Christs Prayer even in respect of those who shall beleeve is because They were given to him by the Father as appeareth vers 9. I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Seeing therefore the Foundation of Christs Intercession is because they were given by Election to Christ as a people to be saved through him it 's plain that Christ praied not because he foresaw that they would beleeve but because they were Elected It 's true the Arminians do in a most violent and strange manner wrest that phrase of being given to Christ They understand it not of an action of the Father but of the disposition of the Subject Hence it is they speak so much of a probum ingenium or a docilis indoles as if it were some towardly disposition in man that fitted him for grace but thus it would be rather who have given themselves to Christ rather then that the Father had given them and indeed this is such a thorn in their sides that they cannot pull out if by such who shall beleeve were to be understood those that upon Gods foresight were known to improve the means of Faith better then others then all the difference from others and the utmost resolution of salvation yea and Election would be unto a mans self when yet the Apostle doth expresly stop such mouths What hast thou that thou hast not received and who made thee to differ from another 1 Cor. 4.7 The Text thus vindicated and explained I gather this Observation That Christ died not and so we were not Elected because we will beleeve but our beleef is the effect and fruit of Christs death and our Election Our Faith is not a condition upon which our Election or Christs Death stands suspended and indeterminate but these do make us infallibly and effectually to beleeve in time There are two common Opinions The one holding That God from all Eternity knew who would beleeve in time and persevere therein and thereupon they were Elected and Christ died for us This way go Arminians and others But 2. The Orthodox they affirm that God did from all Eternity choose some out of the corrupt masse to Eternall glory and for this end to give them Faith and holinesse as the means thereunto So that God did not elect us because we did or would beleeve but that we might beleeve we beleeve because we are Elected not Elected because we beleeve This Doctrine is very useful because it tends to humble and debase man and wholly to exalt the grace of God and therefore the more diligently to be confirmed because of late so greatly opposed And before we bring Scripture-Arguments Let us Consider some few things that will clear the state of the Question As 1. There is a difference of those who hold our Election and so Christs Death to be upon the foresight of something in us Some are more grosse then others For there are some that hold a man is Elected to glory upon the foresight of his cooperation with the grace of God as a true merit deserving this Election so that with them God did behold who by his free will would improve the offer of grace and for this as a meritorious cause they say God did Elect them unto Eternal Glory But this is so highly injurious to the Grace of God that though some Papists have maintained it yet Bellarmine Valentia and other Jesuites wholly disclaim it at least in words making no other cause of predestination in respect of all the effects of it but the sole and meer good pleasure of God 2. There are others and they say the foresight of the good or better use of our free-will then others is not a meritorious but a moving cause with God of our Election to Happinesse So that our Faith and Holinesse though they were not a meriting Cause yet were a moving Cause of our predestination but this is also too grosly repugnant and contradictory to Scripture 3. There are those who refine it more subtlely and that is That God did foresee who would beleeve and persevere therein to Death and such are peremptorily chosen to Eternall Life not that their Faith or Perseverance is any merit or moving Cause but a Conditio sine quâ non without which God would not choose such to happinesse so that say they it 's not for any intrinsecall Dignity or excellent worth in Faith but because of the many possible waies and means to Salvation God appoints this way of beleeving rather then another and thus the Arminians Only they acknowledge Holinesse of Life and Obedience to God to be thus a Condition foreseen as well as Faith though they would seem utterly to deny it 4. There are the Lutherans and they indeed hold Faith fore-seen as a Condition in our Election Only they say It 's not considered as a merit or a Cause no nor as a work but as an Instrument apprehending Christs merits and therefore make Election to be by Faith in the same sence as we are justified by Faith Hence they deny Holinesse or Obedience to be a condition ingredient to Election because Christ is not laid hold upon by that as by Faith although herein they contradict themselves because they acknowledge not Faith singly as so but Perseverance in Faith to be the Condition and that must be necessarily looked upon as a work not as an Instrument receiving Christ But the Orthodox they affirm consonantly to Scripture and sutably to the Glory of Gods Grace That God did from all Eternity choose some men out of that corrupt masse in which all were to Eternall Glory and by the same Act did prepare and appoint all those means which would effectually produce the same So that this Election is the Originall and Fountain of all Spirituall mercies because Elected Christ is appointed a Mediatour Because Elected they are called and enabled to beleeve in time So that we deny there are two Elections One to Glory another to Grace But God by the same single Act doth will both and therefore that there is not the same Reason of Election and of Justification or Salvation for these being Acts done in time do require Faith and Holinesse as antecedent but Election being an Act of God from all Eternity cannot presuppose any thing in us Now the Arguments to confirm us in this Truth they are these following First Because the Scripture when it speaketh of this great and wonderfull work of Election it doth still resolve all into the Counsell of his will not into any thing fore seen in a man Ephes 8. Roman 8. Roman 9. and in many other places it is still said He hath chosen us according to his Will according to his purpose Now if so be it were for any thing foreseen in us it would be rather according to the Counsell of our will and according to our purpose There cannot any rationall Answer be given unto this Argument for according to the Adversaries
an evident comprehensive knowledge for then it would be science strictly so called but it hath a plain knowledge of the testimony or authority that revealeth it and also some apprehensive though not comprehensive knowledge of that we do believe Hence Paul saith I know whom I have believed 2 Cor. 4.13 And again How shall they believe unlesse they have heard Rom. 10. And this discovers the sad condition of thousands who say they believe in Christ and yet have no true knowledge about him 2. There is required to this justifying faith a firm and lively assent to the whole word of God For unless this be laid as a foundation there cannot be any building upon it Insomuch that we see the Scripture sometimes attributing salvation to the belief that Christ was able and that God was powerfull not that by that object they were justified only that was the particular in which the doubt and difficulty did seem to be so that it was not exclusive of that special act of faith but inclusive of it and indeed this is necessary to be known that justifying faith doth carry a man out even to Historical or Dogmatical matter respectively to Justification So that when a justified person believeth any temporal promise or the power of God it doth not simply and ultimately believe them as such but as they represent God a Father in Christ so that he believeth the power of God as of a Father in Christ and all the temporal promises are looked upon as Yea and Amen in Christ so that this is to be observed by the believer There is nothing true in the Scripture but justifying faith fetcheth filial arguments from it and makes him sensible of that peace and reconciliation with God in Christ And indeed to believe all the truths in Scripture doth beget fear and horrour unless this justifying faith qualifie it The devils believe and tremble so the meer dogmatist he believeth but hath cause to tremble for till every thing be brought to Christ that as God reconciled all things in heaven and earth through him so if thou reduce all things in the Scripture to Christ even the threatning part to him because fulfilled by him thou wilt have solid comfort Thus as it 's with man because he is rational all those animal acts which are common to him with beasts yet are reductively and participatively rational so in the godly man all those general acts of faith are reduced to justifying as the summe of all SERMON CVIII Of Justifying Faith Shewing what things are necessary thereunto And how or in what method the Spirit of God enableth the humbled soul to beleeve JOH 17.20 But for them also who shall beleeve on me SEveral particulars have been given in to the clearing of the nature of justifying Faith The last we were upon was to inform what goeth to the being of it and two Ingredients have been dispatched viz. Knowledge and assent Proceed we therefore to a third thing and that is 3. A deep sence and feeling of the burthen of sinne with some sorrow and humiliation thereupon The Law must work in the discovery of the disease before the Gospel doth in manifestation of the Remedy There must be the pain and smart of a sting felt ere there be any earnest beholding of the brazen Serpent Our Saviour said The sick needed the Physician When Paul by the light of the Law found himself out of measure sinfull then he began to seek after the unsearchable Riches of Gods grace Come unto me all ye that are heavy loaden and I will ease you saith Christ Mat. 11.28 Faith that is the easing and reposing of the troubled Spirit It is disputed whether Repentance go before Faith and indeed there is an Evangelical Repentance whereby the heart is melted with grief for sinne because God is so gracious a Father in Christ and this must necessarily follow Faith but then there is a Legal sorrow for sinne arising from Gods just hatred against it which breeds great trouble and confusion in the soul before it hath laid hold on Christ and this precedeth Faith Of this our Saviour speaks Mat. 21.32 Ye repented not that ye might beleeve And so Peters hearers Act. 2. were pricked at the heart before they were directed into Evangelicall Repentance and Faith There is then a fence of our undone estate going before this justifying Faith whereby a man findes himself utterly lost all his desirable things perish sinne that was once so beloved by him is as Tamar to Amnon hated more then ever he loved it Now he would throw it out of doors the sight and memory of it is grievous to him I presse not such a measure or degree of sorrow it worketh so much in all that there is a displacency and abhorrency in sinne as that which is the cause of all misery Hence in the 4th place followeth a conviction and perswasion of minde that there is no Creature in Heaven or Earth no nor nothing that he can do is able to justifie him or bring Reconciliation with God The Spirit of God Joh. 14. that doth convince of sinne in the first place doth afterward of a Righteousnesse That there is no Righteousnesse to be had but in Christ only If so be a man be no further convinced then of his sinne and disease thinking to make medicines and plaisters of his own thereby to heal himself This man will alwaies be kept in a wandring Wildernesse What was it that made so many run into Monasteries undertake strict waies of Discipline and mortification They had but an half Conviction They felt wofull troubles and agonies in their Souls for sinne They could not tell what to do as Luther professed of himself while a Papist but not being convinced of true Righteousnesse They ran to miserable Comforters and so skinned the Soar when the putrifying humour was still within but that Soul which the grace of God will carry on to Justification doth not only finde sinne manifested but the insufficiency of all Creature Righteousnesse he seeth with Noah that unlesse he get into an Ark there is nothing but overflowing waters every where While then this stone is squaring for an Heavenly building he is instructed in his own lost and undone Condition Being therefore thus fully perswaded that in himself he is a dead and a damned man In the 5th He proceedeth to an actual renouncing of every thing but Christ He seeth there is no remedy in the world for him but by Christ He abhorâ—eth all those Doctrines and practises in Religion which he did put confidence in as if they could save him Phil. 3. You see this method in Paul when once his eyes were opened then all the priviledges that were formerly counted gain he looked upon them as losse yea as dung in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ Now certainly this is a great work of Gods Spirit not only to make a man renounce his sinnes but his works of Righteousnesse also for this
to beleeve though it might be matter of comfort and priviledge yet it was not of duty But O how graciously hath God taught thee otherwise Now thou ar◠as much afraid not to lay hold on Christ as to commit any other sin Thou art as consciencious in believing every promise as in conforming to every command Thou darest no longer listen to doubts and fears to Satans Temptations in this matter then thou darest to the lusts and pleasures of sin 2. The Spirit of God doth instruct us in this That thus to beleeve and rest on Christ is to perform or to do that to which Justification is promised He that believeth is passed from death to life and still Remission of sins is said to be received by Faith and we are justified by Faith Rom. 5. So that when the Soul doth rest on Christ he performeth that to which Christ with all his benefits are promised Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternnl Life So that the humbled sinner having his eyes thus opened he seeth it the greatest madnesse and folly that can be not to receive Christ and to rest on him Why thus he argueth I cannot he justified I cannot partake of Christ till I do believe so that to believe is as necessary in an instrumental way as Christ in a meritorious way Shall the diseased Patient question whether he shall take that medicine which will certainly heal him Shall the hungry man doubt whether he may receive that alms which will preserve his Life Thus the humbled sinner is convinced that as he must not murther his own body wilfully by refusing to eat meat so he must not his own soul by a wilful rejecting of the promise 3. The Spirit of God instructs him in this also That by beleeving he doth not only bring comfort and salvation to his soul but in a most eminent manner doth also glorifie God As Abraham by that remarkable act of Faith is said to give Glory to God Rom. 4.20 The tempted Soul is apt to think Why should I believe this is but to seek my self This is because I would have comfort whatever becometh of Gods Glory Oh but saith the believer when thus awakened if I could perform all the Commandments of God if I could love God so as to give my body to be burnt for his Name yet I could not glorifie God so much as by believing for this acknowledgeth God in Christ wherein God is more to be admired then in the creation and government of the world Lastly He is enabled to see the folly and unprofitablenesse of Vnbelief If he go not to Christ where can Salvation be had he is sure to be damned by keeping from Christ Therefore with those Lepers he is resolved not to perish but to go to God though he seem an Enemy to him And then 2. God worketh faith in us effectively as you heard by strengthening the heart of a man fiducially to repose on Christ if other graces as love and patience do not grow of themselves in mans heart much lesse doth Faith which is so supernatural every way SERMON CIX Of Justifying Faith JOHN 17.20 But for them also who shall believe in me through their word WE are treating upon the Doctrine of Justifying Faith and certainly we may say It 's good to be on this Mount of Transfiguration and having declared that method Gods Spirit leads an humbled soul into when it 's enabled to believe We proceed to further particulars instructive in this business The ultimate and last act of justifying faith was a fiducial resting upon Christ for all spiritual benefits But to understand this further Consider that the Scripture expression of it is very emphatical and denoteth several notions in it as when it expresseth it by receiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word often applied to faith in this act it receiveth Christ Joh. 1.12 it receiveth the promise it receiveth forgivenesse of sins Act. 26.18 so that in this justifying act of faith we are to conceive a precious treasure offered by the grace of God even Christ himself and faith as the hand receiving of it and this expression is full of excellent matter for it teacheth 1. That we in this act of Justification or laying hold on Christ have nothing of our own All our righteousness is without us we are to receive it offered we have nothing inherent This Paul knew experimentally Phil. 3. when he would be found not in his own righteousness but that which is by faith His own mark that Any thing we may call our own we must not be found in and that is our own which is not only so effectivé by our own procuring and labour or merit but subjectivé which is inherent in us though it be wrought by the grace of God as the Just is said to live by his faith Hab. 2.4 It 's his faith subjectively though Gods effectively This word then receiving doth carry every man humbled Evangelically wholly out of himself and as was said to the woman looking into the Sepulchre Why look you for him he is not here he is risen So it may be said Why art thou searching and digging into thine own heart Thy works or graces these are not the object of faith It 's above thee It 's without thee though by faith applied to thee Even as the poor cripple that desired to be healed looked upon Christ expecting help from him he knew he had nothing in himself or as the indigent beggar looks without him and stretcheth out his hand to receive food or money So is it with the humbled sinner Oh then be directed here why doth God make thy own heart thy own wayes so bitter to thee Is it not because thou shouldst seek out for a Christ and look for a righteousnesse without thee 2. This word receiving implieth That we are wholly passive in our Justification That we are not justified by doing any thing or offering any thing to God but receiving from him Even as some Philosophers say Intelligere and sentire are passions Though we express them actively yet the soul therein is passive So when by believing a man is justified we are not to consider what he brings to God or doth for God but what he receiveth from him This is a fundamental principle to be grounded in it 's a mercy of mercies to be directed in the agonies of thy soul to the right way of believing to know the way to this City of refuge If a manslayer pursued by the avenger had not known the way to the City of refuge what danger had he been in It 's like the childe not coming the right way in it's birth now naturally we all think by doing to partake of Christ not receiving which made the Apostle so industriously assert this That it 's not to him that worketh but to him that believeth
object of justifying faith it 's not meant antecedenter but consequenter Not as if we were to look for a special or particular promise made either to Thomas or Peter as sometimes Christ did to those who were then alive as when he spoke to that woman Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee here was a special promise to her in particular but it 's not so now the promise is general but it 's made special by beleeving and indeed without this special applying act our faith brings no peace no comfort no more then for a Lazarus to hear there was plentifull food in Dives his house but he had not so much as the crums thereof Thus you see how comprehensive this act of beleeving is In the next place This recumbent act of Faith may not only thus receive Christ but we may also be assured and know that we do believe and that Christ is ours Indeed former Divines from an opposition to Popery which teacheth doubting in our Justification and uncertainty did define justifying faith to be a full perswasion of the heart whereby we beleeve our sins are pardoned and that Christ died for us but to beleeve that Christ is mine or that I am justified cannot be justifying faith but it supposeth it for Christ must be mine before I know he is mine The object must be before the act Therefore faith hath two acts a Direct Act whereby it layeth hold on Christ and a Reflex Act whereby I know that I do lay hold on him or that I am such an one to whom the promises do belong Now this beleeving on Christ which justifieth is in the former act out of the sense of my sins and deep unworthiness to lay hold on Christ The latter which we call Assurance Though the people of God may and ought to attain unto yet is not to be confounded with the former nay it may be and is often separated from it and this is much to be heeded by practical Christians you would have assurance first and then you would beleeve in Christ you would know whether your graces are true whether you are so and so qualified and then you would beleeve This is as if a woman would be assured such a man were her husband and then she would marry him whereas it is marriage makes the husband It 's beleeving makes Christ thine and when he is thine then thou mayest be assured he is thine The cripple and the woman labouring under a bloody issue felt themselves whole after Christ had healed them they could not before So when faith hath made Christ thine that thou canst say with Thomas My God my Lord then you may come to be assured he is thine Christ had not that sense of Gods favour when yet he had that fiducial confidence crying out My God my God c. The promise is made to him that beleeveth not to him that knoweth he doth beleeve It 's not said If you have assurance but if you beleeve you shall be saved 3. Though faith doth thus repose it self fiducially upon Christ yet you must know this is not done without opposition of unbelief and diffidence 1 Joh. 3.19 The Apostle saith We assure our hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswade This implyeth that the heart of a man is full of objections and hath many cavils There is much ado ere the heart be perswaded to rest on Christ only many Lions and mountains are in the way That man spake the sense of all beleevers who prayed Lord I beleeve help my unbelief Mark 9.24 Oh how often is thy heart ready to be cast down and to have no hope You may see these ebbings and flowings in Davids heart faith and diffidence were like two twins strugling in the womb do not therefore expect such a quiet resting upon Christ as shall have no opposition No sometimes thy heart may even rage with unbelief like that poor demoniack the Evangelist speaks of Mar. 5.4 that tore chains asunder and no man could tame him Such an unruly thing may thy heart be Now there are two great opposites to this recumbency viz. The terrible things of thy heart the guilt of sin the temptations of Satan the sad fears that molest thee and then the sweet pleasing things of thy soul which are self-righteousness trusting in thy own heart in thy own works Oh this self-fulnesse this mountain must be levelled as well as this valley be exalted else the way is not prepared for Christ SERMON CX Of Justifying Faith That it is a fiducial Recumbency on Christ JOH 17.20 But for those also that shall beleeve in me I shall now conclude this part which containeth the Qualification of the subject of Christs Praier That beleeve in Christ And whereas Faith hath a twofold Object either general of which v. 21. or special This last is meant here of which much hath been said to clear the nature of it I shall end at this time And 1. I shall prove that it 's the duty of an humbled sinner to have such a fiducial recumbency on Christ and that for the pardon of his sins in particular It 's not enough to believe that Christ will save sinners that repent and convert unto him but they are to appropriate him to their own particular To say with Thomas My Lord My God Now that Faith is such a particular application of Christ whatsoever Papists and others gainsay may appear from these Arguments amongst others 1. From the names and Titles that beleeving in Christ hath which do evidently denote more then a meer intellectual assent unto the promises as true They imply some cordial motions of the soul The Names are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth signifie a confidence of the heart and that which doth imbolden the soul in the presence of God yea to this beleeving there is attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.1 Phil 3.3 This boasting must need be more then a bare apprehension in the minde It 's like Aarons oyle that descends from the head to other places also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4 21. This is also emphatical some make the word to be from the Sails of Ships when filled with the Winde which carry the Ship away speedily Thus the heart of man that lay groveled and could not move when beleeving is mightily carried on in all duties It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often Heb. 11.1 Heb. 3.14 that denoteth the things we beleeve to have such a subsistence in our souls as if we were no longer our selves but the thing believed as Paul said I no longer live but Christ within me Gal. 2.20 So this Faith in Christ doth as it were incarnate the Promises and transubstantiate them into the believer Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 4.16 Let us come with confidence Indeed Ephes 3. Confidence or boldnesse is made an effect of faith but confidence could not be an effect of faith if faith had not this
others that knew not what they did many of them were converted afterwards and did beleeve in him whom they had pierced so that we need not doubt of speeding when we bring Christ with us Hence Joh. 16.24 Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you If we were to draw nigh in our Name If we did appear in our own Name we might justly look for anger in stead of mercy but God is not angry with Christ he doth not frown upon Christ Fifthly The praier of Christ had all those internall qualifications that are requisite to acceptation For first There was holy faith and confidence the Preface is Father which is not a bare Title but an expression from inward affection indeed Christ was not capable of justifying faith he was too perfect a subject to need such a grace yet as the habit of faith doth include no imperfection in the subject but a full dependance and affiance on God so Christ did beleeve and in this sence he cried My God My God why hast thou forsaken me My God My God were acts of fiduciall dependance As for repentance and sorrow for sinne which is requisite in all our praiers such also Christ was not capable of but then for love and zeal to God for heavenly affections c. The Sea is not fuller of water then his soul was of such enlargements No distraction no deadnesse no imperfection did cleave to his praier but as he himself was without sinne so also was his praier Besides the extrinsecall dignity and worth of Christs praier there was an inherent perfection and fullnesse of all graces in him Oh then though the godly labour and groan under manifold weaknesses Their praiers are so imperfect that they need to be praied over again and confession is requisite for our imperfect confession yet remember the perfection of Christs praiers There was no spot no blemish in this Sacrifice of his lips At the end of thy praier when thy heart smiteth thee for thy roving thoughts thy dulnesse thy distractions comfort thy self with this there was no such defect in Christs praier Christs praier was like that curious confection and ointment which had so many precious ingredients in it Sixthly Consider this Praier of Christs had that generall nature in it which all our praiers have to be a condition and medium to bring about the good things we desire For some have disputed about praier What use is there of it seeing God knoweth all things before we ask and he is unchangeable our praiers cannot alter his purpose To this it 's answered That our praiers are not to acquaint God with that he knew not or to change his will only God who hath decreed to do such things he hath appointed praier as a condition or means for the accomplishment of them Even as God hath ordained the earth to bring forth fruit but it must be tilled and sown and as mankinde is to be multiplied but by marriage so good things are appointed for the godly but by praier Mat. 7.7 This is therefore called the golden chain reaching from earth to heaven Ascendit precatio descendit miseratio and for this end is both a command of praier and a gracious promise to it so that he who praieth not presumeth grosly if he expect the fullfilling of any good thing to him As it is thus with praier in the general so also with Christs praier whatsoever Christ was to purchase at Gods hand for his people the same he was to pray for Psa 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance And thus in this Chapter he praieth for that glory which yet was from the beginning appointed for him so that Christs Praier was a speciall means to bring about all those admirable mercies promised to his people Seventhly Take notice of this that this Praier of Christ sanctifieth all our Praiers They become accepted of through him He is the Altar upon which the incense of the Churches praiers is offeted Rev. 8.4 As our tears need washing in his bloud so our praiers need Christs praier he praied that our praiers may be received There is not any one Praier could ever ascend to heaven were it not for Christs Intercession The Popish doctrine therefore is very injurious to Christ which inventeth other treasures besides the treasures of Christ They tell us of a treasure or bank of praiers which may be applied to this or that necessitous person They tell us of other Mediators in heaven besides Christ Mediators not of expiation but intercession whereas you see it 's Christs expiation and intercession that go together to work our redemption But if Christs praier be thus all in all what need we pray are not our praiers superfluous Answ No for they are not to that end which Christs was not for merit or mediation Even as though Christ suffered for our sinnes yet we also are afflicted but not for that end so our praiers are for other ends to set up God to debase our selves to quicken up our graces to give us an holy Communion and fellowship with him to shew our obedience to his command who doth in so speciall a manner require this duty Vse Are the people of God under the benefit of Christs praier then how happy and blessed are they what can be denied them There is no fear of having their requests granted for God looks upon them and Christ as one mysticall person as the head and members Who is able to preach of this Subject It is too glorious Christ is in heaven making Intercession for thee Wo unto thee every day every hour Were it not for this Advocate wo to thy own praiers though never so laudable were they not put up in Christs Name Oh how little do the people of God run to this Fountain when their hearts are like a dry wildernesse This is indeed the Key of heaven that opens it for thee and thy duties if not for my sake yet for Christs sake Though I am unworthy yet Christ is worthy to be heard But oh the terrible estate of wicked men I pray not for the world They have no benefit in this Mediation SERMON III. Sheweth how prevalent the Praiers are that are poured out to God as a Father And what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God JOH 17.1 These things spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father c. THE next thing in order to be treated of is Christs Praier it self and that is first in reference to himself and therein we may consider 1. The matter of the Praier Glorifie thy Son 2. The Arguments to enforce this for that is the best praier which is most argumentative Many words without arguments is like a great body without nerves or sinews Now these arguments are several and strong 1. From the Relation he stands in to
God he is a Son and God is his Father Father glorifie thy Sonne 2. From the seasonablenesse of it Now is the time Tho hour is come 3. From the finall cause he desireth not this glory for himself only but he would be glorified that he might glorifie the Father Every one of these Arguments doth deserve at least a Sermon to open the excellency of it and 1. I shall begin with the relation expressed in that compellation Father Now it is true God is the Father of Christ in a farre more transcendent way then he is ours for that is a true Rule quod Christus naturâ nos sumus gratiâ That which Christ hath by nature we have by grace Christ therefore is Son to the Father yet so that he is of the same nature with the Father having all the properties of the Godhead with him but we are Sonnes only by grace and adoption and therefore cannot call God Father in that respect as Christ doth yet because a Father to both and that we may improve this Title for comfort with him our Saviour doth put these together in a most excellent manner Joh. 10.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Go and tell my Brethren so The Apostle admireth this that he was not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 and in this Praier how wonderfull are those expressions That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Let not therefore the great distance between us and Christ trouble us in this dear relation for he is our Father as well as Christs though not in the same manner From this Argument further observe That those Praiers are successefull and are sure to speed which are poured out to God as a Father It 's this Title this relation that giveth life and efficacy to our praiers Dulce nomen Patris said he it works much both in the Father to move his bowels and in the Sonne to enlarge his affections and hopes Although that Faith whereby Christ called God Father was not like that in us which we call justifying in respect of that act for Christ did not need justification for himself because there was no sin found in him yet as faith in the generall betokens a fiduciall dependance on God and application of his favour so Christ did with faith call God Father Thus at other times we see Christ in his praiers using this compellation as the ground of his being heard and having all his requests granted him Luke 23.34 46. Joh. 11.41 Joh. 12.27 28. And that we may not think this Prerogative belongs only to him our Saviour in that Directory of praier which he hath left teacheth us to come unto him as unto a Father and this is the faith we must pray in else we are sure to be sent away empty Hence Christ Mat. 6. and Mat. 7 11. laieth all the ground of confidence and hope to speed on this because he is our Father an heavenly Father farre above all earthly Fathers Nemo tam Pater as one in another case I need not tell you that God is a Father either by Creation in which sence Paul alloweth that of the Poet We are his Offspring for this it makes not any thing to confidence in Praier for so the devils and wicked men had their being from God But 2. He is a Father by grace by adoption and reconciliation through Christ This is the relation that sweetens all This is that which makes us confident he cannot or will not deny any thing that is good to us When the Prodigal Sonne came with this Title in his mouth Father I have sinned the bowels of the Father immediatly moved and he runneth to meet him Luk. 15.18 First That every one by nature and through sinne is in a state of enmity against God God is so farre from being a Father to such that he is a Judge and an adversary to every wicked man so that it is a very rare thing and few there are who may call God Father Is God the Father of Drunkards adulterers proud and prophane persons It 's blasphemy and an high dishonour to God to think so No the Scripture telleth us of another Father to such Ye âre of your Father the devil Joh. 8.44 There are many may say Our Father which art in hell not which art in heaven This I would presse upon you that you may not blaspheme God by calling him Father when you do the works of the devil If children only and not dogs must eat the meat on the Table much more must they only be taken into the Fathers bosome The Scripture will inform you that none may presume to take this excellent Title into his mouth unlesse he shew his filiall fear and obedience Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour 1 Pet. 1.15 If ye call on the Father passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Hence it is resolved by Austin that none but a just and righteous man may pray the Lords Praier because God is not a Father to any but those that walk holily Oh that this might strike to the very heart of every ungodly man Thou hopest in thy praiers and trustest in thy praiers when yet thou hast no right to call God thy Father He owneth no such enemies as thou art for his Sonne Secondly This sweet relation of Sonship to God the Father is purchased at a dear rate by Christ He shed his precious bloud that we might be put into so happy a relation We that were afar off are made neer by him Hence it is that Christ is the Elder brother the Heir and we made coheirs with him so that we had nothing to do with God in any comfortable way we could not have praied to him but had been like the devil in hell had not Christ purchased this sure and comfortable condition for us It costs the mother much ere she be mother of a childe In sorrow she was to bring forth but Christ was a man of greater sorrow ere he could see his seed and his soul be satisfied Among Brethren what envy is there apt to be yea what murthers have been committed by one brother upon another that they might solely enjoy the dignity and great estate but how farre was Christ from this who though only beloved of the Father and heir to all glory yet grudgeth not to take in others to a copartnership well then This word Father or to be able to call God Father cost Christ dear even more then to make a world for there was but a word here were great sufferings Thirdly To be able to call God Father is so great a matter that there needeth the Spirit of Adoption to move us thereunto Gal. 4 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father Although it be easie for a presumptuous
faithfull for one as well as for many 2. All that Christ did it was not in reference to himself but for us All the Miracles he wrought it was for Beleevers he did them not for his glory and honour as he speaks about Lazarus his being dead Joh. 11. I was glad for your sakes because that Miracles might tend to their Confirmation in the Faith Thus Christ became obedient to the Law and fulfilled the righteousnesse thereof for our sakes Oh what an admirable overwhelming Point is this that all the labour and obedience which Christ performed of which he said It was meat and drink to do his Fathers will Joh. 4. That all this should not be for himself but in reference to us How may this fill our hearts and mouths with joy and confidence at the Throne of grace O Lord why did Christ fulfill all righteousnesse why did he perfectly obey the Law So that no fault should be found in him Was not all this for me Did he need this himself 3. His sufferings and rendring up himself as an atonement and Sacrifice upon the Crosse This also was wholly of God for us The Prophet Isaiah is affected with it He laid upon him the iniquities of us all and by his stripes we are healed Isa 53.5 Thus every where his death is said to be for us he died for us he gave himself for us and it must needs be so for in him was found nothing worthy of death There was no sin or guile found in him he was not under that Sentence pronounced upon Adam and his posterity And here again the people of God may lift up their heads wiih joy Christ died he became a Sacrifice to the justice of God not because of himself but of us Hence it 's said His bloud speaks better things then that of Abel Heb. 12.24 Abels bloud cried for vengeance this for mercy and if Abel though dead speaketh how much more must Christ who though dead is risen again May not this be an Axe laid to the root of all thy unbelief Shall the godly heart be any more bowed down when he shall remember all those Agonies which Christ did undergo were for us Shall thy sins be accounted great and Christs death not greater Go thou troubled and grieved Soul we will give thee leave to aggravate thy sins to the highest Let them be never so bloudy yea hadst thou committed more then thou hast done yea all that all the wicked men of the world have done Were all their sins thine yet here is the Red Sea to drown that great Egyptian host Oh that men could have as good cause to judge that they are ingrafted in Christ and are such to whom Christ belongs as they may conclude that if such Christs death doth overcome all their sins It was nothing In Christ but in thee that made him a Curse upon the Crosse 4. The fruits and benefits of Christs Mediation did not redound to him but to thee Justification and remission of sins Sanctification of our natures Victory over lusts assurance of Gods favour all these come by Christ but to those only for whom he was appointed a Saviour he needed none of these priviledges no more then the heavens where the Sun and Starres are do need rain Oh then set open the gates of thy Soul wide through faith that thou maist be satisfied and made happy with these mercies In this dead Lion thou maist finde much honey for thy self Oh Lord why are all these priviledges annexed to thy death Is it because thou hast any want or thou hast any need of them No but that my emptinesse may be filled my dark heart enlightened my naked soul covered Thus you see what is implied Secondly The second particular is That all this is of God the Father It 's his will and gracious appointment that Christ should do all these things for his They have known that all I have is of thee and thou hast sent me So the Apostle It pleased the Father that in Christ all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1.14 And here is admirable ground of hopes and confidence for it 's not against the Fathers will yea all this is of his gracious appointment that Christ should be thus a Mediatour for his Children Doubt not then whether the Father will accept of what Christ hath done or not Do not question whether he will receive thee in Christs Name for the Father hath manifested as great willingnesse for thy Salvation as the Son Say then Oh holy Father here is sure a wonderful way for my acceptance at the Throne of grace that I am astonished at it and it 's of thy goodnesse and grace that such a way is procured Oh what then can hinder but that I be justified The Father willing and the Son willing yea the Father loving Christ because he laid down his life for the Sheep Joh. 10.17 All this makes for the encouragement of the godly The third particular is That it 's the duty of all Gods Children to know and beleeve this fulnesse in Christ for them and to look upon Christ with all his benefits as for them Now faith thus fixed on Christ hath these either ingredient or concomitant acts and effects 1. There is a knowledge and a sound discovery of this sufficiency in Christ You see here knowing and beleeving put together Ignorance of this Point that all in Christ is for the beleever breedeth much dispondency and takes off the wheels of thy Chariots They look upon Christ as a Fountain sealed up as a garden enclosed They apprehend it 's not for every godly person to go and drink of this fountain unlesse attaining to such an high measure of grace Whereas a true knowledge of the end and use of Christ would quickly dispell all such black thoughts 2. To beleeve doth imply a relying and resting of the soul upon this fulnesse Christ with his righteousnesse is the center of his heart He trusts and puts his whole confidence in it He need go out no further to seek here is enough he fears no breaking no shaking as long as Christ will last and endure so long shall he As a man that treads on the firm ground he fears not as he that walks on slippery Ice Thus the godly man leaneth on a firm foundation but he that trusteth in his own righteousnesse or works melts as Ice before the Sunne 3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this beleeving So that it removeth all cares and fears Have I enough or no Is it sufficient to carry me out He is therefore said to save to the uttermost Heb. 5. and it 's called The riches of grace by Christ the unsearchable riches He therefore that beleeveth in Christ thus as sent of God he may say Return O my soul into thy Rest for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee what can satisfie if a Christ with all his benefits cannot
yea if a godly man were to desire a way for to put him out of all doubts between God and his soul what better way could he require then this 4. In beleeving there is a receiving and a participation of all that Christ hath and hence receiving and beleeving is put for one another It 's also metaphorically expressed by eating and drinking Joh 6. That as by those actions we receive meat and it becometh our very substance so it is here by beleeving in him Christ is made ours even all that he hath is ours Thus by Faith we are said to be branches partaking of the fatnesse of the Olive Rom. 11. Oh then how excellent is this act of Faith which is the hand to put on all the glorious robes of Christ upon our soul It being not enough to know there is a Christ so qualified unlesse he become ours 5. This beleeving works an holy confidence and boldnesse at the Throne of grace It makes our praiers and duties full of fervency and alacrity Eph. 3.12 We come with boldnesse through Faith We see the Scepter is held out and so we may readily enter in and Heb. 4.16 Let us come with boldnesse to the Throne of grace Oh how much should the broken hearted sinner live in the Meditation of these things God opens the way by his grace and thou shuttest it by thy unbelief Through Christ the way to heaven is made a broad way and thy doubtings make it narrow When Christ cals Peter to come to him though upon the waters it 's not presumption but disobedience if Peter refuse 6. This is accompanied with large and vast thoughts of Christ This file their hearts and mouths with Christ as you see the Apostle Paul in every verse almost affectionately mentioning him Phil. 3. with what disdain doth he renounce and throw away all things in comparison of Christ The excellency of the knowledge of Christ and at another time He would know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 He that doth thus beleeve in Christ so manifested cannot but have his soul and all within him taken up this way Though there be many speak of Christ and talk of Christ yet none hath him indeed and none do truely esteem him but such persons as these Is then Christ dearer and closer to thy heart then all earthly comforts and delights Canst thou say the thoughts of Christ are sweet the meditations about him are my meat and drink all the day long this is precious Lastly This purifieth the heart and makes us an holy heavenly people If we be risen with Christ we set our affections on things above Col. 3.1 2. and he that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Act. 15 9. As the Sun brings heat and light where it is so where faith is it makes the heat active and operative as Heb. 11. This is the beholding of God as in a glasse whereby we are transformed into his Image from grace to grace Beleeving gets spirituall strength even as eating and drinking doth bodily Therefore while thou abatest in thy faith thou dost not only lose thy comfort but thy spiritual strength If thou cease to beleeve not only doubts and fears but even lusts and sinnes will prevail over thee Thus you see what it is to beleeve in Christ thus manifested Now the grounds why it 's the duty of Gods people thus to know and beleeve are 1. Because Christ would otherwise be in vain he would not be of that use and improvement God hath appointed him for If the childe will not suck the breasts are filled in vain If the Prodigal will not eat the fatted Calf is in vain provided The Fountain runneth in vain if none will drink of it Oh then consider this if I do not by faith thus receive Christ I do as much as lieth in me make Christ of none effect I do as much as lieth in me make as if there had never been such a person as Christ If then the Apostle makes those false Teachers in such a dangerous estate that by corrupt opinions did make Christ to die in vain and his Crosse of none effect no lesse provoking must thy sin of unbelief be It takes Christ out of the world R. 2 2. We are thus to beleeve in Christ because in and through him God doth magnifie his glory His attributes of grace mercy and unspeakable bounty are exalted through Christ If then we do not thus receive Christ we deprive God of all this intended glory The Creation of the world and all the mercifull wondrous works God hath done for his Church were not intended to exalt God as Christ in all his benefits and therefore if it be so great a sin not to give God the glory in them how inexcusable will it be to fail in this R. 3 3. The insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the broken and troubled heart may justly make the godly fly to this So the disciples being to acknowledge Christ as the Mediatour they say Whither should we go thou hast the words of Eternal life If they run to their duties to their graces these are too weak to lean upon They are as Noahs Dove that findes the waters covering all the Mountains and highest Trees Seeing then we must have something to fix all our hopes and affections upon and all other things will fail how unwise are the godly if they keep a moment from Christ R. 4 4. Our necessity may enforce us And this floweth from the forenamed insufficiency in all other things Doth not thy own heart disquiet thee Doth not the perfect Law trouble thee Doth not the devil accuse thee and shall not all this make thee seek out for that which will answer all Paul tried all other things but he found nothing like Christ and thou art the rather to improve this to the full because there is not the least ability or priviledge in Christ that thou canst spare Christ is all over bread and food There is nothing in Christ but is of special use Oh then what folly is it that thou shouldst bour to know the fulnesse of any creature for thy wants and not of Christ He is an Ocean and not one drop in him but is of admirable efficacy He is a Pearl and so the least of that must be very precious if thou continuest in fears and lusts it 's because thou dost not improve all of Chrsst It 's not enough to touch the hemme of his garment but thou must receive whole Christ Vse of Instruction That all those sinners who love their sins and will not depart from them are wholly barred from all this comfort stand aloof off and bewail thy Leprosie Christ received not that fulnesse from his Father for thee abiding and continuing in thy sins Oh miserable and wretched though they live in ease and pleasures having all things their carnal appetites desire one thing is necessary and that
what Enemies are we to our selves because ignorant herein SERMON XXXIX Further sheweth How acceptable unto God it is to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour And setteth forth the dangerous Nature of Trusting in our own Righteousnesse JOH 17.8 And they have known assuredly I came from thee and have beleeved thou hast sent me WE are prosecuting this Evangelical Point That Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is acceptable unto God as well as obedience to a command That as love is the fullfilling of the Law so Faith of the Gospel Several Reasons have already been laid down we now proceed to give you more 1. Therefore Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is acceptable because of the difficulty of and opposition to it When we are seriously sensible of sinne yet to rely on the love of God in Christ is like Esthers venturing into Ahashuerus his presence If I perish I perish or like the Lepers into their enemies the Syrians Camp Thus saith the afflicted soul If I lye despairing under the burthen of my sin I am sure to be undone I cannot finde any hope within my self It 's therefore venturing on Christ It 's good to go to him I am like that woman of the bloudy Issue that had spent all she had on Physicians but yet could not be cured I have run to every refuge tried every conclusion but still my soul cannot have any safe bottome to stand upon Let me therefore by Faith fly to him as a Mediatour In the midst of these depths and agonies of heart to trust in Christ is an high heroical disposition like that of Job Though he kill me I will trust in him Job 13.15 Like that of the Canaanitish woman whose faith Christ so commended Though she were put off and called dog and told the bread did not belong to her Mat. 15.27 the promises of grace and pardon were not her due yet for all that she will hold upon Christ and not let him go Oh then consider that if thou like Peter wilt venture to go though upon the waters to him here is a special discovery of the noblenesse of thy Faith That thou regardest Gods command and his promise more then all Satans temptations and the sence or suggestions of thy own soul As it is with love to God when God doth afflict and chastise us yet to keep up a tender fervent love to God argueth the greatnesse and purity of thy love so in the midst of broken bones and trouble for sinne to depend upon the grace of God in Christ argueth the excellency of Faith Our Saviour when he said Blessed are they that beleeve and see not sheweth that he who beleeveth Joh. 20 9. when he hath the least prop of sence and encouragement from outward things doth put forth the purer and nobler acts of Faith Now for Abraham to beleeve though Sarahs womb was a dead womb argued stronger Faith then if she had been a fruitful woman Thus the difficulty and opposition in such temptations makes faith the more acceptable 2 Faith in Christ must be as acceptable as Obedience because there is great Obedience in Faith For although Faith in Christ doth not justifie us as it 's an Obediential act for then we should be justified by a work but as it 's an Instrument receiving the Righteousnesse of Christ an hand to take that inriching Treasure yet there is very great Obedience in every act of beleeving go over the several acts of it knowledge assent and fiduciall application all these are therefore put forth by a beleever because God saith it Hence it 's called the Obedience of faith Rom. 10.26 And we are said to captivate our understandings herein 2 Cor. 10.5 For a man in beleeving walketh not by sence or humane reason or principles of the world but the meer revealed will of God so that whether we regard the doctrine to be beleeved or the promises to be embraced we must conclude that faith is a spiritual Martyrdom It 's not reason but Gods Word moveth thee as we told you in the Jews They went about to establish their own righteousnesse and would not submit themselves to the Righteousnesse by Christ Rom. 10.3 You see by that expressien how a man must be much humbled and captivated ere he can yield up himself to Christs Righteousnesse Oh then think not that Faith is not an high degree of Obedience It 's a renouncing of all humane thoughts apprehensions and whatsoever seeming worth or righteousnesse may be in us Oh how deeply was Paul humbled ere Phil. 3. he would come to account all things dung and drosse and to be found not having his own righteousnesse but that which is by Faith in Christ So that although Faith as it is a work doth not justifie yet it 's a great work and that of pure and meer obedience For whereas in all other moral duties Love and Patience there is some ingrafted notions within that convince of that In beleeving there is nothing but the command of God and his promise that inviteth to this duty 3. Faith must needs be acceptable to God because that only of all graces hath a relative fitnesse to receive Christ and his benefits Rom. 3.23 and in many other places Remission of sinne and so the Spirit of promise and also Justification is still said to be by Faith not by Love or Zeal or any other grace because they are of an active nature and go out to God This of a passive nature and receiveth Christ so that the Scripture useth a peculiar phrase to expresse the nature of Faith making it a supernatural Instrument or organon to receive Christ as the hand of all parts of the body taketh a Treasure when given and thereby a man is enriched It 's true it 's not for the dignity or merit of Faith that we are justified Therefore the Learned observe well that it 's never said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for Faith as a cause but by Faith as an Instrument so that it 's not properly Faith in Christ that justifieth but Christ apprehended by Faith as it is not the hand but the treasure taken by the hand that enricheth or as the Scripture excellently describeth it It was not the bare seeing of the brazen Serpent or any excellency in the eye but the brazen Serpent that did heal Seeing that Faith hath that aptitude of all other graces to apply Christ and God makes use of it and appoints it for this end no wonder if that be so well-pleasing to him 4. Faith in Christ as a Mediatour is well-pleasing because by this we also are enabled to all obedience to all duties of mortification and holinesse so that this Faith which receiveth Christ as a Mediatour receiveth him in his fulnesse of grace as an head and thereby we have strength and ability to every thing that is holy Act. 15. purifying their hearts by Faith That implieth both our Justification and our Sanctification Hence
for our comfort that every believer though yet unborn was in Christs purpose and intention when he laid down his life as if they had been existent in the land of the living In the sixth place By this intention of Christ in his prayer and death it will inevitably and immutably be brought about that they shall in time be converted they shall believe and be brought into communion and fellowship with Christ For seeing as we have heard Christ could not but be heard in what he prayed for and the Father alwayes granted his Petition therefore it cannot be but that all those who are given to Christ shall one time or other be wrought upon by the Word Thus it 's said They believed Act. 13.48 as many as were ordained to eternal life and the Apostles were to go and preach in such places because God had much people there Act. 18. and Rom. 9. the Apostle doth fully shew That Election is the cause of all mercies vouchsafed in time and those who were not elected they were hardened and given up to a spirit of slumber Oh then the admirable love of God to those that are his there shall not be one of them but the Word of grace will finde them out They that were not his people shall be made his people Joh. 10. I have other sheep saith Christ that are not of this fold and those he will bring home Hence Rom. 8. we have that golden Chain which all the Arminian subtilties can never dissolve Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whom he hath called he hath justified and those he hath justified he hath glorified To expound calling only of vocation to afflictions and to the cross and Justification only of the vindicating of their persons and cause against the calumnies of the world is too dilute and repugnant to the scope of the Apostle in that place we may then absolutely conclude of the conversion and believing of such who belong to Christ and that the Word preached will sometimes or other be effectual upon them In the last place It 's plain from hence That Gods Election and so Christs dying for us is not conditional or upon the supposition of our believing but our belief is the true and genuine effect of Election and Christs death For whereas Christ here prayeth for those who shall believe The Question may be Whether this belief be supposed as a Condition Antecedent to Election and Christs death or as an absolute Effect of both so that Christ doth not only pray for believers but also that they may be believers There is a great Controversie between Arminians and the Orthodox for they say God elected some such persons to eternal life indeed and gave them to Christ as a Mediatour but it was upon a supposition and fore-sight that they would believe and persevere in that faith to the end But the Orthodox do more consonantly to the Scripture and to the greater exaltation of Gods grace and magnifying of Christ affirm That God by one single act of the same time did elect a man both to grace and glory both to salvation and faith So that God did not elect us because he foresaw we would believe but he did elect us to believe as well as to salvation So that faith is not a condition but the effect and fruit of our Election This is a necessary truth to be proved and therefore the next day it is to be considered for the present I take it for granted That those who shall believe are such not who by their own power shall either believe or dispose themselves to it but who by the grace of God shall be inabled thereunto For the present consider the aggravation of this love of God in Christ to us before we had a being And 1. There is remarkable freenesse in it of grace if positively and absolutely considered For what could there be in us to move God to this mercy when we could not think or cry or pray or do any thing for our good even then God set his love upon us It was nothing in us seeing we were in the womb of nothing 2. This freeness is aggravated if comparatively considered for it 's the grace of God that makes some to believe and leaveth others in their natural corruption The Apostle considered this discriminating love of God to Jacob and Esau Rom. 9. before they had done either good or evil Oh then sit and admire the depth of grace the unsearchable riches of grace for what art thou to so many learned and noble men in the world to so many of thy own kindred and family that God hath past by yet took compassion on thee Didst thou not lie equally in the same mass of corruption and bondage to all sin 3. There is the Eternity of this love it was before the beginning of the world So that we cannot imagine any moment of time wherein Gods thoughts were not upon thee Lastly The unchangeablenesse of this love for the Councels of God and his purpose are immutable There is no change or shadow of change in him and therefore if once loved alwayes loved he predestinated thee before the world called thee out of the world justifieth thee in the world and will glorifie thee after the world Vse What infinite cause of praise and glory the people of God have Well mayest thou call upon thy soul and all within thee to praise God Well may this be the burden of every Psalm For his mercy endureth for ever yea if thou hadst the hearts of all men and Angels this were not enough neither can Eternity be long enough to glorifie God in this particular SERMON CVI. Of both the Moving Cause and Effects of Election and of Christs Prayer and Death Against Arminians and others JOH 17.20 But for them also who shall beleeve in me through their Word WE come to a Second Observation from the circumstance of the future tense Who shall beleeve in me For as was intimated there may be a twofold sence of these words 1. That this future Faith is mentioned as an effect and fruit of being given to Christ as also of Christs Prayer and Death for them So that he doth not only pray for them which shall beleeve but also that they may beleeve and in this sense the Orthodox interpret it Or 2. It may be interpreted as if Faith were here supposed as a condition on our part antecedaneous both to Gods Election and also Christs Intercession and death So that the sence should be These were given to Christ and Christ he praied and died for them because it was foreseen by God that such would beleeve upon the means of grace offered and others not In this sence Meisner a Lutheran urgeth it and thus all Arminians and others must take it who hold that we were Elected from a foresight of our Faith and perseverance therein But that this cannot be the meaning of our Saviour is evident because the ground of
then all those places of Scripture which speaks of our Election so as to praise God to have Confidence in him to triumph over all Afflictions would all be in vain for a man that is dead cannot perform these Duties Vse 1. of Consolation to all Beleevers What holy boldnesse and Confidence may they have for the time to come Did Christ think of thee before ever thou wast born or come into this world and will he not now thou hast a being in this world Did he minde thee before ever thou hadst any Grace and not when thou hast it He that did the greater will he not doe the lesse Vse 2. Of Admonition To search for the Effects and Fruits of Election in your Lives and Conversations For if you are of God and do belong to him you will hear his Word The Word one time or another will be effectuall to you SERMON CVII Of Faith the severall Kindes of it And especially of Justifying Faith It 's Object and Seat c. JOHN 17.20 Who shall believe in me through their word WE are now come to the Description of those who are here prayed for 1. The person in it's qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Object of this Qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that in this Description two things are very observable 1. The Action 2. The Object The Action or rather the Quality is in those words Who shall believe 2. The Object in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the gracious disposition viz. of believing I shall God willing treat more generally of the Nature of it vers 21. where it's again mentioned and so shall passe over the Act and come to the Object that specifieth it And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical for it 's observed by the learned that no prophane Authors use that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's peculiar to the Scripture So that as the thing it self viz. recumbency and resting upon Christ for salvation is onely known in the Church of God so is the phrase I shall not at this time examine that ordinary distinction of credere Deum Deo and in Deum it will be more pertinent at vers 21. where the whole Nature of faith in it's latitude is to be examined At this time I am to consider the restriction of it to it 's principal and chief Object and that is Christ For there is a two fold object of Faith the generall and that is the whole truth of God revealed in the Scriptures and the special that is the Lord Christ making an atonement for us and as Faith doth respect this special object so it justifieth a mans faith doth not justifie him as it believeth the threatnings or historical part of the Scripture but as it receiveth Christ and resteth on him It 's true the habit of justifying faith puts it self forth into all those general acts as a man by his rational soul accomplisheth the acts of sense which are common to a beast but that which doth specifically constitute him as a man is rationality so justifying faith doth inable a man to believe every truth revealed in Gods Word but that by which he is justified is when he wholly depends upon Christ and as was said This is emphatically expressed in Scripture by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that this doth every where signifie the act of saving and justifying faith for John 2.23 many are there said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To believe on the Name of Christ to whom yet Christ would not commit himself but only for the most part is so The Scripture often expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially by the Evangelist John sometimes with the Dative case Act. 18.8 Act. 27.25 sometimes it hath the Dative case with the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.33 Rom. 10.11 sometimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Accusative case Rom. 4.5 Rom. 4.24 sometimes on the Name of Christ sometimes on Christ sometimes on God and all these expressions do come to the same effect only hereby is expressed more then a meer intellectual assent or speculative belief There is also included the fiducial and cordial inclination of the whole heart to rest solely upon Christ renouncing every thing else that may be thought to reconcile God to us Doct. That the faiâ—h which justifieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend and rely upon Christ So that it is with the believer in the matter of Justification as it was with Peter when sinking into the sea he cried out to Christ who took him by the hand and leaning on him was saved Thus the believer he is even sinking and dropping into hell he crieth out I am damning I am damning and then Christ putting his hand forth faith taketh strong hold of it and so is supported or as the Israelite stung with a Serpent it was not the looking upon other objects but only upon the Serpent and it was looking or meer beholding not applying any medicinal things that did cure So it is here It 's not the believing of every truth but only on Christ that justifieth and it is only believing not repenting not loving though they be necessary graces in the persons justified but only believing upon which we are justified Seeing that this is the quintessence of all practical Divinity and the life of faith is that which we are to be exercised in continually and also there are many corrupt doctrinal opinions that oppose it Let us the more diligently consider the whole nature of faith as it justifieth And First You must know that Protestant Writers consonantly to the Scripture make four kindes of Faith 1. Historical which some call Dogmatical whereby we do believe the truths of Scripture revealed therein because of Divine Authority because God saith so for if it be only from custom or education or other humane ends then it 's not so much as a Divine Historical faith and this faith all Christians are supposed to have though it 's to be feared few have any more then a bare humane faith 2. There is a Temporary Faith called so because it doth abide but for a season it being not able to endure the force of persecution and this is a degree higher then the former for that was only in the understanding and so had no efficacy upon the heart or affections at all but this temporary faith is carried out with some affections both to the person revealing and the matter revealed for Mat. 13. They received the Word with joy who believed but for a season 3. There is the Faith of Miracles which was granted in the primitive times of the Church for the confirmation of the Gospel and that sometimes to those who were not justified persons and this had for the object of it a peculiar and special promise for the doing such or such miraculous effects and answerable to this some learned Divines do acknowledge still a special faith whereby the
godly are sometimes raised up for the effecting of a particular mercy they stand in need of Lastly There is this Justifying or saving Faith which hath for it's proper object Christ crucified and so by resting upon him brings reconciliation with God and peace in the conscience It 's true some distinguish between justifying faith and saving as if all that faith which did justifie did not also save but that is built upon that dangerous foundation as if there might be Apostasie from the true faith Now whether this distinction be exact and in what sense it is to be made good I shall not here dispute but take it for a necessary truth Secondly When we say That faith justifieth as it resteth on Christ and receiveth him we do not deny or exclude assent to all other divine truth revealed in Gods word Justifying faith doth necessarily suppose historical or dogmatical faith So that although they be two distinct kinds of faith yet in a justified person all those acts of faith proceed from the same root and habit that principle of faith whereby I am inabled to rest on Christ makes me also firmly to assent to every truth of Gods word yea this dogmatical faith is the foundation of justifying and did men exercise stronger acts of historical faith it would much conduce to our justifying faith and strengthen that did we believe more firmly that Christ came to be a Mediatour then this would quicken up to peculiar confidence in him Therefore the devil hath temptations against both sometimes he assaulteth us in the matter to be believed and sometimes about our application of what we do believe Therefore we are not to oppose these special acts of faith against the general Thirdly This phrase of believing in Christ doth plainly denote a fiducial act of the will and heart as well as the assent of the understanding And this is greatly to be observed that we are not to look upon believing as a disposition to assent to the things of God as true but we do by believing incline the whole heart to trust and rest on Christ in whom we do believe It 's greatly disputed Whether this fiducial application or confidence be of the formal nature of faith or an effect and consequent only of it but I shall wave that at this time It 's plain that to believe in doth denote some cordial and fiducial motion of the soul to the object as it 's center and on that which gives us firm rest Hence faith is called receiving of Christ it 's said to be the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood It 's called the imbracing of the promises and opposite to this believing is fear Luk. 8.50 and diffidence and wavering So that it 's plain faith hath a fiducial assent with it therefore it 's called believing with the whole heart Act 8.37 The heart believeth Rom. 10.9 as well as the understanding Fourthly Hence it is also That faith is made by some Divines not a simple but an aggregate or compounded habit that it is not in one faculty seated but in two that it is both in the minde and the will And howsoever some have argued against this as being contrary to all Philosophy for one habit to be in two faculties yet the most learned Schoolmen do confess it no absurdity for with some free-will is seated partly in the understanding and partly in the will as also prudence a moral vertue is partly in the minde and partly in the will and all do confesse That though to believe be an immediate act of the understanding yet to this there is required pia affectio in voluntate and indeed seeing as the Apostle saith there is a captivating of the understanding in it's carnal reasons when we do believe that cannot be without some prevalent power upon the will So that we are to look upon Faith as a compounded habit which doth partly work upon the minde by enlightning that and partly upon the will by enclining and strengthning that Fifthly The ground why justifying faith must needs comprehend both is Because that in the promises of the Scripture there is a two-fold object to move our faith for every promise hath in it that which is true and so it requireth assenting acts and then it hath that which is good and so it requireth fiducial and imbracing acts Wonder not then if faith extend it self to two distinct powers of the soul seeing it also reacheth to two distinct objects truth being the object of the understanding and good the object of the will The Apostle comprehends both in that speech 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation a faithfull saying there is the truth to be believed and worthy of all acceptation there is the good to be imbraced Therefore believing is not a bare speculative assenting to the truth but it is also a sweet quieting and composing of the heart to receive the good promised Hence it 's called receiving Joh. 1. and eating and drinking Joh. 6. it 's compared to the branches receiving moisture from the vine Joh. 15. Sixthly As the Scripture expresseth faith relating to the object believed not to the proposition so at other times it doth expresse the proposition Hence it hath often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to it Doest thou believe that I am the Son of God or that I am sent from the Father This is a proposition to be believed but you must know that faith as it justifieth is not properly in that we believe such a proposition to be true viz. That Christ is God or that he will give eternal life to such as believe but the ens incomplexum that is Christ himself in his Person and Offices is the object of our justifying faith Therefore Christ himself is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. Even as the woman is married to the person of her husband and not to the articles of agreement upon marriage and this is that which makes faith to be so powerfull and noble in it's efficacy because Christ is hereby received in the soul who is the authour and fountain of all spiritual operations So that as when the Sun ariseth in our hemisphere it cannot but give light and heat so also when the Sun of righteousness ariseth in our hearts there is the Spirit of Christ also accompanying him in Sanctification and Mortification Seventhly To justifying faith there are these things required some whereof are antecedent and concomitant others essential and constitutive of it As 1. There must be some explicite knowledge of Christ and understanding of him in his Person and Offices Whether knowledge be an act included in the essence of faith or whether it be preparative and antecedent is disputed Howsoever it 's certain None can believe that doth not know the thing he believeth Henc◠it is that faith is so often in Scripture called knowledge It 's true indeed faith hath not
JOH 17.21 That the world may believe thou hast sent me WE are treating on the Consequent of Unity amongst the Godly That the world may beleeve which belief hath been already considered relatively as a product of Unity We shall now take notice of it absolutely as it is in its own self It is believing that the Father hath sent Christ into the world We formerly spake of believing in its specificall nature as it justifieth by laying hold on Christ We shall here speak of it in its generall Nature because this believing is common both to the Hypocrite and the sound Christian For of that world which doth beleeve all do not believe in a saving manner So that although none who believe Christ sent into the world ought to stay in that generall but particularly to improve Christ that he may be sent for their good yet because the expression is here general I shall consider of it as a generall For whereas in the former Verse the Object of Faith was made Christ himself Ens incomplexum Here it is a Proposition though that onely is the Objectum quo and not quod upon which our Faith is ultimately terminated Obs That the Believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation and first principle of our Conversion unto God Though men have never so much understanding in other Religious Points as that Scribe spoken of Mark 12. though not farre off yet they are not in the Kingdome of Heaven until they believe in Christ as sent by the Father to be our Mediatour That as the Apostle Hebr. 11. makes it a Fundamentall requisite in every one to believe that God is no lesse is required to believe that Christ is Therefore 1 Cor. 3. Jesus Christ is called the Foundation and by some made the adequate object of Divinity because every thing considered there doth either directly or reductively leade unto Christ So that I shall not speak of that peculiar Act of Faith applying Christ but that generall act whereby we know and assent firmly and immovably That there was a Christ God and man who was sent by the Father to redeem and save sinners For though all be thought to believe this yet the right and powerfull assenting to it is the foundation both of all holinesse and consolation but ere we speak of the Nature of it some distinctions are to be premised Distinct I As First That Faith is sometimes taken for the Object the Faith quae creditur The Doctrine beleeved and sometimes for the Grace of Faith quâ creditur whereby we do believe Colos 2.5 To be established in the Faith that is in the Doctrine So some are said to erre to deny or depart from the Faith that is the Doctrine But commonly it is used for the gracious actings of the Soul towards those Objects only it 's good to observe this distinction because some places are brought to prove Apostacy from inherent faith which speaks only of the doctrine 2. Faith is taken sometimes actively and sometimes passively Actively for fidelity and veracity in promises in which sence it 's attributed to God and to men Sometimes passively for the assenting unto Truths because of anothers Testimony And this again is twofold Either Humane Faith when we believe any thing meerly beeause of humane authority or divine when we believe because of divine authority and this is greatly to be observed for when I believe a divine Truth for humane Authority or witnesse my Faith all that while is but humane as those that beleeved Christ for the Samaritan Womans Testimony all the while they had no higher a ground then that it was but an humane Faith and then a Papist as a Papist and by Popish principles can have no more then an humane Faith for the utmost motive in which their Faith is resolved is the Authority of the Church which is but humane and so if the Church had propounded Titus Livius or Aesops Fables as some grant to be the Word of God people were bound to believe it but there is no divine Faith unlesse there be a divine Testimony and this doth sadly discover Millions of baptized persons yet to have no divine Faith for all the ground of their Christian Faith is Education and humane Authority it is not because God hath said it or he hath revealed it They cannot say with those Samaritans Now we believe no longer for Education sake or the Churches sake but because of the Authority and Divine Light which is coruscant in the Scriptures themselves Insomuch that the Jesuite Valentia doth confesse there are such inward discoveries of purity and Majesty in the Scripture that they breed such an inward reverence and perswasion that no other book can do 3. There is a distinction of great antiquity received in the Church between Credere Deum to beleeve there is a God Credere Deo to beleeve God speaking and Credere in Deum to beleeve in God by inward Union with him and loving of him Now although it be true that the Scripture makes no such difference adding the Hebrew Preposition Beth and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even where there is but a bare historicall beleeving there is a God yet for explication sake it may be received and those only said to beleeve in God who are justified and sanctified Though the Scripture attribute it sometimes to others Lastly Consider that the Soul hath several tendencies and motions to divers Objects Sometimes it assents to a thing by help of the sence and that is a knowledge by sence Sometimes by demonstrative Reasons it knoweth a thing and then it 's called Science strictly Sometimes by Testimony or Authority and then it 's called Faith Now if the authority be divine that saith such a thing then the Soul cannot be deceived because God cannot lye and so there ought to be greater certainty and firmer adhesion to those truths then any thing of sence and Reason yea in some sence it hath more evidence For there is a twofold Evidence of the thing it self and of the credibility of it of the thing it self And so indeed the matters of sence and reason are more evident in their own Natures to us Of the credibility of it and so Faith hath great evidence as the Testimonies for such Truths are evident and clear though the truths themselves are supernatural and highly transcending our humane capacity Distinct II These things premised Let us come to examine the Nature of Faith as it is dogmatical or historicall And 1. It 's wrought in us by the Grace of God It 's the power of God that works even this common faith No man could know and give assent to such divine truths unlesse inabled by the Spirit of God and therefore it 's said to beleevers That to them it 's given to believe Phil. 1.29 which takes in the whole nature of faith So some are said to believe through the grace of God No man can say
Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Acts 18.27 Some have thought that we may by humane strength come to beleeve divine truths as we may by our industry attain to philosophicall knowledge but this is to be ignorant of mans weaknesse and Gods power It 's true men may in an humane way comprehend the sense and meaning of the Scripture but to give a divine assent to it that is the gift of God For every good and perfect gift whereof this faith is a principal one cometh from the Father of lights James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celsus Julian and others know what was asserted in the Scripture yet they did not believe but contemn it And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith For why are so many Heretiques left to themselves Some deny the Natures one or the other of Christ some his Person some his Offices and shouldst not thou doe thus if left to thy self Nay Is not a godly man sometimes sadly tempted about his dogmatical faith that he doubteth of a God or about the truths of the Scripture Certainly it 's a speciall mercy thus to be inabled to believe and it is good to be observed one reason why faith must needs be of God which is because the nature of it lieth more in the firmness of the act then in the certainty of the subject It 's not so much the object without as something within makes a man believe Gods Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart then revealing the object Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to some yet they do not believe when at another time though they have but the same measure of light and the same argument propounded they do believe and why is all this but because Gods work in the believer is more ex parte subjecti then objecti Therefore it 's horrible debasing of Gods grace in working faith to make it no more then the revealing of the object for then man by his own power doth believe as when a man brings a candle in the room then a man seeth by his own power who could not before for God doth not only propound the object but enlightens the understanding and boweth the heart to believe 2. God works faith in us not absolutely or by the creatures the beholding and seeing of them but by the word Thus Rom. 10. Preaching hearing and believing are chained together We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God not to flie to the creatures making them equal to Gods word for begetting faith or to enthusiasmes and private revelations but to the word of God which gives light to the simple but as the Word is an instrument of begetting faith so faith is afterwards an instrument of improving the Word for the Word doth not profit in the increase and benefit thereof unlesse there be Faith Thus as the Spirit of God doth at first work Faith and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of Gods Spirit So the Word doth at first produce Faith in us which when wrought doth againe improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth And by this it 's plain Faith is the gift of God because man hath not only an unfitnesse but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14 the natural man is said not to receive the things of God neither can be both the act and the power is denied to him Therefore when Peter made that Confession of faith Thou art the Son of God Christ tels him Flesh and bloud had not revealed that to him Mat. 16.17 Therefore the Pharisees though they heard so much of Christ and saw all his Miracles yet they derided and opposed Christ They did not hear his Word because they were not of God as Christ told them Job 8.47 Know then as in respect of grosse sinne thou wouldst be like a Cain a Judas if God did not keep thee so also in respect of doctrine thou wouldst be the vilest Atheist or the most blasphemous heretique that ever was if God did not enlighten and confirm thee 4. Though God work faith thus yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man For seeing Faith as it's dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true is seated in the understanding no wonder if thereby a man be enlightned only but not regenerated Hence we reade of some who did beleeve Joh. 2. yet they loved the praise of men more then of God That light in their minde did not serve to produce supernatural life and heat in the heart It was not a faith that did purifie the heart which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because only appropriated to them The whole Epistle of James is on purpose to shew such a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works although therefore we say a true lively Faith can never be separated from sanctification yet men may be enlightned only in their mindes and perswaded of the truth in their hearts without any effectual change upon them It 's not enough to have such a faith as may make a man a true Protestant or orthodox so as to be neither Papist nor heretique for all this is but a cure of thy minde and with illumination may consist grievous pollutions Yet 5. Where there is but a bare dogmaticall Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God there must needs be some kinde of pious disposition and tractablenesse of the heart For seeing the nature of faith lyeth in assenting to a Testimony and that of God there cannot be but some flexiblenesse of the heart to submit thereunto If indeed the Christian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences then there was no submission of the understanding required seeing it assents upon reason which is a sutable and connaturall argument to the minde as food is to the appetite of hunger But because these things are received for authority sake and have a supereminency to our naturall understanding Therefore it must be captivated Thus the Apostle excellently expresseth it 2 Cor. 10.5 the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts many subtle thoughts many obstinate thoughts but Faith brings these down and submits because God saith so Now this cannot be done without some yeelding and flexiblenesse Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith and they acknowledge none besides miraculous but dogmaticall There is a pia affectio some pious and affectionate disposition to him for whose authority we do beleeve So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated persons is not like that of the devils for though the Apostle James saith They believe and tremble Jam. 2.19 yet their
Faith is not wrought by the Spirit of God neither is it upon divine motions but experience and manifest conviction They feel in part the torments of hell and therefore it 's experimentally evident to them that there is a God who is also just and terrible in his vengeance But the historical faith in an unsanctified man as it is the gift of God so it works some inclining disposition to God yea in the temporary believer who goeth beyond a meer dogmatist it works as appeareth Mat. 3. Some reformation and some joy so that the word makes some hopeful ingresse into him though at last it passe away as our lives even as a tale that is told having no setled continuance 6. This historical faith as it is wrought efficiently by the Spirit of God so the motive of it is Divine Authority and Revelation That as by the light of the Sun we see the Sunne so by God we come to know every thing of God This divine motive of faith is freely acknowledged to be in the Thessalonians by the Apostle 1 Thess 2.13 They received the word not as the word of man but as the word of God Hence the Prophets begin with Thus saith the Lord and Paul discovers himself to be called by God So that every thing hath but a weak ineffectual operation till it hath a maker a divine stamp upon the soul Oh when we once believe a threatning as it is Gods when we once believe a promise as it is Gods it must bear down all before thee What if the world come What if Satan come What if thy companions come telling thee this and this Oh but saith the believing soul God that cannot lie saith the contrary And truly herein is discovered that in Religion we have but an humane faith yea not so much for an humane faith will make great changes in our life when yet our divine faith doth not If a man tels thee of such danger of such evil in the way doth it not presently make thee turn out of that path But now when Gods word tels thee there is death and damnation in such paths that doth not at all move thee SERMON CXXI Of Dogmaticall Faith the Properties of and Contraries to it JOHN 17.21 That the world may believe thou hast sent me WE are discovering the nature of faith in the General as it is carried out to Scripture-truth because of Divine Authority We are to adde more particulars to clear this And First Though this Faith be not a peculiar saving grace yet it is a common grace of Gods Spirit It 's a common grace of God to be inabled to believe How many Pharisees and Jews saw the miracles of Christ as well as the Apostles yet did not believe so much as a Simon Magus did It 's the grace of God that makes a man to have a sound minde in Religion witnesse the many heresies and blasphemies divers are fallen into yet it 's a common grace not peculiar common I call it not in that sense as some plead for an universal grace which indeed is no grace but because an unregenerate man may have it as well as a regenerate so that no man may conclude this is enough for his salvation that he doth believe such and such principles of Religion unlesse also he hath that peculiar effectual purifying work of faith upon his soul As therefore those extraordinary gifts of Gods Spirit to work miracles to cast out Devils were common to such who yet were workers of iniquity Thus it is with this ordinary gift of Historical faith many men may believe the truth of those things the goodnesse whereof they never felt upon their hearts And many may maintain the Doctrine of Regeneration orthodoxly who never felt the power of it experimentally upon their own souls There is a faith that is common to the elect all the children of God have the like precious faith Tit. 1.1 in regard of the essentials yet there is a faith common to elect and reprobate so that no man may conclude his salvation because he is no Jew no Pagan no Papist Secondly Although this dogmatical Faith be common to the regenerate and unregenerate yet it 's the foundation of our conversion and in the regenerate when improued doth wonderfully provoke the increase of grace And this is good to be observed for though we make it not saving faith yet it is the foundation of saving faith He can never believe on Christ for his Mediatour that doth not believe Christ to be a Mediatour Therefore the Apostle describing the general nature of faith saith Heb. 11. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that serve him No spiritual building can be made without this foundation as it is thus the foundation so if improved it doth wonderfully promote justifying faith The general acts of faith if vigorously prosecuted do mightily strengthen the peculiar and proper acts of it The more strongly we believe Christ to be a Mediatour the more will this help that he be so to me and therefore it 's observed that our Saviour put them so often upon the trial of their very historical faith Dost thou believe that I am able and doest thou believe that I am the Messias Partly because that was the great Question then Whether that individual Person was the Messias or no and partly because if it was believed that he was the Saviour then there was no such cause of doubt Whether he would be a Saviour to them that truly sought to him Insomuch that it may be questioned Whether it be a greater act to believe Christ to be a Mediatour or to believe him a Mediatour to me Although indeed there are more Objections against the latter for there are not only Objections against the truth but against the application of it because of the many sins and infirmities which I perceive in my self yet we would think the harder task were then over when the soul could believe such great things and transcendent to humane reason for when a man believeth that Christ is both God and man united in one Person whose office is to redeem the oppressed sinner may not then he conclude easily that he will redeem him For which is greater to believe such a Person God and man or that this Person whose Office it is to save will save thee Howsoever if we do not make comparisons between these acts of faith yet certainly the more strong and powerfull thy acts of faith are about the truths of Christ the more will they conduce to apply him to thee Even as in man the more vivid his senses are which do accompany his common nature with a beast the more strong and quick are his rational acts likewise So that this Dogmatical faith is the root as it were which if not thriving those peculiar acts of faith will wither Distinct III Thirdly The general properties of this faith are
in believing as he is in understanding because the object doth so powerfully work on the minde that it cannot withstand it Even the Arminians could not but grant That the work of Gods Spirit upon the understanding is irresistible though not upon the will because they say that is an active faculty Secondly The Word doth imply such an evidence that doth convince and binde up the understanding that it cannot doubt or dispute any longer All evidence may not presently convince We see though erroneous persons reade never so many excellent books yet they are not actually convinced the evidence indeed is able to convince as the Sunne-beams are able objectively to make a blinde man see there is light enough if he had eyes but faith is here said to be the actual conviction of the soul to silence it that it hath no more to say according to the saying of the Schools Fides non est tantum apprehensiva sed quietativa Faith is not only apprehensive but quietative and resting of the soul that it is not learning and learning or seeking but never coming to the truth Fourthly This Faith hath unlimitednesse and universality in it's assenting The whole Word of God is the adequate Object of it and therefore whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture it believeth it doth not pick or choose believe some things and not others as they make for or against us but so farre as the Word is propounded it doth receive it Therefore such threatnings that condemn man that makes him dead in sinne and guilty of hell such threatnings that do speak terribly to such or such a sinne he is involved in though it be a troublesome and unwelcome truth to flesh and blood yet Faith makes a man to believe it Whether Faith be discursive or put forth by one simple act is disputed howsoever it cannot be denied but that there is an order in the things believed a connexion and dependance between one proposition and another though when believed faith is carried out with one uniform act because there is the same divine Authority in all Lastly The immediate opposites to Faith dogmaticall in whole or in part are these either expresse Paganisme and Heathenisme this is Negative unbelief They never so much as received these truths Or else Grosse and stupid Ignorance whereby though they say they do believe yet indeed they doe not no more then Pagans or else Heretiques who though they may hold some Fundamentall Truths yet oppose others or Apostates who having once professed do afterwards make shipwrack of their Faith Or lastly In some degree all doubts and waverings about the Truth doe oppose this divine Faith especially when set home by the Devil who many times hath as hot fiery darts about Dogmaticall Faith as justifying troubling them with doubtfull thoughts about a God and about the truth of Scriptures Now in such temptations it 's not good to hold a parlee but as Joseph to his Mistresse to runne away to have an holy pertinacy and with Paul to Peter Not to give way to any such doubt no not for a moment If Christs sheep will not hear a stranger but runne from him much more from the Devil who is the Arch heretique the Tempter as to all sinne so to all unbelief Vse Pray to God to increase and establish this Faith in thee and that especially in these dayes These are times when thy justifying Faith shall be assaulted by doubts and disconsolate fears these are times also when thy Historicall Faith may be puzzled and shaken with such heresies and cunning devices of men But oh let thy eyes and heart be up to Heaven for this substance this evidence Thou wilt then have that within which will establish thee against all errours SERMON CXXII Of the Glory which Christ communicates unto all his Disciples even in this Life And of Vnion with him as the Ground of it JOH 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one OUR Saviour continueth amplifying his Prayer for the Union of Beleevers So that in this Text we may take notice of another argument or reason why the Father should make them one in him and one amongst themselves Here is a threefold Unity spoken of 1. That essentiall one of the father and the Son 2. That mysticall one of Christ as Head and Mediatour and believers 3. That charitative one of believers amongst themselves The Argument urged by our Saviour in the Text is he had given that glory to them which the Father had given him so that we may take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causally for the glory thou gavest me I have given viz. in purpose and decree to such as shall beleeve All the difficulty is what is that glory which Christ receiving of the Father giveth to believers Some Learned men expound it of the Glory of the Apostleship and working of miracles and they make the sence to be thus The glory thou gavest me to give I have given them As Cbrist is said out of the Psalmist to receive gifts for men Now because he received them to give The Apostle Eph. 4. alledgeth it as giving gifts to men the Consequent being put for the Antecedent But this cannot be received because our Saviour is now praying for all beleevers in all successive ages and not the Apostles only Others by glory do understand immortality and that state of happinesse hereafter But to understand it aright we must know that the word glory when attributed to God is of a very large signification but more particularly when God doth by any works in a more remarkable manner declare his goodnesse wisedom omnipotency c. then he is said to give his glory Ezek. 39.21 Eze. 26.20 In the New Testament when we reade of Christs Glory we may Consider of 1. His essentiall glory which he hath as God spoken of Heb. 1. where he is called the brightnesse of his Fathers Glory 2. Of his Mediatory Glory which he had as Mediatour his humane nature being filled with all grace which glory though begun on earth yet was consummated when exalted to the right hand of God in glory 3. There were the many effects which did concomitate this essentiall and Mediatory glory some particulars whereof the Scripture mentions as all the approbation the Father gave from heaven to Christ with all his miracles doctrine and other signs of his divine nature is called Christs glory Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory by way of wonder and admiration as the word signifieth as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Thus when Christ turned the water into wine Joh. 2.11 It 's said he manifested his glory and Joh. 11. the raising of Lazarus from the dead is called Gods glory as working of miracles So the love that the Father bestoweth on Christ is called Christs glory at 24 verse in this Chapter which may be a good Exposition of this Therefore by
Directions shewing how a man may prize Faith in Christ as a Mediatour 225 c. The properties of Faith 600 That Faith is knowledge 637 What knowledge Faith is not ibid. What knowledge the knowledge of Faith is 639 Reasons why Faith must be knowing ibid. The people of God are kept to salvaion through Faith 314 This is opened in two Propositions ibid. Why Faith confirms us rather then other graces ibid. That the Faith that justifieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ 542 The several kinds of Faith ibid. The object of Faith ibid. The seat of Faith ibid. The things required to justifying Faith 543 544 God inables the humble soul to believe two wayes 546 Of Faith under the notion of receiving of Christ 549 What the receiving of Christ by Faith implieth ibid. Faith hath two acts a direct and reflex 552 Arguments to prove that Faith is a particular application 553 The Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not tend unto presumption 555 Father God is the Father of Christ in a transcendent way 13 Those prayers are successefull that are put up to God as a Father 14 We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit 15 What frame of heart this compellation Father breeds in every childe of God in seven particulars 15 c. Reasons why the title Father prevails so much with God 17 c. The Father is the original fountain of all good 53 All that the Father giveth shall come to Christ 54 Finish Christ did perfectly Finish that work the Father gave him to do 119 Some particulars about Christs Finishing his work 120 How he Finished it 121 c. The properties of the work Christ Finished 123 Flesh Flesh usually put Synecdochically for man 35 Fortune No Fortune 23 Free-will Free-will a dangerous Doctrine 125 It is no Free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God 668 G Gesture GEsture in prayer lifting up the eyes to Heaven 5 Ghost The knowledge of the holy Ghost necessary to salvation 100 Gift All spiritual good the godly enjoy is only the Gift of God Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts 493 Given That none of those that are Given by God to Christ shall perish 352 Christ though God hath many things Given him of his Father 612 There is a two-fold Giving ibid. What things are Given Christ of the Father 613 Glory Christ hath a two fold Glory 24 Whether Christ did merit Glory for himself 25 Christ being invested with Glory redounds to the advantage of his Members in five particulars 25 26 The nature of this Glory Christ praied for 25 There were three degrees to it 27 This Glory of Christ doth consist in four things 27 28 Christs Glory is 1. Spiritual 2. Eternal 29 All men should be affected with Gods Glory more then their own good heavenly or earthly 31 c. Four Reasons why we are to pray for all our own comforts in reference to Gods Glory 33 34 Gods children are to pray earnestly for their Glory with God 143 1. What is implied in this 144 145 2. This Glory is earnestly to be praied for 146 3. This Glory is a cordiall against all afflictions in five particulars 146 147 The Glory that Christ hath he communicateth one way or another unto his people 605 Considerations for the understanding of it ib. Some Corollaries from this Doctrine 608 Glory is a gift 651 Glorifie To Glorifie is taken two waies in Scripture 24 It was the holy wise will of God to Glorifie Christ 25 We Glorifie Christ three waies 29 How we Glorifie God 102 As Gods people Glorifie Christ so it is well-pleasing to God 267 How many waies the people of God Glorifie Christ 267 Why it is our duty to Glorifie Christ 269 270 Grounds why Gods presence in Heaven is that which makes the happinesse of a Glorified believer 655 Glorification is of grace 253 How many waies we may Glorifie Christ 667 God God may regard one mans prayer more than another 10 God appoints times and seasons for his great works in relation to Christ 19 20 In relation to other dispensations 21 God doth all things for his own glory Vide Glory 33 God made the world for his glory ibid. The greatnesse of Gods glory 34 God is a universal good 57 God is an unmixed good 57 God is the proper and peculiar good 56 One only true God 90 Many fictitious Gods made by men 90 God is known three wayes 91 God is holy and so able to make other holy 297 God is holy several waies 297 298 If Gods people were not kept by Gods grace they would be undone in soul and body 301 God keeps all his from temporal dangers 301 Proved in four particulars ibid. Of Gods keeping all true believers from spiritual evils 303 Which appeareth in four particulars 304 It 's onely Gods property to fore knew things to come 395 God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in the world 449 Propositions explaining this truth ibid. Arguments to prove the point 450 God considered absolutely and relatively Although there be three Persons yet there is but one God 583 Gods people are called out of the world 172 Vide People Godly It is the property of Godly men to have respect to all Gods word 201 Four Propositions to clear the point 201 c. Four Reasons of the point 202 Governours Governours that have a charge over others are to watch and pray for the good of those they are betrusted with 295 Proved by three Arguments ibid Motives to move to it 296 Grace Gods people must grow in Grace 188 How many wayes Gods people grow in Grace 188 189 Grounds and motives to it 190 Without Grace here there is no glory hereafter 649 There is infinite comfort to those that have true Grace though in the least degree 651 Grounds Vnlesse men be carefull to look to their Grounds in profession they will never hold out 382 H Happinesse THe greatest part of our Happinesse lies in this that we shall be with Christ and have immediate communion with the Lord. 653 Hate Hated Hatred Wicked men of the world have and will alwayes Hate those that are godly 425 There is a two-fold Hatred 426 The Causes of it ib. The Effects of it ib. The Properties of it 427 Whether every godly man be thus Hated 428 The duty of Christs Disciples under the worlds Hatred 430 Why the godly should rejoyce when they are Hated for Christs sake 431 Cautions to wicked men who Hate Christ 433 Head Christ is the Head of his Church 45 What is implied therein Vide Church 46 Heaven Of immediate communion with Christ in Heaven 654 The great end of our being in Heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ. 661 Heavenly-mindednesse Heavenly-mindednesse wherein it doth consist 454 Help How farre men may acknowledge Gods Help and yet not give the
upon this will bring much Consolation Considering 1. Gods taking the more care of them 2. Their being quaiified as that come under Christs Fraier 3. And that God will ere long take them out of the world Quest Answ Observ How many wayes a godly man may be more sanctified 1. Inrensively 2. Extensively 3. In the deeper radication of grace in our hearts 4. Subjectively 5. Efficienter Growth in Sanctification illustrated by the contraries unto it which are these Reasons Vse Observ That the word of God is the instrument of our sanctification The explication of the point The necessity of learned officers in the Church The Word is Gods instrument and faith is mans The Word is not the principal or efficient but the instrumental cause The necessity of Gods efficiency Without Gods blessing men may by the Scriptures through interpretation be corrupted Instrumentall Causes are physical natural or moral One cause must not be opposed to other causes The Word is the ordinary means The word to some through their wickednes becomes an instrument of greater sinfullness Doct. The Word of God is Truth In how many particulars Gods Word is true I. In regard of the efficient Cause God II. It 's the Rule of all Truth III. It 's true materially IV. Qualitatively V. It 's true Instrumentally There is a threefold Truth we cannot attain to without the Scripture 1. True Doctrine 2. True Piety 3. True Consolation VI. The Scripture is true oppositely to all the Opinions Doctrines and Religions that men set up by their own fancy The excellent properties of the truth of Scripture 1. It 's the truth of God 2. It 's infallible 3. Eternal 4. Universal 5. Supernaturall 6. A holy truth 7. A precious truth 8. A bitter truth Doct. Truth and holinesse are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel Why it is requisite Ministers should be endowed with soundnesse of judgement Why Ministers must be holy Vse T Doct. 2. That Christ hath a peculiar love of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way In what particular Christs care is shewed to his Ministers Observ Christ was sent of the Father and did not of himself undertake that office he was imployed in while on the earth Of Christs Commission consider these things The necessity of Christs being sent Observ None may undertake the publike Office of the Ministry without a lawful Call thereunto Dist 1. There is a two-fold sending Mediate and Immediate Dist 2. The substance of the Ministerial Office is the same with that which every Minister hath Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts Whether reading be preaching Heinsius Grotius Vocation to the Office of the Ministry consists in these things I. Inward qualifications II. Outward Distinct ult That there is a distinct Oâ—fice of the Ministry That none may enter into this Office without an authoritative mission Doct. That Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us In my Treatise of justification What Christs sanctifying himself implieth I. His purity and holinesse II His ready offering himself for us III. His fitnesse for the office of a Mediatour 1. The fitnesse of his Person 2. His fitnesse in regard of his Offices 1. Prophetical 2. Priestly 3. Kingly IV. He is prepared for this work Benefits of Christs sanctifying himself V. That he was wholly set apart for us VI. That if by faith we improve him not for those ends God appointed him we make him a Christ in vain VII It denotes him a sinner by imputation VIII That he was a Priest to make atonement for us Concerning Christs priestly-office Consider these things Wherein this prayer and his intercession in heaven differ The adâ—unct of his Priestly Office Observ That Christ was not only the Priest but the Sacrifice it self Propositions concerning Christs Priesthood I. That Christ was both Priest Sacrifice and Altar II. What things are necessary to a Sacrifice III. He offered himself to God IV. It was by way of Expiotion V. The necessity of it The properties of Christs Sacrifice I. It hath infinite worth in it II. Though Christ offered himself as a Sacrifiae yet the application must be as God hath appointed III. Christs bloud washeth away not only the guilt of sin but the filth of it IV. The vertue of his Sacrifice abides for ever V. It 's continually useful VI. It 's prevalent with God VII It 's that Christ presents to his Father VIII The purity of it IX The vertue of it Observ Christ died not only for our justification also Concerning this point consider I. How many wayes is the Christ is the cause of our Sanctification II. What is implied in our being sanctified by Christ III. What may be inferred from our being sanctified by Christs sanctifying himself IV. Wherein the truth of Sanctification lieth Doct. That Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father Upon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray The difference between Christs praier and ours What advantage Beleevers have by Christ Doct. In what respects Christ did as much for one believer as another There is some difference between beleevers in respect of Christs Death Observ That such is Christs care and love to his remembred in his prayer and death even before they had a being Doct. Reasons Doct. That the faith which â—ustififieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ The several kinds of faith The object of faith It 's an act of the will as wel as the understanding The seat of faith These things are required to justifying faith I. Of faith under the notion of receiving Christ The receiving of Christ implyeth 1. That we have nothing of our own 2. That we are wholly passive in justification 3. That faith doth not justifie for any intrinsecal worth in it 4. Faith is excluded as it is a work 5. And why faith and no other grace doth justifie II. This receiving is not a bare receiving but an imbracing also III. In this act of faith there is a fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ IV. An application of Christ V. This recumbent act of faith may not only thus receive Christ but we may be assured that Christ is ours Faith hath two acts a direct and a reflex Quest Observ God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry to the end of the world Quest Answ Doct. Consider That there is a two-fold Unity among the godly I. Invisible II. Visible III. 1. The excellency and necessity of unity among Christians appears by the vehement and affectionate praier for it 2. It s a means to bring the world to believe the truth 3. It s promised as a special part of the Covenant 4 Hereby a serviceable helping of one another in spirituaâ—l things is preserved 5. God suffers sad persecutions to befall them that thereby their discords may be removed 6. Unity strengthens 7. It is beautifull and comely 9. Divisions are the fruit of the flesh 10. Because all things
are reduced to one Quest Seeing God hath promised one heart and way and Christ praied for it how comes it to passe there are so many breaches among the godly Answ 1. True unity is from Christ and terminated in him There is a wicked unity 2. A directed and ordered unity 3. It is consistent with such graces that yet have an outward appearance of dissolving unity Remedies for the preventing and healing divisions in the Church False wayes of unity 1. By Papists 2. By Socinians The true uniting principles As to true Doctrine II. Rules to keep up unity in Church-order and to prevent Schism III. Rules for Unity in respect of love to prevent wrath and quarrellings Observ The Father and Son are two distinct Persons yet one in Nature and Essence Consider 1. God considered absolutely and relatively 2. There is notwithstanding but one God 3. This Doctrine of the Trinity is an object of faith and cannot be demonstrated by reason The characteristical properties of the Persons in the Godhead Observ That all believers are united to Christ and in him to the Father I. Consider those Scripture-expressions to represent this Unity II. There must be an unition before there can be an union III. There is a naturall union with Christ and a supernatural IV. This union is wholly spiritual V. It 's also reall VI. The necessity of this union with Christ VII The excellecy of it VIII IX X. XI Observ That Unity among believers is a special means to inlarge the kingdom of Christ Consid I. That notwithstanding the Doctrine yet unity simply as such is not an infallible note of the true Church The Papist answered Unity without true Doctrine no note of a true Church The Papist no such cause to boast of Unity Why Unity is an attractive loadstone to bring others unto the faith What those proper sins are that divisions amongst the godly are apt to breed in the world Observ That the believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation of our conversion unto God Of the nature of Faith as it is dogmaticall or historicall 1. It 's wrought by the grace of God By means of the Word 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite to the way of beleeving heavenly truths 4. This faith may be without sanctification of the inward man 5. Where this faith is there will be some kinde of pious disposition of heart 6. The motive of it is divine 7. It s grace though but common grace 8. It s the foundation of conversion The properties of it 1. It lifts a man above his natural reason 2. It contradicts not reason 3. It s the substance of things hoped for c. 4. It hath universality in its assenting Observ That the glory which Christ hath he communicates one way or other to his people Consider I. Christs personal glory is incommunicable II. What are those effects of that glory which Christ vouchsafeth to his III. None are made partakers of that glory of Christ but by union with him 1. No man till he be united unto Christ hath any true and solid glory In what respects humane and earthly glory comes short of heavenly Corollary II. That the meanest Christian surpasses Solomon in all his glory Corollary III. IV. It consumes all love and desire of vain-glory V. Let them faithfully do Christs work notwithstanding all reproaches wicked men load them with VI. Admire the bounty of his grace VII Doct. Christ though God had many things given him of his Father There is a twofold giving What things were given Christ of the Father Observ Unity among believers is part of that glory which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them Consid I. Unity is the Churches glory Their glory actively and passively II. Christ purchased as Mediator this priviledge as well as others Christ said to be in believers several wayes 1. By communication of the same nature with us 2. Sacramentally 3. By his Spirit 4. By a gracious inhabitation and sanctifying presence Doct. How Christ lives in a believer The false ways of Christs being in his people How or in what manner Christ is in his people How Christ is in his people more particularly The fruits and effects of Christs being in us Doct. As Christ is in us so the Father being in Christ is also thereby in us How the Father is in Christ Quest How the Father and Son can be in believers and yet they have such great remainders of sinne in them Answ Doct. The Father and Christs being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummaâ—e unity which they ought to have of themselves What is implied in their being made perfect in one The causes of this unity Doct. That faith is knowledge What knowledge faith is not 1. Not a knowledge by sense 2. Not a perfect comprehension and intuitive vision of the thing we believe 3. Nor like those imperfect acts of the soul which are called Suspicion opinion or doubting 4. Nor is it from the evidence of any internal principles What knowledge the knowledge of faith is Reasons why faith must be knowing or have knowledge accompanying of it Observ God the Father loveth believers even as he loveth Christ I. Wherein the love of God to Christ and believers is not alike II. Wherein Gods love to Christ and believers is alike 1. In loving Christ and them as one mystical person 2. In the properties of it 3. In regard of the effects of it Obj. Answ Doct. It 's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God The usefulness of the worlds knowing how greatly the Saints are beloved of God will appear in these particulars How difficult it is for the world to be so perswaded Observ Without grace here there is no glory hereafter What we mean by grace Doct. 2. Glory is a gift Observ The greatest part of our happinesse that we shall have in heaven lies in this that then we shall be with Christ and have immediate communion with the Lord. Of immediate communion with Christ in heaven Consider these things The grounds why Gods presence in heaven is that which makes the happinesse of a glorified beleever Doct. It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think on those attributes and relations in him which may excite and stirre up holy confindence and boldnesse Consid I. No wicked man is in a condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon these terms II. It s of great consequence for the humbled Christian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father Doct. 2. Christs prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them Doct. The great end of our being in heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ How much is comprehended in this expression of beholding Christs glory What is that glory which they shall behold shining in Christ Doct. Christ as Mediator had his glory given him Propositions aâ—out this point Christ as God cannot have any thing given him unless by way of manifestation and external celebration Obj. Answ Doubt Sol. Doubt Sol. Doubt Sol. Socinians Argument Answered How many wayes we may glorifie Christ Doct. 2. That it s no free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God Observ That God the Father loved Christ as Mediatour and thereby all believers in him from all Eternity How righteousness may be attributed unto God Observ God whether considered as a Judge of the world or a Father to beleevers is righteous in all his wayes I. God is just in all his administrations to devils and wicked men II. The righteousnes of God as a Father to his people in all their afflictions Observ The world is ignorant of God in a saving manner Demonstrations of the Point The causes of salvation Observ Christ is the original and fontal cause of all the knowledge that believers have Propositions about the point Doct. That it 's an indearing respect of believers to God that they do own him and cleave to hint when the whole world go quite contrary Propositions clearing the Point Doct. That Believers do not only at their first conversion but in the whole progress of their life need constant illumination and teaching from God I. In respect of the object II Observ That it is not enough for the people of God to be loved by him but they are to endeavour after the sence and apprehension of this in their own hearts Conside I. The love of God is taken two waies in Scripture II. God may love a man and he know it not III. The sence of Gods love to be laboured for IV. The sence of Gods love may be immediate or mediate V. The love of God to his is incomprehensible The advantage a believer hath by having the powerful feeling of Gods love Propositions to inform in this point I. II. It s possible for the sense of Gods favour to consist with some doubtings III. The sense of Gods love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combate within us Helps to get and keep this favour of God
Justification with whom Vorstius and Grotius in this Opinion associate themselves as also one or two late English Writers Doctor Hammond Pract. Catech. lib. â— Sect. 3. Now when I had endeavoured to state the Question in a most candid and fair way between those that deny Works to be a Condition sine quâ non of our Justification and those who affirme A Reverend and Learned Brother judging himself to be concerned in this Opinion likewise doth complain of the want of candor and truth Confess Preface in my stating of the Question wherein I rather expected thanks for my ingenuity For first I said All Merit and Efficiency was with great distaste removed from these works of Grace in our Justification Therefore the Question was Upon what account these are required in Justified persons Whether in some Causality or Concurrence as Faith is onely not with such a Degree of Excellency Now let any Judicious Reader that is acquainted with this Controversie decide wherein any candour or truth may be desired herein For I say Causality which is a general word not Efficiencie or Merit Againe I say Some Causalitie Causalitas quaedam which is Terminus diminuens Yea I added the word Concurrence which might easily satisfie any how low I brought the Question Yea as if this had not been enough I propounded it in other termes Whether good Workes be required as well as Faith Yet when I had done all this he complaineth as if wrong were done I am still more confirmed and that by this instance in what I delivered in that Preface That it is not a compendious or proper way to finde out truth and discover an Errour by dealing with persons according to their particular expressions or to attend to personall reflexions but to abstract the Question and to handle it in Thesi For how many words upon words may be multiplied in this very particular My Reverend Brother saith He vehemently disclaimeth all Causality of Workes in Justification Surely his meaning is all Proper Causall Efficiency and so did I in the stating of it but to deny Causality in a large sense is plainly to contradict himself For in his Aphorisme 74 Thesis They both viz. Faith and Works justifie in the same kinde of Causality viz. as Causae siâ—e qâ—ibus non or mâ—dâ—ate and improper Causes Or as Doctor Twiss Causae diâ—positivae but with this difference Faith as the principall part Obedience as the lesse princâ—pall Here is Causality though improper Here is a Causa dispositiva and yet shall I be blamed after I had removed Efficiency and Merit to staâ—e it with a Causalitas quaedam some Causality or Concurrence And therefore all the Arguments I produce are not against any supposed Causality but that Faith onely is that which justifieth and that good Works quâ Workes let them be Meritorious Efficient or Conditions onely are excluded as to the Act of Justification Grotius in cap. 2. Jacobi who maketh this Promise of Justification and Salvation Ad donationem sub conditione quam ad proprie dictam locuâ—ionem conductionem propius accedere happily this may occasion such great recourse to the Lawyers about the Nature of Conditions doth yet notwithstanding on the 2â—th verse of the 2d Chapter of James from that expression of the Apostle Faith did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inferre Docemur non male fidem opera fidei posse dici causam Justificationis modo non intelligamus cauâ—am primariam sed conditiones quae saepe cauâ—ae sine quibus non aut sui generis causae dicuâ—tur But I need not runne to this for my Arguments militate against Workes as Workes justifying under any pretended Notion whatsoever And this maketh me admire how my Learned Brother could let â—f all one Passage wherein he may be so pâ—lpâ—bly and ocularly convinced to the contrary by the first looking upon my Arguments That which he saith is The strength of my Arguments lieth upon a supposition That Conditions have a moral Efficiency not to examine how freely he manageth his Answer to such a supposition Now this is that which I affâ—rme That there is not one oâ— these ten Arguments brought against Justification by Workes as a Conditio sine quâ non that is built upon this suâ—position or hath any dependance on it onely in the fourth Argument after the full strength thereof is delivered then I do ex abunâ—anti and by way of amplification shew that a Condition in a Covenant strictly taken I put in that limitation hath a moral Efficiencie and is a causa cum quâ not a causa sine quâ non But this is onely by way of addition The Argument did not depend on this Assertion And my Learned Brother saith Some conditions and most among men are Morall Impulsive causes I finde another thing urged likewise as not fair dealing and that is To fasten upon his Opinion that we may say a Justifying Repentance as well as Justifying Faith and also Justifying Love Indeed in my Book it is Law and that was the Printers fault which I am sorry for because I see my Learned Brother so much moved at that as if he were charged to hold a justifying Law it should have been Love But why doth this offend my Reverend Brother He doth not say It is not true to say justifying Repentance or justifying Love but it is not fit to say Confess in the Pref. Why is it not fit if it be true It may be such an expression would be offensive to godly eares and therefore not fit Can Love be a Condition of Justification and yet not Justifying Love as a Condition This seemeth very strange But it 's said Faith hath a peculiar fitnesse and aptnesse to receive Christ which Love hath not It is true and therefore Faith onely Justifieth and not Love Thus it maketh against him and not for him Besides with him Faith justifieth as a Condition not from its peculiar aptnesse and therefore Love and Repentance being Conditions must justifie aequè with Faith though not aequaliter Faiths aptnesse is the remote reason as it is a Condition that is the proxime and formall reason Now Repentance and Love have this formall reason for they are Conditions Certainly if Brutum were Animal rationale he would be Homo as well as man is Some other minute and inconsiderable Objections are also brought in but they are not worthy of a contest I therefore return again from this Digression to the Subject in hand which is to take notice of the great Usefulness and Excellency of the matter contained in this Prayer of Christs Luther did justly call John the Evangelist for this Book Malleus Pelagianorum the hammer of Pelagians we may adde also of Socinians and Arians Hence Sixtus Senensis speaketh of some Heretiques called Alogi a name that Epiphanius did justly put upon them because they rejected this Gospel of John and could not endure this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word so often mentioned by
it 's a good Rule that Divines have whereas Faith hath three acts ingredient to it 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. Fiducial application The Scripture describeth the whole nature of Faith sometimes by one act sometimes by another In other places it 's described by assent and most frequently by trusting but here by knowledge For whereas the Papists would make ignorance rather of the definition of faith then knowledge they shew plainly what an ignorant faith and Religion they would have people take up with In the second place there is the object which is twofold 1. The only true God 2. Jesus Christ That is both God in respect of his nature and attributes oppositely to those Heathens who worshiped Idols and 2. Jesus Christ that is opposite to the Jews who knew the true God but not Christ and withall that the knowing of the true God as a Creator by the creatures is nothing at all without the latter It must be as he is Father in Christ so that hereby is implied that the knowing of God absolutely is not saving it must be relatively in the glorious dispensation and mystery which is by Jesus Christ I shall not explain further on this only remove an Argument which the Arians and Socinians use to triumph in from this Text as their Achilles Oh say they here it 's plain That Christ is not a true God because they are distinguished God is the only true God and therefore Christ is not But this is absurd That the only true God is opposed to Idols and to the heathenish gods which were worshiped by them in which sence he is sometimes called The Holy One of Israel and not to Christ for if he were not God likewise how could eternal life be said to be both in knowing of God and Christ and that Christ is truly God take instead of many two undeniable places Rom. 9.5 Of whom after the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for evermore And the other which is an excellent Comment upon this place 1 Joh. 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Sonne Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life and then addeth Keep your selves from Idols So that God the Father is the true God and Christ the Son is the true God and all other made gods are Idols This Answer is sufficient and indeed the Socinians themselves may be convinced for they grant this Rule that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solus doth not exclude the inclusa or subordinate for they acknowledge Christ to be truly God though not essentially Whereas by their Argument Christ as true God should be excluded and nothing is more ordinary then to use the word solus not to exclude what is concomitant or homogeneall but diverse as Mat. 11.16 None knoweth the Father but the Sonne where the Father himself is not excluded nor the holy Ghost for it 's said 1 Cor. 2.11 None knoweth the things of God but the Spirit Others of old made this order of the words To know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent to be the true God but this may seem too much forced Lastly Many answer that the restrictive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not determine the Antecedent te or Patrâ—m but the true God so that the sense is not the Father alone is the onely true God but that he is the only true God and then this expression doth not exclude the Sonne or holy Ghost but because by other places it 's evident they are also the true God therefore they are necessarily included Obs That by the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ we come to eternal life 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth Here you see the knowledge of the Truth is the way to be saved I shall not now treat upon the nature of this knowledge especially as it includeth faith but shall first handle it in the generall as it is opposite to ignorance and errour about the true God And to open this Consider 1. That all men by nature are ignorant of God in a saving true manner For although Rom. 1. it 's plain that God hath implanted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some imbred apprehension about a God so that Divines say there cannot be a natural Athiest yet this knowledge is so confused and dimmed that it is better called ignorance then knowledge Yet 2. This imbred knowledge may be actuated and perfected by the contemplation of the Creatures as Rom. 1. None that observeth such a curious Fabrick as the world is can conclude it made it self but it had some Creator Even as when a man heareth curious Musick upon some Musical Instrument every one will conclude there is some artificiall hand playing upon it that it doth not move it self Thus the Heathens have many expressions concerning a God whom they discovered no other way but by the creatures although this was accompanied with some hesitancy and doubting And their light was like that of the Moon and Stars yea not so much for it was not able to direct them in any manner acceptable to him Hence it is that the Scripture speaks of them as without God Eph. 2. and such as know not God Therefore 3. The true and right knowledge of God is only had within the Church That as God saith of his people You only of all Nations have I known so they only of all Nations have known God Hence the Samaritan Woman is said to worship she did not know what Joh. 4.22 because Salvation was only of the Jews viz. the knowledge and true revelation of it Hence is that saying of Divines Extra Ecclesiam non est salus As without the Ark every one perished For although some of the Ancients and others have been very prone to ascribe salvation even to a natural knowledge of God as if God would require no more of them Then in that condition thinking otherwise that he would reap where he had not sown yet this Text putteth out of all doubt as well as others that the knowledge of the true God and of Christ is necessary to Salvation Now whatsoever they might know of God yet it is plain they could not by the Creatures know any thing of Christ his Nature and Offices being of meer Revelation and from hence likewise it is apparent that even among the Jews though the knowledge of the Trinity and of Christ seemed more obscure and implicite yet those that were saved had some measure of the knowledge of it for saith Christ This is eternal life The way to it and those in the Old Testament went in the same way to Heaven as well as those in the new You see then our Saviour by this Proposition doth assure us that without the knowledge of God and Christ there is no eternal life and thereby that it is had only in the Church There are no flowers
chearfully as we do a dear Friend Oh it 's not enough in a dull cold manner to think and hear of the promise but thou art to run and embrace it as one overjoyed as Simeon did Christ in his arms and then to think thou even hast enough This is fiducial recumbency on Christ a holy boldnesse in God as a Father and herein the people of God are many times to be blamed you receive the true doctrine of God to beleeve it his Commandments to obey them his threatnings you tremble under but the promises by strong acts of faith you do not embrace you do not take him for your Mediatour on whom you trust in the midst of all your infirmities and weaknesses yea you rather doubt whether you may or no lay hold on the promise you say of it as Peter to Christ Depart from me for I am a sinner you think Christ would be angry with you as that woman thought If you touch the promise Oh remember that the godly will keep the word of promise receive that as well as the command They know it 's a sin of an high nature to refuse God comforting as well as commanding yea in some respects it 's worse for when you sin against the command of God you sin against his Soverraignty but when against his promises you sin against his love and goodnesse That wherein he intends to get himself the greatest glory by oh then when Satan tempts and thy heart is cloudy Thou puts off the promise think how can I do this and sin against God If it were a command I could not refuse it and doth not the same God urge faith to the promise 2. To keep his word doth suppose that we keep it because it 's his Word Because that God commands it For no actions are holy till the motive be holy that draweth them out and this we told you is the reason why our Saviour saith They have kept thy Word and not mine They look upon him as the Mediatour sent by God Thus the Thessalonians are commended because they received the Word preached Not as the word of man but as of God This was the reason why God would not take the wise men of the world but contemptible Instruments by whom he wrought wonderful miracles that so our faith might not be built on the abilities or the wisedom of men and hence it is that the Disciples Matthew and others who left all and followed Christ did gloriously manifest their obedience to God as God It may fall out that the same things which God commands we may do as we see in Jehu Judas and others but then not upon the grounds that God commands them The Pharisee was commanded to fast and pray but not for vain-glory and humane applause Oh then if thou keep Gods Word look it be because it 's Gods Word Let not any sinful or corrupt ingredients of thy own mingle themselvs who wold not have thought that Judas for a long while kept Gods Word when he left all wrought Miracles and preached in the Name of Christ but he had an eye to the bag alwaies and that proved his undoing This will be a good touchstone to try thee 3. He keeps Gods Word that receiveth it with his whole heart and soul That thinketh it not enough to hear it to remember it to write it or repeat it but to have it implanted in his heart and thereby to turn all his heart and affections into it That he may be a living Bible or the Word of God in lively practise as the Apostle saith the Corinthians were his Epistle to be read and seen of all men 2 Cor. 3.2 so should you be the Bible to be read and seen of all men This is powerfully to be pressed on you That you be even the Bible of God to be read and seen of men This is the good and honest heart that retaineth the Word for if the Word be superficially received only it will nor transform the whole man into its likenesse The fire must have time and then it will make even the hardest coldest Iron like it This is represented by the Parable of the Leven Mat. 13.33 hid in three pecks of meal There must be time ere the Leven can diffuse it's power David expressed this well when he aid He had hid the Word of God in his heart Psa 119.11 Oh then if thou wouldst have this propriety in God see how close and inward this Word is received into thee If it be the bread of life it 's not enough to have it in the mouth no nor stomack but it must be digested and so made the very flesh and bloud of a man 4. They keep the Word of God who make it a rule for their lives that order their conversation accordingly for to hide it in the heart unlesse it be with David that you may not transgresse in your lives is not yet to attain to the due end If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Many have Scripture in their hearts and memory but not in their lives David made this use of it when he said It was a Lamp and light to his feet and then he exhorts the young man so to attend it Psa 119 9. and thereby to clense his waies The Apostle James cals it a glasse Jam. 1.23 and then you make use of it aright when you thereby wash out all those spots that are in thy life and curest all thy wrinkles and deformities look then to this Doth the Word of God in thy minde and heart break out into thy life Doth it take away the Leprosie there certainly there is no other effectuall means but this It 's the Word if any thing will forewarn thee of sin neither mercies or afflictions nor thy own resolves and purposes but the Word of God set home on the heart that can make an holy change and alteration 5. Then we keep the word of God when we have an high and choice esteem of it when we can take more delight in that because of the spirituall effects of it then in any worldly pleasures or contents as David doth so often profess and Job likewise more then the honey or honeycomb more then their appointed food Now the choice esteem of it must be 1. For the spiritual effects of it as David did because it did enlighten his minde forewarn him of sin quicken him up to his duty There may be a sinister and corrupt end made of Gods Word when we make it an argument only of dispute when we are diligent in it only to maintain opinions in which sence Luther said it was the Heretiques book or when men reade it only for the History of it or thereby to make notions and to draw out some pleasing things to fancy Alas the Word of God was not given for this no more then Manna was given to satisfie curiosity but to feed and nourish Oh then take
worship Thus all is done in a corporal manner and whereas of old it was sursum corda now it is deorsum corda None are more devoid of spirituall Understanding then those that are thus busied in a visible carnal way of Religion 3. The corrupt Opinions about Sacramenes as if they did conveigh Grace and Christ by the very work done This is also to know Christ after a carnall manner for it 's not the Ordinances but the Spirit of God in and by them that doth us any good Joh. 6. The flesh profiteth little but the Spirit yet this hath been the universal disease of Gods Church in all Ages In the Old Testament there they rested upon the Sacrifices upon the Temple upon their external Rites Oh how often do the Prophets labour to convince them of this errour Hence Paul speaks of a Jew in the flesh and in the Letter and a Iew in the Spirit Rom 2. and all the Jewish rites are called carnal Ordinances and beggarly They bring no real good to them that are exercised therein without the Spirit and may we not say that almost all Christianity is but a religious carnality a resting and relying upon Ordinances so farre as they are bodily and visibly performed When the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. had said Baptism serveth to prevent all mistakes he addeth Not the washing of the body but the answer of a good conscience When a man upon good examination of himself can say O Lord thou knowest that I do in truth and uprightness keep to those duties I am solemnly by Baptism engaged unto Thus for the Lords Supper is not it the very receiving of it judged the very saving of men Do not commonly people take it as if in the very bread and wine there were some Sacrifical vertue as when they take Physick they judge some Physical inherent vertue in that to help them Oh what Ieremy hath his head full enough of water to bewail this carnall grosse and ignorant Christianity that is in the world which judgeth the very Sacraments or any bodily worship in praiers or singing of Psalmes though they be but as Parrats in these things to be great evidences for heaven But as the body without the soul is dead and a lothsome Carkasse thus is all thy Religion worship and Ordinances a dead lothsome thing in the presence of God without the Spirit This the Apostle cals serving of God in the oldnesse of the letter not the newnesse of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 And in this sence we may say the Letter killeth and damneth but the Spirit giveth life Oh then be afraid thou art not one of those that split their souls at this Rock This is the common poison that devoureth most Even as the Scripture speaks contemptibly of the Egyptian Army Isa 31.3 They are flesh and not spirit The same may be said of all that Religion and devotion which most put confidence in But yet take heed of another extream errour that crieth down the Ordinances and under pretence of a spirituall high attainment which they think they have wholly lay aside these visible Ordinances and performances which Christ hath appointed in his Church till the end of the world 4. Then men would have Christ after a visible manner when they pretend Revelations and Miracles For what is this but to leave the Word and the promises as if that were not sufficient God indeed hath condescended to support sence as when he vouchsafed Miracles in the Infancy of the Church yea the Sacraments he hath appointed are a kinde of relief to our sence he considered our weaknesse in appointing such visible Signs but when we are not contented with Gods Institutions but desired such sensible supports which he will not afford This proceeds from a carnal disposition in us This is the cause in Popery why they tell us of such miraculous apparitions they will tell you of Crucifixes bleeding of Christs visible appearing of such great wonders done upon the Invocation of such and such Saints and all this is to humour the carnal part of a man for spiritual things are supernatural and very hard and difficult to flesh and bloud 5. This is to know Christ after a corporal manner when we professe his Truth and acknowledge his waies only for earthly advantages as he said Fac me Episcopum Romanum ere Christianus Thus they did of whom Paul made mention with weeping that they were enemies to the Crosse of Christ that their God was their belly that they minded earthly things Phil. 3.19 Such Disciples were those that followed Christ because of the Loaves Now the Lord Christ he cals to such duties that are opposite to flesh and bloud that are against the incilination of our nature To pull out the right eye To deny our selves To take up the Cross We are not to be of those that love Christs Crown of gold but not his Crown of Thorns How greatly did Mahumetan Religion prevail by such Doctrines as were pleasing to the corrupt inclinations and sinful pleasures of men and because Christs Doctrine was accompanied with so much difficulty Lastly There is in the godly sometimes an inordinate desire after Christ in a sensible manner and that is when they cannot rest upon the promises beleeve on Gods Word barely unlesse they have also evident and sensible Consolations Bare acts of depending faith and constant waitings on God in the way of his promise argue thee to be more spiritual in thy Christian warfare Vse of Instruction how much it becometh all Christians to be a spirituall people for all things in Christ are spiritual and all benefits to be received by him are in a spiritual manner How comes Christs Death Christs Resurrection effectual to thee but in a spirituall manner You cannot now do so much as the Woman in the History touch the hem of his garment You cannot with Thomas put your fingers in the print of nails No here is the Eye of Faith required to behold Christ Christ bid the Woman touch him not for he was not yet ascended but we may say Because he is ascended do not thou have carnal imaginations about him It is for want of a spiritual heart that so many titular Christians have no real vertue or efficacy from him He is not an Head he is not a Vine he is not Wisedom Righteousnesse and all things to thee because thou art not a spiritual Subject to entertain him SERMON LXIII Of the Saints Lord-Keeper Shewing how safe the Godly are kept to Salvation by Christ as a Trust committed to him JOH 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Nam◠c. HAving dispatched the Circumstances of time and place we proceed to the Benefit it self which is expressed with the efficient cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the manner how In thy Name Because something hath already been spoken to this I shall be the briefer in both the particulars First The Benefit with the cause
retain the wicked inclination of the world minding only worldly things Now though the world be many times and it may be here taken for that Society of men that is Heathenish and doth not beleeve in Christ thus the Church and the world are opposed 1 Cor. 5.10 yet we may extend it further even to such as do outwardly professe Christ but in works do deny him as is more to be shewed 2. There is the act it self hate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is in the preterperfect tense It hath hated them already though they had not much tormented it by their preaching but it would more hate them when Christ was removed and their preaching more universall It comprehends all times it hath it doth and it will hate them and hatred you heard was worse then anger being more fixed and permanent The cause of this is because They are not of the world for as love is to its like so hatred is to that which is unlike and contrary In the Scripture some Learned men say to hate is sometimes taken to love lesse not an absolute hatred but a respective love Mat. 6.24 He will love one and hate the other i. e. lesse love And for this end they bring that place Rom. 9.3 Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated where they would expound hate of a lesse love but whatever may be said of the former place this latter will admit of no such Exposition as the Context will easily evidence 3. The Scripture speaks of a good hatred Rom. 7.15 That which I hate I do So we are commanded to hate our Father and Mother to hate our own lives Luk. 14.26 Joh. 12.25 for Christs sake David also said He hated them which hated God with a perfect hatred i. e. a full complete hatred he had no love at all to them that is in respect of their wickednesse and their incurable enmity against God though in other respects he pitied and loved them Lastly There is a wicked and evil hatred of which the Text speaks Obs That the wicked men of the world have and will alwaies hate those that are godly It hath been so of old and will be so to the last wicked man that breatheth No sooner were there a wicked man and a godly but this hatred broke out into all cruelty Cain hated Abel and why because his own works were nought and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 No lesse will serve then the bloud of Sheep such cruell Wolves To open this Doctrine Consider these things First That there is a twofold hatred with the Schoolmen One is called Odium inimicitiae an hatred of enmity whereby a man wils evil to him because it 's his evil Even as amor amicitiae a will of friendship wils the good to a person loved because it is his good 2. There is another kinde of hatred which the ancient Schoolmen had no Name for it but afterwards it was called Odium abominationis or offensionis When a man is offended at and hateth such an object that is evil but not the person yea we may love him dearly Thus the Childe hateth the death of his Father Odio abominationis but loveth his Father yea because he loveth him therefore he hateth his death Now that hatred whereby the world hateth godly men is Odium inimicitiae it comes from an inward irreconcilable displacency to the godly it 's terminated upon their persons because they are such and therefore they are said to be of the devil representing his nature and are the Seed of the Serpent which hath an imbred enmity against man so that though never so much evil should befall the Godly Their goods spoiled their Names blasted yet as long as they live and because they still are alive the world will hate them Secondly The cause of their hatred may be reduced to two Heads 1. The contrariety that is between the nature and actions of the Godly So that they do not love any godly man no nor such as never had any commerce with them or medling with them There is an Odium naturale which ariseth from the nature of things Such an antipathy is often mentioned by Writers the Serpent that is young though never hurt by any man yet because they know them of such a stamp they cannot love them It being natural they cannot give any Reason Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te You do not love him why did he ever weary you Did he ever speak to you No but yet he cannot love him so that as love consists in the consonancy and conveniency of the good thing loved Thus hatred is in the dissonancy and contrariety of that to us which we hate The 2d cause of hatred is Ignorance when men know not that Excellency and worth which is in such persons and the just cause of love which if we did we should quickly lay aside our hatred and truly in a great measure the world hateth because of their ignorance They know not what Godlinesse is nor what godly men are They know not their lives their aims their ends but judge of them as hypocrites proud and minding only self-ends and therefore their hatred encreaseth Thus the Apostle saith If they had known what Christ was they would never have crucified him 1 Cor. 2.8 and so they are said to speak evil of the things they know not Jude 10. Dost thou then rail and deride at godly men It 's thy blindenesse and folly Thou knowest not their close walking with God Thou understandest not the heavenly priviledges they enjoy Thou dost not conceive of their humiliation for their infirmities judging themselves before God worse then thou canst judge them Oh if thy eyes were open thou wouldst say these are the Servants of the most high God Oh that my latter end might be like one of theirs and of such men the world is not worthy Thirdly Consider the effects of this hatred and that is in three steps and degrees 1. An inward willing of all evil that may hurt them and that because it is evil To will a man some evil for his good may be lawfull as when David praieth Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves to be men Psa 9.20 Thus the Church of God may pray for afflictions upon those Enemies that are curable That by their afflictions they may repent and be humbled before God but hatred hath not this goodnesse It wils evil because it is evil and for evils sake It rejoyceth in the evil that befalleth a godly man as part of its own good and happinesse Thus it is with all wicked men they rejoyce as if some great good had befallen them when some great evil hath come upon the godly 2. Their hatred breaks out into all all hard censorious and uncharitable speeches all slanders and contumelies into cruell mockings as the Apostle cals them Heb. 11.36 The hatred in the heart will soon be seen in the
that grace is vouchsafed So then be instructed in this Is thy heart groaning under sin all thy desires and inclinations are to Christ Know this is done intra recipiendo not extra mittendo This is done by receiving grace from God not doing any work for or to him yet how apt are we all to cry out with those What shall we do I till Christ inform us that the great work God approveth of is beleeving or receiving It 's the looking upon this brazen Serpent that healeth thee 3. This therefore implieth That believing on Christ doth not justifie for any dignity or intrinsecal worth it hath Not because it 's a more excellent and noble grace but meerly because that alone is receiving and applicative of Christ. We receive only by faith as we do corporally only by the hands yet the hands are not more noble then the eyes or the head Hence the Scripture never saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for faith but through faith and it 's never said actively saith justifieth but by faith we are justified passively So that as it would be absurd to say That the beggars hand hath made him rich in receiving large alms so it would be as absurd to attribute it to the dignity of faith when by it we are justified Therefore fourthly In that believing is expressed by receiving of Christ is implyed That faith it self is excluded as it 's a work So that not onely all other graces but faith if considered as it 's a work doth not justifie us The eye in looking on the brazen Serpent did not heal as it was a work but from the vertue of the Serpent exalted by Gods appointment When the woman touched Christs hem of his garment and healing was thereby conveyed It was not the touching as it was a labour and work but the vertue of Christ Thus it is in this case And hence lastly we see Why faith and no other grace doth thus justifie because this alone doth receive Other graces are active this is receptive Not that faith is separated from other graces they are existent together though they retain their distinct properties He that believeth on Christ is cleansed and sanctified he loveth God and is patient in tribulation but yet not by this is he justified As the Sun-beams have heat as well as light but it shineth by the light only not the heat so the earth hath driness as well as gravity but it fals downward not because dry but because heavy Secondly This receiving is not a bare receiving but such as is with imbracement As Heb. 11.2 These imbraced the promises Even as Simeon took Christ with joy in his arms So that there is great delight and cordial joy in laying hold on Christ Even as the Church said after she had lost her Beloved yet finding him at last she would lay hold on him and not let him go as Ruth to Naomi thus she cleaveth to Christ So that as a man receiveth with dearest imbracements some choice and precious friend he longed to see Thus it is with the humbled sinner Oh this is the beloved of many thousands whom my soul hath long prayed for long sought for What have I found thee Oh thou chiefest of many thousands Hence it is that Christ compareth himself to a Bridegroom and Husband and his Church to a wife to shew what real affections are in the heart of an humbled sinner for to lay hold on him Hence it 's called Believing with the whole heart and with joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 There was great feasting and joy for the finding of a lost son But oh the unspeakable joy for discovering a Christ that we thought was for ever lost as to us What meltings what ravishments are there at the meeting of him Oh how often saith the humbled soul did I think I should never finde thee How many times did I conclude that I should perish in my lusts and fears but Christ at last appeareth as he did to those women after his death who thought there was no hope Thirdly In this act of faith there is contained resting relying or fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ. You heard the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did enforce this so that the soul before it believeth is to be conceived as a stone falling downwards which cannot stay till it meet with its center and then it enclineth no further In the Old Testament it 's called trusting in the Lord which in other synonymous expressions is sometimes called staying and leaning and so is a metaphor taken from those who have some great and heavy burden upon their back and thereby are crushed to the ground unless they have something to rest upon Thus it is with the afflicted penitent he cryeth out I finde such a load of sins that my back would break and heart would break yea every thing would fail within me had not I Christ to throw my self upon hence Christ is called the Foundation stone because all the building is established upon that Now that which in the Old Testament is called trusting in God in the New is called believing Illyricus thinketh this is the reason of the different expression because the God of Israel was known to the Jews therefore there was required only a fiducial adhesion unto him but in the New Testament Christ as Mediator was not known therefore another word is used viz. to believe which comprehends both an assenting knowledge and also a fiducial application So then by this act of beleeving the soul which was ready to sink under it's burden doth lean upon Christ and as a drowning man doth catch hold on the next branch to save him so doth a humbled sinner finding himself even falling into hell catch hold on Christ and therefore it 's called him· Fourthly In this act of believing there is an appropriation or application of Christ to be my Christ That whereas the promise runneth in the general Whosoever shall believe to him Christ is a Saviour This justifying faith doth in particular rest on Christ as a Saviour to him Thus Paul Gal. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me and Thomas My God my Lord Joh 20. So that as when any threatning is denounced against a sinner the true convert will apply it to himself when guilty of such a sin I am the sinner this threatning meaneth So Christ being offered as a Saviour to every humbled sinner from this general he concludeth his particular Thus Paul Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief Hence it is that our Divines against Papists do well maintain That the object of justifying faith is the special mercy of God It 's not enough to believe that Christ is a Saviour but to rest on him to be my Saviour Hence faith is called eating and drinking Joh. 6. which is more then the meer seeing meat upon the Table only when we say special mercy is the
in its nature As the Soul could not produce rational acts if it were not essentially rational so neither could faith put a man upon fiducial acts if it self were not fiducial Again this believing is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse or confidence Mat. 9.2 and so Varinus makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be bold on a man By these Titles then which the Scripture giveth Faith in Christ we see what a powerful operation it hath upon the heart What a Faith of spiritual miracles as I may say justifying Faith is and therefore know that thy doubts fears dejections and tormenting distractions are opposite to believing as darknesse is to light if God do above all graces thus approve faith then he doth above all sins abhor this dejecting unbelief 2. That such a special faith is required appeareth in that the Scripture limits this faith unto Christ as the peculiar and proper object Hence the Evangelist John cals it so often believing in him that brings Eternal Life and it 's Rom. 8. By Faith in his bloud that we are purged and have pardon of sinne and generally when it speaks of faith as justifying it relateth to Christ as the Object of it Not but that it believeth other Truths only in believing of this we are justified as the Israelite might look upon other Objects but beholding of the brazen Serpent only made him whole yea as we told you when the believing of other things is reduced to justifying Faith all other Truths are sweetned and qualified by that as if a man had the Philosophers stone it would turn all other materials into Gold 3. That Faith must be in a special manner fiducial and applying appeareth in the effects that commonly follow it For to this believing is attributed peace and unspeakable joy yea a triumphing over all oppositions and difficulties a boasting and glorying in tribulation Now this could never be without a particular interest in Christ for what peace and joy doth it bring to hear that Christ in the general came to save sinners Do not thousands go to hell for all that It 's therefore necessary to true solid peace that he become my Christ and my Saviour Hence it is that believing is the uniting of the soul to Christ as an husband which is an appropriate Interest as the Church expressed it I am my Well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 And hence also are those comparisons of an head and a body of a Vine and branches all which argue that the good we have by Christ comes because of our intimate union with him So that if we do respect those glorious effects which usually accompany believing they will necessarily suppose a fiducial appropriation of Christ in a special manner 4. This special faith is seen by the opposites and contrarieties unto it for he that doth not believe is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk 12.29 to be carried up and down as a meteor that hath no fixed place Thus while the soul is not fixed on Christ it 's like a reed tossed up and down with every winde as one in a journey and at a stand seeing two waies and not knowing which way to go or as a man that is uncertain between two arguments like the ballance with equal weights that doth not incline to one side more then another These dispositions of the Soul oppose faith and it 's a resting and a determining of the soul upon Christ And Lastly Diffidence and fear these are made contrary to Faith Fear not but beleeve Luk. 8.50 said Christ to his Disciples which supposeth that faith hath boldnesse and confidence in it We then may judge of the nature of faith by the opposite sinfulness to it and when we see fears wandrings uncertain tossings up and down of the soul in no waies stable and fixed then we may conclude that faith it self is a powerful composing and firm fixing of the soul upon the Lord Christ 5. That faith is thus in a special manner applying Christ appeareth also because otherwise it would be little better then the faith of devils and of such who have only a bare dogmaticall assent for the devils made a Confession of faith That Christ was the Son of the living God and therefore are said to believe yet they tremble and are in unspeakable horrour because they know he is not a Saviour to them and thus many believe that Christ is the Messias but because there is no fiducial adhesion and appropriation of him therefore he is not so to them Even as many saw Christ yet if they did not in particular apply themselves to him they were not healed of their diseases The hungry man may starve though he see a Table furnished with plentiful food if he do not put into his own mouth It 's particular Interest that enricheth that saveth and therefore it 's said The Just shall live by his faith Hab. 2. Lastly This truth may appear From the absurdity of that Position to say faith justifieth as it believeth the Word of God in general only or any Truth asserted in general for then my Faith would justifie me as well in believing Judas hanged himself as that Christ was crucified for me Or that Paul had a Cloak and Parchments as in the bloud of Christ Certainly forgivenesse of sinne is attributed to Christ only and seeing as you heard the object of faith justifying is bonum as well as verum That which is beloved must have the chiefest good in it as well as Truth and this may suffice to instruct you in this main Point that a Christian humbled for sin is not to rest or to be satisfied in this that Christ in generall came to save sinners or that he is able to save thee though an hainous offender but to apply him for thy own particular that thou maist say of all the glory of the Gospel which the devil did falsly of the glory of the world All this is mine Obj. But to this it 's Objected This is to preach Security and to imbolden men in a carnall presumption And therefore it 's a Doctrine to be abhorred as pleasing the Flesh Thus it 's branded as if it were one of Epicurus his Opinions that were called the Syrens of the carnall part of a man But to answer this Answ 1 1. That there cannot any doctrine of comfort and grace be preached but a carnal heart will turn it into the occasion of wickednesse When Paul preached the grace of the Gospel did not some infer from thence Let us sin that grace may abound and did not others turn the grace of God into wantonesse It 's one thing therefore to speak of the proper genius of the doctrine and another thing of the abuse of it through mans corruption If therefore any man living and walking in prophanesse do yet comfort and encourage himself saying I lay hold on Christ I belâ—eve in Christ· This man as he deceiveth himself so he doth grosly abuse
be so wellcome Had the Prodigall not met with husks and extream hardship he would not have resolved to go back to his Father again Think and practise these things so wilt thou be greatly affected with eternity And to encourage thee herein consider the blessed effects which a lively meditation of eternity accompanied with a firm faith will put thee upon For first Who so hath this eternity set upon his heart he will not be immoderatly and inordinatly desirous after these things below As the beams of the sunne will put out the fire so will the thoughts and affections about eternall things overcome temporall The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. presseth all upon an hard duty To marry as if we married not to buy as if we bought not Why so because the time here is short eternity is coming upon us And thus those holy Patriarchs mentioned Heb. 11. they accounted themselves pilgrims and strangers and they sought a City to come not built with hands Thou complainest thy heart is so full of deadnesse dulnesse so full of the world the cares and distractions thereof devour thee up there is nothing will help thee against this temptation then often thoughts and affections about eternity 2. As the thoughts of eternall life will thus moderate our affections so it will work in us 〈◊〉 longing for and hasting of the coming of Christ who then will bestow this eternall life upon us We wonder how Paul should be lifted up above all these earthly comforts as to desire to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1. It seemeth very difficult to us that any hasten in their praiers and desires Christs coming but all this is because our hearts are not as full of hope and expectation of eternall life as theirs were Alas many of us know no better and so cannot desire any better then what may be had in this world and therefore the thoughts of death and the coming of Christ are unwelcome to us Whereas to The godly it 's the coming of the bridegroom and they are to lift up their heads with joy when that approaches Matth. 26. Let then that godly soul which doth so complain that it loveth life too dearly and feareth death too immoderately let that be strengthened and comforted with the sure hopes of this eternall life If an heavenly frame of heart were powerfull in us this very world would be a wildernesse it would be tedious to us to be kept so long from that home we have in heaven The Saints have a rest provided for them and who doth not desire to be at his rest Oh blame your selves more that you have not Davids exclamation and now Lord what long I for truly my soul waiteth for thee As the heart panteth after the water brooks so doth my soul after thee O God Psal 42.1 David spake this but of enjoying God in the Ordinances in this life Oh but how greatly must the soul be inflamed for the life to come 3. Powerful thoughts of Eternity will quiet and wonderfully calm the soul under any afflictions and troubles No such antidote as this Paul abundantly witnesseth that we account not the light afflictions of this life comparable to that eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. so this Eternity made him not value or regard any temporary affliction It was this that made the Martyrs joyfully take the spoiling of their goods and the losse of their lives Thus in every affliction and exercise if sanctified to thee how sweetly and joyfully maist thou dwell in heaven while thou art on earth Thou maist be in heaven every day even while thy condition is beset with many troubles It 's thy sinne and unbelief if thou makest thy house a prison Thy self a torment to thy self if thou set faith on work about this Eternity it will put thee into heaven before thou comest to possesse it Eternal Life will give thee a better body a better house a better heart oh this Eternal life it 's the health of our bones the light of our countenance a continual Feast and a perpetual cordial Hence the godly even in this life are said to have Eternal life because of the right they have to it and partly because they have the beginnings and first fruits of it upon their souls Vse of Admonition Take this Subject more into your thoughts how many roving thoughts hast thou but if placed on Eternity it would be great profit How many thoughts hast thou unbeleeving disquieting and troubling if fixed on Eternity they would all vanish especially let the wicked man turn from all sinne saying There is an Eternity If it were only death that would not so much trouble thee but it 's Eternity after Death SERMON XIV The Necessity of Divine Knowledge And Arraignment of Ignorance JOH 17.3 And this is life eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent IN the Verse before we had the great priviledge vouchsafed viz. eternall Life and the Subject to whom viz. Those that are given to Christ In this Verse our Saviour informeth of the manner or way how we may come to it For to speak of eternal life and not direct to the enjoying of it is to see Canaan but to want a pillar of fire to guide to it and although our Saviour had described such as should inherit eternal life yet because it 's a secret written in Gods Book which no man can reade who are given by the Father to Christ and who not Therefore it 's necessary we should be told the way and that is done in the Text. In the words you have then affirmed the way to this happinesse This is eternal life this will make you have eternal life None can ever attain it that take not this course for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either relate to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else after the manner of the Hebrews be put absolutely for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This phrase is like John 12.58 Now therein Consider 1. The way or duty enjoyned 2. The object of it The duty is To know Among other distinctions this is very obvious in Scripture to speak of a twofold knowledge 1. That which is meerly speculative and apprehensive If ye know these things happy are you if ye do them Joh. 13.17 2. Which is practicall and operative for it 's a known Rule that among the Hebrews Words of Knowledge are put for all the affections and effects that use to follow such Knowledge Thus God is said to know the way of the righteous Psa 1. That is so to know as to approve and preserve the righteous and in this sence To know the true God is taken so to know as to do all those things that are commanded by him and the reason why the Scripture comprehends all under knowledge is because this is the Introduction and gate to all practicall piety Although to know here is more particularly taken for beleeving for