Twenty Sermons, Sermons · Sermon 18
ROM. 5.1.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God.
HAving out of these words declared unto you, the Mother-grace justification by faith, I proceed to the consideration of her Daughters, those fruits or graces which spring from a true justifying faitb. So that here we have the great Charter and Privilege that a justified man is indowed withal. First, He hath peace with God. Secondly, Free access unto him. Thirdly, Vnspeakable joy, and that joy not only in respect of that delectable object, the hope of the glory of God in heaven hereafter; but here also, that which spoils the joy of a natural man, (afflictions, &c.) are made the matter of this mans joy.
Now concerning peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the first of …hese, I considered three parts in it.
1. What the peace was which the justified man enjoyeth.
2. The parties between whom this peace was made.
3. Who was the peace maker.
Concerning the peace I declared unto you what it was, that it was an unconceivable thing, The peace of God that passeth all understanding; a thing which our shallow understandings cannot reach unto, we cannot apprehend the excellency of this grace: Consider it… excellency by the contrary, there is no misery in the world like that, as when a man stands at enmity with God: Do we provoke the Lord? Are we stronger then he? 1 Cor. 10.22. If a man sin against a man, saith Eli, the Judge shall judge him; another man may take up the quarrel, but if a man sin against God, if the controversie be between God and us, who shall intercede for us? 1 Sam. 2.25. Were it not for this our peace-maker Christ Jesus, we should be in a woful condition, unless he put to his hand, and took up the matter.
Now it is a great matter to come to the fruit of peace; the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace; Jam. 3.18. We have this fruit of peace from righteousness, we do not sow fruit but seed, the fruit comes afterwards. It is not so with a Christian, he is as sure, as if the thing where in hand, he soweth not only the seed, but the fruit of peace in righteousness, that is, in that application of Christs righteousness, to his justification; as soon as he is justified, at that instant, he hath the fruit of peace.
So we have peace, but with whom is it? it is between God and us. God, and a justified man is at peace through Jesus Christ; at the very same instant that a man is justified, he is at peace with God. This peace, as I declared unto you, is a gift of an high nature, which belongs not to every man, but to the justified man only; he who is justified by faith, he only hath peace. In the Ephesians and Isaiah there are general proclamations of peace; Peace be unto them that are near, and unto them that are afar off: and Isa. 57.19. The word the Apostle useth in the Ephesians, hath allusion to this in Isaiah, vers. 19. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to them that are afar off, and to them that are nigh, saith the Lord, and I will heal them; but the wicked are like a troubled Sea, that cannot rest. There is no peace (saith my God) to the wicked. Though the proclamation be never so general to Jews and Gentiles, yet it belongs only to those who have peaceable minds towards God, those who will not stand on terms of rebellion against him: What madness is it to think, that if I stand in point of rebellion against God, I should have peace with him? But I must cast down my arms, renounce my treasons, and I must come with a subject's mind, then there will be peace, otherwise no peace. When Jehu came to revenge the quarrel of God, Joram asked him, Is it peace, Jehu? he answers, What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel, and her witch-crafts are so many! 2 King. 9.22. As long as thou continuest in a course of rebellion, what hast thou to do to talk of peace? Why thinkest thou on peace, when thou art the chief rebel? As long as wickedness continues in thy heart, thou hast no peace of God by Jesus Christ.
Now it may fall out that there may be a kind of quietness in the conscience of a wicked man; but we must make a great difference between a peace and a truce; a truce is but a cessation of war, for such a time; and many times when the truce is over, it ends in greater war, because they have the more time to gather strength, and increase their Forces: So there may be a peace or a truce between God and wicked men, but it is the highest judgment that can be upon a wicked man to be thus let alone; but it is not so with godly men; God breaks their peace, and hedges up their way with thorns, and many times torments their conscience, and breaks their peace; but when God suffers a sinner to thrive in sin, when he suffers him to go on so long, that his own honour is almost touched; I held my peace, saith God, then thou thoughtest me to he such a one as thy self, Psal. 50.21. God holds his peace, then the sinner saith, God doth not heed. However the preacher amplifies these things, God is not so terrible as they make him: Well, but though God hold his peace long, yet at last he will speak; Oh, consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there b… none to deliver you. When the time of the truce is out, then the conscience is like a fierce Mastiff; the longer he is tied, the more fierce he is when he is let loose: so conscience, when he hath been long quiet and tyed up, when God lets loose the cords thereof, it will be more fierce than ever before, it will then fly like a Mastiff in thy face, and as it were tear thy throat; and then there will be in thee the very flashings of hell.
Now there is a great difference between the peace of God's children, and this little cessation of war in the consciences of wicked men: When the strong man armed, keeps the house, the goods that he possesseth are in peace, Luk. 11.21. When Satan is the Master, and thou dost his will, and he hath thee at command, he doth not trouble thee; when he keeps the house, the goods are in peace; but when a stronger than he comes, and puts him out of possession, then comes the strife and debate. Look therefore to thy peace; is it such a peace as thou hast never found any conflict, any stirring, striving betwixt the strong man and the weak? suspect that peace; that is not the peace of a justified man, but of such a one who is held by the Prince of darkness.
2. Again, how comes this peace to wicked men? they consider not the wrath of God, nor the danger of sin; they consider not that Tophet is prepared of old, Isa. 30. ult. if they did but consider this, it would spoil their sport, and break their peace: but now a justified man, he knows what sin is, and what hell is; and at that very time, when he is thinking of his sins, and of damnation, when he knoweth that this is the reward of God's enemies, he hath peace even then. This proceedeth from the sense of God's frank and free remission in Christ, with which the children of God are much affected. St. Augustine cries out, Quid retribuam Domino, quod recolit haec memoria mea, & anima mea non metuit! inde diligam te Domine, & gratias agam, &c. Confess. 2.…. What shall I render unto the Lord, that I recollect these Impurities and Monsters of sin, and yet am not overwhelmed with consternation in the recognition of them! I will love thee, O Lord, and give thee thanks, and confess to thy name. The other, the wicked, they shut their eyes that they may not see their danger; and because they discern it not, therefore they are at peace. A man in a dark night going over a dangerous Bridge, that if he miss but a step he is drowned, yet he passeth over securely, and is not afraid, because he wanteth light to discover the danger; but bring him the next day, and shew him what a danger he escaped, and the thoughts of it will make him quake and tremble, though the danger be past: So these men, being in darkness, see not their danger, and (therefore) do not fear; but God's child having his eyes in his head, discerns the danger, and sees also how he is delivered by Jesus Christ: He is at peace, not because he seeth not the danger of the way, but because he knows that God made the way broad by Jesus Christ, and so is freed from sin and death.
Now to speak something to them that have this true and sound peace, this peace is with God; I shewed you the last time that this peace is not always in their own conscience, but it such on God's part, which is the safe part; many reasons there are, why God doth not shew it unto them; though all be quiet betwixt God and them, yet they have not an apprehension of it in their consciences.
I shewed that this is many times their own fault, because they will not be comforted; all their thoughts are bent upon their sins, and their provocations of God, and they have not an eye open, to look upon the mercies of Christ; they put it off, and will not comforted: and if they put it off from themselves, no marvel if they have not peace in their consciences.
This may come by reason of the great conflict before in the conscience: God raiseth a great storm, and when he intends to bring a man to some great work, or to a great deal of joy, he first humbleth him; the Prince of our salvation was consecrated by afflictions, and we must be conformable unto Christ out Head; When the storms are past, the Sea will continue raging for a while; and when you have turned the wheel round, If you take away your hand, it will go round it self for a time: So when you are justified by faith, the storm is over, yet the roaring of the waves will continue; it will be so with the children of God; though there be a calm, yet there will be some remainders of a storm.
Again, they are in travail, and that is a painful thing; My little children with whom I travail, Gal. 4.19. They have the pangs of the new birth, and it is a good while before they can find that quietness their heart doth long for.
Again, God purposely doth, though he be friends with them, take away from them the sense of peace, because he takes delight to find that strength of faith: Faith is manifest that way, faith is most strong when there is least sense. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Psal. 22.1. the less sense, the faster the hold; and God loves this at life, that when he spurns and frowns, he will not let go, nor be put off; let him kill me, he shall kill me with Christ in my arms, I will not let go my hold; God cannot fail, he hath given me his Word, and therefore I will not let go. Such a strong faith had Abraham, contrary to reason; God's Word is true, he gives me his Word, and I will trust him: So a child of God will not be put off; though God write bitter things against him, he will not forego him. We have an excellent example in the woman of Canaan; the end of it is, O woman, great is thy faith, Matth. 15.28. But how doth the greatness of it appear? Lord, have mery upon me, my Daughter is grievously afflicted, &c. Why not rather, Lord have mercy on my daughter? the reason is because she was afflicted in her daughter's affliction. By the way we may hereby understand the meaning of the Commandment, where it is said, he will visit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him: But why to the third and fourth generation? because, I may see the third and fourth generation, and may see the judgment of God on them, and may remember my sin, for which they are plagued; the case is mine, and not theirs only; Lord have mercy upon me, for my daughter is diseased: I see my own sin is punished by the judgment on her in my sight. Poor woman, Christ will not hear her; she might have been dashed out of countenance, the Disciples were weary of her clamorous cryes, and say, Send her away, for she troubleth us: What, saith Christ? Is it fit to take the children's bread, and cast it unto dogs? This was enough to dash her quite; before she was discouraged by silence, but to be called dog, it were enough quite to discourage her: but see the fruit of faith; she seeks comfort of that which would have undone another: What, am I a dog under the table? there I shall get a crum; others of the children that are better, let them have the loaves: I account my self happy if I may but get a crum. O woman, great is thy faith: This is great faith when it goes contrary to all sense; that when God calls me dog, when he spurns at me, and frowns on me, I will not be put off. Faith is of the nature of the Vine, if it have but the least hold on the wall, it makes use of it, and climbs higher and higher: So out of the least thing that drops from her Saviours mouth, she raiseth her faith higher: So though we have this peace with God, yet oft times he with holds the notification of it to us.
3. The last thing is to note the difference between the peace of a carnal and a spiritual man; carnal peace is mixed with a great deal of presumption and pride; but the more spiritual peace thou hast, the more thou art dejected in thy self, the more cast down: see it in Ezekiel, Ezek. 16.60, 61, 62, 63. I will establish with thee an everlasting Covenant; then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thy elder, and thy younger; and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy Covenant: and I will establish my Covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord: When God is pacified, yet they hold down their heads, and are ashamed; when a man knoweth that God hath pardoned his sins, he is ashamed that he hath carried himself so wickedly against God, of whose mercy he hath now such experience: When God is pacified, a man remembers his former sins, and is confounded; as it is, Ezek. 36.31. Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good; and shall loath your selves in your own sight fer your iniquities, and for your abominations in that time when I am pacified toward you. That which would work in a carnal man security and pride, (for he never thinks himself better than when there is peace within) will work in the child of God the grace of humiliation. In the last Chapter of Job, God had manifested himself wonderfully to Job; and however before he had very sharp afflictions, his sufferings in soul were next to the sufferings of Christ. I believe never any man suffered so much as Job did, insomuch that the arrows of the Almighty stuck in him, the poyson whereof (saith he) drinketh up my spirit, Job 6.4. This was the case of Job, and he stood upon terms of justification; he wished that God would dispute with him, that God would either be the Opponent or the Answerer. If God would answer, he would oppose; or if God would oppose, he would answer. God comes as he would have him, and Job is not at that point that he was before; when God draws nigh unto him, he saith, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye seeth thee, Job 42.5. Well, this may make thee a proud man, and elevate thee: no, saith he, now I abhor my self in dust and ashes. The nearer God draws unto us, and the more merciful he is unto us, by that light we the more discern our own abominations. That which would make another man proud, brings Job to the knowledge of his vileness. Therefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes.
3. Now another thing is, Who is this peace-Maker? This I shall but touch: We have peace with God: But how? Through our Lord Jesus Christ; he is our peacemaker, and interposeth between his Fathers wrath and us, Ephes. 2.14. For he is our peace; who hath made both one, and hath broken down that partition wall between us; we have not only peace with God through Christ, but Christ is the very peace; not only the peace maker, but the peace. There was a middle wall of partition between the Jews, and the Gentiles; and between God, and us; Christ breaks it down; sin shall no longer be a wall of partition. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances, for to make himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross. There was hatred between God and us. Christ hath crucified that hatred with the nails wherewith he was fastened to the Cross; he hath kill'd it by his crucifixion, and now enmity being slain, peace must needs be alive; there is peace and reconciliation made. You are come (saith the Apostle) to the blood of sprinkling; Heb. 12.24. whereas the blood of Abel cryed for vengeance against Cain the murtherer: This blood cries for peace, it out-cries all our sins; sin hath a voice; its said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah went up into the ears of the Lord; Every sin thou committest hath a voice to cry, but the blood of Christ hath a shriller voice, and out-cries the cry of thy sins; it is so preheminent, it speaks for peace, and doth out-cry the voice of our sins; the high Priest was a type of Christ, Numb. 16. He must have on his frontlet Holiness to the Lord; as one which bears the iniquity of the holy things of the Children of Israel representing the holy one of the Lord and standing in the person of Christ; Moses saith (when there was wrath gone out from the Lord) unto Aaron, ver. 46. Take a censer and put fire therein from off the Altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the Congregation, and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out, the plague is begun; So when the wrath is gone out, the High Priest comes and offers up himself a sweet incense acceptable unto God. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and came into the midst of the Congregation, and behold the plague was begun among the people, and he put incense and made an atonement for the people. When wrath is come out from the Almighty, and his Army is sent out for to destroy the Rebels, now our High Priest stands between the living and the dead, and offers up himself an obligation to Almighty God to make peace: Look to the case of Balaam; when the people had committed fornication, Phineas executed judgment; wherefore the Lord saith, Numb. 25.12. Phineas hath turned away my wrath from the people and if that one act of Phineas his zeal for the Lord, in killing the Fornicators before the Congregation, if this, I say, appeased Gods wrath for the whole Congregation; how much more doth our Phineas who hath fulfilled all righteousness, whom the zeal of Gods house had eaten up? He is nothing but zeal it self, and all that he doth in our name unto his father, is for our good. How much more shall Christ pacifie Gods wrath, who hath received the gash of Gods Sword upon his own body, and would not have himself spared, that he might do it? As Jonah was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth. Mat. 12.40. There is a mighty storm, and Jonah is cast out into the Sea, presently the storm ceaseth; so Christ having suffered for us, there is peace, the storm is over.
Now follows in the next place in the Text; By whom we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God. These are the two privileges that a justified man hath; he hath a gracious access unto God; Suppose he be in a fault, (as who is not?) if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Fa…her Jesus Christ the righteous: These things have I written, (saith the Apostle) that you sin nat; but if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, &c.
This is the state of a justified man; though he do by his relapses provoke God, yet he is in the state of a subject; though he be a disobedient subject, yet a subject, not a foreigner as before; but now ye that were not a people, are become the children of the living God, Rom. 9.26. A child of God in the midst of rebellion no sooner repenteth but he is sub misericordia; as soon as he is in the state of grace, he is under God's protection, he is no stranger: and as soon as he converteth unto his heavenly father, though he hath his blood about his ears, and is in his rags, yet he may with an humble boldness come to God; By Jesus Christ he may come boldly to the throne of grace, that he may find help in time of need, Heb. 4.16. The Apostle in Ephes. 2.18. sets down twice the great privileges Christians have, For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father: It is Christ which makes the way. To have a friend at the Court is a great matter, especially when a man hath need of him; Christ is gone before us, and he lives for ever to make intercession for us, and we need no other Mediator: thus he bespeaks his Father; Father, this is one of mine that I shed my blood for, one of those that thou gavest me; I beseech thee have pity upon him, and I beseech thee give him audience: Ephes. 3.12. By him, (i. e.) through Christ, we have access by one Spirit unto the Father, in whom we have boldness by the faith of him, and access with confidence. I go not now doubting unto God, I prefer my suit with boldness. Mark the Apostle St. James; If any man want wisdom, or any other thing, let him ask it of God that gives to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: It is otherwise with men; when one hath done a great man wrong, and comes to desire a favour at his hands: Oh Sir! saith he, do you not remember how you used me at such a time, or in such a place? that he is presently upbraided with, it is cast in his dish: but it is not so with God; he gives liberally, and upbraids no man: so there is a free and a bold access with faith and confidence, by whom we have boldness and access: let him not doubt or waver; that is a notable place; here is bold access by faith unto God, and by that we may be assured of whatever we ask; if it be forgiveness of sins, we may be sure they are forgiven; if we ask in faith we may be assured. By the way take notice of the folly of the Papists, who think that a man can have no confidence or assurance that his sins are forgiven. This is our confidence, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: Now, is it not according to his will to ask forgiveness of our sins? Doth not he enjoyn us to do it? Therefore what infidelity is it, not to be assured of it? And what impudency is it in them, to go about to cut off that which is the whole comfort of a Christian? The assurance of his salvation. Thus it is indeed with those that have no feeling nor confidence, as those who are in hell think there is no heaven; and they who teach such uncomfortable Doctrine can receive no comfort farther than the Priest giveth it them. It 's true, there is not true assurance, but in the true Church; but there it may be found.
And as I began with sowing in tears, so I would end with reaping in joy: that is the next thing in the Text, for which I pass over the other part of it. I begin with humiliation, but end with joy; and not only that joy which we shall have in the Kingdom of heaven, but on earth while we have these things but in hope and expectation. A man that would reckon up his estate, doth not only value what he hath for the present, but he reckons his reversions also; what he shall have after such a time, what will come to him or his heirs. God's children, they have a brave reversion; glory, and honour, and a Kingdom: It is your Father's good pleasure to give you a Kingdom, Luk. 12.32. We are all the children of God, but it doth not appear what we shall be: when he appears, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. He shall change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body.. We are here sons, but yet, but in a strange Country, no body knoweth what he is, and therefore he meets with many affronts. The King when he was in France, went for an attendant on the Duke, and is he troubled at it? No, he knew that the world knew it not, they knew not what he was; and therefore he is not troubled at it. So is it with children of God; but when they shall appear, they shall be advanced, and their enemies ashamed. By the way, let not the people of God be discouraged by the taunts, jeers and reproaches of wicked men; they know not what you are, and therefore make light of you; as they did of Christ himself. Well, besides what we have in reversion, the very present hope of it works wonderful joy in the heart of a Christian. David did not live to see the glory of Solomon's Temple; but he made provision for it, and cast the model of it, and he took much delight in the contemplation of what it would be. The consideration of these hopes makes my flesh rest in hope, and my heart rejoyce, Psal. 16.9. The consideration of the resurrection made David's heart rejoyce: The consideration of that which is to come, should bring abundance of joy unto a Christian, these are strange things, not like the joy of a natural man; for his heart is sad in the midst of laughter, Prov. 34.13. but these rejoyce with a joy unspeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. Here are some sparks, some beginnings of the glory of heaven, and of that great joy which we shall have hereafter; but I cannot speak of these things in an hour.
But forasmuch as the Devil transforms himself into an Angel of light, there is no work of God's Spirit in the hearts of his children, but Satan, like an Ape, labours to imitate in the hearts of wicked men, to make them secure: we must know that there are joys in some who are not regenerate. They that receive the Word on the Rock, received it with joy. The Word, if it be apprehended, and hath but the least footing, brings joy with it.
But now to know how I may get this joy, how beneficial a thing is it to have such a comfort on earth, as to know that I have this true joy! and to be able to distinguish this joy from the false joy, from the flashes, those fleeting joys of the wicked, which are but as the crackling of thorns under a pot, Eccles. 7.6. for theirs is but as a blaze that suddenly goeth out. Now if thou wouldst know thy joy aright, and whether it differ from that counterfeit joy which flesh and blood, and the Devil suggests: Look to the things that go before, and produce this joy.
1. The first thing that goeth before true joy, and produceth it, is an opening unto Christ when he knocks at the door of thy heart: As in that famous place, in Rev. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. There is, if thou open, a sweet and familiar communication between Christ and thee; he communicates himself at dinner and supper. A man comes not melancholy to meals; Christ will come, and make merry with thee, he will sup with thee familiarly. But how is it with thee? Hath Christ knocked, and thou hast given him a slieveless answer, and hast thou joy? it is a false joy. But when Christ knocks at the door of thy heart, there must be an opening the door on thy part, when he knocks by his Word and Spirit: And dost thou give such an answer as the Spouse in the Canticles, Cant. 5. I am come into my garden, my Sister, my Spouse, I have gathered my myrrhe with my spice, I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey. Now Christ coming to Supper, knockt at the door, and would bring in a great deal of joy: I sleep, saith the Spouse, but my heart waketh; it is the voice of my well-beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my Sister, my Love, my Dove, my Vndefiled. When God comes and wooes us, and desires to communicate himself unto us, and desires us to put off our cloaths, dost thou look for comfort if thou openest not? At last I opened to my Beloved; vers. 6. But he had withdrawn himself, and was gone; my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. When thou givest not Christ entertainment when he comes, thou mayest seek, and not meet with him. …t is observed that the Keepers of the Wall are the greatest strikers: Those whom God hath set to be Watchmen, instead of comforting, they smite; vers. 7. The Watch-men that went about the City, they found me, they smote me, they wounded me, they took my vail from me: She gets raps from them who should protect her, because she did not entertain Christ: if thou findest any comfort after Christ hath knocked, and thou hast opened unto him; then it is true joy, and thou mayest make much of it.
2. If it be true joy, there goeth faith before it; for being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. So that the exercising of the acts of faith, is a spiritual means to raise comforts in our souls; Joh. 6. I had need to speak of this, for there is want of the exercises of faith: Is it enough, think you, …o have faith once exercised? He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him: It is not enough to eat once a year. A man will not be in good liking that eats but once a year, but a man must eat once a day at least. A Christian should feed on Christ every day, make him his ordinary food, renewing every day the acts of faith, receive Christ crucified, by faith, every day. If a Christian would consider that God offers Christ unto him every day, and thou renewest thy faith, and claspest him every day, it would be a special way whereby joy should be raised in the soul. It is said in Rom. 15.13. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Thus when thou hast exercised the acts of faith in believing, and then upon that rejoycest, then it is seasonable and true joy, and not the counterfeit joy of the wicked: when it arises and springs from believing, when that procureth it, it likewise distinguishes it from all false joys. The Apostle tells us, Philip. 1.24. Having this confidence, I know that I shall continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith. It is called the joy of faith, because it springs from that principle of rejoycing, from that mother-grace, that your rejoycing may be the more abundant.
The preaching of the Word whereby faith is wrought, brings abundance of joy. That place of St. Peter is remarkable; 1 Pet. 1.8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of glory: Yet believing; that is, yet exercising the acts of faith, which we too much neglect. If we did exercise these acts every day, we should have our Charter of joy renewed every day; yet believing, ye rejoyce.
3. Pray and be thankful; praise and thanksgiving are those fruits which fulfil all our joy. When thou prayest, thou conversest with God, thou speakest with him face to face, as Moses did. He who can pray spiritually, and pray hard unto God, as Moses face shined when he talked with God, so will thy soul thrive, praying hard, and being thankful: There is no greater means than this to get this joy; Psal. 33.1. Rejoyce in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praising is comely for the upright. Upon this hangs all our comfort; praise always brings rejoycing; the one begets the other. In Isaiah, The comfort there that God's children receive, is the changing of rayment; Christ preaching the acceptable year of the Lord to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oyl of joy for mourning, the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness, Isa. 61.3. The ground of praise is joy; one follows the other: Observe, God will give us the oyl of joy; Christ was anointed with this oyl above his fellows: Christ hath fulness of joy; this oyl doth not come on his head alone, but it trickles down unto the lower most hemm of his garment, even upon all the lively members of his mystical body.
I will add in the last place, when a man considers the great things which are given to him by God, and what an estate we get by Christ. I have forgiveness of sins; and Blessed is the man, whose sins are forgiven, Psal. 32.1. Christ's blood is wine, and my name is written in the book of life, Do not rejoyce (saith our Saviour) because the Devils are subject unto you; but rather rejoyce, because your names are written in heaven, Luk. 10.20. When I consider that I am not in the black Roll, and it is my faith which strengthens me, which makes me reckon Christ my chiefest wealth; this makes me rejoyce in mine inheritance, and in hope of the glory of God. When I consider the great reward in the world to come, this is a great cause of rejoycing; and therefore God's children long for the coming of Christ: it is made, Tit. 2.13. a mark of those that shall be saved; That they long for the appearance of Jesus Christ, looking for, and hastning unto the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And in 2 Pet. 3.12. Looking for, and hastning unto the coming of the day of God. A longing expectation there is in all the creatures after the second coming of Christ; They wait (saith the Apostle) for the manifestation of the Sons of God: and presently he adds, Not only they, but we also that have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan and long for the coming of that day, Rom. 8.19.23. And therefore the last breath of the Scripture is breathed out in the confirmation of this hope, Rev. 22.20. He that testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly; Amen, even so be it, come Lord Jesus. There is a sweet Allegory to express this in Cant. ult. 14 Make haste, my beloved, and be like the Hind, and like the Roe; Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; and come as the Hind, and as the Roe, and as a Hart upon the Mountain of spices: Make haste, and come quickly; be swift, and do not tarry: and in a better place I cannot end.
FINIS.
THE SEAL OF SALVATION: OR, GOD's SPIRIT Witnessing with our Spirits, THAT We are the Children of GOD.
IN TWO SERMONS.
Preached at Great S. BARTHOLOMEWS, by the most Reverend JAMES USHER late Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH.
Difficilia pulchra.
ROM. 8.14.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.
LONDON, Printed for Nathaniel Ranew at the King's Arms in S. Paul's Church Yard. 1678.