mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the upper heavenlies Certainly they are under a prodigious Deception and Delusion who say they have believed ever since they could remember The Apostle expresseth this power put forth upon those that believe by a six-fold gradation 'T is his Power Faith cannot be wrought in the Soul nor wrought out for the Soul by any power short of this power which is the power of God and of the Spirit of God It is his power 'T is the magnitude of his power It is not onely great but also Greatness of power 'T is the supereminent or sublime magnitude of his power 'T is the working of his power 'T is the working of his mighty power 'T is the same power which gave a Resurrection and Ascension to Christ This is the Gradation and 't is an evident one 't is an eminent one 't is an excellent one When they called upon Spira to believe he replied it was as impossible as to drink up the Sea at one draught It is saith he as possible to keep the Moral Law as to believe for 't is natural to work for Life but supernatural to believe for Life It s Object The Object of this Faith is the Person of Christ The Person of Christ is the Object of this Gospel-Faith That he might be just Rom. 3.26 and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus But the Greek thus That he might be just and justifying him who is of the Faith of Jesus That is who is of the number of those that renounce all confidence by their own works and believe onely in the Person of Christ for Salvation 'T is not the Light within that is the Object of Faith as some say 'T is not the Church that is the Object of Faith as others assert with great confidence 'T is one thing to believe the Church and another thing to believe in the Church The Church may be believed but Christ must be believed in Neither is the Pope who looks like the Reuben of the God of this world the Object of Faith Clark's Martyr 147. though in the Maryan-days the Sheriff told one Carver at the Stake Except thou believest in the Pope thou art damned both Body and Soul Mrs. Lewis 191. A Bishop also told one in the same days If thou believest no more than is in the Scripture thou art in a damnable condition God is the proper Object of Repentance Christ is the proper Object of Faith Acts 20.21 Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the mediate Object of Faith God is the ultimate Object of Faith 1 Pet. 1.21 Who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God This also is the Doctrine of Christ Joh. â—4 1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Ye believe in God as a Father believe also in me as a Saviour as a Sacrifice as a Satisfier as a Surety It s Essence Hereby there is a Reception of Christ The very Essence of Gospel-Faith if I mistake not lies in receiving this Person of Christ in all his Offices A Gift is received by the Hand Faith is the Soul's Hand Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name Christ is received by Faith and not onely received into the Head but also received into the Heart Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Thus Christ dwelleth by his Spiritual presence and by his gracious Influence Col. 2.6 As ye therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Here is a Reception of Christ in all his Offices received Christ Jesus the Lord. These three Christ Jesus Lord are often put together We preach not our selves 2 Cor. 4 5. but Christ Jesus the Lord. Thus Paul in his Benedictions useth at least seventeen times these words 1 Cor. 1.3 ch 15.23 2 Cor. 1.1 ch ult ult Gal. 1.1 ch ult ult Ephes 1.1 Phil. 1.1 ch ult ult Col. 1.1 1 Thes 1.1 ch ult ult 2 Thes 1.2 ch ult ult 1 Tim. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.2 Tit. 1.4 This Reception makes the Union herein lies the very Essence of the Faith of the Gospel Christ is received in all his Offices Prophetical Sacerdotal and Regal as the Churches Prophet Priest and Prince Of these suffer a distinct discussion Christ is the Churches Prophet The Church hath had many Prophets but Christ by way of Emphasis Eminency and Excellency was the Prophet Moses in Old-Testament times was the Cheiftain of the Prophets leading the first Ranks John the Baptist in New-Testament times was also the Chieftain of the Prophets leading the last Ranks Moses leads the Van and John brings up the Rear of the Prophets but both these gave the wall to Christ as the Prince of Prophets Thus Moses did Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things Acts 3.22 23. whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to pass that every soul every person whether upon the Throne or upon the Threshold in his Robes or in his Raggs that will not hear that self-same Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as Moses so John gave the wall to Christ Joh. 1.29 30. John seeing Jesus coming unto him saith Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Every word hath its Emphasis and is Emphatical Behold the Lamb of God Christ was a Lamb in passion but a Lion in Resurrection a Lamb suffering death but a Lion in rising from death The Lion of the Tribe of Judah Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin the Root original and the Branch actual sin which taketh away the sin of the world But where doth John give the wall to Jesus that followeth This is he of whom I said after me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me Though he appears now without worldly grandeur and glory yet he is incomparably more excellent than I am Job 36.22 Well did Elihu say Who teacheth like him The words are a divine Challenge Who teacheth like him Bring forth the Man yea bring forth the Angel if ye can but ye cannot that teacheth like unto God or Christ Christ is the Churches Priest He is a Priest over the House of God Heb. 10.21 Of his Priestly Office there are two parts his Oblation and Intercession His Oblation As he was the Lamb in Effigie Heb. 9.14 provided for a burnt-offering so He through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to
not as 't is for a Painter to draw a Picture in the Fire Did any one in that day believe at the rate that Mordecai did If thou at this time in holding thy peace Esth 4.14 holdest thy peace then shall respiration and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place Because it doth things impossible What is impossible to other things is possible to Faith Mark 9.23 All things are possible to him that believeth Now to see things invisible to hope things incredible to do things impossible these were Luthers wonders and are mine and may be thine But lest any should make a God of Faith I shall Subjoin this I do not take the Act without the Object not the Act of believing Heb. 12.2 without Christ the Object of Faith for as he is the Author of it so he is the Actor of it and as he is the Communicator of it so he is the Consummator of it Now if this be true that there is such a thing as a Gospel-Faith and this Faith be a great Faith then wonder not at that divine imposition of that divine duty of self examination universally incumbent upon true believers Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 Here is a Duty and a Direction A Duty Examine your selves Here ye have the Act and the Object The Act. Examine 'T is very significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word which is the first root signifieth to pierce thorough Now the word here to examine coming of it signifieth to make or to take Trial because by piercing thorough a thing it is tryed what it is within whether sound or no. Examine me oh Lord Psal 26.2 and prove me try my reins and my heart The Object Your selves That is your Souls Only take heed to thy self Deut. 4.9 and keep thy Soul diligently Here Self and Soul are the same in sense though not in Sound The Direction Whether ye be in the Faith or whether the Faith be in you Whether your Gold be not Dross Isa 5.24 whether your Silver be not Tin whether your Root be not Rottenness Come now to the Test to the Trial to the Touchstone examine thy Soul whether thou beest in the Faith But how shall I know whether I be in the Faith Qu. 1. how shall I know that I have Faith how shall I know that my Faith will go into vision when my time goeth into eternity Where there is Faith there is Love Sol. 1. Faith and Love do grow upon the same Tree which is the Spirit Faith and Love like Rebecca's Twins goe hand in hand Gal. 5.6 But Faith which worketh by Love Bellarmine Faith is not wrought by Charity as one perverteth this Text for then it will follow that Love by which Faith is wrought must needs be before Faith but Faith worketh by Love Though Faith be not Loves parent yet Love is Faiths partner The Soul that hath a Faith of the right Stamp hath also a Love of the same Stamp now this is a love to Christ a love to those that are Christs a love to those that are not Christs and a love to the Ordinances of Christ Those in the Faith have a Love to Christ Where there is Faith in the Person of Christ John 21.17 there is Love to the personal excellency of Christ Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Christ having asked Peter lovest thou me more than these v. 15. Lovest thou me more than thy nets more than thy Fishes more than thy Friends that are about thee Lovest thou me more than these more than thou lovest these or more than these love me Peter being asked of the measure of his Love answered only as to the Truth of it and being asked of the Quantity of it answered only as to the Quality of it that it was of the right Stamp and had his own Superscription upon it Peter will not be his own Judge but refers it to his Lord and Master to sit in Judgment upon it Lord thou knowest all things Can. 3.3 thou knowest that I love thee This is a Soul-Love Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Those in the Faith have a Love to those that are Christs He that loveth the Father loveth also the Child 1 Jo. 5.1 for the Fathers sake He that loveth Jonathan loveth also Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him And not only this Child or that Child but also every Child Col. 1.4 must be loved for the Fathers sake Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of the love which ye have to all the Saints Those in the Faith have a Love to those that are not Christs The cry of these under their retirements is Lord that not only this Husband or this Wife or this Child or this Servant but also this Neighbour who is an Enemy to Christ and the Call of Christ an Enemy to Christ and the Cause of Christ an Enemy to Christ and the Crown of Christ Mat. 5.44.46 were in Christ had Faith in the person of Christ Love your enemies If ye love them which love you what reward have ye Those in the Faith have a Love to the Ordinances of Christ There 's a Love to the Church for Christs sake a Love to the Pool for the Angels sake a Love to the Cabinet for the Jewels sake a Love to the Stream for the Fountains sake a Love to the Gallery for the Kings sake a Love to the Field for the Pearls sake Those that have met with God and Christ under Ordinances can as well tell how to be without Bread Job 23.12 as to be without Ordinances I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food That man is defective in his prudentials that thinks to keep up the Fire by withdrawing the Fewel He is under a great Temptation at least not without great Corruption that thinks to grow in Grace under the neglect of means Is Abstinence from meat the way to get Strength A man would think that none but Bedlamites should assert this 'T is the tree planted by the rivers of water Psa 1.3 that bringeth forth fruit in his season 'T is the Soul that wades in Sanctuary-waters that is a Cedar in Lebanon and a green Olive in the house of God Psa 42.1 2. May the sweet singer of Israel speak As the Heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee Oh God! My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God He that to day turneth his back upon the Ordinances of God may to morrow turn his back upon the God of Ordinances Where there is Faith there is also a train of good works A Believer is not to be a Loyterer but a Labourer
Peripatetick Great Corruptions call for a great Faith As there are great Services great Sufferings great Promises great Providences great Temptations and all these call for a great Faith so more than all most of all worst of all there are great Corruptions which also call for a great Faith Corruption is the Sting this is the evil of evils the plague of plagues the poison of poisons There are Achans within to be stoned to death Sauls within to fall upon the point of the Sword of the Spirit There are Agag's within to be cut in pieces There are Goliahs within to be destroyed the Sons of Zerviah within that are to be subdued and these call for a great Faith Pro. 20.9 Was that Question ever answered Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my Sin Ah Soul look within and see new worlds of Sin now do not these call for a great Faith May it not be said of Sin Malum complexum what is said of War to be a Complex and a complicated Evil As there is the nature of Sin so there is the sin of the Nature And doth not this call for a great Faith As there is no Sin in Grace so there is no Grace in Sin Sin is evil all evil Sin is so bad that we cannot call it worse than it is It s name is Evil. Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me As there is the evil of Suffering so there is the evil of Sin and this is the worst Evil. But as the name of Sin is evil so the nature of Sin is evil Rom. 7.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Or that Sin by the Commandment might appear hyperbolically sinful Or according to the Greek that Sin by the Commandment might appear a Sinner unto an Hyperbole Now doth not this call for a great Faith Sin is a darkning of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God a wounding of the Soul of Man And doth not this call for a great Faith Is there a Day without Clouds A Moon without Spots A Garden without Weeds A House without Rubbish A Soul without Sin A Heart without Leaven Now doth not this call for a great Faith They look like perfect Strangers to their own Hearts who pretend unto a personal Perfection Paul was cried up for an earthly Angel Rom 7.17 yet not without Sin 'T is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me There is but one thing in all the World that is the object of God's abhorrence that makes Man truly miserable that caused the Maker of Man to repent of Man's making that necessitates Mercy that called for Christ's Sufferings and caused Tears to stand in his Eyes that God looks upon with a vindictive Eye that Christ came to destroy that made Angels Devils that makes a Hell within and that is Sin Now doth not this call for a great Faith CHAP. IV. Of a little and a weak Faith AS there is a great and a strong Faith so there is a little and a weak Faith Why are ye fearful Mat. 8.26 oh ye of little faith I would not discourage an Infant-Faith That God who bids us receive him that is weak in the Faith will not himself reject him but God bids us receive him that is weak in the Faith Rom. 14.1 Fides periculis secura securitate periclitatur Aug. Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations By one that is weak in the Faith the Apostle may mean a young Convert a Babe in Christ or a Person not sufficiently instructed concerning the Use of things indifferent Though thy Faith be not grown to a Cedar if it be a Shrub or a bruised Reed 't is too good to be broken A weak Faith may lay hold upon a strong Christ A Palsical hand may tie the knot in Marriage 'T is con-natural unto Man to desire Salvation rather under the notion of Doing than of Believing Dream not of the same Favour with Saints unless thou hast the same Faith with Saints but 't is Faith of the same Stamp not of the same Stature the same as to Quality though not as to Quantity the same as to Truth though not as to Degree A spark of Fire is true Fire the Furnace is no more A Drop of Water is true Water the Ocean is no more Now as a little Fire may be true Fire and a little Water true Water so a little Faith may be true Faith But how shall I know that I have true Faith Qu. I fear my Silver is Tin my Gold is Dross my Faith is Fancy Ah! I fear that my Faith is not a true but a false Faith How shall I know a true Faith from a false Faith That 's the Question A true Faith goeth not alone Sol. 1. As it is said 't is not good that Man should be alone so it may be said that Faith is not good that is alone The Leper under the Law was to dwell alone but true Faith goeth not alone 'T is written Wo to him that is alone so Wo to that Person whose Faith is alone Unless a corn of Wheat falleth into the Ground and dieth it abideth alone thus Faith if it hath not Works is dead Jam. 2.17 being alone or by it self so the Greek A false Faith goeth alone an Hypocrite speaks of his Faith when his Works are speechless or speak nothing but Unbelief An Hypocrite is all Creed but no Commandment he saith he believeth but continueth in Sin 'T is a false not a true Faith that goeth alone A true Faith hath a train of good Works Jam. 2.18 Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works A true Faith hath a true Object A false Faith hath a false Object an Hypocrite believeth the lying Vision of his own Heart but a true Faith hath a true Object this hath the Person of Christ for Object a Christ in all his Offices as the Churches Prophet Priest Acts 16.31 and Prince Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved A true Faith is not easily come by A false Faith is easily had this Faith Mark 4 5. is like the Seed in the Parable which sprung up suddenly 't is without Convictions and Heart-woundings Though there may be many Convictions without out Conversion yet is there any Conversion without Convictions It may be said to a Person that hath a false Faith concerning his faith as Isaac did to his Son concerning his Venison Son how camest thou by thy Venison so soon So Soul how camest thou by thy Faith so soon Hast not been wading in the Waters of Marah and of Meribah and yet hast faith Hast not been sailing by the Gates of Hell and yet
hast faith Have there been no Pains nor Pangs and yet hast faith This faith may have the stamp of a Caesar but it hath not the stamp of a Christ upon it A true Faith is hardly come by it cost many Prayers and many Tears this spiritual Infant is not born without Pains Pangs When Peter had told the House of Israel that God had made that same Jesus whom they Crucified Acts 2.36 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leigh both Lord and Christ the Text saith They were pricked in their Heart The word signifieth to Rent Vex and Wound punctually even the least part and point of the Heart as if the sharpest points of many empoysoned Daggers in the severest manner had been fastned in their Hearts Now Soul hath thy faith a Train of good Works Hath it Christ for Object Did it cost thee dear Then 't is a true Faith though a little Faith A true Faith hath two Hands A false Faith hath but one Hand An Hypocrite would take Christ but not give up himself to Christ An Hypocrite would take Christ by way of Surety but not give up himself to Christ by way of Surrender but now a true Faith though it be but a little Faith takes Christ as a Saviour and submits unto Christ as a Soveraign True faith can say to Christ Rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies Psal 110.2 Not only in the midst of thine Enemies without but also in the midst of thine Enemies within Now Soul art as willing to be sanctified by Christ as to be saved by Christ As willing to be crucified with Christ as to be crowned with Christ Then thy faith though a little Faith is a true Faith A true Faith dreads not Trial. An honest Man is not afraid of the Bar. A false Faith dreads a coming to the Test to the Trial to the Touchstone An Hypocrite is like a Man that hath stoln Goods in his House the Man is unwilling that his House should be searched the Hypocrite is unwilling that his Heart should be searched but true Faith will come to the Trial. Psal 26.2 Examine me O Lord and prove me try my Reins and my Heart A true Faith will live in a Storm A false Faith will die in a Storm an Hypocrite is like those Hearers that had no Root Luk. 8.13 which for a time believed but in time of Temptation fell away When a Storm or Showr of Blood came their Faith died but true Faith will live in a Storm Col. 2.6 7. for as it hath Christ for Object so it hath Christ for Root Now Soul doth not thy Faith dread the Test and will it live in a Storm Then though a little 't is a true Faith But to conclude this first Section suffer the words of Exhortation Art not in Christ Come then to Christ. Art not in Christ Come then to Christ Joh. 8.24 or go to Hell If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins If ye die in your Sins ye will be Damned for your Sins Art out of Christ 'T is a wonder to me and may be to Thee that thou art out of Hell Art in Christ Welcome then two words Multiply Cries through Christ unto Christ for more Faith Luk 17.5 The Apostles said unto the Lord increase our faith Drink of the Brook by the way and lift up thy Head He that believeth Acts 13.39 is justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses The Compendium Versified PRose into Poem comes to welcome Those In Poem that no welcom found in Prose Faith subject is this leads the Van of Grace This goeth first within the Churches Race Faith subject is But what 's a Gospel-faith 'T is Heaven's Gift as one most truly saith The Spirit 's Fruit the Essence of it lies In taking Christ as sacred Truth complies On Gospel-terms which Terms are freely free In all his Offices now these are three Christ Jesus Lord who first and ever since Hath been the Churches Prophet Priest and Prince Thus taking there must be there also must Be resting solely by this mortal Dust On Jesus Christ the Lord for Grace and Glory This sweetly doth comport with Sacred Story If Faith then Love tho not about Romances To Christ and Christ's the Christless Ordinances A Gospel-faith 't is great 't is strong I see Its Symptoms also may appear to Thee No Famine fears this Faith but Christ doth take Without a l'awn and Earnings of him make In Famine Christ to great Faith is a Feast A Fragment is with Christ a Dish at least It s Logick also doth Conclusions make Of Light in Darkness Life in Death awake 'T is steady stedfast too let none controul Not shaken out though shaken in the Soul This swims ' gainst Wind and Tide it progress makes Bears great Delays and no Denial takes Great Act'on Pass'on Promises and all Great Providences Tempting Sinning call For Gospel-faith timely to take the Wall Which cannot stoop unto a final Fall Lend both Ears now and hear for Jesus saith Oh Woman great is thy Prophetick Faith THough Faith be little may it not be true A Spark and Drop the Fire and Water shew He teacheth well that doth distinguish well Now real Faith from false may Mortals tell True Faith of good Works hath a lovely Train Its Object 's true it costeth dear again It hath two Hands it dreadeth not a Test It liveth in a Storm that 's better best Art not in Christ Go then to him or go To Tophet dying unto endless Wo. But art in Christ beg down more of this Grace Be joyous also running of thy Race From all things hath a Surety freed Thee That Moses Law could not a Sinner free As there 's a great so there 's a little Faith In sacred Scripture this Jehovah saith SECTION II. Of HOPE CHAP. I. Whether there be a Gospel-Hope and what this Gospel-Hope is AS there is a Gospel-Faith so there is a Gospel-Hope Faith is the Christians Logick Hope is the Christians Rhetorick Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schools Hope is compared to a Captain in the Wars Though there may be a difference between Faith and Hope in respect of Subject in respect of Object in respect of Office and in respect of Order yet as there is a Gospel-Faith so there is a Gospel-Hope Now as a Gospel-Faith so a Gospel-Hope hath a various acception and acceptation in the sacred Scripture By Hope sometimes understand Faith Be ready always to give an answer to every Man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness 1 Pet. 3.15 and fear By Hope here understand Faith Faith as to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Gospel If the Glory of God and the good of those that ask a reason of Faith as to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Gospel be concerned otherwise we are not to cast
good is the Object of Hope Though God or Christ be the immediate Object of hope yet there are subordinate Objects of hope as the Word of God and the good things of God yea all the good things of God relating to this life and that which is to come But this Good which is the Object of Hope must be promised good all promised good In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Or rather Tit. 1.2 from the beginning of ages Gen. 3.15 in that famous promise of the blessed seed Non ab aeterno sed ante multa saecula Grotius Not from eternity saith one but before all ages As there is a Hope by which we lay hold which is the Grace or Act of Hope so there is a Hope upon which we lay hold which is the Good for which we hope the Object of hope God himself and all the good things which he hath promised This hope may be considered two wayes for the grace acting in us or for some promised good upon which the grace acts If therefore we take promised good to be the object of hope then it falls under a two fold Notion Hope looks at that which is good No man ever did or can hope for that which is evil of it self or to him if it appears so to be though many have hoped for that which is indeed so and hath proved so to them in the event and issue Hope hath for it's Object some good future and possible Future Hope springeth from the apprehension of some good that is to come The Object of Hope is some future good but the Act of Hope is a present good and that is present pay to bear our charges in waiting 'T is a future good that is Hopes Object not something had but something to have not something in Hand but something in Heaven yea especially Heaven it self for as Christ is the Object of Faith and Christians the Objects of Love so Heaven is the Object of Hope For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven The Object of Hope is a future good for that which a man hath already in his possession or doth already enjoy he cannot be said to hope for Enjoyment swallows up hope or rather perfects it Thus the Apostle argues Rom. 8.24.25 Not saved Ro but Spe. we are saved by hope Not by the Grace or Act of Hope but we look for salvation promised and for salvation to be performed What follows but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for but if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Possible As future so possible good is the Object of Hope 'T is some possible good or such a good as we have good grounds to attain for impossibilities are rather the Object of Despair than of Hope Now that is a possible good which is a promised good for the Apostle having asserted a hope laid up in Heaven connecteth and connexeth this Col. 1.5 whereof ye have heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel Whatsoever God hath laid under promise is possible and attainable now what good is it that is for the good of those actually his that is not laid and left under promise That Heaven into which all will run as all the rivers run into the Ocean is under promise Fear not little-little flock so the Greek for it is your fathers good pleasure to give the Kingdom Luke 12.32 True faith is rooted in the promise and fruited with peace A believer hath something in hope though little in hand much in the promise though little in his purse The Cause of it The mercy of the Father and the merit of the Son Free-grace is the moving cause the Action and Passion of Christ the meritorious cause Free-grace is the moving cause of this Gospel-Hope Free-grace is the wheel that sets all a going in the Heart Primum mobile yea the wheel that sets all a going in Heaven All good is from God and is an Act of his Free-grace May the Apostle speak Every good gift the temporal and smaller and every perfect gift spiritual and greater is from above and cometh down from the father of lights Jam. 1.7 with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning The active and passive obedience of Christ is the meritorious cause of this Gospel-hope As all this promised good is grounded upon the mercy of the Father so upon the merit of the Son The Socinians say that Christ dyed only as an Example that he did not satisfie divine Justice by his active and passive obedience Are not many not only breathing the Veins but also letting out the Vitals and bleeding to death this blessed and sacred truth that Christ by his active and passive obedience hath given satisfaction to the Father for all given unto him by the Father If God be reconciled certainly then he is satisfied but God is reconciled Reconciled to God but how Rom. 5.10 thorough the death of his Son There was a concurrence of Christs active and passive obedience in order to Satisfaction and Salvation There must be the Action of Christ A Christ must do Man would be doing though it was to his undoing for he sinned against a negative precept and did that which was prohibited The Woman gave unto me and I did eat Now as Man would do so Christ must do as Man did that which was prohibited so Christ must do that which is imposed I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17.4 Christ for His hath exactly answered what the Law perfectly required Christ hath fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for his and Christ is fulfilling the righteousness of the Gospel in his It is written that when Christ had upon the Cross received the Vinegar John 19.30 he said It is finished Now the Prophesies of him were finished saith one Aug. Now his pilgrimage and the wrath of God were finished saith another Chrysist Now the Jewish Law and Sacrifice was at an end saith a third Jansenius Here is the Action of a Christ There must be the passion of Christ A Christ must dye As there must be his active so there must be his passive obedience As Christ did so Christ dyed and so satisfyed Is not Redemption a Good a great Good a Soul Good This is by Christ Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption thorough his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Man had sinned God was offended and would be satisfied the same way that he was offended that is by the Sinner or by the Surety by the Person or by the Proxie by the Creature or by Christ Now 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God That he might bring God down to
Stumbling-blocks in the way of others Live then and dye in the Act 1 Thes 4.13 and exercise of Hope What the Apostle saith concerning the resurrection I would not have you sorrow even as others which have no hope is also true concerning other things Do not carry it in the world and before the world as those who have no hope Do not dishonour your master by pangs of pannick and forbidden fear Should it not have been below a David a man after Gods own heart a person of that worth and weight to say I shall one day fall by the hands of this Saul Did not David fear many Philistines and doth he now fear one Saul Did God say that David should outlive Saul and doth David say that he shall dye before Saul I have so mewhere read of a Salutation and a Replication between a Ruffian and a poor man The Ruffian meeting him weeping as he was going saluted him thus what weeping still but what if there be no Heaven to compensate this weeping The poor man replied Ah Sir but what if there be a Hell for those that weep not The Salutation was bad but the Replication was good I beg pardon if I make this Use 't is connatural unto man to run into extreams and excesses but this I preach and press that there may be Tunes of Joy with Tones of Sorrow in those that have Christ for the Object of their Hope that they would be taking a prospect of the bright side and not be altogether poring on the dark side of the Cloud As sorrowful 2 Cor. 6.10 yet always rejoycing He brings in the sorrow of the godly with an AS saith Anselm not that it is sorrow indeed Quasi but as sorrowful as if it were a painted Sorrow not true Sorrow but when he speaks of Joy there is no as but true Joy The Design is this while ye who have Christ for the Object of your Hope are looking downward be also looking upward and while ye are in the reflection of what ye are in your Selves be also in the reflection of what ye are in your Surety for he is the Object of your Hope that ye may not be Stumbling-blocks in the way of others Would ye be secured when the Winds are prodigious and the waves are impetuous Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of hope When the winds rise and the Waves roar the Anchor is cast to secure the Ship The Apostle discoursing and discussing two immutable things the promise of God and the Oath of God in which it was impossible for God to lie Heb. 6.17 18 19. that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us connecteth and connexeth this which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul A material Anchor is cast downward but a mystical Anchor is cast upward and fastned in Heaven Our Hope must enter into Heaven and fix there The best of the Earth is not ground good enough nor sure enough for our Anchor-hold Whatsoever we make our Hope we make our God and is there any thing on Earth good enough to be our God Creatures from the Instinct of Nature will seek a Refuge upon the approach of a Storm Do the Heavens gather will it rain before night Is there a showr of blood impending Ark then in a Christ and Anchor upon a Christ Act thorough Christ hope upon a Christ who is the Object of a Gospel-Hope Would ye be under a distinguishing and dignifying Character Live then and die in the Act and exercise of Hope As some have been under a debasing Character thus Ahaz was This is that wicked Ahaz Thus Ahab was Ahab sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of God whom Jezebel his Wife stirred up Thus Jeroboam was He did evil above all that were before him Thus Abijam was He walked in all the sins of his Father Persons and places might be multiplied in order to the evincement of this that some have been under a debasing Character but others have been under a dignifying Character Thus Moses was for God himself preacheth his funeral Sermon Moses my servant is dead Thus David was I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my own heart who shall fulfil all my wills Thus Jacob was He went unto a Duty a Jacob and prayer he went from that Duty an Israel and prevailer Thus Job was his passion is buried under his Patience and his Infirmity under his Grace Ye have heard of the patience of Job Thus Abraham was He is cried up as the Father of the Faithful who against hope Rom. 4.18 believed in hope He believed against hope of Sense and Reason he believed in hope of Gods Word and Power as appeareth by the Antithesis He believed above the hope of man and under the hope of God who calleth things that are not as though they were Would ye sweeten all your Bitters Live then and die in the Act and exercise of hope 'T is very connatural unto professors and possessors of Christ to rack their Thoughts to dig their own Graves to imbitter their Sweets to live like persons in the Tombs to take their Turns in Bochim and to pitch their Tents in the Valley of Baca by an Anticipation of providences Num. 24.23 Who shall live when God doth this saith Balaam Thus Manoah said to his Wife Jud. 13.22 we shall surely die Why Because we have seen God Thus persons are apt to take wrong measures and to misconstrue the providences of God Are not many ready to say how insignificant are all the Detections and Disapointments and Defeats that the God of Gods hath brought upon the People of his Curse We are all like to be concerned in a common calamity But now interposeth a Gospel-Hope with another Dialect and saith meliora spero I hope better things had God determined Destruction he would not have given us these Pledges for future Deliverance by indulging a Nation such Detections and Disappointments and Defeats Will not God distinguish between Goshen and Egypt between Sion and Sodom between Beth-el and Beth-aven between Isralites and Ishmalites between the inward and the outward Court I hope better things Hope in the worst of times looketh for better times Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Though God should make a Thrust at me and this Thrust should be mortal yet He shall be the Object of my Hope Would ye have a formal Plea at the Throne of Grace against enemies without and within too Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of Hope To these distinctly and concisely Would ye have a formal Plea at the Throne of Grace against enemies without Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of Hope Those who have a Gospel-Hope have enemies without open and close It was the common saying of an Emperour Leo Isaurus Inimici occulti
3. A love to the World Page 107. 2 Moral Reduced to four heads Page 113. 1. Magisterial 2. Parental 3. Conjugal 4. Spiritual Page 116. Qu. But what is this Gospel-Love Page 118. Sol. A Description of it in its 1. Nature 2. Original 3. Soil Page 119 c. 4 Object Chap. 2. How this personal Excellency of Christ appears that is the proper Object of this Gospel-Love Page 126. Christ is excellent in Page 129 c. 1. Name 2. Nature 3. Love 4. Light 5. Wisdom 6. Wealth 7. Counsel 8. Comfort 9. Conduct 10. Power Page 134 c. Chap. 3. Inferences from a Gospel-Love Inf 1. The Lover of Christ hath much in Reversion Page 138. Qu. 1. But what is this Crown under promise for the Lovers of Christ Page 140. Sol This Crown is called 1. An Inheritance 2. The joy of the Lord. 3. The Kingdom 4. The Crown of Life 5. The Crown of Righteousness Page 143. Thus under a two fold notion 1. Ex parte Dei 3. Ex parte Rei 6. A Crown of Glory Qu. 2. But why shall those have a Crown with a Christ hereafter that have a Cross for a Christ here Page 144. In a four fold respect 1. The Father 2. The Son Because he hath 1. Prepared this 2. Prayed for this Page 145 c. 3. Promised this 3. In respect of the Saint Page 148. Ob. 1 Ah but my Temptations are many Sol. More loved by Christ than hated by Satan Page 149 c. Ob. 2. Ah but my Tribulations are many Sol. 1. All things shall work together for thy good 2. Suffer but a while thou hast but a while to suffer 3. The last Dish will be the best Ob. 3. Ah but my Corruptions are many Sol. Sorrow not as one without hope Ob. 4. Ah but I question whether Christ loves me Sol. Dost thou love Christ then Christ loveth Thee Page 151. Ob. 5. Ah but I question whether I love Christ The Symbols of a Love that is right and real 'T is Page 152 c. 1. Jealous 2. Cordial 3. Uncessant 4. Loyal 5. Expansive 6. Expensive 7. Expressive 8. Sociable 9. Submissive 10. Superlative Inf. 2. Thy Vote must be given for Christ and his Church Page 161. Inf. 3. Christ must be loved or the Soul must be damned Page 164. There are three things indispensably necessary in order to a living well doing well dying well Page 165 c. 1. Repentance 2. Faith 3. Love Page 172 173. The Marrow of the Prose in Poem The Author to the Reader AH little Tract what will become of thee From City thou mayst unto Countrey flee But if for Sea thou settest sail this craves That Heaven saves thee from the Winds Waves Alexius the man was such an Ass More than a Monster doth a Looking-Glass A Book did hate On Caesar therefore look Who lost a Robe that he might save a Book For Money solely Aristippus looks But solely Plato looked after Books Books Blessings are and blessed are the Books To blessed Man that for a Blessing looks The Bible is the Book of Books 't is true Consisting of old Testament and new This firstly read and mostly also look In order sometimes in this little Book Well may I say when under Heavens Gale What Parity between a Shrimp and Whale No Parity between a single Sand And all the rest that are upon the Land What is a Spark unto the Furnace yea What is a Drop to a tremendous Sea But obvi'us 't is unto a seeing Eye That there 's a far greater Disparity Between a sinless God and sinful Man Who is a Wink of Life his Dayes a Span Man finite is but infinite is God Who into Solace turns a smarting Rod VVHo Comforts Crosses make but also can Make Crosses Comforts unto saved Man Faith Hope and Love the Subjects are too high For him that hath a Film upon his eye Ah what 's a Muscle-shell can lapsed Man With this exhaust the bounded Ocean His Line 's too short this Bottom for to sound He lets it down but cannot find the ground Come Reader now and prospect take of mine Then take thine own for longer may be thine Faith Hope and Love grand Graces are all three But longest-lifed is the last I see Faith Hope and Love are lovely Graces which A Moment-Man so rarely do enrich A Beggar yea a Bankrupt is a Man Worth nothing worse than nothing if he can Be without Faith Hope Love grand Graces all Whose Objects have been ever since the Fall Christ Heaven Saints these of all Sizes and Of Sexes also all at Sea at Land Ah little Babe it may be thou wilt find Some Friends though many Foes that are unkind My prayer is Friends care of thee will take Both for thine own and for thy Fathers sake Now Reader come take taste and also eat Here is much Broath but here 's a little meat Go little Book and with thee also go The greatest God and Good to Friend and Foe Halelu-jah THE Grace of Faith Section I. Of Faith CHAP. I. Whether there be such a thing as a Gospel-Faith 'T IS said if a man hath lost his Religion he may seek it in Poland and be sure to find it or conclude that it is banished yea vanished out of the world The Father of Lights hath made England the Region of Religion the Land of Goshen the Valley of Vision yet if we go to many places and converse many persons we shall not find a Gospel-Faith as if it had taken the wing and sought another Climate Ens Entium Deus est colendus Some Philosophers could hit upon a Being of Beings somewhat like the first Commandment Upon a God to be worshipped somewhat like the second Commandment They accounted Vows and Oaths sacred somewhat like the third Commandment They had some superstitious Feasts in resemblance of the fourth Commandment And as for the second Table Honour Parents Steal not Whore not Kill not Lye not Covet not they could with open mouth declaim against these though the spiritual part of these was too sublime for them Now Faith is the grand Commandment of the Gospel 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandment that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ But they were so far from finding out this that they contemptuously called the Christians Credentes Believing Ones as if their Faith had been their Absurdity whereas God calleth all such absurd that have not Faith That we may be delivered from unreasonable absurd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek and wicked men for all men have not Faith I would now assert beyond all modest contradiction that there is such a thing as the Faith of the Gospel Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel Faith and Repentance they are Twins of Grace they lay in the same womb of Free-Grace And as they lay in the womb together so they come into the world together But as Esau got
the start of Jacob and came first into the world so Faith as it appears to me seemeth to get the start of Repentance and is first in the Soul Faith is first in Act but Repentance is first in Sight God hath joined Faith and Repentance together woe to those who put them asunder They who either believe without repenting or repent without believing do neither believe nor repent That there is the Faith of the Gospel is evident May Peter speak he was the great Doctor of the Circumcision and a good Orator That the Gentiles by my mouth might hear the word of the Gospel and believe 'T is true if we look with both eyes upon most men and their Manners we may easily conclude that they are strangers to this Faith yet there is such a thing as the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 May Paul also speak He was the great Doctor of the Uncircumcision who spake with Tongues more than they all and had a great command of Rhetorick Striving together for the Faith of the Gospel The words are metaphorical taken from Wrestlers who strive for the Mastery or for the Crown they did put themselves in hazard for the defence of the Gospel CHAP. II. What this Gospel-Faith is 'T IS connatural unto man Qui benè distinguit benè docet to out-bid himself I would know nothing by my self but my sin yet he that distinguisheth well teacheth well I would not take the wall of those pious and prudent laborious and learned Divines Cedars of Lebanon that have gone before me upon this Subject Prov. 31.31 whose works praise them in the Gates that died in the Lord have rested from their labours Rev. 14.13 and whose works have followed them in a way of mercy though not in a way of merit Nor would I be ambitious were they living to go by their side yet suffer me to cast in my mite for great hath been the Controversie between Protestants and Papists yea between Protestants themselves wherein the Essence of a Gospel-Faith lies As there is an hypocritical or temporal Faith so there is a dogmatical or historical Faith Luk. 8.13 Acts 24.14 as Divines call it There is Faith and there is the Assurance of Faith there is the Faith of Affiance and there is the Faith of Assurance there is the direct and there is the reflect Act of Faith I shall therefore engage as I am more or less indulged the Gales and Gusts of the Spirit the direct Act of Faith the Faith of Affiance the Seed of Grace which is incorruptible and durable may for a time lie under clods and clots There may be Grace where there is no Peace and Faith where there is no Assurance Yea the Tenure of Grace and Peace is not alwaies the same but as to Peace God can and that in a moment if we sin against him turn our Heaven upon Earth into a Hell upon Earth But Quest what then is this direct Act of Faith what then is this Faith of Affiance what then is this Gospel-Faith Gospel-Faith is the Gift of God Sol. and Fruit of the Spirit of God whereby there is upon Gospel-terms a Reception of Christ Jesus the Lord and a Recumbency upon him solely for salvation This Definition of the Faith of Affiance Def. suggesteth a reflection of six things as considerable Remarks and Ingredients indispensably necessary in order to its Constitution its Pedegree its Object its Essence its Act its Rule and its End It s Pedegree Gospel-Faith is the Gift of God and Fruit of the Spirit of God Gospel-Faith is the Gift of God Faith is not a Native but a Donative By grace ye are saved through Faith Eph. 2.8 and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Here is the mercy and that is Salvation here is the motive and that is Grace here is the medium and that is Faith By grace ye are saved through Faith but this Faith is not of your selves it is the gift of God Though Faith be in us yet it is not of us it is the gift of God Lapsed Man hath lost his Freedom of Will to Good This Man hath no Freedom of Will to that which is truly good but what is wrought by Free-Grace The two Poles will as soon meet as Free-Grace and Free-Will in the Justification of a Sinner before God I could readily Seal the saying of One who laying his hand upon his breast Dr. Hill Firmin's Real Christian p. 26. Non Gratia est ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo said Every true Convert hath something here that will draw an Argument against an Arminian As the Habit of Faith so the Act of Faith is the gift of God Faith is an Out-landish Plant and of a divine Extract Faith is not a slip growing in our own Garden but a heaven-born Grace What is freer than gift Now the Act as well as the Habit of Faith is given It is given yea according to the Greek freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or graciously given unto you in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe Phil. 1.29 but also to suffer for his sake That is 't is given with all freeness imaginable yea with an uninimaginable freeness for 't is Grace no way unless it be free every way 2. Gospel-Faith is the Fruit of the Spirit of God Faith that 's the Fruit Gal. 5.22 the Spirit that 's the Tree The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith Here is variety this that and the other Grace Here is also rarity Here is Faith and Love the top-fruit of the Tree Vices end in themselves but Virtues abound with fruit 'T is called the Fruit of the Spirit because originally from the Spirit as the Fruit is from the Tree As all Light meets in the Sun as all the Creatures met in the Ark as the Members meet in the Body as all the Branches meet in the Tree and as all the Lines meet in the Center so all Power meets in the Spirit and concenters there 'T is therefore called the work of faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 Power is as inseparable an Adjunct of the Spirit as the Light of the Sun and the Heat of the Fire it can no more be severed from it than the Soul from the Body whilst a living Organ 'T is a Faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 'T is the operation of God because wrought by the Spirit of God Yea there is a power exerted in the working of this Faith aequivalent unto and aequipollent with that power which gave a Resurrection unto Christ Jesus To this the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 1.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one acquainted with the work of Faith in his own Soul And what is the supereminent or sublime magnitude so the Greek of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his
God His Intercession He is able to save to the utmost Heb. 7.25 all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Christ is Intercessor who hath the Judges ear Christ is the Churches Prince Christ is King of Sion King of Saints and to be King of Nations though the Kings of the Nations can hardly bear this Pardon this innocent Digression 1 Joh. 5.3 Come Lord Jesus come quickly He is lovely in all the administrations of his Regal Office His Commandments are not grievous Nihil difficile amanti Nothing is difficult to him that loveth Christ's Laws are Lines drawn in Love yea Lines drawn in Blood His yoak is easie and his burden is light Christ hath on his Vesture and on his Thigh Rev. 19.15 a name written KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS It s Act. As there is a Reception of Christ so there is a Recumbancy upon Christ As Christ is received so he is rolled and rested upon It is not Christ or some others not Christ and some others but Christ and no other Faith in the vital Act of it is a resting upon another Faith in the most proper and essential Act of it is a rolling upon Christ Commit thy way unto the Lord. Psa 37.5 Golgnal-Jehovah darkecha Roll upon Jehovah thy way so the Hebrew Cast thy Soul and all thy Concerns whether for temporals or for eternals upon Jehovah It is with a Soul in this Act of rolling and resting upon Christ as it was with the four Lepers 2 Kings 7.3 4. who said one to another Why sit we here until we die If we enter into the City the Famine is there and we shall die there and if we sit still we die also now therefore come and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die Thus saith the Soul when duly and truly awakened I see an indispensable necessity of Faith Mark 16.16 for He or She that believeth not shall be damned but no Man or Woman can from himself or her self believe Ex puris naturalibus If I go to Moses he is dead as Aaron died upon Mount Hor so Mose died upon Mount Nebo God now speaks not by a Servant but by a Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things and by whom he hath made the world If I go to Moses Heb. 1.2 I die and if I sit still I die if I remain in my blood I am like to bleed to eternal death If ye believâ— not that I am he Joh. 8.24 ye shall die in your sins Well saith the Soul I have but one way left but this is Christ who is the Way Joh. 14.6 and the Truth and the Life the Way without Error the Truth without Falshood the Life without Death I will cast my self into the hands of this Christ I will cast my self at the Feet of this Christ if he will save me I shall not be damned if he will not save me I can but be damned though I know not how to bear the thoughts of damnation I will adventure here I will live or dye here I will in this case do as the Queen did in another Esth 4.16 I will go and if I perish I perish This is a going unto Christ this going unto Christ is a believing in Christ this is the direct though not the reflect Act of Faith this is a Faith of Affiance though not a Faith of Assurance Now the Man or the Woman that hath this Faith though He or She hath not Assurance shall not perish for the promise is made unto this Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Herein ye have a twofold Assertion the one refers to the Father and therein a twofold Act of Giving and of Drawing All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Giveth me chooseth in me Thou hast given him power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him shall come unto me shall believe in me going or coming unto Christ is believing in Christ He that cometh unto me shall never hunger Joh. 6. â—5 and he that believeth on me shall never thirst The other Act belongs to the Son And he that cometh unto me that is believeth in me I will in no wise cast out Wherein ye have three things worthy a most spiritual and serious reflection the person promising the person promised and the subject matter of the promise The person promising This is Christ who hath Bowels of Mercy as well as Beams of Glory This is Christ who is the Being of Beings as God the Beauty of Beauties as Man the Blessing of Blessings Joh. 6.36 as God-Man But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not The Promiser is Christ Matth. 1.23 25. Jer. 23.6 who is as able to perform as to promise One who cannot out-bid himself and whose names are Emanuel Jesus Jehovah The person promised Him Him that cometh unto me believeth in me Him or Her the Man or the Woman without exception or exemption as to Nation whether Jew or Gentile as to Age whether a Methuselah or a Josiah as to Degree Acts 10.34 a Craesus or a Codrus God is no respecter of persons The subject matter of the Promise I will in no wise cast out There are two Negatives in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which strengthen the Affirmative I will not not cast out of doors As if Christ had said though there be not grace desired if there be grace desiring I will not not 1 Pet. 2.2 cast this person out of doors Though there be not the Faith of Assurance if there be the Faith of Affiance I will not not cast this person out of doors Though there be not the reflect act of Faith if there be the direct act of Faith I will not not cast this person out of doors I will be so far from shutting the door upon this person when He or She cometh that I will not cast this person out of doors after He or She is come Oh infinite mercy As this is an endeared so an endearing Text and thousands of Souls may have happily closed with a Christ in it It 's Rule Gospel-Faith hath it's Rule and 't is an infallible one Christ is to be received and rested upon according to Gospel Tenders and Terms Now the Terms of the Gospel are free freely-free Christ must be received and rested upon not upon the account of the merit of his own but upon the account of his own merit The Sinner must come as a Sinner Mat. 9.12 13. unto this Saviour The whole need not a Physician They see no need of a Physician But those that
Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ They who believe must study to maintain good works Though works morally and spiritually good be not essential unto Faith yet they are evidential unto Faith though they be not the essence of a lively Faith yet they are the evidence that Faith lives for Jam. 2.26 as the body without the soul is dead so Faith without works is dead But what are the Symbols of a great Qu. 2. and a strong Faith A great and a strong Faith Sol. 1. can trust God without a pawn Then Faith acts in a most Kingly way Job 13.15 when it hangs upon a killing God Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Though God makes a Thrust at me and that Thrust should be mortal yet he shall be the Object of my Trust An unbeliever yea a weak believer must have something to feed his Senses or he gives up the Ghost when an unbeliever is at his wealths end he is at his wits end but now a great and a strong Faith questions not but that God will make provision though he sees not in which way the provision should come Crede qued non vides videbis quod non credis Believe what thou seest not and thou shalt see what thou believest not It is Faith to believe what thou seest not whose reward is to see what thou believest Heaven and Hell have all in sight Faith will have no work in either Faith fears no Famine Nothing grows weak where Faith grows strong Lactant. Judg as one saith of Persons by Faith not of Faith by persons The Prophet strains lovelily and yet loftily wherein there is a supposed condition and a proposed conclusion A supposed Condition Though the Fig-tree Hab. 3.17 18. and the Vine fail though the Olive and the Fields fail though the Flock and Herd fail Suppose nothing but impending judgments suppose a death upon all and a failure of all things Here is the Condition supposed A proposed Conclusion Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Here is the Conclusion proposed Though desolation and devastation come though poverty and prison come though fire and famine come though sword and pestilence come yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Here Faith hath nothing in hand and Christ shall be trusted without a pawn Christ is a Feast in Famine and All in the want of all unto a person that hath a great and a strong Faith Faith hath a chymical art Chymists they say will entract Gold out of Stones and Iron He that can extract evil out of the Apostolick and evangelick Faith must needs be an excellent Chymist and may safely undertake to draw water out of a Pumice A great and a strong Faith is a wonder-working Faith Faith is a prophetick grace and answers it self Psa 37.34 Though he falleth yet shall he not be utterly cast down for God upholdeth him with his hand Faith worketh thorough Eclipses and is this short of a wonder This is the true Logick of Faith to draw conclusions of Peace in War of Safety in Danger of Light in Darkness of Life in Death This is the victory that overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even our Faith Take not the Act without the Object Faith may be said to overcome two wayes As it discerneth a Vacuity in all terrene Objects Eccl. 1.2 Vanity of Vanities saith the preacher all is Vanity As it uniteth to Christ Faith makes the Subject in which it is a member of Christ and so a Conqueror thorough Christ John 16.33 I have overcome the world He that hath a great and a strong Faith is above the worlds frowning and the worlds fawning A great and a strong Faith is steady and stedfast A weak Faith is shaken in the Soul though not shaken out of the Soul but a strong Faith is like an Oake which spreadeth its root deep and is not easily blown down Hence that imposition 1 Cor. 15.58 wherefore my Brethren be ye stedfast and unmoveable A metaphor taken from a Foundation on which a thing stands firm or a Seat Luke 22.32 wherein a man sits firm I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Satan's first Seige was laid against the Faith of Threatnings here 't is laid against the Faith of Promises but saith Christ I have prayed for thee and for all that are mine as well as thee that thy Faith fail not that it fall not short of what it hath been or of what it should be A great and a strong Faith can swim against Wind and Tide Corrupt reason speaks like Peter Master save thy self but a great Faith saith Luke 9.24 He that will save his life shall lose it but he that will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it Corrupt reason saith who would profess against the streams of the times But a great Faith saith 't is better to dye than to deny better to suffer than to sin Corrupt reason consulteth safety but a great Faith consulteth duty and will hazard safety to preserve Sanctity An Abraham thorough grace can sail to Heaven though the tide of reason and wind of temptation be against him Gen. 22. Take uow thy Son thine onely Son Isaac the onely Son left in his Family for Ishmael was gone or his onely legitimate Son in opposition to a Bastard whom thou lovest with an especial dearness as being the Son of thine old age and of thy Wives miraculous conception above the course and force of nature and get thee into the land of Moriah 2 Chron. 3.1 upon which the Temple was built and offer him there for a burnt offering Was not this command enough not onely to puzzle fleshly wisdom but even Faith it self One command seems to enterfeir with another that in obeying one he must disobey another One command saith Thou shalt not kill but here Go take thy Son and offer him up for a burnt offering That God who gives life may call for it when he pleaseth In this command all that was in Abraham was put to trial Take a taste As a Man It is inhumane to slay an innocent one though a Servant yea a Stranger but this was a Son Or As a Father It was unnatural to kill his own Child though he had many Children he had but One. Or As a Husband What will his Consort say that he should be killed against whom she could not endure a Scorn or a Flout Or As a Believer Will not Infidels blaspheme his God and Religion for such a Fact This is the tenth time as some reckon that Abraham was tried but was there any trial like unto this What Course doth he now steer He doth not call Relations and Reason Gen. 22.3 4 5 6. to the Council-board but
Pearl before Swine Mat. 7.6 Apply not Evangelical Promises unto swinish Men who regard them no more than Swine do Pearls of whose use they can have no sense Hast thou faith Rom. 14.22 Have it to thy self before God If thou beest persuaded in thy self that a thing is indifferent use this liberty to thy self have Faith with thy self but boast not of it to the offence of another By Hope sometimes understand the thing hoped for Looking for the blessed Hope That is Tit. 2.13 for the blessing hoped for Here Hope is Metonymically put for the blessing hoped for By Hope sometimes understand Christ Jesus himself the Object of Hope Acts 28.20 For the Hope of Israel I am bound with this Chain Christ is called the Hope of Israel in respect of the Fathers who looked for his coming according to promise By Hope sometimes understand some mighty Prince Isa 20.5 or People They shall be afraid and ashamed of Aethropia their expectation and of Egypt their glory By Hope sometimes understand a certain persuasion 2 Cor. 2.7 Our hope of God is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the Sufferings ye shall be also of the Consolation By Hope sometimes understand the Grace Ps 131.3 or Act of Hope Hope thou Israel in Jehovah from now as yet unto Eternity So the Hebrew Text. Now 't is the Grace or Act of Hope that is the Subject to be discussed as I am more or less indulged the Gales and Gusts of the Spirit But what is this Grace Qu. or Act of Hope Gospel-hope Sol. is a Grace and Fruit of the Spirit consisting in an assured and abiding Expectation Descr having God and all promised Good future and possible for its Object grounded upon the Mercies of the Father and the Merits of the Son Now in this Description there are four things that call for Discussion being indispensably necessary in order to its Constitution The Nature of it the Quality of it the Object of it the Cause of it 1. The Nature of it Gospel-hope is a Grace and Fruit of the Spirit The Apostle speaks of some of the Spirit 's Fruits against which there is no Law Gal. 5.22 23. no Law of Condemnation The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance Hope is not expressed but 't is implied the reason is obvious for Hope is a Grace now all Grace groweth upon this Tree and is the Fruit of this Tree the Spirit That Hope is a Grace is as evident for it is ranked with Faith and Love 1 Thess 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ Here is the work of Faith 't is not a dead but a living Faith 't is a work but 't is a Work of God a work of Grace and it worketh by Love Here is the labour of Love Love is laborious it labours much labours most though it thinks it labours least And here is the patience of Hope here is a bearing of the Cross in hope of the Crown a passing through the Wilderness in hope of the Land of Promise a Suffering for Christ in hope of Reigning with Christ The Quality of it This Grace Hope is an assured and abiding expectation 'T is an assured expectation This Hope is acted by the Spirit Gal. 5.5 We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith Here is a waiting or expectation and this is through the Spirit which must needs be certain and sure Yea that 't is an assured expectation the Apostle endeavours to insinuate Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Where there is Joy there is Assurance There will come a time when Time shall go into Eternity and the Soul shall go into Glory and we rejoyce in hope of this Time There will come a time when we shall go Home when we shall go to our Father's House wherein are many Mansions and we rejoyce in hope of this Time There will come a time when we shall be arrived at our Haven our Heaven our Palace our Paradise and we rejoyce in hope of this Time 'T is an abiding expectation Hope is no remover but an abiding grace Hope is not a fading quality though it doth not always act at least in that degree act yet it always is where it ever was Though it be not always a lively hope yet 't is alwaies a living hope Dùm spiro spero dùm expiro spero While I live I hope saith the Heathen while I dye I hope saith the Christian 'T is written that the wicked is driven away in his wickedness Prov. 14.32 but the righteous hath hope in his death There is a hoping to death and a hoping in death Hope is to last so long as this life lasteth and to run parallel with the longest minute and moment of Time A Christian of Christ's making never loseth his hope until he hath found that which he hoped for That Hope which is the Concomitant 〈◊〉 of Faith is an assured and abiding ex pectation Heb. 6.11 may be read by him that runneth We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Here is not only hope and assured hope but also the assurance of hope yea the full assurance of hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Metaphor taken from Ships that have all their Sails up yea and all these Sails filled with Wind. As Faith hath an eye to the truth of the promise so Hope hath an eye to the good of the promise but the assurance of this hope is that we shall receive that Good Though Hope in vulgar-Dialect and in the things of the World signifieth of things to come a probability yet in Scripture-Dialect and in the things of Salvation it signifieth an undoubted certainty The Object of it The Object of Hope is God and all promised Good future and possible The Object of Hope is God That God is the Object of Hope is evident for he is called the God of Hope Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all Joy and peace in believing Objectivè effectivè that ye may abound in hope thorough the power of the holy Spirit He is called the God of hope objectively because the proper and primary object of it and effectively because the worker of it by his Spirit Both these are legible in this proof The God of Hope there he is the Author and the Object of it That ye may abound in hope there he is the Actor and the Worker of it This Hope is in God formally as in the Subject of it and in God causally as in the Fountain of it He is the Author of it and the Donor of it the God of it and the Giver of it As God so Good all promised
Repentance must be speedy without procrastination it must be cordial without dissimulation it must be general without exception it must be continual without interruption Repentance is so necessary yea of such necessity that a preaching it was imposed among all nations Luke 24.47 beginning at Jerusalem Though Sin for a Believer be perfectly covered yet Sin in a Believer is not perfectly cured there are the Remainders of Sin Reliquiae peccati and these must be mourned over While there is an Issue of Sin kept open there must be an Issue of Sorrow kept open while the Ship springs a Leak the Pump must be kept at work There are Turns as well as Tears in a Gospel-Repentance It was the saying of one Tertullian if thou beest backward in thoughts of Repentance be forward in thoughts of Hell 'T is best not to sin but having sinned the next best is to repent As God hath a Bag for sins so he hath a Book for Prayers and a Bottle for Tears Tears are the truest Rhetorick of a troubled Soul they are a prevailing Suada beyond the loudest and quaintest Oratory both with God and Man Dr. Donne I repent saith one all my life but that time I spent in Communion with God and in doing good There is a repentance unto salvation never to be repented of and this is the gift of God now without this repentance there will be no living well nor doing well nor dying well Luke 13.3.5 Except ye repent and this except is without exception ye shall all likewise perish That saith one which Christ here threatens to the impenitent was fulfilled after 40 years for then Titus the Emperor of the Romans on the feast of the Passeover besieged the City and having taken it slew many impenitent Jews as they were sacrificing Faith There must be Faith in the Person of Christ If persons live and dye without Faith in the Person of Christ they cannot live well nor do well nor dye well If any live and dye without Faith they cannot live well for Hab. 2.4 the just shall live by his Faith If any live and dye without Faith they cannot do well Rom. 14.23 for Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin If any live and dye without Faith they cannot dye well for if ye believe not that I am he John 8.24 ye shall dye in your sins Now if there be dying in Sin there will be damning for Sin Love As there must be Faith in the Person of Christ so there must be Love to the personal Excellency of Christ If persons be without love to the personal excellency of Christ they cannot live well nor do well nor dye well If any man loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maran-atha Some Texts are short thus these are Pray without ceasing Rejoyce evermore Some Texts are sweet thus these are In me ye shall have peace Go in peace Some Texts are long and short thus these Depart from me all ye that work iniquity I know you not Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devils and his Angels T is thus here here is a long and a sharp Text If any man loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha Is it not enough to amaze and amuse if the Spirit goeth with the Word the greatest Atheist and Papist the greatest Egyptian and Ethiopian the greatest Saracen and Socinian the greatest Man and Woman In this text there is something supposed and something proposed Here is A Supposition If any man loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ Herein there is the Act the Subject the Object The Act. Loveth not That is hateth for is there a medium between loving Luke 11.23 and hating He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth The Subject Man If any man If any one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek If any Soul if any person without exception or exemption as to Nation whither Jew or Gentile Is he the God of the Jews only Rom. 3.29 is he not the God of the Gentiles also As to Sex whether Man or Woman As to Relation Whether an Isaac or a Rebecca a Jacob or a Benjamin As to Age whether a Methuselah or a Josiah As to Estate whether a Croesus or a Codrus As to Place whether a man in his Robes or a man in his Rags If any one loveth not The Object The Lord Jesus Christ Here is a Christ emphatically presented in his triple Office as the Prophet and Priest 2 Cor. 4.4 and Prince of the Church We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord. David was a King and a Prophet Jeremiah was a Priest and a Prophet Melchizedech was a King and a Priest but these three Offices together Prophetical sacerdotal regal never met in any one but this only one Christ Jesus the Lord the Phaenix of the world If any one loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ A Proposition Let him be Anathema Maran-atha Herein there is the Subject and the Sentence The Subject Him That is Him or Her the Man or the Woman the Husband or the Wife the Father or the Child the Master or the Servant of what Nation soever of what Age soever of what Estate soever of what Place soever The Sentence Anathema Maran-atha Herein there is the Judgment and the Duration of that Judgment The Judgment Anathema 'T is a greek word which signifieth an Execration or a Curse Now this is a sad one if not the saddest one for 't is a Gospel one and Gospel curses are the saddest curses Gal. 1.8 Thâ—ugh we or an Angel from Heaven preach unto you any other Gospel then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed let him be a Curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the greek It is thus here and 't is not said let this person be anathematized but an Anathema accursed but a Curse The Duration of the Judgment Maran-atha This consists of two Syriac words Maran our Lord atha cometh Let this person be a Curse until Christ cometh to judge both the quick and the dead John 5.22.27 for all judgment is committed to the Son because he is the Son of man Let this person be Anathema Maran-atha Reduplication in the sacred Scripture signifieth two things Vehemency of spirit in him that speaks The Certainty of the thing spoken Thus Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear Rom. 8.15 but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 'T is a repetition in several languages Syriac and Greek whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Supplication in Jew and Gentile And as there is a crying in two languages Abba Father so here is a cursing in two languages Anathema maran-atha to shew that both Jews and Gentiles whether men or women whether old or young whether high or low whether rich or poor if they live and dye without love to the personal Excellency of Christ are not only anathematized but also an Anathema are not only accursed but also a Curse to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to Judgment and from that Judgment for an eternity Of those three degrees of curses saith one which the Jews used in their threefold excommunication Perkins this of Anathema Maranatha was the highest including as much as this Let the Lord come and strike this person with eternal perdition If any person loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ let that person be Anathema Maran-atha As Gospel-Faith and Gospel-Hope appear So Gospel-Love which bringeth up the Rear As there 's a carnal and a moral Love There also is a Gospel-one above Now Gospel-Love appears a Gospel-Grace The Spirits fruit within a Gospel-Race It also is the noble souls expansion To Jesus Christ within the highest mansion And for its proper Object also makes His Excellency where are no mistakes Of Gospel-Love take from a Dwarf in Stature Its Object Soil Original and Nature Christ JESUS is most excellent in Name In Nature too for sinless is the same Excelling is a Christ in Love in Light In Council Comfort Conduct also Might Most excellent in Wisdom and in Wealth Christ Jesus is who is the Churches health Man Mortal is and posting to the Grave But Lovers of a Christ a Crown shall have Inheritance it is and Heavens Joy A Kingdom 't is that cannot be a Troy A Crown of Life so 't is in sacred Story Of Right'ousness yea 't is a Crown of Glory Some Reasons also may be given why The Lovers of a Christ when they shall dye With Jesus Christ a lasting Crown shall have Who had a Cross on this side of the Grave THe moving Cause the Fathers mercy is The merit of the Son doth follow this The Earnest of the Spirit cometh next Which Ushers in according to the text The loving Saint that he may have his Sweet Who Bitter had before a winding sheet Art tempted yet a Jesus loveth more Than Satan hates though he doth greatly roar Art troubled suffer but a while and know To suffer but a while thou hast below Art sinful Ah! this calls for Lamentation Yet advocates a Christ for Consolation Christ loving is and easie 't is to try him Dost love a Christ then thou art loved by him Take Symbols also of a Gospel-Love It jealous is unto a Christ above 'T is cordial uncessant 't is and loyal In persons who appear divinely royal Expansive 't is expensive also 't is Expressive too both unto Him and His This Gospel-Love 't is love that 's sociable Submissive 'tis superlative and stable Thy suffrage give unto a gâ—â— less Dove That Christ is Object of the Churches love Christ loved must be by a Man I see Or damned must the Man for ever be Thus to divert I did attempt to scatter In Poem here the marrow of the matter FINIS