Three Treatises, Treatise 2 · Part 2

Three Treatises · Treatise 2 · Part 2

p. 320THE POLLVTION OF SINNE, AND VSE OF THE PROMISES.

2. COR. 7. 1.

Having therefore these Promises (dearely beloved) Let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, Perfecting holinesse in the feare of God.

HAving set forth the State, Guilt, and Power of Sinne, I shall now in the last place for the further opening the exceeding sinfulnesse thereof, discover the pollution and filthinesse which therefrom both the flesh and spirit▪ the Body and Soule doe contract.

The Apostle in the former chapter had exhorted the Corinthians to abstaine from all communion with Idolaters, and from all fellowship in their evill courses. Severall arguments he useth to enforce his exhortation. First p. 321from the Inequality of Christians and unbeleevers, Bee not yee unequally yoked with unbeleevers, v. 14. It hath a relation to the Law of Moses, which prohibited to plow with an Oxe and an… Asse, or to put into one yoke things disproportionable. Secondly, from their contrarietse, and by consequence uncommunicablenesse to each other, there is as everlasting and unreconciliable an hatred betweene Christ and Be…al, righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse, as betweene light and darknesse, ver. 14. 15. Thirdly, from those pretious and excellent Promises which are made to Christians, they are the Temples of God, his people, and peculiar inheritance, h… is their Father, and they his Sonnes and daughters, ver. 16, 17, 18. And there are many reasons in this one argument drawn from the Promises to inferre the Apostles conclusion. First, by that unction and consecration whereby they are made Temples unto God▪ they are separated from profane Discamus ex h…c p…rte sanctam superb…am, …ctamus nos esse … m…liores. H…erom▪ Ep. Psal 4. 3.Ps 4:3uses▪ designed to Divine and more noble imployments, sealed and set apart for God himselfe, and therefore they must not be profaned by the uncleane touch of evill society. Secondly by being Gods Temples, they are l…fted to a new station, the eyes of men and Angels are upon them, they offend the weake, they blemish and deface their Christian reputation, they justifie, comfort, encourage, settle the wicked in their sinfull courses, by a deepe pollicie of the deceitfull heart of man, apt to build u…grounded presumptions of safety to it s…lfe, by the fellowship of such whom it conceives to be in a good condition. Thirdly, they involve themselves in the common calamities with those with whom they communicate. It Israel had not separated themselves from▪ Egypt by the blood of the Paschall Lambe, but h…d communicated with them in their idolat…y, they should have felt the sword of the destroying▪Angell in their houses, as well as the Egyptians. If upon hostility betweene nations, warningGr…g. Tho…s. de Rep…b. lib. … 1. be given by an adversary to all strangers to voyde p. 322the place which he commeth against, and they take not the summons; though of themselves they bee no way engaged upon the quarrell, yet being promiscuously mingled with the conquer'd people, they also shall share in the common calamity, and become captives with the rest: so good men by communion with the wicked, are involved in the generall miseries of those with whom they communicate. Fourthly, they betray the safety and tranquillitie of the Church and state wherein they live; for they under Christ are the foundations of the common wealth, their prayers establish the Princes throne, their cryes hold God fast and will not let him alone, to destroy a people. If the Salt bee infatuated, every thing must be unsavoury, if the foundations faile, what can the people doe?

Now lastly, in the words of the Text the Apostle shewes the aptnesse of the promises to clense and purifie, and that therefore they to whom they are made do misimploy and neglect them, if they purifie not themselves from all that filthynesse of flesh and spirit which by communion with the wicked they were apt easily to contract.

I shall not trouble you with any division of the words, but observe out of them the point I have proposed, Touching the pollution and filthinesse of sinne,▪ and inferre other things in the Text by way of corolarie and application unto that.

The wise man saith That God made all things beautifull in their time, and then much more man, whom hee created after his owne Image in righteousnesse and holynesse with an universall harmony & rectitude in soule and body. Hee never said of any of the Crea…ures, Let u… make it after our o…ne Image as he did of Man, and yet the Creatures have no more beautie in them, then th…y have footesteps of the power, wisedome, and goodnesse of him that made them. How much more beautifull p. 323then was the soule of man, for whose service this whole glorious frame was erected, and who was filled with the knowledge and love of all Gods revealed Will? Now sinne brought confusion, disorder, vanity, both upon the whole Creation, and upon the Image of God in Men and Angels. What thing more glorious then an Angell, what more hideous then a Devill, and it was nothing but sinne which made an Angell a Divell. What thing more beautifull and benigne then Heaven, what more horrid and mercilesse then Hell, and yet it was sin which drew a**G…henna de coelo. Salvian. foreign. Chrys…in Rom. 1. Ho…. 4.Rom 1 Hell out of Heaven, even fire and brimstone upon Gods enemies. What more excellent and befitting the hands of such a workman then an universall fulnesse and goodnesse in the whole frame of nature? What more base and unserviceable then emptinesse and disorder? And it is sinne which hath put chinkes into all the Creatures to let out their vertue, and hath brought vanitie and vexation of Spirit upon all things under the Sunne. In one word what more honourable then to obtaine the end for which a thing is made? What more abhorrid then to subsist in a condition infinitely more wofull then not to be? and it is sin only which shall one time or other make all impenitent sinners wish rather to bee hurried into that fearefull gulfe of annihilation, and to be swallowed up in everlasting forgetfulnesse, then live with those markes of vengeance, under those mountainous and unsupportable pressures, which their sinnes will bring upon them.

When we looke into the Scriptures to finde out there the resemblances of sinne, wee finde it compar'd to the most loath some of things. To the blood and pollution of a new borne childe, before it bee cut, washed, salted, or swadled▪ Ezek. 16. 6. To the rottennesse of a man in his Grave, The whole world lieth in mischiefe and sinne, 1. Ioh. 5. 19. even as a dead man in the slime, and rottennesse of his Grave. To that noysome steame and poysonous exhalation p. 324which breath▪s from the mouth of an open sepulcher, their throat is an open sepulcher▪ Ro…. 3. 13. that is, out of their throate proceedeth nothing but stinking and rotten communication, as the Apostle cals it. Eph. 4. 29. To the nature of Vipers, Swine, and Dogges, Luk. 3. 7.Phil▪ 3. 8. Rom …. …4. Iam. 3. 8. 1. Cor. 15. 65. Iam. 1. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 20▪Phil 3:8Jas 3:81 Cor 15:65Jas 1:212 Pet 2:20 2. Pet. 2. 20. To the dung or garbage, the poyson, sting, excrements, vomit of these filthy creatures; to a roote of bitternesse which defiloth many, Heb. 12▪ 15. to thorns and briers, which bring forth no other fruites but cu…ses, Heb. 6. 8. To the excrements of mettals, drosse, and reprobate silver, Ier. 6. 28. Ezek. 22 18. To the excrements of a boyling pot, a great scumme, Ezek. 24. 11. 12. To the worst of all diseases, sores, Esai. 1. 6. Rottennesse, 2. Tim. 3. 8. Gangrenes or leaprosies, 2. Tim. 2. 17. Plague and pestil…nee, 1. King. 8. 38. The menstruousnesse of a removed woman▪ Ezek. 36. 17. To a vessell in which there is no pleasure, which is but the modest expression of that draught into which nature emptieth it selfe, Hos. 8. 8. And which is the summe of all uncleannesse, sinne in the heart is compar'd to the fire of hell, Iam. 3. 6. So that the pure eyes of God doe loath to see, and his nostrils to smell it, Zach. 11. 8. Amos. 5. 21. It makes all those that have eyes open, and judgements rectified to abho…re it in ot…ers. The wicked is an abomination to the righteous, Prov. 29. 27. When desperate wretches poure out their o…thes and execr…tions against Heaven, scorne and persecute the Word of Grace. count it basenesse and cowardise not to dare to bee desperately wicked, then every true heart mournes for their pride, compassionates their misery, defies their solicitations, declines their companies and courses, even as most infectious, serpentine, and hellish exhalations which poison the ay…e, and putrifie the earth upon which they …reade. And when God gives a man eyes to looke inward, unridgeth the Conscience, unbo▪ welleth the heart, stirreth up by his Word the sinke which is in every mans bosome, makes him smell the p. 325carrion of his owne dead workes, the uncleannesse of his evill Conscience, the filthinesse of his Nature, every man is then constrained to abhorre himselfe, to be loathsome in his owne sight, and to stoppe his nose at the poyson of his owne sores, Ezek. 36. 31.

For the more particular discovery of this Truth, let us first looke upon the best workes of the best men. Though we say not that they are sins, and in naturarei culpable, as our adversaries charge us; yet so much evill doth adhere unto them by the mixture of our corruptions, by passing through our hands, as when sweete water passeth through a sinke, as that God might justly turne away his eyes from his owne Graces in us, not as his Graces, but as in us. It is true, the Spirituall off…rings andMal. 1▪ 10. Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. Prov. 15. 8.Mal 1:10Phil 4:18Heb 13:16Prov 15:8 sacrifices of the Saints, as they come from Gods Grace, are cleane and pure, a sweet savour, acceptable, well pleasing, and delightfull unto God. But yet as they come from us they have iniquitie in them, as not being done with that through and most exact conformitie to Gods Will, as his Iustice requires, and therefore if hee should enter into judgement, and marke what is done amisse, he might reject our Prayers, and throw backe the dung of our sacrifices into our faces, for abusing and defiling his Grace; For cursedis every one that continueth not in everything written in the Law to doe it. Cleane then and acceptable they are. First, comparatively in regard of wicked mens offerings, which are altogether uncleane. Secondly, by favor and acceptance, because God spareth us as a father his sonne that desires to please him. Thirdly, (which is the ground of all) by participation with Christ, Eph. 1. 6.Eph 1:6being perfum'd with his incense, being strained through his blood, being sanctified upon his Altar; When he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of gold, to purifie the sonnes of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, then shall they Mal. 3. 3, 4.Mal 3:3Mal 3:4off…r unto the Lord an off…ring in righteousnesse, then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusalem bee pleasant unto the p. 326Lord. But in it selfe ou… best righteousnesse is as a m…nstruous ragge. If God should lay righteousnesse to theEsai. 64▪ 6.Isa 64:6 line and judgement to the plummet, should take such exceptions as he justly might at the most holy action that any Saint can offer to him; If hee should shew the conscience how short it falls of that totall perfection which his pure eye requires, how many loose thoughts, how much deadnesse, wearinesse, irreverence, diffidence, vitiat…th o…r purest prayers; how many by ends, corrupt respects, ignorances, oversights, forgetfulnesse, worldly intermixtures deface and blemish our brightest actions; how much unbeliefe consists with the strongest faith; how many thornes, stones, birds, doe haunt and cover the best ground, the most honest and good heart to stifle and steale away the word from it; how many weedes doe mingle with the purest corne; how much ignorance in the sublimest judgements; how much vanitie in the severest and exactest mindes; how much loosenesse and digressions in the most sadde and composed thoughts; how many impertinencies and irregularities in the most bridled and restrained tongue; how much mispence of the seasons and opportunities of Grace in the most thrifty redemption of our time; how much want of Compassion and melting affections in our greatest almes; of love to the truth, and right acceptation of the beautifull … of peace in our largest contributions; how much selfeallowance and dispens…tion to iterate, and re…erate ou… smaller errors; if in these and a world of the like advantages God should be exact to marke what is done …, who were able to stand in his presence, or abide his comming? Say the papists what they will of merit of con…ignitie, commensurate to eternall life▪ and proportionable to the Iustice and …everest scrutinie of the most pure and jealous God▪ yet let the Conscience of the Holies… of them all bee summon'd to single out the most pure and merito…ious worke which he ever did, and with that to p. 327ioyne issue with Gods Iustice to perish or be saved according as that most perfect of all his workes shall appeare …ighteous or impure; and I dare presume none of them would let their salvation runne a hazard upon that triall. So then there is pollution by way of adherencie and contact in the h…st workes of the best men.

How much more then in the best workes of unregenerate men? Their sacrifices uncleane and abominable before God, being offered upon the Altar of a defiled conscience, Prov. 15. 8. Tit. 1. 15. Their prayers and solemne meeting …hatefull, loathsome▪ impious, Esai. 1▪ 13, 14, 15. For either they are but the howlings of …flicted men, that crie out for paine, but not out of love, Hos. 7. 14. or the babling of carelesse …nd secure men, that cry Lord, Lord, and mumble a few words without further notice, like Balaams As…e, Math. 7▪ 21. or the wishings and wouldings of inordinate men, that pray for their lusts and not for their soules, Iam 4. 3. Or lastly the bold and unwarranted intrusions of presumptuous men, who without respect to the Word, Promises, or Conditions of God▪ would hauehave merciemercy from him without grace, and forgivenesse of sinne without for saking of sinne. Their mercies are cruell mercies; their profession of religion but a forme of godlinesse, 2. Tim. 3. 5. All as I said before but the embalming of a carcasse, which abates nothing of the hideousnesse of it in the sight of God.

And now if the best workes of wicked men are so uncleane and full of filthinesse in Gods eyes, where then shall appeare their confessed sinnes? If their prayers and devotions stinke, how much more their oathes and execrations? If their sacrifices and that which they offer to God is vnclean, how uncleane is their sacriledge and that which they steale from him? If their mercies be cruell, how cruel their malice, murthers, br…beries, oppressions▪ If there be so much filthinesse in their profession, how much more in their persecution, in their reviling and scorning p. 328of the wayes of God? If their fastings and maceration be sinfull and not unto the Lord, Zach. 7. 5. What is their drunkennesse, their spuing and staggering, their clamors and uncleannesse, all their cursed complements and ceremonies of damnation?

O consider this all yee that have hitherto forgotten God! Remember that his eyes are purer then alwayes to behold iniquitie; Remember that his spirit will not alwaies strive with flesh! Admire his bottomlesse patience, which hath thus long suffered thee an uncleane vessel to pollute thy selfe and others, and forborne thee with more patience then thou could'st have done a Toade, or Serpent, then which notwithstanding in his sight thou art farre more uncleane: And Remember that his Patience is Salvation, and should lead thee to repentance! Consider, that the Law of the Lord is pure, and his feare cleane, and his holynesse beautifull, the garments with which he clotheth his Priests, garments of comelynesse and prayse, made for glory and beauty; he comes with fire and sope, with water and blood to heale our sores, to purge our uncleannesse. But now if there be lewdnesse in our filthinesse, obstinacie in our evill wayes; if it suffice us not to have thus long wrought the will of the Gentiles, let us with feare consider those wofull denunciations: Let him Revel. 22. 11. Hos. 4 13. Ezek. 24. 13.Rev 22:11Hos 4:13Ezek 24:13that is filthy be filthy still: Ephraim is ioyned to Idols let him alone: Because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not bee purged from thy sinnes any more, till I have caused my furie to rest upon thee.

We have considered the Quod s…, that sinne is full of filthinesse and pollution. I will but name the Quid …it, What this filthinesse is. It hath Two things belonging to the nature of it. First, a privation of the nitor or beauty Aquin▪ 1. 2. qu. …6. artic. 1.which the image of God brought into the soule with it. A difformity to the holinesse and brightnesse of the Law. The Law was both Holy and Good, not onelyonly the Rule but the beauty of our life and nature. So that as evill is p. 329a declination and swarving from the Law as a Rule, so it is sinne, and as it is a swarving from the Law as our beauty, so it is the staine and pollution of the soule. Secondly, it notes a positive foulenesse, an habituall (both naturall and contracted) defilednesse of minde and conscience, an introducing of the image of Satan, hideous markes of hellishnesse and deformity in the soule, body and conversation. Every desire, motion, and figment of the heart being nothing but the exhalations of an open sepulcher, the dampe and steame of a rotten soule.

Now in the last place let us see the Quale sit, those Evill Properties which accompanie this pollution. Foure woefull qualities belong unto it. First, it is a deepe pollution of a Crimson dye, of a skarlet tincture that will not weare out. Esai. 1. 18. Like the spots of a Leopard, or the blicknesse of an Ethiopian, which is not by way of accidentall or externall adherencie, but innate and contemper'd, belonging to the constitution. Ier. 13. 23. It is engraven upon their heart, written with an iron pen, and the claw of a diamond, and so fashion'd even in the very substance of the soule. Ier. 17. 1. It is an iniquitie marked, which cannot bee washed away with niter and much sope, no more then markes imprinted and incorporated in the substance of a vessell. Ier. 2. 22. The whole inundation and deluge of Noah could not wash it of from the earth, but it return'd againe. A showre of fire and brimstone from heaven hath not so clensed it out of the country of Sodome, but that the venome and plague of it doth still there appeare in a poisonous and stinking l…ke. The plague which came amongst the Israelites for the abominations of Baal Peor had not clensed the filthinesse all away, but many yeeres after the staine remained, Ios. 22. 17. Nay, the very flames of Hell shall not in all eternity be able to eate out the prints, or to fetch away the staines of the smallest sinnes from the nature of man. Nay, which is yet stronger then all this, p. 330though Grace be of it selfe apt to wipe out, and conquer sinne, yet that measure and portion of Grace which here the best receive, though it may shorten, weaken, abate, yet it doth not utterly roote …t out. Who can say I have made my heart cleane, I am free from my sinnes? The best of us have yet our sores running upon us, and stand i… neede of a garment to cover our pollutions.

Secondly, It is an universall pollution. I said unto thee when thou wast In thy bloud, live. We are by nature all overdrown'd and plung'd in the filthinesse of sinne. The Apostle here cals it filthinesse of flesh and spirit, to note the compasse of the staine of sinne. For notwithstanding some sinnes belong principally to the spirit, as pride, heresie, idolatry, superstition, &c. and others to the flesh, as drunkennesse, gluttonie, uncleannesse, &c. yet certaine it is that every sinne defiles both flesh and spirit, by theAdeo non sol… anima transigit v…tam, ut nec cog…atus, licet solos, licet no… ad effectum per … deductos, … a ….—…ine opere, & sine effect…, cog…atus, … Aclus. T…t …e …. carn…s cap. 14. reason of their mutuall dependencie in being and working, and of the contagious quality of sinne. Sinnes of the flesh soake and sinke and eate in to the bottome of the spirit, to drowne that with hardnesse, insensibility, errour, security, inconsideratenesse, contempt of God, &c. and the sinnes of the spirit breake out like plague sores into the flesh, pride into the eye, malice into the hand, heresie… to the tongue, superstition and idolatry into the knee, &c. the soule and body have so neere communion, that one can no more sinne al…e without the contagion of the other, then one wheele in an Engine move without the motion of the other.

Thirdly, it is a spreading pollution. A leprosie, a gangrene, a plague, that diffuseth poison and infection upon others. First, it spreades in a mans selfe. An evill lust will infect the thoughts, and they the desires, and they the words and actions, and they grow into habits and reflect backe againe upon the heart and conscience to harden and defile them. Secondly, this infection staies not in a mans selfe onelyonly, but runnes forth upon others, to leade p. 331and misguide them; we will certainely doe as we have done, We and our kings, our princes, and our fathers, in theIer. 44. 17.Jer 44:17 cities of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem. To drive and compell them; why compellest thou the Gentiles to live Gal 2. 14. Ezek. 16. 52. 54 2 Sam. 12. 14.Gal 2:14Ezek 16:52Ezek 16:542 Sam 12:14as doethe Iewes? To comfort and hearten them; Thou hast justified, and art a comfort to thy sisters Sodome and Samaria. To exasperate and enrage them; Thou hast given 1. King. 13. 18.1 Kgs 13:18occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. To deceive and seduce them, as the old Prophet of Bethel did theIer 9. 14.Jer 9:14 Prophet of the Lord by his lie. To teach and instruct them; the Israelites by their idolatry taught their children to walke after Baalim. And by how much the more authority over the persons of men, or emmencie of place, or reputation of piety any man hath, by so much the more spreading and infectious are his sinnes, being taken with the more trust and assurance. If a minister be loose and scandalous, a magistrate carelesse and rustie, a gentleman rude a…d uncleane, a man that professeth the power of godlinesse, unjust and worldly, strange it is how the lower and more ignorant ranke of men, who beleeve that surely such men as these are not by their places so farre from, or by their learning and studies so unacquainted with God as they, will be hereby strengthned in their deadly and formall courses. Thirdly (which is yet worse) the vory godly are apt to be infected by the sinnes of the wicked. It is not so strange to see a godly man misguided and seduc'd by the errours of others like himselfe, the estimation of whose persons may over-rule the opiniō of their actions, and so make a man take them upon trust from them. But that a Holy man should carch infection from the example of another who is in the gall of b…ternesse, is a thing that wonderfully sets f…th the corruption of our nature, and the contagion of sin…e. The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men, and were polluted, the people of Israel saw the Midianitish women and were ensnared. A Holy mans conversing with loose, carnall p. 332and formall men, diswonts him from the wayes of God, brings a deadnesse of spirit, and insensible decay of grace upon him secretly, and therefore the more dangerously conveyes a mediocritie and compliancie of Spirit with formes onelyonly of godlinesse and pharisaicall outsides, begets much dispensation and allowance in many errours, that he may keepe pace, and not seeme too austere, censorious, and ill conceited of the men whom hee walkes with. Therefore David would not suffer a wicked man to be in his presence, nor any wicked thing to be before his Psal. 101. 3.Ps 101:3eyes, lest it should cleave unto him. Take heede, saith the Apostle, lest any roote of bitternesse springing up trouble Heb. 12. 15.Heb 12:15you, and thereby many be defiled. Fourthly, it spreads not onelyonly upon men, but defiles and curses the good Creatures of God about us; It puts a leprosie into the stone in the Zach. 5. 4.Zech 5:4wall, and the beame in the house, barrennesse into the Ier. 12. 4.Jer 12:4earth, mourning into the Elements, consumption into the Rom 8. 20, 21. 2. Pet. 3. 10, 11.Rom 8:20Rom 8:212 Pet 3:102 Pet 3:11Beasts and Birds, bondage, vanitie, griefe, and at last combustion and dissolution upon the whole frame of nature.

Fourthly, it is a mortall & apoysonous pollution, the pollution of deadly sores, & putrifactions. I said unto thee in Ezek. 16. 6.Ezek 16:6thy blood live, yea I said unto thee in thy blood live. It notes that that estate wherein they were in their sinnes, was so deadly, that the cure of them was very difficult, it required the repetition of Gods power and merciemercy. If a childe new borne should lie exposed in its blood to the injurie of a cold ayre, not have the Navell cut, nor the body wrapp'd, or wash'd, or tended at all, how quickly would it be that from the wombe of the mother it would drop into the wombe of the Earth? The state of sinne is an estate of nakednesse, blood, impotencie, obnoxiousnesse to all the temptations and snares of Sathan, to all the darts of death and hell. The ancients compare it to falling into a pit full of dirt and stones, a man is not onelyonly polluted, but hee is bruized and wounded by it. To conclude, p. 333there is no deformity nor filthines extant which did not rise from sinne. It is sin which puts bondage into the Creature, which brings discords and deformities upon the face of Nature. It is sin which put devilishnesse into Angels of Heaven, and hurried them downe from their first habitation. It is sin which put a sting into death, without which though it kil yet it cannot curse. It is sin which puts fire into Hell, and supplies unto all eternitie the fuell & materials for those unextinguishable slames. It is sin which puts hell into the Conscience and armes a man with terrours and amazements against himselfe. It is sin which puts rottennes and dishonour into the grave; he that died without sin rose up without corruption. It is sinne which wrings out those clamors and grones of bruit creatures, which wrestle under the curse of Adams fall. It is sin which enrageth and maddeth one beast against another, and one man against another, & one nation against another. It is sin which brought shame and dishonor upon that nakednesse unto which all the Creatures in Paradise did owe awe and reverence. It is sin which turn'd Sodom into a stinking lake, and Ierusalem the glory of the Earth, into a desolation and haunt for Owles and Bitterns. It is sinne which so often staineth Heauen and Earth with the markes of Gods vengeance, and which will one day roule up in darkenesse, and devoute with fire, and reduce to its primitive confusion the whole frame of nature. It is sinne which puts horror into the Law, makes that which was at first a Law of life and liberty to be a Law of bondage and death, full of weaknesse, unprofitablenesse, hideousnesse, and curses. It is sinne which puts malignity and venome into the very Gospell, making it a savor of Death unto Death, that is, of another deeper death and sorer condemnation, which by trampling upon the blood of Christ wee draw upon our selves, unto that death under which wee lay before by the malediction of the Law. And lastly (which is the highest that can bee spoken of the ve…ome of …. p. 334It is sinne which, in a sort, and to speake after the manner of men, hath put hatred into God himselfe, hath moved the most mercifull, gratious and compassionate Creator, to hate the things which he made, and not to take pittie upon the workes of his hands. If God had look'd round about his owne workes, hee could have found nothing but Goodnesse in them, and theresore nothing but Love in himselfe. But when sinne came into the World, it made the Lord repent, and grieve, and hate, and destroy his owne workmanship.

And the consideration hereof should drive us all like Lepers and polluted wretches to that Fountaine in Israell which is opened for sinne and for uncleannesse, to buy of him white rayment that wee may be clothed, and the shame of our nakednesse may not appeare. For which purpose we must first finde out the pollution of sinne in our selves, and that is by using the Glasse of the Law, which was published of purpose to make sinne appeare exceeding sinfull. For as rectum is sui index & obliqui so purum is sui index & impuri, That which is right and pure is the measure and discovery of that which is crooked and impure. Now the Law is Right, Pure, Holy, l…st, Good, Lovely, Honourable, Cleane; and therefore very apt to discover the contrary affections and properties in sinne. And having gotten by the Law acquaintance with our selves, there is then fit place for the Apostles precept, To cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit. First the Lord discovered the preposterousnesse of Israels services unto him, when they came before him inEsai. 1. 15. 18.Isa 1:15Isa 1:18 their uncleannesse, and lifted up hands full of blood, and then comes the like precepts to the Apostles here, wash ye, make ye cleane, put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes, &c.

But can an uncleane thing cleanse it selfe? Can that which is intrinsecally, naturally, inherently uncleare purifie it selfe? It may pollute any thing which toucheth p. 335it, but how can it cease from that which belongs to its nature, or wipe out that which hath eaten in, and is marked in its very substance? It is true of our selves wee cannot cleanse our selves, It is Christs Office to SanctifieEzek. 16. 14.Ezek 16:14 his Church, and it is His comlynesse with which wee are adorned, without him we can doe nothing; but yet having Aug. De peccat. merit. & Remis. lib. 2. cap. 5.him we must wash our selves. For God worketh not upon men as a carver upon a stone when he would induce the shape and proportions of a man, but yet leaves it a stone still and no more; but as himselfe did worke upon Earth in Paradise when hee breath'd into it the Soule of man, and so made it a Living Creature. It is true a naturall man is as dead to grace as a stone is to naturall life, and therefore if onelyonly man should worke upon him hee would continue as dead still; but hee who of dead Earth made a living man, is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham, and the worke of conversion is a worke of vivification. Now then being quickned, we must walke Ezek. 11. 19, 20.Ezek 11:19Ezek 11:20and worke our selves. I will take away, saith the Lord, the sto…ie heart out of their flesh, and I will give them an heart of flesh, that they may walke in my statutes, &c. So then God commands us to cleanse our selves when yet it is his owne worke. First, to teach us that what he doth is not out of dutie or debt, but of Grace and Favour for when he doth that which he commands, it is manifest that ours was the duty, and therefore his the great…r mercy, to give us mony wherewith to pay him the debt we owed. Thou workest allour workes for us, saith the Prophet. TheEsai. 26. 12.Isa 26:12 worke as it is a dutie is ours, but as it is a performance it is thine. Secondly, He doth it to shew that though hee be the Author and finisher of our Faith, though he whoHeb 12. 1. Phil. 1. 6.Heb 12:1Phil 1:6 beginneth our good workes doth also performe them untill the day of Christ, yet he will not have us abide alwayes under his hand as dead stones, but, being quickned, and healed by his Spirit, and having our impotencies remooved, we likewise must cooperate and move to p. 336the same end with him; for he doth not so worke for us, but hee withall gives us a will and a deede to concurre with him to the same actions, As wee have received Christ, so wee must walke in him. Thirdly, to shew usPhil. 2. 13.Phil 2:13 where wee must fetch our cure, to teach us that hee will bee sought unto by us, and that wee must rely upon his Power and Promises. Therefore Hee commandeth us the things which we cannot doe, that we might know of whom Ideo jubet quae non po…sumus, ut nove…imus quid ab illo petere debeamus. Ipsa enim est sides quae … im petrat quod l x impera… Aug. de Gra. & lib. …. c. …5. Ezek. 18. 30.Ezek 18:30to begge them, for it is Faith alone which obtaineth by Prayer that which the Law requireth onelyonly but cannot effect, by reason of the weaknesse of it. In one place the Lord commandeth, cast away from you all your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit. In another place he promiseth, I will sprinkle cleane water upon you, and you shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you; A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh. and will give you an heart of flesh. How can these things consist together, He commands us to doe that which hee promiseth to doe himselfe? but onelyonly to shew that God gives what he requires. The things which he bids us doe, (as if they were to bee the workes of our owne will, and being indeede the duties which we owe) yet he promiseth to doeNos non faci… ut … …aciat quae pro…sit; sed ill… … ut nos … praecepit. Aug. in us, to shew that they are the workes of his grace, and that his promises are the foundation of all our performances. For wee by working doe not cause him to fulfill his promises, but hee by promising doth enable us to performe our workes. So then wee cleanse our selves by the strength of his promises, they are the principles of our Purification. This the Apostle expresseth in the text. Having therefore these promises (dearely beloved) Let us cleanse our selves.

This then is the next thing wee must inquire into, wherein the strength of this argument lies, and how a man ought to make use of the promises to inferre and p. 337presse upon his conscience this dutie of clansing himselfe. Here then first we must note, that promises doe containe the matter of rewards, and are for the most part so proposed unto us. Abating onelyonly the first promise of ca…ing unto the obedience of Faith, which I conceive is rather made unto Christ in our behalfe (Aske of me and I will give thee the heath…n for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession) then unto us formally, because the seede of Abraham are the subject of the promises, I say excepting onelyonly that, I conceive all other promises to beare in them the nature of a reward, and so to carry relation to presupposed Services. For benefits have usually burdens and engagements with them, so that promises being the representation of rewards, and rewards the consequents of service, and all services being generally comprehended in this of cleansing our selves from all …ilthinesse, and of finishing holinesse in Gods feare, manifest it is that the promises are in this regard fit arguments to induce our dutie. The Gospell which is the Word of Promise hath an obedience annexed2. Thess. 1. 8.2 Thess 1:8 unto it, which the Apostle cals the Obedience of the Gospell: And Faith being the hand to receive the promises hath an obedience annexed vntounto it likewise, whichRom. 1. 5. 16. 23.Rom 1:5Rom 1:16Rom 1:23 the same Apostle cals the obedience of Faith, for it is not only a hand to receive, but a hand to worke. To live to our selves, and yet lay claime to the promis…s, is to make God a lyer, not to beleeve the record which hee gives of himselfe, that he will not cast away pretious things upon swine. His promises are free in fier…, made onelyonly out of Grace, but conditionall in facto esse, performed and accomplished with dependance upon duties in us. God is 2. Thess. 3. 3….2 Thess 3:3Faithfull, saith the Apostle, who shall stablish you and keep you from evill, there is the promise, and we are confident that you will doe the things which we command you there is the duty which that promise cales for. When we pray, Give us our dayly bread, by saying, Give us, we acknowledge p. 338that it is from God, but when wee call i… ours, wee shew how God gives it, namely in the use of meanes. For Bread is Ours, not onelyonly in the right of the promise, I will not faile thee, nor forsake thee, but by service and2. The. 3. 11. 12. quiet working in an orderly calling.

Secondly, Promises are apt to purifie not onelyonly as arguments to induce it, but likewise as efficiens causes and principles, being by Faith apprehended, of our Holynesse. And so the force of the reason is the fame, as if a rich man having given a great estate unto his sonne, should adde this exhortation, having received such gifts as these, and having now where withall to live in qualitie and worth, keepe your selfe in fashion like the Sonne of such a father.

Efficients they are. First, as tokens and expressions of Gods Love, for all Gods promises are grounded in his Love. His Iustice, Truth, ahd Fidelity are the reasons of fulfilling Promittendo se fecit debitorem. Aug.promises, because in them hee maketh himselfe our debtor (Therefore saith the Apostle, There is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous Iudge shall give unto me…; and againe, God is faithfull, 2. Tim. 4. 8. 1. Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 10. 23.2 Tim 4:81 Cor 10:13Heb 10:23who will not suffer you to bee tempted, and faithfull is hee that hath promised, who also will doe it; and Saint Iohn, If we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and lust to forgive 1. Ioh. 1. 9.1 John 1:9us our sinnes, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse. One would thinke a man should rather feare the revenge then expect the forgivenesse of sinnes by Gods …ustice, but God is as Iust in performing the mercy which Hee promiseth, as in executing the vengeance which he threatneth. So then Iustice and Fidelity are the reasons of fulfilling promises, but Gods Love and Mercy is the onelyonly reason Deut 7. 7, 8.Deut 7:7Deut 7:8of making promises. The Lord did not set his Love upon you nor choose you (saith Moses to Israel) because ye were more in number then any people, but because the Lord Loved you, that is the ground of making the promise, and because he would keepe the oath which he had sworne to your p. 339fathers, that was the ground of performing his promise. For thy Words sake, and according to thine owne heart, saith2. Sam. 7. 18. 21.2 Sam 7:182 Sam 7:21 David, hast thou done all these great things. According to thine owne heart, that is, ex mero mot…, out of pure and unexcited love, thou didst give thy Word and Promise, and for thy Word sake thou hast performed it, not for any thing that was in mee (for wh… am … O Lord, or what is my house?) hast thou brought me hitherto. Thou wilt performe, saith the Prophet, the Truth to Iacob, and the Mic. 7. 20.Mic 7:20mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworne unto our fathers from the dayes of old; Why Truth to Iacob, and Mercy to Abraham? We must note, the promise after a sort began in Abraham (therefore he is call'd the Father of the Faithfull) and when God makes a promise, it is onelyonly out of MercieMercy; but the Promise was continued unto …a cob, who being Abrahams seede was an hei…e of the Promise, and so the inheritance which was out of mercy given unto Abraham, did out of Truth and fidelitie descend unto Iacob, the seede of Abraham; and therefore we shall finde Covenant, Mercy, and Oath ioyned together in the Scripture, to note unto us both the ground of making the Covenant, Mercy▪ and the ground of performing the Covenant made, the Truth and Fidelity of God. Thy God shall keepe unto thee the Covenant and the Deut. 7. 12.Deut 7:12Mercy which he sware unto thy fathers, saith Moses. To performe the Mercy promised to our fathers, and to re Luk. …. 72, 73.member his holy Covenant, The oath which he sware to ou… father Abraham, &c. saith Zachary in his song. Th… wee see that the Promises are the tokens and fruits o… Gods meere Love▪ And in that regard they are apt to cleanse, or to moue us to any dut…e which God requires of us. For Love and mercy, being by faith apprehended▪ are strong arguments to love and feare God againe. is love him because he loved us, and they shall feare th… 1 Io… ▪ 4. 19. …. 3. 5.Lord and his goodnesse; the goodnesse of the Lord begetteth feare, and that is all one as to cleanse and purifie p. 340for the feare of the Lord is cleane and pure. There is anPsal. 19. 9. Illa … Tim… viru… neveniat; illa T…men virum ne discedat. Illa, timeone damne…; illa, Timeone descrat Aug in …p. Iohan.Ps 19:9 uncleane feare, like that of the Adulteresse, who feareth her husband, lest hee should returne and deprehend her in her falsenesse to him; but the true feare of the Lord is cleane, like that of a chaste spouse who feareth the departure of her Love. There are none so destitute of humanity as not to answere Love for Love.

Secondly, Promises are the Efficient causes of our Purification, as they are The grounds of our Hope and expectations. Wee have no reason to Hope for any thing which is not promised, or upon any other conditions then as promised. Hope is for this reason in Scripture comparedHeb. 6. 19.Heb 6:19 to an Anker both sure and stedfast, because it must have something of firmenesse and stabilitie to fasten upon before it can secure the Soule in any tempest. To hope without a promise, or upon any promise otherwise then it stands, is but to let an Anker hang in the water, or catch in a Wave, and thereby to expect safetie to the Vessell. This argument the Apostle useth why we should not cast away our confidence, or slacken our hope, becauseHeb. 10. 35, 36.Heb 10:35Heb 10:36 there is a Promise, which by patience and doing the Will of God we may in due time receive, and which is a firme foundation for our Confidence to …est upon. So Abraham is said to have beleeved against hope in hope that Rom. 4. 18.Rom 4:18hee should be the father of many nations and the ground of that hope is added, According to that which was spoken, to that word of Promise, …o shall thy se…de be. And else where he is said to have looked for a City which had Heb. 11. 10.Heb 11:10foundations; that is a Citie which was built upon the Immutable stabilitie of Gods …ath and Promise. Thus we see Promises are the grounds of our Hop…, and Hop… is of Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13.Titus 2:11Titus 2:12Titus 2:13a cleansing nature. The Grace of God, saith the Apostle, teacheth as to deny … and worldly lusts, and to live …oberly, righteously▪ and Godly in this present World; the reason whereof is presently enforced, Looking for that blessed Hope, and the Glorious appearing of the great p. 341God. And againe, He that hath this hope in him, saith S. 1. Ioh. 3 3.1 John 3:3Iohn, namely to bee like him at his comming, Purifieth himselfe even as He is Pure. Hee that hopeth to be fully like Christ hereafter, and to come to the measure of the stature of his fulnesse, will labour to his uttermost to bee as he was in this World. For a man hopes for nothing de futuro, which he would not presently compasse, if it were in his power. No man is to bee presum'd to Hope for the whole who hates any part, or to expect the fulnesse, who rejects the first fruites of the Spirit. He that loveth not his brother whom hee hath seene, how can hee love God 1. Ioh. 4. ….1 John 4whom he hath not seene? That is, He that cannot endure nor looke on that little glimpse and ray of Holynesse which is in his brother, in one of the same passions, infirmities and corruptions with himselfe, will much lesse be able to abide the light of the Sonne of righteousnesse, and that most orient, spotlesse, and vast Holynesse which is in him. The same reason holdes here, he that cannot endeavour to purifie himselfe here, doth never truely hope to be like Christ hereafter. He that directs his course towards Yorke can never bee presumed to hope that hee shall by that journey get to London, when he knowes, or might easily be informed that it is quite the other way. And the truth is, no wicked man hath any true or a… saint1. Pet. 1. 3.1 Pet 1:3 Peter cal… it lively Hope to come to Heaven. Blind presumptions, ignorant wishings and wouldings hee may have, but no true Hope at all. For that ever supposeth some knowledge and preapprehension of the Goodnesse of that which is Hoped for; and there is nothing in Heaven which wickedmen do not hate as very evill to them; the Presence of the most Holy God, the purity and brightnesse of his Glory, the Company of Christ Iesus and his Saints, &c. If they might be suffered first to have a view of it, and see what is there doing, what Divine and Holy imployments take up all the thoughts, desires, and powers of the blessed company there, they p. 342would abhorre no place more. Hope begets Love (whom 1. Pet. 1. 8.1 Pet 1:8having not seene, ye love, saith the Apostle) Hope to bee like Christ hereafter will worke a love and desire to expresse so much as wee can of his Image here. Hee that longs for a thing will take any present occasion to get as much of it as he may together. Notably doth Saint Paul set forth this purifying propertie of hope in the promises. Phil 3. 13 20.Phil 3:13I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus. I am already apprehended of Christ, he hath in his body carried me in hope vntounto Heaven with him, and made mee sit together in Heavenly places, and this hope to come to him at last, to attaine to that price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus, makes me presse, and pull, and strive by all meanes to attaine to perfection, to expresse a Heavenly conversation in earth, because from thence I looke for a Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ: Hope (as we said) is an Anker, Our Anker is fix'd in heaven, our vessell is upon earth, now as by the Cable a man may draw his vessell to the Anker, so the Soule being fixed by hope vntounto Christ, doth hale and draw it selfe neerer and neerer unto him.

Thirdly, Promises are the efficient causes of our purification, as they are the objects of our Faith: For we dare not beleeve without Promises. Therefore Abraham Rom. 4. 19. 21.Rom 4:19Rom 4:21stagger'd not through unbeliefe, but gave glory to God, because he was fully perswaded, that what he had promised he was able to performe. It is not Gods power simply, but with relation to his Promise which secures our faith. So Sarah is said through faith to be deliver'dHeb. 11. 11.Heb 11:11 of a child being past age, because she judg'd him faithfull that had promised. Now by being Objects of faith, the Promises must needs cleanse from filthinesse; for faith Act. 15. 19.Acts 15:19also hath a cleansing property, It purifieth the heart, and worketh by love, and looketh upon the things promised as desireable things, rejoyceth in them, and worketh homogeneall and sutable affections unto them. Againe, p. 343we must note, That sinne comes seldome without Promises to pollute us, begets vast expectations and hopes of Good from it. Balaam was whet and enliven'd by promises to curse Gods people; The Strumpet in the Proverbes, that said to the young man, Come let us take our fill of loves, conceiv'd most adequate satisfaction toProv 7 18.Prov 7:18 her adulterous lusts by that way. This was the delusion of the rich foole in his Epicurisme, Soule take thine …ase, Luk. 1…. 19.Luke 1:19eate, drinke, and be merry, for thou hast much laid up for many yeeres: Of the Iewes in their Idolatries to theIer. 44. 17. Hos. 2. 5.Jer 44:17Hos 2:5 Queene of heaven, because that would afford them plenty of victuals, and make them see no evill: Of Gehazies foolish heart, who promised to himselfe Oliveyards2. King. 5. 26.2 Kgs 5:26 and Vineyards, and sheepe and Oxen, and menservants and maide servants by his officious lie. And this was one of the divels master pieces when he tempted Christ, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship me. Thus we see sinne seldome comes without promises to seduce and pollute the soule. And yet the Truth is these promises cannot hold up the hope of any man. When a man hath wearied himselfe in the pursuitEsai. 57. 10. Rom. 6. 21. Act. 13. 34. Gal. 3. 15. 16. Heb. 6. 17. 18. Psal. 110. 4.Isa 57:10Rom 6:21Acts 13:34Gal 3:15Gal 3:16Heb 6:17Heb 6:18Ps 110:4 of them, yet still there is lesse hope at last then at first. But now faith fixing upon sure mercies, upon promises which cannot be abrogated or disannull'd (being made i…eversible by the oath of God, who after hee hath sworne cannot repent) and seeing not onelyonly stabilitie, but pretiousnesse in the promises, and through them looking upon the great goodnesse of the things contained1. Ioh 5 4.1 John 5:4 in them as already subsisting and present to the soule, and by this meanes overcomming the world (whose onelyonly prejudice and advantage against Christ is this, that the things which hee promiseth are long hence to come, whereas that which it promiseth it likewise presenteth to the view of sense; which difference faith destroieth, by giving a subsistence and spirituall presence of things hoped for to the soule) by this meanes, I say, faith doth mightily p. 344prevaile to draw a man unto such holinesse, as becommeth the sonnes and heires of so certaine and pretious promises. Till a man by faith apprehends some interest in the promises, he will never out of true Love endeavour a conformitie unto God in Christ. By them, saith Saint Peter, we are made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet 1. 4.2 Pet 1:4and doe escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. What is it to be made partaker of the divine nature? It notes two things: first, a fellowship with God in his holinesse; that puritie which is eminenter and infinitely in Gods most holy nature is formaliter, or secundum modum creaturae, so farre as the image of his infinite holinesse is expressible in a narrow creature, fashioned in and communicated unto us by our union with Christ. Secondly, a fellowship with God in his blessednesse, namely in that beatificall vision, and brightnesse of glory which from the face and fulnesse of Iesus Christ (who as…. Cor. 15. 48, 49 a second Adam is made unto us the Authour and Fountaine of all heavenly things) shall at last in fulnesse, and doth even now in flashes and glimmerings shine forth upon his members. And all this we have from those great and pretious promises which are made unto us of Holinesse and of Blessednesse. For as we say of the Word in generall, so more especially of the Promises, they are operative words, and doe produce some reall effects, being received by faith. As a man when he receiveth a deed signed, sealed, witnessed, and delivered, doth not onelyonly take parchment or waxe, or emptie words, but hath thereby some fundamentall right created unto the things in the deed mentioned to be convey'd, so that the deed is declaratorie and operative of some Reall effects: so in the word and promises of God sealed by the bloud of Christ, ratified by the oath of the Covenant, testified by the Spirit of Truth, deliver'd by the hand of Mercy, and received by the hand of Faith, there doth not onelyonly passe emptie breath and naked p. 345words, but also some Reall effects by the intendment of God are thereby produc'd; namely, the cleansing of our sinfull nature from the pollutions of the world, and the transforming thereof into the image and purity of the divine nature.

Fourthly, Promises are the efficient causes of our purification, as they are the Raies and Beames of Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse, in whom they are all founded and established. They are All in him Yea, and in him 2. Cor. 1 20.2 Cor 1:20Amen. Every promise by faith apprehended carries a man to Christ, and to the consideration of our unity with him, in the right whereof we have claime to the Promises; even as every line in a circumference, though there never so distant from other, doth, being pursued, carry a man at last to one and the same Center, common unto them all. For the Promises are not made for any thing in us, nor have their stability in us, but they are made in and for Christ unto us, unto Christ in our behalfe, and unto us onelyonly so farre forth as we are members of Christ. For they were not made to seeds as many, but to seed, namely Gal 3. 16. Caput & corpus unus est Christus. Aug.Gal 3:16to Christ, in aggregato, as comprehending the head and the members in the unitie of one body. So then every Promise carrying us to that Vnitie which we have with Christ by his spirit (who is therefore call'd a spirit of Adoption, because he vesteth us with the sonneship of Christ, and a spirit of holinesse and renovation, because he sanctifieth us by the resurrection of Christ) doth thereby purifie us from dead workes, and conforme the members Ephes. 2. 21.Eph 2:21to the Head, building them up in an holy Temple and into an habitation of God through that spirit by whom we are in Christ. In one word, Our interest in the Promises is grounded upon our being in Christ, and being one with him; and our being in him is the ground of our purification. Every branch in me that bringeth forth fruite, my father purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruite. AndIoh 15. 2.John 15:2 in this respect the promises may be said to purifie, as still p. 346carrying us to our interest in Christ, in whom they are founded.

Fifthly and lastly, the Promises are causes of our purification, as Exemplars, patterns, and seeds of purity unto us. For the Promises are in themselves Exceeding great 2. Pet. 1. 4.2 Pet 1:4and pretious, Every Word of God is pure and tryed like Prov. 30. 5. Psal 12. 6. 19 89. 119 140.Prov 30:5Ps 12:6Ps 12:19gold seven times in the fire, it is right, and cleane, and true, and altogether righteous, and therefore very lovely and attractive, apt to sanctifie and cleanse the soule. Sanctifie them by thy truth (saith Christ) thy Word is truth, Ioh. 17. 17. Ioh 15. 3.John 17:17John 15:3and againe, Now ye are cleane through the Word which I have spoken unto you. For the Word is Seed, and seede a similates earth and dirt into its owne pure and cleane nature. So by the Word there is a trans-elementation, as it were, and conforming of our foule and earthie natureforeign. Isis. …. 1. Ioh 3 9.1 John 3:9 to the spiritualnesse of it selfe. Therefore the Apostle useth this for an argument, why the regenerate cannot si… (namely in that universall and complete manner as others doe) because they have the seed of God abiding in them, that is, his Word, Spirit, and Promises abating the strength of lust, and swaying them to a contrary point. For thus the Word of promise makes a mans heart to argue. Hath God of meere Grace made assurance of so pretious things to me who by nature am a filthy and uncleane Creature, obnoxious to all the curses and vengeance in his booke? Hath he wrought so great deliverance,Ezra 9 13. 14.Ezra 9:13Ezra 9:14 and laid up such unsearchable riches for my soule? and should I againe breake his Commandements, and joyne in the abominations of other men? Would he not be angry till he had consumed me; so that there should be no escaping? Should I not rather labour to feele the comforts and power of these Promises, encouraging mee to walke worthy of so great meroy, and so high a calling? to walke meete for the participation of the Inheritance of the Saints in light? Shall I that am reserv'd to such honour, live in the meane time after the lusts of the Gentiles, p. 347who have no hope? **Quid nos pro Domino … bono facere convenit, cum ille pro mal…s servis tanta fecerit. Salvian. li. 4.Hath God distinguished me by his Spirit and Promises from the world, and shall I confound my selfe againe? Shall I requite evill for good to the hurt of mine owne soule? These and the like are the reasonings of the heart from the beauty and purity of the Promises.

Thirdly and lastly, Promises are Arguments to inferre our Purification, because in many of them that is the very Matter of which they consist, and so the power and fidelity of God is engag'd for our Purification. I will clense them from all their iniquity whereby they hauehave sinned Ier. 33. 8.Jer 33:8against me, saith the Lord. And againe, I will sprinkle Ezek. 36. 25.Ezek 36:25cleane water vponupon you and you shall be cleane: from all your filthinesse and from all your idoles will I clense you, &c. And againe, They shall not defile themselues any more Ezek 37. 23.Ezek 37:23with their idoles, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions, but I will save them, and I will cleanse them. And againe, I will heale their backeslidings, Hos 14. 4.Hos 14:4I will Love them freely. The Lord will wash away the filth of Psal 4 4.Ps 4:4the daughters of Sion, & purge the bloud of Ierusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement, and by the spirit of burning. Which Promises, bringing along the fidelity and power of God to our faith, doe settle our hearts amidst all the corruptions and impotencies of our nature. When the conscience is once throughly acquainted with the sight of its owne foulnesse, with the sense of that life and power which is in concupiscence, it findes it then a great difficultie to rest in any hope of having lusts either subdued or forgiuen. The Psalmist, when his sore ranne, and ceased not, refused to be comforted, thought himselfe cast out of Gods fauour, as if his mercies were exhausted, and his promises come to an end, and his compassions were shut up, and would shew themselves no more. Therefore in this case the Lord carries our Faith to the consideration of his Power, Grace, and Fidelity, which surpasseth not onelyonly the knowledge but the very p. 348coniectures and contrivances of the hearts of men. The Apostle saith, That Christ was declared to be the Sonne of God with power, according to the Spirit of holinesse, by the resurrection from the dead▪ That Spirit which raised HimRom. 1. 4. Rom. 6. 4. Eph. 1. 19 20. Col. 2. 12.Rom 1:4Rom 6:4Eph 1:19Col 2:12 from the dead is therefore called a spirit of Holinesse, because the sanctifying of a sinner is a resurrection, and requires the same power to effect it, which raised Christ from the dead. When Saint Paul had such a bitter conflict with the thorne in his flesh, the vigor and stirrings of concupiscence within him, he had no refuge nor comfort2. Cor. 12. 9. Mi…. 7. 18. 19. Esa…. 43. 25.2 Cor 12:9 but onelyonly in the sufficiencie of Gods grace, which was able in due time to worke away and purge out his lusts. And the prophet makes this an argument of Gods great power above all other Gods, that he subdueth iniquities, and blotteth out transgressions. Though wee know not how this can be done, that such dead bones, soules thatEzek. 37. 3.Ezek 37:3 are even rotten in their sinnes, should be cleansed from their filthinesse, and live againe: yet he knowes; and therefore when wee are at a stand, and know not what to 2. Chro. 20. 12.2 Chr 20:12doe to Cure our lusts, then wee may by faith fix our Eyes upon him, whose grace, power, wisedome, fidelity is all in these his promises put to gage for our purification.

Thus wee see how promises in generall doe worke to the Cleansing of us from filthinesse of flesh and spirit. The same might at large be shewed in many particulars. I will but name those in the words before the Text (to which it referres.) The Lord promiseth to Dwell in us as in spirituall Temples, and this proves that wee ought to keepe our selues Cleane, that wee may be fit habitations for so Dovelike and pure a spirit. Flee for…ication (saith the Apostle) why? know you not that your bodie is the Temple …. Cor 6. 18. 19. 20.of the holy Ghost which is in you—therefore glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are Gods. And againe. If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destro… ▪ 1. Cor. 3. 16, 17.1 Cor 3:161 Cor 3:17for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. He promiseth p. 349to be Our Father, and make us his people, and this also is a strong argument why wee should purifie our selves, and as obedient children not fashion our selves according 1. Pet 1. 14. 17.1 Pet 1:141 Pet 1:17to the former lusts in ignorance, but as he who hath called us is holy▪ so should we be holy in all manner of conversation. And if we call him father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans workes, we should passe the time of our sojourning here in feare. Ye are a chosen generation (saith Saint Peter) a royall priesthood, 1. Pet. 2▪ 9. 11.1 Pet 2:91 Pet 2:11a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should shew forth the vertues of him, who hath called you out of darknesse Ephes. 2. 12, 19.Eph 2:12Eph 2:19into his marvellous light. When yee were of the world, ye were then strangers to the Covenant, and aliens from the house and Israel of God, but now being become Gods houshold, ye are strangers and pilgrimes in the present world, and should therefore abstaine from the lusts of the flesh, which are sensuall and worldly things. Those that are a peculiar people, are a purged 1. Ioh. 2. 16.1 John 2:16people …oo. He will purifie to himselfe a peculiar people, that they may be zealous of good work…s.Tit. 2. 14.Titus 2:14

The consideration of which things should make us labour to settle our hearts to beleeve, love, and prize the promises, to store up and hide the word in our hearts, to have it Dwell richly in us, that in evill times and dayes of temptation wee may have some holdfast to relie upon. In times of plenty, security, and peace, men go calmely on without feare or suspicion; but when stonnes arise, when God either hides his face, or lets out his displeasure, or throwes men upon any extremities, then there is no hopePsa. 119. 89-91.Ps 119:89–91 but in our a…ker, no stay nor reliefe but in Gods promises, which are setled and sure, established in heauen, and therfore never reversed or cancelled in the earth: And if this faithfull and sure word had not bin Da…ids delight & comfort, if he had not in all the changes & chances of his owne …ife remembred, that al Gods promises are made in heaven, where there is no inconstancie, nor repentance, he had perished p. 350in his affliction. Though David by a propheticall2. Sam. 23. 5.2 Sam 23:5 spirit foresaw that God would not make his house to grow, but to become a dry and wither'd stocke of …esse, Esai. 11. 1.Isa 11:1yet herein was the ground of all his salvation and of all his desire, that the Lord had made with him an Everlasting Covenant, order'd in all things and …, that he had … Psal. 89. 35▪ 36.Ps 89:35Ps 89:36by his hol…nesse that he would not faile David; so that it was as possible for God to be unholy, as for the Word of promise made unto David to fall to the ground, & be untrue.

Now that wee may the better apply the Promises to our selves, and establish our hearts in the truth and fidelity of God by them, wee may make use of these few Rules, amongst divers others which might be given.

First, Promis…s generally made, and so in medio for all, or particularly to some, are by the ground of them equally appliable to any in any condition unto which the promises are …utable. All the promises are but as one in Christ, as lines tho…gh severall in the circumference doe meete as one in the center. Take any promise and follow it to its originall, and it will undoubtedly carry to Christ, in whom alone it is Yea and Amen, that is hath its truth, certainety, and stability all from him. Now the Promises meeting in Christ▪ cannot be severed or have a partition made o… them to severall men (for every beleever hath All Christ, Christ is not divided) any other wise then the exigence of mens present estates doth diversifie them, and so fit them for such promises as now to others, or at other times to themselves would be unseasonable and unapp… able. The Lord in aslenting to Salomons prayer, made a1. King 8. 37. 4…1 Kgs 8:371 Kgs 8:4 generall promise to any man, or to all the people▪ that what prayer or supplication soever should be made towards his temple, he would heare in heaven and forgive, &c. … bei…g after in distresse, applied this generall to2 Chr. 20. 8. ….2 Chr 20:8 hi… … present …, when the children of Ammon, … ▪ and Mount Seir came to turne Israel out of their possessions. The Lord made a particular promise … p. 351Ioshua, that he would be with him to blesse his enterprisesIos▪ 1. 5. 6.Josh 1:5Josh 1:6 against the Cananites, and to carry him through all the difficulties and hazards of that holy warre; a…d Saint Paul applies the promise to all the faithfull in anyHeb. 13. 5.Heb 13:5 straites or distresses of life, as the Lord himselfe had before applied it from Moses to Ioshua, Let your conversation be without covetousnesse—for as God was with Ioshua, so will he be with thee, He will not faile thee nor forsake thee. Christ made a particular promise unto Peter, I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not. AndLuk 22. …2. Ioh. 7. 15.Luke 22 the same in effect he applies to All his, I pray that thou wouldst keepe them from the ev…ll. And the consequent words to Saint Peter make it good; When thou art con verted strengthen thy brethren, that is, comfort and revive them by thine owne experience, that when they are brought …nto the like case with thee they may have the benefit of the same intercessor and the sympathy and compassion of the same Saviour who deliver'd thee. As our Saviour saith in matter of dutie. What … … …nto you, I say unto All, so we may say of him in matter of mercy, What he promiseth unto any, he promiseth unto al… in an equall estate. It is good therefore to observe the truth of God in his Promises to others, and when we finde our selves reduced unto their condition, to apply it unto our Rom. 15. 4.Rom 15:4selves, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope. This is the counsell of Saint …awes, Take my brethren the Prophets for an exam…le of suffering Iam. 5. 10, 11.Jas 5:10Jas 5:11affliction and of patience—yee have heard of the patience of …ob, and ye have seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pittifull …nd …. And saint2. Cor. … ▪ Paul assures us that for this cause God comforted him in his tribulation, that he might be able to comfort them who might be in any trouble with the comfort wherewith …ee himselfe had beene comforted by God. A poore Christian might object, A…as If I were an Apostle▪ if I had such graces, such services, such wayes of glorifying God as p. 352Paul had, I might hope for the same power and providence of God in my afflictions as he findes. But I am a poore ignorant, unfruitfull, and unserviceable creature, who doe more blemish then adorne my profession of the Gospell of Christ, and shall I looke for such care from God as saint Paul? Beloved, the members in the body would not so argue; If I were an eye, or a tongue, one of the noblest parts of the body, haply some compassion and remedy might be shewed me in my distempers; but I am but a ioynt of the foote, or a meane, dishonourable, and lesse serviceable member, therefore though I am tormented with a goute or stone, the tongue will not speake, the head will not worke, the hand will not distribute any thing for me. The Children in a family would not so argue; my father is carefull to provide physicke, and cure the diseases of my brother, because hee is growne up to doe him credit, and his countrie service, but I am but a childe, that lie upon him, and doe no worke, I am unable for any employments, and therefore I shall perish in my disease without care or regard. Surely if the members of a body, or the children of men, who are evill, would not thus argue, how much lesse reason have any of Christs, who have a head entrusted with the care of his meanest members, and a father tender of the fals and failings of his weakest children? Thus rather should the soule resolve. Though Paul had more grace then I, yet he had no more me…t then I. All the compassion which was shewed unto him was out of favour and merciemercy, not out of debt or dutie; and my wants and miseries make me as fit for merciemercy as he was; and the compassion of a father is most▪commended toward the unworthiest and most unprofitable childe.

Secondly, 'Promises in themselves are certaine, but the wayes of performance are often undiscernable and hidden; therefore wee must live by Faith, and not by reason, and measure the Truth of Gods Words by the strength of p. 353his Power, and not by our owne conceits or apprehensions. When wee looke upon God in his Promises, wee must conceive of him as a God infinite in wisedome to contrive, and in Power to bring about the execution of his owne will. There is a Promise made of calling the Iewes unto Christ, and causing them to turne from their transgressions. The Redeemer shall come unto Sion, and unto them that returne from transgression in Iacob, Esai. 59▪ 20. But hee who should consider the extreme obstinacie and stubbornnesse of that people against the Gospell, would thinke it impossible, that they should ever bee pull'd out of the s…are of the Divell; therefore the Apostle makes Gods Power the ground of certaintie in this promise, They also shall be grafted in againe, for God is able to graffe them in—As it is written, There shall come out of Sion the deliverer, and shall turne away ungodlynesse from Iacob, Rom. 11. 23. 26. The Sadduces and Gentiles derided the Doctrine and Promise of the Resurrection from the deade; and our Saviour carrieth the one from their owne prejudice unto Gods Power; ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God, Math. 22. 29. And Saint Paul the other, from their reason unto Faith in God, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the Dead? Act. 26. 8. Therefore wee shall finde mens unbeliefe in Scripture hath risen partly from apprehension of power in those whom they feare, and partly from apprehension of impotencie in those whom they should trust. When the Israelites heard of Giants and sonnes of An…k in the promised la…d, presently they murm…ed against the Lord and his Servants, and provoked him by their unbeleefe of his mighty power which they had had so frequent experience of▪ How long will this people provoke mee? How long will it be ere they beleeve me, for all the signes which I have shewed amongst them? Numb. 14. 1, 11. They provoked him againe by infidelitie in the wildernesse, p. 354when they asked meate for their Iust, and that was by calling the Power of God in question; They spake against God, they said, can God furnish a table in the Wildernesse? Behold hee smote the Rocke that the Waters gushed out, and the streames overflowed; but can hee give bread also, can he provide flesh for his people? Psal. 78. 19. 20. They measured God by their owne reason, and charged God with that impotencie which they found in themselves. This was the sinne of that noble man who attended upon the king of Israel in the great famine at Samaria; when the Prophet foretold a marvellous plentie which should suddenly come to the place, hee measured Gods Power by his owne conceits of possibility in the thing, If the Lord would make windowes in heaven, this thing could not be, 2. King. 7. 2. There was a Promise made unto Israel to restore them out of that great captivity of Babylon, and this seemed to them as incredible as for men to bee raised out of their Graves after so many yeeres consumption, therefore they said▪ our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off for our parts. Wee have no more reason to beleeve any promise, or to rest upon any expectations of deliverance, then dead bones have to revive againe. Therefore the Lord acquainteth them with his Power together with his Promises. O my people ye sha… know that I am the Lord! that is, that my wayes and thoughts are infinitely above your shallow apprehensions, when I shall have brought you out of your Graves, Ezek. 37. 11. 13. Though there should bee famine, and mountaines betweene Gods people and his promises, famine to weaken their feete that they could not crawle away, and mountaines to stop their passage which they could not climbe nor overpasse, yet when there was no might nor power left in them, the Spirit of the Lord should be their strength, their feete should be like Hindes feete to skippe over the mountaines, and the mountaines should be as a plaine before them, Hab. 3. 17. p. 35518. 19. Zach. 4. 6, 7. All doubts and distrusts arise from this that men make their owne thoughts the measure of Gods strength, and have low and unworthy conceits of his Power. This therefore in all difficulties wee must frame our hearts unto to looke of from second causes, from the probabilities or possibilities which are obvious to our reason, and admire the unsearchablenesse of Gods Power and wisedome, which is above all the thoughts of man. If a rich man should promise a begger a great summe of money, and hee should discomfort himselfe with such plodding scruples as these: Alas these are but the words of a man who meanes well, and takes compassion on my povertie; but how can hee possibly make good this promise? If I should engage my selfe thus to another poore man, I should be sure to faile his expectations and …latter him with winde, what quiet or comfort could he have? but he would have more wisedome then to measure rich men by his owne povertie and basenesse. So should we doe in any difficulties and distresses either from sinnes, afflictions, or temptations. As Abraham did … not at the Promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe, Rom. 4. 19 20. And after, he offered vp his Sonne in faith, because he knew that God was able to raise him even frō the dead from whence he had before in a figure received him namely from a dead and barren wombe, Heb. 11. 29. Th…s was Iobs onelyonly comfort upon the dunghill, That that God who would after wormes had consumed his flesh▪ raise him up at the last day, and make him with those very eyes to see his …, had power enough in his due time to deliver from that wofull … into which hee had …st him, and to revive his strength and estate againe, Iob. 19. 25. 26. 27. A man haply is haunted and pursued with such or such an uncleane affection, is wearied in wrestling with it, and cannot prevaile (as indeede there p. 356is nothing that cleaves more pertinaciously, or is more inexpugnable, then a strong and importunate lust. What must hee now doe? sinke under the weight? is there no remedy, nor way of escape? God forbid. When his owne strength and wisedome failes him, let him looke off from himselfe unto the power and promises of that God, who is Al-sufficient to save to the uttermost those that come unto him by Christ. He is a Refiner, a Sunne of Righteousnesse that can cure the barrennesse of our hearts by the healing vertue of his wings, and purgeaway our drosse and corruptions from us. That Promise which God made to Paul in the stirrings and conflicts of his concupiscence is made unto all of his temper, My Grace is sufficient for thee; and there are two things in that promise, Grace to make it, and Sufficiencie to fulfill it. Lay aside saith the Apostle, every weight, and the sinne which doth so easily beset you. Alas, may the Soule answere, if it be a weight, how shall I moove it? If it bee a be…ieging and encompassing sinne, that doth so easily occupate and invade all my faculties, how shall I repell or drive it of well, saith the Apostle, if you cannot quit your selves of your clog and burthen, yet runne with patience the race which is set before you, bee content to draw your chaine, and to lugge your lusts after you. But how can the soule be patient under such heavie and such close corruptions? under the motions, importunities, and immodest solicitations of so many and so adulterous lusts? Looke, faith he, unto Iesus the Author and finisher of your faith; consider him—lest yee bee wearied and faint in your mindes. He doth not any of his workes by halfes; he is a Perfect Saviour, He finisheth all the workes which are given him to doe; If he have begunne a good worke in you, hee is able to perfect it; if hee be now the Author, he will in due time be the Accomplisher of your Faith.

Wee must note, All the promises are made in Christ; being purchased by his merits, and they are all perform'd p. 357in Christ, being administred by his power and office. And in Christ, wee must note, there is, first, a will that wee should be holy, expressed in his prayer to his father, sanctifie them by thy truth. Ioh: 17. 17. Secondly, a power Heb. 7. 25. Ioh. 5. 21. Ioh 10. 36. Ioh. 6. 27.Heb 7:25John 5:21John 10:36John 6:27to execute that will, he is able to save those that come unto God by him; and he quickneth whom he will. Thirdly, both his will and power are back'd and strengthned with authority and an office so to doe, for he was sanctified and sealed by his father unto this purpose. Fourthly, he is furnish'd with Aboundance of wisdome to contrive, and of fidelity to employ both his will, power, and office, for fulfilling all Gods promises of grace and merciemercy. In him there were treasures of wisedome, and he is a mercifull and Col. 2. 3. Heb 2. 17. Heb. 2. 11. Heb. 4. 15. Heb. 12. 3. Heb. 3. 6.Col 2:3Heb 2:17Heb 2:11Heb 4:15Heb 12:3Heb 3:6faithful high priest. Fifthly, to all this he is further engag'd by his consanguinitie with us; he is our brother by his sympathie and compassion towards us; he hath felt the weight of sinne in the punishment therof, and the Contradiction of sinners, and lastly by his propriety unto us; he should defraud himselfe, if he should not fulfill all his promises to the church; for the church is His owne house. All the promises are made to Him, in aggregato, with his Church, To the seed of Abraham, that is To Christ, namely to the head and members together. As when any euill befals the church he is Afflicted; so in all the Advancements of theEsai. 63. 9.Isa 63:9 church he is honored, and, in a sort, further filled; for the church is His fulnes. Though as God, as man, as mediator,Eph. 1. 23.Eph 1:23 he be full by himselfe; yet as Head he accounteth himselfe maimed and incomplete without his members. So that when Christ pleads and prayes for the Church he is an Advocate and Intercessor in his owne businesse; for the Affaires of the Church are His.

Thirdly, promises are many times subordinate to one another, and are perform'd in an order, succession, and depeudencie. Therefore we must not anticipate, nor perturbe the order which God hath put in his Promises, but waite upon him in his owne way. Grace and Glory will p. 358he give, but first Grace before Glory, no man must snatchPsal. 84. 11.Ps 84:11 at this promise till hee have interest in that. Godlinesse hath the promises of this life, and of that to come; but wee must note the order which our Saviour puts, first seeke the Kingdome and Righteousnesse of Goa, and then all these things shall be added unto you. The Lord Promiseth to call men unto Christ, Nations that knew thee not shall Esai. …5. 5. 1. Th…. 4. 7.Isa 5:5Isa 5:1runne unto thee. The Apostle telsus whereunto hee calls, God hath not called us unto uncleannesse, but unto Holynesse. Therefore in the next place he promiseth to sanctifie and cleanse his Church; I will put my Law in their Ie…. 31. 33▪hearts, and in their inward parts. The qualification of this Holynesse is, that it be whole and constant. The very 1. Thess. 5. 23.1 Thess 5:23God of Peace Sanctifie you, and preserve you blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, Is the Apostles prayer for the Thessalonians. Therefore in the next place, God promiseth Perseverance, I will not turne away from Ie…. 32. 40.them, to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. But this Perseverance is not so certaine, but that it admits of fals, slippes, and miscarriages; therefore in that case, He promiseth healing and restoring. I will heale their backes…idings, Hos. 11. 3. Hos. 14. 4. Ezek. 34. 16.Hos 11:3Hos 14:4Ezek 34:16I will love them freely. I will binde up that which is broken, and will strengthen that which was sicke. And after all this comes the promise of Glory, and Salvation. Now then wee must waite upon the promises in their owne order. When God hath called us to the knowledge of Christ, wee must not skip over all the intermediate linkes, and looke presently for the accomplishment of Gods promise of Salvation, or perseverance by Gods sole Power, and in the meane time omit all care of Holynesse in our conversation. When we are sanctified, wee must not resolue then to sit still, as if all our worke were at an end, and expect salvation to droppe into our lappes. But we must make it our care, and esteeme it our owne duty to continue faithfull unto the end, that so we may receive a p. 359Crowne of Life. For God doth not fulfill his promises in us onelyonly, but by us too; and those things which in regard of his Word are his promises, are also in regard of his commaund our Duties. And therefore we must take the promises in that Connexion, and dependencie which they have amongst themselves.

Fourthly, promises, though alwayes necessary, are yet most usefull in Extremities, and therefore it is best for us to store up of all sorts; though wee see no present use of some particulars, yet we know not what time may bring forth, what wayes God my please to try us by. Secondly, It is best to acquaint our hearts with those which are most generall, pretions, fundamentall, wherein Gods Power and Goodnesse is principally seene, and from them it will be easie to inferre the rest. As Iob argues from theIob 19. 25. 27.Job 19:25Job 19:27 finall resurrection to a deliverance from the dunghill. AndPsa. 56. 13.Ps 56:13 David from the deliverance of his Soule from Hell, to the deliverance of his feete from falling. And Habakuk, Hab. 3. 3. 16. 17.Hab 3:3Hab 3:16Hab 3:17from the deliverance out of Egypt and the wildernesse, to the deliverance out of Babylon. And Abraham fromHeb. 11. 19.Heb 11:19 a miraculous generation in a dead wombe to a miraculous restitution of Isaak from the dead againe. And Paul from a deliverance out of the mouth of the Lion, to a deliverance from every evill worke. Some notable act of2. Tim. 4. 17. 18.2 Tim 4:172 Tim 4:18 Gods mercy and providence may bee applyable to severall more particulars; because experience worketh hope. Rom. 5. 4.Rom 5:4Thirdly, It is good to bring a mans selfe to a view of extremities in himselfe, to keepe fresh in his eye the nakednesse, poverty, and utter disability that is in him to further his owne happynesse; and that will fitte him to goe with Patience and Faith through any other exigencies which he may bee brought to. There is as little ground why a sinner should beleeve and trust God for the forgivenesse of his sinnes; as Hope fōr any comfort and support in his distresses. If a man can therefore now keepe before him a distinct view of the filthynesse of his sinnes, p. 360and that anguish and extremities which it brings, and live by Faith in the remission of them, he will bee much the more fitted to trust and leane on God in the middest of any other distresses. There is not so much evill, so much unremoveablenesse, and unmitigablenesse in any … or misery, as there is in sinne; and therefore if we can trust God for pardon, purging, and extinguishing of sinne, we may much more trust him for the supporting of us under, or del…vering us from any other evill.

Fifthly, experience of Gods Wisedome, Truth, and Power in some promises will settle and establish the heart in dependance, and expectation of the like in others. Sense doth corroborate and confirme Faith. And this wee shall observe to be a very frequent argument in Holy Scriptures to conclude Gods favour for the present or future, by his proceedings past. When the Israelites were afraid of the Anakims and Giants of the Land, this was Moses his argument, Dread not, neither bee afraid of them; Deut. 1. 29. 31.Deut 1:29Deut 1:31the Lord your God which goeth before you, hee shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wildernesse, &c. And againe, I commanded Iosua, saith he, at that time saying. Thine eyes Deut. 3. 21.Deut 3:21have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto these two Kings: So shall the Lord doe unto all the kingdomes whither thou passest. So David argued against G… liah, The Lord did deliver me from a Lyon and a Beare, 1. Sam. 17. 35▪ 371 Sam 17:351 Sam 17:37therefore he will deliver me from this Philistime. And S. Paul, The Lord hath delivered from a sentence of Death, 2. Cor. 1. 9, 10.2 Cor 1:92 Cor 1:10and doth deliver, therefore I trust that hee will deliver. So the faithfull argue in the Prophet. Art not thou Esai. 51. 9, 11.Isa 51:9Isa 51:11hee that didst cut Rahab, and wound the Dragon; that didst dry the Sea, the waters of the d…pe and mad…st a passage through the d…pths of the Sea for the ransomed to passe over. Ther…fore the Redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come with singing unto Sion, &c. These and sundry the like examples were written for our learning that wee p. 361also through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope; that wee might learne to store up the passages of Gods providence in our lives, that they may bee for presidents and rules in after times. Men are apt to sinke under the present sense of any evill that presseth them, because they doe not looke ba…kward to Gods former wayes of mercy towards them; whereas if men could thus argue, I have knowne a famine, and felt a pinching season so long agone, and I did then out-live it, and Gods providence cared for me and …arried mee through that plunge and distresse: I have felt a sore disease, and beene in the mouth of the Grave and yet I live to prayse Gods power: The buffets of Sathan have heretofore bruized my soule, and I have beene even drencht in mine owne sorrowes, and swallowed up of despairing and uncomfortable thoughts, and yet out of them all the Lord hath delivered me, and let his countenance shine upon me againe: And hee is the same God still, as full of compassion to com…iserate my calamities, as full of power to effect, as full of wisedome to contrive, as ful of fidelity to performe his owne Promises, as hee was before: And therefore I will waite upon him in the wayes of his owne mercy, and rest in the constancie, immutability, indeficiencie of that God with whom there is no variablenesse, neither shadow of changing: I say if men could thus learne to comfort their hearts by their experiences and review of Gods former proceedings, they might with the more quietnesse and silent affections expect the salvation of the Lord againe.

Sixthly▪ The same thing in temporall and inferior blessings may belong to one man, only ex largitate, out of that generall providence which causeth the S…nne to shine on the good and the bad alike; and to another ex promisso, out of Gods promise; because god…ynesse hath the promises of this life as w…ll as of that to come. Now there is a vast difference betweene these two, to have a thing onelyonly out p. 362of patience and forbearance, and to have it out of engagement and promise. For by the promise there is a discharge of all the forfeitures, incumbrances, vexations, perplexities which attended the same thing. As in temporall, so in spirituall and theologicall respects, there is a great difference in Tenures touching the same things. The wicked in the earthly things they enioy are wholly Tenants at will, they have no engagement at all from God, they may be thrust out every houre; for all their right was forfeited in Adam, and restored unto them only by a Generall providence during Gods good pleasure: as a condemned malefactor till the time of his execution hath some thing allowed him out of favour, but may at pleasure bee cut off from it. But the faithfull have all things by inheritance, by the Right of Christs purchase, and by Covenant in him. Not onelyonly things present, but things to come are theirs; they have the Truth of God pawn'd for their preservation and supplyes so long as they continue in his way; A way of Piety, industrie, and honestie. And they have them for themselves and their seede. The promises were to Abraham and his seede. I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging their bread. The wicked have earthly things onelyonly as d…ensations and employments, nay as vexations, and toyles of life; as idols, snares, and thornes, things that e…tangle their hearts, and take them of from God. As a cloud exhal'd by the Sunne hides the light of the Sunne which drew it up; **foreign. …. ad pop. A…. Homil. Deut 8. 12. 14. Ho…. 13. 5, 6.Deut 8:12Deut 8:14as a Worme eates out the wood, and rust consumes the Iron which breeds it; as water in a vessell raised by the fire, puts out the fire which raised it: so the great estates and temporall blessings of God unto evill men, serve but to intercept the thoughts, and to blot out the notions and remembrance of him that gave them I spake unto thee in thy prosperitie, but thou sata'st I will not heare. And this hath beene thy manner from thy youth, saith the Lord, Ier. 22. 21. But the faithfull have earthly p. 363things as rewards of their righteousnesse, as an accession, advantage, and overplus unto the Kingdome of God; as testimonies of Gods Love, and care of them; as exercises of their thankefulnesse, charitie, merciemercy, &c.

But it may be obiected, why then have not the faithfull more aboundance of these things then worldly men? I answere, first, A little that the righteous hath is better then greate poss…ssions of the ungodly. For first they have the maine substance of these things as well as the other, they live, and eate, and are cloathed as well as they; and secondly they have the comforts more, lesse anguish of heart, vexation and contention of minde then the others have. And to them it is all one whether they goe into heauen through the gate or through the wicket. As a Bird with a little eye and the advantage of a wing to soare up withall may see farre wider then an Oxe with a greater: so the righteous with a little estate, ioyned with faith, tranquillity and devotion, may have more pleasure, feele more comfort, see more of Gods bounty and merciemercy, then a man of vast possessions, whose heart cannot lift it selfe aboue the earth. Secondly, As nature when shee intendeth a farther and more noble perfection, is lesse curious and elaborate in inferior faculties: (As man is exceeded by the Eagle for sight, and the Hound for sent, and the hare for swiftnesse, because nature intending in him a more spirituall and divine Soule, chose to be lesse delicate and exact in the senses) so God intending to bestow upon the faithfull a farre more exceeding and aboundant weight of heavenly glory, doth not alway so fully enlarge his hand towards them in these earthly things, as to those who have no other portion but in this life. We see then how much it concernes us to looke unto the ground of our Tenure, to observe in what service wee hold our estate, whether as appurtenances to Gods kingdome; or as meerely the pastures of a beast, which doe only fatten against the day of slaughter.

p. 364Seventhly and lastly, Gods Promises to us must be the grounds of our prayers to him. When ever God makes a promise, wee must make a prayer. And there are two things in this Rule to be observed. First, that wee can make no prayer in boldnesse, faith, or comfort, but for things promised. For if we will have God heare us, wee1. Ioh 5. 14. Iam. 1. 6.1 John 5:14Jas 1:6 must pray according to his will: we must aske in faith, we must see the things we aske made Ours in some promise and engagement before we must presume to aske them. This (as we have before observed) encouraged David, 2. Sam. 7. 27. 28. 29 2. Chro. 20. 8. 12. Dan. 9. 2, 3 Nehem. 1. 8. 11. Psal. 132. 10. 11. Psal 89. 19. 49.2 Sam 7:272 Sam 7:282 Sam 7:292 Chr 20:82 Chr 20:12Dan 9:2Dan 9:3Neh 1:8Neh 1:11Ps 132:10Ps 132:11Ps 89:19Ps 89:49Iehoshaphat, and Daniel to pray unto God, because hee had made promises of the things they desired, and therefore they were certaine that they prayed according to his will. This was Nehemiahs ground in his prayer for the reparation of Ierusalem. Remember, I beseech thee, the word which thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, if ye trangresse, I will scatter you abroad: But … you turne unto me and keepe my commandements and do them, though there were of you c…st out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, &c. Now these are thy servants and thy people whom thou h…st redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong band. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine …are be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to feare thy name, &c.

Secondly, that God will not performe promises, till by prayer they be sought for from him; till in our humble desires we declare that we accompt his promises exceeding great and pre…ous things. The Lord had promisedEzek. 36. 37.Ezek 36:37 deliverance unto Israel, yet saith the Lord, For this I will be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them. Thus saith the Lord, After seventie yeeres be accomplish…d at Babylon, I will visit you, and performe my good word towards Ier. 29. 10. 13.Jer 29:10Jer 29:13you, in causing you to returne to th… …lace. For I know the thoughts that I thinke towards you▪ thoughts of peace and not of evill, to give you an expected end. But p. 365how shall this excellent promise of God be effected; It followes▪ … upon me, and ye shall goe and pray unto m…, …nd I will hearken unto you, &c. So againe, The Lord maketh a promise of forgivenesse of sinnes, … blotteth out thy transgression for mine Esai. 43. 25. 26.Isa 43:25Isa 43:26owne …, and will not remember th… sinnes. But for the execution of this promise, God will be sought unto. Put mem remembrance, saith he, and let us plead together: for when we pray unto God to fulfill his promises, we testifie first, that they are promises of MercieMercy, and not of dutie or debt; because God is not bound to tender them unto us, but we to beg them of him. Secondly, we declare our need, and by consequence estimation of them, and dependance upon them. And lastly, we subscribe to the truth, and acknowledge the wisedome power, fidelity, and wayes that God hath to make good all his owne words unto us. We have no reason therefore to esteeme any thing a blessing, or fruit of Gods Promise, which we doe not receive from him upon our knees, and by the hand of prayer. As promises are the Rule of what wee may pray for in faith; so prayer is the ground of what wee may expect with comfort.

Th…s we see what use we are to make of the promises to … f…om all filthinesse of flesh and spirit: and the … we may make of them likewise to perfect our 2. Pet. 1. 4▪ 8.2 Pet 1:42 Pet 1:8… the …eare of God. For as the exceeding great …d pretious promises of God doe cleanse our natures, and make us …scape the corruption… or filthinesse which is i… the world through lust; so do they serve to ad one 2. Pet. 3. 18.2 Pet 3:18grace to an…ther, and to make them abound in us, till we come to cha…ity, which is the bond of perfection, as Saint Peter shewes. And againe, Grow, saith he, in grace, and in th… … of our Lord … Christ. The more a2 Cor. 1. 20.2 Cor 1:20 … doth abound in the knowledge of Christ, who is the s…mme, fountaine, …le▪ treasurie of all the promises, the more will he grow in grace and unto perfection. For p. 366as some promises are in our hand, and perform'd already, as Rewards for our service past: so others are still before our eyes, to call and allure us, as the price unto which wePhil. 3. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 58.Phil 3:141 Cor 15:58 p…este. Be ye stedfast and unmoveable and abound alwaies in the worke of the Lord, saith the Apostle, for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Revel. 3. 10. 11. Heb. 10. 23. Rom. 13. 11.Rev 3:10Rev 3:11Heb 10:23Rom 13:11Holding fast, and going on hath a Crowne attending it. The more we proceede in holinesse, our salvation is still the Neerer unto us. If we lose not the things which wee 2. Ioh. ver. 8.have wrought, we shall receive a full reward.