None but Christ, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Certain ſignes and marks are laid down, whereby we may come to know Ieſus Chriſt to be ours.
Ʋſe. 6 IN the next place, to thoſe that conceive they know Chriſt ſavingly, let it be a uſe of examination and tryal, whether we be not deceived, and whether we know upon ſure grounds that we have our part in Ieſus Chriſt. Prove your ſelves (ſaith the Apoſtle) whether you he in the faith; a2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 6. 4.As men try their gold by weight and touchſtone.
1. We know our hearts are deceitful and deſparately wicked; and we are ready to bleſſe our ſelves, that Chriſt is ours, when it is no ſuch matter; thus was Laodicea deceived, who thought her ſelfe rich, increaſed in goods, and wanting nothing, when ſhe was moſt wretched and miſerable; bRev. 3. 17 Gal. 6. 3. Rom. 7. 9. Deut. 29. 19.And the Phariſee who bleſſed God he was not as other men, nor as that Publicane, when indeed he was not ſo happy: Nay Solomon tels us. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, whoſe hearts are not waſhed from their filthineſſe, Prov. 30. 12.
2. Conſider the danger of this deceit; As if one ſhould ſell all that he had, and buy a rich Jewel, he were undone if it proved a counterfeit; ſo if thou art deceived to conceive Chriſt is thine, when he is not, thou art utterly undone for ever. If a man be deceived in taking copper for gold, it is but the loſſe of ſo much gold; if in the title of his lands, it is but the loſſe of his eſtate; but if thou beeſt deceived in this particular, to think Chriſt to be thine when he is not, it is the loſſe of thy ſoule, and the greateſt judgement thou canſt be given over to, to be thus deceived,cIob 8. 13. & 11. 20. Eſa. 6. 9. 1.
3. Satan wil try us when we lie ſick, and in time of diſtreſſe, who then will lay ſore at us with temptations, to deſpair, Luke 22. 13. He will minnow you as wheat; and God wil try us at the day of judgement, 1 Cor. 3. 13. 14. and then if our work ahide not, we loſe our reward.
4. Again, fourthly and laſtly, the benefit is great every way; For if we be deceived and know it, wee have time now to ſeek after Chriſt; If a man hath a diſeaſe upon him, and know it, he may then ſend to the Phyſician for cure in time; or a man that is out of his way, if he know it in time, he may returne into the right way again: But what an intolerable vexation will it be to a man not to ſee his diſeaſe till it be paſt cure? or not to know himſelfe to be out of his way, till he be at his journeyes end? ſo for a man to think himſelfe to have part in Chriſt, When he hath not, and that he is going to heaven, when he is going to hell, and yet not to know it till he comes in hell, this is the greateſt and moſt irrecoverable miſery.
And on the contrary, for a man to have part in Chriſt, and not to know it (which is poſſible in time of temptation to a child of God, as it was to David, Pſal. 22. 1. Pſal. 51. and to Iob, Iob. 3. and cap. 4. and to Heman, Pſal. 77. and to the Church of God, Eſ. 49. 14. 15.) he hath little comfort of it, nor in his life, but he is continually full of fears and temptations, as is a condemned man that hath his pardon, but knoweth it not; as Hagar wept that had a fountain of water by her, but ſhe knew it not; or as a man that is right in his way but knowes it not, how uncomfortably doth ſuch a man travell on his journey? what heart hath that man to work, when he knoweth not but he may loſe all his labour? what heart to build or beſtow coſt upon that houſe which he knowes not whether it be his or no? But if a man be in Chriſt, and certainly knowes it, he hath heaven in his heart; when a man knowes he hath his pardon, then he rejoyceth in it; when he knoweth he is right in his way, then he goes on chearfully; when he knoweth the houſe is his own, he beſtowes great coſt in building, becauſe he knowes he ſhall not loſe his labour. Yea, this only, will make us die with comfort, nay with a holy triumphing over death, as being aſſured of Chriſt and a better life; death, where is thy ſting? Naturall feare a man may have, but this aſſurance will overcome it, by fixing our eyes upon the joyes of heaven by the eye of faith; as it did in Simeon, Paul, Stephen, the thief on the croſſe and others. O what would a man give when he lies a dying for this aſſurance, that Chriſt is his! would he not give all the world for it if he had it? and would he part with it again for a 1000. worlds? ſurely no; and yet alas if ſome men had no more aſſurance for their lands then for Chriſt, they would have but little comfort.
Queſt. But you will ſay, How ſhould a man know this certainly, ſo as not to be deceived?
Anſw. I anſwer, firſt be willing to know the truth concerning thy condition, whether it be right or wrong, good or evill; if Chriſt be thine, that thou mayeſt know it, or if he be not thine, yet that thou mayeſt know it; Therefore pray with David, try me O Lord, and let me know my own heart; ſearch me, and let me know Pſal. 139. 21, 22.my thoughts, and let me ſee if there be any wicked way in me; O let me not bee cozened to miſtake hell for heaven, to go to hell hood winke. There be ſome men cannot endure the tryall, nor a ſearching miniſtry; but will leave it at an adventure, although their hearts miſgive them; and truly this is tryall enough that thoſe wayes are naught, that love not the light; that gold is too light that loves not the tryall of the ſcales and weights, and naught that will not endure the touchſtone. Foule faces love not clear but flattering glaſſes, as the Panther when ſhe goes to drinke, troubles the waters, as not being able to abide her own deformity; it is the gald horſe that cannot endure to be touched; and if thou canſt not endure the tryall of the word and thine own conſcience, how wilt thou endure the tryall of God, who is greater then thy conſcience? For if our hearts condemne us, God is greater then our hearts, and knoweth all things; 1 Iohn 3. 20.
2. Secondly, Iudge thy ſelfe by the right rule, the word of God, and the promiſes therein contained: let us build our confidence upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Jeſus Chriſt being the chief corner ſtone, Eph. 2. 20. Reſt not upon Enthuſiaſmes, dreams, viſions, revelations, thine own thoughts, &c. for theſe may deceive thee, and will deceive thee, if they be not according to the promiſes in the word. I truſt in Eſa. 8. 20.thy word, (ſaith David) Pſal. 119. 42. ſo Heb. 11. 13. They ſaw the promiſes and embraced them. Nay, if God ſhould ſend an Angel from heaven and tell us Chriſt is ours, or ſhould ſpeak with an audible voice from heaven, yet could we not be more ſure then by the promiſes in the word; for is it not all one, to have a promiſe under his hand as from his mouth? If thy knowledge of Chriſt be built upon a word from Gods mouth, thou art ſure it is built upon a rock, that no winds or tempeſts can ever blow over; God is faithfull, he cannot deny himſelfe; and this made Abraham confident, both that he ſhould have a ſon, and that though he ſhould kill him, yet he ſhould receive him alive again, becauſe he knew God was faithfull and able that had promiſed, Rom. 4. 21. In 2 Pet. 1. 19. Peter proves Chriſt to be the ſon of God by the voice that came from heaven, ſaying, this is my beloved ſon in whom I am well pleaſed, verſe 17. but ſaith he in the 19 verſe, we have a ſurer proof then the voice that came from heaven, to wit, the word of the Prophets, wherein Chriſt is revealed and promiſed; we have a more ſure word of foreign firmiſſimum teſtim.Prophecy, &c. What is the word a ſurer teſtimony then Gods voice from heaven? I anſwer, Beza reads it, we have a moſt ſure word, intimating they had two ſure teſtimonies, the voice from heaven, and the word of the Prophets. Others read it as it is properly in the original, Firmiorem, a firmer word, being a ſtronger foundation to reſt upon, then the voice from heaven: Not that it was ſurer in it ſelfe, for the ſame God that ſpake from heaven, ſpake in his word, as appears in verſe 20. But in regard of the Iewes, who might cavill at the voice from heaven as a deluſion, as they ſaid before in the like caſe,Iohn 12. 28, 29. It thundred: but they beleeved whatſoever the Prophets ſaid to be true: (as at this day the Iewes beleeve not the newSo Calvin, Paraeus, Aug. Ser. 27. de verb ap. c. 4. Firmiorem propter in fide infirmiores. Bull. Teſtament, but ſtick to the law,) and therefore Peter ſent them to the Prophets, who all teſtify of Chriſt, Joh. 5. 29. Acts 10. 43. The ſumme of all, is that the word is a moſt ſure foundation to build our faith upon, and as ſure as if we heard a voice from heaven, becauſe it came from heaven; And perhaps in regard of us it may be more ſure, becauſe we may be ready to feare, whether ſuch a revelation or viſion were not a deluſion. And I am perſwaded no… they are very rare, if any at all; for heretofore he ſpake by viſions, but now by his ſon, that is by his word, Heb. 1. 1.
Object. You will ſay the word is a good light, when we are in darkeneſſe; but when the ſpirit of God, the day-ſtar appeares in our hearts, then we may live above ordinances, for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, you do well to take heed to the word of propheſie, untill the day dawn, and the day-ſtar ariſe in your hearts.
I anſwer, Calvin thinkes the place of darkneſſe is this life, and the day-ſtar, andAecumen. Corn. Lap. day-dawn, is the light we ſhall have in heaven. Others thinke it is meant, the preaching of the Goſpel, which is clearer then the Law; and the word untill, doth not intend that then we ſhould regard the Prophets no more, but that we ſhould have a clearer light by the Goſpell. Therefore if thou wouldſt be ſure Chriſt is thine, let thy faith be built upon ſomeEph. 2. 20▪ promiſe in the word. For faith (or aſſurance Chriſt is ours) conſiſts in two things. 1. to ſee Chriſt offered to us in the promiſes Hebr. 11. 13. as to thoſe that are weary, hungry, mourning, &c. 2. To reſt upon Chriſt▪ for ſalvation, according to thoſe promiſes, Heb. 11. 13. They ſaw the promiſes and embraced them; and then our faith is grounded upon a rock immoveable, when it is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Chriſt Jeſus himſelfe being the chief corner ſtone, Eph. 2. 20.
3. Labour to get a right underſtanding of thoſe promiſes which thy aſſurance is built upon; take heed of taking common graces for ſaving, weeds for flowers, Samuel for the divell in his likeneſſe. Thou ſayeſt if I repent, if I beleeve, love the Saints, have good deſires, then the word ſaith that Chriſt is mine: but thou muſt know there is a kinde of faith, which a man may have, and yet haveActs 8. 13. John 2. 23. no part in Chriſt; as Simon Magus beleeved, and the ſtony ground beleeved, Luke 8. 13. So likewiſe Judas repented, Matth. 27. 3. Balaam had good deſires, Numb. 23. 10. Herod loved John-Baptiſt; Darius loved Daniel; Pharaoh loved Ioſeph, &c. There are tranſient motions that are not habituall diſpoſitions; there is difference between a mark with chalk, and a fire mark, one is quickly rubd out, the other is durable: So there are lighter operations of the ſpirit which may ſoon vaniſh.
Queſt. But how ſhall I know that I rightly underſtand the promiſes?
Anſw. I anſwer, Be not willing to be deluded; compare one Scripture with another; inquire of the Miniſters which are appointed of God thy teachers, and pray earneſtly to God to enlighten thee in the truth; and he will lead thee into all truth neceſſary to ſalvation, as it is written, Ioh. 16. 13. When the ſpirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.
4. Having got a promiſe rightly underſtood, hang and reſt upon it, and be not beaten off; ſay, God hath ſaid if I mourn for my ſinnes, hunger after righteouſneſſe, love the people of God, &c. then I have part in Chriſt. But I mourne for my ſinnes, hunger after righteouſneſſe, love the people of God, &c. Therefore I have part in Chriſt, and I wil truſt to his word; if I periſh I periſh; ſo did Abraham, Rom. 4. 21. and Iacob, Gen. 32. 9. 10. Thou haſt ſaid, (ſaith he) Return into thy countrey and I will do thee good; David alſo ſtuck cloſe to the word; Remember thy word unto thy ſervant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope; Pſal. 119. 49. And the Prophet Eſaiah ſaith, Eſ. 66. 11. They ſhall ſuck and be ſatisfied with the breaſts of conſolation: ſo let us ſuck the bloud of the promiſes, as a dog that hath got the blood of the Bear, he hangs on, and will hardly be beaten off.
5. Though it is true, that any one ſaving grace whatever, is a ſigne Chriſt is thine, yea though thou haſt a 1000. temptations and doubts that thou canſt not anſwer; Yet it is good to gather an abbreviate of ſome few ſignes, that thy ſoule may feed upon in time of trouble. Theſe I acknowledge are ſo plainly laidThe more experienced Reader that finds leſſe need of them, may be pleaſed patiently to paſſe them over. down in Scripture, and ſo familiarly taught almoſt in every book that treats of faith, that it would ſeem almoſt loſt labour: therefore I will be the briefer, yet I dare not altogether neglect them for the benefit of ſome weak ones. The generall ſign is, If any be in Chriſt, he is a new creature; 2 Cor. 5. 17. Col. 3. 9. 10. (which is called regeneration) wherby the law is written in his heart; God havingThough the ſtrings bee the ſame, yet the tune is changed planted in him a love and liking to every good, and a hatred to all that is evill. Thou loveſt righteouſneſſe and hateſt wickedneſſe; Pſal. 45. 7. A new heart will I give you; and a new ſpirit will I put within you; and I will cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, Ezek. 36, 26. 27.
More particularly I ſhall lay down eleven markes or ſignes, whereby a man may know that Chriſt is his in particular, (which is nothing elſe but a ſtrong act of juſtifying faith)
Signe. 1 1. The firſt ſign of aſſurance that Chriſt is thine, is; If it were wrought by hearing the Word preached (ordinarily) and is confirmed by it; for faith commeth by hearing (ordinarily) aRom. 10. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 21Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth; Iam. 1. 18. every child hath a father. So the 3000 were converted by hearing Peter. bActs 2. 37 Acts 8. 26.I deny not but that afflictions, loſſes, death of children or friends, &c. may prepare for Chriſt, as Paul was by being unhorſed by Chriſt, Act. 9. 3, 4. Yet they do not work faith, but uſually that is wrought by the word preached; therefore Ananias was afterwards ſent to Paul, Act. 9. 10. ſo likewiſe good councell, reading good bookes, &c. may ſtir us up to ſeek after Chriſt, as perhaps it did the Eunuch, Act. 8. 28. but do not ſet us into Chriſt; and hence Philip was ſent to the Eunuch readding, to work faith in his heart, as appears verſe 30. to verſe 38. And as the word begets it, ſo it feeds, confirmeth andEx iiſdem nu…uimur à quibus conſtamus. cheriſheth faith, as the aſhes cheriſh the fire whereof they were bred, 1 Pet. 2. 2. Eph. 4. 12, 13.
Now then inquire; how came you by your particular knowledge of Chriſt to be your Saviour? did the word preached convince, humble, and excite you to ſeek Chriſt? and doth it confirme and ſtabliſh your faith? then it is good. But on the contrary, if you know not how you came by your faith, (never by hearing of ſermons,) but are like the Iſraelitiſh women, quick of delivery before ever the midwife (the Miniſter) can come at you, you may ſuſpect your faith; as we ſuſpect thoſe to be ſtollen goods when they know not how they came by them, and that a baſe born child when it is not known who is the father, (although I ſay not that every one converted knowes the Miniſter that cōverted him, yet ordinarily he knowes he was converted by the word preached, except God inſtilled grace into his heart, when he was a young child, as he did unto Samuel, Timothy, &c.) But eſpecially they have cauſe to ſuſpect their faith, when the preaching of the word ſhakes and winnowes their faith, and fils them full of doubtings and tormenting feares; the preachers of the word being like the two witneſſes, their tormentors, who ſay of them as Job did of his friends,Rev. 11. 10. miſerable comforters are you all. Certainly ſhe is but an ill mother that will not give ſuch to the child ſhe bare (if ſhe be able) but rather hunch it, beat it, and deal unkindly with it.
Signe. 2 2. The ſecond ſigne is, if thy heart were ever prepared for the receiving of Chriſt, as the ſtones were prepared for the Temple, or as a man prepares his houſe to entertain a king, Luk. 3. 5. Every valley ſhall be filled, or levelled. In ſome ſenſe a Chriſtian ſometimes may be ſaid to be too low, when he deſpairs of mercy then he is ſaid to be too low, for deſpair layes his ſoul as low as hell, as it did Judas; And every hill ſhall be brought low; that is, the mountanous and high thoughts thou hadſt of thy ſelf, like the Phariſee that thought himſelfe not like other men, ſhall now be changed, and now thou ſhalt have low thoughts of thy ſelfe, ſaying as Jacob; I am not worthy of the leaſt of thy mercies; as the Prodigall, I am not worthy to be called thy ſonne; as the Publican, Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner; as Paul, of ſinners I am chief; or as David, I am a worme and no man; for Chriſt dwels only in the humble heart, Eſaiah 57. 15. with him will I dwell that is of a contrite and humble ſpirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble. It followeth; And crooked things ſhall be made ſtraight, that is, even the crooked paths of the ſerpent, thy crooked wayes ſhall now be made ſtraight, and even, now levelling at the rule of the word of God & his glory; And the rough wayes ſhall be made ſmooth, that is, even Bears, and Lions, rough Eſaus, ſhall now become Babes and Lambs, for meekneſſe and gentleneſſe; as it was propheſied, Eſ. 11. 6, 7, 8. Now all this is done by a ſpirit of bondage, and feare of hell and damnation, which God uſually ſmites the heart with, before he gives Chriſt; as the plow goes before corn is ſowen; as it was with Paul, aActs 9. 45.with the Jailor, bActs 16. 29, 30.with the 3000 Jewes at their converſion, cActs 2. 36, 37.&c. No woman brings forth a child without ſorrow and pain, nor is any born again uſually, without their ſpirituall pangs of ſorrow, though ſome feel more, ſome leſſe, as ſome children come forth with more, ſome with leſſe pain of the mother, yet all have ſo much as to make them willing to let go their ſins to receive Chriſt, Act. 9. 6. You know the ſtony ground wanted depth or ſoftneſſe of earth, and ſo quickly withered; Matth. 13. ſaith dwels not in a ſtony heart; as ſome flowers or herbs are found only in a ſoft ſoyl, and not among the rocks, ſo faith only is found in a ſoft heart. A broken bleeding Chriſt dwels only in a broken heart; a plaiſter will not ſtick upon the whole fleſh, but upon a ſore, Eſa. 61. 1. All beleevers can call their faith Benoni the child of their ſorrow, as Hannah ſaid, This is the child, for which I wept, and mourned, and prayed 1 Sam. 1. 27.
Signe. 3 3. The third ſign, from the right operations of this ſtrong faith or aſſurance that Chriſt is thine, which are foure.
1. It is little at the firſt, like a little child that cannot go alone nor ſpeak, but is carried in the armes of others, and lives almoſt by nothing but ſucking and crying; ſo this weak beleever is fain to be carried in the armes of ſtronger Chriſtians, and doth nothing almoſt but cry for his ſinnes, and hunger after the word, and run to it; it is a weeping faith, full of doubtings, temptations and fears, as the poor man cryed weeping; Lord, I beleeve, help my unbeliefe; it is likeMat. 12. 20 the ſmoaking flax and bruiſed reed, that ſmoakes with deſires, but the fire is not ſtrong enough to flame with comforts; and a reed; now a reed is a weak thing, ſcarce ſtrong enough for a bird to ſit upon, but much weaker if it be bruiſed; laſtly it is like a grain of muſtardſeed, which is ſo ſmall a ſeed as you can ſcarce diſcern it; ſo is faith ſo weak at firſt, that the poor beleever can ſcarce diſcern whether he hath faith or no. But if the child bee of a mans ſtature ſo ſoon as it is born, it is a monſter; ſo if thou beeſt all of a ſuddain fully aſſured that Chriſt is thine, and no ſooner art ſtept out of thy naturall ſinfull condition, but preſently thou art ſo ſure as that thou canſt not be more; this faith is a monſter; ſoon ripe and ſoon rotten, like Jonas goard that did grow in a night, and did periſh in a night.
2. It increaſeth daily, as a child groweth daily; it lies not in the heart like a ſtone in the earth, but like a tree or ſeed in the earth which groweth, ſo Rom. 1. 18. the righteouſneſſe of God is revealed from faith to faith, that is from one degree of faith to another: as the little grain of muſtardſeed, in time growes to a great tree, ſo that it is a ſhadow for the foules of the heaven; ſo the faith that before could ſcarcely be diſcerned, is now ſo ſtrong, that it is able to ſhelter other ſcorched ſoules under its ſhadow; and the babeRom. 15. 1. now can go alone, yea is able to carry other children in his armes; ſo Nicodemus that at firſt came by night, but after went openly and boldly with Joſeph to Pilate to beg the body of Jeſus.
3. The third operation of faith in the heart, is, that it oppoſeth infidelity and fights againſt it; I have fought the good fight of faith, (ſaith Paul) 2 Tim. 4. 7. and this made the poor man cry out againſt his unbelief, Mark 9. 24. Lord, help my unbeleef. But if there be no oppoſition in thy heart, no ſtriving againſt doubting, &c. there may be bold and ſtrong preſumption, but no faith, no certain knowledge or aſſurance that Chriſt is thine; for Satan tempted the faith of Chriſt, Matth. 4. 2. and of Peter, Luk. 22. 31. and ſurely he would ſhake thine if it were of God; but thou mayeſt feare the ſtrong man keeps the houſe, and therefore all is at peace: That man never beleeved that never doubted; the liquor of faith is never pure in theſe veſſels of clay, without the lees of diſtruſt, ſaith biſhop Hall.
The fourth operation of faith, is, if the ſame faith that makes thee believe that Chriſt is thine, doth enable thee alſo to beleeve all other promiſes for temporall bleſſings and deliverances; As Jacob beleeved God for his going ſafely back into Canaan, upon the promiſe of God for it, Gen. 32. 9. 10. I am leſſe then the leaſt of all thy mercies, &c. But thou haſt ſaid return into thy countrey, and I will do thee good; and Abraham beleeved God for a child, after he had a promiſe, as well as he did for ſalvation. But many there are whoſe faith is ſtrong enough to aſſure them of their ſalvation by Ieſus Chriſt, who yet cannot truſt God for the performance of temporall promiſes.
Signe. 4 4. The fourth ſigne is Repentance; (a) if we carry our ſinnes as Chriſt did, with a heavy and broken heart, grieving andActs 3. 19. Acts 26. 18. 20. 2 Cor. 7. 10 Zach. 12. 10. mourning, for the impieties and impurities of our natures ſtill remaining, contrary to the holineſſe of the ſpirit of grace, as fire to water, as light to darkeneſſe; hence Paul cryed out, O wretched man! who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? Rom. 7. 24. the evill I hate, that I do. Rom. 7. 18. Yea all the promiſes are made to a mourning ſpirit under ſin, Matth. 5. Bleſſed are they that mourn, Pſal. 51. 17. Eſa. 61. 2. if a wound bleeds, there is leſſe danger, but it wrankles if it bleeds not.
Yet not every repentance (or ſorrow for ſin) is a ſign that Chriſt is ours; for Eſau, Cain, Saul, Ahab and Judas had a kind of ſorrow for their ſins, in relation to the puniſhment, and as it wounded conſcience, which alſo was found in Pharaoh, and is found even among the damned; There is water in their eyes, becauſe of the fire in their bones; every ſtubborne child will cry when the rod is on, but it is more uſually for the ſmart then for the fault; a thief grieves when he is taken, not becauſe of his theft, but becauſe he fears he ſhall be hanged. A man repents that he hath eaten ſweet meats, not but that he loved them well, but becauſe they made him ſick; children buſie about the fire, if they burn their fingers, then they will cry, but not for ſoyling their clothes, &c. So to be grieved for our ſins, and love them, is but as if a ſnake ſhould caſt her coat, but keep her poiſon, or a man leave his whore, but ſtill love her, or a merchant that caſts away his wares into the ſea, but tis in a ſtorme, ſtill he loves them▪ wicked men may weep ſalt water, tears of bitterneſſe, they cry for anger, as Saul cryed for madneſſe, 1 Sam. 24. 16. but the Saints weep ſweet water, ſpring or loving water, even tears of love. Hence it is that when they had been pricked thus in their hearts, Peter bids them ſtill repent, Acts 2. 38. which is nothing elſe but ſorrow foreign (2 Cor. 7. 9.) towards God, when it proceeds from love to God, and hatred of ſin as offenſive to God, as a child grieves becauſe he hath offended a loving father. In Zach. 12. 10. it is ſaid, they ſhall ſee him whom they have pierced, and mourne for him; that is, becauſe they have offended him. So likewiſe David Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, Though no queſtion he was grieved that he had ſinned againſt Bath-ſheha and Ʋriab, yet ſpecially and chiefly becauſe he had ſinned againſt God. So Joſeph, Gen. 39. 9. how ſhall I do this wickedneſſe, and ſo ſin againſt God? So Peter went out and wept bitterly; but it was when ChriſtLuke 22. 65. looked upon him with an eye ſparkling full of love, as if his eye had ſaid, what doſt thou not know me Peter? am not I worth the owning, &c. Some report this ſin ſo affected him, that every night the cock crew, he fell on his face and wept for his ſin and prayed, (Lyra, Clem. alex.) So Mary in the Phariſees houſe, when there was a feaſt, and they ſate merry at the table with muſick and joy, ſhe got under table, and turned her eyes (once beams of ſinfullIlle verè dolet qui ſine teſte dolet. luſts and pleaſures) into rivers of tears and mourning, wherewith ſhe waſht the feet of Chriſt; and her hair, her ornament and net to catch wanton lovers withall, is now become a towel to wipe the feet of Chriſt withall, (yea ſome report that ſhe lived 30. years a penitent in France.) And the reaſon why ſhe wept ſo much, you ſee it was becauſe ſhe loved ſo much, it was her love to Chriſt produced thoſe lovely tears. So the Prodigall lamented that he had offended his loving father; ſaying; father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee, &c. and that grieves me moſt that I have offended thee.
Now the reaſon why this is a certain ſign of our part in Chriſt, is, becauſe corruption and the naturall unregenerate part cannot hate ſin, but grace and the ſpirit of God which is contrary to it; The fleſh▪ luſteth againſt …he ſpirit, aGal. 5. 17.ſo contrarily the ſpirit of God in us cannot love ſin, but muſt loath it, and grieve for it; grieve not the holy ſpirit of God, by which you are ſealed to the day of redemption, ſaith Paul, Eph. 4. 30.
Signe. 5 The fifth ſign that we have our part in Chriſt, is, if we be poor in ſpirit, and hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, Matth. 5. 6. Not after comfort, pardon of ſinne or ſalvation onelyonly, as Balaam did, and thoſe in John 6. that cryed Lord, evermore give us this bread, that we may never hunger more, &c. but after righteouſneſſe, to have more power againſt ſin▪ and more grace to love God and Chriſt, and his Saints more, and do God better ſervice; when it is not ſo much after happineſſe as holineſſe, not ſo much after the reward as after the work, not only to be glorified of God, but to glorifie God, Ob that my wayes (ſaith David) were ſo directed in thy ſight that I might keep thy ſtatutes. Now theſe deſires are ſignes of thyPſal. 119. 5. faith in Chriſt, 1. becauſe they are wrought by the ſpirit of God, Eſt a Deo ut bene velimus, ac ut valeamus. Aug. that is, it is God that worketh in us to will and to do. It is the Phil. 2. 13Spirit of God that ſtirs up in us ſighs and groanings, Rom. 8. 26. they cannot come from our own ſpirits, but are ſupernaturall deſires. If iron move upward contrary to its nature, ſurely ſome loadſtone hath been there; deſire of grace is grace, becauſe grace is ſeated in the deſire; (yet deſire of meat is not meat, becauſe meat is not ſeated in the deſire) Hence the new born babe de ſires the milk of the word, to grow thereby, becauſe he hath taſted how good the Lord it, 1 Pet. 2. 3. 2. Secondly,Si non ad voluntatem, tamen ad ſalutem. Aug. becauſe theſe are pronounced bleſſed, and promiſed by God to be ſatisfied, that is with ſuch a meaſure as God ſees meet for them, Matth. 5. 6. 3. Thirdly, becauſe deſire of grace is accepted, as if we had what we do deſire, 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that we have, and not that we have not. As it appears in the widdows two mites, who in Chriſts account caſt in more then they all, becauſe her affection was larger then theirs; ſo Abraham is ſaid to have offered his ſonne, becauſe he … willing to do it; and David to have built God an houſe, becauſe he was willing to have done it. To will is preſent ſaith Paul, but to do good I have no power. On the contrary, a naturall man his deſires are earthly, voluptuous, ambitious, who will ſhew us any good? Pſal. 4. 6. or if he deſires ſpiritual things, Ii is in a carnal manner, & out of ſelf-love, becauſe he is loth to be miſerable, and uſually his deſires are ſuddain, inconſtant and lazy, not ſetled and painfull.