worke done within us I will put my spirit within you saith the Lord Ezek. 36.27 and the kingdome of God is within you saith our Saviour Luke 17 21. So are we by the spirit of God made agents in it our selves Let us cleanse our selves saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God But that cleansing from sinne which is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification as it is a worke done without us and for us by Christ with his father he by the merit of his bloud wipeth all our sinnes out of his fathers debt-booke so as none of them shall ever be imputed to us nor wee called to account for them so are wee no agents in it at all our selves but this worke is wholly ascribed unto Christ alone Hee washed us from our sinnes saith the Apostle Rev. 15. in his owne bloud And though we be oft said in Scripture to be justified by faith which is a grace inherent in us and an act of our understanding and will yet is not that to be understood so as if our faith had any hand at all in the washing from our sinnes or procuring our pardon of God but because faith receiveth and accepteth this our pardon which Christ onely hath purchased applyeth it unto us and resteth in it therefore and for no other cause is our faith said to justifie us in the sight of God Secondly The cleansing from sinne which is wrought by the spirit of God in our sanctification is not wrought in the same measure and degree in all true beleevers A man may be a true beleever and truly sanctified too and yet come farre short of some other of Gods people that he knoweth in the measure and degree of knowledge faith patience mortification and such like graces of Gods holy spirit Nehemiah saith of his brother Hanani Neb. 7.2 that hee feared God above many And of Iob the Lord himselfe saith Iob 1.8 that there was none like him upon earth a perfect and an upright man one that feared God and eschewed evill His three friends that came to visit him Eliphaz Zophar and Bildad were all good men doubtlesse and so was Elih◠especially they all feared God and eschewed evill they were upright hearted men but they came all farre short of Iob in grace and piety Yea it is strange to see what a distance God putteth betweene his faithfull servants this way how great a measure of sanctifying grace he giveth to some of them and how little unto other some Some of Gods good ground as our Saviour teacheth us Mat. 13.23 bringeth forth an hundred fold and some but sixty and some but thirty fold and yet all good ground too A point which if it were well understood would much abate that veine of bitter censuring which so much aboundeth in these daies But on the other side The cleansing from sin that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification is equally vouchsafed unto every true beleever without any difference at all Every one hath as free and large a pardon and is as fully discharged from all his sins as any other every one is as perfectly righteous in the sight of God as any other is So saith the Apostle Rom. 3.22 The righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ that is by that faith which is reposed in Iesus Christ is unto all and upon all that beleeve for there is no difference Mary Magdalen that had beene a notorious harlot after that once she had truly repented and became a true beleever had all her sinnes as fully forgiven her and was as righteous every whit in Gods sight as the greatest Saint and the penitent theefe that died with Christ upon the Crosse as either Peter or any other of the elect Apostles was In which respect the Apostle saith of all the faithfull to whom he wrote 2 Pet. 1.1 that they had obtained the like precious saith with himselfe and the rest of the Apostles His meaning is not that every true beleever had obtained the like measure and degree of faith that he and his fellow Apostles had but that that faith they had being true how weake soever it was was every whit as precious as much worth to them would do them as much good in respect of the perfect righteousnesse which it did apprehend and apply unto them in which respect only he calleth their faith precious as appeareth plainly in his next words Through the righteousnesse of God saith he and of our Saviour Iesus Christ in this respect I say he saith the faith of the poorest and weakest Christian was every whit as precious as his own or any other mans could be The third difference betweene that cleansing we have from sin by our sanctification and that we have by our justification is this The first is wrought in us by the spirit of God not all at once but by degrees In which respect our sanctification is compared to the light Pro. 4.18 that shineth more and more unto the perfect day And Eph. 4.16 to the body of a man which groweth and increaseth in stature and strength till it be come to the full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection of it So the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 that we are changed into the image of God from glory to glory that is from one degree of holinesse to another even as by the spirit of the Lord. Insomuch as the man that standeth at a stay and groweth not in grace hath just cause to suspect that the spirit of God hath not yet sanctified him nor wrought any truth of grace in him The righteous shall grow saith the Prophet Psal. 92.12 like a Cedar in Lebanon And he that hath cleane hands whom the spirit of God doth cleanse and sanctifie saith Iob 17.9 shall be stronger and stronger But on the other side The cleansing that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification is all done at once it never groweth and increaseth at all but is every whit as much at our first ingrafting into Christ by faith as it is ever after Our faith indeed whereby wee doe apprehend it our sense and assurance of it likewise is not perfected at once but groweth and increaseth as our sanctification doth The righteousnesse of God that whereby wee stand just and righteous in the sight of God saith the Apostle Romanes 1.17 is revealed and made knowne to our hearts from faith to faith that is by such a faith as groweth and increaseth from one degree unto another But the worke of our justification is done all at once Therefore Baptisme is said to seale unto us the forgivenesse and washing away of all our sinnes not originall onely but actuall also Arise and bee baptized saith Ananias to Paul Acts 22.16 and wash away thy sinnes that is all thy sinnes as Paul himselfe expoundeth it Col. 2.12 13. Which is also
Apostle Galat. 2.20 The life that I now live As if hee had said The reformed religious and holy life that I now live since my conversion and calling I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God that faith I have in Christ who loved me and gave himselfe for me As if he had said This faith that assureth me of that speciall interest that I have in Christ of that speciall love that Christ hath borne to mee is the onely cause of whatsoever goodnesse is in me And for the second that nothing but faith will breed true goodnesse and grace in the heart we have as plaine a proofe Hebrewes 11.5 6. Enoch had this testimony given of him that he pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please God As if he should have said A man cannot please God in any thing that he doth till he have faith till he be justified by faith and reconciled unto God through Christ. Though the habit of faith and all sanctifying graces which the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.9 calleth the seed of God be by the Spirit of God infused into the heart of man altogether and at one time yet the act and exercise of faith is the first of all and that that setteth every other grace on worke As the earth though it be made soft by those showers that fall upon it in the winter-time and bring forth some blade of the seed that is cast into it yet is it not thereby made fruitfull unto man it never yeeldeth any good and perfect fruit till it have received the sweet heat of the Sun into the bowels of it in the spring time even so is it with the heart of man It may bee and is oft softened by the judgements of God and terrours of the Law God maketh my heart soft saith Iob 23.16 and the Almighty troubleth mee Even by the trouble of his mind and terrours that God disquieted him with his heart was softened And some beginnings also of reformation and goodnesse have beene thereby wrought in it such was that confession of sinne and goodly words that God oft wrung from Pharaoh by his judgements Exodus 9.27 I have sinned the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked and 10.16 Hee cryeth unto Moses to this effect Good Moses forgive me and pray to the Lord for me Such was that repentance and reformation of the wicked Israelites that the Prophet speaketh on Psal. 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And such is the repentance and goodly words that many a wretched man in his sicknesse is wont to utter thus farre forth the winter-showers and stormes of Gods judgements and terrours may work upon mans heart But till Christ Iesus the Sun of righteousnesse as the Prophet calleth him Mal. 4.2 like the comfortable and quickning heat of the Sunne in the spring doe shine upon a man and bee by faith received into his heart it can never bring forth any fruit that is good indeed and acceptable unto God And the true cause why some are fruitfull in grace and goodnesse and some other though they enjoy the same or greater meanes yet no grace will grow in their hearts nor come unto any perfection is this which the Apostle giveth 2 Thes. 3.2 All men have not faith But though the Lord let this visible Sunne shine upon all men indifferently upon the reprobate as well as upon the elect he maketh his Sunne saith our Saviour Matth. 5.45 to rise on the evill and on the good yet doth he not let the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine into every heart but to his elect and peculiar people onely The Lord God is a Sunne and shield saith David Psal. 84.11 but to whom To them that walke uprightly Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Mal. 4.2 shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Not that their walking uprightly and fearing of his name was the cause that moved God to be as the Sun unto them but because it was a marke and note of them whom God would vouchsafe this mercy unto Now if any man shall aske me how faith commeth to be the breeder and worker and increaser of all true goodnesse in a man I answer you two wayes First By receiving Christ into his heart by making Christ his by uniting him unto Christ as nearely and as truely as the members of the body are united unto the head and as the branch is unto the vine By faith we receive Christ and make him our owne as the Evangelist teacheth us Iohn 1.12 By faith hee dwelleth in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 3.17 And as it is not possible but that heart in which Christ dwelleth must needs be renewed and have saving grace bred in it He that abideth in me and I in him saith our Saviour Iohn 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit If any man bee in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 5.17 hee is a new creature As the living members must needs receive sense and motion from the head and the scion sap from the slocke it is ingrafted into And this is that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Corinthians 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit As if he had said No man can by faith receive Christ and be united unto him but he must needs together with Christ receive the Spirit of Christ also So till we be thus united unto Christ it is not possible for us to have any true goodnesse in us As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And 6.53 Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye have no life in you I know well that this union that faith maketh betweene Christ and the soule is mysticall and such as the reason of man is not able to comprehend And so the Apostle speaketh of it This is a great mystery saith he Ephesians 5.32 But yet you see this is clearely taught us in the holy Scripture and this every faithfull soule doth in some measure feele to be true in his owne experience So soone as ever thou dost truely believe in Christ and renouncing all other confidence dost wholly rest and put thine affiance in him thou hast received Christ and made him thine owne and so soone as thou hast received him thou hast also with him received into thine heart his holy Spirit the Spirit of grace and sanctification whereby thou art made a new man Hee that hath the Sonne saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.12 hath life that is the life of grace here which is the beginning and pledge of that life of glory which he shall be sure to have in heaven and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life Secondly The faithfull soule by exercising and making use of his faith
causes to be comfortable Ibid. 2 that they serve God without alacrity because they cannot do it so well as they would p. 365. Five things to be observed in the disposition of our master that should cause us to serve him cheerefully Ibid. 366. Lect 74. The heart is the seate of truth and when a thing may be said to be done or spoken in truth and sincerity p. 363. The Lord highly esteemes of the truth uprightnesse of the heart for 1 The Lord cannot abide we should halt with him but lookes for and desires uprightnesse in every service we do unto him Ibid. 2 This he delights in 3 This is all he requires 4 He valueth all our actions according to this hee esteemes highly of a little grace where hee seeth this and will beare with many frailties and taketh nothing in good part where this is wanting p. 369 5 He accounts him a perfect man that hath this p. 370. Foure reasons for this p. 371. Lect 75. Necessary we should diligently examine whether our heart be upright for 1 This is an hard thing to be knowne as appeares 1 by experience both of good and bad men 2 by the testimonie of God himselfe p. 372. 3 By reason because many things are like to true grace p. 373. Yet 2 this is possible to bee knowne a man may get assurance of this that his heart is upright this is proved three wayes Ibid. 374. 3 To be certaine of this will yeeld us unspeakable comfort p. 375. Lect. 76. He that hath any one saving grace in him is no hypocrite but hath an upright heart p. 376. He is no hypocrite that is apt to suspect himselfe and fearefull to be deceived in this point Ibid. The hypocrite useth to be confident p. 377. God beares most tender affection to his weake ones p. 378. Our conscionable care to obey God and leade an holy life is a sure note of uprightnesse and more sure and sensible then the former p 378. Obj. Many hypocrites and naturall men hath done sundry good workes Answ. These no good workes indeed p. 379. Lect. 77. The first property of a good worke and of true goodnesse is this it must be materially good Nothing is truly good that wee doe unlesse it be done by the direction and warrant of the Word p. 380. The Word is an absolute patterne and rule for 1 In it we may have cleere and perfect direction for every duty of holinesse and righteousnesse 2 Nothing can be a sin that God hath commanded p. 381. 3 The least thing he hath appointed us to do is a good worke p 382. 4 Nothing wee doe can bee a good worke unlesse done by direction of the Word 5 Though it be commanded of God yet if in the least circumstance we swerve from the direction of the Word the worke is not good in Gods strict account Yea 6 God is highly provoked with it though never so good in shew if not done by direction of his Word p. 383. They make the Word onely the rule of our life and cleaving to it a note of an upright heart p. 384. Therefore 1 Exercise thy selfe in the study and meditation of it Ibid 2 take heed of will-worship and making conscience of and being religiously strict in the observation of such things as God hath given us no direction for in his Word p 385. 3 Take comfort in thy estate if thou love and delight in the Word of God and depend upon it p. 386. Lect 78. The love of God is the root of all true obedience and righteousnesse p. 386. That may be well done that 's done out of feare of Gods judgements 387. but it must be out of such a feare is mixed with love p. 388. The true love of God is a certaine signe of an upright heart Ibid. 389. No wicked man doth indeed love the Lord p. 390 391. Lect. 79. One may bee subject to slavish feares yet truly love the Lord p. 392. The reasons therefore 1 Their owne weaknesse both naturall and sinfull p. 393. 2 The hand of God who seeth this good for his servants Ibid and that in three respects p. 394. Yet its evident the faithfull notwithstanding these feares do indeed love God by six notes Ibid. p. 395. The faithfull must strive against these feares Ibid. Six meanes whereby they may do this p. 396. Lect. 80. All true love to God all true piery and uprightnesse of heart proceeds from faith for 1 that onely knits us to Christ 2 That onely perswadeth us of that love of God to us as is able to breed in us the true love of God p. 397. Though many that have no faith are perswaded God loves them and God doth indeed love such p. 398. But that love that 's wrought in men towards God by his common favours appeares to be unfound in three points Ibid. 399 400. True faith assures of such a love of God to us as cannot but kindle in us an unfeigned love to God p. 400 401. Lect. 81. Rest not in the common favours of God and fruits of his love till thou have got assurance that he loveth thee with his speciall love p. 401 402. In this point three sorts offend much Ibid. Motives to this 1 This love of God is an everlasting love 2 This would free the heart from vexing feares 3 Bring with it unto us all good things p. 403 404. 4 This would make Gods commandements and every duty easy to us Ibid. 5 This would cure the stone in the heart and make our hearts soft p. 405 Lect. 82. Five meanes to be used to get assurance of Gods love to us in Christ p. 406. 1 Be perswaded that it s not impossible to get this assurance Ibid. 2 Binde thy selfe to a conâ—stant and conscionable use of the Word the Lords Supper and prayer Ibid. p. 407. 3 Seek to be more humbled in the apprehension of thine owne wretchednesse seeke the Lords favour with a more humbled soule p. 408. Lect. 83. Fourthly nourish in thy heart a feare to offend God and a care to please him in all things p. 409. None but such can have any true assurance of Gods favour and all such shall have it Ibid. p. 410. Fiftly rest by faith upon Christ and cleave to him Ibid. There may be true faith where there is no assurance of salvation p. 411. The nature of true faith consists in foure acts of the soule viz. 1 True knowledge of Christ and of that which the Gospell revealeth concerning him viz. that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour that hee is offered in the Gospell to me as well as to any other Ibid. and how and upon what termes hee is offered to me in the Gospell viz. If I will receive him in a matrimoniall covenant pag. 412. 2 The assent and credit the minde gives to all this that the Gospell hath revealed concerning Christ 3 The consent that the will gives to this blessed offer
knoweth Christ to have dyed for him cannot but cast off and renounce his lusts and corruptions This is that also which the Prophet teacheth Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne aboundantly It is the spirit of grace onely that maketh a man able to know and beleeve aright that his sins pierced Christ that Christ in all that hee suffered had speciall respect unto him nothing but the spirit of grace maketh a man able to looke upon Christ whom he hath pierced to consider it to be moved with admiration and astonishment at this wonderfull love of his But when once the spirit of grace hath made a man to know and beleeve and consider this it must needs affect the heart much and make him mourne for his sins aboundantly it must needs worke in him a loathing of his sins and a resolution to set himselfe against them O that all wee that say wee know and beleeve that Christ loved us and dyed for us would thinke seriously of this Certainely thou that sayest so and findest no force in this assurance to mortifie sin in thee and to strengthen thee against thy corruptions deceivest thine owne soule and hast no true assurance that Christ bare such love to thee as to endure so much for thy sake Hereby wee know that wee know him to bee a propitiation for our sins saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 4. if wee keepe his commandements He that saith I know him to bee a propitiation for my sins for that is the knowledge of Christ he speaketh of as appeareth verse 2. and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Hee is a ranke hypocrite and void of all truth of grace how faire a shew soever hee make in the Church of God O fearefull sentence against the most of such as say they have faith And so much shall suffice to have bin spoken of the first reason why true faith must needs mortifie corruption wheresoever it dwelleth it applyeth Christ particularly to every one that hath it The second reason of it is this because true faith joyneth and uniteth us unto Christ. This union that faith maketh betweene us and Christ is indeed mysticall and spirituall Yea this is a great mistery as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 5.32 But though it bee mysticall and supernaturall yet it is most true and reall a most neere and unspeakeable union that faith maketh betweene Christ and every beleeving soule as neere as betweene husband and wife Ephes. 5.23 as betweene the head and the members Ephes. 1.22 23. as betweene the vine and the branches Iohn 15.5 By faith we receive him and make him our owne Iohn 1.12 Nay we feed upon him and make him our owne as the meat we eate which is turned into our substance is made our owne Iohn 6.35 By faith hee dwelleth in us Ephes. 3.17 By faith wee are grafted into him Rom. 11.23 Now if faith do so joyne us unto Christ and make such an union betweene us and him it is not possible but it must needs mortifie and kill sin in us Wee cannot bee thus joyned unto Christ but wee must needs receive vertue and power from him his spirit must needs bee derived from him unto us He that is joyned unto the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 is one spirit The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the law of sin and of death The spirit of Christ must needs free him from the dominion of sinne that is thus by faith united to him And therefore to conclude this second point Certainly that man in whom sin reigneth still in whom the strength of his naturall corruption is not at all abated is not united unto Christ and consequently hath no true faith in him If wee say we have fellowship with him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth Lecture LXVII on Psalme 51.5 Aug. 14. 1627. THE third and last point which hath beene propounded for the more distinct handling of the last means of mortification is this He that desireth to get strength against any corruption must not content himselfe to have faith but hee must exercise and make use of his faith in this worke The most of us loose much of the benefit and comfort wee might find in our faith because wee doe not make use of it nay the cause why wee find it so weake and feeble to stand us in any stead when wee have most need of it for our comfort is because wee have not beene wont to exercise it and put it into action We have an old proverbe Vse legs and have legs and experience teacheth that the neglect of exercising the body is a great meanes to weaken it much This may every whit as truly bee said of the graces of Gods spirit exercise them by practise and they will increase neglect to exercise them and they will decay in thee To every one that hath saith our Saviour in the parable of the talents Mat. 25.29 that is that by making use of it and imploying it doth shew that hee hath grace more shall bee given and bee shall have aboundance but from him that hath not shall bee taken away even that which hee hath The Apostle commending the Thessalonians saith 1 Thess. 1.3 hee remembred their worke of faith their faith was ever in action ever exercising it selfe And what is the proper worke and act wherein faith exerciseth it selfe Surely in taking hold of the promises that God hath made unto us in Christ in applying them unto our selves and resting upon them Thus must wee exercise our faith if we would have it grow if wee would have the comfort of it The Apostle saith of all the faithfull 2 Cor. 5.7 that they walke by faith In our whole conversation we may and ought to make use of our faith And of himselfe he saith that hee did live by his faith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God saith he Galat. 2.20 In all the occasions of our life we may and should exercise our faith and we loose a great deale of sweetnesse and comfort because we doe not so But in no occasion of our life can we have more use of our faith then when wee are troubled with any strong corruption which wee would faine overcome and get the mastery of Let us come then to Christ and stirre up our selves to take hold of him and confidently expect and looke for helpe and strength from him against it and wee may bee sure to bee delivered from the dominion of it Through God wee shall doe valiantly saith David Psal. 108.13 for hee it is that shall tread downe our enemies And Phil 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Wee read
we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â— 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â—8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
to our hearts and wayes But secondly On the other side A constant care to please God in all our wayes and a feare to offend him will certainly bring to us a comfortable assurance of Gods favour sooner or later in one measure and degree or other See by how many promises the Lord hath bound himselfe to this To him that ordereth his conversation aright saith the Lord Psalm 50.13 I will shew the salvation of God As if the Lord should say I will cause him to see and know that hee shall bee saved So when David had said Psalm 85 8. God will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints God will speake peace to the heart of every godly man hee addeth verse 9. Surely his salvation is nigh unto them that feare him As if hee had said Certainely it will not bee long before God give to every soule that truly feareth him a comfortable assurance of his salvation though he doe delay it for a time he will not doe it long To you that feare my name saith the Lord to his people Matth 4.2 shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings So that to every soule among you that truly feareth God I may boldly say Though it bee night with thee yet thou seest no light nor comfort thou art continually disquieted with feares and doubts of thy salvation yet certainly the sunne of righteousnesse will arise upon thee with healing in his wings thou shalt see the comfortable light of Gods countenance and have a sweete and full assurance of his favour Light is sowne for the righteous as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 97.11 and gladnesse for the upright in heart Thou hast in thee the seed of comfort and assurance and thou shalt surely see it spring and tast of the fruit of it Fifthly and lastly If by all these meanes wee cannot get or recover the comfortable assurance of Gods favour there is yet one thing more to bee done one helpe more to bee used that hath more force to doe us good this way then all the rest Wee must by faith rest upon Christ and cleave unto him But some may object and say this is an absurd direction to bid us rest upon Christ by faith that so we may get assurance For if I had faith I know I should have assurance of Gods favour For what is faith else but a full perswasion and stedfast assurance that Christ and all his merits belong to me and my sins through him are pardoned But alas by this I know I have no faith because I have no assurance of these things To such as object thus I answer That they are much deceived in defining faith thus and that this is a dangerous mistake and such as hath bred much needlesse feare and trouble of mind in many a good soule For the better understanding therefore of this fift and last point three things must bee distinctly considered 1. That assurance of Gods favour is not of the essence and being of true faith 2. Wherein then the nature and essence of true faith consisteth 3. That though true faith may be without this assurance yet if it be put forth and exercised it will certainely breed assurance sooner or later in one degree or other For the first That there may bee true saith where there is no assurance is evident in two examples to omit many more that might bee produced When David cryed out unto God Psalme 22.1 Why hast thou forsaken mee Why art thou so farre from helping mee and from the words of my roaring Doubtlesse hee wanted the assurance of Gods love and of his salvation And yet even at that time hee had true faith or els hee could not have prayed as hee did and said My God my God So when the Prophet cryed Psalme 88.14 Why castest thou off my soule Why hidest thou thy face from me his assurance was gone yet if hee had not had true faith at that time hee could not have prayed as hee did verse 1. O God of my salvation I have cried day and night before thee So that assurance of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes is not faith it selfe but onely a fruit of it and such a fruit of this tree it is as is not to bee found on it at all seasons It is I say a fruit of faith and such as none can attaine unto till first hee have faith For 1. It is the spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God Romanes 8.16 that breedeth this assurance in us and that spirit wee cannot have till first wee have faith Galathians 4 6. Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts First wee must bee sonnes before wee can have this spirit and wee must first have faith before wee can bee the sonnes of God Galathians 3.26 Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus And Iohn 1.12 So many as received him even to them that beleeve on his name to them hee gave power to become the sonnes of God So Paul telleth the Ephesians 1.13 that they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise after they had beleeved in Christ. 2. Assurance of salvation is ever accompanied with peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost Now neither of these can bee in any heart till first it have true faith they are the fruits and consequents of faith Being justified by faith saith the Apostle Romanes 5.1 3. wee have peace towards God and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God And 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving Secondly If you would know wherein then the essence and being of true justifying faith consisteth I answer In foure acts of the soule whereof the former two are acts of the understanding the other two of the will First I must know Christ aright and that which the Gospell revealeth to us concerning him And that consisteth in three points principally 1. That Christ is an all sufficient Saviour both to deliver me from the wrath of God due to my sinnes and to bring me to eternall life For this the Gospell plainely revealeth to us Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world c. 2. That Christ and all his merits are offered by the Lord to me as well as to any other For Gods servants and Ministers are commanded by him to proclaime in his name a generall pardon and to make this generall offer of him unto all to whom they preach without excluding any Mar. 16.15 Preach the Gospell to every creature And what is it to preach the Gospell unto them but to say unto them as the Angell did to the shepheards Luke 2.10 11. I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is borne this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And as Peter to the Iewes Acts 2.39
The promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Yea that Christ is offered so unto me as I am commanded to beleeve that he belongeth unto me Come unto me saith our Saviour Matth. 11.28 that is beleeve in mee for so is that phrase expounded by himselfe Iohn 6 35. all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest 3. I must know how and upon what termes and conditions Christ is offered unto me in the Gospell that is to say If I will receive him as in a matrimoniall covenant For so is the covenant of the Gospell oft called in the holy Scripture Hos. 2.19 20. I wish betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betrâ—th thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfullnesse In this respect also the preachers of the Gospell are called the friends of the Bridegroome Iohn 3.29 such as woo for him and whose whole endeavour is to make this match betweene Christ and his people I have espoused you saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.2 to one husband that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ. Now in the matrimoniall covenant we know the spouse 1. Taketh her husband so as she bindeth her selfe to forsake all others and to keepe her selfe onely to him so long as they both shall live and so must we take and receive Christ Psal. 45.10 Matth. 10.37 Luke 14 2â— 2. She taketh him not onely to receive protection and wealth and credit by him but as her head and guide to be governed and ruled by him and he bindeth her selfe to serve honour and obey him Gen. 3.16 1 Cor. 11.3 Ephes. 5.22 23. And so must Christ be taken and received by us not onely for our Saviour but our Prophet yea our Lord and King Psal. 45.11 Iohn 20.28 and 3.35 Heb. 5.9 3. She taketh him for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknesse and in health and bindeth her selfe to cleave to him in every estate Gen. 2.24 1 Cor. 7.10 And so must Christ be taken and received by us Luke 9 23. This knowledge of the Gospell is as I told you the first thing wherein the nature and essence of true faith consisteth In which respect faith is called the knowledge of Christ Esa. 53.11 Iohn 17.3 Ephes. 4.13 The second act of the soule wherein the nature of true faith consisteth is the assent and credit that the mind giveth unto all this that the Gospell hath revealed concerning Christ as to an undoubted truth that Christ is indeed an all sufficient Saviour and that God offereth him uâ—to me and commandeth me to receive him and that in this his gracious offer he meaneth as he saith and that he and all his merits do certainely belong to me if I will receive him upon those termes that the Lord offereth him on When I can say with Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying So is the faith of the old fathers described Heb. 11.13 They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them In respect of this second property faith is called a beleeving of Christ Iohn 3.36 And a beleeving of God 1 Ioh. 5.10 Rom 4.3 Till Naaman could thus beleeve he could not be healed 2 King 5.11 12. The third act of the soule wherein the essence of a true and justifying faith consisteth is the consent that the will giveth to this blessed offer of Christ in the Gospell not onely for the undoubted truth but for the incomparable goodnesse and excellencie of it When the heart accepteth of and embraceth it and saith with Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 this is not onely a faithfull saying but worthy of all acceptation So is the faith of the fathers described Heb 11.13 At the least though the beleever find in respect of the sense he hath of his owne unworthinesse much reluctancy and doubting which hindreth this act of faith yet his soule unfeignedly desireth and longeth to receive and take Christ in this matrimoniall covenant and saith with the blessed Virgin Luke 1.38 Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word In respect of this property faith is called sometimes a receiving of Christ Ioh. 1.12 somtimes a tâ—â—isting after him Rev. 21.6 Where that promise is made to him that thirsteth which none can possibly be partakers of but hee onely that truly beleeveth The fourth and last act of the soule wherein the nature of true faith consisteth is a resting and relying upon Christ and him alone for the obtaining of the favour of God and of eternall life And indeed this is of all other the chiefe act of the soule in true faith and that wherein the being and essence of it doth chiefly consist In respect of this property it is so oft called a beleeving in or on Christ and his name Iohn 3.16.18 36. 1 Iohn 5.10 a trusting in Christ Ephes. 1.12 a resting upon God 2 Chron. 14.11 a resting upon his promise 2 Chron. 32.8 a relying upon God 2 Chron 16 8. a staying our selves upon him Esa. 50.10 a cleaving and sticking close unto him Acts 11.23 beleeving in him and trusting in him are made all one Psalme 78.22 He that findeth these properties of faith in him hath certainely true faith though he want yet the assurance of Gods favour Followeth now the third and last point which I propounded That though there may be true faith where there is not this assurance yet certainely true faith if it be exercised and put forth will breed this comfortable assurance of Gods savour in the end That man that with an humbled and penitent soule can cast himselfe upon Christ trust unto him alone and rely upon him for favour with God for pardon of his sins and for eternall salvation shall certainely obtaine assurance and comfort in the end Alas may some man say how can I thus trust in Christ and relie upon him when I have no assurance but so much doubting in mee of the favour of God To such I answer Yes this is very possible Iob did so Though he slay me saith he Iob 13.15 yet will I trust in him David did so Psal 13. For though he thought God had long forgotten him and hid his face from him verse 1. yet saith he verse 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy So Psal. 143. when he cryeth thus verse 7. My spirit faileth hide not thy face from me he addeth verse 8. Cause me to heare thy loving kindnesse in the morning for in thee doe I trust He trusted in God and looked for comfort even then So did the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 28. For though she had received three fearefull repulses from Christ and therefore could have no assurance of his favour yet trusted she still in him for mercy and would not give over importuning him for it So
religion are called by the holy Ghost and wee may not teach him to speake righteous men and beleevers though there bee no true righteousnesse or faith in them at all So it is said Iohn 2.23 24. Many beleeved in Christs name when they saw the miracles that he did Had these men true and saving faith No verely as appeareth plainly by the next words But Iesus did not commit himselfe unto them because hee knew all men As though the Evangelist had said Hee knew there was no truth of faith in their hearts though they made such a profession of it So it is said of Simon Magus Actes 8.13 that hee beleeved Why had hee ever a true justifying faith in him No verely for hee was even then though neither Philip nor Peter perceived it till a little after in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie as Peter testifieth of him verse 23. yet all that are baptized are said to be regenerated and borne anew yea all the infants of the faithfull are said by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.14 to bee holy Are all infants holy indeed and truly sanctified Are all men that are baptized regenerated indeed No verily But by profession and sacramentally they are so all But why are they then by the holy Ghost called so not being so indeed Surely because the Church and people of God are bound to judge them beleevers and righteous persons that outwardly professe themselves to bee such till God shall bee pleased to reveile and discover them to bee otherwise The secret things belong to the Lord our God saith Moses Deutero 29.29 but those things which are reveiled belong to us and to our children for ever And therefore Simon Magus as bad a man as hee was inwardly and in heart was without all scruple admitted by Philip the Evangelist unto baptisme and so accounted a true beleever Acts 8.13 even for this cause because hee professed the true faith So then the beleevers the righteous and regenerate persons that are such only by profession and in the judgement of the Church may quite fall away and loose all that goodnes that seemed to be in them Secondly It cannot bee denyed but that a man may have in him in truth sundry common gifts of the spirit of God that are very like unto saving and true grace and yet loose them againe and fall quite from them The hearer that is compared to the stony ground that receiveth the word and beleeveth it and findeth joy and comfort in it yet may fall away as is plaine Luke 8.13 A man that hath beene enlightned and hath tasted of the heavenly gift of Christ and hath beene made partaker of the holy Ghost may so fall away saith the Apostle Heb. 6 4.6 as it is impossible for him to bee renewed againe unto repentance A man that hath escaped the pollutions of the world forsaken all foule grosse sins may be yet so intangled againe and overcome by them as the Apostle teacheth 2 Peter 2.20 that his latter end may become worse with him then ever his beginning was And what shall wee say of these men and of the good things that are spoken of them Were they such in shew and profession onely No verily They were indeed enlightned they did indeed beleeve they did indeed rejoyce and found comfort in the word they did indeed forsake the pollutions of the world Yea these good things in them were the workes and effects of the word and spirit of God and not of nature onely that that sprung up in them came from the seed of the word that was sowen in their hearts Luke 8.6.13 It was the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Peter 2.20 and the sweetnesse that they found in that that made them to forsake all foule and grosse sins How then Had these men ever any truth of saving or sanctifying grace in them No verily For our Saviour saith 1. Of these Luke 8.13 that they had no root in themselves the goodnes worke of the spirit that was in them was overly it never went low enough deep enough to the giving of them a root to the reforming of the inward man 2. Of the hearer that is compared to the good ground Luk. 8.15 that he he only of all the foure sorts of hearers had on honest and a good heart there was no goodnes of heart no truth of grace in any of the other three Thirdly and lastly A man that hath had in him truth of saving grace may seeme to others and to himselfe also to have lost it utterly and even to have quite quenched the spirit in himselfe For 1. he may loose the comfortable sense and feeling of it and not perceive in himselfe that he hath any grace in him at all Lord why castest thou off my soule saith the Prophet Ps. 88.14 15 while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted 2. He may loose the vigor and powerfull operation of it it may like a sparke of fire be so covered and hidden in an heap of ashes that neither himselfe nor any other can by any light or heat that commeth from it discerne any other but that it is quite dead and gone If Nathan himselfe had come to David when after the committing of his shamefull adultery he was practising with all the cunning he had the murther of Vriah or if any of the Apostles had bin with Peter when he denied Christ so oft with such bitter oathes and execrations against himselfe Mat. 26.74 what sparke of grace could they have discerned in them In these three points then you see how farre foorth it may be granted that men may fall from grace And yet is this that I have taught you a certaine truth that true sanctifying and saving grace is of a lasting permanent and continuing nature See this confirmed 1. By that which the holy Ghost expresly affirmeth of sundry particular graces and fruits of the spirit of sanctification I will instance but in three 1. The feare of the Lord is cleane saith David Psal. 19.9 enduring for ever 2. So speaking of the upright man Psal. 112.2 3. he saith his righteousnesse endureth for ever 3. And the Apostle speaking of that meekenes of spirit which Gods sanctifying grace worketh in the faithfull he calleth it Pet. 3 4. a thing that is not corruptible it can never dye See this also confirmed 2. By that which the holy Ghost expresly affirmeth of the whole habit and quality of renewed holinesse created and infused by the spirit of God into our soules at our first conversion The grace of regeneration is called by the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.23 an incorruptible seed which he amplifieth by this comparison verse 24.25 All flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of the grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever As if he should say Whatsoever excellency we have
also but not els 3. Lastly the Lord himselfe will judge thee at the last day by his Word and by that onely The word that I have spoken saith our Saviour Ioâ— 12.48 the same shall judge him at the last day And therefore it standeth thee upon to judge thy selfe by that too Secondly Now alas most men though they say they be undoubtedly assured of their salvation have no ground at all in Gods Word for this assurance they boast of Nay though the Word give most expresse and direct evidence against them yet are they most confident that they shall be saved for all that Though Gods Word say expresly Psal. 119.155 Salvation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes Yet many a one that never seeketh after Gods Statutes taketh no paines for the Word nay shunneth it all that ever he can and though he may enjoy it without any labour or charge at all will not stirre out of his doores for it nay that counteth you all arrant fooles and hypocrites that take so much paines for it as many of you do yet is this man I say as sure of his owne salvation as any of you can be Though the Scripture say expresly yea though he that must judge us all at the last day say expresly Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more than yea and nay the least oath that is in our ordinary communication commeth of that evill one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Divell And though the Apostle say Iam. 5.12 Above all things my brethren sweare not by any oath least ye fall into condemnation least ye be damned yet have we many a one that sweare ordinarily not by faith and troth onely but by fowler oathes a great deale that yet never doubted of their salvation but are confident Christ died for them his blood hath been sprinkled upon their hearts Though the Scripture say expresly 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Neither fornicators nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor raylors nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God yet where have you any in Gods Church that are more confidently assured that have lesse doubt of their salvation than these men have But let God be true saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 and every man a lyar Thou wilt one day find that the Lords testimonies against thee are very sure as the Psalmist calleth them Psal. 93.5 and that thine owne heart hath prophesied a lie unto thee that thou mightest perish as the Lord saith of them that prophesied peace unto the Iewes Ier. 27.10 I know thou art apt to alledge that thou hast repented and that thou dost believe in Christ and therefore thou hast the Word to build thy assurance upon But because neither thy faith nor thy repentance are according to the patterne according to the Word I may say of thy confidence thou reposest therein as Bildad doth of the hope of all hypocrites Iob 8.14 Thy hope shall be cut off and thy trust shall be as the spiders webb Lecture CXXIII On Psalme 51.7 Iuly 21. 1629. THE third and last signe whereby we may judge of our assurance and discerne whether God by his holy spirit hath sprinkled upon our hearts the bloud of his sonne and certified us that it was shed for us whether that assurance we seeme to have be of God or no is to be taken from the effects that this assurance hath wrought in us It is not possible for any man that knew before his owne wretchednesse by nature to be assured by Gods spirit that God hath so dearely loved him as to send his owne sonne to shed his bloud for him but this must needes worke a great change and alteration in him It must needs kindle in his heart an unfeined love to God Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galat. 5 6. As if he should say It cannot be idle but it is operative and full of vertue and the hand and instrument it worketh by is love It must needes make him that hath it desirous and studious to expresse his love to God by all meanes he can and to say with David Psalme 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord Yea the deeper sense a man hath had of his owne sinne and wretchednesse before the more will his heart be inflamed with love to God when once hee feeleth the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon his heart by Gods spirit the more studious will he be to expresse his love by any duty hee is able to performe Mary had had many sins forgiven unto her and therefore she loved much as our Saviour saith Luke 7 47. she thought no service too base too much for her to doe unto Christ who had so dearely loved her Shee waâ—hed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head as you may see verse 38. of that chapter The Papists blaspheme our Doctrine touching this certainty a man may have of Gods favour and say it tendeth to loosenesse of life and liberty But they speake of it by heare-say as strangers doe of a thing that they never knew or had experience of in themselves For the true assurance of salvation which the spirit of God hath wrought in any heart hath that force to restraine him from loosenesse of life and to knit his heart in love and obedience to God as nothing else hath in all the world It is certainly either the want of faith and assurance of Gods love or a false and carnall assurance of it that is the true cause of all that licentiousnesse and lewdnesse that raigneth in the world But to speake distinctly yet briefly of this point you shall see the effects that true assurance will worke both in the inward and outward man First True faith whereby wee receive and apply Christ unto our selves will purifie the heart as the Apostle speaketh Actes 15.9 It will worke a thorow change and reformation even in the hidden part This difference the Apostle observeth Hebr. 9.13 74. betweene the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifices upon the people by the Priest under the law and the sprinkling of Christs blood upon the heart by the spirit of God that sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh saith he that is that made a man legally in the judgement of men cleane from all outward pollutions but Christs bloud being sprinkled by the spirit of God upon any heart will purge the conscience from dead works that is from all sins which as they deserve so will they certainly bring death eternall upon all that are not purged from them this saith he will purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God There is certainly an admirable vertue in the bloud of Christ when it is once by the spirit of God sprinkled and applyed to the heart of any man it will purge and heale it from all the corruptions that were in it before Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Malachi 4.2 shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with
it than ever could be in the tenderest hearted mother in the world Can a woman saith the Lord Esa. 49.15 forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe Yea they mâ—y forget yet will not I forget thee Yea he not onely loatheth them not for that sin that remaineth in them but delighteth and taketh pleasure in them neverthelesse for all that The Lord taketh pleasure saith David Psal. 147.11 in them that feare him in those that hope in his mercy Fiftly and lastly This pardon shall never be cancelled and revoked the Lord when he hath granted it will never call it in againe Of this mercy it is said Hos. 13.14 Repentance is hid from mine eyes Whom he hath once â—ustified and received into his favour he will never reckon with them againe nor reverse his pardon He forsâ—â—eth not his Saints saith David Psal. 37.28 they are preserved for ever In which respect the Apostle Heb. 13.20 calletâ— Christs bloud the bloud of the everlasting covenant The righteousnesse we have by Christ is an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 And from hence it is even from the consideration of this largenesse and fulnesse of their pardon and how perfect the worke of their justification is that the faithfull have borne themselves and rested much more upon their justificatioâ— than upon their sanctification as you may see in these three points First They have placed their happinesse in this and not in any inherent grace that was in them as the Apoâ—tle teacâ—eth Rom. 4.6 8. David thus describeth saith he the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities â—â—e forgiven c. Secondly They have also grounded their peace of conscience their spirituall joy their glorying and boasting in their owne estate not so much upon their sanctification or any goodnesse they found wrought in themselves which they knew was weake and unperfect subject to many changes and alterations as upon their justification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them which they knew was most perfect and unreversible Being justified by faith saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 3. we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ yeâ— we are not onely at peace but we rejoyce also and are chearefull and comfortable in hope of the glory of God yea we glory also in our estate even in tribulations as you know Paul did when he was in chaines Acts 26. â—9 Thirdly and lastly They have so borne themselves upon the assurance and comfort of their justification and pardon as they have been able to lift up their faces unto God and to go to him in their prayers with a holy boldnesse as it is strange to see what boldnesse and familiarity both David and other of Gods servants have expressed this way By him we have boldnesse saith the Apostle Eph. 3.12 and accesse with confidence and boldnesse through faith in him Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are three principally First Why doth not the Lord impute unto the faithfull any of their sinnes Why doth he not account nor esteeme of them as sinners that are sinners indeed Surely because he fully imputed all their sinnes with all the foule circumstances of them unto Christ their Surety The Lord laid upon him saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 the iniquities of us all He made him to be sinne for us saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.31 who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Secondly How is it possible that the soule of any so foule a sinner as David was should be made so cleane in Gods eye as no one spot should remaine in it Surely because the bloud of Christ was the bloud of such a person as was God aswell as man God purchased us saith the Apostle Acts 20.28 with his bloud And therefore was of infinite merit and virtue sufficient and more than sufficient perfectly to cleanse the fowlest soule It is therefore compared by the Prophet Zach. 13.1 not to a cisterne or poole that may be drawne dry but to a fountain opened to all Gods people for sinne and for uncleannesse With him is plenteous redemption saith the Prophet Psal. 130.7 The ransome that hee paid was enough and enough againe to satisfie Gods justice for all our sinnes Thirdly and lastly But how is it possible will you say that the soule of any so fowle a sinner as David here was a filthy adulterer a murderer should ever become in Gods sight not onely cleane but whiter than the snow beautifull and glorious in the eyes of God Surely because to whomsoever the Lord doth give for Christs sake the pardon of his sinnes which is the first part of our justification to him he doth also impute the righteousnesse of Christ which is the second part of our justification before God Thus David describeth saith the Apostle Rom. 4.6 7. the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered To whom the Lord forgiveth his sinnes to him he doth impute righteousnesse also Take away the filthy garments from him saith the Lord of Iehoshuah Zach. 3.4 and be said unto him behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of raiment And what was that change of raiment Surely the perfect and more than sufficiently meritorious obedience and righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus which God doth impute unto us In which respect also we are said by justifying faith to put on the Lord Iesus Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 and to be cloathed with him as with a garment And no marvell if being so apparelled we appeare whiter than the snow beautifull and glorious in the sight of God To her that is to the Spouse and Church of Christ saith the Apostle Rev. 19.8 was graunted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and white for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints This perfect righteousnesse of Christ which the Lord imputeth to us and where with as with a garment he cloatheth us is the onely righteousnesse that any of Gods Saints have to stand before God with and having that they may stand with boldnesse even before the judgement seat of God Lecture CXXIX On Psalme 51.7 Septem 29. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto And they are of two sorts First Such as tend to the informing and establishing of our judgements in this most weighty and fundamentall article of our faith and that is for confutation of errour that is maintained against it Secondly Such as tend to the working upon our hearts and directing us how we should be affected with it and of this sort there are two First for comfort and for exhortation secondly The use of the first sort that is to say the use of confutation though
upon My first proofe is the testimony that the Lord hath given unto them that cleave constantly to his truth The second is the comfort that Gods people themselves have found and the confidence they have reposed in that Of the first sort of proofs I will give you but three The first is that which you shall find Esa. 26.2 Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in Marke three things in this first proofe 1. God makes it the character of the righteous nation the true Church the whole company of true believers that are made righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto them that they are such as keep the truth Yea that he saith they are such as 2 keepe the truths all truths every truth that God hath in his Word revealed unto them 3. Marke what is said Vers. 1. of this nation that keepeth the truth and what security they may have that are of that nation We have a strong City salvation will God appoint for wals and bulwarks The nation that keepeth the truth yea every truth of God is as a strong city Gods salvation and protection shall be in stead of all wals and bulwarks unto that nation My second proofe of the first sort is that speech of our blessed Saviour Ioh. 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed and not in name and profession onely He that is Christs disciple indeed taught of God a true believer will continue in Christs word in the truth he hath learned of him and not be drawne away from it And the third is like unto this 2 Iohn 9. Whosoever transgresseth He meanes not in action and practice for all men are apt to transgresse so There is no man that sinneth not 1 Kings 8.46 and every one that sinneth transgresseth the law 1 Ioh. 3.4 But he speaks here of such as transgresse in judgment forsake the right way as they did 2 Peter 2.15 and fall from the truth Whosoever saith he transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God hath no part in God no saving knowledge of God no comfort in him He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Sonne hath God for his father and the Sonne of God for his Saviour And this is my first sort of proofe the testimony that the Lord hath given of them that cleave to the truth and are constant in his holy religion you see what account the Lord makes of such My second proofe is the testimony that Gods people themselves from their owne experience have given unto this even of the comfort that they have found in this in the times of their greatest tryals and aâ—flictions that they have been constant in their religion and faithfully persisted in the truth of God And for this kind of proofe I will give you three particular examples of most holy men and one more generall of the whole Church The first of my three examples is holy Iob who when he was overwhelmed almost with tentations of all sorts found not more comfort and strength against them all in any one thing than he did in this Iob 23.11 12. My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone backe from the commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food As if he had said How many and how great soever my frailties and corruptions have been whereby I have justly deserved the Lord should thus afflict me yet I thaâ—ke God this my Conscience can witnesse with me and this is my comfort that I have never been variable in my religion I have been constant in that My second example is Davids who when his soule cleaved to the dust Psal. 119.25 and melted for heavinesse as he saith Vers. 28. when he was brought very low by outward and inward affliction raiseth up himselfe with this testimony that his conscience gave him as with a principall comfort Vers. 30 31. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgements thy Word for so is that word taken most commonly in that Psalme have I laid before me I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord put me not to shame As if he should have said I have deliberately advisedly and upon good grounds I finde for it in thy Word not out of any carnall respects because it is the religion of the time and State I live in made choice of this religion which I do professe and I have stuck to it and would never be drawn from it therefore O Lord put me not to shame forsake me not nor leave me not without comfort My third example is that of the holy Apostle 2 Tim 4.6 7. I am now ready to be offred as a sacrifice in martyrdome and the time of my departure is at hand that was a time certainly wherein he should need to bethink himself of the best grounds of comfort he had and what was the chiefe thing that he grounds his comfort and confidence upon at that time Surely this which he expresseth in the next words I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith As if he had said Though by many oppositions of false teachers and bitter persecutions I have beene strongly assaulted to forsake it yet I have I praise God and this is my comfort even to the finishing of my course and end of my dayes kept the faith that is the doctrine of faith as the word is taken Acts 6.7 Rom. 1.5 Gal. 1.23 and in many other places And mark how confidently he infers even upon this ground in the next words Vers. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day My fourth and last example is more generall even of the whole body of the Church that God had then upon earth Psal. 44.17 18 19 All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant our heart is not turned backe neither have our steps declined from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death As if they had said No reproach or persecution that ever we indured all which we might easily have escaped if we would have dealt falsly in thy covenant and forsaken thy truth could make us so much as in heart to turne backe from thy way as our fore-fathers did in the wildernesse of whom it is said Acts 7.39 that in their hearts they turned backe into Egypt they could have found in their hearts to be there againe but so could not we and this testimony of our uprightnesse we have to comfort our selves with in all the miseries that have befalne us And thus have I given you the proofe of the point that a mans constancy in the
acquainted with the holy Scriptures and could remember what ye have learned there ye should not much be moved with that that any either Hereticke or Atheist could say against the truth Thirdly and lastly By this we shall be able to convince and stoppe the mouth of any caviller and seducer if we can alleadge a direct place of Scripture for that truth that we hold The Scripture is profitable and hath great efficacy and force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to convince saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.16 it is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6.17 the weapon whereby the spirit of God fighteth with great power and efficacy against every adversary Thus did our blessed Saviour put to silence the tempter himselfe the grand Master and father of all Hereticks and seducers with Scriptum est by alleadging plaine places of Scripture against him Matthew 4.4 7 10. And therefore there is in it a more divine power to convince the conscience of any gaine-sayer and to stop his mouth then in all the testimonyes of counsells or fathers that ever lived in the world And therefore to conclude this first direction as this may discover to us what small hope there is of the greatest number of those that professe the truth in these dayes of peace and joyne with us in the use of all Gods ordinances that they should ever persevere and hold fast their profession being so extreamly ignorant and unacquainted with the principles and grounds of the Religion that they doe professe strangers in the holy Scriptures so may this assure the best of us all beloved that if ever a time of tryall shall come our hearts will smart and ake for this that we have not grounded our selves better in the knowledge of the truth that when we shall heare what the adversary will object against it wee shall find our selves so apt to stagger for want of grounded knowledge when we shall find so small comfort in suffering for it which wee have so small assurance whether it bee the truth or no. Certainely hee that desires to persevere and hold fast the truth hee must while hee hath time and meanes ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth by acquainting himselfe and seeking to be perfect in the principles of Religion and points of the Catechisme and by getting good proofes of Scripture for every thing that hee doth hold and professe The second is this He must take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practice it or he will never continue constant in the profession of it This is given for the reason why the elect hearers who are in the parable Luke 8.15 resembled unto the good ground did keepe the word and bring forth fruit with patience did persevere and hold out to the end and none but they because they and they only did heare the word with honest and good hearts The man that heares the word and useth the meanes of knowledge with an honest and good heart that is with desire and purpose of heart to practice that which he knowes with such a heart as was in David Psalme 86.11 Teach mee thy wayes ô LORD and I will walke in thy truth And 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart He I say that hath such an honest and good heart he shall certainely keepe it and hold out to the end Many promises are made to such The righteous is an everlasting foundation saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 10 25. And the Prophet having spoken Psalm 112.1 5. of many priviledges that belong to the man that feareth God to the good and upright hearted man he adds this to all the rest Verse 6. surely hee shall not be moved for ever no temptations no perswasions no persecutions shall ever be able to remove him If yee will feare the Lord saith Samuel to Israel 1 Sam. 12.14 And serve him and obey his voice and not rebell against the commandement of the Lord then shall both yee and also the King that reighneth over you continue following the Lord your God Bee you confident in this beloved even such of you as when you forecast the prevailing of Popery and danger of persecution have beene most apt to feare and doubt your selves that you shall never be able to hold out to the end if you truly feare God and make conscience to practice whatsoever he hath taught you be you confident I say in these promises and how weake soever you feele your selves know that the Lord will shew his strength in your weakenesse he will certainely uphold you The eyes of the Lord saith the Prophet to King Asa 2 Chron. 16.9 runne too and fro throughout the whole earth every nation every Towne every family to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him This the faithfull have ever had good experience of in the times of most fiery tryall What an admirable strength and constancy shall we read of in the Booke of Martyrs to have beene in sundry simple men and women whose knowledge was very weake and meane A well grounded knowledge is a notable meanes to helpe unto constancy as we have heard But there is more force this way in one ounce of true piety and uprightnesse of heart then in a pound of knowledge without this Let a man abound in knowledge never so much if he feare not God if he makes not conscience of his wayes he may turne Papist before he dye notwithstanding all the knowledge that he hath Hold faith and a good conscience saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwracke of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander A pure conscience is that golden Pot wherein this heavenly Mannah of faith and sound judgement in Religion must bee kept Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience saith hee 1 Tim. ◠9 This golden Pot this precious cabinet will keepe it safe and sure so as we shall never lose it and nothing else but this will doe it And what meaneth he by a pure conscience Surely such a one as doth not willingly admit of the least spot the least sinne that may defile it A good conscience in all things as Paul calls it Heb. 13.18 He that dares not give liberty to himselfe to offend God in any thing he and he only shall hold fast the mystery of faith That Alexander which the Apostle speaketh of had not only beene a constant hearer of the Apostle but had been his constant companion in travell a zealous professour of the truth and very neare unto Martyrdome for it also as it may appeare Acts 19.33 34. yet fell this man so fearfully from the truth that he became a blasphemer of it as is plaine 1 Tim. 1.20 and a most bitter enemy and persecutor of it one of the greatest enemies that ever Paul had Alexander the copper-smith saith he 2 Tim. 4.14