The Sound Believer, Chapter 2

The Sound Believer · Chapter 2

p. 251CHAP. 2. That every sinner thus beleeving in Christ, is at that instant translated into a most blessed and happy estate: John 5.24. Psal. 2. ult.

IF the Question be,Quest. What is that happy condition they are made partakers of?

I answer,Answ. this appeares in these six priviledges or benefits, principally.

1. Iustification, all their sinnes are pardoned.

2. Reconciliation, peace with God.

3. Adoption, they are made the Sonnes of God.

p. 2524. Sanctification, they are restored to the Image of God.

5. Audience of all their prayers to God.

6. Glorification, in the Kingdome of heaven, in eternall Communion with God.

SECT. I. First, Iustification.

THis is the first benefit which immediately followes our union unto Christ by Faith, that look as we are no sooner children of Adam, & branches of that root by naturall generation, but we immediately contract the guilt of his sin, and so originall pollution; so we are no sooner made branches of the second Adam by vocation, and so united unto Christ by Faith, but immediately wee have the imputation of his righteousnesse to our justification, after which we receive in order of nature (not time) our sanctification; There is no truth more necessary to bee knowne then this, it being the principall thing contained in the Gospell, Rom. 1.17. the Law shewing how a man may bee just and live; but it hath not the least word how a sinfull man may be just and not dye, this is proper to the revelation of the Gospell: let me therefore give you a tast of the nature of it.

p. 253Our Justification is wrought by a double act, 1. on God the Fathers part, he by a gracious sentence absolves and acquits a sinner, & accepts of him as righteous; 2. on God the Sons part, procuring the passing of this sentence by his satisfaction imputed and applyed: the Father being the person principally wronged hath chiefe power to forgive, yet in justice he cannot acquit, nor in truth account a man unrighteous as righteous, unlesse the Son step in and satisfie; for whose sake he forgives: as the Apostle expressely saith, Eph. 4. ult. so that our Justification is wholly out of our selves, and we are meerly passive in it. Justification is not to make us inwardly just, as the Papists dreame; but it is a Law-tearme, and is opposed against condemnation, Rom. 8.33. now look as condemnation is the sentence of the Judge condemning a man to dye for his offence or sin; so Iustification is the sentence of God the Father, absolving a man from the guilt and punishment of sin for the sake of the righteousnesse of Christ: That you may more particularly understand me, take this description of it.

Iustification is the gracious Sentence of God the Father, whereby for the satisfaction of Christ, apprehended by faith, and imputed to the faithfull, he absolves them from the guilt and condemnation of all sin, and accepts p. 254them as perfectly righteous to eternall life.

Let me open the particulars herein briefly in severall queries.

Quest. 1What it is in generall, to justifie.

Answ.Tis to passe sentence of absolution, to pronounce a sinner righteous; tis Gods pardon, remission of sinnes; this appeares from the opposition mentioned it stands in unto condemnation, as a Iudge pardons a man when he saith he shall live; or as a man manifestly forgives another when he gives him a promise, or a bill of discharge: so that (note this by the way that) our Iustification is not Gods eternall purpose to forgive, but it is Gods sentence published, a sinner is justified intentionally in election, but not actually till this sentence be past and published; The difficulty only here is, where this sentence is pronounced; for answer where of note, that there is but a double Court wherein tis passed: 1. Publikely in the Court of Heaven, or in the Court-rolls of the Word; (for there is no other Court of Heaven where God speaks, but this.) 2. Privately, in the Court of Conscience. By the first we are justified indeed from personall guilt; by the second we feele our selves justified by the removall of conscience guilt. The first is expresly mentioned, Act. 10.43. and Rom. 1.17. the second is expresly set downe also, Psal. 32.4. The first is the cause and foundation of this p. 255second; the second ariseth from the first: otherwise peace of conscience is a meere delusion: the first is sometimes long before the second, Psal. 88.15. as the sentence of condemnation in the Word is sometimes long before a man feeles that sentence in his own conscience; the second comes in a long time after in some Christians: The first is constant and unchangeable; the second very changeable: he that hath peace in his conscience to day, may lost it by to morrow. So that you are not (in seeking the testimony of your justification) to look for a sentence from heaven immediately pronounced of God, but look for it in the Court of his Word, (the Court of Heaven) which though we heare not, sometime, yet it rings and fills heaven and earth with the sound of it, viz. There is no condemnation to them that beleeve: for hereby the Lord mercifully provideth for the peace of his people more abundantly. As when a poore Creditor is acquited, or a malefactor pardoned, I beseech you (saith he) let me have an acquitance, a discharge, a pardon under your owne hand, and this quiets him against all accusers: so tis here; the Lord gives us an Acquitance in his VVord under his owne hand and seale, and so gives us peace, Heb. 6.18.

VVho is it that justifieth?2.

Tis God the Father. Answ.Rom. 8.34. Father p. 256forgive them, saith Christ. And hence Christ is an Advocate with the Father, 1 Iohn 2.2. All the three Persons were wronged by sin; yet the wrong was chiefly against the Father, because his manner of working appeared chiefly in creation, from the righteousnes of which, man fell by sinne. The Father forgives primarily by Soveraign authority; the Sonne of Man Christ Jesus forgives by immediate dispensation and commission from the Father, Iohn 5.22. Mat. 9.6. the Apostles and their successors forgive ministerially, Iohn 21.23. The Father forgives by granting pardon, the Sonne by procuring, the Ministers (where the Spirit also is) by publishing or applying pardon: so that this is great consolation, that God the Father the party chiefly incensed, tis he that justifieth, tis he that passeth this gracious sentence, and then who can condemne?

3.Why doth the Father thus justifie?

Answ.Tis meerly his grace, and out of grace. And hence I call it his gracious sentence, Rom. 3.24. justified freely by his grace. What is his grace? The Prophet Esay expounds it to be not our grace, or works of grace, (although wrought by grace) but his owne name sake. Esay. 43.25.Isa 43:25In some respect indeed it is just for God to forgive, viz. in regard of Christs satisfaction. 1 Ioh. 1.7. Rom. 3.20. The Mercy-seat and the Tables of the Law in the Ark, may well p. 257stand together; but that Christ was sent to satisfie justice, and that thy sinnes were satisfied for, and not anothers: thus its wholly of grace. If therefore you think the Lord pardons your sinnes because you have been lesse sinners then others; or if you think the Lord will not pardon your sinnes, because you are greater sinners then any else, you sin exceedingly against the riches of Gods grace in this point.

What is the meane by which the Father doth thus justifie?4.

Tis for the satisfaction or by the price of the redemption of Christ,Answ. Rom. 3.25. Rom. 5.10. Eph. 1.7. for Mercy would, but Justice could not forgive, without satisfaction for the wrong done; Hence Christ satisfies, that Grace and mercy might have their full scope of forgiving. So that, neither works before conversion, which are but glistering sins, Rom. 1.18. nor works of grace in us after conversion, can be causes of our Justification: for Abraham when he was justified and sanctified, yet had not whereof to boast, but beleeved in him that justified the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. And the Apostle Paul saith expresly, We that believe have beleeved, that we might be justified, Gal. 2.16. tis therefore the price of Christs redemption which doth procure our justification. But understand this aright, for this price is not applyed to p. 258each particular man as the common price, redeeming all, (for then every Beleever should be accounted a saviour, and redeemer of all) but as the price of those soules in particular, to whom it is specially intended, and particularly applyed. Christs righteousnesse is sufficient to justifie all to whom it is imputed, but it is no further imputed then to the attaining the end of imputation, viz. to justifie and save me in particular, not to make me a head of the Church or a common Saviour: it argues a man weakly principled, that denies the necessity of Christs satisfaction to our Justification, because forsooth every Beleever should then be a Redeemer.

By Satisfaction I understand, the whole obedience of Christ unto the very death, which is both active and passive, by which we are justified; Heb. 10.10. Phil. 2.8. that righteousnesse of Christ (wrought in his satisfaction) is imputed, which satisfies the Law and divine Justice, Gal. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. which is both active and passive: the very reason why the Law requires perfect obedience of us, which we cannot possibly bring before God; is, that wee might seek for it in Christ, that fulfilled all righteousnesse: and therefore he is called the end of the Law for righteousnesse, Rom. 10.3, 4. And it is strange that any should deny Justification by Christs active obedience, upon this p. 259ground; viz. because that by the works of the Law (which satisfy the Law) shall no sinner be justified; and yet withall, say that we are justified by that which satisfies the Law.

This righteousnesse of Christ is not that of the God-head, (for then what need was there for Christ to doe or suffer?) but that which was wrought in the Man-hood. And hence it is finite in it selfe, though infinite in value, in that it was the righteousnesse of such a person. This righteousnesse of Godman may be considered two wayes; First, absolutely in it selfe; Secondly, respectively, as done for us.

1. Christs absolute righteousnesse is not imputed to us, viz. as he is Mediatour, Head of the Church, having the Spirit without measure (which is next to infinite) &c. for though these things are applyed for our good, yet they are not imputed as our righteousnesse; and therefore the objection vanisheth, which saith we cannot be justified by Christs righteousnesse, because it is of such infinite perfection.

2. The respective or dispensative righteousnesse which some call justitia fidejussoria, is that whereby Christ is just for us in fulfilling the Law, in bearing Gods Image, we once had, and have now lost by sin; and thus we are truly said to be as righteous as Christ by imputation, because hee p. 260kept the Law for us: and here observe that the question is not whether all that Christ did and had is imputed to us as our righteousnesse, but whether all that he did pro nobis, for us, as a surety in fulfilling the Law, be not for substance, our righteousnesse; and therefore to think that we are not justifyed by Christs righteousnesse, because then we are justifyed by his working of miracles, preaching of Sermons, which women are not regularly capable of, is but to cast blocks before the blind; so that though Christ doth not bestow his personall wisdome and justice upon another, yet what hinders, but that that which Christ doth by his wisdome and righteousnesse for another, the same should stand good for him for whom it is done? for thus it is in sundry cases among men; Christs essentiall righteousnesse, infinite wisdome, fulnesse of spirit without measure, &c. is not imputed to us; yet these have conspired together to doe that for us, and suffer that for us, by which we come to bee accounted righteous before God, hee shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse, Ier. 23.6. This righteousnesse therefore imputed to us justifies us, Rom. 5.18. we are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in him: 2 Cor. 5.20.2 Cor 5:20not the righteousnesse of God whereby he is just, but whereby we are just; opposed to the righteousnesse of man which is called p. 261our owne righteousnesse. Rom. 10.3. Rom. 1.17. Not righteousnesse from him (as the Papists dreame) but righteousnesse in him; nor remission by Christ only, but righteousnesse in Christ; this imputed justifies, as sin imputed condemnes.

Who are the persons the Lord doth justifie?5.

They are beleevers,Answ. we are justifyed by faith, Rom. 5. or for Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith, Phil. 3.9. it is by faith not as a work of grace, but as by an instrument appointed of God for this end. Christ did not dye that our sins should be actually and immediately pardoned, but mediately by Faith, Iohn 3.16. Iohn 17.20. and the Lord in wisdome hath appointed this as the only means of applying righteousnes, because this above all other graces cast down all the righteousnesse of man in point of justification, and so all cause of boasting, and advanceth grace and mercy only, Rom. 3.27. Rom. 4.16. Rom. 4.5. Rom. 9.30, 31, 32. the faithfull account themselves ungodly in the businesse of justification, and thence it is said that Abraham (though a godly man in himselfe, yet) beleeved in him that justifies the ungodly: he only is righteous whom God pronounceth and saith is righteous. Now Faith above all other graces beleeves the word; and a Beleever saith, I beleeve I am righteous, p. 262before God, not because I feele it so in my selfe, but because God saith I am so in his Son, so that you are not justified before you beleeve; nor then only, when you have performed many holy duties, but at the first instant of your closing with Christ, you are then to see it, and by Faith to admire Gods rich grace for it.

6.What is the extent of this sentenc…?

Answ.The description saith, that Christs satisfaction thus applyed, the Father doth two things.

1. He absolves them from all guilt and condemnation of sin; so that in this sense, he sees no iniquity in Iacob; chastisements they may now have after justification, but no punishments; crosses, not curses; such as destroy their sins, no punishments to destroy their soules: hence those phrases in Scripture, scattering sins as a mist, blotting them out, remembring them no more, setting them as farre as East is from the West: for Christ being made sin for his people, and this being imputed, he abolishing all sin, by oxe offering, Heb. 10. hence all are forgiven; and hence it is that there can be no suit in Law against a sinner, the Law being satisfied, and the sinner absolved; nay hence sin is condemned, and the sinner spared, Rom. 8.3. as Christ dyed for us, so he was acquitted for us, and wee in him; we in him in redemption, we p. 263by him in actuall faith and application.

Whether all sins, past, present, and to come, are actually forgiven at the first instant of beleeving, I will not, dare not determine; this is safe to say, 1. That the sentence of pardon of all thy sins, is at an instant, Rom. 8.1. but not the sense, nor execution of pardon: Actuall sentence of pardon, not actuall application of pardon, till they be actually committed, Col. 2.13. Heb. 9.12. Heb. 10.1, 2. Rom. 3.25. There is a pardon of course (some say) for sins of infirmities, I say there is also a pardon of course for sins of wilfulnesse, all manner of sins; but not sense of pardon alwayes.

Hee accepts and accounts as perfectly 2righteous, Rom. 4.3. Faith is accounted for righteousnesse, not the act of Faith, as the Arminians would, but the object of it apprehended by faith, Rom. 5.17. The Lord accounts us as righteous, through Christs righteousnesse, as if wee had kept all the Law, suffered all the punishments for the breach of it; Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect, whom God hath justified? saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. Satan may answer, Yes, I can, for the Law saith, The soul that sins must dye: Christ answers, but I have dyed for him, and satisfied the utmost farthing to justice in that point: True, may Satan say, here is satisfaction for the offence, p. 264but the Law must be kept also; the Lord Christ answers, I am the end of the Law for righteousnesse, I am perfectly holy and righteous, not for my selfe, (for I am common person) but for this poore sinner who in himselfe is exceedingly and wholly polluted, and hence the Lord covers sinnes, as well as pardons sins; cloathes us with Christ, as well as remits sin for Christs sake; and as we are accounted sinners by imputation of Adams legall unrighteousnesse, so are we accounted righteous by the second Adams legall righteousnesse, and that unto eternall life: Rom. 5.17, 18.

Thus you see the nature, now the Lord open your eyes to see the glory of this priviledge: you that never felt the heavie load of sin, the terrors of a distrested conscience arising from the sense of an angry God, cannot prize this priviledge; but if you have, you cannot but say as he did, Oh blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered; and again, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sin: Psal. 32.12. The Lord pity us; how many bee there in these times, that know there is no justification but by Christs righteousnesse, and yet esteem it not? let me therefore give you one glimpse of the glory of it in these particulars.

1. This is the righteousnes by which a sinner p. 265is righteous, the Law shewes you how a man may be righteous, but there is not the least tittle of the Law, which shewes you how a sinner may become righteous, this never could have entered into the thoughts of Angells how this could be; it is crosse to sense and reason, for a man accursed and sinfull in himselfe, to be at that very time blessed and righteous in another; to say, Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man, Luke 5.8. is the voyce of naturall conscience awakened, not only concerning God out of Christ, but even when God appeares in Christ as he did then to Peter; but that the Lord should become our righteousnesse, when we think no sinners like our selves: no cases, no afflictions, no desertions like ours, who can beleeve this? yet thus it is; the very scope of the fourth Chapter to the Romans, is not to shew how a just man may be made righteous,Rom. 4.5.Rom 4:5 but how a sinner may; our owne duties, works, and reformation, may make us at the best but lesse sinfull, but this righteousnesse makes a sinner sinlesse.

2. By this a sinner is righteous before the judgement seat of God: what man that hath awakenings of conscience, but trembles exceedingly when hee considers of the judgement seat of God, and of his strict account there? but by this wee can look upon the face of the Judge himselfe with boldnesse. p. 266It is God that justifies, who shall condemne? Rom. 8.32. can Christ condemne? hee is our Advocate. Can sin condemn? why did Christ dye and was made sin then? can Satan condemne, if God himselfe justifie us? if the Judge acquit us, what can the Jaylor doe? can the Law condemne? no, the Lord Christ hath fulfilled it for us, to the utmost; Oh the stings that many have, saying, what shall I doe when I dye and goe down to the dust? may not the Lord have something against me at the day of reckoning that I never saw, nor got cancelled? oh poore creatures! is Christ now before God without spot? hath he cleared all reckonings? verily as he is before him, so are you, through that righteousnesse which is in him for you.

3By this you have perfect righteousnesse, as perfectly righteous, as Christ the righteous, 1 Iohn 2.1, 2. and 3.7. All your owne righteousnesse though it bee the fruit of the Spirit of grace, is a blotted, stained righteousnesse, very imperfect and little; but by this, the faith of David, Peter, Paul was not more precious then thine is, because thou hast the same righteousnesse as they had. 2 Pet. 1, 2. What sincere soule but esteems of perfect holinesse more then of heaven it selfe? oh consider thou hast it (in this sense I now speak of) in the Lord Jesus.

p. 267By this you have continuall righteousnesse; 4what dost thou complaine of dayly? is it not because thou feelest new sins, or the same sins confessed, and lamented, and in part subdued? nay some to thy feeling wholly subdued; but they return upon thee againe, and the springs in the bottome fill thy soule againe, that thou art weary of thy selfe and life: oh but remember, this is not a cisterne, but a fountaine opened, Zach. 13.1. for thee to wash in; as sin abounds, so grace in this gift of righteousnesse abounds much more; the Lord hath changes of garments for thee: Zach. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. by meanes of which, there shall never enter into the Lords heart, one hard thought toward thee of casting thee off, or of taking revenge, upon any new occasion or fall unto sin.

By this you have eternall righteousnesse, 5that never can be lost; if the Lord should make thee as perfectly righteous as once Adam was, or Angells in heaven are, and put on thy royall apparell againe, thou wast in danger of losing this, and of being stript naked againe; but now the Lord hath put your righteousnesse into a safer hand which never shall be lost, Heb. 9.12. Dan. 9.24.

By this you please God, and are more 6amiable before him, then if you had it in your selfe; doe not say this is a poore righteousnesse, p. 268which is thus out of my selfe in another; why doe you think righteousnesse in your selfe would be best? is it not because hereby you think you shall please God? Suppose thou hadst it, yet thy righteousnesse should be at the best but mans righteousnes, but this is called the righteousnesse of God, which cannot but be more pleasing to him, then that in thy selfe, 2 Cor. 5.20. what is Angelicall righteousnesse to the righteous-of God? tis but a glow-worm before the Sunne: the smell of Esaus garments, the robes of this righteousnesse of the Sonne of God, are of sweeter odour then thine can be, or ever shall be, Eph. 5.1, 2. tis said By faith Abel, Enoch, &c. pleased God: their persons were sinfull, their owne duties were weak, yet by faith in this they pleased God: thou thinkest when thou goest to Prayer, if I had no sinne but perfect holinesse in me, surely God would heare me. I tell you when you bring this offering of Christs righteousnesse, the Lord had rather have that, then all you can doe, you bring that which pleaseth him more, then if you brought your owne. For aske thy owne conscience if it be possible for the righteousnesse which is done by thy self to be more pleasing to God, then the righteousnesse of the Sonne of God, the Lord of Glory himselfe, done and perfected for thee.

p. 2697. By this you glorifie God exceedingly, as Abraham beleeved, Rom. 4. and gave glory unto God. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory, Esay 45.25. For,

1. By this you glorifie him perfectly in an instant, for you continue to doe all that the Law requires that instant you beleeve. The Apostle propounds the Question, Rom. 3.21. whether a Christian by faith doth make void the Law? No, saith the Apostle, but we establish the Law. How is that? Paraeus shews three wayes: One is this, because that perfect righteousnesse which the Law requires of us, we performe it in Christ, by faith. So that in one instant thou continuest to doe all that the Law requires, and hence ariseth the impossibility of a true Beleevers apostacie, as from one principall cause: They that deny satisfaction by Christs doing of the Law, because by our own works and doings we cannot be justified before God, may as well deny satisfaction by Christs sufferings, because by our owne sufferings we cannot be justified; our obedience to the Law in way of suffering, is as truly the works of the Law, as our obedience in way of doing.

2. By this you glorifie Gods justice; what ever Justice requires to be done or suffered, you give it unto God, by faith in Christ.

p. 2703. By this you glorifie grace and mercy, Ephes. 1.7. for by this meanes mercy may over-abound toward you, and you may triumph in it as sure and certaine to you. What a blessed mysterie is this! Doth it not grieve you that you cannot glorifie God in your times and places? Behold the way, if thou canst not doe it by obedience, thou maist by faith: and thereby make restitution of all Gods glory lost and stolne from him by thy disobedience to him.

8By this you have peace in your consciences; by this, Christs blood is sprinkled upon them, and that cooles the burning torments of them, Rom. 5.1. The commers unto the Leviticall sacrifices and washings, (types of this offering of Christ) could not thereby be perfected and bee without the guilty conscience of sinne, none of your duties can pacifie conscience, but as they carry you hither to this righteousnesse, but the commers to this have no more terrours of conscience for sinne, I meane they have no just cause to have any; this Rain-bow appearing over your heads, is a certaine signe of fair weather, and that there shall be no more deluge of wrath to overwhelme thee.

9By this all miseries are removed; when thy sinnes are pardoned, there is something like death, and shame, and sicknesse, but they are not; it's said, Isay 33. ult. p. 271There shall be none sicke among them; why so? because they shall be forgiven their iniquities: Tis no sicknessse in a manner, no sorrow, no affliction, if the venome, sting, and curse be taken away by pardon of sinne; thy sicknesse, sorrow, losses, death it selfe is better now then health, joy, abundance life; you may here see death, hell, grave, swallowed up in victory, and now tread upon the necks of them, 1 Cor. 15. You may see life in death, heaven in the deepest hell, glory in shame: when thou seest all thy sinnes done away in the blood of Christ Jesus. This is the blessednesse of all you poore beleevers and commers to the Lord Jesus: what should you doe but beleeve it, and rejoyce in it? If the wicked that apply this righteousnesse presumptuously say, Let us sinne that grace may abound, and make no other use of forgivenesse, but to run in debt, and sinne with a license: Why should not you say, on the other side, Let me beleeve and owne my portion in this righteousnesse, that as my sinnes have abounded, so my love may abound; as my sinnes have been exceeding great, so the Lord may be exceeding sweet; as my sinnes continue and increase, so my thankfulnesse, glory in God, triumph over death, grave, sinne, through Christ, may also increase; as you see righteousnesse in Christ for ever yours, so you may from p. 272thence expect from him such a righteousnesse as may make you righteous also as hee is righteous. Tremble thou hard-hearted impenitent wretch, that didst never yet come to Christ, nor feele thy need of him, or prize his blood; this is none of thy portion, all thy sinnes are yet upon thee, and shall one day meet thee in the day of the Lords fierce wrath, when he shall appeare as an everlasting burning before thine eyes, and thou stand guilty before him as chaffe and stubble.

SECT. 2. Secondly, Reconciliation.

This is the second benefit which in order of nature followes our Justification, although sometime in a large sense it is taken for the whole work of Justification; strictly taken, it followes it, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, i. e. not onelyonly peace from God in our consciences, but peace with God in our reconcilement to him, and his favour toward us: Being justified, we shall be saved from wrath, i. e. not onelyonly the outward fruits of wrath, but wrath from whence those come; Christ is first King of Righteousnesse, then King of Peace, Heb. 7.2. for is not finne the cause of p. 273Gods anger? must not sinne therefore bee first removed in our justification, before wee can have Gods anger allayed in our reconciliation? so that as in our justification the Lord accounts us just, so in our reconciliation (himselfe being at peace with us) hee accounts us friends; indeed our meritorious reconciliation is by Christs death; as the Kings son who procures his fathers favour toward a Malefactor, who yet lyes in cold irons and knowes it not; and this is before our justification or being, Rom. 5.9. but actuall and efficacious reconciliation, whereby we come to the fruition and possession of it, is after our justification, Rom. 3.24, 25. Christ is a propitiation by faith, and here the Malefactor hath tidings of favour, if he will accept of it, Ephes. 2.15, 17. and of this I now speake: God and man were once friends, but by finne a great breach is made, the Lord onelyonly bearing the wrong is justly provoked, Isa. 65.2, 3. man that onelyonly doth the wrong, is notwithstanding at enmity with him, and will not bee intreated to accept of favour, much lesse to repent of his wrong, Ier. 8.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. the Lord Jesus therefore heales this breach by being mediator between both; he takes up the quarrell, and first reconciles God to man, and man to God, in himselfe in redemption, and after this reconciles God and man p. 274by himselfe in (or immediately upon) our justification.

This Reconciliation consists in two things chiefly:

1. In our peace with God, whereby the Lord layes by all acts of hostility against us, Rom. 5.1.

2. In love and favour of God, I doe not meane Gods love of good will, for this is in election, but his love of complacencie and delight, for till we are justified, the Lord behaves himselfe as an enemy and stranger to us who are polluted before him, but then he begins thus to l…ve us, 1 Ioh. 4.10, 16. Col. 1.21, 22. A Gardiner may intend to turne a Crab-tree stock into an an Apple-tree, his intention doth not alter the nature of it, untill it actually be ingraffed upon: so we are by nature the children of wrath, Ephes. 1.3. The in…ention of God the Father, or his love of good will doth not make us children of favour and sonnes of peace, untill the Lord actually call us to and ingraffe us into Christ, and then as Christ is the delight of God;Esa. 4.1, 2.Isa 4:1Isa 4:2 so we in him are loved with the same love of delight. Peace with God and love of God are different degrees of our reconciliation: A Prince is at peace or ceaseth warre against a rebell, yet he may not bring the Rebell before him, into his bosome of speciall favour, delight, and love; but the Lord doth both, p. 275towards us enemies, strangers, Rebels, devils, in our reconciliation with him.

Oh consider what a blessed estate this is to 5be at peace with God: It was the title of honour the Lord put upon Abraham to bee the friend of God, Isa. 41.8. I am not able to expresse what a priviledge this is, tis better felt then spoken of; as Moses said, Psal. 90. Who knowes the greatnesse of his wrath? So I may say, who knowes the greatnesse of this favour and love?

1. That God should be pacified with thee after anger, this is exceeding glorious, Isa. 12.1, 2. What is man that the Lord should visit him, or looke upon him, though he never had sinned? but to look upon thee, nay to love thee, after provocation by sinne, after such wrath, which like fire hath consumed thousand thousands, and burnt downe to the bottome of hell, and is now and ever shall be burning upon them; Oh blessed are they that finde this favour.

2. That the Lord should bee pacified wholly and thorowly, that there should be no anger left …or you to feele. The poore afflicted Church might object against those sweet promises made her, Isa. 27.1, 2, 3. that she felt no love: You are mistaken, saith the Lord, Fury is not in me, vers. 4. Indeed against bryars and thornes, and obstinate sinners that prick and cut me to the very p. 276heart by their impenitencie, I have, but none against you: Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire, but in Christ he is nothing else but love, 1 Joh. 4.16. and though there may bee fatherly frownes, chastisements, reproofes, and rods, though hee may for a time hide his face, shut out thy prayers, deferre to fulfill promises, &c. yet all th…se are out of pure love to thee, and thou shalt see it, and feele it so in thy latter end, Heb. 12.8, 9. Never did David love Ionathan (whose love exceeded) as the Lord loves thee from his very heart: Now thou art in Christ by faith.

3. That the Lord should be pacified eternally, never to cast thee off againe for any sinnes or miseries thou fallest into; this is wonderfull: Those whom men love they forsake, if their love be a…used; or if their friends be in affliction, they then bid them good night; but the Lords love and favour is everlasting, Isa. 9.7. The mountaines may depart out of their places, and the hills cast downe to valleys, but the Lords kindnesse never shall, never can; Isa. 54.10.Isa 54:10He hath hid his face a little moment whiles thou didst live in thy sinne and unbeleefe, but now with everlasting mercy he will imbrace thee; nay which is more, the abounding of thy sinne is now the occasion of the abounding of his grace, Rom. 5.20. thy very wants and miseries p. 277are the very causes of his bowels and tender mercies, Heb. 4.15, 16. Oh what a priviledge is this? Did the Lord ever shew mercy or favour to the Angels that sinned? Did not one sinne cast them out of favour utterly? Oh infinite grace, that so many thousand thousands every day gushing out of thy heart, against kindnesse and love, nay the greatest, dearest love of God, should not incense his sorest displeasure against thee I the Lord that powred out all his anger upon his own Son for thee, and for all thy sinnes, cannot now poure out, nay he hath not one drop left (though he would) to poure out upon thee for any one sinne.

4. That the Lord should be thus pacified with enemies; a man may be easily pacified with one that offends him a little, but with an enemy that strikes at his life (as by every sinne you doe) this is wonderfull, yet this is the case here, Rom. 5.7, 8.

5. That the Lord should be pacified, even with enemies, by such a wonderfull way as the blood of Jesus Christ, Rom. 5.7, 8. this is such love, as one would think the infinite wisdome of a blessed God could have devised no greater; by this (v. 6.) he commanded and set out his love, which though now it grow a stale and common thing in our dayes, yet this is that which is enough to burst the heart with astonishment and p. 278amazement, to thinke that the party offended, (who therefore had no cause to seeke peace with us againe) should finde out such a way of peace as this is; woe to the world that despise this peace.

6. That being thus pacified, you may come into Gods presence with boldnesse at any time, and aske what you will: I wonder what he can deny you if he loves you, Rom. 5.2. and which is yet more, that now all creatures are at peace with you, Iob 5.23. as when the Captaine of the Army is pacified, none of his souldiers must hurt or strike that man; nay, that hereby all your enemies should be forced to doe good to you; Oh death where is now thy sting?

I have oft wondred, if Christ hath borne all our miseries and suffered death for us, why then should we feel any miseries or see death any more? and I could never satisfie my owne heart by many answers given, better then by this, viz. that if the Lord should abolish the very being of our miseries, they should indeed then doe us no hurt; but neither could they then doe us any good: for if they were not at all, how could they doe us good? now the Lord Jesus hath made such a peace for us, as that our enemies shall not only not hurt us, but they shall be forced (himselfe ordering of them) to doe much good unto us; all your wants shall but make p. 279you pray the more, all you sorrowes shall but humble you the more, all your temptations shall but exercise your graces the more; all your spirituall desertions shall but make you long for heaven, and to bee with Christ the more: it is now part of your portion, not only to have Paul, and Apollos, and world, 1 Cor. 3.22.1 Cor 3:22but death it self…, to doe you good: Oh Lord what a blessed estate is this; which, though thousands living under the Gospel of peace heare of, yet they regard not; they can strain their consciences in a restlesse pursuit of the favour of men, and in seeking worldly; yet peace to this day (though born enemies to God) never spent one day, it may be not one houre, in mourning after the Lord for favour from him, nor care not for it, unlesse it be upon their owne tearmes, viz. that God would be at peace with them, but they may still remain quietly in their sins and war against God; and thence it is, that the Lord will shortly take away peace from the whole earth, and plague the world with war and blood-shed: and as it is in Zach. 11.6. deliver every man into the hand of his neighbour, and into the hand of his King, and they shall smite the Land; even for this very cause, for despising the peace and reconciliation with God, you might and should have accepted in the Gospell of peace.

p. 280SECT. III. Thirdly, Adoption.

This is the third benefit, which in order of nature followes our reconciliation, whereby the Lord accounts us Sons, and gives us the Spirit and priviledges of Sons: for in order, we must be first beloved before we can be loved so as to be accounted Sons; 1 Iohn 3.1, 2. for the Lord of unjust to account us just in our justification is much; but for the Lord to account us hereby as friends, this is more: but to account us Sons also, this is a higher degree and a farther priviledge; and hence, our Adoption followes our Faith; Iohn 1.12, Gal. 3.26. and if Adoption, then the Spirit of Adoption much lesse doth not precede Faith. By Christs active obedience (our Divines say) we have right unto life; by Adoption wee have a farther right; the one destroyes not the other; for a man may have right unto the same thing upon sundry grounds: we know there are 2 sorts of Sons: 1. Some by nature, borne of our own bodies, and thus wee are not Sonnes of God, but children of wrath. 2. Some by Adoption which are taken out of another family, and accounted freely of us as our Sons; and thus Moses was for a time the sonne of Pharao…s daughter, and of p. 281this Son-ship by Adoption I now speak, the Lord taking us out of the family of hell to be his adopted Sons, Christ is Gods Son by eternall generation, Adam by creation; all believers are Sons by Adoption. Now Adoption is two-fold,

1. Externall, whereby the Lord takes a people by outward covenant and dispensation to be his Sons, and thus all the Jewes were Gods first-borne, Exod. 4.22. and unto them did belong the Adoption, Rom. 9.4, 5. And hence their children were accounted Sons, as well as Saints, and holy: 1 Cor. 7.14. Ezech. 16.20, 21. but many fall from this Adoption, as the Jewes did.

2. Internall, whereby the Lord out of everlasting love, to particular persons in speciall, he takes them out of the family of Satan, and by internall love and speciall account reckons them in the number of Sons; makes them indeed Sonnes, Isa. 56.5.Isa 56:5as well as calls them so: Isaac by speciall promise was accounted for the seed, Rom. 9.8. and of this we now speak. Now this is double.

1. Adoption begun, 1 Iohn 3.1, 2. …OW we are the Sons of God. To some of which, (though Sons indeed) yet the Lord behaves himselfe toward them for some time, and for speciall reasons; as unto servants, exercising them with many feares: Gal. 4.1, 2. some spirits will not bee the better for the p. 282love of their father, but worse; and therefore the Lord keeps a hard hand over them: to others, the Lord behaves himself with more speciall respect, in making them cry with more boldnesse, Abba Father, Rom. 8.15, 16, who will be more easily overcome, and bent to his will by love.

2. Adoption perfected, when we shall receive all the priviledges of sons, not one excepted, Rom. 8.23. where we are said to wait for our Adoption, the Redemption of our bodies; By the first we are sons, but not seen nor known such, 1 Iohn 3.1, 2. By the second, we shall be knowne before all the world to be such: we now speak principally of Adoption begun, whereby we are sons in Gods account, and by reall reception of the Spirit of Sons: the manner of this Adoption is thus.

1. God loves Jesus Christ with an unspeakable love, as his only Son, and as our elder brother.

2. Hence when we are in Christ his Son, he loves us with the same love, as he doth his own Son.

3. Hence the Lord accounts us sonnes, Eph. 1.5, 6. Gods love is not now toward us as to Adam his son by creation, viz. immediately diffused upon us; but in loving his owne Son immediately, hence he loves us, and hence p. 283adopts us, and accounts us children.

Oh that the Lord would open our eyes to see this priviledge; Behold it, saith Iohn, 1 Iohn 3.1. stand amazed at it, that children of wrath should become the Sonnes of the most high God; for a begger on the dunghill, a vagabond, runnagate from God, a prodigall, a stranger to God, whom the Lord had no cause to think on; to be made a Son of God Almighty.

If Sons, then the Lord doth prize and esteem you as Sonnes: if a man hath twenty sonnes, he esteems the poor…st, least, sick child he hath, more then all his goods and servants, unlesse he be an unnaturall father; I tell you that the least of you, the poorest and most …eeble beleever, is accounted of God, and more esteemed then all his houshold-stuffe; then heaven, earth, and all the glory in it, and all the Kings, and great men in the world: Isay 43.4, 5, 6. not because thou hast done any thing worthy of this, but only because he accounts thee freely as his Sonne.

If Sons, then the Lord surely will take care for you as for sons; a godly father hath a double care of his children. First, of their temporall; Secondly, and chiefly of their eternall estate; we are ready to question in times of want, what we shall eat, drink, how we shall live; oh consider, art thou a p. 284Son of God, and will not he that feeds the Ravens, and clothes the Lillies, Mat. 6.31, 32.Matt 6:31Matt 6:32provide for thee? yes verily, he wil take care for thy temporall good. It is true you may be brought into outward straits, wants, miseries, yet then the Lord is thereby plotting for thy eternall good, for hence come all Gods corrections, Deut. 8.5. Heb. 12.8. the Lord took all they had from them by their enemies in warre, and carried them away captive into a strange land, yet ler. 24.5. this was for their good; we think the Lord many times takes no care for us, & so make him of a worse nature then the savage beasts, or bloody men toward their young, but this is certain, he never denies any thing to us in outward things, but it is to further our eternall blisse with him, to doe us good in our latter end: what say godly parents? it is no matter what becomes of my children, when I am dead, if the Lord would but give them himselfe to be their portion; if at last they may see the Lord in glory: doe not wonder then if the Lord keeps you short sometimes.

If Sonnes, then he loves you as Sons, as a father doth his sons; you think the Lord loves you not, because you doe not alway feel his love, nor know his love; is thy son not thy child, because whiles it is young, it kno was not the father that begot it, or because thou art some time departed from it, p. 285and hast it not alway in thy owne arm…? Israel saith, my God hath forsaken me and forgotten me, Isa. 49.14. and yet no mother tenders her child, as the Lord did them; you think because you have so many sins and afflictions one upon another, that the Lord loves you not: judge righteously, hath thy child no father because it is sick long together, and therefore kept under unto a spare diet? no, he knowes our mould, and that we are but dust, and freely chose us to be his Sons, and hence loves notwithstanding all our sins: Psal. 89.32, 33. if hee sees Ephraim bemo…ning his stubbornesse, as well as his sicknesse and weaknesse, Ier. 31.20. doth not the Lord professe, Is he not my onelyonly Sonne?

If Sons, then we are heires and co-heires 4with Christ saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.17. sonnes by nature are not alway heires, but all sons by Adoption are: wee are heires with Christ, the Lord Christ as our elder brother managing all our estate for us, because unable to doe it our selves; wee are heires 1. of the Kingdome of glory, 1 Pet. 1.4, 5.2. Heires of all this visible world, 1 Cor. 3.22. not that we have the whole world in our own hand (it would be too cumbersome to us to manage,) but the Lord gives us the rent of it, the blessing and good of it, though it be possessed by others. Thirdly, wee are p. 286heires of the promise: Heb. 11.9. Heb. 6.17. whereby Iehovah himselfe comes to be our inheritance and portion for ever; and look as Christ was in the world an heire of all, though trod under foot by all, so are we; what can we desire more?

5If Sons, then we have, and shall ever have the Spirit of Sons; Rom. 8.15, 16. and what are we the better for this Spirit? truly hereby, First, we cry unto him, we are enabled to pray who could not pray before, because guilt stopt our mouths. Secondly, We cry Abba Father, and this Spirit witnesseth that we are Sons of this Father: it is not said that it witnesseth to our spirits, but foreign, it witnesseth with our spirits; i. our renewed conscience, thus; All beleevers called and justified of God are Sons, but I am such a beleever, therefore I am a Son; now the Spirit beares witnesse with us in every part, both premises and conclusion only, it being the clearest and strongest witnesse, it testifies the same thing our consciences doe, but yet more clearly, more certainly, more comfortably and sweetly, ravishing the soule with most unspeakable peace and joy, especially in the conclusion. I know there is a Noetick testimony, but it is lastly resolved into this; Ile not now dispute it, only this is certaine; that this testimony all the Sonnes of God have by meanes of their Adoption. p. 287They may not indeed sometime heare it; if they doe, they may object against it through the unbeleef in part remaining in them; or if it be sometimes suspended, what you want in the witnesse and comfort of it, you have it in the holinesse of it; and therefore the Spirit sealing is called the holy Spirit: Eph. 4.30. 1 Pet. 1.6, 7, 8. & is not this a great priviledge? Thirdly, hereby you are led and guided, and that continually toward your last end.Rom. 8.14Rom 8:14 For as if Adam had stood, he should have had the Spirit of God, this very Spirit to have kept him and all his posterity from falling at any time from God, so Christ having stood for us, justified us before God; sends the immutable constant assistance of the Spirit in Adoption, which though it doth not alway quicken us, nor comfort us, nor assure us, &c. yet it is every moment guiding and leading of us unto our utmost end. From hence it is, that the same sins which harden others, at last humble us, the same temptations by which others fall and perish, serve at last to purify us; hence our decay in grace leads us to growth at last, hence our feares and doubts serve to stablish us at last, hence ou… wildrings from God, for a time, make us esteem more of the presence and wayes of God at last; because this Spirit of Adoption is that by which we are led, and constantly assisted and carried toward our latret end: p. 288oh mourne thou that art as yet no Son, but a slave to Satan, and unto thy filthy lusts; a servant at best, working for wages only, and feare of the whip, who shalt not alway abide in Gods house as Sons shall doe: nay it may be …ast hated and reviled the Sonnes of God; time shall come that you shall wonder at their glory, who are not known now.

SECT. 4. Fourthly, Sanctification.

This is the fourth benefit which followes in order of nature, our justification, reconciliation, and adoption, for upon our being Sonnes in Adoption, we receive the image of our heavenly Father in Sanctification; because we are under grace. Hence it comes to passe that we are freed from the raigning power of sin, Rom. 6.14. so that our Sanctification followes our Justification, and Adoption goes not before it. In justification, we have the love and righteousnesse of the Son; in reconciliation, the love of the Father; in Adoption, the love of a Father and presence of the Spirit assisting, witnessing; in Sanctification, the image of our Father by the same spirit: and this I conceive with submission is the seale of the Spirit mentioned, Eph. 1.13. the seale sealing, is the Spirit it selfe; the seale sealed, consists first in the expression p. 289of it in Adoption, Secondly, in the impression of it in Sanctification, and that hee only shall passe as currant coyne, that hath both these; I know the most full and cleare expression and testimony of the Spirit is after all Gods work is finished in glorification, but the beginning of it is here in Adoption, a fuller measure of it in Sanctification; Gods seale is ever set to some promise (as mens seales to some bond, not to blanks) the Lords promise of actuall justification, and reconciliation, pertaines onelyonly to men sanctified or called: in Adoption therefore we receive the Spirit, which lookes both wayes; testifying either thou sanctified, art justified, or thou called, art justified and reconciled.

I speak not now of externall sanctification by outward shew and profession, and common illumination and operation of the Spirit upon men, from which many fall away. Heb. 10.29. but of internall and speciall; the nature of which, you may best conceive in these three degrees.

1. It is the renewing of a man. Tit. 3.5.Titus 3:5So that by it a man is morally made a new man, another man;2 Cor. 5.17.2 Cor 5:17 All things are become new: he hath new thoughts, new opinions of things, new desires, new prayers, and praises, new dispositions; regeneration not differing from it.

p. 2902. It is a renewing of the whole man. 1 Thess. 5.23. for as every part and faculty of man is corrupt by the first Adam, so they are renewed by the second Adam; not that we are perfectly renewed in this life by Christ, as we are corrupt by Adam, but in part in every faculty, Rom. 6.19. and from hence ariseth our spirituall combat and warfare with sin, yea with all sin; it is not because of our sanctification simply (for if it were perfect, we should warre and wrastle no more;) but from the imperfection of it. And this renewall in part, is in every part, even in the whole man: and as the first Adam propagates sin chiefly and radically in the soule, especially into the heart of man; and from thence it diffuseth it self like leven into the whole lump of our lives, so the Lord Jesus chiefly communicates this renewall into our hearts, and thence it sweetens our lives; and hence it is called the inner man; Rom. 2.28, 2.Rom 2:28Rom 2:2Rom. 7.22. Eph. 3.16. You see a little holinesse in a Christian; I tell you, if he be of the right make, there is a kind of infinite endlesse holinesse within him from whence it springs, as there is a kind of infinite endlesse wickednesse in a wicked man, from whence his sins spring: if a man bee outwardly holy, but not within, he is not sanctified, no more then the painted Sepulchres of the proud Pharisees; if any man say p. 291his heart is good, though he makes no shew in his life, he speaks not the truth, if the Apostle may bee beleeved, 1 Iohn 1.6. for sanctification is a renewall of the whole man, within and without; it is not for a man to have his teeth white, and his tongue tipt, and his nayles pared; No, no, the Lord makes all new where he comes.

3. It is a renewall unto the Image of God, or of God in Christ; an unsanctified man may bee after a sort renewed in the whole man, his outward conversation may be faire, his mind may bee enlightened, his heart may tast of the heavenly gift, &c Heb. 6.4, 5. he may have a forme of godlinesse, 2 Tim. 3.5. he may have strong resolutions within him unto godlinesse, Deut. 5.29. and hence with the five foolish V…rgins may be received into the fellowship of the wise, and not discerned of them neither, till the gate is shut; but they are never renewed in their whole man after the Image of God: i. they doe not know things, and judge of them as God doth, they doe not love and will holinesse and the meanes thereto, as God doth; they hate not sin, as God doth; they doe not delight in the whole Law of God, it is not writ in their hearts, and hence they love it not as God doth: and this is the cut of the threed between a sanctified and unsanctified Spirit; by sanctification a man is renewed p. 292unto Gods Image, once lost, but here again restored; Eph. 4.24. Iohn 1.16. we receive from Christ grace for grace, as the seale on the wax hath tittle for tittle, to that in the seale it selfe, we are changed into the same Image of Christ by beholding him, in the glosse of the Gospell, by Faith; 2 Cor. 3.18. I delight in the Law of God in my inward man, Rom. 7.23. and hence a Christian by the life of sanctification, lives like unto God; at least hath a holy disposition and inclination (the habits of holinesse) so to doe; Gal. 2.19. I live unto God, he calleth us from darknesse into his marvellous light, that we might shew forth his vertues; and that this is true sanctification, may thus appeare; because our sanctification is opposed to our originall corruption, as our justification to our originall and contracted guilt of sin: now as originall corruption is the defacing of Gods Image by contrary dispositions to sinfulnesse, so our sanctification can be nothing else but the removall of this pollution, by the contrary habits and dispositions to be like unto God againe: our sanctification is to be holy, Levit. 20.7. our holinesse hath no other primary pattern but Gods holinesse,1 Pet. 1.14.15.16.1 Pet 1:141 Pet 1:151 Pet 1:16 so that our sanctification is not the righteousnesse and holinesse in as it is inherent in Christ, for that is the matter of our justification, and therefore sanctification must be that holinesse p. 293which is derived unto us from Christ, whereby we are made like unto him; and thus Christ is made sanctification unto us, 1 Cor. 1.30. There should be no difference betweene Christ our righteousnesse and sanctification, if that holinesse which is in Christ should be both unto us. Hence also Sanctification is not the immediate operation of the Spirit upon us, without created habits of grace abiding in us, as the spirit that came upon Balaam, and mightily affected him for a time, but left him as destitute of any grace or change of his nature as the Asse he rode on; No, no, it renewes you unto the image of God himselfe, if you be truly sanctified. And therefore let all those dreames of the Familists, (denying all inherent graces, but onelyonly those which are in Christ, to be in the Saints) let them vanish and perish from under the sunne, and the good Lord reduce all such who in simplicity are mis-led from this blessed truth of God. I will not now enter into that depth concerning the means of our sanctification in mortification by Christs death and vivification by the resurrection of Christ: this may suffice for explication of the nature of it.

OnelyOnly see and for ever prize this priviledge, all you blessed soules, whom the Lord hath justified; thou hast many sad complaints, what is it to me, if I be justified in p. 294Christ, and be saved at last by Christ, and my heart remaine all this while unholy and unsubdued unto the will of Christ; that hee should comfort me, and my holy heart be alway grieving of him; what though the Lord save me from misery, but saves me not from my sinne? oh consider this benefit. It is true, thou findest a wofull, sinfull nature within thee, crosse and contrary unto holinesse, and leading thee daily in captivity; yet remember the Lord hath given thee another nature, a new nature; there is something else within thee, which makes thee wrastle against sinne, and shall in time prevaile over all sinne, Mat. 12.20. this is the Lords grace sanctifying of thee. Oh be thankfull that the Lord hath not left thee wholly corrupt, but hath begun to glorifie himselfe in thee, and to blesse thee, in turning thee from thine iniquities.

1. By this thou hast a most sweet and comfortable evidence of thy justification & favour with God; he that denyes this, must (what ever distinctions he hath) abolish many places of Scripture, especially the epistles of Iames and Iohn, who had to doe with some spirits, that pretended faith and union to Christ, and communion with him, and so long as it was thus, this was evidence sufficient to them of their justified estates. What faith Iames? Thou sayst thou hast faith, shew p. 295it me then; prove it for my part, saith he: Ile prove by the blessed fruits and works which flow from it, as Abraham manifested his, Iam. 2.18, 22. What saith Iohn? You talk (saith he) of fellowship and communion with Christ, and yet what holinesse is there in your hearts or lives? If you say you have fellowship with him, and walk in darknesse, we lye and doe not the truth; but if you walk in the light, then although your holinesse, and confession, and daily repentance for sinne doth not wash away sinne, yet the blood of Christ doth wash us, 1 Iohn 1.6, 7. Againe, you say you know Christ, and the love and good will of Christ toward you, and that he is the propitiation for your sinnes: how doe you know this? saith he: He that saith; I know him, and keeps not his commandements, is a lyar, 1 Iohn 2.4. True, might some reply, he that keeps not the commands of Christ, hath hereby a sure evidence that he knowes him not, and that he is not united unto him; but is this any evidence that we doe know him, and that we are united to him, if we doe keep his commandements? yes verily, saith the Apostle, hereby we doe know that we know him, if we keep his commandements, verse 3. and againe, verse 5. Hereby know we that we are in him. What can be more plain? What a vanity is this to say that this is running upon a covenant of p. 296workes? Is not sanctification the writing of the Law in our hearts, a speciall benefit of the covenant of grace as well as justification? Heb. 8.10.12. and can the evidencing then of one benefit of such a covenant by another, be a running upon the covenant of workes? is it a truth contained in the couenant of grace, viz. that he that is justified is also sanctified, and he that is sanctified is also justified? And is an errour against grace to see this truth, that he that is sanctified is certainly justified; and that therefore he that knowes himselfe sanctified, may also know thereby that he is justified: Tell me how will you know that you are justified? You will say, by the testimony of the spirit; and cannot the same spirit shine upon your graces and witnesse that you are sanctified as well? 1 Ioh 4.13, 24. 1 Cor. 2.12. Can the Spirit make the one cleare to you, and not the other?

Oh beloved its a sad thing to heare such questions and such cold answers, also that sanctification possibly may be an evidence; may be? is it not certaine? Assuredly, to deny it is as bad as to affirme that Gods owne promises of favour are true evidences thereof, and consequently, that they are lyes and untruths; for search the Scripture, and consider sadly, how many Evangelicall promises are made unto severall graces, i. e. p. 297unto such persons as are invested with them; you may only take a taste from Mat. 5.3, 4, &c. where our Saviour (who was no legall Preacher) pronounceth, and consequently evidenceth blessednesse by eight or nine promises, expresly made to such persons as had inherent graces of poverty, mourning, meeknesse, &c. there mentioned; the Lord Jesus leaving those precious Legacies of his promises unto his children that are called by those names of Mourners, poore in spirit, pure in heart, &c. that so every one may take, and bee assured of his portion manifested particularly therein: That I many times wonder how it comes to passe, that this so plaine and ancient principle of Catechisme (for so it was among the Waldenses many 100, yeeres since) grounded on so many pregnant Scriptures, should come to be so much as questioned in our dayes; sometimes I thinke it ariseth from some wretched lusts men have a minde to live quietly in; desirous to keepe their peace, and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts; and hence they exclude this witnesse of water, the witnesse of sanctification to testifie in the Court of conscience, whether they are beloved of God and sincere hearted or no, because this is a full witnesse against them, and tells them to their faces, that there is no peace to the wicked, Isa. 57. ult. p. 298Deut. 29.19, 20. and that they have nothing to doe to take Gods name into their lips, that secretly hate to bee reformed, Psal. 50.16.

In others I think it doth not arise from want of grace, but because the Spirit of grace and sanctification runs very low in them; tis so little that they can scarce see it by the help of spectacles; or if they doe, they doubt continually of the truth of it; and hence, because it can speake little, and that little very darkly and obscurely for them, they have no great mind that it should bee brought in as any witnesse for them. Others I thinke may have much grace and holinesse, yet for a time cast it by as an evidence unto them, because they have experience how difficult and troublesome it is to finde this evidence; and when tis found, how troublesome to read it, and keep it fair, and thereby have constant peace and quietnesse; and hence arise those speeches, why doe you looke to your sanctification, a blotted evidence? you may have it to day, and lose it to morrow, and then where is your peace? and I doe beleeve the LORD deprives many of his precious SAINTS from the comfort of this evidence; either because they looke onelyonly to this, and not unto Christ, and their Justification by faith, Rom. 5.1. or else because p. 299there is some secret lust or guile of spirit, Psal. 32.1, 2. which the Lord by sore and long shakings about their calling and sanctification, would first winnow out, or because there is a perverse frowardnesse of spirit, whereby because they feele not that measure of sanctification which they would, do therefore vilifie and so come to deny what indeed they have; because they feele a law of sinne in their members, leading them away captive; will not, with Paul, take notice of the Law of their mindes, whereby that inner man delights in the Law of God, and mournes bitterly under the body of death, by which they might see with Paul, that there is no condemnation to such, Rom. 8.1. To conclude, what ever is the cause of this crookednesse of judgement, I doe beleeve that the generall cause is, want of attendance and standing unto the judgement of the Scriptures in this controversie: for if this was stood unto, men would not produce their own experience; viz. that they could never finde any evidence from sanctification, but they have met with it in another way, by the immediate witnesse of the spirit onelyonly; nor would men cry it down, because grace being mixt with so much corruption, it can hardly be discerned, and so will be alway lest in doubts, and that the heart is deceitfull, and many that have evidenced p. 300their estates, hereby have been deceived: I confesse thus the Popish Doctors argue against assurance of faith from the Scriptures without speciall and extraordinary rev…lation; but what is all this to the purpose if the Scriptures make it an evidence? away then with thy corrupt experience, shall this be judge, or the Scriptures rather? what though many judging of themselves by markes and signes have been deceived; yet if the Scripture make it an evidence, (as we have proved) then, though men thorow their owne weaknesse or wickednesse have been deceived in misapplying promises; yet the Scriptures cannot deceive you: What though it be difficult to discerne Christs grace in us? yet if the Scriptures will have us try our estates by that rule, which in it selfe in easie, but to our blindnesse and weaknesse, difficult many times to see; who shall, who dares condemn the holy Scriptures? which as they shall judge us at last day should judge us now. Suppose that divers bookes, and many Ministers sometimes give false signes of grace and Gods favour, yet doth the Scriptures give any? I shall propose one thing to conscience, as the conclusion of this discourse: Suppose thou wert now lying on thy death-bed, comforting thy self in thy elected and justified estate; suppose p. 301the Spirit of God should now grapple with thy conscience, and tell thee, if thou art justified, then thou art called & sanctified, 2 Thes. 2.13, 14. Is it thus with thee? what wilt thou answer? if thou sayst thou art not sanctified, the word and spirit will beare witnesse then against thee, and say, then thou art not elected nor justified; if thou saist thou knowest not, thou lookest not to sanctification, or fruits of the spirit, they will then reply, how then canst thou say that thou art elected or justified? for it is a truth as cleare as the Sun, and as immovable as heaven and earth; None are elected and justified, but they are also sanctified, and they that are not sanctified are not justified, Rom. 8.1, 13. And now tell me, how can you have peace, unlesse you make your faces like slint before the face of Gods eternall truth, or heale your consciences by such a plaister as will not stick? If therefore the Lord ever made sinne bitter to thee, let holinesse be sweet; if continuance in sinne hath been an evidence unto thee of thy condemnation, Oh let the riches of the grace of Christ in redeeming thee from the lamentable bondage and power of sinne, be an evidence to thee of thy salvation; Oh blesse God for any little measure of sanctification; doe not scorne or secretly despise this spirit of grace, as many in this degenerate age begin p. 302to doe, saying, You looke to graces and fruits, and marks, and signes, and a holy frame of heart and sanctification; what is your sanctification? Oh let it be the more precious to thee, mourning that thou hast so little, and blessing the God and Father of all grace for what little thou hast, wearing it as a bracelet of gold about thy necke, knowing hereby that thou art borne of God, and that the whole world lyeth in wickednesse, and shall perish without this, 1 Ioh. 5.18, 19.

2. This is your glory & beauty, this is glorification begun; what greater glory then to be like unto God? to be like unto God is to be next to God: and therefore this is called glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. we are changed into the same image from glory to glory. Every degree of grace is glory, and the perfection of glory in heaven consists chiefly in the perfection of grace; what is the worke of some men at this day but to cast reproach upon sanctification our glory?

3. This will give you abundance of sweet peace, and therefore, Heb. 12.11. it is called the quiet fruit of righteousnesse; for from whence comes the sore troubles and continuall doubts of Gods favour in many mens consciences? Is it not some decay or guile here? Psal. 32.1, 2. Is it not some boldnesse to sinne; that they walke not in p. 303feare, and therefore not in the consolation of the Holy Ghost? Act. 9.31.Acts 9:31Is it not their secret dalliance with some known sinne, continued in with secret impenitencie? Is it not because they labou… with some strong unmortified corruption, pride, or passions, that they are in daily pangs and throwes of conscience for? Psal. 32.1, 2, 3, 4. what was the rejoycing of Paul? was it not that in all sincerity and simplicity he had his conversation among men? 2 Cor. 1.12. What was Hezekiahs peace when dying as he thought? was it not this, Lord remember I have walked before thee uprightly? Isa. 38.2, 3. not that this was the ground of their peace, for that onelyonly is free grace in Christ, but this is the meanes of your peace, Ioh. 14.22, 23. its a cursed peace which is kept by looking to Christ, yet loving thy lust.

4. This is that which will make you sit for Gods use, 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. a filthy uncleane cleane vessell is good for nothing till cleansed; God will not delight to glorifie himselfe much by an unsanctified person; what is thy wife, children, friends, family, the better for thee, if thy heart remaine unsanctified?

5. A little holinesse is eminently all, springing up to eternall life; this little spring shall never cease running, but it shall fill p. 304Heaven it selfe, and thy soule in it with abundance of glory, Ioh. 4.14. and 7.38. You despise it because it is but little; I tell you this little is eminently all, and containes as much as shall be powred out by thee so long as God is God: Tis true, thou sayst its weake, and oft foiled, and gives thee not compleat power and victory over all sinne, yet know that this shall (like the house of David) grow stronger and stronger, and it shall at last prevaile, and the Lord will not breake thee though thou art bruised by sinne daily, untill judgement come to victory; and the Prince of this world be judged, and thy soule perfected in the day of the Lord Jesus.

SEC. 5. Fiftly, Audience of all Prayers.

This is the fift benefit, which though it be a fruit of other benefits, yet I name it in speciall, because I desire it might be especially observed; and I place it after our sanctification, because of Davids speech, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not heare my prayer, Psal. 66.18. and that of the Apostle, 1 Joh. 3.22. Wee beleeve what ever we aske we receive, because wee keep his Commandements, and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight. As the p. 305Lord hath respect to the prayers of his people, not only in regard of their justification, but in some sense in regard of their sanctification also; a justified person polluted with some personall or common sins of the times, may want that audience and acceptance of his prayers I am now speaking of.

That God will heare all the petitions of his people, can there be a greater priviledge then this? yet this our Saviour affirmes twice together, because it is so great a promise, that we can hardly beleeve it, Iohn 14.13, 14. Whatsoever you aske the Father in my name, that will I doe; mark the scope of the words our Saviour had promised, that he that beleeves in me, shall doe greater works then I have done; now because this might seem strange and impossible, the Lord in those verses tells them how, for (saith he) Whatsoever you aske in my name I will doe for you, I will doe indeed all that is to be done, but yet, it shall be by meanes of your prayers; Christ did great works when he was upon the earth, but for him to doe what ever a poore sinfull creature shall desire him to doe; what greater work of wonder can there be then this? This is our confidence (saith the Apostle) That what ever we aske according to his will, he heareth us: 1 Iohn 5.15.

The greatest question here will be, What p. 306are those prayers the Lord Jesus will heare? I confesse many things are excellently spoken this way, yet I conceive the meaning of this great Charter is fully exprest in those words, In my name. If they be prayers in Christs name, they shall be heard; and it containes these three things.

1. To pray in Christs name, is to pray with relyance upon the grace, favour, and worthinesse of the merits of Christ, thus this phrase is used,Mic. 4.5.Mic 4:5 to walke in the name of their Gods, is in confidence of the authority, and excellency, and favour of their Gods, that they will beare them out in it; so to pray in Christs name, is to pray for Christs sake thus; Eph. 2.18. through him (i. through his death and satisfaction rested upon) we have accesse with confidence unto the Father, Eph. 3.12. In whom we have beleeved, and accesse with confidence by the Faith of him. There are three evills that commonly attend our prayers, when we see God indeed. 1. Shame and flight from God, the Apostle saith therefore, that by Faith in Christ we have accesse: 2. If we doe accede and draw neare to him, there is a secret feare and straitnesse of spirit to open all your minds; therefore saith he, we have boldnesse, the word signifies liberty of speech to open all our minds without feare or discouragement. 3. After we have thus drawne neare, and opened all our desires p. 307and mones before God, wee have many doubts, viz. will the Lord heare such a sinner, and such weak, and imperfect, and sinfull prayers? & therefore he also affirms, that we have confidence and assurance of being heard; but all this is by Faith in him: for look as Christ hath purchased all blessing for us by his death, and hence makes his intercession for those things dayly according to our need: So we are much more to rest upon, and make that satisfaction, the ground of our intercession; because Christs blood purchased this, therefore oh Lord grant this.

2. To pray in his name, is to pray from his command, and according to his will; as when we send another in our name, wee wish him to say thus, Tell him that I desire such a thing of him, and that I sent you; so it is here, and thus the phrase signifies: Iohn 5.43. I am come in my Fathers name, i. By his authority and command.Deut. 18.18, 19.Deut 18:18Deut 18:19 To pray in Christs name therefore, is to pray according to the will of Christ, and from the will of Christ; when we take those words the Lord puts into our mouthes, Hos. 14.1, 2, 3. and desire those things only that the Lord commands us to seek, whether absolutely or conditionally; according to his will revealed, and with submission to his will concealed: 1 Iohn 5.14. what ever we aske according to his will, he heares us; Psal. 27.8. Rom. 8.26. p. 308If you aske any thing not according to Gods will, you come in your owne name, he sent you not with any such …essage to the Father.

3. To pray in his name, is to pray for his ends; for the sake and use of Christ, and glory of Christ, thus the phrase is used? Mat. 10.41, 42. To receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, i. for this end and reason, because he is a Prophet. A servant comes in his Masters name to aske something of another, when he comes, as from his command; so also for his Masters use: So when wee pray for Christs sake, i. for his ends, not our owne; these ever prevaile. Iames 4.3. You aske and have not, because you aske amisse, to spend it on your lusts; Ioh. 12.27, 28. Ps. 145.18. this is to aske in truth, to act for a spirituall end; to make it our utmost end, ariseth from a speciall, peculiar, supernaturall presence of the Spirit of life: and consequently a Spirit of prayer which is ever heard. And hence you shall observe, the least groan for Christs ends is ever heard; because it is the groaning of the Spirit, because it is an act of spirituall life, the formality of which consists in this, that it is for God: Gal. 2.19. the Lord cannot deny what we pray for Christs ends, because then he should crush Christs glory: and therefore let a Christian observe, when he would have any thing of p. 309God that concernes himselfe, not be sollicitous so much for the thing, as to gaine favour and nearnesse to God, and a heart subject unto God in a humble contentednesse, to be denyed as well as to be heard, and he shall undoubtedly find the thing it selfe; a lust is properly such a desire (though for lawfull things) wherein a man must have the thing because it pleaseth him, as when Rachell asked for children, she must have them, else she must needs dye: Give us water that wee may drinke, was their brutish cry, Exod. 17.1, 2. not that we may live to him that give… it: holy prayers or desires (opposed unto lusts) are such desires of the soule, left with God, with submission to his will, as may best please him: now the Lord will heare the desires indeed of all that feare him, but not fulfill their lusts.

These three are the essentiall properties of such prayer as is heard, or if you will, of that which is properly or spiritually prayer, f…rvency, and assurance, &c. are excellent ingredients; but yet the Lord may heare prayer without them: it is true, the Lord may sometimes not heare us presently, for our praying time is our sowing time, we must not look presently for the harvest. The Lord heares the prayer of the destitute, Psal. 102.17. the originall word is, of the shrub, or naked place of the desert, which the Prophet p. 310saith, Ier. 17.6. sees no good when good comes, yet such as feele themselves such, the Lord doth regard them; and will have a time to answer them: and though the Lord may not give us the thing we pray for, nor as good a thing of the same kind, yet he ever gives us the end of our prayers; hee that is at sea and wants stiffe winds to carry him to his port, yet hath no cause to complaine, if the Lord secretly carries him in by a strong current of the sea it selfe; and it is certain at the end of all Gods dealing with you, you shall then see how the Lord hath not failed to answer you in any one particular, Ios. 23.14.

Oh therefore see and be perswaded of this your priviledge, that God will now heare every prayer; many make a question, How may we know when the Lord grants out any blessing as an answer to prayer? many things are said to this purpose; but the simplicity and plainnesse of the answer li…s in this, viz. if it be a prayer, God heares it; if it be put up in Christs name, it is then a prayer: and that you may beleeve this, and glory in this, consider these reasons only, to confirme this truth.

1From the promise of Christ as in this place, Iohn. 14.13, 14. which was a promise in speciall to be accomplished when hee came to his kingdome; and therefore, though it is true, Gods grace is free, and therefore you p. 311think the Lord may as well refuse to heare you, as heare; yet consider that by his promise, he hath bound himselfe to heare.

From the Fatherly disposition that is in 2God, Iohn 16.26, 27. and hece he loves us, and hence cannot but heare us.

Because all prayers put up in Christs name, 3Christ makes intercession that they may be heard, Heb. 7.25. hee hath laid downe his blood, that all our prayers might be heard, (as we have prov…d) and indeed, hence ariseth the infinite ef…icacie of prayer, because it is built upon that which is infinitely and eternally worthy.

Because all prayers of the faithfull arise 4from the Spirit of prayer, Rom. 8.26. because as that which is for the flesh, is of the flesh; so that which is for the Spirit, or for the sake of Christ, for spirituall ends, is ever of the Spirit, Iohn 7.18.

Because of the glory of Christ, that the 5Father may be glorifyed in the Son: cannot Christ be glorifyed unlesse he heare all prayers? yes he could, but yet his will is to reveale his glory by this meanes; so that thou and thy prayers be vile, and therefore deservest no acceptance, nor answer, yet remember that his glory is deare; it is the glory of Kings to heare some requests and petitions, but they cannot heare nor answer all; it is the glory of Christ to heare all, because he p. 312is able, without the least dishonour to himselfe thus to doe.

Oh be perswaded of this, how should your joy then be full, how should you then delight to be oft with him, how would you then encourage all to come unto him, how would you then be constrained to doe any thing for him, who is ready to doe all for you? but oh, woe unto our unbeleefe, for that which (the Apostle saith, 1 Iohn 5.14.) was ground of his confidence, viz. that what ever wee aske according to his will, hee heares us, is no ground to us, and wee may say, and mourne to think, this is our diffidence, that what ever I aske according to Christs will, he heares me not: but oh recover from such a distrustfull frame, and from all dead-heartednesse in this duty with all, lest the Lord send task-masters and double our bricks, and then we groan, and sigh, and cry, and learne to pray that way, that will not pray nor beleeve now. If the Lord would but give us hearts, assuredly you might not only rule your selves and families, but by the power of prayer pull down, and raise up Kingdomes, dispose of the greatest affaires of the Church, nay of the world, you might hereby work wonders, by meanes of him who ruling all things yet is overcome by prayer, Hos. 12.4, 5.

p. 313SECT. VI. Sixthly, Glorification.

This is the sixth and last priviledge and benefit, and you all know is the last thing in the execution of Gods eternall purpose toward all his beloved and chosen ones; whom he hath predestinated, called, justified, them he hath also glorified, Rom. 8.30. hereby we are made perfect in holinesse, no more sinne shall stirre in us, perfect also in happinesse; no more teares, nor sorrowes, nor temptations, nor feares, shall ever molest us: Heb. 12.23. Revel. 14.13. and all this shall bee in our immediate communion with God in Christ, Col. 1.28. Iohn 17.23, 24. wee shall be then, saith Paul, for ever with the Lord: if the Lord would but open our eyes, and give us one glimpse of this, what manner of persons should we be? how would we then live? how willingly then should wee embrace faggots and flames, prisons and penury? the light afflictions here, would not they work for us glory? nay the Apostle useth such a phrase which I beleeve may pose the most curious oratour in the world to expresse to the life of it, an exceeding weight of glory. 2 Cor. 4.17. What is our life now but a continuall dying, carrying dayly about us that which is more bitter then a thousand p. 314deaths;Col. 3.3.Col 3:3 what faith the Apostle to us, You are dead, yet when Christ shall appeare, you shall appeare with him also in glory; the generall security of these times foretold by Christ, (especially when Churches become Virgins, and People are seeking after purity of Ordinances) it shall not be in a want of watchfulnesse against the present corruptiions of the times so much, as in a carelesse want of expectation of the comming o… Christ in glory, not having our loynes girt, and lamps burning, nor readinesse to meet the Lord in glory, Mat. 25.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. &c. oh that I were able therefore to give you a blush and a dark view of this glory, that might raise up our hearts to this work.

1Consider the glory of the place, the Jewes did and doe dreame still of an earthly Kingdome, at the comming of their Messiah; the Lord dasheth those dreames, and tells them, His Kingdome is not of this world, and that he went away to prepare a place for them, that where he is, they might bee, John 14.2, 3. and be with him to see his glory, John 17.23, 24. the place shall be the third heaven, called our Fathers house; built by his owne hand with most exquisite wisdome, fit for so great a God to appeare in his glory (Iohn 14.2, 3.) to all his deare children; called also a Kingdome: Mat. 25.31. Come ye blessed inherit the Kingdom prepared for you; which p. 315is the top of all the worldly excellencie, called also an inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.4. which the holy Apostle infinitely blesseth God for as being our owne and freely given to us, being our Fathers inheritance divided among his sonnes, which is a greater priviledge then to bee borne an heire to all the richest inheritances on this earth, or to bee Lord of all this visible world; for this inheritance hee tells us is 1. incorruptible, whereas all this world waxeth old as a garment: 2. Tis undefiled, never yet polluted with any sinne, no not by the Angels that fell, for they fell in parad…, when Guardians to man, whereas this whole creation groaneth under the burden and bondage of corruption, Rom. 8.

3. This never fadeth away; tis not like flowers, whose glory and beauty soone withe…s, but this shall be most pleasant, sweet, and ever delightsome, after we have been ten thousand yeers in it, as it was the first day we entred into it, (for this is the meaning of the word, and so it differs from incorruptible) whereas in this world (suppose a man should ever enjoy it, yet) there growes a secret satiety and fulnesse upon our hearts, and it growes common, and blessings of greatest price are not so sweet, as the first time wee enjoy them; they clog the stomach, and glut the soule: but here our eyes, ears, minds, p. 316hearts shall be ever ravished with that admirable glory which shines brighter then ten thousand suns, the very fabrick of it being Gods needle-work, (if I may so say) quilted with variety of all flowers in divers colours, by the exactest art of God himselfe, as the Apostle intimates, Heb. 11.10.

Secondly, consider of the glory of the bodies of the Saints in this place; the Lord shall change our vile bodies, which are but as dirt upon our wings, and clogs at our feet, as the Apostle express…th it, Phil. 3. ult. Paul was in the third heaven, and saw the glory doubtlesse of some there; see what he saith of them, 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44.

1. It shall be an incorruptible body; it shall never dye, nor …ot againe, no not in the least degree tending that way, it shall never grow weary, (as now tis by hard labour, and some time by holy duties) nor faint, nor grow wrinkled and withered. Adams body in innocencie potuit non mori, we say truly; but this non potest mori, it cannot dye: and hence it is, that there shall be no more sicknesse, paines, griefes, fainting fits, &c. when it comes there.

2. It shall be a glorious body, it shall rise in honour, saith Paul; and what glory shall it have? verily it shall be like unto Christs glorious body, Phil. 3. ult. which when Paul saw, Acts 9. did shine brighter then the sun: p. 317and therefore here shall be no imperfection of limbes, scars, or maimes, naturall or accidentall deformities; but as the third heaven it selfe is most lightsome, Gen. 1.1, 2. so their bodies that inhabit that place shall exceed the light and glory thereof, these being more compacted, and thence shining out in greater lustre, that the eyes of all beholders shall be infinitely ravished to see such clods of earth as now we are, advanced to such incomparable beauty and amiablenesse of heavenly glory.

3. It shall be a powerfull, strong body; It is sowne in weaknesse, saith Paul, it shall rise in power; it shall be able to help forward the divine operations of the soule, which are now clogg'd by a feeble body; it shall be able to beare the weight of glory, the joy unspeakable, and full of glory, which our weake bodies cannot long endure here, but we begin to burst and breake in pieces (like vessels full of strong spirits) with the weight and working of them; and therefore the Lord in mercy keeps us short now of what else we should feele; it shall be able to sing Hallelu-jahs, and give honour, glory, power, to the Lambe that fits upon the Throne for evermore without the least weariness.

4. It shall be a spirituall body, our bodies now are acted by animall spirits, and p. 318being earthy and naturall, growes, feeds, eates, drinkes, sleepes, and hath naturall affections and desires after these things, and …is troubled if it wants them; but then these same bodies shall live by the indwelling of the Spirit of God powred out abundantly in us, and upon us, and so acting our bodies, and swallowing up all such natural affections and motions as those be here; as Moses being with God in the Mount forty dayes and nights, did not need any meat or drinke, the Lord and his glory being all unto him; how much more shall it bee thus then? I doe not say we shall be spirits like the Angels, but our bodies shall be spirituall, having no naturall desires after any earthly blessing, food, rayment, &c. nor troubled with the want of them: and hence▪ also the body shall be able as well to ascend up, as now it is to descend down; as Austin shewes by a similitude of lead, which some artists can beat so small as to make it swim; we are now earthly, and made to live on this earth, and hence fall downe to the center; but we are made then to bee above for ever with the Lord, the Lord proceeding from imperfection to perfection, as the Apostle here shewes; not first spirituall, and then naturall; but first that which is naturall, (in this life) and then that which is spirituall.

p. 3193. Consider the glory of the soule; now we know but in part, and see but in part; now we have joy at some times, and then eclipses befall us on a sudden; but then the Lord shall be our everlasting light, Isa. 60.19. then we shall see God face to face, 1 Ioh. 3.1, 2. we shall then know and see those things that have been hid, not onelyonly from the wicked, but from the deepest thoughts of the Saints themselves in this world, 2 Cor. 12.4. Paul saw some things not fit to be uttered, or that he could not utter: we shall be swallowed up in those depths of grace, glory, immediate vision, God shall be all in all.

The soule shall now enjoy▪ 1. The accomplishment of all promises which wee see not here made good unto us, 1 Cor. 15.24. then you shall have restitution of all these at times of refreshing wherein your sinnes shall be publikely blotted out from the presence of the Lord, Act. 3.19. If Iosuah said, Ios. 23.14. when the peoples warfare was ended, See if the Lord hath been wanting in one word to you: Much more will the Lord Jesus say unto you then.

2. Then you shall receive a full answer to all your prayers, all that grace, holinesse, power over sinne, Satan, fellowship with God, life of Christ, blessing of God which you sought for, and wept for, and suffered, p. 320for here, you shall then see all answered.

3. Then you shall finde the comfort of all that you have done for God, Revel. 14.13. you works in this sense shall follow you, you shall then infinitely rejoyce, that ever you did any thing for God, that ever you thought of him, spake to him, and spake for him, that ever you gave any one blow to your pride, passions, lusts, naturall concupiscence, &c. you shall then enjoy the reward of all your sufferings, cares, sorrowes, for Gods Church, fastings▪ and dayes of mourning, whether publikely, or secretly for Gods people, 2 Cor. 4.17. the same glory God hath given Christ, the Lord shall at that time give unto you, Ioh. 17.22. it shall not be with us there as it was with the wicked Israelites, who when they came into the good land of rest, they then forgot the Lord and all his workes past; no, no, all that which GOD hath done for you in this world, you shall then looke backe, and see, and wonder, and love, and blesse, and sucke the sweet of, for evermore; its a fond weak question to thinke whether we shall know one another in heaven; verily you shall remember the good the Lord did you here, by what meanes the Lord humbled you, by what ministry the Lord called you, by what friends the Lord comforted and refreshed p. 321you; and there you shall see them with you; doe you thinke you shall forget the Lord and his workes in heaven, which (it may be) you tooke little notice of, and the Lord had little glory for here?

Fourthly, consider the glory of the company and fellowship you shall have here; 1. Angels, Heb. 12.23, 24. they will love you and comfort you, and rejoyce with you, and speake of the great things the Lord hath done for you, as they did on earth to the Shepherds, Luk. 2.10. Be not afraid, said the Angel, Mat. 28.5. I know yee seeke Jesus: So will they say then, be ever comforted you blessed servants of the Lord, for we know you are loved of the Lord Jesus. 2. Saints, you shall sit downe with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob in the Kingdome of God, be taken into the bosome of Abraham, into the bosomes of all the children of Abraham, and there we shall speake with them of the Lords wonders, of his Christ and Kingdome, Psal. 145.11. and every sentence and word shall be milke and hony, sweeter then thy life now can be unto thee; we shall know, and love, and honour one another exceedingly. 3. The man Christ Jesus, when Mary cla…pt about him, 1 Ioh. 20.17. Let me alone, said hee, touch mee not, I am not yet ascended to my Father. As if he had said, (saith Austin) then shall bee p. 322the place and time wherein we shall embrace one another for evermore. Never was husband and loving wife so familiar one with another, as the Lord Jesus will bee (not carnally and in an earthly manner) but, in a most heavenly, glorious, yet gracious manner with all his Saints; Come yee blessed will hee then say to them; wee shall then ever bee, not onelyonly in the Lord, but with the Lord, saith Paul, 1 Thes. 4. ult. 1 Thes. 5.10. Just as Moses and Elias in his transfiguration, that talked with him, (which was a glimpse of our future glory) so shall we then, Luk. 12.37. and you shall then see that love of his, that blessed bosome of love opened fully, which the Apostle saith, passeth knowledge, Ephes. 3.19. I need not tel you of our fellowship with the Father, also when the Son shall give up the Kingdome to him that he may be all in all.

Fiftly, consider the glory of your worke there;Rev. 4.10, 11.Rev 4:10Rev 4:11 which is onelyonly to glorifie this God.

1. You shall then live like Christ in glory, we shall speak and think all with glory, 1 Iohn 3.1, 2. our strings shall be then raised up to the highest straine of sweet melody and glory.

2. You shall then blesse him, Eph. 1.6. Eph. 4.13. and that with ravishment; you shall come then to the full acknowledgement of the Sonne of God; you shall see and p. 323say all this is the work and grace of Christ, and then shall cry out, Oh let all Angels, Saints, ever blesse him for this. What should I speak any more? You will say, Is this certaine? Can this be so? Yes assuredly, for Christ is gone to prepare this place and glory for you, Ioh. 14.2, 3. We have also the first fruits of this glory which we feele sometimes, whereby we see, and taste, and drink, and long for more of that joy unspeakable, and peace that passeth understanding, that triumph over the rage and working power of remaining corruption, that darke vision of God, and holy glorying and boasting in him as our everlasting portion, &c. which cannot be delusions and dreams which never feed, but ever leave the deceived soule hungry, but are realities & things indeed, which satiate the weary soule, and fill it up with the very fulnesse of God himselfe, Eph. 3.19. and therefore tis certaine that we shall have the harvest that thus taste of the first fruits, and the whole summe paid us faithfully that have already the earnest penny. The Lord also sits us for this, as the Apostle disputes, 2 Cor. 5.4▪ 5. What means the Lord to deny our requests in many things as long as we live? what is his meaning not to let us see the accomplishment of many of his promises? is it because he is unfaithfull? or b…cause he would let us p. 324know there is a day of refreshing he hath reserved for us, and would have us look for, wherein we shall see it hath not been a vaine thing for us to pray, … or him to promise? why doth he afflict us, and keep us more miserable both by outward sorrowes and inward miseries, then any other people in the world? doth he not hereby humble us, empty us, weane us from hence, and make us as it were vessels big enough to hold glory, which we hope for in another world?

But you will say, Can this glory be thus great? We see tis certaine it shall be so; but shall it be so exceeding great and endlesse? Yes verily, because

1. The price is great which is paid for it, Eph. 1.14. tis a purchased possession, (by the blood of Christ we enter into the holy of holies) a price of infinite value must bring a kind of infinite glory.

2. We are by Christ nearer to God then Angels are, whose glory wee see is very great.

3. Shall not our glory be to s…t out the glory of Christ? 2 Thes. 1.10. and if so, then it his glory be exceeding great, ours must bear a due proportion, and be very very great also.

4. Doth not God pick out the poore and vile things of the world, to be vessels of glory? 1 Cor. 1.27. and is not that an argument p. 325that he intends exceedingly to glorifie himselfe on such, to raise up a most glorious building, where he layes so low a foundation?

5. Are not we loved with the same love as he hath loved Christ? Iohn 17. ult. and shall not our glory abound then exceedingly?

6. Is not the torment and shame of the Reprobates to be exceeding great and grievous? doth not God raise them up to make his power known? Rom. 9.23. What then shall we think on the contrary of the glory of the Saints, wherein the Lord shall set forth his power in glorifying them as hee doth the glory of his power in punishing others? and therefore 2 Thes. 1.9. the punishment of the wicked is exprest by separation of them from the glory of the Lords power; because that in the glory of the Saints, the Lord will (as I may so say) make them as glorious as by his power ruled by wisdom he is able to make them.

This is therefore the great glory of all those whom God hath called to the fellowship of his deare Sonne; and which is yet more, blessed be God the time is not long, but that we shall feele what now we doe but heare of, and see but a little of, as we use to doe of things afar off: We are here but strangers, and have no abiding city, we look for p. 326this that hath foundations; and therefore let sinne presse us downe, and weary us out with wrastling with it; let Satan tempt, and cast his da…ts at us; let our drink be our teares day and night, and our meat gall and worm wood; let us be shut up in choaking prisons, and cast out for dead in the streets, nay upon dung-hils, and none to bury us; let us live alone as Pelicans in the wildernesse, and be driven among wild beasts into deserts; let us be scourged, and disgraced, stoned, sawn asunder, and burned; let us live in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, destitute, afflicted, tor…ented, (as who looks not for such dayes shortly?) yet oh brethren, the time is not long, but when we are at the worst, and death ready to swallow us up, we shall cry out, Oh glory, glory, oh welcome glory. If our miseries here be long, they shall be light; if very bitter, they shall be short; however, long or short, they cannot be to us long, who look for an eternall weight of glory. Who would not (that considers of these things) despise this world, and set it at his heeles, who hath all these priviledges and benefits with Christ in his eye? who would not abhor a filthy lust, to enjoy such a Christ? who would ever look back unto his flesh-pots, or fathers house, that hath such welcome made him the first moment he comes to the Lord Jesus, in having p. 327present fruition of some of these benefits, but present right unto all; fruition of some by feeling, of all by faith. But oh the wrath of God upon these times, that either see not this glory, or if they doe, despise so great salvation! Christ, and pardon, and peace, adoption, grace, and glory, is brought home to our doores, but their price is falne in our market, and we think it better to be without Christ with our lusts, then to be in Christ with his benefits. The reproach of Christ was dearer to Moses (as great a Courtier, and as strong a head-piece as our times can afford) then all the riches and honours of Egypt, but the grace, and peace, and life, and glory of Jesus Christ, is viler to us, then the very onyons, and leeks, and flesh-pots of Egypt; if you had but naked Christ (our life) for a prey in these evill times, you had no cause to complaine, but infinitely to rejoyce in your portion; but when with Christ you shall find all these benefits and priviledges comming in as to your portion, and yet to despise him:? Assuredly the Lord will not beare with this contempt alway: Away to the mountaines, and hasten from the townes and cities of your habitation, where the grace of Christ is published, but universally despised, you blessed called ones of the Lord Jesus; for the dayes are comming, wherein for this sinne, the heavens p. 328and earth shall shake, the sunne shall be turned into darknesse, and the moone into blood, and mens hearts failing for feare of the horrible plagues which are comming upon the face of the earth. Dreame not of faire weather, expect not better dayes, till you heare men say, Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord, who thus blesseth his with all spirituall blessings in Christ, Eph. 1.3. I now proceed to the last.