The Doubting Believer, Chapter 5 · Section

The Doubting Believer · Chapter 5 · Section

p. 110The particular Cures.

1. Naturall corruption was The firſt cure, anſwering the firſt cauſe of doubtings.the firſt ſpring of Doubtings, and Mortification is the firſt help and remedy: That is the Diſeaſe, and this is the Cure. I may ſay that of our faith, which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of our perſons, Rom. 8. 13. If yee Rom. 8. 13Rom 8:13through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye ſhall live. The more our ſinnes doe die in us, the more our faith will live in us. We are diſeaſed men, (take us in our beſt condition) Similies.and you know the more any diſeaſe doth loſe of its ſtrength, the more doth our health riſe up and thrive: and ſo we are as a garden which hath many plants, and ſeverall weeds, the abating of theſe, the rooting up, and killing of theſe contributes the greater reliefe and ſtrengthning to our plants.

The Apoſtle (Heb. 10. 22.) p. 111Heb. 10. 22Heb 10:22would have them to draw neare with a true heart in full aſſurance of Faith: he would have them to caſt out their doubtings in their approaches unto God, he would have them to come with aſſurance, with a full aſſurance; to come ſo, as verily to be perſwaded of Gods acceptation of them; not indifferently to come with, May be I ſhall be accepted, may be I ſhall not; this is a doubtfull approaching. But what doth he adjoyne to this exhortation? Obſerve the next words, Having your hearts ſprinkled from an evill conſcience. d. As long as your hearts are evill, as long as Conſcience can charge you for entertained evill, you will be wavering and doubtfull; But if your hearts were ſprinkled, if the evill of ſin were waſhed from them, then you might come with a full aſſurance of faith, p. 112(i.) Then faith might fully perſwade you to come confidently unto God; for Faith cannot well perſwade, if Conſcience can yet truely charge and condemne.

Therefore ſaith S. John, If our hearts condemne us not, then 1 Joh. 3. 211 John 3:21have we confidence towards God. (i.) If ſin be mortified, if conſcience finds no ſinne harboured, but condemned, if it cannot condemne us for not condemning our ſins; then wee have confidence towards God: (i.) Then if we come to God in Prayer, and aske any thing of him in the Name of Chriſt, Faith may confidently reſt upon it, that God doth heare, and will anſwer. Whatſoever wee aske, we receive of him, ver. 22.

There are two effects of our ſinnes.

1. They keepe downe our faith. I am ſo troubled (ſaith p. 113David) that I cannot look up. See the place, Pſal. 40. 12. Innumerable Pſa. 40. 12.Ps 40:12evils have compaſſed mee about: Mine iniquities have taken Two effects of ſin.hold on me, ſo that I am not able to look up: They are more then the haires of my head; therefore my heart faileth me. You ſee here that his ſinnes made his heart to faile, to miſgive it ſelfe; and like a heavy rheume they fell on his eyes, that hee could not well look up. They are a hinderance to faith, our naturall inclination is a very clog unto the ſpirit of faith; and when faith would doe ſome good for us, it ever (like a malicious perſon) throws in doubts & ſcruples, and breeds with-holding arguments and reaſonings againſt the Truths and Promiſes of God.

2. They make the incouragements By contrary reaſonings and denyals.of faith to be difficult; they keep off the things which would edge & quicken p. 114our faith. As Peter ſaid in another caſe, Depart from me Lord, for I am a ſinfull man; So the heart here, God is or will depart from me, becauſe I am ſuch a ſinner; He will not hear my prayer, becauſe of my ſins; nor be gracious to me, becauſe of my ſins; nor may I pitch upon his Promiſes, becauſe of my ſins.

Now conſider, if that which did keep downe faith in reſpect of its proper inclination, (for faith naturally bends upward) and in reſpect of its operation, that it cannot exerciſe it ſelfe without interruption, were removed; would not faith be higher? If the chain and bolts were off, if the rheume were dryed, ſhould we not walk better, ſhould we not look better? Againe, If the incouragements of faith were kept cloſe to faith, if faith could ſee them, and dwell p. 115upon them, would not our doubtings ſinke? Therefore it is more then evident that our doubtings would ſink, if our naturall corruption did ſinke, if our ſinfull luſts did ſinke, which doe breed thoſe indiſpoſitions, thoſe interruptions, thoſe continuall difficulties unto our faith. Faith would riſe, if its contrary did abate. Caſt Gen. 21. 10Gen 21:10out this bond-woman and her ſon, (ſaid Sarah to Abraham) for the ſon of this bondwoman ſhall not be heire with my ſon: So ſay I, caſt out this bond-woman and her ſonne, caſt out naturall corruption and infidelity, that Iſaac may be alone, that faith may be (as much as may be) alone, and then it will poſſeſſe the Promiſes (and the ſoule too) with more quietneſſe.

But here the ſoule replyes, Obj. No queſtion but doubtings would ſinke, if ſinfull corruption p. 116did fall; If the fountaine did decay, the ſtreams would leſſen; But alas, 1. Who can mortifie his ſinfull nature? 2. What kind of mortifying of it is requiſite? 3. What way may be taken to effect it?

I will briefly ſay ſomething to each of theſe demands. Sol.

1. To the firſt, Who can mortifie his ſinfull nature? I anſwer, Of himſelfe, no man can; naturally he hath neither will nor power thereto: But as Chryſoſtome ſpake in the buſineſſe Tu non potes, ſed Dominus tuus poteſt.of Repentance, Thou canſt not turn thee, but yet thy God can turn thee; That I ſay here in the buſineſſe of mortifying, Thou canſt not mortifie thy ſins, but God can doe it: He can doe it for thee, though thou canſt not doe it for thy ſelfe: Though thy naturall corruption be a ſpreading leproſie, he can heale it: Though it be a violent plague, he can p. 117cure it: God hath put enough in Chriſt to ſave a ſinner, and therefore enough to heale a ſinner. Remember one thing, In all commands, the duty is thine, and the power is Gods: He who commands thee to mortifie ſinne, is ready enough with ſufficient power to effect it, if he be ſought unto.

Nevertheleſſe obſerve by the way, that Mortification may be effected two wayes; 1. Paſſively, as when the Lord doth infuſe holy principles of Grace, which are contrary in their nature and vertue to the nature and power of ſin, working out ſinfull corruption by degrees. 2. Actively, as when the renewed and converted ſoule doth by faith ſucceſſively apply and draw down the crucifying vertues of Jeſus Chriſt; Though the meere naturall man can doe nothing to the mortification of ſinne, yet the p. 118renewed perſon having received grace from God, is by the help of Gods Spirit to ſtir up the grace that is in him, and eſpecially his faith, to truſt on Jeſus Chriſt for the further ſubduings and crucifyings of his ſinfull nature.

2. But now for the ſecond demand, What kind of Mortification is moſt requiſite, ſo as in more meaſure to free the heart from doubtings? In a word, this; be ſure the mortifying be

1. Radicall: lay the axe to the root: As all Graces thrive moſt when their ſprings are quickned, ſo all ſinnes decay moſt when their roots are mortified. Corrupt acts will fall quickly, if a corrupt heart were more ſanctifyed. The ſtrength of ſinne is inward, there are the ſtrong holds which need moſt to be caſt downe: By all means ſet up a p. 119crucifying Chriſt in thy boſome.

2. Impartiall. It is true, one ſin may trouble more then another, but it will be thy wiſdome to trouble all ſin: Sins are chained together as well as Graces; and one ſin ſerves to help another, and the neglected ſinne may perhaps ſuddenly wound thee, and make thee to ſtagger. The whole body of ſinne in every member of it, muſt be the object of thy mortifying work: This will teſtifie the truth of Grace received, and the ſincerity of thy conſcience, and conſequently will remove many bottomes of feares and doubtings.

3. Diurnall: (i) a daily work. Perhaps ſometimes thou art fervent in the work, (when conſcience is ſtruck, or when afflictions ſtrike thee) but afterwards thou art negligent, p. 120and then ſinne gets ſtrength againe. But as thou ſhouldſt live by faith daily, ſo thou ſhouldſt die to ſinne daily: Watch thy ſpirit, reſiſt the motion of it, inſiſt on divine promiſes, implead the ſtrength of Chriſt every day: Thou ſhouldſt ſo beleeve ſtill, as if thou never yet hadſt enough of Chriſt; and ſo live ſtill, as if thou wert to live thy laſt; and ſo mortifie ſin ſtill as thou didſt at the firſt time wherein God looked on thee.

4. Speciall. If thou wouldſt make thy battell ſtrong in any part, doe it then againſt Infidelity, and whatſoever upholds and contributes unto it. It is granted, that the Radicall principle of thy doubts is originall ſinne; but then the immediate principle of it is remaining Infidelity. Out of it immediately come all thy ſtaggerings, and reelings, and p. 121queſtionings, and doubtings: That is it (O weak beleever) which diſables thy apprehenſion of the Covenant, of Chriſt, of the Promiſes, of thy Title: That is it which perverts thy judgment, and miſ-perſwades it with cunning reaſonings, ſo that either thou canſt not diſcerne the full truth of Gods Promiſes, or thou canſt not ſee prevailing reaſons to perſwade thy ſelfe that they belong to thee.

Therefore let the main care and work of thee be, to ſtrike at unbeliefe: Be humbled much for it, beſeech the Lord to cure thee more and more of it, to remove the ignorance of the Covenant out of thee, and to caſt downe carnall and proud reaſonings, which give the lye to the way of Gods free and full Grace; which would have thee to be firſt, and of thy ſelfe, that which thou p. 122canſt never be without Chriſt: and to doe and bring that which God never impoſed on thee to doe or to bring, but hath told thee plainly, the working of it in thee belongs onelyonly to himſelfe, and hee is alſo really and graciouſly willing to beſtow upon thee.

3. As for the third demand, What way thou mayſt take for the mortifying of all this ſin; I anſwer,

1. Generally, touching all of it, Do but inſiſt in the ways on which already thou art falne; Did any vertue in the death of Chriſt, (laid hold on by faith) did that heretofore help againſt ſinne? It will doe ſo ſtill: Did any love of God help thee the more to hate ſin? It will doe ſo ſtill: Did any aſſurance of a reconciled God in Chriſt, freely and abundantly pardoning of thee, weaken ſin in thee? It will doe ſo p. 123ſtill: Did ſolemne confeſſions of ſin, ſelfe-judgings, ſpeciall mournings, ſufficiently help thee with conqueſt of ſinnes? They will doe ſo ſtill: Did the humble application of thy ſelf to the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt, (through which he is pleaſed to reveale his arme) confer any ſtrength againſt thy ſins? It will help ſtill: Did any holy feare, any tenderneſſe in conſcience, any declining of occaſions? Did vehement wreſtlings with God in Prayer? Did ſerious meditation and conſideration? Did cloſe ſociety with the Saints? Did ſtudies of farther holineſſe? Did frequent reviewings of thy condition, and renewings of Covenant with thy God in his ſtrength? Did holy watchings? Did reſiſtings of the firſt births of ſin? Did theſe, any of theſe, all of theſe, or any other ſpirituall courſe beſides theſe, cauſe p. 124thy ſinfulneſſe to be vile unto thee, to be abhorred by thee, to be caſt downe in thy judgement, to be caſt out in thy affections, to be caſt off in thy life? Goe on with theſe, and ſinne will then be more and more mortified, and doubts will be more and more weakned: the more that thy conſcience is thus ſprinkled from dead works, the more ſhalt thou be able to draw neere unto God in aſſurance of faith.

2. Particularly, for the mortifying of remaining Infidelity, doe three things:

1. Study exactly the Covenant of Grace, in the Author of it, foundation of it, matters contained in it, and all the adjuncts and termes of graciouſneſſe, ſutableneſſe, fulneſſe, faithfulneſſe, &c. appertaining to it.

2. Study JESUS CHRIST▪ p. 125throughly; know him diſtinctly in the perſon of a Mediator, and offices, and effects, and works.

Then 3. To much meditation in theſe, abound in Prayer, that God in particular would cauſe thee by faith to ſet thy ſeale unto them: But more of this will follow in anſwering ſome other cauſes of doubtings.

2. The ſecond ſpring was weakneſſe and imperfection in faith: The cure and remedy of which, is, to perfect and ſtrengthen faith: put more ſtrength, more growth, more ripeneſſe into faith, and your doubtings will be leſſe. The Simile.more purely the fire burnes, the leſſe ſmoke it hath; and when the light and heat of the Sunne are greateſt, then the clouds and miſty vapours are feweſt.

Faith and Doubtings are p. 126like a paire of ſcales, where the waight of the one beares away the other. The Diſciples I remember prayed, Lord, increaſe our faith; and ſo did he of whom you heard in Mark 9. Mar. 9. 24.Mark 9:24Lord, help my unbeliefe.

You will ſay, No man can Ob. deny, that if his faith had more ſtrength, then his heart ſhould have leſſe doubting; But how may that be done? How may faith be ſtrengthened?

I anſwer, Sol.

1. God who gave faith, can ſtrengthen it; for every grace depends upon him, not onelyonly for birth, but alſo for complement: his ſtrength muſt lead us on frō ſtrength to ſtrength, from faith to faith; he who is the Author, is alſo the finiſher of it: And therefore if thou wouldſt have a ſtrong faith, thou ſhouldſt goe to a ſtrong God, and beg of him, Lord, increaſe p. 127my faith; My knowledge is dim, lighten that candle, open mine eyes yet more, that I may ſee thy truths; My aſſents many times ſhaking, but do thou eſtabliſh and comfirm my heart in thy truths; My embracings, applications, very trembling, and broken, and interrupted, but doe thou guide mine eye to look upon my Saviour, do thou guide my hand to lay hold on him, doe thou Doe thou perſwade me, and I ſhall be perſwaded.enable my will and affections to embrace all the goodneſſe of thy ſelfe, of thy Chriſt, of thy Word.

It is Gods method to lay in (at the firſt) weak faith, that we might beg for more faith, and give him the honour of all. Had we it ſtrong at firſt, he ſhould not heare of us; but he diſpenſeth it by degrees, that in all our gettings, and in all our victories over doubtings, &c. his ſtrength mayhave p. 128the glory. Therefore goe to God, and ſay, Lord, I would have more faith, thou wouldſt have me to perfect it, but all perfection is in thee, and I cannot by my meere ſtrength ripen what thou giveſt, but thou canſt water what thou planteſt; though it be ſowne a weak body, yet thou canſt make it riſe a ſtrong body; though faith at firſt be but as a graine of muſtard-ſeed, yet thoucanſt cauſe it to bloſſome, and to ſpread it ſelfe into a high meaſure: Therefore thou who alone canſt doe it, doe it for thy weak ſervant: Thou muſt take charge of thine own graces; and if thou giveſt my faith more ſtrength, my beleeving will bring thee in the more glory, &c.

2. The ſtudying of Chriſt and the Promiſes more, will bring more ſtrength and perfection to faith. It is with the p. 129Chriſtian as it is with the Scholar, let the Scholar ſtudy Simile.more the objects of knowledge, and then his knowledge will grow to be more large; So let the Chriſtian ſtudy more the matters of faith, and his faith will riſe to be more full.

Hence the Apoſtle prayes that the Epheſians, Chap. 3. 19. Eph. 3. 19.Eph 3:19might know the love of Chriſt, that they might be filled with all the fulneſſe of God: And ver. 17. 17That Chriſt might dwell in their hearts by faith, that ſo they might be able, ver. 18. to comprehend 18with all Saints what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and height.

What the Prophet ſpake of Hoſ. 4. 6.Hos 4:6periſhing, we may ſay of fainting and doubting, My people doubt for want of knowledge. Did we know the nature of our Redeemer more, how holy, and compaſſionate, and helpfull it is; did we know the ofoffices p. 130of our Saviour, how abſolute they are in removing our guilt, in conquering our corruptions, in making way for us to the Father, in ſpeeding our ſuits and requeſts; did wee know how fully hee ſtands for us, he died for us, he intercedes for us, how willing he is yet to be more applyed by us, and poſſeſſed of us, we would beleeve more, & doubt leſſe. What the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of God, that ſame is true of Chriſt, They that know Pſal. 9. 10.Ps 9:10thy Name will put their truſt in thee.

Yet take a Caution in thy ſtudying of Chriſt, ſtudy him as God reveales him, otherwiſe thy doubts will ſtick upon thee. If a man ſtudyeth his Note.ſins in his own way, in a naturall way, he ſhall neither rightly ſee them, nor yet be freed from them: So if men ſtudy Chriſt their owne way, if they p. 131will have him to be ſuch a one as their fearfull hearts would make him to be, and not ſuch A mighty Saviour & gracious.a Saviour as God hath manifeſted him to be, then not conceiving of Chriſt as he is, they ſhall be and remaine ſtill as they were.

3. Be in the wayes of ſtrength. There are wayes in which God doth reveale his arme; his arme is that which doth ſtrengthen us, and his arme is revealed in his Ordinances: for God doth not call us, nor change us, nor ſtrengthen us, nor ſave us without meanes.

He who is too good for the Ordinances, will ever be too weak in his faith. A childe Note.which cannot ſtand when it is borne, may yet goe by the uſe of the breaſts; but that perſon who is weake, and wants ſtrength, if he feeds not, will abate more, and ere long want p. 132life it ſelfe. This is a truth, A new Chriſtian is ſometimes full, and a full Chriſtian is alwayes weak: for our ſpirituall Spirituall life like the naturall.life is like unto our naturall life, both of which are within us, yet neither of them do riſe, but from ſomething without us.

What the impotent perſon ſpake, Joh. 5. 11. He that made Joh. 5. 11.John 5:11me whole, the ſame ſaid unto me, Take up thy bed and walk, that we affirme of Gods Ordinances, Thoſe his meanes which made us good, can make us better; They made us live, and they can make us walk; They gave faith, they brought the hand which did ſet the plant, and they can enlarge faith, they bring the ſhowres which doe water that plant:

For … they evidence Chriſt more, and open and unfold the Promiſes (which are the ſtayes of our faith) more.

p. 1332. They enervate or weaken, God can anſwer that in one Sermō, which hath troubled us more then one yeare.and ſcatter the grounds of our feares and doubtings, and exceedingly ſuppreſſe the reaſonings and powers of unbeliefe.

3. They cleare the underſtanding, and ſo keep open the way for faith to God and Chriſt.

4. They doe inſtill a ſecret and drawing vertue, they doe excite, and quicken, and perſwade. Ergo.

Fourthly, let faith know its priviledges, and then it will grow more ſtrong: Faith would do more, if it did know all that it might doe: Aſſuredly we ſhould have more confidence, did we know our royalties.

Beleevers are more to God then the moſt immediate ſervants are to a Prince; All the Subjects of a Prince have ſome priviledges, yet theirs are p. 134greateſt, who are in neareſt ſervice; now none nearer to God then Beleevers: See 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a choſen generation, a royall Prieſthood, an holy Nation, apeculiar people; Nay, 2 Cor. 6. 18. Ye ſhall be my ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty: and theſe have thoſe priviledges which the ſervants have not. They who deſcended from the blood of Abraham, had more priviledges then others, and have not they greater who come from the blood of Chriſt? The Prieſts of the Law had ſingular exemptions, and Kings of all men are moſt highly priviledged; doe you think Beleevers come ſhort, who are not profane, nor civill, nor typicall Prieſts, but royall Prieſts? who are not Prieſts onelyonly, nor Kings onelyonly, but both Kings and Prieſts, a royall Prieſthood? who are a holy nation, a peculiar people, p. 135(i.) a people of treaſure, ſuch by whom onelyonly God gets ſomething?

O, ſay many weak Beleevers, Ob. The Lord doth not reſpect nor love us.

No? Doth not God love Sol. thoſe, whom (out of his meere love) he hath choſen? Doth not God reſpect the deſcent & generation of Chriſt? thoſe who come of his blood? They who come from Chriſt, and are borne of God, are ſurely beloved of God.

But the world, all men diſcountenance Ob. us, and regard us not.

Ye are Kings in Gods account, Sol. ye have the royall oyntment, even the Spirit of Grace; the royall garment, even the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; the royall attendance, even the Angels of God miniſtring unto you. You have a Kingdome which conſiſts in righteouſneſſe, p. 136and peace, and joy, Rom. 14. 17. Cannot this ſtir up faith?

We are oft times afraid to Ob. come before God, we feare acceſſe.

Are ye not Beleevers? And Sol. are not Beleevers the Prieſts of God? And are not Prieſts priviledged by their calling to come before God? The Prieſts might enter in, when none elſe might. And is not Jeſus Chriſt the Altar upon which we tender all our ſacrifices and ſervices to God? and is it not the Altar that ſanctifies the gift? Mat. 23. 19. The Apoſtle Mat. 23. 19 Gal 5. 1. Eph. 2. 13.Matt 23:19Gal 5:1Eph 2:13ſaith, Gal. 5. 1. that Chriſt hath gotten us a liberty: and Eph. 2. 13. that we are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt: and Heb. Heb. 10. 19Heb 10:1910. 19. that we may have boldneſſe to enter into the holieſt by the blood of Jeſus.

If therefore we did once throughly know what priviledges p. 137the firſt-borne have, the ſons of God have, the generation of Chriſt have, the Prieſts That 1. Gods 1. Love is ready. 2. Eare open. 2. Acceſſe made. 3. Speciall Inte…ceſſions. 4. Imperfections nothing. 5. Grants certaine.of God have, the purchaſed by Chriſt have; if we knew the grants of favour, and free acceſſes, and ſingular acceptances with God, in and through Chriſt, O how might we keep down our fears and our doubtings, and ſingularly encourage our faith to run, and with fulleſt eagerneſſe to embrace our God, our Chriſt, our Promiſes?

There be other meanes for the perfecting of faith, as, Experiences, Obſervation, &c. which I have touched long ſince, and our Divines are plentifull this way, and therefore I ſpare.

3. The third ſpring of doubtings, was, the ſtudy of the life of ſenſe: The remedy of which, is, the keeping of it downe: If you will keep off p. 138doubtings, you muſt keepe down ſenſe and feeling. Bleſſed (ſaith Chriſt to Thomas, Joh. 20. 29.) are they that have Joh 20. 29John 20:29not ſeene, and yet have beleeved.

If a man thinks this, That Chriſt is not mine, unleſſe I handle him; and God is not mine, unleſſe I ſee him; and grace is not mine, unleſſe I feele it; he will be for ever full of doubts and feares.

For the helping of which, conſider theſe things.

1. Senſe is not a fit Judge of our condition; it cannot report our eſtate but by what it feeles: but the ſpirituall eſtate is not alwayes under feeling; wee ſhould be good and bad, found and loſt, cheerfull and ſorrowfull, many times in one day, nay in one houre, if that ſenſe gave ſentence on our condition.

Beloved, think well on this, How can ſenſe reach unto the p. 139times of deſertion? unto the There is not a latitude in ſenſe. As a rich mans hād cannot hold all his lands, ſo a Chriſtians ſenſe cannot comprehend all his condition.times of want? unto the times of indiſpoſition? unto the times where faith doth expreſſe no acts, but ſuch as are pure and cleare, and onelyonly grounded upon the Promiſes? In theſe abſtracted times, Senſe finds nothing to ſpeak to us, to evidence for us, for God holds off, and wants hold up, and dulneſſes hold in, and we have nothing but a word of promiſe (all other things ſeeme to faile and forſake) to ſuſtaine and retaine us.

2. The ſpirituall courſe many times goes againſt our ſenſe, and therefore ſenſe muſt be kept downe. You know that Abraham againſt hope beleeved in hope, Rom. 4. 18. Rom. 4. 18Rom 4:18Faith and ſenſe are many times at a contradiction; faith will beleeve what ſenſe perceiveth not; and what our ſenſe doth perceive, that ſame p. 140our faith will not beleeve, but the contrary. Though …e kill me, yet will I truſt in him, ſaith Job: And Abraham beleeved his ſons ſafety, in the ſacrificing of him; and we our immortality, notwithſtanding our death and corruption. This is very certaine, that when we For your wayes are not my waies, &c. As the heavens, &c. Eſay 55. My times are in thy hands. Pſal. 31. 15 Heb. 11. 1. The evidence of things not ſcene. 2 Chron. 20. 12. We know not what to doe, but our eyes are upon th…e.Isa 55Ps 31:15Heb 11:12 Chr 20:12feele corruptions living, faith will beleeve them to be dying; and when we feele our ſelves in trouble, faith will then beleeve our comforts and deliverances: Faith uſually (I doe not ſay alwayes) beleeves the contraries unto ſenſe.

For ſenſe goes our way, and faith goes Gods way: Senſe allowes and ſets it ſelfe a time, and Faith is content to receive and take Gods times: Senſe moves upon what appears, and Faith upon what is not yet: Senſe looks downward, and Faith looks upward: Senſe doth ſuſtaine it ſelfe by ſomething p. 141within us, and Faith ſuſtaines it ſelfe by ſomething without us: Pſal. 27. 3. So Hab. 3. 17, 18. So Eſay 8. 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob, and I will looke for him. Eſay 50. 10. Who is he that walketh in darkneſſe and hath no light? Let him truſt in the Name of the Lord, and ſtay upon his God.

3. Senſe or feeling is not medium credendi, but fructus fidei: (i.) It is not the ground of beleeving, but a fruit of faith. v. g. Take feeling in the moſt excellent parts of it, as in aſſurance, and joy, and peace, theſe are not Antecedents to faith, but Conſequents of it. What is that? That is, a man hath not theſe firſt, and then faith for or from theſe, but he hath faith firſt, and theſe afterward.

Why doſt thou not beleeve? Queſt.

p. 142If I had aſſurance that God were my God, and Chriſt were my Chriſt, and the Promiſes were mine, I would: But ſay, Is the Word or thy Aſſurance the ground of faith? And wouldſt thou have the fruit before the tree? or thy ſafety before thou layeſt hand on the rock? If thou wouldſt have aſſurance, thou muſt then beleeve; for the ſweetneſſe of Eph. 1. 13. After ye beleeved, ye were ſealedEph 1:13aſſurance flowes from that faith which by beleeving feeds on Chriſt. So if thou wouldſt have joy, beleeve; for true 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom though now ye ſee him not, yet beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, &c.1 Pet 1:8joy doth not prevent, but attend beleeving.

We are oft times troubled by our owne pride and folly; God ſets us a way to beleeve, and we will follow our owne way; He gives unto us his Word of Promiſe to ground our beleeving, and wee will have our ſenſe to be the ground: Of which courſe, I p. 143dare ſay, what Abraham ſpake to the curioſity of Dives, who would have ſome to be ſent from the dead, that his brethren might beleeve; to whom Abraham thus replyes, If they heare not Moſes and the Prophets, neither will they be perſwaded though one roſe from the dead. Luk. 16. 31.Luk. 16. 31.Luke 16:31

So ſay I, If men will not beleeve becauſe God hath promiſed, neither will they beleeve if ſenſe ſhould ſtand up and ſpeak; for we have more reaſon to ſuſpect our owne teſtimony, then to diſtruſt Gods invitation and promiſe.

You will reply, This teſtimony Ob. of ſenſe in Aſſurance is Gods owne anſwer, and therefore if we had it, it would the more ſettle our faith.

I anſwer,

1. Gods teſtimonies are indeed Sol. of a ſetling and quieting vertue, whether they be the p. 144evidencing of our preſent intereſts in him, or ſpeciall anſwerings of our preſent deſires.

2. But then know, thou muſt firſt put to thy ſeale and hand of faith, before he delivers over to thee the aſſuring Evidences. And as yet I never knew any Chriſtian who could be anſwered without faith, or took comfort in that which yet he did not beleeve. For though it be the favour of God which doth properly comfort, nevertheleſſe it doth not actually comfort, unleſſe faith hath taken in that favour.

But are not former experiences Ob. (which are nothing elſe but ſenſible feelings) grounds to future beliefe? Did not David remember the dayes of old?

I anſwer, True, Experience… Sol. are good encouragements … p. 145the future acts of faith, but the Word of God is ſtil the ground of faith: They are not intrinſecall grounds, but extrinſecall motives.

You may conſider the experiences, either in things granted and performed, or in Note.the manner of their performance. Thou haſt had Gods favour, thou haſt had an anſwer, but how did thou obtaine them? was it not by beleeving? was it not by waiting upon ſome good word of Promiſe? Thy injoying of them did not prevent thy beleeving of the word of Promiſe, but the beleeving of that word of Promiſe did let in and bring unto thy ſoul that ſweet and gracious experience: And therefore thy experience was not the ground heretofore, nor is it now; onelyonly thus farre it ſerves as a ſingular furtherance to faith, that that God on p. 146whom heretofore thou didſt beleeve, and from whom (in beleeving) thou receivedſt ſuch gracious helps and anſwers, will againe (he being the ſame for ever, and his Promiſes being Yea and Amen) by further beleeving on his Word, renew his gracious goodneſſe and merciful favour unto thy ſoule.

4. A fourth ſpring was, the reſtraining of faith, the curbing of it in its work, and in occaſions. Now the remedy of this is, to give way unto faith; give it ſcope, let it doe its whole ſervice: As the Apoſtle ſaid of patience, Jam. 1. 4. Let Jam. 1. 4.Jas 1:4patience have her perfect worke, ſo let faith; doe not reſtraine it, and then you ſhall be ſtayed, you ſhall be freed: The workings of one contrary reſtraine the other.

Therefore Chriſt checks his Diſciples for their anxieties, p. 147for their carkings and ſolicitudes, and would have them to let their faith looſe to ſee a Father who would provide, Mat. Mat. 6. 32.Matt 6:326. 32. They had poverty, or feared it; their wants came in, and loſſes, and ſo their fears came in, and thoughts. But how ſhould they caſt them out? Thus: If faith did beleeve helps, as well as impatience find wants; if they would give way to faith to beleeve Gods providing, as well as ſenſe to ſee the world abridging and ebbing, they would not have beene ſo full of thoughts: Shall he not much more clothe you of little faith? ver. 30.

But for the farther help in this point, conſider,

1. In any occurrence, Faith Three things. here.may be our Agent, it can deale for us, becauſe, 1. Our temporall life is by faith, 2. The temporall Promiſes which reach p. 148over all the externall condition, are the bottome of faith: Hence it is ſaid, Hab. 2. 5. The Hab. 2. 5.Hab 2:5juſt ſhall live by his faith. When we have no other help, yet faith can be our ſtaffe; when we have no other feeding, yet faith can be our bread: It can negotiate for the ſoule, it can make repayre to God, and ſingularly ſolace and ſuſtaine the ſoule in his word of Promiſe.

Suppoſe a mans means begin to ſhrinke, his condition is drawing thin, he is neare to want, at ſuch a time this man may keep downe his doubts, and tearing thoughts, if he will give faith a ſcope to worke: I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. Heb. 13. 5. Here is a Promiſe Heb. 13. 5.Heb 13:5now, and here is plenty enough to faith; and faith (if it may have its perfect work) will ſuſtaine thee againſt all doubtings.

p. 149I ſhall be left, ſayeſt thou. Ob.

Thou ſhalt not, ſaith Faith. Sol.

Not now, perhaps, for yet I Ob. have ſomething.

Nay, never, ſaith faith, for Sol. thou haſt a continuall God, and he hath promiſed a continuall help. Thou wouldſt be a free man, if faith were free, for faith will not leave God, Pſal. 9. 10. They, &c. for thou Lord haſt not forſake them that ſe…k th…e.Ps 9:10and God will not faile faith; and why ſhouldſt thou faile, when faith holds up thy heart, and God holds up thy faith?

So for any croſſe and trouble; Not any burden this way, but faith may be a ſhoulder to eaſe us: As long as there is a Promiſe to beare up faith, faith will have ſtrength to beare off the diſquietments of our troubles.

I know not what to do, ſaith Ob. the perſon.

No? ſaith Faith, Is not the Sol. Lord good, a ſtrong hold in the day of trouble, and doth not he p. 150know them that truſt in him? Nahum 1. 7.Nah. 1. 7.Nah 1:7

But troubles are renewed, Ob. Gods arm is not ſhortned.and come againe; and though I was delivered heretofore, yet now I feare.

Feare? ſaith faith, No reaſon Sol. for that. See a notable place, Job 5. 17. Happy is the Job 5. 17.Job 5:17man whom God correcteth. If a man hath wounds, it is wel for him to have a ſearching plaiſter: and if a man hath a full ſtomach, it is well for him if he hath a potion; and if his ſpirits putrifie, it is well for him to be let blood: So, &c.

18 For he maketh ſore, and 18bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

19 He ſhall deliver thee in 19ſixe troubles, yea in ſeaven there ſhall no evill touch thee.

There is nothing new to God, nor difficult. Though our troubles be grievous to us, yet their deliverance is eaſie to p. 151God, and faith can find a harbour for every ſtorme: yea, give faith but its ſcope, it will conclude preſent helps from former deliverances; and the eſcape out of old troubles, ſhall enſure faith in the new: He who hath delivered, doth, and will ſtill deliver, 2 Cor. 1.

God doth not alter, neither 2 Cor. 1.2 Cor 1in his truth, nor in his goodneſſe, nor in his power, although our conditions doe vary: The temptation may be new, and affliction new, but God is ſtill the ſame, and the Promiſes the ſame, and faith can make uſe of one God to conquer twenty temptations, and one Promiſe to beare up againſt many afflictions.

2. In every occurrence there is a providence, and the iſſues depend upon it. If Satan tempts if afflictions, and croſſes, and loſſes, and contempts befall us, there is a Providence p. 152to permit them, to order them, to direct them, to reſtraine them; and if we gave faith a ſcope to work upon that Providence, we would not be ſo full of doubts.

1. For Satan, he doth indeed tempt and ſuggeſt, but he cannot doe this when he pleaſeth, he muſt ask leave of God But his actions and the iſſues of them are ſubordinate and under reſtraint.to touch Job any way: And when he doth tempt, the iſſue doth not depend upon his malice; The Lord lookes on, and ſubminiſters marvellous ſtrength, and makes his ſervants to pray earneſtly, and heare earneſtly, and apply his Promiſes, and will deliver.

We look upon Satan, and not upon God; we look upon Note.ſtrong temptations, but wee look not upon mighty aſſiſtances; we conſider our owne weakneſſe, but doe not conſider Gods omnipotencie; wee think how unable we are, but p. 153not how able God is; we find yet no deliverance, and doe not give faith its perfect worke, to beleeve that God will find a way to conquer for us. If faith did but dwell upon Gods providence in this, how he ſuffers Satan to buffet us, and how his grace is ſufficient for us, and how his power will be made manifeſt in weakneſſe; how he hath delivered, and doth in our very reſiſtance deliver us, and hath In God is my truſt, I will not feare what man can do unto me, ſaid David. So here, &c.promiſed to bruiſe Satan under our feet, wee would not doubt, we would not gratifie Satan with feares of fainting, but reſiſt him ſtedfaſtly by encouraging our ſelves in our God.

2. For our croſſes and loſſes; There is a Providence in them, He is in Egypt, & in the fiery fornace, and in the priſons, &cGod is in all our troubles and wants: His wiſdome is there, and his goodneſſe: O how ſhall I be delivered? How? p. 154Let faith work, and that will tell thee how. Why ſhould I thus be troubled? Why? Let faith work, and that will tell thee: It is in very faithfulneſſe, ſaith David: And It is good for me that I am afflicted. No child of God thus! Nay, let faith work, and it will cleare all; That a good condition is not exempted from afflictions, and that though God had one Son without ſin, yet he had no Son without ſorrow.

3. Our incouragements are more then our diſcouragements, and our helps exceed our oppoſitions; therefore faith is not to be reſtrained.

The Prophet healed up his ſervants doubtings, 2 King. 6. 2 Kin. 6. 16 El…ſhaes ſervant.2 Kgs 6:1616. Feare not, for they that bee with us are more then they that be with them.

And ſo Chriſt to his perplexed Chriſt to his Diſciples.and doubting Diſciples p. 155about thoſe exigencies and caſualties to which they were expoſed, Feare not little flocke, A Kingdome oppoſed to temporall ſafety.it is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdome. q. d. Be not ſo diſquieted, ſo anxious for your lives, for your ſafeties. Though you be a flock, and a little flock, and the wolves are many, yet let the worſt come to the worſt, you ſhall have a Kingdome. Oppoſe that to this, and you need not doubt and feare.

So S. John, 1 Joh. 4. 4. Ye are 1 Joh. 4. 4. Gods Spirit oppoſed to Satans & Antichriſts.1 John 4:4of God, (little children) and have overcome them, becauſe greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world.

Once more, S. Paul, Rom. 5. Rom. 5. 20 Grace oppoſed to ſin.Rom 5:2020. Where ſinne abounded, grace did much more abound; And 21. As ſinne reigned unto death, ſo grace reignes through righteouſneſſe unto eternall life by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.

So againe for outward troubles, p. 156Eſay 41. 14. Feare not thou Eſa. 41. 14 Help to trouble & weakneſs. And 2 Cor. 1. 5. As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo, &c. 2 Cor. 4. 17 Our light afflictions, &c. work for us a far more exceeding waight of glory.Isa 41:142 Cor 1:52 Cor 4:17worme Jacob, (q. d. Thou art a weak creature, contemptible creature, a worme yet thou art Jacob, and therefore fear not) for I will help thee, ſaith the Lord. Though Jacob be weak, yet the God of Jacob is ſtrong.

So for outward loſſes, 2 Chron. 25. 9. ſaid Amaziah to the man of God, But what ſhall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the Army of Iſrael? The man of God anſwered, The Lord is able to give thee much more then this.

From all which we ſee, that Faith hath the better grounds to reſt on; there are more with faith then againſt it: for none can be againſt it, except the evill creatures; and he who is for it, is the mighty Creator; All his power, and his goodneſſe, and his Chriſt, and his My Father is greater then all, ſaith ChriſtSpirit, and his Word of Truth is for it: He is greater then all, p. 157ſo that faith may have ſingular matter to work upon in all occurrences.

It is on the better ſide, and on the greater ſide, on that ſide which will carry it, and beare downe the contrary.

Satan is againſt me.

But greater is he (is that Ob. Sol.Spirit of Chriſt) in me, then he that is in the world.

Sin is againſt me.

But greater is Chriſt who is Ob. Sol.for me, then ſinne which is in me. Grace hath much more abounded.

Men in their power are againſt Ob. me.

But greater is that Almighty God, before whom the Nations Sol. are but as the drop of the bucket, and lighter then a duſt in the ballance.

Troubles are upon me.Ob. Sol.

But my comforts are greater then my ſorrows, and the glory which I expect, infinitely p. 158exceeds the trouble which I ſuffer.

Wants are upon me.Ob. Sol.

But my ſupplies are exceeding; I have a provident Father: And though I have not a large portion of earth, yet I have a ſure Kingdome in heaven.

Beloved, if we would but often conſider of this, that faith is ſtill on the better, on the ſurer ſide, we would quit all our doubtings; we would Note.not feare what man can doe unto us, what Satan can doe unto us; our owne infirmities would not diſable us, nor afflictions; for ſtill faith falls to the ſureſt partie, and therefore give it ſcope. Faith pitcheth upon no weak cauſes, upon no weak helps, upon no weak ſtayes; it ſtayes upon the Name of the God of Iacob.

O how might faith out-face the greateſt oppoſitions, and p. 159trample-under all our affronts, and loſſes, and doubts, if we did let it get out unto its encouragements, could we once come with faith to be perſwaded indeed, that they who are for us are more then they who are againſt us!

Brethren, in our ſpirituall combats we have the better cauſe, and the better ſtrength; what help heaven can afford, we have. Therefore in all our diſtreſſes let us hearten our ſelves, and incourage our faith: Let us (as Iehu in another caſe) look up, and ſay, Who is on my ſide, who? and then wee may even ſay what the Pſalmiſt ſpake, Pſal. 124. 1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our Pſa. 124. 1Ps 124:1ſide, now may (the Beleever) Iſrael ſay, 2. If it had not been the Lord, &c. 7. Our ſoule is 2eſcaped as a bird out of the ſnare, 7&c. 8. Our help is in the Name 8of the Lord, &c.

p. 1605. A fift ſpring of doubtings, was ſpeciall and particular ſins after converſion: Theſe, like a ſtrong diſeaſe, do ſhake the very heart and ſpirit of the Chriſtian, and ſtagger him on every ſide; and like a cloud, fold up all our comfortable communion with God; like a dead fly they fall in all our ſervices. If thou doſt ill, ſinne lies at the doore, ſaid God to Cain: And ſo you ſhall find it, that ſpeciall ſinnes after converſion doe much interrupt us in our approaches, and in our confidences.

Now the way to cure this ſpring, is,

1. To renew our ſorrowes, to ſet upon the fountaine: David David.did ſo after his great ſins, and ſo did Peter; the one did Peter.water his couch, and his teares were his meat day and night, and the other went out and wept bitterly.

p. 161Bitterneſſe of ſorrow, (you read of it in Zach. 12. 10.) imports, Bitternes, what it imports. 1. Anguiſh1. an anguiſh of ſpirit: As David ſaid for his Ionathan, My ſoule is diſtreſſed for thee; ſo here the falne Chriſtian is diſtreſſed for ſinning thus againſt his God, for loſing his God; There is oft times a very tearing and renting in the ſoule.

2. A ſenſible fulneſſe of 2 Fulneſſe of griefe.griefe: As Ioſeph was full of compaſſion, and his bowels could hold no longer upon the oration of Iudah; ſo the falne Chriſtian is full of holy meltings, his heart is ready to break, and like a full veſſell it muſt have vent.

Many a time he muſt, and doth conſider this vile ſin, and hies him alone to poure out his grieved heart before the Lord, and ſhames himſelfe before him, and confeſſeth with confuſion of face his treacherous p. 162and unworthy dealing againſt his God.

There is, you know, a naturall Three ſorts of ſorrows.ſorrow, as for the loſſe of children; and a politicall ſorrow, as was that for the good King Joſiah, and there is a ſpirituall ſorrow, which is for our ſins: This muſt now be exceedingly renewed, and you may raiſe it by conſideration of mercy. O Lord, what have I How to raiſe our ſorrow.done? Why have I done this? Thou ſhewedſt me mercy in opening my eyes, in changing my heart, in calling me to holineſſe, in pardoning of former ſins; yet after all this, I have ſinned againſt thee, I have wounded my heart, diſhonoured thy Name, turned thy grace into wantonneſſe, loſt thy favour, broke my peace, injured my Chriſt, grieved thy Spirit, turned away thine eare, given advantage to Satan, and deſerved for ever to p. 163ſit in darkneſſe, &c. Beloved, if you find your hearts unhumbled, you ſhall finde your hearts ſtill to be unbeleeving.

For beſides that great ſins are great provocations to our Note.gracious God; they are alſo (til we are humbled for them) great impediments to faith; faith cannot do ſervice for us, it cannot uphold us, it cannot bring a comforting Promiſe unto our hearts, untill our hearts are humbled for our ſins. God comforts none but mourners; and faith cannot fall in with him, untill our hearts fall out with our ſelves.

And here take heed you be not ſleight and too quick: if you be, you ſhall have your doubtings againe. God doth ſeldome or never ſpeak eaſie peace after a great ſin. If you skin up a ſore, it will break p. 164out againe: If your ſorrows be not deep and ſound, your fears will be freſh and multiplyed: but let them be pious, and ſerious, and then the ſoule will after a while recover it ſelfe, and plead, and find mercy with God, and be able to anſwer and ſilence all the doubtfull reaſonings which will riſe againſt faith in its wonted communions and applications.

But you will ſay, If wee Ob. ſhould ſorrow thus, yet wee ſhould ſtill doubt of mercy and Gods favour.

I anſwer, Sol.

1. Thou haſt now to anſwer A great current wil bear down the dam, and true ſorrow will carry away our doubtings.thy doubtings. True, I did ſin thus, but I have truely grieved for this ſinne: and though I might not apply mercy becauſe I ſinned, yet now I may, becauſe I am grieved.

2. See Gods diſpoſition to Ephraim, Ier. 31. 18. I have ſurely p. 165Jer. 31. 18.Jer 31:18heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelfe, &c. ver. 19. I was aſhamed, 19yea even confounded, becauſe I did beare the reproach of my youth. But then ver. 20. Is Ephraim 20my dear ſon? Is he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I doe earneſtly remember him ſtill, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord.

Though God be offended with our ſins, yet he is delighted in our ſorrows; and nothing melts him more, then to ſee us come melting before him. The mournfull behaviour of Ioſephs brethren moved him, and the returning Prodigals The father likes the ſons ſubmiſſions, though not his rebellions.falling downe to his Father, and cryings out, went to the heart of him: And it is not without cauſe that David prayes, Regard my teares that fall; And, Are not my tears regiſtred? And, Put thou my teares p. 166into thy bottle. Melting teares doe melt a tender God and Father.

2. To renew our repentance; in which I would comprehend both deteſtations and forſakings. Theſe ſins muſt be made very hatefull to the ſoul, you muſt imbitter them, you muſt purge out all the ſweetneſſe of them, all the liking of them; Nay you muſt ſet upon them as on things moſt abominable. Hence that phraſe of loathing your abominanations, Ezek. 36.Ezek. 36.Ezek 36

S. Iohn, Rev. 2. 5. adviſeth decayed Rev. 2. 5.Rev 2:5Epheſus to remember from whence ſhe was falne, and to repent. Beloved, this is not a condition to ſtay in; This water is deep, and drowning is poſſible, if we lie in it: But if wee riſe out of our ſinnes, then our doubtings will fall. It is with our conſciences, as it is with water in a pot; if you put no p. 167Simile.fire under it, it is quiet; but if you kindle a fire, the water will boyle and bubble, it hath no quiet: So though conſcience be quiet and kind, and moleſts us not, if yet fire come under, if any notable ſin come in, and kindle in the heart; now the boylings, now the feares and doubts of the ſoule.

And in theſe tumblings, the way to ceaſe them, is to remove the fire, and then you ſhall ſee how the water grows to a ſtilneſſe again, and by degrees The ſea will be calme, if the winds ceaſe.leaves fuming: So will our ſoules come to a pacified temper, to a ſetledneſſe, if once our ſins be removed; leave the Eſay 1. 16, 17. Ceaſe to doe evill, learne to doe well. 18. Come now and let us reaſon together, &c.Isa 1:16Isa 1:17ſins, and ordinarily the doubts will leave the ſinner.

For as ſinne is our unquiet ſea, ſo Repentance is our ſecure harbour: Any knowne ſinne unrepented, ſtill puts in, and inlivens doubts in us; but Repentance p. 168plucks out the venome, and the rage. An amended child comes againe before his Father, and a reformed Chriſtian and penitent, may **Loc. cit.yet be confident.

3. Sue out a ſpeciall aſſurance: You may ſee by Davids diſpoſition, after his ſpeciall ſins, that a generall acquitance would not ſerve the turne; for ſpeciall ſins you muſt ſue out ſpeciall aſſurance of pardon.

Your conſciences will never be quiet elſe; Nay this will not ſatisfie thee, that yet they are pardonable, that they are ſuch as doe not exclude thee out of the Proclamation; thou wilt never be quiet untill God ſpeaks peace, untill he doth put his ſeale to acquit thee of particular ſins.

Sin will riſe, it will lie uppermoſt, thou ſhalt feele it ſo, it will fly in thy face, it will come up in ſerious times, untill p. 169thou repent of it, and ſue out thy diſcharge; therefore be earneſt with the Lord for pardon of it, for a ſpeciall acquitance: If the Lord Jeſus did ſeale his blood upon thy heart, thy doubtings would ceaſe.

But you will ſay, There is Ob. now no hope: though wee ſhould grieve, though we ſhould repent, though wee ſhould ſue for pardoning mercy, there is now no hope; for theſe are ſins after converſion, and they are great ones too; and beſides we find no particular promiſe to eaſe our ſouls upon.

Let me anſwer this doubt Sol. fully, for it is a folded one; there are many in it: Conſider therefore,

1. The promiſe of pardon Three things. The pardoning promiſe is excluſive, in reſpect of ſinners; but incluſive in reſpect of penitents: not all ſinners, but all repenting ſinners ſhall be pardoned.is indefinite to repentance: and p. 170I beſeech you mark this point: God doth not ſay, I will pardon ſins ſimply, but if men repent and forſake ſins, they ſhall have mercy. So againe, in promiſing pardon to Repentance, he doth not promiſe it reſpectively, and conditionally, but abſolutely and fully.

What is that? That is, God doth not ſay, If you repent of ſuch or ſuch ſinnes, then you ſhall have pardon; but hee ſaith ſimply and abſolutely, If you repent: So that let the ſins be never ſo great, never ſo many, yet if they be ſinnes of which thou now truely repenteſt, they are aſſuredly pardoned. Eſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forſake Eſa. 55. 7.Isa 55:7his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him returne unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Here you ſee a promiſe of abundant pardon to be made p. 171unto the penitent; though he hath had thoughts, though he hath had wayes, yet if he forſakes them, the Lord will pardon and ſhew mercy.

Againe, becauſe that pardon is promiſed to actuall repentance indefinitely, therefore let the ſinner be what he will, let him be a perſon who was not converted before, or let him be a perſon already converted, yet if he begins true repentance, or the other renews his true repentance, they ſhall be pardoned: And the reaſon is, becauſe it is not ſinne ſimply in ſuch an eſtate which God pardons, but it is ſinne repented of, which God doth promiſe to pardon: And therefore if an evill man, whoſe life hath been a courſe of ſins, repents and leaves his ſins, he ſhall have mercy: Or if a good man fall accidentally into ſin, upon his repentance p. 172he may confidently plead out Gods promiſes of pardon, for he ſhall have mercy upon his repentance, as you may ſee Prov. 28. 14. He that forſakes his ſinnes, ſhall find mercy. Ezek. Pro. 28. 14Prov 28:1418. 32. Turne your ſelves, and Eze. 18. 32Ezek 18:32live. See ver. 21, 22. If the wicked will turne from all his ſinnes, ver. 21, 22.they ſhall not be mentioned unto him.

Whence we may infer, that if God will forgive his enemies, he will then (upon the ſame repentance) forgive his children. If a King will pardon a returning Traitor, wil he not Simile.receive then a returning ſon? It was a pious ſpeech of S. Chryſoſtome, Si Deus promittat gratiam nobis offendentibus, quid faciet nobis poenitentibus? If he promiſeth grace unto us when we are ſinning, what then will he confer on us, if we be repenting?

2. Chriſt is of great vertue p. 173ſtil, and as able to put away the ſins after converſion, as well as before: therefore is he called the ſame, yeſterday, to day, and Heb. 13. 8.Heb 13:8for ever: And the Apoſtle reaſons it in the Romans, If when Rom. 5. 10Rom 5:10we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, how much more being reconciled, ſhall we be ſaved by his life?

We muſt think of the pacification by Chriſt, of the atonement, of the propitiation, of the ſatisfaction, not as confined to any one ſinne, or to any one eſtate, but in reſpect of its ſufficiency, reaching over both eſtates, and all the ſins in both. What is that? That is, the death of the Lord JESUS was not onelyonly to reach the ſins thou didſt commit in thy unconverted eſtate; and the reſt afterward in thy converted eſtate, thou art to ſatisfie for by thine owne power ſome p. 174other way. What is this but that Popiſh leaven? that ſelfjuſtification? thoſe humane ſatisfactions? What is this but to divide our ſalvation twixt Chriſt and our ſelves? What is this but to reſtraine either the ſufficiencie or the efficacie of his death?

No, Chriſt is unto us in reſpect of ſins before, and ſins after converſion, as the Lord was to the Iſraelites, a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire. Jeſus Chriſt is a cloud in the Chriſt a pillar of cloud, and a pillar of fire.day, (in the time of converſion) to cover our ſins upon our repentance; and a pillar of fire by night, (for the times of former darkneſſe) upon our repentance to conſume away our ſins, &c.

The difference of our eſtates doth no way adde or diminiſh to the ſtrength and efficacie of his death: His bloud can cry as loud now as heretofore, and p. 175is not leſſe effectuall to get pardon for our falls in the way, then for our ſinnings when we were not in the way, as is evident in the ſins of Paul before his converſion, and in ſins of David and Peter after their converſion: for Chriſt is our continuall Mediator, and everliving Interceſſor.

But you will reply, Theſe Ob. ſins cut off all our intereſt in Chriſt, and all relations, and therefore no hope now.

I anſwer, though the comfortable Sol. No ſinne that thou cāſt grieve for, cuts off our communion & intereſt.intereſt be cut off, (untill the time of ſound repentance) yet the radicall intereſt is not: As the leprous perſon was debarred the uſe of his houſe, (untill he was cleanſed) yet he was not debarred the title and right of his houſe: and therefore thou mayeſt (upon thy repentance) ſue unto the Lord by the bloud of thy Saviour, the p. 176pardon of theſe ſinnes.

3. The Lord is mercifull ſtill unto repentants: You ſhall read in Pſal. 136. that his Pſal. 136.Ps 136mercy is ſet downe 26 times with the adjunct of everlaſtingneſſe, His mercy endureth for ever. And Pſal. 86. 5. Thou Pſal. 86. 5.Ps 86:5Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, unto all them that call upon thee. So ver. 13. Great is thy mercy towards 13me. And ver. 15. Thou, O 15Lord, art a God full of compaſſion, and gracious, long-ſuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. So Micah 7. 18. Who is a God Mica. 7. 18like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquitie, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, becauſe he delighteth in mercy. 19. He will turne 19againe, he will have compaſſion on us, he will ſubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt caſt all their ſins into the depths of the ſea.

p. 177Mercy is not ſtrange unto God, it is his nature, it is his delight, and repentance will not be hid from his eyes, if it be not hid from our hearts: He calls us to repent, and cauſeth us to repent, that he might ſhew us his mercy, and everlaſtingneſſe of his mercy.

6. A ſixt ſpring of doubtings was indiſpoſition unto or about ſpirituall duties: Whence we feare the truth of grace, which is active and lively, and doubt our acceptance with God, by reaſon of our dulneſſe and deadneſſe.

For the curing of this, conſider,

1. That dulneſſe in holy duties is poſſibly incident to men truly ſanctified. Beloved, there is a great difference betwixt a dead heart, and a dull heart: That heart is properly A dead heart.termed dead, which wants a living ſpring, and therefore p. 178ſpirituall duty is contrary unto it, it hath a ſecret a verſneſſe to holy ſervices, it cares not for holy prayer; there is not onelyonly an indifferency whether the work be done, but a determinate diſlike, and poſitive The difference twixt a dead heart and a dull heart.unwillingneſſe, or rather (a Nolition) a nillingneſſe to the ſame. Whence ariſeth that ſhuffling carriage in wicked men, to find diverting occaſions, and arguing reaſonings againſt the ſtrictneſſe and ſpiritualneſſe of duty.

But againe, that heart is A dull heart.properly termed dull, which hath in it a living ſpring, but hath not a lively operation: The Spirit is willing, (ſaid Chriſt) there the ſpring was open; but the fleſh is weake, there the operation was narrow. The Chriſtian may ſay with David, My heart (O Lord) Rom 7. 21, 22.Rom 7:21Rom 7:22is ready, my heart is prepared; and as Paul, I would doe good, p. 179and I delight in the Law of God after the inward man; but yet, ſaith he, I find a law; that when I would doe good, evill is preſent with me; And I ſee another law in my members, warring againſt the law of my mind. So in the Galatians, The fleſh luſteth againſt Gal. 5. 17.Gal 5:17the ſpirit, &c. and theſe are contrary one to the other, ſo that ye cannot doe the things that yee would. Ye would doe, but yee cannot do; Ye cannot alwayes do the work ye would do, and ye cannot do it in ſuch a manner as ye would doe it.

You know that a full veſſell which hath a narrow neck, it cannot ſend out the waters ſo ſpeedily, nor ſo fully; and a ſick man, who would fetch more then a turne about his chamber, he cannot doe that, ſometimes; if he doth it, it is Simile.with extream weariſomneſſe, not of his mind, but of his body: Or as a luſty and able man p. 180eſcaped out of priſon with a great chaine about his leg, he would run away, but the chain hinders him, and vexeth him, ſo that it doth indiſpoſe him in the motion.

In like manner is it many times with good people; The heart, the will is bent, it is reſolved for Prayer, for hearing, &c. but then there is a chaine clogs them, there is a ſpirituall weakneſſe, there is fleſh in them as well as ſpirit, and this doth dull them, this doth indiſpoſe them about the doing, about the exerciſe of their intentions and deſires.

Therefore let us take heed of denying or concluding the abſence of grace, from the infirmity of working. David Pſal. 119. 25. My ſoule cleaveth to the duſt, (that …as low enough) quicken thou me, &c. 28. My ſoule melteth for heavineſſe, ſtrengthen thou me according to thy word.Ps 119:25prayed often to be quickned, and ſo may we, and yet bee p. 181alive. It is one thing to have Life and livelihood are different.life, another thing to have livelihood: That may be preſent, when this is abſent: for a Chriſtian, 1. may have a dull temper of body, not able to render unto him the ſpirituall ſenſe of ſpirituall duties, melancholy doth intercept the vitality not onelyonly of nature but of grace.

2. He may not ſo ſeriouſly meditate and dwell upon the wayes and motives of livelihood, hee may have but remiſſe, and unpiercing, or unapplying thoughts of Gods great love and mercy, of Chriſts blood and interceſſion, of the Promiſes's goodneſſe and fulneſſe; and therefore his ſpirit may be dull.

3. He may not have ſuch The oyle may not be on the wheel, nor that gale to the ſhip.an actuall aid and ſpeciall influence from the Spirit of Chriſt to excite his ſpirituall frame and temper; and then p. 182if that wind be more ſlack, our ſhip will move on with leſſe forwardneſſe.

Or laſtly, perhaps he may have over-laſht, he hath been (improvidently or accidentally) in the dulling wayes; hee hath been ſurfetting upon ſome ſin, or too greedily embracing the heavy world, or been idle in his particular calling. But,

Whatſoever the cauſe may be, this is certaine, that Indiſpoſition Indiſpoſition is not fundamentall.is not fundamentall; it is not ſuch a caſe, which nullifies the eſtate of Grace: For as in our moſt lively times there is more duty then wee Note.can throughly doe; ſo in our dulleſt times there is not more duty then we would doe.

And this know, that the Chriſtian condition keeps up for truth of being, notwithſtanding the many pauſes, the many eclipſes, the many indiſpoſitions p. 183which may, and doe accompany it.

But yet againe, ſecondly, be informed of this, that God obſerves the bent of the heart in the duty, and accordingly accepts of it. You know that place in the Chronicles, how that the good Lord did pardon 2 Chro. 30. 18, 19.2 Chr 30:182 Chr 30:19every one who prepared his heart to ſeek him, though he Gods eye is more on the intent of the workman, thē on the extent of the work.were not cleanſed according to the purification of the Sanctuary.

The greateſt actions managed from a corrupt heart are not accepted with God: (All the ſuperfluous and abundant Note.gifts of the Phariſees were worthleſſe, yet the Widowes mite found acceptance) The meaneſt duties ſet forth with a perfect heart are acknowledged by God; he will take notice of them; for God looks to the heart: He eyes not ſo much thy behaviour, he liſtens not p. 184ſo much to thy words, but (through theſe) he conſiders thy heart; if that come with life, though thy body come with dulneſſe, though thy tongue be not ſo fluent, yet if there be life and truth in the heart, he will find duty and accept of it.

You remember that Simile Simile.of the Goldſmith, who hath a skilfull eye to find out the ſmaller and neglected wayes of gold, though covered with much droſſe; and many times there is much fire and much gold, when both are hidden with duſt and cole: So is it with the Lord, he can ſent out the ſecrets of our deſires, and what we would doe is obſerved and taken with him for Our grones are not hid from him.well done, notwithſtanding the many indiſpoſitions which cover our Altar.

Therefore it is Davids counſell 1 Chron. 28. 9.1 Chr 28:9to Solomon his ſon, Know p. 185thou the God of thy Father, and ſerve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and underſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: If thou ſeek him, he will be found of thee, &c.

Beloved, we are miſtaken God can find duty in ſpeechleſſe tears, and ſighs, & grones. Rom. 8.Rom 8about duty; we judge it not to be duty, unleſſe the tongue can ſpeak much, and our behaviours be freſh, &c. as if a man were not a man, and did no work in courſe cloathes: But know we, that the ſealing of ſpirituall ſervice with integrity of heart, is duty.

And that is it which God conſiders, and unto which he hath made many promiſes of acceptance, and audience, and grant.

This is ſomething to ſtay Ob. us, will you ſay: But now wee ſtick at this, Whether the bent of our hearts bee intire, notwithſtanding our indiſpoſitions p. 186and dulneſſes?

That may eaſily be diſcerned: Sol. You may know that the bent of the heart is right and eaven in duties,

1. By not contenting your How to know that the bent of the heart is right.ſelves with this heavy kind of performing of duties: You will have life enough to diſlike your ſelves, though you have not power enough to mend your ſervices.

There are ſome men (and they have evill hearts) which will be picking ſome help and pleas for their lazy and dull ſerving of God, from what hath been ſpoken.

O ſay they, though we cannot Ob. doe as others doe, yet our hearts are as good, and as willing; God knowes the heart, and regards it.

He doth ſo, and he knowes Sol. this of thy heart, that it yeelds him lazy ſervice, and diſlikes not it ſelfe therein: But now p. 187the true Chriſtian is not ſatisfied with this, that God accepts of a weak heart; but it would alſo hereupon bring him a better heart.

It doth many times fall out with it ſelfe, and rebuke its owne dulneſſe, Why art thou ſo heavy, O my ſoule? and why art thou ſo indiſpoſed within me? Thou art ſerving of a living God, why doſt thou not ſerve him with a more lively heart? And then it breaks out on the ſudden, Well, Lord, If I had a better heart, thou ſhouldſt have it; If I could find more affections, I would beſtow them on thee.

Hereupon,

2. It falls upon the wayes of livelihood, and exerciſeth the art of quickning: It will not reſt in this indiſpoſition, but will uſe all the meanes to better it ſelfe; and this doth abundantly manifeſt its bent.

p. 188As you know, the weak perſon Simile.he will have one turne more, and the ingenuous Scholar will write one line more, and the deſirous Archer will make one ſhot more; So the ſincere heart, he will aſſay yet more in duty; Perhaps frequencie in duty (ſaith he) may breed fervencie in duty. (A man may get him an heat by walking, and by rubbing his benummed parts.) Or perhaps ſaith he, one duty more in another kind, may quicken me to duty in every kind; as ſome phyſick and cordiall to the heart, may cauſe more nimbleneſſe in the hands and feet. I am ſomewhat dull in praying, I will therefore read more, or heare more, that I may find matter to ſet on my Note.Prayer: I may perhaps meet with that in reading, which may ſet me on in praying. Or I am ſomewhat dull in hearing, p. 189I will therefore pray more, perhaps God may heare my prayer, and then I may heare his word with more attention, delight, profit, &c. And aſſuredly ſo it falls out many times, that our indiſpoſitions are more about ſome particular duties which are ſingularly removed by the ſmall diſpoſitions, yet left in us about ſome other duties.

Or if all this betters not, yet, ſaith he, I will even goe to Gods Ordinances, and will come before him, and bring him my ſoule thus indiſpoſed, perhaps yet he may be diſpoſed to quicken mee by his Word, to cheere me by his Sacrament; Who knows but that he may let fall a bleſſing? that he may ſo powerfully direct himſelfe to me, as to ſhake my heart, as to throw off all my dull diſtempers, and revive my Graces, and excite p. 190my affections? &c.

So that if you perceive your dulneſſes, if they griev… and diſpleaſe you, if you will not reſt in them, if you yet ſet out to the meanes of removall, aſſuredly your hearts are ſincere; God ſeeth that the bent is honeſt, that thou art indeed willing; and take this for thy comfort, that if it be thus with thee, God (for preſent) accepts of thy ſervices, and ere long thou ſhalt be freed of theſe indiſpoſitions which doe accompany thee in thy ſervices: God will drive this ſleepe from thine eyes, and theſe fowles from thy ſacrifice. Once again though, note, that

3. The cauſe of all acceptation is in Chriſt: therefore doe not doubt that God will reject thy ſervices becauſe of thy indiſpoſitions, but beleeve he will accept of thy p. 191ſincere indeavours, becauſe … Chriſt. Beloved, it … for us to conſider all things about duty. A ſincere heart muſt ſet it out, a gracious God muſt take it, and a mighty Redeemer and Interceſſor muſt preſent it. Note.Chriſt preſents that to his Father, which we preſent to Chriſt: The duty belongs to us, but the reaſon of acceptation is not in the Petitioner, but in the Interceſſour: God accepts not for our fulneſſe, not for our livelineſſe, but for his Sonnes worthineſſe, Rev. 8. 3. The Angel had a golden Cenſer, and much iucenſe: that he ſhonld offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar.Rev 8:3for his merits, who ever lives to make interceſſion for … who offers up the prayers of the Saints with the perfume and odours of his righteouſneſſe.

Are thy Prayers fervent? They are not accepted for their own ſtrength: Are they weak? They are not rejected for p. 192their impotencie. Is thy heart ſincere? Then know that He appears for us. Heb. 9.Heb 9Chriſt hath ſufficiencie of merits to cover thy (ſelf-blamed) indiſpoſitions, and to gain the acceptance of the weakeſt (if ſincere) ſervices.

Therefore this were a good way, in caſe of diſliked indiſpoſitions, not to place the acceptance in our ſelves, but in Chriſt, And though there be Note.inequality of expreſſions in duty, quoad nos, in us, yet there is a conſtancy of interceſſion by Chriſt, propter nos, for us. Sometimes we come more fully, ſometimes more emptily; ſometimes we run, and other times all that we can do… is to move; ſometimes affections are ſmart, judgements quick, expreſſions ready, requeſts fervent, hearings reverent and delightfull, … at … ther times the wh… …ences bemoſt downe … have prayed a p. 193ſlowly, our affections turne not ſo lively, our judgements are barren, language ſticks, Requeſts breath only, but flame not, we heare, and give credit, and ſtocke it up and that is all: Here you ſee the various carriages of our holy ſervices in reſpect of the perſon, yet there is no ſuch variety in Chriſt.

Whence it would follow, that if our duties found grace with God, bccauſe of their accidentall vivacity in our performance, all our weaker ſervices were utterly loſt, and in caſe of the more lively ſervices, Chriſt alſo were loſt; becauſe the reaſon of their acceptation would be in themſelves.

But Chriſt is required to make up our duties, as well as to make up our perſons; hee muſt be a Mediator for theſe, ſervants Interceſſor for thoſe: the talents … there is a conſtant p. 194merit, and a perpetuall offering of that ſame up, with As our perſons, ſo our prayers muſt ſtand before God by Chriſt.all the prayers of all Saints; hence it is that they are accepted, not for their owne worth, but for his Name.

7. A ſeventh ſpring of doubtings, was, a conceit of ſucceſleſneſſe in duty: We have prayed much for the perfecting of ſuch Graces, or the ſubduing of ſuch corruptions, or eſtabliſhing in ſuch duties and courſes, yet nothing comes of it, we are as we were, and where we were; therefore we doubt that we are not good, or that God doth not intend any good to us.

This is the ſpring, the cure and remedy of which may be made up by theſe conſiderations: viz.

1. Service and progreſſe … duty belongs to us, and … rewards and recompences belong to God. I have prayed a p. 195long time to God: True, and thou art bound to pray ſtill. I have heard a long time: True, and thou art bound to heare ſtill. Thou doſt but what thou art bound to doe. It is the Simile.Husbandmans part to plow the land, and to ſow the corne, and it is Gods part to give the harveſt. Hereupon, ſaith the Apoſtle, Let us not be weary in Gal. 6. 9.Gal 6:9wel-doing, for in due ſeaſon wee ſhall reap, if we faint not: For God is a God hearing Prayer, and he Pſal. 65. 2.Ps 65:2will be found of them that ſeeke him, and will not forſake them.9. 10.

2. God is a good Maſter: Job did not ſerve him for nought. I called upon the Lord, Pſal. 118. 5Ps 118:5and he anſwered me, ſaid David. And in another place, He hath 116. 1, 2.heard my voice and my ſupplications, and inclined his eare unto me, therefore will I call upon him as … I live. Not one of the ſervants who traſfiqued with the talents that could complaine p. 196he was an auſtere Maſter. Therefore God takes it to heart, when they in Malachie Mal. 3. 13.Mal 3:13charged him with neglect and irrecompence for ſerving of him; Your words have beene ſtout againſt me, ſaith the Lord. How ſo? Ye have ſaid it is in 14vaine to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord? Whereupon the Lord inſtantly manifeſteth his bountifull and tender diſpoſition to them who did ſerve him, and think 17on his Name, They ſhall bee mine, (ſaith he) and when I make up my jewels, I will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his owne ſon that ſerveth him. Then ſhall ye returne 18and diſcerne betweene the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not. (i.) Then you ſhall know that it is not loſt labour to ſerve him.

p. 1973. Petitioners muſt wait an anſwer, as well as preſent a requeſt: Therefore know that faith in point of ſeeking unto God hath a double office:

1. One is, to deliver up in Faith hath a t…ofold office.the Name of Chriſt our wants, which God hath promiſed to ſupply in his Word.

2. Another is, to expect and wait thoſe ſupplies which God hath promiſed. Therefore ſaith David, As the eyes of ſervants Pſal. 123. 2Ps 123:2look unto the hand of their Maſters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her miſtreſſe, ſo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, untill (even ſo long, let it be never ſo long) until that he have mercy upon us.

And (beloved) this waiting doth notably diſtinguiſh betwixt deſires which come Waiting do…h diſtinguiſh deſires of unſetled humour.from an unſetled humour, and thoſe which come from poverty of ſpirit. In them, wee give on, but preſently give up, p. 198as we doe in ſleight viſits with Simile.men, knock at doore, and if none anſwer, away we goe, our buſineſſe was little, and ſo our ſtay is anſwerable: but in thoſe deſires which ſpring from poverty of ſpirit, Poverty of ſpirit.theſe have faith to beleeve that God is at home, and have patience to wait his anſwer.

As a poore begger, (ſuppoſe Simile.ſuch a one as Lazarus) he will lie at the gate, and knock more then once, & wait more then an houre for ſome alms, for ſome crums of our tables; and ſo will humble Chriſtians, who are truly poore in ſpirit, they will be at heaven gates, and put up requeſt after requeſt, and expect day after day the ſpeeding of them from the throne of grace and mercy.

But we cannot wait.Ob. Sol.

You cannot! And that is p. 199the reaſon you miſſe of your anſwers. If beggers will not ſtay, they loſe their alms; and if Chriſtians will not wait, they loſe their grants.

Yet let me not goe off eaſily from this ſcruple, for in it lies the choiceſt part of the cure: If we could but wait on God, then aſſuredly we ſhould ſee that we have no reaſon to cry out of fruitleſneſſe in ſeeking.

How may we doe to wait?Ob. Sol. Four motives to wait.

Thus.

1. You are ſure to ſpeed. Certainty of anſwer will beget conſtancy in ſeeking. Sure to ſpeed? How ſhall wee be ſure of that? Thus.

1. Take it in Promiſes, and ſo you are ſure.

2. Take it in performances, and ſo likewiſe you are ſure.

For Promiſes, you know, Promiſes.there is a certainty in them; p. 200we have no way to pierce into Gods intentions of doing us good, but by his Promiſes; and in them we have: For as Simile.the words of man doe deliver unto us the thoughts of man; ſo the Promiſes of God doe diſcover unto us the intentions and purpoſes of God. Now then obſerve what God hath promiſed to waiting;

Hab. 2. 3. The viſion is yet for Hab. 2. 3.Hab 2:3an appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeake, and not lye: though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry. Here is the duty, Wait; Here is the Promiſe, delivered, doubled, trebled, It ſhall ſpeake, It will come, It will ſurely come: Nay doubled againe, It ſhall not lye, it will not tarry. It is as if God had ſaid, Doe but wait, and you ſhall be delivered, you ſhall be delivered, you ſhall be delivered, you ſhall be delivered, you ſhall be delivered. p. 201O the rhetorike of God! O the certainty of his Promiſes!

Pſal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord, Pſal. 27. 14.Ps 27:14be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thine heart.

Eſay 40. 31. They that wait upon Eſa. 40. 31.Isa 40:31the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength: They ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, they ſhall run and not be weary, and they ſhall walke and not faint.

Micah 7. 7. I will look unto Mica. 7. 7.the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation, my God will heare me.

Will you now ſee a certainty Performances.in performances? Then read Pſal. 40. 1. I waited patiently Pſal. 40. 1.Ps 40:1upon the Lord, and he enclined to me, and heard my cry. Here was waiting, and here was ſure ſpeeding.

He was but one man.Ob. Sol. Heb. 6. 12.Heb 6:12

Then Heb. 6. 12. Be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the Promiſes. p. 202They did inherit the Promiſes, (i.) got all the good out of them by patient waiting. If we be ſons, let us wait, and then we alſo ſhall be heires of the Promiſes: The good of them ſhall be ſetled upon us.

See alſo Eſay 25. 9. and Eſay 49. 23. None ſhall be aſhamed Eſa. 49. 23Isa 49:23who wait on me. From all which we infer, If God hath made ſure Promiſes, If hee hath hitherto performed thoſe Promiſes unto ſuch as wait upon him, Then if we wait, we ſhall ſurely ſpeed, &c.

2. The things you deſire are great; and worth the waiting. You would thinke him Simile.a ſtrange man, who would not wait the ſealing of the pardon which the King hath promiſed him. It is a wonderfull thing, that when God promiſeth us pardon of ſinnes, wee cannot have patience to ſeek p. 203and wait the ſealing of it: Yet pardon of ſinnes is ſuch a thing, as our very life lies in it.

So againe, Is not grace a ſingular thing? Is not mortifying of ſin an excellent thing? And is it much that the Lord puts us to more frequent ſeekings, to iterated prayers and duties, for thoſe gifts and grants which are ſo high in their nature? ſo admirable in their uſe? ſo ſaving in their end? can you be better imployed?

3. The anſwers will ſweeten and eaſily recompence all the times and labours of ſeeking. When the man-child is borne, all the labour in travail is forgotten; the joy of it drownes the ſenſe of that. Let As the Wiſemen when they ſaw the ſtar, rejoyced.God but lift up the light of his countenance on thee, it will anſwer and quit to all the prayers that ever thou madeſt p. 204in thy life. I found him whom Cant. 3. 4. And David doth forget the aking of his bones, &c. when God did anſwer him.Song 3:4my ſoule loveth, I held him, &c.

4. Doubled ſervices have uſually doubled mercies: for when God prepares the heart, he will incline the eare; and when he intends a great mercy, he firſt enlargeth the heart to a greatneſſe of deſire and ſeeking. Every true ſeeking of God opens the heart wider, and ſecretly addes to the ſtock: The more prayers we have put Prayers are our money at uſe.up to uſe in the hands of God, the larger will the returne of them prove: When we have been long ſuiters, God doth (ordinarily) at length diſmiſſe us with more then what wee aske; So that he will anſwer us not onelyonly for our prayers, but alſo for our time.

4. We ſhall have the beſt things in the fitteſt times: therefore we ſhould not accufe our ſervices as loſt, for God will anſwer them; but then it p. 205ſhall be in the beſt things, at the beſt times.

O, will you ſay, Is it not Ob. more then time that I had more grace, and ſin more ſubdued?

I anſwer, Perhaps not: God Sol. doth know that thou haſt a proud temper, and thou groweſt big, and art apt to ſwell upon enlargements: Thou art apt to deſpiſe others, and to make glorious conceits of thy ſelfe, and therefore he doth anſwer thee, not by victory, but by combat: That is, he doth not preſently ſubdue thy ſinne, that it ſhall not trouble thee, but lets it alone that it ſhall exerciſe thee, thou ſhalt find matter to keep thee low and humble, when ſtill thou feeleſt ſuch remnants and workings of corruption. To the reſiſtance of which God doth yet enable, and after thy heart growes more emptied, thou p. 206ſhalt have victory. Againe, though thou prayeſt againſt thy ſins, yet thou doſt venture upon the provocations and occaſions of ſinne, and therefore the Lord may juſtly hold up, becauſe thou holdſt not in. Now the Lord (by his ſilence) will teach thee in theſe times, forbearance on thy part, as well as forbearance on his part; and then upon thy next prayers accompanied with this watchfulneſſe and avoidance of occaſions, he will let fall more ſtrength and power to mortifie thy ſinfull diſpoſitions.

Wherefore let us not faint in caſe of ſuſpenſions, for God doth ſuſpend his grants to the times, when thou art fitted to receive them, and when it is fit for him to open them.

Is it ſin that thou wouldſt have ſubdued? Doe thou ſeek his ſubduing power, and withall, p. 207decline inviting occaſions either from thy ſelfe or others, and then God will heare thee. Now thou art fitted, and now is it fit for God to help thee; but if thou wilt pray againſt the diſpoſition, and runne ſtill upon the occaſion, God will not anſwer thee.

Is it grace and eavenneſſe in duty which thou wouldeſt have? Then thou muſt uſe former grace, and ſtick cloſe with humbleneſſe, and diligence, and reverence to the meanes, and now God will ſupply all thy wants. Untill thou haſt a more humble and doing heart, thou art not fitted for more grace. God giveth more grace to the humble, ſaith James.James 4.Jas 4

I ſay, he will give thee more grace; Thou ſhalt have enough for thy condition, and enough for thy ſalvation, although thou haſt not ſuch an equall meaſure with others, whom p. 208God intends for more publique uſe and ſervice, then he doth thee.

5. Gods forbearings ſhould not occaſion ceſſation, but earneſtneſſe: He is not ſilent, that we thereby ſhould become ſpeechleſſe, but that our deſires ſhould grow more fervent.

You know that the skilfull Simile.Angler doth not draw back his bait that the fiſh ſhould not bite, but that by this meanes he ſhould the more greedily leap after the bait.

And the tender mother ſteps aſide, not that ſhe would not have the child ſeek her, but that it may even dote after her.

So doth God many times draw back and ſtep aſide, and as the Prophet Jeremie ſpeaks, Jer. 11. 8.Jer 11:8He becomes as a ſtranger, and as a way-faring man who turneth aſide, &c. And as David ſpeaketh, p. 209He is as one that ſleeps. Why? What? Is it that hee He knowes our thoughts long before.doth not know us? No. Is it that he doth not hear us? No. Is it that he will not ſpeed us? No.His eare is open, and before they call I will anſwer. Eſa.

Why then? Surely becauſe 1. He delights in this muſick, he ſmels a ſweet odour and ſavour in all our humble ſacrifices, he delights in the broken Whiles they are ſpeaking, I will anſwer. Loc. cit. Ro. 15. 30. Hoſ. 12. 3, 4Rom 15:30Hos 12:3Hos 12:4heart.

2. He loves that we ſhould ſtrive with him for his grants, (that is the phraſe, Rom. 15. 30) and wraſtle with him, (as Jacob) and ſo prevaile upon him; And that we ſhould give him no reſt, (Eſay 62. 7.) untill he hath ſatisfied Eſa. 62. 7.Isa 62:7our ſoules with mercy, and eſtabliſhed them with his grace.

3. He would inhance the goodneſſe of the things deſired, and make us to weare the anſwers with more thankfulneſſe to himſelfe, with more p. 210comfort to our ſelves, and with more benefit to others.

8. An eighth cauſe of doubtings was, weakneſſe of judgmēt about the eſſentials of ſalvation, which neceſſarily doth cauſe doubtings, both in reſpect of thoſe ſuſpicions, and errors, & miſtakings to which it is ſubject: as alſo in reſpect of that ſcrupuloſity which ever adheres to the conſcience, where weakneſſe adheres to the judgment.

Now the remedy of this ſpring, conſiſts in theſe particulars.

1. Get a diſtinct knowledge of Fundamentals: It is the emptineſſe of our minds that we be prepoſterous in our ſearches. Many a Chriſtian loſeth himſelfe in a ſea of opinions, before he hath ſquared himſelfe with the firſt grounds of Religion.

Remember this, that the p. 211firſt truths doe ſupport and maintaine the reſt, (as the corner-ſtone the reſt of the building) and are as the originall Will, which decides many ſcruples in Law. Hence is it, Simile.that ſome men doubt about ſpeciall concluſions, becauſe they are ignorant of the generall principles; which were they diſtinctly knowne, the falſity of any concluſion would eaſily become evident unto them. Men uſually diſpute firſt, and know laſt: As if a Simile.Souldier would range an Army, before he hath learned to handle his weapons. How ordinary is it to heare diſputes Ergo, ſaith Paul, Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith, receive you, but not to doubtfull disputations.Rom 14:1of Originall ſin, of Predeſtination, of Redemption, of Faith and Juſtification, of Aſſurance and Obedience, of the degrees of grace and duty, of the direct and abſolute way of life? &c. I ſay it is ordinary to heare ſome arguing of theſe, who yet p. 212are ignorant of the nature of theſe. But,

Pauls method was to lay Heb. 6. 1.Heb 6:1down his foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God: which if Paul thought fit to teach, I think fit for us to learne. That Ship rowls leaſt, which is well bottomed; and that houſe ſhakes leaſt, which is well founded; and that Chriſtian True knowledg is as the day wherin wee walk more ſted faſtly; and ignorance like the night, in which we are full of feares, and often ſtumble.doubts leaſt, who is well grounded in the maine points of Religion: For beſides this, that Primitive truths give an aime to all truths, ſo likewiſe they uncaſe all errors, and hereſies, and opinions, and arguments which come to pervert the mind another way. And ſurely when the mind obtaines an evidence by one truth for another, and by truth alſo of errour contrary unto it, it is in the leaſt hazard of doubting; for as much as doubtings ordinarily p. 213ariſe from ſome error or miſ-apprehenſion in the minde.

2. Get a diſtinguiſhing knowledge of Fundamentals from Acceſſories. Every part of the houſe is not the cornerſtone, or the pillars: A man Simile.may take away much, and yet the houſe may ſtand: If you take away the painting and muſick, or ſome ſeelings and annexed poſts, yet the houſe may ſtand.

So may a Chriſtians ſalvation, though he know not many acceſſory truths; nay, although hee miſtake about them; nay, although he deny them, if this denyall be not accompanied with a proud perverſneſſe, but ariſe onelyonly from inevidence and inability.

There are three things, about which it were good for Chriſtians to have a diſtinguiſhing knowledge, viz.

p. 2141. Fundamentalls.

2. Conſequents.

3. Indifferents.

Fundamentals, I call thoſe Three things.Truths which take up the work and way of ſalvation; as the doctrine of ſinne, and of Chriſt, and faith, and repentance, &c. for theſe are ſuch things, without the knowledge of which, no man can be ſaved.

Conſequents, I call thoſe illations or inferences which doe flow from the primitive truths, either virtute rei, in the nature of the thing, juſt as a ſtreame …lowes from the fountaine; or virtute intellectus, in the judgement of the perſon, as the concluſion is made by ſuch or ſuch a mans conjecturall opinion, to flow from ſuch a principle or ſuch a Text.

Indifferents, I call thoſe actions which in themſelves are neither holy nor evill; p. 215neither is a man by any expreſſe Yet actiōs in themſelves indifferent, in reſpect of circumſtances, may be offenſive & ſinfull. See Rom. 14. 14, 15, &c.Rom 14:14Rom 14:15command from God, (ſpecificativè) injoyned them, or (ſpecificativè) prohibited them: Which things conſidered abſolutely, if a man doth uſe them, he ſhall not be ſaved; if he doth not, he ſhall not be damned. They doe no more conſtitute a Chriſtian, then a garment doth a man; which whether he doth weare it yea or no, yet ſtill he is a man.

Now this diſtinguiſhing knowledge doth exceedingly aſſoyle the doubting heart, which doth oft times ſhake and rowle about the lawfulnes of indifferents, &c.

3. Reduce all conjectures and conſequent truths unto the firſt truth: It is the counſell of the Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 5. 21. Prove all things: And the Prophet Eſaiah, To the Law, and to the teſtimony. Eſa. 8. 20.

p. 216It was a good ſpeech of S. Auſtine to Manicheus, conteſting with him for audience, Heare me, Hear me, ſaid Manicheus, Nay, ſaith S. Auguſtine, Necego te, nec tu me, ſed ambo audiamus Apoſtolum, dicentem, Peccatum non cognovi, &c.

Beloved, we may ſee what weak creatures we are: when truths fall downe amongſt us, and when we ſit in the Tribunall; alas, what diſtractions, what ſeverall ſtamps doe our ſeverall opinions ſet on them! what diſtinctions, limitations, qualifications! We will be ſure every one of us to handle the queſtion ſo, that it ſhall be ſo far true, as may ſtand with our owne delights, profits, aimes and ends; We do many times for perſonall reſpects, diſcourſe and determine of truths.

But now reduce them to the firſt truths, how do our empty and contrary opinions and p. 217fancies clatter and ſhiver to duſt? they fall downe before the word of God, as Dagon did before the Arke of God; for the Scriptures are the touch-ſtone which will eaſily decide counterfeit gloſſes and errors from genuine and proper truths: Genuine truths are like the young Eagles, that can with open eyes behold the light of the Sun, and erroneous gloſſes and opinions are like ſore eyes which cannot behold the Sun without twinckling, and watering, and cloſing.

And note by the way, that if the truth be the truth of God, it doth tend to theſe three things: viz.

1. The glory of his rich grace, Eph. 1. 12.

2. Setling of peace in the conſcience, Rom. 5. 1.

3. Mortifying of ſinne, Titus 2. 12.

4. Eſtabliſh the minde in p. 218declared truths. Beware, ſaith the Apoſtle Peter, (ſeeing yee know theſe things) leſt ye being led away with the error of the wicked, fall away from your owne ſtedfaſtneſſe.

It is not unknowne, that ſome (like Pedlars) wander up and downe, and make a living by their errors; ſubtill people, and crafty to their owne confuſion, who have only a ſtrength of parts to gloſſe over ſins and errors, and to weaken the ſtrength of truths and wayes to heaven: Moſt rendring children of Satan, for they ceaſe not to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. And yet ſo artificially do they vent their wares, ſo neatly do they Act. 13. 10.Acts 13:10ſet them out with the applauſe of reaſon and carnall licentiouſneſſe, that many weak headed Chriſtians ſwallow up their baits, drink up their cups, lick in their tumultuous and page missing p. 221after, are cleare, expreſſe; hee who runnes may reade them.

Buſie thy ſelf moſt in theſe; ſtudy to be a good man, and a good maſter; a good man, and a good ſervant, &c. Exerciſe thy ſelfe to know what concernes thee, and then to pray thy ſelfe into the practiſe of that. This is a wiſe way, and ſetled, and which is exempted from vaine turmoiles and many judiciall doubtings.

6. Informe the conſcience with the nature of a Chriſtian and ſaving condition: Some things are required towards ſalvation, ſome things unto ſalvation; ſome things give a being, other things a comfortable being; Of all which if a perſon had a ſpeciall and diſtinct knowledge, hee might walke more quietly without feares and doubtings. Shall I give you an hint of ſome particulars? p. 222Remember then theſe Propoſitions.

1. Preparations to Grace are Four particulars worthy of weak chriſtians diſtinct conſideration.different and unequall: All men are not prepared by the ſame degrees, or in the ſame manner for Chriſt: Conviction of the naturall eſtate, and attrition, and anguiſh, and thoſe legall operations, theſe are preparations: for men muſt know their ſinfull condition, Ro. 7 7, 9. Rom. 8. 15 Mat. 11. 28Rom 7:7Rom 7:9Rom 8:15Matt 11:28they muſt have the ſpirit of bondage, they muſt be heavy, and weary, before they can lay hold on Chriſt.

Now thoſe legall impreſſions are different: Every Beleever (of ripe yeares) hath felt them, more or leſſe, yet all cannot ſay alike. Every child feeles ſomething in his birth, Simile.but ſome children are brought forth with more paines, and others with leſſe difficulty. Lydia was quickly delivered, but Paul lies by it ſome dayes. p. 223Some people can ſay, as David in another caſe, Sorrow endured for a night, but joy came in the morning: Others may ſay as the ſame David, Night and day thy hand was heavy upon me.

The Lord is pleaſed (for he is an arbitrary Agent both for the matter and manner in our ſpirituall alteration) to ſingle out ſome perſons, & to charge their ſinnes deep upon their conſciences, and to purſue them with ſingular terrors, to ſtick his arrows and their own ſins ſo cloſe that they know not which way to turne themſelves. He doth almoſt grinde Some perſons greatly prepared.them to powder, and caſts them to the duſt, and to the loweſt amazements and diſtractions; and then as the skilfull Artificer, who hath bruiſed, and battered, and broken the maſſe into pieces, and throwne it into the fire, and melted it, hee yet at length p. 224takes it out, and faſhions from all this, a moſt comely, and precious, and uſefull veſſell: So doth the Lord many times with ſome people, he returnes them their old ſinnes, and powerfully mingles the Law and their ſinnes, and their conſciences together, and ſo with that hammer bruiſeth and breaks their ſinfull hearts, and with that fire melts them and diſſolves them as it were; yet after a long and ſad time of ſenſible conviction and horrible bondage, hee graciouſly formes the Lord Jeſus in their hearts, and renewes his bleſſed image of grace, and they become the moſt acceptable veſſels of glory.

But with other perſons hee deals not in this high meaſure; He doth indeed arreſt them Others gently prepared.with the Law, but doth not ſo fetter and iron them; he doth not ſo impriſon them, but upon p. 225on their falling downe he is pleaſed to releaſe them from their guilt and feares, and to deliver them from the powers of darkneſſe, into the marvellous liberty of the ſons of God.

Therefore know this, that Note.when God hath attained his end, he ceaſeth in this way of legall operation.

Queſt. What is his end? wil you ſay.

Sol. I anſwer, his end is in theſe legall preparations,

1. To evidence unto a man the foulneſſe of his heart and life

2. To convince him of a totall Legall troubles & workings ceaſe, whē God attaines his end:unworthineſſe.

3. To produce moſt inward diſlikes of ſuch an abominable thing as ſin is.

4. To make a man willing, upon Gods owne conditions, to take and receive Chriſt.Which is in ſome ſooner, & in ſome later.

Theſe are the ends, which being in ſome ſooner, in others later, accompliſhed, the Lord p. 226doth ceaſe the workings of preparation.

You know that if a piece of ſtone or wood will break with one or two blows, we ſpare the reſt; and if the maſſe will yeeld Simile.in one dayes firing, we then let it out: So, &c. But if yet the knottineſſe be great, and reſiſtance long, then knotty wood muſt have iterated blows, and un-yeelding metall muſt have the greater fire.

From all this, the doubtfull heart may perhaps be ſetled about his eſtate in grace: Aske him, Doſt thou love God? I doe: Serve him with all thy might in all thy wayes? I do: Reſt upon Jeſus Chriſt? I do: Combat and war againſt ſin? I doe; and yet I feare all is not right: Why? Becauſe I never had ſuch terrors as others. Now then informe thy weak judgment, If God hath ſhewn unto thee thy ſinfulneſſe, If he p. 227hath abated thee, and emptied thee of thy ſelf, If ſin and thou are now at defiance, If thou haſt yeelded unto the receiving of Chriſt upon his owne termes and conditions, though thy legall preparations were not anſwerable to others, either for intenſion of ſtrength and meaſure, or for extenſion of length and time, yet thy condition is good and ſafe: For that humiliation which is accompanied with theſe iſſues, is aſſuredly bleſſed and comfortable. If the phyſick carries away the humour, though Simile.it doe not make the perſon ſo ſick, yet it is good: And though a man want a ſtorme to drive him to ſhore, yet is he ſafe enough, if he be landed with a ſofter gale and tide.

2. The operations of Grace are alſo different and unequall, notwithſtanding that Chriſtians may have one common p. 228principle, and the ſame externall means of grace. I beſeech you obſerve this.

1. There is one and the ſame (ſpecificall) ſeed of regenerating grace in all Chriſtians; the ſame ſpirit of holineſſe, of faith, of repentance, of love, &c. All Chriſtians are bottomed alike, and rooted alike for the ſubſtantiall part of Grace.

2. That many Chriſtians may live under the ſame means of Grace, as many people doe live under the ſame light and heat of the Sun, and children under the ſame parents.

3. That the exerciſes of their graces may yet be different: as children having the ſame ſchoole, may yet ſit in Simile.ſeverall formes; and having the ſame food, may yet have ſeverall agilities and abilities.

p. 229So Chriſtians, who have the ſame principles of beleeving, and repenting, and praying, and doing, and who have the ſame miniſtery, and common aſſiſtances, may yet vary and differ in the active part of graces and duties. One may know more then another, one may reſt upon Gods Promiſes more then another, one may pray with more fervencie then another, one may do the other parts of duty more then another, &c. yet all of theſe may have truth of grace, and may be ſaved.

Therefore know, that inequality of holy operation doth not ſpring from nullity or falſneſſe of Grace, but ſometimes from the variety of particular Inequality of holy operation, whence.occaſions, ſometimes from the variety of particular ends, ſometimes from the variety of particular aſſiſtance. Every Chriſtian hath not alike,

p. 2301. Forcible occaſion to exerciſe his faith and patience:

Nor 2. doth God intend every Chriſtian for ſome ſingular ends and ſervices, to which hee fits others by the greater improvement and uſe of their graces.

3. Neither hath every man at all times an equall gale or breath of ſpirituall aſſiſtance to enlighten him, to excite, and affect, and draw him. I might alſo adde,

4. Neither doth every Chriſtian ſtir up the gifts and graces in him; hee doth not wi…ely on all occaſions and motions improve his ſtock.

Neither 5. hath every man alike temper & conſtitution, which conduceth much to the actions of the ſoule.

6. Neither doth every calling admit unto every Chriſtian thoſe ſpaces, and leaſures, and remiſſions, or vacations, p. 231which ſome have to ſet on their heavenly frame and courſe.

It is with true Chriſtians, as with true men; Every man Simile.hath a ſoule, and faculty from that ſoule, and actions iſſuing out of thoſe faculties; yet every man is not equall in the expreſſive wayes of nature: So is it with Chriſtians, all have truth of grace alike, but the exerciſe of it is different and perſonall.

3. As the actions, ſo the degrees of Grace are different: Compare Chriſtian with Chriſtian, it is as if you ſhould compare Branches.one branch and limbe of a tree with another; where though all be ſet in one common root, yet their particular meaſures are more and leſſe. Or as if one did compare the Stars together, where though all be intereſted in the heavenly Stars.orbes, yet they differ p. 232among themſelves in reſpect Sheepe.of magnitude and light.

Ye are the body of Chriſt, Members.(ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 12 271 Cor 12:2727.) and members in particular; this was a glorious and gracious condition: But then, ver. 2929. Are all Apoſtles? are all Prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? doe all ſpeake with tongues? Nay, Eph. 4. 11. He gave ſome Apoſtles, Eph. 4. 11.Eph 4:11and ſome Prophets, and ſome Euangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and Teachers.

Now as this holds firme enough in various degrees of ſingular gifts for edification, ſo likewiſe it is as evident in thoſe ſpeciall graces for ſanctification: As gifts for edification, ſo graces for ſanctification are different.For, Are all in the fold of Chriſt, ſheep? There are ſome lambes: (Peter is commanded to feed both, Ergo there are both.) Are all in the garden of Chriſt, Cedars? There are ſome tender Vines. p. 233Are all in the houſhold of Chriſt, ſtrong men? There are ſome young, there are ſome babes in Chriſt too. So Heb. 5. 13. and 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13. 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13.1 John 2:121 John 2:13I write unto you, little children, becauſe your ſinnes are forgiven you, and becauſe you have knowne the Father. You ſee little children there, as well as young men and fathers; and theſe children, though children, though little children, though very tender Chriſtians, yet they know the Father, and they had pardon of ſin.

Brethren, how exceedingly doe we diſturbe our ſelves with doubtings here? Many people, through a weakneſſe (I ſay no more) of judgement, doe fall out with their eſtate and condition, moleſt and afflict their hearts, cloſe up all againſt themſelves, ſuſpect, and fooliſhly reaſon and argue the nullity of a gracious condition, p. 234from the imperfections which they obſerve in their graces, from their behindments in faith, and zeale, and ſorrow, &c. Ah ignorant people! who are truly induſtrious after the great meaſures of Grace, and will not yet quiet their feares, and ſtill their Note.doubtings with this,

1. That ſuch earneſt pantings, and inquietations, and unſatisfiableneſſes cannot but ſpring from truth of grace.

2. Then, that where grace is in truth, though in the loweſt meaſure, there the ſoule hath intereſt in Chriſt, in all the Promiſes, in God, in heaven, in all.

Remember this, He who hath leaſt in grace, hath not that which he would have; and hee who hath moſt in grace, hath not that which he ſhould have; and he who hath any truth of grace, hath enough p. 235to change his heart, and ſave his ſoule. I would beleeve in that fulneſſe of aſſurance and reliance as thou doſt, and if I cannot, I will yet yet beleeve as well as I can. He who ſaid, O woman, great is thy faith, ſaid alſo to another, not ſo ſtrong, Thy faith hath ſaved thee. No man miſſeth of heaven for want of meaſure, but of truth. Our conſolation lies much in the comparative degree, but our ſalvation is in the poſitive: Much grace will yeeld unto us here our heaven, and any grace, if true, will yeeld us heaven hereafter.

4. The ſeparable fruits of true grace are different, not only if you compare one Chriſtian with another, but if you compare the ſame Chriſtian with himſelfe in divers times and occurrences.

1. If you compare Chriſtian with Chriſtian in reſpect of p. 236comfortables, it is night with one, when it is day with another: One goes on heavily oppreſſed, walking in darkneſſe, (that is the Prophets phraſe, Eſay 50. 10.) He hath not that Eſa. 50. 10 Light.Isa 50:10ſenſible light of divine favour, (Thou hidſt thy face, ſaid David, and I was troubled, Pſal. 30. Pſal. 30. 7.Ps 30:77.) He hath not that ſenſible joy or teſtimony of his gracious Joy.condition, (Reſtore unto me the joy of thy ſalvation, Pſal. 51. 12.51. 12.) How many mourners are there in Zion? Many who lament the abſence of favour, of joy, of peace.

Yet ſome others there are who doe beleeve, and doe rejoyce in beleeving: They ſee As Sim…on. As Paul.Chriſt in their armes, they know whom they have beleeved, and rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and 2 Tim. 1. 12 1 Pet. 1. 8.2 Tim 1:121 Pet 1:8glorious, 1 Pet. 1. 8.

2. If you compare the ſame Chriſtian with himſelfe: For it is with our day of grace, as in page missing p. 239many doubts. For the cure and remedy of which, be pleaſed to conſider of ſome particular Propoſitions, which I will lay downe, to unfold the buſineſſe and comforts of Juſtification unto beleeving penitents; for to theſe onelyonly I addreſſe my ſpeech.

1. In Juſtification, our debts are charged upon Chriſt: they goe upon his accounts. You know that in ſin, there is the vicious and ſtaining quality of it, and then there is the reſulting guilt of it, which is the obligation of a ſinner over to the judgement ſeat of God, to anſwer for ſin.

Now this guilt, (in which lies our debt) this is charged upon Chriſt: Therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) God was in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5. 192 Cor 5:19reconciling the world to himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them: And, hath made him to be ſinne for us, who knew no ſinne… p. 240You know in Law, the wifes debts are charged upon the husband; and if the debtor be Simile.diſabled, then the creditor ſues the ſurety. Fidejuſſor, or ſurety, and Debitor in Law, are reputed as one perſon: Now Chriſt is our Fidejuſſor, He is made ſin Heb. 7. 22. Ieſus was made a ſurety of a better teſtament.Heb 7:22for us, ſaith the Apoſtle: For us, (i.) vice noſtra, or loco noſtro, (i.) in our ſtead. A ſurety for u…, one who put our ſcores on his accounts, our burden on Fidejuſſorhis ſhoulder: So the Prophet, Eſay 53. He hath born our griefs, Eſa. 53. 4, 5Isa 53:4Isa 53:5and carried our ſorrows. How ſo? He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities: (i.) He ſtood in our ſtead, he took upon him the anſwering of our ſinnes, the ſatisfying of our debts, the clearing of our guilt, and therefore was it that he was ſo bruiſed, &c.

You remember the ſcapeit …ev. 16. 21…at, Ʋpon his head, all the iniquities p. 241of the children of Iſrael, and all their tranſgreſſions, in all their ſins, were confeſſed and put.

And the Goat did beare upon 22him all their iniquities, &c. What is the meaning of this? Surely Jeſus Chriſt, upon Chriſt.whom ou… ſins were laid, and who alone died for the ungodly, and bare our burdens away. Therefore the Beleever in the ſenſe of guilt ſhould run unto Chriſt, and offer up his bloud unto the Father, and ſay, Lord, it is true, I owe thee ſo much, yet Father forgive me, remember that thine owne Son was my ranſome, his bloud was the price, he was my ſurety, and undertook to anſwer for my ſins; I beſeech thee accept of his atonement, for he is my Surety, my Redemption; Thou muſt be ſatisfied, but Chriſt hath ſatisfied thee, not for himſelfe, what ſinnes had he of his owne? but for p. 242me, (gracious Father) they were my debts which he ſatisfied for; and look over thy book, and thou ſhalt find it ſo, for thou haſt ſaid, He was made ſin f…r us, and that he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions.

Now this is a great ſtay, a great comfort, that wee our ſelves are not to make up our accounts and reckonings, but that Chriſt hath cleared twixt us and God. Therefore it is ſaid, Epheſ. 1. 7. that in his Eph. 1. 7.Eph 1:7bloud we have redemption, even the forgiveneſſe of ſins.

2. In Juſtification, the beleeving penitent hath an univerſall diſcharge. What is that? That is, when a man is in Chriſt, when he is a true beleever, he doth not then receive a particular acquitance from ſuch or ſuch ſins, but an univerſall diſcharge from all the ſins he hath committed. You know the promiſe. Jer. p. 243Jer. 33. 8.Jer 33:833. 8. I will pardon all their uniquities whereby they have ſinned, and whereby they have tranſgreſſed againſt me. 9. And it ſhall be to me a name of joy, a praiſe and honour, &c.

Therefore David ſpeaking of Gods fulneſſe and extent of pardoning and remitting mercy, he ſaith, Pſal. 85. 2. Thou Pſal. 85. 2.Ps 85:2haſt forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou haſt covered all their ſinne. Selah. Which covering of all ſinne, is in ſenſe the ſame with the Apoſtles not imputing of ſin, Rom. 4. and 2 Cor. 5.

This is a true axiome, Peccata non minuunt juſtificationem; Though ſins be different, yet juſtification is not. When the Lord God juſtifies a perſon, the different qualities and circumſtances of former ſins doe not hinder their pardon and diſcharge. You know that one may with a pen croſſe a great ſumme as well as a little p. 244ſumme; and a King can give a pardon not onelyonly for petty Simile.offences, but alſo for rebellions and treaſons, and ſo he doth many times. It is therefore an obſervable paſſage in holy Writ, that there is ſcarce a ſin in any kind, but we may read the blotting of it unto a beleeving Note.and repenting perſon: viz.

Original ſin, which was the Juſtification reacheth all ſorts of debts.great deluge of our natures, and the firſt fire which inflamed the whole world of mankind, yet this ſin was pardoned to Adam.

Drunkenneſſe, another ſin which the Apoſtle (in 1 Cor. 6. 8.) raiſeth to the height of eternall ſeparation, yet was it pardoned to Noah a beleeving penitent.

Lying, another ſin, which is of it ſelfe apt to lock the gates of heaven, (Rev. 22. 15.) yet was it pardoned to Abraham, p. 245the father of the faithfull.

Inceſt, that unnaturall commixture, yet pardoned to Lot.

Murder, a crying ſinne, and Adultery, a fearfull ſinne, yet both pardoned unto a repenting and beleeving David.

Idolatry, that ang…ing and provoking ſinne, a ſin which unthrones God, and makes a god, yet pardoned unto Solomon.

What ſhould I mention more? Impatience, a ſin, yet pardoned to Job.

Paſſion, a ſin, yet pardoned to Jonah.

Denyall of Chriſt, againſt knowledge and reſolution, a high ſin, (and ſuch as a Donatiſt upon no termes would admit, as capable of a re-acceptation) yet graciouſly pardoned to Peter.

Perſecuting of the Goſpel of Chriſt, blaſphemy, and p. 246compelling of others to blaſpheme, (i.) injuriouſly and deſpitefully to oppoſe Jeſus Chriſt, his word, his members, O how piercing and bleeding a ſin! yet pardoned to Paul, he obtained mercy.

Oppreſſion and covetouſneſſe, by which a man doth ſuck the bloud and life of others, yet pardoned to Zacheus.

Nay yet once more, as you And all ſorts of debtors.may ſee pardon in Juſtification releaſing all ſorts of debts, ſo you ſhall find it releaſing all ſorts of debtours. Take one place for all, in Levit. 4. where the Lord goes over all ſorts and diviſions of ſinners, and appointed offerings for them all, and proclaimes pardon to them all: viz Firſt, the Prieſts, ver. 3. Then ſecondly, the whole congregation, ver. 13. and 20. Then thirdly, a Ruler, ver. 22, 26. Then fourthly, any p. 247one of the common people, ver. 27, 28, 31, &c.

Under which foure ranks, he draws in all ſorts and conditions of men; and not onelyonly appoints a ſin-offering for them all, but alſo accepts of the ſame: By which, what is elſe meant but the power and efficacie of the bloud of Chriſt, by which all ſorts of ſins are pardoned to all ſorts of beleeving and repenting ſinners?

Ah Lord! will many a perſon Ob. cry out. Why? What is the matter? Why art thou ſo heavy? Why, ſuch and ſuch a ſin heretofore.

I reply, Is there not a Juſtification? Sol. Yes: And how comes ſin to be pardoned? Is it not by the bloud of Chriſt? Yes: But theſe were great ſins; And did Chriſt die for the expiation of little ſins onelyonly? What, did he ſatisfie for infirmities only, p. 248& not for enormities alſo? And doth Chriſt indeed leave the greateſt debts for us to cleare? Or cannot faith receive the accuitance of great ſins, as well as indeliberated ſins? Was not the ſin-offering for all ſorts of perſons? And have not all ſorts of ſinnes come within the Proclamation? No no, my brethren, Juſtification (without all doubt) croſſeth the book. Thou art a debtor, ſaith God: I am, Lord, ſaith the penitent, I acknowledge my ſins, and am …orry for my tranſgreſſions, but I intend to run on the ſcore no longer. Thou art a debtor, ſaith God; I am, Lord, ſaith the Beleever, and thou haſt ſaid, If any man 1 Joh. 2. 1.1 John 2:1ſin, he hath an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, and he is the propitiation for ſins, and I beleeve on him Lord; I take him to be my ſinoffering, and in his bloud onelyonly p. 249I ſeek for pardon and redemption from all my ſinnes; This were the way to ſupport our ſelves againſt our many and ſtrong doubtings about pardon of ſins; Yet the Lord knowes I have repented of them, and I doe beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt for the pardon of them, I heare and know that he is the Mediator of the New Teſtament, and that his bloud ſatisfies for all ſorts of debtors, and debts too; Though one ſin may differ from another, yet his me… it and ſatisfaction differs not from it ſelfe, but is all-ſufficient; and therefore I acknowledge the debt, and reſt on his bloud for a full diſcharge.

3. Diſcharges in Juſtification are not repealed, they are not called in againe. Peccata non redeunt, (i.) Subſequent ſins and falls doe not nullifie and evacuate former grants p. 250and pardons: for as much as 1. Pardon of ſin ſprings from ſpeciall love and mercy, which alter not their conſigned acts. 2. It is founded in an unalterable, and abſolute, and conſtant ſatisfaction; for ſinne is not pardoned for any dignity in the perſon. In the perſon pardoned, there is no reaſon or cauſe of pardon, but that is in the bloud of Chriſt, which bloud alters, and leſſens, and abates not, though our carriages doe.

Hence it is that pardon of ſin in Juſtification, is ſtyled the blotting out of the hand-writing, Col. 2. 14. If a writing be blurred a little, and ſomewhat blotted, yet it may be read; but if it be blotted out, it is no more legible; and who can be called to account upon record when the writings are obliterated? The ſame phraſe is uſed, Eſay 44. 22. I have blotted out p. 251as a thick cloud thy tranſgreſſions, and as a cloud thy ſinnes. Where me thinks ſomething elſe falls in to our comfort, viz. That God himſelfe doth blot out. Though an underofficer ſhould blot out an indictment, that perhaps may help nothing; but when the King doth it, who is chiefe Judge, then the indictment cannot returne.

Now it is the Lord himſelfe who doth blot out tranſgreſſions; he doth it, who onelyonly hath power of life and death, of condemning or abſolving.

In like manner there is another phraſe, Mica. 7. 19. Thou wilt caſt all their ſinnes into the depths of the ſea. If a thing were caſt into a river which might be fathomed, then it might be brought up againe; or if it were caſt upon the ſea onelyonly, yet it might be diſcerned, and taken up againe; but when it p. 252is in the depths, caſt into the depths, the bottome of the ſea, now it cannot be fathomed up againe.

By which Metaphor the Lord intends to expreſſe unto us the powerfull energy of pardoning mercy, that our ſins ſhall riſe no more againſt us; He will cleare them ſo, that they (being once forgiven) ſhall come on the account no more: He will drowne their guilt, that it ſhall not come up againſt us before him the ſecond time.

Therefore Paul diſcourſing of Juſtification, Rom. 4. hee uſeth another phraſe to expreſſe this point, ver. 7. Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſins are covered. Covered: Covering is ſuch an action which is oppoſed to diſcloſure, and judiciall evidences; and to be covered, is to be hid ſo, and cloſed, as not p. 253to appeare with a judiciall guilt upon it.

Now the Lord here is ſaid to cover ſinne in Juſtification: What is that? That is, the Lord will look on thoſe ſinnes no more with a judiciall eye, he will not call them to account any more, that is the meaning of the phraſe.

As when a Prince reads over many Treaſons, and meets with ſuch and ſuch which he hath pardoned, he reads on, he paſſeth by, he now takes no notice of them, he is not ſtirred, he ſends not our againſt thoſe whom he hath pardoned: So, &c. This is for God to cover ſin, viz. not to looke on the ſin pardoned with a judiciall eye. It is not, as ſome moſt empty and dull heads fancie it, God doth not ſee ſin at all, and he cannot. Of all the opinions in the world, this is the moſt ridiculous and childiſh p. 254to men who beleeve an All-ſeeing God: But to cover ſin, is not ſimply not to ſee it, but to look it over as it were, and not to ſit or ſtand upon it with a judiciall eye, (i) to account for pardoned ſinnes no more.

Hence in the New Covenant, God promiſing to juſtifie or to pardon ſin, he ſaith not onelyonly, I will forgive their iniquity, but addes, I will remember their ſin no more, Jer. 31. 34. What is that? That is, if I once As the Goſpel needs to be givē but once, ſo a mans ſin needs but once to be forgiven: once is enough: becauſe if once, then for ever.forgive their ſin, I wil not forgive it againe, it ſhall not need againe to be forgiven, once ſhall ſerve the turne, I will remember it no more. The meaning is it ſhall quite be forgotten, I will no more plead with them for what I have once pardoned.

I confeſſe, that the ſenſe, and fruit, and aſſurance of a ſin pardoned, this may (redire) p. 255Note.returne; this may be loſt and got; and the acts of faith concerning the particular pardon The apprehenſiō of pardon is variable, and yet the pardon it ſelf is immutable.of a particular ſin, may doe ſo, but Gods juſtifying act, his pardoning act is a free and conſtant act: Otherwiſe if he pardoned … reſpectively upon an abſolute Inceſſation about ſinne, there were no fleſh living that could be juſtified.

4. Diſcharges in Juſtification reach not onelyonly to the guilt, but alſo to the conſequents of guilt: For it is a true And, remiſſa culpa, remittitur poenarule, Juſtificatio tollit poenalia. Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. You know that if the body falls, then the ſhadow which attends the body, that falls too; and if the debt be diſcharged, the priſon is diſcharged. We have by the bloud of Chriſt the forgiveneſſe of our ſins, and therefore the remiſſion p. 256of all ſatisfying puniſhments: Why elſe doth the Apoſtle ſay, Gal. 3. 13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us? As Chriſt is ſaid to be made ſin for us, 2 Cor. 5. ſo is he here ſaid to be made a curſe for us. He is made ſinne for us, by taking upon him the guilt of our ſinnes; and he is made a curſe for us, by bearing that wrath and puniſhment which was due to us becauſe of our ſinnes.

Nay, let me ſpeak a bold truth; To have ſinne remitted, and yet to be expoſed to puniſhment, (I ſpeak onelyonly of ſatisfying puniſhment) cannot ſtand with that unſpotted juſtice of God; for no man is juſtly puniſhed but by reaſon of unſatisfied guilt. (In peccato fundatur reatus poena, ſaith Aquinas well.) Now if Chriſt hath fully and perfectly ſatisfied for p. 257the guilt, then puniſhment hath no ground, unleſſe wee will ſay that God will puniſh for that which is already ſatisfied; or that Chriſts ſatisfaction is not totall, but partiall, (i.) he ſatisfied for a part, and left ſome parts of ſatisfying puniſhment to us, which is the opinion of the Papiſts for their humane ſatisfactions.

But to draw up again; What a comfortable ſtay and ſupport is this unto a diſtreſſed ſoule, to ſee and find all in Chriſt? When a perſon brought to the true ſight and ſenſe of ſin, and loathing and forſaking of it, and to the giving of himſelfe up unto Chriſt, ſhall behold his many fore-paſt guilts, and ſee theſe charged upon Chriſt, nay and diſcharged by Chriſt, nay and ſo diſcharged that they ſhall never be charged upon him againe, nay and all the conſequents of guilt p. 258removed, ſo that Chriſt hath ſet him at liberty, he hath made him a freeman, and that againſt all Satans accuſations: He may hold out the bloud of Chriſt, which will anſwer all; I am a ſinner, but Chriſt was made ſin for me; I deſerve damnation, but Chriſt was made a curſe for me. If Beleevers did skill the nature, and extent, and vertues of remiſſion by the bloud of Chriſt; if they did know, and were poſſeſſed more with this part of Juſtification, they would ſtrengthen their faith and their comfort more, and their doubtings and fears would ſink more. Be of good comfort, thy ſins are forgiven thee.

5. One thing more, which I had almoſt forgotten, falls in, which is this, That the ſubſtantiall part of Juſtification is alike to all Beleevers. What is that? It is this, God for the p. 259bloud of Chriſt doth not onelyonly charge the ſins of ſtrong beleevers on Chriſt, but of weak beleevers too; and theſe onelyonly are not diſcharged, but thoſe alſo. True faith in any degree may take out all the benefits of Juſtification. For as Juſtification doth not admit of degrees, no more is it made over to the degrees, but to the truth of faith: So that not onelyonly Abraham, the father of the faithfull, who was ſtrong in faith, but the father of the child, who cryed out with tears, I beleeve, help mine unbeliefe, he alſo hath all the reall intereſts, the very ſame reall intereſts in the bloud of Chriſt.

You know the arme hath not an intereſt in the head and influences thereof, becauſe it is big, or becauſe it is ſtrong, but becauſe it is a member, by reaſon whereof the leaſt …inger, p. 260and weakeſt member doth alſo claime and hath a ſhare. So becauſe every Beleever by true faith is made a member of Chriſt, he hath therefore a concurrent ſhare in the bloud of Chriſt, in the Juſtification purchaſed by Chriſt.

And therefore it is a weaker argument of weak beleevers to deny, or doubt their diſcharge by Chriſt.

True, ſay they, Chriſt is a Ob. ſtrong Saviour, and hath ſtrong merits, and by him is pardon of ſinne, and by his Name a perſon is juſtified, but this is onelyonly for men of ſtronger faith then mine.

Doe not deceive, nor unneceſſarily Sol. afflict thy ſelfe, Chriſt hath done great matters for great ſinners, and a weak faith is a joynt poſſeſſor, though no faith can be a joynt purchaſer of ſins remiſſion.

And thus have I briefly informed p. 261you with ſome notions about that part of Juſtification, which reſpects our ſinnes; there is yet another part, which reſpects our graces and duties: from the weakneſſe and mixture of which, do ariſe many doubtings, and ſuch as are not to be diſputed downe by any thing in our ſelves, but onelyonly to be anſwered with the doctrine of Juſtification.

O, ſaith the humbled ſinner, Ob. and experienced in himſelfe, what a broken eſtate is here! what an imperfect draught of holineſſe! My very light is dim, and in all my duties there is yet undutifulneſſe; my righteouſneſſe is defective, in my faith much unbeliefe, in my prayers much coldneſſe, irreverence, diſtraction; & when I have ſorrowed for my ſins, I may even grieve for grieving no more, and may hate my ſelfe, that I cannot otherwiſe p. 262hate my ſins: How can I ſtand before God, who is of purer eyes then to behold ſin? Will the Lord accept of ſuch a perſon, of ſuch diſcharging of duties? &c.

Let me ſtop the complaint, Sol. & cloſe up the doubtings with a little more inlargement of the doctrine of Juſtification: Therefore remember,

1. Our perſons ſtand not before God in their own righteouſneſſe, nor our owne ſervices in their owne ſtrength. Indeed the Lord requires holineſſe in our natures, and holy duties from us; we are his children, we are his people, therefore we ſhould be holy as our Father is holy, therefore the people of his paſture ſhould ſerve him. An unholy Beleever were a monſter upon earth, and an undutifull ſon is a plain unbeleever; for though Chriſt did die for thoſe who were p. 263once rebellious, yet he dies for none to make them licentious: So that holineſſe, inherent grace is abſolutely required to ſalvation.

To ſalvation I ſay,

But to Juſtification in no wiſe. What is that? That is, though a man cannot be ſaved without inherent holineſſe, yet is he not juſtified by it; When he comes to account it with God, he may not ſay this, Lord, loe, here I am, ſee if there be any ſin in my perſon, or defect in my holineſſe; I have not offended thee, I need not any help, any mercy; my heart is totally cleane, and my duties performed at all times in every reſpect for matter and manner to the full as thou requireſt: Enter into judgment with me if thou pleafeſt, I will be tryed by my owne holineſſe.

2. But in the righteouſneſſe p. 264of Chriſt, I deſire, ſaith Paul, to be found in him, not having my owne righteouſneſſe, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith. Phil. 3. 9. See more in Rom. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21.

There is ſuch a thing as the **So called, not as if the act of faith were our juſtifying righteouſneſſe, for that act is but 1. An perfect thing. 2. A tranſient thing. 3. A part of inherent holineſſ…: but becauſe faith only layes hold on, & makes us to fly unto & rely on the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt.righteouſneſſe of faith; it is none other then the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt: (We think little of it, we make little uſe of it; there is a kind of Popery in us all; we look downward too much on our righteouſneſſe for a Juſtification) and when we are to be pronounced juſt and righteous, when either we or our ſervices expect acceptation, it is in and by that righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt.

Whence two things ariſe to keep doubtings and feares off, viz.

1. That though our holineſſe p. 265be weak, yet Chriſts is ſtrong; that righteouſneſſe which juſtifies, is full. When And ſo it muſt be, or elſe wee could not truly be reputed juſt.we look upon our ſelves, Ah Lord! think we, How ſhall we appeare before God! How will he accept of us! Such poor, ſuch weak, ſuch ſinfull, hollow people! I anſwer, Chriſts righteouſneſſe is full, his coat was ſeamleſſe; ours is made up, and ſtrangely cut, but his righteouſneſſe is compleat, and He is made unto us righteouſneſſe, yea, and that of God, 1 Cor. 1. 30. God hath ſet him out to be our righteouſneſſe, and he juſtifies us by it.

2. Though our ſervices be weak, yet we are juſtified by Chriſts righteouſneſſe: Aaron was to beare the iniquity of the holy offerings, Exo. 28. 38. Their holy offerings had ſome unholy mixtures; but Aaron was to beare them, (i.) he was to take the iniquities away from p. 266them, and to make the offerings accepted.

Chriſt is this Aaron, who by his righteouſneſſe covers all the blemiſhes, makes up all the weakneſſes in holy duties.

Therefore my brethren, in all our approaches to God, wee ſhould not doubt. It is the Apoſtles own argument, Heb. 10. 21. Having ſuch an Highprieſt over the houſe of God, 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance of faith. And ver. 23. Let us hold faſt the profeſſion of our faith without wavering, &c. It is as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, If men did know what a Chriſt they have, what a full righteouſneſſe there is in him, what he doth with it, how he juſtifies their perſons, and juſtifies their ſervices, pleads for them, beautifies them, ingratiates them with the Father, they would not doubt ſo much as they doe, p. 267they would be better perſwaded of God, when they come and pray unto him.

I remember the Apoſtle hath an excellent phraſe in Heb. 9. 24. that Chriſt doth appeare for us. It is a Metaphor from a Lawyer; If a man hath a caſe, he goes to his Lawyer, and reports all to him, deſires him to undertake the whole buſineſſe, and upon the committing of the Caſe to him, he appeares for his Plaintiffe, opens the Caſe, pleads for him before the Judge, and the Cauſe is carryed: So is it with Chriſt, he appears for us, (i.) When a poore ſinner, a weak beleever comes to him, and opens his condition, his wants, his infirmities, Chriſt undertakes for him, he pleads for him, (he ever lives to make interceſſion) he moves his Father in his behalfe, brings out his righteouſneſſe, his bloud, p. 268and merits, and what he did and ſuffered for him, &c. And thus doth Chriſt for every particular ſervice, duty, and prayer for him who beleeves on him.

The tenth cauſe of doubtings, was, diſputation againſt the Promiſes.

O, ſaith the troubled and fearfull ſoule, all theſe promiſes which you produce and apply to my condition, they are nothing to me; they belong not to me: There is indeed goodneſſe, and truth, a wonderfull worth in them, and they ſuit with my condition exactly, but I may not lay hold on them; I ſhould but preſume to take the bread which belongs to children, but not to dogs, not to ſuch a ſinner as I am.

Good Chriſtian, doe but track thine owne ſpirit, or the ſpirit of any diſtreſſed in conſcience, p. 269thou ſhalt find this to be the laſt hold uſually of unbeliefe, namely, a reaſoning againſt Gods Promiſes; the which reaſoning is ſometimes through meere tenderneſſe of ſpirit: as when the ſoule hath arguments to it ſelfe of that force, to repreſent a preſent incapacity of any good which God hath promiſed, and till they be removed, it dares not lay hold on the Promiſes; but if they could be ſatisfied, then it is drawne in to beleeve: But ſometimes there is a reaſoning againſt the Promiſes, through wilfulneſſe of ſpirit, as when all the arguments of a doubting ſinner are ſo clearly reſolved and anſwered by the expreſſe words of God, that the perſon cannot gainſay it; yet the perſon rather bends ſtill againſt the Promiſes, then labours to honour God in them by beleeving. p. 270This later reaſoning is an irrationall way, and unworthy of our abetting: I ſhould think ſuch a Chriſtians doubtings to ariſe rather from a fixed and heavy melancholy, then any other ſpeciall cauſe. Nevertheleſſe, ſomewhat to help the other Chriſtian, who argues & reaſoneth againſt the Promiſes, meerly out of tenderneſſe and feare of his right and title, I would commend a few things to his conſideration.

1. No ſpirituall good is furthered, nor evill weakned by keeping the ſoule and Gods Promiſes aſunder. Tell me ſeriouſly, Is not all our help for ſould and body (in the full and whole latitude of it) couched in Gods Promiſes? Are they not our wells of ſalvation, and breaſts of conſolation, our ſun and ſhield? and what veſſell hath a poore ſinner to draw with out of thoſe wells? what p. 271mouth hath he to milk out thoſe breaſts but faith? It is faith which knits the Promiſes and our conditions together; it is faith which makes them to meet each other; And till the Promiſes meet (in their vertue and influence) with this condition of thy ſoule, thou ſhalt never be helped or bettered by them: Till the plaiſter and the wound doe meet, it will never be an helping nor healing plaiſter. Thou ſhalt be (utieras) as thou waſt, and the Promiſe ſhall be (ubi erat) where it was, it ſhall never do thee good till thou doſt apply it.

2. It is beleeving which muſt cleare our title. O, ſaith the Chriſtian, if I knew that the Promiſes belonged unto me, I would then beleeve. I anſwer.

Firſt, this is a prepoſterous courſe, and utterly impoſſible; p. 272as if there could be any wellgrounded perſwaſion of our intereſt, before we have any ſuch intereſt. No, but perſonall perſwaſion is a conſequent worke, it cannot be the antecedent or leading work. You muſt buy the lands, before you can be perſwaded that they are yours.

But ſecondly, if ever you would cleare your title to the Promiſes, you muſt then beleeve; for it is faith which doth intitle you, and gives you intereſt and propriety. As the Apoſtle ſpake of a great good, After ye beleeved, ye were ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe, Epheſ. 1. 13. that I ſay in this caſe; I fever you would be perſwaded that God ſeales his Promiſes unto you, then doe you firſt put your ſeal unto the Promiſes: Beleeve, and then thou ſhalt ſee the good of them to be thy good.

p. 2733. The ground of a Chriſtians beleeving Gods Promiſes, muſt not be in him who is to apply them, but onelyonly in him who makes them. O! this is it which gravels, and labyrinths, and ſtill diſtreſſeth us, that we ſet up the grounds of faith in our ſelves, and not in God. We are loth to acknowledg that the ſole ground of beleeving is to be found only in that God who promiſeth.

It is ſaid of Abraham, when God promiſed him a child in his old age, that by faith he gave Rom 4. 20Rom 4:20glory to God: But how came he ſo to doe? The Text ſaith, that He conſidered not his owne body, now dead, when he was about an hundred yeares old, nor the ver. 19.deadneſſe of Sarahs wombe; but he conſidered him who had promiſed, and was perſwaded that what he had promiſed, hee ver. 21.was able alſo to performe. Why? This is the right courſe to elicite p. 274or draw out our beleeving: We muſt not conſider our ſelves, but we muſt conſider him who promiſeth: Our reaſons of beleeving muſt be found in him alone on whom we are to beleeve.

Therefore I beſeech you to remember, that the Promiſes of God are not onelyonly objects of faith, but they are alſo grounds of beleeving: They doe not onelyonly containe excellent good for us, but likewiſe the motives to beleeve that good. Beſides the goodneſſe in them which reſpectively anſwers our conditions, and the preſenting of that goodneſſe unto us by way of gift, there is all reaſon conjoyned with theſe to affect our hearts to lay hold on them, namely,

1. A graciouſneſſe, that the Lord will freely and for his owne ſake doe us all that good.

p. 2752. A fidelity, that the Lord who hath graciouſly promiſed, will alſo faithfully performe.

And 3. ſufficiencie of power in God to make good unto us whatſoever word of goodneſſe, is gone out of his lips.

So that from all theſe, a Chriſtian againſt all his doubtings may yet ſee ground to beleeve the Promiſes of God, becauſe,

1. The Promiſes are the Declarations of God for good unto us.

2. They are willing Declarations, ariſing onelyonly from the good will of our God.

3. He diſpenſeth the good in them to ſinners freely, without any worthineſſe or deſert on their parts.

4. There is not any good promiſed, which God is not willing or able to make good.

Laſtly, let any perſon beleeve on them, and he ſhall p. 276confeſſe that faithfull is that God who promiſed, and that that God who hath promiſed cannot lye.

But now on the contrary, If you look for grounds of beleeving in and from your ſelves, it cannot be that ever your hearts ſhould be free from doubtings; If either you make your owne worthineſſe the cauſe of beleeving, you ſhall never come to beleeve: This were not to receive good from God, but to buy and purchaſe it; and is abſolutely againſt the nature of free promiſes, as alſo againſt the diſpoſition of true faith, which empties us of our ſelves, and ſeeth the cauſe of all our good to be only in him who is All-goodneſſe.

Or if you think that you muſt firſt finde the good in your ſelves which ye are to fetch from the Promiſes, you p. 277cannot then beleeve, you muſt unavoidably doubt ſtill: becauſe it is impoſſible for a ſinner or a needy Chriſtian ever to draw his helps out of himſelfe, or to prevent the promiſes of God. As he cannot deſerve any good from God promiſing, ſo he cannot bring any good to Gods promiſes. Ho, Eſa. 55. 1.Isa 55:1every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, ſaith the Prophet, and he that hath no money: Come ye, buy and eat. yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. If thou be a thirſty perſon, here is all proviſion freely for thee.

4. Another thing which I would commend alſo to doubting Chriſtians in this caſe, ſhall be this: Take ſome ſolid paines to cleare your entrance into Covenant with God: thereby you ſhall cleare your intereſt in all particular promiſes upon your occaſions.

p. 278There is a gracious Covenant Jer. 31. 33 32. 38 Eze. 36. 28 Hoſ. 2. 23. Heb. 8. 10.Jer 31:33Ezek 36:28Hos 2:23Heb 8:10(ſpoken of in the Scripture) twixt God and his people: He makes us to be his people, and we take him to be our God. And when that Covenant is paſſed twixt God and a perſon, that there is a mutuall acceptation; then the Lord eſtates this perſon into all the particular promiſes: As when the woman and man enter into the covenant of mariage, now all is ſetled on her, and ſhe hath title ſufficient.

So when the Lord God and a ſinner are married to each other, when they are entred into a Covenant, Thou art my God, and none elſe, my heart is thine, my life ſhall be thine, &c. The Lord ſaith unto ſuch a one, And I am thine, & all my mercy is thine, my Chriſt is thine, my Promiſes thine: If thou needeſt any good for ſoul or body, all good is thine.

p. 279I aſſure thee, O Chriſtian, if If this door were unlocked, all the roomes would eaſily be ſeene.this were once out of doubt, that thou and God were entred into Covenant, thou wouldſt not ſo much doubt thy title, or queſtion thy right to apply any particular promiſe to any condition of exigence wherein thou lyeſt. All are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23.

5. Laſtly, conſider well, whether there be nothing in a Chriſt which may not be able to over-argue thy diſputes againſt thy applying of the Promiſes I remember that Luther in his Commentary on Geneſis preſcribes unto tempted perſons one very compendious way to withſtand all temptations whatſoever: Let Satan Luthers ſpeech.come any way, or the world any way, or ſinne move any way, doe thou anſwer all with this onelyonly, Chriſtianus ſum, I am a Chriſtian; I may not p. 280yeeld to any ſin, for I am a Chriſtian. And ſurely me thinks this alſo might be a compendious way to reſolve the doubtings of a Chriſtian, Chriſtum habeo I have a Chriſt. O Chriſtian, if thou didſt look more on thy Chriſt, thou mightſt look more on the Promiſes: When wilt thou remember, No looking on the Promiſes without a Chriſt.that as there is no comfortable looking on God without a Chriſt, ſo there will be no confident looking on the Promiſes of God without a Chriſt?

Chriſt Jeſus is thy Jacobs ladder, thy prayers get up by him, and Gods Promiſes come down by him: All the promiſes of God are Yea and Amen in him, 2 Cor. …. 20.

There was a Book in the Revelation which none of the Elders and Worthies could open, but yet the Lambe could open it: The Promiſes are a p. 281precious Book, every leafe drops myrrhe and mercy, yet the weak Chriſtian cannot open it, nay he is afraid to open it, and to reade his portion there: Nevertheleſſe thy Chriſt can open the Promiſes for thee, and by thy Chriſt as thou mayſt find a way for heaven hereafter, ſo mayſt thou eſpie a way for thy comfort now.

And why, may Chriſt reply to the doubting Chriſtian, art thou afraid to beleeve? to beleeve my Fathers word, and thy Fathers word? Did he ever faile any who truſted on him? Is hee not willing to give, who was willing to promiſe? Should he loſe of his glory, if thou receivedſt of his grace? Or ſhouldſt thou loſe of thy comfort, if thou ſhouldſt beleeve in his promiſe? Doſt thou not care for his good? Why then art thou p. 282troubled? Or in good earneſt, Wouldſt thou enjoy that good? Why then doſt thou not beleeve? Thou ſeeſt the worth of the commodity, but ſtickeſt at the price. Did my Father ever ſell grace or mercy to any upon the price of their owne worthineſſe? How canſt thou imagine him to anſwer thee in juſtice, who yet deales with thee upon promiſes? And if worthineſſe muſt be found, tell me, Who am I? Is a Chriſt of no worthineſſe to thee? or of no worth with his Father and thine? I have dyed for thy ſoule, I have reconciled thy perſon, I have made God himſelfe to be thine, and therefore his Promiſes to be thine.

If thou thinkeſt that God will ſtart from his word, O thou erreſt: His Promiſe is made with Goodneſſe, is ſealed with Truth, and is ratified with my bloud.

p. 283If thou thinkeſt it is an inexorable and deafe eare to thy prayers, yet conſider, it is alwayes an open and plyable eare to my merits. Come, then, I once gave my ſelfe for thee, and ſince that I have given my ſelfe to thee, Be not afraid, O thou of little faith: Look on me, and through me unto a God, ſo ſhalt thou ſee him fully gracious and mercifull, and holding forth the golden Scepter to thee. Look on me and through me unto the Promiſes, then ſhalt thou ſee them to be my purchaſe, and thy portion. Lay hold on them by faith, and inrich thy ſelfe with them, in ſo doing thou ſhalt pleaſe my Father, pleaſure thy ſelfe, and honour thy Saviour.

11. The eleventh ſpring of doubtings, was, the ſuſpenſion of divine favour. Thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled, p. 284ſaid David. O, the hiding of Gods favour is more then the hiding of the Sun, or then the withdrawments of David from Abſolom: It is even the time of our fainting, the ſequeſtration of our ſoules and life. Thy favour is life, ſaith David againe.

Here now conſider,

1. In theſe times of ſequeſtration, a man hath juſt cauſe of trouble; he ſhould be moved at it, that he cannot behold his God in that graciouſneſſe as before, in that lovingneſſe, in that light of his countenance. And verily there is not a Chriſtian really ſenſible of the divine favour, who ſhould not be as much perplexed in the clouding of it, as he was affected and gladded in the riſing and diſcovering of it.

Beloved, it is ill with that man who can equally beare p. 285up in the abſence, as in the conceived preſence of Gods favour; who is of that hard and unperceiving temper, as not to ſolace his ſoul in finding God to be gracious; and not to be abundantly diſturbed in not apprehending the wonted manifeſtations of his loving favour. How exceſſively diſtreſſed is the Church in the Canticles, that her Beloved had withdrawn himſelf! And David doth in the violence of his diſtemper and jealouſie, (whether culpably, I know not yet) ſtrongly charge God (ſure with much heavineſs of heart) that he had forgotten to be gracious.

2. Nevertheleſſe in the times of ſuch ſuſpenſion, it is an error, and a dangerous error, a fruitleſſe error, abſolutely to conclude againſt our God, or againſt our ſelves, of any preſent or hopeful intereſt p. 286in his bleſſed favour: Therefore remember theſe particulars.

1. Obſerve the wayes and times of the interception of divine favour. This is certain, that God hath ever ſome ſpeciall end in the holding up of his countenance; and we may and doe many times give him juſt cauſe and reaſon. In Scripture we may obſerve on our part ordinarily two occaſions:

1. Some groſſe ſins, which indeed are as a thick cloud to hold up the bleſſed light of Gods countenance, for he is of purer eyes then to behold ſin. Theſe are the wall of ſeparation, theſe ſhut the doore, and draw the curtaines, and doe like ſome cloſing rheume fall upon the eye, and indiſpoſe it to the comfortable enjoyment of the light: As we may ſee in Davids two great ſinnes p. 287of Adultery and Murder, they did ſuſpend the preſence, (i.) the comfortable preſence of God, and held up the joy of his ſalvation, which he did ſo earneſtly deſire to be reſtored, Pſal. 51. 11, 12.

2. Remiſneſſe and careleſneſſe in our eſteems and affections towards him in his Ordinances. When Chriſtians come to a moderation, to a cooling of their ſpirituall fervour, to a more negligent acquaintance with God, and a more in different performance of holy ſervices and duties; then the Lord holds back, and calls in the ſenſible light of his countenance: As a father doth alter the ſet of his looks towards his child, who is wanton upon his love, and lets downe the diligence of his juſt obſervance and duty.

See this in Cant. 5. 2. Open to me (ſaith Chriſt) my ſiſter, my p. 288love, my dove, my undefiled. Here was a gracious entreaty, and full of wooing compellations: What doth the Church now? Surely ſhe ſtirs, ſhe riſeth, ſhe runneth, ſhe eaſily embraceth theſe calls of Chriſt; No, ver. 3. I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? What is this? She was careleſſe, negligent, full of excuſes, ſo thoſe phraſes import, of putting off the coat: For as the keeping on of cloathes was a ſign of care and watchfulneſſe, [Nehem. 4. 23.] ſo the putting them off was a ſigne of drowzineſſe, of a diſpoſition prepared for ſleep or reſt: Nay (ſhe had waſhed her feet) which was another ſigne of her ſleepy and negligent diſpoſition; It being the manner in thoſe hot countries (where ordinarily they went bare-footed) to waſh their feet after p. 289their travel, & ſo prepare thē ſelves-to reſt. The meaning of all which, is this: She made many pretences and delayes; all which did ſpring from an acquired ſluggiſhneſſe and remiſneſſe of ſpirit.

Now mark the iſſue, Though the Church did not riſe to open, yet Chriſt, ver. 4. puts in his hand at the hole of the doore: (i.) Though ſhe had neglected him in his Miniſtery, yet he ſent into her heart a notable item of it by his Spirit, and then her bowels were moved for him. Why? What is the matter? Now ſhe roſe, ver. 5. and opened the doore, ver. 6. but my Beloved had withdrawn himſelfe, and was gone; I ſought him, but could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no anſwer.

Here you ſee, that careleſneſſe of duty cauſeth abſence of favour: And when men are p. 290negligent in the entertainments of the meanes of grace, God doth in a juſt wiſdome go off with the ſenſible preſence of his gracious favour.

2. Obſerve the wayes of regaining Gods favour ſuſpended from us: What are thoſe? will you ſay.

I anſwer,

1. Be affected for the loſſe: every abſence of Gods countenance ſhould trouble us, but the loſſe of his favour, that ſhould grieve us. So was it with the Church there, Cant. 5. 4. My bowels were troubled for him, Or, My bowels ſounded, rumbled, made a troublous noiſe. What doe theſe words intimate but an eminent diſquietneſſe, an hearty ſorrow for ſo great a loſſe, ſpringing from ſo great a remiſneſſe? I ſay an eminent diſquietneſſe; For where bowels are mentioned, there an p. 291eminent degree is ſuggeſted, either of commiſeration, as in that of God to Ephraim, Jer. 31. 20. or of ſingular love and affection, as of the mother to the child, or of moſt ſorrowfull affliction, as here.

Nay, ſo great was this ſorrow and bewaylment, that ver. 6. her ſould failed when he ſpake: My ſoule failed (i.) my ſoule went forth, it was gone, it departed, becauſe of the departure of Chriſts loving favour: For as the heart is ſaid to goe forth when men are aſtoniſhed with feare, ſo the ſoule is ſaid to goe away, when men are ſurcharged with griefe and ſorrow. Whence it is evident, that the Church was almoſt dead for her folly and negligence, whereby ſhe had cauſed her Chriſt to withdraw himſelfe.

And ſurely if negligent and regardleſſe entertainments of p. 292God, or Chriſt, or his Word, (which cauſe the ceſſation of favour) are thus abundantly bewayled with bowels and faintings, how much more ſhould the bowels be doubled, and the meaſures of griefe and repentance be ſwelled, when the ſuſpenſion of Gods love and favour is cauſed by our injurious handling of his bleſſed Spirit, by fighting againſt his motions, and preſuming againſt the directing and convincing light, to diſhonour and grieve him with the moſt foule iniquities.

Yet if we can humbly and throughly bemoane our loſſe, and repent of our ſins, we ſhall behold the Lord in mercy and love againe. David could not but yeeld out the countenance of his favour to Abſolom, though an untoward ſonne: If the clouds did break, the ſunne would ſhine againe; for p. 293God will not onelyonly give, but reſtore comforts to his mourners.

2. Revive thy uprightneſſe, and then God will renew his favour. A good man (ſaith Solomon, Prov. 12. 2.) obtaineth favour of the Lord: (i.) An upright man, a man whoſe heart is ſingle, (for he is oppoſed to the man of many devices) whoſe heart is ſingle and plain with God in his walkings, ſuch a man ſhall obtaine favour from the Lord.

David aſſures us of it, Pſ. 5. 12 Thou Lord wilt bleſſe the righteous, and with favour wilt thou compaſſe him as with a ſhield. It was a good ſpeech of Davids, Pſal. 36. 9. With thee is the fountaine of life, and in thy light ſhall we ſee light. q. d. Lord, thou haſt comfort and favour enough, thy favour indeed is life, the very fountaine of it, and in the light of thy paths p. 294ſhall the ſons of men ſee the light of thy favour.

For, brethren, we cannot ſee light by darkneſſe, light muſt be ſeene by light; and whatſoever Pſal. 17. 15 I will behold thy face in uprightneſſe.Ps 17:15is contrary to light, is an impediment of ſeeing. Gods favour cannot be ſeene by any thing which is contrary to Gods nature. Crooked Note.hearts and crooked wayes, an heart and an heart, a tongue and a tongue, a life and a liſe, (i.) a doubling heart, and a doubling tongue, and a doubled converſation, which hath a veine of ſinfulneſſe and approbation, this the Lord hates and abhors; for God is ever ſingle in all his dealings with men: They ſhall have mercy, or they ſhall not have it: and ſo he exceedingly delights in the ſimplicity of Chriſtians: Let them deale ingenuouſly with him, give him all the might they have, and p. 295him onelyonly, though they have not a preſent ſight, yet they have a ſure promiſe of his favour.

The Lord will meet them, Eſa. 64. 5. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth and worketh righteouſneſſe, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes. Walk thou towards God in uprightneſſe, and God will walk towards thee in comfortableneſſe. Be thou a ſon, and he will be a Father. Give him thy heart, and hee will ſhew to thee his face.

Therefore let us caſt about not onelyonly for our generall, but alſo for the ſervices of our particular callings and relations, in which if the Lord ſees us upright in walking, wee ſhall aſſuredly find him to be gracious in diſtributing the beams of his favour unto our ſoules.

3. Earneſtly ſeeke Gods favour.

p. 2961. Seek it by enquiries in the ordinances of his favour. Saw ye him whom my ſoule loveth? ſaid the Church in her loſſe, Cant. 3. 3. unto the watchmen. And as Mary, Joh. 20. 13. weeping, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: And ver. 15. Sir, if thou haſt borne him hence, tell me where thou haſt laid him, and I will take him away. What came of this? See ver. 16. Jeſus ſaith unto her, Mary; It was one onelyonly word, but enough to make her turne her ſelfe, and ſay, Rabboni. So may it, and ſo doth it oft times fall out with us in our ſeekings of Gods favour, The Lord doth meet us & ſhew himſelf with his loving countenance, in his Ordinances: For theſe Ordinances of God, they are the Exchange, the heavenly Exchange twixt God and his people, wherein they preſent unto him their p. 297duty, and he confers on them his grace and favour; So that they who have come hither with ſighs. O that God would be my God! have returned with Pſalms of joy, The Lord is my God and my Father, I will praiſe thee, O Lord my God.

2. Seek it by prayers. How abundant is David in this kind? Pſal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou beareſt unto thy people, O viſit me with thy ſalvation, 5. That I may ſee the good of thy choſen. So Pſal. 31. 16. Make thy face to ſhine upon thy ſervant. So Pſal. 4. 6. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: For God hath promiſed his favour, and therefore his people may ſeek his favour. Nay he hath commanded his people to ſeek his favour, and therefore they ſhould ſeek it. See Pſal. 27. 8. Thou ſaidſt, Seeke ye my face, My heart ſaid unto me, p. 298Thy face (Lord) will I ſeeke. It is an unadviſed folly in the ſuſpenſion of Gods favour, to unſonne our ſelves, and unpeople our ſelves, (i.) to deny that grace and ſpirituall relation twixt us and God. This is not the way to gaine favour; for when we have undone our relations of children, we exclude our ſelves from the expectations of favour; No, the wiſeſt and ſureſt way is to ſeek the renewing of Gods loving countenance, and ſay as David, Lord, thou haſt hid thy face, and I am troubled, yet thou biddeſt me to ſeek thy face, and Thy face (Lord) will I ſeeke: Nay I doe ſeeke it, for Thy favour is life, nay, Thy favour is better then life, ſo I eſteeme it, ſo I acknowledge it, and as my life, as that which is a life unto my life doe I earneſtly deſire it: Therefore, Lord, Make thy face to ſhine, and behold mee p. 299againe, as thou beholdeſt thy people with thy ancient favour: O viſit me with thy ſalvation, and let me ſee the good of thy countenance.

Now here take in two helpfull advices more: viz.

1. When you ſeek the light Two things to be remembred in our ſeeking of Gods favour.of Gods countenance, doe not blind your eyes: Remember ſtill, that a man who will ſhut his eye, ſhall hardly find: Now nothing can ſee Gods favour but the eye of faith, for in Chriſt Jeſus onelyonly we ſee and diſcerne him our gracious God and Father; Therefore keep open that eye. The direct workings of faith can alwayes ſee God, and the reflexive will at length ſee God to be my God. When thou commeſt unto him thus, Lord, I doe need, I doe prize, I doe deſire thy favour and countenance, and thou haſt promiſed it, but thou wilt not keep thy promiſe, p. 300thou wilt never ſhew the light of thy countenance to my ſoul more; now though wee ſeek much, no marvaile we find not the heavens to open; You muſt Simile.uſe the key, as well as the hands, if you will come in and ſee the roomes: Our hands of Prayer muſt uſe the key of Faith, if we would open the countenance of God towards us; for faith is that which gives us our ſights of God and Chriſt.

2. Judge not of the iſſue by what thou feeleſt, but by what God promiſeth: And in caſe therefore that God doth not ſhew thee his ancient love preſently or eaſily, yet knock againe, and provoke thy heart to out-beleeve all reaſonings offeare and corruption.

As David, Pſal 42. 11. Why art thou caſt downe, O my ſoule? and why art thou diſquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I p. 301ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

O my God, ſaith he in ver. 6. of that Pſalme, my ſoule is caſt downe within me, (no queſtion but for the abſence of Gods favour, ver. 7. My rocke, Why haſt thou forgotten me…) therefore (ſaith he) will I remember thee. Remember him, O David? What incouragements ſo to doe? Thy Rock ſeemeth to forget thee, and all his waves and billowes are gone over thee, thou art in a toſſed, and forgotten condition, and yet thou ſayeſt, I will remember thee. Now ſee ver. 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindneſſe in the day time, and in the night his ſong ſhall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

q. d. It is true, theſe afflictions and ſorrows are upon me and God ſeems to forget me p. 302for preſent, yet I will remember him, I know he thinks on me, he hath loving kindneſſe, and he will command it, he can ſhew it when he pleaſeth, I ſhall aſſuredly have it, perhaps in the day time, perhaps in the night time, and therefore day and night will I ſeek him for his loving kindneſſe, I will remember him.

But how may one ſupport Ob. himſelfe in the interims of this ſuſpenſion of divine favour? How to ſupport our ſelves in the interim.Can one be good, who is thus? Or will God doe good or doth hee thinke any good of ſuch a one?

I anſwer, you may ſupport Sol. your ſelves thus:

1. By remembring the dayes of old. Pſa. 77. 7. Will the Lord caſt off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? This is mine infirmity. q. d. For me thus to conclnde that God p. 303will not be favourable and gracious unto me, becauſe I feele him not ſo, this is my weakneſſe, and ſinfull error: But how then will you ſupport your ſelfe? See ver. 10. I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the moſt High, 11. I will I had his favour once, and am in it ſtill, and ſhall have it againe.remember thy wonders of old. And aſſuredly the remembrance of what God hath done, is able to ſupport us with a confident expectation of what God will yet doe for us.

If we remember the dayes of old, the method of Gods former proceedings and behaviours towards us, we ſhall acknowledge, and ſo comfort our ſelves, that when he withdrew, it was an withdrawment either of neceſſity, or expediency, and his loving countenance hath riſen again without a cloud, after a night of ſorrow, after a day of ſeeking.

p. 304For the ſuſpenſions of his favour are temporary, though his truths be eternall. I will come againe, ſaith Chriſt: And, It was but a little (ſaid the Church, Cant. 3. 4.) that I paſſed from them, but I found him whom my ſoule loveth.

2. Thou art in favour, though thou feeleſt none; And though thy comfort be in the feeling of it, yet thy happineſs is in the being of it: Thou art ſaved becauſe God loves, not becauſe thou perceiveſt that love.

2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, the Lord knoweth who are his. He knoweth them in reſpect of the freeneſſe of his election, and in reſpect of the immobility of his affection; He knowes them ſtill, but they know not him ſtill. Is Ephraim my deare ſonne? Jer. 31. 20. q. d. He is ſo, but he thinks I think not ſo.

p. 305Sometimes the walking child holds the parent, and ſometimes the parent holds the child; there is ſafety in both reſpects; for whiles either I hold, or am held, I am ſafe: So is it with us and God, ſometimes we lay hold on him by faith, ſometimes (nay all times) he layes hold on us by his love; our ſalvation is in this, that we are Gods, and God is ours; that he hath our hearts, and we his love, though alwayes we ſee it not.

3. Thou ſhalt have favour, though now it be drawn up: He will behold thy upright heart, and thou ſhalt ſee his face with joy. Eſay 54. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer.

Therefore the Church elegantly, Micah 7. 8. Rejoyce not p. 306againſt me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I ſhall ariſe; when I ſit in darkneſſe, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. 9. He will bring me forth to the light, and I ſhall behold his righteouſneſſe. Remember this one thing, Upright and beleeving perſons have alwayes a favourable God, though they have not alwayes the ſenſe of Gods favour: yea though Satan doe teſtifie the contrary, which is the next ſpring of doubtings, and comes in now fitly to be handled.

12. A twelfth ſpring of doubtings, was, the crediting of Satans teſtimony about our ſpirituall condition, and intereſts in God and Chriſt; to which if any diſtreſſed Chriſtian doth hearken and attend, he ſhal never be freed from inquietations and rowlings of mind, becauſe Satans teſtimony is ever directly or obliquely p. 307againſt the truth and comfort of our ſpirituall eſtate.

For the remedy and cure of which ſpring, be pleaſed ſeriouſly to conſider of theſe ſubſequent concluſions.

1. The finall tryall of our eternall eſtate doth immediately and ſolely appertaine to the Court of heaven. Indeed the diſquiſitive part belongs to A twofold tryall of a mans eſtate.us, but the deciſive part belongs to God: We ought to ſearch and prove our ſelves, but no man hath immediate power to decide his eſtate, by acquitting or condemning himſelfe. This muſt be done by the voice of God in his revealed Word, which commands and forbids, and therefore abſolves or binds.

No ſubject you know hath this power, to releaſe or bind of himſelfe, but that is the royall prerogative of the King. It is true, if the Word p. 308condemnes us, then our conſciences may doe ſo too; and if the Word abſolves us, ſo may our conſciences too: But this is virtute prima, not virtute propria; It is becauſe the Word doth it, not becauſe Conſcience of it ſelfe without the Word can doe either rightly.

Whence two things ariſe to informe and direct us: viz.

1. Satans judgment of our Satans judging is but uſurped.eſtate is but uſurped: It doth not belong to him to ſit upon our ſoules: It is againſt the Law of Nations, that the ſame party ſhould be witneſſe and Judge: And we may ſay to him truly, what the Phariſees proudly objected to Chriſt, By what authority doth he theſe things? Or as they to Moſes, who made thee a Judge over us? Aſſuredly the enemy of our ſalvation is not to be the Judge of it, he being ſo maliciouſly p. 309vowed againſt our happineſſe, it is moſt unfit for him to decide it: and therefore though he uſurps a judgement upon Chriſtians, yet as David ſpake in another caſe, Thou Lord wilt not leave the righteous when he is judged; No aſſuredly, Satan ſhall one day be judged for taking upon him the judging of Gods people: And doe you thinke that Satan will give a true judgement unto us of our ſpirituall condition, who dares give in falſe evidence before God himſelfe of Job, and who is ſaid to accuſe the brethren before God day and night?

2. No teſtimony is to be admitted, which is contrary to the judgment of the Word: Beleeve not every ſpirit, 1 Joh. 4. All judgement of our eſtates, being contrary to the Word, is falſe.1. but try the ſpirits, whether they are of God. The Word muſt judge us another day, & therefore it is to judge of us now.

p. 310Satans judgement is uſurped, and our owne is oft times erroneous, as in wicked and preſumptuous ſinners, who ſentence well for their ſafety, although God doth proclaime and pronounce bitter woes unto them.

And as our judgements are oft times erroneous, ſo are they in the times of diſtreſſe, ſuſpicious and haſty: We doe not teſtifie of our ſelves with judgements cleared, and totally informed by the Word, of all our eſtate, but with judgments affected and diſtempered; as David in his fit, I am caſt out of thy preſence; God did not caſt him off, but his diſtempered judgement did caſt him out.

2. Maintain the judgment of the Word, againſt all judgment: When a man hath throughly viewed and pierced into the ſecrets of his heart p. 311and wayes by the informing light of Gods bleſſed Spirit, and takes his fleſh and ſpirit aſunder, I meane his ſinnes, weakneſſes, graces and diſpoſitions, and layes theſe, with all he knows of himſelfe, before the Lord in a moſt ſincere ingenuity, ſo that if he were now to die, he durſt venture the eternall ſalvation of his ſoule, with his God, that hee keeps nothing back, either of what is his owne by nature, or of what is Gods by grace: If now the Word decides for him, that his condition is heavenly, his heart is upright, hee is indeed one who is truly intereſſed in Chriſt; this man or woman ſhould now uphold this deciſive teſtimony of the Word, lay it up as the great copy of his eternall ſalvation; and in caſe of oppoſite verdict and teſtimony, not to moleſt himſelfe with reaſoning and p. 312doubting, but to preſerve the authority of Gods teſtimony, by beleeving, and moſt upright walking with God in all the powers of duty.

There yet remaine two ſprings of doubtings to be cured, and then I have done with that ſubject.

13. The thirteenth ſpring of doubtings, was, the new riſing of old ſinnes: This I told you could not but amaze the ſoule, to ſee the dead riſe out of the grave againe, and to reade the debt as if it were not yet croſſed: It doth exceedingly diſquiet us about our ſpirituall condition. Now conſider,

1. There are five times Five times in which former ſins may revivewhen we and our ſinnes doe meet.

1. One is the day of our legall humiliation, when the Law, like ſearching phyſick, enters deep, ſtirs up the evill p. 313humour, caſts our ſins into our very faces, and ſets them in order before us, and reproves us for them with undenyable conviction and horrour.

2. Another is, the day of our piercing afflictions, when the Lord doth ſend his meſſengers unto us of wrath, cuts off frō us our delights, tears away our joyes, croſſeth us in our aims, and we ſee God hewing our friends from us, our children from us, our earthly delights and contents: for miſerable evils are oft times a cauſe to make us ſee our ſinfull evils: We doe many times come to perceive our faults, by our puniſhments: As Pharaoh did, when the plagues were on him, I have done evill in not letting the people goe: And Balaam, when he ſaw the Angel, and heard him threatning, I will now returne: And ſo the children of Iſrael, then ſaw, and p. 314confeſt their murmuring and ſtubbornneſſe, when God ſent evil Angels amongſt them, (i.) ſome meſſengers of his wrath and diſpleaſure.

3. A third is, the time of ſome horrible and common judgement, whether it be upon particular perſons, or a Nation, intereſſed in the ſame guilt of ſinne with our ſelves; For this is a time of common fire, which raging and flying up and downe, makes men run into their cloſets, and bring out their concealed jewels; ſo doe common and extraordinary judgments return us into our ſelves, and gives up unto us thoſe our hidden ſins which we feare will draw the ſame fire of judiciall wrath upon our owne perſons. I doe not doubt but at the laſt great Plague, many of the ſinfull botches broke out, upon a fear leſt that judiciall botch ſhould p. 315have broken in upon your bodies and houſes.

4. A fourth time is, the time of death: For though ſin and a ſinner really meet in all their courſe of life, yet ſenſe of ſin and a ſinner doe not alwayes meet untill the day of death; for death is a ſtrict and unavoidable ſummons to give up our accounts, and then the unjuſt ſteward muſt look about him, how he ſhall anſwer his moſt juſt Lord and Maſter.

This time of meeting, evidently manifeſts it ſelfe to our owne experience; who though we have kindled our ſinnes in the time of our health and ſtrength, yet have we not met with the flaſhes of them but in the times of ſickneſſe and weakneſſe.

5. A laſt time of meeting is, the day of Judgement; and this is a moſt certaine and infallible p. 316time; It is poſſible for a man to eſcape the legall meeting, by conviction; and the miſerable meeting, by afflictions, judgements, and death it ſelfe; (for ſome die like Nabal, they live wretchedly, and die ſenſleſly) but at the day of Judgement, they and their ſinnes muſt meet, and ſhall; becauſe then the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be diſcloſed, and Gods righteous judgement ſhall be evident to the hearts of all the world. Whence it is, that in this day of meeting, they ſhall cry unto the mountaines to fall on them, and the rocks to hide them (but in vaine) from the wrath of him who ſits upon the throne.

2. There are ſeverall cauſes of the riſing of ſin: Some are Divers cauſes of ſins riſing afreſh.on Gods part, ſome on our part, ſome on Satans.

1. For Gods part: God doth many times cauſe our p. 317former ſins to riſe, by the power of his mighty ſpirit in the miniſtery of his Word: For whereas the ſinner would huſh his fears, and griefs, and conſcience aſleep, yet the Lord will not have it ſo: He doth rub the ſore, and gall the conſcience, makes it ſenſible of the guilt and wounds; Hee doth pierce by the two-edged ſword of his Word, even to the dividing aſunder of ſoule and ſpirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and diſcernes the very thoughts and intents of the heart. He meets the perſon oft times many years after the commiſſion of the ſinnes, and moſt expreſly revives and remembers them in all the acting circumſtances, which the ſinning perſon either had, or would have buried in ſilence and forgetfulneſſe.

2. For our part: Thus there is double cauſe of new riſing of p. 318old ſins: One whereof is good, and the other is bad.

1. A new commiſſion of the old ſins, which brings back upon us the ſting of the old guilt; for relapſes into the diſeaſe, occaſion a relapſe of the burden and ache: Cut thy finger againe, and it will ſmart againe; fall into thy ague againe, it will make thee ſhake againe: Relapſes have ever this judgement with them, that they make a freſh wound, and the old alſo to bleed againe. You know in ſome Wells, there are two buckets, put downe the one, and you bring up the other; ſo the falling into the ſame ſin againe, brings up the old burden againe.Though we may not revive ſinne to practiſe it, yet we may to mourn for it.

2. Renewed humiliations; for then we doe voluntarily look back upon our former accounts, that thereby we may more humbly ſue out a totall p. 319diſcharge. Though wee may ſin the ſin over no more, yet we may weep it over and over; and though the acting of it may be no more, yet the bewailing of it ſhould laſt us ever.

3. On Satans part, who like an envious and malicious wretch never gives over to throw unto us our errors and failings, though corrected with trueſt reformation. So Satan, who is the great cauſe and incentive to ſin, will not ceaſe after our trueſt repentance, to vexe, and ſad, and (if he could, to) deſpaire our hearts with the freſh memory of former and forſaken ſins; ſo that we ſeldome or never lay hand on a bleſſed promiſe, or gaine our ſelves into the comfortable favour of God, or delight our ſelves in the ſweet peace of conſcience, but he falls in, and checks, and troubles us with p. 320the repreſentations of former ſins, and perchance makes us let goe our gracious hold, with the feares, and ſuſpicions, and chargements of former guilts.

3. Now according to the variety of the cauſes, fetching up upon us our former guilts, muſt we deliver unto you ſeverall helps and remedies.

Conſider therefore, on Gods The ends of reviving of ſin.part, there are ſeverall ends in reſpect of ſeverall perſons, why he brings on the ſinnes againe.

1. To make the groundwork more deep and ſure: We make our tents too ſhort for our wounds; Wee ſinne much, and defile our ſelves much, and we think that a little waſhing will ſerve the turne. O! this buſineſſe of ſelftryall, of laying the axe to the root of the tree, of diving into the ſecrets of ſin, of applying p. 321the corraſives unto the core & heart of our natures, this goes againſt us, wee are quickly weary of it.

Indeed, ſome trouble, and ſome bitterneſſe we grant to be convenient; but to be ſtill accuſing our ſelves before God, ſtill to be laſhing and wounding our hearts for wounding of God, Ah, this, this goes againſt us.

You ſhall ſee people ſometimes very ſenſible of their diſeaſed bodies: O now ſome phyſick were good, they find ſuch aches, ſuch diſtempers, ſurely ſome phyſick were good; and ſome they take, which makes them exceſſively ſick; but then away with it, no more phyſick: yet at length the diſeaſe comes upon them againe, and the Phyſitian preſcribes more phyſick, even that which muſt goe to the root of the diſeaſe, which p. 322though it makes them more ſick, yet it procures their ſafety, and better health.

Beloved, God would have men (perhaps) a longer ſpace to ſit upon their ſinnes; they ſtint themſelves after great ſins, and make themſelves friends with God prefently. Now the Lord knowes that this skinning of the ſore will ſpoile all, and therefore after a ſhort time he returnes them their ſins againe, makes Conſcience to ſtartle at the guilt againe, and deales with us as the skilfull Chirurgion with a man whoſe leg is broken, and ill ſet, he breaks it againe, that it may be well ſet.

So doth the Lord, he breaks our ſoules againe with the guilt of ſins; He will make us know, that wee muſt bring him more broken hearts; we ſhall know what it is to ſinne againſt him, and ſhall not p. 323make a reall and laſting peace without a ſound and ſolid humiliation.

And truly this is the great mercy of his wiſdome to work thus; for hereby he makes our foundation low, and ſure, and hereby he prevents ſubſequent ſtirs, and makes way for our ſurer and more comfortable apprehenſions and applications of his love in Chriſt. You know that a wiſe Schoolmaſter, when a boy skips from a hard leſſon to that which is more eaſie, he puts him back againe, and makes him ſay it over and over, ere he takes it forth. Men think to be catching at Chriſt, however they love to lay load on him, and throw their vile burdens upon him, though perhaps they never yet weighed their vile ſinings and diſhonourings of God: But the Lord will turne them back againe, he will take p. 324off theſe pragmaticall preſumers, and ſet them to learne their firſt leſſon better: He will make them more ſenſible of their vile hearts, and waies, and actions; they ſhall not ſo eaſily come off from their accurſed tranſgreſſions; the Lord will hold up the comfortable anſwers of his favours, and the ſweet taſts of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make them againe to ſit downe in bitter ſorrow for piercing the Lord Chriſt, and ſhedding his bloud, and grieving of his Spirit, and all that men might be more humbled, and more really fitted for Chriſt.

2. To make us more humble. I aſſure you oft times our very victories make us proud, and that very grace which ſhould be a cauſe to abaſe us, occaſionally and accidentally is a means to puffe us: we riſe too often above our p. 325ſelves, beyond meaſure: And therefore as to Paul there was given a ſting to abaſe him, leſt And that we might beſtow our tears & not our tongues on others ſinning.he ſhould be over-exalted; ſo to many Chriſtians the Lord doth returne unto them the ſenſible ſting of ſome notable guilt, to abaſe their hearts, to put them in mind of themſelves.

For this reduction of former gilt, it gives up unto us our baſe and treacherous natures, and the births of our owne hearts: Ah! faith ſuch a perſon, this heart, this nature of mine, what was it? what is it, if the Lord leaves it? See here the grapes, the ſowre grapes of this wild-vine, little reaſon have I to be ſo highly conceited of my ſelf, as long as I perceive ſuch loath ſome accounts and iſſues from my ſelfe.

And veri…y, it makes us ofttimes to deſpiſe our ſelves, to abhorre our ſelves in duſt and p. 326aſhes: And this is one great Our preſent graces make us good, and the ſenſe of former ſins keeps us humbleend and uſe which the Lord makes of former ſins, To keep the heart in a very humble frame: We muſt have ſomething or other ſtill put unto us of our owne, which will let us ſee how fooliſh we are by nature, that is Davids phraſe, and how brutiſh we were, that is Solomons phraſe.

3. To make us more carefull: For the ſharp remembrance of ſinne doth in a godly heart work ſtronger deteſtation, and ſtronger watchfulneſſe: God doth make their Remembring the gall & the wormwood, Lam. 3.Lam 3new conſiderations to be our preſent preventi…s: Future commiſſions of ſin…e are many times prevented by new impreſſions of former ſins.

What? ſhould I ſinne thus again? ſaith the humble heart: have I not reaſon to cruſh theſe births? to crucifie that bitter root, to pray againſt it, p. 327to watch againſt it, to reſiſt it, to deny it, which hath beene and is now a ſword in my conſcience?

But now conſider that there is a double carefulneſſe wrought by the new riſing of ſinne.

1. One reſpects the guilt of it; and here our care is to get our acquitance renewed and inlarged. O how doth the Lord by theſe riſings of ſin, ſoone cauſe the ſoule to riſe up in ſuing out his grace and favour▪ It cauſeth many a teare, many a prayer, many a wreſtling with God, many preſſings upon the promiſes, many an earneſt beſeeching to have our pardon and diſcharge more fully ſealed unto our conſciences, by the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, and teſtimony of the Spirit.

2. Another reſpects the ſins themſelves, in their corrupt qualities, and inclinations, and p. 328motions; and this is a greater ſtudy againſt them: firmer reſolutions, ſtrengthning of covenants, confirmations of grace, of circumſpection, of deteſtation, of reſiſtance, of any thing or way by which the powers of ſin may be more ſubdued and caſt downe.

4. To make us more thankfull: Perhaps the Lord hath pardoned thoſe ſins which riſe anew in thy heart; they doe not alwayes riſe, becauſe God hath not diſcharged their guilt, but becauſe thou haſt not diſcharged thy new debt; they ariſe as a debt, for the diſcharge of a debt: as we uſe to put men in mind of their former miſeries, not that thereby they are made miſerable, but becauſe thereby they ſhould be made thankfull. Beloved, to have former ſins diſcharged, it is mercy, I ſay mercy, yea and a rich mercy, p. 329greater then to give a condemned perſon life, or to give an impriſoned perſon liberty, far greater: No ſuch mercy as that which blots out our ſins, which ſaves a ſoule from hell, and gives it pardon and life. Now great mercies ſhould be anſwered with great thankfulneſſe: Thou didſt, in the ſenſe and ſting of thy guilt, go with an heavy heart, with bitter ſighes, with deep oppreſſions, O that I had mercy! O this burden! O this wound! O this ſinne! Yea and with deep proteſtations, If the Lord will but pardon it, If he will ſhew me mercy, If he would receive me graciouſly, he ſhould have the calves of my lips, I would love him indeed, I would ſerve him, I would praiſe and thank him, I would ſpeak good of his name, I would ſay, Who is a God like him, that forgiveth iniquities, tranſgreſſions and p. 330ſins, and paſſeth by the ſins of his people?

Well, the Lord hath ſhewed himſelfe like himſelfe, a God very gracious and mercifull; but we perhaps have ſhewed our ſelves like our ſelves, in diſtreſſes, earneſt, and full of promiſes; but in our exemptions, flat, and full of forgetfulneſſe. Now the Lord doth exceedingly diſlike this vanity and doubting of heart; he loves that mercy ſhould be ſtill acknowledged to be mercy? he would have us to look back, as well as to look up; and to give him thanks for that mercy, for which not long ſince wee would have given all the world and our ſoules too: And therefore doth he caſt unto us our accounts, he lets us thereby ſee what they were, and what he hath done, that wee may confeſſe our error for not anſwering great mercy with p. 331great thankfulneſſe.

But perhaps you will inquire, Ob. What if we our ſelves for our part be the cauſe of reviving of former guilt and ſting of former ſins?

I anſwer, If it be by way of Sol. humiliation, to ſeek the pardon, and to make confeſſion to the God of mercy, and to get victory over them, this ſhould no way diſcourage us; for this is no more hurt or prejudice to the ſoule, then the after laying open of the wound to the Chirurgion to dreſſe and cure it, is prejudiciall to the ſafety and welfare of the body.

But if it be by way of commiſſion, either by relapſing into the ſame ſins, or multiplying of ſinne in another kinde, (both which will dig up again our buried and fore-paſt guilts) then I know no way of peace and ſafety, no way to allay theſe renewed accuſations p. 332and ſtings, but by renewed ſorrow and repentance. And verily what I delivered unto you heretofore about recovery from relapſing, that is the courſe preſently to be taken here: O let us haſte in before the Lord with hearts trickling down with tears of bloud, for old and preſent wounds: the very abundance of ſorrow, the bitterneſſe of griefe, the art of ſelf-affliction, I cannot ſay that ſorrow of ſorrow, that hatred of hatred, that indignation of indignation, that revenge of revenge, that repentance of repentance, which are here neceſſarily required, and that too with longeſt continuance. Doe what thou wilt, ſhuffle off, cut to thy ſelfe a peace, thou ſhalt never have it, thy ſinnes ſhall ever and anon gall, and vexe, and wound thee, untill thou haſt renewed thy bitterneſſe of moſt humbled ſorrow for p. 333renewing thy filthineſſe and baſeneſſe of thy audacious ſinning.

But then ſuppoſe, that Satan Ob. through his malicious art doth revive our former guilt by his accuſations, for our greater interruption and diſquietment; what is now to be done?

I will ſhew you here briefly Sol. two things:

1. One is, how you may know that the reviving of former guilt be from Satan or no.

2. Another is, what is then to be done by us.

1. You may know that How to know whether Satan revives former ſins.your ſins are revived by Satan, from two effects.

1. One is from the deſperate iſſues of their reviving: you may know whether a man be a friend, or a malicious enemy, who doth revive the errors and failings amongſt men; a friend, hee revives p. 334them that you may be bettered either to reforme, if the thing be evill, or to be circumſpect whether the thing be true or falſe; but the malicious enemy he revives them, onelyonly to make you odious and loathſome. Now Satans reviving of former ſins is ever odious, it is of evill, for evill, his end is deſperate: What is that? That is, that we might give up all poſſible intereſts in mercy, all hope of pardon and acceptance. Whence it is, where he revives ſins, former ſins, hee bends the heart to ſome preſent miſchiefe, to renounce all hope of mercy, and to ſelfemurder, and ſuch deſperate iſſues; both which are againſt the ends of God, and the deſires of an holy heart; which upon their reviving of ſinne, doe ever propoſe mercy and betterment unto the ſoule.

2. Another is from the filthy p. 335iſſues, which is this: Hee revives the ſting of ſinne, that he may make us more bold and mad in ſinning: He revives ſin unto ſin, there is no hope of mercy, of recovery, therefore as good to goe on as not: Whence he inclines the heart to a leaping into the water, to a wallowing in the mire, to a greedineſſe in the courſe of ſinning; which hee doth the more eaſily win from the evill hearts of evill men, by thoſe temporary allayments and ceſſations of ſtinging guilt, which they obſerve in themſelves, by their furiouſneſſe, conſtant, and hardning revolutions or exerciſe of the ſame ſins.

So that, if you whoſe hearts are tender, have been humbled for former ſins, and are ſo upright as ſtill to hate them, if former g…ilts be revived with an inclination either to p. 336give up all mercy, or to give over your ſelves now with licentiouſneſſe to the ſame or other ſins; here is Satan in this, Satan now revives thy guilt, and now another courſe is to be taken.

2. The courſe then is this, and I beſeech you mark it;

1. Strengthen thy heart with more deteſtations of the ſins: The more he revives the guilty accuſation, the more doe thou revive thy upright deteſtations: And as he poures out malice to diſturb thy conſcience, ſo doe thou poure out revenge to ſub due the grounds of it: And if he vexeth thee, doe thou goe and vexe thy ſinnes.

2. Beleeve not a malicious Thy caſe is not wicked, becauſe a wicked devill ſaith ſo.accuſer: Satan doth oft times ſerve a Writ in the Kings name, without the Kings ſeale; he forgives where God doth not, and he binds where God p. 337hath releaſed: And this know, It is God that juſtifieth, who then ſhall condemne? If the King himſelfe hath pardoned thee, how unjuſt is it for the under-officer to arreſt and challenge?

3. But in caſe of frequent inquietations, when Satan will not be anſwered, but ſtill chargeth, now make thine appeale The Chriſtian muſt appeale.from him to God; and if he charge thee in the Court of Conſcience, remove it wiſely to the higher court of heaven; let God once more have the hearing, and the deciding. And now Satan, what haſt thou to ſay unto me? Thou haſt ſinned heretofore, (ſaith Satan) and thy Judge doth know the truth of this indictment. I have (Satan) I confeſſe it, and my God doth know the truth of my ſorrow and repentance. Lord, doſt thou not know my teares, my returnings, my judgings of my ſelf, p. 338my feeling of mercy & grace? Lord thou haſt knowne it, and haſt knowne my ſoule with thy pardoning and accepting mercy.

4. Reſt the ſoule and faſten it unto the bloud of Chriſt, which will alwayes cry downe the teſtimonies and clamours of guilt; Nothing but that wil ſatisfie God, and vanquiſh Satan; and then by faith, not onelyonly lay hand on mercy, but hold out the ſtability of mercy. The Kings pardon will ſerve twenty years hence in caſe of ſuit. Satan may often trouble & queſtion, but Gods accepting of thee into mercy, will (I am ſure, it may) quiet and uphold thee.

14. The laſt ſpring of doubtings, was, ſilence in the conſcience, long ſilence there.

For the cloſing of this ſpring, and with it, this ſubject of doubtings, obſerve p. 339theſe particulars in a word.

1. The ſpeech of conſcience, what that is.

2. The ſpeechleſneſſe of conſcience, what and how.

3. To make conſcience ſpeak againe, what required.

4. To ſupport our ſelves in the times of its ſilence, what can and may.

1. The ſpeech of conſcience: The ſpeech of conſcience, whatThis is no more then its teſtimony for us, or againſt us; for conſcience is intimate with our ſecret frames, and intentions, and motives, and actions: By its naturall light it can tell much, by implanted light more, by renewed and ſanctified light, moſt of all Now the ſpeech of conſcience for us, is nothing elſe but an approbation of our eſtate, anſwerable to the Word, acquiting us againſt all feares and objections that we are the ſons of God, that we are truly changed, that we ſincerely p. 340love him, beleeve in Chriſt, and walk before him: for really the voice of Conſcience is but the eccho of the voice of the Word, and ſaith that unto us touching our particular, what the Word delivers in the generall. Its voice is but the Aſſumption, and the voice of the Word is but the Propoſition: The Word ſaith, that ſhould be; and Conſcience ſaith, here it is: The Word requires ſuch and ſuch things in a man to be ſaved, and who is in favour with God, and Conſcience brings them out, and anſwers for the perſon.

2. The ſpeechleſneſſe, or ſilence The ſpeechleſneſſe of conſcience what it is.of conſcience, is the ſuſpenſion of its determining and acquiting acts touching our eſtate in generall, or touching ſome particular doubts: Sometimes conſcience calls upon us, and ſometimes we call upon p. 341conſcience. In matters of direction to practiſe or forbearance, we uſually heare a reall and inward word, Do it not, or, Thou mayſt do it: In after doubts we call upon conſcience for its teſtimony, In the uprightneſſe of my heart did I it, and my conſcience doth beare me witneſſe.

Now of all the ſilences of conſcience, that is heavieſt which befalls us in our ſpirituall combats and tryals; wherein our gracious condition is queſtioned, but cannot be iſſued, becauſe conſcience holds up, and doth not teſtifie for us by any ſenſible approbation and acquitance, which is cauſed diverſly.

1. Sometimes through particular Silence in conſcience diverſly cauſed.miſ-behaviours againſt the directing voice of conſcience, theſe hold in the acquiting voice of conſcience, for conſcience will not ſpeak for p. 342us, if we preſume to ſinne againſt it.

2. Sometimes through diſregard to the voice of God in the Miniſtery; for Conſcience takes not that well, which the Word takes ill: and therefore God doth uſually make us know our neglects of his Word, by the ſilences of our conſciences: And aſſuredly ſomething is ordinarily amiſſe, when Conſcience ſpeaks unto us neither good nor bad.

3. Sometimes Conſcience is ſilent, to make us look higher then Conſcience, and that wee might know there is a higher Court to which wee muſt make our addreſſes.

4. Sometimes Conſcience is ſilent, to make us ſee upon what bottomes our faith is grounded, whether we can beleeve, becauſe God ſaith, as well as rejoyce, becauſe Conſcience ſpeaketh.

p. 3433. But to make Conſcience ſpeak, what muſt we doe? We have had its gracious teſtimonies, by which we have been much comforted and ſupported: How ſhall we recover it to ſpeech againe?

I anſwer,

1. Speak to God, and then The waies to recover conſcience to ſpee…h againe.God may ſpeak to Conſcience, and Conſcience will ſpeak to thee. God hath a greater command over Conſcience, then it hath over us: It is with God and Conſcience, as with a King and his Courtiers, let the King ſpeake kindly to a Petitioner, the Courtiers will then imbrace him lovingly: and indeed Conſcience will carry Gods face, and expreſſe his diſpoſitions of love: Therefore this doe, ſpeak to the Lord, 1. To ſhew thee the cauſe of Conſciences ſilence. 2. To give thee the teſtimony of his owne p. 344Spirit, which will draw with it againe the teſtimony of thine owne conſcience, Rom. 8. 16.

2. Speak to duty: Be ſure thou doe not diſpleaſe Conſcience: If thou haſt, repent, and adde no more to make Conſcience diſpleaſed, or ſilent.

4. But how may we ſupport our ſelves in the times of ſilence?

I anſwer, thou mayſt comfort thy ſelfe, if

1. The Word can approve thee: the teſtimony of the Word is ever open, though that of Conſcience be not: What is the reaſon? Becauſe men may have a conſtant audience and tryall of their eſtates. And take one thing by the way, If the Word (which is alwayes open and ſpeaking) if it acquits thee, Conſcience (though now ſilent, whenſoever it ſpeakes) will cleare thee.

p. 3452. Thou haſt and doſt approve the Word: How is that? That is, If the Word be thy rule, thy light, by which thou haſt and doſt walk: for when Conſcience comes to ſpeak, it gives its ſentence from the Word, (by which thou walkeſt) and of thy frame and courſe which thou preſerveſt in an upright anſwerableneſſe to the directions of the Word.