, then do not envy the out­ward felicity and happiness of the men of the world. Ah lass, what are [Page 604] Mountains of Dust, to Mountains of Gold? what are the Stones of the Street, to Rocks of Pearl? what are Crowns of Thorns, to Crowns of Gold? &c. No more are all the trea­sures, honors, pleasures, and favors of this world, to Assurance. The envious man hath so many tortures, as the en­viedSocrates wished that envious men had more eyes, and more ears then o­thers, that they might be more tormented then others, by beholding o­thers happi­ness. hath praisers; it is the Justice of Envy, to kill and torment the envious. The men of the world, are real objects of pitty, but not of envy; who envies the Prisoner at the Bar? who envies the Malefactor that is going to Execu­tion? who envies the dead man that is going to his grave? God hath done more for thee by giving thee Assurance, then if he had given thee all the world, yea, Ten thousand worlds. When the Spanish Ambassador boasted that his Master was King of such a place, and of such a place, and of such a place, &c. The French Ambassador answered, My Master is King of France, K. or France, K. of France, signifying thereby, that France was as much, or more worth, then all the Kingdoms under the power of the King of Spain. Ah Christians, when the men of the world shall cry [Page 605] out, O their riches, O their honors, O their preferments, &c. You may well cry out, O Assurance, Assurance, Assu­rance, there being more real worth and glory in that, then is to be found in all the wealth and glory of the world; therefore do not envy the outward prosperity and felicity of worldly men, &c.

Thirdly, If God hath given you Use 3 Assurance, then give no way to slavish fears; fear not the scorn and reproach­es of men: Fear not wants, God willSaul had but five pence to give the Seer, the Seer after much good chear gives him freely the Kingdom, 1 Sam. 9. 8. & 10. 1. So God deals with his. not deny him a crust, to whom he hath given a Christ; he will not deny him a crumb, upon whom he hath bestowed a Crown; he will not deny him a less mercy, upon whom he hath bestowed Assurance, which is the Prince of mer­cies. Fear not death, for why shouldst thou fear death, that hast Assurance of a better life? &c.

Fourthly, If God hath given you a Use 4 wel-grounded Assurance of your Ever­lasting Happiness and Blessedness, then question his love no more: God doth not love to have his love at every turn called in question by those that he hath once assured of his love; He doth [Page 606] expect, that as no sin of ours dothPsal. 89. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. Jere. 31. 3. make any substantial alteration in his affections to us; so none, no not his sharpest dispensations, should make any alteration in our thoughts and affecti­ons towards him.

Fifthly and lastly, If God hath gi­ven Use 5 Eccles. 9. 8. Revel. 3. 4. Matth. 5. 16. Vive ut vivas▪ Live that thou mayest live. Live in such sort, saith Pe­riander King of Corinth, that thou mayest have honor by thy life, and that after thy death, men may account thee happy. you Assurance, then live holily, live angelically, keep your garments pure and white, walk with an even foot, be shining lights. Your Happi­ness here is your Holiness, and in Hea­ven your highest Happiness will be your perfect Holiness; Holiness differs nothing from Happiness, but in name; Holiness is Happiness in the bud, and Happiness is Holiness at the full; Hap­piness is nothing but the quintessence of Holiness; The more holy any man is, the more the Lord loves him, John 14. 21, 23. Augustine doth excellent­ly observe in his Tract on John the first and the 14. That God loved the hu­manity of Christ, more then any man, because he was Grace and Truth, then any man. The Philosopher could say, That God was but an emp­ty name, without vertue; so are all our professions, without Holiness: Holiness [Page 607] is the very marrow and quintessence ofIlle non est bonus qui non vnlt esse melior. The loose walk­ing of many Christians was (as Salvian complains) made by the Pagans the re­proach of Christ himself, saying, If Christ had taught holy doctrine, sure­ly his followers had led better lives. all Religion: Holiness is God stamped and printed upon the Soul; it is Christ formed in the Heart; it is our Light, our Life, our Beauty, our Glory, our Joy, our Crown, our Heaven, our All. The holy Soul is happy in Life, and blessed in Death, and shall be transcen­dently glorious in the Morning of the Resurrection, when Christ shall say, Lo, here am I, and my holy Ones, who are my Joy; Lo, here am I, and my holy Ones, who are my Crown; and therefore upon the Heads of these holy Ones, will I set an Immortal Crown. Even so Amen Lord Jesus.