a working warring principle that shall rouse up a man dayly to take heed of it as the greatest evil and yet sin should be as powerful and as frequently and freely break out as it doth in others no where there is such an enmity hostility and irreconcileableness or to say in a word such an habitual aversation it cannot be 1 Joh. 3.9 He that is born of God doth not commit sin his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God He that hath such a blessed change wrought in him by the operation of Gods Spirit as to be transformed in the Spirit of his mind it cannot be supposed but that Grace will have such Energy and efficacy upon him as to prevent the life and growth of sin and restrain the practice of it that the habits of Grace being cherished this must needs be famished and starved by degrees A man that hath a fixed root of ungodliness in him he is at sins beck the Devils Slave but a permanent habit of Grace doth produce a constant carefulness that God be not dishonoured or displeased The Apostle telleth us That Christ bore our sins in his Body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin may be alive unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 Now certainly this effect is obtained in those that have benefit by his Death or have assured it by Faith before they were alive to sin being active and delighting in the Commission of it but dead to Righteousness impotent and indisposed for any spiritual act but afterwards their love to sin is weakened and their Hearts quicken'd to spiritual Life Once more That there is a decay of the evil Principle appeareth by that of Gal. 5.16 17. This I say then walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would This place sheweth that the lusts of the flesh though they be not wholly abandoned yet they shall not be fulfilled We take it otherwise but the meaning is The unrenewed part shall be kept under we cannot fully effectuate the evil we would The Spirit alwayes opposeth what we would do according to the direction of the Flesh. There are two Active principles never wholly dead The flesh doth not advance with a full gale but meeteth with a contrary tyde of resistance from the Spirit 1. Vse Is to Reprove those that can afford a little Religion but cannot afford enough It may be good words without practice or practice without principle Good words without practice many talk well their notions are high and strict but observe them narrowly and you will find them cold and careless like the Carbuncle at a distance it seemeth all on fire but touch it and it is Key-cold Be warmed be cloathed will not pass for Charity nor Opinions for Faith nor Notions and elevated Strains for Godliness You would laugh at him that would think to pay his Debts with the Noise of Money and instead of opening his Purse shake it 'T is as ridiculous to think to satisfie God or discharge our Duty by fine words or heavenly Language without an heavenly Heart or Life or afford practice without a Principle or an inward disposition or inclination of heart to holy things 'T is not enough to do good but we must get the Habit of doing good to believe but we must get the Habit of Faith to do a vertuous action but we must have the Habit of Vertue to perform an Act of Obedience but we must get the Root of Obedience The Soul must be divested of evil Habits and decked and adorned with habits of Grace and endowed with new and spiritual Qualities before it can have a Principle of Life in its self But most men content themselves with a little good Affection that is soon spent Hosea 6.4 Ephraim's goodness is like the morning dew that wets the surface but is soon dryed up Many have some good things in them but they want a firm Root which is an habitual Inclination towards God Oh the difference that is between a man that forceth himself to do good and one whose Heart is inclined to do good He doth not go to it like a Bear to the Stake but with a native willingness he is inclined to think of good inclined to talk of good and holy discourse inclined to pray to exercise himself to Godliness The Lord hath put a new Nature in him and he feeleth an internal Mover or an inward Impression that moveth him This is Life but 't is little regarded Many have a shew but Life cannot be painted otherwise an handsome Picture of Godliness men may keep up But what are the Reasons of this 1. Negligence They are loath to be at the pains to get Grace to be at the expence of brokenness of Heart and that humble waiting and earnest praying that it will cost us A Form is easily gotten and maintained painted Fire needs no fuel to keep it in vanishing Affections are soon stirred A little remorse in a Prayer or delight in a Sermon they may have but it will cost us labour and diligence to have the Heart strongly bent towards God Prov. 13.4 The Soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the Soul of the diligent shall be made fat All excellent things have their incident difficulties and nothing is gotten without diligence labour and serious mindfulness That which is opposed to common Grace is casting off sloathfulness and a diligence to keep some full assurance of hope to the end Heb. 6.11 12. 2. Inconsideration They do not consider how they shall appear before Christ at the day of Judgment Therefore are they called foolish Virgins because they did not foresee all Events to provide against them As if the Spouse should come later they thought this Oyl they had might suffice or they should have opportunity to get more Christianity is a business of Consideration When Christ had laid down the Terms he biddeth them sit down and count the Charges Luke 14.28 A Builder doth but lay the foundation of his shame in his Cost if he be not able to carry on the Building a War were better never be begun if we have not means to maintain it If you mean to build for Heaven to bid defiance against the Devil World and Flesh you must not rashly engage but deliberately resolve We must consider the Quality of Christs Laws what visible Oppositions there are that we may knowingly all difficulties considered put our selves into his hands There is an anxious and serious deliberation necessary otherwise to leap into Profession sleightly maketh way for Apostasie or else for such a cheap Religion which costs nothing and therefore is worth nothing 3. Some unmortified corruption or indulged Lust which hindereth both the Radication and Prevalency of Grace The Heart divided touched partly with
read Eph. 5.20 that no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Oh that we could say so in this case that no man ever hated his own Soul 'T is no less monstrous and unnatural not to take care of our Souls than not to take care of our Bodies The Soul is the man the nobler and better part that should be first cared for therefore if you love your selves you should look after your personal Interest in Christ. 2. Your Happiness is left meerly as on your own Consent God offereth his Grace to you as well as to others Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters and drink Revel 20.22 Whosoever will c. If you refuse it you wrong your own Souls Pro. 8.36 forsake your own Mercies Jonah 2.8 And if you miss of Christ and be shut out of Heaven 't is by your own default You have none to blame but your selves if you do not enter into Covenant with God and so qualifie your selves for the great blessings and favours thereof 3. Consider how much others have done for you in a way of Means though they can do nothing in a way of merit You have received as much benefit by others as can rationally be expected you were born of Christian Parents by them dedicated to God and trained up in his fear and now after all this when you come to stand upon your own bottom you wrest your selves out of the arms of Grace your obstinate refusing seriously and heartily to enter into personal Covenant with God will exclude you out out of Heaven You are not moved by the examples of the word and self-denying Christians If you never try to bring your Heart to consent to the Lords terms you will find your Oyl to seek when you should use it at the Bridegrooms coming Secondly I now come to the Reason alleadged lest there be not enough for us and you 2 Doct. They that have most Grace have none to spare 1. With respect to our great hopes all our endeavours are little enough for Heaven we cannot be at more cost and pains than our blessed hope is worth Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling Work because 't is for Salvation 2 Thes. 2.12 Walk worthy of God who hath called us to his Kingdom and Glory That is the worthiness of Condecency walk suitable to your high and holy Calling walk as those that expect such a Kingdom and Glory walk as those that are contented with a little here Heb. 13.5 A little here should serve our turn but in heavenly things 't is otherwise there should be an holy covetousness and an insatiableness of desiring more and a suitableness in our walking to that State of Life which we expect But alas 't is otherwise with most for the Comforts of this Life which are but as a vapour they are insatiable as the Grave but in Grace every little yea a bare nothing is thought sufficient surely these men have not a true sense of Gods Punishments and Rewards nor what preparation is necessary for that heavenly Happiness they expect 2. With respect to our great Temptations not a jot of Grace can be spared We are told that the righteous are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 There are so many tryals by the way and our folly and weakness is so great that 't is no easie matter to get safe to Heaven If we have strength to carry us through our present Condition yet we know not what we may meet with before our service be over a day may come when all the Grace we have may be thought little enough and too little for the Tryals we may be put upon Little Grace is as no Grace when a Temptation cometh Luk. 8.25 Where is your Faith But Mark 4.4 How is it that ye have no Faith And Matth. 8.26 't is said Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Little Faith in some cases is as if they had no Faith Faith in the Habit they had but they could not put it into Act in that suddain and great Tryal Eph. 6.10 Be ye strong in the Lord and the power of his might 3. With respect to our Comfort a large Measure of Grace is necessary we are bidden to give all diligence that we may enter abundantly 2 Pet. 1.11 Not only make a hard shift to get to Heaven but to get thither with full Sails of Comfort now this will never be unless we have much Grace and that kept in lively action for otherwise it will not come into the view and notice of Conscience to make up an Evidence there 1. I do suppose that Conscience hath a Vote in the matters of our Peace Rom. 8.16 In the matters of our sense Rom. 9.1 The bosom witness is Conscience the knowledge of our Estate is not intuitive but discursive 2. That small things are inconspicuous and not easily to be discerned especially by weak eyes therefore 't is an hard matter for Conscience to discern a little Grace in a great heap of Corruption Mans Heart is not watchful nor so tender nor are things in such order there as that every lesser thing should be taken notice of though Conscience be a secret spy yet small things escape its view and notice both in a way of Sin and Grace in a drowsie and unattentive Soul it cannot be imagined therefore there must be a great deal of Grace before it can be seen and distinguished from a common work for the Heart of man is deceitful The Woman was forc't to light a Candle and search diligently before she could find her lost groat so hard will it be to discover that in the Soul which is small and little 3. The Testimony of the Spirit is usually given in upon the greatest exercise and abounding of Grace for the Oyl of Gladness followeth the Oyl of Grace and Comfort is dispensed according to the rate of Obedience Joh. 15.10 If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love and Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and is loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Therefore out of all this it followeth that if we would maintain any comfortable and delightful sense of our Interest in Christ and the glory of the World to come we should not be contented with a little Grace 4. With respect to the nature of Grace 'T is a sign we have no Grace when we think we have enough and to spare surely they that have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 3.2 they are not cloyed but will long for more that man that doth not desire to be better was never good As the little seed works through the hard and dry Clods that it may grow up to stalk and flower so is Grace it is working and increasing to perfection therefore 't is an ill sign to be satisfied with small measures of Grace
The word is either causal or conditional and signifieth either for so much or if so be our Translation preferreth the latter rendring and the sence is if it were not so I would not judg you to belong to Christ. As to the latter observe two Things 1. To be in the spirit or to have the spirit dwelling in us is the same for the inhabitation is mutual we are in the spirit and the spirit in us 2. That the Spirit of God and of Christ are all one witness the proof here subjoined for he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Doct. That they in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth tho they live in the flesh they do not live after the flesh 1. The Terms must be explained 2. The Connection proved 1. The Terms must be explained two Terms there are 1. What is the indwelling of the Spirit 2. What it is to live in the flesh 1. What the spirits dwelling in us meaneth Three Things are implied Intimacy Constancy Soveraingty Intimacy with us Constancy of Operation in us and Soveraingty over us 1. Intimacy or familiar presence as the Inhabitant in his own house he is more there than elsewhere God is every where essentially his essence and being is no where included and no where excluded Psal. 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence He is said more especially to be there where he most manifests his power and presence So his dwelling is known by his Operation he is in us virtute insignis alicujus effectus by some notable and eminent effect which he produceth in us as to the effects of common Providence 't is said Eph. 4.6 That God is above all and through all and in all But he dwelleth in Believers not by the effects of common providence but by the special influence of his grace as Christs Agent begetting and maintaining a new spiritual life in their souls so he is in them as he is no where else by his gracious Operations performed there Acts 26.18 Opening their hearts Acts 16.14 Comforting and guiding them upon all occasions this is his gracious and familiar presence which the world is not capable of John 14.17 I will send unto you the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you The world of natural men are great strangers to the Spirit of Christ they were never acquainted with his gracious and saving Operations but he intimately discovereth his presence to those that enjoy him in the exercise of Grace they feel and discern his motions and have that comfort and peace which others are strangers to This then is the intimate and familiar presence of the spirit in the hearts of believers Some have raised Questions Whether the Person of the Holy Ghost be in believers or only his gifts and Graces The Person questionless We have not only the Fruit but the Tree the Stream but the Fountain but he doth not dwell in us personally The Spirit was in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily or personally for his soul dwelt with God in a personal Union in all creatures he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the common effects of his power and Providence but in Believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually by gracious effects which is all the conception we can have of it 2. Constancy Dwelling noteth his residence or a permanent and constant abode he doth not act upon them or affect them by a transient motion only or come upon them as he came upon Sampson at times or as he came upon the Phrophets or holy men of God when in some particular services they were specially inspired and carried beyond the line of their ordinary abilities but he dwelleth in us by working such effects as carry the nature of a permanent habit on the carnal he worketh per modum actions transeuntis but on the sanctified there are effects wrought not transient but permanent per modum habitus permanentis as Faith Love and Hope There is difference between his acting upon us and dwelling in us the holy Spirit cometh to us not as a guest but as an Inhabitant not for a visit and away but to take up his abode in us Therefore when the spirit is promised Christ saith He will give us a well of water always springing unto eternal life John 4.14 Not a draught nor a plash of water nor a pond but a living spring so John 14.23 We will come to him and make our abode with him He liveth in the heart that by constant and continual influence he may maintain the life of grace in us Gal. 5.25 by degrees he deadneth and mortifieth our dearest and strongest sin Rom. 8.13 And continually stirreth us up to the love and obedience of God in Christ 1 Pet. 1.22 Exciteth us to prayer and quickneneth our spiritual desires Rom. 8.26 Giveth us consolation in crosses 1 Pet. 4.14 Counsel in all our ways Rom. 8.14 And sets us a longing for Heaven Rom. 8.23 In short the spirit is said to dwell there where his ordinary and constant work is and where he doth by his constant and continual influence form and frame mens bearts and lives to holiness 3. Soveraingty This is implied also in the notion of dwelling take the Metaphor either from a common house or from a Temple from an house where the spirit dwelleth he dwelleth there as the owner of an house not as an underling The Apostle inferreth from the spirits dwelling in us that we are not our own 1 Cor. 6.19 We were possessed by another owner before we were recovered into his hands our hearts are Satans shop aad workhouse the evil spirit saith Matth. 12.44 45. I will return to mine own house But he is disposessed by the spirit and then it becomes his house where he commandeth and doth dispose and govern our hearts after his own will but it more clearly floweth from the other notion of a sacred house or Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy-Ghost which is in you A Temple is a sacred house and must be imployed for the honour of the God whose Temple it is The heart of Man naturally is a Temple full of Idols every dunghil-God is worshipped there Mammon the Belly Satan but when this Temple is cleansed and becometh a mansion for the holy Spirit he must be chief there and all things must be done to his honour that he may be obeyed reverenced and worshipped in his own Temple Thus much we get from either notion of a common house that the Spirit is Owner or Lord of that house or from a sacred house or Temple that he is the God of that Temple and so where ever he
that please me and take hold of my covenant They thankfully accept the offered benefits and resolve by the strength of the Lords grace to perform the required duties 3. That our hearts be set to fulfil our covenant vow For otherwise we double and deal unsincerely with God Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience willing in all things to live honestly The habit and bent of the heart is for God and obedience to him 4. That there be some answerable endeavours and pursuance of this resolution and care to please God in all things Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men 5. That these endeavours be uniformly carried on that our sincerity may be evidenced to conscience For then 't is matter of Rejoicing and assurance to us 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoicing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world 1 John 3.19 And hereby we know we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Grace constantly and self-denyingly exercised hath an evidence in the conscience and conduceth also to give liberty and boldness before God 2. The witness of the spirit Because this is often mistaken I shall the more distinctly lay it before you 1. The spirit layeth down marks in Scripture which may decide this question whether ye are the children of God yea or no. As for instance 1 John 3.10 In this the children of God are manifested and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother And again Rom. 8.14 As many â—â— are led by the spirit are the sons of God So every where in the Scripture God expresly telleth us who shall go to Heaven and who shall go to Hell and that there is no neutral and middle estate between the Holy and Carnal all are of one sort or other Now if we should go no further the Text would bear a good sence The spirit beareth witness with our spirit when our conscience can witness our sincerity in a course of obedience unto God The spirits witness in Scripture that this is a sound so a true evidence and the Testimony of conscience confirmed by Scripture for whatever is spoken in Scripture 't is supposed to be the very voice and Testimony of the Spirit as Acts 28.25 Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers so Heb. 3.7 Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice So the spirit speaketh or witnesseth to our spirits namely in the word supposing what is to be supposed this must not be slighted yet this is not all for the context speaketh not of a witness without but motion within whereby we are restrained from sin and inclined to cry Abba Father 2. He worketh such graces in us as are peculiar to Gods children and evidences of our interest in the Favour of God as when he doth Renew and Sanctify the Soul and so many of the choicest Divines take the word witness for evidence or the objective Testimony namely that the presence and dwelling and working of the Sanctifying Spirit in us is the Argument and matter of the proof upon which the whole cause or traverse dependeth That it is so to be taken is clear in that exclusive mark Rom. 8.9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his And in that positive mark 1 John 3.24 And he that keepeth his commanments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us and again 1 John 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he is us because he hath given us his spirit That Holy and Charitable spirit The gracious operations of his presence are the Argument whence we conclude 3. He helpeth us to discern this work in our souls more clearly Conscience dothits part to discover it and the spirit of God doth his part namely as he helpeth us to know and see that Grace which he giveth and actuateth in us for he revealeth the things given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 not only in the Gospel tho chiefly but also in our hearts The workman that made a thing can best warrant it to the buyer First he Sanctifieth and then he certifieth sometimes we overlook our Evidences through the darkness and confusion that is in our hearts Hagar saw not the Fountain that was near her till God opened her eyes Gen. 21.19 There is a misgiving in the conscience we cannot see grace in the midst of weakness and imperfections Mary wept for the absence of Christ when yet he stood by her John 20.14 15. The spirit dwelleth and worketh in their hearts but they know it not 4. He helpeth us not only to see grace but to judg of the sincerity of grace 'T is more easie to prove that we believe than to know that our faith is saving to love Christ than to know that we love him in sincerity because of the deceitfulness of the heart and the mixtures of unbelief self-love and other sins and some degrees may be in hypocrites as temporary faith tasts imperfect love partial obedience and besides Grace where it is weak is hardly perceived the air will shew it self in a windy season the fire when 't is blown up into a flame 't is no more hidden grace strengthned increased acted is more evident to conscience habits are discerned by acts and exercise and God is wont to reward the faithful soul with his assuring seal of light and comfort 1 John 3.18 Love not in word or in tongue only but in deed and in truth The less we are Christians in shew and the more in sincerity the more joy and peace 5. He helpeth us with boldness to conclude from these evidences Many times when the premises are clear the conclusion is suspended we find in case of condemnation 't is suspended out of self-love many know that they that live after the flesh shall die yet they will not judg themselves and the same may be done in case of self-approbation out of legal fear or jealousie for persons of great fancy and large affections are always full of scruples or loathness to apply the comforts due to them the spirit concludeth for them that they are the children of God 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life 1 John 2.3 And hereby we know that we know him 6. He causeth us to feel the comfort of this conclusion Rom. 5.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing 'T is an impression of the comforting spirit and Acts 9.31 They walked in the fear of the Holy ghost The spirit is necessary to
our salvation there is such a temperament of both that they shine with an equal glory 3. We are justified by faith Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses certainly none are justified in a state of impenitency and unbelief 't is not enough to look to the first moving cause the grace of God or the impetration of it by the blood of Christ but how it is applied to our selves and what right we have For the righteousness of Christ is none of ours till we do repent and believe let us see how our title doth arise when we thankfully seriously and broken-heartedly accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour then we are found in him not having our own righteousness 4. We are justified by works and not by faith only by which are meant the fruits of sanctification for true faith and true holiness will shew its self by good works faith giveth us the first right but works continue it for otherwise a course of sin would put us into a state of damnation again therefore at the last judgment these are considered Revel 20.12 And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Matth. 25.35 36. For I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Faith is our consent but obedience verifieth it or is our performance of what we consented unto the one as covenant making the other as covenant-keeping we are admitted by covenant-making but continued in our priviledges by covenant-keeping Psal. 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant But yet a little more must be said to reconcile the two Apostles Paul saith A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Rom. 3.28 and James saith Chapt. 2.24 Ye see then how by works a man is justified and not by faith only There is a two-fold charge commenced against us as sinners and breakers of the law as hypocrites and unsound believers To the first we have nothing but the merits of Christ to plead to the second a fruitful obedience or else Paul in the opposition between works and faith meaneth by works legal observances by faith true Christianity The Jews boasted of their legal observances to the rejection of the faith of Christ and James by faith a dead faith and by works Christian duties or acts of obedience to God not external observances of the law of man 4. Why no charge or accusation can lie against them whom God justifieth 1. Because God is the supream law-giver to appoint the terms and conditions upon which we shall be justified and when he hath stated them and declared his will who shall reverse it or revoke it Heb. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation No cause of revocation can be imagined in God or out of God within God not want of wisdom for nothing can fall out but what he foresaw at first Psal. 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Not inconstancy of will for he is not as man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 Nor can his will be frustrated through any defect of power for he is Almighty Nothing without God neither Devils nor Angels nor Men have power to null and frustrate the force of his constitutions The New Covenant is his resolved will and purpose not to be altered surely in making it God determineth of his own and not another's right 't is in his power to absolve or condemn upon what terms he pleaseth therefore if out of his Soveraign will he hath put our justification in such a course who can reverse it 2. Because the promise of justification is built upon Christs everlasting merit and satisfaction and therefore it will hold good for ever Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Christ procured these promises for us and that by his death therefore everlastingly they hold good 2 Cor 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen and called the everlasting Covenant 'T is even become the interest of God to justifie us that he may not lose the glory of his grace and the merit and oblation of Christ Isa. 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities He that hath born our sins all this cost would be in vain if he should not pardon and justifie There is such a value in the death and obedience of Christ that the Scripture puts a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it compare it with the influence of Adam as a common root Rom. 5.17 18. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life And with the legal sacrifices Heb. 9.13 For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ c. There is the same reason in both besides institution and appointment there is an intrinsick value 3. Because 't is conveyed by the solemnity of a Covenant now God by his Covenant hath made it our right his justice is ingaged 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge shall give me at that day By solemn promise you convey a right to another in the thing promised so doth God 4. When we believe God as the supream Judge actually determineth our right so that a believer is rectus incuria hath his quietus est Rom. 4.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And then who can lay any thing to our charge to reverse Gods grant 5. The Lord as the soveraign disposer of mans felicity doth many times uncontroulably give us the comfort of it in our own consciences Job 34.29 When he giveth quietness who can trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him whether it be done against a nation or against a man only None can obstruct the peace which he giveth Gods dispensations whether for good or evil are effectual
seemed to believe the coming of Christ and went forth to meet him 1. Therefore I shall shew you what they may do as to Faith I shall shew what the Grace is and how far they may go along with it The Scripture speaketh so much of Faith that we need to know what it is Faith in its peculiar respect works towards Christ and Heaven But take it in its general latitude 't is a firm and cordial assent to all such things that are revealed by God as revealed by him Let us explain this here is the Object things revealed by God as revealed by him then the Act 't is an assent the Adjuncts 't is a firm and cordial assent For the Object in this description I consider it materially and formally all things revealed by God whatsoever All things necessary to Salvation Faith apprehends them distinctly other things implicitely that is knows them in their general principle Few Christians know all the Doctrines contained in the Christian Religion but they believe them in the general But now things necessary to Salvation I must distinctly know them as those that are called Articles of the Creed the Lords Prayer the ten Commandments Faith is an Assent to and built upon a divine testimony without any other reason whether as to things past present or to come things past as the Creation of the World Heb. 11.3 By Faith we understand the Worlds were created by the Word of God If a man should hold the Creation of the World upon some other reason that seemeth cogent unto him and not upon the discovery of it in the Word certainly 't is not Faith whatever it be for Faith assents to whatsoever is revealed by God So for things present that God sitteth in Heaven and Christ at his right hand Stephen saw it by Vision and Extasie but every Believer seeth it by Faith which is the evidence of things not seen as if with bodily eyes So for things to come as Christs coming to Judgment John saw it in the light of Prophesie Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead both small and great stand before God and they see it in the light of Scripture and the Promise so that you see the Objects of Faith are things revealed by God because revealed by him If a man should believe the Christian Religion upon Tradition or the current opinion where he liveth 't is not Faith but humane Credulity now the act of Faith 't is an assent not knowledge but acknowledgment the understanding hath a double act apprehension or dijudication it judgeth of the truth of things apprehended or apprehendeth the tenor of things and then judgeth of the truth of them they are not enlightned in a way of Faith that are only able to talk of Heavenly things but such as are perswaded of the truth of them And then mark the Adjuncts 't is a firm and Cordial assent 1. 'T is a firm assent and that excludeth many things from Faith as light Credulity Prov. 14.15 The simple believeth every word He that believeth every thing without search and serious advertency believeth nothing And it excludeth bare non-contradiction Many are thought to believe the Religion they live under because they do not question it These can no more be said to believe than Children are said to believe the Questions and Answers of the Catechism they have learned by rote True Faith knoweth the certainty of those things wherein they have been instructed Luk. 1.4 And then it excludeth Conjecture to be Faith which is a lighter inclination of the mind to a thing as probable it may be so yet there is a suspition to the contrary Nay it excludeth Opinion which goeth higher than Conjecture but cometh short of Faith Well now thus far many goe there may be an owning of the true Orthodox Religion only out of Custom Chance of Birth Education tradition of Ancestours they may talk much as Parrots repeat mens words by rote only There may be Convictions and Opinions about them they may be perswaded those things are true that are in the Word of God and yet no firm assent 2. But to come nearer yet the next Adjunct 't is a cordial and hearty assent such as engageth the Heart to Christ. We read in Scripture of believing with the Heart Rom. 10.9 and believing with all the Heart Acts 8.37 Truths are propounded to us in the Scripture not only as true but good things of great weight and moment as well as certain Believing is an hearty business now this cordial and hearty Assent excludeth Historical Faith and Temporary Faith First Historical Faith which rests in a naked speculation or a simple and naked assent to such things as are propounded in the Word of God This consisteth in a meer Speculation of the Mind without any change of the bent of the Will and Affections True Faith ever overcomes all contrary inclinations and motions so that Gods Interest may prevail above them Heb. 11.13 Being perswaded of them they embraced them Those who have a meer historical Faith are not excited to holy Living are rendred more knowing not better this is a real Faith in its kind Simon Magus did really believe by the preaching of Philip Acts 8.13 't was not counterfeit for 't is said he wondred And those in John 2.24 that believed in the Name of Christ but Christ would not commit himself to them for he knew all men And no question the Devils do really believe James 2. not only natural Truths but Gospel Truths I know thou art the holy one of God What a Confession is this out of the Devils mouth Therefore 't is a wrong to say that unregenerate men do not believe Because this being the main business in hand I will tell you why 't is called Historical Faith Not from the Object of it as if they only believed the Histories of the Scripture No they believe Promises Threatnings Doctrines Precepts Mysteries But 't is called Historical Faith from the manner wherewith 't is conversant about its Object As we read Histories in which we are no way concerned only for contemplation and Knowledge sake not to make a Party in their Broils or interpose in their quarrels so they rest in idle Speculations which betters not the Practice Well now this speculative assent they may have this Faith doth not only believe those things that are true but doth heartily and truely believe them Secondly There is besides this temporary Faith that is such an assent as is accompanyed with a sleight and insufficient touch upon the Heart called a taste Heb. 6.4 so that they do not only believe the Truths of the Gospel but are tickled with some delight and do in some measure find their Hearts drawn off from wordly lusts and practices but the Impression is not deep enough nor the Joy rooted enough to counterballance all temptations to the contrary They seem to have their hearts loosened from the World and to preferre Christ before the Creature as long
the world Our whole Life was appointed for this end and all the time we spend here is worse than lost if it be not imployed and used for this end 'T is now Preparation time these are the Months of our Purification for our Immortal Souls therefore our continual care should be to make ready Secondly We may deferr this work too long we cannot begin it too soon The foolish Virgins would get Oyl in their Vessels but it was too late Never any complained of beginning with God too soon many could have wished they had known the wayes of Righteousness sooner Rom. 13.11 Many have judged the time past more than enough 1 Pet. 4.3 Thirdly 'T is not so sleight and easie a thing to get to Heaven as the World imagineth Mat. 7.14 Strive to enter in at the streight gate for many shall seek to enter and shall not be able Many deceive themselves 't is not so broad as the Opinions of some as the practices of more would make it and the carnal hearts of all would have it Broader or narrower it cannot be than Christ hath left it In the General a man may come much too short none go over Oh! when you do but consider that many are afar off Eph. 2.13 and some are near as Christ told the young man Thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven and others are scarcely saved and some enter abundantly it concerns us therefore to take heed to our selves Fourthly This is your Wisdom There is a great deal of doe in the World about Wisdom Job 11.12 Vain man would be accounted wise A man cannot endure to be counted a Fool will sooner own a Vice in Morals than a weakness in Intellectuals Now Wisdom lyeth in Providence and folly in Negligence especially in weighty matters These wise Virgins provided Oyl in their Vessels and the wise Builder built upon a Rock They are wise in Gods account whatever the World thinketh of them that are wise for Heavenly things and govern their hearts and ways exactly Eph. 5.14 15. and they are fools that never mind the good of their Souls What would you have us do I will only press you to three things 1. Let your Belief be sound and firm to the great Articles of Christianity 't is Faith enlivens all our notions of God John 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art Jesus the Son of God 2. Let your Resolutions for God be unbounded Psa. 119.112 You never knew a man fall off from God but he loved some secret Lust some corruption was left unmortifyed though for the present it did not appear to the party himself this in time will break out and cause some scandalous fall 3. I would have you put it out of all question by the lively Exercise of your Grace and by your diligence in the spiritual Life Phil. 2.12 and in time 't will grow up into an evidence 2 Pet. 1.5 Luke 13.3 Nothing will yield you comfort but the exercising and increasing Grace SERMON II. MATTH XXV v. 3 4. They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no Oyl with them But the wise took Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps NOT only the openly wicked those that eat and drink with the Drunken are rejected but those that have some shew of Godliness yea hopefull beginnings but not improved is the drift of this Parable We have considered wherein the ten Virgins agree now wherein they differ They had so much Wisdom to take their Lamps with them but so much Folly as to take no Oyl in their Vessels These Vessels were annexed to their Lamps or that part of the Lamp which was kindled and lighted By the Lamps are meant outward Profession Matth. 5.16 by the Oyl the Spirit called the Anointing which abideth in us 1 Joh. 2.27 Now the foolish Virgins are such inconsiderate Christians as content themselves with the Name and blaze of outward Profession neglecting the great work within namely an inward principle of Grace which should maintain their Profession before men and their Uprightness before God they had only some transient motions of the Spirit or inclinations to that which is good enough to keep up their present Profession but not to hold out and suffice at Christs coming But the wise Virgins that had Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps are sound and solid Christians who with the Lamps of external Profession are careful to be furnished inwardly with the Graces of the Holy Spirit 1. Doctrine 'T is not enough to have Oyle in our Lamps but we must have Oyle in our Vessels also 2. Doctrine This will be found to be our true Wisdom and the other to be the greatest folly For the first point That 't is not enough to have Oyl in our Lamps but we must have Oyl in our Vessels also Let me explain this point in these Propositions 1. Profession must not be neglected both the wise and the foolish took their Lamps with them burning Profession is twofold Vocal and Real Vocal Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt Confess with thy Mouth and believe with thy Heart Christ will be owned by those that are his Christs followers need not be ashamed of avowing their Master Faith should not and Love cannot be smothered and hidden therefore Profession is as necessary as Believing in its kind Again there is a Real Profession not so much by word of Mouth as by constant Practice and Conversation so Christians are bidden to shine as Lights Phil. 2.15 This is for the glory of God Mat. 5.10 and the Honour of Christ that it should be so therefore the Apostle prayeth 2 Thes. 1.11 12. Wherefore we Pray alwayes for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fullfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with Power that the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you 'T is not meant of the illicite acts but the Fruit that it produceth and 't is for the honour of the Truth Suitable Practice joyned with Profession puts a Majesty and splendor on the Truth and recommendeth it to the Consciences of Beholders Titus 2.10 Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour 'T is not so much by good words and expressions that Christians do put a loveliness and beauty upon the wayes of God as by ordering their wayes with all strictness and gravity So that this fair Profession is of great use especially the real part it is an evidence that all is right within for the breaking out of sin and folly in the Life clearly evidenceth the power and prevalency of unmortified Lusts in the Heart Therefore we must keep our Lamps burning the foolish and the wise did both well in that 2. A Profession of Godliness though never so glorious should not be rested in without a saving work of Grace upon the the Heart to maintain it there was the folly of one sort of Virgins that they were contented with having Oyl in their Lamps
with the Spirit of Christ assisting but not reforming as an Angel sometimes appears in an assumed Body But 't is dangerous to rest in this it maketh our sin and Judgement the greater if after a taste we rest in a common work Historical Faith if not growing into a saving sound Faith 't is a kind of mocking of God and an Hypocrites portion As for instance We profess to believe him Omniscient yet fear not to sin in his presence Omnipotent yet cannot depend upon his Alsufficiency to believe a day of Judgement yet make no preparation for our Account Tit. 1.16 Mens sins and Judgements are aggravated according to the sense they have had of Religion and so their latter end may be worse than their beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 And sad it will be for those that from hopefull beginnings fall off from God I will tell you a man may live and die with a temporary Faith and Affections to God and Holiness without making any visible Apostasie and yet have no sound Faith of the right Constitution Yea if you regard what little rooting Grace hath in mens hearts how weak their Pulse beateth this way how strong their Affections are to the World and the things thereof how little they can vanquish the cares and fears of this world and the temptations that arise from voluptuous living 't is to be feared the far greatest part of Christians are but Temporaries 3. Oh then be sure to get this truth of Grace into your Hearts let your Hearts be effectually subdued to God let there be a Principle of Life set up in them Religion respects our Principles as well as our Performances 2 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned There must be a renewed Heart as the fountain a well informed Conscience as our guide and Faith unfeigned as our great encouragement And so all acts of Charity to God and men are accepted with God as a piece of Obedience done to him If we will not regard the Manner God will not regard the Matter Oh then get this renewed Heart and a lively Faith and an awakened Conscience This is to get Oyl into your Vessels and if once you get this it will never fail but increase exceedingly like the Sareptan's Oyl But how shall we get it I answer 1. You have this Oyl from Christ. The Unction is from the Holy One 2 Joh. 2.20 As the Precious Oyl was first poured on Aaron's Head and then came down to the Skirts of his Garment so Christ is first possessed of the Spirit and then we have it by our Union with him Joh. 1 16. Of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace We must go to the Fountain every day to seek new supplies Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows Zech 4. Christ is represented by the Bowl and the two Olive Trees that alwayes poured forth Golden Oyl Christ as Mediator is the Store-house of the Church who is intrusted with all Gifts and Graces for our benefit Oh bring your empty Vessels to this golden Olive-tree The Widdow only brought Casks the Oyl failed not till the Vessels failed 2. If you would have it from Christ you must use the Means of Grace the Word Prayer Sacraments Meditation We need continual supplies must use continual Prayers seek the Grace of the Spirit to keep in our Lamps Luk. 11.13 So the Word God droppeth in something to the Soul that waiteth on him Mark 4.24 Take heed how you hear for with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again If we be earnest and diligent in waiting upon God God will abound to us in blessing his Word to us So for Meditation Mat. 13.19 The High-way Ground did not bring the Word to their minds again doth not revolve it mindeth it not heedeth it not So for the Lords Supper 't is a means to root us in the Love of God when we so often renew our Oath of Allegiance to him to excite our Faith in Christ. All these are a price put into our hands to get Oyl in our Lamps and prepare for his Coming 3. Keep your Vessels clean The Spirit dwelleth not but in a clean Heart Doves build not their Habitations on Dung-hills He cometh as an efficient Cause as a Spirit assisting before he comes as a Spirit inhabiting and purifieth our Hearts by Faith 4. After you have gotten this Oyl cherish it that it may not decay Of its own nature it would do so witness that stock of Original Righteousness which Adam had Gods Promise by which it is secured supposeth our endeavours to waste it Luk. 8.18 Whosoever hath to him shall be given but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have 5. Do not only cherish and keep it from decay but see that you encrease it 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 1 Thes. 3.10 Perfect what is lacking 1 Thes. 4.1 That as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God so you should abound therein A little Faith will be as no Faith not honourable to God nor comfortable to you nor useful to others All our doubts perplexities uncertainties come from the smallness of our Graces 'T will not make an Evidence therefore give diligence No endeavour labour pursuit after God but hath its recompense not an earnest thought an earnest Prayer or time spent What shall I say They whose Hearts are upon the wayes thereof go on from strength to strength You are almost at home nearer than when you first believed Then you thought all your pains too much now all too little Let me apply all to the Sacrament 1. There we come to meet the Bridegroom in a way of Grace The Marriage Covenant between God Incarnate and his espoused Ones is here celebrated and solemnized The Sacrament is a Transfiguration of the last Marriage Supper to ascertain us what entertainment we shall have at the Day of Judgment when the Bride the Lamb's Wife shall be made ready and cloathed with fine Linnen Rev. 19.23 and then be received in to the Nuptial Feast Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. All is now prepared in this Duty 2. In some respect there should be a Serious Preparation for the one as for the other as we would prepare to dye or prepare to meet Christ the Judge Christ did not wash his Disciples feet when he took them with him to Tabor to his Transfiguration but when he took them with him at his last Supper Joh. 13.7 Surely to rush upon the presence of the Bridegroom with a perfunctory careless common frame of spirit is a dangerous thing When a People come hand over head prepare themselves slightly pray slightly before they come and live carelesly and negligently they slight the Bridegroom and wrong themselves strengthen themselves in sin rather than
yet Gods merciful Justice respecteth the degree of our Service Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work of Faith and labour of Love 'T is an act of remunerative Justice according to the New-Covenant The higher Service hath an ordinability to the greatest Reward 4. God doth in this world give the greatest Blessings to those that do most eminently glorifie him therefore signal Faithfulness is eminently rewarded in the World to come as God promiseth to make a Covenant with Phineas because he was zealous for God to make an atonement for the People Numb 25.13 This the rather holdeth good because the Rewards of the Old Testament were a kind of Figure of Eternity 5. In the Punishment theâ—e are degrees therefore in the Reward God will punish men differently more or less according to the rate of their sins we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more tolerable So he will reward men more or less according to the different degrees of their faithfulness So Mat. 11.21 22. It shall be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for you So Luk. 12.47 48. we read of many Stripes and few Stripes 'T is true the Reward is not of debt yet there is an Equity observed in his Bounty 6. The Glorified State of the Saints in all probability suiteth with all the rest of the Creation There is a difference and disparity in every thing else Among men in the World in Wisdom and Rank and Quality and Riches In the Church some have meaner some larger Gifts There are degrees among the Devils we read of Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils Among Angels there are Arch-Angels Principalities Powers Thrones Dominions So 't is likely among the Saints 7. The Profit It encourageth to Godliness This inequality of Rewards giving greater things to those that do more and be more faithful than to imagine that they who sow more sparingly shall reap as plentifully as those that sow liberally It is a great damp to all worthy dealing and signal excellency that all shall fare alike but it quickneth us to our utmost activity to remember that as our work is our Reward will be VSE Is to quicken us to be more faithful to God for these Considerations 1. Heaven being the perfection of Holiness if you do not desire more degrees of Holiness you do not desire Heaven it self 1 Joh. 3.2 3. Behold now ye are the sons of God and it doth not appear what we shall be But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure 2. 'T is gross Self-love to go as near the brink of Hell and Destruction without falling into it and to beat down the price of Salvation as low as we can and he that will do nothing more than what is simply necessary to Salvation will never be faithful with God To save the stake of their Souls they will serve God as little as they can SERMON XIV MATTH XXV v. 24 25. Then he which had received the one Talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowed and gathering where thou hast not strawed And I was afraid and went and hid thy Talent in the Earth Lo there thou hast that is thine WE have seen the Account and reception of the faithful Servants We now come to the Masters Reckoning with the unfaithful one The Order is observable First He rewardeth the faithful Servants and then punisheth the careless and negligent His own Nature inclines him to Reward he doth good and sheweth Mercy out of his own Self-inclination but our Sins force him to punish And mark he that had received one Talent is called to an account as well he that had received more That no man may think to be excused for the meanness of his Gifts and place 'T is true he giveth an account for no more than he hath but for so much as he hath he must give Account Christians that have five or two Talents must give an Account for five or two But Heathens that have but one Talent the light of Nature give an account for one The Apostle telleth us That as many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law but as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 Every one according to the Dispensation they have lived under The Apostle intimateth a distinction of two sorts that are to be judged 2 Thes. 1.8 In flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those that have great parts and great opportunities will not be accepted with the same Improvement that others are that have fewer neither from the same person will God accept a like Service when sick as when well but according to their abilities and opportunities he doth expect Well but let us see what Account he bringeth that had but one Talent The Parable offereth First The Servants Allegation or Excuse Secondly The Masters Answer or Reply We are now upon the former and there 1. The remote Cause of his neglect his prejudice against his Master Lord I knew thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowed and gathering where thou hast not strawed 2. The Effect of this Prejudice and so the next and immediate cause of this neglect I was afraid 3. His Negligence and unfaithfulness it self in bringing his Talent without Improvement I went and hid thy Talent in the Earth and lo there thou hast what is thine 1. In the Prejudice Christ impersonateth our natural thoughts and the secret workings of our minds we dare not say so but many think so as if God were an hard and morose Master whom 't is impossible to please The Servant in the Parable had as little cause for his pretence as we have for our hard thoughts of God He knew the contrary if he would consult his own experience he might have found his Master to be good and kind who had taken him into his Family intrusted him with a Talent waited long for his Improvement But this is the nature of man Self-love will rather blame God than acknowledge our own Fault and Sin tax his Severity than confess its own Negligence 2. In the Servants being afraid Christ would teach us that ill Opinions of God beget Pusillanimity and slavish fear And Lastly In his Non-improvement but rendring the Talent as he received it That Pusillanimity or slavish fear and sloath go together or those that are afraid of God will never do him Hearty service I cannot handle all the Points that will arise from this Paragraph yet I shall discuss one that will take in the Substance and Effect of all And that is Doct. That slavish Fear is a great hinderance to the faithful discharge of our Duty to God
Believers is Holiness Therefore if his Judgment be right by producing this Fruit and Effect it must be justified A Judge is to proceed Secundum regulas Juris allegata probata as to the partyes judged And because in the day of Judgment the Covenant of Grace hath the force of a Law therefore it belongeth to Christ as a Judge to see we have fulfilled the Condition of it which is Faith And that our Faith is true is proved by Works When we are first pressed with Sin because the Promise of Justification or Remission of Sin requireth Faith it must be embraced by Faith and taken hold of by Faith our Faith must pitch upon it draw Comfort from it even before good Works are done by us But because the next Accusation will presently arise as if our Faith were not true we must be justified from this Accusation by good Works Not be contented with one or two good Works but abounding in all that thus we may be justified more and more and approved by our Judge 4. That Faith is implyed in all the Works mentioned is evident 1. From Christ's scope The Manner of judging those in the Visible Church is intended And 2. The Expression sheweth it for 't is Christ they respected in his Members Now it requireth Faith to see Christ in a poor Beggar or Prisoner to love Christ in them above our worldly Goods and Actually to part with them for Christ's sake Self-denyal is the Fruit of Faith 'T is not meerly the Relieving of the Poor but the doing of it as in and to Christ. 3. There is a near link between Faith and Works Faith is not sound and perfect unless it produce these Works and these Works are not acceptable unless they were the VVorks of Faith and done in Faith II. The Second Doubt is Whether the good Works of the Faithful shall be only mentioned and not the Evil I Answer So some would collect from this Scheme and Draught set down by Christ 'T is a Probleme disputed with Probabilities on both sides by good Men. Some reason from the terms by which Pardon is expressed As by the Blotting out of Sin Remembring Transgressions no more Cast into the depths of the Sea 'T is like God will cover them because repented of and forgiven in the World On the other side they urge The exact Reckoning Rev. 20.11 The general Particles 2 Cor. 5.10 and â—ccles 12.13 And that for every Idle word that men shall speak they shall give an Account thereof in the day of Judgment Matth. 12.36 I would not interpose I cannot say absolutely that their Sins shall not be mentioned at all for Acts 3.19 't is said Repent â—e therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Certainly not to their Trouble and Confusion Possibly not particularly These Scriptures are not cogent to prove they shall For it may be meant distributively All the Evil of the Wicked and the Good of the Godly Howevever these Scriptures should breed an Awe in our Hearts III. A Third Doubt is That only Works of Mercy and Charity rather than Piety are mentioned by our Lord and Saviour I Answer 1. 'T is clear that the Special is put for the General and an Act of Self-denying Obeaâ—nce is put for all the rest In other Places a more general Expression is put as Matth. 16.27 For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and thâ—n hâ— shall reâ—ard every Man according to his Works And 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad And Rev. 20.12 And I say the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books â—ere opâ—ned and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life And the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works And therefore Acts of Mercy are not intended to be cryed up alone as separate from all other Acts of Piety and Charity to God and Men yea all Acts of Charity for which we are accountable unto God are not mentioned Comforting the Afflicted Reproving the Faulty Instructing the Weak Counselling the Erring Praying for others Therefore under these Works of Charity all the Fruits of Faith are understood and the real gracious Constitution of the Heart that must produce them 1 Cor. 13.3 And though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Christ doth not express that so plainly because he would shew that this Judgment shall proceed according to what is visible and sensible 2. Christ singled out Works of Mercy for the Evidence because the Jews had been more exact and diligent in the observing the Ceremonies of External Worship but negligent of these things Therefore doth God so often by the Prophets tell them of Mercy above Sacrifices Hosea 6.6 For I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Knowledge of God more than burnt Offerings And Mercy above Fasting Isa. 58 6 7. These are Duties never out of Season and including a real Benefit to Mankind God preferreth them before External Rites of Worship 3. These are most evident and sensible Discoveries and so fitted to be produced as Fruits of Faith There is a Demonstration of the Soundness of it A signis notioribus These are most conspicuous and so fittest to justifie Believers before all the World who reckon Good and Evil most by the Bodily Life Therefore doth Christ instance in Acts of Bodily rather than Spiritual Charity Not in Reproving Converting Counselling but in Feeding and Cloathing 4. These are Acts wherein we do exercise Faith and Self-denyal In imparting Spiritual Gifts to others we lose nothing our selves as our Candle loseth nothing by communicating Light to another Christ would have us venture something on our Heavenly Hopes and not please our selves with a Religion that costs us nothing and puts us to no Charges Alms is an expensive Duty here is something parted with and that upon Reasons of Faith Eccles. 11.1 Cast thy Bread upon the Waters for thou shalt find it after many Dayes Prov. 19.17 He that hath pity upon the Poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he giveth them will he pay it again 5. Christ would hereby represent the Excellency of Charity and commend it to the Covetous niggardly World 'T is the Duty wherein we do very much resemble God and Christ And all his Followers should be like him These are all Works of God To Feed the Hungry Cloath the Naked Visit the Sick we imitate him in this are Instruments of his Providence Mercy is a very lovely thing an imitation of the Divine Nature Our Lord told us Act. 20.35
Dangers they may pluck Joint from Joint but they cannot pluck the Soul from Christ that is once really implanted into him 2. Observe That Eternal Life is Christ's Gift It is not the Merit of our Works but the Fruit of his Grace Rom. 6.23 The Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is good to observe how the expression is diversified Sin and Death are suited like Work and Wages but Eternal Life is a mere Donative not from the Merit of the Receiver but the Bounty of the Giver Works that need Pardon can never deserve Glory Grace in us runneth as Water in a muddy Channel the Child hath more of the Mother It is true there is a concurrence of Works but not by way of Causality but Order God will first justify then sanctify then glorify Justification is the Cause and Foundation of Eternal Life and Sanctification the Beginning and Introduction of it and we have both by Christ. The first is obtained by Christ's Blood the second wrought by his Spirit See Ephes. 2.8 9. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works left any Man should boast The Instrument of Salvation is Faith which requireth a renouncing of Works and Faith also is of Grace The Papists to excuse the gross Conceit of Merit say our Works do not merit but as they come from the Grace of God and are washed with the Blood of Christ. But neither Salve will serve for this Sore 1. It is not enough to ascribe Grace to God all Justitiaries will do so the Pharisee said God I thank thee I am so and so You confound the Covenants when you think we may merit of God by his own Grace God maketh us Righteous by Grace and if by the exercise of it we deserve Life Adam under the Covenant of Works must then have been said to be saved by Grace because he could not persevere in the use of his Free Will unless he had received it from God 2. Nor as dyed in the Blood of Christ because Faith disclaimeth all Works as to the Act of Justification and there is no Merit if it be of Grace Learn then to admire Grace with Comfort and Hope Merit-Mongers are left to be confuted by Experience Surely Men that cry up Works seldom look into their own Consciences Let them use the same Plea in their Prayers they do in their Disputes Give me not Eternal Life till I deserve it Lord let me have no Mercy till I deserve it Or let them dispute thus when they come to dispute with their own Consciences in the Agonies of Death then Optimum est inniti Meritis Christi 3. Observe The Gifts that God is wont to give are not earthly Riches worldly Power transitory Honours but Eternal Life This was the great End for which he was ordained by the Father Many come to Christ as that Man Luke 12.13 Master speak to my Brother to divide the Inheritance with me He looked upon him as aliquem magnum one furnished with great Power fit to serve his Carnal Ends such fleshly Requests are not acceptable to our Mediator The Lord loveth to give Blessings suitable to his own Being He liveth for ever and he giveth Eternal Life to the Elect. Learn then how to frame your Requests Say I will not be satisfied with these things Remember me with the favour of thy People O visit me with thy Salvation that I may see the good of thy Chosen that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine Inheritance Psal. 106.4 5. 4. Observe From the Expression Eternal Life Our Estate in Heaven is expressed by Life and Eternal Life This is a term frequently used to signify the glorified Estate Now it doth imply not only our bare subsistence for ever but also the Tranquillity and Happiness of that state 1. It is Life Heirs together of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3.7 Life is the most precious Possession and Heritage of the Creature there can be no Happiness without it All our Comforts begin and end with Life Life is better than Food Mat. 6.25 Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body than Raiment Poisons and Cordials are all one to a dead Man Creatures base if they have Life are better than those which are most excellent A living Dog is better than a dead Lion All Creatures desire to preserve Life All the Travail of Men under the Sun is for Life to prop up a Tabernacle that is always falling Job 2.7 Skin for Skin and all that a Man hath will he give for his Life All our labour and care is for it and when we have made provision for it it is taken from us It is called the Life of our Hands Isa. 57.10 We make hard shift to maintain it This Life is a poor thing it is no great matter to be Heir to it James 4.14 What is your Life it is even a Vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away 2. It is Life Eternal not like the Earthly Life which is but as a Vapor a little warm Breath or warm Smoak tunn'd in and out by the Nostrils Our present Life is a Lamp that may be soon quenched it is in the Power of every Ruâ—â—ian and Assassinate But this is Life Eternal In Heaven there is a fair Estate the Tenure is for Life but we need not take thought for Heirs We and our Happiness shall always live together The Blossoms of Paradise are for ever fresh and green therefore if we love Life why should we not love Heaven This is a Life that is never spent and we are never weary of living This Life is short yet we soon grow weary of it The shortest Life is long enough to be encumbred with a thousand Miseries If you live till old Age Age is a burden to it self The Days shall come in which they shall say we have no pleasure Eccles. 12.1 Life it self may become a burden but you will never wish for an end of Eternal Life that is a long date of days without misery and without weariness Eternity is every day more lovely Well might David say The loving Kindness of God is better than Life Men have cursed the Day of their Birth but never the Day of their New Birth Those that have once tasted the sweet and benefit of God's Life never grow weary of it 3. This Life is begun and carried on by degrees 1. The Foundation of it is laid in Regeneration Then do we begin to live when Christ beginneth to live in us and we may reckon from that day when in the Power of his Life we began to advance towards Heaven for then there was a Seed laid of a Life which cannot be destroyed The Life of Nature may be extinguished but not of Grace Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
The sufficiency of this Knowledg For understanding of this you must know that all Breviats where Religion is reduced to a few Heads must be inlarged according to the just extent of the Rule of Faith As in the Commandments where all moral Duties are reduced to ten words so in the Summaries of the Gospel far more is intended than is expressed As for instance There are two things in the Text the Means and the Object The Means know the Object Thee and Jesus Christ. 1. The Means Know It implieth Acknowledgment Faith Fear Reverence Love Worship and the glorifying God in our Conversations For it is easy to prove out of Scripture the necessary concurrence of all these things in their Order and Place For if I know God to be the only true God I must fear reverence and obey him or else I do not glorify him as God as it is said of the Heathens Rom. 1.21 When they knew God they glorified him not as God It is not a naked sight of his Essence that will save a Man I must know him for a practical End to chuse him and carry my self to him as an Allsufficient Portion I must honour him as the Giver of all things revere and worship him as the just Governor of the World and live purely as he is pure and worship him in a way suitable to the Infiniteness Perfectness and Simplicity of his Nature A Man is not saved by holding a right Opinion of God A Man may be a Christian in Opinion and a Pagan in Life So if I know Jesus Christ to be sent of God as Mediator I am to close with him receive him as such by an active Faith Acts 4.12 There is no Salvation in any other not only by no other but in him it noteth Union and close Adherence and not only that I should be of this Opinion As when a Man is ready to perish in the Floods it is not enough to see Land but he must reach it stand upon it if he would be safe so we must get into the Ark many saw it and scoffed but all others were drowned in that general Wrack that were not in it There was no security for the Man-slayer till he got into the City of Refuge Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him It is not enough to cry Lord Lord to have a naked Opinion or general and loose Desires 2. For the Object To know thee the only true God There are many Articles comprized that are necessary to Salvation as that God is but one Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord. One in three Persons 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. This God is a Spirit John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth He is Holy Just Infinite the Creator of all things that he upholdeth all things in his Eternal Decree raising some to Glory leaving others by their Sins to come to Judgment Rom. 9.22 23. What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath futed to destruction and that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory All these Articles concerning God So concerning Christ that he is the Second Person incarnate anointed to be a Saviour to convince the World of Sin of Righteousness of Judgment John 16.8 Of Man's misery by Nature Redemption by Christ necessity of Holiness as a Foundation of Glory All the Articles of the practical Catechism It is a pestilent Opinion to think that every Man may be saved if he do in the general acknowledg Christ. It is said Acts 2.21 Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved not on the Lord but on the Name of the Lord by the Name of the Lord is meant all that which shall be revealed to us of the Lord Jesus in the Scriptures The meaning is whosoever doth receive acknowledg and worship Christ according to what the Scriptures do reveal and testify of him shall be saved Many think the differences of Christendom vain and this general Faith enough but if a general Acknowledgment were enough why hath God revealed so many things and given us such an ample Rule if with safety to Salvation we may be ignorant whether he were true God and true Man whether he redeemed us by Satisfaction or justified us by Works yea or no They seem to tax the Scriptures of Redundances and the Apostles of rash Zeal for disputing with such earnestness for the Faith of the Saints as Paul against Justitiaries James against the Antinomists and Libertines if a general Profession of Christ was enough So they tax the Martyrs of Folly that would shed their Blood for less-concerning Articles So all be resolved into Christ Men think it is enough we need not inquire into the manner of the Application of his Righteousness the Efficacy and Merit of his Passion as if it were enough to hold a few Generals and the more implicit our Faith the better Whereas the Lord would have us to abound in Knowledg and if we persist in any particular Error against Light or do not search it out our Case is dangerous if not damnable I shall not take upon me to determine what Articles are absolutely necessary to Salvation it will be hard to define and we know not by what rule to proceed In the general it is exceeding dangerous to lessen the Misery of Man's Nature the Merit and Satisfaction of Christ or the care of good Works these are contrary to that Doctrine which the Spirit teacheth and urgeth in the Church John 16.8 When he is come he will convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment All that can be certain is that those Opinions which are irreconcilable with the Covenant of Grace or do overturn the Pillar upon which it standeth are irreconcilable with Salvation Vse 1. To confute them that say that every Man shall be saved in his own Religion if he be devout therein Turks Jews Heathens and among Christians Papists Socinians c. You see this is Life Eternal this and nothing else no Religion but that which teacheth rightly to believe in Christ is a way of Salvation There is no Salvation but by Christ. 1 Cor. 3.11 For other Foundation can no Man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved There is no Salvation by Christ but by Faith and Knowledg they cannot have benefit by him as some say if they live only according to the Law and Light of Nature Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God And here it is said This is Life Eternal
know that I love the Father He will be the Sinners Surety for his Father's sake Vse 2. Glorify God the Father it is the end of the whole dispensation of Grace Glorify him in your Expectations the Father himself loveth you Glorify him in your Enjoyments all is from the Father of Lights James 1.17 There is no Defect in Christ John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me God hath loved him not only as his own Son but our Saviour John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life that I might take it again SERMON XI JOHN XVII 8 For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me CHRIST in this Verse further explaineth the Argument that was urged before which was taken from their Proficiency in his School and that they had a right Sense of and Faith in the Dignity and Quality of his Person This Faith is set forth by all the Requisites of it First The Means by which it is wrought that is The Word the Doctrine given to him by his Father and by him to his Apostles For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me Secondly The Nature of Faith which consisteth in Knowledg and Acceptation They have known surely and they have believed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the two Acts of Faith Thirdly The Object of Faith the Mission of Christ and his coming out from the Father That I came out from thee and they have believed that thou hast sent me First I begin with the Means of Faith For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me The only difficulty is how the Word was given unto Christ. Some think it is meant of the divine and infinite Knowledg and Wisdom which was communicated to Christ by eternal Generation But that is very improper Quaecunque Christo dantur secundum humanitatem dantur It is meant of that giving which Christ had as Mediator as the Ambassador hath his Instructions according to which he is to act Now saith Christ I have taught them according to the Instructions which I received as Mediator These are said to be given to be infused and revealed to his Human Soul 1. Observe The Word is the proper means to work Faith We see here the Apostles had no other means of Salvation than Christ's Word when Christ giveth an account of their Faith he doth not mention his Miracles but his Doctrine Again he doth not speak only of the internal manifestation of the Spirit I have manifested thy Name but also of the outward Revelation I have given to them the Words which thou gavest me We have a general Saying Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God This is the usual Method and way of Grace's working God will insinuate the Efficacy of his Spirit by outward Counsel and Instruction and by the Ear transmit his Grace to the Heart that he might work fortiter suaviter Vse 1. It reproveth the Folly of two sorts of Men there are some that think the Word cannot work unless it be accompanied with Miracles and others that think the Spirit will work without the Word 1. Those that think the Word will not work without Miracles and therefore expect a reviving of Miracles to authorize that Ministry which they mean to receive Vain Thoughts In the Primitive Times when Miracles were in force we read of some converted by the Word without Miracles but of none converted by Miracles without the Word Acts 11.20 21. Some of Cyprus and Cirene when they were come to Antioch spake unto the Grecians preaching the Lord Jesus And the Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord They wrought no Signs only preached the Lord Jesus There is not one Instance in the whole Word of any one converted by a single Miracle It is natural to us to idolize visible Helps and Confirmations Those mentioned Acts 11. were not Apostles but private Brethren who in that extraordinary Time used their Gifts and were successful 2. Those that expect the Illapses of the Spirit without waiting upon the Word It is true God can work immediatly but the Question is about his Will God is not tied to means but we are bound and tied God may use his Liberty but this doth not dissolve our Duty and Obligation we are to lie at the Pool if we expect the stirring of the Waters There is a great deal of difference between the want of Means and the contempt of them I should always suspect that Grace that is wrought in us in the neglect of the Means The regular way of Faith is by the Word it hath pleased God to consecrate it God could have converted the Eunuch without Philip but we are to submit to his Will Paul that received his Consternation miraculously had his Confirmation from Ananias Christ had preached him into Terror from Heaven but he sendeth him to Ananias for Comfort Vse 2. It stirreth us up to attend upon the Word It is God's Instrument Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth the meaning is it is a powerful Instrument to work Faith As the first Sermon that ever was preached after the pouring out of the Spirit converted three thousand Souls An Angel could slay an hundred and eighty five thousand Men in a Night by his own natural Strength but it is easier to kill so many Men than to convert one Soul All the Angels in Heaven if they should join all their Forces together they could not convert one Soul to God but yet this Power will God discover in the Ministry and cooperation of weak Men. Those that do not delight to hear the Word have no mind to see the Miracles of Grace The Power is of God yet it is wonderfully joined with the Word it is not inclosed in it but sent out together with it when God pleaseth It is God's Ordinance and under the Blessing of an Institution 2. Observe again The Certainty of Christian Doctrine The Word delivered to the Apostles was received from the Father by Christ. It was no Invention of his own but brought out of the Bosom of the Father John 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me So John 14.10 The words that I speak I speak not of my self that is not as Mediator It was prophesied of Christ who was the great Prophet of the Church Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee and will put my Words in his Mouth and he
of the things apprehended True Knowledg is expressed by Tasting 1 Pet. 2.5 If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Tasting implieth more than Seeing there is not only Apprehension but Experience Phil. 1.9 I pray God that your Love may abound more and more in Knowledg and in all Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all sense To others it is but an empty barren Notion Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the Power of his Resurrection that is Experimentally Carnal Men have no feeling of the force of the Truths they apprehend only now and then some fleeting Joys it is not realizing and affective Strong Water and running Water differ not in Colour but in Taste and Vertue They may know the same Truths but it differeth in relish they know the Things of God only as things in conceit not in being 3. The Light of Faith is wrought by the Spirit this but an hear say Knowledg gathered out of Books and Sermons they shine with a borrowed Light as the Moon that is dark in it self and hath no Light rooted in its own Body These shine with other Mens Light John 4.42 Now we believe not for thy saying but we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World Men talk of Things by rote after others and are rather said to rehearse than understand it is not written in their Hearts but only reported to their Ears Heb. 8.10 I will write my Law in their Hearts Truth is written there by the Finger of the Spirit to others it is but traditional learned as other Arts by Man Now there is a great deal of difference between seeing God in the Light of the Spirit and seeing God and the Things of God by the Reports of Men as between seeing Countries in a Map or Book of Geography and knowing them by Travel and Experience 4. It is a transforming Light 2 Cor. 3.18 We all as in a Glass beholding the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Looking upon the Image of Christ we are changed into the same Image and Likeness from Glory to Glory as Moses his Face shone Conversing with Christ it altereth and changeth the Soul which is hereby renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.10 That is no true Light and Knowledg of God that doth not bridle Lusts and purify the Heart a wicked Man's Knowledg it is Light without Fire directive not perswasive 1 John 2.3 4. Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him it is a lie and pretence unactive Light is but Darkness In Paradise there was a Tree of Life and a Tree of Knowledg many taste of the Tree of Knowledg that never taste of the Tree of Life 5. The Light of Faith is an undoubted certain Light but in wicked Men it is always mingled with Doubting Ignorance Error and Unbelief It is not convictive but a loose wavering Opinion not a setled grounded Perswasion they have not the riches of the assurance of Vnderstanding Col. 2.2 that dependeth on Experience and inward sense of the Truth and is wrought by the Holy Ghost And therefore the Apostle speaketh of the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a clear convincing Argument by which the Judgment is setled it cometh in upon the Soul with evident Confirmation II. The next thing in the Nature of Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have given them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them There is a receiving Christ and a receiving the Word Sometimes the Act of Faith is terminated on the Person of Christ as John 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believe on his Name Sometimes on the Promises to shew that as there is no closing with Christ without the Promise so there is no closing with the Promise without Christ first we receive the Word of Christ and then Christ himself and in Christ Life and Salvation that is the progress of Faith Acts 10.42 Through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of Sins Observe That Faith is a receiving the Word of Christ. The Notion is elsewhere used Acts 2.41 Then they that gladly received the Word were baptized Unbelief it is a rejecting the counsel of the Word and Faith a receiving it Unbelief is thus described Acts 13.46 Since ye put away the Word of God from you So Luke 7.30 But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves that is refused the Counsel of God to their own loss and ruin On the contrary when Cornelius was converted it is said Acts 11.1 The Apostles heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God So that we may describe Faith with reference to this Act A Motion in the Heart of Man stirred up by the Spirit of God to receive the whole Word of God Let me open it a little 1. Receiving is a relative word and presupposeth an Offer God offereth on his part and we receive on ours As in all Contracts and Covenants between Party and Party one Party offereth such an Advantage or Commodity upon such Conditions the other receiveth the Offer confenteth to the Conditions and expecteth that the Covenant should be made good So in the Covenant of Grace Christ offereth Remission of Sins and the whole Blessing of the Gospel under the Condition of Faith and Repentance We are said to receive this Word or this Gospel when we consent to the Conditions and wait for the accomplishment of the Blessing we are willing to come to trust him for the Grace of the Covenant and to come under the Bond of the Duty of it 2. In this Receiving the Soul must be convinced that it is the Word of God and that he will deal with Creatures upon such a Covenant For in this Covenant it is not as it is in other Contracts the Party contracting doth not appear in Person but dealeth with us by Officers and Substitutes God tendreth his Covenant by the Ministry of Man Now whosoever would receive it in God's Name must be undoubtedly perswaded that they are commissioned and authorized by God to tender such a Covenant to us Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Thess. 2.13 When ye received the Word which ye have heard of us ye received it not as the Word of Man but as it is indeed the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe A Man that would profit by the Ministry must settle himself in this Perswasion that the Doctrines delivered in Scripture have God
for their Author We come in God's stead to strike up a Bargain with you for your Souls this bindeth the Ear to Attention the Mind to Faith the Heart to Reverence the Will and Conscience to Obedience We are to entertain all the Doctrines of the Word without any suspence of Judgment and Contradiction We are to put to our Seal to Christ's Testimony John 3.33 He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Usually there is some privy Atheism in us we look upon the Gospel as a Golden Dream and well devised Fable This is properly Assent and should be soundly laid Lord thou wilt not fail thy poor Creatures if they venture their Souls on thy Word 3. The whole Word must be received In every Covenant there is a Precept as well as a Promise We maâ—â— the very form of it when we reflect on the Promise and neglect the Precept It is great Error in them that think that receiving of the Word is done when we apply the Promises as if nothing were needful to Salvation but to say I trust that my Sins are forgiven me in Christ. The Gospel hath not only Promises but Commands Conditions and Articles of the Covenant which are no less to be received than the Promises First receive the Commandment concerning Repentance and Conversion with a Resolution to cast thy self on Christ and then be of good confidence thy Sins shall be forgiven thee There is in Faith not only an Assent but Consent Assent to the Truth of God Consent to the Articles of the Covenant Assent to the Truth of the Contract Consent to the Terms and Affiance or confident waiting for the Promise all these are in Faith Hypocrites are said to receive the Word with Joy Luke 8.13 but they received only the Word of Promise with Joy It is pleasing to the Conscience to hear of Pardon of Sins Men may have vanishing fleeting Joys A Carnal Man would have God's Grace but he would have none of his Counsel 4. This must be received with all the Heart The Work of Faith is not confined to the Acts of the Understanding there are some Motions of the Heart Philip puts the Eunuch to this Tryal Acts 8.37 Believest thou with all thy Heart and he said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God God is as careful of the Duty of the Gospel as of the Duty of the Law he that required that we should love him with all our Hearts hath also required that we should believe in him with all our Hearts he required the whole Heart in Love and he expecteth the whole Heart in Faith Now because this is the critical Difference between True Faith and Counterfeit I shall apply this Receiving to both the Objects of Faith the Word and the Person of Christ because the Doctrine concerning both is of near Affinity and the one is opened by the other In receiving the Person of Christ there is the same method of the Acts of Faith as there is in receiving the Word of God 1. There is an Offer Faith receiving presupposeth an Offering we do not snatch at Christ but receive him Sinners snatch at Christ sometimes when God's hand is not open to give him 2. We must look at this Offering as made by God himself Faith taketh Christ out of his Father's Hands 3. We must take whole Christ as Lord and Saviour And 4. we must take him with our whole Hearts Therefore I shall explain this Receiving with the whole Heart in reference to both Objects the Word and Christ. First what is it to receive the Word with our whole Hearts There is nothing so difficult as to draw the Acts of Faith into a Method 1. It implyeth an Act of the Will there must not only be Knowledg and Acknowledgment that the Doctrine is true but an actual Choice and a willing Acceptation Faith apprehendeth the Covenant made in Christ not only as true but good and so answerably there is not only a believing with the Mind but a believing with the Heart Rom. 10.10 With the Heart Man believeth The Faculty answereth the Object 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation c. So that there is required some Motion of the Heart besides intellectual Assent 2. This Act of the Will is accompanied with some sensible Affection Heb. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they imbraced the Promises they hugged and clasped about and imbraced the Promises All Acts of Faith do necessarily imply answerable Affections The Children of God embrace the Promises with delight receive the Threatnings with trembling and reverence and the Commandments with all chearfulness Acts 2.41 Then they that received the Word gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a People that are overcome receive Laws from the Conqueror or as Zipporah circumcised her Child with grudging and discontent but with hearty and chearful consent I confess there is and ever will be an opposition of the Flesh a Man doth not receive the whole Word as a thirsty Man receiveth sweet Drink but as a sick Man or one that is thirsty after Health receiveth Physick or a bitter Potion with an earnest serious desire tho his Appetite loatheth it There is an hearty consent to God's Terms because they know it will be for their welfare as Laban when he heard Jacob's Proposals What shall I give thee the speckled and spotted among the Flocks Gen. 30.34 Laban said Behold I would it might be according to thy Word Oh would to God that this were my share that God would take up the Quarrel between himself and me 3. This Affection is accompanied with a pursuit or serious making after those Hopes There is a care and anxiousness of Obedience or taking the next course to speed that we may find him and feel him in our Consciences They received the Word gladly and were baptized Acts 2.41 In every Contract where the Parties are agreed there is a signing and sealing so they received the Word and were baptized that was the next course to come under these Hopes A Contract lieth void and dead if there be Consent yet no Performance So Faith without Works is dead Faith is a Consent to God's Covenant yet because there is no answerable Obedience this Consent is void and to no effect Now this is the utmost extension of the Will in Motions and Addresses towards Christ Faith is expressed by coming to Christ qui se dat in viam a Man putteth himself into the way of Salvation upon a search and enquiry after Christ We know not what will come of it but we will continue seeking I will go to my Father 4. These Endeavours are supported by Affiance or a resolution to wait upon God till the Blessings of the Covenant be accomplished and made good Tho they meet with Difficulties they keep wrestling with God Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go
10.38 That ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him 1 John 4.16 We have known and have believed the Love that God hath to us John 6.69 We know and believe that thou art Christ. We must first know before we can believe In Faith there is a Knowledg an Apprehension as well as Discourse a pregnant Apprehension Faith is a clear Light it freeth the Soul from the Mists of Prejudice by representing God in the Allsufficiency of Grace and Power Heb. 11.3 Through Faith we understand that the World was framed by the Word of God It puzzeled the Philosophers but Faith maketh all clear After Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg Faith is the Fruit of Knowledg Knowledg is the Fruit of Faith So Psal. 119.66 Teach me good Judgment and Knowledg for I have believed thy Commandments that is a fuller manifestation First we receive the Word by Faith then we know more Oportet discentem credere First we know That it is then How it is The ground of Faith is that they are revealed How or what they are we learn by more acquaintance and experience Light is always increasing most necessary to the Christian Life Faith is as Knowledg is more or less explicite yet not so explicite but that there is some impliciteness in it as long as we live here 1 John 2.3 It doth not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him We have not a particular Account not a Reason of the Thing but we have a Reason why we believe it 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a proper Act of Faith God is always on the giving and we on the receiving Hand we receive the Word we receive Christ and we receive Remission of Sins and Glory the main of our Duty is but a Receiving Let me press you to receive the Word to receive Christ. 1. Receive the Word give it a kind entertainment There is an Act of Consideration meditate upon it seriously that Truth may not float in the Understanding but sink into the Heart Luke 9.44 Let these sayings sink down into your Hearts Believe it the Truth is a Soveraign Remedy but there wanteth one Ingredient to make it work and that is Faith Heb. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it There is an Act of the Will and Affections which is called a receiving the Truth in Love 2 Thess. 2.10 Make room for it that Carnal Affections may not vomit and throw it up again Christ complaineth that his Word had no place in them John 8.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a queasy Stomach possessed with Choler that casts up all that is taken into it 1 Cor. 2.14 A natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Let it lodg and quietly exercise a soveraign command over the Soul 2. Receive Christ in the Word In a Contract there is not only a receiving a Bond but by virtue of the Bond an Inheritance conveyed to us So you must not only receive the Word we are not saved by giving credit to any Maxim of Religion Fides non est assensus axiomati Not they that saw the Ark many saw it and scoffed but they that were in it were saved from drowning When a Man is ready to perish in the Floods it is not enough to see Land but we must reach it stand upon it if we would be safe It is not a naked Contemplation but a real Implantation into Christ. Now if you will know it whatever was in Christ in the History must be in you in the Mystery You are Adopted Sons 1 John 3.1 Christ must be formed and conceived in you Gal. 4.19 You must suffer and be crucified to the World and Sin Rom. 6.6 You must be buried and raised up again Col. 2.12 All is to be done in a spiritual manner I speak not this to turn all Scripture into an Allegory but every Act of Christ hath some Spiritual Accomodation So much for these two acts or parts of Faith They have known surely and have received thy Word Before I go off from this Clause there are two or three Observations to be raised especially if we compare this Verse with John 16.27 28 29 30 31. For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and believed that I came forth from God I came forth from the Father and am come into the World again I leave the World and go to the Father His Disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no Proverb Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any Man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Jesus answered them Do ye now believe From whence I observe That this was but a late Acknowledgment Vers. 30. Now we are sure and by this we believe that thou camest forth from God And presently within an hour Christ commendeth it to his Father They have known surely and have believed 1. Observe How ready Christ is to take notice of the Good that is wrought in us He watcheth for an occasion to commend us to God Satan and his Instruments they watch for our halting Jer. 20.10 All my Familiars watched for my halting peradventure he will be inticed Let us watch say they we may have Matter against him The Devil is a Spy that lieth upon the catch that he may frame an Accusation against you before God A Dog doth not wait for a Bit from his Master's Trencher more than he doth for a passionate Word some evil Gesture and Practice whereof to accuse us so his Instruments watch to defame you in the World But now Jesus Christ looketh after Matter of Praise and Commendation Now we know verily and believe and Christ presently telleth his Father of it Oh what an encouragement should this be to press us to grow in Knowledg and to abound in every good Work you furnish your Intercessor with matter of Praise and give your Advocate an Advantage against your Accuser Christ watcheth for a good Action as the Devil doth for a Bad He is a swift Witness not only against his Adversaries but for his People Mal. 3.5 I will come near to you in Judgment and I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers c. He cometh to convince them sooner than they are aware none of their Sins are unknown to him and they are brought in Court before they dream of it And the Godly have a Witness in Heaven too So Job 16.20 Behold my Witness is in Heaven and my Record is on High And he is a swift Witness we reap the Fruit of many Actions as soon as they are performed A continual Experience we have of this disposition of Christ in the speedy answer of Prayers Isa. 64.24 And it shall come to pass that before they call
conceived in the Humane Nature for the good of the Creature for all their Exigencies and Employments that so his whole purchase may be applied to us and we may receive Grace to help in time of need It is a representing of his own Merit the worthiness of his Person as God-Man he is the Son of God yet the Creature 's Advocate and the Merit of his Obedience and Passion I have glorified thee upon the Earth As one that was to plead for his Life shewed cubitum sine manu his Hand lost in the Service of the State All this is to the Father who being appeased all the rest of the Persons are appeased for they are One and agree in one He pleads with God for the application of good Things procured by his Oblation especially in deep Exigencies and Conflicts Christ hath knowledg at other times but then he hath a fellow-feeling Heb. 4.15 We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points tempted like as we are yet without Sin His Heart is entendred by his own Experience Thirdly The Fruits and Benefits of this Intercession They are many I shall name the chiefest 1. This secures our Justification and the pardon of our Sins Christ watcheth against what Objections Justice makes and against Satan's Wiles and that we our selves by our daily Breaches may not cast our selves out of the Favour of God He justifieth us against the Accusations of Enemies covereth our Sins from the sight of God Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us So Zech. 3.1 2. There is our Advocate and Accuser He shewed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right Hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee When we are summoned by the Justice of God to defend our selves against the Exceptions and Complaints which are preferred against us our Attorney appeareth in our Name and Behalf So when Satan accuseth us Day and Night he makes up all the Breaches that fall out between God and us 1 John 2.1 If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous When we have mudded the Stream Christ maketh all clear again 2. The Acceptation of all our Persons Works and Services 1 Pet. 2.5 We are made an Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We communicate with Christ in all his Offices we are Spiritual Priests consecrated to him by Baptism The ordinary Priests were first consecrated in the great Laver before they were to offer Sacrifices so we are purified and cleansed in the Laver of Regeneration and then offer to God these Sacrifices As Christ was Temple Priest and Sacrifice so are we God dwelleth in us as in a Temple 2 Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temple of the Living God As the Godhead dwelt in Christ bodily Col. 2.9 We are consecrated to be Priests to God being sanctified by him cleansed in the Laver of his Blood our Persons received into favour And then we offer our Selves Bodies Services to God and so we perform Duties acceptable to him because when we act the Priest Christ acteth it over again presents our Services to God in his Censer Rev. 8.3 Another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne He puts no Filth nor Dross into his Golden Censer As the Priests under the Law were to examine the Sacrifice before it was offered to the Lord so doth Christ examine our Services not to reject them but to better them in his own Oblation and so by his Intercession our Duties and all the good Works of our Lives are recommended to God 3. It encourageth us to come to the Throne of Grace with boldness God would have Prayer in Heaven to encourage us to Prayer on Earth Christ is always with God to set on every Request This is the Copy of Christ's Intercession Besides you have the groans of the Spirit in your Hearts Rom. 8.26 The Spirit it self maketh Intercession in us with groanings that cannot be uttered Christ is our Advocate the Spirit our Notary we the Sollicitors Isa. 62.6 7. Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest c. We may know what Christ is doing for us in Heaven by the Work upon our Hearts Oh then let us never rest till we have an Interest in his Intercession This is the great prop of our Faith and Confidence to know that we are comprehended in Christ's Prayers You have a Friend in Court he hath liberty of immediate access he is a Favorite the Father loveth him and you for his sake Our Friend prayeth to our dear Father for his own Children When Joab saw the thing was pleasing to David he interceded for Absalom 2 Sam. 14.1 God can deny him nothing if you have ten thousand Accusers it 's no matter your Advocate will answer all their Accusations Never leave till you get it evidenced that it is your privilege chuse him go to God by him ratify God's Appointment by your own choice Faith is a Consent wait for the Spirits Intercession those Groans will end in Joys It is the great Comfort of the Church that we have such a Mediator who will effectually plead our Cause with the Father We may look upon it as a Moral as well as a Mediatory Act an Act of Christ's Love to his own Disciples chiefly the Apostles who were as it were his Family and special Charge Out of this Example of Christ let us learn to pray one for another It is a Spiritual Act of Love You may discern the hypocrisy and sincerity of your Love to others by your carelesness or seriousness in Prayer for them for if we desire a thing we will pray for it with importunity By this the Saints have communion with one another at a distance Chiefly this concerneth Ministers for their Charge they should be of Samuel's temper tho he had received Affronts from Israel God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you 1 Sam. 12.23 Their Sin doth not exempt you from the Duty you owe to them for God's sake they look to an higher Obligation than civil Respects and an interchange of Kindness But especially are we bound to pray for them if as the Apostles here they are gained to any degree of Faith Knowledg and Obedience 2 Thess. 1.11 We pray always for you that God would count you worthy of this Calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of
without Purse and Scrip and Shoes lacked ye any thing And they said Nothing God sendeth abroad his Servants many times to make experiments of the care of his Providence they are helpless and shiftless but did ye lack any thing The Lord can wonderfully incline the Hearts of Men and dispose of the Creatures for the Supply of his People he cometh in by wonderful and unexpected ways of Supply It were easy to give Instances if my intended Brevity would permit Merlin was hid in a Hay-mow in the Massacre of Paris and an Hen came constantly and laid an Egg every day for a Fortnight 4. Observe That Christ's keeping extendeth to corporal Safety So it is quoted John 18.8 9. If ye seek me let these go their way that the Saying might be fulfilled which he spake Of those which thou gavest me have I lost none God is in Covenant with both Body and Soul and he looketh after both for the Body as far as it is necessary for his Service and for our Profit and Salvation as well as for the Soul therefore it is but reason we should depend upon him for both It is a pretty Question Which is more difficult to believe in Christ for Temporals or Spirituals The Reason of doubting is because Promises for Temporals are not so express and so exactly accomplished in the Letter as they are in Spirituals But certainly Heaven and Pardon of Sins are greater Mercies and if Conscience were opened and the Heart serious we should see the difficulty to obtain them to be greater There are greater and more plausible Prejudices against Pardon of Sins than against daily Bread God feedeth all his Creatures even the young Ravens but he pardoneth but a few and blesseth them with all spiritual Blessings But here is the Mistake Bodily Wants are more pressing and here Faith is presently to be exercised with Difficulties and Men are careless of their Souls and so content themselves with some general desires and loose hopes of Ease and eternal Welfare which Hopes import their Security and Presumption not their gospel-Gospel-Faith But certainly he that durst venture his Estate into Christ's hands by a genuine Act of Faith doth a less thing than he that by a genuine Act of Faith ventures his Soul They say they find no difficulty in believing in Christ for Salvation and Pardon of Sins and yet cannot trust him for daily Bread for Maintenance which God giveth to the Ravens and bestowed upon them when they were Children of Wrath. Well then trust Christ for these common Mercies You shall have temporal Safety as long as God hath a mind to employ you in his Service and as much as is necessary to glorify him and keep your Hearts good In other things we must moderate our desires God is a better Judg than we are our selves and then by an undisturbed Faith without doubts and carkings wait upon him When you cark and run to unlawful Means you take Christ's Work out of his hands and put it into your own yea you put your selves out of Christ's keeping and put your Safety into the Devil's hands O the Children of God should consider this Do you expect God should give you spiritual and eternal Safety and not temporal Shall he give the greater and not the less Martha was of this Temper John 11.23 24. Jesus saith to her Thy Brother shall rise again O saith she I know he shall rise again at the last Day as if it were an easier matter to raise him up after so many Years than after four Days If you put your Souls which are the more excellent part into Christ's hands will you not put your Bodies Will you not trust him with all that you have You should make Experiments this way How are you temporally kept It is good to be acquainted with God by little and little to trust him with smaller Matters and then with greater And what is this Trust Leave all to God's disposal having served Providence in the use of Means It is a shame to see Christians prole and shift as if they had no Father in Heaven no Mediator to take care of them Secondly Now I come to the Success and Fruit of Christ's Care I. As to the Elect. II. As to Judas I. As to the Elect I have kept those whom thou hast given to me and none of them is lost None of the Elect can be lost God's Election cannot be weakned by the falling of Hypocrites Christ may lose Members as he is Head of a Visible Church but not as he is Head of a Mystical Body One of you shall betray me but I know whom I have chosen John 13.18 As if he had said this will not defeat my purposes of Grace So Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded God's Election worketh through all Prejudices wicked Parents bad Education a dumb Ministry and others are hardned notwithstanding all Advantages as Judas tho of the Seed of Abraham tho an Apostle tho under Christ's Inspection The Fathers compared Paul and Judas Paul an open Enemy Judas a seeming Friend 1 Tim. 2.18 19. Who concerning the Truth have erred saying that the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the Faith of some Nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his As those that build a Palace are wont to lay a firm Foundation so God in building a heavenly City he hath laid a Foundation by which is meant God's Election which is the great Ground-work of Salvation whoever fall God's Elect stand sure Vse Let us not be troubled at the Defection of Hypocrites let it not shake our Belief of the Doctrine of Perseverance be not offended as if the Salvation of the Elect were not sure Tho glorious Luminaries are quenched and those that seemed to be Stars leave their Orb and Station God's Election standeth sure When a Tree is shaken rotten and unsound Fruit comes clattering down The Devil never had such a season to set Men on work to broach the Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints because of the general Defection and Miscarriage of eminent Professors In this case let us run to the Scriptures The Defection of one from the College of the Apostles was a great Scandal but Christ saith That it might be fulfilled which was written So when any Scandal falleth out thus should we run unto the Scriptures II. As to Judas who is here called the Son of Perdition 1. Observ. In the General That there are some Persons that are so wilfully set to destroy and damn themselves that they may be called Sons of Perdition As here is one that perisheth in Christ's own Company a Prey taken out of his Hands one that was never the better for all the care of Christ for seeing his Holy Life and for the excellent Discourses that he heard from him for all the Kindness that he had shewed to him in taking him into a near Office and
the School of Christ He hath begotten us by the Word of Truth And the Ordinance of preaching the Word is consecrated to this purpose Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify them by the washing of Water through the Word There are other Occasional Helps but this is the Instituted Means God will work no other way in his ordinary and revealed course and will accept no other Obedience and Sanctification but by the Word Holiness or that Piety which is proper and genuine is wrought by a Divine Truth otherwise it is Superstition not Godliness Civility not Holiness of Conversation Tho Men have never so good an Inclination yet because they have not a Divine Revelation for their Warrant it is but a Bastard Religion Superstition or framing a strictness of our own accompanied with opposition against the Truth The Word and Spirit are in Conjunction Isa. 59.21 My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth c. These act in Conjunction and it is for the honour of the Scriptures that God hath annexed them 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying Preaching of the Word and pouring out of the Spirit go together 4. Every part of the Truth worketh not but only the Gospel which is the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law sheweth us our Spots and the Gospel cleanseth and washeth them away The Work of the Law is Preparation but that which hath a special and direct influence upon Sanctification is the Gospel John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you and that was the Gospel Privilege This pulleth in the Heart to God that we may be partakers of his Grace Moses brought them to the Borders but Joshua brought them into the Land of Canaan The Apostle appealeth to the Experience of Believers Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the VVorks of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Tho the Spirit may be received by the preaching of any part of Canonical Scripture yet most usually by the preaching of the Gospel The Lord would give us this sensible and authentick Proof of the Truth and Excellency of the Gospel that we receive the Spirit of Regeneration by it and not by the Law It is the Instrument by which God useth to confer the Spirit So 2 Pet. 1.4 To us are given exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature What part of the Word worketh the Heart to a conformity to God likeneth us in Holiness to God the great and precious Promises It is not by moral Strains nor by terrible Threatnings these have their use in their place but by the great and precious Promises as God was in the sâ—â—ll Voice 5. The Gospel worketh not unless it be accompanied with the Spirit There is a great deal of difference between seeing things in the Light of Reason and seeing things in the Light of the Spirit Truth represented in the Light of Reason begets but an humane Faith leaveth a weak impression and hath but a weak operation upon the Soul but things represented in the light of the Spirit â—â—â—keth quite otherwise there is not only a notional Irradiation but an experimental Feeling they see another manner of Beauty and Excellency in Christ a vanity in worldly Delights which they never saw before Running-water and Strong-water differ not in colour but in taste and virtue John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all 〈◊〉 1 John 2.27 The Anointing which ye have received of him abidet◠〈◊〉 you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things Most Men content themselves with a superficial Belief they have but a hâ—â—ane knowledg of Divine Things and therefore their Souls are not carried out to Holiness Love Fear Trust Obedience they have a cold and naked apprehension liteâ—â—â— Knowledg is waâ—hy and weak it worketh not 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit 6. This must not only be represented in the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit but received and applied by Faith Sanctification is sometimes ascribed to the Gospel and sometimes to Faith which receiveth the Gospel Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Our Hearts are purified by the Word of Truth 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing that â—e have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit Here they were purified by Faith The Word worketh not without an Act on our part as well as on God's The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 As a Plaster worketh not till it be applied to the Sore Nay the Apostle's Word implieth more the Word must not only be applied to the Soul but mingled with the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a Medicine the Ingredients must be mixed together to do good So if we have the Word we must have the Spirit and we must have Faith mix it altogether and then it worketh Faith receiveth the Word as a divine and infallible Truth and that begets an Awe In short Faith working to Sanctification apprehends the Love of God the Blood of Christ the Promises Precepts of the Word and by all these it is ever purging and working out Corruption By apprehending the Love of God Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither Circumcisionâ— availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith that worketh by Love Shall I love that which God hateth O do not this abominable Thing that I hate Jer. 44.4 Faith representeth God pleading thus Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend Do I thus requite God for all his Kindness to me in Christ There is an Exasperation against Lusts. It maketh use of the Blood of Christ. 1 John 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sins Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God That is an excellent Purger In outward Purging it is the Water and the Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Laundress applieth it and rubbeth the Cloaths that are washed Faith apprehendeth the Blood of Christ to purge the Conscience it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of his Blood and the Grace purchased thereby So Faith maketh use of the Promises this giveth Faith encouragement to expect glorious Rewards Assistance is purchased and Acceptance is promised 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God Then Faith constantly maketh use of the Precepts and Counsels of the Word by which Sin is discovered and taxed When the Word is received by Faith there goeth a
in their place but by their Faith and the Godly are elsewhere called of the Hâ—â—shold of Faith Where ever our Implantation into Christ or Participation of the Privileges of his Death or our Spiritual Communion in the Church is spoken of the Condition is Faith It is a Grace that sendeth us out of our selves to look for all in another It is the Mother of Obedience as all Disobedience is by Unbelief so all Obedience is by Faith First he said Ye shall not die and then Ye shall be as Gods First he seeketh to weaken their Faith in the Word they could not be proud and ambitious till they did disbelieve Therefore above all Things let us labour after Faith Our Hearts are taken up with the World the Honours and Pleasures of it these cannot make us happy but Christian Privileges will all which are conveyed to us by Faith But let us come to the second Point Doct. 2. That in the reckoning and sense of the Gospel they are Believers that are wrought upon to believe in Christ through the Word Here is the Object Christ the Ground Warrant and Instrumental Cause and that is the Word The Warrant must be distinguished from the Object the Warrant is the Word and the proper object of Faith is Christ as considered in his Mediatory Office Sometimes the Act of Faith is terminated on the Person of Christ and sometimes on the Promise to shew there is no closing with Christ without the Promise and no closing with the Promise without Christ. As in a Contract there is not only a receiving of the Leaâ—e or Conveyance but a receiving of Lands by virtue of such a Deed and Conveyance So there is a receiving of the Word and a receiving of Christ through the Word the one maketh way for the other the Promise for our Affiance in Christ. Faith that assents to the Promise doth also accept of Christ there is an Act terminated on his Person Faith is not assensus axiomati a naked Assent to the Propositions of the Word but a Consent to take Christ that we may rely upon him and obey him as an Alsufficient Saviour But now let us speak of these distinctly First Of the Object that is to believe in Christ. There is believing of Christ and believing in Christ. He doth not say those that believe me but those that believe in me through their Word Believing Christ implieth a Credulity and Assent to the Word and believing in Christ Confidence and Reliance Once more Believing in Christ is a Notion distinct from Believing in God Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Since the Incarnation and since Christ came to exercise the Office of a Mediator there is a distinct Faith required in him because there are distinct grounds of Confidence because in him we see God in our Nature we have a claim by Justice as well as Mercy we have a Mediator who partaketh of God's Nature and Ours and so is fit to go between God and us Briefly to open this believing in Christ it may be opened by the Implicit or Explicit Acts of it 1. There is something Implicite in this Confidence and Reliance upon Christ and that is a lively sense of our own Misery and the Wrath of God due for Sin All God's Acts take date from the Nothingness and Necessity of the Creature and from thence also do begin our own Addresses to God God's Acts begin thence that he may be All in All from the Creation to the Resurrection God keepeth this Course and then the Dispensation ceaseth for then there is no more want but fulness Creation is out of Nothing Providence interposeth when we are as good as Nothing at the Resurrection we are nothing but Dust God worketh on the few Relicts of Death and Time So in all Moral Matters as well as Natural it is one of his Names He comforteth those that are cast down When he came to convert Adam he first terrified him They heard the Voice of God in the Garden and were afraid Gen. 3.10 He delivered Israel out of Egypt when their Souls were full of Anguish We are first exercised with the Ministry of the Condemnation before Light and Immortality are brought to Life in the Gospel and still God keeps his old Course Men are first burdened and sensible of their Load before he giveth them ease and refreshment in Christ. At the first Gospel-Sermon preached after the pouring forth of the Spirit Acts 2.37 They were pricked in their Hearts Christ's Commission was to preach the Gospel to the poor and broken-hearted and bruised Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord was upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives the recovering of Sight to the Blind to set at liberty them that are bruised This is the Road-way to Christ. And all our Addresses to God begin too thence Man is careless Mat. 22.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they made light of it and proud Rom. 10.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God The Israelites were not weary of Egypt till they were filled with Anguish Adonijah when he found himself guilty of Death he laid hold on the Horns of the Altar The Prodigal never thought of returning till he began to be in want and to be soundly pinched Therefore till there be a due sense and conviction of Conscience it is not Faith but carnal Security In short we can never be truly desirous of Grace we cannot prize it we do not run for refuge Heb. 6.18 We are not earnest for a Deliverance till there be some such Work There are two Things keep the Conscience quiet without Christ Peace and Self Carnal-security and Self-sufficiency 1. It is hard to wean Men from the Pleasures of Sense and to make them serious in the Matters of their Peace before Christ and they be brought together they and themselves must be brought together This God seeketh to do by outward Afflictions that he may take them in their Month as the Ram was caught in the Briars In Afflictions Men bethink themselves 1 Kings 8.47 If they shall bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried Captives c. It makes them to return upon themselves how it is between God and them If Affliction worketh not he joineth the Word it is a Glass wherein we see our natural Face James 1.21 God sheweth them what loathsome Creatures they are how liable to Wrath. Or if not by the Power of his Spirit upon their Consciences their Reins may chasten them they cannot wake in the Night or be solitary in the Day but their Hearts are upon them so great a Matter is it to bring Men to be serious 2. Self When the Prodigal began to be in want he joined himself to a Man of that Country Luke 15.15 We have slight Promises and Resolutions and
a good Purchase to have a special Title and Interest in us and rested satisfied having gained sufficient by all his expence of Blood and Merit We are all Benoni's Sons of Sorrow to him 2. By way of Charge John 6.37 38 39. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last Day God calleth Christ to account for the Elect and his Number and Tale must be full The Elect are given to Christ not by way of Alienation but Oppignoration that he may guide them safe to Glory as the Shepherd must give an account of the Sheep to the Owner that sets him a work And so doth Christ at the last Day Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children which God hath given me God looketh narrowly what is become of the Elect not one of the Tale is wanting Vse Are you of this Number If you be given by God you give up your selves to him Our Faith is nothing else but our Consent to God's Eternal Decrees All the Father's Acts are ratified in time by the Creatures Consent God giveth by way of Reward and Charge so there is a Committing and a Consecrating both together 1. Committing your selves to Christ. 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an advised Act of Trust. Can you put your Souls into his Hands The Father is wiser than we he knew well enough what he did when he left us in Charge with Christ. It argueth a sense of Danger a sollicitous Care about the Soul and then an advised Trust grounded on the belief of Christ's Sufficiency Many think their Souls were never in danger therefore they are not careful about putting them into safe Hands Canst thou venture upon Eternity on such Assurances Well I have trusted Christ with my Soul Oh it is the hardest matter in the World to trust Christ with our Souls advisedly and knowingly Presumption is an inconsiderate Act a Fruit of Incogitancy and therefore very easy 2. Consecrating Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service yield up your selves to Christ. So David Psal. 119.94 I am thine save me Personal Dedication sheweth God's Act is not fruitless In a serious self-surrender we must give up our selves to God not with any reservation to use our selves as our own but absolutely to be at God's dispose to live and act for him O Christians if you would clear up your Interest this is your Duty for this is but making good his Grant to Christ. It goeth under the Name of our Deed but it is God's Work in us The Altar the Sacrifice the Fire is sent down from Heaven It is God's giving still the receiving is on our part for by renouncing Self we enjoy Self most Do we out of a sense of Duty thus give up our selves Do we make good our Vows God lendeth us to our selves to be employed to his Honour Fourthly The next thing is the Matter of the Request Presence and the Beatifical Vision as the Fruit of that Presence 1. That they may be where I am that is where I am according to my Humanity presently to be for he doth not speak of the Earthly Jerusalem where he was then visibly and corporally 1. Observe It is no small part of our Happiness that we shall be there where Christ is Now Christ is with us but then we are with him It is the Inchoation of our Happiness that he is with us graciously I am with you to the end of the World Mat. 28.20 It shall be the Consummation of our Happiness when we shall be with him Thus it is often expressed 2 Cor. 5.8 We are willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. So David expresseth our State of Blessedness Psal. 16. ult In thy Presence is Fulness of Joy and at thy right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore This makes Heaven to be Heaven because Christ is there as the King makes the Court where-ever he is it is not the Court maketh the King John 12.26 Where I am there shall my Servant be It is our Happiness to stand always in our Master's Presence an Happiness that Wicked Men are not capable of because of their bondage and estrangement from God Therefore Christ telleth the Carnal Jews John 7.34 Where I am thither ye cannot come Wicked Men have no grant no leave to come Paradise is still closed up against them with a flaming Sword and they have no Heart to come because they cannot endure the Majesty and Purity of his Presence But when shall we be there where Christ is Presently after Death our Souls shall be there and at the Resurrection Body and Soul together 1. Presently after Death the Soul is where Christ is So Paul thought Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ that is with him in Glory otherwise it were a loss of Happiness for Paul to be dissolved It is a sorry Blessedness to lie rotting in the Grave and only to be eased of present Labours for God's People are wont to reckon much on their present Service and Enjoiment of God tho it be accompanied with Affliction Paul was in a strait and he saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more better to be dissolved A stupid Sleep without the enjoiment of God is far worse what happiness were that to be in such a Condition wherein we do nothing and feel nothing God's Children are wont to prefer the most afflicted Condition with God's Presence above the greatest Riches and Contentment in his absence If thou goest not up with us carry us not hence Exod. 33.15 Better be with God in the Wilderness than in Canaan without him Therefore Paul would never be in such a strait if this drowsy Doctrine were true that the Soul lay in such an unactive state of Sleep and Rest till the Resurrection He would be no happier than a Stone or the inanimate Creatures are Again Luk. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise saith Christ to the good Thief Some to evade this place refer this Day to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the pointing in all the Greek Copies confuteth it as also the sense of the Place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to the Thieves words Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Christ promiseth more than he asketh as God doth usually abundantly for us above what we can ask or think He had reference to Christ's
career of Sin 1 Cor. 11.32 For when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World How many Disappointments did we meet with in a carnal Course As David said to Abigail 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which seâ—â— thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy Advice and blessed be thou which hast kept â—â— this day from coming to shed Blood and from avenging my self with mine own Hand O how sweet is it to see Eternal Love in all that befalleth us It will be our speculation in Heaven we shall know as we are known and be able to interpret all the Windings and Circuits of Providence Vse 3. It shameth us that we adjourn and put off our Love to God till old Age when we have spent our strength in the World and wasted our selves in Satan's Work we dream of a devout Retirement O consider God's Love to us is as ancient as his Being and are not we ashamed that we should put off God till the latter and none decrepid part of our Lives It is a commendation to be an old Disciple and God loveth an early Love Jer. 2.2 Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the Kindness of thy Youth the Love of thine Espousals before our Affections are prostituted to other Objects Under the Law the first-Fruits were the Lord's he should have the First God's Children are wont to return Love for Love and like Love therefore let it be as Ancient as you can Do not say Art thou come no torment me before my time and dream of a more convenient Season Vse 4. It teacheth us to disclaim Merit 1. God's Love was before our Being and Acting Paul out of a less Circumstance concludeth Election not to be of Works Rom. 9.11 For the Children being yet â—â—-born neither having done Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said The Elder shall serve the Younger God's Election is before all Acts of ours therefore we deserve nothing but all is from God It is not a thing of Yesterday our Love is not the cause of God's neither is it a fit Reward and Satisfaction Object But doth not God foresee our good Works or at least Faith and final Perseverance He knew who would believe the Gospel who would live Holy and who would remain in their Sins I Answer If this were true there were not such a gracious Freedom in Grace It is true God foreseeth all things that shall be but first he fore-ordaineth them Prescience includeth and supposeth Preordination things are not because they are foreseen but they are foreseen because they shall be From Predestination issueth Faith Sanctification Perseverance So that we are not chosen because we are Holy but to be Holy Ephes. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love And to be rich in death James 2.5 Hearken my beloved Brethren Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him As Paul saith of himself 1 Cor. 7.25 I give my Judgment as one that hath obtained Mercy of the Lord to be faithful not that God foresaw that he was so Our Ordination to Life is the Cause of Faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed 2. When we were we were not lovely there was nothing to excite God to shew us Mercy Our natural Condition is described Titus 3.3 For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures living in 〈◊〉 and Envy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hateful and hating one another All are abominable and worthy of hatred yet one hateth another as if he were lovely and the other only abominable There are two Causes of Self-conceit we have not a Spiritual Discerning and are partial in our our own Cause and guilty of Self-love 1. We have not a Spiritual Discerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are filthy deformed hateful in the Eyes of God stink in the Nostrils of God If we see a deformed Creature overgrown with Scurf and Sores or a stinking Carkass we turn away the Head in great abomination and cry O filthy yet we are all so before God A Toad a stinking Carkass cannot be so loathsome to us as a Sinner is to God If a Man had but a Glass to see his own natural Face he would wonder that God should love him Indeed we have a Glass but we have not Eyes What could God see in us to excite him to shew Mercy God is not blinded with the vehemence of any Passion yea the Object is uncomely uncomely to a Spiritual Eye much more to the Father of Spirits 2. Self-love blindeth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Men would hold together and like one another all would be well but now we cannot love one another and live with one another in safety we seem such odd Creatures Fratrum concordia rara est We are hateful Creatures to God to Angels to Devils to our Selves Object But some are more civil and refined Answ. It is true Natural Corruption doth not break out in all with a like Violence but a benummed Snake is a Snake a Sow washed is not changed As when the Liver groweth other parts languish one great Lust intercepteth the nourishment of other Corruptions Object But do not some use Free-Will better than others Sure God loveth them more Answ. No not according to the Works which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Tit. 3.5 God's Original Motives to do good are from himself Vse 5. We are not to measure God's Love by Temporal Accidents that which cometh from Eternity and tendeth to Eternity that is an evidence of his special Love Eccles. 9.1 No Man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before him The Pleasures of Sin are for a Season Heb. 11.25 and Afflictions are for a season but Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places which come from Heaven and tend to Heaven which have no dependance upon this World whether it stand or no these evidence the best Love God's special Mercy Why they were devised before ever the Foundations of the World were laid and it is most of all shewed when the World is at an end Therefore moderate your desires of Earthly Things which the Apostle calls this World's Goods 1 John 3.17 they are of no use in Eternity And bear Afflictions with more Patience you do but lose a little for the present that you may be safe for ever Hic ure hic seca ut in aeternum parcas Vse 6. It presseth us to get an Interest in this Eternal Love How shall we discern it 1. By the Scope and Aim of your Lives and Actions Do you labour for another World 2 Cor. 4.18
How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard We must know what Christ is before we can trust him with our Souls Would a Woman accept of a Man when she knows not what he is nor from whence he came Can the Soul rest it self with Christ and venture its Salvation upon him till it knows what he is 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that Day Faith is an advâ—sed Act it is a Child of Light Presumption is but a blind Adventure an Act that is done hand over-head without Advice and Care but Faith certainly presupposeth Knowledg The blind Man speaks Reason in this when Christ asked him Dost thou believe on the Son of God John 9.35 He answered Vers. 36. Who is he Lord that I may believe on him And then for Love No Knowledg no Love an unknown Object never affects us Love proceeds from Sight those that have a sight of the Excellencies of God by the Light of the Spirit accompanying the Word they love the Lord. And then where there is no Love there is no Knowledg 1 John 4.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love And then for Worship and Obedience that is also the Fruit of Knowledg that Worship which is performed to the unknown God is never right As those Fruits that grow out of the Sun are crabbed and sowr so all such Acts of Worship as proceed not from Light and Knowledg are not right and genuine There cannot be a greater Preservative from Sin than Knowledg 3 Epist. John 11. He that doth Evil hath not seen God Certainly he that makes a trade and course of Sin was never acquainted with God 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him And there can be no enjoiment of God without Knowledg neither in a way of Grace nor in a way of Comfort Not in a way of Grace there can be no Grace without Knowledg if we be renewed and changed it is by Knowledg Col. 3.10 And have put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him If we be strengthned in Affliction and enabled for the Duties of every Condition it is by Knowledg Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need All Communications of Grace are conveyed by Light Nor can there be any enjoiment of God in a way of Comfort without Light and Knowledg Fears are in the dark till we have a distinct Knowledg of the Nature and Tenor of the Covenant we are full of Fears and Doubts which vanish as a Mist before the Sun when Knowledg is wrought 2. Proposition There is no Knowledg of the True God without the Knowledg of Christ as Mediator For two Reasons 1. Because God will accept no Honour from the Creature but in and through Jesus Christ. John 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him God hath revealed himself in Christ and you make God an Idol if you think of him otherwise 2. Because God out of Christ is not comfortable but terrible The fallen Creature cannot converse with God without a Mediator As Waters which are salt in the Sea strained through the Earth are sweet in Rivers So are the Attributes of God in and through Christ sweet and comfortable to the Soul for we cannot draw nigh to God without a Screen Vse To press us to get Knowledg The more Knowledg the more a Man the more Ignorant the more Brutish Psal. 49.20 Man that is in Honour and void of Vnderstanding is like the Beasts that perish And again as Knowledg doth distinguish you from Beasts so the Knowledg of God doth distinguish you from other Men to know God is your excellency above other Men. Jer. 9.23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord c. As if he had said If you will needs glory it is not who is most Wealthy nor most Mighty nor most Wise but who hath the greatest Knowledg of God in Christ. Above all know God in Christ that is most comfortable Horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare It is an horrible thing to think of God out of Christ. God in Christ is the greatest Mercy the World was ever acquainted with this is a Speculation fit for Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 Which things the Angels desire to look into Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God And therefore much more should it be the study of Saints But do not rest in a naked Contemplation there is a Form of Knowledg Rom. 2.20 as well as a Form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 which is nothing else but an Artificial Speculation a naked Model of Truth in the Brain which aâ— the Winter-Sun shines but warms not But what is true Knowledg How shall we discover it I Answer 1. It must be a serious prudent Knowledg c. See on Ver. 8. I now come to speak to the Illustration of this Qualification of Saving-Knowledg It is illustrated I. By its Opposite the affected and obstinate Ignorance of the World The World hath not known thee II. By its efficient and exemplary Cause But I have known thee I. The first Illustration is from the Opposite Ignorance and Obstinacy of the World The World hath not known thee Why is this alledged I Answer Partly to shew the Reason why they should be otherwise dealt withal than the blind World As if he had said By thy righteous and wise Constitution thou hast appointed different Recompences to Men of different States but now They have known thee but the World hath not known thee Partly in commend their acknowledgment of Christ the World neither knowing nor believing yea rather hating and persecuting thee In the Original there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tho so that neither hindred by Fears nor Snares the Rulers and great Men were against the acknowledging of Christ the Multitude blind and obstinate yet the Disciples knew him and owned him as the Messiah or one sent of God 1. Observe That it is exceeding praise-worthy to own Christ when others disown him and reject him to own him in the midst of the World's blindness and madness against 〈◊〉 Now he is publickly received among the Nations it is no great matter to own his now as those
not only came into our Natures but he must come into our Hearts This Union is common to all tho I confess it is only reckoned and imputed to the sanctified Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren And to the Children of God Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same 9. It is not a mixture as if Christ and we were confounded and mingled our Substances together That is a gross Thought and suiteth with the Carnal Fancies of a Corporal eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood We are not mixed his Substance with ours and ours with his he remaining still a distinct Person and we distinct Persons 10. It is not a Personal Union as of the two Natures in the Person of Christ. We are not united to Christ so as to make one Person but one Mystical Body 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ. The whole is Christ Mystical but every Believer is not Christ. Thus I have endeavoured to remove all gross and unworthy Thoughts But now Secondly Positively What it is I Answer We cannot fully tell till we come to Heaven then we shall have perfect knowledg of it then Christ is all in all John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you Then our Union is at the height But for the present we may call it an Union of Concretion and Coalition for we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 planted into him Rom. 6.5 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joined to the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 It is immediatly with Christ we are united to Father and Spirit but by Christ as the Foot is united to the Head but by the intervention of other Members So we are united to the Father and the Spirit but by Christ as an Arm or Foot of the Son belongeth to the Father but as the Son belongeth to the Father The Love of the Father is the Moving Cause of it the Spirit is the Efficient Cause of it but it is with Christ. And it is by way of Coalition as things are united So as they may grow and live in another as the Branches grow in the Vine and the Members being animated and quickned by the Soul grow in the Body so are we united with Christ as our Vital Principle that we may live and grow in him that we might live in him Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and grow in him Ephes. 4.15 16. But speaking the Truth in Love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ. From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love So that this is enough in general to call it an Union of Concretion and Coalition such an Union whereby Christ remaineth and liveth and dwelleth in us as a Vital Principle As the Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cause and Principle of Life to the Body so is Christ to us Before God breathed the Soul into Adam his Body tho otherwise organized and formed lay but as a dead Lump without Breath and Life but no sooner was the Soul put into him but he began to live So Christ being mystically united inableth us to live to act to grow and increase more and more More particularly to open it to you is hard because it is a great Mystery Life Natural is a Mystery not sufficiently explained much more Life Spiritual But now First I shall shew how it is wrought and brought about and in what Order For there is a difficulty there to be cleared For since Union is said to be by Faith Ephes. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith And Faith is an Act of Spiritual Life it seemeth there is Life before our Union with Christ So that this Union seemeth to be the Effect rather than the Cause of the Spiritual Life and some say it is the Effect of the Beginning and the Cause of the Continuance and Increase of it and conceive the Order thus That Christ is offered in the Gospel and by receiving Christ we come to be united to him and then to be possessed of his Righteousness and receive further influences of Grace and that the first beginning of Spiritual Life is not from Union but Regeneration by virtue of which Faith is given to us that we may be united to Christ. But I suppose this Method is not right Briefly then for the manner and order how it is wrought take it thus Union it is by the Spirit on Christ's part and Faith on ours he beginneth with us as the most worthy as having a quickning and life-making Power in himself 1 Cor. 15.45 The last Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickning Spirit By the Spirit he infuseth Spiritual Life the first Act of which is Faith that is the first Grace that acteth upon Christ and maketh the Union reciprocal that so in him we may have Righteousness and Grace Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith All Graces flow from Union with Christ so doth Faith Believing is an Act of the Spiritual Life but it is at the same instant of time and not before The first Band of Union is the Spirit for the Gift of the Spirit is the Cause of Faith and every Cause is before the Effect in Nature tho not in Time for Positâ causâ in actu ponitur effectus But the Spirit is not given us in the least moment of Time before the being of Faith for the Spirit being infused immediatly excites Faith to take hold of Christ. Secondly What is that Act of Faith by which we close with Christ I Answer The apprehending embracing taking hold of Christ To as many as received him c. John 1.12 trusting him with our Souls that is the Faith that gives us an Interest in Gospel-Privileges But what is this receiving Christ I Answer Receiving presupposeth Offering it is a Consent to what is offered an Accepting of what is given Receiving is a word used in Contracts and noteth the Consent of one Part to the Terms which the other offereth The Scripture chiefly delighteth in the Similitude of the Matrimonial Contract as a Woman accepteth a Man for her Husband so do we receive Christ. When a Man's Affections are set upon a Woman he sendeth Spokesmen to tell her of his Love and that he is ready to give her an Interest in himself
effects of the World's Conviction Page 314 Why Christ prays so earnestly for it Page 315 God honoured hereby Page 315 The advantage of it to the Elect. Page 316 It lessons and increases the World's Iudgment and how Page 317 Arguments to press Christians so to live as to convince the World Page 321 God would have the World convinced of his Love to his People Page 347 Reasons of it Page 348 How the World should be thus convinced Page 347 Convictions not to be slighted nor rested in Page 318 319 How we may know whether we are convinced only or converted Page 319 Covenant of Redemption the terms of it Page 77 What was proposed by the Father in it Page 155 What Christ undertook Page 156 Covetousness one of Judas's Sins Page 174 The evil of the Sin Page 177 To be avoided Page 177 Creatures discover God Page 28 33 Doting upon the Creatures withdraw the Heart from God Page 335 D. DAnger cannot be withstood by us in our own Strength Page 171 Christ apprehensive of the Danger of his People in this World Page 133 Reasons of it his Interest Love Charge Experience Page 133 Comfort from hence Page 136 Death desire of Death vid. Desire Death of Christ Christ died to promote Vnity among Christians Page 1â—â— Why the Death of Christ hath so little Effect upon us Page 291 Decay of the Power of Godliness brings trouble on the Church Page 195 Delight excessive in worldly things shews a worldly Heart Page 209 Desires show the temper of the Soul Page 208 Desire of Death whether lawful and what Desires are so Page 212 213 Difference between serious and passionate Desire of Death Page 213 Carnal Desires of Death whence they arise Page 212 Believers must be willing to dye Page 354 Despair one of Judas's Sin Page 175 To be avoided Page 178 Devil the great Author of the Troubles of the Church Page 201 219. Difference in course of Life provokes wicked Men especially Difference in Religion Page 200 Difference between Believers and Men of the World in their Principles Rule Conversation End Aims Page 204 Disrespect of the World not to be regarded and why Page 225 Hard to be digested Page 224 The best way to digest it is to consider Christ's Example Page 225 Distraction of Man's Thoughts after the Fall Page 333 This continueth till we return to God Page 334 Divisions in the Church how they arise Page 163 The mischief of them Page 165 166 They bring on Trouble Page 194 They that promote them contrary to Christ. Page 164 Who are guilty of this Sin Page 165 Doctrines of the Word shew it to be from God Page 260 Doctrines Christian vid. Christian. E. ELect none of them can be lost Page 173 Election a special Priviledg Page 66 Not for foreseen Faith good Works or Perseverance Page 364 Original and actual what Page 71 Election of Ministers the Peoples Right Page 273 End a Man is as his End is Page 55 Enjoying no enjoying God without Christ. Page 30 Envy of others worldly Happiness shews a worldly Heart Page 209 Wicked Men envy the Good in others Page 201 Error makes way for Looseness Page 232 Esteem of the World discovers a worldly Heart Page 208 Eternal State the Foundation of it laid in this Life Page 370 Evil Satan hath an Hand in the Evil that befals God's Church and People Page 219 Example of Christ the heavenliness of it Page 206 The Courage of it Page 206 Experience Christ hath Experience of his Peples Sufferings Page 134 F. FAith various Expressions by which it is set-forth in Scripture Page 391 The Nature of it Page 90 95. Difference between true Faith and counterfeit Page 93 The Acts of Faith Page 296 297 In Faith Assent Consent and Trust. Page 93 The Office of Faith to accept Christ and present him in Prayer Page 115 The Object of Faith Page 85 97 296 The Word vid. Receiving the Word Christ vid. Receiving Christ. Three things concur to the working of it the Light of the Spirit external Revelation and the use of fit Instruments Page 84 The Word the means to work Faith Page 88 The necessity use and power of the Word to work Faith Page 298 299 Why God useth the Word to this end Page 299 Incouragements to Faith Page 295 The Excellency of Faith Page 296 How it sanctifies Page 234 Faith a help to Ioy. Page 189 Faith cannot be without Knowledg Page 90 What a kind of Light the Light of Faith is Page 91 In the Knowledg of Faith there is undoubted Certainty Page 90 The work of Faith when we cannot apply Christ. Page 298 The Faith of the Apostles work yet by Christ commended to the Father Page 97 Faithfulness to our Charge recommended Page 67 Of Christ to his Father Page 83 Fall into Sin why God sometimes leaves his People to fall into Sin Page 218 What falls into Sin are inconsistent with Grace Page 148 Belivers not to be discouraged by every Fall into Sin Page 147 Father a Comfort in Prayer to call God Father Page 6 How to carry our selves in Afflictions towards God as a Father Page 7 God the Father chiefly offended by Sin Page 86 263 And he the supream Iudg. Page 86 264 Fear of want discovers a worldly Heart Page 208 Filth of Sin our Filthiness by Nature Page 291 Nothing can cleanse us but the Blood of Christ. Page 291 Finishing what Christ's finishing his Work signifies Page 47 G. GEntleness of Christ in bearing with his Peoples failings Page 80 85. Gift the Privileges of the human Nature a Gift Page 48 Work it self a Gift Page ibid. Gifts are fading Page 148 Wicked Mens Gifts useful to the Church Page 316 Given how Christ had given to his Disciples the Word of God Page 191 Given to Christ who are given to Christ. Page 21 76 153 351. None given to Christ but they that are the Fathers vid. Commensurable Page 72 107 109. Why God gave the Elect to Christ. Page 77 How Belivers given to Christ. By way of Charge vid. Charge Page 21 72 154 156 351. By way of Reward Page 21 72.154 155 351. How shall we knowwe are given to Christ. Page 159 351 Being given to Christ a ground of Consolation and Establishment to the Elect. Page 154 How it is such a ground of Establishment Page 158 Glory the fruit of Vnion as well as Grace Page 326 Shame the way to Glory Page 10 Christ in his last Will and Testament gives Glory to his People Page 350 The Glory that is given by Christ we have as sure as if in the Possession of it Page 322 The freeness of Grace in giving us Glory Page 349 Looking to future Glory a remedy in Tribulation Page 10 Glory of God much advanced by Iesus Christ. Page 11 Glory of Christ's Person what it is Page 358 What the Glory was Christ prayed for Page 9 61 Why Christ begged it of the Father Page 58 Why he was so earnest for
Antidote or to wound our selves mortally to try the virtue of a Plaster God made advantage of the sins of the World for the honouring of his Grace in Christ but they that presume to sin greatly that God may pardon greatly run a desperate adventure whether God will pardon them or no. 2. There is a difference between the remission of sins past and allowance of sin future Our fixed purpose must be not to sin but if we sin we have the use of Gods remedy 1 Joh. 2.1 My little children these things I write unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous If God made advantage of sins past to honour his Grace we also by sins past may make an advantage for a renewed use of Faith in our Redemeer and renewed desires and expectations of pardon by his Intercession but it is a wrong conclusion to think we may heap up new sins for time to come and still make more work for pardoning Mercy and be content to offend God again that he may still be pardoning and we never forsake sin In short we must not sin that grace may abound but when we have sinned we must make use of abounding grace Faith and Repentance may draw good out of sin it self to make the remembrance of it a means of our hatred and mortification of sin and of more gratitude to our Redeemer but not to take liberty to indulge sin antedating our pardon before the fact 3. It is contrary to all ingenuity and love to God or Christ. This is the difference between Faith and Presumption or a sound and a blind confidence of pardon by Christ namely that Faith maketh us hate sin and Presumption maketh us secure and bold in finning and slightly to pass it over with little remorse and reluctancy when we are guilty of it He who presumeth doth the work of an Age in a breath God is merciful Christ dyed for sinners and all our confidence must be in Christ But the true Believer is more affected with sin as she wept much and loved much to whom much was forgiven Luc. 7.47 and Ezek. 16.63 That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done They express their gratitude for remission of sin by a careful keeping from it pardoning Mercy maketh God amiable to us and his Laws acceptable our Duty sweeter and Sin more grievous Secondly It is absurd and contrary to the Doctrine of Grace true Christianity is of a far different make from this conceit 1. It is not consistent with the Grace that goeth along with Pardon for God sanctifieth all those whom he justifieth we receive together with the remission of sins the gift of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God these are inseparable the application of the Merit of Christ and the gift of his Spirit which reneweth us to the image of God and mortifieth the life of sin in us the heart broken with compunction seeketh this double benefit 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness as a Malefactor that hath a Leprosie on him needs not only a Pardon but a Medicine and in a broken leg not only ease of the pain is desirable but that the bone be set right Therefore we are both justified and sanctified continuing in sin cannot consist with the truth of Regeneration 2. It is contrary to the order of Gods grace in the New Covenant who requireth of us Faith and Repentance if we would be partakers of Christ Now to continue in sin is to be under the bondage of it without restraint or any change of heart and life 1. It is against Faith take it for assent it is a belief that he will save all those that submit to be sanctified and ruled by him in order to their Salvation Heb. 5.9 Being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him If you hope to be saved by him and will not be ruled by him you do not believe Christ but the Devil for if you believe Christ you must believe that you cannot be saved unless you be converted Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Take Faith for acceptance of Christ it is an hearty consent both of subjection to him and dependence upon him as the Saviour and Redeemer of the World the Mediator's blessing is to turn every one of you away from your iniquities Acts 3.26 he is a Saviour to save his people from their sins Mat. 1.21 to say nothing of receiving Christ the Lord which the Scripture presseth Col. 2.6 2. It is against Repentance which implieth a sorrow for sin with a serious purpose to forsake it 1. There is in it godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 this is requisite to check the sensual inclination or love of pleasure which is the heart root and life of all sin it dyes when our affection to it dyes In Repentance with bitterness of Soul we bemoan our selves for offending God now if we lick up our vomit again and go round in a track of confessing sin and committing sin our hearts are not found with God we undo that which is done and so build again the things we have destroyed if while we seek to be justified by Christ we are still found sinners Gal. 2.17 18. a man that truly seeks after pardon seeks with it the ruine and destruction of sin Sin was his greatest trouble the burden that lay upon his Conscience the grievance from which he sought ease the wound which pained him at heart the disease that his Soul was sick of is all this real What will you say if this man should delight in his former trouble and take up his burden that he groaned under and prefer it before liberty to tear open the wounds which were in a fair way of healing willingly relapse into the sickness out of which he is recovered with so much ado if he should desire the bonds and chains again of which he was freed by infinite mercy Surely then you may question the reality of all that he hath done in the anguish of our Souls we groaned under sin as the heaviest and most intolerable burden we could ever feel now should we stoop to it and take it on again after it was lifted from our backs who would pity us 2. There is a renouncing and forsaking of sin it is called Repentance from dead works Heb. 6.1 not only Repentance for but from
is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead To convert Souls to God there needeth a mighty working of efficacious Power which exceedeth all contrary power which might hinder and impede that work Men by Nature are averse from God the Devil seeketh to detain them from him and his powerful Engine is the World But now if they are to be raised as Christ was raised what can oppose this work So that we have not only the Merit of his Humiliation but the Power of his Exaltation And besides that this Power is likely to be exercised for us we may consider that Christ is said to rise by his own Power Joh. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up Joh. 10.17 I lay down my life that I may take it again and to be raised by the Power of his Father which noteth Authority to rise again and having fully done his work upon which account he is said to be brought again from the dead Heb. 13.20 and the Apostle inferreth from thence vers 21. Being made perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Now if both these be implied in Baptism it doth mightily oblige the Parties baptized to look after the effect of these two Acts of Christ Mediation for Christians should not only believe the Death and Resurrection of Christ but feel it by the Merit of his Death and Efficacy of his Resurrection we obtain this new life and both are the causes of our dying to sin and living to God Secondly What it sealeth or confirmeth The new Covenant wherein God hath promised the gift of the Spirit to renew sanctifie and heal all those that enter into it We have the Grace to destroy sin by virtue of the Death and Burial of Christ but the Promises are in the new Covenant That the new Covenant is sealed in Baptism see Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall de damned Now the great Promise of the new Covenant is the Spirit to renew and cleanse the Soul Surely this is properly signified in Baptism Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God And Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost As the body is washed with water without so is the Soul cleansed by the Spirit within As at the Baptism of our Saviour the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him was a visible Pledge of what should be done afterward for at his Baptism the fruit of all Baptisms was visibly represented we are admitted Children of his Family as Christ was declared to be the well beloved Son of God Mat. 3.17 and we have the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father As God promiseth to pour out water on him that is thirsty and floods on the dry ground so to pour out his Spirit on the seed and his blessing upon thy off-spring Isa. 44.3 And the Spirit it self is figured by Water Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a-thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Now unless we will receive this Grace in vain we are bound to wait for and obey the Spirits motions either by way of restraint or excitation Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God we that pretend to come to God for this Promise of the Spirit as in Baptism we do Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Thirdly It obligeth as there is a kind of undertaking to shew forth the likeness of Christs Death and Resurrection by our submission to it Our receiving Baptism implieth two things 1. A publick and open Profession 2. A solemn Bond wherewith we bind our Souls 1. A publick and open Profession wherein we profess a Communion with Christs Death and Resurrection or to dye and rise with Christ. In the general that Baptism is an open Profession for it is required as a sign of the Faith that is in our hearts Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation And Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost As Circumcision was the Badge of the Jewish Profession so is Baptism of the Profession of Christianity Therefore the Jews are called Circumcision and we are called the purified people Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and those that are purged from their sins 2 Pet. 1.9 And more distinctly what we profess is plain and evident in this Ordinance we profess to dye and rise with Christ. 1. Death yea in the Text not only and simply to be dead but to be buried with Christ. If Baptism expresseth an image of Burial and every Burial supposeth Death not only of Christ but us surely we are bound not only to dye unto sin at first but to make our mortification more thorough and constant for as Burial noteth the continuance of Christs Death so should we persevere and increase in the mortification of sin for Burial is a continued dying to sin we should not only renounce and give over all the sins of our former lives but presevere in this resolution and increase in our endeavour against sin daily A Christian living in sin and serving his lusts is like a Spectre and Ghost arisen out of the grave 2. So for Christs Resurrection In this Ordinance we profess to rise again with Christ and therefore should not only put off the old Man or body of sin but have an earnest impulsion within our selves to the duties of Holiness and
with Christ. What that is we have explained already all that I shall now add is That in Scripture it implieth two things First Conformity with Christ in his Sufferings so we have a Saying like that in the Text 2 Tim. 2.11 It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him which presently is explained vers 12. If we suffer we shall also reign with him Secondly It implieth mortification of sin so it is understood here if we have communion and fellowship with his Death for the mortification of sin 2. The Term of Proposal conditionally If we The Particle if hath sometimes the notion of a Caution see that ye be dead with Christ sometimes it is a note of Relation when one priviledge is deduced from another as here if we partake of the effect and likeness of his Death in dying to sin we shall partake of the effect and likeness of his Resurrection in being quickened to live in Holiness and Righteousness all our days Dying to sin and newness of life are inseparable if we have the first we shall have the other also they are branches of the same work of Regeneration and both proceed from the same Cause Union with Christ. 2. The Truth hence inferred We shall also live with him This is meant both of the Life of Grace and of the Life of Glory Regeneration and Resurrection the one is to newness of Life the other is to everlasting Bless and Happiness Regeneration is the Spirits begetting us to the Image and Nature of God our heavenly Father and Resurrection is for the perfecting of that Likeness which is 't is true perfect in part here in the Soul 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Hereafter both in Body and Soul Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious body according to the wonderful working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself As to degrees 1 Joh. 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is As to kinds both in Holiness and Happiness 1 Cor. 15.49 As we have born the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Now we are conformed to his Image in afflictions Rom. 8.29 He hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son we look like him in the form of a Servant then we shall be like him as the Lord from Heaven heavenly Therefore the life of Glory in Heaven must not be excluded 3. The Certainty of the Inference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not a matter of Opinion and Conjecture but of Faith we are certainly perswaded of the truth of it We must distinguish of this Truth for it may be considered two ways First As a general Maxim or Proposition so it is absolutely true Those that are dead with Christ shall live with him This is an Article of Faith to be believed fide divinâ Secondly As it is applied to us or as it is a ground of our particular Confidence so it is true Hypothetically or upon Supposition and our Confidence can be no greater than the evidence of our Qualification If we be indeed dead with Christ we in particular shall also live with him It is but a rational Conclusion from two Premisses one of which is of Divine Revelation the other of inward Experience namely that I am dead with Christ therefore I believe that I shall live with him It is an act both of Faith and Reason an act of Faith by participation as it buildeth on a Principle of Faith Doctrine Those that are dead with Christ have no reason to doubt but that they shall also live with him I. I shall speak of the Condition If we be dead with Christ. II. Of the Benefit They shall live spiritually and everlastingly III. Of our certain Apprehension We believe I. Of the presupposed Condition If we be dead with Christ. 1. Who are dead with Christ. 2. How necessary this Order is The one will shew us that it is not an over-strict but a comfortable Condition the other that it is a Condition absolutely necessary to subsequent Grace 1. Who are dead with Christ. 1. Such as owne the Obligation which their Baptism and Profession puts upon them That reckon themselves dead indeed unto sin Rom. 6.11 that make account they are under a Vow and Bond wherewith they have bound their Souls The careless mind it not but the sincere Christians acknowledge that the debt lyeth upon them they being solemnly ingaged to Christ to do it The Apostle saith Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh as the Jew by Circumcision is bound to observe all the Rituals of Moses Gal. 6.3 so Christians by Baptism are bound to crucifie the flesh and obey the Spirit What say you Are you at liberty to do what you lift or under a strict Bond and Obligation to dye unto sin Let your lives answer for you 2. They make Conscience of it and seriously address themselves to perform it Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts they have begun to do it and still go on to do it more and more for this is a continued action not the work of a day but of our whole lives They have not only retrenched the desires of the flesh but seek to mortifie and subdue them and perform their Promise so solemnly made to God 3. They obtain the effect in such a degree that the reign of sin is broken though sin it self be not utterly extinct us They do no longer live in their old slavery and bondage as those do who obey every foolish and hurtful lust that bubleth up in their hearts A mans condition is determined by what is in the Throne habitually and governeth our lives and actions There are two warring Principles in us full of enmity and repugnancy to each other the Flesh and the Spirit but one reigneth which constituteth the difference between the carnal and the renewed in the carnal Flesh reigneth but in the regenerate the Spirit hath the mastery and is superiour and most powerful so that a Christian sheweth himself to be Spirit rather than Flesh otherwise it could not be said That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3.6 The acts of sin are disowned acts and he may say with Paul It is not I but sin that dwelleth in me Sin is against the bent and habit of our wills 4. They substract the fuel of their lusts as they wean themselves from earthly things and shew such contempt of the World that the good things which they enjoy by Gods allowance are not a snare to them For the Apostle saith of those that set their affections
Lord and Master Sin and the Devil and the World are Usurpers and therefore are exauctorated we are no longer bound to serve them but God hath a right to require love and service at our-hands Acts 27.23 The God whose I am and whom I serve He hath a title by Creation as our proper Owner Psal. 100.3 Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves By Redemption 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Christ came to recover us from our slavery Secondly To shew the disadvantage between having Sin and God for our Master What is more filthy than sin and more mischievous than sin and more holy and beneficial than God To serve sin is a brutish captivity and will prove our bane in the issue but to serve God is true liberty and it will be our present and eternal Happiness Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Secondly The Grace to perform this Duty Through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are to die to Sin and live to God not only ex praescripto Christi according to the precepts of Christ which every where run strongly against sin and pleading Gods right with us nor only ex imitatione Christi to imitate our Pattern and Example that we may be like Christ in these things and express his dying and rising in our conversations but virtute Christi by the power of Christs Grace as by the force of his Example This power of Christ may be considered as purchased or as applied or as our interest in it is professed in Baptism 1. As it is purchased He died and rose again to represent the Merit of his Death to God that he might obtain Grace for us to kill sin and live unto God and that in such a continued course of obedience till we live with God 1 Thess. 5.10 He dyed for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him i.e. to redeem us from all iniquity and to preserve us in our obedience to eternal Life While we wake or are alive we live with him and when we sleep after we are dead we still live with him we live a spiritual Life here and afterward an eternal Life in Glory So that place which otherwise hath some difficulty in it may be expounded by Rom. 14.8 9. Whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we dye we dye unto the Lord Whether therefore we live or dye we are the Lords For this Christ died 2. As it is applied It is applied by the Spirit of Christ by virtue of our Union with him Jesus Christ is the Root and Foundation of this Life in whom we do subsist For it is in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Context it is said vers 5. we are planted into his likeness so that this conformity is the fruit of our Union and wrought in us by his Spirit which is the sap we derive from our Root 3. As our interest in him is professed in Baptism for then we are visibly graffed into Christ Gal. 3.27 As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Thence an obligation resulteth we ought to be like him So that in short the summ of the whole is this the Precepts and Example of Christ do shew us our Duty the Grace whereby we perform it is wrought in us by the Spirit by virtue of our Union with Christ and our Baptismal ingagement bindeth it on our hearts Or thus it is purchased by Christ effected by the Spirit sealed and professed in Baptism which partly bindeth us to our Duty and assureth us we shall not want Grace but have help and strength from Jesus Christ. Thirdly The means of improvement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reckon your selves It may be inquired why the Apostle faith not simply we are dead or be ye dead indeed but reckon your selves to be dead indeed unto sin c. Shall our reckoning our selves dead or alive make it so Answer 1. Let us consider the import of the word 2. Why it is used 1. For the import of the word It is equivalent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 9. what they signifie this signifieth It is an act of judgment the power of the mind is put forth in it 2. The Use of it here 1. It is Actus Mentis cogitantis it is an act of the mind considering or meditating upon this matter and the effect here mentioned doth much depend upon meditation as the means The weightiest things work not if they be not thought of therefore we must not slightly pass over this Mystery of Christs dying and rising but consider how they concern us and what we were before Regeneration and what we are now to be who profess to follow our Redeemer unto Glory 2. It is Actus Rationis concludentis an act of reason concluding from due Premises and inferring that this is our Duty Because the heart is averse from God we need positively to determine upon rational deductions that it is our unquestionable Duty for we must certainly know a thing to be our Duty before we will address our selves to perform it and herein Reason is a good Handmaid to Faith for sanctified Reason ever concludeth for God whilst it improveth Principles discovered by Faith it is our Light to discover many things evident by natural Light it is our Instrument to improve other things which it cannot discover but depend on Gods Revelation We ponder and weigh things in our minds then determine what is our Duty So that Reckon is by Reason collect as often in Scripture 1 Cor. 10.15 I speak as to wise men ye have reason Judge ye what I say 3. It is Actus Fidei assentientis it is the Syllogism of Faith It is not the bare knowledge nor the bare discourse of these things doth make them operative and effectual but as Faith is mingled with them Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it This is not matter of conjecture or opinion only but of Faith to owne the obligation which dependeth on the Authority of Christ which is a supernatural Truth 2. to believe the Power which doth assist us which is also a matter of pure Faith and seemingly contradicted by sense For though Mortification and Vivification be begun in us yet because of the troublesom relicts of corruption to reckon our selves with any degree of confidence and trust to be dead unto sin and alive unto God is an Act of Faith the thing is not liable to external sense and internal sense contradicts it we being oppressed with so many remaining corruptions 4. It is Actus Fidei applicantis We must not
to your satisfaction and peace This is enough to support us in all conditions one drop of it is enough to sweeten all our crosses Rom. 5.5 Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us And it is the life of all our comforts Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased And Psal. 63.3 Because thy loving-kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee 3. As God will owne them so Conscience speaketh peace and comfort to them that have their fruit to Holiness Before our full and final reward we have this solace that our own hearts do not only acquit us but approve what we do and a holy course of Life is usually rewarded with peace of Conscience it is not only without offence Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man but it breedeth Joy 2 Cor. 1.2 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world On the contrary mens hearts smite and reproach them for their sins and the breaches they make in their Duty Job 27.6 My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live the words imply that the heart hath a reproaching and condemning power when we do evil we shall sensibly find it by accusing thoughts within our selves Rom. 2.15 Their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or else excusing one another Conscience must be better used before it will speak a word of well-grounded peace to a man They that keep the thorn in the foot will never walk without pain If you would prevent the checks and upbraidings of your own Consciences you must take away the causes and occasions thereof walk so that our hearts may not reproach you Do you take care of your Duty and God will take care of your Comfort but if you give way to sin Conscience will awaken upon you 4. Our Title to the heavenly Inheritance is more clear and our Right confirmed by Holiness There is fulness of joy reserved for Gods People Psal. 16.11 and if we look to the end it must needs make the way the more pleasant and comfortable especially when we have by Faith a lively foresight of this endless Glory and Blessedness Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and by Hope and Love a foretaste of it Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Blessed will the time be when ye shall be for ever with the Lord and see his Glory and this is the end of the way you walk in Alas others can never have solid comfort they know where they are but know not where they shall be when they dye they must into an unknown World and which is worse to an unknown God of whose Love they never had any Taste or Experience But those that live always in the fight of the World to come and keep themselves in the way that tendeth thither and look continually when God will translate them into his immediate Presence they have the Foretaste before they have the Injoyment the Promise is matter of joy to them which is Gods Grant Psal. 119.11 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart The way they walk in is matter of Joy to them because that confirmeth their Right 1 Tim 6.12 Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses While they are in the way they look to the end of their Journey while running their Race they see a Crown set before them the very Acts of Faith Hope and Love are pleasant Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Well then who live the more pleasant lives they that walk upon the brink of Hell every moment or the Heirs of Eternal Life and Happiness who have an Heaven to wait for 5. They have easier Access to God or more free Communion with him here than others have because there is nothing to hinder neither on Gods part nor theirs God hath assured them of Audience and Welcome and they have in a great measure overcome their legal Bondage so as they are not shy of God nor stand aloof from him they do not allow themselves in the omission of any known Duty nor in the commission of any known sin and are sincere though not perfect 1 Joh. 3.21 22. If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do the things which are pleasing in his sight Two things obstruct our ready access to God our own Guiltiness and Gods Terror Our own Guiltiness straitens the heart and stops the mouth and makes us afraid and shy of God but they who are renewed and pardoned come out of this state of bondage their hearts do not condemn them for living in any known disobedience to God or course of sin which whosoever doth carrieth his sting and his wound about him and is subject to tormenting evils and legal fear On Gods part he is reconciled to such as make Conscience of Holiness and they may obtain at his hands whatever in Reason and Righteousness they ask of him he hath given them Liberty by his new Covenant-Grant and Charter founded in the Blood of Christ the Covenant is large and gracious and their Claim firm and sure and therefore they come boldly unto him But now Gods Presence which is the comfort of the Faithful is the burden of the carnal and the guilty terrible to them that live in sin and therefore they think they are never better than when they are furthest off from God Well then you see to have our Fruit to Holiness is the pleasure and comfort of our Lives for then we maintain our liberty in Prayer and our confidence towards God there is an open door of access to admit us to God and free and full Communion with him 6. Their Work is more easie because it is not done against the bent of the Heart but it is the course of Life which they have chosen Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O God yea thy Law is within my heart 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his commandments and
is the Priviledge of the holy Which by the way is a great shame that we should be so defective in good so fruitful in evil less observant of the Laws of the Universal King than the Subjects of any Prince How often do we pawn our hopes of everlasting Life upon less occasions than Esau did his Birthright and set Christ at a lower price than Judas did 3. All that have their fruit to Holiness are capacitated for this blessed Estate First They earnestly desire this blessed Estate they hunger and thirst after righteousness after a larger measure of Gods sanctifying Grace or likeness to God Mat. 5.6 The thirst after Honour Greatness and Preferment in the World are tortures to the Soul wherein they are harboured but they that thirst after more Holiness shall be satisfied Secondly They are prepared for it For purity of heart is the root whereof Happiness is the fruit Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Thirdly They have the Pledge and Earnest of it 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts and 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he which hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit The sanctifying Spirit is given us by God as the Earnest of the Glory which he will give us for it is the seed of it and breedeth an inclination thereunto Vse 1. If this be the Reward of the Holy then it informeth us That certainly there is such a thing as everlasting Life and Happiness for God would not feed us with Fancies or flatter us into a Fools Paradise 1. The Nature of Man sheweth it why else did he make a reasonable Creature Man of all Creatures would be most miserable if obnoxious to so many infelicities and were not capable of true Happiness some way or other Certainly he made him to be happy is it to be happy here in what here is no happiness is it in eating drinking and sleeping these are to strengthen us for our service which tendeth to our end better be without meat if we could be without the need of it as it will be hereafter 1 Cor. 6.13 Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Beasts have not the cares and sorrows of mind that man hath to get and keep what they need Wherein then lyeth the dignity of Men above the Beasts Surely there is a Life to come 2. The Government of God sheweth it why doth he use such Methods by his Precepts and Promises but to bring us to our eternal End Why hath he required moral Duties of Temperance Sobriety Contentation with a little such Evangelical Duties of Self-denial Obedience to Christ such instituted Duties as Praying Hearing Sacraments and Seriousness in all such constant diligence in his Service but that by all these we might come to the blessed Hope Believers use them to these Ends Acts 26.7 Vnto which promise the twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come and Phil. 3.14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus 3. The Graces planted in us by his Spirit shew it What use is there for Faith and Hope if there be no Object to be believed and hoped for Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen As the Apostle saith Our preaching is in vain and your faith is also vain 1 Cor. 15.14 Now is Faith and Hope a dotage and the whole Doctrine of the Gospel a Forgery and all the sufferings which Gods Servants have endured for him a meer frenzy and madness Surely then there is a Reward and an everlasting Reward for the righteous Vse 2. To perswade us 1. To have our Fruit to Holiness Heaven is the perfection of what is begun by Sanctification and the more we increase in it the more our Right is clear Let us labour therefore to be throughly sanctified and to fill our lives with the fruits of Holiness Heaven is described to be the inheritance of the sanctified by the faith which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Acts 26.18 the sanctified is there put for the perfected Our Blessedness is in a fair progress when we are drawn from caring for the body to the saving of the Soul from things earthly to heavenly from the life of the World to the life of God in a word from Sin to Holiness 2. To fix your hearts more in the hope of eternal Life It is the want of this hope that maketh men swerve from Holiness some want it in Habit some in Act. First Some want it in Habit because they want Faith for no men will look for that which they do not believe Now these wallow in sin and filthiness 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins He that is blind as to heavenly things which lye at a distance can never purifie his heart nor walk holily for they will not trouble themselves with it On the contrary 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Secondly Some want it in Act do not revive upon themselves the remembrance of the blessed Hope or keep their hearts in Heaven as much as they should do because they lose their taste or suffer it to be interrupted and deadned by worldly cares and voluptuous living When the heart runneth out inordinately after secular ends and contentments our affections are estranged from heavenly things alas we presently find the inconvenience we lose our taste of the powers of the World to come so also by negligence and carelesness Now a good Christian should always stand with his loins girt and lamps burning looking for his Masters coming the Pledge and Earnest of eternal Life which we have received is of more worth and value than all the pleasures and contentments of the World and should not be lost for trifles We did rejoyce at our first entrance on Christianity in these hopes now we must keep this firm to the end Heb. 3.6 If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end and vers 14. If we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end Often draw up your hearts from things transitory to things eternal and heavenly Vse 3. Direction to us in the Lords Supper We come to this Duty to bind our selves to two things First To have our Fruit to Holiness as those who are free from sin and are become his by Covenant with him Here we resume and ratifie the Vow made in Baptism and so we are 1. to arraign accuse and judge our selves for our former neglect that we have made no more progress in purifying our Souls and fitting our selves for the eternal Estate 2. to beg
so in many other places Whole Christianity is a coming to God by Christ Heb. 7.25 and that is the reason why faith cannot be in the heart of one that is yet intangled in the false happiness John 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one from another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Which is to be understood not only meritorie but effective because while they are intangled in the false happiness Christ is of no use to them neither will they mind any serious return to God as their felicity and portion 2. From self to Christ for we are to flee from wrath to come or the Condemnation deserved by our Apostacy and Defection from God Mat. 3.8 O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from wrath to come Heb. 6.18 Who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us Therefore none are in Christ but those that thankfully receive him and give up themselves to him John 1.12 To as many as received him 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave themselves unto the Lord That is Venturing on his Promises gave up themselves to the Conduct of his Word and Spirit and trust themselves intirely in Christs hands while they go on with their duty and pursuit of their true and proper happiness 3. From sin to Holiness both in Heart and Life for we are called to be holy and must flee not only from wrath but sin which is the great make-bate between us and God and therefore we need not only reconciling but renewing Grace which is accompanied in us by the spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes. 2.13 Who hath chosen you to Salvation through Santification of the spirit and belief of the truth The Spirit beginneth it as the fruit of Gods Elective Love and by faith and the use of all holy means doth accomplish it more and more for he acts in us as the spirit of Christ and as we are Members of his body for framing us and fitting us more and more for his use and service The Third Proposition observed in the Text was 3. Doct. Those who are in Christ obey not the inclinations of corrupt nature but the motions of the Spirit This is brought in here as a fruit and evidence of their Vnion with Christ and interest in Non-condemnation for being united to Christ they are made partakers of his spirit and they that have the spirit of Christ will live an holy and sanctified life the spirit first uniteth us to Christ and sanctifieth and separateth the soul for his dwelling in us and the effects of it are life and likeness We live by Vertue of his life Gal. 2.20 and walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 or else our union is but pretended But let us more particularly consider this Evidence and Qualification They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit where we will enquire First What is meant by Flesh and Spirit By Flesh is meant corrupt Nature by the Spirit the new Nature according to that noted place John 3.6 That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit 2. Both serve to those that are influenced by them as a guiding and inciting principle The Flesh to those that are after the flesh and the spirit to those that are after the spirit Rom. 8.5 The flesh guideth and prompteth us to those Things which are good for the animal life for Things of sense are known easily and known by all Carnal Nature needeth no Instructor no Spur it doth pollute and corrupt us in all sensual and earthly Things but spiritual and heavenly Things are out of its reach 2 Pet. 1.9 and it inclines as well as guideth for the Things we see and feel and taste easily stir our Affections Demas hath forsaken us having loved the present world Yea 't is hard to restrain them and it is not done without some violence Gal. 5.24 They that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof that the spirit or new nature doth both guide and incline is clear by those expressions Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people 3. That those who are under the prevalency of the one principle cannot wholly obey and fellow the other is clear for those two are contrary Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and contraries cannot subsist together in an intense Degree they are contrary in their Nature contrary in their tendency and aim contrary in their rule Gal. 6.16 the one carrieth us to God and Heaven the other to something pleasing to present sense the one is fed with the world the other with Heaven they are contrary in their assisting powers Satan and the Spirit of God the good part is for God and the flesh which is the rebelling Principle is on the Devils side 1 John 4.4 Satan by the lusts of the flesh taketh men captive at his will and pleasure 2 Tim 2.26 That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will and pleasure but the Spirit of God is assisted by the Author of it the holy Ghost Eph. 3.16 Strengthened by the spirit with might in the inner man They are irritated by the Spirit or the flesh presenting different objects of sense and faith The flesh hath this advantage that its objects are near at hand ready to be injoyed but the Objects of Faith are to come lie in an unseen world only they are greater in themselves and faith helpeth to look upon them as sure enough Heb. 11.1 4. That every Christian hath these two principles in himself the one by nature is called flesh the other by grace is called Spirit Gods best children have flesh in them Paul distinguisheth in the former Chapter betwixt flesh and spirit the law of the members and the law of the mind Rom. 7.18 23. as two opposite Principles inclining several ways 5. Tho both be in the children of God yet the Spirit is in predominancy For the acts of the flesh are disowned not I but sin that dwelleth in me and a mans estate is determined by the reign of sin and grace in a man converted to God the spirit or renewed part is superior and governeth the will or whole man and the flesh is inferior and by striving seeketh to become superior and draws the will to its self so that the heart of a renewed man is like a kingdom divided Grace is in the Throne but the flesh is the rebel which disturbeth and much weakneth its Soveraignty and Empire it must needs be so otherwise there would be no distinction between nature and Grace a man is denominated from what is predominant in him and hath the chiefest power over his heart if it be the flesh he is carnal if
love to God as the consequent of it it is but the carcase of a good work and so not acceptable to God the life and soul of it is wanting that obediential confidence which should enliven it Certainly there is no bringing forth fruit unto God till married to Christ Rom. 7.4 As children are not legitimate who are born before marriage 't is a bastard off-spring so neither are works acceptable till we be married to Christ. 2. It is also requisite that the person be renewed by the Spirit of Christ for otherwise he cannot have his spirit affections and ways such as to please God Nature can rise no â—igher than it self 't is grace carrieth the soul to God there needeth renewing grace Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear To serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an acceptable manner and with that reverence and seriousness as it necessary is a work above our natural faculties till God change them we cannot please him So also actual grace Heb. 13.21 Working in you that which is pleasing in his sight The best actions of wicked men please him no more than Cains Sacrifice or Esau's tears or the Pharisees prayers 't is but a shadow of what a man reconciled and renewed doth or an imperfect imitation as an Ape doth imitate a man or a violent motion doth resemble a natural 1. VSE is To shew us what to think of the good actions of carnal men they do not please God they are for the matter good but there are manifold defects in them 1. There is a defect in their state they are not renewed and reconciled to God by Christ and therefore God may justly say Mal. 1.10 I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept an offering at your hands They live in their sins and therefore he may justly abhor and reject all their services they live in enmity to him and a neglect of his grace and will not sue out their atonement 2. There is a defect in the root of these actions They do not come from faith working by love which is the true principle of all obedience Gal. 5.6 Without love to God in Christ we want the soul and life of every duty Obedience is love breaking out into its perfect act 1 Joh. 2.5 If we keep his word herein is love perfected 3. There is a defect in the manner They do not serve God with that sincerity reverâ—nce seriousness and willingness which the work calleth for they shew love to him with their lips when their hearts are far from him Matt. 15.8 there is an habitual aversation whilst they seem to shew love to him All their duties are but as flowers strowed upon a dunghill 4. There is a defect in the end They do not regard Gods glory in their most commendable actions they have either a natural aim as when they are frighted into a little religiousness of worship in their extremities Hos. 7.14 They howl upon their beds for corn and wine And then they are like Ice in thawing weather soft at top and hard at bottom Or a carnal aim out of bravery and vain glory Matt. 8.2 Or a legal aim when they seem very devout to quiet conscience or to satisfie God for their sins by their external duties Mic. 6.6 7 8. Wherewith shall I â—ome before the Lord and bow my self before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand rivers of oil Shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul But Solomon telleth us Prov. 21.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord much more when he bringeth it with an evil mind At best 't is an abomination much more when 't is to buy an indulgence in some licentious practice by performing some duties required a sin offering not a thank offering But this cannot please God so as to obtain an eternal reward God temporally rewardeth moral obedience to keep up the government of the world as Pagan Rome while it excelled in Virtue God gave it a great Empire and large Dominion And Ahab's going softly and mourning was recompenced with a suspension of temporal judgments 1 King 21.29 Because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days Again there is a difference between a wicked man going on in his wickedness and a natural man returning to God When wicked men pray to God to prosper them in their wickedness as Balaam's Altars were made or to beg pardon while they go on in their sins so the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Namely as they rest in external performances and think by their prayers or some other good duties to put by the great duties of Faith Repentance and new Obedience so these prayers and good things are abominable but in sinners returning to God and using the means and expressing their desires of Grace tho but with a natural fervency and with some common help of the Spirit tho the action doth not deserve acceptance with God and the Person is not in such an estate that God hath made an express promise to him that he will accept him yet he hath to do with a good God who doth not refuse the cry of his creatures in their extremities and 't is a thousand to one but he will speed the carnal man is to act these abilities and common Grace he hath that God may give more 2 VSE is to Exhort us 1. To come out of the carnal estate into the spiritual life for whilst you are in the flesh you cannot please God Now what is more unhappy than to do much to no good purpose To be acquainted with the toil of duties and not to be accepted in them Men are apt to rest in some superficial good actions and so neglect the Grace of God in Christ we cannot sufficiently beat men from this false Righteousness wherewith they hope to please God certainly while you are ruled by the world the flesh and the Devil you are unfit to obey God therefore you must renounce the flesh the world and the Devil and give up your selves to God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost as Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier All after-duties depend on the seriousness of the first 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave themselves to the Lord then unto us by the will of God And Rom. 6.13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God The more heartily you give up your selves to obey God and look for his favour upon the account of Christs Righteousness and wait for the healing Grace of his Spirit in the use of fit means the more easily
own personal eternal interest have an undoubted evidence of their love to Christ but we cannot say that none love Christ but those which arrive at that height and degree But this is both exclusive and inclusive The Text sheweth it to be exclusive he that hath not the spirit is none of his That is not grafted as a living member into Christs mystical body for the present nor will he be accepted or approved as a true Christian at last at the day of Christs appearing to be none of Christs is to be disowned and disclaimed by Christ Depart from me I know you not How grievous is the thought of it to any good Christian Secondly 'T is inclusive 1 John 2.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in God and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit These are magnificent Words and such as we should not have used if God had not used them before us 'T is much nearness to dwell one with another 't is more nearness to dwell one in another this is mutual and reciprocal between God and a believer if we have his Spirit we may safely conclude it To prove this let us see 1. What it is to have the spirit 2. Why this is the Evidence that we are true Christians For the first Question take these Explanations 1. By the spirit of Christ is not meant any created habit and gift For the new nature is sometimes called the Spirit John 3.6 But the third person in the Trinity called the Holy Ghost is here meant For he is spoken of as a person that dwelleth in Believers in the former part of the verse and dwelleth in them as in his Temple as one that leadeth guideth and sanctifieth them yea as one that will at length quicken their Mortal bodies v. 11. Which no created habit and Quality can do Yea he is called the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ. If so be the spirit of God dwell in you And in the words of the Text if any man have not the spirit of Christ Because he proceedeth from the Father and the Son John 15.26 When the comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father This is the spirit which is spoken of in this place 2. This spirit is had or said to be in us We have not only the Fruit but the Tree But how have we him We have a right to his person he is given to us in the Covenant of Grace as our sanctifyer as God is ours by Covenant so is the spirit ours as well as the Father and the Son and he is present in our hearts as the immediate Agent of Christ and worker of all grace 'T is true in respect of his essence and some kind of operation he is present in all Creatures Psal. 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit Whither shall I fly from thy presence God filleth all things with his spirit and presence And therefore when some are said to have him and others not to have him 't is understood of his peculiar presence with respect to those Eminent operations and effects which he produceth in the hearts of the faithful and no where else For he is such an Agent no where as he is in their hearts Therefore they are called Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 and 1 Cor. 6.19 Because he buildeth them up for an Holy use and also dwelleth and resideth there maintaining Gods Interest in their Souls 3. These Eminent Operations of the Holy Ghost are either in a way of common gifts or special graces as to common gifts Reprobates and Hypocrites may be said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6.4 Balaam had the gift of Prophesie and Judas the gift of Miracles as well as the rest of the Apostles so 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle discourseth at large of the Gifts of the Spirit and concludeth but I shew you a more excellent way verse 31. And then taketh it up again 1 Cor. 13.1 2. Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels and have not charity I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal and though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all Knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are dona ministrantia gifts for the Service of the Church such as profound knowledge utterance in Preaching or Praying or any other Ministeral acts and Dona Sanctificantia such as Faith Hope and Love the former may render us useful to the Church but not acceptable to the Lord. The superficial Christianity is rewarded with common gifts but the real Christianity with Special Graces all that profess the Faith are visibly adopted by God into his Family and under a visible Administration of the Covenant of Grace so far as they are Adopted into Gods Family so far they are made partakers of the Spirit Christ giveth to common Christians those common gifts of the Spirit which he giveth not to the heathen world as knowledg of the mysteries of Godliness abilities of utterance and speech about Heavenly things some affection also to Spiritual and Heavenly things called a tasting of the good Word the Heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come these will not prove us true Christians or really in Gods special favour but only visible professed Christians 4. The spirit as to Sanctifying and saving effects may be considered as spiritus assistens aut in formans either as moving warning or exciting by transient motions so the wicked may be wrought upon by him as to be convinced warned excited how else can they be said to resist the Holyghost Acts 7.51 and the Lord telleth the Old World Gen. 6.3 That his spirit should not always strive with them Surely besides the Counsels and Exhortations of the Word the Spirit doth rebuke warn and excite them and moveth and stirreth and striveth in the Hearts of all carnal creatures or else these expressions could not be used 5. There are such effects of his sanctifying grace as are wrought in us per modum habitus permanentis to renew and change us so as a man from carnal doth become spiritual the Spirit of God doth so dwell in us as to frame heart and life unto holiness this work is sometimes called the new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 And sometimes the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 It differeth from gifts because they are for outward service but this conduceth to change the heart it differeth from actual motions and inspirations because they may vanish and die away without any saving impression left upon the heart it differeth from those slighter dispositions to Godliness which are many times in temporaries because they are but a light tincture soon worn off and have no power and mastery over sensual affections if they restrain them a little they do not
of the spirit An Assent with wonder and astonishment because so much wisdom love and grace was discovered in it Eph. 3.17 18 19. 2. Consent must be often renewed to that covenant by which the spirit is dispensed often enter into a resolution to take God for your God for your Soveraign Lord your Portion and Happiness and Christ for your Redeemer and Saviour and the Holy Ghost for your Guide Sanctifier and Comforter Every solemn consent renewed doth both confirm you in the benefit of the spirit and bind you and excite you to the duties required by God in all these relations Your constant work is to love and seek after God as your happiness and Jesus Christ as your Saviour and the Spirit for your Guide and Direction 3. Dependance upon the love of God and the merits of Christ and the power of the spirit that you may use Christs appointed means with the more confidence That soul that thus sets its self to believe findeth a wonderful encrease of the spirit in this renewed exercise of faith assenting consenting and depending Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy ghost 2. Your Repentance must be renewed by a hearty grief for sin and resolutions and endeavours against it The more sin is made odious the more the spirit hath obtained his effect in you and the more heartily you study to please God in the work of love and obedience the more you are acquainted with the spirit and his quicknings the spirit and his comforts Acts 9.31 They walked in the fear of the Lord and the comforts of the Holy ghost His business is to make you holy the more you obey his motions and follow his directions the more he delighteth to dwell in your hearts 2. VSE is self-reflection Let me put that Question to you Acts 19.3 Have ye received the Holy ghost since ye believed Is the first great change wrought Are you called from darkness to light From sin to holiness Turned from Satan to God Are you made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 The change must be perfected more and more by the spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into his image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Do you obey his sanctifying motions Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the Sons of God His motions all tend to quicken us to the heavenly life inclining our hearts to things above 2 Thes. 2.13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth SERMON XIII ROM VIII 10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and the spirit is life because of righteousness THE Text is manifestly a Prolepsis or a Preoccupation of a secret Objection against our Redemption by Christ If believers die as well as others how are they freed from death questionless Christ was sent into the world to abolish the misery brought in by Adams sin now death was the primary punishment of sin Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And this remaineth on believers The Apostle answereth in the words read 1. By supposition If Christ be in you That he might fix the priviledg on the Persons to whom it properly belongeth 2. By concession The body is dead because of sin 3. By correction And the spirit is life because of righteousness 1. The supposition sheweth that the comfort of the priviledg is drawn from the spiritual union which believers have with Christ if Christ be in you Secondly The concession granteth what must be granted that death befalleth believers their bodies return to the dust as others do But Thirdly the correction is that they are certain to live for ever with Christ both in body and soul and this upon a twofold ground first There is a life begun which shall not be quenched but perfected the spirit is life Secondly The ground and procuring cause is Christs righteousness Sin deprived them of the life of grace and forfeited the life of glory but here the righteousness of Christ hath purchased this life for us and the spirit applieth it to us Doct. That Christ in believers notwithstanding death is a sure pledg and earnest to them of eternal life both in body and soul. This Point will be best discussed with respect to the several clauses in the Text the supposition the concession the correction or contrary assertion 1. The supposition if Christ be in you Here I will prove to you that a true Christian is one that doth not only profess Christ but hath Christ in him 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye are reprobates that is senseless stupid wretches not accepted of God so Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory Now Christ is in us two ways Objectively and Effectively Objectively as the object is in the faculty or the things we think of and love are in our hearts and minds so Christ is in us as he is apperehended and imbraced by faith and love so he is said Eph. 3.17 To dwell in our hearts by faith and again He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.18 Which is not to be understood of the acts only but the habitual temper and dispositions of our souls for else by the ceasing of the acts the union at least on our hearts would be broken off Secondly Effectively so Christ is in us by his spirit and gracious influence Now the effects of his spirit are first life he is become the principle of a new life in us Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and the life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Where he is he maketh us to live and we have another principle of our lives than our selves or our own natural or renewed spirit Secondly Likeness or renovation of our natures Gal. 4.19 Vntil Christ be formed in you The image of Christ is impressed on the soul 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 'T is all to the same effect our being in Christ or Christs being in us for both imply Union and the effect of it a near conformity to Christ in holiness Thirdly Strength by the continued influence of his grace to overcome temptations 1 John 4.4 Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world The spirit keepeth a foot Gods interest in the soul against all the assaults of the Devil so for the variety of conditions we pass thorough Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and how to abound
is usually the Note of an Instrument yet the Spirit is not our Instrument but we are his he first worketh by us as Objects then by us as Instruments and therefore tho the duty falleth upon us and we are said to do it by the Spirit yet it must be thus understood W are the principal parties as to Obligation of duty but as to Operation and Influence of Grace the Spirit is the principal 2. In the duty there is the Act mortifie the Object the deeds of the body 1. The act mortifie I shall open it more fully by and by only note for the present First Sin is alive in some degree in the justified Otherwise what need it to be mortified The Exhortation were superfluous if sin were wholly dead 2. It noteth a continued Act We must not rest in a Mortification already wrought in us He saith not If ye have mortified but if ye do mortifie this must be our daily practice not done now and then or by fits if we always sincerely labour to mortifie the deeds of the body we are in the way of life 3. It sheweth that this work must not be attended slightly or by the by but carried on to such a degree as corruption may be weakned or lye a dying or be upon the declining hand the success and event is considerable as well as the endeavour where the event dependeth upon outward and forreign causes a man hath comfort in doing his duty whatever the success be but here where the event falleth within the compass of our duty its self there it must be regarded we must so oppose sin that in some sort we may kill it or extinguish it not only scratch the face of it but seek to root it out at least that must be our aim 4. Mortifying noteth some pain or trouble For nothing that hath life will be put to death without some strugling and the flesh cannot be subdued without some trouble to our selves or violence offered to our carnal Affections only let me tell you if it be painful to mortifie sin you make it more painful by dealing negligently in the business and drawing out your vexation to a greater lenght the longer you suffer this Canaanite to live with you the more will it prove as a Thorn or Goad in your sides here if ever it is true our affection procureth our affliction sin dyeth when our love to it dyeth your trouble endeth your delight in it ceaseth as you can bring your souls to a resolution to quit these things Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitatibus iniquorum No delight so sincere as the contempt of vain delights 3. The Object the deeds of the body that is our sins so called 1. Because sin is compared to a body Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver me from this body of death and Col. 2. 11. In putting off the body of the sins of the flesh There is besides the natural body a body of corruption which doth wholly compass about the soul there is the head of wicked desires the hands and feet of wicked executions the eye of sinful lusts the tongue of vain and evil words therefore 't is said Col. 3.5 Mortifie your members which are upon earth Not of the natural body but of the mass of corruption particular sinful lusts are as members of this body 2. Sins are called the deeds of the body because they are executed by the body Rom. 6.22 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should fulfil the lusts thereof and Rom. 6.19 As ye have yielded up your members servants uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity All the members of the body are employed as instruments to serve our sin now affections are manifested in actions therefore by the deeds of the body he meaneth not outward acts only but lusts also Well then fight we must but not with our own shadows sin is gotten within us by the soul it hath taken possession of the body The gates of the senses are always open to let in such Objects and Temptations as take part with the flesh and the flesh is ready to accomplish whatever the corrupt heart doth suggest and require 4. The life that is promised to them that mortifie sin ye shall live a spiritual life of Grace here and an eternal life of Glory hereafter Heaven is worth the having and therefore the reward should sweeten the duty From this Clause the Points are Three 1. That justified Persons are bound to mortifie sin 2. That in the mortifying of sin we and the spirit concur The Spirit will not without us and we cannot without the spirit 3. That eternal life is promised to them who seriously improve the assistance of the Holy Ghost for the mortifying of sin 1. Doct. That justified Persons should mortifie sin 'T is their Duty so to do 1. What is mortification that lieth upon us 1. Negatively What it is not we must distinguish between the mock mortification and the counterfeit resemblances of this duty and the duty its self 1. There is a Pagan Mortification I call it so because such a thing was among the Heathens which is nothing else but a suppressing such sins as nature discovereth upon such reasons and arguments as nature suggesteth Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law Namely as they abstained from gross sins and performed outward acts of duty this was a kind of resemblance of mortification and but a resemblance we read of this in story Socrates his Answer to the Physiognomist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his Scholars enraged at his Character 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So of Palaemon coming in a drunken fit to scoff at Xenocrates his Lecture with his head crowned with a Garland of Rosebuds was by his grave and moral discourse reduced from his riot and licentiousness which was a kind of moral conversion but this we fault because 't is but an half turn from sins of the Second Table or lower Hemisphere of Duty and because these sins were rather suppressed and hidden rather than mortified and subdued Sapientia eorum abscondit vitia non abscindit Lact. As Haman refrained himself when his heart boiled with rankor and malice Esther 5.10 Their Wisdom tended to hide sin rather than to mortifie it and besides this kind of conversion was not a recovery of the soul from the flesh and the world to God but only an acquiring a fitness to live more plausibly and with less scandal among men 2. There is a popish and superstitious mortification which standeth in a meer neglect of the body and some outward abstinences and austerities and such observances as are prescribed by men without any warrant from God as in abstaining from marriage and some sort of meats or apparel as unlawful yea from the necessary functions of humane life the Apostle telleth us that these things have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Col. 23. A shew of wisdom have a specious shew and
benefits are offered to invite us to walk in the way of life Now here is faith believing hope expecting and resolution to take Gods way even to deny our selves sacrifice our interests and heartily to exercise our selves unto godliness and partly because much of the life of Christianity lyeth much in this conditional hope and certainty it being absolutely necessary to all acts of grace and partly that we may have much comfort by it for we are making out our claim I do not doubt or considerably doubt of the reward of godliness ex parte Dei no I know they are sure and stedfast by the promise but my own qualification is not so sensible and clear that I can positively determine my own right but I have support and comfort in this way 1 Cor. 9.26 run not as one uncertain for I have reward in my eye 4. There is actual certainty of our interest as being qualified which admits of a latitude for it may be full or not full firm or not firm Heb. 6.14 and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end it may be interrupted or continued the full hope removeth all doubts and fears that which is not full hath some doubts accompanying it but the certainty prevaileth and is more than the doubting This is comfortable To sail to heaven with full sails rather than make an hard shift to get thither by many doubts and fears and 't is a blessed thing when we can say 2 Cor. 5.1 for we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness In short The more we address our selves to our duty the more we put our selves in the way to receive the promise SERMON XXXII ROM VIII 24 For we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for 2. WE must distinguish of hope There are several kinds of hope 1. There is an hope in the creature and an hope in God all things besides God are false confidences Carnal men hope for that in the creature which is only to be found in God dream of an uninterrupted tenor of worldly felicity in present injoyments therefore their hopes are compared to a spiders web which is gone with the turn of a besom Job 8.13 14. they lay their designs in their minds as curiously as the spiders web is woven but the besom of providence cometh and spider and web are both swept away and trodden under foot By the prophet Isaiah it is compared to a dream Isa. 29.8 As when an hungery man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty or as a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his soul hath appetite A false hope is but a waking dream which faileth in extremity and giveth but an imaginary refreshment and satisfaction This may befal Gods Children who fall asleep in the midst of worldly prosperity Psal. 30.6 In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved 'T is hard to keep from sleep when we lean out heads upon a soft carnal pillow and in our sleep we have many fantasies and dreams this is hope in the creature But then there is an hope in God whose immutable mercy and truth maketh him a fit object for hope Psal. 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord so Psal. 42.5 Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him He hath the sovereign command of all things and in vain do we look for good apart from him if the creature say yea and God no all the promises of the creature prove but a lie hope in God is that which we press as our respect to him as God for faith hope and love are duties of the first commandment negatives include their positives If no other Gods before him then we own the true God for our God The positive duties of the first commandment are cultus naturalis non institutus such as are our duty to God as God tho he give no direction about them if God be our God then hope in him Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him That is expect all my happiness from him 2. Hope in God is two-fold either irrational and groundless or a rational hope that is built upon solid grounds 1. There is a vain and groundless hope which is irrational such as is in carnal and careless sinners who say they hope well but their hope will one day leave them ashamed Rom. 5.5 For it is not an hope built on the word of God tho they live in their sins yet they hope they shall do well enough tho they be not so strict and nice as others are like condemned men in bolts and irons that dream of Crowns and Septers when they are near unto and ready for their execution so they hope for Heaven with as much confidence as the holiest of them all tho God hath told them Heb. 12.14 That without holiness no man shall see the Lord. This hope is but a vain dream and an awakening time will come this hope is not only without faith but against faith This hope is nothing else but a confidence that God will prove a lyar so that 't is a bâ—â—â—phemy rather than an act of worship a believing Satan rather than God or hoping 〈◊〉 God who hath declared the flat contrary in his word 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortiners shall inherit the kingdom of heaven 2. There is a rational hope which is bâ—â—â—t upon solid grounds probabilities or certainties 1. There is a rational probable hope For hope is sometimes taken for a probable expectation 1 Cor. 13.7 Hopeth all things It meaneth there not a Divine but a charitable prudential hope we hope well oâ— others whose hearts we know not as long as nothing appeareth to the contrary charity goeth upon probabilities therefore hopeth all things 2 Cor. 1.7 Our hope of 〈◊〉 is stedfast as you have been partakers of the sufferings of the gospel so shall ye be also of the consolation So towards God 1 Cor. 9.10 He that plougheth plougheth in hope a man hath no promise of a good Crop but the ordinary providence of God giveth him a probable hope of success In temporal things when we know not what the event will be such a kind of hope we have there is no express promise but such is the Lordâ— Power and Goodness commonly exercised in his provincial government that we have no reason to despair
of God as not in Christ so not in us the head was to bear his share and the members their share and because the cross and sufferings are a means conducing to conformity to Christ in holiness and happiness for whom he did foreknow c. In the words observe 1. The way God took in bringing his children unto glory by conformity to Christ in those words To be conformed to the image of his Son 2. The grounds of this conformity set forth by two words foreknowledge and predestination whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate 3. The reason of this conformity to Christ that he might be the first-born among many brethren that is that he might have the priviledge of the elder Son or the true and proper heir the elder Son was to be the head of the family and lord of all the rest of the brethren Let us explain these things 1. The way and end aimed at to conform us to the image of his Son That is in resemblance to Christ that we might enter into glory the way by which Christ entred by a life of sufferings and hardness 2. The grounds of this conformity Gods foreknowledge and predestination The first of these terms implieth his gracious purpose to save us foreknowing here is chusing or taking them for his own from all eternity 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God That is according to the eternal purpose of his love to them For having all Adams posterity in his eye and view he freely chose them they were in a sort present to God and in his eye before the foundation of the world so that his foreknowledge is his purpose to do them good the other word predestination is his appointing them to come to glory by the way of faith and holiness for to destinate is to appoint or order means to a certain end and to predestinate is to appoint aforehand and this predestinating is used of Gods act because when man willeth or chuseth or ordereth any thing it presupposeth an antecedent goodness in the things which he willeth or chuseth or an antecedent conveniency in the thing ordered to the end to which it is appointed which is prudent destination but when God chuseth or willeth or ordereth any thing he causeth this goodness or conveniency to be in it and therefore 't is properly called predestination Well then observe Not things but persons are here spoken of whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate his foreknowledge implyeth his favour and his choice John 10.14 I am the good shepherd that know my sheep and am known of mine and verse 27. I know them and they follow me And his predestination is his appointing them to come to such an end by convenient means sometimes 't is applied to priviledges sometimes to duties to priviledges because of the conveniency of antecedent and subsequent priviledges so Eph. 1.5 He hath predestinated us to the adoption of children 't is fit we should be made children before we have a right to a childs portion therefore God by predestinating us to the adoption of children maketh us fit to obtain the inheritance Sometimes to duties as to faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed and in the text to holiness he did predestinate us to be conformed to the image of his Son that is by predestination he bringeth it to pass that in time they do resemble Christ. The order and course of Gods saving the elect must not be broken he hath decreed and forecasteth by what means he will bring them to glory in short foreknowledge and predestination agree in that both are eternal but they differ in the formality of the notion foreknowledge noteth his choice or the purpose of his love predestination his decree to bring things to a certain end by certain appointed means and so he did fore ordain and design them by conformity to Christ in life and suffering to come to coelestial glory and thus by foreknowing he did predestinate and by predestinating he did fore-know 3. The reason of this conformity to Christ that he might be the first-born among many brethren That is that he might have the honour due to the first born the first born was lord of the rest of the family Gen. 27.31 I have made him thy lord and the rest of his brethren have I given to him for servants The first born gave to the rest of his brethren a share of his fathers goods reserving to himself a double portion Deut. 21.17 Now this is applied to Christ who is Lord of the Church or head of the body Col. 1.18 and heir of all things Heb. 1.2 And by vertue of this relation to the Church he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first it in all things or as we translate it he must in all things have the preeminence Col 1.18 in our conflicts and tryals he is the captain of our salvation Heb. 2.10 in holiness he is our pattern or copy 2 Cor. 3.18 primum in unquoque genere est mensura regula Coeterorum in our glory and blessedness he is our forerunner Heb. 6.20 having actuali◠taken possession of that felicity and glory which he spake of to his followers so that Christs honour is reserved and believers are comforted whilest they follow their Head and Leader in every state and condition Doct. That the elect are in time distinguished from others by being conformed to the image of Christ. 1. Wherein this conformity to Christ consisteth 2. Why this is the distinction between the elect or called according to purpose and others 1. Wherein this conformity to Christ consisteth I answer In Three things 1. In sufferings and afflictions In our passage to a better estate As by the bounty of God we tast somewhat of the world to sweeten our pilgrimage so also somewhat of the evil of the world to make us hasten our journey and herein we are made conformable to Christ who was a man of sorrows Isa. 53.3 This must be expected by us for John 15.20 The servant is not greater than the Lord if they have persecuted me they will persecute you also Art thou poor none of us is so poor as Christ was Hast thou many enemies he had more and was pursued with greater malignity It must be patiently indured by us 1 Pet. 2.21 Because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps we that look for his glory must bear his cross Now he calleth us to no harder lot than he himself endured or to go in any part of rough way that he hath not trod before us surely they that fancy to themselves an easie life free from all kind of sufferings and molestations must seek another leader 2 Tim. 2.11 12. If ye be dead with him ye shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him We must be like him whom we have chosen for our head and chief in
of it otherwise it would be a post-destination not a predestination effectual calling and justification and glory are effects of Gods eternal purpose and flow from it as streams out of a fountain and herein differeth the purpose of God to do good from the purpose of man Something is presented to us as good and convenient that moveth our will to purpose and chuse and inclineth us for its own goodness to seek after it and set about the means whereby we may obtain it but nothing in the creature can move God what is the effect of the decree cannot be the motive of it Indeed God willeth one thing in order to another as effectual calling in order to justification and both in order to glory but then these are co-ordinate causes his will and good pleasure is the original of this order and the free grace of God is the only supream and fountain-cause of our salvation 2 Thes. 2.13 14. Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cause is our election the means of execution are the Sanctification of the Spirit and our belief of the truth the end is our eternal salvation or our obtaining the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and mark he saith they were chosen from the beginning as elsewhere 't is said this grace was given us in Christ before the world was 2 Tim. 1.3 And he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 So that from this preordination all cometh Well then God hath of his meer grace put his eternal purpose in that model and mold wherein we now find them he that is the efficient cause of all things is also the dirigent cause appointing in what order Grace and Mercy should be dispensed 5. This order of causes is so settled and joined together that none can separate them The chain is indissoluble and one link draweth on another none are glorified but those that are sanctified and justified and none are justified but those that are effectually caled and none are effectually called but those that are predestinated according to the purpose of his grace and on the other side whoever is effectually called justified and sanctified may be assured of his predestination to eternal life and his future glorification with God this connexion must not be cannot be disturbed which is to be noted because some upon the vain presumption of the infallibility of Gods purposes think it needless to be serious diligent and holy if I be elected I shall be saved no God hath linked means and ends together his decree establisheth the duties of the Gospel and checketh all thoughts of dispensation from them never think that this order shall be broken or disturbed for your sakes Drunkards and Gamesters may as well imagine that God will break the ordinance of day and night by turning day into night and night into day for their sakes as the unholy soul to think to be justified and glorified till they be effectually called and sanctified no you must be holy or conclude that you shall have no saving benefit by Chrst for they who are fore-ordained are a chosen generation a distinct society and community of men who are called out of darkness into his marvellous light to shew forth the vertues of God 1 Pet. 2.9 Made objects of his special grace and love that they may shew forth the distinction God hath made between them and others by the choiceness of their spirits and conversations their carriages must be suitable to their priviledges 6. The method is to be observed as well as the connection 1. The first effect of predestination is effectual calling Certainly all that are chosen before time are called in time Rom. 1.7 Beloved of God called to be Saints First beloved then called so 2 Pet. 1.10 Make your calling and election sure By making our calling sure we make our election sure for that is the first eruption of Gods eternal love you may know God hath distinguished you from others when you are recovered from the Devil the world and the flesh to God John 5.19 We know we are of God and the whole world lyeth in wickedness When there is a conspicuous difference between us and others we may trace the stream to the fountain and know God hath made a difference before the world began and distinguished you from them that perish once you were as vain sensual worldly-minded as others till God called you out of the lost world to be a peculiar people to himself but this act of grace cometh from on high vocation is the fruit of election the first grace found you in the polluted mass of mankind as having found you intangled in many foolish and hurtful lusts now this is a mighty engagement upon us If God hath made such a difference oh do not unmake it again and confound all again by walking after the course of this world for you do in effect set your selves to disannul his decree conformity to the world is a confusion of what God hath separated God made the difference when none was and by the power of his grace you must keep it up 2. The next step is whom he hath called them he hath justified Calling is chiefly by the Gospel and the next end of that is faith in Christ or conversion to God and certainly none are justified but those that are called and all that are called are justified Acts 26.18 To turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God When we are turned from Satan to God we receive the forgiveness of sins Mark 4.12 Lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them Where forgiveness of sins is mentioned as a consequent of their conversion and turning to the Lord so when we are brought into the Kingdom of Christ then we have Redemption by his Blood the Remission of sins Col. 1.13 14. Till we become Christs subjects we cannot have the priviledges of Christs Kingdom this is the order set down here of conveying to us the benefits of Christs death first called then justified they that are yet under the power of sin are under the guilt of it as in the fall there was sin before there was guilt so in our recovery there must be conversion before remission a new nature or life from Christ then a new relative estate when we are regenerated we are justified and adopted into Gods Family Heb. 8.10 11 12. For this ii the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neghbour and every man his brother saying know the
giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledg c. wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure c. for if ye do these things ye shall never fall for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So for Consideration Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Jesus Christ. The weightiest things lye by and are as if they were not sleepy reason is as none and the most important truths work not till consideration make them lively so for application what concerneth us not is passed over unless we hear things with a care to apply them we shall never make use of them Eph. 1.13 After ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation 'T is not enough to know the Gospel to be a Doctrine of Salvation to others but we must look upon it as a Doctrine that bringeth salvation to our own doors and leaveth it upon our choice a plaister doth not heal at a distance till it be applied to the sore truths are too remote till we set the edg and point of them to our own hearts Now this Question in the Text relateth to all Three 1. It challengeth our faith What shall we say to these things Do we believe them and assent to them as certain verities The Apostle doth in effect demand what we can reply or say to these things The unbelieving dark and doubtful heart of man hath many things to say against divine truths let God say what he will the heart is ready to gainsay it yet 't is good to press our selves thoroughly with the light and evidence of truths to compel the heart to bring forth its objections and scruples if any mind to contradict have we any solid arguments to oppose truth wanteth its efficacy when 't is received with an half conviction and doubts smothered breed Atheism irreligion and gross negligence certainly the weighty truths of Christianity are so clear that the heart of man hath little or nothing to say against them therefore follow it to a full conviction doth any scruple yet remain in our minds 't is good thoroughly to sift things that they may appear in their proper lustre and evidence John 11.26 Believest thou this Pose your hearts 2. This question doth excite consideration or meditation We should not pass by comfortable and important truths with a few glancing and running thoughts 't is one part of the work of grace to hold our hearts upon them Acts 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that were spoken Otherwise in seeing we see not and in hearing we hear not when we see and hear things in a crowd of other thoughts as when you tell a man of a business whose mind is taken up about other things no your minds must dwell upon these things till you are affected with them a full survey of the object sheweth us the worth of it What shall we say to these things That is what can be said more for our comfort and satisfaction Or what do we desire more How should we be satisfied with this felicity and love of the Ever-blessed God to his people 3. It awakeneth application to our selves that we may make use of these things for our own good Application is twofold direct or reflexive and the question may be explained with respect to both 1. Direct application As when we infer and bind our duty upon our selves from such principles as are laid down so What shall we say to these things That is what use shall we make of them Christianity is not a matter of speculation only but of practise therefore when we hear the truth of it enforced we must commune with our selves What doth this call for at our hands but serious diligence 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness The truths of the Gospel are not propounded that we may talk at an higher rate than others do but to live at an higher rate if I should be negligent indifferent careless What will become of me 2. Reflexive application is when we consider our state and course and judg of it by such general truths as are propounded to us direct application is by way of practical inference reflexive by way of discovery and to this sense may this question be interpreted What shall we say to these things Doth heart and practise agree with them Do I live answerable to these comforts and priviledges What am I one called and sanctified and one that continueth with patience in well doing upon the hope of eternal life 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye are reprobates If Christ be formed in his people is he formed in me Thus things must be brought home to the heart and laid to the conscience if we would make a profitable use of them USE is to awaken this self-communing To make our assent more strong our consideration more deep and serious and our application either by way of inference or discovery more close and pungent Do we assent Is this a truth to be lightly passed over If this be true what must I do Or what have I done Now this you should do upon these occasions 1. When you are tempted to unbelief There are some points which are remote from sense and cross the desires and lusts of sensual men and we either deny them or doubt of them or our hearts are full of prejudice against them and also the Devil doth inject thoughts of blasphemy or doubts about the world to come into the hearts of people especially in those that take Religion upon trust or are secretly false to that Religion they have received upon some evidence Now to prevent all this 't is good to commune with our selves that we may be well settled in the truth therefore see with what evidence the great things of the other world are represented unto us in the Word of God and what a just title they have to our firmest belief Faith will not be settled without serious thoughts and it soon withereth there where it hath not much depth of earth Matth. 13.5 6. No thoughts in the highway ground slight thoughts in the stony ground faith is a child of light and given upon certain grounds Luke 1.4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed and Acts 17.11 12. They searched the Scriptures whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed But presumption and slight credulity is a child of darkness the fruit of ignorance and incogitancy therefore 't is good in those truths that need it most to ask What say we to these things 2. When you are in danger
â—s above others for that we cannot know till we love him but his common love and mercy to sinners and that was manifested in Christs being sent as a propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 This is that which is propounded to us to recover and reconcile our alienated and estranged affections to God 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself This grace God offereth to us as well as to others namely that God for Christs sake will pardon our sins if we will but forbear further hostility and enter into his peace None are bound to believe that God especially loveth them but those that are specially beloved by him for none are bound to believe a falshood and a falshood it is to us till we have the saving effects and benefits and therefore it is not the special but the general love of God which draweth in our hearts to him yea his Saints after some testimonies received of Gods special love make this to be the great engaging motive Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. There is a special love when this grace is applied to us Eph. 2.4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us when we were dead in trespasses and sins He did not begin to love us when we were converted that is of a more ancient and eternal rise but then he did begin to apply his love to us and this no ordinary but great love when God was angry with us and pronounced death on us in the sentence of his law then he quickned us and reconciled us to himself when his law represented him as an enemy and in the course of his Providence he appeared as an enemy and the apprehensions of our guilty fears bespeak him an enemy then did God for Christs sake bestow his converting grace upon us Now 't is a great advantage to draw nigh to God as a reconciled Father and actually in covenant with us surely this is and will be the object of our everlasting love and joy Rom. 5.18 And a notable prop of confidence in prayer could we once believe that he dearly loveth us and is actually reconciled to us and taketh us for his children and delighteth in our prosperity Oh how chearfully should we come into his presence John 16.27 The Father himself loveth you because you have loved me and believed that I came out from God We have then not only his own intercession but the Fathers especial love as the ground of our audience and acceptance Now this particular interest dependeth on something wrought in our souls by the holy Spirit our Lord mentioneth two things their faith in Christ and love to God or a thankful acceptance of him as our Lord and Saviour love to God or a thankful obedience to him John 14.22 23. We cannot perceive our special interest in the love of God but by the evidences of our sincerity when we see Gods love tokens in our hearts faith and love wrought in us by his spirit then we may know that he loveth us by this special love the question is Doth God love me Hath he given his Spirit How shall I know that Answer By the Effects Do you believe in Jesus Christ How shall I know my faith is sincere and the faith of Gods Elect Doth it work by love Gal. 5.6 How shall I know that I love God The acts of sincere love are seeking after God and delighting in him if you cannot find the latter the former is a comfortable evidence Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me The desiderium unionis the desirous seeking love if it be serious and earnest it is sincere tho you find not such delightful apprehensions of his grace to you clear this once and when you come to pray you may know that God loveth you with a special love the dearest friend we have in the world doth not love us the thousand part so much as he doth nay as Valdesso saith the highest Angel doth not love God so much as he loveth the lowest Saint God loveth like himself becoming the greatness and infiniteness of his own Being and with this perswasion pray to him 2. Gods love is not a cold and uneffectual love That consists only in raw wishes but an operative active love that issueth forth to accomplish what he intendeth to us tho by the most costly means and at the dearest rates God is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 He hath a love to us and will do good to us our love many times goeth no further than good wishes and good words be warmed be cloathed but give not those things which are needful to the body Jam. 2.26 Our Lord rested not in kind wishes but giveth a full demonstration of his love if Christ be needful for the Saints they shall have him God spared not his own Son 3. 'T is a great love such as may raise our wonder and astonishment and so may enlarge our expectations and capacities for the reception of other things Eph. 3.18 19. That ye may with all saints comprehend what is the heighth and breadth the length and depth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God There is such an infiniteness and immensity in this love of God in Christ as raiseth our desires and hopes to expect all other things from him which belong to our happiness if God will do this what will he not do for those whom he loveth he that hath given a talent will not he give a peny We confidently go to one with a request who hath done some great thing for us already What greater thing could there be than his giving his Son to die for a sinful world John 13. 13. Greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends We were not friends in state but only friends in his purpose nay we were actual enemies but reconciled and brought into friendship by his death No man can express greater love to his dearest friends than to adventure to die for them This did Christ for us 4. 'T was a love expressed to us when our case was not only difficult but desperate and remediless as to any other agent Isa. 56.16 And he saw that there was no man and wondred that there was no intercessor therefore his own arm wrought salvation for us Psal. 40.8 The redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth for ever Like perplexities often occurring in the Churches case 2 Chron. 22.12 O our God wilt thou not judg them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are unto thee And Esth. 3.14 When the writing was signed and sent abroad
called and justified they are children of wrath as well as others 2. The reply and answer 't is God that justifieth This implyeth two things first his finding out a way to acquit them according to the terms of the Gospel as when all men were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obnoxious to Gods vengeance but now a clear and sure way of pardon Rom 3.19 20 21 22. Now we know that whatsoever things the law saith it saith to them that are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin but the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe There is mercy for all penitent believers to accept and bless them 2. He doth actually acquit all those that submit to these terms Eph. 1.6 Who hath accepted us in the beloved to the praise of his glorious grace The Covenant setteth down the terms and by performing them we are capable of this benefit of Absolution Doctrine That no charge or accusation will take effect to prejudice the acceptation of them whom God justifieth 1. What is justification It consisteth in two things first in the pardon of â—ll our sins secondly in the acceptation of us as righteous in Christ. The first is necessary for God doth not vindicate us as innocent but pardoneth us as guilty those that are impleâ—ded before his Tribunal are all sinners and sinners are not vindicated but pardoned and the Apostle describeth justification by the pardon of sin Rom. 4.6 7. As David describeth the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven whose sins are covered God in justifying his people against the imputations of the world doth bring forth their righteousness as the noon-day but in justifying them against the accusations brought before his own Tribunal doth not vindicate our innocency but shew his own mercy in a free discharge of all our sins This is sometimes set forth in Scripture by the blotting out of all our transgressions as Isa. 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own names sake and will remember thy sins no more As we are no more chaâ—ged with what is cancelled or blotted out of a debt-book so Isa. 38.17 Thou hast cast my sins behind thy back as men cast behind them such things as they list not to look on and Micha 7.19 Thou wilt cast our sins into the depth of the sea as that which is cast into the sea is lost forgotten and cannot be recovered so sin shall not be brought into the judgment against the pardoned sinner 2. In accepting us as righteous in Christ who dyed for our sins to reconcile us unto God and therefore sometimes he is said to be made righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 and we are said to be made the righteousness of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 that is we have the effect of his sufferings as if we had suffered in person for they were undergone in our stead and for our sakes and the fruit of it given to us by God himself 2. How many ways doth God justifie Four ways especially 1 By way of Constitution 2 Estimation 3 Sentence And 4 Execution 1. Constitutively by his Gospel-grant or the New Covenant in the blood of Christ. The Covenant of grace is Gods pardoning act and instrument by which we know whom and upon what Terms God will pardon and justifie namely all such as repent and believe the Gospel We are constituted just and righteous and exempted from the curse and penalties of the law We may know the true way of justification by its opposition to the false or pretended way Acts 13.38 39. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all those things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses The Jews expected to be justified by the law of Moses but we are justified by the law of Christ that is this constituteth our right and herein justification and sanctification differ God sanctifieth by his Spirit but justifieth by the sentence of his word or promise of the Gospel Our right immediately results thence as by an act of indempnity we are freed from all the penalties which otherwise we might incur without any further act of the Magistrate We are constituted righteous by his deed of gift in the Gospel but made holy by his Spirit but if any quarrel at this term and say that God by the New Covenant doth declare who are justifiable but doth not justifie I answer further We are justified 2. By way of Estimation whereby God doth determine our right accept or deem and account them righteous who fulfil the terms of the Gospel and actually convey to them the fruits of Christs death This is spoken of 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified once vile sinners now washed sanctified and justified as soon as they believe they are put into a state of acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is justifying he continueth to justifie them unto the death and he keeps them in that estate wherein they have exemption from the punishment of sin and a right to eternal life 3. By way of Sentence This is in part done here when God interpreteth our righteousness and sincerity Job 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom And doth by the Spirit of adoption assure us more and more of the pardon of our sins but more solemnly at the last day when the Judge doth sitting upon the Throne pronounce and declare us righteous before all the world and as those who are accepted unto life Acts 3.19 That your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Then the sentence is solemnly pronounced by the Judg sitting on the throne and we are justified before God Men and Angels There are two parts of judgment to condemn and to absolve or justifie Matth. 12.36 37. But I say unto you that for every idle word that a man shall speak he shall give account thereof at the day of judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned then every mans doom shall be pronounced 4. By way of Execution when the sentence is executed This is in part done here as God taketh off the penalties and fruits of sin either in the way of
and irresistible you may depend on the good he undertaketh to do though this peace be assaulted yet it will stand Gods manifesting or hiding his face is enough to make a creature happy or miserable 1. USE is Information to shew us 1. The misery of wicked men they are not justified by God and therefore the charge of Gods broken law lyeth heavy upon them and the weight of it will sink them to the nethermost Hell It may be the world may flatter and applaud them and they may absolve and acquit themselves at an easie rate but there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa. 57.20 'T is not our security delighting our selves to sing lullabies to our own souls for we are never upon sure terms till God justifieth us many absolve themselves upon easie terms either because they sit still and cry God mercy or upon the account of their superficial righteousness as the Pharisees justified themselves no we must judge our selves but 't is God must justifie us till we have our discharge from him we are never safe therefore it concerneth us to consider upon what terms we stand Are we troubled in mind or at peace if troubled in mind take Gods remedy if we be at peace whence cometh it Is it warranted by the Covenant of God that granteth no pardon no justification but to those that repent and believe 2. The happiness of the godly 'T is in vain to accuse those whom God acquitteth you need not fear an accuser not because innocent but becuse justified Though the world revileth you the Devil would stir up legal fears revive your old bondage when your hearts condemn you for many defects you must stick to this God justifieth for the reproaches of the world you need not be troubled at them when they accuse you falsly of pride hyprocrisie covetousness you may say as Job Job 16.19 My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high He that is the Judge of all men is a witness and observer of their ways and will acquit those whose hearts are upright with him from the censures of the world God will not ask their vote and sufferage when Satan would revive your bondage by the thoughts of death and the consequence of it consider wherefore did Christ come into the world and die for sinners but to free us from those tormenting fears Heb. 2.14 15. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage But when our hearts condemn us especially for some wounding sin the case is otherwise God by conscience writeth bitter things against you Job 13.26 we must not smother our sin nor deny our guiltiness but appeal from Court to Court Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark our iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared and Psal. 43.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified If it be from the general view of sin or the remembrance of some special sin sue out your pardon in Christ your justification is not nullified you are still under a pardoning Covenant and the actual pardon on repentance is granted to you 2. USE Is to press us to get into this blessed condition that you may say 't is God that justifieth Consider the weight of the case it concerneth damnation or salvation whether you are under the curse or heirs of promise And all this is depending before God To justifie is Gods act but man must fulfil the condition Well then let us suppose a Judiciary Process there will be such at the last day certainly For we must all stand before the Tribunal seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 Our cause lieth before God now and our qualification must be tryed and judged now in order to our reconciliation with God as hereafter in order to our everlasting fruition of him in glory Well then The Judge is God Gen. 18.23 and Psal. 94.2 Lift up thy self O thou Judge of the earth The Judge accepteth the godly while they are in the body 2 Cor. 5.9 That whether we are present or absent we may be accepted with him but he is angry with the wicked every day Psal. 7.11 The Witnesses are Satan and Conscience the Plea in Traverse is about our guiltiness according to a double rule the Law of Works or Grace if according to the law of Works alas none of us can stand in the judgement there we plead not Innocent but Guilty Christ could say John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin but here 't is otherwise Rom. 3.19 All the world is become guilty before God Here is no denial no extenuation all are become corrupt none doth good no not one Now Christ was made sin and underwent the curse for us To the second the Law of Grace there must be first an hearty acceptance of an offered Saviour and a consent both of subjection and dependance Secondly Sincere obedience Rom. 8.1 They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit he liveth as one turned from the world and the flesh to God the more sensible we are of our own vileness the more we see the necessity of a Redeemer SERMON XLIV ROM VIII 34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again from the dead who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us IN the former verse Justification is considered as opposite to accusation now as opposite to condemnation There Who shall lay any thing to our charge Here Who is he that condemneth With respect to both we must look upon Christ as our Advocate and God as our Judge Somewhat in this verse concerneth our exemption from the danger of accusation namely all the acts of Christs Mediation here mentioned somewhat in that verse concerneth the question propounded here about condemnation namely the sentence of God as our Judge For the answer given there must be repeated Who is he that condemneth 'T is God that justifieth We need not fear an Accuser because we have an Advocate we need not fear to be cast in the judgment because we have a favourable Judge who will not justifie and condemn too Thence ariseth this part of the triumphant song which the Apostle puts into the mouth of a believer Who is he that condemneth 't is Christ that dyed c. In the words we have 1. A Triumphant challenge Who is he that condemneth 2. The ground of it 'T is Christs Mediation 'T is Christ that dyed c. 1. The challenge Who is he that condemneth 'T is meant with respect to Gods judgment in the world the Saints have been and often are condemned nor only to death James 5.6 Ye have
obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he is become the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him And was carried on with such Humility Patience and self-denyal Resignation of himself to God faith on him and charity and pity to men that such an act of love and such a piece of service or obedience cannot be done by Men or Angels Then for the penalty and curse He was made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Our curse and condemnation is legible in what Christ endured for us The loss in his desertion Pain in his Agonies and bloody-sweat and painful and shameful death they were not light things which Christ indured but such as extorted prayers tears and strong cryes 3. The conditions of the Gospel are fulfilled First I take it for granted that the Gospel maketh sufficient provision against the condemnation of believers John 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life This being the great result of the Gospel Christ prefixeth his Amen Amen implying that it is a truth worthy to be respected and credited and this is the truth that the penitent believer when God cometh to judge of men shall not fare ill in the judgment Secondly That this is done upon condition that we take Gods remedy so it is propounded Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned The Gospel hath a sanction as well as the law both promise and threatning and all upon the condition which God hath imposed 3. That the promise doth consist of something the party is willing of and the condition of what the promiser will have but the receiver is not so ready to perform The accepting the benefit promised is not so great a matter in ordinary contracts but in Gods Covenant being not a matter of sense 't is somewhat to be willing to accept Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Rev. 22.17 And the spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely But God besides the benefit of the creature respects his own glory and the recovery of the creature to himself from the Devil World and flesh which the creature is most backward unto Every man would be freed from condemnation and saved from Hell now God hath promised that which we would have that we may yeild to that which naturally we would not have we would have pardon but God will have subjection therefore 't is said Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto them that obey him We would have the second death to have no power over us but God will have us holy and that we should consent to our duty we would not be condemned but God will have us walk not after the flesh but after the spirit and so hath granted non-condemnation to such Rom. 8.1 Those that are true Christians and consent to the duty of the New Covenant the honour of God is concerned in our subjection to him and the honour of Christ who redeemed us to God Rev. 5.8 as our comfort is concerned in being exempted from the fears of condemnation 4. The more explicitely the condition is fulfilled the more is our comfort and assurance and the more may we make the bold challenge of faith that is the more clearly we obey the sanctifying motions of the spirit and mortifie the desires of the flesh 1 John 3.21 If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence towards God Gal. 5.18 If we be led by the spirit we are not under the law i. e. the condemning sentence thereof Where worldly lusts bear a sway a man is under the law not under grace He that liveth in a state of sin carrieth his sting and wound about him and hath the matter of debts and fears in his own bosom and cannot attain to the true courage and boldness of the Saints As the flesh and spirit are at war in our hearts so are Law and Grace as the spirit prevaileth against the flesh so doth grace prevail against our law-fears The same was intimated Rom. 8.14 15. Well then if we would depend on the everlasting merits of Christ we must accept the blessed Covenant wherein God hath promised to discharge the sincere and upright from condemnation and look to the sureness of our claim that we do not allow our selves in any voluntary disobedience to Christ. USE Is Information 1. It sheweth us the bad condition of wicked men who have within themselves an accusing conscience and above themselves a condemning Judge and thence it is they dare not look inward or upward they dare not look inward all their pleasures are but stoln waters and bread eaten in secret Prov. 9.17 delights gotten by stealth when they can get conscience asleep as servants feast themselves in a corner when they can get out of their Maâ—â—ers sight Nor upward they dare not entertain themselves with serious thoughâ—s of God their hearts condemn them and they look upon him as one that doth ratifie and is ready to execute the sentence and therefore every remarkable dispensation of God puts them in a fright Job 15.2 And fill his belly with the east-wind A dreadful sound is in his ears Now this is a miserable condition when we have no sound peace and quiet within our selves if they do not always feel the stings of conscience they are always subject to them for the present a stupid conscience is their disease the benumming Lethargy of the soul if they make a shift to shake off these thoughts death will revive their fears and that may surprize them in an instant 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin Oh how much better is it with the sound and serious believer who preserveth most tenderness of conscience and yet hath most peace hath an higher sense of his duty than others have and yet can with greater satisfaction than others do depend on the merit of Christ and look for acceptance with God! 2. It sheweth us what course to take in case our heart doth condemn us What must we do Sit down in despair and die No but examine the matter seriously 1. Conscience must not be despised partly for its nearness to us 't is Gods Spy in our bosomes whom shall a man believe if not his own conscience Who knoweth us better than our selves 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him This Judge cannot be suspected of rigor or partiality or ill-will what is nearer what is dearer to us than
again as it Implyeth a thankful acceptance of Christ. Now as it Implyeth Affiance or a resting relying and reposing our hearts with quietness and peace upon Gods Promises and so Confidence is Nothing but a firm and comfortable dependance upon God through Jesus Christ for the gift of Eternal life while we patiently Continue in well-doing Assent to the truth of the promise breedeth this Confidence but 't is not it for faith is not a bare Assent but a fiducial Assent or a trust and dependance upon the Lord in the Appointed way of obtaining the Effects of the promise Faith is often described by the Act of Trust both in the Old Testament and in the New That there can be no doubt of this no notion is more frequently insisted on in the Old Testament Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil Tidings his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His adherence to God and dependance upon him is the great preservative against worldly fears and apprehensions of danger and Misery So that he is fortifyed not only for a patient but cheerful entertainment of all that shall come or may come So Isa. 26.3 Thou keepest him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee A man securely rests upon the promise of God that all will end well while he keepeth to his duty The New Testament also useth the same notion 2 Cor. 13.4 Such trust we have through Christ to Godward Confidence 1 Tim. 4 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God So Eph. 1.12 13. Who trusted first in Christ In whom also ye trusted When we are Confident that God will save his faithful Servants and are incouraged thereby to go on with our duty Our miscarriages fainting and Apostacy and discomforts are made to arise from the want of this Confidence The miscarriages of the people in the Wilderness a figure of our estate in the World came from hence Psal. 78.22 They believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation They were not Confident of his conduct that he would bring them into the land of rest A man that doth not trust God cannot be long true to him they who do not depend upon God for Salvation and for whatever is necessary to them for Salvation and to bring them out of every streight in a way most conducing to their welfare and his own Honour have not that true believing or sound faith which God requireth of them Well then this trust or Confidence must be in all and this is more than Assent or a bare perswasion of the mind that the promises are true this noteth the repose of the Heart or the motion of the will towards them as good and Satisfactory 2. There is a confidence of our own good estate for the present and so by consequence of our future Blessedness Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good work in you will perfect it to the day of Christ. When we make no doubt but that God who hath wrought faith and other Christian graces in us will also consummate all in everlasting Glory This dependeth upon a sight of our Qualification This Confidence is Comfortable the other absolutely necessary this Confidence is mainly built upon the Earnest of the Spirit in our hearts the other upon the promise of the Gospel by the one there is a Crown of Righteousness for the Faithful by the other 't is laid up for them The Spirit and life of Faith lyeth more in the former but the joy of Faith and our Comfort dependeth upon this A Christian that is Confident that God will be as good as his word is mightily incouraged to wait upon God till that word be accomplished and that breedeth Courage and Resolution and Boldness But a Christian that knoweth his own interest is more cheered and pleased with it By this latter Confidence a Christian hath a double ground of rejoycing The certainty of Gods promise And the evidence of his own Sincerity or the truth of grace in his own heart 1 Joh. 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him A Christian is said to be before God three ways either in his Ordinary conversation Gen. 17.1 So our hearts are assured before him when we walk in Holy peace Security 2dly We come before him in Prayer and other Duties Now a Christian may assure his heart before him our legal fears are revived by the presence of God but a Christian can look God in the face 3dly We come before him at the day of Judgment We stand before his Tribunal that we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 John 4.17 That we may have boldness at the day of Judgment Death is your summons 2 Kings 21.3 Lord thou knowest that I have walked before thee with a true and perfect Heart 2. The opposites of it are disquieting doubts and fears 1. Doubts are often opposed to Faith not only as 't is a strong assent but as 't is a quiet dependance upon Gods Nature and word as Jam. 1.6 Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with every wind and tossed 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up Holy hands without wrath and doubting Rom. 4.20 He staggered not at the promise through unbelief but hoped against hope Matth. 14.31 O thou of little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt Because he could not rest upon Christs word 2. So fears are opposite to this quiet and steady dependance Matth. 8.26 Why are ye so fearful O ye of little Faith In Luke 't is Where is your Faith In Mark 't is How is it that you have no Faith Luke 8.50 Fear not believe only Now the opposites of any grace do shew the Nature of it If doubts and fears be so directly opposite to Faith therefore Faith is a confidence as well as an assent Now these doubts and fainting fears are every where opposed to Faith Psa. 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Gods Children are very obnoxious to Temptations of fainting fears and diffidence when sharp troubles do assault them and therefore they ought to strengthen their confidence Strength of assent may remove Speculative doubts or errours of the mind but strength of confidence or quiet dependance doth only remove practical doubts which arise from the fears and terrours of sense which may sometimes sorely shake us 3. The immediate effects are such as are comprized in the very Nature of it as an Holy boldness and courage which is the very notion and the same importance of the Word in the Text We are confident or of good cheer and courage This is seen in four things 1. In our continuing faithful with Christ and professing his truth and waies notwithstanding opposition in a bold
in his conversation 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6. But in all things approving our selves as ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in Imprisonments in tumults in labours in Watchings in fastings By pureness by knowledge by long-sufferings by kindness by the Holy Ghost by love unfeigned by the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left c. These were the evidences which he had in their consciences The faithful discharge of his Office in all sorts of pressures wants and exigencies as also by the constant study of the mind of God and purity of life and abundance of Spirit and sincere charity and love to Souls by these things should a People Choose a Minister and by these things did Paul approve himself to their consciences 2. All these may others have hating for the publickness of his Office and the extraordinary assistance of the Holy Ghost all Ministers and all Christians may have an approbation of God and the testimony of their own consciences and a witness in the consciences of others 1. They may have the approbation of God who certainly will not be wanting to the comfort of his faithful Servants Partly Because he hath promised not only to reward their sincerity at last but to give them the comfort of it for the present John 4.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father And I will love him and will manifest my self to him Let a man but love Christ and be â—aithful to him and he is capable of this promise God will love him and Christ will love him and in Testimony thereof he will manifest himself to him Christ knoweth the burden of believers and what it costs them in the World to be faithful to him and what sad hours many times they have who make Conscience of obedience Now to incourage them the more seriously they ingage in it the more evidences and confirmations they shall have of his love to them yea sensible manifestations and comfortable proofs thereof shall still be given out to them in their course of a constant uniform diligent and self-denying obedience Hidden love is as no love Pro. 27.5 Open rebuke is better than secret love As in our Love to God if it be not manifested 't is but a compliment and vain pretence so in Gods Love to us though he hath not absolutely ingaged for our comfort yet he hath his times of allowing special manifestations of himself to his people and lifting up the light of his Countenance upon them Surely God will not be altogether strange reserved and hidden to a loving faithful and obedient Soul They need more Testimonies of his favour than others do and they shall not be without them Partly Because the Spirit of God is given us for this end not only as a Spirit of Sanctification but of Revelation to witness Gods acceptance of our persons and services and the great things which he hath promised for us 1 Cor. 2 11 12. What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God That we might know the things that are freely given us of God None but the Holy-Ghost can know Gods secrets and revealeth thereof to believers as much as is needful for their Salvation For as mans own understanding can only know mans secrets so none can know Gods secret thoughts but Gods own Spirit Now we have received not the Spirit of the World which only carryeth a proportion with Worldly things but the Spirit of God which is given us to know the mind of God concerning us in Christ He doth not only reveal the mysteries of Salvation in general but our own Interest therein Rom. 8.16 The Spirit its self bearing witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God The infinite mercies of God being bestowed on us God would not have them concealed from us thus we may have the approbation of God 2. We may have the Testimony of conscience concerning our sincerity For conscience is that secret spy which is privy to all our designs and actions and taketh notice of all that we are and do therefore a man should or may know the acts of grace which he puts forth 'T is hard to think that the Soul should be a stranger to its own operations the Spirit in man knoweth the things of a man much more acts of grace Partly Because they are the most serious and Important actions of our lives many acts may escape us for want of advertency they not being of such moment but things that concern our eternal Interests and done with the most advisedness and seriousness surely the man that is thus conversant about them he will mind what he doth and how he doth it 1 John 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandments 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly And partly Because acts of grace are put forth with difficulty and with some strife and wrestling a man cannot believe but he feeleth oppositions of unbelief Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help my unbelief A man cannot love God and attend upon holy things but he feeleth drowsiness and deadness in his heart which must be overcome though with difficulty Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh A man cannot obey God or do any serious good action but the flesh will be opposing Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other And Rom. 7.21 I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Now things difficult and carryed on with opposition must needs leave a notice and Impression of themselves upon the conscience And partly Because there is a special delight which accompanyeth acts of grace by reason of the excellency of the object they are conversant about and by reason of the greatness and excellency of the power they are assisted withal and the excellency and nobleness of the faculties they are acted by Faith can hardly be exercised about the pardon of sin or the hopes of Glory but a man findeth some peace and joy in believing Rom. 15.13 Acts of love and hope are pleasant a prospect of eternity is delightful now any notable pleasure and delight of mind notifieth its self to the Soul and therefore upon the whole we may have glorying if we love and fear God and hope for eternal life from him and thereupon study to approve our selves to him conscience which is privy to these things will witness them to us 3. We may leave a Testimony in the consciences of others If we keep up the majesty
not appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him For we shall see him as he is This is the end of all for this Christ dyed and for this we believe and hope and labour even for that happy estate when we shall be brought nigh God and be companions of the Holy Angels and for ever behold our glorified Redeemer and see our own Nature united to the God-head and have the greatest and nearest intuition and fruition of God that we are capable of and live in the fullest love to him and delight in him And the Soul shall for ever dwell in a glorified Body that shall be no clog but an help to it and be no more troubled with infirmities necessities and diseases but for ever be at rest with the Lord lauding his name to all Eternity Now shall all this be done for us and shall we not love Christ Certainly if there be faith to believe this there will be love And if there be love there will be obedience be it never so tedious and irksome to our natural hearts 2. The strength of love ariseth from the manner how it is considered by us and applyed to us 1. Partly by Faith And 2. Partly by Meditation And 3. Partly by the Spirit 1. Faith nothing else will inkindle and blow up this holy fire of love in our hearts For affection followeth perswasion Till we believe these things we cannot be affected with them To a carnal natural heart the Gospel is but as a fine speculation or a well contrived fable or a dream of a shower of rubies falling out of the clouds in a night But Faith or a firm perswasion that affecteth the heart and therefore the Apostle speaketh of Faith working by love Gal. 5.6 Faith reporteth to the Soul and filleth the Soul with the apprehensions of Gods love in Christ and then maketh use of the strength and sweetness of it to carry forth all acts of obedience to God 2. By meditation The most excellent things do not work if they be not seriously thought of Affections are stirred up in us by the inculcation of the thoughts As by the beating of the steel upon the flint the sparks fly out As the Apostle perswadeth to this Eph. 3.17 18. That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the height and depth and length of the love of God in Christ and may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge This is the blessed Imployment of the Saints that they may live in the consideration and admiration of this wonderful love that so they may ever keep themselves in the love of Christ. Nothing exciteth us to our duty so much as this therefore we should not content our selves with a superficial view of it but dwell upon it in our thoughts 'T is our narrow thoughts our shallow apprehensions of Gods love in Christ our cold and unfrequent meditation of it which maketh us so barren and unfruitful as we are 3. The Spirit maketh all effectual The Gospel containeth the matter meditation is the means to improve it but if it be an act of the humane Spirit only it affecteth us not the thoughts raised in us by bare and dry reason are not so lively as those raised in us by Faith that puts a life into all our notions Now the acts of faith are not so forcible as when the Spirit of God sheddeth abroad this love in our Souls Rom. 5.5 We must use the Gospel must use reason must use faith in meditation on the Love of Christ but we must beg the effectual operation of the Holy Ghost who giveth us a tast and feeling of this love and most thankfully to entertain it USE It sheweth us how we should excite and rowse up our selves in every duty especially in those that are difficult displeasing to the flesh The Apostle Paul indured prisons stripes reproaches disgraces yea death it self out of the unconquerable force of love Therefore if you have any great thing to do for God and would work to the purpose let faith by the Spirit set love a work Faith is needful the work of redemption being long since over and our Lord is absent and our rewards future and love is necessary because difficulties are great and oppositions many the Flesh would fain be pleased but when Faith telleth love what great things God hath done for us in Christ the Soul is ashamed when it cannot deny a little ease pleasure or profit SERMON XXIV 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus Iudge that if one dyed for all then were all dead I Have chosen this Scripture to speak of the love of gratitude or that thankful return of love which we make to God because of his great love to us in Christ. Before I go on further in this discourse I shall handle some cases of Conscience 1. About the reason and cause of our love Whether God be only to be loved for his beneficial goodness and not also for his essential and moral perfections The cause of doubting is this Whether true love doth not rather respect God as amiable in himself than beneficial to us The ancient writers in the Church seemed to be of this mind Lombard out of Austine defineth love to be that grace by which we love God for himself and our neighbour for Gods sake Ans. 1. There are several degrees of love 1. Some love Christ for what is to be had from him and that he may be good to us There we begin The first invitation to the creature is the offer of pardon and life Matth. 11.28 29. Come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls And Heb 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewardeâ— of them that diligently seek him Self-love and the natural sense of our own misery and the sense of our burden and the desires of our happiness have a marvellous influence upon us yea wholly govern us in our first address to God by Christ Now this is not altogether to be blamed and condemned Partly Because there is no other dealing with mankind tell a malefactour of the perfections of his Judge this will never induce him to love him And Partly Because we may and must love Christ as he hath revealed himself to our love Now he hath revealed himself as a Saviour as a pardoner as a rewarder for surely we may make use of Gods motives he suffereth us to begin in the flesh that we may end in the Spirit there is some grace in this very seeking love You are affected with the true cause of misery not outward necessity but sin you seek after the right remedy which is in Christ there
is some Faith in that in taking Christ at his word The defect of this love is that you mind your own personal benefit and safety rather than the pleasing obeying and glorifying of God so far there is weakness in this act but this is the only way to bring in the creature as when a Prince offereth pardon to his Rebels with a promise that he will restore them to their forfeited priviledges in case they will lay down their arms and submit to his mercy Self-Interest moveth them at first but after love and duty to their Prince holdeth them within the bounds of their Duty and Allegiance I will ease you saith Christ you shall find rest to your Souls I will be a rewarder to you and give you eternal life As lost creatures we take him at his word and afterwards love him and serve him upon purer motives Or take the similitude thus In a treaty of marriage the first proposals are grounded upon estate suitableness of age and parentage and neighbourhood and other conveniences of life conjugal affection to the person groweth by society and long converse Fire at first kindling casts forth much smoke but afterwards it is blown up into a purer flame 2. Some love him for the good which they have received from him Not so much that he may be God but because he hath been good and indeed the love of gratitude is a true Christian and Gospel love and hath a greater degree of excellency than the former because thankfulness is the great respect of the creature to the Creator and because so few return to give God the glory of what they have received but one of the healed lepers returned back and glorified God Luke 17.15 18. And because gratitude hath in its nature something that is more noble than self-seeking and bare expectation for common reason tells us that 't is better to give than to receive and in this returning love we seek to bestow somthing upon God in that way we are capable of of doing such a thing or God of receiving it This returning love is often spoken of in Scripture as a praise worthy thing Psa. 116.1 I will love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications And Rom. 12.1 I beseech you â—herefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present youâ— bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service God hath the honour of a precedency but we of a return 1 John 4.16 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us There 's the true Spirit of the Gospel in such a love for Gospel obedience and Service is a life of love and praise and thankfulness 3. Some love God because he is good in himself Not only that he may be good to us or because he hath been good to us but because he is good in himself Gods essential goodness which is the perfection of his Nature his infinite and eternal Being and his Moral Goodness which is the perfection of his will or his holiness and purity is the object of love as well as his beneficial goodness or that goodness of his which promoteth our Interest I prove it Partly because God is the object of love though we receive no good by it Love and goodness are as the Iron and the load-stone nature hath made them so Now God considered in his infinite perfection is good as distinguished from his doing good Psa. 119 68. And Partly Because God loveth himself first and the creature for himself Pro. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself The first object of the Divine complacency is his own being and the last end of all things is his own glory and pleasure Rev. 4.11 For thy pleasure they are and were created Now this is a reason to us because the perfection of holiness standeth in an exact conformity to God and by grace we are made partakers of a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Which mainly discovereth its self in loving as God loveth and hating as God hateth And therefore we must love him in and for himself and our selves for him And Partly Because if God were only to be beloved for the effects of his benignity and beneficial goodness this great absurdity would follow that God is for the creature and not the creature for God for the supream act of our love would terminate in our happiness as the highest end and God would be only regarded in order thereunto Now to make God a means is to degrade him from the dignity and preheminence of God Partly Because we are bound to love the creatures as good in themselves though not beneficial to us Therefore much more God as good in himself if we are to love the Saints as Saints not because kind and helpful to us but because of the Image of God in them though they never did us any good turn Psa. 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my delight If we are to love the Law of God as 't is pure then we are to love God because of the Moral goodness of his nature Psa. 119.140 These things are out of Question clear and beyond all controversy why not God then in whom is more purity and holiness If indeed we are perswaded of the realâ—â—y and excellency of his being Now in this last rank there are degrees also 1. Some love Christ above his benefits They do not love Pardon and salvation so much as they love Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 To them that believe Christ is precious To love the gifts more than the person the Jointure more than the Husband in a Temporal cause would not be counted a sincere love The truth is at first the benefits do first lead us to seek after God Man usually beginneth at the lowest and loveth God for his love to us but he riseth higher upon aquaintance First he loveth God for that tast of his goodness which we have in the Creatures then for that goodness God exhibiteth in the Ordinances for that help he offereth us there for our greatest necessities then as in graces Justification and Sanctification then as in Christ as the fountain of all then God above Christ as Mediatour as the ultimate object of love 2. Possibly some may come to such a degree as to love Christ without his benefits The height of Moses and Paul is admirable who loved Gods glory above their own Salvation Exod. 32.32 Blot me out of thy Book And Rom. 8.3 I could even wish my self accursed from Christ for my Brethren and kinsfolk in the flesh Lay all his personal Benefit or the happy part of his Portion at Gods feet in Christ for a greater end to promote his glory but this extraordinary zeal is very rare if attained by any other in this life 3. Some love the benefits for his sake Heaven the better because Christ is there pardon the better because God is so much
belonging to his Infinite Power to give grace to a graceless Soul Or if you will take the latter notion Creation out of unfit matter he maketh those that were wholly indisposed to good averse from it perverse resisters of what would bring them to it to be lovers of Holiness and Godliness and followers of it God that made man at first must renew him and restore him to that image he lost Col 3.10 Restored to the image of him that created him And Eph. 4.24 Created after God His work must be acknowledged in it and looked upon as a great work not as a low natural or common thing otherwise you disparage the great benefit of the new Creation 3. From its connection with reconciliation We can no more convert our selves than reconcile our selves to God renewing and reconciling grace are often spoken of together as in the Text and often folded up in the same expression as going pari passu 1 Pet. 3.18 Bring us to God as being obtained both together Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins And 1. Cor 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And both are received from the same hand by vertue of the same merit Well then there must be a supernatural work upon us to cure our unholiness as well as a supernatural work without us to overcome our guiltiness The same person that merited the one by the value of his blood and sufferings must apply the other by the Almighty Power of his grace And we needed the Son of God to be a Fountain of Life as well as the ransom for our Souls and 't is for the honour of our Redeemer that our whole and intire recovery should be ascribed to him not part only as the freedom from guilt but the whole freedom from the power of sin and that he might be a compleat Saviour to us 'T is not sufficient only that he be a prophet or a Law-giver to give sufficient Precepts Directions and Rules for the Sanctification and renovation of our natures and propound sufficient incouragements and motives in the promise of Eternal Life nor that he should be Priest only to offer a Sacrifice for the expiation of our sin but also be a Fountain of Life and grace to renew Gods Image upon the Soul As none but Christ is able to satisfy Gods Justice for us so none but Christ is able to change the heart of man Job 14 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one This work would cease for ever as well as the other part of the ransom and Redemption of our Souls he had this in his eye when he dyed for us Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word And Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And he purchased this power into his own hands not into anothers and sendeth forth his conquering and prevailing Spirit to bring back the Souls of men to God And therefore if this part of our Salvation be not ascribed to Christ you rob him of his choicest Glory for to Sanctify is more than to pardon 4. From the effect of this renovation which is the Implantation of the three graces Faith Hope and Love which are our Light Life and Power In the new nature Faith is our light bacause by it we see things otherwise than we did before We see God Heb 11.26 By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King he endured as seeing him who is invisible We see Christ John 6.40 That every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him They see such an excellency in him that all other things are but dung and dross in comparison of him They see Heaven and Spiritual things things to come Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen And Eph. 1.18 The Eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what tâ—e riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Faith is the eye of the new Creature that giveth us another sight of things than we had before Without it we cannot see these things 2 Pet. 1.9 We understand what is good for back and belly we see things at hand but cannot see things afar off Then love is as it were the heart of the new Creature the seat of life or wherein the new bent and inclination to what is good and holy doth most discover its self We are never converted till God hath our love for grace is a victorious swavity or complacency God in conversion acteth so powerfully that his purpose is accomplished He acts upon the will of man with so much energy that he mastereth it and yet with so much sweetness that his power maketh us a willing people Psa. 110.3 That is he gaineth our love and then nothing he doth or saith is grievous 1 John 5.3 Healing grace worketh mainly by shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts and causing us to love him again The sensitive delectation which formerly captivated the will is subdued and the Soul is brought to delight in God as our chief good so that grace which is light in the understanding is pleasure in the will There is a powerful love which maketh our duty easie and agreeable to us Then hope that is our strength for the sense of the other World where we shall have what we believe and desire at the fullest rate of injoyment doth fortify the heart against present Temptations the sorrows of the World the delights of sense The Soul is weak when our expectation is cold and languid strong when the heart is most in Heaven our moral and Spiritual strength lyeth in the heavenly mind 'T is our Anchor and Helmet Now all these graces are of God The Scripture is express both for faith which giveth us a new sight of things Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God And love which giveth us a new bent and inclination or that victorious swavity which gently mastereth the will by its affectionate allurements or pleasingly ravisheth the heart 1 John 4.7 Let us love one another for love is of God This holy fire is only kindled by a Sun-beam And hope is of the same extract and original Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy-Ghost That heavenly frame that maintaineth comfort in our Souls in the midst