conditional they do all run in Christ or are made to us in Christ p. 5 1 That it is so p. 6 2 Six Reasons Why it is so from p. 8. to 14 3 The Vse 1 That the first work of the soul is to come to Christ ibid. 2 How miserable is the condition of all those that stand off from the Lord Jesus Christ this shewed in several particulars from p. 15 to 20 3 Then how blessed is their condition who are married to the Lord Jesus Christ ibid. 4 Of Examination in several particulars p. 23 5 Of Exhortation p. 24 Quest How may a soul know that its evidence is true Answered in three particulars p. 24 25 6 Use To those that are without Christ to come to Christ p. 26 to 30 Twelve Objections answered from p. 30 to 41. Pro. 2 That all the Promises of God made to sinners in Jesus Christ shall certainly and assuredly bee fulfilled and accomplished p. 41 The Proposition proved from the great Obligations lying upon God the Father and Jesus Christ to see to it that the Promises bee fulfilled Five Engagements that lye upon Jesus Christ to see them fulfilled from p. 42 to 44 Seven Engagements lying upon God the Father to see the Promises fulfilled from p. 44 to 46 Four other particulars to prove the certainty of fulfilling the Promise p. 47 Nine Objections answered from p. 48 to 54 Quest How may I come to know when the Promise is near fulfilling answered p. 54 Quest What doth the consideration hereof afford us as matter of comfort answered ibid. Quest What may wee learn hence as our duty answered in six particulars p. 55 to 58 2 Absolute Promises made to sinners as sinners from Isaiah 57.17 18 19 verses Doct. THat the Promises of Grace or the free Promises of the Gospel are made to sinners or to persons as sinners under the notion of sinners p. 59 The Doctrin explained and opened p. 60 to 63 The truth of the Doctrin proved p. 63 Four Reasons of the point from p. 64 to 69 Five Objections answered from p. 69 to 77 Vse 1 Hence wee may see the mistake of many persons who look upon the Gospel and all the Promises thereof as made to Saints whereas they are to sinners p. 77 Vse 2 Then here is ground of incouragement to the vilest of sinners to come to the Promise p. 79 Vse 3 Then how exceedingly just and great will the condemnation of those sinners bee who reject these Promises of grace p. 81 Four Aggravations of such sinners sins p. 83 to 85 Use 4 Of comfort to poor souls p. 85 Sixteen Objections answered p. 86 to 89 3 The life of Faith from 2 Cor. 5.7 THe Text opened p. 89 Doct. That the life of Faith is the proper life of Saints in this world The Doctrin proved p. 90 to 92 Quest 1 What it is to live by Faith answer that it is for a soul constantly quietly and orderly to rest upon the Promise and Power of God for the obtaining of all good expected or hoped for the removing or turning to good all evil present or feared This description is branched out into these particulars 1 The Act it self with the manner of acting p. 93 to 99 2 The ground of Faith p. 100 to 107 3 The extent of this living by Faith p. 108 109 Quest 2 What are the pincipal differences betwixt the life of Faith and the life of sense answered in eight particulars p. 110 to 121 Quest 3 Wherein is the life of Faith to bee exercised Answered p. 122 Quest 4 What are the things themselves whereabout Faith is to bee exercised Answered p. 121 to 125 Quest How doth Faith act as touching any of those things p. 125 to 127 Quest How doth Faith act in Justification Answered in six particulars p. 128 to 144 Quest Wherein doth lie the advantage of the soul that liveth by Faith in Justification above another that concludeth his Justification from sense from what hee seeth or feeleth Answered p. 145 to 152 Quest What is it that hindereth a soul from living by Faith in Justification Answered p. 153 to 155 2 That a Christians Sanctification is to bee carryed on in a way of Faith or believing p. 156 Quest 1 Wherein is Faith to bee exercised in our Sanctification Answered p. 157 Quest 2 How doth Faith act or put forth it self in this businesse of Sanctification Answered 1 As to our Mortification p. 158 to 160 2 As to our Vivification p. 161 Quest 3 Why is a Christian to live by Faith for Sanctification Answered p. 162 163 Quest What is the difference between that Sanctification which ariseth from an enlightened conscience and that which ariseth from Faith or beleeving Answered in five particulars p. 164 to 169 3 The life of Faith in Expectation p. 170 1 What those things are that Christians waits for or expects by Faith 1 The fulfilling of the Promises p. 171 2 The return of his Prayers p. 172 3 The return of Gods Countenance p. 173 4 The Churches Deliverance p. 174 5 The ruine of Gods enemies p. 175 6 The Lords second comming ibid. 2 How the life of Faith acts in this businesse of a Christians expectation p. 176 to 180 3 The Reasons why a soul is to expect mercy in away of Faith p. 181 4 What waiting is that which comes from Faith Answered in several particulars p. 182 183 Several considerations to move us to wait upon God in Faith p. 184 to 191 Quest But when is the set time then I could wait for it if I knew but that Answered p. 192 Quest How shall I come to wait upon God in a way of Faith Answered p. 193 to 195 4 The Saints Anchor rightly cast from Hebrews 6.10 The coherence p 197 198 The Text divided p. 199 1 A Description of a Christians hope What this hope is It is a patient and an assured expectation of the accomplishment of the Promises of God this is opened and proved p. 199 to 203 How hope is resembled to an Anchor in four particulars p. 204 205 The Excellency of this Anchor above other ibid. 2 The Properties of this hope sure and stedfast and that in these respects p. 205 206 3 The place where this Anchor is cast that is within the vail ibid. 1 What it the meaning of this phrase within the vail p. 206 207 2 What is that within the vail that a Christians hope can found upon this is answered in several particulars p. 208 to 213 3 Why Christians hope must bee sixed within the vail ibid. Vse This truth doth call upon many souls to remove their Anchors 1 Such as rest in Morality ibid. 2 Such as cast their Anchor in the outward Court of Profession p. 214 3 Such as cast their Anchor in the Sanctuary in the outward visible Church ibid. Several things by way of Motives to provoke and encourage souls to cast their Anchor of Hope within the vail p. 218 to 226 5
c. And if this were duly considered souls would never in their lowest saddest and most deserted conditions bee shy of beleeving for who can question at any time whether they may thus let out their hearts to Christ or no and yet the doing this is beleeving yea the properest act of Faith consiseth therein and if at any time a soul bee inabled by grace to this then it hath a sweet injoyment of God and Christ in the Promise though sensible quickenings c. bee wanting for no act of Faith can bee without an injoyment of God If thou bee'st inabled with thy whole heart to take hold of Gods Wisdome and Power c. in a Promise thou dest as really injoy God so long as thy soul sticketh close to him there whilest the sensible improvements of those divine Artributes ars denyed thee as thou dost afterward when these are granted And the same may bee said for any promised Mercy if the heart bee throughly drawn out Christ-ward in the way of the Promise for it in its proper season as when that mercy is sutable to the present condition c. there is as real an injoyment of God in such a waiting for it as in the after fruition of it for there is the life of Faith before it is afforded and Faith cannot be without a fruition of God The Proper time of Abrahams acting Faith for Isaac was before Isaac was given Rom. 4.19 And being nor weak in Faith he considered not his own body now dead vers 20. Hee staggered not at the Promise of God through unbeleef but was strong in Faith So that injoyments of God by Faith may be as well before as when a promised mercy is afforded I do not speak against looking for sensible feelings of Christs presence within in enlargements and quickenings c. but against judging these the only injoyments of God and against looking more for these than for out-goings of heart to Christ by Faith whereas the best way to attain more of these is to act Faith on the Christ of God who is without us in the way of a Promise for them The Lord would take care of Christians comforts if they were more careful to own his faithfulnesse in his Promise And if you would bee successful in any of your dealings with the Promises then bee sure that your souls do clasp hold of Christ therewith for all the Promises in him are yea and in him Amen And seeing the faithfulnesse of God is ingaged for the accomplishment of all Promises Oh what sweet incouragement doth this afford to exercise hope on him for all those mercies which are promised and which wee are yet without Christians are exceedingly backward to the exercise of this grace of Hope which might bee of admirable use to them and most averse to exercise it about eternal life which is the highest and chiefest object of it Some hope not only for temporal but also for spiritual mercies necessary in some conditions they are exercised in as under deadness of heart they hope for quickenings under streightnings they hope for inlargements under witherings they hope for flourishings of grace but where is the soul that is hoping for the glory of God Rom. 5.2 A hoping for Heaven and the life to come it is the casting hope within the vail that rendreth it of use as a Soul-anchor that secureth against the storms of affliction and temptation which are met withall in this World A great reason of the sinking of many under these is because they cast away their anchor the hope of eternal life when the tempest riseth highest and when they have most need of it It is very sad to observe that carnal men are so high in their Hopes for heaven who have no grounds for hoping and on the other hand that Christians are so low in their hopes who have such firm grounds for them There is 1 A hope of desire 2 A hope of Assurance or Confidence Christians you may sometimes bee under such doubts and questionings about your conditions as you may not be able to conclude with a hope of confidence and Assurance that you shall injoy God to all eternity But a Hope of Desire after the injoyment of God as the chiefest good as reckoning nothing such a matter of Hope as a full fruition of him and Jesus Christ to all eternity this Hope of Desire under the saddest desertion you may keep up and sinne if you do not Cant 3. v. 1 2. Cant. 5.6 The Spouse sought her beloved when hee had withdrawn himself As under the hidings of Christs face the saints may have a Hope of Desire to see his face again on earth so as well may they then long to see him face to face in heaven The Saints should say when will the bridge-groom of our souls come when shall wee have full fellowship with him when shall wee have full imbraces in his armes when shall wee injoy the Promised everlasting rest when shall we have a full freedome from all sinne and suffering thus Paul had a Hope of Desire to bee dissolved that hee might be with Christ Phil. 1.23 and Rom. 8.23 wee groan within our selves that implyeth a weariness of the present Condition but the inducement was the hope of Glory waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body but where is the soul that is under a wearinesse of its present Condition not barely to be freed from burdens and afflictions but out of a want of heavenly glory and a full communion with Jesus Christ O Christians you can never want a ground thus to hope and therefore put on your Helmet the Hope of Salvation cast forth the Anchor and that within the Vail that your Lord may finde you looking for the blessed Hope of his coming We shall add no more but this that the Lord graciously granted us the priviledge to be ear witnesses that diverse of the Sermons in these Treatises for the substance of them giving allowance to such defects of the Emanuensis which cannot but bee expected ordinarily were Preached by that Servant of Christ Mr. Tillinghast and others are as they were found in his own hand-writing Some Sermons are wanting but could not be gained yet these being so useful we were unwilling the World should be without them so desiring that the blessing of Christ may accompany these labors We remain 10 Month 24th day 1656. Thy Servants for Jesus sake Samuel Petto John Manning The Contents The Promises made and fulfilled in Christ from 2 Cor. 1.20 The Text opened from page 1. to page 3. Doct. That all the Promises of God made to sinners in Jesus Christ shall most certainly bee fulfilled and accomplished ibid. That all the Promises of God run in Christ or are made to us in Christ ibid. The Promises distinguished into absolute and conditional 1 Absolute Promises p. 4 2 Conditional Promises ibid. Pro. 1 That all the Promises of God whether those that are absolute or such as are
up in Types and shadows then much more is it in the New wherein the Covenant of Grace is clearly revealed and Gospel Truths unvayled Hence in the New Testament we have three times for Habbakkuks once that golden sentence The just shall live by faith as Rom. 1.17 Galat. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 And Paul whose example take for all the rest to shew what every one should do verifies this in his life and practice Gal. 2.20 And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God In the carrying on of which I shall shew 1 What it is to live by faith 2 What are the principal differences betwixt the life of faith and the life of sense or a souls living by faith and by sense 3 Wherein this life of faith is to bee exercised 4 The preciousness and excellency of this life of faith Quest 1. What is it to live by faith Ans I shall only describe it to you and that with shunning of curiosity as much as may bee and so it is For a soul constantly quietly and orderly to rest upon the Promise and Power of God for the obtaining of all good expected or hoped for the removing or turning to good all evil present or feared In which description are these things considerable 1 Here is the act it self with the manner of acting which the soul that lives by faith puts forth it is an act of rest and reliance and that constantly quietly and orderly For the act it self the nature of it it is not an act of assurance but an act of reliance recumbence dependence or adherence the act of assurance is not so properly faith as sense for when my soul is assured I do see and behold the love of God and my own salvation and I do feel the same within me and this is sense Indeed I grant it that the soul which lives by faith hath oftentimes assurance and more constantly than another he puts forth more acts of assurance than a weaker beleever doth which lives by sense yet are not these the differencing acts which do discover him to live by faith rather than another Thomas put forth an act of assurance when Joh. 20.28 hee cryes out My Lord and my God yet by our Saviours own testimony vers 29. he lives by sense Because thou hast seen thou hast beleeved as if hee should say Thomas thou art such a beleever as dost live more by sense than by faith thou beleevest but it is because thou seest thy faith can go no further than thy sight but blessed are they that have not seen and yet have beleeved As to say A Christian life there is whereby a soul though hee see nothing feel nothing yet beleeves and this is the blessed life and those the most blessed which live this kinde of life Christ here puts beleevers into two ranks the first are those who though they beleeve yet live by sense grounding their faith upon something seen the second are those who beleeve and live by faith grounding faith upon things not seen Thomas is a beleever of the first rank who lived by sense and yet had assurance so that the act of assurance is not the distinguishing act betwixt that soul which lives by sense and hee which lives by faith Yea more a weak beleever or a beleever at first conversion may and it is usual for such to have acts of assurance God coming in sometimes in a word or an ordinance perswading and covincing their souls of it that hee is their Father and Heaven is theirs yet do not such live by faith for so soon as this fit or rapture is over though whilst it was upon them they would have affirmed it against all the Devils in Hell they call into question and begin to unsay whatsoever before they said Yea further as I said before these acts of assurance though it bee by beleeving I come up to them yet are they more properly sense than faith for when I have assurance I cannot so well bee said to hope for beleeve c. as I may in some sort to see injoy and possess and therefore though the soul oft puts forth such acts which lives by faith yet are not these they whereby it lives by faith nay more properly hee lives by faith when these are wanting for then and onely then I put forth pure acts of faith when I have no sense at all The act of assurance which goes along with that of adherence is not the act whereby the soul lives by faith but rather a fruit or consequence of its living by faith it lives by faith in adhering to the promise which is the first act of faith and then from this its adherence as a fruit thereof there is an assurance of Gods love maintained in the soul So that it is clear that the act it self which is put forth in our living by faith is not an act of assurance whereby I am assured of the love of God c. but an act of adherence or reliance whereby though I see or feel nothing at all in mee why I should conclude God loves mee yet finding that God hath made promises to sinners such as I am and knowing no just or sufficient ground why I should exclude my self I adhere to the word and promise of God Now for the manner of acting it is 1 Constantly The soul which lives by faith doth not for a fit and away rest and relye on the promise but constantly By constantly I do not mean that hee doth so rest upon the promise and adhere thereto as that hee never at no time or in no case starts aside Abraham himself did not so cleave to the promise but once or twice hee did a little step aside so a soul which hath attained the life of faith and lives the same may at some times and in some particular case step aside and act too much in a way of sense But by constantly I mean thus That in the general course of his life and actions he is carried on by faith and acts in a way of faith setting aside now and then some particular acts and the whole of his life and actions is guided by faith Or if you please you may restrain it to the morer part though sometimes and oft hee acts sense yet mostly hee is in beleeving and so takes this denomination of living by faith from the greater part because hee doth more live by faith than by sense So that by constantly I do not understand every particular individual act but the general course of a mans life when once hee comes to live this life or the morer part of his actings are in a way of faith Now hereby hee is distinguished from all such as rest and relye upon the promise for a fit onely and away Some there are who will adhere to the promise for a fit whilst they finde themselves so and so qualified or have such and such experiences
fear of falling away because God is able to keep from falling and Rom. 14.4 assured that they shall stand because God is able to make them stand and Rom. 11.23 The Apostle speaking of the conversion of the Jews layes down this as a ground for us to beleeve they shall bee grafted in again because God is able to graft them in again 3 Because I finde distrust of the ability of God is in Scripture branded for unbeleef and that of the highest nature Psal 78. v. 19 20 21 22. They said Can God furnish a table in the wilderness Can hee give bread also Can hee provide flesh for his people Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth vers 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his salvation 4 Because the promise alone without a consideration of the power of God to perform the same is not a sufficient ground for faith If a man should promise me a thousand pound I must consider his ability as well as his promise before I can upon good ground beleeve that ever I shall have so much of him for if he be not able hee cannot give it and so his promise is nothing So though I have a promise for such and such a mercy yet if I do not consider Gods ability to perform this promise as well as the promise there will not bee a ground sufficient to make mee beleeve For what if the heart object as once Israel did True here is a promise but can God perform what he promiseth if the soul say Yea he is able then the power of God presently comes into consideration and I have that as well as the promise for the ground of my faith if the soul cannot beleeve this That God is able then the promise alone will not perswade it neither indeed can it and so it is not ground sufficient to cause it to beleeve for the mercy So that both these viz. the promise of God and Gods power to perform the same must go together to make up the ground of faith When I would act faith I must first go to the promise and there behold and consider what God hath freely promised to such a poor miserable creature as I am and work this upon my heart that this word of God is a truth when I have done so I am to endeavour to bring up my heart to beleeve the power of God viz. That God is able and All-sufficient to fulfill this promise whatsoever seems to bee in the way or to hinder the same Now although we are ready to think that this is a very casie thing to beleeve the power of God and that wee have no doubt at all thereabouts yet assuredly it is a most hard and difficult thing and I am perswaded that the greatest part of our unbeleef springs from hence a distrust or questioning of the power of God I have known one as confident as another that hee did beleeve the power of God and could not think otherwise who yet when hee came to follow up his doubts to the first head found it far otherwise that the greater part of them did arise hence I have many times thought the question hath been onely thus Will God do this for mee change this heart kill this corruption c and could I bee satisfied in this I have thought all my doubts would bee over but when I have endeavoured to search to the bottome I have found the state of the question to bee much altered and heard a secret whispering there Can God do such a thing Can this cursed heart of mine be changed Is it possible that such and such corruptions that I have been so long contending with and used all means against and are yet as strong and lively as ever should ever bee subdued Hence comes our unbeleef for a great part of it therefore would we live by faith as wee must keep to the true ground which is the promise of God and his power to perform it so likewise to the full ground i.e. we must act faith in both viz. the promise and power of God And me thinks when I ponder upon this that the power of God as well as the promise is the ground of our faith I do not at all wonder why there is so much unbeleef and so little of the life of faith in most of us because there is an opinion in all our hearts that it is a very easie thing to beleeve the power of God as if we had such abundance of faith that that which ever hath been and was from Abrahams time to Pauls the highest and most noble act of faith as if wee read Scripture wee shall finde this of beleeving the power of God ever was and hath been were easiest to us as if that which declared Abraham strong in faith were now a thing common and from taking it for granted wee do the thing wee take no pains with our hearts hereabouts And therefore it is no wonder wee lye in unbeleef so much as wee doe whilst wee sleightly pass over and carelesly neglect one of the principall grounds of faith 3 The third thing in our description of living by faith is the extent of this living by faith it extends it self to all good expected or hoped for to all evils present or feared whether relating to the life present or that which is to come The natural way for the obtaining of mercies preventing of judgements it s to run to our own righteousness our amending and doing but now the Christians way is the exercise of this life of faith I obtain all good by faith I prevent or remove all evill by faith Rom. 9.31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law The Jews found a want of righteousness the Law that the Lord gave them by Moses convinced them of much sin and unrighteousness they see themselves sinners the Law terrifies them conscience gripes them what now do they do Why see v. 32. presently they run to the Law that bids them amend their wayes do thus and thus this they do and yet as far from obtaining what they want or removing their fears as ever because they sought not in a way of faith The Gentiles likewise they have the same wants and ground of fear the Jews had What do they Why this they do They hear a message a glorious message of one Jesus Christ which was crucified at Jerusalem through whose death poor sinners beleeving in him should obtain righteousness and salvation hereupon they presently disclaiming any worthiness in themselves or any thing they could do flye to Jesus Christ by faith and so obtain righteousness vers 30. The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith They get their great want supplied their conscience truly pacified
shall live by faith The great scope of the eleven first Chapters is to prove Justification by faith in Christ against those that did hold Justification by works of the Law he layeth down his position in this cause and bringeth in this The just shall live by faith And hee doth oppose Justification by Faith to Justification by the Law Gal. 3.11 But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by faith 2. As it relates to a Christians Sanctification Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved mee and gave himself for mee Though the main argument here is Justification yet this living by faith is in respect of Sanctification chiefly at least which I think the scope of the place yeelds for Paul having vers 19. laid down this as an argument why a beleever cannot be justified by the Law because hee is dead to it that hee might give a reason of this likewise why a beleever is dead to the Law or must needs be so he glides off from the main argument of Justification into this of Sanctification as by the by that I might live to God What is that Why perform obedience now to God or bring forth fruit to God as Rom. 7. v. 4 5 6. Wherefore my Brethren yee also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that yee should bee married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that wee should bring forth fruit unto God Which argument being now digressed into hee prosecutes in the next verse wherein as is clear hee goes on to speak of Sanctification for hee speaks of Christs living in him which is not our Justification that is by Christ without us and so his living by faith is to bee understood in respect of that viz. Sanctification which in the former verse and beginning of this hee was speaking of 3 As it relates to a Christians Expectation or waiting So Habak 2.4 For the Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him But the just shall live by his faith Speaking of the Vision delayed hee saith The just shall live by faith i.e. expect the coming thereof and wait for it in a way of beleeving 4 As it relates to a Christians perseverance So Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Which words if you compare them with the foregoing verse seem to bee of the same sense with them in Habakkuk to bee spoken of a life of expectation vers 37. For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by Faith But compared with the following words in this and the next verse they concern perseverance because in this verse drawing back is set in opposition to living by faith and again vers 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul Beleeving is set in opposition to drawing back In these places we have a four-fold life 1 Of Justification 2 Of Sanctification 3 Expectation 4 Perseverance In every of which we are to live by faith or we are to live by faith for these four things in an especial manner viz. Justification Sanctification Expectation and Perseverance Quest 2. How doth faith act or what is it that faith doth in those persons which live by faith as touching either of these things Answ In order to which I shall premise this word That I shall not go about to prescribe any one way or order that the Spirit of God while it enables a soul to live by faith in either of these walks in or works in so as to tye up all Saints to that way or manner of working which experience teacheth to be dangerous and to administer matter of stumbling to poore souls for as the Wisdome of God in his VVord is manifold so the workings of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the faithful through which they are enabled to live by faith are manifold and various though in the substance all agreeing As in our Justification so in all the rest one is enabled to live by faith herein from such a principle another from such a principle yea the same person looking upon himself at sundry times shall finde that one while his faith springs from one principle or consideration another while from another As for example perhaps to day I beleeve my Justification and go on beleeving it for a week or a moneth together from such a consideration as this viz. God hath made a Covenant with me in his Son and this is unchangeable as not made upon condition of my obedience so noâ— broken by my disobedience and hence I beleeve I am justified Another while perhaps this principle is not so lively and vigorous as to keep up my faith but then another doth it as this God justifies the ungodly now saith the soul though I cannot say I am a Saint yet this I can say I am an ungodly one well God justifies the ungodly this is a precious truth I own it I cleave to it I am an ungodly one a Sinner I beleeve God justifies me VVhen this hath kept up faith a while then it may be the life and vigour of this goes off the heart too and then come another as this The righteousness of Jesus Christ by which poor sinners are justified is a perfect compleat righteousness this righteousness is given to those that beleeve to such he becomes the Lord their righteousness I am a poore Sinner of my own I have no righteousness this I do I cleave to his righteousness which is persect and able fully to justifie my poor soul and I do in some measure beleeve that I have a share in this righteousness it is mine and that I am thereby justified in the sight of God These Principles with many others though diverse in themselves yet do they sweetly agree in the maine all leading the soul to something without for justification And truly this premisal is very necessary and material for how ordinary is it with poor souls if so be their faith hath been carried out from such a principle and they hear another in relating his experience hath been carried out from another to question the truth of their own at least to have some jealousies about it yea some poor souls are sometimes ready to stagger when they look upon themselves and consider the last moneth or the last year I had much strength and ability to beleeve from such a
consideration now do I not finde that at all inabling me but the faith I had is from another how comes this to pass VVhy am I so inconstant in my faith true or not for my brethren we are prone and ready to think when from any one principle or consideration our faith is kept up that that should do it ever which is our weakness and ignorance to shew us which may be one reason why God deals in this way with us as another to make us see his manifold workings in every of which hee is glorious and therefore in none to be despised and also to make us have a higher esteem of every truth not to slight any jot of the Gospel and lastly which is the thing premised to teach us that we should not tye up God to any one way or manner of working saying here he goes in this way he works and in no other This being premised I come to the question to shew how faith acts in such as live by faith or what it doth in either of these The life of Faith in Justification Quest 1. How doth Faith act in Justification or what doth faith in that business in those persons who live by it Ans 1. Faith in all those persons who live by it it gives the soul a clear and convincing sight of the emptiness and nothingness of all its own righteousness in this great business of our Justification faith whensoever it makes after Justification it presently sets up such a light in the soul that the poor soul is made to see that all its own righteousness whither inherent or of works contribute nothing at all to its Justification so that if it have not some other righteousness to justifie it must go for ever unjustified notwithstanding all this though whilst it did not live by faith for justification it was prone to eye much its own righteousness and attribute a great deal even in the matter of justification to it so much as that when it saw it it would straight-way conclude its justification and when not the contrary yet now having obtained to live by faith there is wrought in the soul such a wonderful convincement of the nothingness of this which once it made such an account of as that it sees though it could be as righteous as ever man in the world was yea as Adam in the state of innocency was though it should have all the righteousness of the old Adam yet would not this make it righteous as to justification unless also it hath another and better righteousness It sees that the righteousness of Abraham David Paul and Peter and all the righteous men that ever were in the world though all were its own would not make it one whit more righteous or just before God than the vilest sinner in the world but that it must perish and go to Hell for ever with all this righteousness if it hath no other so that whilst it makes after Justification it goes wholly upon another score saying Lord if there bee not some other way found out to make this poor miserable soul eternally blessed than the way of its own righteousness it is undone for ever and must unavoydably lye under Divine wrath and the stroke of Justice for ever Lord had I all the working righteousness of men and Angels yet were it not for another righteousness I should not dare with all this to come unto thee or to have a thought that because of this thou shouldest justifie me for though this in it self be good yet now I am clearly convinced that its all nothing as to the obtaining of my Justification thus wonderfully doth the life of faith unrobe a man of his own righteousness so as that he never dares go into the presence of God for Justification until he hath put this garment off but as the Priest when hee was to go into the Holy of Holies did lay aside those Garments which hee usually wore and put on other so this soul whensoever it comes into the presence of God it lays aside every garment of its own righteousness which it wears in this world and puts on the royal robe of Christs Righteousness This we may see in the holy man David Psal 16.2 O my Soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee No sooner doth hee act faith in God as his God but presently saith he My goodness extendeth not to thee as to say Lord thou art my God thou hast justified me and this my soul saith yea I beleeve it O but saith he this is not for my goodness it comes not at all into this business farre bee it from me that I should think so my goodness extendeth not to thee I see Lord saith David my goodness is nothing as to thee true it may bee useful to the Saints on earth O but it brings thee nothing neither is that it which hath brought this thing about that thou art my God So likewise Gods Church Isa 64.6 8. when she is going to put forth an act of faith in God as her God she lays by all her own righteousness looking on it as nothing worse than nothing vers 6. We are all an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags and vers 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father As to say Thou O Lord hast loved me justified me this I beleeve for thou art my Father but this my Justification or this love of thine towards me is not for my righteousness no that is all an uncleane thing and filthy raggs and instead of Justification I can expect nothing but Damnation from the same 2 Faith it ever presents the soul with a perfect compleat and all-sufficient righteousness which is to be had in anoâ—her for its Justification Faith unrobes the soul of its own righteousness and then it saith O thou poor naked soul which walkest without a Garment and hast no righteousness of thy own to cover thy nakedness come thou hither for I have glad tidings to tell thee behold a perfect and everlasting righteousness the Son of God Jesus Christ casting the spotless mantle of his righteousness over thee thou art naked but O my soul behold a robe an everlasting robe of perfect righteousness put it on go boldly to thy Father with it though thou art black yet this will make thee comely though thou art poor yet this will make thee rich though thou art deformed this will make thee beautiful all fair there shall be no spot in thee Now as faith unrobes the soul of its own righteousness so doth it bring down this to the soul of the poor Sinner which being brought down and the soul cloathed therewith it takes it in its hand and goes up to the Father with it and says the soul Lord a time there was that I was unrighteous and then I was affraid to come unto thee and good reason I had to fear but now I come
comes in the room thereof whereby the soul possesseth abundance of inward peace passing all understanding O saith the soul I never knew what a calm was till now that I had the righteousnesse of Christ set up in my conscience I have been oftentimes tossed too and fro and my soul neer upon shipwrack but now thanks bee to God I injoy a blessed calme I never knew what a calme of conscience was till now Therefore my heart rejoyceth my tongue is glad c. 3 By keeping a constant guard at the gates of conscience that so these enemies being cast out may not re-enter Faith knowing of how great concernment it is keeps a guard day and night at the gate of conscience so as that when any of the ejected enemies would re-enter presently they are under examination Who is here Who are yee Who are you for Why I am such a one Then stand Stand off come not here this is the Garrison Christs righteousnesse and here is strict command no such must enter Act. 24.16 Paul makes it his exercise to keep conscience clear though hee could not but faile in his duty towards God and man both yet hee exerciseth himself to keep his conscience clear to keep it void of offence that though offences were committed yet that the guilt of them might not get in there And thus much for the first thing how Faith acts or what it doth in persons living thereby in our Justification Quest 2. Wherein doth lye the advantage of that soul that liveth by faith in Justification above another that concludeth his Justification from sense from what he seeth and feeleth Ans 1. He hath an advantage in respect of the ground upon which he holdeth his Justification when wee hold a thing upon good ground if of worth the greater advantage we have The soule that liveth by sense holdeth his Justification upon a ground within him it is experience sensible workings that is his ground But a soul that liveth by faith holdeth his Justification upon a ground without him the Promise and Covenant of God this is a better ground 1 In regard of the clearness of the ground it is such a ground as doth more clearly represent the thing than any other thing can I may more clearly see and behold my justification in the Promise than in any experience whatever That soule that grounds upon sense there is a veile many times upon his justification because there is a veile many times upon his experience upon Moses face there was a veile So when the ground of our justification runs in a legal way upon sense there will be a veile upon the Justification for the face of Moses is veiled A man that hath a veil upon his face you see his face but darkly if you see it at all you see it with a great deal of uncertain knowledge but now that soul that grounds his Justification upon the promise that man seeth his Justification as a man seeth another face to face i. e. hee seeth clearly and speedily Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day and saw it he saw it clearly now how did Abraham see the day of Christ He had many experiences he did not see the day of Christ through these but through the Promise for saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was counted to him for righteousness he saw through the promise 2 It is a sure ground it is good to be upon sure ground even in smaller things than this upon which a mans eternal Salvation doth hang. As a mans Justification is a thing of such moment therefore we had need to bee upon sure ground Now that soul which holds his Justification from any thing within doth not hold it upon a sure ground it may be hee hath experience to day and it s gone the next day sometimes it is present sometimes absent but the promise is a sure ground Why because that remaineth The soul that holdeth its Justification upon any thing within will at one time or other let go his hold of Justification but that soul that holds it upon the promise without will hold it when the other lets it go 3 It is a ground more easily come by our experiences it is hard to keep them when we have them so hard to regain them when lost Hard to get an humble frame of heart but harder to regain when lost but the promise is more easie though it have no experience for the present yet a poor soul may take his Bible and go to the promise of God and lay hold of that Obj. But you will say it is as hard to lay hold of the promise as to get up experiences Ans We grant it is so but the promise is the ground it is not our laying hold 4 It s a ground that hath a great deal less deceit in it when a man grounds upon any thing within there is a great deal of deceit as the Spirit of God hath his true Gold so the Devil hath his gilded Counters therefore possibly I may miss and take the Devils gilded Counters for the Spirits gold but in the promise there is not that deceit that is a ground that a soul shall not be deceived by So there is advantage in respect of the ground 2 That soul that liveth by faith in Justification hath an advantage in this respect in that the soul hath its justification more constantly in its sight than another hath another sees it now and then but he beholds it more constantly And 1 By having our justification more constantly in our sight we are free from abundance of those doubts and fears that other poor souls are continually hurried about withall about their justification take a poor soul that liveth by sense and hee is in continual fears about this Justification continually tossed too and fro one while hee thinketh surely I am not that justified person if I were there would not be so many sins stirring another thinks surely I am not justified for I have rejected Christ so many time before and had so many heart-warmings in his Word and all gone so that he is continually in a Labyrinth of fears and doubts that hee cannot wind himself out of about his Justification But a poor soul that hath his Justification in his sight is freed from abundance of these fears is not tossed too and fro but beholdeth his justification grounded on the rock without him Though hee findeth not that within that hee hath found and breathes after yet saith the poor soul my Justification is by a righteousness without though I prize the workings of the Spirit of God within above any thing this world can afford and though I finde a want of these yet I will not conclude I am not justified because justification is all without I may be justified yea I beleeve I am though I finde not these workings so lively and stirring as time hath been they have so he is free from fears in the business of his
and not addicted to it Thus Peter Gal. 2. by compliance with superstitious Jews endangered the faith of the Gentiles who were free from superstition vers 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed vers 12. For before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come hee withdrew and separated himself fearing them which were of the Circumcision vers 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel I said unto Peter before them all If thou being a Jew livest after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Jews why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews If I must offend let me ever offend the superstitious rather then by offending endanger those who are free 2 VVhen by an unadvised using my Christian liberty I do offend the weak that cannot bear it thus rather then Paul would offend hee would eat no flesh 1 Cor. 8.13 If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth least I make my brother to offend 3 VVhen by extravagancy of words or actions I do offend the world and stumble them at the ways of God Offence taken is likewise two-fold A GOOD offence taken or BAD a GOOD is that which though in respect of the thing it self it may be evil yet hath no evil in it but is good in respect of the Taker A BAD is that which although the thing it self may bee good or evil sometimes one sometimes another yet is ever bad and evil in respect of the Taker 1 A GOOD offence taken is 1 VVhen I am offended at that whereat God is offended the faith or salvation of another endangered meerly because God is offended This is that anger without sin Paul speaks of Ephes 4.26 thus Paul was offended at Peter Galat. 2. vers 11.12.14 because hee did not only sin against God but also endanger the faith and Salvation of weak Gentiles by his Judaizing 2 VVhen I am offended at the love of a good man when his love towards mee is carnal and tends to hinder mee in some work or design for God which I have in hand Thus Christ was offended at Peters love Matth. 16. vers 22 23. Be it farre from thee Lord But hee turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God c. 2 A BAD offence taken is 1 VVhen I am offended at the grace of God to others because it casts some disgrace upon my self Thus Jonah took offence at Gods grace to Nineveh because he should bee called a false Prophet 2 VVhen I am offended at the apparent works of God because I am laid by and not I but others used in the doing of them Thus the Scribes and Pharisees did take offence at Christ 3 VVhen through a careless neglect I take up that as an offence which by industry and search of Scriptures would be a strengthening to my faith Thus because the Messiah was to bee of Bethlehem and the house of David the Jews were offended at Christ because he was of Galilee and the house of Joseph as they thought whereas by search in their Genealogy they might to their confirming have found him of Bethlehem and Davids house 4 VVhen I am offended at the sin committed because of the person that commits it 5 VVhen I am offended at the wayes and truthes of God because of the miscarriages of some walking in those wayes professing those truths Case 1. How farre am I to have respect to that offence which another doth or will take Answ There is a double rise of offence taken 1 Sometimes from weakness only and that either of Knowledge or Grace 2 Sometimes from wilfulness only or weakness and wilfulnes mixt In the first I am to have some respect to anothers offence whether the rise bee from want of light so Paul in circumcising Titus had respect to the offence that otherwise the Jews would take through want of light or whether it riseth from weakness of grace or from some violent and apparent temptation upon him at present In the latter I am to slight it as though there were no such thing Q. How may we know when the rise of an offence is from wilfulness only or from weakness and wilfulness together Ans 1. When there is such a proneness to take offence as that very thing offends This discovered the offence of the Scribes and Pharisees to be wilful because it was so common with them to be offended at Christ that Christ can do nothing but they are offended at it one while they are offended because hee cured a man on the Sabbath day another while because he did eat with Publicans and Sinners c. 2 When small petty things offend thus the wilful offended Pharisees are offended one while because Christs Disciples plucked ears of Corn another while because when they went to meat they did not wash their hands c. 3 When offence is taken even at that which is good 4 When the very same thing that is well approved of in some in others offends 5 When there is a management of the offence in a crafty way so as to draw the Party offended into some snare by this Paul discerned their offence to be a wilful offence Galath 2. vers 3 4. But neither Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to bee circumcised and that because of false Brethren unawares brought in who came in privily to spy out our liberty which wee have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage 6 When men will put such an interpretation upon a thing as may either beget or nourish an offence when as yet they know how to put another interpretation upon that thing 7 When men will take up whatsoever may offend them upon easie trust 8 When men lye at a catch for somewhat which may offend them In cases of this nature I am not to regard the offence of others but as Christ saith Matth. 15. v. 14. Let them alone So let them bee offended if they will Case 2. What is to bee done when the Case is such that I must offend on the one hand or the other or thus when the Case is such that I stand between two parties contrary to each other and must offend the one of them whom am I in this Case to choose to offend Answ This Case is the very same case that was Pauls Gal. 2. hee was cast betwixt two sorts of men and observe the persons too godly on both hands The one were Jews who were scrupulous about Ceremonies and particularly whether or no it were lawful to eat meat with the Gentiles The other were beleeving Gentiles who being through the preaching of Paul rightly grounded and settled in the faith of the Gospel had no such scruples among them Of these two hee must offend one as the case lay thus If with Peter and the rest hee would not withdraw hee must of necessity offend the scrupulous brethren come down from Judea If on the other side hee did then by this act hee plainly foresaw hee should endanger the faith of the Gentiles hereby causing them to think such Ceremonial observations were things necessary and so indeed compell the Gentiles i. e. by such an example as hee saith to Peter to live as did the Jews Now What doth Paul in this case Why notwithstanding the temptation was so great that hee saw of necessity there was no avoyding of it but that should hee now comply a little the Jews would bee in a manner irreconcileably offended nay so much the more would they bee offended and by so much the more must hee look to pass under high censures by how much Peter the Pillar of the Church hee complies and conforms yea Barnabas Pauls companion hee doth too vers 13. and all the rest So that Paul if hee will not comply too hee must differ from all and run the censure of all But on the other side Paul considers that there were a company of poor Gentiles to whom hee had rightly preached the faith of Christ from which doctrine they had received the peace and comfort of the Holy Ghost and hee considers further that in case hee should now comply with these Jews to win them hee should thereby shake the faith and comfort of the other these things considered hee opposeth himself to this compliance and publickly reproveth Peter himself that Pillar of the Church and the head of the Compliers vers 11 12 14. And indeed the example clearly proves this That a publick compliance to the shaking or endangering the faith or comfort of any deserves a publick reproof Now from this instance of Paul I give in my answer to the case propounded thus That when the case is such that I must of necessity offend one party I am to choose to offend them bee they the strong or be they the weake whom I cannot please without an endangering of the faith and comfort of some others in endeavouring to doe it Now by endangering the faith and comfort of others I mean thus When others are settled and confirmed in such principles whether they bee in things of Doctrine or Discipline as I am perswaded are the truths of Christ and such truths too as are of use and benefit to the people of God by which they have been inabled to walk more closely with God been more strengthned to resist temptation and corruption been made more useful to the edifying of one another have had their communion with God increased c. When by a compliance with any other to win them I shall shake these in their principles I am then guilty or endangering the faith and comfort of others And when the case is such I am bound and it is a necessary duty to offend yea though it bee all the world rather than in the least to endanger the faith and comfort of any one soul This case I have opened clearly shews that the weak brother is not alwayes to bee pleased and the strong offended for as it is clear from Paul those who made such scruples were alwayes the weake yet here rather than Paul will endanger the faith of the strong hee will choose to offend the weake FINIS
justification 2 The constant holding our Justification in our sight maketh the soul take all the dealings of God in good part put a good construction upon all Gods dealings whereas another who is dark in justification he can take no dealing in good part at the hand of God A soul that beholdeth his justification can as long as that is clear behold the love of God in Christ towards it it can put a good construction upon all Let God give a mercy he will say that it is out of love let God take away a mercy he will say that is out of love Let God smile he seeth his love let God frown through his frown he beleeveth his love Let God put him into a prosperous condition he seeth love let him put him into an afflicted adverse condition he can beleeve God is his God But take a poor soul that is dark in that let him give a mercy he saith O I am affraid it is in Judgement let him take away a mercy this is in judgement I have abused it Let God smile he is affraid to own it lest hee be deceived let God put him into prosperity he thinks that will ruine him into affliction he thinketh that is to destroy him 3 The constant beholding our Justification doth carry out a soul with a sweet Son-like frame of Spirit in all its actings towards God Take a soul that is dark in its justification there will not bee childe-like actings but slavish actings a spirit of bondage servile actings But take a soul that hath his justification in his eye and there will bee sweet Son-like actings when hee goeth to duty hee goeth with the spirit of a Son I see Hell is gone Heaven is given and doth not perform duty to avoid the one or procure the other but doth all as to a Father because God hath taken Hell away and given Heaven and is my Father therefore I go about the work of God When it mourneth for sin it doth not mourn for fear it should bee Damned but because it hath sinned against a Father I do not say it is so with a Saint at all times but when a soul beholdeth its justification so it is 4 This constant beholding our justification doth dis-inamour and wean the heart from worldly things our hearts are never so weaned from the Creature as when wee see through justification our interest in the Creator When the poor soul cometh to see the great God of Heaven and Earth is my Father and I have a glorious inheritance provided above in Heaven for me then it saith Why should I dote upon Creatures As a Princes Son is estranged from the company of other Children why I am the Princes Son they are companions below me this maketh him leave other Boys and not play with them so a Princes Son wil not go and hoard up Counters why I am a Princes Son so a poor soul when it beholdeth its justification is estranged from the world upon this consideration I am a Son of God a Childe of God have an interest in Heaven a glorious inheritance there and this weaneth the heart from the world The beholding our actual justification begets such actuall considerations as these 5 It armeth us against all Satans temptations it puts the soul into such a condition as it can grapple with Satan when he cometh to assault it with his fiery darts let the Devil shoot never so many fiery darts yet so he hath his justification in his eye it will keep off all and therefore it is called a Shield They used a Shield to repel Arrows from the party Faith is our shield to repel the darts of Satan and beat them back again so this is another advantage 3 That soul that liveth by faith in justification is delivered from the great evil other souls run into of adding to or detracting from his justification it is a great evil incident to the Saints they look upon themselves as more or less justified accordingly as they are more or less holy and their works more or less spiritual I do not say but that we should endeavour after holiness and spirituality to the utmost but not to make our justification less or more as these things are lesse or more 1 Because it puts our justification as a stock into our own hands that by our care and diligence wee might augment or by carelesness and negligence might diminish it whereas our justification is a stock the Saints have but it is in the hands of their Suerty which though they are and ought to use all Christian care and diligence yet by all their care and diligence there is not one dram added to their justification Though they are to take heed of all carelesness and remisness and avoyd them yet though they should fail there is not one whit not one dram taken away from their justification by all Justification is as the Childes Portion in the Executors hands the Childe hath some spending-money but his Portion is in the hands of the Executor So is our justification that is a stock in the hands of our Executor the Saints have something in themselves and they spend much of that but they would spend their justification too if the stock were in their own hand but it is in the hands of their Suerty Executor and they cannot spend that he will not let them have that so that that cannot be spent Now when we look upon our justification as that which may be added to or detracted from we do not look upon it as in the hands of our Suerty but in our own hands and that is a great evil 2 It is a great evil because it maketh our Justification like our Sanctification in part for that which is perfect can have nothing added to it or taken from it if any thing could be added to it then it was not perfect before perfection doth neither admit of addition or diminution Now our Justification is perfect by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 them the Father hath set apart he hath perfected for ever Now if I should be more justified at one time than at another then Justification were not perfect 3 It maketh justifying grace to depend upon Creature actings for if I am more justified when I do more and less when I do less then my actings have influence into my justification and so justification depends upon Creature actings and so if of works then it is no more of grace 4 It is a great evil because it doth much dishonour Christ it speaketh the righteousness of Christ insufficient for our justification if the righteousness of Christ be sufficient to justification then all I can do cannot help it forward If it need any thing of ours then it is not sufficient of it self I speak this to shew the great evil of adding to or detracting from justification which how usual it is to look upon our selves more justified at one time
world that is OFFENCES By offences here are not meant those Works of Darkness which the men of the world commit Drunkenness Swearing Sabbath-breaking Adultery c. which Sinners in the world roule in these bring a woe but not the woe here spoken of but by Offences here are understood those offences which others commit but men of the world take up to their hardning so that the offence here which hath the woe hanging upon it is offence taken not barely offence given Observe Doct. 1. Though just occasion may be given of offence yet an offence may be so taken as that a man may undoe himself bring a woe upon himself in the very taking of it Doct. 2. An offending person doth not only damage himself but doth also wonderfully damage others 1 He damageth Christs little ones as vers 6. and that principally by shaking their faith offences are a shaking thing they shake the faith of beleevers and therefore it is that Paul when he had declared the sad fall of Himaeneus and Philetus two that formerly had been of great note and eminency in the Church hee knowing what a shaking thing this would be to the poor to the faith of Gods people especially the weak he straightway adds this The foundation of God stands sure 2 Tim. 2.18 19. as to say I know poor hearts this news that Himaeneus and Philetus men of such eminency are fallen so foulely will shake you make yon ready to question all and conclude you shall certainly perish one day it such fall O but be not discouraged for you though you are weak in your selves yet you are of Gods foundation and that stands sure c. 2 The offending person damageth the world and that with the greatest damage that can be what greater damage can a man do to another than to bring the Wrath of God yea a woe from God upon him this he doth Woe bee unto the world The observation that I have chosen out of these words to insist upon is this viz. Doct. Offences they are a real and a heavie judgment upon the world or the woe of offences it falls upon the world My intent here is not to handle the common place or scandal or offence my Text having narrowed me up into too small a roome for such a design but only to speak of offence as the same hath an influence upon the world and the men of the world and that for the drawing down of woe and judgement upon them and so in the carrying on my Doctrine I shall shew 1 What an offence is 2 That there is an aptness in the world to be offended 3 That offences are a judgement a real and heavie judgement upon the world 4 Why do offences fall as a judgement upon the world 5 When do Christians justly offend the work First What an offence is Ans An offence is that by which another is stumbled or which hath in it a tendency to stumble another as that which he ought not and it is sin in him to be stumbled at as at the ways works cause truths promise people of God when a thing or action doth really stumble or minister occasion of stumbling to another as touching these or any of these that may be called an offence Hence in Scripture a stumbling stone a rock of offence are joyned together as synonimous expressions whereof the one doth but open the other as Rom. 9.32 33. 1 Pet. 2.8 Christs poverty and meaneness was a stumbling-block to the Jews in the way of their receiving of him and their fall upon this is called a being offended Mat. 13.57 The preaching of a Crucified Christ and Salvation by such a one was a great stumbling-block to that people they could not beleeve that he that was Crucified and shamefully intreated at Jerusalem was their Messiah for they expected that their Messiah should bee some great Potentate and that it he did dye as is the opinion of some of the Jews he is to dye yet that he should dye a more glorious death neither could they beleeve that Salvation was attaineable by this Christ therefore saith the Apostle We preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block Christ in this low and suffering condition was a stumbling block now it is observeable that as Christ crucified is called a stumbling block so the Cross is called an offence Gal. 5.11 the one explaining of the other and opening the nature of the other then it the offence of the Cross ceased Secondly That there is an aptness in the world to be offended appears 1 They lye in wait for them and therefore very apt so soon as ever offences arise to take them up 2 A small thing will offend them that man is apt to bee offended that a little thing offends who will be offended at that another easily passeth over now a little a very little thing will offend the world what poor petty offences did the Scribes and Pharisees take up against Christ one while they are offended because hee cureth diseased persons another while because Publicans and Sinners came to hear him preach another while because his Disciples passing through a Corn field plucked a few cars on the Sabbath another while because when they went to meat they did not wash their hands certainly there must bee an aptness to bee offended where such petty things offend 3 They will be offended at good that man is surely apt to take offence that will bee offended at good which all ought to love none to be offended at but the world will Christ preacheth the Gospel a good act the world are offended at that raiseth Lazarus out of his Grave a blessed and glorious act offended at that Paul preached Justification and Salvation by Grace alone a holy blessed doctrine yet the world are offended at that 4 If no offence be given they will make offences rather than not be offended the Pharisees and Priests are offended at Christ because he said destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up Joh. 2.19 yet it is clear they made this offence for they knew his meaning well enough and so soon as he was dead they speake it out This deceiver said after three days I will rise again Mat. 27.63 5 They will take up what may offend them upon easie trust never searching the proofe of it Joh. 7.52 Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet only the report of the vulgar for this 3 That offences are a judgement a real and heavie judgement upon the world there is a woe the world because of these as appears in four or five things 1 The beauty and glory of the ways works truths people of God are thus vailed from the eyes of the world offences are as a scar upon the face though a face may have much beauty yet if there be a scar or scars upon it that obscures the beauty to the eyes of the beholder the ways and works of God have abundance of