But as God is true, our word towards you was not yea and nay; for the Sonne of God, Iesus Christ, who was prea­ched among you by us, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

For all the promises of God are in him yea, and in [Page 2] him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

THE blessed Apo­stle, that he might have the better place in the hearts of his hearers, endeavours here with all diligence to wipe off any imputation, which they might have against him, that so his doctrine might come home to their soules, and have the freer accesse to worke upon their consciences.

We have therefore in these words S. Pauls Apo­logie, for not comming unto the Chorinthians ac­cording to his promise. Wherein hee alledgeth that it was not from any [Page 3] inconstancy in him; but indeed from corruption in manners among them. verse 23. I call God to re­cord, that to spare you I came not. The Apostle as a man, and as a holy man, might promise many things common to this life, and might lawfully vary afterwards, upon the appearance of reall impe­diments.

But the things which he promiseth, and speakes of as an Apostle, they admit of no such uncertainty. Therefore his care is to decline all thoughts of wavering therein, and to maintaine the credit of the Gospell, which hee had taught to the utter­most: [Page 4] knowing well, how ready false teachers would be to perswade the peo­ple, that Paul was as light in his preaching, as he was in keeping his word with them, therefore our Word is true, as God is true, saith he.

There is the same ground of the certainty of Evangelicall truths, as there is of God himselfe. Iesus Christ whom I prea­ched among you was not yea and nay, saith the Apo­stle, but yesterday and to day, and the same for ever. Whence may bee obser­ved:

That the object of prea­ching Doct. 1. now in the time of the Gospell, is especially Iesus [Page 5] Christ. This is the Rock upon which the Church is built. Christ should be the subject matter of our teaching, in his Nature, Offices, and Benefits, in the duties which we owe to him, and the instrument whereby we receive all from him, which is faith.

If wee preach the Law, and discover mens cor­ruption, it is but to make way for the Gospels freer passage into their soules. And if we presse holy du­ties, it is to make you walke worthy of the Lord Jesus. All teaching is re­ductive to the Gospell of Christ, either to make way as Iohn Baptist did, to levell all proud thoughts, [Page 6] and make us stoop to him, or to make us walk worthy of the grace wee receive from him.

The Bread of life must be broken, the Sacrifice must bee anatomized and layed open; the riches of Christ, even his unsearch­able riches, must bee un­folded. The Sonne of God must be preached to all, and therefore God who hath appointed us to bee saved by Christ, hath also ordained preaching, to lay open the Lord Iesus, with the heavenly trea­sures of his grace and glo­ry. But to go forward.

Iesus Christ who was preached among you, by [Page 7] me, and Sylvanus, and Tymotheus, was not yea and nay.

Here observe: That the Observ. consent of Preachers in the mysteries of salvation, is an excellent meanes to streng­then faith in their hearers: not in regard of the truth it selfe, but in regard of men. So it pleaseth God to condescend to our weaknesse, in adding Sa­craments and Oath unto his promises, thereby to shew the more stablenesse of his counsell towards us.

By yea here is meant Certaine, Constant, Vnva­riable. The times vary, but not the faith of the times. The same funda­mentall [Page 8] truth is in all ages. Sometimes indeed it is more explicated, and un­folded; as we have in the the New Testament divers truths more cleerely re­vealed than in the Old. There is not a new faith, but a larger explication of the old faith. Divine truth is alwayes the same. If there hath beene a Church alwayes, there hath ever beene a Divine truth. Now it is an Article of our faith in all times to beleeve a Catholike Church, certain­ly then there must bee a Catholike truth, to be the seed of this Church. Ther­fore we should search out, what was that yea, that positive Doctrine in those [Page 9] Apostolicall times of the Churches purity before it was corrupted.

The Church was not long a Virgin, yet some there were that held the truth of Christ in all ages. Our present Church holds the same positive truths, with the Apostles before us. Therefore we say, Our Church was before Luther, because our Do­ctrine is Apostolicall, as also is our Church that is continued thereby, be­cause it is built upon A­postolicall doctrine. Put the case we cannot shew the men as they redicu­lously urge; what is that to the purpose? From an ignorance of particular [Page 10] men, will they conclude us to be ignorant of the Church of Christ, which hath ever beene.

Hence the true Church may easily be discerned: the points of Religion wherein our adversaries differ from us, be but pat­cheries of their owne, they were not yea. In the Apo­stles times, their Purgato­ry, Invocation of Saints, and Sacraments, of divers kindes were devised by themselves afterwards. And indeed for a thou­sand yeeres after Christ, many of the differences betwixt us and the Papists were never heard of; nei­ther were they ever esta­blished by any Counsell, [Page 11] till the Counsell of Trent.

Our positive points are grounded upon the holy Scriptures; we seek the Old way, and the best way, as Ieremy adviseth us. There was no popish trash in A­brahams time, among the blessed Patriarches, nor in Christs time. No, nor ma­ny hundred yeares after; they came in by little and little, by humane inventi­on, for their owne advan­tage; a meere policy to get money and abuse the people. Indeed they hold many of our truths, but they adde something of their owne to them; they adde necessity of tradition to the Scriptures, me­rits to faith; they adde [Page 12] Saints to Christ in Divine Worship: they have seven Sacraments to our two. They may safelier there­fore come to us, than we to them; we hold all that they should hold, onely their owne additions wee hold not, we leave them to themselves. So much for that.

To touch only another point, that borders a lit­tle Doct. upon it. Divine truth is of an inflexible nature; this crosseth another rule of theirs; for they hold, they may give what sense of Scripture they will: and that the current of the present Church, must judge of all former coun­sels. What? Doth the [Page 13] truth vary according to mens judgements? must we bring the strait Rule to the crooked Timber for to be measured? Shall the judgement of any man, be the rule of Gods unerring truth? Shall present men interpret it thus, and say, it is so now? And shall o­thers that succeed after say, what ever it was then, now it is thus: and must we beleeve all? God for­bid.

This declareth, That no Doct. 4. man can dispence with Gods Law: this written Word is alike in all: truth is truth, and errour errour, whether men think it to be so or no. Reason is reason, in Turkes, as well [Page 14] as amongst us. The light of nature, is the light of nature, in any Countrey as well as here. Principles of nature vary not as Lan­guages doe: they are in­bred things. And if Prin­ciples of nature be inviola­ble, and indispensable, much more is Divinity. Filth is filth wee all con­fesse: opinion ought not to bee the rule of things, but the nature of the thing it selfe.

Therefore what is a­gainst nature, none can dispence withall. God can­not deny himselfe. What is naught in one age, is naught in another, and for ever naught. There is no Monarch in the World [Page 15] can dispence with the Law of nature, or with the Divine Law of God. For the opinion of any man in the World, is not the rule which hee may comfortably live by, but the undoubted light of Christs written Word.

I speake this the rather to crosse their base practi­ces, who when God cals them to stand for his cause and truth, they will bend and bow the sacred truth, which is alwayes Yea and Amen, to their owne by ends and base respects. As if the opinion of any man in the world were the rule of their faith and obedi­ence. This is to make God no God. Is not right, [Page 16] right? Is not the Law the Law? Is not the Word of Christ a word that alters not, but remaines stedfast to all eternity?

Assure your selves there is a truth of God, that we must maintaine to the death, not onely in oppo­sing Heresie, but resisting of impiety wheresoever we meet it. Iohn Baptist was a Martyr when hee stood out against Herod and said, Thou must not have thy Brother Philips Wife. He would not be meale-mouth'd in reproo­ving his sinne, but cried out against the unlawful­nesse of it, though it cost him his life. Men ought to suffer for the truth, and [Page 17] not for base ends deny the least word of God, because it is a divine sparkle from himselfe.

For all the promises of God, in him are yea, and in him are Amen.

This comes in after this manner: the word that I preached (saith Paul) is unvariable, because Christ himselfe is alwayes yea, and I have preached no­thing but Jesus Christ a­mong you; my preaching then must needs be a cer­tain and immutable truth.

There are divers rea­dings of the words, but the most materiall is (as this Translation and the best Expositors have it) [Page 18] All the promises of God in Christ are yea, (that is,) they are certaine and con­stant in him. And then they are Amen, that is, in Christ they are fulfilled. In him they are made, and in him they are accompli­shed. The whole carri­age of the promises are in Christ: for his sake they were first given, and in him they shall be perfor­med. As Christ himselfe was yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever: so are all Gods promises made in him, undoubted­ly, eternally, and unchan­gably true to all posteri­ties.

Here are divers truths which offer themselves to [Page 19] our consideration. First take notice, that since the fall of man, it hath pleased our good God to establish a Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ, and to make him a second Adam, by whom we might be resto­red to a better estate, than ever wee had in the first Adam. In which happy condition there can be no intercourse betwixt God and man, without some promise in his Christ: so that God now deales all by promises with us. The reason is this, how can poore dust and ashes dare to challenge any thing of the great Majesty of Hea­ven, without a warrant from himselfe? How can [Page 20] the Conscience be satisfi­ed? Consci­ence, what. (Conscience you know is a knowledge together with God.) How can that rest quiet in any thing, but in what it is assured comes from God? And there­fore Why God rules his Church by promi­ses. for any good I hope for from God, it behooves me to have some promise, and word of his mouth for it, this being his constant course of dispensation to his people. While we live in this world we are alwayes under hope. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God. Now hope lookes still to the promise, whereof some part is unperfor­med.

How doth Heaven dif­fer from Earth? but in [Page 21] this: Heaven is a place all for performances: here we have some performan­ces to encourage us, but are alwayes under some promise not yet accompli­shed. And therefore the manner of our apprehen­sion of God in this world, exceedingly differs from that in Heaven.

Here it is by faith and hope, there it is by vision: vision is fit for perfor­mance. Faith and Hope looke alwayes to a word revealed: God therefore rules his Church in this manner for their greater good. Alas what can we have from God, but by the manifestation of hiis own good will? May we look [Page 22] for favour from God for any thing in our selves? It is a fond conceit.

Againe, God will have his Church ruled by pro­mises Reas. 2. in all ages, to exer­cise the faithfull in prayer and dependance upon him. God will see of what cre­dit is amongst men, whe­ther they will rely upon his bare promise or no. He might doe us good, and give us no promise; but he will try his graces in us, by arming us against all diffi­culties and discourage­ments till the thing pro­mised be performed to us. Promises are (as it were) the stay of the soule in an imperfect condition, and so is faith in them, untill [Page 23] our hopes shall end in full possession: and wee must know, that Divine Pro­mises The ex­cellencie of Divine Promises. are better than earth­ly performances. Let God give man never so much in the world, if hee have not a promise of better things, all will come to nothing at the last. And therefore God supports the spirits of his servants against all temptations, both on the right hand and on the left by sweet promises. Hee will have them live by faith, which alwayes hath relation to a Promise. This is a gene­rall ground then, that God now in Christ Jesus hath appointed to governe his Church by way of pro­mises.

[Page 24] But what is a Promise?

A Promise is nothing but a manifestation of Definiti­on of a promise. love; an intendment of bestowing some good, and removing some evill from us. A declaring of a mans free engagement in this kinde, is a Promise; it al­wayes comes from love in the party promising, and conveighs goodnesse to the beleeving soule. Now what love can there be in God to us (since the fall,) which must not be groun­ded on a better foundati­on than our selves? If God love us, it must be in one that is, first beloved; here­upon comes the ground of the promises to be in Je­sus Christ: all intercourse [Page 25] between God and us must be in him that is able to satisfie God for us. The Almighty Creator will have our debts discharged before he enters into a co­venant of peace with us.

Now this Christ hath perfectly done, and there­by reconciled lost sinners; hereupon the promise im­mediately issues (from Gods love in Christ) to beleeving soules: He must first receive all good for us, and we must have it at the second hand from him. The promises in Christ are as the spirits in the bo­dy, they runne through al the ages of the Church; without him there is no mercy nor comfort to be [Page 26] had. God cannot look on this cursed nature of ours out of Christ; and there­fore whosoever appre­hends any mercy from God, he must apprehend it in Christ the promised seed. To make it clearer; our nature since the fall is odious to God, (a sinfull cursed nature remaines in the best of us) and there­fore that God may looke peaceably upon it, he must looke upon it in him that hath it undefiled, & in him whom he loves, even his only Son, like unto him­selfe, that hath taken our nature upon him.

Now our nature in Christ must needs be love­ly and acceptable; and if [Page 27] ever God love us, it is for Christ alone, who was predestinated before all worlds, to be a Sacrifice for us, to be the Head of 1 Pet. 1. 10 his Church: he was ordai­ned to doe us good, before we our selves were ordai­ned. Christ is the first Be­loved, and then we: God loves us in his beloved one: This is my beloved Mark 1. 11 Sonne in whom I am well pleased. As if the Lord had said, I am pleased in him, and in all his, in his whole mysticall body. Christ is the Son of God by nature, we by adoption; what ever good is in us, is first & principally in him. God conveighs all by the naturall Son to the adop­ted [Page 28] sonnes: therefore all the promises are made to us in Christ, he takes them from God for us. He him­selfe is the first Promise, and all are Yea and Amen in him: they are not dire­cted to us, abstracted from him; but we are elected in Christ, sanctified in him, acquitted frō sin through him: by his stripes we are healed. If Christ had not satisfied the wrath of God, by bearing our iniquities upon the crosse, wee had beene liable every mo­ment to condemnation. If he had not been free from our sins, we had for ever lyen under the burthen of them. You are yet in your sinnes (saith Saint Paul) if [Page 29] Christ be not risen. We are 1 Cor. 15. 17. freed from our debts, be­cause Christ our surety is out of prison; he is in Hea­ven, and therefore we are at liberty.

The Promises are a deed of gift, which wee have from and by Christ, who is the first object of all the respect that God hath to us. Why are the Angels attendants on us? Because they attend upon Iacobs Ladder, (that is,) upon Christ, that knits Heaven and Earth together. So that the Angels because they attend upon Christ first, become likewise our attendants: we have a pro­mise of eternall life: but this life is in his Son; God [Page 30] blesseth us with all spiri­tuall blessings in him, and makes us sons in him the naturall Sonne: whatso­ever prerogative we en­joy, it is in Christ first, and so belongs to us, but no further than we by faith are made one with him. How darest thou think of God who is a Consuming fire? and not think of him as he is pleased and pacifi­ed with thy person in Christ, who tooke thy na­ture upon him, to be a foundation of comfort, and a second Adam; a pub­lique person satisfying Di­vine Justice for all that are members of his body?

Wee may think upon God with comfort, when [Page 31] wee see him appeased in his Christ. As long as hee loves Christ, hee cannot but love us. Never think to have grace, or salvati­on, or any thing without Christ. Doth God love mee, doth hee doe good to my soule for my owne sake (abstracted from his Sonne?) no surely: then should I flie from his pre­sence. But he looks upon me in his beloved, and in him accepts of my person, therefore our Saviour prayeth, I desire thee bles sed Father, that the love wherewith thou lovest mee, may be in them, and I in them.

This should direct us in our dealing with God, not [Page 32] to goe directly to him, but by a Promise, And when wee have a Promise, look to Christ in whom it is performed; If we ask any thing of God in Christs name, he will give it us; If wee thank God for any thing, thank him in Christ, that wee have it in him. What a comfort is this, that wee may goe to God in Christ, and claime the Promises boldly? because he loves us with the same love he beares to his only beloved Sonne. If we get fast hold on Christ, and cleave there, God can as­soone alter his love to him, as alter his love to us; his love is every whit as unchangeable to a be­leeving [Page 33] member, as to Christ the head of the bo­dy. The Promises are as sure as the love of God in Christ is, upon which they are founded, and from which nothing can sepa­rate us. For Promises be­ing the fruit of Gods love, and Gods love being founded first upon Christ: it must needs follow, that all the Promises are both made, and made good to us through him.

If a Prince should love a man, and his love should be founded upon the love he beares to his own Son; surely such a one may have comfort, that love will never faile him: be­cause it is an affection na­turall, [Page 34] and therefore un­alterable, he will alwayes love his Sonne, and there­fore will alwayes delight in him, in whom his Son delighteth. Now Christ is the everlasting Sonne of the Father; his deare and only Sonne, in whom hee is ever well pleased, and through whom he cannot be offended with those that are his. So surely as God loves Christ, so sure­ly hee loves all that are united to him. There is nothing in the world can separate his love from his owne Sonne, neither is there any thing able to se­parate his love from us Rom. 8. that are one with him. God loves Christs mysti­call [Page 35] body, as well as his naturall body; hee hath advanced that to glory at his right hand in heaven, and will hee (think you) leave his mysticall body the Church in a state of abasement here on earth? No certainly: God loves every member of his Son; for as he gave us to Christ, so Him hath he sealed and annointed to be a Savi­our for his people.

This is the reason why God looks upon us with a forbearing eye (not­withstanding the conti­nuall matter of displea­sure hee finds in us) hee looks on us in his Sonne, his love to us is grounded on his love to Christ. And [Page 36] hereupon comes our bold­nesse with God the Fa­ther, that wee can goe to him in all distresses with comfort, & say, Lord look on thy Son whō thou hast given for us, and in him behold his poore mem­bers now before thee: In our selves we have dread, but in thy dearly beloved wee have joy in thy pre­sence. If we come in the garments of our Elder brother, wee are sure to get a blessing, but in our selves God cannot endure to behold us: If we bring Benjamin to our Father; if wee carry Christ along with us, then come and welcome.

Upon what unchange­able [Page 37] grounds is the love of God and the faith of a Christian builded? How can the gates of hell pre­vaile against the faith of a true beleever, when it is carried to the promise, and from the promise to Gods love? the love of God to Christ shall as soone faile, as the faith of a sincere Christian shal be shaken. The promises else should bee of no effect, they should be Yea and Nay, and not Yea & Amen.

If the promises could bee shaken, the love of God and Christ should be uncertain. Overturn hea­ven and earth, if we over­turne the faith of a true persevering Christian. [Page 38] There is nothing in the world of that firmnesse as a beleeving soule is, the ground hee stands upon makes him unmoveable. Our union with the Lord Jesus makes us like Mount Sinai, that cannot be sha­ken. But wee must know there are three degrees or steps of love, whereof a promise is the last.

• 1. Inward love.
• 2. Reall performance.
• 3. A manifestation of performance inten­ded before it bee done.

Love concealed doth not cōfort in the interim; therfore God who is love, doth not only affect us for the present, and intend us [Page 39] mercy hereafter: but be­cause hee will have us rest sweetly in his bosome, and settle our selves on his gracious purposes, hee gives us in the mean time many rich and pretious promises. Hee not only loves us, and shewes the same in deeds now, but he expresseth his future care of us, that wee may build on him, as surely as if we had the thing performed already.

By this wee see how God loves us, he hath not only an inward liking and good wil to us in his brest, but manifests the same by word; hee reveales the tendernesse of his bowells towards us, that wee may [Page 40] have the comfort of it before-hand: God would have us live by faith, and establish our selves in hope, because these graces fit us for the promise. If there were no Promises, there could bee no faith nor hope.

What is Hope, but the expectation of those Faith and Hope what they are, and of what use. things that the word saith? And what is faith, but a building on the promise of God? Faith looks to the word of the thing, Hope to the thing in the word. Faith looks to the thing promised, Hope to the possession and perfor­mance of it. Faith is the evidence of good not seene, Heb. 11. 1. (making that which is ab­sent [Page 41] as present to us) Hope waits for the accomplish­ment of that good con­tained in the word; if we had nothing promised, what need hope? and where were the founda­tion of faith? But God being willing to satisfie both, (that wee may bee heavenly-wise, in relying upon a firme foundation; and not as fooles, trust in vanity) in mercy gives us promises, and seales them with an oath for our grea­ter supportment. That love which ingaged the Almighty to bind himself to us in pretious promises, will furnish us likewise with grace needfull, till wee be possessed of them. [Page 42] He will give us leave to depend upon him, both for happinesse and all qui­eting graces which may support the soule till it come to its perfect rest in himselfe.

Now these gratious ex­pressions of our good God may be reduced into di­vers rankes. I will but touch some few particu­lars, and shew how wee should carry our selves to make a comfortable use of them.

First, there are some Division of the Promises. universall Promises for the good of all mankinde, as that God would never de­stroy the World againe, &c.

Secondly, there are o­ther Promises that more [Page 43] particularly concerne the Church, and these are Promises.

• 1. Either of outward things.
• 2. Or of spirituall and eternall things
  • of Grace.
  • and Glory.

In the manner of pro­mising, they admit of this distinction. All the Pro­mises of God are made to us, either

Absolutely, without any condition; so was the Pro­mise of sending Christ in­to the world, and his glo­rious comming againe to judgement: let the world be as it will, yet Christ did come, and will come a­gaine with thousands of Angels, to judge us at the last.

[Page 44] Or 2. conditionall. As the Promise of Grace and Glory to Gods children that he will forgive their sinnes, if they repent, &c. God deales with men (as wee doe by way of com­merce one with another) propounding mercy by covenant and condition: yet his covenant of grace is alwayes a gratious cove­nant. For he not onely gives the good things, but helpes us in performing the condition by his Spi­rit, he workes our hearts to beleeve and to repent.

Thus all Promises for Temporal promises conditio­nall. outward things are condi­tionall: as thus, God hath promised protection from contagious sicknesse, and [Page 45] from trouble and warre, that he will be an hiding place, and a Deliverer of his people in time of dan­ger, that he will doe this and that good for them. But these are conditionall, so far forth as in his wise providence he sees they may helpe to preserve spi­ritual good things in them, and advance the graces of the inward man. For God takes liberty in our out­ward estate, to afflict us or doe us good, as may best further our soules welfare. Because do what we can with these bodies, they will turn to dust and vanity ere long. We must, leave the world behinde us; therefore he lookes to [Page 46] our main estate in Christ, to the new creature; and so farre as outward bles­sings may cherish and in­crease that, so farre hee grants them, or else he de­nies them to his dearest ones.

For we cannot still en­joy the blessings of this life, but our corrupt na­ture is such, that (except we have somewhat to sea­son the same) we shall sur­fet, and not digest them; therefore they are all gi­ven with exception of the Crosse, as Christ saith, hee that doth for him any thing, shall have a hundred Mark 10. 20. fold here, but with Persecu­tion, be sure of that, what­soever else he hath: let [Page 47] Christians looke for cros­ses, to season those good things they enjoy in this life.

To come now to some Vse. use of the point. Are all the Promises of what kind soever, whether spirituall and outward, temporall or eternall, are they all made to us in Jesus Christ? And are they certainly true, Yea and Amen in him? Then I beseech you get into Christ betimes, strengthen your intrest in him by all meanes, out of whom we have nothing that is sa­vingly good: rest not in any thing abstracted from him, so as to be accepted with God.

But you will say, doth Object. [Page 48] not God doe many good things to them that are out of Christ? doth not the Sunne shine, and the raine fall, upon the just and the unjust, upon the evill, as well as the good? doth he not cloath, and feed, and protect wicked men daily?

He doth indeed, it can­not bee denied; but are Answ. they blessings? are these favours to them? No, but as God saith by Moses, if thou sin against me, Cur­sed shalt thou be in thy Bas­ket, Deut 28. 16. and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy Land, the increase of thy Kine, and the flocks of thy Sheep: cur­sed at home, cursed abroad: [Page 49] they are cursed in their very blessings. A grace­lesse brutish person, though hee swim with worldly pleasures, and have never such reven­newes, and commings in to maintaine his bravery, is yet an accursed creature in the midst of all. For what are we made for, think you? To live here only? Oh no: then we were of all others the most miserable: there is an eternity of time a com­ming, wherein (after a few dayes spent in the flesh) we shall live either in per­petuall blisse, or unspeak­able torment. The very best things beneath have a snare in them, they rather [Page 50] hinder, than further our eternall welfare.

How doth that ap­peare? Quest.

Because for the most Answ. part they make men se­cure and carelesse in the worship of God, so as to despise the power of god­linesse, and follow iniqui­ty with greedinesse; wee may see by mens conversa­tions that outward things are snares to them. They are not Promises in Christ for then they would come out of Gods love only, which alone makes mer­cies to be mercies indeed [...]o us, and without which, [...]he best of blessings will prove but a curse in the end.

[Page 51] If I have any thing in this world (any delive­rance from evill, or any positive good thing) I may know it is for my be­nefit, when my heart is made more spirituall ther­by, so as to value grace & holinesse at the highest rate, I esteeming my be­ing in Christ above all transitory things whatso­ever; above riches and ho­nour, and the favour of great persons, which at the best is fading. Our intrest in him will stand by us, when all these things are withered and shrunk to nothing, Christ is a Foun­taine never drawne dry, his comforts are perma­nent: the good in the crea­ture [Page 52] soone vanisheth, and leaveth the soule empty; therefore get into Christ speedily, it concernes thee neerely.

For this purpose attend upon the meanes of salva­tion, How to get in Christ. and beg of God that he would make his owne ordinances (by his Spirit accompanying the same) effectuall to thy soule, that he would open the excel­lencies of Christ to thee, and draw thy affections to close with him.

How are we in Christ?

When by knowing of Quest. him, our knowledge car­ries Answ. our hearts unto him; Iohn 17. 3 when our wils cleave to that which we know to be excellent and necessary [Page 53] for us: when I firmely ad­here to Christ, as the only good for me, then I love him, then I rest on him, then I have peace in him.

I may discerne that I am in Christ, if upon my knowledge of him, my heart is united to him, and I find peace of conscience in him. Faith hath a quiet­ing and establishing pow­er. If I be in Christ, my soule will be cheered and satisfied with him alone. I know all is Yea and Amen in him, therefore my soule rests securely here. How ever our outward condi­tion bee various and per­plexed, yet our estate in Christ is firme and con­stant.

[Page 54] What is a man out of Quest. Christ?

As a man in a storme Answ. that hath no clothes to hide his nakednesse, or to shelter his body from the violence of the weather. As one in a tempest, that hath not house nor har­bour to cover him. As a stone out of the foundati­on, set light by, and scat­tered up and downe here and there. As a branch out of the root; what sap is there is such a thing? it being good for nothing but to be cast into the fire.

A man that is not built up in Christ, planted in him, nor clothed with him, is the most destitute, despicable creature in all [Page 55] the world; and if we look with a single eye, we shall so discerne him: such a mans case is deepely to be bewailed: had wee but hearts to judge righteous­ly, we would preferre the meanest condition of Gods childe, before the greatest estate of any earthly Mo­narch, be their flourishing felicity never so resplen­dant. Oh the miserable and wofull plight that all prophane wretches are in, who neglect grace and the mysteries of Christ to gratifie their base lusts: such an one, there is but a step betweene him and Hell, he hath no portion in the Lord Jesus. I ac count all dung and drosse Phil. 3. 8. [Page 56] (saith S ^t Paul) in compari­son of Christ to be found in Phil. 3. 8. him, not having on mine owne righteousnesse. Happy is that man at the day of judgement, who thus ap­peares.

Againe, if so be that all promises are Yea, and The stabi­lity of a Christian having promises. Amen in Christ, then here take notice of the stability of a Christian, that hath promises to uphold him. Compare him with a man that hath present things only, with an Esau that abounds with worldly goods, and how great is the difference? God gives them their portion here as he saith to Dives, thou hadst thy good things, that thou chiefly caredst for, thou [Page 57] hadst them here, but La­zarus had paine, misery, and poverty: Now there­fore the case is altered, he is advanced, and thou art tormented.

A beleeving Christian enjoyes the sweetnesse of many promises in this life (for God is still delive­ring, comforting, and per­fecting of him; renuing of his spirit, and supplying him with inward peace) but the greatest part is yet to be accomplished; per­fection of grace and glory is to come, he is a Child, he is a Sonne, the promise here is his chiefe estate.

Another man hath pre­sent payment, and that is all he cares for, hee hath [Page 58] something in hand, and fwells with a conceit of happinesse thereby; Alas, what are we the better to have a great deale of no­thing? Solomon that had tryed all the world, re­solves it to vanity and vexation of spirit. All things below are uncer­taine, and wee are uncer­taine in the use of them; if we have no better a life than a natural one, eternal joy appertaines not to us. Take a Christian and strip him in your thoughts, frō all the good things in the world, he is yet a happier man than the greatest worldly favourite out of Christ, for the one hath nothing but present [Page 59] things, with a great deale of addition of miserie, which his ease and con­tentment, makes him more sensible of, as being more tender and appre­hensive of an evill than other men. The other though hee want many comforts of this life, and enjoyes not present per­formances, yet hee is rich in bills and bonds, God is bound to him who hath Heb. 13. 5. promised hee will never forsake him, but be his por tion for ever. Hee hath a title to every commu­nicable good, Godlinesse hath the promise of this 1 Tim. 4. 8 life, and that which is to come. A happy man; what ever is most usefull for his [Page 60] safe conduct to heaven, he is sure to have it; He that will give us a Kingdome, will not denie us daily bread; hee that hath pre­pared a Country for us, will certainly preserve us safe, till we come there.

Besides that wee have here in performance, wee have many excellent pro­mises of a greater good in expectation, which in Christ are all Yea & Amen. They are certaine, though our life be uncertaine, and the comforts of our life (lesse then life it selfe) mu­table and perishing; If life the foundation of out­ward comforts bee but a vapour, what are all the comforts themselves think you?

[Page 61] It is a Christians rejoy­cing in the midst of all changes beneath, that hee hath promises invested in­to him from above, that are lodged in his heart, and made his owne by faith, which have a wondrous peculiarizing vertue, to make that a mans owne, that is otherwise general­ly propounded in the Go­spell; A Christian, take him at all uncertainties, he hath somwhat to build on, that is Yea and Amen, undoubtedly sure that wil stick by him.

I speak this to commend the estate of a beleeving Christian, to make you in love with it, seeing in all the changes and varieties [Page 62] of this world, hee hath somewhat to take to. In all the dangers of this life, he hath a Rock, and cham­ber of Providence to goe unto, as it is Esay 26. God hath secret roomes to hide his children in, in times of publike disturbance, when there is a confusion of all things. God hath a safe abiding place for thee: I have many troubles (saith David) but God is my de­fence Psal. 88. 4. continually. Hee i [...] my shield and strong To­wer, whatsoever I want, I have it in him. What a comfort is this?

A Christian knowes ei­ther hee shall be safe here or in heaven, and there­fore rests securely. He that [Page 63] dwells in the secret place of the most High, shall abide Psal. 91. under the shadow of the Al­mighty (that is) in the love and protection of God a­bove; As Moses saith, Lord thou hast binour habitation from everlasting to ever­lasting (that is) thou art our sure help in the grea­test extremity that can befall us in any age of the world.

Therefore build on his promise: for God and his Word are all one. If wee have nothing to take to when troubles come, woe unto us: In our selves con­sidered, wee are even as grasse, and as a tale that is told, soone vanishing. But our estate in God is du­rable; [Page 64] wee have here no continuing Citie, sicknesse may come, and death may environ us the next mo­ment, happy are they that have God for their habi­tation, wee dwell in him, when we are dead; when we leave this world, wee shall live with God for ever: The righteous is not troubled for evill tydings, Psal. 112. 7 hee is not shaken from his Rock and stay, he feares no danger, because his heart is fixed.

What a blessed estate is it to be in Christ? to have promises in him to be pro­tected, and preserved, not onely whilest wee are in this vale of teares, but when this earthly taber­nacle [Page 65] shall bee dissolved, even to all eternity. If our hearts be fixed on God, let us heare evill tydings of Warre, or Famine, or Pe­stilence, let it be what it will, blessed men are wee. Every word of God is tryed Psal. 12. as silver in the fire (saith the Psalmist) the promises are tried promises; wee may safely rest upon them: But if we have nothing to take to when troubles arise, we are as a naked man in a storme without any shel­ter, incompassed round with distresse and misery.

The promises are our inheritance, yea our best inheritance in this life; though the Lord should strip us naked, and take [Page 66] away all things else, yet if the promises remain ours, wee are rich men; and may say with the Psalmist, My lot is fallen into a good Psal. 119. ground, thy testimonies are better unto me, than thou­sands of gold and silver. For the promises are as so ma­ny obligations, whereby God is bound to his poore creature; And if wretched men think themselves as rich as they have bonds (though they have never a peny in their purses) much more may a true Christian, who hath the promises of Christ for his security, esteeme himselfe a wealthy person, as ha­ving many bonds where­by (not man but) God is [Page 67] engaged to him, & that not only for temporall good things, but for heavenly favours and spirituall bles­sings, for all which hee may sue God at his plea­sure, and desire him to make good his word of truth.

There is little diffe­rence betwixt a poore Christian, and him that abounds in this worlds ri­ches, onely this, the one hath wealth in his owne possession, the other hath it in Gods bond, the one hath it in hand, the other in trust. As for the world­ling, he hath but a cisterne when he hath most, wher­as every faithfull soule hath the Spring head, even [Page 68] God himselfe to flye unto in all distresses, who will never faile him, but be a Sunne and a Shield, to de­fend us from all evill, and preserve us in all good­nesse all our dayes. But I go on.

Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath also anoin­ted us, is God.

Here observe, That the Obser. 1. A Christi­an needs stabli­shing grace. Christian needs not onely converting but establi­shing grace: he that hath begun any good worke in us must perfect it: the God of strength must give us his promise to support our weaknesse, without which we cannot stand. [Page 69] Peter was in the state of grace, and yet when God did not stablish him, wee see how he fell. The wea­kest beleever with the e­stablishing grace of God will stand: and the stron­gest Christian, without Divine assistance, wil sink and fall away.

Whence this may bee Obser. 2. The life of a Chri­stian full­of depen­dancy. further considered, That the life of a Christian is a perpetuall dependant life: he not only lives by faith in his first conversion, but ever after: hee depends upon God for protection and strength throughout his whole course. God doth establish us in Christ; the ignorance of this makes men subject to [Page 70] backsliding For when we trust to grace received, and seek not for new sup­ply, we are straight of Pe­ters condition, Though all for sake thee, yet will not I, which occasioned his shamefull fall; he had too much confidence in grace received.

God is therefore faine to humble his children to teach them dependance. And usually, where any speciall grace is bestowed upon sinners, God joynes something therewith to put them in minde that they do not stand by their own strength. Peter makes a glorious confession, Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God; and Christ ho­noured Mar. 16. 17, 18, 19▪ [Page 71] him exceedingly, saying, Vpon this Rock will I build my Church; but yet by and by, we see he cals him, Satan, get thee behind me; to teach us that wee stand not by our owne power: when wee are strong it is of God, and when we are weake, it is of our selves. Iacob Wrest led with the Almighty, and was a prevailer, but he was fain to halt for it; though he had the victo­ry, and overcame at last, yet he was stricken with lamenesse all his dayes. God did this to mind him, that he had that strength whereby he prevailed out of himselfe.

A Christian then should Vse. [Page 72] set upon nothing in his owne strength: Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 9. saith comfortably, No man shall bee strong in his owne might, God is all our suffi­ciency: man naturally af­fects a kinde of divinity, and will set upon things in confidence of his owne abilities, without prayer and seeking of Gods help; hee thinkes to compasse great matters, and bring things to a good issue by his owne wit and discreti­on. Oh delude not your selves, this cannot be. Ac­knowledge God in all thy wayes, and hee shall direct Prov. 3. thy paths: seeke unto the Lord in every enterprize thou goest about; ac­knowledge him in the be­ginning, [Page 73] progresse, and is­sue of all thy employ­ments: what doe we but make our selves gods, when wee set upon busi­nesse without invocation and dependance? A Chri­stian is wondrous weake, even vanity of himselfe; but take him as he is built upon the Promises, and as he is in God, and then he is a kind of almighty per­son; [...]e can doe all things through Christ that streng­thens him. A Christian is in sort omnipotent, whilst hee commits his wayes to God, and depends upon the Promise; otherwise he is weaknesse it selfe, the most impotent creature in the World.

[Page 74] Let God therefore have al the glory of our establi shing, and depend on him by prayer for the same. As all comes of his meere grace, so let all returne to his meere glory; Not to us Lord, not to us, but to thy Psal. 115. Name he given the praise; it is the song of the Church militant on Earth, and it is the song of the Church triumphant in Heaven; that all glory is to God in the whole carriage of our salvation. The Promises are in him; hee only made the covenant, and he must performe it to us: with­out him we can doe no­thing, labour therefore to be wise in his wisdome, strong in his strength, to [Page 75] be all in all in Christ Je­sus.

How shall wee know Object. that a man hath establish­ing grace?

His assurance is firme, Answ. when his temptations are How to discerne establi­shing grace. great, and his strength to resist, little, and yet not­withstanding he prevailes over them: Sathan is strong and subtill, now if we can stand against his snares, it is a cleere evi­dence of greater strength than is in our selves. In great afflictions, when Go [...] seemes an enemy, and clouds appeare betweene him and us, if then a mans faith can break through all, and in the midst of darknesse see God shining [Page 76] in Christ upon him, and resolve, Though thou kill me, yet I will trust in thee; here is a strong establi­shing.

In the times of martyr­dome, there was fire and faggot, and the frownes of bloudy men; but who were the persons suffe­ring? Even many Chil­dren, Old men, and Wo­men, the weakest of crea­tures: notwithstanding the Spirit of God was so strong in these feeble ones, as their lives were not pretious to them; but the torments and threat­nings of their cruell Per­secutors were cheerfully undergone by them, as Heb. 11. Here was Gods [Page 77] power in mans infirmity. If we have not something above nature, how is it possible wee should hold out in great trials?

Meanes to obtaine stabli­shing grace.

By what meanes may a Christian obtaine this sta­blishing grace.

First, labour for funda­mentall Helpes to obt [...]ine confir­ming grace. graces: if the root be strengthened, the Tree will stand fast. Humiliati­on is a speciall radicall 1 grace; the foundation of Religion is very low; a­basement of spirit is in all the parts of holinesse: eve­ry grace hath a mixture of humility, because they are all dependances on God. [Page 78] Humility is an emptying grace, and acknowledgeth that in our selves there is nothing. If God with­hold his influence, I am gone; if he withdraw his grace, I shall be like ano­ther man, as Sampson was when his haire was cutoff. Selfe-emptinesse prepares for spirituall fulnesse: When I am weak (saith bles­sed Paul) then I am strong; that is, when I feele and acknowledge my weak­nesse, then my strength encreases; otherwise a man is not strong when he is weake, but when he is sensible and groanes un­der the burthen of his in­firmities, then is he in­wardly strong.

[Page 79] Another fundamentall 2 grace, is dependance upon God; for considering our owne insufficiency, and that faith is a grace that goes out of our selves, and layes hold of the righte­ousnes of another to justi fie us, nothing can be more necessary to quiet the soule: Beleeve and you shall be established: as the Pro­mises are sure in them­selves, so should we repose firme confidence in them.

But how doth God e­stablish Object. us by faith?

By working sound Answ. knowledge in us; This is life eternall to know thee, Iohn 17. When we know the truth of Gods word aright, we have a firme [Page 80] ground to depend on: for the more a man knowes God in Covenant, the more hee knowes Christ and the promises, the more he will trust and rely up­on them. They that know Psal. 9. 10. thy name will trust in thee; saith the Prophet. There­fore labour for certainty of knowledge, that thou maist have a certainty of faith: What is the reason our faith is weak? Because wee are carelesse to in­crease in knowledge. The more wee know of God, the morewe shall trust in him. The more we know of a man that he is able and just of his word, the more safely we put confidence in him. So the more our [Page 81] security is in Gods pro­mises, as his bonds en­crease, so our trust will be strengthened.

Thirdly, if thou wouldst have stablishing grace, beg 3 Sue the Promises in Prayer. it earnestly of God. Our strength in him is altoge­ther by prayer, bind him therefore with his owne promise; beseech him to do unto thee according to his good Word, he is the God of strength, desire of him the spirit of strength; al­ledg to him thy own weak­nesse and in ability with­out him, & that if he helps not, thou shalt soone be overcome: lay open thy wants in Gods presence, shew him how unable thou art of thy selfe, to [Page 82] withstand temptations, to beare crosses, to performe duties, to doe or suffer any thing aright, turne his gra­cious promises into pray­ers, desire God that hee would stablish thee by his grace, that he would prop and uphold thy soule in all extremities.

What is the reason that Quest. Christians are so daunted and flie off in time of danger?

They have no faith in the promise. The righte­ous Answ. is as Mount Sinah that Why trou­bles are so irksome. shall not be moved, hee builds on a foundation that can never be shaken, for the heart is never drawne to any sinfull va­nity, or frighted with any [Page 83] terrour of trouble, till faith lets goe its hold, out of God, there is nothing for the soule safely to stay it selfe upon.

No marvell to see men fall that rest on a broken Reed: Alas! whatsoever is besides God, is but a creature, and can the crea­ture be other than change­able? The comfort that we have in God never fa­deth, it is an abiding last­ing comfort, such as con­tents the soule, and satis­fies all the wants and de­sires of it, which things be­neath can never accōplish.

Wee see that the hea­vens continue, and the earth (without any other foundation) hangs in the [Page 84] midst of the world by the bare word of the Almigh­ty, therefore well may the soule stay it selfe on that, when it hath nothing else in sight to rely upon.

In this case Christians should look, 1. That their principles and foundati­ons be good: And second­ly, builded strongly upon them, for the soule is as that which it relies on; if upon empty things, it selfe becomes poore and empty; which the Devil knowing, strives to un­loose our hearts from our Maker, and draw us to re­ly upon false objects. Hee sees full well, that whilest our soules cleave close to God, there is no prevai­ling [Page 85] against us by any ma­lice, or subtilty of men or devils. The Saints in him, are bold, and undaunted in the midst of troubles and torments; Indeed the sweetest cōmunion with God is, when we are bea­ten off from other helps; Though misery upon mi­sery encounters us below, yet there is still succour issuing from above to a be­leeving soule; If God hath it in heaven, faith will fetch it downe, and enjoy the sweetnesse of it here. That man can never doe amisse, that hath his de­pendancie upon the Al­mighty, there being no communion like that of a faithfull heart with the Lord.

[Page 86] It is the office of faith to quiet our soules in all distresses, for it relies up­on God for heaven it self, and all necessary provisi­on, till we come thither; strengthen faith therefore and you strengthen all; what can daunt that soul, which in the sorest affli­ction hath the great God for his friend? Such a spi­rit dares bid defiance to all the powers of darknes: Sathan may for a time ex­ercise, but hee can never wholly depresse a graci­ous heart. True belee­vers can triumph over that which others are slaves unto; they can set upon spirituall conflicts, and endure fiery tryalls, [Page 87] which others tremble to think of; they can put off themselves, and be con­tent to be nothing, so their God may appeare the greater, and dare un­dertake or undergoe any thing for the glory of their Maker; considering they are not their owne, but have given up them­selves unto Christ, they count not their lives, or any thing that is theirs deare for him.

Hee that stablisheth us with you, is God, who hath annointed us, &c.

Messias signifies annoin­ted; our nature is enriched in Christ with all graces. Hee is annointed with the [Page 88] oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes, for us, that wee might have a spring of grace in our owne nature, that God and Christ be­ing one, and we being in the Lord Jesus, might have all our annointing of the first annointed, for of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace.

What are those graces which wee receive from Quest. Christs fulnesse?

First, the grace of fa­vour and acceptance, for Answ. the same love that God beares to Christ, he beares to all his, though not in so high a degree.

Secondly, the Grace of sanctification answerable 2 to the grace of sanctifica­tion [Page 89] in him; every renued work in us comes from Christ.

Thirdly, the rich pri­viledges and prerogatives, 3 that issue to persons san­ctified; wee have dignity for dignity, favour for fa­vour, gracious qualificati­ons for gracious qualifica­tions in Christ. God an­noints us all in his Sonne, As the oyntment that was powred upon Aaron, ran downe to the skirts of his garment; so the weakest Christian is stablished with grace by Christ, grace runnes from the Head to poorest member, the hem of the garment; every one that doth but touch Christ, drawes vertue and [Page 90] strength from him.

Why is it called here Quest. an annointing?

Because as the Holy an­nointing, Answ. Exod. 30. was not to be applied to prophane uses, so neither are the gra­ces of the spirit, God being the Author of them, to be slighted and undervalued by the Professors of them.

What are the vertues of Quest. this oyntment?

First, it hath a cherishing power, it revives the droo­ping Answ. soule, and cheares a fainting spirit, when men are ready to sink under the burthen of their sins: this easeth them.

2. Annointing hath a strengthening power, it makes our limbs vigorous, [Page 91] so doth grace fortifie the soule, nothing more. Our life is a combating life wi [...]h Sathan, and tempta­tions of all sorts, there­fore wee need continuall annointing to make us nimble, and active in re­sisting our enemie; Oyle hath a suppling quality, so the Spirit of God makes pliable the joynts of the soule, it supports us with hidden strength, and en­ables us to encounter great oppositions, & to be victorious through Christ over all.

Grace is little in quan­tity, but it is mighty in operation, it carries the soule through difficulties, nothing can stand in the [Page 92] way of a gracious man, no not the Gates of Hell. The spirit of grace that is in a Christian, is stronger than he that is in the world, A graine of Mustard seed, the very least measure of true Holinesse, is stronger than the greatest measure of opposition. A Christians strength lies out of him­selfe: he never overcomes by his owne power, hee can doe all things through Christ assisting him, other­wise hee is a most impo­tent creature, unable to doe or suffer any thing, ready to give over at the least trouble, and sink un­der every pressure of af­fliction.

Againe, ointment doth [Page 93] exceedingly delight and refresh ourspirits; as wee see the Box in the Gospel, when it was opened, the whole House smelt of it. So grace is a wondrous sweet thing. Before wee are anointed with the Spi­rit of Christ, with stabli­shing grace, what are we but a company of nasty a­bominable persons in the eyes of God? All things are accursed to us, and we are accursed in what ever we doe. God cannot look on us but as loathsome creatures, as the Prophet saith, I would not so much as looke on thee, if it were not for Iehoshaphats sake.

That which makes a man, sweet is grace; this [Page 94] makes our nature that is noisome and offensive in the nostrils of the Al­mighty, in it selfe, to be­come pleasant and ami­able. A wicked man is a vile man, an ulcerous de­formed creature: grace is of a healing nature where­soever it is: this cures our spiritual distempers, beau­tifying the inner man, and making the whole frame of a Christians carriage, sweet and delectable.

First to God, who loves the sent of his own grace 1 wheresoever he finds it.

Secondly to Angels; the conversion of sinners re­joyceth 2 them, when our custody is committed to their charge, how are they [Page 95] delighted with the beauty of holinesse shining in us? The graces of God in his Saints are a Feast to them: the very name of a godly and gratious man, is as a sweet ointment every where.

Holy men when they 3 are read of in Stories, what a savour doe they cast in the Church: so far as a Christian is a New Creature it makes him in love with himselfe, scor­ning to be so undervalued as to defile himselfe with base services: so farre as a man is gratious, he gives himselfe to honourable imployments; being a ves­sell of grace he improves his abilities to glorious [Page 96] uses, esteeming things be­low too meane for him.

Grace is a wondrous pleasant thing, offensive to none, but to wicked men, that have no savour of God or goodnesse, it sweetens the soule, makes it delectable for Christ & his holy Spirit to lodge in, as in a Garden of spices▪ A gracious man that hath subdued his corruptions, is wondrous amiable both to himselfe, and to the Communion of Saints; his heart is as fine silver, eve­ry thing is sweet that comes from him: grace is full of comfort to a mans own conscience, the sense of which enlargeth the soule to all holy services.

[Page 97] Fourthly, an ointment hath another property, it consecrates persons to ho­ly uses? Anointed per­sons are raised above the ordinary ranke. The gra­ces of Gods spirit elevate men above the condition of others with whom they live. Anointed persons are sacred persons, they are inviolable. Touch not mine anointed, and doe my Pro­phets Psal. 105. 15 no harme: we wrong the apple of Gods eye, we offer indignity to Christ himselfe, if we hurt these. Indeed nothing can hurt them, but God by his o­ver ruling power turnes all for their good.

Lastly, an ointment is a royall liquor, it will bee [Page 98] above all; so the graces of Gods Spirit where they are, will be uppermost, they will guide and go­verne all. As if a man have excellent parts, grace will rule these, and make them serviceable to Christ, his truth and members. If we have weaknesse and cor­ruption, grace will subdue it by little and little, and never leave conflicting till it hath got the victory.

What are our souls with­out Gods anointing? Dead stinking, offensive to God, to good men, and to our selves: we cannot see with peace the visage of our owne soules: who can re­flect seriously into his heart and life without [Page 99] horror, that hath no grace? A man that sees his con­science awakened without this anointing, what is he? surely as the body with­out the soule: it is not all the excellencies of the soule laid upon a dead bo­dy, or all the goodly or­naments that bedeckt it, can keep it from stinking and being a loathsome ob­ject, because it wants the soule to quicken and enli­ven it to good imploy­ments: of it selfe it is but a peece of earth: all the vigor and life that the bo­dy hath, is communicated from the soule, they are beholding to our soules for many things. Put the richest ornaments whatso­ever [Page 100] upon the body, and not the Spirit of grace upon the soule (to che­rish and refresh the same that it may appeare love­ly in Gods sight) all is to no purpose.

Likewise this anointing hath relation to the per­sons anointed, Kings, Priests, and Prophets. Christ is primarily anoin­ted, and all our grace is derived from him; hee teacheth us divine things by a Divine light. The poorest Christian in the world (whose heart is right with God) sees good things with such convin­cing love, that he imbra­ces them, and ill things with such a convincing ha­tred, [Page 101] that he abhors them. A man that lives without God in the world, may talke, but he cannot doe; he may speak of death, but he dares not die, he trem­bles to thinke of the last tribunall, and of resigning his soule into the hands of his Maker: such an one may discourse of suffring, but when it comes to the point, his heart failes him: oh how he shrinkes when danger approacheth, what indirect courses will hee take to save his skin? how hardly is corrupt selfe brought under? how hea­vily doe men come off in this point, of doing and suffering for Christ, laying downe all at his feet, and [Page 102] resolving to be disposed of at his pleasure in every thing? Men speak much of patience, and selfe-de­niall, but they do not pra­ctise them, these vertues shine not forth in their conversation, which is the shame of Religion: only a true Christian hath the right knowledge of the doing of things, and is a­ble to speak a word in due season, to reprove, to ad­monish, to comfort every member in the communi­on of Saints, hath some qualification for the good of the whole body.

A faithfull man is like­wise spiritually anointed a Priest, to stand before God Almighty, he poures out [Page 103] his soul for himself & for others, having Gods eare open at all times to his suits Every sincere Christi an is a favourite in heaven, he hath much credit there which hee improves for the welfare of the Church here below. And hee keepes himselfe as a Priest unspotted of the world: a true Christian is taught of God, and knowes the meaning of that Law of his which prohibiteth Priests so much as to touch defiled things; therefore he studies innocency, he runs not after the course of the multitude, neither is carried away with the streames of the times: he will not converse famili­arly [Page 104] with those that may staine him, (but so farre as his calling leads him) lest he should therby con­taminate his spirit. A Chri­stian Priest hath his heart alwayes to the Holy of Ho­lies, that so he may offer up thankes and praise to God, and offer up himselfe a sacrifice to him; his en­deavour is to kill and slay those beasts (those lusts) that lurk in his heart, con­trary to the Almighty.

Lastly, he that is anoin­ted by the Spirit, is a King, in regard of his great pos­sessions, for all are ours, things present, and things to come, life and death, pro­sperity, and adversity, all help us to Heaven. Evill [Page 105] things are ours in advan­tage and successe, though in disposition they be not ours, but have a hostil dis­position in thē. God over­powers the evil of things, and gives a Christian a li­ving principle of grace, to suck sweet out of sowre, & draw good out of evill. What a King is this, that even the most terrible things are at his command and work for the best un­to him? He conquers and brings under his greatest enemies, and feares nei­ther death or judgement, nor the vengeance to come, knowing God in Christ to bee his reconci­led Father, he rests assu­red, all things else will be [Page 106] will be at peace with him. Others have Kingdomes out of themselves, but in thēselves they are slaves, Every lust leads them away Captive: A Christi­an is such a King, as hath a Kingdome within him­selfe, hee hath peace, and joy, and rest from base al­lurements, and terrours of conscience, hee walks by rule, and therfore knowes how to governe all? the glory of his Maker is the chiefe thing hee eyes, and to that hee referres every action.

Who hath annointed us, and sealed us.

Annointing and sealing goe together, the same [Page 107] God annoints us, doth also The Spi­rits sea­ling. seale us. Both are to secure us of our happy conditi­on. Now Christ is the first sealed, Iohn 6. Him hath God the Father sealed: God hath set Christ a part from others, hath distin­guished him, and set a stamp upon him to be the Messiah, by the graces of the spirit, whereof he was richly beautified; and by many miracles, whereby he shewed that he was the Sonne of God; by his re­surrection from the dead: by his calling of the Gen tiles, and many other things.

Christ being sealed him­selfe, he sealed all that he did for our Redemption [Page 108] with his bloud, and hath added for the strengthen­ing of our faith, outward seales, the Sacraments to secure his love more firm­ly to us.

But in this place ano­ther manner of sealing is to be understood. For here is not meant the sea­ling of Christ, but the sea­ling of us that have com­munion with him. The same spirit that seales the Redeemer, seales the re­deemed.

What is the manner of Quest. our sealing by the spirit?

Sealing we know hath Answ. divers uses. First of all, It What our sealing is, and the use of it. doth imprint a likenesse of him that doth seale: when the Kings Image is stam­ped [Page 109] upon the wax, every thing in the wax answers to that in the seale, face to face, eye to eye, body to body. So wee are said to be sealed, when we car­rie in our soules, the I­mage of the Lord Jesus, for the spirit sets the stamp of Christ upon every true Convert, there is the like­nesse of Christ in all things to be found in him: As the Child answers the Fa­ther, foot for foot, finger for finger in proportion, but not in quantity.

So it is in the sealing of a beleever, there is a like­nesse in the soule that is sealed by the spirit to the Lord Jesus, there is un­derstanding of the same [Page 110] heavenly supernaturall truthes; there is a judging of things as Christ judgeth, a loving of that which he loves, and a hating of that which hee hates, a rejoy­cing to doe that which he delights in, and a griefe to commit any thing that displeaseth his Majestie; every affection of the soul is carried that way, that the affections of our bles­sed Saviour are carried in proportion, every thing in the soule is answerable to him in its degree.

There is no grace in Christ, but there is the like in every Christian in some measure: The obedience of Christ to his Father, even to the death, is to be [Page 111] found in every true Chri­stian. The humility where­by Christ abased himselfe, it is in every renued heart. Christ works in the soule that receives him, a con­formity to himselfe. The soule that beleeve; that Christ hath loved him; and done such great things for him, is ambitious to ex­presse Christ in all his wayes. Being once in Christ, we shall delight to be transformed more and more into him. To beare the Image of the second Adam upon our breasts, to make it appeare that Je­sus Christ lives in us, and that wee live not to our selves, but to him that di­ed for us, to be meeke and [Page 112] heavenly minded as hee was, talking and discour­sing of spirituall things, going about doing good every where, active for God, fruitfull in holinesse, doing & receiving all the good we are able, drawing others from this world to meditate of a better estate, labouring for the advance­ment of Gods Kingdome, and approving our selves to him; this is one use of sealing, to imprint a like­nesse.

A second use of a Seale 2 is distinction; Sealing is a stamp upon one thing a­mong many, it distinguish­eth christians from others, as we shall see after.

Againe, it serves for 3 [Page 113] appropriation; men seale those things that are their owne; Merchants we see set their stamp on those Wares which they have, or meane to have a right unto: It pleaseth God thus to condiscend unto us, by applying himselfe to hu­mane contracts. Hee ap­propriates his own, to shew that hee hath chosen and singled them out, for him­selfe to delight in.

Sealing further serves to make things authenti­call, 4 to give authority and excellencie: The Seale of the Prince, is the autho­rity of the Prince: This gives validity to things answerable to the dignity and esteeme of him that seales.

[Page 114] These are the foure principall uses of sealing. And God by his spirit doth al theseto his. 1. He stamps his own Image upon us, he distinguisheth us from o­thers, even from the great refuse of the world. God by his spirit appropriates us to himselfe, hee makes us to be his, and shewes that we are his, hee like­wise authorizethus, and puts an excellencie upon us, to secure us against all temptations; when wee have Gods seale on us, we stand firme in the greatest triall: who shall seperate us from the love of God? wee dare defie all objecti­ons of Sathan, and accusa­tions of conscience what­soever. [Page 115] A man that hath Gods seale, stands im­pregnable in the most tempestuous season. For it is given for our assu rance, and not for Gods, the Lord knowes who are his, hee seales not because he is ignorant, but for our comfort and establish­ment.

Whether is the spirit it selfe this seale, or the work Quest. of the spirit, and the gra­ces thereof wrought in us?

I answer, the Spirit of Answ. God where it is, is a suffi­cient seale that God hath set us out for himselfe, for whosoever hath the Spirit of Christ, the same is his. He is the Author of our [Page 116] sealing, so that except you take the Spirit for that which is wrought by the Spirit, you have not the comprehension of sealing, for, that which the Spirit worketh, is the seale; the spirit goes alwayes with his owne mark and im­pression; Other seales when they are removed from the stamp, the stamp remaines still; but the Spi­rit of God dwells, and keepes a perpetuall resi­dence in the heart of a Christian, guiding him, moving him, enlightning him, governing him, com­forting him, doing all offi­ces of a seale in his heart, till hee hath brought him to heaven. The Holy [Page 117] Ghost never leaves us, it is the sweetest inhabitant that ever lodging was gi­ven to; he doth all the sa­ving good that is done to the soule, and is perpetu­ally with his own work in joy and comfort; though he seeme sometimes to be in a corner of the heart, and is not easily discer­ned, yet he alwayes dwels in his sealed ones.

What is that stamp, that Quest. the Spirit seales us with­all?

The Spirit works in this Answ. order for the most part; First of all, the Spirit doth together with the Word (which is the instrument, and the Chariot wherein it is carried) convince us [Page 118] of the ill that is in us, and the misery attending on us for the same. It convin­ceth us of sinne, and the fearefull estate we are in by that, and abaseth us thereupon, therefore it is called the Spirit of bon­dage, because it makes a man tremble and quake, till he see his peace made up in Christ.

When hee hath done this, then he convinceth 2 us of righteousnesse, by a sweet light discovering the excellencies of the Lord Jesus, and the reme­dy in him provided for sinners. God opens the eye of the soul, to see the all-sufficiency of his Sons sanct [...]fication, and inclines [Page 119] the heart to cast it selfe by faith upon him.

When we are through­ly 3 convinced of the ill that is in us, and of the good that is in Christ, and are moved by the Holy Ghost, to go out of our selves and imbrace reconciliati­on in the Lord Jesus, then a superadded worke is vouchsafed unto us; for the Spirit daily perfecteth his owne work; he addes therefore after all, his Seale, to confirme us; which Seale is not faith: for the Apostle saith, Af­ter Ephes. 1. 13. you beleeved, you were sealed, where we see the work of faith and sealing distinguished: first the soul is set in a good estate, and [Page 120] then followes assurance and stablishment.

But what needs confir­mation when we beleeve? Answ. Is not faith confirmation enough? when a man may know by a private reflect act of the soule, that he is in the state of grace?

This act of ours in belee­ving Quest. is oft terribly shaken; and God is wondrous de­sirous that we should bee secure of his love; hee knowes hee can have no glory, nor we any solid peace else: therfore when we by faith have sealed to his truth, he sees that wee need further sea­ling that our faith be cur­rant and good; for all is little enough in the time [Page 121] of temptation, the single witnesse of our soul is not strong enough in great as­saults. For sometimes the Spirit is so tossed and dis­quieted with temptations, that we cannot reflect a­right on our selves, nor discerne what is in our own brests without much adoe; therefore God first workes faith to apply the promise, Whosoever be­leeves in Christ shall be sa­ved. I beleeve in Christ, therefore I shall be saved, and then sealeth this be­leefe with an addition of his holy Spirit; for this sealing is a work upon be­leeving, an honouring of faith with a superadded confirmation.

[Page 122] How shall wee know Quest. that there is such a spiritu­all sealing in us?

I answer, when we truly Answ. beleeve, the Spirit of ad­option, reveales unto us that we are the sonnes of God, by a secret whisper­ing, and intimation to the soule, (which the belee­ving heart feeles better than I am able to ex­presse) saying, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgi­ven; there is a sweet kisse, vouchsafed to the soule: the Lord refresheth it with the light of his coun­tenance, and assures it, that all enmity is now slaine: I am thy salvation, thou art for ever mine, and I am thine; because thou belee­vest, [Page 223] behold thou art ho­noured to be my child.

Againe the Spirit of ad­option 2 quickens and fils the soule with heavenly ejaculations to God, it stirs up servent supplicati­ons to cry Abba Father. The soule when it truly beleeves, hath a bold and familiar speech to God.

There are two things in the prayer of a Christi­an that are incompetible with a carnall man: there is first an inward confi­dence, and secondly, an carnestnesse in the soule, whereby he goes to God as a Child to his loving Father, not considering his owne worthinesse or meanes, but the constant [Page 124] love that is bore to him.

This spirituall speech of God to the soule, and of the soule to God, is an e­vident demonstration of our truth in grace, because we can do that which no Hypocrite in the world can attaine to.

Thirdly, this sealing of 3 the Spirit after wee be­leeve, is knowne by the worke of Sanctification which it effecteth in us; the holy Spirit seales our spirits, by stamping the likenesse of Christ upon us; so as when a man finds in his soule, some linea­ments of the heavenly I­mage, he may know ther­by, that hee is translated from death to life; when [Page 125] he finds his heart subdued to humility and obedi­ence, to such a holy and gratious frame as Christs was; he may cleerely dis­cerne that he hath some­thing more than the Old man in him: when a man can say, naturally I am proud, but now I can abase my selfe; naturally, I am full of malice, now I can love, and pray heartily for my enemies; naturally I am lumpish & dead-hear­ted, now I can joy in the Holy Ghost; naturally, I am apt to distrust the Lord, and be disconten­ted with my condition, now I can rest securely upon his Promise and Pro­vidence: sin hath been my [Page 126] delight, now it is my sor­row and heart-breaking, I finde somewhat contrary to corruption in me. I carry the Image of the se­cond Adam about me now: I say, whosoever hath this blessed change, may rest assured of his right to hap­pinesse. Know you not that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates, saith the A­postle. A Christian that upon a through search finds something of Christ alwayes in his soule, can never want a sweet evi­dence that he is sealed to the day of redemption.

The fourth way is by 4 the joy of the Spirit, which is the beginning of Hea­ven as it were, and a pos­sessing [Page 127] of glory before our time; there are few of Gods children, but in the cours of their pilgrimage, first or last, have this di­vine impression wrought in them, enlarging and ra­vishing their soules to joy in the Almighty.

Yet this is especially seene after conflict, when the soule hath combated with some strong corrup­tion or temptation, To him that overcomes wll I give of the hidden Mannah, saith Christ, and a white stone which none can reade but he that hath it, that is, hee shall have assurance that he is in the state of grace, and the sweet sa­vour of goodnesse it selfe [Page 128] shall be his portion; usual­ly God gives comfort af­ter wee have conflicted with some sinfull disposi­tion and have got the vi­ctory, as we see in Iob, af­ter God had exercised that Champion a long time, at the last hee discovered himself in a glorious man­ner to him.

In the midst of afflicti­ons, when a Christian is under great crosses, and God sees hee must bee supported with spirituall strength, or else he sinks, then he puts in with sup­ply from above: when the creature cannot help us, the Creator of all things will. Thus Paul in the midst of the Dungeon be­ing [Page 129] sealed with the Spirit, sang at midnight when he was in the Stocks: and so David in the midst of per­secution: Daniel in a Lions Den: the three Children in the fiery furnace, &c. God doth as Parents, smile on their little ones when they are sick and de­jected: hee reserves his choisest comforts for the greatest exigents: when God hath a great worke for his children to doe, or some sharpe suffering for them to undergoe, as an incouragement before­hand, hee oft enlargeth their spirits that they may be able to go through all. As our Saviour Christ had Iames and Iohn with [Page 130] him upon the Mountaine, to strengthen thē against his ensuing suffering.

Let us then examine our selves by that which hath beene delivered: hath God spoken to thy soule and said, I am thy salvation, thy sinnes are remitted, and thy person received into my favour: doth God stirre up thy spirit to call upon him, (especially in extremity) and to go with boldnesse and earrestnesse to his Throne? Surely this is an evidence of the seale of the Spirit, for who ever wants this, cannot look God in the face, when distresse is upon him: Saul in this case goes to the Witch, and [Page 131] Achitophel to desperate conclusions: Iudas in ex­tremity, we see what be­comes of him? So every one that hath not this sea­ling of the Spirit, (to whom God speakes not peace by shedding abroad the love of Christ in his heart) must needs sinck as Lead in the bottome of the Sea, which hath no consistence, till it come to the Center, to Hell. Did you ever feele the joy of the Spirit in ho­ly duties, after inward striving against your lusts, and getting ground of them; this is a certaine signe that God hath sealed you.

But you will say, How Quest. [Page 132] can that be a seale? A seale Quest. continues with the thing, but the joy of the Spirit comes after the work of the Spirit, and abides not with us?

I answer, though wee Answ. have not alwayes the joy of the Spirit, yet we have the Spirit of joy, which though it be not knowne by joy, yet may be dis­cerned by its operation and working. A Christian may have a gracious work of the Spirit in him, and yet want the delight and joy of the Spirit; there­fore when that failes, look to thy sanctification, and see what resemblance of Christ is formed in thee. See [...] [...] heart be hum­ble [Page 133] and broken, if thou have a heavenly dispositi­on like to thy Saviour; when the joy of the Spirit ceaseth, goe to the work of the Spirit, and from the work of the Spirit, to the voyce of the Spirit; Canst thou cry to God with strong supplications? or if thou canst not pray with distinct words, canst thou mourne and groane? The Spirit helps our infirmities, when wee know not what to ask. This sighing & groa­ning is the voyce of Gods Spirit, which hee will re­gard wheresoever he finds it. This made Iob in his distresse, to swim above water.

If one be in the midst [Page 134] of extremity, and can se­riously seek to God, it is an undoubted signe that such a one is sealed, especially when the corruption of his soule joynes with Sa­thans temptations the more to afflict him; for a sinner in the midst of stormes & clouds of dark­nesse, then to cast anchor, and quiet his soule in Christ, argues great faith: So when a temptation closes with our corrupti­on, and affliction yeelds ground to further the temptation, then to pray and rely securely upon God, is a gracious signe; for Sathan useth the affli­ctions we are in, as temp­tations to shake our faith; [Page 135] as thus, Canst thou be a child of God, and be so exercised? so vilified, so persecuted? Didst thou belong to Christ, would ever these crosses, & losses, and miseries have befallen thee? deceive not thy selfe: Thus affliction is a weapon to temptation, for Sathan to help his fiery darts with, he having such a dangerous party in us (as our own corruption) doth us the more harme conti­nually.

How shall a man know Quest. whether God hath a part in him?

I answer. If he can run Answ. against the streame; if he find his soule resisting Sa­thans temptations, & rai­sing [Page 136] him above afflictions, standing out, and comba­ting with corruptions to the uttermost; whē he can check his carnal heart that drawes him downwards, saying: Why art thou cast Psal. 42. 13 downe, O my soule, and why art thou disquieted within me: it is a good signe.

David found inward corruptions, and outward afflictions joyning with Sa­thans temptations, to de­presse his spirit, hereupon he chides his owne soule. Why is it thus with thee, why art thou dejected in this manner? and then he layes a charge upon it, Trust in God. Whatsoever hardship wee meet with in the world, yet there is [Page 137] hope in God still; though we can find little comfort below, yet there are ri­vers of consolation above; it argues a gracious heart to quiet ones selfe in God in the worst times.

I beseech you let us la­bour to have our soules Vse. sealed with the Spirit of God, to have further and clearer evidence of our estate in grace; it is a bles­sed thing to have Christ live in us, the enemies of our salvation are exceed­ing many, and how soone death or judgement may ceaze us, wee know not, God will set none at his right hand, but his Sheep, those that have his owne Image on them; his best [Page 138] Sheep have no outward mark, but an inward; the world sees not their beau­tie, The Kings daughter is all glorious within. Psal. 45.

How comfortably will the soule commend it self to Christ, when it finds it selfe stamped with the Spirit of Christ? when he can chearefully say, Lord Jesus receive my soule; thou that hast redeemed me by thy bloud, and sea­led me by thy Spirit, ac­knowledge thine owne likenesse in me, though it be not as it should be, yet there is somwhat of thine in me.

Beloved, wee must not give false evidence of our selves, as wee must not [Page 139] against others; what a comfort hath a sealed soul in the houre of death, and in all extremities? what a difference is there be­tweene such a soule, and others in the time of affli­ction, as in the time of pe­stilence, warre, and per­secution for Christ? The soul that is sealed knowes that hee is marked out for happinesse in the world to come. Whatsoever be­falls him in this life, hee knowes that God in all confusion of times knows his own Seale▪ and that his destroying Angell shal spare and passe over those that are marked, Ezech. 9. And though our bodies escape not, yet our soules shall.

[Page 140] Iosias wee see was taken away from the evill to come, and Lot was delive­red from the judgement of the Sodomites. If wee partake not of the sinnes of the wicked, wee shall never partake of their plagues; God hath a spe­ciall care of his little ones in this life, and if hee take them away, yet their death is pretious in his sight; hee Psal. 116. will not part with them but upon speciall conside­ration: he sees if they live it will be worse for them, their pretious soules are in continuall danger; hee sees it is best for them to be gathered to God, and the soules of perfect ones in heaven, therefore hee [Page 141] provides a shelter to free them from all stormes on earth.

And as hee hath an eye over them in regard of outward miseries; so in respect of spirituall cor­ruption and infection; as Revel. 7. Gods holy ones were sealed, so many of such a Tribe, and so many of such a Tribe, to signifie, that God hath alwayes some that hee will keepe and preserve from the lea­prous contagion of sinne, and Antichrist; even in evill times God hath his little flock still.

In the obscure ages of the Church, 900 yeares after Christ, when there was little learning and [Page 142] goodnesse in the world, and Egyptian darknes had over-spred the earth. God had alwayes sealed ones, marked out for himselfe, whom he preserved from the danger of dark times; why then should wee be afraid of evill tidings? Let any affliction or death it selfe come, Christ will know his own stamp in us, he hath a book of remem­brance, for those that are his, and when hee gathers his jewells, they will bee highly set by. God in common calamities suf­fers his luggage, (wicked men) to goe to wrack, but he will secure his jewels, his darlings, what ever come of it; labour there­fore [Page 143] to bee a sealed per­son.

But you will say, what Quest. shall I account of my self, if there bee but a little signe of grace in me?

Be not discouraged, you Answ. know in wax, though the stamp be almost out, yet it is currant in Law not­withstanding. Put the case the stamp of the Prince be an old Coyne, is it not currant though it bee crackt? Suppose the mark of the Spirit, should bee dim and blurred, scarce discernable in us, (this ought to bee our shame and griefe) yet some evi­dences of grace are still remaining; there are some sighes and groanes against [Page 144] corruption, which may continually support us: if we mourne in our spirits, and doe not joyne with our lusts, nor allow our selves in them, this is a divine impression, though it bee (as it were) almost worne out: the more comfort wee desire, the fresher she should keepe this seale of comfort.

And labour to grow in faith and obedience, that we may reade our evi­dence cleerely, that it be not over-growne with the dust of the world, so as we cannot see it. Sometimes Gods children have the graces of the Spirit in them, yet they yeeld so much to feares and doubt­ings, [Page 145] that they can read nothing but their corrup­tion. When we bid them puruse their evidences, they can see nothing but worldlinesse, nothing but pride and envie, because they grieve the holy Spi­rit by their negligence and distrust. Though there be a stamp in them, yet God holds the soule from it, and gives men up to mistake their estates, for not stirring up the graces of his Spirit in them.

Honour God by belee­ving, and he will honour thee by stamping his Spi­rit more cleerely on thee, what a comfort is it to have the evidence of a gratious soule at all times. [Page 146] When a man carries about him the marke of the Spi­rit, what in the world can discourage such a soule? On the contrary, if a man have not something above nature in him, when death & judgement comes, how miserable is his condition? If a man be a King or an Emperour of the World, and have not an interest in Christs righteousnesse, ere long he shall be strip­ped of all, and adjudged to eternall torments. Oh the excellency of mans soule, a Jewell more to be prized then a Princes Dia­dem.

It is the solly of the times to set up curious Pictures, but what a poore [Page 147] delight is this in compari­son of the ambition of a true Christian, to see the Image of Christ stamped in his soule, to finde the joy of the Spirit, and God speaking peace to his in­ner man.

The transforming of our selves into the image of Christ, is the best Pi­cture in the world; there­fore we should labour for the new creature, that as we grow downeward one way, we may grow up to­wards Heaven another; that as the life of nature decayes, so the spirituall life may bee more active and working. It should be our daily study while we live in this world to attain [Page 148] that holinesse, without which no man shall ever see God.

There is besides the com­mon broad Seale of God, his privie Seal. What is the reason that many proud hearted persons are dam­ned? the truth is, they are all for externall content­ments, and despise the or­dinances of GOD: for though they stand upon their admission into the Church, upon the com­mon seales and preroga­tives (which in themselves are excellent) yet relying on these things overmuch betrayes many soules to the Devill in the time of distresse. It is an other manner of seale than the [Page 149] outward seale in the Sa­crament, that must settle peace in the conscience. When once the begin­nings of faith are wrought in us, then wee may with comfort thinke upon our receiving of the Commu­nion, but the speciall thing to be eyed, is the hidden seale. If the externall meanes work no inward sanctificatiō in our hearts, we shall be the worse ra­ther than the better for them: yet we must not be so prophane as to think slightly of Gods Ordinan­ces, they are of great con­sequence.

For when Satan shakes the confidence of a Chri­stian, and saith, Thou art [Page 150] an Hypocrite, God doth not love thee; these help us to hold out: why saith the soule, I can speak by experience that I have found the contrary; the Lord hath removed my feares, he hath pardoned my sinne and accepted my person, he hath given me many Pretious Promises to support my spirit. Here is the excellency of the Sa­crament, it comes more home to me, it seales the generall Promises of God particularly to my selfe: for finding the inward worke of the Spirit in my heart, and God having strengthned my faith by the outward seale, I can defie Satan with all his ac­cusations, [Page 151] and look death in the face with comfort. We should labour there­fore to observe Gods sea­ling dayes, when he uses to manifest himselfe to his people; which though it may be every day (if wee be spiritually exercised) yet it is in the Lords day more especially, for then his ordinance and his Spi­rit go together.

Now there is a sealing of persons, and of truths, be­sides the sealing of our estates, that we are the children of God; there is a sealing of every particu­lar truth to a Christian. For where there is grace to beleeve the truth, God seales those truths firme­ly [Page 152] to that soule by the comforts of his Spirit. For example, this is a truth, Whosoever beleeves in Christ, shall not perish but have everlasting life. Now the same Spirit that stirs up the soule to beleeve this, seales it fast upon the conscience even to death; there is no promise, but upon our beleeving the same, it is sealed by God upon us: for those truths only abide firme in the soule which the Holy Ghost sets on. What is the reason that many for­get their consolations, the reason is they heare much but the Spirit settles no­thing on their hearts.

What is the reason that Quest. [Page 153] lettered men many times stand out in their professi­on to blood, whereas those that are more able and learned, yeeld to any thing. The reason is, the Answ. knowledge of the one is set fast upon the soule; the Spirit brings his seale and this mans knowledge close together: whereas the learning and abilities of the other, is only a dis­coursive thing swimming in the braine without any sollid foundation; their knowledge of truths is not spiritual: they see not hea­venly things by heavenly, but by a naturall light. Those that would not a­postatize, must have a knowledge sutable to the [Page 154] things they know; they must see spirituall things by the Spirit of GOD. Therefore when we come to heare the Word, wee should not come with strong conceits of our owne, to bring all to our wits, but with reverent dispositions and depen­dance upon God, that he would teach us together with his Ministers, and close with his Ordinances so as to fasten truths upon our soules, else shall wee never hold out: for that which must stablish and quiet the soule, must bee greater than the soule.

In time of tentations when the terrours of the Almighty encompasse us, [Page 155] when God layes open our conscience, and writes bitter things against us, those truths that most sa­tisfie the soule at such a time, must be above the naturall capacity of the soule, therefore saith the Apostle, It is God that establishes, and God by his Spirit that seales us up un­to the day of redemption, because divine truths of themselves in the bare letter, cannot stirre up the heart; it is only the bles­sed Spirit, which is above our spirits, that must qui­et the conscience in all perplexities; the Lord can soone still the soule when he settles spirituall truths upon it: therefore go to [Page 156] him in thy distresse and trouble of minde; send up ejaculations to God, that hee would seale the com­fort revealed in his word to thy soule, that as it is true in it selfe, so it may be true to thee likewise.

This is a necessary ob­servation for us all. Oh we desire in the houre of death to finde some com­forts, that bee standing comforts, that may up­hold us against Hell and judgement. Know that no­thing will do this but spi­rituall truths spiritually knowne, but holy truths set on by the Holy Ghost upon the soule. Oft ther­fore enter into thine heart and examine upon what [Page 157] grounds and motives thou beleevest; Consider well what it is thou beleevest, and upon what evidences, and withwhat light, other­wise expect not to find sollid peace.

What course may a Christian generally take Quest. when hee wants comfort and inward refreshing.

There are in 1 Iohn 5. Answ. three witnesses in heaven, & three in earth, to secure In want of comfort what is to be done. us of our estate in grace: The three witnesses in heaven are, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: And the three witnesses in earth are, the Spirit, the Water, and Bloud: and these three on earth, and those three in heaven [Page 158] agree in one. Now by the Spirit here is meant the feelings and sweet moti­ons thereof, the water may well be the Laver of Sanctification, & by bloud is understood the suffer­ings of Christ for our ju­stification.

When therefore wee find that extraordinarie seale I spake of before (the joyes of the Spirit of God) that it is not in us. What shall we doe? shall wee despaire then? No, then goe to the water; when the witnesse of the Spirit is silent, goe to the work of the Spirit, see what gracious dispositions are found in thee.

I, but what shall we do Quest. [Page 159] if the waters be troubled in the soule, as some times there is such a confusion, that we cannot see the I­mage of God upon it in sanctification.

Then goe to the bloud, there is alwayes comfort; Answ. goe to the fountaine set open for Iudah and Ierusa­lem to wash in, that is ne­ver dry. If we find much sinne upon our conscien­ces, and no peace in our hearts; apply the bloud of sprinkling, that will give rest.

When thou findest no­thing but corruption and filthinesse in thy soule, when thou seest neither joy nor sanctification of Spirit, goe to the Lord [Page 160] Jesus, and hee will purge thee from all guilt, and wash thee with clean wa­ter. But to goe on.

Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts.

This is the third word, borrowed from humane Contracts, to set forth Gods gracious work in the soule: Annointing wee had before & sealing; now here is earnest. The va­riety of expression shewes, there is a great remainder of unbeliefe in the soule of man, which causeth the blessed Spirit to use so ma­ny words to manifest Gods mind, and assure the soule [Page 161] of salvation, stablishing, annointing, sealing, and earnest.

And indeed so it is, howsoever we in the time of prosperity (when all things goe well with us) are apt to presume our estate is good, yet in the houre of death when con­science is awaked, we are prone to nothing so much as to call all in question, and beleeve the lies and doubts and feares of our owne deceitfull hearts, more than the undoubted truth and promise of God. Therefore the Lord takes all courses to establish us, he gives us rich and preti­ous promises, hee gives us the holy Spirit to con­firme [Page 162] us in those promises, he seales us with that Spi­rit, and gives us a com­fortable earnest thereof, and all to settle these wretched & unbeleeving hearts of ours. So desirous is God that wee should be well conceited of him, that hee loves us better than wee love our selves; Hee prizeth our love so much, that he labours by all meanes to secure us of our eternall welfare; as knowing, that except we apprehend his love to us, wee can never love him againe, nor delight in him as we ought to doe.

Now the Spirit is an ear­nest of our inheritance in heaven, wee are sonnes [Page 163] here indeed; but wee are not heires invested into the blessed estate we have title to; God doth notkeep all our happinesse till ano­ther world, but gives us somewhat to comfort us in our absence from our husband; hee gives us the Holy Ghost in our hearts, as a pledge of that glori­ous condition, which wee shall one day have eter­nally with him; this is the meaning of the words.

But to shew you more particularly, In what re­gard the Spirit is called an earnest.

First of all, you know 1 an earnest is used, for se­curity Why the Spirit is called an earnest. of a Contract. So the holy Spirit doth se­cure [Page 164] us of the blessed e­state, we shall have in hea­ven for ever.

Secondly, an earnest is 2 part of the bargaine, a part of the whole which is se­cured, though it be a very little part, yet it is a part; So it is with the Spirit of God, in its gracious work upon our hearts, the joy of the Spirit is a part of that full joy and happi­nesse, which shall bee re­vealed hereafter to us.

Thirdly, an earnest is 3 little in comparison of the whole; So the Spirit in the work and graces ther­of, is little in regard of that fulnesse which wee shall have in heaven; But though an earnest be smal [Page 165] in it selfe, yet it is great in security; A shilling se­cures a bargaine of a thou­sand pound we see; Wee value an earnest not for its owne worth, so much as (for that which it is a pledge of) for the excel­lent bargaine and rich pos­session which it doth in­terest us unto: So the Spi­rit of God with its blessed effects in the soule, the joy and peace of the Spi­rit, chearing and reviving perplexed sinners; this earnest, I say, though it be little in it selfe, yet it is great to us in respect of the assurance that we have by it.

Againe, it hath the 4 terme of an earnest, be­cause [Page 166] an arnest is given rather for the security of the party that receives it, than in regard of him that gives it; So God gives us the earnest of his Spirit, grace and comfort in this life, not so much for God, for hee meanes to give us heaven and happinesse, when wee are dissolved: As he hath passed his pro­mise, so hee will undoub­tedly performe the same; Hee is Lord and Master of his word, Hee is Jehovah that gives a being to his word, as well as to every other thing: But notwith­standing having to doe with mistrustfull, unbe­leeving men, hee is plea­sed to condiscend to our [Page 167] weaknesse, hee stoops to the lowest capacity, and frames his speech to the understanding of the sim­plest soule; for which purpose this terme of ear­nest is here borrowed.

In these respects the Spirit of God together with the graces of it, and the comforts it brings (for they are not divided) is called an earnest. And thus having cleared the point, we will observe this doctrine for our further instruction.

That a Christian ought to be, and may be assured of his interest in God, be­cause (as I said before) an earnest is given not so much for Gods sake, as for [Page 168] our sakes; this then must needs follow from hence, Either none have this earnest, or else those that have it, may be assured of their comfortable condi­tion. Otherwise God is fickle, and playes fast and loose with his children, which is blasphemy to af­firme. Besides, if none have this earnest, then the Apostle speaks false, when he saith, God hath stablished us, and given us the earnest of his Spirit, which is hor­rible impiety once to con­ceive.

If this be so, then either Quest. such as have this seale and earnest of the Spirit, may be assured of their estate in grace or not; And if [Page 169] not, where is the fault? Will not God really and truly vouchsafe unto his people this earnest of the Spirit in their hearts? Vn­doubtedly Answ. he will, he is God meanes truly in giving his ear­nest. desirous that wee should be perswaded of his love in all things, and there­fore we may and ought to bee assured of his fa­vour towards us: S. Iohns whole Epistle containes little else, but sundry markes & evidences how we may know that wee are the children of God: wherefore was Christ himselfe sealed of the Fa­ther to the Office of Me­diatour? wherefore did he die and rise againe? and wherefore doth hee [Page 170] still make intercession for us in Heaven? that wee should doubt of Gods love? (when as he hath given us that which is greater than salvation, yea greater than al the world, even his owne Sonne.) no certainly; can we de­sire a more ample testi­mony of his favour, than he hath already bestowed upon us? Is it not the er­rand of all Gods mercies to bring us neerer to him selfe? that we should not doubt of his love, but rest securely upon him: why then doe we distrust the Almighty, who is truth it selfe, and never failed any?

Yet we must know that [Page 271] Christians have not at all 1 times alike assurance of Assurance of our estates not al­wayes a­like. their interest, for there is an infancy of grace, where in we are ignorant of our own condition. And there is a time of desertion, 2 when as God to make us looke better to our foot­ing, leaves us a little, as if he would forsake us quite, when indeed hee onely withdrawes his assistance for a while to make us cleave the closer to him. There be also certain sea­sons, wherin though we 3 are assured of Gods favor, yet we have no feeling or apprehension of the same which differeth in Chri­stians much, according as they are more or lesse sen­sible [Page 172] of their estates. Some againe use not that care and diligence in the use of meanes which God re­quires, whereupon they are justly deprived of that inward peace and comfort which others enjoy. There is a difference like­wise in growth and conti­nuance in Christianity, some are strong Christi­ans, and some weak, an­swerable whereunto is the difference of assurance of Gods love usually in the hearts of his people. Nay, its possible that for a long time, the Lords Iewels (his redeemed ones) may want this blessed comfort. A double act of faith to work assu­rance.

For wee must conceive there is a double act of faith.

[Page 173] First, an act, whereby a 1 poore distressed sinner casts himselfe upon God as reconciled to him in Christ.

Secondly, there is a re­flect 2 act, whereby knowing that wee rely upon the truth and promise of the Almighty, we have assu­rance of his favour. Now a man may performe the one act, and not the other: many of the Saints some­times can hardly say that they have any assurance, but yet notwithstanding, they will daily cast them­selves upon the rich mer­cy and free grace of God in Jesus Christ. Things hindring our assu­rance.

Besides, there are many things which may hinder [Page 174] this act of assurance, be­cause (together with be­leeving) God may present such things to my minde as may so damp and dis­quiet my soule, that I can­not have any definitive thoughts, about that which God would especi­ally have mee to thinke upon.

As when God will hum­ble a man, he takes not a­way the Spirit of faith wholly from him, but sets before such a sinfull crea­ture, his anger and sore displeasure, together with the hellish torments and paines of the damned, as due to his soule; which makes him for the present to be in an estate little differing [Page 175] from the Repro­bate: so that he is far from saying, he hath any assu­rance at that time: yet notwithstanding he doth not leave off nor re­nounce his confidence, but casts himselfe upon Gods mercy still; Though the Lord kill him, yet will he trust in him, although he sees nothing but terror & wrath before him. This God doth to tame our pre­sumption, and prepare us for the enjoyment of his future glory. If we feele not sense of assurance, it is good to blesse God for what we have. Wee can­not denie but God offers himselfe in mercy to us, and that hee intends our [Page 176] good thereby: for so we ought to construe his mercifull dealing towards us, and not have him in jealousie without ground. Had wee but willing hearts to praise God, for that which we cannot but acknowledge comes from him, he will bee ready in his time to shew himself more cleere­ly to us. We taste of his goodnesse many wayes, & it is accompanied with much patience: and these in their natures should leade us, not only to re­pentance, but to neerer de­pendance on him: we ought to follow that which God leads us unto, though he hath not yet acquain­ted [Page 177] us with his secrets.

These things we must ob­serve, that we give not a false evidence against our selves, though wee have not such assurance as wee have had, yet alwayes there is some ground in us whereupon we may bee comforted, that wee are Gods children, could we but search into it. Let us not then be negligent in labouring for the same, and in the Lords good time we shall certainly ob­taine it: it is the prophane­nesse of the world that they improve not those helpes which God hath afforded for this purpose.

Nay they had rather stagger and take content­ment [Page 178] in their own wayes, saying; If God will love mee in a loose licentious course, so it is, but I will not give diligence to make my calling and election sure: I will never barre my selfe of such profits and delights, nor forsake all, chiefly to minde spiri­tuall things.

Whereas wee ought constantly to endeavour for assurance of grace, that God may have honour from us, and we the more comfort from him againe; that we may live in the world above the world, and passe cheerefully through the manifold troubles and temptations which hefail us in our pil­grimage.

[Page 179] A man in his pure natu rals will swell against this doctrine, because he feeles no such thing, and thinks what is above his measure, is hypocrisie. He makes himselfe the rule of other Christians to walke by, and therefore values and esteemes others by his un­certaine condition: but the heart of a Christian hath a light in it, the Spi­rit of God in his soule makes him discerne what estate he is in.

In a naturall man all is dark, hee sees nothing be­cause his heart is in a Dungeon, his eye being dark, the whole man must needs be in blindnesse. All is alike to him, he sees no [Page 180] difference betweene flesh and spirit, and therefore holds on in a doubting hope; in a confused dispo­sition and temper of soule to his dying-day.

But a Christian that la­bours to walk in the com­forts of the holy Ghost, cannot rest in such an un­setled estate; he dares not venture his eternall wel­fare upon such infirme grounds: What? to de­part this life, and be tos­sed in uncertainty, whe­ther a man goes to Hea­ven or to Hell! What a miserable perplexity must such a soule needs be in? Therefore he is still work­ing out his salvation, and storing up of grace against the evill day.

[Page 181] And well may this con­dition challenge all our diligence in labouring for it: because it is neither at­tained nor maintained without the strength and Sense of Gods love how pre­served. prime of our care, for the sense of Gods favour will not bee kept, without keeping him in our best affections, above all things else in the world besides; without keeping of our hearts constantly close and neere to him, which can never bee done with­out keeping a most nar­row watch over our loose spirits, which are ever rea­dy to stray from him, and fall to the creature.

It cannot be kept with­out exact walking, and se­rious [Page 182] selfe-deniall. But what of that? Can wee spend our labours to bet­ter purpose? One sweet beame of Gods counte­nance will requite all a­bundantly. A Christian indeed undergoes more trouble and paines (espe­cially with his own heart) than others do, but what is that to his gaines? One day spent in commu­nion with God, is sweeter than a thousand without it. What comforts so great as those that are fetched from the Foun­taine? Oh woe to him that savours not these hea­venly, but lingers after car­nall comforts. It cannot but grieve the holy Spirit, [Page 183] when the consolations of the Almighty are either forgotten, or seem nothing to us.

But why doth the Spi­rit Quest. thus establish and seale us, and conveigh grace to our soules? why doth that doe all?

Because since the fall Answ. we have no principles of 1 supernaturall good in us; and there must be a prin­ciple above nature to work grace in our barren hearts.

Againe there is still re­maining in us an utter a­versnesse 2 to that which is spiritually good in the best, therefore there must bee somewhat to over­power their corrupt dis­position.

[Page 184] But why the Spirit ra­ther Quest. than the Father or the Sonne? Hee comes from both, and therefore is fit to witnesse the love of both; the Holy Ghost is in the breast of the Fa­ther and the Sonne, hee knowes their secret affe­ction towards us. A mans spirit is acquainted with his in most thoughts: the bles­sed Spirit is privie to the hidden love of God, and of Jesus Christ to us poore creatures, which we are strangers unto, therefore none so fit to cheere and revive us.

Indeed the love origi­nally is from the Father, but in regard of applicati­on of what is wrought by [Page 185] the Sonne, all proceeds from the Holy Ghost; he receives grace from Christ for us. It must needs be so, because no lesse than the Spirit of God can qui­et our perplexed spirits in time of tentation. For when the conscience of a guilty person is affrighted, what man can allay its feares? That which must settle a troubled spirit, must be a spirit above our owne. It being no easie thing to bring the soule and God together after peace is broken: we have both wind and tide against us in this businesse, grace being but weak, and cor­ruption strong in the best of us.

[Page 186] We should labour ther­fore for heavenly spirits, & get somthing more than a man in us. There can ne­ver be any true peace at­tained, till the Spirit from above settle it in our souls. An unsanctified heart is an unpacified heart. If there be a neglect of holinesse, the soule can never bee soundlyquiet; where there is not a cleare conscience, there cannot be a calm cō ­science, that is a generall rule. Sinne like Ionas in the ship will raise conti­nuall stormes both within and without a man. Take away God once, and fare­well all true tranquillity. Spirituall comforts flow immediatly from the Spi­rit [Page 187] of Comfort, who hath his office designed for that purpose.

But how shall we know Quest. that we have the Spirit?

How may a man know Answ. that hee hath a soule? by living and moving, by acti­ons vitall, &c. Even so may a man know hee hath the Spirit of God by its bles­sed effects and operations: it is not idle in us, but as the soule quickens the bo­dy, so doth the Spirit the soule. Every saving grace is a signe that the Spirit is in us. Wheresoever the Spirit dwells, hee trans­formes the soule, & chan­ges the party (like him­selfe) to be holy, and gra­cious, this is an undoubted [Page 188] symptome of the Spirits habitation.

Secondly, all spirituall graces are with conflict, 2 for that which is true, is with a great deale of re­sistance of that which is counterfeit; the flesh still lusts against the spirit, and Satan cannot endure to see any man walk cōfort­ably to heaven. What, thinks hee, such a base creature as this is to have the earnest of salvation, to live here as if hee were in heaven already, and to de­fie all opposite powers; sure hee shall have little peace this way, I will dis­quiet and vex his spirit; if he will goe to heaven, hee shall go mourning thither.

[Page 189] This is the reasoning of the cursed spirit, where­upon hee labours to shake our assurance, and follow us with perplexities. The grace and comfort of a Christian, is with much conflict and tentations, not only with Satan, but with his owne heart; which so long as guilt remaines, wil ever be misgiving and cast­ing of doubts; there must therfore be a higher pow­er, than the soule of man to quiet and allay its owne troubles.

Thirdly, the Spirit en­ables us to the practise of 3 those duties, which by nature wee are averse un­to, as to love an enemie, to overcome our revenge, [Page 190] to be humble in prosperi­ty, and contented with any estate. It drawes our affection heavenward, and makes us delight in God above all, as our best portion. Hee that hath the Spirit, joyes in spiri­tuall company and im­ployment; he hates sinne as being contrary to that blessed earnest which hee hath received. He looks on things as God doth, and approves of the same, as hee is made more or lesse spirituall thereby, and so is brought neerer to that fountaine of Goodnesse, God himselfe; by them he esteemes his best being to be in Christ, and there­fore labours more & more [Page 191] to be transformed into his likenesse. He values no­thing in the world further than it conduceth to his spirituall welfare. If all be well for that, hee ac­counts himselfe happy whatsoever else befalls him. Indeed where the Spirit hath taken up his firme abode, that soul will little set by any outward change. Nothing can be very ill with a man that hath all well within him.

But that I may not di­stract your thoughts, you Symp­tomes of the Spirits inhabita­tion, out of Rom. 8. shall find divers properties of the Spirit of God in Romans 8. which I will briefly touch. First, it is said that the Spirit where it is, dwells in that heart, as [Page 192] in an house, it rules where ever it comes. The Ho­ly Ghost will not be an underling to our lusts, it repaires and makes up all our inward breaches. The Spirit prepares his owne dwelling, he begets know­ledge and acquaintance of God within us; hee is not in us as hee is in the wic­ked, hee onely knocks at their hearts, but hath not his abode there.

Secondly, when the Spi­rit 2 comes into a man, hee subdues whatsoever is cō ­trary to it, and makes way for it self by pulling down all strong holds which op­pose it; therefore wee are said to mortifie the deeds of the flesh, by the Spirit, ver [Page 193] 13. Those that by help of the Spirit have got the vi­ctory of sinne, can in no wise be led as slaves by the flesh: as on the contrary, he that cherishes corrup­tion, and crucifies it not (by spirituall reasons, but out of civill respects to be freed from aspersions, and to uphold his reputation or the like) is a meere stranger to the Holy Ghosts working.

Thirdly, as many as are led by the Spirit of God 3 are the Sonnes of God. As the Angell went before the Israelites from Egypt into Canaan; so the Spirit of God goes along with his in all their wayes, re­mooving all lets, and [Page 194] strengthening against all impediments in their Chri­stian race. It conducts us sweetly, not (violently) as the Devill doth those that are possessed with the Spi­rit; wee are led strong­ly indeed, because it is against corruption within us, and opposition from without us, but yet sweet­ly to preserve the liberty and freedome of the soule still. We are all by nature like children or blinde men, wee cannot lead our selves, the Spirit must be our conduct, or wee shall wander and goe aside pre­sently. Those therefore that enjoy the same, sub­mit themselves to its gui­dance, and direction in all things.

[Page 295] Again, the Spirit stirres 4 up sighes and groanes, that cannot be expressed. When we are not able to pray, or lay open the griefes of our soules, if wee can but send out sighes & groanes to heaven, they shall bee accepted; for God will heare the voyce of his own Spirit, from whence these sobs & complaints come. How should wee be over­whelmed with despaire, did not the Spirit support us? Those therefore that in extremity have no­thing to comfort them, yet are able to send forth holy desires to the Lord, may certainly conclude that the Spirit is in them.

Again, the Spirit makes 5 [Page 196] us mourne, and wait for the adoption of sonnes, the same Spirit that sanctifies a sinner, witnesses to his soule, that God is his. Worldlings grieve not for their absence from Christ, neither at all long they for his blessed appearing, because their heaven is here. They mourne not for the hidden distem­pers, and secret imper­sections of their soules, whereas the godly are much in condemning thē ­selves, for that which no creature can tax them of; Want of cōmunion with their Maker, straitnesse of spirit, distraction in dutie, that they cannot obey as they would; these exceed­ingly [Page 197] deject them, yet wait they will without despaire, till God have fi­nished their course; there is such a divine power in faith, as a very little beam of it, having no other help than a naked promise, will uphold the soule against the greatest discourage­ments, and keepe it from utter sinking.

Indeed, waiting is a dif­ficult duty, both in regard of the long day, which God usually takes before he performes his promise, as also by reason of the untowardnesse of our na­tures, being ready to be put off by the least frown, did not God by a Spirit of constancie preserve the [Page 198] soule immoveable in all conditions, whether pre­sent or to come, so as it failes not before him; and why? because it knowes full well, that God in whom it rests, is unchang­ably good.

Alas, we are at the best but light and vaine crea­tures, till the divine Spirit fix and settle us: the firm­er our Union is here, the surer will be our standing in all danger; for what can daunt that soul, which in the greatest troubles hath made the great good to bee his owne? Such a person dares chearefully encounter any oppositi­on, as having a Spirit high­er than the world about [Page 199] him; and seeing all (but God) farre beneath him; Though I might name more, what a many sweet evidences are here to ma­nifest a soule truly [...]ted▪ and led by the Spirit of God?

How may a man ob­taine this blessed guest to Quest. lodge in his soule and rule over him?

First attend upon the Answ. teaching of the Gospell. 1 Received ye the Spirit, by the hearing of the Law, or of faith preached? saith the Apostle; The Spirit it usu­ally given, with a cleare unfolding of Christ.

Secondly, omit like­wise 2 no meanes wherein the Spirit is effectuall, for [Page 200] as a man walking in a Garden (though he think not of it) drawes a sweet sent of the flowers. So the word of God being dicta­ted by the Spirit, leaves a heavenly favour in such as converse with it. The spi­rit of a man is like water that runnes through Mi­neralls. Wee see Baths have their warmth from Mineralls that they runne thorough. So it is with the soule in its holy im­ployments. When it hath to deale with good books and good company, it draweth a spirituall tin­cture from these things, and is bettered by them.

Withall, take heed that 3 thou grieve not the holy [Page 201] Ghost, for that will cause an estrangement of his presence in thy soule.

How is that done? Quest.

By cherishing contrary Answ. affections and lusts to his How the Spirit is grieved. blessed motions, as when we heare the Word, but resolve never to obey it; When God knocks at our hearts for entrance, oh how readily should wee set open those everlasting doores to receive him? If Christ be willing to give us his Spirit, it must needs be our owne fault if wee remain carnall. There be­ing nothing in a manner required to bee spirituall, but not to resist the Spirit; What greater indignity can we offer to the blessed [Page 200] [...] [Page 201] [...] [Page 202] Comforter, than to pre­ferre our base lusts before his motions, leading to happinesse? What grea­ter unkindnesse can a man doe his friend, than to slight his loving directi­on, and embrace the coun­sell of a professed ene mie? The Holy Ghost presses such forcible rea­sons upon us of heaven­ly n indednesse, and de spising earthly things, that it is more than evident, none are damned in the bosone of the Church, but those that set a bar against the Spirit of God in their hearts; such are damned, because they will bee damned, that (say the Preacher what hee [Page 203] will) think it better to bee as they are, than to entertaine such a guest as will marre, and al­ter all that was there be­fore.

Take heed therefore of resisting the Spirit in the least kind, sad not his blessed motions, but make much of the same by yeelding subjection there­unto; lay thy soule of­ten before the spirit, suf­fer thy selfe to be moul­ded and fashioned by his gracious working; Oh consider how high the slighting of a gracious motion reaches, even to the contemning of God himselfe; certainly as we use these, so would we use [Page 204] the Spirit himselfe were he visible to us.

And converse not with carnall company, for what wilt thou gaine there but sorrow to thine heart, if thou belongest to God: and as holy Lot vex thy righteous soule with the uncleane conversation of these Sodomites, it is an undoubted signe of a man destitute of grace, not to care at all what company he frequents.

Fourthly, seeing the Holy Ghost is promised to them that aske it, beg earnestly for it at Gods hands; this is the good th-ing that GOD gives. Christ seemes to insinu­ate as much, saying, What [Page 205] can I give you better than the Holy Ghost? Yet this will I bestow on them that ask it: for indeed that is the seed of all grace and comfort. A world of pro­mises are included in the promise of giving the Spi­rit.

Labour therefore above all gettings to obtaine this high prerogative: the comforts of the Spirit are above al earthly comfort, and the graces of the Spi­rit enable to incounter the greatest tentations whatsoever. A man that hath this, stands impregna­ble. God may withdraw his favour for a time to humble us, but to quench the worke of the Spirit [Page 206] (once wrought in the soule) all the power of all the Devils in Hell cannot stirre it. This will carry us through all oppositi­ons and difficulties in our Christian race. Let a man never baulk or decline a good cause for any thing that hee shall suffer: for the seale and earnest of the Spirit is never more strong than when we are deprived of all other com­forts save that alone.

What makes a man dif­fer from himself and frō o­ther men, but this? Take a Christian that hath the ear­nest of the Spirit, you shall have him defie Death, Sa­tan, the World, and all: take another that is care­lesse [Page 207] to increase his ear­nest, how weak and feeble will you finde him, ready to be overcome by every tentation, and sinck under the least burthen.

The Apostle Peter be­fore the Holy Ghost came upon him, was astonished with the voice of a weak Damosell, but after, how forward was he to suffer any thing.

Labour not then to bee strengthned in things below, neither va­lue thy selfe by outward dependances. Alas all things here are perishing. If thou hast grace, thou hast that which will stand by thee when these faile, the Comforter shal never [Page 208] be taken away. What are all friends in the world to the Holy Ghost? This will speake to God for us when no creature dares looke him in the face. The Spirit will make requests with sighes and groanes in our behalfe, and wee may be sure we shall bee heard, when that inter­cedes for us. What Pri­son can shut up the Spirit of God? Oh gaine this what ever thou losest, pre­ferre it to thy chiefe trea­sure. The very earnest of the Spirit is far more pre­tious, than the creatures full quint essence. If the Promises layd hold on by faith, quicken and cheare the soule, what shall the [Page 209] accomplishment of them doe? If the giving a taste of Heaven so lift our souls above all earthly discou­ragements, how glorious shall we shine forth, when the Spirit shall be all in all in us? This will make us more or lesse fruitfull, more or lesse glorious in our profession, and reso­lute in obedience through our whole course.

If we want this we can never be thankfull for any thing, for it is the love of God that sweetens every mercy to us, (and indeed is more to be valued than any blessing we enjoy be­sides) which if we eye not or are ignorant of, what can we expect but wrath [Page 210] and displeasure in all that befals us? Oh it is sweet to see favours and bene­fits issuing from grace and love: they doe not al­wayes proove mercies which men oft times e­steeme to be so. We can have no sollid comfort in any condition, further than God smiles upon us in it. What a fearefull case must that then be, where­in a man cannot be thank­full for what he hath.

Every condition and place we are in, should in­deed be a witnesse of our thankfulnesse to God; we must not think life was gi­ven onely to live in. Our life should not be the end of it selfe, but the praise [Page 211] of the giver thereof. It is but fit that we should re­fer all that is good to his glory, who hath joyned his glory to our best good, in being glorified in our salvation, which while we question and doubt of, it is impossible ever to bee cheerfull towards him.

Besides, how can a man suffer willingly, that knowes not that God hath begun any good work in him? How lum­pish and dead is he under the crosse without this as­surance? It is worth the considering, to see two men of equall parts under the same afliction, how quietly and calmly the one that hath interest in [Page 212] Christ will beare his grie­vances, whereas the other rages as a foole, and is more beaten. A man will endure any thing comfor­tably when he considers it proceeds from his Fathers good pleasure. This breeds a holy resigning of our selves to God in al estates; as Eli, the wil of the Lord be done; his will is a wise will, and ever conduceth to his peoples good.

Fearest thou danger, cry unto God, I am thine, Lord save me; I am the price of thy Sons blood, let me not be lost, thou hast given me the earnest of thy Spirit, and set thy seale upon me for thine owne, let mee neither [Page 213] lose my bargaine nor thou thine.

Hence it is, that Gods childe can so easily deny himselfe in tentations and allurements which others sinck under. Oh saith he, the Holy Ghost hath sea­led me up to the day of re­demption, shall I grieve and quench the same for this base lust? It is a great disparagement to preferre husks before the provision of our Fathers House: when we give content to Sathan and a wretched heart, wee put the Ho­ly Ghost out of his Of­fice.

Againe, without this we can never comforta­bly depart this life: hee [Page 214] that hath the earnest of the Spirit in his heart, may laugh Sathan in the face and rejoyce at deaths ap proaching, as knowing there will be an accom­plishment then of all the bargaine; then the Mar­riage will bee perfectly consummate, then shall be the great yeare of Iubi­lee, the Sabbath of rest for ever: hee that lives much by faith will finde it no hard matter to die in it. But let a man stagger and doubt whether hee belong to God or no, what a miserable case will he be in at the time of dis­solution? Death (with the eternity of torment after it) who can looke it in the [Page 215] face without the assurance of a happy change? This makes men that see no greater pleasure than the following of their lusts, resolve of swimming in worldly delights still. Alas say they, I had as good take this pleasure as have none at all: what shall become of me hereafter, who knowes?

THere are three things especi­ally that trou­ble the life of a Christian, or at least should trouble the same.

The first whereof is sin, 1 [Page 218] with the guilt and punish­ment thereof.

The second, is, the cor­ruption 2 of Nature, which still abidesin him, even af­ter his vocation and con­version to Christ.

The third, is, the mise­ries 3 and crosses of this life, which doe follow and en­sue both upon sinne, and the evill thereof, as also by reason of that corrup­tion of Nature still remai­ning in him, after his re­covered estate in grace.

For the first, The guilt of sinne, which doth bind men over to death and damnation, that is forgiven to all beleevers in Christ Jesus the second Adam.

The second, which is [Page 219] the corruption of Nature, which cleaves so fast to us, that is daily mortified and crucified in the Saints by the Word and Spirit of God.

For the third, which is the grievous crosses and afflictions, which doe ac­company and follow the guilt of sinne and the cor­ruption of nature still re­maining in Gods children, however they are not ta­ken away, yet they are made to have an excel­lent issue, For all things work together for the best unto them that love God: So that these words of the Apostle do afford us.

• 1. A ground of Patience.
• 2. A ground of Comfort

[Page 220] In the former part of this Chapter, the Apostle had told us, That we know not how to pray as we ought, but that the Spirit it selfe doth teach us how to pray, and makes requests for us with sighes that cannot be expressed. And therefore how ever our corruptions and miseries in this life, are not quite taken away, yet the evill of those evils is removed: God teaching and directing us by his Spirit, to seek by prayer unto him, for grace to profit by them. And this is the co-herence of these words with the former.

The parts here to bee Parts of the Text. handled may be these.

An excellent preroga­tive. [Page 221] All things work toge­ther for the best.

Secondly, the persons 2 to whom this prerogative belongs. To them that love God, and whom hee doth call.

Thirdly, the main cause of this blessed Preroga­tive. 3

Those that love God have this priviledge, be­longing to them, be­cause they are effectually called by his Word, ac­cording to his purpose. We know (saith the Apostle) that all things work toge­ther for the best to these; He doth not say, We hope, or wee conjecture, but wee know it assuredly.

We have the Scriptures [Page 222] of God for it, David saith, that it was good for him that Psal. 119. he was afflicted, for therby he had learned to reform his wayes: hee knew by observation that all things would tend to his future happinesse. For hee had seen in the example of Iob, that notwithstanding his sore afflictions, yet he had a blessed issue out of all; he knew this many wayes, he knew it by faith, as al­so by experience, that eve­ry thing should further the Saints wel-being.

We know, that is, we on­ly know it, who are led and taught of God, and none but wee can be assu­red hereof, which ex­cludes the wicked, who [Page 223] shall never know any such thing; but what is it that Paul is confident of here? Namely, that all things work together for the best, to them that love God.

And this may serve to be a prevention of a que­stion, which weak Chri­stians might move in their troubles, and say, Never was any more afflicted than I am? Why, saith the Apostle, bee it so? yet neverthelesse all things whatsoever, all thy cros­ses, vexations, and [...] shall work together, and joyne issue; though they bee averse one to the other, and opposite to the good of Gods children, as Herod and Pilat were; yet [Page 224] all things thus contrary notwithstanding, shall work for the best unto them; there is

• 1. A good of Quality.
• 2. A good of Estate.

Now therefore what kind of Good is this the Quest. Apostle meaneth?

He doth not here mean Answ. the naturall or civill good estate of them that love God, but their spirituall condition in grace, and their glorious estate for the life to come; for the furthering whereof, what­soever befalls them in this life, shall help forward still.

And thus much for the words themselves.

The first point to bee Doct. [Page 225] spoken of, is, The excel­lent priviledge of Gods children, That all things shall work together for the best; both good and evill shall turne to their hap­pinesse. The reason stands thus; All things shal work together for the best to them that love God. Ther­fore all afflictions, crosses, and vexations, whatsoever that betide such persons, shall work together for their good; and for this cause all Gods servants must learne patiently to beare, and cheerefully to undergoe, poverty, or ri­ches, honour, or disho­nour, in this world.

That all good things do All good things. work for the best to Gods [Page 226] servants, is most apparent by daily proofe and expe­rience. To begin with the first chiefe good of all; 1 God the Father. which is God the Father, who is goodnesse it selfe, and unspeakably comfort­able to all his: Doe not all Gods attributes con­duce to our eternall wel­fare? Is hee not set forth in Scripture, under the sweet name of a Father; of a Shield and Buckler, of a Tower of Defence, of an All-sufficient & Almighty God, just, wise, provident, mer­cifull, full of boundlesse compassion, and all to sup­port his poore creatures from failing before him?

As he is our Father, he is carefull of us above the [Page 227] care of earthly parents to their children; As he is a Shield, so he shelters us from all wrongs; As he is God Almighty, and All-suf­ficient, so his power and bounty serve to sustaine us in this world, and re­serve us for ever safe in the world to come; His wisdome makes us wise to prevent the politick plots of the Devill or wicked men; His justice and pro­vidence, they serve to de­fend us in our right; to provide for us in all our wants, and prevent the evills of the ungodly in­tended against us; His po­wer is ours to keep us, his providence, to dispose all things for our advantage; [Page 228] Every thing in God shall co-work to provide and fore-see all good for us, and mercifully to impart and bestow whatsoever is behoovefull upon us; So that God being our Fa­ther, we have right and ti­tle to his lov, emercy, pow­er, justice, truth, faith­fulnesse, providence, wise­dome, and all-sufficiencie. All which shall ever work together for the best, to them that love his ap­pearing.

So for Iesus Christ, the eternall Sonne of God. All 2 God the Sonne. his glorious titles and at­tributes, serve like wise for the everlasting comfort of his poore Saints on earth: Hee is called the Husband [Page 229] of his Church, to cherish and maintaine the same. His love unto his Church is farre above the love of any husband to his wife; Hee is called the Saviour of the World, because hee so loved the world, that hee gave his life for it, and hath promised, that whoso­ever beleeveth on him, shall not perish: He is called the Fountaine of life, the Well of life, the Water of life, the Bread of life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, be­cause that in him is our life, and by him wee are fed and nourished to eter­nall life; here in him wee obtain the life of Grace, and in the World to come, shall for ever en­joy [Page 230] the life of Glory.

So likewise for the Ho­ly 3 God the Holy Ghost. Ghost; what heavenly attributes are ascribed to him in the Scriptures? He is called the Comforter of Gods servants; The Sealer of the Redemption of Gods children in their hearts; he teacheth the Elect to call God Father; hee beareth witnesse with their spirits, that they are the Sons and Daughters of God; he teach­eth them to pray, as they ought, hee fills them with peace that passeth all un­derstanding; And refreshes their spirits with such un­speakable joy, as eye hath not seene, nor eare heard the like. He that is instru­cted by the Spirit, know­eth [Page 231] the things of God, which a naturall man is ignorant of; The holy Ghost doth call to rememberance the doctrine of God taught unto his servants, & writes the same in their hearts; so that the operations of the blessed Spirit, are all appropriated to them that love God, and they alone have their right in them; The direction, comfort, teaching, and guiding of the Spirit of God, doe serve entirely and peculi­arly, to order and work all things together for the best to the Godly.

Yea, the Angels them­selves are called Messen­gers 4 Angells. and ministring Spirits, appointed by God to at­tend [Page 232] and wait upon his servants, Hee gives his An­gells charge over these, to serve them in all their Psal. 34. wayes, and to pitch their tents round about them; whensoever God pleaseth to call any of his out of this world, the Angels are a safe conduct, to carry their soules into Abra­hams bosome; And at the last judgement, the Lord shall send forth his An­gells to gather his Elect, from one end of the world to the other, that they may fully enjoy that which they have long waited for, even eternall blisse and glory.

Vnder the Angels all other creatures are like­wise 5 Magi­strates. [Page 233] made serviceable for his peoples good. Princes in authority, are called in Scripture nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto the Church of Christ: the end of all magistracy be­ing, that we might live re­ligiously and peaceably in all the wayes of God.

Ministers also are stiled in the Word by the 6 Ministers. names of Watchmen and Seeds-men, and spirituall Fathers, to beget men a­gaine to the kingdome of Heaven; they are called Gods Husbandmen to ma­nure and till his ground. They are called Gods lights, and the Salt of the Earth, both to enlighten the Church with the light [Page 234] of the glorious Gospell whereof they are Mini­sters: and to season them with such savoury and sweet instructions, as may make them wise to salva­tion; this being the very end of all Gods giving gifts to men, that they might build up the Church of Christ here below.

So also the Word of 7 The Word. God is called the savour of life, & the power of God unto salvation: It is the seed of God, which being sown in the hearts of Gods children, springeth up in them to everlasting hap­pinesse: Gods Word is a light and a Lanthorne to guide and direct us in all his wayes: it is the Sword [Page 235] of the Spirit, to arme us against sin, and to main­taine us in grace.

The Sacraments like­wise 8 Sacra­ments. are the Seales of life, and pledges of our salva­tion in Christ: and Ex communication though it bee rough, and the ex­treamest censure of the Church▪ (and therefore ought to be undertaken upon weighty grounds) yet the end of it is, to save the soules of Gods peo­ple, and to make them by repentance turne unto him.

So all outward gifts, as 9 Outward gifts. beauty, strength, riches and honours; these are given by God to serve for the good of his children. As the [Page 236] beauty of Hester was an instrument of her prefer­ment, whereby she be­came a preservation to Gods children, and an o­verthrow of her and their enemies: Iosephs outward honours and wealth were made by Gods disposing hand, a meanes of the pre­servation & nourishment of the Israelites in the time of their great extre­mity and famine: the like may be said of learning and other naturall acquire­ments, all which do often tend to generall and pub­like advantages.

Yea, the outward gists of God which are bestow­ed 10 Outward gifts of Repro­bates. upon reprobates, are still for the good of his: [Page 237] for they who had skill and knowledge to build Noahs Ark, though they them­selves were not saved therein, yet were they the meanes of Noahs pre­servation: and so it many times falleth out, that men of excellent parts and great abilities with­out grace, though them­selves are not profited thereby, yet God so useth them as their gifts much conduce, to further and build up the Church of Christ.

Even outward favour 11 Favour of Princes. of Princes, oft tend to Gods servants good. A just man (as the Heathens could say) is a common be­nefit. And so a true Chri­stian, [Page 238] whatsoever good he hath it is communicable to all the faithfull: and ther­fore S. Paul saith of him selfe, that he was a debtor to all men, both Iewes and Gentiles, and that hee be­came all things to all men, that he migh twin some.

But here the maine que­stion will be, and the diffi­culty arises, how all ill things can work together for the best to Gods chil­dren? I shall therefore demonstrate,

• 1 The truth of this, how it can be so?
• 2 The reasons, why it is so.
• 3 Observe a caution, that it be not abused.
• 4 Let us see the [Page 239] sweet and comfortable use of this Doctrine.

That this may the bet­ter appear, we must know that all evill things are either

• 1 Spirituall evill things.
• 2 Outward evill things.

And for spirituall evill things, they are either First, Sinne. Secondly, That which hath a refe­rence to Sinne, as being evils following after sinne.

The first sin of all which hath gone over whole 1 Sinne. mankinde, and is spread a­broad in every one of us, this by Gods mercy and our repentance, prooves to al beleevers a transcen­dent good: for the fall and [Page 240] sin of the first Adam, cau­sed the birth and death of the second Adam, Christ Jesus; who notwitstan­ding he was God, took upon him the nature of man, and hath made us by his comming, farre more happy than if we had ne­verfallen: neither would God have suffered Adam to have fallen, but for his owne further glory, in the manifestation of his justice and mercy, and for the greater felicity of his ser­vants in Christ their Me­diatour.

The next spirituall evill 2 Corrupti­on of na­ture. is, the corruption of nature remaining in all man­kinde, howsoever broken and subdued in the Lords [Page 241] deere ones, this worketh for the best to them after this manner. First it ser­veth to make us see and know we are kept by God, how that we are not the keepers of our owne selves, but are kept by his power through faith unto salvation. For were it not that God upholds and su­staines us, our corrupti­ons would soone overturn us: but the sight of cor­ruption being sanctified to the soule, causeth us to ground our comfort out of our selves in Christ, and no whit to rely on any thing that is in us.

Our corruptions are al­so good, to abase the pride of our natures, and let us [Page 242] see the naughtinesse of our spirits that we may be humbled before GOD. And it is good we should have something within us to make us weary of the world; else, when wee have run out our race, we shalbe unwilling to depart hence. Now our bondage to this naturall corruption serves exceedingly to make us mourne for our sinfull disposition, and hunger after our God to be joyned with him, as we see in S. Pauls exam ple, Rom. 17. where fin­ding the rebellion of his nature, and the strise that was in him, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, he [Page 243] cryes out, saying, Oh wret­ched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death, and seeketh to God in Christ for mer­cy strait.

Sometimes God suffers corruption to break out of us, that we mayknow our selves the better: and because corruption is weakned, not only by smothering, but many times by having a vent, whereupon grace stirs up in the soule, a fresh hatred and revenge against it, and lets us see a necessity of having whole Christ; not only to pardon sinne, but to purge and cleanse our defiled natures. But yet that which is ill it selfe, [Page 244] must not be done for the good that comes by it by accident; this must be a comfort after our surpri­zals, not an encourage­ment before.

It is our great consola­tion, that our nature is perfect in Christ, who hath taken our nature up­on him, and satisfied Di­vine justice, not only for the sinne of our lives, but for the sin of our natures, who will finish his owne worke in us, and never give over, till by his Spi­rit he hath made our na­tures holy and pure as his owne; till he hath taken away, not only the reigne, but the very life and being of sinne out of our hearts. [Page 245] To which end he leaves his Spirit and truth in the Church to the end of the world, that the seed of the Spirit may subdue the seed of the Serpent in us, and that the Spirit may be a never failing spring of al holy thoughts, desires, and endeavours, in us, and dry up the contrary issue and spring of corrupt na­ture.

Lastly, it is good that 6 corruption should still re­maine in us, that the glory of God may the more ap­peare, when as Satan that great and strong enemy of mankinde, shall be foiled and overturned by a weak and poore Christian, who is full of corruptions, and [Page 246] that through the strength of faith, though mixed with much distrust: for a Christian in the state of sinne and corruption to overcome the great ad­versary of mankinde, what a wonderment is it? It tendeth much to the shame and dishonour of that fiery Dragon, that weake and sinfull man should be his conquerour. Oh how it confounds him to think, that a graine of Mustardseed should bee stronger than the Gates of Hell, that it should be able to remove Mountaines of oppositions and temptati­ons, cast up by Satan and our rebellious hearts be­tweene God and us. Abi [Page 247] meleck could not endure that it should be said, a Woman had slaine him: and it must needs be a torment to Sathan, that a weake Child, a decrepid old man, should by a spirit of faith put him to flight.

A third kinde of spiritu­all 3 Inward and out­ward grosse sins ill [...]f sin, are the things that issue out of this cur­sed stock, and those are ei­ther inward, or outward. For inward sins, they are eithers errours or doubt ings, or pride, or wrath, or such like.

And first for doubtings 1. Doubt­ings. of the truth: this makes Gods servants often more resolute to seek and search out the same, and to stand afterwards more firme [Page 248] and couragious for it. For if wee doubted not of things, we should not af­terwards bee put out of doubt, nor seek to be bet­ter grounded and instru­cted in them. The Corin­thians doubted once of the Resurrection, but were ever after better resolved in that Doctrine, the be­nefit whereof hath much redounded to the Chur­ches good ever since. Tho­mas had the like wavering disposition, but this doubt­ing more manifested the truth. Luther being a Monk at the first, and not fully grounded in the Do­ctrine of the Gospell, did therefore suspect himselfe the more, and wished all [Page 249] men after him to reade his writings warily. The Doctrine of the Trinity hath formerly been much doubted of, and therefore hath bin with the greater paines and study of wor­thy men (then living in the Church) more evidently prooved. And when the Pelagians grew into Here­sies, they were by S. Au­gustine gainesayd, and ve­ry strongly withstood. So the doctrine of the Church of Rome, being branched into divers erronious opi­nions, and broached to the great hurt and prejudice of Christians, hath occasi­oned the truth of God a­gainst them to bee the more excellently cleered [Page 250] and made knowne. For when Religion is oppug­ned, it is time then to hold fast, as the Apostle S. Iude saith, with both hands, the Word, and to fight for the faith: that so wee may know both what to hold, and upon what ground we oppose Heresie.

Now for inward sinnes. as anger, covetousnesse, 2 Anger, covetous­nesse, &c. distrust, and such like; these often proove advan­tagious to the Saints: their corruptions are a meanes of their humiliation: Paul and Barnabas having a breach betweene them, were so exasperated, that they forsook each others company, by which means it came to passe, that the [Page 251] Church was more instru­cted than before. And hence wee may see what the best men are in them­selves. If Luther had had no infirmities, how would men have attributed to him above measure? as we see, they were ready to sacrifice to Paul and Bar­nabas, which shewes us, that even the distempers and weaknesses of Gods servants, are disposed by Divine Providence to their eternall welfare.

Yea, God often suffe­reth 3 [...] sinnes. his children, to fall into some outward grosse sinnes, that by meanes thereof they might bee humbled and abased, and in the end be cured of that [Page 250] [...] [Page 251] [...] [Page 262] provoking sinne of being proud in spirit.

The falling of Gods children doth much de­ject 4 Carnall sinnes. them and bring them upon their knees with shame. It makes them gentle and meek in the re­prehension of their bre­thren; for having slipped out of the way themselvs, and being by repentance recovered, they learne to restore others with the spi­rit Gal. 6. 6. of meeknesse, as the A­postle speakes. A man humbledby experience of sinne in himselfe, will soone relent at the fall of others. Those often times prove the most excellent instruments in the Church who have formerly beene [Page 263] overtaken with some grosse sinne, by meanes where of they have ever after beene much abased in their owne eyes.

We see David, Paul, and Peter, fell grievously, but being afterwards rai­sed againe, and finding comfort themselves, they were a great meanes of strengthning others: for he which teacheth out of his owne experience and feeling, is the fittest and best teacher of all. So it was with Ionah, when by casting him into the Sea, God had humbled him, he was fit to preach repen­tance to Niniveh. This is a most certaine truth, that never any of Gods elect [Page 254] fell grievously, but he was the better all the dayes of his life for his fall. David having beene thorowly humbled for sinne, when Shimei his subject cursed him to his face, how pati­ently did hee beare the same? So Peter having de­nied his Master, and after­wards recovering himself again, we see how zealous he was for his Lord Christ, & suffered death for him.

Furthermore, not only the sins of Gods children which they themselves 5 Sins of others of Gods children. commit, do work for their best, but also the sinnes of others of the Saints, with whom they converse and live, doe much tend to their good and welfare. [Page 255] Do not the fals of David Peter, Manasses, and Paul, comfort the distressed and despairing soules of such as languish, and are ready to faint under the burthen of their sins? And do not the registry of their sins in Scripture, give hope to us that God will be mer­cifull to our sins also: we may not think it is Gods will, to set upon perpe­tuall Record, the sinnes of his servants for their shame, disgrace, and pu­nishment, but for our comfort, who live and re­maine to the end of the world. And the faults of the Saints have two ex­cellent uses, whereof the one is for comfort, the [Page 266] other for instruction.

The use in regard of comfort, is this: God hath Vse. shewed mercy to David, Paul, Peter, and others, sinning grievously against him, and repenting of the same; Therefore if I also shall sinne, and truly re­pent as they did, surely God is where he was, as full of mercy and readi­nesse to forgive, now as ever.

The second use for in­struction Vse. is this; If such excellent and eminent Saints by sinne have fallen grievously? how then much more are we poore weak soules subject to fall, if wee neglect watchful­nesse over our selves? If a [Page 267] weak Christian oft assaul­ted with tentations, should not see the falls & slips of Gods worthier servants, he would be in a wonder­full desperation, and cry out of himselfe, saying, Alas, what shall I doe, ne­ver was any so assaulted and tempted, so cast downe, and overcome in temptations as I am; and therefore my case is more fearesull, and worse than ever was any; But when hee considereth the grie­vous falls of Gods speciall servants, how they have stepped aside foulely, and yet obtained mercy; by their examples hee begin­neth to be revived, and re­ceive inward comfort; [Page 266] [...] [Page 267] [...] [Page 258] wherby it is evident, that all sinnes whatsoever of Gods Elect, as vile and as loathsome as they are, doe by Gods providence, and our owne serious repen­tance turne to their good, and the good of those with whom they live.

The next spirituall Evill, is that which fol­loweth 4 Deserti­ons. after sinne com­mitted, viz. Gods desertion, or forsaking of us, when he seemes to hide his fa­vour from men, after they have sinned against him; when God manifests him­selfe as an enemie to his people, this grieves them more than any thing else in the world beside; wee see David how hee calls [Page 259] upon God, not to rebuke him in his wrath, nor for­sake Psal. 6. him in his displeasure, where hee sheweth how grievously he was afflicted with the anger of the Al­mighty.

But albeit that God doth seeme sometimes to forsake his servants, it is not for their confusion, but for their consolation; for by this meanes they come to be poore in spi­rit, and wonderfully emp­tied of themselves. And it is very observable, that when such as are thorow­ly wounded, and afflicted inwardly, come to reco­ver strength and peace againe, they often prove the most cōfortable Chri­stians [Page 270] of all others; walk­ing with more care to avoid offence all their lives after.

Christ Jesus himselfe, though hee never sinned, but onely stood (as a surety) in our roome to pay the ransome of our debts, seemed to be for­saken of God his Father; and because hee was thus thus humbled, therefore hee was after most highly exalted above all, both in heaven and in earth. So Iob seemed to be forsaken, and doth grievously be­moane his miseries, but this was not because hee had sinned against God, more grievously than o­thers had done, but for [Page 271] the triall of his faith and patience, to give him ex­perience of Gods love to him in the crosse, that he might cleave the closer to his Maker all his time after.

Another Evill arising 5 Wounded Spirit. from the guiltinesse of sin, is anguish of mind, and a wounded spirit, which (saith Salomon) who can beare? But for all this, griefe for sinne, is an happy griefe; yea, a griefe never to bee grieved for. This wound in spirit breedeth after­wards a sound spirit; Re­pentance is good, & Faith in Christ is good; But what doth prepare us to these happy graces? Is it not a wounded spirit? [Page 262] Who would ever repent of his sinnes, and lay hold on Christ for remission of the same, if hee were not pricked and pierced in the sence thereof; Christ pro­fesseth himselfe to bee a Physitian; but to whom? To the lost Sheepe of Israel. He promiseth ease and re­freshment, but to whom? To them that are weary, and laden with the burthen of their sinnes; The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, that he might preach the Gospell to the poore, and hee was sent to heale the broken hearted, that hee might Luke 4. 1. preach deliverance to the Captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, and set at liberty them that are bruised.

[Page 263] Againe, divers Christi­ans doe walk very heavily 6 Blasphe­mous thoughts. and uncomfortably, by reason of inward tentati­ons▪ & blasphemous imagi­nations, which oft are sug­gested, & enter into their minds; but these sinnes which so vex the soules of poore Christians, are a meanes of their humilia­tion, causing them to sue more earnestly to God for pardon. And these sinfull corruptions doe further serve for a testimony to themselves, that they are not under the power of Sathan, but live in the Kingdome of grace; for if they were captived to the Devill, and under his go­vernment, then would he [Page 247] never molest & vex them, but suffer them quietly to live and die in their sins, but because they are from under his rule and jurisdi­ction, therefore hee per­plexeth & troubleth them all he can: By which it is evident, that all sinnes by Gods mercy and our re­pentance, do work toge­ther for the best unto us.

Yea, the circumstances of sin as continuance ther­in, 7 Continu­ance in sinne. which much agravates the sinne; when such a one truly repents, and is re­stored to Christ, it maketh him more zealous, and watchfull ever after; as wee see in Paul, and the Thiefe on the Crosse, who finding favour, acknow­ledgeth [Page 265] his worthinesse of punishment, reprehend­eth his fellow on the Crosse, & justifieth Christ to have done all things well, and so giving glory unto God, and crying for mercy, receiveth a com­fortable promise of an heavenly Kingdome. All things are possible to God. We can never be so ill, as he is powerfull and good, God can bring contrary out of contrary. He hath promised to poure cleane water upon us, which faith sues out, and remem­bers, that Christ hath ta­ken upon him to purge his Spouse, and make her fit for himselfe.

Further, the very re­lapses [Page 266] and back-slidings of Gods servants into sinne, doe not argue no repen­tance, but a weak repen­tance, and therefore when they are againe rebuked and turned from sin, their relapses doe make them set upon the service of God more strongly, and runne more constantly in his wayes. Where true grace is, sinne looses strength, by every new fall; for hence issues deeper humility, stronger hatred of evill, fresh indignation against our selves, more experi­ence of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts, and renued resolutions till sinne bee brought under. Adam lost all by once sinning, but we [Page 267] are under a better cove­nant (a covenant of mer­cy) and are encouraged to go to God every day, for the sins of that day.

For it is not with God as it is with men, who be­ing offended will scarce be reconciled, but God offended still offereth mercy. He is not only rea­dy to receive us when we returne, but perswades, and intreates us to come unto him: yea, after back­sliding and false dealing with him, wherein he al­lowes no mercy to bee shewed by man, yet he wil take liberty to shew mer­cy himselfe, as in Ieremi­ah, If a man have an adul­terous Wife, and shall put [Page 266] [...] [Page 267] [...] [Page 268] her away, and shee become another mans, he will not receive her any more to him. But saith the Lord, thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet turne a­gaine unto mee, for I am mercifull, and my wrath shall not fall upon you: I will not alwayes keepe mine anger, though your sinnes be as Crimson, they shall bee white as Snow, and though they were red like Skarlet, they shall bee as white as Wooll; if yee will turne to me, and wash ye, and make ye cleane, and cease to doe evill, and learne to do well. So Revel. 2. Christ speak­ing to the Church of Ephe­sus, saith, She hath fallen from her first love, but saith [Page 269] he, Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and doe thy first works, and I will receive thee to fa­vour; by which wee see, that the relapses of Gods elect, as they doe not final­ly hinder mercy from their soules, so notwith­standing the same, they are still encouraged to return to God, to renew their covenant by faith and re­pentance, and cleave more strongly to him.

As for outward evils, 8 Outward evils. they are, First, evils of estate, as want and poverty, which oft fals out to be the portion of Gods chil­dren, yet are they not any whit the worse hereby, but rather the better in [Page 270] their inner man: for the lesse they have in this world, the greater and larger happinesse shall they partake of in another world. What they lose one way, is supplied ano­ther. Whatsoever com­fort we have in goods or friends below, it is all con­veyed from God above, who still remaines, though these be taken away. The Saints see, that if to pre­serve the deerest thing in the world, they break with God, he can make it a dead contentment, and a torment to them: wher­as if we care to preserve communion with God, we shall be sure to finde in him, whatsoever we deny [Page 271] for him, honour, riches, pleasures, friends, all; so much the sweeter, by how much we have them more immediately from the Spring-head. Our riches, and friends, and life it selfe may soon depart. But God never loseth his right in us, nor we our interest in him. Every thing beneath, teaches us by the vanity and vexation we finde in them, that our happinesse is not there; they send us to God, they may make us worse, but better they cannot: our nature is a­bove them, and ordained for a greater good: they can but go along with us for a while, and their end swallowes up all the com­fort [Page 272] of their beginning.

Besides, none have that experience of Gods good­nesse and faithfulnesse, as those that are in want and misery: God in his wis­dome foreseeing what is best for his servants, knowes, that the more worldly wealth they doe abound in, the lesse their estimation would be of heavenly things: he sees how apt the poore crea­ture is to be carried away with present comfort, and to have his love drawne to the world from better contentments. The poo­rer they are in worldly riches, the more they seek to bee rich in grace, in knowledge, faith, and re­pentance, [Page 273] which heavenly treasures incomparably surmount the most tran­scendent excellency w ^ch the creature can yeeld.

As for the evill of losing 9 Slanders. a good name, a thing oft befalling the children of God, to be slandered and evill spoken of. They up­on every small disgrace take occasion to enter in­to themselves and try, whether they be guilty of such hard imputations as are flung upon them.

And if upon a serious consideration hee finde himself disgraced for good things, he weares it as a Crowne, and as a Gar­land upon his head, Rejoy­cing that he is accounted [Page 274] worthy to suffer for the Lord Iesus, esteeming the rebukes of Christ grea ter treasure than the riches of Egypt. A true beleever resignes his good name, and all that hee hath to God. He is assured that no man can take away that from him, which God will give him, and keepe for him. It is not in mans power to make others conceive what they please of us.

For the evils of Bo­dy, 10 Evils of body. such as sicknesse, and diseases of all sorts, which daily attend our houses of Clay: God by meanes hereof acquaints his chil­dren with their fraile con­dition, and shewes them [Page 275] what a little time they have to provide for eter­nity, thereby driving them to search their evidences, & to make all straight be­twixt him and them: out­ward weaknesses are oft a meanes to restraine men from inward evils. God usually sanctifies the pains and griefs of his servants to make them better. The time of sicknesse is a time of purging from that de­filement we gathered in our health. We should not be cast down so much for any bodily distemper, as for sinne, that procures and invenomes the same. That is a good sicknesse which tends to the health of the soule: Naaman the [Page 276] Assyrian, if he had not had a leprousie in his body had continued a Leper, both in body and soule all his dayes: his outward grie­vances made him inward­ly sound. The very hea­then could say, that we are then best in soule when we are weakest in body, for then we are most in heavenly resolutions, and seeking after God. Yea then it appeares what good proficients we have beene in time of health. Oh how happy were our conditions, if we were as good when wee are well and in health, as we usual­ly are when we are sick and ill. 11 Death.

Even death it self which [Page 277] is the end of all, though it be fearefull and irksome to nature, yet it is to Gods servants a bed of Downe, easing them of all their miseries and putting them in possession of an heaven­ly kingdome, therefore saith Solomon, the day of death is better than the day of birth. God will be the God of his, not only unto death, but in death: Death is the death of it selfe, and not of us; it is a disarmed and conquered enemy to all the faithfull: for which cause S. Paul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is best of all. Death, albeit it seemes terrible and dreadfull, yet the sting thereof being ta­ken [Page 278] away (by the death of Christ) it brings everlast­ing joy along with it; and is only as a Groom-Porter to let us in to a stately Pallace. Whether tend all the troubles we meet with in this world? but only to fit us for a better condition hereafter, and to assure the soule that when earth can hold it no longer, Heaven shall.

Yea, when friends for­sake 12 Death of friends. us, and are false unto us, God is a sure helpe in time of need, he is our re­fuge from one generation to another; do we not see that in the decay of world­ly comforts, God then manifests himselfe most comfortably to his peo­ple: [Page 279] doth he not stile him­selfe the Comforter of the comfortlesse, and the helpe of them that are in distresses; and doe not with him the fatherlesse finde mercy; if men were more father­lesse they would find more mercy at Gods hands. As Christ makes us al to him, so should we make him all in all to our selves. If all comforts in the world were dead, we have them still in the living Lord. How many friends have we in him alone? who ra­ther than we shall want friends, can make our ene­mies our friends. Thus it appeares that all miseries are a triall of us to God, and to the world, what we [Page 280] are; they are a cure of sin past, and a preparation to endure further crosses, they have many excellent uses and ends, and all for the best to Gods servants.

It is good we should be Afflictions exercised with present crosses, to put us in minde of the evils we have done long agoe, that so we may repent of them: Iosephs brethren being afflicted and imprisoned, called to minde how hardly they had dealt with their bro­ther long before. It should be our wisdome while we remaine here, to consider our warfaring condition, how we are daily inviro­ned with enemies, and therefore ought to stand [Page 281] continually upon our guard against Satan, and the Powers of darknesse, and as Pilgrims and Stran­gers go on in our journey to Heaven: not starting at the barking of every Dog, nor intangling our selves in worldly things where­by we should be stopped in our way.

It is for our best not to bee condemned with the world. Afflictions serve for this very end, to make us more prize God, & de­ny the creature with all its excellencies: are our crosses great here? let us not be daunted, but beare them patiently, our com­fort shall be the greater af­terwards. It is not only [Page 282] good for us, that wee should have crosses, but that they should be conti­nued upon us, that wee may the better know our selves; If all were well with a man wounded, and the sore clean healed, the plaister would fall off it selfe; So, were wee tho­rowly cured of our spiri­tuall wants, and in a con­tinuall resistance of every evill way: These afflicti­ons which are the plai­sters of our soules, would soone cease and leave us.

Furthermore, Sathan himselfe and all his instru­ments, 14 Devil and Hereticks. when they most set themselves against Gods people, and seek their overthrow, then are they [Page 283] working their chief good, The Devill when hee thought to make an end of Christ by putting him to death, even then, by that very thing, was van­quished himselfe, and the Church of God fully ran­somed from hell and dam­nation; God suffers many heretiques to be in the world, but why? not that the truth should be held in darknesse, but that it might thereby bee more manifested and knowne. It is Sathans continuall trade, to seeke his rest in our disquiet. When hee sees men will to heaven, and that they have good title to it, then he followes them with all tentations [Page 284] and discomforts that hee can. Hee cannot endure that a creature of meaner rank than himselfe, should enjoy a happinesse be­yond him; but our com­fort is, that Christ was tempted, that hee might succour all poore soules in the like case. Wee are kept by his power through faith unto salva­tion.

Now the causes why all things doe work together Causes why all things work to­gether for the best. for the best to them that love God, are these. viz.

• 1. It is Gods Decree.
• 2. It is Gods manner of working.
• 3. It is Gods blessed Covenant.
• 4. It is the foundation [Page 285] of the covenant, Christ Iesus.

Gods decree and pur­pose 1 Gods De­cree. is, of bringing all his Elect unto eternall salva­tion, and therefore all things in heaven and earth must conduce to bring his servants unto glory. The reason is this, God is in­finitely wise, and infinite­ly strong, provident, and good, therefore by his in­finite wisedome, power, providence, and mercie, hee turneth all things to the best for his; whatso­ever is in heaven, earth, or hell, is ordered by God; neither is there any thing without him; therefore nothing can hinder his Decree; Sathan himselfe [Page 286] with all his instruments, yea the worst of creatures, all must serve Gods pur­pose contrary to their na­tures, for the good of his children; The Prophet saith, God hath commanded salvation, and he hath com­manded deliverance to Ia­cob; When God hath de­termined to save any man, all things must needs serve him, that over-rules all things. As it was said of Christ when he stilled the Seas, Who is this that the very wind and Seas obey him? God commanded the Whale to serve at his beck to save Ionah, and it obeyed. All creatures in the earth are at his dispo­sing, and serve to accom­plish [Page 287] his pleasure.

The second cause why all works together for the 2 Gods ma­ner of working. best to beleevers; Is the manner of God working in things, which is by con­traries; he bringeth light out of darknesse, glory out of shame, and life out of death; Wee fell by pride to hell and destruction, and must be restored by hu­miliation to life and salva­tion; Christ humbled him­selfe being God, to be­come man for us; and by his death restored us to life; When our sinnes had brought us to greatest ex­tremities, even then were we nearest to eternal hap­pinesse. Therefore saith the Apostle, When wee are [Page 288] weak, then are we strong in the Lord. When wee are abased, then are wee rea­diest to be exalted; when we are poore, then are we most rich; and when we are dead, then doe wee live: For God worketh all by contraries, hee lets men see his greatnesse and his goodnesse, that so they may admire his works, and give more glory to him; he worketh without means, and above meanes, and against meanes; out of mi­sery hee bringeth happi­nesse, and by hell bring­eth men to heaven. Which as it manifesteth Gods glory to his creatures, so it serveth for the confusi­on of mans pride, that hee [Page 289] may discern he is nothing in himselfe, but is all that he is in the Lord.

The third cause why all things work for the 3 Gods co­venant. best to them that feare God, Is Gods covenant with his Church; when once this gracious cove­nant is made, that hee will be their God, and they shall be his people: that he will bee their Father and Prote­ctour, must not all things then needs serve for their good? When as God tells Abraham, I am thy God. All-sufficient, only walk be­fore me, & be thou perfect: Doth not this engage him to set his power & mercy, his wisedome, and provi­dence, all on work for [Page 290] the happy estate of Abra­ham? When once God by his promise is become our God, there is a covenant betwixt us and the crea­tures, yea, and the stones in the street, that nothing shall wrong us, but all conduce to our good. The Angels are ours, their ser­vice is for our protection, safety, & welfare; Heaven and earth is ours, and all things in them for our be­hoofe; Christ himselfe, and, together with him, all things else are become ours; in him we are heires of all. What a wondrous comfort is this, that God hath put himselfe over to be ours? whom to enjoy, is to possesse all things, and [Page 291] to want, is misery unex­pressable. Had we all the world without God, it would prove a curse, and no blessing to us: where­as if we have nothing, and enjoy God, we have hap­pinesse it selfe for our por­tion. If we have no bet­ter portion here than these things, wee are like to have hell for our porti­on hereafter. Let God be in any condition though never so ill, yet it is com­fortable. He is goodnesse it selfe. And indeed, no­thing is so much a Christi­ans, as God is his, because by his being ours in cove­nant, all other things be­come ours, and there­fore they cannot but co­operate [Page 292] for our good.

When thou art in the fire, and water, I am with thee, saith God: And Thou art my Buckler, my Glory, and Shield, therefore I will not be afraid, though ten thou­sand of people shall be set me round about, saith David, for salvation belongeth un­to the Lord. And if God be on our side, who can bee against us? If God justifie us, who shall condemne us? Can any thing hurt us, when hee is become our loving Father? Neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor principalities, nor po­wers, nor any thing what­soever, can separate us from his love toward us.

[Page 293] A fourth ground, why all things fall out for the best to the Saints, is: The 4 Founda­tion of the covenant. foundation of this cove­nant of God with his Church, which is Christ Ie­sus, who by his bloud hath purchased our peace, hee being God became man, and is the sole Author of all our comfort; Without Christ God is a consuming fire; but in him a most lo­ving Father, and ever well pleased. God promiseth in Christ his Sonne to marry his people unto himselfe for ever, Yea (saith he) I will marry thee unto me in righ­teousnesse and in judge­ment, and in mercie, and everlasting cōpassion. Now upon this blessed contract [Page 294] made in Christ to his Church; what follow­eth? In that day (saith the Lord) I will heare the hea­vens, and they shall heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the Corne, and the Wine, and the Oyle, and they shall heare Israel, and I will have mercy upon her, that was not pittied; And I will say unto them which were not my people; thou art my people, And they shall say, thou art my God.

Where wee see, what is the reason of all their happinesse, even this, that God will marry them to himselfe. So that this mar­riage worketh all our blisse; our conjunction with Christ, and reconci­liation [Page 295] through his death, is the cause of all our comfort, in him wee have the adoption of Sonnes. Hence it is, that we are at peace with God, and have freedom from all harmes. Christ in his greatest re­proach, and deepest humi­liation, had his greatest triumph and exaltation; In his death on the Crosse he vanquished Death, and entred into eternall life: When Christ came into the world, and took upon him our nature, even then the greatest Monarch in the world, Augustus Cae­sar, was at his command, whom he so ordered, as that by his causing all the world to bee taxed. [Page 296] Christ was manifested to be borne at Bethlehem in Iury.

How commeth it to passe, that death which is fearefull in it selfe, cannot hurt us? The reason is, Death is swallowed up in victory by his death. It is Christ that sanctifieth all crosses, afflictions, and dis­graces to the Saints advan­tage. The evill of them all is taken away by him, and turned to his peoples good. How commeth it to passe that the Law can­not hurt us, which pro­nounceth a curse against every one, that abideth not in all things written therein, to do them? The reason is, Christ was made [Page 297] a curse for us, he was made Gal. 4. under the Law, that hee might redeeme us who were under the Law: and thus is Christ a meritorious and deserving cause of procuring all good to us, and removing all ill from us.

He doth not only over­come evill for us, but also overcommeth evill in us, and gives us his Spirit, which unites us to him­selfe; whereby wee have ground to expect good out of every ill, as know­ing, that whatsoever Christ wrought for the good of mankinde, he did it for us in particular.

In Outward favours, grace makes us acknow­ledge [Page 298] all the blessings wee have to be the free gifts of God, and invites us to re­turne the glory to him.

Gods servants take all occasions and opportuni­ties of doing good by those gifts and abilities wherewith they are en­dowed. When Hester was advanced to great honor, Mordechay told her, that God had conferred that dignity upon her for his peoples welfare, that she might be a means of their safety. Whereas on the contrary, a proud heart destitute of the Spirit of Christ, ascribes all to it selfe, waxeth more haugh­ty, and growes worse and worse, the more good he enjoyes.

[Page 299] A gratious soule upon the sight of the evill of sin in it selfe, is more deeply humbled before God, and with S. Paul, crieth out of his wretchednesse. A hea­venly minded man being smitten for his wicked­nesse, laboureth for subje­ction under the hand of the Almighty, and saith, I will patiently abide and endure thy correction, be­cause thou Lord hast done it. When the gracious man is held under the crosse, and suffereth bit­ter things, he saith, It is good for me that I am affli­cted, for thereby I am taught to know thee. In all trou­bles that befall him, hee professeth that it is good [Page 300] for him to cleave unto God. And the lesse outward wealth he hath, the more he seeks for inward grace, making a holy use of all things.

Vpon these instructions hence delivered, let us take a view of ourselves, and try whether we in our afflictions are such as cleave to God, and are drawne neerer to him thereby; call to mind the crosses wherewith God hath exercised thee, and the blessings which at any time he hath bestowed upon thee, and see how in both thou hast beene bet­tered, see what profitable use thou hast made there­of for thy soules comfort.

[Page 301] Let us see how we have followed the providence of God in his dealing with us: for if we have an inte­rest in his goodnesse, then will wee bee carefull, as God turnes all things for our good, so to follow the same (together with him) for the good of our souls.

Now because things do not alwayes conduce to the Object. good of Gods children, as outward Peace and prospe­rity, oftentimes make them worse; therefore some may object, how can this be true which here the Apostle saith, That all things doe worke together for the best to them that love God?

The answer hereunto [Page 302] is, that for the most part Answ. the children of God doe 1 take the good of the bles­sings which God bestowes on them, and avoid the snares of evill which ac­company the same; Iob saith, The things I feared are come upon me. By Iob 3. 25. which we see, that Iob in the midst of his prosperity did feare, and was jealous over himselfe.

But a more plainer an­swer of the objection is, 2 that if the good things of God, as Peace, Plenty, and Prosperity, doe fall out at the first to their ill, yet neverthelesse they shall prove in the end a great gaine unto them; for whereas by occasion of [Page 303] these, they formerly fell (having too high an esti­mation of the creature, and overprizing the same) they see now more into their nature, and learne to contemne them.

Againe the outward good things of this life 3 shew the weaknesse of Gods servants, and serve to try what is in them; and therefore we read of He­zekias that God left him, to try what was in him, the outward treasure which 2 Chron. 31. 33. he had was a meanes to make knowne to himselfe and others, the pride and vanity of his minde; the plenty & prosperity of the Saints are greater triers of them, than adversities and [Page 304] wants. For many that have comfortably gone through a low condition, have yet foully failed in a full estate; their corrup­tions breaking forth to the view of others: prosperi­ty teaches men them­selves; it tries their spi­rits, and layes them open to the world. Therefore it seemeth good to God, to strip his servants of these outward things. They can acknowledge with patience his righteous dealing, knowing that mans happinesse consists not in abundance of these things, but that the bles­sing of God is riches e­nough.

But some may object Object. [Page 305] and say, I have beene long afflicted, and have had ma­ny crosses upon me, and little good doe I finde by them, I am never the bet­ter, but rather the worse for all. This may be true thou sayst, but stay a little, Answ. and consider the event; howsoever by reason of the bitternesse and conti­nuance of the crosse, hi­therto thou findest little good thereby: yet know that God is all this while but in hammering and working of thy unruly heart, thy good will fol­low afterwards. We see Simile. by experience that sick persons while they are in their physick, are made sicker and sicker, but after [Page 306] that hath done working, then the party is far bet­ter than before. It is a fol­ly to think that we should have physick and health both at once: it is impossi­ble that a man should sow and reap both together. We must of necessity en­dure the working of Gods Physick. If trouble bee lengthned, lengthen thy patience: when the sick humour is carried away and purged, then we shall enjoy desired health. God promiseth forgivenesse of sinne, but thou findest the burthen of it daily on thee. Cheere up thy selfe, when the morning is dark­est then comes day: after a fight, victory will ap­peare. [Page 307] Gods time is best, therefore wait cheere­fully.

Oft times Gods servants under his crosse are so sore wrought upon, that they have hardly leisure of ma­king a good use of the same, being distracted and dejected for the present, so as they burst out rather into further evill than be­fore. But afterwards when their afflictions are tho­rowly digested, then they begin to finde the fruit of patience, humiliation, and obedience, and are better for the same ever after: therefore wait contented­ly Gods leisure, thou shalt surely finde a sweet calme after the storme is over: [Page 308] though we finde little be­nefit by afflictions for the present, yet let us not con­clude all is naught with us; for tentations being bitter, will not suffer men in them to lift up their hearts strait: after the ex­tremity & vexation there­of is laid, then ensueth the quiet fruit of righteous­nesse.

But if all things (yea sin Object. it selfe) shall turne to the 1 best to those that love God, what need we then care for the committing of sinne? The Apostle S. Paul,▪ was in his dayes Answ. troubled with the like question, therefore ob­serve with what detestati­on he answers, saying, God [Page 309] forbid, the damnation of such men is just. But to an­swer more fully and plain­ly for the satisfaction of weak Christians.

True it is, that al things, 2 even the sinnes of Gods servants shall by Gods mercy turn to their good; yet never the lesse the rule of Gods Word must be ever regarded, which is this we may not doe evill Evils not to be done, that good may come thereof. that good may come there­of. That which is evill in it selfe must not be done; no, though for the doing thereof we might gaine the greatest good, or a­voide the greatest evill whatsoever: as if it were to winne a World, wee might not tell a lye, be­cause [Page 310] it is a breach of Gods Law; Christ saith to the Devill, It is written, thou Matth. 4. 4 shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Wee may not therefore by sinne tempt God, so to see his good­nesse in working good out of our wickednesse.

If therefore upon this ground of Doctrine (that all things shall turn to the good of Gods children, yea even their sins them­selves) any of us shal com­mit wickednesse and dis­please his Majesty, to try what mercy and wisdome is in him, to draw good out of our evill; this is a pro­voking of Gods goodnes, and those who thus doe, turne the truth of Gods [Page 311] Word into poyson, and make even that their de­struction, which should build them up in grace and holinesse.

If we sin through weak­nesse Danger of wilfull sinning. and frailty of our flesh, and through strength of tentation, upon repen­tance we may find grace, but if presuming that God will turne all things to our good, we break his Law, what else do we but first of all make God the cause of our evill; and secondly, vex and scandall the Saints on earth: thirdly, we sad the blessed Angels in Hea­ven; and fourthly rejoyce the Devils and damned spirits in Hell; putting Darts and deadly wea­pons [Page 312] into their hands to work our ruine and over­throw: nay fifthly, wee grieve the good Spirit of God, who continually putteth us in minde of bet­ter things (if wee would hearken to him) and by whom wee are sealed up unto the day of redemp­tion: sixthly, we slacken grace in our hearts, and whereas we should grow forward in vertue and ho­linesse, wee weaken the power of godlinesse ex­ceedingly in us: seventh­ly, all willing sins do abate our affiance in God, and the seeling of his favour towards us: yea, often times by so sinning, many of his deere children have [Page 313] walked heavily without spirituall joy all the dayes of their lives; for howso­ever in regard the Lord hath elected us, wee shall never finally fall away and perish, yet wee may want the sweet sence of his fa­vour, and remaine afflicted in spirit all our life long. And then wee shall know that the griefe and trouble Note. which we here undergoe to avoid sinne and subdue it, will be nothing so much as the mischiefe and sos­row; That sin once com­mitted and yeelded too, will bring on the soule.

Yea, there is no child of God, but by experience shall one day feele, that howsoever God by his [Page 312] [...] [Page 313] [...] [Page 314] wisedome and mercy, can turne every sinne to our good, yet it will prove bitter as Wormwood in the end, the pleasure will never answer the smart and vexation that attends it. The contrition and breaking of thy heart for thy sinnes committed (if thou be Gods) will more disquiet and trouble thee, than possibly it can bee a trouble to resist and for­sake sinne.

Nay, oftentimes God doth punish the very want of reverence in his ser­vants to him, as also their slacknesse and unfitnesse in good duties, so, as they may easily discerne hee is offended with them for [Page 315] the same. As we may see by the example of the Co­rinthians, who comming unpreparedly to the Lords Supper, for this very cause were so punished, that some of them were sick, and some weake, and some were struck by Death.

Davids numbring of the people, & Hezekias shew­ing of his treasures to the Princes of Babell; howso­ever, by some they may be thought small sinnes, yet God scourged them for the same very sharply; And it is good that Gods servants should a little know what it is to offend their Maker, for if they will bee so negligent and carelesse in walking with [Page 316] him, it is fit they should reape the fruit of their owne devices. It causeth much relapsing, and back­sliding from God, when men have never truly smarted for their sinne. Having had knocks in our own wayes, it establisheth us in Gods wayes. For we love to wander from our selves, and bite strangers at home, till God by one crosse or other brings us to himselfe, and then wee think of returning to him. Nay, it is better for them a thousand fold, that God should so schoole them, then that they should be let alone, and so goe on without controulement from sin to sin till they [Page 317] come to desperation.

Howsoever therefore that God can, and will turn the sinnes of his servants to their best advantage; yet better it were for them they had never sin­ned at all, Doe wee not think that David wished hee had never fallen into that sin of Adultery? And would not Peter have bin glad, that hee had never denied his Master? The sin of David cost him many a cry for pardon, Mercy Lord, mercy, against thee have I sinned, forgive mee this haynous crime. And it cost Peter many a bitter salt teare too; Howsoever both David and Peter af­ter their recovery by re­pentance, [Page 318] were the better for it, to their dying day.

As for all such as persist in sinne, that God may turne all things to their best, Let them know that all things shall work toge­ther for their bane and ut­ter destruction for ever, which I now come to shew.

First of all God him­selfe, and his blessed An­gels, 1 God. are at enmity with them: And therfore, 2 All the creatures both in hea­ven 2 Creatures. and earth are against them. In Pharaohs tenne Plagues, wee see the crea­tures were all readie to execute the pleasure of the Almighty against him. And the Beares out of the [Page 319] Forrest were armed by God to devour those scof­fing children: This is one part of the burthen, under which the creatures of God do groane, that they serve God against wicked men, and are his Armies to punish the rebellious world.

3. Even the good gifts 3 Good gifts. of God are turned to the bane of the wicked. Ab­soloms glory, his goodly long locks, were his halter to hang him up by: Achi­tophels wit and policie, brought him to that feare­full end, of being his own hangman. Hamans honor, what good did it to him, but only brought him to greater shame? his great­nesse [Page 320] made him swell in pride, and his pride had a suddaine fall: What be­came of Herods high mind in taking to himselfe the glory of God? which when foolish people ascri­bed it to him, was hee not presently smitten, so as the wormes consumed him, and hee dyed a lothsome death? What became of Dives his riches? did not his abuse thereof plunge him deeper into hell? Wicked men though they abound in this world, yet not being in covenant with God, they have no­thing with a blessing. The wicked are but as traytors before God; And oft it is seene, that great Traytors [Page 321] who are by the Prince kept in prison, are nou­rished very liberally, un­till their time of Executi­on come: So it is with all gracelesse persons, how ever for the present they have great allowances, yet as Traytors (in the con­clusion) they shall have an hard account to make unto God for all those things they have sinfully enjoyed. And not only 4 Truth of God. so, but they abuse the ve­ry truth of God, as shall appeare in divers parti­culars.

First, for the comfor­table 1 Iustifica­tion. doctrine of justifica­tion by faith alone, they pervert the same to their owne destruction; saying, [Page 322] Wee are justified by faith only, what need wee then care for doing of good works? Alas, they profit us nothing to our salvati­on. Therefore it is to no end to strive to do good.

Againe, for the Do­ctrine 2 Ch [...]istian liberty. of Christian liberty, God having given us law­full recreations, and plen­tifull use of his creatures, they turne all into licen­tiousnesse; and in stead of moderate refreshment, they make a daily occupa­tion of sports and games; In stead of a lawfull use of the creatures, they runne into all excesse of ryot, in meat, drink, apparell, build­ings, and delights.

And for the Doctrine [Page 323] of mortality, how do wic­ked men abuse it, saying, Let us eat, drink, and bee 3 Mor ality. 1 Cor. merry, for to morrow wee shall die: that which should put thē in mind of spend­ing of their time well, en­creaseth their sin.

Whereas the long suf­fering of God should lead 4 Gods pa­tience. men to repentance; the wicked by means of Gods patience, runne more se­curely on in sinne; trea­suring up to themselves, wrath against the day of wrath, and the declaration of Gods just judgement, which one day shall ceaze upon them. Because hee doth not speedily execute his displeasure, therefore they grow worse & worse. [Page 324] Never considering the la­mentable condition that sinne brings men into, which did they throughly weigh, they would give the whole world if they were possessours of it, to have their spirits at free­dome from this bondage and feare. God will take a course, that his grace shall not bee turned into wantonnesse. First or last, thou shalt find (who ever thou art) at what rare thou buyest the pleasure of sin. Those that have enjoyed long the sweet of sinne, may expect the bitterest sorrow, and heart-break­ing sor it.

Nay, the greater good things they have, the [Page 325] greater evill they receive thereby by abuse of the same; the more they are illuminated by the Word, 5 The Word their hearts become more rebellious against it; and the greater authority, wealth, and health they en­joy, the more mischiefe they do with them. Those heavenly Doctrines, which should build up a good heart unto holinesse, doe they abuse to bring their soules deeper into wic­kednesse; shewing them­selves like to their Father the Devill, whose chil­dren they indeed are: God hath said, Hee would give his Angels charge over thee, which is a most com­fortable place to a good [Page 326] heart: But how doth Sa­than abuse this to Christ; That he should fling him­selfe headlong from the Pinnacle of the Temple; and as the Devill, so every wicked man by all instru­ctions of the Word, takes occasion to tempt God the more; turning both grace it selfe, and the Doctrine of Grace, into wanton­nesse.

Are there not many [...]hat heare the Word, and know Gods mind, who yet profit nothing to amend­ment of life? were it not better for these never to enjoy such meanes of hea­venly wisedome, Than now having the light still to live in darknesse; their [Page 327] knowledge onely makes their damnation the grea­ter if they continue in sin; what a lamentable condi­tion is that man in, whose knowledge is only suffici­ent to damne his owne soule? But let us see fur­ther Evill things. how all evill things work together for the worst to ungodly per­sons.

And to begin with spi­rituall ill things, as Here­sies 1 Spirituall ill things. and errours they serve but to ensnare the wic­ked; for instead of making them cautelous, and dili­gent to search out the truth, they are carried away with every wind of Doctrine.

So for the ill of good [Page 328] men their fals and sins, the wicked of the world reap no benefit there by, but incourage and hearten themselves the more in a sinfull way, rejoycing thereat, and making it their daily talke: neither doe their owne daily sin­nings any whit better them, but are as so many punishments of their for­mer transgressions: God in his justice suffering them still to runne on to the fulfilling of the mea­sure of their iniquities.

And for outward evils 2 Outward evils and crosses. in this life, those that doe turn to a good mans hap­pinesse, fall out continual­ly to their destruction. Pharaohs tenne Plagues [Page 329] (which might have hum­bled his soule) made him but worse and worse: ther­fore saith God, Why should I smite you any more? for even since I punished you ye revolted still. The wick­ed are like to the Smiths-Anvill, which by often beating is made harder and harder; so the more they are corrected, the stubborner and stiffer in sinne they grow. Their crosses are laid upon them from an angry God, and are sorerunners of his e­ternall wrath, which shall seaze upon their soules in hell, where the more they are tormented, the more they shall blaspheme; and the more they shall blas­pheme, [Page 330] and the more they shall blaspheme, the more they shall be tormented without cessation. Causes

The cause of all this evil 1 upon the wicked is, first, 2 Gods infinite justice, which will not be unsatisfied.

Secondly, their owne vile hearts, which like a sick man having an ill sto­mack, digests nothing, but turnes all to poyson. Ther­fore saith the Apostle, To the uncleane, all things are uncleane. As poysonsome Plants put into a fertile place, doe invenome the ground whereinto they are removed. So the same crosses that turne unto a good mans welfare, prove a bad mans ruine by reason [Page 331] of the corruption within him.

Another cause is, the 3 Devils malicious working by it. He makes wick­ed men abuse all their parts, both inward and outward to Gods disho­nour, and their own con­fusion, endeavouring to conforme them to him­selfe. None hath greater knowledge and under­standing in the Word of God than the Devill. Yet he turnes all his know­ledge unto the sin against the Holy Ghost: but yet the Devill cannot sorce men to wickednesse; it is their owne sinfull hearts which betray them into his hands.

[Page 332] Whence we learne that Vse. all wicked men in the 1 midst of their happinesse are most unhappy, because they turne the sweetest blessings into bitter poy­son; for all the gifts of God without his speciall gift of using them well, are turned into a curse. As Ba­laam had good parts, but they not being sanctified proved his bane.

We see further, that outward prosperity is no Vse. mark of the true Church. 2 Abundance of temporall blessings is no signe that we are in Gods favour: neither are learning and knowledge, evidences of spirituall grace: for the Devill hath greater under­standing [Page 333] and parts than any man: howbeit, sight of sin preserves us from falling into it: and such as shut their eyes against the light, plunge themselves into deeper the misery.

Now to proceed to further instructions: doe Obser. 1. Salvation certaine. all things work together for the best to Gods ser­vants; then hence we may learne the certainty of the salvation of Gods e­lect. I take my reason from the Text it selfe, after this manner. That which no­thing can hinder, that is certaine, but the sal­vation of Gods children cannot be hindred, there­fore the salvation of Gods children is most certaine. [Page 334] If any thing do or can hin­der the Saints recovery or perseverance, it is sin: but to such as are united unto Christ by faith, sinne is so farre from hindring their happinesse, that by Gods over-ruling provi­dence it turnes to their best good.

The second thing which wee may ground here Obser. 2. Gods par­ticular provi­dence to be obser­ved. for the information of our judgement, is this, That as we know, the pro­vidence of God is the cause why all things work toge­ther for the best to his children: so wee should eye this very particular providence in all that we enjoy, turning the same to our good: there is a work­ing [Page 335] hand of God in every thing towards us, as wee may see in the examples of Iob, Ioseph, and David, with other of his servants, whose present sorrow and humiliation, was but a meanes of their future glory & exaltation. There is nothing so bad, but hee can draw good out of it when any evill is inten­ded. God either puts barres and lets to the exe­cution of it against us: or else limiteth and bound­eth the same, both in re­gard of time and measure. The God of spirits hath an influence into the spi­rits of all men, & knowes how to take them off from doing us harme. All the [Page 336] strength of the creature, rests in the great Creator of all things, who if hee denies concourse, the arme of their power soon withereth. It cannot but bring strong consolation to the soule, to know that in all variety of changes, and intercourse of good and bad things, our loving God hath a disposing hand. So as all blessings and crosses, all ordinances and graces, nay our very fals, yea, Satan himselfe, with all his instruments, being over mastred & ru­led by God, have this in­junction upon them, to further Gods good in­tendment to us, and in no wise hurt us, which should [Page 335] move us to see his dispo­sing hand in all that befals us. We owe God this re­spect, to observe his provi­dence in the particular passages of our lives; con­sidering hee is our Sove­raigne, and his will is the rule, and we are to be ac­countable to him as our Iudge. We should questi­on our hearts for que­stioning his care in the least kinde. So long as God sits at the Sterne and rules all, wee may bee sure no evill shall betyde us that hee can hinder.

Thirdly, hence we may Obser. 3. learne, that there is not two, but one Soveraigne head over the whole [Page 336] World, which is plainly proved by this Text of Scripture. For all things work together for the best to them that love God: and things which in them­selves are contraries, agree together to procure their good; therefore all things whatsoever, are over ruled by the sole power of the Almighty. The Devill himselfe although he be called the God of this World, yet he is at Christs beck, and could not enter into a few Swine, without leave first obtained: hee raiseth up hideous storms and tempests against the Saints, but perisheth him­selfe in the waves at last; persecutions and perils [Page 337] may follow us, but they are all limited in the do­ing of hurt, which plainly demonstrates that there is but one main worker and wise disposer of all things.

Further, hence observe, Observ. 4 that there is nothing in the world, that to Gods servants is absolutely evill; because nothing is so ill, but some good may bee raised out of it, not as it is an evill, but as it is go­verned and mastred by a supreme cause. Sinne is of all evils the greatest, and yet sinfull actions may produce gratious effects, through Gods ordering and guiding the same.

Againe observe, that a Observ. 5 childe of God is truly [Page 338] happy in the midst of all misery. To prove this, I reason thus; In what estate soever the childe of God is, it shall turn to his good: therefore no affliction can make him truly miserable. The proofe of this the A­postle sets downe in his owne example, hee was 2 Cor. 6. poore, yet made many rich; he sorrowed, yet alwayes re­joyeed; he had nothing, yet possessed all things; he was chastned, and yet not killed: Gods children, although to the world they may seeme to be miserable, yet having communion and fellowship with him, they are alwayes happy: the very worst day of Gods childe, [...]is better than the [Page 339] very best day of the wick­ed. The worst day of S. Paul was better to him, than the best day of Nero was to him; for the wick­ed, in the midst of their happinesse are accursed; whereas the godly, in the midst of their miseries are blessed.

This Doctrine is a A ground of under­standing the pro­mises. ground of understanding divers other places of Scripture: as Psalme 91. The Lord promiseth that hee will deliver his from the snare of the Hunter, and from the noisome pestilence: and yet oft times his deere servants are in the hands of the wicked, and taken away by the stroke of his judgements: this truth [Page 340] neverthelesse remaining firme, that all worketh to­gether for their best. So God teacheth us in his Word, that he doth make a league betweene his ser­vants and the creatures; but all such expressions of his love we must bring to this Text, and then they are true, else they may seeme to bee false; The plague shall not come neere thy dwelling place; but only so far forth as it is for thy benefit. The good Prophet was torne in pieces by a Lion; and sundry holy men have received hurt by wilde Beasts, whose eter­nall welfare were furthe­red thereby. Therefore this phrase of Scripture [Page 341] (that the creatures are in league) is to bee under­stood, not that they have put off their hostile na­ture. But that they have the same issue, as those that are at peace with us.

Here likewise is a dire­ction A directi­on to pray for tem­porall bles­sings. for us, how to pray for earthly blessings, and the removall of temporall judgements; often times worldly honours and ri­ches are snares unto Gods children, and temporall chastisements (which wee so earnestly pray against) work much good unto us. And therefore it falleth out, that when wee pray against temporall calami­ties, wee pray against our owne good.

[Page 342] Being therfore afflicted, we should desire not abso­lutely that God would re­move our troubles, but that hee would work his owne good pleasure upon us therby. Our prayers for temporall blessings, and re­movall of temporall cros­ses, must alwayes be con­ditionall; for what good will it bee for us to come out of the fire worse than we were, when wee went into it? If therefore God in his wisdome see it good for us to have affliction, we should not desire him absolutely to remove the same, till it have done us good; And then Lord deale with us as seemes best in thine own eyes.

[Page 343] As for such as affect neither God, nor good­nesse, let them know, that if all things work for the best to the Saints, then they may forbeare their successesse endeavours, which they daily enter­prize against them; in go­ing about to hurt the god­ly, they doe them most good; for God will bene­fit them by their malice: Their wicked practises shall not only bee made frustrate, but dangerous to themselves; after the cha­stisement of his servants for their good, God will cast the rod into the fire. Men may know whether they are vessells of mercy or no, by the use they are [Page 344] put to. The basest of people, are fit enough to be executioners. It is a mi­serable wisedome, when men are wise to work their owne ruine. Do not many spin a fine thred, and weave a faire web, when by their turnings and de­vices they turne them­selves into hell? What ever wee get by sinne for the present, it will one day prove the heaviest bu­sinesse that ever wee un­dertook.

God is the onely Mo­narch of the world, and makes all things and per­sons whatsoever, service able to his owne end, and his Churches good. He is higher than the highest: [Page 345] Sathan with all his instru­ments, are but slaves to the Almighty, executio­ners of his will. Can we think that Gods children who are so neere & deare to him, shall alwayes bee trampled upon by the powers of darknesse. No certainly, hee is interessed in all their quarells, and takes their injuries as don to himselfe. When wee can bee more subtill than the Devill, or more strong than God, wee may think to thrive against them. He is a wall of fire round about his Church, not only to defend and preserve it, but to consume all the Adver­saries thereof; God doth great matters for his ser­vants; [Page 346] hee rebukes Kings and Princes, and ruinates Empires for their fakes: For the bringing home back againe of the Iewes, hee translated the Babylo­nish Empire to the Persi­ans; and therefore the wicked must take heed of attempting any thing against Gods Church; be­cause the harme thereof will redound upon their owne heads. God delights to take the oppressed par­ties part, and serves him­selfe of all his enemies for his peoples good. They practise against the righte­ous, and he laughes them to scorne. Wicked men cannot do Gods children a greater pleasure, than to [Page 347] oppose them, for by this meanes they help exceed­ingly to advance them.

Sathan and all his in­struments, what get they by their cruelty to the Saints? they doe but en­crease their own torment, and doe them the more good? but this is both against, their knowledge and wills. Therefore if they be loath to doe them any good, let them take hee how they attempt any evill against them.

And here let all such be admonished how they Vse 1. provoke Gods children to cry in their prayers against them: For it is better for the wicked, that they had all the creatures [Page 348] in heaven & earth against them, than the poore Saints; for a few of these wil more prejudice them, than all the world be­sides.

Come wee now to the grounds of practise hence to be observed.

Againe, doth God or­der Vse 2. all for the best, to them that love him?

Let us not then except against any evill that shall befall us, for this our pre­sent crosse shall turne to our future comfort. It is the Saints happinesse, That their best is in working still, till they be compleat in heaven: But the wic­ked and men of the world, their worst is alwayes in [Page 349] contriving; their life is bad, their death is worse, and after death it is worst of all with them. God himselfe, and all under him, work continually for the good of his children, their best is last, their light groweth on clearer and clearer as the light, untill the noone day. But the worldly grow worser and worser every moment: To them that feare God, sinne and sorrow, their ve­ry worst, is by Gods mer­cies best for them; where­as all the best of the wic­ked by abuse turnes to their worst.

Observe here the ex­cellencie Vse 3. of the Saints comfort, above all other [Page 350] comforts whatsoever: The nature of it is this; It must be stronger than the grie­vance of which it is a cor­diall: And the reason of spirituall comfort must be more forcible, than any carnall reason can bee to undermine it. Now what stronger consolation can a man have than to be assu­red, that all things (with­out exception) shall work together for his good; but this is not all. What a sweet refreshment is it, when the soule can say, God will either stop mee from falling into sin, out­wardly by afflictions, or else subdue my corrupti­ons inwardly by his Spirit, that I shall not bee over­thrown [Page 351] by them; hee will never suffer mee to rot in my sinnes; but when I do fall, will raise me up again: It beares up a Christians heart, that rather than we shall continue in an evill way, God will send some Nathan or other to rouse us out of our security.

Therefore to all thy comforts adde this; That God will not onely save thee at last, but turne all things to the best whilest thou art here. This is the highest straine of conso­lation. It is farre stronger to refresh and quicken us, than any grievance can be to afflict us; It maketh evill things (in compari­son) to seeme good, As [Page 352] Moses counted the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egipt; he made more choice of af­fliction, than he did of the worlds glory. If God bee with us, who can be against us: If he be our Shepheard, we are sure to lack nothing. There is such a force of comfort in salvation, that we will rather choose out­ward evills, than to en­joy outward good things. Moses by faith seeing that outward affliction and shame were knit to salva­tion, chose these, and re­fused dignity and ease.

How ought this to stay the soule under all its heavie pressures? Why should not I be patient in [Page 353] sicknesse, in poverty, in dis graces, or why should I despaire at the houre of death? Am I not under the hand of my God, work­ing my good out of eve­ry evill? It is the subtilty of our arch-enemie to drive us to a stand, that we may doubt of our con­ditions, and say with Gi­deon, If the Lord be with mee, and that I am his child, why is it thus with me? How is it that all this sorrow and misery hath befallen mee, and lieth so heavie upon my soule? But our comfort here, is, that God who turneth all things to our best, is stron­ger than Sathan.

Againe, considering all [Page 354] things conduce unto our good, though in appea­rance never so opposite; this comfort ariseth, That if God doe so work this or that, then I must beleeve against beliefe, I must stand firme against con­traries; my faith must an­swer his manner of work­ing, and beleeve that God can bring me to honour by shame, and to Heaven by Hell gates: for if it be his course of dealing, first to cast downe, and then to lift up, by disgrace to bring his servants to glory; then in all my extremities I must rest upon God, who is never neerer unto his to succour them, than when hee seemes to bee [Page 355] furthest off. When [...]hee meanes to give victory, he suffer us to be foiled first; and when hee intends to justifie a poore sinner, he will condemne him first. Let us therefore hope a­gainst hope, and desire God in our distresses to open our eyes, that wee may see our consolations.

Hagar had a Well by her when she was ready to perish for thrist, and yet she saw it not: and Eli­sha's man had Angels to defend him when the Ara­mites compassed him a­bout, but perceived not the same: so the Angell of the Lord continually pitch­eth Psal. 34. his tent about the god­ly though they are not a­ware [Page 356] of it; yea, God is then neerest to us when we are in most straights. Cordials are kept for fain­tings. When Christ went to cast the Devill out of a child, he then most raged and tare him: So likewise Satan and wicked men, most rage when they are neerest to their end and destruction. In thy grea­test danger never rest on thy friends, but on the Lord, who never stand­eth neerer and firmer to us, than when we are most perplexed and know not what to doe. A distressed soule seeth oft no comfort in outward things, and therefore retireth unto God, in whom it findes [Page 357] whatsoever may make it happy. Our strength may Psal. 24. faile, and our heart may faile, but God is our por­tion for ever. When we are weake, then wee are strong; and when we are most cast downe in our selves, we are neerest to Gods helping hand. This carriage of the Almighty ought to establish our faith.

In all cases of extremi­ty Double eye. we should have a dou­ble eye, one to look upon our grievances and trou­bles, and another to look upon the issue and event of them. Why do men in time of dangerous sick­nesse take bitter Physick, which is almost death un­to [Page 358] them? Why doe they then undergo such things as they loath at other times? Is it not because they rest upon the skill of the Physitian? And shall we then in our distresses dist rust God for our souls, when we will trust a weak and mortall man with our bodies? If conceit be so strong in earthly things, as indeed it is, then faith is much stronger, when it grounds it selfe upon the truth of the Word. When God exercises us with poverty, or other afflicti­ons, this should teach us submission to his provi­dence in any condition, saying, Lord do with me what thou wilt, only let [Page 355] this poore soule be preti­ous in thine eyes. Thou hast promised, that how­soever these afflictions lie heavie upon me, yet in the end al shall turn to my good, therefore dispose of thy servant at thine owne pleasure, I resigne all to thee.

Here is the rejoycing A Chri­stians joy. of a Christian, which makes him cheerefully passe through any afflicti­on; he knowes that good is intended in all that be­fals him: with what ala­crity did Ioseph say unto his brethren, Ye sold me hither, but God hath turned it to the best, that I should preserve and nourish you all, and save much people a­live, [Page 356] who otherwise were like to have perished with famine: This made Iob so patiently to say, The Lord giveth & the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord.

This is the ground of all true contentation, I have learned, (saith S. Paul) in And con­tentment. all estates to be content, to be rich, and to be poore, to abound, and to be in want, and why so? Whatsoever his estate and condition was, God turned it to the best: shall any man dare to mislike of Gods allow­lowance? Doth not hee know better what is good for us, than we can possi­bly imagine what is good for our selves?

[Page 357] This likewise should teach us not to take of­fence at the reproach and disgrace which is cast up­on Gods children; for mark the righteous, (saith David) and behold the up­right, the end of that man is peace. The issue of their trouble is ever quietnesse: take not one peece of a Christian mans life by it selfe, but take it altogether; and then thou shalt see the truth of this Doctrine. To see Ioseph in the Dungeon and in his irons, we haply may bee offended, and call Gods providence in question: but beholding him in his honour and advance­ment, we cannot but con­clude [Page 356] [...] [Page 357] [...] [Page 358] him a happy man. So if we look on Iob sitting with sores on the Dung­hill, there is matter of of­fence, but to see him re­stored againe, and blessed with a greater estate than he had before, this is mat­ter of praising God. If we consider of Christ abased, & hanging upon a Crosse, so there will be scandall, but looke on him exalted to glory far above all Dig­nities and Powers, and then the scandall is soone taken away. Let us there­sore lay one thing to ano­ther, when we eye Gods people, and we shall see a blessing under their grea­test curse. Those things which are contrived by [Page 359] mans wit, may argue great folly, if one part be not annexed to the other; therefore looke to the whole work towards his servants, and then thou shalt never be offended at their condition.

This also is a ground of Vse. 5. Holy boldnesse. Christian boldnesse in holy courses, when a man is fully resolved, that come what will come, God will turne all to his good; it encourages him cheersul­ly to go through any diffi­culty: what is the reason of the fearesulnesse and dastardnesse of most men, but only this, that if wee doe this or that duty, or abstaine not from this or that good action; then [Page 360] this crosse and this displea­sure by such and such a person will bee brought upon me. The Wise man saith, That the feare of man Prov. 29. bringeth a snare, but hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be exalted. Let us not (regarding the feare of man) neglect our duty to God, for he can turne the hearts of the Kings on the Earth, to seek the welfare of his poorest creature, and make thy very ene­mies to be thy friends. He that for sinister ends will offend his Maker, may well be excluded to the gods whom they have served. Go to the Great men, whose persons you have obeyed for advan­tage; [Page 361] to your riches, to your pleasures, which you have loved more than God or goodnesse. You would not lose a base custome, a superfluity for me, there­fore I will not owne you now. Such men are more impudent than the Devill himselfe, that will claime acquaintance with God at last, when they have car­ried themselves as his ene­mies all their dayes. God wants not means to main­taine his, without being beholding to the Devill. He hath all helpe hid in himselfe, and will then shew it, when it shall make most for his owne glory. He deserves not to live under the protection of a [Page 362] King, that will displease him for feare of a Subject. The three Children in Daniel said, Know O King, that our God can deliver us out of thy hands; but if he will not, yet neverthe­lesse we will not fall down and worship thine Image. The righteous are bold as a Lion (saith the Wise man) the Lord is his strong Tow­er. Prov. 28. 1 What need we feare any creature, when wee have him on our side, who hath both Men and De­vils at his beck?

And if God turne all Vse 6. things whatsoever to our good, should not wee through the whole car­riage of our lives, chiefly aime at his honour? God [Page 363] writes our names in his Book, he numbers our hairs, and bottles up our teares: he hath a speciall care of us, every good deed wee doe he writeth downe to eternity; yea, if we give but a cup of cold water in his name, he taketh notice of it: and shall not wee then take speciall occasi­on to magnifie him in all things? We pray daily, Hallowed be thy name, ther­fore ought accordingly to observe Gods dealing with us. How is it possible that we should give him the glory of his mercies, if we never observe them?

A wicked man consi­ders, this makes for my advantage, and this for [Page 364] my profit, this tends to my ease and wealth, &c. studying how to make friends, and please persons in place above him; not respecting Gods honour and glory in the least kind: whereas the sincere Chri stian lookes on all things as they tend to his best happinesse, and therfore, fore-cast thus: If I do this or that good, then I shall grow in grace, & wisdom. and knowledge, but if I neglect it, and be carelesse of well doing, I shall hurt and wound my soule, and break the peace of my conscience: by this com­pany and good acquain­tance I shall be furthered in holinesse, become wiser [Page 365] and better in heavenly understanding; if I fall, they may raise me up, and helpe maintaine a gratious frame within me. Where true holinesse is, the soule is sensible of all advanta­ges and disadvantages of good. An indifferency for any company or imploy­ment, shewes a dead heart.

This is a main difference to distinguish a childe of God from a prophane wretch that only lives to himselfe, his heart is taken up wholy with the world and matters below; wher­as the godly are all for thriving in grace and in­crease of godlinesse. The wicked man considers of things as they serve to sa­tisfie [Page 366] his lust; and if wee have better thoughts at any time, it is but for a start. But a godly mans aimes are alwayes holy, and the strength of his soul is put forth that way. He values himselfe as hee stands in relation to God and a better life; and e­steemes all other things more or lesse, as they fur­ther or hinder his spiritu­al growth, and bring peace and sorrow at the last un­to him.

But I hasten to the se­cond part of the Text, 2 Persons to whom this prviledge belongs. The persons to whom this priviledge belongs, that is, to them that love God. And why to them that love God? because the Apostle [Page 367] speaketh of afflictions; and wee know that the grace which is most conversant in the Saints sufferings, is patience, which floweth from love.

Also, for that of all o­ther graces is the first and sweetest: it is the first, for whom wee love wee are sorry to offend; and hate whatsoever is contrary to that we affect: we rejoyce in that we love, & grieve in the absence thereof.

It is the commanding Excellen­cy of love. affection of all others, and setteth the whole man sweetly a work to attaine its defire. Love makes us forward and zealous Chri­stians; all the inward wor­ship of God is in the affe­ctions. [Page 368] As thou shalt rejoyce in no God but me, and feare no God but me. All the Commandements of God are brought by Christ to this duty.

Againe, love hath a spe­ciall part in this privi­ledge, 3 of bringing all things to work for our good. For when we love God, wee will make the best use of every thing which we suffer or do. If we love God and eye his glory therein. Love makes any burthen easie: it makes us studious of pleasing the party loved; as we say in the Proverb, Love me, and doe with me what you will. Love is full of inven­tions, it studies compla­cencie, [Page 369] and sets the soule a work to honour God in all things.

In that the Apostle saith, To them that love Christia­nity, not a b [...]re title only. God, and not to the chil­dren or servants of God. Wee may observe, That Christianity is not a bare title, but it requireth some qualification. Therefore the Scriptures when they describe a Saint on earth, doe not usually say the child of God, but they set him forth by some holy affections or actions wrought in him; As such as love God, or feare God, and walks in his wayes. Hereby shewing that Re­ligion is not a matter of complement, but a reall [Page 370] and holy endeavour to please the Lord; and al­though the Scriptures do name but some one parti­cular affection, yet it is all one as if they had named all, for where one is in truth, there all followes.

Again, in that the Apo­stle here ascribes priviled­ges to those only that are thus qualified, wee must take heed in applying the promises of God, and these sweet consolations, that we be such persons to whom of right they doe belong; for all things work for the best, not to every one, but to such as love God: We must not there­fore Comfort not to be preached to all. preach comfort to all, but must first labour to [Page 371] make men capable of it: To this end.

• 1. First, wee will shew the Nature of this love.
• 2. Secondly, the exer­cises of it, and dire­ctions unto it.
• 3. Thirdly, some incite­ments to this holy affection.

The ground of Love is a considering of God as Ground of love. our owne God, in the co­venant of Grace, and an acknowledging of our selves, to bee his peculiar children in Christ Jesus: when wee can say as the Spouse in the Canticles, I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine, this is a loving of God; not as [Page 372] the God of Nature only, but as ours peculiar by Grace. This union of love, which knits us to Christ, impileth another union by faith first; which is a clea­ving to God as my God, and to Christ as my Christ, whence issues a second conjunction, or cleaving to him in love, as my Sa­viour, my Husband, and my Head.

To come to the nature of this Grace, and then to the working of it. The Nature of Love is seene in foure things:

• 1. In admiring of some secret good in the thing beloved, which stirres up the soule to make out for it.
• [Page 373] 2. In a studiousnesse of the contentation of the person beloved.
• 3. In a desire of union and fellowship with the person we affect
• 4. In a resting, and so­lacing of our selves, in the thing wee love.

By these let us exa­mine our selves whether we have the true love of God or no; For it con­cernes Nature of the love of God. us much to have this grace, it will distin­guish us from all others, who feare him not:

First, our love to Christ 1 Branch. commeth from the high esteem of the good things wee see in him: But how shall wee know whether [Page 374] that wee have this admi­ring of the good things we see in God, and in his word and children? Wee shal know it by our choice, Triall whether we have made a right choice. and our choice followes our judgement: Would wee know whether our judgement be good? See what do we choose (espe­cially) when things of the world and God come to­gether. And here we want not examples to guide us: The question was, whe­ther that Moses should still choose to live in Pharaohs Court, and hee accounted his sonne in law, or else depart, and suffer adversi­ty with Gods children: Now Moses by sound judgement, had an high [Page 375] esteeme of the excellen­cie and priviledges of the Saints, And therfore chose rather to endure afflicti­ons, than to enjoy the plea­sures of sinne for a season. Let us then see whether wee can be contented to part with our preferment, or pleasure for God or no. And whether we do esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world; whether we can lay down our lives and liberties at Christs feet, and gladly want all, so we may enjoy him; If it be so with us, our estate is good.

Againe, let us see whe­ther 2 Triall. wee have a right pri­zing of the good things in [Page 376] God. Doe wee delight to speak much and often of Christ, and the benefits we receive by him? How was Saint Pauls heart en­larged, and his tongue full of heavenly eloquence, in setting sorth the unspeak­able mercies of God, which Rom 8. wee have by Christ Jesus our Lord? If God be on our side, who can be against us, (saith he) What shall sepa­rate us from the love of Christ: Shall tribulation, shall anguish and affliction? I am perswaded that nei­ther death, nor life, nor any other thing can doe it.

Another signe to know whether we have a secret 3 Triall. admiration of the good things wee see in God, is [Page 377] this, If we doe undrvalue all things else for Christ. Worldly men are ever ad­miring of the things be­low, accounting such men happy and blessed that abound most therein: Therefore there is nothing that doth more truly try a man than this: The soul that sees a vanity in the things beneath, and can rejoyce in God only as his true riches, is in a good condition: Where there is a true judgement of God and Religion, the soule of that man will ne­ver stoop to the creature; the soule so rejoyceth in God, as that it will not yeeld it selfe to any other. Adam and Eve in their in­nocencie, [Page 378] were both na­ked, and were not asha­med; one reason might be, because their thoughts were taken up with high­er matters: In heaven we shall not bee ashamed, of things wee now are asha­med of. A Christian soule is so ravished with the en­joying of God, that it mindeth almost nothing but him.

The second branch in 2 Branch. Desire to please the beloved. love, is a desire to doe all things, to the content of the party beloved; Our love to God will frame us to the obedience of his will: Obedience is the proofe of love; If ye love mee, saith Christ, keepe my commandements: If wee [Page 385] love God, wee will pray for the enlarging of his Kingdome; Where love is kindled in any heart, there is a care to bee ap­proved of him whom we so love. This makes our obedience generall, to all Gods commandements, in all places and all things whatsoever. It makes us give our inwards to God, serving him with the soul and spirit.

Those therefore that nourish uncleane hearts within them, and think it enough to abstaine from the outward act of evill, love not the Lord sincere­ly. The Devill himselfe will doe outward things as readily as you, hee will [Page 386] confesse Christ to bee the Sonne of God; and say, Why art thou come to torment me before my time? So that if thou dost outwardly on­ly confesse God, what dost thou more than the De­vill? In outward duties without sincerity there is no love; You will pray, the Devill will doe as much; The Devill hath a bad end in good actions: so there are many that come to Church, & make shew of Religion to cloke their evill courses. But such poore wretches, how ever they are pleased with shaddowes, are little better than Satan him­selfe.

Againe, if wee be desi­rous 2 [Page 387] to content him whō True love rejoyeeth in suffer­ing. wee love, then will, wee suffer any thing for his sake; Therefore the Apo­stles went away rejoycing, and accounted it their glo­ry, that they were esteemed worthy to suffer hardship for Christ: And David for dancing before the Ark, be­ing by Michal mockt, saith: I wil yet be more vile for my God. He cared not for any reproach that could hap­pen to him in a good way: Yea, this will make us zea­lous in his truth; hee that hath no zeale, hath no love; If our hearts rise not when God is dishonou­red, what love have we to him? Is Gods glory and the Churches welfare [Page 388] deare to us? it is a signe we love him: But can we see those things goe back­ward, and have no zeale, nor be any thing affected therewith, surely then we have no love.

Againe, if wee have a true love to God, then 3 Branch. have we a desire of union and cōmunion with him; Love co­vets union we will be much in medi­tating of him, in speaking to him, and conferring with him. Those there­fore that goe on from day to day, without private speeches with God, or so­lacing of their soules in him, what affection have they to him? Love is com­municative; and what de­sire of communion can [Page 389] that soule have, that lives a stranger to his Maker? Can wee say we love one with whom wee never conferre, or speak to any purpose.

Againe, if wee love a man, we will advise with 2 It adviseth with the party lo­ved. him, especially in matters of moment: so if wee love God, wee will take coun­sell of him in his Word, for the guidance of our lives, and stablishing our con­sciences: If we advise not with God, it is a signe that we either think hee doth not regard us, or else that we count him not worthy to be counselled by.

Another signe is, To 3 And fits it selfe for his ap­pearing. examine what desire wee have to be dissolved, and to [Page 390] be with Christ: Doe wee love his appearing to judgement? and are wee now fit for his comming? surely then it is a plaine signe, that our love is fixed and set upon him: So much as wee doe faile of this de­sire, so much wee faile in love to Christ: What was the reason that the people under the Law, were so much afraid at the ap­pearing of an Angell unto them? was it not this, that they were not fitted and prepared for God? A man may bee a good Christian, and yet not at all times willing to die: for as eyes that are sore, cannot alwayes endure the light; so a soule galled [Page 391] with sinne desires not to heare of the day of jadge­ment, yet ought wee to thirst after it.

Another signe of this And hun­gers after God. grace, is our eager and hungry desire after God, when with David we can say, Oh God my heart pant­eth Psal. 4 [...]. after thee, as the Hart panteth after the Brookes of waters. When a soule is never at rest til he injoyes his Maker, but cryes out still, Oh when shall I appeare in his presence, it is a good signe.

The last branch or pro­perty 4 Branch. is a resting and quie­ting our selves in the love of God above all things whatsoever, saying with David, Whom have I in [Page 392] Heaven or in earth besides Psal. 77. thee, or what doe I esteeme Psal. 4. in comparison of thee; let me enjoy but the light of thy countenance, and it suffices me: demand there­fore of thine owne heart, what the things are that trouble thee most? and what is the cause of thy sorrow and disquietments, whether it be for losses or crosses outwardly, or for want of Gods love and the sense and feeling of his favour inwardly. They which grieve chiefly for outward evils, are most carried in their affections that wayes: but if in the confluence of all worldly blessings, wee can grieve for our spirituall wants, it [Page 393] is a comfortable evidence. When a man reckons not his happinesse to stand in the possession of the crea­ture, but in the fruition of the Creator, and desires his favour above any thing, it is a gratious signe.

David had an abun­dance, yea, he had a King­dome, yet nothing would satisfie him but the mer­cies Psal. 51. of God. And when hec was in want, what course did he take, but stil comforted himselfe in the Lord his God: That which a man sorroweth most for when he wanteth it, that he rejoyceth most in when he hath it: can we in our crosses rejoyce that God is ours? This is an [Page 394] excellent signe, and plain­ly discovers, that we place our contentation more in him than in any thing else: can we delight more in the solace of his favour, than in outward prosperi­ty? it is a heavenly testi­mony of a renewed con­dition. When David was in his greatest distresses; what desires had he then most in him? why, hee longed after the House of God: when the people were ready to stone him, wherein did he trust, but in the Lord his strong [...]ower?

In the last place would we know whether we can rest in God or no. Let us examine our selves then 1 [Page 395] what endeavours we have every day to cleanse our soules from sinne; that so God may take pleasure in us, and we againe may de­light in him? Let us see 2 how we restraine our af­fections from running ri­ot after the World and sinful pleasures. And how we set our joy upon God, 3 and frame our selves to do his will; I beseech you let us deale faithfully with our owne soules in this particular. And if we find that our hearts tell us, (as 4 Peters told him) Lord thou knowest that I love thee, I desire ô Lord to please thee above all things, I have set mine heart upon thee, and I joy in thee and [Page 396] in thy love, more than in all things else in the world. If thus I say we can in the integrity of our spirits appeale to God, who only knowes and searches our wayes, and say, truly Lord thou know­est that I love thee; it is a certaine and infallible signe unto us that we are his, and all things shall work for the best unto us.

But take we heed how wee deceive our selves in these things; by love we are Christians, there­fore labour for sincerity of affection. A Repro­bate or a Castaway may go far in these four signes of love. He may admire and wonder at the good [Page 397] things of God, but he doth it not from any thing with­in him, but from the out­ward beholding of them; he can admire and talk of them, but yet such men are without any rellish or sweet taste of the thing they speak of. So like­wise an Hypocrite may desire to please God in many things, but not in all things: as we see in Herod, he heard Iohn Baptist wil­lingly, and obeyed in some things, but not in all; he could not be crossed in his beloved sinne which abode in him, that must not bee touched. Then farwell God, and farwell Christ and all.

So a Castaway may de­sire [Page 398] to be in Heaven, as being a place good for him: and hee may have some little taste of those joyes above, as is mentioned in the Hebrewes: but hee hath no rellish of them from the love of God, but only from the love of himselfe. And his desire is not such as will draw him on to the use of means for spiritual growth and progresse thereunto: as we see in Balaam, hee had a desire to die the death of the righteous, but this could not make him leave his covetous dispo­sition, and find a content­ment in God alone.

A Reprobate may bee content with religion and [Page 399] with Gods wayes, so long as peace doth accompany the same, (as now in this our Countrey, Christ commeth amongst us with plenty and prosperity, therefore Christ is a good Christ) but if the Gospell and Religion should bee professed with perfecuti­on, and danger, and dis­grace, it would soone ap­peare where mens con­tentments were. There is a resting not in the truth, because it is truth, but in regard of the good things which follow it. If we de­sire to approve our selves to God, let us examine our selves about this affe­ction and every branch of it. The deceit is both [Page 400] common and deadly; and the profession of Religion in many Christians is not for Religion it selfe, but for by ends and sinister respects. To which end consider further these par­ticulars.

Where there is true love, there will bee a de­desire of union to the be­loved object; so where the love of God is, there will be a desire of the ac­complishment of the mar­riage betweene God and the soule. He that loves a Harlot, saith the wise man, is one with her: so he that affects the Lord, de­sires to be one with him; therefore men have their names from what they [Page 401] love; if they love the world, they are called worldlings; if they love Christ, they are called Christians; how canst thou say that thou lovest the Lord, and doest not desire his presence in his Ordi­nances? Can we say wee love such a man when we care not for his compa­ny? God observes not so much what we do, as from what affection our duties proceed.

Againe, if we love; there will bee a desire to give content to the party belo­ved; this appeares even in carnall selfe-love: for take a man that loves him­selfe, he makes himselfe his utmost aime and end in [Page 402] all his actions: but when once God hath plucked this fleshly love out of our soules, then our affections will be carried to Christ only: this made the Pro­phet David say, I love the Psal. 18. Lord deerly, He is my rock, my fortresse, my deliverer: Psal. 71. a Christian hath his con­tentment in God alone; he findes an all-sufficiency in the Almighty, and ther­fore makes him his resting place. In all his trouble he will make God his deli­verer, and finde more true comfort in him, than in all the things of the world besides: therefore if God should take all other things from us, yet if hee leave us Himselfe, a Chri­stian [Page 403] is well contented be cause he knowes his best being is in God.

But how shall I know Quest. whether I doe esteeme rightly of God or no?

If we highly esteeme Answ. any thing, whether it be of this or a better life, we will be often speaking of them; it is a signe men un­dervalue heavenly truths when they discourse little about them; they much set light by God that have him not in all their thoughts.

Againe, what we esteeme of, we will choose above other things: it appeares we have a pretious esteem of God when we choose him, and him alone for [Page 404] our portion; as David when he said, One thing have I desired of the Lord, Psal. 26. that I may dwell in his courts for ever: where God is truly loved, there will be a fall of all earthly things in that mans esti­mation: so he may gaine Christ, he counts all else but drosse and dung.

Lastly, if thou lovest God, thou wilt be afraid to offend him, and care­full to please him in all things: God delights not in a proud and haughty spirit, but in an humble and meek soule; these then should be thy delight. God is wonderfull well pleased with faith, for it is that which bindes him to [Page 405] performe his promise, therefore seek it earnest­ly: whatsoever God ap­proves; a Christian should take pleasure in: every grace is an ornament to a Christian, and God de­lights to see his owne gra­ces in us. Isaac before hee took Rebecka to wife, sent her Jewels to adorne her; so Christ sends rich Jewels to his children, even the graces of his Holy Spirit, to make us love him, and fit us the more for him. Those that live in sinnes against conscience, think we that these love God? No certainly; if they did they would love that which he loves, and hate that which he hates: what [Page 406] a pittifull thing is it to see men glorying in that which is their shame, in swearing and prophane­nesse, and yet for all this say they love God. Is it possible that the love of God and the love of sinne shold ever stand together?

Proceed wee now to some reasons and directi­ons, 2 for the attaining of this grace.

And first let us not rest in Directions unto love. an inferiour degree of this affection, but rise up ther­in, and labour that it may have full assent. There are degrees of assent, as when we love God because we love our selves: a naturall man may doe so, but this is not enough, for if wee [Page 407] love God for our selves, we make our selves our God. Where the heart is truly set upon God, it de­lights in him only for himselfe, and takes com­fort in no condition fur­ther than he sees God in it. He never affected Christ in truth, that is more taken with the benefits and priviledges that come by him, than with the excel­lency of his person. What friend will bee content, that a man should only love him because he doth him good? We must love our selves and all other things in and for God. Moses and Paul rejoyced to honour the Lord, though themselves were [Page 408] accurfed and deprived of happinesse; and if wee could so love Christ, as not to desire heaven it selfe if Christ were not there. This were truly to affect him: for indeed if Christ were not there, heaven should not be hea­ven unto us. Wee must love our happinesse, no further than we can have with it Gods good leave and liking.

Againe, we shall know 2 Direction. our love to God whether it be sincere or no, by our abstaining from sinne; If wee avoid evill for feare of punishment, or hope of reward only, our love is unsound, but when we so love God that wee will [Page 409] not doe any thing contra­ry to his spirit: it is a spe­ciall signe. Such a man if there were no hell to pu­nish him, nor place of blisse to receive him, yet would not breake with God upon any termes.

For the meanes to at­taine Meanes to attaine the love of God. this love, we must in the first place labour for an humble & empty soule; 1 Blessed are the poore in Spi­rit (saith Christ) for such only apprehend their mi­sery without Christ, and their need of him; which occasions an holy rejoy­cing in the Lord, and un­fained love to him; What is the reason that some are so ravished with the favours of the Almighty? [Page 410] Is it not for that they were so formerly stung with the sight and feeling of their sinnes? the more loving Christian ever the more humble Christian. Mark it when you will, and you shall find this dis­position manifest in every true convert, they are daily humbling them­selves for the least of­fence.

A second direction is to tast of the love of God in 2 Christ. When the beams of his favour once shine into our hearts, we cannot but reflect upon him a­gaine; We love him (saith the Apostle) because he lo­ved us first; Mary there­fore loved much, because [Page 411] shee had experience of Gods love, in forgiving her many sinnes: When a broken humble soule tru­ly savoureth the good­nesse of the Lord, it can­not but be enflamed with desire after him: A Chri­stian after hee hath had a taste of the love of God, hath another manner of judgement of justification than before. Taste and see (saith David) how good and gracious the Lord is. Psal. 34. A man that rellishes the sweetnesse of a thing, can better judge of it than hee which never tasted it.

A third direction is, to see what motives and rea­sons 3 wee have from the love of God in Christ, to [Page 412] exercise our understand­ing this way. Wee know heat commeth from light; and there is a sympathie betweene the braine and the heart; the braine must make a report to the heart, before that can bee enflamed with affection; therefore seriously search into the grounds of thy affection.

The first ground is 1 Grounds of our love to God. goodnesse in God, God is goodnesse it self; in whom all good is involved: if therefore wee love other things for the goodnesse which wee see in them, Why doe wee not love God in whom is all good­nesse? All other things are but sparks of that fire, [Page 413] and drops of that Sea; seest thou any good in the creature, remember there is much more in the Creator: leave therefore the streames, and goe to the well-head of com­fort.

Another reason of love, 2 is our affinity with God, our Father and friend; who is unto us in all de­grees of neerenesse, both our head and our husband; were not the Sonne ours, what fellowship could we have with the Father: ha­ving such a Mediator with God, that is bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, why should we feare to go unto him? He hath taken upon him these comfort­able [Page 114] relations of Shepheard and Brother, to possesse us of his acquaintance with our infirmities, and readi­nesse to releeve us. For shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calls them unto, and not he that (out of his love) hath taken upon him these relations, so throughly founded up­on his Fathers assignment, and his owne voluntary undertaking? How doth the tender Mother sym­pathize in the anguish of her child, notwithstanding all its froward aversenesse; and shall we think there is more bowells in our selves than in God? can there be more sweetnesse in the streame, than in the [Page 415] spring? If the well of con­solation be alwayes open, and the fountaine of living water, bee never shut up, let us teach our hearts to suck and draw comfort from these rivers of re­freshing: What a shame is it, that men should hun­ger at such a feast?

Consider likewise the benefits which wee have bestowed upon us, and the end why God vouchsafes us so much favour.

Benefits win love even from bruit creatures; ther­fore wee are worse than beasts, if we love not God for his benefits; The Oxe knowes his owner, and the Asse his Masters Crib; what are wee indeed but [Page 416] an heap of Gods benefits? All our faculties of soule and body are the blessings of God; Whatsoever wee have or hope to have, is from him. Our breath, life, and being, subsists in God, who hath promised, that heaven and earth, men and Devils, crosses and blessings, sinne and death, all shall be turned by his over-ruling power to our good.

Consider what now we are, & what a happy con­dition God hath made us capable of hereafter; Is it a small matter that wee should be regarded above the Angels that fell? And that he who knew no sin, should be made sinne for us? nay, become a curse [Page 417] to free us from the curse? It was strange that the three Children being cast into the hot fiery Fur­nace, should not burne. So likewise it is a wonder that Christians being in the midst of the flame of Gods love, should be so cold and dead hearted: it is not only the guilt of sin that we are freed from, but the unsupportable vengeance of the Almigh­ty due for the same: and is this a small matter?

If we regard the man­ner 4 of bestowing his be­nefits, it will much ad­vance Gods goodnesse to­wards us, and raise up our spirits to love him againe. Doth not he love us first [Page 418] of all? and prevent us with his favours? Is not his love full and over­flowing? so as he never leaves us untill he make an end: where he sreeth a man from danger he set▪ leth him in a good estate, never ceasing till he pos­sesse him of glory; as it is 2 Tim. 4. The Lord hath freed me out of the mouth of the Lion, and hee will preserve me to his everla sting kingdome. He deli­vers us srom spirituall evill, and gives us spiritu­all good. The meditation of these things will warme our hearts.

The next meanes is to [...]oyne feare with our love to God: whom we love [Page 419] throughly, we will do no­thing that shall displease. The feare of God whom we love, will cause us to make conscience of the least sinne against him; for there is no sinne be it ne­ver so little, but it will weaken our affection to goodnesse. When we ven­ture upon any thing a­gainst conscience, is there not a decay of our love to God? and of our sense of his favour towards us: surely sin is the only make­bate in our soules, and weakner of all our com­forts. Those therefore are the lovingest soules towards God, that are most conscientious in their wayes. Carelesse [Page 420] Christians have not that feeling of Gods love, which humble fruitfull Christians have: neither doe they live or die with that comfort as these do.

We are the Spouse of Christ, and he is jealous of our love. Our betrothed Husband cannot abide that we should set our af­fections upon strangers. Take heed therefore of adulterous and false affe­ctions; the more we love earthly things the lesse we shall esteeme of hea­venly; and as our affection towards the creature in­creaseth, so our heat to­wards Christ abateth.

The next direction to stir up our love unto God 6 [Page 421] is, to exercise the same daily. For true love is not an abstractive affection, but an affection in practise, and we know every thing doth increase by exercise: exercise it therefore in fighting against the love of the world, and all selfe love; for as there are con­trary commands, so there are contrary desires in a Christian: as there is the old man and the new man, the flesh and the Spirit, so there are contrary affecti­ons, one setting it selfe against another in him.

When we see a poore Christian, the love of God will say unto us, now shew thy love unto Christ in succouring one of his [Page 422] members. No saith fl [...]sh and blood, charity begins at home, thou mayst want thy selfe another day.

In doing good likewise wee should say, here is now an occasion offered me of honouring God, and I will imbrace it. Oh but saith selfe-love, there is time enough hereafter; hereby you may run into poverty and disgrace, be not too forward. There­fore there must be a per­petuall deniall of our selvs against our whole thwart nature. Those that are Christians know experi­mentally what belongs to these things: but take a carnall man or woman, and they are led altoge­ther [Page 423] by their sensuall lusts as bruit Beasts: whatso­ever ease and selfe-love wils, that swayes their hearts any wayes. And in­deed the most sincere Christian hath the moti­ons of these carnall and worldly respects, but his love unto God constrains him to deny all, and listen to what Christ whispereth in his heart.

Consider wee a little Motives to stir up exercise in the love of God. what may stirre us up to exercise our selves herein. Love it is the light of our life; love we must some­thing, and he lives not that loves not: seeing then we cannot but love, and that the misplacing of our af­fectiō is the cause of all sin [Page 424] and misery; what can we doe better than attend to directions, how to love as we should?

To come therefore to the foure things before mentioned being the branches of love. First, We must admire God above all things. And can wee admire any thing with wisdome but God alone? It is commonly said, that wee cannot be wise and love together, for that this affection is blinde, ex­cept it be in God. Againe, is there any thing more comfortable then that we give content to God? Is any service comparable to the service of a Prince? We must serve the Lord [Page 425] only, and others in and for him, or else all we do is naught. All other ser­vices are bondage, this a perfect freedome. Againe, is there any thing more worthy our soules, than to be united to God? Can we have a greater happi­nesse than to be made one with Christ? By loving a thing we come to be like to it. Is there any thing that may or ought to chal­lenge our love but Christ? Is it not a base thing to unite our soules (which are the best things under Heaven) to earthly con­tentments, than which we shall one day find nothing to be worse? The love of God planted in our hearts, [Page 426] maketh Christ and us one. As a Pearle in a Ring makes the Ring more pretious and valuable; so the soule united unto Christ, commeth to bee more gracious and hea­venly. The more excel­lent the soule is, the more loving it will be to God. The holiest Saints have ever burned with most af­fection to Christ, as Moses and Paul. Can any thing satisfie us more than God? Know wee not that all things here shall perish? Therefore when wee place our love and joy in the world, do we not lose them too? We shall leave behinde us the things of this life, our sins only we [Page 427] carry away, which cleave fast unto us, and staine our consciences world with out end: what might more content us than the love of God, which wil endure for ever, and accompany us to Heaven when all other loves perish?

Consider that every thing thou dost without love, is dead and empty; love is the life of all acti­ons; as we say of a gift, the love of the giver, is better than the gift it selfe; not only our performance is nothing without love, but we our selves are nothing without it; every accep­table service we doe must proceed from this hea­venly flame; Though wee [Page 428] speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not love, we are like to a sounding brasse and tinck­ling Symball. Have wee not much to do and suffer in this life? and what is it that makes us constant in duty, & carries us through so many oppositions as we meet withall, is it not love? doth not love swee­ten our hearts, and take away every difficulty in our way to Heaven. Whilest we live here, we must of necessity suffer ill things, and go on in well doing; neither of which can be performed with­out love; this rules our whole lives. Beg there­fore of God to quicken [Page 429] thee in all cheerefull and willing obedience: pray that the Sunne of righte­ousnesse would enlighten thy heart: wee cannot serve God without God, nor have any holy af­fection, except by his Spirit he work the same in us.