Evangelical Sacrifices, Text 5 (1 of 2)

Evangelical Sacrifices · Text 5 (1 of 2)

p. 195FAITH TRIVMPHANT.

HEBR. 11. 13.

These all died in faith; not having received the promises, but having seene them afarre off, they were perswaded of them, and imbraced them, and confessed that they were strangers, and pilgrims on earth.

THis Chapter is a little booke of Martyr…; it discovers the life, and death of the holy Patriarchs, and by what meanes Gods Children are brought into possession of that that they have an interest, and right unto upon ear…h; it is by faith: by faith we do, and suffer, all that we doe, and suffer, all that God hath ordained us to goe through, till he have brought us and invested u… to heaven, which is prepared for us.

p. 196In the former part of the Chapter there is an induction, the instances of perticular blessed Patriarchs: and after he had named diverse particulars he summes, them up in this generall. All these died in faith.

In this verse there is,

First, the generall set downe. All these died in faith.

And then the particular unfolding of this. They received not the promises, having scene them a-farre off, and were perswaded of them, and imbraced them, and confessed they were strangers, and pilgrims on earth. He sets downe their faith particularly, hereby setting down what might hinder it and yet did not hinder it, the not receiving of the promises. They received not the promises, and yet they beleeved the promises, that is, the things promised, they were afarre off, and yet they saw them.

They saw them, that is the first degree,

They were perswaded of them; that is the second.

They imbraced them; that is the third.

They confessed they were pilgrims and strangers, that is the fourth.

All these died in faith.

There is one faith from the beginning of the One faith from the beginning of the world.world: as there is one Christ, one salvation, so there is one uniforme faith for the saving of our soules, wee hope to bee saved by Iesus p. 197Christ as they were. I doe but touch that.

Then againe here is implied, a continuance Perseverance in faith.and perseverance in faith. All those died in faith, that is, they lived in faith, and by saith, till they died, and then they died in faith. Faith first, makes a Christian, and then after he lives by faith; it quickens the life of grace, and then he leades his life by that faith, he continues in it till he come to death, which is the period of all, and then he dies by that faith. But of perseverance to the end, and the helps to it, I spake at large upon another occasion, therefore I omit it. All these died in faith. Faith carried them along all their life time till death it selfe. Now that faith that helped them through all the difficulties of this life, that faith by which they lived, in that faith they died. They dyed in faith.

In the faith of the Messias, infaith of Canaan, in faith of heaven. For the Patriarchs, they had not Canaan till many hundred yeares after, it was a type of heaven; they had not Christ till some thousands of yeares after: So they died in faith of Christ, of Canaan, and of heaven, the benefits by Christ is the upshot of all this. They died in faith. He doth not say how otherwise they died; because it is not materiall whether they died rich or poore, great, or meane, God takes no great notice of p. 198that, nor a Christian takes no great notice of it. They died in faith. Whether they died a violent or a peaceable death it is no matter, they died blessed, in that they died in faith. They died in faith, which in other phrases, is to dye in the Lord, to sleepe in the Lord: because whosoever dies in faith dies in Christ. Faith lifts them up to Christ, and they steepe in Christ. It is a happy thing to dye in Christ; Now those that die in faith, they die in Christ, Blessed are those that dy in the Lord, they rest from their labours, saith the Apostle. All these died in faith.

They continued in faith to death, and then they ended their dayes in faith: When death closed up the eyes of their bodies, then with the eye of faith they looked upon Christ, upon God in Christ reconciled to them; the point is cleare, that The grace of faith, it is such a grace that it Doct. Faith carries a Christian through all the passages of his life.carries a Christian through all the passages of this life.

It inableth him to hold o…t to the end, to suffer those things that he is to suffer, and in the end by it he dies: and when all things else leave him in death, when riches leave him, when friends leave him, when honour, and great places leave him, when his life, & sences leave him, when all leave him, yet faith will never leave him, till it have put him in full possession p. 199of heaven; and then it ceaseth when it hath done the worke it hath to doe, which is to bring us to heaven, then it is swallowed up in vision, and sight, and hope into fruition, and enjoying of the thing hoped for. It is a blessed grace that stands by us, and goes along with us, and comforts us in all the passages of this life, and even in death it selfe, in those darke passages; it never forsakes us till it have put us in possession of heaven. All these died in faith.

What is it to die in faith?Quest.

To die in faith (as I said) is to die in the Answ. To die in faith what.Lord by faith, and it lookes to the Time

Past.

Present.

To come.

To the time past, to die in faith, is to die in 1 In respect of the time past.assurance of the forgivenesse of sins, when by faith and repentance we have pulled o…t the sting of sins past: for faith looks upon Christ, and Christ hath taken the sting of death in his owne body, and death ever since hath beene stinglesse, and harmelesse to his members; he hath disarmed it, death had nothing to doe to kill Christ; now seizing upon him who should not have died, who was our suretie, death hath lost his sting: so that to die in faith is to die in assurance of forgivenesse of sinnes past, by Christ.

p. 200For the present, in the present instant of death, to die in faith, is to see God reconciled 2 The time present.to us in Christ, and with the eye of Stephen to see Christ ready to receave our soules; to see Christ sitting at the right hand of God, to breake through all that is betweene, to see our selves sitting at the right hand of God in heavenly places with Iesus Christ; This is to die in faith, to see our selves there with our head, where wee shall bee ere long. Faith makes things to come present. To die in faith is to die in assurance of that blessed salvation presently, even at that instant of time, at the parting of soule, and body, that Christ will receive our soules that are redeemed with his precious bloud, that cost him so deare; he will not suffer the price of his bloud to miscarry. Faith apprehends that Christ will goe downe with us to the grave, as God said to Iacob, feare not to goe downe into Egypt, I will goe with thee: so God would not have us feare to goe down into the grave, those darke cels, and dungeons, God will goe downe with us. Our flesh shall rest in hope, because Christ our surety was raysed out of the grave, and sits in heaven in glory, and majesty, therefore our flesh rests in hope, as it is, Psalme 16. 5. Thou wilt not Psal. 16. 5.Ps 16:5suffer thy holy one to see corruption; therefore our flesh rests in hope till the resurrection, because GOD did not suffer his holy one to see corruption: this is to dye in faith.3 The time to come.

And for the time to come, to die in faith is p. 201by faith to overcome all the horrour of death. Death is a terr…ble thing: and of all the passages wherein we have occasion to use faith, it is most exercised in death. It requires more to die in fa…th, then to live in faith: for then the soule it lookes to the horrour of the grave, it sees nothing there but dust, and rottennesse. It lookes to the panges of death, sense; and nature doth. And likewise the soule so farre as it hath noth…ng but nature in it, it looks to the dissolution of two friends, the body, and the soule, who have been long coupled together, and their parting is bitter. And then it looks to the parting with friends here with whom they have lived lovingly, and sweetely. In death, nature sees an end of all imployment in this world, of all the comforts of this life, &c. and therefore it is a terrible thing. Now to die in faith is to die in conquering all these, with a spirit above all these. What doth faith Faith overcomes all that is terrible in death.in the houre of death? It over-comes all these; and all such like.

For when the soule by faith considers the The horror of the grave.horrour of the grave, as the chambers of death; faith considers they be but resting places for the body, that it sleepes there a while till the day of the resurrection, and then they meete againe. And it considers that the flesh rests there in hope of a glorious resurrection; and faith sees a time of restoring as Saint Peter saith, There shall be a day of restoring of all things, There is a day of refreshing, and restoring to p. 202come, when those eyes where with wee now looke up to heaven, and those fee…e that carry us about our callings, and about the exercis… of religion, and those hands that have beene lift up to God; that body that hath beene the vessell of the soule shall be restored, tho…gh it be turned to dust and rottennesse. Faith seet… the faithfulnesse of God; that God in Christ hath taken these bodies of ours in trust: … know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1. 12. and be 2 Tim. 1. 12.2 Tim 1:12is able to keepe that I have committed to him. I have committed to him my soule, my body, my whole salvation. I know he is able to keep that I have committed to him. And I kn… that my Redeemer liveth saith Iob, it was his comfort in all extremity, that he should see him with his very same eyes.

And then for the pangs of death which nature The pangs of death.trembles, and quakes at, faith consider… of them as the pangs of Child birth. Every birth is with pangs: now what is death, but th… birth to immortality, the birth of glory? we die to be borne to glory and happinesse. All our life time wee are in the wombe of the Church, and here we are bringing forth glory: now death I say, it is the birth day of glory and a birth is with paine; faith sees it is … birth day, it sees that presently upon it the… shall be joy, as with a woman after shee hath brought a man child into the world, so it comforts it selfe against the pangs of death. Again faith sees them short, and sees the glory after p. 203to be eternall, it is a little darke passage to an e…nall glorious light.

Then for the dissolution, and parting of Parting of soule and body.…o friends, soule, and body, faith sees that …is but for a wh…le, and then that that parting … a bringing in a better joyning; for it brings …e soule immediately to her beloved, our Sa…our Christ Iesus, and faith sees that it is not …g till body and soule shall be reunited a…ine for ever, and they shall bee for ever with … Lord.

And then for friends; faith sees, indeed, …at we shall part with many sweete friends; Losse of friends…t saith faith, we shall have better friends, we …e to GOD, we goe to the soules of per…ct men, we goe to innumerable company of …ngels; wee goe to better company a great …ale.

And for all the imployments we have here Company and imployment.…we have below, faith sees that there wil be …rcise in heaven, we shall praise God with …gels and all the blessed and glorious com…ny of heaven. So consider what you will …at is bitter, and terrible in death, faith con…ers it, it sees an end of it and opposeth to it …tter things: because notwithstanding death …ts off many comforts, yet it brings better; … is a blessed change, it is a change for the bet…r every way; faith sees that there is a bet…r place, better company, better imployment, …tter liberty, all better. And which is more, … die in faith is to die in assurance that all is p. 204ours as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 3. 16. … 1 Cor. 3. 16.1 Cor 3:16death is ours, Paul is yours, Christ is yo… death is yours. This is our comfort when… dayes shall be closed up with death; faith b… lieves that death is ours, that is, it is for … good: for as I said, it brings us to our wish… haven, it brings an end to all misery, an … our sinnes, an end to our paine, an end to … vexations, an end to our discomforts, and to … scandalls here below, an end to all the tempt… tions of Satan. The Lord will wipe all teares fr… our eyes then. And it is the beginning of … pinesse that shall never end. So indeed fai… sees that the day of death is better than t… day of birth: when we come into misery … not so good as when we go out of misery, … enter into happinesse. This is to dye in faith. … the time past to see the forgivenesse of al… … sinnes, to see the sting pulled out. And for … present, to look to Christ ready to receive… soules, and to see him present with us to co… fort us, to strengthen us against the p…ngs … death. And for the time to come, by …aith … over-look the grave, to over looke death, … all, and to see all conquered in Christ, … our selves in heaven already with Christ; … thus a Christian being upheld with this gr… he ends his dayes in faith.

This should stir… us up (if this be so) to … Use. To labour for faith.this grace of faith, above all graces to get … rance that we are in Christ Iesus, that so … may live with c…mfort, and end our day… p. 205with comfort, and live for ever happy in the …ord. It is only faith, and nothing else that …ill master this King of feares, this gyant that …bdues all the Kings of the earth to him. This …onster death, hee out faceth all, nothing can …ut face him but faith in Christ, and that will …aster him. As for your glorious speeches …f Pagans, and morall civill men, they are Death terrible.…ut flourishes, vaine, emptie flourishes, their …earts give them the lie: Death is a terrible …ing, when it is armed with our sins, and when … is the messenger of Gods wrath, and citeth …s before God, it is the end of happinesse, and …he beginning of torment. When we looke …pon it in the glasse of the law, and in the …lasse of nature, it is the end of all comforts, it …s a curse brought in by sinne. It is a terrible …hing, nothing can conquer and master it but …aith in Christ. Oh let us labour therefore to get it while wee live, and to exercise it …hile we live, that we may live every day by …aith.

It is not any faith that we candie by, it must … a faith that we have exercised, and tryed …efore; it is a tryed, a proved faith, that wee must end our dayes by: For alas, when death comes, if we have not learned to live by faith before, how can wee end our dayes in faith? He that while he lives will not trust God with his children, that will not trust God with his soule; he that will not trust God with his estate, but will use ill means, and put his hand to ill p. 206courses to gaine by; he that will not trust … for his inheritance, that will not cast his br… upon the waters, and trust GOD to see … gaine; he that will not doe this while he liv… how shall he trust God for body and soule, … all in death? he cannot doe it. It must be… faith that is daily exercised, and tryed, wher… by we must commit our soules to God w… we dye, that wee may dye in that faith: t… we may be able to say, all the dayes of … life, I had experience of Gods goodnesse, … depended upon him, and I have found him … in all his promises; I committed my selfe, an… my wayes to him, and I found him good, a… gracious in blessing me, I found him giving … a good issue, and now I am strengthened there by, to trust GOD that hath beene so true … mee all my life time, I will trust him … with my soule, that hee will never fail… mee.

Let us all labour for this faith: for tho… it cannot be said of us that we die rich, or th… we die great in the world; perhaps wee may die a violent death: (as there be diverse diseases that leade the body into distempers) it … no matter how we die distempered, and in any estate, so it may be said of us, we die in able… sed faith.

But it may be objected, that all Gods children Object.die not in faith, because some die raging Answ. Christians die in faith notwithstanding distempers.and distempered, and in such fits.

But we must know that they die in faith not p. 207with standing all that: for then they are not …em selves; the covenant betweene God and …em was made before, they have given up …emselves to GOD, and committed their …ules to God before, for a Christian gives …p himselfe every day; he commits himselfe …ule and body continually to God, as a bles…ed sacrifice of a free-will offering; so hee …arns to die daily, daily labours to live in the …state he would die in; he ought to doe thus; …nd many Christians doe thus: therefore notwithstanding these distempers, the covenant …etweene GOD and the soule remaines still, …nd he dies in faith. It is said here, they all di…d Christians may want feeling.in faith: he saith, not they all died in fee…ing. A man may die in faith, and yet not die …n feeling; and sometimes the strongest faith …s with the least feeling of Gods love. Fee…ing may be reserved sometimes for heaven: …et notwithstanding wee must not take it so as … there were no feeling where there is faith; for there was never faith yet, but upon the …ouch of faith the soule drew some strength …nd some inward feeling, though it be not discerned of the soule in regard of the immode…ate desire of the soule to have more: yet there is alway so much feeling, and strength, and comfort that supports the soule from despaire, take the childe of GOD at the worst. Therefore when I speake of feeling, I speak of a glorious demonstration, that God sometimes takes away from his children. They p. 206duplicate page p. 207duplicate page p. 208died in fa…th though not alway in feeling of … they died in faith, though not alway by a fai… death, or in a comely manner outwardly, … the applause of the world: it is no matter, for that they all died in faith, and that is sufficient.

It is the desire of Gods Children, that they may dye in faith, and die in Christ, as they have lived in faith, and lived in Christ. Fai… is a blessed grace; by it we live, by it we stand, by it we conquer, and resist, by it we indure, by it we die, by it we do all those worthy matters we doe, in spight of the devill, and his kingdome: this is that excellent grace of faith by which we live, and by which we die. These all died in faith.

For they lived as they died, and died as they As men live so they die.lived. It is a usuall generall rule, as men live so they die, he that lives by faith, dies by faith; he that lives prophanely, dies prophanely. If we suffer the devill to lead us and abuse us all the time of our life, we must thinke God in just judgement will give us up, that he shall delude us, and abuse us at the houre of death. Carnall confidence disposeth men, to thinke they shall step our of their filthy blasphemous course of life, out of their sinfull cursed condition to leape to heaven presently, it is no such matter. Alas, heaven it must be entred into on earth; there must bee a fiting and preparing p. 209time on earth for heaven: we must looke to die as we live. There is but one example of a man that died by faith that did not live by faith, that is, the good thiefe, and yet that little time of life we see how fruitfull it was: but the rule is, all that will die in faith must live in faith; and usually men are affected, and disposed, and their speeches, and carriage are on their death bed as they were when they lived, GOD in just judgment giving them up to that course.

Many wish that they may live in popery, and enjoy the liberty of that carnall religion, but they would not die by that religion; they live by that religion, and die by ours, when they have had the sweetnesse and liberty that is given them there to sin, and then open all in confession and be cleane, and then sin againe, and such easie courses they have that betrayes thousands of soules to damnation: Now this is their course, when conscience is awakened they flie to savation by CHRIST, if they understand any thing at all, or else they die desperate, if they looke to be saved by that religion as they live by it: if we look to die by faith, we must live by it. These all died in faith, not having received the promises.

For God promised them Canaan, and they died many hundred yeares before, their posterity p. 210came into Canaan; hee promised them Christ, and they died long before Christ came; he promised them heaven, and they entred not into heaven till death, so they received not the promises, that is, they received not the things promised; for else they received the promise, but not that that was promised; they received not the type, Canaan, not the things typified; Christ, and heaven. This is added as a commendation of their faith, that though they received not the things that they looked for, yet notwithstanding they had such a strong faith that they continued to live by faith, and died in faith. The promises here are taken for the blessed things promised.

This should teach us this lesson, that Gods promises are not emptie shells, they are reall things. And then whatsoever God promiseth God deales with men by promises.it is not barely propounded to the soule but in a promise, it is wrapped up in a promise: hee gives us not emptie promises nor naked things, but hee gives us promises of things which we must exercise our faith in, in depending upon him for the performance of them till we be put in possession. For here all the blessings they looked for, is wrapped up in the name promises; they received not the promises; the meaning is, they received not Canaan; they received not Christ in the flesh, not life everlasting. Now the believing soule, it lookes upon all the good things that it looks for from God, not nakedly, but as they p. 211are involved, and wrapped, and lapped up in promises, it must have a word for it, it looks to GODS word. For the soule looks not now immediately as it shall doe in heaven, it looks not to God, and to Christ directly: but it lookes to Christ and heaven, and happinesse, as it is in a promise. It dares not expect any thing of God but by a promise. Alas the guiltie soule, how dares it look God in the face but by a promise? except he have ingaged himselfe by promise, and he hath ingaged himselfe by promise that he will doe it, he hath pawned his faithfulnesse that he will doe it: and then the soule lookes to the promise, and in that it looks to Christ, and grace, and heaven, and happines, and all good things.

A presumptuous idle person that knowes not Faith lookes on God by the promise.what God is, that he is a consuming fire, he rusheth into Gods presence. Faith dares not go to God but first it pleads his word to him, it pleads his promise to him; it lookes on God by a promise. The very phrase inforceth this upon us that we should make great account of the promises, because we have all good wrapped in them. The promises are the swadling clouts; Christ, and Heaven, is wrappped in them. And when wee have a promise, let us thinke we are rich indeed, for God will performe his promise. From the promise then the soule goes to the nature of GOD, then it thinkes of his justice, his justice ties him to performe it; it thinkes of his merciemercy, p. 212and truth, faithfull it hee that hath promised. Then it thinkes of that great name Iehovah, that gives being to the world, gives being to … things, nay, and that will turne all things that are now to nothing, as when they were nothing he gave them being at the first: that Iehovah hath made these promises of life everlasting, of necessary grace to bring us thither, he hath made a promise of perseverance, and of comfort under the crosse, and affliction, a promise of provision, and the like. That great God Iehovah that gave being to all is faithfull, he hath bound himselfe, he hath laid his faithfulnesse to pawne, that he will make all good, that is here promised. The soule after it sees the promise it riseth up, and lookes to God. They received not the promises, that is, the things promised, so much I desire to observe from the phrase. They received not the promises.

He speakes in the plurall number, though he Why he saith promises.meane but one maine promise, that is, the Messias, for all other were types of him. Beleevers are called Children of the promise. Here they are called promises, for the repeating of them. The promise of the same thing it was made oft: there was no new promise, the promise of the same thing was seven times repeated, and renewed to Abraham presently one after another. So they are called promises, to p. 213shew that the promise can never be too much thought on, though it be the same promise, of Promises to be oft thought onlife everlasting, the same promise of grace, and of comfort, the same promise of the resurrection, &c. All the promises of good things to come we cannot think of too oft; nor receive the Sacramēt the seale of the promise too oft; God knowes what we are, he will have us oft receive the Sacrament, and oft heare the same things. We see the Prophet Esay, and the rest, how oft they inculcate the same promises of comfort, to the people in captivity concerning their deliverance out of it; they repeate it againe, and againe: the same reason should enforce the soule to have recourse to the promises againe, and againe.

When there is any doubt or darkenesse ariseth, to comfort the soule with the promise againe, and againe. Satan puts clouds, and darkenesse before the soule every day: there is a repeating of sin, of infirmities, and darknesse every day: we should every day repeate the promises still though it be the same pro mise, and the seale of them. This I observe from the number. They received not the promises.

There is a distinction of the words Evangelion, foreign.and Epangelia in the Greeke, they have a different signification, Epangelia is of the time of the promises that were before Christ, p. 214and they were all in expectation of the promise, of the promised Messias: the time of that dispensation was Epangelia, Evangelion that was the time of the Gospell, when the promise was brought into performance, when our salvation was wrought by Christ in his first comming: so they lived under the promise, but they lived not under the things promised; they had Epangelia the promise made to them, but they had not Evangelion, that is, the dispensation of time wherein Christ lived, which were indeed glorious times, when Christ came in the flesh, they received not those, yet notwithstanding they died in faith. To shame us, that have so many meanes, and helps, and yet notwithstanding are so earthly minded, and so stagger and doubt in matters of salvation, and have our faith to seeke: when all these blessed worthies the Patriarchs died in the faith that they lived in, and yet they received not the promises, no, not the type of the promises, they received not Canaan, which was an earthly type of heavenly Canaan, which was promised them; they came not to reap that till long after, when they came out of Egypt, as for Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, they lived in the land of promise as strangers. They received not the promises.

They were comforted notwithstanding that their posterity should receive them. Canaan, was a type of CHRIST, and of p. 215Heaven, I observe this by the way that, God doth not reveale all things at all times.Obser.

God doth leave diverse things to be revealed God doth not reveale all things at all times.in diverse ages of the Church. God doth not reveale every thing in every time.

To comfort all ages of the Church. We see not every thing in our times, we must bee To comfort all ages of the Church.content.

There is to come the conversion of the Iewes, many good soules desire that: there is to come the confusion of Antichrist, and many good things, that God will bring to passe in another age, our posterity they shall see it. Let it comfort us: by faith we see the promises, though we do not receive the things promised, we have the promise in the Scriptures: let us comfort our selves in that, that the benefit is reserved to our posterity. Every age hath severall priviledges, that that one age hath not, another hath: these-grand Patriarchs saw not what their posterity saw, their posterity saw not what those that lived in the time of Christ saw: those in Christs time saw not the discovery of Antichrist which we see, our posterity shall see the confusion of Antichrist, which (it may bee) wee shall not see.

Againe this should help us against the common To be thankfull for what wee have.infirmity that Christians are subject unto, we should be thankful for some things, though p. 216we have not all that we would have. These received not the promises, they had the promise, they had the word, though they had not the things promised, and that comforted them, though they had not the thing, no, not so much as the type of the thing, not Canaan these blessed Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, yet they were thankfull, and chearefull, and died in faith.

It is a common infirmity which our na… Vnthankefulnesse.is too prone to, if the Church bee notinall things as we would, we will not heare, we care for nothing, like curst children, if they have not all they would have, they care for nothing. Theseall, they had the promises, they had not the things promised; but did they take pet upon this? Oh no; they imbraced … promises, and looked for thethings promised in due time, though they had them not themselves. So it is with particular Christians, other Christians they see goe comfortably i… their Christian course, and they have nothing; no grace, no faith, no love, no goodnesse: because they have not all they would have, therfore they have nothing, what an ill affection is this? We should be thankful for that we have, that we can deny ourselves, and we should be content to waite for that we have not: this is the disposition of a Christian that is in a right temper: and that is it which holds many from comforts, that they doe not thankefully acknowledge that they have. Our covetousnesse, p. 217and greedinesse, of that that wee have not, and yet would have it, makes us that wee doe not see that we have already. Wee all looke forward, wee would have more, and more, and are not thankefull for the present grace. The Patriarchs were not so, they wanted many things that they desired heartily to have; and yet they comforted themselves, and died in faith, though they did not receive the promises. They saw them afarre off.

They saw them afarre off, and were perswaded Order of Gods Spirit working.of them, and imbraced them, &c. This is the order of Gods spirit, first to open the eye to see, and by sight to perswade, and upon perswasion to stirre up the heart and affections to imbrace: for good things are brought into the soule through the understanding, by the spirituall sight of the understanding, and from that into the will and affections, by imbracing the things wee know: this is GODS course daily, therefore he saith they first saw them, and then were perswaded of them, and then imbraced them. They see them afarre off.

Indeed they saw them a farre off, they were not fulfilled till many yeares, and generations after, yet they see them.

p. 218By what eye?The eye of faith.

By the eye of faith: faith makes things present though in themselves they be farre off. It is the nature of faith to make things that are absent to be present to the believing soule, and it affects the soule somewhat as if it were present. Wee know things worke not upon the soule but as present: a danger that is, many yeares to come, it affects not the soule unlesse Things affect as present.it be apprehended as present; nothing affects the soule but as present. Now there are two wayes of things being present. One is when the things themselves be present, that is, when we shall be in heaven, and enjoy Christ, and all the joyes of heaven; then the things are present themselves. And then there is a presence of faith, when faith apprehends the things promised to us as present; faith makes the things present in somesort, not in all respects: for then faith were all one with vision, and possession: but in regard of certainty they are present, and in regard of sound comfort: therefore God gives other graces, betweene faith, and possession, to strengthen and enable faith that it doe not sinke in the worke, between faith, and the full possession of the good things we believe, we have patience, and hope, and many other sweete graces; but all dispose the soule comfortably to waite for the accomplishment of the things beleeved. Now though the presence of faith affect not so much as the presence of sight: yet it doth affect. p. 219What is the reason that a holy man is so much affected with heavenly things, hee feeles no more joy many times than a wicked man? It is the nature of faith that so represents them to him, and sets before his eyes the excellencie of the things that hee sees them as present.

Faith, hath her eye, faith hath her sences, What kind of eye faith hath.faith hath feete of her owne, whereby shee goes to Christ: faith hath armes of her owne to graspe, and to claspe Christ. Faith hath eares of her owne, to heare the word of God, and believe it; faith hath eyes of her owne; and what kinde of eyes? to seethings afarre off, to see things invisible; to see things within the vayle, to see things that are upward, things that sence and reason can never reach unto. Reason sees more then sence, but faith sees more than reason. Faith sees the resurrection of the body, faith sees the glory in heaven, that all the eyes in the world cannot see. Faith correcteth the errour of reason, reason corrects the errour of sense. They saw him afarre Faith sees afarre off.off, with the blessed eye of faith. Faith hath an eye that sees a farre off, it sees things remote both intime, and place.

It sees things farre off inplace, faith sees 1 In regard of place.things in heaven, it sees Christ there, it sees our place provided for us there, it sees God reconciled there, by it we see our selves there, because we shall be there ere long: faith sees all this, it breakes through, and looks through p. 220all, it hath most piercing beames, the eye … faith. And it workes in an instant, it goes … heaven in a moment, and sees Christ.

And for distance of time, the eye of faith, 2. Time. 1. Past.it sees things past, and things to come. It see… things past, it sees the creation of the …ld, it sees the redemption of us by Iesus Christ, … sees our sinnes there punished in Christ our su…ety, it sees us crucified with Christ Iesus, … sees all discharged by him. Faith see… … the Sacrament: when we take the bread, … hath recourse presently to the breaking of … body of Christ, and the shedding of the blo… of Christ. Then Christ is crucifyed … us, … dies to us, when we believe Christ was … fied for us, and died for us, faith makes it present.

And so for the time to come, faith hath … 2. To come.eye that lookes a farre off, it sees the resu… ction of the body, and life everlasting: … sees the generall judgement, it sees eternall happinesse in heaven; it sees things afar… o…. It is the Evidence of things not seene.

What is the reason of it?

It makes things not otherwise seene, be seene, and presently seene; it gives a being to things. It is a strange power that faith hath: faith is the eye of the sanctified soule, it is the light of the soule.

In the darke, though things have a colo… and a lustre in them, yet till light co…e to make them cleare, they are all as if they … p. 221not, they are not seene: but when the light discovers them, then those things that were impossible to bee seene, and had in them collour, and lustre, they come to be actually seene. So it is wi…h faith, there is the happinesse of a Christian, there is glory, and grace; reason it seeth not this; here is a night of all these things, if there be not light in the eye of faith: now when there comes the promise of God as a light discovering them, and the eye of faith to see all this, then here is an evidence of the things, a cleare sight of them which without faith are as excellent things in the night that no eye can see. Faith is a further light, a light beyond all, a supernaturall heavenly light, and sight, it sees beyond all other eyes, beyond the eye of the body, or beyond the other eye of the soule, which is reason.

Now this worke of faith is called sight, among Sight of faith quicke.other respects for this, that sight is the most capacious, and comprehending sence; it apprehends its object quickly, and sight it works upon the affections, so faith hath a quick eye sight, it pierceth through the darke things of the world, it pierceth through contraries. Gods children, though they see their estate oft times contrary to the promise, as if God did not regard them: yet they breake through that. You know Gods manner of working is in contrary estates, when we die, faith sees life; when we most apprehend our sins, faith sees the forgivenesse of sinnes: when we are p. 222in the greatest mystery, faith hath so quicke a sight that it sees happinesse, and gl…y through all. It sees a farre off notwithstanding the interposing of any thing contrary, by flesh and bloud.

Faith is sometimes called tast, and by the Things requisite to sight.name of other senses, but especially by the name of sight. As in sight there is both the light outward, and a light in the eye, and the application of the light in the eye to the object: so in faith there is a light in the things revealed, a promise, and discovery of it by the light of the Gospell, and an inward light in the soule, answerable to the inward light in the eye: for a dead eye sees nothing, and a quick living eye sees nothing without the light of the ayre. So there is a double revelation, by the word, and by the spirit: the spirit works an eye of faith in the soule, and then it discovers to it the things of God. They saw them a farre off.

God created a new eye in the soule, a new sight which they had not by nature: for even as the natural eye cannot see things that are invisible; so the naturall man cannot see the things of God, which are seene not by a naturall, but by a supernaturall eye, eye hath … seene, nor eare heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared … his children, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. The eye theretherefore p. 2231 Cor. 2. 10. 11.1 Cor 2:101 Cor 2:11that must see things a farre off, it must bee a supernaturall eye; and the light that must discover them must be the light of Gods truth: for reason cannot see the resurrection of the body, and the life to come, and such glorious things as the word of God reveales to us.

If you aske why this sight of faith is so necessary, Quest.this supernaturall sight.

I answer, nothing can be done in religion Answ. Sight of faith necessary.without the supernaturall eye of the soule, nothing at all: for a man may see heavenly things with a naturall eye, and be never a whit the better: a man may see the joyes of heaven, he may heare much of heaven, and happinesse, and forgivenesse, and thinke oh, these are good things: but yet notwithstanding he doth not see these things with a supernaturall eye, he doth not see these things to be holy, and gracious, and to be fit for him: he wisheth them with conditions, but not with the altering of his disposition. As a man may see an earthly thing with a heavenly eye: because he sees God in it, and there is somewhat of God in it to lead him to see him: so a man may see heavenly things with a carnall eye, as Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous. A carnall man may be ravished with heavenly things; but he must look upon them as things sutable, or else all is to no purpose.

How doth faith see this? how comes faith Quest.to have this strength?

p. 224Because faith sees things in the power of God, it sees things in the truth of God; he … Answ. Faith lookes to Gods power and truth.Iehovah, he gives being to things: therefore as God Almighty gives being to things in their time, when they are not: so faith in his promises sees that these things will bee, it sees things in the truth of God, in the promise of God; there it hath these eyes to see a farre off It selfe is wrought by the mighty power of God in the soule, for it is a mighty power for the soule to neglect the things it sees, to neglect riches, and honours, and pleasures, and to stand admiring of things that it sees not: for a man to rule his course of life upon reasons which the world sees not, because there is a happinesse to come, and a God that he believes in, &c. It is a mightie power that plants such a grace in the heart, faith is wrought by the mighty power of GOD. As it selfe is wrought by the power of God, so it layes hold upon the power of God, that the promises shall be performed. In all the promises it sees, and layes hold on the mighty power and truth of God, and therefore it hath such an eye.

Our duty then is to labour to have our faith Use. To labour for strong sight of faith.cleare, to have this eye of faith, to have a strong faith, a strong sight.

When is the sight of faith strong?Quest.

When it is as the faith of these Patriarchs Answ. Three things in a strong sight.was.

There are three things that make a strong p. 225sight, that makes us conceive that he sight of faith is a strong sight.

When the things are farre of that we see, then if the eye see them it is a strong sight: a weake eye cannot see a farre off.

Secondly, when there are clouds betweene though the things be neare; yet when there are clouds betweene, to breake, and pierce through them, there must be a strong sight.

Then thirdly, when there is but a little light; when there are many obstacles in the middest, and to breake through all by a little light to seethings remote, here is a strong eye, and this was the sight of these blessed men, they had a strong eye.

For the things they looked on were remote, a farre off, diverse thousands of yeares 1 When the thing seene is farre off.they saw Christ by faith: the soule mounted up on the wing of faith, it flew over many thousands of yeares in a moment, and see Christ the Messias, and see heaven it selfe typi fied in Canaan. So swift is the eye of faith, it mounts over all in a moment. As the eye of the body in a moment can looke to the v…sible heavens, so a strong faith, it sees Christ in heaven.

And then betweene them, and that they 2 When there are clouds betweene.looked to what difficulties were there? Blessed Abraham who was a type of Christ, how many difficulties had he? besides other of the Patriarchs. We see God commanded him to slay his sonne, a command (one would thinke) p. 226against reason, against affection, against hope, it was faith against faith as it were, It was against reason in the eye of flesh. Now in this case to strive against all these difficulties, what a many clouds must Abraham breake through here, against sense, and against affection, hee must hope against hope, hee must have faith against faith, he must deny affection, hee must goe and take his only begotten son Isaac, and he must be the executioner and butcher himselfe and slay him for a sacrifice; Here must be a strong faith in the power of God, that must see God raysing Isaac from the dead, as he did after a sort: for when he was bound for a sacrifice ready to bee slaine, he caused a Ramme to be taken in the thicket, and to be offered, and Isaac escaped. It was a strong faith to breake through all these. Indeed blessed Abraham saw more excellency, and power in the work of God then in his beloved Isaac. So faith that is strong it sees more comfort, and joy, and matter of benefit and blessing to the soule in the promises, and in the word of God then in Isaac, that is, then in the dearest thing in our owne account that we have, that the faithfull soule had rather part with all then with God: it will not part with his promises for all that is in the earth, not for the dearest thing in this world, Isaac shall goe rather.

Then for their light to goe by it was but 3 When there is little light.little, what a little light had they? Answ. Promises, they saw things in types, and glasses, p. 227a few promises, and what was that they sought? A heritage farre off. Wee on the contrary have all set nearer hand that may helpe us, but wee have a weaker faith. One would thinke it should greatly help us to lead our lives till we come to heaven: for that that we believe is nearer, heaven is nearer, how little a time is betweene us, and the day of judgment? how little a time betweene us, and the glory that is to be revealed? For the clouds that we have betweene they are none in comparing our light with theirs. How many promises have we discovered before hand? we have Christ come in the flesh and risen again: we have the Gentiles called, and all these things we have light upon light: we have larger promises, and a larger unfolding of divine truths; the Canon is inlarged, the Bible is enlarged, more than it was then; there are many books added, and the New Testament. Now how doth it come to passe that we see not so well as they, nor so strongly as they? I answer, the reason is this, their light was lesse, but their sight was stronger, we have more light, and lesse sight; we have things nearer, but our sight is weaker. (the more shame for us) A strong eye may see a farre off by a little light. When a weake eye cannot see so farre by a greater light. The eye of their soule, the eye of faith was stronger, and more light some: the spirit of God was stronger in Abraham, but his light of revelation was lesser; he had p. 228fewer promises: for he desired to see Christs day, and saw it not.

So it is with Christians sometimes, when there is a great strength of faith, yet it may be there is not so much light: a weake Christian may have more light, but he hath a weaker eye, and he in that respect sees better then a stronger. To a stronger God doth not discover to him so much outwardly sometimes sutable to his inward, Gods dispensations are diverse in this kind.

Now to helpe our sight to heaven, this To helpe the sight of faith.sight of faith, that wee may every day ascend with the eye of our soules, with this blessed sight.

Let us take heed of the God of this world Satan, that hee doe not with the dust of the 1 Take heed that Satan blind not.world dimme our sight: what is the reason that many cannot see the glorious things of GOD? The God of this world, saith the Apostle, hath blinded their eyes; hee casts dust in their eyes, they are covetous, they are blind in their affections they have darke soules. The soule when it is lead by affections, and lusts; when the affections will not suffer it to see, it covers the eyes of it. And then the outward things of the world, they are cast into the eyes, we must take heed of these inward, and outward lets, take heed of Sathan, that he doe not with outward objects bewitch us. For as it is in prospective glasses: you know such glasses, Simile.some are of that nature, they represent to a p. 229man things that are a farre off, as if they were neare, so faith it is a kind of prospective glasse, it presents to the soule by reason of this super naturall light, things that are farre off as if they were neare. Now as God hath his prospective glasses, to see a farre off; so the Devill hath prospective glasses, that when things are neare he makes them seene a farre off (as such glasses there are too) when death, and danger, and damnation are nea…e; When a man carries the sentence of damnation in his bosome, when he carries a stayned, defiled conscience; the devill with his prospective glasse makes him see death, and destruction as a farre off. I may live so many yeares, and enjoy my pleasure, and my will. Now this is but a false glasse, the devill abuseth them: for your life is but a death, and when we begin to live we begin to die: why should we account therefore of the time to come? death and life goe in equall pace one with another, everyday we live so much is taken from our life; and then the cutting off of all is uncertaine: let us take heed that Satan blind us not.

And withall desire God to open our eyes 2 Desire God to open our eyes.every day, to take the scales from the eye of our soules, that we may see the promises, that we may see Christ, that we may see God shining on us in Christ: that he would take away the vaile from the things by exposition, that he would open the truth to us by his Ministers: and that hee would take away the vaile from p. 230our hearts, that our hearts may joyne with the things. That when by ministeriall meanes the things are cleare, that there may not be a vaile of infidelity on our hearts, but that our hearts may sweetly joyne with them. Let us begge daily that GOD would take away the things that hinder, inward and outward, that we may see the things a farre off: that we may not be as Peter saith, mop eyed, that wee cannot see a farre off, but that we may set heaven before our eyes, and the judgement and the happinesse to come, that we may see, and view and eye those things by faith, and that wee may square our lives answerable.

Then againe to helpe our sight of Christ, and happinesse, let us get a fresh sight of our 3 Get a sight of corruption.corruption, and sinne every day: let us every day look on that terrifying object of our corruption of nature hang it in the eye of our soules as an odious object to humble us. Let us see every day what a corrupt heart we carry about us, see how odious these things are to God, how it offends him, see how it exposeth us to the wrath of God, if he should take us in the middest of our sinnes, and corruptions: let us have these things fresh in our eyes every day, and that will cleare our sight. Men are loath to looke in the booke of their consciences, because they are loath to be disturbed from their pleasures.

Let us see what need we stand in of Christ: the view of our corruptions will make us glad p. 231to see a better object, it will make us turne our eyes to CHRIST, to the promises, and all things that we have by Christ, we shal be glad to look to him: What is the reason we have no more delight to see the glorious things afarre off? We see not the dimension of our corruptions: for then we would be glad to see all the dimensions of Gods love in Christ, the height, and bredth, and depth and all. So much for that.

They saw them a farre off.

They were perswaded of them.

It was such a sight of the things as was Perswasion followes sight.with convincing; with perswasion. And indeed this followes well upon sight: for sight of all other sences perswades best: hearing is not so perswasive as sight: supernaturall sight: brings forth supernaturall perswasion. Sight is a convincing sense even outward sight: so inward sight it is a convincing thing it perswades, and sets downe the soule that a thing is so, when a man sees it. All the men in Sight convinceth.the world cannot perswade the weakest man in the world, when it is day, or night; when the sunne shines, or it is darke, that it is not so: when he sees it, he will believe his owne eyes more than all the world besides. And as it is in sensible things, we believe our owne eyes: so much more in spirituall things we believe our eyes. When there is a spirituall light of p. 232revelation in the word discovering such things, and also to spirituall light a spirituall eye: when the spirit puts an eye into the soule to see supernaturall things that reason cannot attaine to; then there is perswasion: though all the world should perswade the soule that such a thing were not so, it would say it is so, it will believe its owne eyes. If all the world should perswade a Christian that there is no such excellency in religion, that his wayes are not good, that he is but foolish, &c. he knowes the contrary, and will not be scorned out of his religion, and driven out of it by any contrary perswasion of men whom hee pitties (though perhaps they are otherwise beyond him) in the state of nature: for sight it is a convincing thing.

Especially when there is some taste with Especially with taste.sight: for tast together with sight convince … of the goodnesse of things; as we see in those that lead their life by tasting and feeling. The creatures maintaine their life by tasting some proportionable food fit for them. So a Christian, when once hee hath tasted of spirituall things, the proper food of his soule, when he hath seene, and tasted of them, he will never be driven out of his religion, and his … by any meanes, when he hath seene, and … ed, he is throughly perswaded. A man must not dispute against tast, when he hath tasted a thing to be so, talke to him otherwise, he saith, I have tasted, and feele, and see it to be so; p. 233and therefore wee see that after sight comes perswasion.

Now this perswasion is a supernaturall perswasion, Perswasion supernaturall.and it is

Generall,

Particular.

A generall perswasion of the things, of the generall truths, and a particular personall perswasion of our interest in them. When wee are perswaded that the truths are so, generally, that are revealed in the word of God; and when we are perswaded by the help of the spirit that wee have a particular interest in them, a portion in them. And both are here meant. They see them a farre off, and were perswaded of them, they were convinced both of the truth, and goodnesse of them: and of the truth and goodnesse to them in particular.

Now perswasion is a setled kind of knowledge. Perswasion what.Perswasion comes diverse wayes, there be diverse degrees tending to perswasion.Degrees to perswasion.

First, the poorest degree of the apprehension of things, is conjecture; a guessing that 1 Conjecture.such a thing may bee so or otherwise, but I guesse it rather to be so.

Beyond conjecture there is opinion, when a man thinkes it is so, upon more reasons 2 Opinion.swaying him one way: and yet in opinion there is feare on the contrary that it may bee otherwise.

p. 234And the third degree beyond opinion is certaine knowledge, when a man is not only conceited, 3 Knowledge from argumentthat the thing is so, his opinion is so upon some reasons inducing him; but hee knowes it by arguments, and reasons: that is science and knowledge, when the mind is perswaded by arguments; but that is not so much here meant, the perswasion by argument.

There is another degree then, of knowledge 4 Perswasion from authority of the speaker.which is by the authority of the speaker, a perswasion from thence: when I know not the thing by the light of the thing so much, because I see the reason of the thing; but because I know such a one saith it; that is the perswasion of faith. When one is perswaded of a thing not so much out of his owne knowledge, out of the principles of the thing; setting out the causes of the thing, as out of the credite of the person that speakes. Now this perswasion riseth out of faith in the authority of the person, when I believe a thing for the authority of the speaker: it ariseth from the knowledge of him that speakes; that he is able, and that hee is true and that he is honest, and good: that he will not deceive because he is good, and he will not bee deceived because he is wise; we conceive that he is wise, and holy, and able with all, one that we trust. If together with this knowledge and perswasion, from the authority, and truth, and goodnesse and wisdome of the speaker, there be joy…ed p. 235sense and experience, we see it proved; and when there is experience, there is reason why And some experience.wee should believe that he saith because wee have found the thing to be so. So when there is both the authority of the speaker, and some inward sense, some sight, and taste, and feeling, and experience of the thing spoken; here comes that setled perswasion: for hee is undoubtedly true that hath spoken it, and I have found in some degree the thing true that hee hath spoken. Now both are here meant in some degrees, they saw the things a farre off, both by the authority of the promise; as likewise by their owne sight, and some taste they had.

For God reserves not all for heaven, God gives his children some taste, and feeling, some little joy, and comfort; the first fruits of the spirit here. So they were perswaded, from the authority of the speaker, and some sense, and feeling of the thing in somemeasure.

Now this perswasion hath its degrees.Degrees in this perswasion.

There is a full perswasion.

And there is a perswasion that is not so full that is growing to further perswasion still.

And this perswasion hath degrees, both in the generall perswasion, of the truths themselves, and in their particular interest: for all Christians are not alike perswaded of divine truths themselves, nor all Christians are not a like perswaded of their particular interest in those truths. There bee degrees in both respects. p. 236For the things themselves, wee may 1. In generall.grow stronger, and stronger perswaded: even as the light, and our eye growes clearer, the stronger is our sight: so our perswasion while we are here may grow stronger, and stronger. It was strong in Abraham; yet not so uniformely strong, but that it was weaker sometimes then others, as we see in the story. And 2. Particular.so for particular perswasion, the spirit of God may give assurance that may bee shaken, I but he recovers himselfe presently: the tenour of a Christians life is usually a state of fight, and perswasion, when he is himselfe, and when he remembers his owne principles.

To come particularly, you see here that, Spirituall perswasion is necessary.Spirituall perswasion necessary.

Both of the things in generall, and of our interest in them.

It may bee asked whether there may be Quest.a perswasion of the truth in generall, without a perswasion of our owne particular interest in them?

I answer no; not a sound, undoubted spiritual Answ. Sound perswasion is with particular interest. Conviction double.perswasion. There is a double conviction, a conviction when a man cannot tell what to say against it: but spirituall conviction is when a man is convinced of the truth, and goodnesse of …he thing, and this alwayes drawes the other with it, first or last. A man may be convinced that he cannot tell what to say against p. 237the truth, but that is not properly perswasion. A man is perswaded by divine truth that all the promises a…e true in the Gospell, and it draws with it a particular light: he sees, and is perswaded of his owne interest in it, first or last: for a strong perswasion of divine truth, of Gods word; when I know it is Gods word, it workes in my flesh, it changeth me, it lifts me up, it casts me down, &c. So that a Christian knowes that the word of GOD is the word of GOD by a spirituall perswasion wrought by the efficacy of the word; from an intrinse call principle in the word it selfe.

But sometimes it fals out that a Christian may be convinced of the truth of the word in generall that it is Gods word, and that the promises of salvation are true, and yet notwithstanding he may not feele the particular perswasion of the forgivenesse of his sinnes, and of his acceptation to life everlasting, and his interest in Christ; these two are somtimes separable in regard of feeling. A Christian hath alway a perswasion of the truth of GOD, of the things, but hee hath not alway a like perswasion of his owne interest in them.

How doe you prove that these are severed Quest.sometimes.

Thus; There is the birth, and infancy of a Answ. Particular perswasion sometimes weake.Christian; when a Christian is in his birth, he is not perswaded of his owne good estate, as hee is after when hee is growne, then hee p. 238knowes his estate. A soule that is in the state of grace that hungers and thirsts after good things, at that time it may be it is not acquainted that it shall be satisfied, it is not acquainted, of its owne interest, but stretcheth it selfe forward for intire satisfaction, and it shall be satisfied: that is, the soule that hungers, and thirsts after the perswasion of GODS love in Christ, and the forgivenesse of sinnes, and life everlasting, there is never soule that thus … gers, and thirsts but God satisfies it at length, for the most part in this world, or else certainly in the world to come forever. But alway where there is this perswasion supernaturall, that the word of GOD is true indeed, that there is salvation to all true believers, when it is wrought by the spirit; there is either a perswasion of our interest, or somewhat tending to perswasion, some hungering and thirsting, some desire that God accepts for the deed, to shew that such a man is in the state of grace.

I speake this the rather, because some are deceived in their owne estates, they doe not conceive aright of themselves, they thinke they are not in the state of grace when they find not that particular, strong assured perswasion.

I answer they may be in the state of grace God suspends the knowledge of being in a good estate.notwithstanding. A Christian knowes not his owne estate alway, at all times. It is one grace to bee in a good estate, and another to p. 239have the knowledge of it, they bee different gifts of God, and God suspends the knowledge of a mans being in a good estate, for severall ends.

Sometimes, among the rest for this one, to humble us, to keepe us from security, to make 1 To humble us.us carefull, and diligent; to make us know that hee hath the keeping of our feeling and perswasion in his owne hands. As hee hath the keeping of all our grace, so he hath the keeping of the knowledge that we have grace, and of our comfortable walking, that wee may know we have every thing from him, both grace, and the feeling of grace: and if wee take liberty to our selves, hee will take libertie, to keepe our feeling at that time: to make us humble, and to make us seeke reconciliation againe, It is one part of Gods dispensation with his children, to hinder their perswasion of their particular interest sometimes.

Sometimes the children of God may be in such a condition; as that they may thinke for a time in their judgement, that they bee in a contrary esta…e; they are misperswaded of themselves, not to bee Gods children (as it were) God may suffer this, that they shall not only have a weake staggering perswasion, but a perswasion to the contrary though it bee a false perswasion.

But how shall they know that they are Gods Quest.children at that time? They say they are so shaken, and at a stand, they are so conceited p. 240that they are none of Gods: that God hath left them, and forsaken them.

You may know it by this, that at the same Answ. How to know Gods children in losse of assurance.time they are conscionable of al heavenly duties, at the same time, they neglect no meanes of salvation: at the same time they complaine against their owne corrupt course of life that hath given God occasion to leave them thus to themselves, at the same time they strive against this, and labour to be perswaded of GODS truths in generall. And though the devill sometimes shake that perswasion, that Gods truth is not Gods truth, and make them question whether it be the word of God or no, and whether there bee such a thing as life everlasting: (the devill shakes us in principles sometimes) but yet a Christian in such temptations, though he be shaken in his principles by the force of wickednesse, yet he attends upon the meanes, and goes on more conscionably, he doth not give backe, but labours for satisfaction, and further setling still, and is ashamed of himselfe that hee should have such beastly thoughts as the Psalmist saith, so foolish was I Psalme 73.Ps 73and ignorant, and as a beast before thee, when hee began to stagger in the principle of the providence of God. So sometimes a Christian is brought, to stagger in principles, in the maine generall perswasion of the word of God, but he likes not himselfe, he accounts himselfe as a beast, and labours for satisfaction still in sanctified meanes and never gives over; Though p. 241he have not particular perswasion, he gives not over holy duties, but goes on in spirituall duties, he labours to obey God in all things, he is conscionable to God, in feare and trembling in the least thing. A man may say to such a soule, it shall finde peace at the length: for Gods wayes are unsearchable: GOD hath cause, and reason why he keepes such a soule under for a time, and withholds some sense and perswasion: but usually GODS comforts come more abundantly to such a soule, he reserves it for the time of affliction, or the houre of death.

The truth is, it is a constant rule, that though Vsually Gods children have particular perswasion.it may be thus with some in some cases: yet ordinarily Gods children may be perswaded of their particular condition; yea, and they ought to labour after this perswasion, and assurance, that their soules may be filled with marrow, and fatnesse, and that they may joy in God, and have boldnesse to come before God in prayer, that they may be fruitfull in all holy duties: that they may be strong to suffer afflictions, and to resist temptations. Therefore though God sometimes in his wise dispensation, suffer them to be hindred: yet not withstanding this is a thing that is both attainable, and that they ought to labour for, and never give their hearts rest till they attaine to it.

I say wee ought to labour for it: for the soule is never in such a frame as it ought to be but when it hath gotten some assurance of p. 242Gods love. But I must adde this; we must labour that this perswasion be supernaturall by the spirit of God, both of the truths in generall, of the promises in generall, and of our interest in particular in them, we must labour that it be by the spirit to our spirits, that the spirit may seale them to our spirits. For it is not sufficient to know the word of God to be the word of God, and the promises, to be the promises, because we have beene brought up in them, and can say them by heart, and it were a shame for us to conceive the contrary, that is not sufficient: for that will deceive us. Wee must labour (as I said of knowledge, that we may be supernaturally convinced, so also that is from that knowledge,) that it may be spirituall, or else it will deceive us.

How doe we prove that?Quest.

To make it a little clearer, because it is a Answ. If perswasion be not supernaturall.point of some consequence, even as I shewed of what consequence the sight of faith is: so I may say of this perswasion. We must labour therefore to know how we come by this perswasion, and whether it be such as we can hold out in, whether it be such by which wee can stand out in the time of temptation. If there be nothing but that argument of breeding, and of generall light, of discourse, that we see one thing how it followes from another: I say it will deceive us: because constant obedience will never follow upon such a perswasion; nor constant holding out to death, nor constancy p. 243in death (if the conscience be once awaked) neither will wee be fruitfull in our lives, and conversations. To make this cleare.

If the soule be not perswaded by the spirit 1 There will not be obedience.of God, together with the spirit of the Scripture, for the same spirit that is in the Scripture, must be in our spirit, working our natures sutable to the Scriptures to be holy: if we doe not by that spirit by which the Scripture was endited, know those truths, we shall never be obedient to them, not constantly. For what is the reason, that men when they are told, God doth forbid you to take his name in vaine; God forbids you to seeke after earthly things, God forbids you by the Scriptures to defile your vessels, he forbids you to seeke these things below, he forbids you these courses. Now a man that hath knowledge that is not supernaturall, that hath it not by the spirit, he heares these things with a kind of scorne, and despiseth them as nicities, he never maks scruple of these things, because he knows they are forbidden, or commanded of God, because he heares so; but he hath not knowne by the spirit of God that penned the Scriptures, that these indeed are Gods divine truths, the spirit hath not sealed these truths to his soule, this is Gods word; he hath not felt it in converting his soule in mortifying his corruptions, in raising him being cast down; in working wonders in his conscience, in bringing all into a spirituall subjection. When he hath not felt the word worke thus, p. 244for all his generall knowledge by education, and breeding, and reading, he may be a disobedient wretch, and live, and die a rebell, and bitter opposite against the power of grace: because he hath not knowledge of the word of God and of particular truths by the spirit of God, it is no perswasion of the spirit.

And this is that that men wonder at, that know not the mystery of these things: to see great Schollers, men of great knowledge, perhaps Divines, that are Preachers to others, to see such an one vicious, to see him carnally disposed as others, when a man seeth this hee thinkes, what doe you talke of the word of God, if there were such a thing, men that know these things must needs lead their lives after the rule. It is no wonder, the devill hath knowledge enough, but he is no divine at all, because he hath it from his nature being a spirit: so a man may be a devill incarnate, he may have knowledge of these things, and yet no true divine. But hee that is taught by the spirit of God, the things in the word of God, the spirit workes a taste in them. Historicall truths are knowne by their owne light, there is no such need of the spirit to discover them, but the promises, and threatnings, and such things, are knowne by the spirit, a man feeles the power of the word of God, then a man is convinced; otherwise if the spirit doe not reveale these things, a man will never obey, but be rebellious.

p. 245And as there willbe no obedience, so there will be no holding out in time of perill and 2 No holding outtemptation. The perswasion that a carnall man hath that is not a sanctified perswasion, it will not hold out in the houre of death, in the time of temptation, in strong temptation, either on the right hand by preferments, and favours, or on the left hand by threatnings, and persecutions; it is but a seeming perswasion, when any thing comes that is stronger than it, it will not hold; when there is afflictions, and persecutions in the Church, we see many excellent learned men hold not out in their profession, Why? they were drawne to the profession of Religion by dependance on such kind of men, or they only followed religion as they saw reason for it, or they have been so bred in it, &c. Now reason may bee brought against reason; when men have no other motives then these, when persecution comes that they must loose their preferments or their friends or their life, they fall away altogether: because that perswasion that they seemed to have before, it was no spirituall perswasion wrought from intrinsecall grounds of divine truth, that hath a majesty, and a spiritualnesse in it selfe, but it was meerely wrought out of forraine grounds. Now we see a meaner man that hath his knowledge wrought by the spirit of God; the same spirit seales that knowledge to him with the word of God, that indited the Scripture, and acted the holy men of God, p. 246that wrote the Scriptures. As his portion is incomparably great, so he is perswaded of his interest in those good things, the same spirit that convinceth him of the truth, and of the certainty of the things, it convinceth him likewise of his part in them, and this supernaturall perswasion together with his interest in those good things perswaded of, sets downe the soule, so as it will not move: he holds out in persecution, because he hath felt the worke of divine truth in his soule; he hath found the spirit of God casting him downe, and raysing him up to comfort, therefore he holds out in his perswasion in all tryalls, and never apostatizeth from that estate, and condition.

And so for unfruitfulnesse in conversation, 3 No fruitfulnes.notwithstanding all those motives we have in the word of God, a man that is not convinced spiritually of those excellent things, he goes on deadly as if there were no motives, because the spirit of God hath not sealed them to his spirit: hee hath not given him an apprehension of the divine incouragements wrapped up in the promises in the Scripture, and when death and danger come, for the most part such men are desperate notwithstanding all their learning, and knowledge literall that they have. For it will not hold water, all knowledge that is not wrought by the spirit of God sealing divine truth to the soule, with some evidence of the power of it, it will not hold out in the tryall. all.

p. 247Especially when Satan with his fiery darts comes with strong temptations: for the soule never felt the working power of the word. It feeles then the temptation, it apprehends the poysonfull fiery temptation but it hath not so inwardly digested the truths of the spirit, and therefore is surprized with the horrour and spaire: there is not wrought in heart an deexperimentall feeling of knowledge, and therfore the heart cannot beat backe the temptation.

When the Devill shall come and tell men you have beene thus, and thus, and they have not felt the truth of that they seemed to believe; conscience tels them, it is true I have heard, and read such, and such things, I never believed them, they never sunke deepely into my heart: when temptation shall bee nearer the soule then, the truth shall bee, when temptation presseth sore, they are swallowed up of despaire: therefore let us labour that our generall knowledge from the word and our particular knowledge and perswasion that it may be spirituall.

Now how doth the spirit worke this particular Quest.perswasion?

I answer, the spirit of God workes it in Answ. Perswasion wrought by the spirit.the soule together with the word: the spirit and the word goe together, All the men in the world cannot perswade the soule, without the spirit of God joyne, Paul preached, but God opened Lidia's heart. We have it not p. 248of our selves, it must come from without, from Gods spirit opening our eyes, and perswading, and convincing our hearts, God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem, no creature can do it, it is passive, it is said here they were perswaded. That perswasion that is sound, that carries a man to heaven, by which hee dies in faith, … must be from the spirit of God. All the words of the ministery, and all reasons, nothing will do it but God, God must perswade thesoule.

Now what doth the spirit here?

The spirit enlightens the understanding w^ch Quest.I spake of before, it opens the understanding in Answ. How the spirit perswades.perswasion, it doth propound arguments, and motives from the excellency of the things promised, and the priviledges of religion, and the good things we have by Christ, &c. and together with propounding these excellent incouragements and motives, the spirit strongly works upon the disposition, upon the will, and affections, it works upon the soule, and so doth perswade and convince.

And thereupon comes imbracing (which I shall have occasion to speake of afterward) The soule being perswaded imbraceth.

Now this perswasion is not only by propounding of arguments by the word, and spirit, but likewise a working upon the will, from whence there followes an inclination of the will, and an imbracing of the things wee are perswaded of.

For let all the arguments in the world bee p. 249brought to a man to perswade him, that God will be mercifull to him in Christ: tell him of the free offer, Whosoever will, let him come in, all that will; a large offer, let him joyne to that offer of merciemercy the inviting, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: a sweete inviting: Ioyne with the invitation a command; it is his command that wee should believe in his son Iesus: let him strengthen that command with the threatning, he that believes not is damned already. Let a man remove all objections that the soule can make, of its unworthines, Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavie laden, and I will ease you, though you groane under the burden of your sinne. Let a man object againe, I have nothing worthy in my selfe. Why, come, and buy though you have no money. Let him strengthen all these proposalls with examples of the mercy of God to Manasses, to Peter, to Paul a persecutor, to Mary Magdalen and the like, let all these arguments be wondrous effectually propounded, the soule will not yeeld unlesse Gods spirit joyne with these arguments, (and all in that kind) and convince the soule of our particular interest in these things, and perswade the will to imbrace these things offered.

That, God hath reserved in his own power, to bring our hearts, and the promises together: to bring our hearts, and divine truths together. Let there be never so much set before us in the ministery, he hath reserved this prerogative, p. 250and authority that our hearts, and the truth should close together to imbrace them in hearing. All things depend upon the spirit; when we doe not regard the spirit, in hearing and reading, &c. Let all the things the Scripture hath be propounded, and set on with all the excellency, and eloquence that may be, GOD hath reserved it to himselfe, by his spirit, to give faith to perswade our soules that these belong to us, and to incline, and draw the will.

I have shewed you then, the kinds of perswasion, generall, and particular; and how it is wrought by the spirit, that unlesse this perswasion be wrought by the spirit, we shall never hold out in it, though we have all the arguments in the world, we shall be disobedient. Disobedience comes when things are not discovered by the spirit; and apostacie when the perswasion is not wrought by the spirit: and desperation, when the knowledge is not spirituall.

Now the manner is by removeing contratraries, The manner of working this perswasion.and moving the heart, and drawing it. With the word of man, God enters into the very will, and affections: for as hee made the soule, and framed it, so hee knowes how to worke upon it, and to draw it sweetly by reasons, but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed. GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule; and sweetly with reasons. For God first comes p. 251into the soule by divine light, by reas…; …nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit, …o draw the soule to these reasons: without this we never yeeld to those reasons, but stand …ut in rebellion.

GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the 1. Sweetly.…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it, and …he sutablenesse to our condition, and the reasons of it, how they agree to our nature: hee doth not force the soule, but doth it with reasons and arguments sweetly. And …e doth it 2. strongly.strongly, that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind; it is so strong that the perswasion, and …he promises, are stronger then the temptations of Saran, and the corruptions of the …esh, or then the candals of the world, that nothing …an separate us from Christ; nothing can drive …s from our faith, and hope, the perswasion is …et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion. It is a strong worke to perswade the soule.A strong work to perswade the soule.

For the spirit of God. When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many graces with it, when it shines upon the soule, and discovers better things, it brings other graces …o perswade, and to imbrace the things it discovers.

As it is an infinite mercy, and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent p. 252things, as we may be perswaded of; as if … estate to be such as indeed it is above our … prehension in this world, neither eye hath … nor …are heard nor hath entred into the heart … man, the things that God hath prepared for … that love him: so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be perswaded of this: it is as m…ch power to … the soule to this perswasion, as it is mercy … discover them in a manner: there is such … ward rebellion, and distrust in the soule, … ling these truths into question, as if the… things were too good to be true. Consider… our owne unworthinesse, and vilenesse, … the excellency of these things, laying the… together, the unbelieving heart of man … prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes▪ … can hardly conceive that there are such thin… for Gods children, except the heart be … … tily wrought on, unlesse together with … swasion there be some worke in the soule▪ whence it may gather by the work of the spirit that they are those to whom such good things belong, because the spirit of God hath sing…ed them out, and set his seale, and stampe on them, above other men by some evidence… of grace.

It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be: For as I said before, together with the Scripture, there must a spirit of perswasion goe, there is a sec…et messenge… goes with the outward peech, both of the p. 253preacher, and of the Scripture or else all the …guments will not be to purpose, they will be …f no efficacy.

As the Israelites they had arguments, and …otives enow to perswade them of Gods love …nd care to them, yet notwithstanding GOD …ave them not a heart, Deut. 29. In Christs Deut. 29.Deut 29…me, what miracles did they see? yet their …earts were hardned, because God together …ith his shining in the outward meanes did …ot subdue the rebellion of their wi… and af…ections; and therefore the more they saw, …he more they were hardned: the Scribes and …harisees, and some of their desperate fol…owers.

Well then considering that the spirit doth Use. To labour for spirituall perswasion.…his great worke, let us labour that our know…edge may be spirituall; that our perswasion of divine truth in generall, and our part, and …ortion in divine truth that it may bee spiritu…ll: for as Saint Paul divinely, and excellent…y sets it downe, 2 Cor. 2. 10, 11. that as no …an knowes the things that are in man, but the spi…it 2 Cor. 2. 10, 11.2 Cor 2:102 Cor 2:11that is in man: so no man knowes the things of Gods word, divine truths, nor his part, and por…ion and interest in them, but by the spirit of God. If wee bring the Engine of our owne …it, and parts to Gods truth, …o sermons and …ookes, wee may never be the better, if wee …ome not with a spirituall intention, with …everent, and humble hearts, and implore the …eaching of the spirit that together with the p. 254revelation of the word there may bee… … ving of the vaile by the spirit, that vvith … outw…rd teaching there may bee the inwar… teaching of the spirit; that with the … opening the …are there may be the opening … the hear…, that he that hath the key of … may open, and inoline, and perswade the … that hee may perswade Iaphet, as the Scrip… phrase is.

It is fac…legious presumption to come … holy places, and to set upon holy duties, … heare or read the word of God, without … ting up our hearts to God for his holy … We cannot plow without his Heifer. Can … know the mind of God without the … God▪ What arrogancy is this to thin… … be saved; and the spirit never tell us with … word so: but it is only a presump… … …. This is a sacrilegious surpation … … Gods glory. The spirit of God know… … things are in God towards us, and reveales … our spirits Gods inward love to us, The … …eacheth us to know the things that are … God. Wee only know the good that G… meanes us by his owne … and therefore let us labour every day more and more … … spirituall, and heavenly minded.

And above all things to make it … … To begge the spirit. Luke 11.Luke 11of our desires as it …, Luke 11. to pray … … spirit, he will give his holy spirit to them that … it, it is the best, and the chiele gilt of all: … this makes our knowledge heavenly, our … p. 255swasion heavenly; and sound, and constant in …e, and death. And this spirit carries the whole soule with it: this spirit makes us like the word of GOD, because it is spirituall it makes us so, and we love it in our inward man, and consent to it, and joy in it. Whereas naturally there is inward rebellion in the greatest Scholler in the world against the word of God, the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire, and water, as heaven, and hell. The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world, it slights the comforts of the word, to carnall comforts, and the Commandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men. The proud man lookes scornefully, upon the things of conscience, and of the spirit: only the spirit of God brings the proud heart of man to be subject to the word of God; Nothing that is not spirituall, w…ll hold out. Whatsoever is not spirituall, Christ will not owne at the day of judgment. I… the spirit seale …, and set a stampe upon us, Christ will looke on his owne stamp of the spirit, where the … fr…its are not, the harvest will not so low. The spirit is an earnest; where the earnest is not, the barg…ine will not follow. I beseech you let us labour for the spirit in the use of all meanes: let us …ttend upon the word, which is the ministery of the spirit, and wee shall find that the spirit will alter, and change us, and shew us our interest in the p. 256promises, and the goodnesse of them. … more we a …end upon the means, the more … shall see it, and the more we pray the mo… … shall have the spirit: and the more wee ob… God, the more we shall have the spirit of Go… God gives his spirit to them that obey him.

And this should reach us when we come … Use. To desire God to perswade us.heare, or to read the word of God. Lo… pen mine eyes, LORD penswade my … LORD bow the necke of my soule, … my inward man, that Iron sinew, Lord … away my hard heart and give mee a … …sh, teach my heart, thou must perswade, … incline me, incline my heart Lord.