The Souls Vocation, Part 1 (1 of 2)

The Souls Vocation · Part 1 (1 of 2)

p. 33JOHN 6.45.

Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, commeth unto me.

THE ingrafting of the humble and broken hearted ſinner into Chriſt, as we have heard, conſiſts of two particular paſſages: The firſt was being put into the ſtock; Secondly, the ingrafting into the ſome. As in ingrafting naturally ſo of implanting ſpiritually of the ſoule into Chriſt. When the ſoul is brought unto this, then a ſinner comes to be partaker of all the ſpiritual benefits, all ſhall be communicated to us. Now the point at this preſent to be handled, is called by the ſtreame of Divines Vocation, and I tearme it the putting in of the ſoule, when the ſoule is brought out of the world of ſinne, to lye upon, and to cloſe with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and this hath two particular paſſages in it; partly the call on Gods part, partly the anſwer on ours. The call on Gods part is this, when the Lord by the cal of his Goſpell doth ſo cleerly reveale the fulneſſe of mercy, and certifies to the ſoule by the work of his ſp…rit, p. 34that the ſoule humbled returnes anſwer to Gods call.

1In the firſt obſerve two paſſages: Firſt, the meanes whereby God will call the ſinner unto him; the ſinner is afraid to appeare before God whom he hath offended, and may therefore proceed in juſtice againſt him for thoſe ſinnes which have beene committed by him. Now beſides the Law which diſcovers a mans ſinne unto him, hee now prepares another meanes, the voice of his Goſpell; hee lets in many ſweet inklings into the ſoule, of his love and kindneſſe to allure him, to call him, and draw him to himſelfe.

2Secondly, the Lord doth not onelyonly appoint the meanes, namely, the miniſtery of his Goſpel, whereby the ſoule may be brought unto him, and receive communion with him; but by the worke of his Spirit hee doth bring all the riches of his grace into the ſoule truly humbled, ſo that the heart cannot but receive the ſame, and give anſwer thereto, and give an eccho of the ſubjection of it ſelfe to be governed thereby: that wee have finiſhed already. There muſt bee hearing before comming; not of the Law, to terrifie a man; but of the Goſpell, to perſwade and allure a man to come unto the Lord, and receive mercy and kindneſſe from him. The Goſpell is the meanes ordained by God to call home the ſoule unto him. But this will not doe the deed; there muſt be ſomething elſe, or the ſinner will be at a ſtand, and cannot come on cheerfully, and receive the grace offered him; therefore beſides the meanes, wee p. 35have the ſpeciall cauſe expreſſed, which is the Lord. For when a man hath heard, that is one thing; but that is not all, for the principall cauſe is the Lord. God the Father alone can buckle the heart to receive the grace appointed, and the mercy offered to the ſoule: and without the principall cauſe, all other meanes, I meane the Miniſters of the Goſpell, although it be a ſavour of life unto life, yet it may be a ſavour of death unto death, unleſſe the Spirit of the Lord goes with it. For when the Goſpell is onelyonly revealed to the underſtanding, and that onelyonly conceives of the letter thereof, and it ſoakes not, and ſinkes not into the heart: this we call an outward calling, that is the phraſe of Divines: when ſome light flaſh is imparted and communicated unto the ſoule, and is not ſet on ſufficiently, that is an outward calling. But when God the Father doth accompany the diſpenſation of the Goſpell with the powerfull operation of the Spirit, and it puts its hand to the key of the Goſpell, and unlockes a blinde minde, and a hard heart, there the ſoule learnes throughly and effectually the way of ſalvation. The Text ſaith, there muſt not onelyonly be hearing, but learning of the Father, elſe the ſoule will not, nor cannot come. Now before I can collect the ſeverall paſſages out of the words, there is ſome difficulty and obſcurity in the phraſe, therefore give me leave, as I am able, to diſcover the meaning and ſenſe of the words, and then the collection will be cleere.

Firſt, for the explication of the phraſe, and I will diſcourſe four queſtions unto you, which will p. 36be uſefull for the cleere explication of the Text.4. Queſtions.

1Firſt, what the leſſon is that a man muſt learne before he come.

2Secondly, why the Father is ſaid to teach, and not the Sonne, nor the holy Ghoſt.

3Thirdly, what is the manner how the Father doth teach the ſoule, when he will call it home to himſelfe.

4Fourthly, what is the frame and diſpoſition of the ſoule, how doth the heart behave it ſelfe when it hath in truth learned the leſſon. When the Lord will propound unto, and learne the ſoules of his that belong to him, you muſt not thinke the truth tedious, becauſe they will give us light into all the truth that ſhall bee hereafter diſcuſſed out of the word.

Queſt. 1 He that hath heard and learned of the Father, what is the leſſon that he muſt learne before hee can come? that after he hath learned this leſſon he may be able to ſee the path of ſalvation as propounded to him, ſo alſo neere at hand, that hee might walk therein, and receive comfort thereby.

Anſw. For anſwer hereunto, the leſſon that the ſoule muſt learne, is this, namely, the fulneſſe of the mercy, and grace, and ſalvation that God the Father hath provided, and alſo offered to the poore humbled ſinner, in and through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which in deed is able to doe that for a poore ſinner, which all the meanes and things in the world could not doe, and yet notwithſtanding he needs. I have heretofore diſcuſſed the poore miſerable plight which a ſinner hath brought himſelfe p. 37into by his manifold rebellions. There is no helpe, no hope of himſelfe, in what hee hath or doth to releeve and ſuccour himſelfe, and therefore he fals flat at the footſtoole of the Almighty, and is content to be at his diſpoſing. Now the leſſon that the ſoule muſt learne, is the fulneſſe, greatneſſe, and freeneſſe of the perfect ſalvation which is brought unto us through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And that we may not learne this leſſon by halfes, but fully and perfectly, and that your minds may conceive of the ſame, give me leave to lay it out fully, becauſe it will be profitable for our enſuing diſcourſe: and this leſſon diſcovers it ſelfe in three things, as in three lines, as I may ſo terme it.

1The firſt is this, that the ſoule may learne there is enough ſufficiency in the mercy of God, to fill up all the empty chinkes of the ſoule, and ſupply all the wants that a ſinner hath, and releeve him in all thoſe neceſſities that either doe or can befall him: this is the condition of every ſonne of man ſince the fall of Adam, that there is not onelyonly a great deale of weakneſſe in the ſoule, but there is a great deale of wants and emptineſſe in the ſoule.

Now this is the fulneſſe of the mercy of God, that whatſoever our weakneſſes, wants, or neceſſities bee, there is full ſufficiency enough in that maſſe to fill up all, and to give the ſoule full content in every particular. Hence the phraſe of Scripture runnes thus, when God propounds the fulneſſe of mercy in Jeſus Chriſt, he calls it a treaſury, and all the treaſures of wiſedome and holineſſe p. 38are in Chriſt; not one treaſure, but all treaſures; not ſome treaſures, but all treaſures, Eſay 61. When the Goſpell was profeſſed, there was a fulneſſe of mercy, and there wee ſhall ſee a kinde of meeting and concurrency of all bleſſings together. So that where the Goſpell comes, there is joy for the ſorrowfull, peace for the troubled, ſtrength for the weake; be your miſeries what they can be, here is releefe ſeaſonable and ſutable to all your wants, miſeries, and neceſſities. Nay, this is not onelyonly for the preſent neceſſity. Mercy is not only able to releeve your preſent neceſſity, but your future alſo. It is not with mercy as with the widow of Sarepta, who thought when the meale in the barrell, and the oyle in the cruſe was ſpent, ſhe ſhould then ſurely periſh. No, it is not ſo in the fulneſſe and ſufficiency of this mercy; it hath not onelyonly enough to doe you good for the preſent, and to ſuccour you in all preſent wants; but what miſeries ſoever ſhall befall thee, or what troubles ſhall betide thee for future times, the fulneſſe of Gods mercy laies in proviſion againſt ſuch neceſſities, and times of miſeries and vexations. For a poore ſinner may be driven to a ſtand after this manner: It is true, ſaith the ſinner, I have heretofore committed many ſinnes, God hath ſealed up the pardon of them unto me, and thoſe ſins which have heretofore pleaſed me, God hath given me a ſight of them in ſome power and meaſure againſt them. But what if more ſins, if more temptations, if more corruptions, if more guilt, if more horror ſeize upon my heart, how then ſhall I ſuccour my p. 39ſelfe? But now this is the fulneſſe and ſufficiency of mercy, it doth not onelyonly caſe a man in regard of preſent neceſſity, but layes proviſion for all future wants and calamities that can befall the ſoule. Pſal. 130.7. The text ſaith, Let Iſrael hope in the Lord, there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. The word in the originall is, there is multiplying redemption, or redemption encreaſing: if miſery, ſorrow, and anguiſh be multiplyed, there is multiplyed redemption alſo. Then know it, if you know your owne ſoules; you ſee it, if you ſee your owne lives, that it is new ſinnes, new corruptions prevailing with you. But here is the comfort of the ſoule, as ſinne increaſeth, ſo mercy increaſeth; as corruption multiplyes, ſo redemption multiplyes: therefore he is called the Father of mercy; as who ſhould ſay, he begets mercy, even a generation of mercies, from day to day; and it is a large generation of new mercies framed and made to incourage poore ſoules: therefore it is ſaid, with the Lord there is a fountaine of life. Looke as it is with a fountaine, there is not onelyonly water in it for the preſent, but it feeds ſeverall cocks and conduits; and though it runnes out daily, it enlargeth it ſelfe daily: So with the Lord there is a fountaine of life. If there be a fountaine of death in thy ſoule, in regard of thy ſinnes to kill thee; ſo a fountaine in God to quicken thee. Hence it comes to paſſe that the Lord ſpeaking of his mercy, calls it the exceeding riches of his mercy, Epheſ. 2.7. I ſay, the Lord hath not onelyonly fulneſſe of mercy, but he is rich in all his fulneſſe; nay, he exceeds p. 39in all the riches of the fulneſſe of his mercy. So that be we never ſo poore and beggerly, theſe ſins increaſe, and thoſe miſeries increaſe; why yet though thou bee a bankrupt in grace, yet the Lord is full of goodneſſe, full of mercy; yea he exceeds in his fulneſſe, to ſuccour thy heart in all neceſſities: nay, our miſeries and wants bee great, yet haply thy feare is greater than all the reſt; thy ſoule is troubled many times more with the feare of what will be, than with the feeling of what is already befalne thee: But now, how ever thy miſeries be great, and thy feare exceeds all miſery that can betide; yet mercy will remove and prevent thoſe feares, and Chriſt will doe more for thee, than thou canſt feare will fall upon thee: Nay, a man doth not feare what miſery can befall upon him, but his heart may imagine more than he doth feare. But here is the fulneſſe of mercy, mercy full to the brim, and running over; mercy is able to doe more for thee, than thou canſt feare or conceive ſhall come upon thee. Epheſ. 3.20. then ſaith the Lord, exceeding exceſſe, abundantly above that we can aske or thinke. So then the words runne thus, then winde up the point, Thou ſeeſt, thou findeſt, thou feeleſt, many ſorrowes now aſſailing thee, thou expecteſt more trouble to befall thee, and thou doſt conceive more than thou doſt feare; thy ſorrowes out-bid thy heart, thy feares out-bid thy ſorrowes, and thy thoughts goe beyond thy feares: and yet here is the comfort of a poore ſoule, in all his miſery and wretchedneſſe, the mercy of the Lord out-bids all theſe p. 40whatſoever may, can or ſhall befall thee. Gather then up briefly, and ſhut up this firſt paſſage. Many are the ſorrowes of the righteous, guilt of ſinne perplexing the ſinner, and filthineſſe of ſinnes tyrannizing and domineering over the ſoule; nay, many feares and cares for future times: for a ſinner ſaith, Sometimes my condition is marvellous poore, my eſtate marvellous miſerable; what if ſmall temptations, what if ſmall corruptions, what if ſuch a fall ſhould betide me, what then ſhall become of my ſoule? Nay, a mans imagination exceeds all feares. The ſoule that thinks with it ſelf, Should the Lord deale in juſtice, and ſhould my ſinnes get the victory over me, which I hope will never be, for what ſhall I then do for ſuccour? yet this is the comfort of a poore ſoule, let it read this leſſon, The Lord is able, and mercy can doe exceſſive, exceeding abundantly above all, thy ſorrowes are abundant, thy feares are very abundant, thy imaginations are exceſſive, exceeding abundant, exceeding above all preſent ſorrowes, above all future feare, and above the courſe of all imaginations. This diſcourſe ſhall ſerve for the firſt paſſage.

We will now adde the ſecond. The ſoule is not yet fully ſatisfied, but replyes, It is true, there is bread enough in my Fathers houſe; that I yeeld, and that I confeſſe; there is abundance of mercy in God, a world of mercy that pardoned Manaſſes, and ſaved Saul, but what is that to me, if there be bread enough in my Fathers houſe, and I ſtarve for hunger, and get no benefit by this mercy of God? p. 40But how ſhall a man ſtarve in this mercy? if a way can be conceived, and a meanes can be propounded for another ſupply to the ſoule, to fill up the neceſſity of it, this will be ſeene in the next particular; I ſay herein appeares more fulneſſe of mercy.

2It is not onelyonly ſufficient to releeve a man in all the miſeries that can befall him, but this is another thing conſidered: mercy is able to make thee partake in the ſame mercy: God doth not leave thee to thy ſelfe, that thou ſhouldeſt buy it, and purchaſe it; and buy it, and procure it: but mercy is able to ſuffice thy ſoule, that thou maiſt be refreſhed thereby. This is the tenor of mercy: God requires of a man that he ſhould beleeve: now mercy doth helpe to performe the duty commanded. The Lord, as he requires the condition of thee, ſo he worketh the condition in thee: hee makes thee beleeve that thou ſhalt be ſaved, as there is fulneſſe of grace in himſelfe to doe thee good, if thou doſt receive the ſame: this is the difference betweene the two Covenants, the Covenant of workes, and the Covenant of grace. The firſt covenant runnes, Adam ſhall doe and live: now it ſtood upon the uſe and abuſe of his free will, either to doe the will of God, and be bleſſed; or to breake the law, and be curſed: it was in his power to receive the life: and thus either by breach or not doing the condition required, Adam muſt performe. But it is not ſo here: the Lord in deed requires a condition: no man can be ſaved but he muſt beleeve: but here is the privilege, p. 41that the Lord as he makes this condition with the ſoule, ſo alſo he keepeth us in performing the condition, for the Lord he requires that the ſoule ſhould reſt upon him, and he make him alſo to doe it: he requires the ſoule to cleave unto him. Ezek. 36.26, 27. There is the tenor of this covenant, A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit I will put within you, and I will take away your ſtony heart, and give you a heart of fleſh, and I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes: Or if they will walke in my wayes, out of thine owne power, then I will vouchſafe this mercy and favour. Now the Lord requires this condition, and workes it alſo in his children; he requires this of them, and he workes this in them, for their everlaſting good; as Heb. 8.9. the Lord ſaith, This is the covenant I will make with the houſe of Iſrael; I write my lawes in their hearts, and they ſhall not need to be taught. Men muſt know God, and beleeve in the Lord. Now as the Lord requires this, as the condition of the covenant; ſo the Lord will work this in them, as he requires this of them. Iohn 1.12. the text ſaith, To them that beleeve, he gave them power to be the ſonnes of God. Now if a man will beleeve, he ſhall be ſaved. Now then hee makes a man beleeve that he may be a ſonne. This is the ſecond paſſage whereby the ſoule of a ſinner comes to be cheered: or that there is not onelyonly abundance of ſufficiency in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; but that mercy, as it is able to doe him good, ſo it will make him partaker of the good.

3The third particular is this, That as mercy hath p. 42all good, and will make us partakers of what it hath; ſo alſo it will diſpoſe of us, and of that it beſtoweth upon us. Mercy will not onelyonly have a ſinner, but it will rule and order that grace it hath beſtowed upon the ſoule. For if mercy purchaſe a ſoule at ſo high a rate, as the blood of the Lord Jeſus; it is right that the ſoule purchaſed by grace, and ſupplyed with grace, that mercy ſhould diſpoſe it for the honour of God. You are not your owne, ſaith the Apoſtle, but bought with a price; therefore you muſt glorifie the Lord in body and ſoule. Nay, it is not onelyonly right that mercy ſhould doe it; but reaſon, and beneficiall to the ſoule, that mercy ſhould doe thus. Nay, I ſay, unleſſe that mercy ſhould rule a man, he had not beene able to give full content to the ſoule. If the Lord ſhould leave any poore ſoule to the deſtiny of his owne heart, and the malice of Satan, hee would runne to ruine preſently: he is not able to ſupply his owne wants and to diſpoſe of his owne ſpirit, and employ aright his owne ſoule. For if Adam in his innocency, had a ſtocke in his owne hands, fell and periſhed: then if mercy ſhould put a man into the ſame eſtate that Adam was, a man ſhould bring himſelfe into the ſame miſery that Adam was brought into: but there is that fulneſſe of that mercy, that is in Chriſt that it wil beſtow all good needfull for me; ſo alſo, it will diſpoſe of that good in me, ſo that Satan ſhall never prevaile, the world ſhall never overcome, nor my corruptions beare ſway in me; but the Lord ſhall rule me for ever: and this is the fulneſſe of Gods mercy. Gather p. 43up the point then, that we may ſee what wee muſt learne. There is ſufficiency in mercy to ſupply all wants: nay, there is ability in mercy to communicate that it hath, and we ſtand in need of. Nay, mercy will preſerve us; and that it giveth to us, againſt all oppoſitions that can befall thee. This is the leſſon that the ſoule muſt learne, that it may be able in ſome meaſure to ſee the way, and learne the path that leadeth to everlaſting happineſſe. This is the firſt leſſon that the ſoule muſt learne of God the Father.

Vſet. For the uſe of this. Is this the leſſon the ſoule muſt learne? then looke wiſely upon it; and when this comes upon thee, and ſorrow aſſailes thee heavily, doe not looke into the blacke booke of conſcience, and thinke there to finde ſupply; neither looke into the booke of the privileges and performances, and thinke to finde power out of thy owne ſufficiency: Looke not on thy ſinnes to pore upon them, whereby thou ſhalt be diſcouraged; neither look into thy owne ſufficiency, thinking thereby to procure any thing to thy ſelfe. Theſe are but leſſons of the lower forme. It is true, thou muſt ſee thy ſinnes, and ſorrow for them; but this is for the lower forme, and thou muſt get this leſſon beforehand: and when thou haſt gotten this leſſon of contrition and humiliation, looke onelyonly to Gods mercy, and the riches of his grace; and be ſure as you take out this leſſon, take it not out by halves, for then you wrong mercy, and your ſelves too, if you thinke that bare workes will ſerve, and that is all. No, no, mercy will rule p. 44you, therefore take all the leſſon out, and then the heart will be cheered, and thy ſoule in ſome meaſure enabled to come on to the Lord, and will ſee ſome glimpſes of conſolation from the Spirit.

Queſt. 2 We ſee the leſſon, what muſt be learned: now we muſt ſee the reaſon why the Lord muſt teach this leſſon.

Anſw. I anſwer, It is not appropriated to the Father alone, for the Father teaches not alone; but the Sonne and the holy Ghoſt teach too. But why then doth the Text give it to the Father? Here I anſwer directly, becauſe the Father was directly offended with the ſinne of man. 1 Iohn 1.7. If wee ſinne, wee have an advocate with the Father, namely, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to plead for us with the Father. He doth not ſay, wee take an advocate with an advocate, that doth not plead with himſelfe: the reaſon is, God the Father was directly offended; though all the perſons in the Trinity were offended, yet the Father more directly. Now he that is directly offended, favour and mercy muſt come from him, to the party that doth offend: and that is the reaſon why Chriſt eſpecially caſt this upon the Father. Take a creditor that hath money, or creditors that are bankrupts; now this is no meanes to helpe and ſuccour theſe men: but it lyeth upon the creditor that oweth the debt, for he onelyonly it is muſt come to forgive the debts: for it is here God the Father, being directly offended by the ſonne of man, therefore from him in the firſt place, muſt proceed the pardon, and mercy to the ſonne of man. Hence it p. 45comes to paſſe, that the text ſaith, the Father muſt teach this leſſon.

Queſt. 3 The third queſtion is this, After what manner doth the Lord teach the ſoule? Chriſt ſpeakes now of the worke of the Spirit: and that you may not be miſtaken, know this, that the worke of the Spirit doth alwayes goe with, and is communicated by the word; therefore if the queſtion be, After what manner doth God teach the ſoule to ſpell out this lecture of mercy and pardon?

Anſw. I anſwer briefl…, The Lord teacheth the ſoule by his Spirit. I told you that before, that not only the Father, but the Sonne and holy Ghoſt alſo teacheth: the Father from himſelfe, the Son from the Father, and the holy Ghoſt from both: Therefore underſtand what I ſay, the Spirit of the Lord doth not onelyonly in the generall, make known Gods mercy; but doth in particular, with ſtrength of evidence, preſent to the broken hearted ſinner the right of the freeneſſe of Gods grace to the ſoule; nay, it holds thoſe ſpeciall conſiderations to the heart, and prefen…eth the heart with them: not onelyonly ſo, but in the ſecond place, the Spirit doth forcibly ſoke in the re…iſh of that grace into the heart, and by the over-piercing worke, doth leave ſome dint of ſupernaturall and ſpirituall vertue on the heart. The Spirit doth not onelyonly with truth bring home the evidence to the heart, but it i… ſt…ll whiſpering, and calling, and making knowne the ſame, and forcibly ſoketh in the relliſh of the freeneſſe of Gods grace, and leaveth a dint of ſupernaturall vertue upon the ſoule. We will expreſſe the p. 46points, becauſe it is ſomewhat difficult, and is the ſcope of that place, 2 Tim. 1.7. The Lord hath not given you the ſpirit of feare, but of a ſound minde. The ſpirit of feare, is the ſpirit of bondage, in humiliation & contrition. When the Spirit ſheweth a man his ſinnes, and ſheweth him that he is in bondage, and in fetters, lets him get out how he can: this is the ſpirit of feare and of bondage. In the ſecond place, there is the ſpirit of power. But what is this ſpirit of power? You muſt imagine this ſpirit of power doth not intimate any particular grace, but as it were the ſinewes and ſtrength of the worke of the Spirit, conveying it ſelfe through the frame of the heart and this I terme to bee the effectuall worke of the Spirit of God. When the ſoule is humbled, the Lord ſweetly communicates into the ſoule a ſupernaturall and ſpirituall vertue. Laſtly, as it is in nature, take a knife, if it be rubbed on a Loadſtone, it will draw iron unto it; now it cannot doe that, becauſe it is a knife, but becauſe it is rubbed on a ſtone, and receives vertue there from: So it is with a heart humbled, it is a fit ſubject for the grace of God to worke upon: the love of God is like the loadſtone, and if the heart he rubbed thereupon, and affected with the ſweetneſſe thereof, it will bee able to cloſe with that mercy, and come to that mercy, and goe to God, from whence that mercy comes.

Queſt. 4 What is the behaviour of the ſoule, when it hath learned this leſſon from the Lord?

Anſw. I anſwer, When theſe two things meet together in the ſoule, then it hath learned this leſſon: p. 47The firſt is this, when the ſoule having heard of that plentifull redemption that is in Chriſt, as alſo having apprehended the revelation thereof; it commeth to cloſe with the worke of the Spirit, revealing, preſenting, and offering grace to the heart: nay, it comes to give entertainment to he riches of that mercy revealed to the ſoule. There is in the mercy of God, and in the bleſſed truth of the promiſes, a great excellency. Now when this is ſo plentifully brought home to the heart, that it breakes through all oppoſitions, which may hinder the worke of the Spirit upon the ſoule, when it is brought home by the ſpirit of God; and the heart gives way, and cloſes with it, ſo that there is nothing betweene that and the ſoule; this I take to be the firſt frame of the ſoule, that beginnes to learne this leſſon, it beginnes to cloſe to the truth, to give way to the ſweetneſſe that is in it, and bids adieu to all delight and ſinnes, and whatſoever may be a hindrance unto it, from receiving of this grace into the ſoule. This is the firſt paſſage.

The ſecond, with which I will conclude is this, that as the ſoule cloſeth with that mercy, and welcommeth it, and the heart is content to take up mercy upon thoſe termes: ſo in the ſecond place, there is an impreſſion and diſpoſition left upon the ſoule, that it is framed and diſpoſed; there is a kinde of print which the ſoule hath with it; ſo that as the mercy of God is revealed to the ſoule, and communicated to the ſoule; ſo there is a kind of impreſſion, frame, and print, which the heart retaineth, and hath wrought upon it by this grace p. 48and free favour of God made knowne: therefore that phraſe, Rom. 6.17. is a marvellous patterne to our purpoſe; the Text ſaith, they were delivered to this forme of doctrine. Looke as it is with a ſeale, if the ſeale be ſet to the wax, and leave an impreſſion, juſt ſo many letters upon the wax as in the ſeale, then it is wholly ſealed: So the Spirit of God through Chriſt, in the promiſes, doth reveale al the freeneſſe and grace of mercy in Chriſt. Now when the Spirit doth leave an impreſſion on the ſoule, that man is delivered into the truth. I conclude all in Acts 26.18. when Saul was ſent to preach to the Gentiles, the Text ſaith, he was but to bring them out of darkneſſe into light: mark, when the Lord doth come to worke effectually upon the ſoule, he brings men from under the power of darkneſſe: whereas the underſtanding was darke and blinded, when the Spirit comes, it turnes it from the darkneſſe and power of ſinne, unto the power of light and grace.

Laſtly, the power of the heart doth theſe two things: for not onelyonly ſome of the heart muſt bee brought to God, but the whole heart: therefore in the precious promiſes of grace and ſavation, there is fulneſſe of all good, to draw all the faculties of the ſoule unto the Lord; and therefore the faithfulneſſe and the truth of God is mainly revealed in the promiſes; now that fits the underſtanding, and makes it looke to God for pardon, for power, and mercy.

2As the promiſe is a true word, ſo it is a good word; this anſwers all the will and affections; there p. 49is a poſſibility in mercy to ſave a man: hope expects it; but then the ſoule muſt looke onelyonly to Chriſt for mercy, deſire, long for it, for that there is a certainty that a man ſhall have mercy if he can deſire it; love doth welcome and delight in it, nay, the ſoule doth ſay, The Lord hath ſaid, thou muſt be ſaved: nay, thou muſt looke to Chriſt for mercy, it is no where elſe to be had: nay, if thou doſt deſire it, thou ſhalt have it; and then the Lord determines the point, it is done, mercy is thine; and then the will addes full conſent, and ſayes, Amen, Lord, let it be as thou haſt ſaid. Gather them up briefly. When the Spirit of God doth ſo cleerly preſent mercy to the ſoule, and doth leave by the over-powring worke thereof a ſupernaturall worke upon the ſoule, that the ſpirit cloſeth therewith, and receives the print and impreſſion thereof: now the leſſon is fully learned: this may ſuffice for the opening of the ſeverall things; now therefore we will addreſſe our ſelves to gather the doctrines out of the Text. And firſt for the generall, in that the Father is ſaid to teach.

Doct. That the teaching of the heart effectually is the proper taske and worke of God. It is not you that can teach your ſelves, neither can all the meanes and friends under heaven doe it; no, it is the work onelyonly of the Father. All theſe meanes and miniſters are uſefull, but God is the chiefe maſter, and all theſe are but underling uſhers to convey the minde of God unto us; but the maſter is God himſelfe: it is the powerfull operation of the Spirit that muſt doe the ſoule good; all other p. 50meanes are but like the cane that conveyeth the voyce; but the voyce is the Lord. Iohn 14.26. I wil ſend the Comforter, and he ſhal teach you all things. And who is that? that is the Spirit of God. We ſpeake to your outward eares, but it is the Spirit of God that muſt give you mindes to diſcerne, and ſpirits to embrace; that is the onelyonly worke of the Spirit. We ſhall obſerve Matth. 11. towards the latter end, I thanke thee Father, &c. how comes it to paſſe that the wiſe are befooled, and fooles inſtructed? I thanke thee Father, ſaith hee, that thou haſt revealed theſe things to babes and ſucklings, and haſt hid them from the wiſe. How comes this about? It is thy good will, Father. It is a wonder to ſee a ſilly creature, of weake capacity, and almoſt a foole, and yet he knoweth more of ſanctification and faith, than many great Schollers. Take a ruſh candle, and a lampe, the lampe is a great deale bigger than the ruſh candle; yet the ruſh candle giveth light, and the lampe none, becauſe the ruſh candle is lighted, & the lampe is not. So it is here, a Chriſtian out of a blinde dotage, and a meere ſimplician in other things, yet he will talke well of the free mercy of God, and the worke of grace in his heart; when as many great wiſe men are novices in theſe things.

Reaſon. 1 The reaſon is, becauſe God hath lighted his candle from heaven, becauſe the worke is an Almighty worke; it is not an eaſie matter to goe to heaven: you muſt not ſay, What, have I lived thus long, and are we children ſtill? Ah, children you are, and children you will dye, unleſſe the p. 51Lord from heaven teach you; though all men and Angels teach you, the work will not goe forward. 1 Cor. 4.6. the Text ſaith, The ſame God that brought light out of darkneſſe, ſhineth in your hearts. Wee know, at the beginning of the world, when darkneſſe was upon the deepe, the Lord ſaid, Let there be light: now that Almighty God that brought light out of darkneſſe, which none elſe could doe, why the ſame God ſhineth in your hearts, ſaith the text: unleſſe the Lord ſay, Let there be light, the minde can never be enlightned, the ſoule can never bee cheered, nor the conſcience pacified.

This is a ground of admirable comfort to all weake, ſilly, feeble minded creatures. I doubt not but your hearts are grieved, when you conſider the marvellous ignorance which is in you, and how little you know concerning life and ſalvation, when the Lord hath layd line upon line, precept upon precept, and the heart ſometimes covets and deſires to entertaine the ſame, the ſoule commeth to the congregation, and ſaith, Good Lord, let …he word worke upon my ſoule, enlighten my minde, awaken my conſcience; and when the word comes thus home to the heart, the ſoule hopes that it ſh…ll retaine and remember it: but when it is gone, all fals to the ground, and the heart in private reaſons thus with it ſelfe: What ſhall I ſay? when my heart approves of the word, and my ſoule cloſed with it, even then ſo ſoone as I come out of the Church, I forgat all: what a blind mind and a hard heart have I? can there be any grace or mercy conveyed to ſuch a ſoule as mine? ſurely I p. 52ſhall one day periſh. An ignorant heart is a naughty heart, a baſe wicked heart; my ſinnes are many, my conditions fearfull. Would you have any comfort? why then marke what I ſay, The Lord will teach; and if the Lord be the teacher, tis no matter what the ſcholler be. Reaſon thus with your ſelves, My memory is weake, my capacity is ſmal, my underſtanding feeble, but yet the Lord is my teacher; and if the Lord will informe, who can let it, but I ſhall bee informed? Prov. 1.23. marke what the Text ſaith, Returne you ſimple ones, you ſcorners, and fooles, and follow me, and I will learn you wiſedome. This may move you to depend upon God, in the uſe of the meanes: the ſoule may ſay, I am ſimple, and I have beene a ſcorner too, and that is a great miſery, and therefore no marvel if God blinde my minde, and harden my heart for I have beene a ſcorner, and can any good come unto me? can ſuch a ſoule receive grace and wiſedome? Why? Ah, ſaith Wiſedome, come unto me, and I will poure abundance of wiſedome upon you.

Sec ndly, if it be the worke of God, then goe to him, for it is a comfort to goe to a father: when therefore the meanes are received, and God gives a heart to improve them, then come not to the congregation, but to God: and when the Miniſter reproves, ſay, Father, ſet home that reproofe to my ſoule and conſcience, doſt thou reprove, father? and when the Miniſter exhorts, and informes thee daily, the argument from the Scripture plaine; when the Miniſter is thus exhorting, p. 53and you cannot come off cleerly, looke up to heaven, exhort Father, teach Father: the Miniſter he ſpeakes to thee, but Father informe us, but Father ſeale to us the aſſurance of thy love in Chriſt. All you that heare me this day, and come, and bringeſt thine with thee, and commeſt with thy family into the congregation, looke up to thy God, and ſay, Lord, here is a vaine rude ſervant, a ſilly wife, and a weake fooliſh childe, and I am as baſe and blinde as any of them, and all the Miniſters under heaven, and all the Angels in heaven, cannot teach and informe us, but doe thou teach us, and worke upon our mindes, and frame our hearts, that wee may know the things belonging to our peace. But thou wilt ſay, Alas we have come, and looked up to God, but we thrive and proſper not for all this, we receive not that helpe and inſtruction from him, which he firſt promiſed, and we ſtand in need of. Why, I ſay, the fault is thine owne, the Lord is not wanting to his owne word, but thou art wanting to thy owne comfort. But how then ſhall wee ſo carry and order our ſelves, that we may ſeeke God ſo, as we may partake of that good we deſire and ſtand in need of?

I anſwer, Theſe foure meanes are very uſefull for this purpoſe. Firſt, labour to lay thy owne conceitedneſſe and abilities downe, and all thy carnall imaginations, that ſhut out the truth of God, and are profeſſedly oppoſed to the obedience of Chriſt: if thou leaneſt on thy owne wiſedome, and beareſt up thy ſelfe on thy owne abilities, thou wilt never have direction from God, and thou p. 54ſhalt never be taught by him, if thou thy ſelfe can teach thy ſelfe: therefore down with thoſe haughty imaginations, in regard of thy owne parts and abilities, if thou hopeſt that God ſhall guide thee, and learne thee in the way of truth. Therefore let every one be a foole, that he may be wiſe: when thou art a foole in thy ſelfe, then God will inform thee, when thou canſt lay down all thy owne conceits, and captivate all thy carnall reaſons, then thou art like to be taught of the Lord: But before, theſe hinder the Lord from informing thee in the way of truth. He that ſets up his owne wit above the wiſedome of the Lord, he ſhall never be exalted by the Lord of heaven. This I take to bee the reaſon why ſome men of deepe reaches, and of great underſtandings, are marvellouſly beſotted in a chriſtian courſe, & in the way of life & ſalvation. The reaſon is, becauſe they truſt to their owne wiſedome, and rely upon the arme of fleſh, and upon their owne policy, and upon the depth of their owne underſtandings; and that is the reaſon why the Lord leaves them to their fooliſh imaginations: and as the Text ſaith to the Romanes, when they thought themſelves wiſe, they became fooles. Iames 5. at the beginning; If any man want wiſedome, let him aske of the Lord. The word in the Originall is, if any man be like a begger, that beggeth up and downe for bread when he is hungry: for if thou beeſt empty of thy ſelfe, and a begger in thine owne apprehenſion; if thou doſt lay down all they conceit of thy owne wiſedome, then the Lord will give thee wiſedome abundantly.

p. 55Reaſon. 2 Secondly, doe what thou knoweſt, and then the Lord will informe thee much more, in what thou ſhouldeſt doe; improve that little ſparke and knowledge thou haſt, and then the Lord will increaſe that knowledge of thine. Gen. 18.19. when God was about to deſtroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Why, ſaith he, ſhall I hide this thing from my ſervant Abraham? The end God teaches a man, is, to improve his knowledge; and when God hath taught him one leſſon perfectly, then the Lord will teach him another preſently. When thou heareſt the word, doe that duty which God commands, reforme that ſinne, and amend that courſe which God forbids, and he will teach thee abundantly. Iob 7.12. he that doth Gods will, the Lord will inſtruct that man. The maſter of a family will not give a man fire and candle, to ſit up and doe no worke by it, it will not quit coſt. Wiſedome and knowledge is the candle of God; if thou wilt walk by this light, and walke by this candle, the Lord will increaſe thy knowledge, till thou art become a perfect Chriſtian.

Reaſon. 3 Thirdly, we muſt not onelyonly doe what we know, but muſt be marvellous painfull, and ſtudy and indeavour to the uttermoſt of our power to get knowledge: doe not make it onelyonly a holy day taske, but labour continually in the uſe of all meanes for to get knowledge. You come here to the congregation, and attend to the word, you doe well; but very few that will make this your taske and ſtudy at home, to furniſh his heart with ſpirituall underſtanding. It is a ſhame that a man p. 56ſhould alwayes be fed with a ſpoon, and hold the ſpoone in his mouth, as children uſe to doe; that is to goe and come to the congregation, and get little or nothing. Hoſ. 2.3. When you labour more and more, pray more heartily, ſtudy more diligently, bee thinking men, and meditating men, and chewing men, ſetting themſelves upon the truth; till this, I never look that they ſhould come to any ſaving or judicious knowledge of life and ſalvation.

Reaſon. 4 Laſt meanes, take heed of bearing any ſecret grudge againſt any word and truth of God, bee it never ſo croſſe to thy corruptions: if you doe, the Lord in ſtead of directing you, will delude you; and in ſtead of informing you, will beſot you, and give you over to blind minds, and hard hearts. This we know by experience, men of great knowledge, great parts, and abilities, are taken aſide with dotage, and fall into thoſe errours, which a man would wonder how a man of judgement ſhould fall into. The reaſon is, they will not entertaine the truth of the Lord, Rom. 1.28. as who ſhould ſay, Oh, this ſtrict way, and this teaching, preaching, and the thundring of judgements, wee cannot beare them, we cannot undergoe them, we have no delight to theſe: take heed leſt the Lord ſay, Blindneſſe take him, hardneſſe take him, reprobate ſenſe, let him never entertaine the word of God to informe him, let him never know the wiſedome of God to his comfort here, and everlaſting happineſſe hereafter.

Vſe 3 In the third place, doth the Father teach you? p. 57acknowledge you have it as from God, labour ſo to improve this wiſedome, that God may get ſomething by it: you are but ſtewards of it, and therefore you muſt improve it for his advantage: as the ſteward that receives money from his maſter, &c. ſo hath the Lord given thee a ſtocke of wiſedome, and hath cleered that eye, and that judgement of thine, uſe it to his glory. Therefore doe not lift up thy ſelfe, in regard of thine owne parts, and ſufficiency; but if you finde your hearts to ſwell, and riſe within you, (for knowledge is a very airy metall, as the Apoſtle ſaith, it puffes up a man) therefore when thou findeſt thy heart thus bubling with thoſe curſed diſtempers, reaſon thus, Why ſhould I be proud of a borrowed ſuit? my minde was as blinde as any under heaven, therefore let baſeneſſe bee mine, let wiſedome be the Lords, Gal. 5. The apprentice that is taught by his maſter, muſt not preſently trade for himſelfe, but he workes for his maſter, and gives him the commodity: ſo let us doe; we are Gods ſchollers and prentices; we are now come into his ſchoole. Hath the Lord taught thee any skill in prayer, any wiſedome to conceive? doe not worke now for your ſelves, doe not ſet up preſently, but labour to returne all to him, and to make the Lord partaker of the good he hath beſtowed upon thee.

Thus much in generall, that the Lord is the author of this teaching: but now we come to particulars, to ſee how the Spirit in ſpeciall manner doth this.

This I tell you, that the whole ſoule muſt come p. 58to God: For as the whole ſoule in this gracious call of God, both the minde that diſcovers that mercy, and hope, and deſire, and love, and joy, have bad entertaining thereof; and the wil, which is the great wheele of the ſoule, that falls on that mercy, and reſts thereupon, and gives anſwer to the call of God therein. Give mee leave to propound two things by way of preface, for the cleering of the following truths; they will be as a key to open the doore to all the following diſcourſe.

Thing. 1 Firſt, thoſe faculties of the ſoule, which eſpecially goe out to God, and carry the ſoule thereunto, are eſpecially to be conſidered, in this great worke of going unto God, and beleeving in him. Now there are two things in the worke, ſome evill, and ſome good: the evill to be refuſed, the good to be embraced. Now anſwerably to theſe 2. things, the Lord hath placed in the ſoule of a man two ſorts of feet; ſome feet carry the ſoule from evill, ſome feet againe carry the ſoule towards good.

Now the affections of the ſoule, that doe reſpect evill, are eſpecially three, if any evill be comming; firſt, feare is a watchman, and the heart trembles, and ſhakes, and gives in. Hence comes paleneſſe in the face, becauſe feare goes downe into the very caſtle of a man, which is the heart; and then ſorrow greeves and mournes, and laments under the weight of that evill, wee feare evill to come, but we ſorrow for evill that is come. Thirdly hatred, that carries it ſelfe with a kinde of indignation, and takes up armes againſt that evill, feare is preventing, p. 59ſorrow feeling, hatred oppoſing any evil that comes. Now theſe three affections that goe from evill, have been wrought upon in contrition, and humiliation, namely, when the Lord the eye of a poore ſinner, diſcovers unto him that hell is gaping for him, and the God of juſtice preparing vengeance for him, the ſoule ſtaggers and ſhrinks in the apprehenſion of it; then the Lord lets in the fire of indignation into the ſoule, and makes the ſoule feele that before he threatned, and then the ſoule grieves; and becauſe his ſinnes have beene ſo tedious unto him, his heart is brought to a hatred and indignation againſt thoſe evils. So that if any evill, or provocation, or temptation come to a ſoule broken, if the old looſe companions, old corruptions, old ſwearing, old blaſpheming, old dalliances come to call upon the ſoule, let us have our fill of love untill the morning, let us take up our old delights; when theſe call the ſoule, and would plucke the ſoule home againe unto them, then theſe foure fence the ſoule againſt all thoſe inchantments; in ſo much that when the drunkard ſeeth his company comming towards him, hee thinkes, that is my plague, that is the man, and his perſwaſions and counſels; hee remembers his old corruptions, and his old horrors, and his old burthens and heavie loads that lay upon his heart; and the ſoule hates the drunkard, and will not yeeld to his perſwaſions, they ſo fence the way, that the voice of ſinne cannot be heard; it may call, and call, but the doore is ſhut, they ſtop the currant, that no ſtreame of diſtempers may prevaile any p. 60more: this now is done before: ſo that now wee come to the ſecond worke. So there are other affections that carry the ſoule unto good, if there be any good propounded, or offered, then there are foure other affections that the will ſends out to entertaine that good: hope and deſire looke for the good that is abſent: hope ſaith, I marvell it comes not: deſire ſaith, I long after it: when the goodneſſe is neere, then love welcomes it, and delights in it, and joy rejoyceth, and all theſe, hope, deſire, love, and joy, all bring, carry and convey all the good to the will, which is the great commander of the ſoule: Love and joy tell the will, We have found much goodneſſe, and taken great delight, and much content in the goodneſſe and mercy of the Lord. The truth is, wee have taken delight in ſinne and baſe courſes; but oh the comfort, but oh the conſolation and goodneſſe of mercy; you cannot have a better good than mercy. Then ſaith the will, We will have grace & mercy, wee will reſt here. Thus wee ſee how the head and the foot of the affections doe come on to embrace that good: now the underſtanding doth ſtand ſentinell all the while, and diſcovers all the good, and muſters up hope and deſire, and love and joy, and theſe foure are the maine wee muſt meddle with; all the other went from evill, and they have their proper worke before: we doe not hate and ſorrow for mercy, wee doe not feare to receive mercy, but wee feare and withdraw our ſelves from ſinne and corruptions, that we may entertaine the call of mercy.

p. 61Thing. 2 There is the promiſe of grace and mercy in Chriſt, a fulneſſe of mercy, which doth ſo powerfully and effectually draw the ſoule by this good, that it brings all theſe affections after it. Therefore in this fulneſſe of mercy and goodneſſe of God, there are theſe particulars; that like ſo many claſpes, draw all theſe faculties to God, to follow and cloſe with God for their good.

1The promiſe is a true one, and truth is that which marvellouſly pleaſeth the underſtanding: as a mans palate taſtes meat, ſo the underſtanding taſtes words. There is nothing ſo pleaſing to the underſtanding, as the truth of God. Now of all truth, there is none like the truth of a promiſe; therefore the evidence of it doth cleere the judgement, and the certainty of it, doth eſtabliſh the judgement of a poore ſinner, Eph. 1.13.

2The promiſe of God is a good word, Heb. 6.5. therefore as the truth of the Goſpell fils the underſtanding; ſo there is a goodneſſe in the promiſe of grace and mercy, which will anſwer all, and ſatisfie all the faculties of the ſoule, as in the good word of the Lord: mercy is a proper object of hope, that it may be ſuſtained; a proper object of deſire, that it may be ſupported; there is a proper object for a mans love and delight, that they may be cheered: nay, there is a full ſatisfactory ſufficiency of all good in the Goſpell, that ſo the will of a man may take full repoſe and reſt therein. Therefore the Lord ſaith, Come unto me, all that are weary and heavy laden: come hope, and deſire, and love, and will, and heart; they anſwer, We come: p. 62all the mind ſaith, Let me know this mercy above all, and deſire to know nothing but Chriſt and him crucified: let mee expect this mercy, ſaith hope, that belongs to me, and will befall me: deſire ſaith, Let me long after it; nay, ſaith love, let me embrace and welcome it: let me delight in it (ſaith joy) nay, ſaith the heart, let me lay hold on the handle of ſalvation, here we will live, and here we will dye at the footſtoole of Gods mercy: thus all goe; minde, hope, deſire, love, joy, the will, and all lay hold upon the promiſe, and ſay, Let us make the promiſe a prey, let us prey upon mercy, as the wilde beaſts doe upon their proviſion. Thus the faculties of the ſoule hunt and purſue this mercy, and lay hold thereupon, and ſatisfie themſelves herein. Hence wee will raiſe theſe two points.

Doct. 1 That the word of the Goſpell, and the word of the Spirit goe both together; this is grounded in the Text, they muſt firſt heare, then learne, heare the Goſpell, and learne by the Spirit.

Doct. 2 That Gods Spirit gives ſpeciall notice of Gods acceptance to an enlightned ſoule, and that is the firſt voice of the Spirit to the underſtanding. Now to the firſt doctrine.

Doct. 1 The word of the Goſpell and the worke of the Spirit alwayes goe together; the point is grounded in the Text, after this manner: they muſt firſt heare, then learne; heare by the word, and learne by the Spirit. The hearing of the Goſpell without the Spirit, is nothing elſe but a beating of the ayre, and a dead letter. It is true, the Lord p. 63can worke above meanes: we know alſo God can appoint other meanes for to call the ſoule, but it is not our meaning, we muſt not looke for revelations and dreames, as a company of phantaſticall braines doe; but in common courſe Gods Spirit goes with the Goſpell, and that is the ordinary meanes whereby the ſoule comes to be called. God can make the ayre nouriſh a man, but he doth not. If a man ſhould expect to be fed by miracle, hee himſelfe would be a miracle; Gal. 3.2. for there goes a ſpirituall power with it, it raiſeth the dead in ſinne to life; it is a living word, and the word diſcovers alſo the ſecrets of mens thoughts. Now that word which raiſeth the dead, and diſcovers the ſecrets of mens hearts, it muſt needs have a marvellous power with it, and accompanying of it.

For the opening of it, obſerve two things: firſt, the manner; ſecondly, the reaſons.

Point. 1 After what manner doth the word and Spirit goe together? and you muſt know, I do not mean that the Spirit is in the word, no otherwiſe than in all other things, but in a more ſpeciall manner, and that conceive in three things.

Firſt, the Lord hath ordained and ſet apart the preaching of the word, hee hath ſanctified it, and ſet it apart to call the ſoule. Looke as it is with the brazen Serpent, God appointed it to heale thoſe that were ſtung now if 500. men ſhould have made another Serpent, it could not have healed one man, though they had lookt their eyes out of their heads: So it is with the Goſpell, there is no p. 60duplicate page p. 61duplicate page p. 64other uſuall meanes to call the ſoule: Hence it is caſted the word of the Goſpell. Now if five hundred men make five hundred Goſpels beſides this, they could never convert, or comfort one ſoule. Or as it is with a mint, if a mint maſter coyne money, it will goe currant; but if twenty other coine money, though the ſtampe were as good, yet it is but counterfeit coine: ſo it is here. 1 Cor. 1.21. Let a man ſtudy all the arts and tongues that can be deviſed, he never ſhall, nay hee never can, know one drop of Gods mercy and goodneſſe in Chriſt. Why but how then may a man know it? ſaith the Text, by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, that is, wicked men count it fooliſhneſſe.

2The Lord doth appropriate the ſaving worke of his Spirit to goe with the ordinance; not that God is tyed to any meanes, but he tyeth himſelfe to this meanes. Why doth not aire nouriſh all, as well as meat? becauſe onelyonly God hath ſet meat apart for this purpoſe. Hence this Goſpell is called the power of God to ſalvation, becauſe the power of God ordinarily, and in common courſe appears therein: the waters of life and ſalvation run only in the chanell of the Goſpell. There are golden mines of grace, but they are onelyonly to be found in the climates of the Goſpell. Nay, obſerve this, when all arguments prevaile not with corruption, to perſwade the heart to goe to God, one Text of Scripture will ſtand a man in ſtead, above all humane learning and inventions, becauſe the Spirit goes forth in this, and none elſe.

God doth undoubtedly, as he will, when he will, p. 65and how he will, give ſucceſſe to his ordinance. Iſay 55.10, 11. The word of the Lord doth ever accompliſh that for which it is ſent. For, it is true, many a man is called after the word is delivered a long time. Why is that? it ſokes into the ſoule, as the ſnow in December ſokes into the earth, but the fruit of it is not ſeene untill May. The word is a ſavour of life unto life, it is a living ſavour of death to death, it is a poiſon, a deadly ſavour; and though it hardens ſome, yet the worke goes forward.

Reaſon. 1 Becauſe the Lord would not have any careleſſe of his owne glorie, and our good: as he will humble the ſoule, that he may doe good to it, ſo hee will make him uſe the meanes. If a gentleman ſhould go after a begger with an almes, how proud would he be, and rather thinke himſelfe a maſter than a begger? So, if God ſhould follow us with mercy, we would rather goe from him: but he hath laid mercy in the myne of the Goſpell, that wee may dig for comfort in the ciſterne of the Goſpell, that we may draw all our conſolation from thence.

Reaſon. 2 Becauſe may not be cozened by our owne fancies, the Lord to prevent all inconveniences and conceits of Eatoniſts and Familiſts, that thinke they have the power of the Spirit in themſelves, whereas Gods Spirit goes alwaies with the word. 1 Iohn 4.1. Every Miniſter preaches with a ſpirit; ſome out of the ſpirit of envie, ſome out of the ſpirit of ſinceritie: ſome heares out of the ſpirit of love, ſome with the ſpirit of malice, to carpe at the Miniſter: try therefore the ſpirits, and if they hold not with the word, they are naught.

p. 66Reaſon. 3 That we may be watchfull and carefull, leſt we loſe the comfort that we have: lightly come, lightly goe, got with little paine, loſt with leſſe care; therefore the Lord will make us ſeeke unto the meanes.

Vſe. 1 Inſtruction: to teach us the worth of the Goſpel above all other things in the world, for it is accompanied with the Spirit, and it brings ſalvation with it. What if a man had all the wealth, what if hee had all the policie in the world, and wanted this? hee were but a foole. What if one were able to dive deepe into the ſecrets of nature, to know the motions of ſtarres, and yet know nothing belongs to his peace, what availes it? what if a man could ſpeak with the tongues of men and Angels, yet without this, he is a novice in knowledge. Why doe we value a myne, but becauſe of the gold in it? and the cabinet, but becauſe of the pearle in it? oh this is that pearle wee ſell all for, 2 Cor. 2.1, 2.

Vſe. 2 For triall: a man may know whether we have a ſpirituall heart or no: Iudg. 19. he that hath not the Spirit, is a fleſhly ſenſuall man. Wouldeſt thou know whether thou art carnall or ſpirituall? this doctrine tells thee. How came the Spirit? If thou haſt it, it ever came with the Goſpell: therfore ſee now how thy ſoule ſtands affected with the Goſpell, and ſo it ſtands affected to the Spirit. If thou wilt none of the Goſpell, thou wilt miſſe of the Spirit, then Chriſt will none of thee. Now reaſon with your owne ſoules, Why, unleſſe I take the Spirit, woe be to mee, I may owne my ſelfe, p. 67Chriſt will never owne me. Is it ſo, that I will not ſuffer the word to prevaile with mee? remember the time will come that you muſt dye as well as your neighbours, and then you will ſay, Lord Jeſus forgive my ſins, Lord Jeſus receive my ſoule: then Chriſt will ſay, Away, be gone, you are none of mine, I know you not. Any man, whether noble or honourable, let him be what he will be, and let his parts be what they will, if he hath not the Spirit, hee is none of Chriſts: his you are to whom you obey; but pride and covetouſneſſe you obey, and malice and ſpleene you obey, you are therefore none of Chriſts. Pride will ſay, This heart is mine, Lord, I have domineered over it, and I will torment it: Corruptions will ſay, Wee have owned this ſoule, and wee will damne it. You that heretofore have made a tuſh at the word, this wind ſhakes no corne, and theſe words breake no bones: thinke what you have done; little do you think you have oppoſed the Spirit, Acts 7.5. what, reſiſt the Spirit? Oh thinke of this. Why, what ſhall I ſay? by what ſpirit wilt thou be ſanctified? by what ſpirit wilt thou be ſaved? Can thy owne ſpirit ſave thee? no, the Spirit of God muſt ſave thee; and have you reſiſted that Spirit? me thinks it is enough to ſinke any ſoule under heaven. Hereafter therefore thinke this with thy ſelfe, were hee but a man that ſpeakes, yet I ought not to deſpiſe him: but that is not all, there goeth Gods Spirit with the word, and ſhall I deſpiſe it? the Lord keepe me from this: there is but one ſtep betweene this and that unpardonable ſinne p. 68againſt the holy Ghoſt, onelyonly adding malice to thy rage; thou oppoſeſt thy Father, haply the Son mediates for thee; thou deſpiſeſt the Sonne, haply the holy Ghoſt pleads for the: but if thou oppoſeſt the Spirit, none can ſuccour thee, therefore looke to it.

Vſe. 3 Direction. Hence we may obſerve the ground why many of Gods faithfull people underſtand not that they have the Spirit of God, nor yet the increaſe of it; they looke not to the promiſe by which it is conveyed, but to corruption by which it is hindred; you liſten not to the verdict of the Goſpell.

Let every one ask this great queſtion, How may I know when the Spirit is in me? That you know it not, the fault is your owne; look into the word. It is with a poore ſoule, as with little children; the childe in the night being hungry, ſeekes for the dug, but if he doth not lay hold of it, he gets no good b… it; ſo thou haſt been a long time muſling about a dry chip, and haſt got no comfort. Be ſure therefore to lay hold upon the promiſe, hold it, and thy ſpirit ſhall be filled with marrow and fatneſſe. If there be marrow in a bone, thou muſt breake it before thou canſt get any out. So it is with the promiſes; they are full of ſweetneſſe, but you muſt chew them, breake them, and beſtow thy heart on them. An Alchimiſt that diſtils oyle, doth draw out the ſpirit of metalls, but it is by diſtillation: ſo it is with the promiſes, they are excellent metall, there is a great deale of comfort in them, but if you will have benefit by them, p. 69you muſt diſtill them by meditation.

Obt. I, but ſome ſoules may ſay, We have done thus often, but yet returne as emptie as before.

Anſw. I anſwer, You ſhould have ſtaid longer upon the promiſe, it muſt not bee at your carving and diſpoſing: in reaſon, a man muſt ſwallow his pills, and eat his cordials; but wee ſhould doe the contrarie, we ſhould chew the promiſes, and that is done by meditating on them: but we ſwallow the precious promiſes of Chriſt that ſhould comfort us, therefore chew them, if you deſire comfort, over and over againe; eat theſe daily, and you ſhall finde much comfort and conſolation therein, and benefit thereby.

Vſe. 4 Terrour: we may ſee the hopeleſſe condition of thoſe men that live under the Goſpell, and their hearts are not wrought upon them. If the Spirit of God, and the Goſpell of God, will not worke upon thee: if thou haſt the eye of a man about thee, thou maiſt ſee thy wofull and lamentable condition. If a bungling ſervant cannot tell how to hew a peece of wood for a building, it is no marvell; but if it be ſuch a peece, that the maſter Carpenter cannot make it fit for the building, then it is good for nothing but to be burned: So it is here with the ſoule, if the Spirit of God can doe thee no good, who can? if we, a companie of bunglers, cannot doe it, no marvell; but if our maſter Chriſt, if he takes a ſtubborne ſturdie heart in hand, and cannot doe it, it is fit to bee damned. Is not that man miſerably ignorant, that wiſedome it ſelfe cannot make wiſe? is not he ſicke of ſinne, p. 70whom the Goſpell cannot cure? 1 Cor. 4.3. I deſire thoſe whoſe conſcience to this day accuſe them that yet they are blinde, and thoſe that brave it out, and ſay, Shall I feare the face of a man? no, no, I ſcorne it; I beſeech you let me deale with you, doe not brave it out ſo, for it is the greateſt miſerie under the Sunne, for thou doſt as good as to ſay, thou wilt not have the word of God to worke upon thee. Iames 1.21. The word of God is able to ſave thee, and to ſanctifie thee, and art thou yet polluted and defiled? Oh, take heed of it, goe and be moue thy ſoule to the Lord, and ſay, Good Lord, ſuch a drunkard thou haſt met with, ſuch a proud heart thou haſt humbled, and ſuch a ſtubborne heart thou haſt pluckt upon his knees; and if drunkards be humbled, if the ignorant be inſtructed, then what a curſed heart have I, that was looſe and vile, and baſe and profane before, and ſo I am now. I tell thee, what can you thinke of your ſelves? if the Spirit goe with the word, and thou mocke at it, thy condition is lamentable.

Vſe 5 Exhortation: Then you are to be intreated, in the bowels of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, when ever you heare the word of the Lord, and the Goſpell of God, you muſt come trembling, and ſubmit to that good word, Exod. 23. When ever the word of the Lord is revealed, the Spirit of God, bleſſed for ever, is there accompanying of it, therefore good reaſon the creature ſhould ſubmit to the Creator. Wee ſpeake not a word for our ſelves, we preach the good word of the Lord; and how ever our ſelves have ſpoken this, if you oppoſe it, p. 71know it, that it is the Lords word: therefore when you heare the word, doe what you will with us, onelyonly ſubmit to the word of the Lord; doe what you pleaſe with us (as Ieremy ſaith) onelyonly embrace the word of the Lord. It is Gods word, therefore take heed of oppoſing and gainſaying it, labour to awe your ſoules, to ſettle all diſtempers, wipe out all carping and cavilling at the word, as they preſſe in upon thee.

Obt. But how ſhall we bring our ſoules to doe this?

Anſw. By conſidering theſe two or three meanes.

1Labour not onelyonly to have thy ſoule convicted, that the holy Ghoſt is there accompanying the word, as it doth, (or elſe how could it reveale thy ſinnes?) but alſo perſwade thy heart that it is ſo, apprehend the power of the Spirit of God; for as we apprehend the Spirit of the Lord to be in the word, ſo much the word will worke upon thee; as it was with the Iſraelites, 1 Sam. 8.19. compared with 1 Sam. 12.18. What is the reaſon they do ſo at the one, and not at the other? why, did they feare the one more than the other? becauſe they apprehended God to be in the one, and not in the other.

2Confeſſe and know, that not one word of God ſhall fall to the ground: there thou haſt heard, if a man did heare thunder, and knew it would fall upon him, it would awe him. The word of the Lord is as thunder from heaven, it is not the word of man, but of God; then conſider, ſhall not the word faile? then the word that God hath ſpoken ſhall fall upon me.

p. 723Conſider, that when judgement hits, it is irrecoverable. If a man knew, that although judgement came, it would not hit him, if it did hit him, he might recover, this would comfort him a little; but if thou doſt not ſtoope, it will hit, and that irrecoverably; therefore labour to tremble at Gods word.

We come now to ſee how the Lord workes upon the ſoule. Firſt, he lets a light into the minde, for what the eye never ſeeth, the heart never deſireth, hope never expects, that joy never delights in, that the ſoule never embraceth; but the ſoule hangs a farre off, and dares not beleeve that Chriſt will have mercy upon him; God is a juſt God, and he a vile ſinner, therefore God will never caſt the eye of pitie and compaſſion upon him, therefore the Spirit lets in a light into his heart, and diſcovers unto him, that God will deale graciouſly with him, and doe good unto him.

Doct. 1 Hence, That the Spirit of the Lord gives ſpeciall notice of Gods acceptance to the ſoule truly humbled. MercieMercy is generally propounded to the ſoule in the Goſpell, but there is a ſpeciall bringing home of mercy to the ſoule by the Spirit, that hee ſtrikes through the bargaine. There is many a chapman paſſeth by the ſtall, and ſeeth the meat, and the commodity lye, that is tendred him, and followes him home to his houſe, if he purpoſe to ſell: ſo it is not enough to tender mercy, and offer grace and ſalvation by the Goſpell, for this wee often doe, and you will not once looke at them, but caſt them away, and no man buyeth them; but if the Spirit p. 73of God takes them in hand, he will ſtrike the bargaine through, hee will follow thee home to thy houſe, to thy cloſet, to thy heart, hee will wooe thee, be thou never ſo coy, be thou never ſo ſtubborne, be thou never ſo wayward, the Lord will bring thee to give entertainment to the Lord Jeſus, and to Gods mercy, in and through him, 1 Iohn 5.20. as if he had ſaid, A man of himſelfe hath no minde, no underſtanding to conceive of the Lord Jeſus, and of the freeneſſe of Gods mercy in Chriſt, but Chriſt hath given us this minde, he hath given an eye to the ſoule of a ſinner, ſo that hee cannot but take notice of the councell holden in the high Court of Parliament, concerning his ſalvation. It is with a ſinner, as it is with a man that ſits in darkneſſe, haply he ſeeth a light in the ſtreet out of a window, but he ſits ſtill in darkneſſe, and is in the dungeon all the while, and thinkes, how good were it, if a man might enjoy that light: So many a poore humble-hearted broken ſinner, ſeeth and hath an inkling of Gods mercies, he heareth the Saints ſpeake of Gods love, and his goodneſſe, and compaſſion; ah, thinkes he, how happy are they, bleſſed are they, what an excellent condition are they in! but he is in darkneſſe ſtill, and never had a drop of mercy vouchſafed unto him: at laſt the Lord ſets a light in his houſe, and puts the candle into his owne hand, and makes him ſee by particular evidence, thou ſhalt bee pardoned, and thou ſhalt be ſaved: this is particular notice.

For the opening of the point, obſerve two things:

p. 741. The manner how the Spirit doth it.

2. The reaſons why the Spirit onelyonly can do it.

For the firſt, the manner of the Spirits worke, how the Lord doth give this notice, and how the candle comes to bee lighted, and the glimpſe of Gods mercy comes in, as by ſo many cranies into the ſoule, it is diſcerned in three paſſages.

Paſſage. 1 The Spirit of the Lord meeting with an humble, broken, lowly, ſelfe-denying ſinner, for of him I ſpeake: hee that is a proud ſtout hearted wretch, God give him notice of his mercy? no, God will give him notice of ſomething elſe, he ſhall have notice of judgements & hell fire: let him have that which belongs unto him, Iudgement to whom judgement belongeth: but I ſpeake of an humbled ſinner, through which he may be enabled, and by which he may be fitted to entertaine the things of God. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God, neither can he; why? becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. So that there muſt be a ſpirituall light in him, before the ſoule can ſee ſpirituall things without, 1 Cor. 2.12. Wee have not received the ſpirit of the world, which is the ſpirit of ignorance and darkneſſe, that poſſeſſeth all the world: the world lyeth in darkneſſe and in ſinne; there is the ſpirit of the Devill and terrour in the mindes of wicked men; but you have not received the ſpirit of the world to delude you and blinde you, but you have received the Spirit of the Lord; as who ſhould ſay, No man doth, no man can know the things of Gods free grace, rich mercy, boundleſſe compaſſion in the Lord. No man can p. 75ſee theſe colours, unleſſe he hath a ſpirituall eye, Revel. 3.18. No (ſaith God) ye are blinde, &c. but I counſell thee to buy of me eye-ſalve, that thou maiſt ſee: and now the humbled ſinner begins to ſee, like the man in the Goſpell, ſome light and glimmering about his underſtanding, that he can look into and diſcerne the ſpirituall things of God.

Paſſage. 2 Then the Lord layes before him all the riches of the treaſures of his grace, the Spirit brings out of the ſtore houſe, out of the boſome of God the Father, thoſe tender mercies and compaſſions, which never yet ſaw the Sunne, which neither men nor Angels ever dreamed of, and the Spirit doth communicate them to thoſe that God hath let the ſpirituall light into: Epheſ. 3.9. there they are called the unſearchable riches of God, and it is a very ſignificant phraſe, and the word implies ſuch riches, as a man can never ſee a foot-ſtep of them. God now doth as ſome Trades-men doe, he hath a deale of wares in his ſtore-houſe, but the buyer and paſſenger ſeeth not thoſe, but only them that are ſet out upon the ſtall: ſo it is with the Lord Jeſus; hee doth preſent unto the view of the underſtanding of the mind enlightned, all thoſe conceivable incomprehenſible treaſures of his mercy in the Lord Jeſus. If a man have no eye, hee cannot ſee; if hee have an eye, and have no object, nor colours before him, hee cannot ſee; firſt therefore the Lord gives an eye to the humbled heart; and when hee hath given him an eye, then hee layes colours before him, that hee may ſee and looke, and fall in love with the treaſures p. 76of mercy and compaſſion, 2 Cor. 3. the foure laſt verſes, the Text ſaith, The vaile of blindneſſe is taken from our minds, and then the faithfull Soule beholds, as in a glaſſe, all the grace and mercy, and compaſſion that God layeth before him in Chriſt; the humbled ſinner hath now gotten an eye, and ſome ſpirituall eye-ſight, that the Lord hath brought within his view, all the riches and treaſures of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: and the Soule ſaith, oh, that mercy, and grace, and pardon were mine: Oh, that my ſinnes were done away. The Lord ſaith, I will refreſh them that are heavy laden: Oh, that I had that refreſhing, ſaith the Soule; You ſhall have reſt, ſaith God: Oh, that I had reſt too, ſaith the ſoule: Now the Soule beginneth to looke after the merciemercy and compaſſion which is laid before it.

Paſſage. 3 The Spirit of the Lord doth witneſſe or certifie, throughly and effectually to the Soule, that this mercy belongs to him: that is the upſhot of the notice God gives to the Soule.

The third ſtroke of the Spirit, ſtrikes through the bargaine, and makes the underſtanding cloſe with that grace and mercy, ſet forth unto it; and without this the Soule of an humble broken hearted ſinner hath no ground to goe upon. Beleeving in Scripture is called comming. Now no man can goe without ſome ground; now this is the ground, without which the Soule hath no bottome to beare it up, either to come to Chriſt, or perſwade it ſelfe of mercy in Chriſt. What good doth it doe any hungry ſtomacke, to heare p. 77that there is a great deale of cheere, and dainties provided for ſuch and ſuch men; what is it to him, if he have them not? Take a begger that hath a thouſand pound told before him; hee may apprehend the ſumme of ſo much gold, and ſo much ſilver; but what is that all to mee, ſaith he, if in the meane time I die and ſtarve? It falls out in this caſe with a broken hearted ſinner, as with a prodigall childe; the prodigall he hath ſpent his meanes, and abuſed his Father; the prodigall hath now much need, the famine is in the land, and poverty is befalne him, and hee knowes there was meat enough, and cloaths enough in his Fathers houſe; but alas hee can expect no kindneſſe from his Father, but only his heavy diſpleaſure: if any man ſhould ſay, goe to your Father, hee will give you a portion of a hundred pounds againe; doe you thinke the prodigall would beleeve this? no, no, he would anſwer thus; haply my Father will impriſon mee, or ſend a Sergeant to arreſt mee, or an executioner to take away my life; it is my Father that I have offended, my portion I have ſpent, and his anger I have incenſed; and what, will hee receive mee? no, I will never beleeve it. Indeed, had I beene a good huſband, I might have had his favour, and increaſed my eſtate, but I have loſt his favour, my owne eſtate, patrimony and all: but if a man ſhould come and tell him now, that he heard his Father ſay ſo, and bring a certificate under his Fathers hand that it was ſo, this would draw him into ſome hope, that his Father meant well towards p. 78him; ſo it is with the ſinner, when he is apprehenſive of all his rebellions, that hee hath heaped up againſt Gods mercy, and ſpirit and grace, by his declining from the truth: If a man ſhould tell ſuch a ſoule; goe to God, he will give you a penſion of a hundred thouſand pounds a yeere, that is, hee will give you abundance of mercy and compaſſion, the Soule cannot beleeve it, but thinkes; what I mercy? no, no, bleſſed are they that walke humbly before God, and conforme their lives anſwerable to Gods word, let them take it, but the truth is, it is mercy I have oppoſed, it is grace that I have rejected, no mercy, no grace for mee; you cannot wooe the ſoule to be perſwaded, for to thinke that there is mercy for him. But if God ſend a meſſenger from heaven, or if under the hand of his ſpirit, that hee doth accept of him, and will doe good to him, and paſſe by all former ſinnes, and ſhew favour to him; this makes the ſoule grow into ſome hope, this is the ground whereupon the ſoule goeth to the Lord. This the Lord performeth to the ſoule. That which David prayes for, Pſalm. 35.3. the Prophet was not contented that there was ſalvation in Gods hand, hee knew that God had a world of mercy, and ſalvation, and pardon lying by him; but David prayes to God, Say unto my ſoule, thou art my ſalvation, teſtifie it, ſpeake it home, Lord, once more plainly, effectually and ſenſibly, there is ſalvation with thee. Paul was ſaved, and Abraham was ſaved; but what is that to mee? ſay unto my ſoule, thy ſinnes ſhall be pardoned, thine iniquities p. 79ſhall be forgiven, thy perſon accepted.

Queſt. But now the queſtion growes on; But how ſhall a man diſcover this teſtification, and this witneſſing of the ſpirit, to the heart of a humble broken hearted ſinner, that theſe things are ſo?

Anſw. This third worke of the ſpirit makes knowne it ſelfe in three particulars:

Partic. 1 The ſpirit doth evidence to the ſoule, broken and humbled, That the ſoule hath an intereſt in this mercy, that it was appointed for it, and he hath to meddle with it; in reaſon, we may obſerve that a witneſſe in a cauſe doth marvellouſly cleare it, if he be wiſe and judicious; and the thing that before was doubtfull, comes now to be apparant: as now in a point of Law, two men contend for land; now if an ancient wiſe man of ſome place, is called before the Judge at the Aſſiſes, and hee beares witneſſe upon his knowledge, that ſuch Lands have beene in the poſſeſſion of ſuch a generation or family, for the ſpace of many yeares; this is a ſpeciall teſtification, that this man being of that generation, he hath intereſt to theſe lands: So it is with the witneſſe of Gods Spirit, there is a controverſie betweene Satan and the ſoule, the ſoule ſaith, oh, that grace and compaſſion might be beſtowed on mee; why, (ſaith Satan) doſt thou conceive of any mercy, or grace and Salvation? marke thy rebellions againſt thy Saviour, marke the wretched diſtempers of thy heart, and the filthy abhominations of thy life: doſt thou thinke of mercy? Here is the controverſie, whether an humble ſinner hath title to, or intereſt in the p. 80mercy of God? Now the Spirit of God comming in, that caſts the cauſe and makes it evident, if ſuch a poore heart have intereſt, and may meddle and make challenge to mercy and ſalvation, becauſe it hath beene prepared for them, from the beginning of the world to this very day. Now this gives a light into the buſineſſe, & the evidence is ſure, that this man hath title to all the riches and compaſſion of the Lord Jeſus; Acts. 2.39. Every poore creature thinkes, that God thinkes ſo of him, as hee thinkes of himſelfe; and hee thinkes God intends marvellous grievous things againſt him; and if there be any judgement denounced, or any plague revealed, the ſoule ſits and ſincks, and thinkes with himſelfe thus; I wretch, the Lord ſpake to mee and intended mee; the Lord threatned mee, and denounced judgement againſt mee; and one day he will bring all theſe plagues upon mee, all ſhall be made good upon this wretched heart of mine one day, whereas the Spirit of the Lord judgeth otherwiſe, and God meanes well towards him, and intends good to all you that have beene broken for your ſins, and there is witneſſe of it in heaven, and it ſhall be made good to your owne conſciences, Chriſt came not to call the righteous, but ſinners, broken, abaſed, vile, wretched, carnall ſinners: doe not thinke hee will keepe any old reckonings in minde; Chriſt came into the world, only to ſuccour ſinfull humbled wretches; hee only came to call ſinners, not your proud, haughty juſticiaries, that truſt in their owne performances, no but p. 81miſerable, vile, broken, abaſed ſinners; therefore now here is ſome ground, and light come in, that wee have to doe with mercy. Pſalm. 80.3. Cauſe thy face to ſhine upon mee. If a man be in a deepe darke dungeon, he cannot tell when it is light; hee may aske, is it light? but elſe hee cannot tell: But an humbled ſinner is like a man ſtanding full upon the Sunne riſing, this face of Gods mercy ſhines full upon him, the Lord lets in the inclination of his kindneſſe, and makes knowne the ſureneſſe of his favour in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; now the ſoule hath ſome apprehenſion that he hath to doe with mercy.

Partic. 2 The Spirit doth ratifie that intereſt as the ſoule now hath, as intended towards him, and prepared for him; hee makes it good to the heart, and eſtabliſheth it, and makes it ſure to the ſoule: This is the nature of a witneſſe, if it be ſufficient as the Lord provides, That in the mouth of two or three witneſſes, every word ſhall bee eſtabliſhed; ſo it is with the teſtimony, or teſtification of Gods Spirit, for the Spirit doth not beare witneſſe alone, but the Father from heaven, and the Sonne in heaven doth joyne witneſſe with the Spirit; and the court is in heaven where this controverſie muſt be ſcanned, and now the Spirit doth by witneſſe promiſe, that all this mercy ſhall be made good and given, & the humbled heart ſhall be made poſſeſſor thereof; hence it is that the ſoule comes to be deeply ſetled herein, for God cannot deny himſelfe, nor his promiſe; this is the maine ground and tenour, whereupon wee hold everlaſting p. 82happineſſe: you know in men of great eſtate, if their leaſe had beene naught, and their tenour falſe, this ſtaggers them deeply; therfore every man labours to make his tenour as good as hee can, thinke on it, the maintainer of all this good, that a Saint of God hath, all his hope of life and ſalvation, hangs upon the maine hold, the free promiſe of the Lord, the certaine faithfull promiſe of the Lord, in & through Jeſus Chriſt, by the teſtimony of the Spirit; you that are ſanctified by Chriſt, know nothing, unleſſe you know how to live by a promiſe in ſome meaſure: Now this promiſe is not only a bare word of God, and a bare intimation of ſome will and intendment of good, but it is a kind of ingagement, when the Lord doth lay his truth to pawne, here is good ſurety for a poore humbled ſoule, it ſhall undoubtedly be beſtowed upon him; he doth not only intend well unto him, hee doth not only prepare mercy for him, but now he ties & binds himſelfe, ſo that he cannot goe back; you ſee now, this is the bottome to beare up the truth, when the Lord doth pleaſe to ingage himſelfe to a broken hearted ſinner, that hee ſhall be made to beleeve, and made to live by his beleeving: I beſeech you take notice of it, this is the tenour and covenant of God with a broken ſinner; hee calls him graciouſly, and then promiſes to beſtow mercy upon him, 2. Cor. 6.18. Come out from among them; what then? what, ſhall I forſake all my old companions? ſhall I renounce all commodities that I have coveted? all the honour in the p. 83world which I have affected? Yes, ſaith the Lord, come out from them all, abandon them, loſe all riches, and be impoveriſhed, loſe all honour, and be abaſed; ah, but what ſhall wee get by it? why then, I will be your God, that is, I will ingage my ſelfe, and paſſe over the title of all my mercy, and goodneſſe, and compaſſion, and all that I have you ſhall have, all is yours; and what then? You ſhall bee my people; marke that, hee is obliged to a poore humbled heart; as if he had ſaid, I will be your God, and ſupply your wants, and work graciouſly for you: as it was with Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, ſo it muſt be with the faithfull ſervants of God, Gen. 12.3. Now what there is promiſed to Abraham, he promiſeth to all his children, to all the faithfull: it is thus with thee; that is thou muſt bid adue to thy country and friends, and though thou liveſt with thy Father, yet thou hateſt his baſe courſes, and though thou liveſt with thy friends, yet thou hateſt their wicked practices, and thou haſt forſaken thy god pride, and thy god covetouſneſſe, and thy god drunkenneſſe, and the like; thou knoweſt God will bleſſe thee, he hath bound himſelfe, and cannot goe backe, this is the ground of the ſpeech: 1 Iohn. 2.25. Eternall life is the thing there promiſed, but how can wee intitle ourſelves in this? the text ſaith, this is the promiſe he hath promiſed, that is, he did freely and frankly, and of himſelfe, and out of his owne good will, ingage himſelfe to give and beſtow this promiſe upon us; here is the root and ground of all his promiſe. This is the p. 84difference betweene the firſt and ſecond covenant; God did covenant with Adam, that he ſhould live upon the ground, that he ſhould doe: Now becauſe the covenant of eternall life depended upon doing, it was not certaine to him and his poſterity, but loſt it; but our eternall life dependeth upon the promiſe of God, and therefore it is ſure, becauſe God cannot faile, cannot change, his promiſe cannot be altred: if we obſerve the conditions, eternall life is ſure unto a broken hearted ſinner; hence come all thoſe phraſes in this kind, Wee are called children of the promiſe, what is that? why, the very promiſe of God makes us children; wee are begotten and made the Sonnes of God: he is called in Eſay, The everlaſting Father, hee hath begotten us by the word, and the ſeed of the promiſe which is ſowne in our hearts, by the vertue of the ſeed and the Spirit of grace, accompanying that ſeed, wee have power to receive Chriſt and the Spirit of Chriſt, and ſo to become the Sonnes of God. This is the reaſon of that phraſe in Scripture, We are not children of the fleſh, but of the promiſe; & alſo of this in Gal. 3. laſt verſe, We are made heires by the promiſe, it makes us heires; that is, looke whatever ground, or hope, or hold of eternall life, and glory, & bleſſedneſſe, you hold it by the vertue of the promiſe, all is by a promiſe, grace and goodneſſe is communicated to us by a promiſe, this is our life, and all our hold, therefore the Goſpell is made to be the teſtament of Jeſus Chriſt; as by ones laſt will and teſtament, a man leaves his goods and lands to his poſteritie, p. 85ſo the Lord Jeſus Chriſt out of his free good will, leaveth one legacie of merciemercy, and grace, and pardon, and ſtrength, to all humble broken hearted ſpirits, Galath. 3.15. though it be but a mans covenant, ſaith hee, when it is confirmed, no man doth abrogate it, but if a man ſeale it, and confirme it with his bloud, then it is fully eſtabliſhed; no man will, no man can diſanull it. So Chriſt leaves a Legacie of merciemercy to you, and of favour and compaſſion to all broken hearted ſinners by promiſe: and therefore it is eſtabliſhed, nay, it is the laſt promiſe, the laſt Legacie and Testament, therefore the promiſe no man can alter, Ioh. 1.14. He doth not leave peace then, as the world doth; they wiſh it, but cannot give it; they wiſh it, but cannot beſtow it: but Chriſt leaves a legacie of merciemercy and peace behind him, nay, he hath ratified it by his bloud, and he will make it good to the ſoule for ever.

Partic. 3 The witneſſe makes the ſoule yeeld unto what the ſpirit hath witneſſed: As the witneſſes in open court in a matter of law, they make the caſe cleare and evident; the Jury they take it, the Judge obſerves it, you all know how the caſe goes, the witneſſe ſufficient, &c. So when the witneſſe of Gods Spirit comes, bringing the hand of God the Father, and the hand of the Sonne, touching Gods acceptance, it caſts the cauſe clearely. Now this judgement of the ſinner yeelds, and cannot but cloſe, and ſubmit it ſelfe unto the truth; this is the meaning of that phraſe before the text, they ſhall be taught of God, they ſhall not only learne, p. 86but they ſhall be taught, they ſhall have their leſſon without booke, they ſhall be made to learne; and therefore the tenor of the covenant is this: I will write my Law in their inward parts, and they ſhall all know mee from the highest to the least: obſerve the 2 Pet. 1.3. it is a place of marvellous difficultie, (this I take to be the meaning) there is enough to ſatisfie any man, according to his divine power, he hath given unto us all things, that is, the Lord by his almighty divine power, hath given unto us all things, either appertaining to this preſent life here, or eternall life hereafter. But how comes this to paſſe that God doth this? the Text ſaith, It is through knowledge of him, that hath called us to glory and vertue; the word in the originall is, through their acknowledgement of him that hath called us. The ſoule doth not onelyonly barely know, that this is grace and mercy in Chriſt; the eye of the underſtanding is not only opened, but hee now comes to acknowledge the ſame, and ſubſcribeth thereby thereunto: God ſaith, I will ſave thy ſoule, I will be thy God; the ſoule ſaith, It is true, Lord, I will deny it no more, I will gain-ſay it no longer.

In a word then, gather up the point, if it be ſo, that the Spirit, by the witneſſe thereof, doth diſcover the intereſt we have in grace, if it doth ratifie the intereſt w^ch it doth diſcover; nay, if it makes the judgement yeeld to what it hath ratified, it certifies effectually and undeniably the truths of grace and mercy thus prepared and ratified to the ſoule, and the ſoule ſaith, I confeſſe it Lord, and cloſeth therewith.

p. 87Queſt. Why, may ſome ſay, if this bee ſo, how then comes it to paſſe, that many of Gods deare children, how comes it, that many humble hearted creatures never knew they were called, never had any ſpeciall intimation of Gods favour, they cannot ſay in truth, they are the Lords.

Anſw. I ſpeake of him that hath had the work of preparation fully and ſubſtantially upon his ſoule, I ſpeake this, that no ſcrambling hypocrite, nor ſinfull wretch, may come and ſcramble for comfort, and ſo goe away and deceive himſelfe in this kind, know therefore, for anſwer thereunto;

There is a double knowledge, the firſt is this:

A naked ſimple apprehenſion of a truth, a meere cloſure of a mans minde, with a naked plaine truth revealed, ſo that the judgement ſaith it is ſo.

Secondly, there is a reflecting act, when a man lookes over his underſtanding, and labours to diſcerne the worke thereof, not only apprehending what was laid before him, but when he doth apprehend that he doth apprehend, when he knowes that he doth know it, marke that place, for wee will carry Scripture with us, 1 Ioh. 2.3. Hereby we know, that we know him, ſaith the Text, if wee keepe his Commandements. A man may know a thing, and yet not know that he doth know: ſo then it is cleare, every Saint of God hath the firſt knowledge, that is, every man that is truly called in truth, doth apprehend, and undoubtedly cloſe with the worke of the Spirit, making knowne unto him the merciemercy of Chriſt; many may worke, p. 88and moſt men doe; the ſecond worke they doe not know that they know; the Scripture ſaith, that the Devill himſelfe rules in the hearts of the children of diſobedience, that is, he caſts in a ſeed of errour and deluſion, and corruption into the hearts of wicked men, and by his deluſions they entertaine thoſe errours, embrace baſe courſes. Now not one among a thouſand can ſay that the Devill doth thus, this is done by vertue of Satan, and yet he doth not ſee it; nay, there is a veile of Satan upon the ſoule, there is a ſeed of Satan in the ſoule, and the ſoule cloſeth with it, and yet hee apprehends it not; ſo every faithfull ſoule is ruled by Gods Spirit, and the ſeed of Gods Spirit is flung into his minde, and cloſeth therewith, but hee cannot diſcerne the worke of the Spirit working upon him, the one governed by Satan, the other enlightned by the Spirit, but neither can apprehend, nor know, what they doe know in this kinde.

Reaſ. 1 Becauſe onelyonly the Spirit of the Lord knowes the Lords minde, it is only privie to Gods counſels, and it only underſtands the ſecrets of Gods love, and therefore it only can reveale them and communicate them, Matth. 11.27. Now becauſe the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne, he can, nay he doth make knowne the Counſels of both, and ſo removes all objections, and cleares all cavils; it is a point of conſideration to you that are weake ones, ſatisfaction is by the meanes of Chriſt, the Sonne layeth downe the price, and doth ſatisfie, the Spirit doth certifie it p. 89unto the ſoule, that the Son hath ſatisfied for the neglect of what God ever required at our hands, and for the committing of what ever God hath forbidden; now the ſoule is fully ſatisfied: As for example; Take a creditor, to whom the debtor oweth money, haply the debtor is arreſted for his not paying the debt; the ſurety he comes and layes downe the debt: now the debtor is unacquainted with this, unleſſe there be a meſſenger that brings a certificat under the hand of the creditour that he is paid, and the ſurety hath diſcharged the debt, and hee is quitted; when he heares this, his heart is fully quieted: So here the Lord Jeſus is the Surety, the Father is the Creditour, our ſoules are the debt; now the Spirit of God he is the Meſſenger, and he brings under the hand of God, of God the Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, an acquittance to our ſoules, that what ever ſinnes wee have committed, are pardoned through Chriſt; and this fully contents the ſoule.

Marke, 1 Cor. 2.10. yea; the deepe things of God; as who ſhould ſay, how can you tell that Gods minde is towards us, and that hee will pardon? why, theſe are ſecrets; aye, but the Spirit of the Lord knowes, and ſearcheth the deepe things of God, that which eye never ſaw, that which the Angels in heaven cannot tell you, that w^ch all the men in the world cannot reveale unto you, without God be with them, that your names are written in the Booke of Life, you ſhall bee accepted, theſe are deepe things, but the Spirit reveales them: This is the firſt Reaſon, the Spirit onelyonly p. 90knowes the minde; therefore, it only can give notice thereof unto the ſoule.

Reaſ. 2 The Spirit only can break thorow al thoſe miſts, and clouds of ignorance and blindneſſe, that are in our minds, which oppoſe this worke; nay, it can beare downe all thoſe diſtempers and diſcouragements, which make us unfit, and unable to receive the evidence of Gods love and goodneſſe, in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; for theſe two things are in the heart of a ſinner, that marvellouſly oppoſe the evidence of Gods favour unto the ſoule.

Hindr. 1 That every man hath a veile of ignorance over his heart, 2 Cor. 3.15. Now the veile of ignorance no hand can rend it, none can remove it, but only the Spirit of God; The god of the world blindes the eyes of the wicked; why then it muſt be the Spirit of God, the Spirit of another world, I meane the Spirit of Chriſt that muſt open the eyes, and take away the veiles, and clouds, and miſts, that the god of the world caſts before the eye.