A Body of Practical Divinity
To this LORD all Knees must bow, Phil. 2.10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Name is put here for Person ; To that holy thing JESUS, to the Scepter of that Divine Person every knee shall bow. Bowing is put for Subjection ; all must be subdued to him as Sons or Captives, submit to him as to their Lord or Judge: Kiss the Son, Psal. 2.12. With a Kiss of Love and Loyalty. We must not only cast ourselves into Christ's Arms to be saved by him, but we must cast ourselves at his Feet to serve him.
Second Title, Christ is exalted to be a Prince, Dan. 12.1. There shall stand up Michael the great prince. Some think it was a created Angel, but it was Angelus Foederis, Christ the Angel of the Covenant. He is a great Prince, Rev. 1.5. The prince of the kings of the earth. They hold their Crowns by immediate Tenure from him. His Throne is above the Stars; he hath Angels and Archangels for his Attendance. Thus he is exalted in his Titles of Honor.
2. God hath exalted Christ in his Office: He hath honored him to be Salvator Mundi, The Savior of the World, Act. 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior. It was a great Honor to Moses to be a Temporal Savior; but what is it to be the Savior of Souls? Christ is called the Horn of Salvation, Luke 1.69. He saves from sin, Matth. 1.21. From Wrath, 1 Thess. 1.10. To save is a Flower belongs only to his Crown, Acts 4.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Neither is there salvation in any other. What an Honor is this to Christ! How doth this make Heaven ring of the Saints Praises? they sing Hallelujahs to Christ their Savior, Rev. 5.9. They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.
3. God hath exalted Christ in his Ascension: If he be ascended, then he is exalted. Austin saith, Some were of Opinion, that Christ's Body ascended into the Orb and Circle of the Sun. So the Hermians. But the Scripture is plain he ascended into Heaven, Luke 24.51. And Eph. 4.10. Far above all heavens: Ergo, above the Firmament. He is ascended into the highest part of the Empyraean Heaven, which Paul calls the third Heaven. Concerning Christ's Ascension, two things,
1. The manner of Christ's Ascension: 1. Christ being to ascend blessed his Disciples, Luke 24.50. He lift up his hands and blessed them; and while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. Christ did not leave his Disciples Houses and Lands, but he left them his Blessing.
2. Christ ascended as a Conqueror, in a way of Triumph, Psal. 68.18. Thou hast led captivity captive, &c. He triumphed over Sin, Hell, and Death; and Christ's Triumph is a Believer's Triumph: Christ hath conquered Sin and Hell for every Believer.
3. The Fruit of Christ's Ascension : Christ's Ascension to Heaven causeth the Descention of the Holy Spirit into our Hearts, Eph. 4.8. When he ascended up on high he gave gifts to men. Christ having ascended up in the Clouds as his Triumphant Chariot, gives the Gift of his Spirit to us: As a King at his Coronation bestows Gifts liberally to his Favorites.
4. God hath exalted Christ in his Session at God's right hand, Mark 16.19. After the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Eph. 1.20. He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, far above all principality, and power, and every name that is named.
Quest. What is meant by Christ's sitting at God's right hand?
Resp. To speak properly, God hath no right Hand or left, for being a Spirit, he is void of all bodily parts; but it is a borrowed Speech, a Metaphor taken from the manner of Kings, who were wont to advance their Favorites next to their own Persons, and set them at their right Hand: Solomon caused a Seat to be set for the Queen his Mother, and placed her at his right hand, 2 Kin. 2.19. So for Christ to sit at the right Hand of God, is to be in the next place to God the Father in Dignity and Honor. The Human Nature of Christ being personally united to the Divine, is now set down in a Royal Throne in Heaven, and adored even of Angels.
By Virtue of the Personal Union of Christ's Human Nature with the Divine, there is a Communication of all that Glory from the Deity to Christ as his Human Nature is capable of. Not that the Manhood of Christ is advanced to an Equality with the Godhead, but the Divine Nature being joined with the Human, the Human Nature is wonderfully Glorified, though not Deified. Christ as Mediator is filled with all Majesty and Honor, beyond the Comprehension of the highest Order of Angels: Descendit Christus quo inferius non decuit, ideo ascendit quo altius non potuit ; Christ in his Humiliation descended so low, that it was not fit to go lower, and in his Exaltation he ascended so high, that it is not possible to go higher. In his Resurrection he was exalted above the Grave, in his Ascension he was exalted above the Aery and Starry Heaven, in his sitting at God's right Hand: he is exalted above the highest Heavens far, Eph. 4.10. Far above all heavens.
5. God hath exalted Christ in constituting him Judge of the whole World, John. 5.22. The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son. At that day of Judgment shall Christ be exalted super-eminently, He shall come in the glory of his Father, Mark 8.38. He shall wear the same embroidered Robes of Majesty, as the Father; And he shall come with all his holy Angels, Matth. 25.31. He who was led to the Bar with a Band of Soldiers, shall be attended to the Bench with a Guard of Angels: Christ shall judge his Judges, he shall judge Pilate that condemned him: Kings must leave their Throne and come to his Bar. And this is the highest Court of Judicature, from whence is no Appeal.
1. Use of Information. Branch 1. See Christ's different State on Earth, and now in Heaven; O how is the Scene altered! When he was on Earth he lay in the Manger, now he sits in the Throne; then he was hated and scorned of Men, now he is adored of Angels; then his Name was reproached, now God hath given him a Name above every name, Phil. 2.9. Then he came in the Form of a Servant, and as a Servant stood with his Bason and Towel, and washed his Disciples Feet, John. 13.4, 5. now he is clad in his Prince's Robes, and the Kings of the Earth cast their Crowns before him; on Earth he was a Man of Sorrow, now he is anointed with the Oil of Gladness; on Earth was his Crucifixion, now his Coronation; then his Father frowned upon him in Desertion, now he hath set him at his right Hand; before he seemed to have no Form or Beauty in him, Isa. 53.2. now he is the Brightness of his Father's Glory, Heb. 1.3. O what a change is here, Him hath GOD highly exalted!
Branch 2. Was Christ first Humble and then Exalted, hence learn the way to true Honor is Humility, Luke 14.11. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The World looks upon Humility as that which will make one contemptible, but it is the ready way to Honor: The way to rise is to fall, the way to ascend is to descend. Humility exalts us in the Esteem of Men, and it exalts us to an higher Throne in Heaven, Matth. 18.4. Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Viz. He shall have a greater degree of Glory in Heaven.
Branch 3. Christ first suffered and then was exalted: see hence that Sufferings must go before Glory. Many desire to be glorified with Christ, but they are not content to suffer for Christ, 2 Tim. 2.12. If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him. The Wicked first reign and then suffer, the Godly first suffer and then reign. There's no way to Constantinople but through the Straits, no way to Heaven but through Sufferings: No way to the Crown but by the way of the Cross. Jerusalem above is a pleasant City, Streets of Gold, Gates of Pearl, but we must travel through a dirty Road to this City, through many Reproaches and Sufferings, Acts 14.22. We must enter into Glory as Christ did; first he suffered Shame and Death, and now is exalted to sit at God's right Hand.
2. Use of Comfort: Branch 1. Christ being so highly exalted, hath Ennobled our Nature, he hath crowned it with Glory, and lifted it up above Angels and Archangels : Though Christ as he was Man, was made a little lower than the Angels, Heb. 2.9. yet as the Human Nature is united to the Divine, and is at God's right Hand, so the Human Nature is above the Angels. And if God hath so Dignified our Human Nature, what a shame is it that we should debase it. God hath exalted the Human Nature above the Angels, and the Drunkard abaseth the Human Nature below the Beasts.
Branch 2. Christ being exalted at God's right hand, the Key of Government is laid upon his shoulders; he governs all the Affairs of the World for his own Glory. Do you think when Christ is so highly advanced, and hath all Power in Heaven and Earth in his hand, he will not take care of his Elect? and turn the most astonishing Providences to the good of his Church? In a Clock the Wheels move cross one to another, but all make the Clock strike: so Christ being at his Father's right hand, he will make the most cross Providences tend to the Salvation of his Church.
Branch 3. Christ being at God's right hand, we may be assured he hath now finished the Work of Man's Redemption, Heb. 10.12. This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. If Christ had not fully expiated Sin, and satisfied God's Law, he had not sat down at God's right hand, but had still lain in the Grave; but now he is exalted to Glory. This is an evident Token he hath done and suffered all that was required of him for the working out our Redemption.
Branch 4. Though Jesus Christ is so highly exalted in Glory, yet he is not forgetful of us on Earth: some when they are raised to Places of Honor, forget their Friends; when the Chief Butler was restored to his Place at Court, then he forgot poor Joseph in Prison: But it is not so with Christ; though he be exalted to such Glory in Heaven, yet he is not unmindful of his Saints on Earth. Our High Priest hath all the Names and Wants of his People written upon his Breast-plate: Art thou tempted? though Christ be in Glory he knows how to pity and succor thee, Heb. 4.15. We have not a high-priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmity. Dost thou mourn for sin? Christ though in a glorified State, he hears thy Sighs, bottles thy Tears.
Branch 5. Christ being exalted at God's right hand, this is for the Comfort of Believers, that they shall one day be exalted to that Place of Glory where he is: Christ's Exaltation is our Exaltation. Christ hath prayed for this, Joh. 17.24. Father, I will that all those whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am. And he is said to go before to prepare a place for Believers, John. 14.2. Christ is called the Head, and the Church is called his Body, Eph. 1.22, 23. The Head being exalted to Honor, the Body Mystical shall be exalted too; as sure as Christ is exalted far above all Heavens, so sure will he instate Believers in all that Glory which his Human Nature is adorned with, John. 17.22. As here he puts his Grace upon the Saints, so shortly he will put his Glory upon them. This is Comfort to the poorest Christian, perhaps thou hast scarce an House to put thy head in, yet thou mayest look up to Heaven and say, There is my House, there is my Country; and I have already taken Possession of Heaven in my Head Christ; he sits there, and it will not be long before I shall sit there with him; he is upon the Throne of Glory, and I have his word for it, I shall sit upon the Throne with him, Rev. 3.21.
3. Use of Exhortation: Hath God highly exalted Christ, let us labor to exalt him. Let us exalt, 1. His Person. 2. His Truths.
1. Let us exalt Christ in our Hearts; Believe, O Adore and Love him. We cannot lift Christ up higher in Heaven, but we may in our Hearts. 2. Let us exalt him in our Lips: Let us praise him; our Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, our Tongues must be the Organs in these Temples; by praising and commending Christ, we exalt him in the Esteem of others. 3. Let us exalt him in our Lives: By living holy Lives, Vera religio haec, sine macula vivere lactant. It is not all the Doxologies and Prayers in the World, do so exalt Christ as an holy Life: this makes Christ renowned, and lifts him up indeed when his Followers walk worthy of Christ.
2. Let us exalt Christ's Truths: Bucholcerus in his Chronology, reports of the Nobles of Polonia, That ever when the Gospel is read they lay their Hands upon their Swords, by that intimating they are ready to maintain the Gospel with the hazard of their Lives. Let us exalt Christ's Truths; maintain the Truths of Christ against Error; maintain the Doctrine of Free-grace against Merit; the Deity of Christ against Socinianism.
Truth is the most Orient Pearl of CHRIST's Crown, Contend for the truth, as one would for a Sum of Money, that it should not be wrested out of his hand: This Christ takes to be an Exalting of him, when we exalt his Truths, wherein his Glory is so much concerned.
CHRIST the Redeemer.
Quest. XIX. HOw doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ?
Resp. The Spirit applies to us the Redemption purchased by Christ, by working Faith in us, and uniting us thereby to Christ in our effectual Calling.
Here are in this Answer two things,
1. Something implied, viz. That Christ is the Glorious Purchaser of our Redemption, in these words, The Redemption purchased by Christ.
2. Something expressed, viz. That the Spirit applies to us this Redemption purchased, By working Faith in us, &c.
1. The thing here implied, That Jesus Christ is the Glorious Purchaser of our Redemption: The Doctrine of Redemption by Jesus Christ is a glorious Doctrine; 'tis the Marrow and Quintessence of the Gospel. In this all a Christian's Comfort lies. Great was the Work of Creation, but greater the Work of Redemption: it cost more to redeem us than to make us; in the one there was but the speaking a Word, in the other shedding of Blood, Luke 1.51. The Creation was but the Work of God's Fingers, Psal. 8.3. Redemption the Work of his Arm: Heb. 9.12. Having obtained eternal redemption for us. Christ's purchasing Redemption for us, implies that our sins did Mortgage and Sell us: had there not been some kind of Mortgaging, there had been no need of Redemption: Redimere, q. rursus emere, Jerome. Now Christ when we were thus mortgaged and sold by Sin, did purchase our Redemption: Christ hath the best right to redeem us, for he is our Kinsman: the Hebrew word for Redeemer, Goel, signifies a Kinsman, one that is near in Blood: in the Old Law the nearest Kinsman was to reedem his Brother's Land, Ruth 4.4. Thus Christ being near a-kin to us, Flesh of our flesh, is the fittest to redeem us.
Quest. How doth Christ redeem us?
Resp. By his own precious Blood, Ephes. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood. Among the Romans he was said to redeem another, that laid down a Price equivalent for the Ransom of the Prisoner. In this sense Christ is a Redeemer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he hath paid a Price. Never such a Price paid to ransom Prisoners, 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are, Pretio Empti, bought with a price ; and this Price was his own Blood. So in the Text, By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. This Blood being the Blood of that Person who was God as well as Man, is a Price sufficient for the Ransom of Millions.
Quest. From what doth Christ redeem us?
Resp. From Sin. To be redeemed from Turkish Slavery is a great Mercy, but it is infinitely more to be redeemed from Sin. There is nothing can hurt the Soul but Sin ; it is not Affliction hurts it, it often makes it better, as the Furnace makes Gold the purer; but it is Sin that doth damnify. Now Christ redeems us from Sin, Heb. 9.26. Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Quest. But how are we redeemed from Sin? Do we not see Corruption stirring in the Regenerate? Much Pride and Unmortified Passion?
Resp. We must distinguish of Redemption: Redemption is either Inchoata or Plena ; a Redemption but begun and perfect: Sin cannot stand with a Perfect Redemption, but here it is but Begun ; Sin may stand with an Imperfect Redemption. There may be some Darkness in the Air at the Sun's first rising, but not when the Sun is at the full Meridian: While our Redemption is but begun, there may be Sin; but not when it is perfected in Glory.
Quest. But in what sense hath Christ redeemed justified Persons from Sin?
Resp. A Reatu, from the Guilt of Sin, though not the Stain: Guilt is the binding a Person over to Punishment. Now, Christ hath redeemed a justified Person from the Guilt of Sin; he hath discharged his Debts. Christ saith to God's Justice, as Paul to Philemon, If he hath wronged thee anything, or owes thee ought, put that on my account, Verse 18.
2. A justified Person is redeemed à Dominio, from the Power and Regency of Sin, though not the presence. Sin may furere, but not regnare, it may rage in a Child of God, but not reign: Lust did rage in David, Fear in Peter, but it did not reign; they recovered themselves by Repentance, Rom. 6.14. Sin shall not have dominion over you. Sin lives in a Child of God, but it is deposed from the Throne, it lives not as a King but a Captive.
3. A Believer is redeemed à Maledictione, from the Curse due to Sin, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Christ said to his Father, as Rebecca to Jacob, Upon me, upon me, be the curse, let the blessing be upon them, but upon me be the curse. And now there's no Condemnation to Believers, Rom. 8.1. An Unbeliever hath a double Condemnation; one from the Law which he hath transgressed, the other from the Gospel, which he hath despised. But Christ hath redeemed a Believer from this Malediction, he hath set him out of the Power of Hell and Damnation.
Quest. To what hath Christ redeemed us?
Resp. He hath redeemed us to a glorious Inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.
1. To an Inheritance. ] Christ hath not only redeemed us out of Prison, but he hath redeemed us to a State of Happiness, to an Inheritance: Heaven is not a Lease which soon expires, but an Inheritance; and a glorious Inheritance, Col. 1.12. An Inheritance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Light. Lumen actuat colores: Light adorns and gilds the World: What were the World without Light, but a Prison? The Heavenly Inheritance is irradiated with Light: Christ as a continual Sun enlightens it with his Beams, Rev. 21.23.
2. To an Inheritance incorruptible: It doth not molder away, or suffer Dissolution. Earthly Comforts are shadowed out by the Tabernacle, which was transient, but Heaven is set out by the Temple, which was fixed and permanent, built with Stone, overlaid with Gold. This is the Glory of the Celestial Inheritance; it is incorruptible, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Chrysost. Eternity is written upon the Frontis-piece of it.
3. Undefiled: The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for Undefiled, alludes to a precious Stone called Amiantus, which cannot be blemished: Such a Place is Heaven, undefiled, nothing can stain it; there's no Sin there to Eclipse its Purity. For the Holiness and Undefiledness of it, it is compared to pure Gold, and to the Sapphire, and Emerald, Rev. 21.
4. It fadeth not away: The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is the name of a Flower Amarantus, which keeps a long time fresh and green, as Clem. Alexandrinus writes. Such is the Heavenly Inheritance, it doth not lose its Orient Colour, but keeps its Freshness and Greenness to Eternity; the Beauty of it fadeth not away. To this glorious Inherit • nce hath Christ redeemed the Saints: an Inheritance which cannot be fully described, or set forth by all the Lights of Heaven, though every Star were a Sun: and that which is the Diamond in the Ring, the Glory of this Inheritance, is, the Eternal Sight and Fruition of the blessed God: the sight of God will be most alluring, heart-ravishing Object: Kings Presence makes the Court, John. 3.2. We shall see him as he is. It is comfortable to see God showing himself through the Lettuce of an Ordinance, to see him in the Word and Sacrament: The Martyrs thought it comfortable to see him in a Prison: O then, what will it be to see him in Glory, shining ten thousand times brighter then the Sun! and not only see him, but enjoy him forever: Proemium quod fide non attingitur, Aug. Faith itself is not able fully to comprehend this Reward. And all this Blessedness hath Christ purchased through the Redemption of his Blood.
Use 1. Branch 1. See into what a wretched deplorable Condition we had brought ourselves by sin; we had sinned ourselves into Slavery; Slavery, so that we needed Christ to purchase our Redemption: Nihil durius servitute, Cicero. Slavery is the worst Condition. Such as are now Prisoners in Algiers think so. But by Sin we were in a worse Slavery, Slaves to Satan, a Merciless Tyrant, who sports in the Damnation of Souls. In this Condition were we when Christ came to redeem us.
Branch 2. See in this as in a transparent Glass, the Love of Christ to the Elect, he came to redeem them: these he died Intentionally for. Were it not great Love for a King's Son to pay a great Sum of Money to redeem a Captive, but that he should be content to be a Prisoner in his stead, and die for his Ransom; this were Matter of Wonder. Jesus Christ hath done all this, he hath written his Love in Characters of Blood:—It had been much for Christ to speak a good word to his Father for us, but he knew that was not enough to redeem us: Though a Word speaking made a World, yet it would not redeem a Sinner, Heb. 9.22. Without shedding of blood is no remission.
2. Use of Trial: If Christ came to purchase our Redemption, then let us try whether we are the Persons whom Christ hath redeemed from the Guilt and Curse due to Sin. This is a needful Trial, for, let me tell you, there is but a certain Number whom Christ hath redeemed. O say, Sinners, Christ is a Redeemer, and we shall be saved by him! Beloved, Christ came not to redeem all; then we overthrow the Decrees of God. Redemption is not as large as Creation. I grant, there is a Sufficiency of Merit in Christ's Blood to save all; but, there's difference between Sufficiency and Efficiency. Christ's Blood is a sufficient Price for all, but it is effectual only to them that believe: A Plaister may have a sovereign Virtue in it to heal any Wound, but it doth not heal unless applied to the Wound. And if it be so that all have not the Benefit of Christ's Redemption, only some, then it is a necessary Question to ask our Souls, Whether we are in the Number of them that are redeemed by Christ, or no?
Quest. How shall we know that?
Resp. Such as are redeemed are reconciled to God; the Enmity is taken away▪ their Judgments approve, their Wills incline ad bonum, Col. 1.21. Are they redeemed that are unreconciled to God? who hate God and his People, (as the Vine and Laurel) have an Antipathy, who do all they can to disparage Holiness, are these redeemed who are unreconciled? Christ hath purchased a Reprieval for these, but a Sinner may have a Reprieve and yet go to Hell, John. 5.6.
2. Such as are redeemed by Christ, are redeemed from the World, Gal. 1.4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver (or redeem) us from this present evil world. Such as are redeemed by Christ, are risen with Christ, Col. 3.1. As the Birds though they light upon the Ground to pick up a little Seed, yet immediately they take their Wings and fly up to Heaven again: so the Redeemed of the Lord, though they use the World, and take the lawful Comforts of it, yet their Hearts are presently off these things, and they ascend to Heaven; live here, trade above. Such as Christ hath died for, are dead to the World, Gal. 6.14. I am crucified to the world ; to the Honors, Profits, and Preferments of it. What shall we think of them who say they are the Redeemed of the Lord, yet are Lovers of the World? like the Tribes who desired to have their Portion on this side Canaan: Phil. 3.19. Who mind earthly things. They pull down their Souls to build up an Estate: they are not redeemed by Christ, who not from the World.
3. Use of Comfort, to such as are redeemed: You are happy, the lot of free grace is fallen upon you; you who were once in the Devil's Prison, you have broke this Prison; you that were once bound in the Chains of Sin, God hath begun to beat off your Chains, and hath freed you from the Power of Sin, and Curse due to it. What a Comfort is this? And is there any Consolation in Christ, it is thine; is there any sweet Fruit growing upon the Promise, thou mayest gather it; are there any glorious Privileges in the Gospel, they are thy Jointure, Justification, Adoption, Coronation; is there any Glory in Heaven, thou shalt shortly drink of that River of Pleasure; hast thou any Temporal Comforts, these are but a Pledge and Earnest of more: Thy Meal in thy Barrel is but a Bait by the way, and an Earnest of that Angels Food which God hath prepared for thee. How mayest thou be comforted in all Worldly Afflictions, though the Fig-tree flourish not? nay, in case of Death, Death hath lost its Sting: Mors obiit morte Christi. Death shall carry thee to thy Redeemer: fear not dying, not happy but by dying.
Use ult. of Exhortation: Long for the time when you shall have a full and perfect Redemption in Heaven, an eternal Jubilee; when you shall be freed not only from the Power but from the Presence of Sin. Here a Believer is as a Prisoner that hath broke Prison, but walks with a Fetter on his Leg. When the Banner of Glory shall be displayed over you, you shall be as the Angels of God; you shall never have a sinful Thought more. When no Pain or Grief, no aking Head or unbelieving Heart, you shall see Christ's Face, and lie forever in his Arms. You shall be as Joseph, Gen. 41.14. They brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. Long for that time when you shall put off your Prison-Garments, and change your Raiment, and put on the Embroidered Garment of Glory. O long, yet be content to wait for this full and glorious Redemption, when you shall be more Happy than you can desire, when you shall have that which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into man's heart to conceive.
Of FAITH.
Gal. 2.20.
The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of GOD.
THE Spirit applies to us the Redemption purchased by Christ, by working Faith in us. Christ is the Glory, and Faith in Christ the Comfort of the Gospel.
Quest. What are the kinds of Faith?
Resp. Fourfold, 1. An Historical or Dogmatical Faith, which is the believing the Truths revealed in the Word, because of Divine Authority.
2. There is a Temporal Faith, which lasteth but for a time, and vanisheth, Matth. 13.21. Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while. A Temporary Faith is like Jonah 's Gourd, which came up in a night and withered, Cap. 4.10.
3. A Miraculous Faith, which was granted to the Apostles, to work Miracles for the Confirmation of the Gospel: This Judas had, he cast out Devils, yet was cast out to the Devil.
4. A true justifying Faith, which is called, A faith of the operation of God, Col. 2.12. And is a Jewel hung only upon the Elect.
Quest. What is justifying Faith?
Resp. I shall show, 1. What it is not; It is not a bear Acknowledgment that Christ is a Savior; indeed there must be an Acknowledgment, but that is not sufficient to justify. The Devils acknowledged Christ's Godhead, Matth. 8.29. Jesus thou Son of God. There may be an Assent to Divine Truths, yet no Work of Grace on the Heart: many assent in their Judgments, that Sin is an evil thing, but they go on in Sin, their Corruptions are stronger than their Convictions; and that Christ is excellent, cheapen the Pearl, but do not buy.
2. What justifying Faith is? I answer, True justifying Faith consists in three things,
1. Self-renunciation: Faith is a going out of one's self, a Man is taken off from his own bottom, he sees he hath no Righteousness of his own to save him, Phil. 3.9. Not having my own righteousness. Self-righteousness is a broken Reed, the Soul dares not lean on. Repentance and Faith are both Humbling Graces ; by Repentance a Man abhors himself; by Faith he goes out of himself. Is is with a Sinner in the first Act of Believing, as with Israel in their Wilderness-march, behind them they saw Pharaoh and his Chariots pursuing them, before them the Red Sea ready to devour them: so the Soul behind sees God's Justice pursuing him for Sin, before Hell ready to devour him; and in this forlorn Condition, he sees nothing in himself to help him, but he must perish unless he can find help in another.
2. Recumbency: The Soul casts itself upon Jesus Christ: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; Faith rests on Christ's Person. Faith believes the Promise, but that which Faith rests upon in the Promise, is the Person of Christ: Therefore the Spouse is said to lean upon her Beloved, Cant. 8.5. And Faith is described to be a believing on the Name of the Son of God, John. 3.23. viz. On his Person, the Promise is but the Cabinet, Christ is the Jewel in it. Faith embraceth; the Promise is but the Dish, Christ is the Food in it which Faith feeds on. And as Faith rests on Christ's Person, so on his Person under this Notion, as he was crucified. Faith glories in the Cross of Christ, Gal. 6.14. To consider Christ as he is crowned with all manner of Excellencies, doth rather stir up Admiration and Wonder; but Christ looked upon as Bleeding and Dying is the proper Object of our Faith: therefore it is called Faith in his blood, Rom. 3.25.
3. Appropriation, or the applying Christ to ourselves: A Medicine though it be never so sovereign, yet if it be not applied to the Wound, will do no good; though' the Plaister be made of Christ's own Blood, yet it will not heal unless it be applied by Faith: the Blood of God without Faith in God will not save; this applying of Christ is called a receiving of him, Joh. 1.12. The hand receiving of Gold enricheth, so the hand of Faith receiving Christ's Golden Merits with Salvation, enricheth us.
Quest. How is Faith wrought?
Resp. By the Blessed Spirit it is called the Spirit of Grace, Zec. 12.10. because it is the Spring and Efficient of all Grace. Faith is the chief Work which the Spirit of God works in a Man's heart. In making the World God did but speak a Word, but in working Faith he puts forth his Arm, Luke 1.51. The Spirits working Faith is called, The exceeding Greatness of God's Power. What a Power was put forth in raising Christ from the Grave, when such a Tombstone lay upon him, the Sins of all the World ; yet he was raised up by the Spirit: The same Power the Spirit of God puts forth in working Faith; the Spirit irradiates the Mind, subdues the Will; the Will naturally is like a Garrison, which holds out against God; the Spirit with a sweet Violence conquers, or rather changeth the Will, making the Sinner willing to have Christ upon any Terms, to be ruled by him as well as saved by him.
Quest. Wherein lies the Preciousness of Faith?
Resp. As Faith is the chief Gospel-grace ; the Head of the Graces, as Gold among Mettals, so is Faith among the Graces. Clem. Alexandrinus calls the other Graces the Daughters of Faith. Indeed in Heaven Love will be the chief Grace, but while we are here Militant Love must give place to Faith; Love takes Possession of Glory, but Faith gives a Title to it; Love is the Crowning Grace in Heaven, but Faith is the Conquering Grace upon Earth, 1 Joh. 5.4. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
2. As Faith hath influence upon all the Graces, and sets them awork, not a Grace stirs till Faith set it awork. As the Clothier sets the Poor awork, he sets their Wheel a going; Faith sets Hope awork. The Heir must believe his Title to an Estate in Reversion, before he can hope for it: Faith believes its Title to Glory, and then Hope waits for it. Did not Faith feed the Lamp of Hope with Oil, it would soon die. Faith sets Love awork, Gal. 5.6. Faith which worketh by love ; believing the Mercy and Merit of Christ causeth a flame of Love to ascend. Faith sets Patience a work, Heb. 6.12. Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Faith believes the glorious Rewards given to Suffering; this makes the Soul patient in suffering. Thus Faith is the Master-wheel, it sets all the other Graces a running.
3. As Faith is the Grace which God honors to Iustifie and Save: thus, indeed, it is precious Faith, as the Apostle calls it, 2 Pet. 1.1. The other Graces help to sanctify, but it is Faith that justifies, Rom. 5.1. Being justified, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by faith. Repentance or Love do not justify, but Faith.
Quest. How doth Faith justify?
Resp. Faith doth not justify, 1. As it is a Work that were to make a Christ of our Faith, but Faith justifies as it lays hold of the Object, viz. Christ's Merits. If a Man had a precious Stone in a Ring that could heal, we say the Ring heals, but properly it is not the Ring, but the precious Stone in the Ring heals. Thus Faith saves and justifies, but it is not any inherent Virtue in Faith, but as it lays hold on Christ, so it justifies.
2. Faith doth not justify as it exerciseth Grace: It cannot be denied, Faith doth Invigorate all the Graces, it puts strength and liveliness into them, but it doth not justify under this Notion. Faith works by Love, but it doth not justify as it works by Love, but as it applies Christ's Merits.
Quest. Why should Faith save and justify more then any other Grace?
Resp. 1. Because of God's Sanction: He hath appointed this Grace to be justifying, and he doth it because Faith is a Grace that takes a Man off himself, and gives all the Honor to Christ and Free-grace, Rom. 4.20. Strong in faith giving glory to God. Therefore God hath put this Honor on Faith, to make it saving and justifying. The King's Stamp makes the Coyn pass for Currant; if he would put his Stamp upon Leather, as well as Silver, it would make it Currant. So God having put his Sanction, the Stamp of his Authority and Institution upon Faith, this makes it to be justifying and saving.
2. Because Faith makes us one with Christ, Eph. 3.17. It is the espousing incorporating Grace, it gives us Coalition and Union with Christ's Person; other Graces make us like Christ, Faith makes us Members of Christ.
1. Use of Exhortation: Let us above all things labor for Faith: Fides est sanctissimum humani pectoris bonum. Ephes. 6.16. Above all taking the shield of faith. Faith will be of more use to us then any Grace: as an Eye though dim, was of more use to an Isra • lite then all the other Members of his Body, not a strong Arm or a nimble Foot, it was his Eye looking on the Brazen Serpent that cured him. It is not Knowledge though Angelical, not Repentance though we could shed Rivers of Tears could justify us, only Faith whereby we look on Christ. Without Faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. and if we do not please him by believing, he will not please us in saving of us. Faith is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, without Faith without Covenant, and without Covenant without Hope, Eph. 2.12.
2. Use of Trial: Let us try whether we have Faith: There is something looks like Faith, and is not; a Bristol -stone looks like Diamond. Some Plants have the same Leaf with others, but the Herbalist can distinguish them by the Root and Taste. Something may look like true Faith, but it may be distinguished by the Fruits. Let us be serious in the Trial of our Faith; there is much depends upon our Faith: If our Faith be not good, there is nothing good comes from us; our Duties and Graces are adulterate.
Quest. Well then, how shall we know it is a true Faith?
Resp. By the Noble Effects: 1. Faith is a Christ-prizing Grace, it puts an high Valuation upon Christ, 1 Pet. 2.7. To you that believe he is precious. St. Paul did best know Christ, 1 Cor. 9.1. Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Paul saw Christ with his bodily Eyes in a Vision when he was wrapped up into the third Heaven; and he saw him with the Eye of his Faith in the Holy Supper, ergo, he best knew Christ. And see how he stiles all things in comparison of him, Phil. 3.8. I count all things but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , dung, that I may win Christ. Do we set an high Estimate on Christ? could we be willing to part with our Wedg of Gold, for the Pearl of Price? Greg. Nazianzen blessed God he had anything to lose for Christ's sake.
2. Faith is a refining Grace, 1 Tim. 3.9. Mystery of faith in a pure conscience. Faith is in the Soul as Fire among Metals, it refines and purifies: Morality may wash the outside, Faith washeth the inside, Acts 15.9. Having purified their hearts by faith. Faith makes the Heart a Sacrary, or Holy of Holies. Faith is a Virgin-Grace: though' it doth not take away the Life of Sin, yet love of Sin. Examine, if your Heart be an Unclean Fountain sending out Mud and Dirt, Pride, Envy; if there be Legions of Lusts in thy Soul, there is no Faith. Faith is an Heavenly Plant which will not grow in an impure Soil.
3. Faith is an Obediential Grace, Rom. 16.26. The obedience of faith. Faith melts our Will into God's: Faith runs at God's Call, if God commands Duty (though cross to Flesh and Blood) Faith obeys, Heb. 11.8. By faith Abraham obeyed. Faith is not an Idle Grace; as it hath an Eye to see Christ, so it hath an Hand to work for him. Faith doth not only believe God's Promise, but obey his Command. It is not your having Knowledge will evidence you to be Believers; the Devil hath Knowledge, but wants Obedience, and that makes him a Devil. And the true Obedience of Faith is a cheerful Obedience; God's Commands do not seem grievous. Have you the Obedience, and obey cheerfully? What say you to this? do you look on God's Command as your Burden or Privilege, as an Iron Fetter about your Leg, or a gold Chain about your Neck.
4. Faith is an assimulating Grace; it changeth the Soul into the Image of the Object, it makes it like Christ. Never did any look on Christ with a believing Eye, but he was made like Christ. A deformed Person may look on a beautiful Object, but not be made beautiful; but Faith looking on Christ, transforms a Man, and turns him into his Similitude. Faith looking on a bleeding Christ, causeth a soft bleeding heart. Looking on an holy Christ, causeth sanctity of Heart; looking on an humble Christ, makes the Soul humble. As the Chameleon is changed into the Colour of that which it looks upon, so Faith looking on Christ, changeth a Christian into the similitude of Christ.
2. By the growth of it; if it be a true Faith, it grows: living things grow. Rom. 1.17. From faith to faith ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
Quest. How may we judge of the growth of Faith?
Answ. Growth of Faith is judged, 1. By strength. We can do that now which we could not do before. When one is Man-grown, he can do that he could not do when he was a Child; he can carry a heavier burden: so thou canst bear crosses with more patience.
2. Growth of Faith is seen by doing Duties in a more spiritual manner, viz. with fervency, we put coals to the Incence, from a principle of love to God. When an Apple hath done growing in bigness, it grows in sweetness: thou dost Duties in love, and now are sweeter, and come off with a better relish.
Object. But I fear I have no Faith.
Resp. We must distinguish between weakness of Faith and nullity; a weak Faith is true. The bruised Reed is but weak, yet it is such as Christ will not bruise Though thy Faith be but weak, yet be not discouraged:
1. A weak Faith may receive a strong Christ. A weak hand can tie the Knot in Marriage, as well as a strong; a weak Eye might have seen the brazen Serpent. The Woman in the Gospel, that but touched Christ, received Virtue from him. The Touch of Faith.
2. The Promise is not made to strong Faith, but to true. The Promise doth not say, Whosoever hath a Giant-faith, that can remove Mountains, that can stop the mouth of Lions, shall be saved; but whosoever believes, be his Faith never so small. Though Christ sometimes chides a weak Faith, yet that it may not be discouraged, he makes a Promise to it, Matth. 5.3. Beati qui esuriunt.
3. A weak Faith may be fruitful. Weakest things multiply most: the Vine is a weak Plant, but it is fruitful. Weak Christians may have strong Affections. How strong is the first love which is after the first planting of Faith.
4. Weak Faith may be growing. The Seed springs up by degrees; first the Blade, then the Ear, then the full Corn in the Ear. Therefore be not discouraged; God, who would have us receive them that are weak in Faith, Rom. 14.1. will not himself refuse them. A weak Believer is a Member of Christ, and though Christ will cut off rotten Members from his Body, yet not weak Members.
Effectual Calling.
ROM. 8.30.
Them he also called.
Quest. XX. WHat is effectual Calling?
Answ. It is a gracious work of the Spirit, whereby he causeth us to embrace Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel.
In this Verse is a golden Chain of Salvation, made up of four Links; this is one Vocation, Them he also called. Calling is nova Creatio, a new Creation, the first Resurrection. —There is a twofold Call: 1. An extrinsic or outward Call; 2. An intrinsic or inward effectual Call.
1. An extrinsic or outward Call, which is God's offer of Grace to sinners, inviting them to come in and accept of Christ and Salvation, Matth. 20.16. Many are called, but few chosen. This outward Call shows Men what they ought to do in order to Salvation, and renders them inexcusable in case of Disobedience.
2. There is an intrinsic or effectual Call, when God with the offer of Grace works Grace; by this Call the Heart is renewed, and the Will effectually drawn to embrace Christ. The outward Call brings Men to a profession of Christ, the inward to a possession of Christ.
Quest. What is the means of this effectual Call?
Resp. Every Creature hath a Voice to call to us. The Heavens call to us to behold God's glory, Psal. 19.1. Conscience calls to us, God's Judgments call to us Repent, Mic. 6.9. Hear ye the Rod. But every Voice doth not convert. There are two means of our effectual Call:
1. The preaching of the Word, which is the sounding God's silver Trumpet in Men's Fears; God doth not speak by an Oracle, he calls by his Ministers. Samuel thought it had been only the Voice of Eli, that called to him, but it was God's voice, 1 Sam. 3.6. So perhaps you think it is only the Minister speaks to you in the Word, but it is God himself speaks. Therefore Christ is said, ( Now ) to speak to us from Heaven, Hebr. 12.25. How doth he speak but by his Ministers? as a King speaks by his Ambassadors. Know, that in every Sermon preached, God calls to you, and to refuse the Message we bring, is to refuse God himself.
2. The other means of our effectual Call, is the Holy Spirit. The Ministry of the Word is the Pipe or Organ, the Spirit of God blowing in it, doth effectually change Men's hearts, Acts 10.44. While Peter spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word of God. Ministers knock at the door of Men's hearts, the Spirit comes with a Key and opens the door, Acts 16.14. A certain woman named Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened.
Quest. From what doth God call Men?
Resp. 1. From sin ; He calls them from their Ignorance and Unbelief, 1 Pet. 1.14. By Nature the Understanding is inveloped with Darkness, God calls Men from darkness to light, Eph. 5.8. as if one should be called out of a Dungeon to behold the Light of the Sun.
2. From Danger. As the Angel called Lot out of Sodom, when it was ready to rain fire; so God calls his People from the Fire and Brimstone of Hell, and from all those Curses they were exposed to.
3. He calls them out of the World, as Christ called Matthew from the Receipt of Custom, John 17.16. Ye are not of the world. Such as are Divinely called, are not Natives here, but Pilgrims, they do not conform to the world, or follow its sinful fashions. They are not of the world, though they live here, yet, they trade in the heavenly Country. The World is a place where Satan's Throne is, Rev. 2.13. a Stage on which sin every day acts its part; now such as are called are in, but not of the World.
Quest. To what God calls Men?
Resp. 1. He calls them to Holiness, 1 Thess. 4.7. God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. Holiness is the livery, or silver star the Godly wear, Isa. 63.18. Knam kodsheca, The people of thy holiness. The called of God are anointed with the consecrating Oil of the Spirit, 1 John 2.20. Ye have an Unction from the holy One.
2. God calls them to Glory, as if a Man were called out of a Prison to sit upon a Throne, 1 Thess. 2.12. Who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory. Whom God calls, he crowns. It is a weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. The Hebrew word for Glory ( Kauod ) signifies pondus, a weight: The weight of Glory adds to the worth. The weightier Gold is, the more it is worth. And this Glory is not transient, but permanent, an eternal weight: 'tis better felt then expressed.
Quest. What is the cause of the effectual Call?
Resp. God's electing Love; Rom. 8.30. Whom he predestinated, them he also called. Election is the Fountain-cause of our Vocation. It is not because some are more worthy to partake of the heavenly Calling then others, (as the Arminians ) we were all in our blood, Ezek. 16.6. and what worthiness in us? What worthiness was there in Mary Magdalene, out of whom seven Devils were cast? What worthiness in the Corinthians, when God began to call them by his Gospel? they were Fornicators, Effeminate, Idolaters, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, &c. Before effectual Calling, we are not only without strength, Rom. 5.6. but Enemies, Col. 1.21. So that the Foundation of Vocation is Election.
Quest. What are the Epithites or Qualifications of this Call?
Resp. 1. It is a powerful Call. Verba Dei sunt opera, Luther: God puts forth infinite power in calling home a sinner to himself: He doth not only put forth his Voice, but his Arm. The Apostle speaks of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the exceeding greatness of his power he exerciseth towards them that believe, Ephes. 1.19. God rides forth conquering in the Chariot of his Gospel, he conquers the Pride of the Heart, and makes the Wiil, which stood out as a Fort-Royal, to yield and stoop to his Grace; he makes the stony heart bleed: It is a mighty powerful Call. Why then do the Arminians seem to talk of a Moral Perswasion? That God in the Conversion of a Sinner, doth only morally persuade, and no more. He sets his Promises before them, to allure them to Good, and his Threatenings to deter them from Evil; and here is all he doth. But sure Moral Perswasions alone are insufficient to the effectual Call. How can the bare Proposal of Promises and Threatenings convert a Soul? This amounts not to a new Creation? or that Power which raised Christ from the dead. God doth not only persuade, but enable, Ezek. 36.27. If God in Conversion should only morally persuade, that is, set Good and Evil before Men, then God doth not put forth so much power in saving Men, as the Devil doth in destroying them. Satan doth not only propound tempting Objects to Men, but doth concur with his Temptations, therefore he is said to work in the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2.2. The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to work, signifies imperii vim, Cameron, the power Satan hath in carrying Men to sin. And shall not God's Power in converting be greater then Satan's Power in seducing? The effectual Call is mighty and powerful; God puts forth a Divine Energy, nay, a kind of Omnipotency. It is such a powerful Call, that the will of Man hath no power to resist.
2. It is an high Calling. Phil. 3.14. I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God. It is an high Calling, 1. Because we are called to high Exercises of Religion. To be crucified to the World, to live by Faith, to do Angels Work, to love God, to be living Organs of his Praise, to hold communion with the Father and the Son, 1 John 1.3.
2. It is an high Calling, because we are called to high Privileges ; to Justification and Adoption, to be Kings and Priests unto God; We are called to the fellowship of Angels, to be co-heirs with Christ, Rom. 8.17. They who are effectually called, are Candidates of Heaven, they are Princes in all Lands, Psal. 45.16. though Princes in disguise.
3. It is an immutable Call, Rom. 11.9. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance ; that is, those gifts which flow from Election, (as Vocation and Justification) these are without Repentance. God repented he called Saul to be King; but he never repents that he calls a Sinner to be a Saint.
Use 1. See the necessity of the effectual Call, a Man cannot go to Heaven without it. First we must be called before glorified, Rom. 8.30. A Man uncalled can lay claim to nothing in the Bible but Threatenings; a Man in the state of Nature is not fit for Heaven, no more then a Man in his filth and rags is fit to come into a Kings presence: a Man in his pure Naturals, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a God-hater, Rom. 1.30. and is he fit for Heaven? will God lay his Enemy in his bosom?
Use 2. of Trial. Whether we are effectually called? We may know it by the Antecedent, and Consequent of it.
1. By the Antecedent. Before this effectual Call, an humbling work passeth upon the Soul. A Man is convinced of sin, he sees he is a sinner, and nothing but a sinner; the fallow-ground of his heart is broken up, Ier. 4.3. As the Husbandman breaks the Clods, then casts in the Seed; so God by the convincing work of the Law breaks a sinners heart, and makes it fit to receive the Seeds of Grace. Such as were never convinced, were never called, John 16.8. He shall convince the world of sin. Conviction is the first step to Conversion.
2. By the Consequents: Two. 1. He who is savingly called, Answers to God's Call. When God called Samuel, he answered, Speak Lord, thy servant heareth, 1 Sam. 3.10. When God calls thee to any Act of Religion, thou dost run at God's Call, Acts 26.19. I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. If God calls to Duties contrary to flesh and blood, we obey his voice in everything. True Obedience is like the Needle which points that way which the Loadstone draws. Such as are deaf to God's Call, a sign they are not called by Grace. 2. He who is effectually called doth stop his Ear to all other Calls, which would call him off from God: as God hath his Call, so there are other contrary Calls; Satan calls by a Temptation, Lust calls, evil company calls: But as the Adder stops its Ear against the Voice of the Charmer; so he who is effectually called stops his Ear against all the Charms of Flesh and Devil
Use 3. Of Comfort to them who are the called of God; This Call evidenceth Election, Rom. 8.30. Whom he predestinated, them he also called. Election is the cause of our Vocation, and Vocation is the sign of our Election. Election is the first Link of the golden Chain of Salvation, Vocation is the second; he who hath the second Link of the Chain, is sure of the first Link. As by the Stream we are led to the Fountain, so by Vocation we ascend to Election; Calling is an earnest and pledge of Glory. 2 Thess. 2.13. God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification. We may read God's predestinating love in the work of Grace in our heart.
Branch 2. To such as are called, to be thankful to God for this unspeakable Blessing; be thankful to all the Persons in the Trinity, to the Father's Mercy, to the Son's Merit, to the Spirit's Efficacy. To make you thankful, consider, when you had offended God that he should call you, that when God needed you not, he had Millions of glorified Saints and Angels to praise him, yet he called you. Again, consider what you were before God called you, you were in your sins ; when God called Paul, he found him persecuting; when he called Matthew, he found him at the Receipt of Custom; when he called Zacchaeus, he found him using Extorsion. When God calls a Man by his Grace, he finds him seeking after his Lusts, as when Saul was called to the Kingdom, he was seeking the Asses. That God should call thee when thou wert in the hot pursuit of sin, admire God's Love, exalt his Praise. Again, that God should call you, and pass by others, what Mercy is this? Matth. 11.26. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight. That God should pass by the wise and noble Persons of sweeter disposition, acuter parts, guilty of less Vice, and that the Lot of Free-grace should fall on you, O astonishing Love of God. It was a great favor of God to Samuel, that God called to him, and revealed his Mind to him, and passed by Eli, though a Priest and a Judge in Israel, 1 Sam. 3.9. so that God should call to thee, a flagitious sinner, and pass by others of higher birth, and better morals, here is that calls aloud for Praise. As God so governs the Clouds, that he makes them rain upon one place, and not upon another, so doth he dispence his Grace, it shall drop its sweet dew upon one, and not another. Two at a Sermon, one his heart the Lord opens, the other is no more affected with it, than a deaf Man with the sound of Music. Here is the Banner of Free-grace displayed, and here should be the Trophies of Praise erected. Elijah and Elisha were walking together, on a sudden there came a Chariot of Fire, and carried Elijah up to Heaven, but left Elisha behind; so when two are walking together, Husband and Wife, Father and Child, that God should call one by his Grace, but leave the other, carry one up in a triumphant Chariot to Heaven, but let the other perish eternally: O infinite rich Grace! how should they that are called be affected with God's discriminating Love; how should the Vessels of Mercy run over with Thankfulness; how should they stand upon Mount Gerizim, blessing and praising God: O begin the work of Heaven here! Such as are Patterns of Mercy, should be Trumpets of Praise: Thus S. Paul being called of God, and seeing what a Debtor he was to Free-grace, breaks forth into Admiration and Gratulation, 1 Tim. 1.13.
Use 4. To the Called, walk worthy of your high Calling, Eph. 4.1. I beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called ; in two things:
1. Walk compassionately, pity such as are yet uncalled: Hast thou a Child that God hath not yet called, a Wife, a Servant? Weep over their dying Souls. They are in their Blood, under the Power of Satan; O pity them! Let their sins more trouble you then your own Sufferings: If you pity an Ox or Ass going astray, will you not pity a Soul going astray. Show your Piety by your Pity.
2. Walk holily ; yours is an holy Calling, 2 Tim. 1.9. You are called to be Saints, Rom. 1.7. Show your Vocation by a Bible-conversation. Shall not Flowers smell sweeter than Weeds? Shall not they who are ennobled with Grace, have more Fragrancy in their Lives than Sinners? 1 Pet. 1.15. As he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. O dishonor not your high Calling by any sordid Carriage. When Antigonus going to defile himself with Women, one told him, He was a King's Son: O remember your Dignity, Called of God! of the Blood-Royal of Heaven ; do nothing unworthy of your Honorable Calling. Scipio refused the Embraces of an Harlot, because he was General of an Army. Abhor all Motions to sin, because of your high Calling. 'It is not fit for them who are the Called of God, to do as others: though' others of the Jews did drink Wine, it was not fit for the Nazarite, because he had a Vow of Separation upon him, and had promised Abstinence. Though Pagans and loose Christians take liberty to sin, yet it is not fit for them who are called out of the World, and have the Mark of Election upon them, to do so: You are consecrated Persons, your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, and your Souls must be a Sacrary, or Holy of Holies.
OF IVSTIFICATION.
Rom. 3.24.
Being justified freely by his grace.
Quest. XXI. WHat is Justification?
Resp. It is an Act of God's Free-grace, whereby he pardoneth all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the Righteousness of CHRIST imputed to us, and received by Faith.
Justification is the very Hinge and Pillar of CHRISTIANITY; and an Error about Justification is dangerous, like a Crack in the Foundation, or an Error in the first Concoction. Justification by Christ is a Spring of the Water of Life, and to have the Poison of corrupt Doctrine cast into this Spring, is damnable. It was a Saying of Luther, That after his Death the Doctrine of Justification would be corrupted. As it hath been in these latter Times, the Arminians and Socinians have cast a dead Fly into this Box of precious Ointment.
I shall endeavor to follow the Star of Scripture to light me through this Mysterious Point.
Quest. What is meant by Justification?
Resp. It is verbum forense, a word borrowed from Law-courts, wherein a Person arraigned is pronounced Righteous, and is openly absolved in the Court. Thus God in justifying a Person, pronounceth him to be Righteous, and looks upon him as if he had not sinned.
Quest. What is the Ground of Justification?
Resp. The Causa, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the inward impellent Motive or Ground of Justification is the Free-grace of God. So in the Text, Justified freely by his grace. Which Ambrose expounds, Not of the Grace wrought within us, but the Free-grace of God. The first Wheel that sets all the rest a running, is the Love and Favor of God. Being justified by his Grace ; as a King freely Pardons a Delinquent. Justification is a Mercy spun out of the Bowels of Free-grace. God doth not justify us because we are worthy, but by justifying us makes us worthy.
Quest. What is the material Cause, or that by which a Sinner is justified?
Resp. The Matter of our Justification is Christ's Satisfaction made to his Father. If it be asked, How can it stand with God's Justice and Holiness to pronounce us Innocent, when we are Guilty? This answers it, Christ having made Satisfaction for our Fault, now God may in Equity and Justice pronounce us Righteous. It is a just thing for a Creditor to discharge a Debtor of the Debt, when a Satisfaction is made by the Surety.
Quest. But how was Christ's Satisfaction meritorious, and so sufficient to Iustifie?
Resp. In respect of the Divine Nature: As he was Man he suffered, as God he satisfied; by Christ's Death and Merits God's Justice is more abundantly satisfied then if we had suffered the Pains of Hell forever.
Quest. Wherein lies the Formality or Essence of our Justification?
Resp. In the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us, Jer. 23.6. This is the name whereby ye shall be called, Jehovah Tzidkennu, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1 Cor. 1.30. He is made to us righteousness. This Righteousness of Christ which doth justify us, is a better Righteousness then the Angels, theirs is the Righteousness of Creatures, this of God.
Quest. What is the Means or Instrument of our Justification?
Resp. Faith, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith. The Dignity is not in Faith as a Grace, but relatively, as it lays hold on Christ's Merits.
Quest. What is the Efficient Cause of our Justification?
Resp. The whole Trinity, all the Persons in the Blessed Trinity have an Hand in the Justification of a Sinner: Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. God the Father is said to justify, Rom. 8.33. It is God that justifieth. God the Son is said to justify, Acts 13.39. By him all that believe are justified. God the Holy Ghost is said to justify, 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are justified by the spirit of our God. God the Father justifies as he pronounceth us Righteous; God the Son justifies as he imputes his Righteousness to us; and God the Holy Ghost justifies as he clears up our Justification, and seals us up to the Day of Redemption.
Quest. What is the End of our Justification?
Resp. The End is, 1. That God may inherit Praise, Eph. 1.6. To the praise of the glory of his grace. Hereby God raiseth the everlasting Trophies of his own Honor: How will the justified Sinner proclaim the Love of God, and make Heaven ring of his Praises.
2. That the justified Person may inherit Glory, Rom. 8.30. Whom he justified them he also glorified. God in justifying doth not only absolve a Soul from Guilt, but advance him to Dignity: as Joseph was not only loosed from Prison, but made Lord of the Kingdom. Justification is crowned with Glorification.
Quest. Whether are we justified from Eternity?
Resp. No; for first, by Nature we are under a Sentence of Condemnation, Joh. 3.18. But we could not be at all condemned, if we were justified from Eternity.
2. The Scripture confines Justification to those who believe and repent, Acts 3.19. Repent, that your sins may be blotted out. Therefore their sins were uncanciled and their Persons unjustified, till they did repent: though God doth not justify us for our Repentance, yet not without it. The Antinomians erroneously hold, That we are justified from Eternity. This Doctrine is a Key which opens the Door to all Licentiousness; what sins do they care they commit, so long as they hold they are ab Aeterno, justified whether they repent or no.
Before I come to the Uses, I shall lay down four Maxims or Positions about Justification:
Position 1. That Justification confers a real benefit upon the Person justified. The acquitting and discharging the Debtor by Virtue of the Satisfaction made by the Surety, is a real Benefit to the Debtor: A Robe of Righteousness, and a Crown of Righteousness are real Benefits.
Position 2. All Believers are alike justified: Iustificatio non recipit magis & minus: Though there are Degrees in Grace, yet not in Justification ; one is not justified more than another. The weakest Believer is as perfectly justified, as the strongest: Mary Magdalene is as much justified as the Virgin Mary. This may be Cordial-water to a weak Believer. Though thou hast but a Dram of Faith, thou art as truly justified as he who is of the highest stature in Christ.
Position 3. Whomsoever God justifies he sanctifies: 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. The Papists calumniate the Protestants, they report we hold that Men continuing in sin are justified ; whereas all our Protestant Writers affirm, That Righteousness imputed, viz. Justification, and Righteousness inherent, viz. Sanctification must be inseparably united. Holiness indeed is not the cause of our Justification, but it is the concomitant: the Heat in the Sun is not the cause of its Light, but it is the concomitant. It is absurd to imagine that God should justify a People, and they go on Sin. If God should justify a People and not sanctify them, he should justify a People whom he could not glorify. God as he is an Holy God, cannot lay a Sinner in his Bosom. The Metal is first refined before the King's Stamp is put upon it: First the Soul is refined with Holiness before God puts the Royal Stamp of Justification upon it.
Position 4. Justification is inamissibilis, it is a fixed permanent Thing, it can never be lost. The Arminians hold an Apostasy from Justification: To day justified, tomorrow unjustified; today a Peter, tomorrow a Judas ; today a Member of Christ, tomorrow a Limb of Satan; a most uncomfortable Doctrine. Indeed justified Persons may fall from degrees of Grace, they may leave their first Love, they may lose God's Favor for a time, but not lose their Justification. If they are justified then they are elected; they can no more fall from their Justification, then from their Election. If they are justified then they have Union with Christ, and can a Member of Christ be broken off? If one justified Person may fall away from Christ, then all may, and so Christ should be an Head without a Body.
Use 1. See from hence, that there is nothing within us could justify us, but something without us, not any Righteousness inherent but imputed: We may as well look for a Star in the Earth, as for Justification in our own Righteousness. The Papists say we are justified by Works. But the Apostle confutes it, Not of works least any man should boast, Eph. 2.9. But the Papists say, The Works done by an unregenerate Man indeed cannot justify him, but works done by a regenerate Man may justify. This is most false, as may be proved both by Example and Reason:
1. By Example Abraham was a regenerate Man, but Abraham was not justified by Works but by Faith, Rom. 4.3. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
2. By Reason: How can those Works justify us which defiles us? Isa. 64.6. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Bona opera non praecedunt justificationem, sed sequuntur justificatum: Good Works are not an Usher to go before Justification, but an Handmaid to follow it.
Object. But doth not the Apostle James say, Abraham was justified by works?
Resp. The answer is easy, Works declare us to be righteous before Men, but they do not make us righteous before God. Works are Evidences of our Justification, not Causes. This Name only must be graven upon the Golden Plate of our High Priest Christ, The LORD our righteousness.
2. Use of Exhortation. Branch 1. Adore the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God to find out such a way to justify us, by rich Grace and precious Blood. We were all involved in Guilt, none of us could plead, Not Guilty ; and being Guilty we lay under a Sentence of Death; now that the Judge himself should find out a way to justify us, and the Creditor himself contrive a way to have the Debt paid, and not distress the Debtor; this may fill us with Wonder and Love. The Angels admire the Mystery of Free-grace in this new way of Justifying and Saving lost Man, 1 Pet. 1.12. and should not we who are nearly concerned in it, and on whom the Benefit is devolved, cry out with the Apostle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! &c.
Branch 2. Labor for this high Privilege of Justification: There is Balm in Gilead, Christ hath laid down the Price of our Justification, viz. His Blood, and he offers himself and all his Merits to us, to justify; he invites us to come to him, he hath promised to give his Spirit, to enable us to do what is required. Why then Sinners will ye not look after this great Privilege of Justification? Do not starve in the midst of Plenty; do not perish when there is a Remedy to save you. Would not he be thought to be distracted, if having a Pardon offered him only upon the Acknowledgment of his Fault, and promising Amendment, he should bid the Prince keep his Pardon to himself, for his part he was in love with his Chains and Fetters, and would die? Thou who neglectest Justification offered thee freely by Christ in the Gospel, art this distracted Person. Is the Love of Christ to be slighted? Is thy Soul and Heaven worth nothing? O then look after Justification through Christ's Blood!
Consider, 1. The necessity of being justified: If we are not justified, we cannot be glorified, Rom. 8.30. Whom he justified them he also glorified. He who is Outlawed, and all his Goods confiscated, must be brought into Favor with his Prince, before he can be restored to his former Rights and Liberties. So we must first have our Sins forgiven, and be brought into God's Favor by Justification, before we can be restored to the Liberty of the Sons of God, and have Right to that Happiness we forfeited in Adam.
2. The Utility and Benefit: By Justification we enjoy Peace in our Conscience, a richer Jewel then any Prince wears in his Crown, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Peace can sweeten all Afflictions, it turns our Water into Wine: How happy is a justified Person, who hath the Power of God to guard him, and the Peace of God to comfort him. Peace flowing from Justification, is an Antidote against the Fear of Death and Hell, Rom. 8.34. It is God that justifies, who is he that condemneth? Therefore labor for this Justification by Christ; this Privilege is obtained by believing in Christ, Acts 13.39. By him all that believe are justified. And, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. Faith unites us to Christ, and having Union with his Person, we partake of his Merits, and the glorious Salvation which comes by him.
Use 3. Comfort to the Justified, 1. It is Comfort in case of Failings: Alas, how defective are the Godly, they come short in every Duty! But though Believers should be humbled under their Defects, yet not despond, they are not to be justified by their Duties or Graces, but the Righteousness of Christ. Their Duties are mixed with Sin, but that Righteousness which justifies them, is a perfect Righteousness.
2. Comfort in case of hard Censures: The World censures the People of God for Proud and Hypocritical, and the Troublers of Israel, but though Men censure and condemn the Godly, yet God hath justified them: And as he hath now, justified them, so at the Day of Judgment he will openly justify them, and pronounce them Righteous before Men and Angels. And God is so just and holy a Judge, that having once justified his People, he will never condemn them. Pilate justified Christ, I find no fault in him ; yet after this he condemned him. But God having publicly justified his Saints, he will never condemn them: Whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Of ADOPTION.
Joh. 1.12.
To them he gave power to become the sons of GOD.
HAving spoken of the great Points of Faith and Justification, the next is Adoption:
1. The Qualification of the Persons: As many as received him. Receiving is put for Believing, as is clear by the last words, To them that believe in his name.
2. The Specification of the Privilege: To them he gave power to become the sons of God. The Greek word for Power, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies Dignity and Prerogative; he dignified them to become the Sons of God.
Our Sonship differs from Christ's Sonship: Christ was the Son of God by Eternal Generation, a Son before time; but our Sonship is, 1. By Creation, Acts 17.28. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we are his Off-spring. This is no Privilege, Men may have God for their Father by Creation, yet have the Devil for their Father.
2. Our Sonship is by Adoption: So in the Text, He gave them power to become the sons of God. Adoption is twofold,
1. External and Federal: So those who live in a visible Church, and make a Profession of God, are Sons, Matth. 8.12. The children of the kingdom shall be cast out.
2. Real and Gracious: So they are Sons who are GOD's Favorites, and are Heirs of Glory. Before I proceed to the Questions, I shall lay down three Positions:
1. Adoption takes in all Nations: At first Adoption was confined to the People of the Jews, they only were grafted in to the true Olive, and were dignified with glorious Privileges, Rom. 9.4. Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory? But now in the time of Gospel, the Chartar is enlarged, and the believing Gentiles are within the Line of Communication, and have a Right to the Privilege of Adoption as well as the Jews, Acts 10.35. In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Position 2. Adoption takes in both Sexes, Females as well as Males: 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters. I have read in some Countries, Females are excluded from the Supreme Dignity; as by the Salique Law in France, no Woman can inherit a Crown: But if we speak of Spiritual Privileges, Females are as capable as Males. Every gracious Soul (of whatever Sex) lays claim to Adoption, and hath an Interest in God as a Father: Ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Position 3. Adoption is an Act of pure Grace, Eph. 1.5. Having predestinated us to the adoption of children, according to the good pleasure of his will. Adoption is a Mercy spun out of the Bowels of Free-grace: all by Nature are Strangers, therefore have no Right to Sonship, only God is pleased to adopt one and not another, to make one a Vessel of Glory, another a Vessel of Wrath. The adopted Heir may cry out, Lord, how is it thou wilt show thyself to me, and not unto the World?
Quest. What this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this Filiation or Adoption is?
Resp. Adoption is the taking a Stranger into the Relation of a Son and Heir: So Moses was the adopted Son of King Pharaoh 's Daughter, Exod. 2.10. And Esther was the adopted Child of her Cousin Mordecai, Esth. 2.7. Thus God adopts us into the Family of Heaven; and God in adopting us doth two things:
1. He Ennobles us with his Name, he who is adopted bears his Name who adopts him, Rev. 3.12. I will write on him the name of my God.
2. God consecrates us with his Spirit: Whom he Adopts he Anoints ; whom he makes Sons, he makes Saints: When a Man adopts another for his Son and Heir, he may put his Name upon him, but he cannot put his Disposition into him; if he be of a morose rugged Nature, he cannot alter it. But whom God adopts he sanctifies: He doth not only give them a new Name, but a new Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. God turns the Wolf into a Lamb; he makes the Heart humble and gracious, he works such a Change as if another Soul did dwell in the same Body.
Quest. From what State doth God take us when he adopts us?
Resp. From a State of Sin and Misery. King Pharaoh 's Daughter took Moses out of the Ark of Bulrushes in the Water, and adopted him for her Son. God did not take us out of the Water, but out of our Blood, and adopted us, Ezek. 16. God adopted us from Slavery: It is a Mercy to redeem a Slave, but it is more to adopt him.
Quest. To what God adopts us?
Resp. He adopts us to a State of Excellency; it were much for God to take a Clod of Dust and make it a Star: it is more for God to take a Piece of Clay and Sin and adopt it for his Heir:
1. God adopts us to a State of Liberty, Adoption is a State of Freedom. A Slave being adopted is made a free Man, Gal. 4.7. Thou art no more a servant, but a son.
Quest. How is an adopted Son free?
Resp. 1. Not to do what he list: he is freed from the Dominion of Sin, the Tyranny of Satan, the Curse of the Law.
2. He is free in the manner of Worship; he hath God's free Spirit which makes him free and cheerful in his Service of God; he is joyful in the house of prayer, Isa. 56.7.
2. God adopts us to a State of Dignity: God makes us Heirs of Promise; God Instals us into Honor, Isa. 43.4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable. The Adopted are God's Treasure, Exod. 19.5. His Jewels, Mal. 3.17. His first Born, Heb. 12.23. They have Angels for their Life-guard, Heb. 1.14. They are of the Blood-Royal of Heaven, 1 Job. 3.9. The Scripture hath set forth their Spiritual Heraldry ; they have their Escutcheon or Coat-armor: Sometimes they give the Lyon for their Courage, Prov. 28.1. Sometimes the Dove for their Meekness, Cant. 2.14. Sometimes the Eagle for their Sublimeness, Isa. 40.31. Thus you see their Coat of Arms displayed; but what is Honor without Inheritance? God adopts all his Sons to an Inheritance, Luke 12.32. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom. 'It is no Disparagment to be the Sons of God. To reproach the Saints, is as if Shimei had reproached David when he was going to be made King; Adoption ends in Coronation. The Kingdom God gives his adopted Sons and Heirs excels all Earthly Monarchies:
1. In Riches, Rev. 21.21. the Gates of Pearl, and the Streets of pure Gold, and as it were transparent Glass.
2. In Tranquility; it is peaceable, the white Lily of Peace is the best Flower of a Prince's Crown: Pax una triumphis innumeris melior —No Divisions at Home, or Invasions Abroad; no more the Noise of the Drum or Canon, but the Voice of Harpers harping the Hieroglyphic of Peace, Rev. 14.2.
3. In Stability; other Kingdoms are corruptible, though they have Heads of Gold, yet Feet of Clay: but this Kingdom into which the Saints are adopted runs parallel with Eternity; 'tis a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, Heb. 12.28. The Heirs of Heaven reign forever and ever, Rev. 22.5.
Quest. What is the Organical or Instrumental Cause of Adoption?
Resp. Faith interests us in the Privilege of Adoption, Gal. 3.26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Before Faith be wrought we are Spiritually Illegitimate, we have no relation to God as a Father: an Unbeliever may call God Judge but not Father ; Faith is the filiating Grace, it confers upon us the Title of Sonship, and gives us right to inherit.
Quest. Why Faith is the Instrument of Adoption, more then any other Grace?
Resp. 1. Faith is a quickening Grace, it is the Vital Artery of the Soul, Hab. 2.4. The just shall live by faith. Life makes us capable of Adoption, dead Children are never adopted.
2. Faith makes us CHRIST's Brethren, and so GOD comes to be our Father.
Use 1. Branch 1. See the amazing Love of God in making us his Sons. Plato gave God Thanks, that he had made him a Man, and not only a Man, but a Philosopher: but it is infinitely more, that he should invest us with the Prerogative of Sons. It is Love in God to feed us, but more to adopt us, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! It is an Ecce Admirantis, a Behold of Wonder.
The Wonder of God's Love in adopting us, will appear the more, if we consider these six things,
1. That God should adopt us when he had a Son of his own. Men adopt because they want Children, and desire to have some to bear their Name; but that God should adopt us when he had a Son of his own, the Lord Jesus, here is the Wonder of Love. Christ is called God's dear Son, Col. 1.13. A Son more worthy then the angels. Heb. 1.4. Being made so much better then the angels. Now when God had a Son of his own, such a Son, here is the Wonder of God's Love in adopting us. We needed a Father, but he did not need Sons.
2. Consider what we were before God did adopt us: We were very deformed; a Man will scarce adopt him for his Heir that is crooked and ill-favored, but that hath some Beauty. Mordecai adopted Esther because she was fair. But we were in our Blood, and then God adopted us: Ezek. 16.6. When I saw thee polluted in thy blood, it was the time of love. God did not adopt us when we were bespangled with the Jewels of Holiness, and had the Angels Glory upon us, but when we were black as Ethiopians, diseased as Leapers, then it was the time of Love.
3. That God should be at so great Expence in adopting us: When Men adopt they have only some Deed sealed, and the thing is effected; but when God adopts, it puts him to a far greater Expence, it se • s his Wisdom a work to find out a way to adopt us: It was no easy thing to make the Heirs of Wrath, Heirs of the Promise. And when God had found out a way to adopt, it was no easy way; our Adoption is purchased at a dear Rate: When God was about to make us Sons and Heirs, he could not Seal the Deed but by the Blood of his own Son. Here is the Wonder of God's Love in adopting us, that he should be at all this Expence to bring this work about.
4. That God should adopt his Enemies: If a Man adopts another for his Heir, he will not adopt his mortal Enemy; but that God should adopt us when we were not only Strangers but Enemies. Here is the Wonder of Love, for God to have pardoned his Enemies had been much, but to adopt them for his Heirs, this sets the Angels in Heaven a wondering.
5. That God should take great Numbers out of the Devil's Family and adopt them into the Family of Heaven. Christ is said to bring many sons to glory, Heb. 2.10. Men adopt usually but one Heir, but God is resolved to increase his Family, he brings many Sons to Glory. God's adopting Millions, is the Wonder of Love. Had but one been adopted, all of us might have despair'd, but he brings many Sons to Glory; this opens a Door of Hope to us.
6. That God should confer so great Honor upon us in adopting us: David thought it no small Honor, that he should be a King's Son-in-law, 1 Sam. 18.18. But what Honor to be the Sons of the High God? And the more Honor God hath put upon us in adopting us the more he hath magnified his Love towards us. What Honor that God hath made us so near in Alliance to him, Sons of God the Father, Members of God the Son, Temples of God the Holy Ghost, that he hath made us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Angels, Matth. 22.30. Nay, in some sense superior to the Angels, all proclaims the Wonder of God's Love in adopting us.
Branch 2. See the sad Condition of such as live and die in Unbelief, they are not the Sons of God: To as many as received him, he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. No Faith, no Sonship ; Unbelievers have no Sign on Sonship, they know not God; all God's Children know their Father, but the Wicked do not know him, Jer. 9.3. They proceed from evil to evil, and know not me, saith the Lord. Unbelievers are dead in Trespasses, Eph. 2.1. God hath no dead Children; and not being Children, they have no Right to inherit.
2. Use of Trial: Try whether we are adopted, all the World is divided into these two Ranks, either the Sons of God, or the Heirs of Hell, Joh. 1.12. To them he gave power to become the sons of God. Let us put ourselves on a Trial; it is no sign we are adopted Sons, because we are Sons of Godly Parents: The Jews boasted that they were Abraham 's Seed, John. 8.33. they thought they must needs be good, because they came of such an Holy Line. But Adoption doth not come by Blood: we see many godly Parents have wicked Sons: Abraham had an Ishmael; Isaac an Esau. The Corn that is sown pure yet brings forth Grain with an Husk. He who himself is Holy, yet the Child that springs from his Loins is Unholy. So that as Jerome, Non nascimur filii ; We are not God's Sons as we are born of godly Parents, but by Adoption and Grace. Well then, let us try if we are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God.
First Sign of Adoption, Obedience; a Son obeys his Father, Jer. 35.5. I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and said unto them, Drink ye Wine. But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine. So when God saith, Drink not in Sin's enchanted Cup, an adopted Child saith, My Heavenly Father hath commanded me, I dare not Drink. A gracious Soul doth not only believe God's Promise, but obey his Command. And true Child-like Obedience must be Regular, which implies three things:
1. It must be done by a right Rule: Obedience must have the Word for its Rule; Lydius Lapis: Isa. 8.20. To the law, to the testimony. If our Obedience be not according to the Word, it is offering up strange Fire; it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Will-worship; and God will say, Who hath required this at your hand? The Apostle condemns worshipping of Angels, which had a show of Humility, Col. 2.18. The Jews might say, they were loath to be so bold as to go to God in their own Persons, they would be more humble, and prostrate themselves before the Angels, desiring them to be their Mediators to God. Here was a show of Humility in their Angel-worship, but it was abominable, because they had no Word of God to warrant it: It was not Obedience but Idolatry. Child-like Obedience is that which is consonant to our Father's revealed Will.
2. It must be done from a right Principle; i. e. The noble Principle of Faith, Rom. 16.26. The obedience of faith. —Quicquid decorum est ex fide proficiscitur, Aug. A Crab tree may bear Fruit fair to the Eye, but it is sour because it doth not come from a good Root. A Moral Person may give God outward Obedience, and to the Eyes of others it seems glorious, but his Obedience is sour because it comes not from that sweet and pleasant Root of Faith. A Child of God gives him the Obedience of Faith, and that meliorates and sweetens his Services, and makes them come off with a better relish, Heb. 11.4. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice then Cain.
3. It must be done to a right End: Finis specificat actionem ; The end of Obedience is glorifying God. That which hath spoiled many glorious Services, is when the end hath been wrong: Matth. 6.2. When thou dost thine alms do not sound a trumpet as the hypocrites do, that they may have glory of men. Good Works should shine, but not blaze. If I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing, 1 Cor. 13.3. The same I may say of a sincere aim ; if I obey never so much, and have not a sincere Aim, it profits me nothing. True Obedience looks at God in all, Phil. 1.20. That Christ may be magnified. Though a Child of God shoots short, yet he takes a right Aim.
2. True Child-like Obedience is Uniform: A Child of God makes Conscience of one Command as well as another: Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit. —All God's Commands have the same Stamp of Divine Authority upon them; and if I obey one Precept because my Heavenly Father commands me, then by the same Rule I must obey all: As the Blood runs through all the Veins of the Body; and the Sun in the Firmament runs through all the Signs of the Zodiac ; so true Child-like Obedience runs through the First and Second Table, Psal. 119.6. When I have respect to all thy commandments. To obey God in some things of Religion, and not in others, shows an unsound Heart: Like Esau who obeyed his Father in bringing him Venison, but not in a greater matter, viz. the Choice of his Wife. Child-like Obedience moves towards every Command of God; as the Needle points that way which the Load-stone draws. If God call to Duties which are cross to Flesh and Blood, if we are Children we obey our Father.
Quest. But who can obey God in all things?
Ans. An adopted Heir of Heaven, though he cannot obey every Precept perfectly, yet he doth evangelically: 1. He approves of every Command, Rom. 7.16. I consent to the law that it 〈◊〉 good. 2. A Child of God delights in every Command, Psal. 119.97. O how I love thy precepts. 3. His desire is to obey every Command, Psal. 119.5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. 4. Wherein he comes short, he looks up to Christ's Blood to make supply for his Defects. This is Evangelical Obedience, which though it be not to Satisfaction, it is to Acceptation.
3. True Child-like Obedience is constant, Psal. 106.3. Blessed is he that doth righteousness at all times. Child-like Obedience is not like an high Cholor in a Fit, which is soon over, but like a right Sanguine Complexion it abides; it is like the Fire on the Altar, which was kept always burning, Lev. 6.13.
Second Sign of Adoption, To love to be in our Father's Presence; the Child who loves his Father, is never so well as when he is near his Father. Are we Children, we love the Presence of God in his Ordinances? In Prayer we speak to God, in the preaching of his Word he speaks to us: And how doth every Child of God delight to hear his Father's Voice? Psal. 63.1, 2. My soul thirsteth for thee, to see thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Such as disregard Ordinances are not God's Children, because they care not to be in God's Presence: Gen. 4.17. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. Not that he could go out of God's Sight, but the me • ning is, Cain went from the Church and People of God, where the Lord gave vissible Tokens of his Presence.
Third Sign of Adoption, To have the Conduct of God's Spirit, Rom. 8. • 4. As many as are led by the spirit of God, are the sons of God. It is not enough that the Child have Life, but it must be led every step by the Nurse: so the adopted Child must not only be born of God, but have the Manuduction of the Spirit to lead him in a Course of Holiness: Hos. 11.3. I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms. As Israel were led by the Pillar of Fire, so God's Children are led by the Conduct of his Spirit: the adopted Ones need God's Spirit to lead them, they are apt to go wrong. The fleshy Part inclines to sin, the Understanding and Conscience are to guide the Will, but the Will is imperious and rebels, therefore God's Children need the Spirit to check Corruption, and lead them in the right way; as the wicked Men are led by the Evil Spirit: The Spirit of Satan led Herod to Incest, Ahab to Murder, Judas to Treason; so the good Spirit leads God's Children into Virtuous Actions.
Object. But Enthusiasts pretend to be led by the Spirit, when it is an Ignis Fatuus, a Delusion?
Ans. The Spirit's Conduct is agreeable to the Word: Enthusiasts leave the Word, The word is truth, Joh. 17.17. And the spirit guides in all truth, Joh. 16.13. The Word's Teaching, and the Spirit's Leading agree together.
Fourth Sign, If we are adopted we have an entire love to all God's Children, 1 Pet. 2.17. Love the brother-hood. We bear Affection to God's Children, though they have some Infirmities: There are the spots of God's Children, Deut. 32.5. But we must love the beautiful Face of Holiness, though it hath a Scar in it. If we are adopted we love the Good we see in God's Children, we admire their Graces, we pass by their Imprudencies: if we cannot love them because they have some Failings, how do we think God can love us? can we plead Exemption? By these Signs we may know our Adoption.
Quest. What are the benefits which accrue to God's Children?
Ans. They have great Immunities: King's Children have great Privileges and Freedoms; they do not pay Custom, Mat. 17.6. God's Children are privileged Persons; they are privileged from the hurt of everything, Luke 10.19. Nothing shall by any means hurt you. Hit you it may, not hurt you: Psal. 91.10. There shall no evil befall thee. God saith not, no Affliction shall befall his Children, but no Evil; the Hurt and Poison of it is taken away. Affliction to a wicked Man hath Evil in it, it makes him worse; it makes him curse and blaspheme, Rev. 16.9. Men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God. But no Evil befalls a Child of God, he is bettered by Affliction, Heb. 12.10. The Furnace makes Gold purer. Again, no Evil befalls the Adopted, because no Condemnation, Rom. 8.33. It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? What a blessed Privilege is this, to be freed from the Sting of Affliction, and the Curse of the Law; to be in such a Condition that nothing can hurt one. When the Dragon hath poisoned the Water, the Unicorn with his Horn doth extract and draw out the Poison; so Jesus Christ hath drawn out the Poison of every Affliction, that it cannot prejudice the Saints.
Second Benefit, If we are adopted, then we have an Interest in all the Promises: The Promises are Children's Bread: Believers are heirs of the Promise, Heb. 6.17. The Promises are sure; God's Truth which is the brightest Pearl in his Crown is laid to pawn in a Promise. The Promises are suitable; like a P •• sick-garden, there is no Disease but there is some Herb in the Physic-garden to cure it. In the Dark of Desertion God hath promised to be a Sun; in Temptation to tread down Satan, Rom. 16.20. Doth Sin prevail? he hath promised to take away its Kingly Power, Rom. 6.14. O the Heavenly Comforts which are distilled from the Limbeck of the Promises; But who hath a Right to these? Believers only are Heirs of the Promise. There is never a Promise in the Bible, but a Believer may say, This is mine.
Use ult. Extol and magnify God's Mercy who hath adopted you into his Family, who of Slaves hath made you Sons, of Heirs of Hell, Heirs of the Promise. Adoption is a free Gift, He gave them power, or dignity, to become the sons of God. As a Thread of Silver runs through the whole Piece of Work, so Free-grace runs through this whole privilege of Adoption: Adoption is a greater Mercy then Adam had in Paradise; he was a Son by Creation, but here is a further Sonship by Adoption, to make us thankful. Consider, in Civil Adoption there is some worth or excellency in the Person to be adopted, but there was no worth in us, neither Beauty, nor Parentage, nor Virtue, nothing in us to move God to bestow the Prerogative of Sonship upon us. We have enough in us to move God to correct us, but nothing to move him to adopt us; therefore exalt Free-grace, begin the work of Angels here: Bless him with your Praises, who hath blessed you in making you his Sons and Daughters.
SANTIFICATION.
1 THESS. 4.3.
For this is the Will of God, even your Sanctification.
THe Notion of the word Sanctification, signifies to consecrate and set apart to an holy use. Thus they are sanctified Persons who are separate from the World, and set apart for God's Service. Sanctification hath a privative and positive part.
1. A privative part, Mortification, which lies in the purging out of sin. Sin is compared to Leven, which sowrs, and to Leprosy, which defiles: Sanctification doth purge out the old leaven, 1 Cor. 5.7. Though it takes not away the life, yet the love of sin.
2. A positive part, Vivification, which is the spiritual refining of the Soul, which in Scripture is called a renewing of our mind, Rom. 12.2. and a partaking of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. The Priests in the Law not only were washed in the great Lavor, but adorned with glorious Apparel, Exod. 28.2. so in Sanctification, not only washed from sin, but adorned with purity.
Quest. What is Sanctification?
Answ. It is a Principle of Grace savingly wrought, whereby the Heart becomes holy, and is made after God's own heart. A sanctified Person bears not only God's Name, but Image. For the opening the nature of Sanctification, I shall lay down these Seven Positions.
1. Sanctification is a supernatural thing; 'tis divinely infused; we are naturally polluted, and to cleanse God takes to be his Prerogative, Lev. 21.8. I am the Lord that sanctifieth you. Weeds grow of themselves, Flowers are planted. Sanctification is a Flower of the Spirit's planting, therefore it is called, The Sanctification of the Spirit, 1 Pet. 1.2.
2. Sanctification is an intrinsical thing; it lies chiefly in the heart. It is called the adorning the hidden man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3.4. The Dew wets the Leaf, the Sap is hid in the Root; the Religion of some consists only in externals, but Sanctification is deeply rooted in the Soul, Psal. 51.6. In the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
3. Sanctification is an extensive thing; it spreads into the whole Man: 1 Thess. 5.23. The God of peace sanctify you wholly. As Original Corruption hath depraved all the Faculties, the whole head is sick, the whole heart faint, no Part sound, as if the whole mass of blood were corrupted; so Sanctification goes over the whole Soul. After the Fall there was Ignorance in the Mind, now in Sanctification we are light in the Lord, Eph. 5.8. After the Fall the Will was depraved, there was not only impotency to Good, but obstinacy; now in Sanctification there is a blessed pliableness in the Will, it doth symbolize and comport with the Will of God. After the Fall the Affections were misplaced on wrong Objects, in Sanctification they are tuned into a sweet order and harmony, the Grief placed on Sin, the Love on God, the Joy on Heaven. Thus Sanctification spreads itself as far as Original Corruption. It goes over the whole Soul: The God of peace sanctify you wholly. He is not a consecrated Person who is good only in some part, but who is all over sanctified. Therefore in Scripture Grace is called a New Man, Col. 3.10. not a new Eye, or a new Tongue, but a new Man. A good Christian, though he be sanctified but in part, yet in every part.
4. Sanctification is an intense ardent thing. Qualitates sunt in subjecto intensive, Rom. 12.11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , fervent in spirit. Sanctification is not a dead Form, but is inflamed into Zeal. We call Water hot, when it is so in the third or fourth degree. He is holy whose Religion is heated to some degree, and his heart boils over in love to God.
5. Sanctification is a beautiful thing, it makes God and Angels fall in love with us, Psal. 110.3. The beauties of holiness. As the Sun is to the World, so is Sanctification to the Soul, beautifying and bespangling it in God's Eyes. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Chrysost. That which makes God glorious, must needs make us so. Holiness is the most sparkling Jewel in the God-head; Exod. 15.11. Glorious in holiness. Sanctification is the First fruit of the Spirit; it is Heaven begun in the Soul. Sanctification and Glory differ only in degree ; Sanctification is Glory in the Seed, and Glory is Sanctification in the Flower. Happiness is the quintissence of Holiness.
6. Sanctification is an abiding thing. 1 John 3.9. His seed remaineth in him. He who is truly sanctified, cannot fall from that state. Indeed seeming Holiness may be lost, Colours may wash off, Sanctification may suffer an Eclipse, Rev. 2.4. Thou hast left thy first love ; but true Sanctification is a blossom of Eternity, 1 John 2.27. The anointing which ye have received abideth in you. He who is truly sanctified, can no more fail away then the Angels which are fixed in their heavenly Orb.
7. Sanctification is a progressive thing, 'tis growing; it is compared to Seed which grows. First the Bladesprings up, then the Ear, then the ripe Corn in the Ear. Such as are already sanctified may be more sanctified, 2 Cor. 7.1. Justification doth not admit of degrees, a Believer cannot be more elected or justified then he is, but he may be more sanctified than he is. Sanctification is still increasing, like the Morning Sun which grows brighter to the full Meridian. Knowledge is said to increase, Col. 1.10. and Faith to increase, 2 Cor. 10.15. a Christian is continually adding a Cubit to his spiritual Stature. It is not with us as it was with Christ, who received the Spirit without measure. Christ would not be more holy then he was. But we have the Spirit only in measure, and may be still augmenting our Grace; as Appelles, when he had drawn a Picture, he would be still mending it with his Pencil. The Image of God is drawn but imperfectly in us, therefore we must be still mending it, and drawing it in more lively Colours: Sanctification is progressive; if it doth not grow, it is because it doth not live. Thus you see the Nature of Sanctification.
Quest. What are the Counterfeits of Sanctification?
Resp. There is something looks like Sanctification, which is not.
1. The first Counterfeit of Sanctification is Moral Virtue. To be just, temperate, to be of a fair deportment, not having ones Scocheon blotted with ignominious scandal, this is good, but not enough: this is not Sanctification. A field flower differs from a garden flower. 1. Heathens have attained to Morality; Cato, Socrates, Aristides: Civility is but Nature refined; there's nothing of Christ there: the heart may be foul and impure, under these fair Leaves of Civility, the worm of Unbelief may be hid. 2. A Moral Person hath a secret antipathy against Grace: he hates Vice, and he hates Grace as much as Vice. The Snake hath a fine color, but a sting. A Person adorned and cultivated with Moral Virtue, hath a secret spleen against Sanctity: Those Stoics which were the chief of the moralized Heathens, were the bitterest Enemies St. Paul had, Acts 17.18.
2. The second Counterfeit of Sanctification is superstitious Devotion ; this abounds in Popery: Adorations, Images, Altars, Vestments, Holy Water, which I look upon as a religious frenzy: This is far from Sanctification. 1. It doth not put any intrinsical goodness into a Man, it doth not make a Man better. If the legal Purifications and Washings, which were of God's own appointing, did not make them that used them more holy; the Priests, who wore holy Garments, and had holy Oil poured on them, were never the more holy without the anointing of the Spirit? then surely those superstitious Innovations in Religion which God never appointed, cannot contribute any holiness to Men. 2. A superstitious Holiness costs no great labor ; there is nothing of the Heart in it: If to tell over a few Beads, or bow to an Image, to sprinkle themselves with Holy-water, if this were Sanctification, and were all that were required of them that should be saved, then Hell would be empty, none would come there.
3. The third Counterfeit of Sanctification is Hypocrisy ; when men make a pretence of that Holiness which they have not. A Cemet may shine like a Star; such a Luster shines from their Profession as dazleth the eyes of the beholders, 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power. These are Lamps without Oil, whited Sepulchers, like the Egyptian Temples, which had fair Out-sides, but within Spiders and Apes. The Apostle speaks of true holiness, Eph. 4.24. implying, there is an Holiness which is spurious and feigned, Rev. 3.1. Thou hast a name to live, but art dead ; like Pictures and Statutes which are destitute of a vital principle, Jude 12. Clouds without water. They pretend to be full of the Spirit, but empty Clouds. This show of Sanctification (when it is nothing else) is Self-delusion. He who takes Copper instead of Gold wrongs himself most; the Counterfeit Saint deceives others while he lives, but deceives himself when he dies. To pretend Holiness when there is none, is a vain thing. What were the foolish Virgins better for their blazing Lamps, when they wanted Oil? What is the Lamp of Profession without the Oil of Saving Grace? what Comfort will a show of Holiness yield at last? will painted Gold enrich? painted Wine refresh him that is thirsty? will painted Holiness be a Cordial at the hour of Death? A pretence of Sanctification is not to be rested in. Many Ships that have had the name of the Hope, the Safe-guard, the Triumph, yet have been cast away upon the Rocks; so many who have had the name of Saintship, have been cast into Hell.
4. The fourth Counterfeit of Sanctification is restraining Grace. When Men forbear Vice, though they do not hate it: This may be the sinners Motto, Fain I would, but I dare not. The Dog hath a mind to the Bone, but is afraid of the Cudgel. Men have a mind to Lust, but Conscience stands as the Angel with a flaming Sword and affrights. They have a mind to Revenge, but the fear of Hell is a Curb-bit to check them. Here is no change of heart; sin is curbed, but not cured ; a Lion may be in Chains, but is a Lion still.
5. The fifth Counterfeit of Sanctification is common Grace, which is a slight transient work of the Spirit, but doth not amount to Conversion. There is some light in the Judgment, but it is not humbling; some Checks in the Conscience, but they are not awakening. This looks like Sanctification, but is not. Men have Convictions wrought in them, but they break loose from them again, like the Deer which being shot, shakes out the Arrow: After Conviction Men go into the House of Mirth, take the Harp to drive away the Spirit of Sadness, and so all dies and comes to nothing.
Quest. Wherein appears the necessity of Sanctification?
Resp. In six things. 1. God hath called us to it; 2 Pet. 1.4. Who hath called us to glory and virtue ; to Virtue as well as Glory. God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness, 1 Thess. 4.7. We have no call to sin; we may have a temptation, but no call ; no call to be proud, or unclean, but we have a call to be holy.
2. The necessity appears in this, without Sanctification there is no evidencing our Justification; Justification and Sanctification go together, 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. Mic. 7.18. Pardoning iniquity, there is Justification; ver. 19. He will subdue our iniquities, there is Sanctification. Out of Christ's sides came water and blood, 1 Joh. 5.6. Blood, viz. Justification, Water, viz. Sanctification. Such as have not the Water out of Christ's sides to cleanse them, shall never have the Blood out of his sides to save them.
3. Without Sanctification we have no title to the New Covenant. The Covenant of Grace is our Charter for Heaven. The Tenure of the Covenant is, that God will be our God, (the crowning Blessing) But who are interested in the Covenant, and may plead the benefit of it, only sanctified Persons; Ezek. 36.26. A new heart will I give you, and I will put my spirit within you, and I will be your God. If a Man make a Will, and settles his Estate upon such Persons as he names in the Will, none else but they can lay claim to the Will; so God makes a Will and Testament, but it is restrained and limited to such as are sanctified, and it is high presumption for any else to lay claim to the Will.
4. There is no going to Heaven without Sanctification; Hebr. 12.14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. God is an holy God, and he will suffer no unholy Creature to come near him. A King will not suffer a Man with Plague-sores to approach into his Presence. Heaven is not like Noah 's Ark, where the clean Beasts and the unclean entered: no unclean Beast comes into the Heavenly Ark. Though God suffer the Wicked to live a while on the Earth, he will never suffer Heaven to be pestered with such Vermin. Are they fit to see God who wallow in wickedness? will God ever lay such Vipers in his bosom? Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. It must be a clear Eye that sees a bright Object; only an holy Heart can see God in his Glory. Sinners may see God as an Enemy, not as a Friend; may have an affrighting Vision of God, but not a beatifical Vision. They may see the flaming Sword, but not the Mercy Seat. O then what need is there of Sanctification.
5. Without Sanctification all our holy things are defiled, 1 Tit. 1.15. Unto them that are defiled is nothing pure. Under the Law, if a Man who was Unclean by a dead Body, had carried a piece of holy Flesh in his Skirt, the holy Flesh had not cleansed him, but he had polluted that, Hag. 1.12, 13. An Emblem of a Sinners polluting his holy Offering. A foul Stomack turns the best Food into ill Humours: An unsanctified Heart pollutes Prayers, Alms, Sacraments; this evinceth the necessity of Sanctification. Sanctification makes our holy things accepted; an holy Heart is the Altar which sanctifies the Offering; his Duties though' they are not to Satisfaction, yet to Acceptation.
6. Without Sanctification we can show no sign of our Election, 2 Thes. 2.13. Election is the cause of our Salvation, Sanctification is our Evidence; Sanctification is the Ear-mark of Christ's Elect Sheep.
Quest. What are the Signs of Sanctification?
Resp. 1. Such as are sanctified can remember a time when they were unsanctified, Tit. 3.3. We were in our Blood, and then God washed us with Water, and anointed us with Oil, Ezek. 16.9. Those Trees of Righteousness that blossom and bear Almonds, can remember when they were like Aaron 's dry Rod, not one Blossom of Holiness growing: A sanctified Soul can remember when he was estranged from God thro' Ignorance and Vanity, and then Free-grace planted this Flower of Holiness in him.
Second Sign of Sanctification, is the in-dwelling of the Spirit, 2 Tim. 1.14. The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. As the Unclean Spirit dwells in the Wicked, and carries them to Pride, Lust, Revenge; the Devil hath entered into these Swine, Acts 5.3. So the Spirit of God dwells in the Elect as their Guide and Comforter. The Spirit possesseth the Saints; God's Spirit sanctifies the Fancy, causing it to mint holy Thoughts; it sanctifies the Will, putting a new Bias upon it, whereby it is inclined to Good. He who is sanctified, hath the Influence of the Spirit, though' not the Essence.
Third Sign of Sanctification is, an Antipathy against Sin, Ps. 119.104. An Hypocrite may leave Sin, yet love it; as a Serpent casts its Coat but keeps its Sting: but a sanctified Person can say, he not only leaves Sin, but loathes it. As there are Antipathies in Nature, between the Vine and Laurel, so in a sanctified Soul there is an holy Antipathy against Sin; and Antipathies can never be reconciled. Because he hath an Antipathy against Sin, he cannot but oppose it, and seek the Destruction of it.
Fourth Sign of Sanctification is, the Spiritual Performance of Duties, viz. with the Heart, and from a Principle of Love. The sanctified Soul prays out of love to Prayer, he calls the Sabbath a Delight, Isa. 58.13. A Man may have Gifts to Admiration, he may speak as an Angel dropped out of Heaven, yet may be carnal in spiritual things, his Services do not come from a renewed Principle, nor is he carried upon the Wings of Delight in Duty. A sanctified Soul worships God in the Spirit, 1 Pet. 2.5. God doth not judge of our Duties by the length, but by the love.
Fifth Sign, A well-ordered Life, 1 Pet. 1.15. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Where the Heart is sanctified, the Life will be so too: the Temple had Gold without as well as within. As in a Piece of Coyn, there's not only the King's Image within the Ring, but his Superscription too without. So where there is Sanctification there is not only God's Image in the Heart, but a Superscription of Holiness written in the Life. Some say they have good Hearts, but their Lives are Vitious, Prov. 30.12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet is not washed from their filthiness. If the Water be foul in the Bucket, it cannot be clean in the Well: Psal. 45.13: The king's daughter is all glorious within. There is Holiness of Heart, her Garments are wrought of wrought Gold, Holiness of Life. Grace is most beautiful when its Light doth so shine that others may see it; this adorns Religion, and makes Proselytes to the Faith.
Sixth Sign, Stedfast Resolution ; he is resolved never to part with his Holines: let others reproach it, he loves it the more; let Water be sprinkled on the Fire, it burns the more. He saith as David when Micol reproached him for Dancing before the Ark, 2 Sam. 6.22. If this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile. Let others persecute him for his Holiness, he saith as Paul, Acts 20.24. None of these things move me. He prefers Sanctity before Safety, and had rather keep his Conscience pure than his Skin whole. He saith as Job, My integrity I will hold fast, and not let it go, Cap. 27.6. He will rather part with his Life then his Conscience.
Use 1. See what is the main thing a Christian should look after, (viz.) Sanctification; this is the Unum necessarium. Sanctification is our purest Complexion, it makes us as the Heaven bespangled with Stars: it is our Nobility, by it we are born of God, and partake of the Divine Nature; it is our Riches, therefore compared to rows of Jewels, and Chains of Gold, Cant. 1.10. It is our best Certificate for Heaven; what Evidence have we else to show? have we Knowledge, so hath the Devil? Do we profess Religion? Satan oft appears in Samuel 's Mantle, and transforms himself into an Angel of Light: But here is our Certificat to show for Heaven, Sanctification. Sanctification is the first Fruits of the Spirit; the only Coyn will pass currant in the other World. Sanctification is the Evidence of God's Love; we cannot guess at God's Love by giving us Health, Riches, Success, but by drawing his Image of Sanctification on us by the Pensil of the Holy Ghost.
Branch 2. It shows the Misery of such as are destitute of a Principle of Sanctification; they are spiritually dead, Eph. 2.1. Though they breathe yet they do not live. The greatest part of the World remain Unsanctified, 1. John. 5.19. The World lies in Wickedness, that is, the major Part of the World. Many call themselves Christians, yet blot out the word Saints; you may as well call him a Man, who wants Reason, as him a Christian who wants Grace: Nay, which is worse, some are boy'd up to such an height of Wickedness, that they hate and deride Sanctification: 1. They hate it; 'tis bad to want it, it is worse to hate it; they embrace the Form of Religion, but hate the Power. The Vulter hates sweet smells, so do they the Perfume of Holiness. 2. Deride it; these are your Holy Ones. To deride Sanctification argues an high Degree of Atheism, and is a black Brand of Reprobation: Scoffing Ishmael was cast out of Abraham 's Family, Gen. 21.9. Such as scoff at Holiness shall be cast out of Heaven.
2. Use of Exhortation: Above all things pursue after Sanctification; seek Grace more then Gold, Prov. 4.13. Keep her, for she is thy life.
Quest. What are the chief Inducements to Sanctification?
Resp. First, it is the Will of God that we should be Holy: In the Text, This is the will of God, your sanctification. As God's Word must be the Rule, so his Will the Reason of our Actions; This is the Will of God, our Sanctification. Perhaps it is not the Will of God we should be rich, but it is his Will that we should be holy. God's Will is our Warrant.
2. Jesus Christ hath died for our Sanctification. Christ shed his blood to wash off our impurity. The Cross was both an Altar and a Lavor. Tit. 2.14. Who gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity. If we could be saved without holiness, Christ needed not have died. Christ died not only to save us from wrath, but from sin.
3. Sanctification makes us resemble God. It was Adam 's sin that he aspired to be like God in Omnisciency, but we must endeavor to be like him in Sanctity. It is only a clear Glass in which you can see a face; it is only an holy Heart in which something of God can be seen; there is nothing of God to be seen in an unsanctified Man, you may see Satan's Picture in him, Envy is the Devil's Eye, , Hypocrisy his cloven Foot, but nothing of God's Image can be seen in him. You can see no more of God in him, then you can see a Man's face in a Glass that is dusty and foul.
4. Sanctification is that God bears a great love to. Not any outward Ornaments, high blood, or worldly grandeur, draws God's love, but an heart embellished with holiness. Christ never admired anything, but the beauty of holiness ; he slighted the glorious buildings of the Temple, but admired the Woman's Faith, O woman, great is thy faith! Amor fundatur similitudine. A King delights to see his Image upon a piece of Coin: where God sees his likeness, there he gives his love. The Lord hath two Heavens he dwells in, and the holy Heart is one of them.
5. Sanctification is the only thing doth difference us from the wicked; God's People have his Seal upon them, 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his; and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The Godly are sealed with a double Seal; 1. a Seal of Election, The Lord knoweth who are his ; 2. a Seal of Sanctification, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. This is the name by which God's People are known, Isa. 63.18. Gnam Kodsheca, the people of thy holiness. As Chastity distinguisheth a virtuous Woman from an Harlot, so Sanctification distinguisheth God's People from others; 1 John. 2.27. Ye have received an unction from the holy one.
6. It is a shame to have the Name of a Christian, yet want Sanctity, as to have the Name of a Steward, yet want Fidelity; the Name of a Virgin, yet want Chastity. It exposeth Religion to reproach to be baptized into the Name of Christ, yet unholy; to have Eyes full of Tears on a Sabbath, and on a Week-day Eyes full of Adultery, 2 Pet. 2.14. To be so devout at the Lord's Table, as if Men were stepping into Heaven, and so profane the Week after, as if they came out of Hell. To have the Name of Christians, yet unholy, is a Scandal to Religion, and make the ways of God evil spoken of.
7. Sanctification fits for Heaven. 2 Pet. 1.3. Who hath called us to glory and virtue, Glory is the Throne, and Sanctification is the Step by which we ascend to it. First you cleanse the Vessel, and then you pour in the Wine. First God cleanseth us by Sanctification, and then pours in the Wine of Glory. Solomon was first anointed with Oil, and then he was King, 1 Kings 1.39. First God anoints us with the holy Oil of his Spirit, and then he sets the Crown of Happiness upon our Head; Pureness of Heart, and seeing God are linked together, Matth. 5.8.
Quest. How may Sanctification be attained to?
Resp. 1. Be conversant in the Word of God. John 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth. The Word is both a Glass to show us the Spots of our Soul, and a Lavor to wash them away; the Word hath a transforming virtue in it, it irradiates the mind, and consecrates the heart.
2. Get Faith in Christ's Blood, Acts 15.9. Having purified their hearts by faith. She in the Gospel that touched the hem of Christ's Garment, was healed; a touch of Faith purifies; nothing can have a greater force upon the heart to sanctify it then Faith. If I believe Christ and his Merits are mine, how can I sin against him? Justifying Faith doth that in a Spiritual sense which miraculous Faith doth, it removes Mountains, the Mountain of Pride, Lust, Envy. Faith and the love of sin are inconsistent.
3. Breathe after the Spirit; it is called the sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thess. 2.13. The Spirit sanctifies the Heart, as Lightning purifies the Air, as Fire refines Metals. Omne agens generat sibi simile: The Spirit stamps the impress of its own Sanctity upon the Heart, as the Seal prints its Effigies and Likeness upon the Wax. The Spirit of God in a Man perfumes him with Holiness, and makes his Heart a Map of Heaven.
4. Associate with sanctified Persons. They may by their Counsel, Prayers, holy Example, be a means to make you holy: As the communion of Saints is in our Creed, so it should be in our Company, Prov. 13.20. He that walketh with the wise shall be wise. Association begets Assimilation.
5. Pray for Sanctification. Job propounds a Question, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Job 15.14. God can do it. Out of an unholy Heart he can produce Grace. O! make David 's Prayer, Psal. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Lay thy Heart before the Lord, and say, Lord, my unsanctified Heart pollutes all it toucheth. I am not fit to live with such an Heart, for I cannot honor thee; nor to die with such an Heart, for I cannot see thee. O create in me a clean heart; Lord consecrate my heart, and make it thy Temple, and thy Praises shall be sung there forever.
Use 3. of Thankfulness. Hath God brought a clean thing out of an unclean? hath he sanctified you? wear this Jewel of Sanctification with thankfulness, Col. 1.12. Giving thanks to the Father, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who hath made us meet for the Inheritance, &c. Christian, Thou couldest defile thyself, but not sanctify thyself. But God hath done it; he hath not only chained up sin, but changed thy Nature, and made thee as a King's Daughter, all glorious within. He hath put upon thee the Breast-place of Holiness, which though it may be shot at, can never be shot thorough. Are there any here that are sanctified? God hath done more for you then millions. They may be illuminated, but not sanctified. He hath done more for you, then if he had made you the Sons of Princes, and caused you to ride upon the high places of the Earth. Are you sanctified? Heaven is begun in you; Happiness is nothing but the quintissence of Holiness. O how thankful should you be to God? Do as that blind Man in the Gospel, after he had received his sight, He followed Christ glorifying God, Luke 18.43. Make Heaven ring of God's Praises.
Of ASSVRANCE.
Quest. WHat are the Benefits flow from Sanctification?
Resp. Assurance of God's Love, Peace of Conscience, Joy in the Holy Ghost, Encrease of Grace, and Perseverance therein to the end.
1. Benefit flowing from Sanctification is assurance of God's Love.
2 Pet. 1.10. Give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure. Sanctification is the Seed, Assurance is the Flower which grows out of it: Assurance is a consequent of Sanctification, the Saints of old had it, 1 John 2.3. We know that we know him. 2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have believed ; here was Sensus Fidei, the reflex act of Faith; and Gal. 2.20. Christ hath loved me. Here was Faith flourishing into Assurance. Aecolampadias when he was Sick, pointed to his Heart, Hic sat Lucis, Here I have Light enough, meaning Comfort and Assurance.
Quest. 1. Have all Sanctified Persons Assurance?
Resp. They have a right to it, and I do incline to believe that all have it in some degree before their last expiring; though their Comfort may be so strong, and their Vital Spirits so weak, that they cannot express what they feel. But I dare not positively affirm that all have Assurance in the first moment of their Sanctification: A Letter may be written when it is not Sealed; so Grace may be written in the heart, yet the Spirit may not set the Seal of Assurance to it. God is a free Agent, and may give or suspend Assurance pro libito as he please. Where there is the Sanctifying work of the Spirit, he may withhold the Sealing work, partly to keep the Soul Humble; partly to punish our careless walking: We neglect our Spiritual watch, grow remiss in duty, and then walk under a Cloud: We quench the Graces of the Spirit, and God withholds the Comforts, and partly to put a difference between Earth and Heaven. This I the rather speak, to bear up the Hearts of God's People, who are dejected because they have not Assurance: You may have the Water of the Spirit poured on you in Sanctification, though not the Oil of Gladness in Assurance; there may be Faith of Adherence and not of Evidence; there may be Life in the Root, when there is no Fruit in the Branches to be seen; so Faith in the Heart, when no Fruit of Assurance.
Quest 2. What is Assurance?
Resp. It is not Vocal, any audible Voice, or brought to us by the help of an Angel, or Revelation; Assurance consists of a Practical Sylogism, where the Word of God makes the major, Conscience the minor, the Spirit of God the Conclusion. The Word saith, He that fears and loves God, is loved of God ; there is the major Proposition; then Conscience makes the minor ; but I fear and love God; then the Spirit makes the Conclusion, therefore thou art loved of God: And this is that which the Apostle calls, The Witnessing of the Spirit with our Spirits, that we are his Children, Rom. 8.16.
Quest. 3. Whether hath a Sanctified Soul such an Assurance as excludes all doubting?
Resp. He hath that which bears up his Heart from sinking; he hath such an Earnest of the Spirit that he would not part with for the Richest Prize; but his Assurance though it be infallible, it is not perfect. There will be sometimes a Trepidation or Trembling; he is safe, yet not without fears and doubts, as a Ship lies safe at Anchor, yet may be a little shaken by the Wind. If a Christian had no Doubtings, there should be no unbelief in him; had he no Doubtings, there would be no difference between Grace Militant and Triumphant. Had not David his Ebbings sometimes as well as his Flowings, like the Mariner, who sometimes cries out Stellam Video, I see a Star, sometimes the Star is out of Sight. Sometimes we hear David say, Thy Loving Kindness is before mine Eyes, Psal. 26.3. But at another time he was at a loss, Psal. 89.49. Lord where are thy former Loving Kindnesses ? And there may fall out an Eclipse in a Christians Assurance, to put him upon longing after Heaven: Then there shall not be the least doubting; then the Banner of God's Love shall be always displayed upon the Soul; then the light of God's Face shall be without Clouds, and have no Sun-setting; then the Saints shall have an uninterrupted Assurance, and be ever with the Lord.
Quest. 4. What are the differences between true Assurance and Presumption?
Resp. 1. They differ in the method or manner of working: Divine Assurance flows from Humiliation for Sin; (I speak not of the measure of Humiliation, but the Truth.) There are in Palermo Reeds growing in which there is a Sugred Juice: A Soul humbled for Sin is the Bruised Reed in which grows this sweet Assurance. God's Spirit is a Spirit of Bondage, before it be a Spirit of Adoption; but Presumption ariseth without any humbling work of the Spirit. How camest thou by thy Venison so soon? The Plow goes before the Seed be sown; the Heart must be plowed up by Humiliation and Repentance, before God sows the Seed of Assurance.
2. He who hath a real Assurance, will take heed of that which will weaken and darken his Assurance; he is fearful of the Forbidden Fruit ; he knows though he cannot sin away his Soul, yet he may sin away his Assurance: But he who hath the Ignis Fatuus of Presumption, doth not fear defiling his Garments ; he is bold in sin, Ier. 3.4, 5. Wilt thou not cry unto me my Father, behold thou hast done evil things as thou couldest. Balaam said, My God, yet a Sorcerer. A Sign he hath no Money about him, who fears not to Travel all Hours in the Night; a sign he hath not the Jewel of Assurance, who fears not the works of Darkness.
3. True Assurance is built upon a Scripture-basis; the Word saith, The effect of Righteousness shall be Quietness and Assurance forever, Isa. 32.17. A Christians Assurance is built upon this Scripture; God hath sown the Seed of Righteousness in his Soul, and this Seed hath brought forth the Harvest of Assurance▪ But Presumption is a spurious thing, it hath no Scripture to show for its Warrant; it is like a Will without Seal and Witnesses, which is null and void in Law; Presumption wants both the Witness of the Word, and the Seal of the Spirit.
4. Assurance flowing from Sanctification always keeps the Heart in a lowly posture: Lord, saith the Soul, what am I, that passing by so many, the Golden Beams of thy Love should shine upon me? St. Paul had Assurance; is he proud of this Jewel? No. Ephes. 3.8. To me who am less than the least of all Saints. The more love a Christian receives from God, the more he sees himself a Debtor to free Grace, and the sense of his Debt, keeps his Heart Humble, but Presumption is bred of Pride. He who Presumes, Disdains; he think himself better than others, Luke 18.11. God I thank thee, I am not as other Men are, nor as this Publican. Feathers fly up, but Gold descends; he who hath this Golden Assurance, his Heart descends in Humility.
Quest. 5. What is it may excite us to look after Assurance?
Resp. To consider how sweet it is, and the noble and excellent effects it produceth.
Effect 1. How sweet it is. This is the Manna in the Golden Pot; the white Stone; the Wine of Paradise which cheers the Heart. How comfortable is God's Smile! The Sun is more refreshing when it shineth out, that when it is hid in a Cloud; it is a praelibation and fore-taste of Glory, it puts a Man in Heaven before his time; none can know how delicious and ravishing it is, but such as have felt it, as none can know how sweet Honey is but they who have tasted it.
2. The noble and excellent Effects it produceth. 1. Assurance will make us love God and Praise him. (1.) Love him: Love is the Soul of Religion, the Fat of the Sacrifice; and who can love God so as he who hath Assurance? The Sun reflecting its Beams on a burning Glass, makes the Glass burn that that is near to it. So Assurance (which is the reflection of God's love upon the Soul) makes it burn in love to God. St. Paul was assured of Christ's love to him, Gal. 2.20. who hath loved me ; and how was his Heart fired with love? he valued and admired nothing but Christ, Phil. 3.8. as Christ was fastened to the Cross, so he was fastened to Paul 's Heart. (2.) Praise him. Praise is the Quit-rent we pay to the Crown of Heaven; who but he who hath Assurance of his Justification Man in a Swoon or Apoplexy Praise God that he is alive? Can a Christian staggering with Fears about his Spiritual Condition, praise God that he is elected and justified? No, The living, the living, he shall praise thee, Isa. 38.19. Such as are enliven'd with Assurance, they are the fittest Persons to sound forth God's Praise.
Effect 2. Assurance would drop Sweetness into all our Creature-Enjoyments; it would be as Sugar to Wine, an earnest of more; it gives a Blessing with the Venison; As Guilt imbitters our Comforts, it is like drinking out of a Wormwood Cup; So Assurance would indulcorate and sweeten all. Health, and the Assurance of God's Love are sweet Riches, with the Assurance of a Kingdom are delectable: Nay, a Dinner of Green Herbs, with the Assurance of God's Love, is Princely Fare.
Effect 3. Assurance would make us Active and Lively in God's Service; it would excite Prayer, quicken Obedience; as Diligence begets Assurance, so Assurance begets Diligence. Assurance will not (as the Papists say) breed Security in the Soul, but Industry. Doubting does discourage us in God's Service, but the Assurance of his Favor breeds Joy, And the Joy of the Lord is our strength, Nehem. 8.10. Assurance makes us mount up to Heaven as Eagles in Holy Duties; it is like the Spirit in Ezekiel 's Wheels, that moved them and lifted them up. Faith would make us Walk, but Assurance would make us Run : We should never think we could do enough for God. Assurance would be as Wings to the Bird, as Weights to the Clock, to set all the Wheels of Obedience a running.
Effect 4. Assurance would be a Golden Shield to beat back Temptation: Assurance Triumphs over Temptation: There are two sorts of Temptation Satan useth. 1. He tempts to draw us to Sin : Now the being assured of our Justification would make this Temptation vanish. What Satan, shall I Sin against him who hath loved me, and washed me in his Blood? Shall I return to Folly after God hath spoken Peace? Shall I weaken my Assurance, wound my Conscience, grieve my Comforter? Avoid Satan, Tempt no more. 2. Satan would make us question our Interest in God, he tells us we are Hypocrites, and God doth not love us. Now there is no such Shield against this Temptation as Assurance. What Satan, have I a real Work of Grace in my Heart, and the Seal of the Spirit to witness it, and dost thou tell me God doth not love me? Now I know thou art an Impostor, who goest about to disprove what I sensibly feel. If Faith resists the Devil, Assurance would put him to flight.
Effect 5. Assurance would make us contented, though we have but a little in the World: He who hath Enough is Content: He who hath Sun-light is Content, though he wants Torch-light. A Man that hath Assurance hath enough: In uno salvatore omnes florent gemmae ad salutem. He hath the Riches of Christ's Merit, of his Love, an Earnest of his Glory, he is filled with the Fulness of God, here is enough, and having enough he is Content, Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of my Inheritance: The Lanes are fallen unto me in a pleasant place, and I have a goodly Heritage. Assurance will rock the Heart quiet; the reason of Discontent, is either because Men have no Interest in God, or do not know their Interest: St. Paul, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1.12. There was the Assurance of his Interest; and 2 Cor. 6.10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, &c. There was his Contentment : Get but Assurance, and you will be out of the weekly Bill of Murmurers, you will be discontented no more. What can come amiss to him that hath Assurance God is his; Hath he lost a Friend? His Father lives; Hath he lost his only Child? God hath given him his only Son: Hath he Scarcity of Bread? God hath given him the finest of the Wheat, the Bread of Life. Are his Comforts gone? He hath the Comforter. Doth he meet with Storms on the Sea? He knows where to put in for Harbor. God is his Portion, and Heaven is his Haven. Thus Assurance gives sweet Contentment in every Condition.
Effect 6. Assurance would bear up the Heart in Sufferings, it would make a Christian endure Troubles with Patience and Chearfulness (with Patience) Heb. 10.36. Ye have need of Patience. There are some Meats (we say) are hard of Digestion, and only a good Stomach will concoct them: Affliction is a Meat hard of Digestion, but Patience (like a good Stomach) will be able to digest it; and whence comes Patience but from Assurance? Rom. 5.5. Tribulation worketh Patience, because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts, with cheerfulness. Assurance is like the Mariners Lanthorn on the Deck, which gives light in a dark night. Assurance gives the light of Comfort in Affliction, Heb. 10.34. ye took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods, knowing in yourselves, &c. there was Assurance. He that hath Assurance can rejoice in Tribulation, he can gather Grapes of Thorns, and Honey out of the Lions Carcass. Latimer, When I sit alone, and can have a settled Assurance of the State of my Soul, and know that God is mine, I can Laugh at all Troubles, and nothing can daunt me.
Effect 7. Assurance would pacify a troubled Conscience: He who hath a disturbed vexatious Conscience, carries an Hell about him, Eheu quis intus Scorpio ! but Assurance cures the Agony, and allays the Fury of Conscience: Conscience that before was turned into a Serpent, now is like a Be that hath Honey in its Mouth, it speaks Peace; Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia, Tertull. When God is pacified towards us, then Conscience is pacified. If the Heavens are quiet, and there are no Winds stirring thence, the Sea is quiet and calm. So if there be no Anger in God's Heart, if the Tempest of his Wrath doth not blow, Conscience is quiet and serene.
Effect. 8. Assurance would strengthen us against the Fear of Death; such as want it, cannot die with Comfort, they are in aequilibrio, they hang in a doubtful Suspence, what shall become of them after Death: But he who hath Assurance, hath an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an happy and joyful Passage out of the World; he knows he is passed from Death to Life; he is carried full sail to Heaven; though he cannot resist Death, yet 〈◊〉 overcomes it.
Quest. 6. What shall they do that want Assurance?
Resp. 1. Such as want Assurance, let them labor to find Grace; when the Sun denies light to the Earth, it may give forth its Influence: When God denies the light of his Countenance, he may give the Influence of his Grace.
Quest. How shall we know we have a real Work of Grace, and so have a right to Assurance?
Resp. If we can resolve two Queries: 1. Have we high Appretiations of Jesus Christ? 1 Pet. 2.7. To you that believe he is precious, Christ is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all made up of Beauties and Delights; our Praises fall short of his Worth, and is like spreading Canvass upon Cloth of Gold. How precious is his Blood and Incense? The one pacifies our Conscience, the other Perfumes our Prayers: Can we say we have endearing Thoughts of Christ? Do we esteem him our Pearl of Price? Our bright Morning Star? Do we count all earthly Enjoyments but as ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) Dung in comparison of Christ? Phil. 3.8. do we prefer the worst things of Christ, before the best things of the World; the Reproaches of Christ, before the Worlds Embraces, Heb. 11.26. Quer. 2. Have we the indwelling of the Spirit? 2 Tim. 1.14. The Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us.
Quest. How may we know we have the indwelling presence of the Spirit?
Resp. Not by having sometimes good Motions stirred up in us by the Spirit; it may work in us, yet not dwell; but by the Sanctifying Power of the Spirit on our Heart, the Spirit infuseth Divinam Indolem, a Divine Nature ; it stamps its own impress and Effigies on the Soul, making the Complexion of it Holy. The Spirit ennobles and raiseth the Heart above the World; when Nebuchadnezzar had his Understanding given him, he grazed no longer amongst the Beasts, but returned to his Throne, and minded the Affairs of his Kingdom; when the Spirit of God dwells in a Man, it carries his Heart above the visible Orbs; it makes him Superna anhelare, thirst after Christ and Glory; if we can find this, then we have Grace, and so have a right to Assurance.
2. If you want Assurance wait for it ; if the Figures are graven on the Dial, it is but waiting a while and the Sun shines: When Grace is engraven in the Heart, it is but waiting a while and we shall have the Sun-shine of Assurance. He that believes makes not haste, Isa. 28.16. He will stay God's leisure; say not God hath forsaken you, he will never lift up the light of his Countenance, but rather say as the Church, Isa. 8.17. I will wait upon the Lord which hideth his face from the House of Jacob. 1. Hath God waited for your Conversion, and will not you wait for his Consolation? How 〈◊〉 did he come a wooing to you by his Spirit? He waited till his Head was filled with Dew: He cried as Ier. 13.27. Wilt thou not be made clean, when shall it once be? O Christian! did God wait for thy Love, and canst not thou wait for his? 2. Assurance is so sweet and precious, that it is worth waiting for, the price of it is above Rubies, it cannot be valued with th • Gold of Ophir. Assurance of God's Love is a Pledge of Election, 'tis the Angels Banquet; what other Joy have they? As Micah said, Judges 18.24. What have I more? So when God assures the Soul of his eternal purposes of Love, what hath he more to give? Whom God kisseth he Crowns. Assurance is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The first Fruits of Paradise, one Smile of God's Face, one Glance of his Eye, one Crumb of the hidden Manna, is so sweet a Delicious, that it deserves our waiting. 3. God hath given a Promise, that we shall not wait in vain, Isa. 49.23. They shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Perhaps God reserves this Cordial of Assurance for a fainting time; He keeps sometimes his best Wine till last. Assurance shall be reserved as an Ingredient to sweeten the bitter Cup of Death.
Quest. 7. How may deserted Souls be comforted, who are cast down for want of Assurance? They have the Day-star of Grace risen in their Souls; but as Job complains, I went Mourning without the Sun, Job 30.28. They go mourning for want of the Sun-light of God's Face: Their Joy is eclipsed, They walk in darkness and see no light, Isa. 50.10. How shall we comfort such as lie Bleeding in Desertion, and are cast down for want of Assurance?
Resp. 1. Want of Assurance shall not hinder the Success of the Saints Prayers. Sin lived in, doth ponere obicem, put a Bar to our Prayer; but want of Assurance doth not hinder Prayer; we may go to God still in an humble fiducial manner: A Christian perhaps may think, because he doth not see God's smiling Face, therefore God will not hear him. This is a mistake, Psal. 31.22. I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes, nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my Supplication▪ If we pour out Sighs to Heaven, God hears every Groan; though he doth not show us his Face, he may lend us his Ear.
2. Faith may be strongest when Assurance is weakest; the Woman of Canaan had no Assurance, but a Glorious Faith, O Woman, Great is thy Faith, Mat. 15.28. Rachel was more Fair, but Leah was more Fruitful. Assurance is more fair and lovely to look upon, but a fruitful Faith God sees is better for us, John 20.28. Blessed are they that Believe and feel not.
3. When God is out of sight, yet he is not out of Covenant, Psalm 89.28. My Covenant shall stand fast. Though a Wife doth not see her Husbands Face in many Years, yet the Marriage Relation holds, and he will come again to her after a long Voyage. God may be gone from the Soul in Desertion, but the Covenant stands fast, Isa. 54.10. The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed. Quer. But this Promise was made to the Jews, and doth not belong to us. Yes, Verse 17. This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord. This is made to all the Servants of God, them that are now living, as well as those who lived in the time of the Jews.
Quest. 8. What should we do to get Assurance?
Resp. 1. Keep a pure Conscience, let no Guilt lie upon the Conscience unrepented of; God Seals no Pardons before Repentance; God will not pour in the Wine of Assurance into a foul Vessel, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near in full Assurance of Faith, having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience. Guilt clips the Wings of Comfort; he who is conscious to himself of Secret Sins, cannot draw near to God in full Assurance; he cannot call God Father but Judge; keep Conscience as clear as your Eye, that no dust of sin fall into it.
2. If you would have Assurance, be much in the Actings of Grace, 1 Tim. 4.7. Exercise thyself unto Godliness. Men grow rich by Trading; by Trading in Grace we grow rich in Assurance, 2 Pet. 1.10. Make your Election sure. How? Add to your Faith Virtue, and to Virtue Knowledge. Keep Grace upon the Wing, it is the lively Faith flourisheth into Assurance; no Man will set up a great Sail in a small Boat, but in a large Vessel: God sets up the Sail of Assurance in an Heart enlarged in Grace.
3. If you would have Assurance, cherish the Holy Spirit of God. When David would have Assurance, he Prays, Take not away thy Spirit from me, Psal. 51.11. He knew it was the Spirit only that could make him hear the Voice of Joy: The Spirit is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Comforter, he seals up Assurance, 2 Cor. 1.22. therefore make much of the Spirit, do not grieve it: As Noah opened the Ark to receive the Dove, so should we open our Hearts to receive the Spirit. This is the Blessed Dove which brings an Olive branch of Assurance in its Mouth.
4. Let us lie at the Pool of the Ordinances, frequent the Word and Sacrament, Cant. 2. He brought me to the Banqueting House, and his Banner over me was Love. The blessed Ordinances are the Banqueting House, where God displays the Banner of Assurance. The Sacrament is a Sealing Ordinance, Christ made himself known to his Disciples in the breaking of Bread: So in the Holy Supper in the breaking of Bread, God makes himself known to us to be our God and Portion.
Quest. 9. How should they carry themselves who have Assurance?
Resp. 1. If you have Assurance of your Justification, do not abuse Assurance. 1. 'It is an abusing of Assurance, when we grow more remiss in Duty; as the Musician having Money thrown him, leaves off playing. By Remisness or intermitting the Exercises of Religion, we grieve the Spirit, and that is the way to have an Imbargo laid upon our Spiritual Comforts. 2. We abuse Assurance when we grow Presumptuous and less fearful of sin. What? because a Father gives his Son an Assurance of his Love, and tells him he will entail his Land upon him, shall the Son therefore be Wanton and Dissolute? This were the way to lose his Fathers Affection, and make him cut off the Entail; it was an Aggravation of Solomon 's Sin, His Heart was turned away from the Lord, after he had appeared to him twice, 1 Kings 11.9. 'It is bad to sin when one wants Assurance, but it is worse to sin when one hath it. Hath the Lord sealed his Love with a Kiss? Hath he left a Pawn of Heaven in your Hands, and do you thus requite the Lord? Will you sin with Manna in your Mouth? Doth God give you the sweet Clusters of Assurance to feed on, and will you return him wild Grapes? It much pleaseth Satan, either to see us want Assurance, or abuse it. This is to abuse Assurance, when the Pulse of our Soul beats faster in Sin and slower in Duty.
2. If you have Assurance, admire this stupendous Mercy. You deserved that God should give you Gaul and Vinegar to drink, and hath he made the Honey-Comb of his Love to drop upon you? O fall down and adore his Goodness, say, Lord, How is it that thou shouldest manifest thyself to me, and not to other Believers! Those whom thou lovest as the Apple of thine Eye, yet thou holdest them in Suspence, and givest them no Assurance of thy Love; though thou hast given them the new Name, yet not the White stone; though they have the Seed of▪ Grace, yet not the Oil of Gladness ; though they have the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier, yet not the Holy Ghost the Comforter. Lord, whence is it that thou shouldest manifest thyself to me, and make thy Golden Beams of Assurance shine upon my Soul? O admire God! this will be the Work of Heaven.
3. Let your Hearts be endeared in Love to God; If God gives his People Correction, they must love him, much more when he gives them Assurance. Psal. 31.23. O love the Lord ye his Saints. Hath God brought you to the Borders of Canaan, given you a Bunch of Grapes, crowned you with loving Kindness, confirmed your Pardon under the Broad Seal of Heaven? How can you be frozen at such a Fire? How can you choose but be turned into Seraphim Burning in Divine Love: Say as St. Austin, Animam meam odio Haberem, I would hate my own Soul, if I did not find it loving God. Give God the Cream and Quintessence of your Love, and show your Love, by being willing to lose all for his Sake.
4. If you have Assurance, improve it for God's Glory, several ways; 1. By encouraging such as are yet unconverted; Tell them how sweet this hidden Manna is; Tell them what a good Master you serve, what Vails you have had; Tell them God hath carried you to the Hill of Myrrh, to the Mountains of Spices; He hath given you not only a Prospect of Heaven but an Earnest: O persuade Sinners, by all the Love and Mercy of God, that they would enroll their Names in his Family, and cast themselves upon him for Salvation. Tell them God hath met with you, and unlock'd the Secrets of Free Grace, and assured you of a Land flowing with those infinite Delights which Eye hath not seen. Thus by telling others what God hath done for your Soul, you may make them in love with the ways of God, and cause them to turn Proselytes to Religion. 2. Improve Assurance by comforting such as want it; Be as the good Samaritan, pour Wine and Oil into their Wounds. You • ho have Assurance, are gotten as it were to the Haven, you are sure of your Happiness; but do you not see others who are struggling with the Waves of Temptation and Desertion, and are ready to sink? O now Sympathize with them, and do what you can to comfort them when they are in this deep Ocean, 2 Cor. 1.6. Whether we be comforted it is for your Consolation. The comfortable experience of one Christian being communicated to another, doth much revive and bear up his fainting Heart; Our Comfort, saith the Apostle, is for your Consolation. 3. Improve Assurance by walking more Heavenly; you should Scorn these things below; you who have an Earnest of Heaven, should not be too Earnest for the Earth: You have Angels Food, and it becomes not you, with the Serpent, to lick the Dust. The Wicked are all for Corn, Wine and Oil, but you have that which is better; God hath lifted up the Light of his Countenance: Will you hanker after the World, when you have been feeding upon the Grapes and Pomegranates of the Holy Land? Do you now Lust after the Garlic and Onions of Egypt, when you are Cloathed with the Sun, will you set the Moon and Stars above you? O let them scramble for the World, who have nothing else but Husks to feed on. Have you assurance of Heaven, and is not that enough? Will not a Kingdom satisfy you? Such as are high in Assurance, should be in the Altitudes, live above the World. 4. Improve Assurance by a Chearful Walking: It is for Condemn'd Persons to go hanging down their Head; but hast thou thy Absolution? Doth thy God smile on thee? Chear up, 2 Sam. 13.4. Why art thou, being the King's Son, Lean? Art thou the King's Son? hath God assured thee of thy Adoption, and art thou • ad? Assurance should be an Antidote against all Trouble: What though the World hate thee, yet thou art assured that thou art one of God's Favorites. What though there is but little Oil in the Cruse, and thou art low in the World, yet thou art high in Assurance; O then rejoice. How Musical is the Bird! How doth it chirp and sing, that knows not where to pick up the next Crumb! And shall they be sad and discontented, who have God's Bond to assure them of their daily Bread, and his Love to assure them of Heaven? But certainly, those who have Assurance cannot but be of a Sanguine Complexion.
5. If you have an Assurance of Salvation, let this make you long after a Glorified State: He who hath an Earnest in his Hand, desires the whole Sum to be paid: That Soul who hath tasted how sweet the Lord is, should long for a fuller enjoyment of him in Heaven. Hath Christ put this Ring of Assurance on thy Hand, and so espoused thee to himself, how shouldst thou long for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Rev. 19.9. O Christian, think with thyself, if a glimpse of Heaven, a smile of God's Face be so sweet, what will it be to be ever sunning thyself in the Light of God's Countenance! Certainly, you who have an Assurance of your Title to Heaven, cannot but desire Possession. Be content to Live, but willing to Dye.
6. If you have Assurance, be careful you do no not lose it; keep it, for it is your Life, viz. the comfort of your Life. Keep Assurance 1 st by Prayer, Psal. 36.10. O continue thy Loving Kindness ; Lord continue Assurance; do not take away this Privy Seal from me. 2 dly, Keep Assurance by Humility: Pride estrangeth God from the Soul; when you are high in Assurance, be low in Humility. St. Paul had Assurance, and he Baptizeth himself with this Name, Chief of Sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. The Jewel of Assurance is best kept in the Cabinet of an Humble Heart.
Of PEACE.
1 Pet. 1.2.
Grace unto you, and Peace be multiplied.
HAving spoken of the first Fruit of Sanctification, Assurance, I proceed to the Second, viz. Peace, Peace be Multiplied.
Quest. What are the several species or kinds of Peace?
Resp. Peace in Scripture is compared to a River, Isa. 66.12. this River parts itself into Two Silver Streams.
1. There is an External Peace, and that is either 1. Aeconomical, Peace in a Family. 2. Political, Peace in the State. Peace is the Nurse of Plenty, Psal. 147.14. He maketh Peace in thy Borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the Wheat. How pleasant is it when the Waters of Blood begin to asswage, and we can see the Windows of our Ark open, and the Dove returning with an Olive-branch of Peace? 3. Ecclesiastical Peace, Peace in the Church. Its Unity in Trinity is the greatest Mystery in Heaven, and Unity in Verity the greatest Mercy on Earth. Peace Ecclesiastical stands in opposition to Schism and Persecution.
2. A Spiritual Peace, which is Two-fold, Peace above us, or Peace with God; and Peace within us, or Peace with Conscience: This is Superlative; other Peace may be lasting, this is everlasting.
Quest. 2. Whence comes this Peace?
Resp. This Peace hath the whole Trinity for its Author. 1. God the Father is the God of Peace, 1 Thes. 5.23. 2. God the Son is the Prince of Peace, Isa. 9.6. 3. Peace is said to be the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22.
1. God the Father is the God of Peace. As he is the God of Order, 1 Cor. 14.33. so the God of Peace, Phil. 4.9. This was the form of the Priests blessing the People, Numb. 6.26. The Lord give thee Peace.
2. God the Son is the Purchaser of Peace. He hath made Peace by his Blood, Col. 1.20. Having made Peace by the Blood of his Cross. The Atonement Aaron made for the People when he entered into the Holy of Holies with Blood, was a Type of Christ our High Priest, who hath by his Sacrifice pacified his angry Father, and made Atonement for us. Christ purchased our Peace upon hard terms, his Soul was in an Agony, while he was travailing to bring forth Peace to the World.
3. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. He seals up Peace to the Conscience ; the Spirit clears up the work of Grace in the Heart, from whence ariseth Peace. There was a Well of Water near Hagar, but she did not see it, therefore wept. A Christian hath Grace, but doth not see it, therefore Weeps. Now the Spirit discovers this Well of Water, it enables Conscience to witness to a Man that he hath the real work of Grace, and so Peace flows into the Soul. Thus you see whence this Peace comes; the Father decrees it, the Son purchaseth it, the Holy Ghost applies it.
Quest. 3. Whether such as are destitute of Grace, may have Peace?
Resp. No. Peace flows from Sanctification, but they being unregenerate, have nothing to do with Peace, Isa. 57.21. There is no Peace (saith my God) to the Wicked: They may have a Truce, but no Peace. God may forbear the Wicked a while, and stop the Roaring of his Cannon; but though there be a Truce, yet no Peace. The Wicked may have something which looks like Peace, but is not. They may be fearless and stupid; but there is a great difference between a stupefied Conscience, and a pacified Conscience, Luke 11.21. When a strong Man keeps his Palace, his Goods are in Peace. This is the Devils Peace; he rocks Men in the Cradle of Security, he cries Peace, Peace, when Men are upon the Precipice of Hell. The seeming Peace a Sinner hath, is not from the knowledge of his Happiness, but the ignorance of his Danger.
Quest. 4. What are the Signs of a false Peace?
Resp. 1. A false Peace hath much Confidence in it, but this Confidence is Conceit. The Sinner doth not doubt of God's Mercy, from which presumptuous Confidence ariseth some • kind of quiet in the Mind. The same Word in the Hebrew, Gasal, signifies both Confidence and Folly. Indeed a Sinners Confidence is Folly. How confident were the Foolish Virgins?
2. False Peace separates those things which God hath joined together: God joins Holiness and Peace, but he who hath a false Peace separates these Two. He lays claim to Peace, but banisheth Holiness, Deut. 29.19. I shall have Peace, though I walk in the imagination of my Heart, to add Drunkenness to Thirst. The Wicked are loose and vain, and yet thank God they have Peace: A Delusion. You may as well suck Health out of Poison, as Peace out of Sin.
3. False Peace is not willing to be Tried; a sign they are bad Wares, which will not endure the Light; a sign a Man hath stolen Goods when he will not have his House Searched. A false Peace cannot endure to be tried by the Word: The Word speaks of an humbling and refining work upon the Soul before Peace; false Peace cannot endure to hear of this: The least trouble will shake this Peace, it will end in despair. In a false Peace, Conscience is asleep, but when this Lion of Conscience shall be awakened at Death, then it will roar upon a Man, he will be a Terror to himself, and be ready to lay violent Hands upon himself.
Quest. 5. How shall we know that ours is a true Peace?
Resp. 1. True Peace flows from Union with Christ; Communio • undatur in unione. The Graft or Cien must first be inoculated into the Tree, before it can receive Sap and Nourishment from it: So we must first be engrafted into Christ, before we can receive Peace from him. Have we Faith? By Holiness we are made like Christ; by believing we are made one with Christ, and being in Christ, we have Peace, John 16.33.
2. True Peace flows from Subjection to Christ; where Christ gives Peace, there he sets up his Government in the Heart, Isa. 9.7. Of his Government and Peace there shall be no end. Christ is called a Priest upon his Throne, Zach. 6.13. Christ as a Priest makes Peace, but he will be a Priest upon his Throne; he brings the Heart in subjection to him. If Christ be our Peace, he is our Prince, Isa. 9.6. Whenever Christ pacifies the Conscience, he subdues the Lust.
3. True Peace is after Trouble. First, God lets loose a Spirit of Bondage, he convinceth and humbleth the Soul; then he speaks Peace. Many say they have Peace; but is this Peace before a Storm or after it? True Peace is after Trouble. First there was the Earthquake, and then the Fire, and then the still small Voice, 1 Kings 19.11. Thou who never hadst any legal Bruisings, mayest suspect thy Peace; God pours the Golden Oil of Peace into Broken Hearts.
Quest. 6. Whether have all Sanctified Persons this Peace?
Resp. They have a Title to it; they have the Ground of it; Grace is the Seed of Peace, and it will in time turn to Peace, as the Blossoms of a Tree to Fruit, Milk to Cream. They have a Promise of it, Psal. 29.11. The Lord will bless his People with Peace : They may have Peace with God, though not Peace in their own Conscience; they have the initials and beginnings of Peace. There is a secret Peace the Heart hath in serving God, such Meltings and Enlargements in Duty, as do revive the Soul, and bear it up from sinking.
Quest. 7. But why have not all Believers the full enjoyment and possession of Peace? Why is not this Flower of Peace fully ripe and blown?
Resp. Some of the Godly may not have so full a degree of Peace. 1. Through the fury of Temptation; the Devil if he cannot destroy us, he will disturb us: Satan disputes against our Adoption; he would make us question the work of Grace in our Hearts, and so troubles the Waters of our Peace: Satan is like a subtle Cheater, who if he cannot make a Mans Title to his Land void, yet he will put him to many troublesome Suits in Law. If Satan cannot make us Ungodly, he will make us unquiet: Violent Winds make the Sea rough and stormy; the Winds of Temptation blowing, disturb Peace of Spirit, and put the Soul into a Commotion. 2. The Godly may not enjoy Peace, through mistake and misapprehension about Sin. They find so much Corruption, that sure if there were Grace, there would not be such strong Workings of Corruption: Whereas this should be so far from discouraging Christians, and hindering their Peace, that it is an Argument for them. Let me ask, whence is it that you feel Sin? no Man can feel Sin but by Grace. A wicked Man is insensible; lay an 100 weight upon a Dead Man, he doth not complain, but the being sensible of Corruption, argues a Gracious Principle, Rom. 7.21. Again, whence is it that there is a Combat with Sin, but from the Life of Grace? Gal. 5.17. Dead things cannot Combat. Whence is it that the Saints weep for Sin? what are these Tears, but Seeds of Faith? The not understanding of this, hinders a Christians Peace. 3. The Godly may not enjoy Peace through remissness in Duty; they leave their first Love. When Christians abate their fervency, God abates their Peace; if you slacken the Strings of a Viol, the Music is spoiled; if Christians slacken in Duty, they spoil the sweet Music of Peace in their Souls. As the Fire decays, so the Cold increaseth; as Fervency in Duty abates, so our Peace cools.
Use. Labor for this blessed Peace, Peace with God and Conscience; Peace with Neighbor Nations is sweet, Pax una Triumphis innumeris melior, the Hebrew Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Peace comprehends all Blessings, it is the Glory of a Kingdom; a Princes Crown is more Beautiful when it is hung with the white Lily of Peace, than when it is set with the Red Roses of a Bloody War: O then how sweet is Peace of Conscience! it is a Bulwark against the Enemy, Phil. 4.7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 it shall keep you as in a Garrison; you may throw out the Gantlet, and bid defiance to Enemies: It is the Golden Pot and the Manna, it is the first Fruits of Paradise. It is still Music ; for want of this a Christian is in continual fear; he doth not take that comfort in Ordinances. Hannah went up to the Feast at Jerusalem, but she wept and did not eat, 1 Sam. 1.7. So a poor dejected Soul goes to an Ordinance, but doth not eat of the Feast; he weeps and doth not eat. He cannot take that comfort in Worldly Blessings, Health, Estate, Relations; he wants that inward Peace which should be as Sawce to sweeten his Comforts. O therefore labor for this blessed Peace, consider the noble and excellent effects of it. First, It gives boldness at the Throne of Grace; Guilt of Conscience clips the Wings of Prayer, it makes the Face Blush, and the Heart: But when a Christian hath some lively apprehensions of God's Love, and the Spirit whispering Peace, then he goes to God with boldness, as a Child to his Father, Psal. 25.1. Unto thee O Lord I lift up my Soul. Time was when David 's Soul was bowed down, Psal. 38.6. I am bowed down greatly. But now the case is altered, he will lift up his Soul to God in a way of Triumph; whence was this? God had spoken Peace to his Soul, Psal. 26.3. Thy loving Kindness is before mine Eyes. 2. This Divine Peace fires the Heart with Love to Christ; Peace is the result of Pardon; he who hath a Pardon sealed, cannot choose but love his Prince. How endeared is Christ to the Soul! now Christ is precious indeed. O saith the Soul, how sweet is this Rose of Sharon! Hath Christ waded through a Sea of Blood and Wrath to purchase my Peace, hath he not only made Peace, but spoke Peace to me; how should my Heart ascend in a fiery Chariot of Love, how willing should I be to do and suffer for Christ! 3. This Peace quiets the heart in Trouble, Mic. 5.5. This Man shall be the Peace when the Assyrian shall come into our Land, and tread in our Palaces. The Enemy may invade our Palaces, but not our Peace; this Man Christ shall be the Peace. When the Head aches, the Heart may be well; when Worldly troubles assault a Christian, his Mind may be in Peace and Quiet, Psal. 4.8. I will lay me down in Peace, and Sleep. 'Twas now a sad time with David, he was flying for his Life from Absalom ; it was no small Afflicton to think that his own Son should seek to take away his Fathers Life and Crown: David wept and covered his Face, 2 Sam. 15.30. Yet at this time saith he, I will lay me down in Peace and Sleep. He had trouble from his Son, but Peace from his Conscience: David could sleep upon the soft Pillow of a good Conscience: This is a Peace worth getting.
Quest. 8. What shall we do to attain this blessed Peace?
Resp. 1. Let us ask it of God; he is the God of Peace, he beats back the roaring Lion, he stills the raging of Conscience: If we could call all the Angels out of Heaven, they could not speak Peace without God. The Stars cannot make Day without the Sun; none can make day in a dark Deserted Soul, but the Sun of Righteousness; as the Wilderness cannot water itself, but remains dry and parched, till the Clouds drop their Moisture, so our Hearts cannot have Peace till he infuse and drop it upon us by his Spirit. Therefore pray, Lord, thou who art the God of Peace, create Peace, thou who art the Prince of Peace, command it. Give me that Peace which may sweeten trouble, yea, the bitter Cup of Death.
2. If you would have Peace, make War with Sin. Sin is the Achan that troubles us; the Trojan Horse. 2 Kings 9.22. When Joram saw Jehu, he said, is it Peace Jehu? And he answered what Peace, so long as the Whoredoms of thy Mother Jezebel and her Witchcrafts are so many? What Peace, as long as Sin remains unmortified? If you would have Peace with God, break the League with Sin. Give battle to Sin, it is a most just War, God hath proclaimed it. Nay, he hath promised us Victory, Sin shall not have Dominion, Rom. 6. No way to Peace but by maintaining a War with Sin, Pax nostra Bellum contra Daemonem, Tert. When Sampson had slain the Lion, there came Honey out of the Lion: By Slaying Sin, we get this Honey of Peace.
3. Go to Christ's Blood for Peace. Some go to fetch their Peace from their own Righteousness, not Christ's; they go for Peace to their Holy Life, not Christ's Death. If Conscience be troubled, they strive to quiet it with their Duties; this is not the right way to Peace: Duties must not be neglected, nor yet idolized. Look up to the Blood of Sprinkling, Heb. 12.24. That Blood of Christ which pacified God, must pacify Conscience; Christ's blood being sucked in by Faith gives Peace, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God. No Balm to cure a Wounded Conscience, but the Blood of Christ.
4. Walk closely with God. Peace flows from Purity, Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this Rule, Peace be on them : In the Text, Grace and Peace are put together. Grace is the Root and Peace is the Flower. As Balm-Water drops from the Limbeck, so Divine Peace comes out of the Limbeck of a Gracious Heart. Walk very Holily; God's Spirit is first a Refiner before a Comforter.
Bran. 2. You who have this Peace, Peace above, Peace within, labor to keep it; it is a precious Jewel, do not lose it. 'It is sad to have the League of National Peace broken, but it is worse to have the Peace of Conscience broken: Oh preserve this Peace. First, Take heed of Relapses; hath God spoken Peace, do not turn again to Folly, Psal. 85.8. Besides the Ingratitude, there's folly in Relapses; it was long ere God was reconciled, and the Breach made up, and will you again Eclipse and Forfeit your Peace? Hath God healed the wound of Conscience, and will you tear it open again? Will you break another Vein, will you cut a new Artery? This is returning indeed to folly. What Madness is it to meddle again with that Sin, which will breed the Worm of Conscience! Secondly, Make up your Spiritual Accounts daily: See how Matters stand between God and your Souls, Psal. 77.6. I commune with my own Heart: Often Reckonings keep God and Conscience Friends; do with your Hearts as you do with your Watches, wind them up every Morning by Prayer, and at Night examine whether your Hearts have gone true all the day, whether the Wheels of your Affections have moved swiftly towards Heaven: Oh call yourselves often to account; keep your Reckonings even, and that is the way to keep your Peace.
Of JOY.
Gal. 5.22.
The Fruit of the Spirit is Joy.
THE third Fruit of Justification, Adoption and Sanctification, is, Joy in the Holy Ghost. Joy is the setting the Soul upon the Top of a Pinacle, 'tis the Cream of the sincere Milk of the Word.
Quest. 1. What is this Joy?
Resp. Spiritual Joy is a sweet and delightful Passion, arising from the Apprehension and Feeling of some Good, whereby the Soul is supported under present Troubles, and fenced against future Fear.
1. It is a Delightful Passion. ] So it is contrary to Sorrow, which is a Perturbation of Mind, whereby the Heart is perplexed and cast down. Joy is a sweet and pleasant Affection, which easeth the Mind, Exhilarates and Comforts the Spirits.
2. It ariseth from the Feeling of some Good. ] Joy is not a Fancy, or bred of Conceit, but is Rational, and ariseth from the feeling of some Good ( viz. ) The Sense of God's Love and Favor. Joy is so Real a thing, that it makes a sudden Change in a Person; it turns Mourning into Melody: As in Spring time, when the Sun comes to our Horizon, it makes a sudden Alteration in the Face of the Universe; the Birds sing, the Flowers appear, the Fig-tree puts forth forth her green Figs; everything seems to rejoice and put off its Mourning, as being revived with the sweet Influence of the Sun: so when the Sun of Righteousness ariseth on the Soul, it makes a sudden Alteration, and the Soul is infinitely rejoiced with the Golden Beams of God's Love.
3. By it the Soul is supported under present Troubles. ] Joy stupifies and swallows up Troubles; it carries the Heart above them, as the Oil swims above the Water.
4. The Heart is fenced against future Fear. ] Joy is both a Cordial and an Antidote; it is a Cordial which gives present Relief to the Spirits when they are Sad; and an Antidote, it fenceth off Fear of approaching Danger, Psal. 23.4. I will fear no Evil, for thou art with me, thy Rod and thy Staff comfort me.
Quest. 2. How is this Joy wrought?
Resp. 1. It ariseth partly from the Promise: As the Be lies at the Breast of the Flower, and sucks out the Sweetness of it, so Faith lies at the Breast of a Promise and sucks out the Quintessence of Joy, Psal. 94.19. Thy Comforts delight my Soul ; that is, the Comforts which distill from the Limbeck of the Promises.
2. The Spirit of God (who is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Comforter, John 14.26.) doth sometimes drop in this Golden Oil of Joy into the Soul; the Spirit whispers to a Believer the Remission of his Sin, and sheds God's Love abroad into the Heart, Rom. 5.5. whence flows infinite Joy and Delight.
Quest. 3. What are the Seasons when God doth usually give his People these Divine Joys?
Resp. Five Seasons: 1. Sometimes at the Blessed Supper ; the Soul oft comes Weeping after Christ in the Sacrament, and God sends it away Weeping for Joy. The Jews had a Custom at their Feasts, they poured Ointment on their Guests and kissed them. In the Eucharist God often pours the Oil of Gladness on the Saints, and Kisseth them with the Kisses of his Lips. There are two grand Ends of the Sacrament, the strengthening of Faith, and the flourishing of Joy: Here in this Ordinance God displays the Banner of his Love: Here Believers taste not only Sacramental Bread, but hidden Manna. [Caution, Not that God always meets the Soul with Joy.] He may give Increase of Grace, when not Increase of Joy; but oftentimes he pours in the Oil of Gladness, and gives the Soul a Privy Seal of his Love; as Christ made himself known in the breaking of Bread.
2 Season. Before God calls his People to Suffering, Acts 23.11. Be of good Cheer, Paul. When God was about to give Paul a Cup of Blood to drink, he spiced it with Joy, 2 Cor. 1.5. As the Sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our Consolation also aboundeth. This made the Martyrs Flames, Beds of Roses; when Stephen was Stoning, he saw Heaven open, and the Sun of Righteousness shined in his Face: God Candies our Wormwood with Sugar.
3 Season. After sore Conflicts with Satan Satan is the Red Dragon who troubleth the Waters; he puts the Soul into Frights, makes it believe that it hath no Grace, and that God doth not love it: Though Satan cannot blot out a Christians Evidence, yet he may cast such a Mist before his Eyes that he cannot read it. Now when the Soul hath been bruised with Temptation, God will Comfort this bruised Reed. He now gives Joy Ad corroborandum Titulum, to confirm a Christians Title to Heaven. After Satan's Fiery Darts, comes the White Stone; no better Balm to heal a Tempted Soul than the Oil of Gladness: As after Christ was Tempted, then came an Angel to Comfort him.
4 Season. After Desertion: Desertion is a poisoned Arrow shoots to the Heart, Job 6.4. God is called a Fire and a Light, the deserted Soul feels the Fire, but doth not see the Light; it cries out as Asaph, Psal. 77.8. Is his Mercy clean gone? Now when the Soul is in this case, and ready to faint away in Despair, God shines upon the Soul, and gives it some Apprehension of his Favor, and turns the shadow of Death into the light of the Morning. God keeps his Cordials for a time of Fainting. Joy after Desertion is like a Resurrection from the Dead.
5 Season. At the hour of Death, such as have had no Joy in their Life-time, God puts in this Sugar in the bottom of the Cup, to make their Death sweet. Now at the last hour, when all other Comforts are gone, God sends the Comforter; and when their Appetite to Meat fails, God feeds them with hidden Manna. Sure, as the Wicked, before they die, have some Apprehensions of Hell and Wrath in their Conscience, so the Godly have some Fore-tastes of God's Everlasting Favor; though sometimes their Disease may be such, and their Animal Spirits may be so oppressed, that they cannot express what they feel. Jacob laid himself to sleep on a stone, where he saw a Vision, a Ladder, and the Angels ascending and descending; so when the Saints lay themselves down, to sleep the sleep of Death, they have often a Vision; they see the Light of God's Face▪ and have the Evidences of his Love sealed up to them forever.
Quest. 4. What are the Differences between Worldly Joys and Spiritual?
Resp. The Gleanings of the one are better than the Vintage of the other.
1. Spiritual Joys help to make us better, Worldly Joys do often make us worse, Ier. 22.21. I spake to thee in thy Prosperity, and thou saidst, I will not hear. Pride and Luxury are the two Worms bred of Worldly Pleasure, Hos. 4.11. Wine takes away the Heart. 'It is fomentum libidinis, Aug. The Inflamer of Lust. As Satan entered in the Sop, so often in the C • p. But Spiritual Joy makes one better; it is like Cordial Water, which (as Physicians say) doth not only cheer the Heart, but Purges out the noxious Humours; so Divine Joy is Cordial Water, which doth not only Comfort, but Cleanse; it makes a Christian more Holy; it causeth an Antipathy against Sin; it infuseth strength to do and suffer, Neh. 8.10. The Joy of the Lord is your strength. As some Colours do not only delight the Eye, but strengthen the Sight; so the Joys of God do not only refresh the Soul, but strengthen it, The Joy of the Lord is your strength.
2. Spiritual Joys are inward, they are Heart-Joys, John 16.22. Your Heart shall rejoice. Seneca saith, True Joy latet in profundo, it is hidden within. Worldly Joy is in Superficie, it lies in the outside, like the Dew that wets the Leaf, 2 Cor. 5.12. who Rejoice in appearance, in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Face. It goes no farther than the Face, 'tis not within; In Laughter the Heart is sad. Like a House which hath a gilded Frontispiece, but all the Rooms within are hung in Mourning. But Spiritual Joy lies most within, Your Heart shall rejoice. Divine Joy is like a Spring of Water which runs under Ground; a Christian doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , others can see his Sufferings, but they see not his Joy, Prov. 14.10. A Stranger intermeddleth not with his Joy. This Joy is hidden Manna, hid from the Eye of the World; he hath still Music which others hear not, the Marrow lies within, the best Joy is within in the Heart.
3. Spiritual Joys are sweeter than others, better than Wine, Cant. 1.2. They are a Christians Festival; They are the golden Pot and the Manna; They are so sweet that they make everything else sweet; sweeten Health, Estate, as sweet Water poured on Flowers makes them more Fragrant and Aromatical. Divine Joys are so Delicious and Ravishing, that they do very much put our Mouth out of Taste to earthly Delights; as he who hath been drinking Spirits of Alkermes, tastes little-sweetness in Water. St. Paul had tasted these Divine Joys, and his Mouth was out of taste to Wordly things: The World was Crucified to him, Gal. 6.14. it was like a dead thing, he could find no sweetness in it.
4. Spiritual Joys are more pure, they are not tempered with any bitter Ingredients; a Sinners Joy is mixed dregs, is imbittered with Fear and Guilt; the Wolf feeds in the Breast of his Joy; he drinks Wormwood Wine: But Spiritual Joy is not muddied with Guilt, but like a Crystal stream runs pure; it is all Spirits and Quintessence; it is Joy and nothing but Joy; 'tis a Rose without Prickles; it is Honey without the Wax.
5. These are satisfying and filling Joys, John 16.24. Ask that your Joy may be full. Worldly Joys can no more fill the Heart, than a drop can fill a Cistern; they may please the Pallat or Fancy, ( Plato calls them Pictures of Joy) not satisfy the Soul, Eccles. 1.8. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the Ear with hearing ; but the Joys of God satisfy. Psal. 94.19. Thy Comforts delight my Soul. There is as much difference between Spiritual Joys and Earthly, as between a Banquet that is eaten, and one that is painted on the Wall.
6. These are stronger Joys than Worldly, Heb. 6.18. Strong Consolation. They are strong indeed, that can bear up a Christians Heart in Trials and Afflictions, 1 Thess. 1.6. Having received the Word in much Affliction, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with Joy. These are Roses that grow in Winter; these Joys can sweeten the Waters of Marah ; he that hath these can gather Grapes of Thorns, and fetch Honey out of the Carcass of a Lyon, 2 Cor. 6.10. As Sorrowing, yet always rejoicing. At the end of the Rod a Christian tastes Honey.
7. These are unwearied Joys; other Joys, when in Excess oft cause a Loathing, we are apt to Surfeit on them; too much Honey nauseates; one may be tired with Pleasure as well as Labor: Xerxes offered a Reward to him that could find out a new Pleasure: But the Joys of God, though they satisfy, yet they never Surfeit; a drop of Joy is sweet, but the more of this Wine the better; such as drink of the Joys of Heaven are never cloy'd; the Satiety is without Loathing, because they still desire the Joy wherewith they are satiated.
8. These are more abiding Joys, worldly Joys are soon gone; such as Crown themselves with Rose-buds, and bath in the perfumed Waters of Pleasure, yet these Joys which seem to be Sweet are Swift; like Meteors, they give a bright and sudden Flash, and then disappear; but the Joy which Believers have, are abiding; they are a Blossom of Eternity, a Pledge and Earnest of those Rivers of Pleasure which run at God's right Hand forever more.
Quest. 5. Why is this Joy to be labor'd for?
Resp. 1. Because this Joy is Self-existent, it can subsist in the want of all other Carnal Joy. This Joy depends not upon outward things, as the Philosophers once said, when the Musicians came to them, Philosophers can be merry without Music. He that hath this Joy, can be cheerful in the Deficiency of Carnal Joys; he can rejoice in God, and sure hope of Glory. Though the Fig-tree doth not Flourish, Hab. 3.17. Spiritual Joy can go without Silver Crutches to support it: Spiritual Joy is higher built than upon Creatures, it is built on the Love of God, on the Promises, on the Blood of Christ.
2. Because Spiritual Joy carries the Soul through Duty cheerfully; the Sabbath is a Delight, Religion is a Recreation. Fear and Sorrow hinder us in the Discharge of Duty: But a Christian serves God with Activity, when he serves him with Joy. The Oil of Joy makes the Wheels of Obedience move faster. How fervently did they Pray, whom God made joyful in the House of Prayer, Isa. 56.7.
3. Joy is the beginning of Heaven here; it is called the Kingdom of God, Rom. 14.17. because it is a Taste of that which the Saints have in the Kingdom of God. What is the Heaven of the Angels, but the Smiles of God's Face, the sensible Perception and Feeling of those Joys which are infinitely ravishing and full of Glory? And to encourage and quicken us in seeking after them, consider, that Christ died to purchase this Joy for his Saints: He was a Man of Sorrows, that we may be full of Joy; he Prays that the Saints may have this Divine Joy, John 17.13. And now I come to thee, that they may have my Joy fulfilled in themselves. And this Prayer he now Prays over in Heaven; he knows we never love him so, as when we feel his Love; which may encourage us to seek after this Joy; we Pray for that which Christ himself is Praying for, that his Joy may be fulfilled in us.
Quest. 6. What shall we do to obtain this Spiritual Joy?
Resp. Walk accurately and heavenly; God gives it after a long and close walking with him.
1. Observe your hours; set time every day apart for God.
2. Mourn for Sin: Mourning is the Seed (as Basil saith) out of which the Flower of Spiritual Joy Grows, Isa. 57.18▪ I will restore Comfort to my Mourners.
3. Keep the Book of Conscience fair written; do not, by Presumptuous Sins, blur your Evidences: A good Conscience is the Ark where God puts the hidden Manna.
4. Be often upon your Knees, Pray with Life and Fervency: The same Spirit that fills the Heart with Sighs, fills it with Joys; the same Spirit that indites the Prayer, Seals it. When Hannah had prayed, her Countenance was no more sad, 1 Sam. 1.18. Praying Christians have much Intercourse with God, and none are so like to have the Secrets of his Love imparted, as those who hold Correspondence with him: By a close walking with God, we get these Bunches of Grapes by the way, which are an Earnest of future Happiness.
Quest. 7. How shall we Comfort them who want this Joy?
Resp. Such as walk in close Communion with God, have more than others.
1. Initial Joy, Joy, in Semine, in the Seed, Psal. 97.11. Light (a Metaphor for Joy) is sown for the Righteous, Grace in the Heart is a Seed of Joy. Though a Christian wants the Sun, he hath a Day-star in his Heart.
2. A Believer hath Real, though not Royal Comforts; he hath, as Aquinas saith, Gaudium in Deo, though not à Deo, Joy in God, though not from God: Joy in God, is the Delight and Complacency the Soul takes in God, Psal. 104.34. My Soul shall be glad in the Lord. He that is truly gracious, is so far joyful, as to take Comfort in God; though he cannot say, God rejoiceth in him; yet he can say, he rejoiceth in God.
3. He hath Supporting, though not Transporting Comforts; he hath so much that keeps him from sinking, Psal. 138.3. Thou strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul. If a Christian hath not God's Arm to embrace him, yet to uphold him. Thus a Christian, who walks with God, hath something that bears up his [Heart from sinking; and it is but waiting a while, and he is sure of those Joys which are unspeakable and full of Glory.
Use 1. Then see that Religion is no Melancholy thing; it brings Joy, the Fruit of the Spirit is Joy, Mutatur, non tollitur ; a poor Christian that feeds on Bread and Water, may have purer Joy than the greatest Monarch; though he fares hard he feeds high, he hath a Table spread from Heaven; Angels Food, hidden Manna; he hath sometimes those sweet Raptures of Joy as cause a Jubilation of Spirit, 2 Cor. 12.3. he hath that which is better felt than can be expressed.
Use 2. If God gives his People such Joy in this Life, Oh! then what glorious Joy will he give them in Heaven, Matt. 25.21. Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord ; here Joy begins to enter into us, there we shall enter into Joy; God keeps his best Wine till last. Heliogabalus bathed himself in sweet perfumed Waters. What Joy when the Soul shall forever bath itself in the pure and pleasant Fountain of God's Love; what joy to see the Orient Brightness of Christ's Face, and have the Kisses of those Lips which drop sweet smelling Myrrh? Laetabitur sponsa in amplexibus Domini, Aug. Oh! if a cluster of Grapes here be so sweet, what will the full Vintage be? How may this set us all a longing for that place, where Sorrow cannot Live, and where Joy cannot Dye!
Growth of GRACE.
2 Pet. 3.18.
But grow in Grace.
Fruit 4. GRowth of Grace. ] True Grace is progressive, of a spreading growing Nature; 'tis with Grace as with the Light, first there is the Crepusculum or daybreak; then it shines brighter to the full Meridian: A good Christian is like the Crocodil, Quam diu vivit, crescit, he hath never done growing. The Saints are not only compared to Stars for their light, but Trees for their growth, Isa. 61.3. Hos. 14.5. A good Christian is not like Hezekiah 's Sun that went backward, nor Joshua 's Sun that stood still, but is always advancing in Holiness, and increasing with the Increase of God, Col. 2.19. Now to amplify and illustrate this,
Quest. 1. How many ways may a Christian be said to grow in Grace?
Resp.