wages but in the Gospell the yoke of personall obedience is translated from beleevers to their surety there is nothing for them to pay all that they are to doe is to hunger and feed their happinesse is free to themselves though costly to Christ who purchased for them whatsoever they would obtaine and by his Spirit freely worketh in them whatsoever he requires of them and this the Lord doth freely First that none might boast but only glory in the Lord. Secondly that none might challenge it as due but receive it as free grace Next that it might be sure to all the seed whereas by the Law and the fulfilling thereof none can be saved because we fail in our obedience either in the principle from which we act or else in the matter acted or in the manner of our acting or in the ends we have in so doing but the Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. our husband Isai 45. 5. our King Priest and Prophet Mat. 21. 11. our new and living way the true only way the safe and sure way the peaceable and pleasant way Act. 4. 12. Prov. 3. 17. Now whosoever hath faith in Christ doth look upon himself according to the measure of that faith as he is and stands before God the Father in and upon the account of an others not his owne obedience or righteousnesse and so judges of himself according to the measure of righteousnesse that is made over to him in his head Christ and so although he finde nothing but sinne in himself from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Isai 1. 6. Yet as he is in Christ by faith he seeth himself cloathed with the robe of Christs righteousnesse so he looks upon himself to be compleat in him Col. 2. 10. that is wanting nothing because all things is made over by covenant by God his Father through his Sonne and the great mystery of the Gospell lyeth much in this point as appears by the testimony of Paul Col. 1. 22. to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight now no man can be thus presented holy unblamable and unreprovable before God the Father but he only that is cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ for so the 28. verse doth expound this that we may present every man perfect in Christ Peter beareth witnesse to the truth hereof 2 Pet. 3. 14. Be diligent that ye may be found in him without spot and blamelesse Ephes 5. 27. that he might present it holy a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish so Jude 24. Again 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin unto Christ not having spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. 27. By spots we may understand greater sinnes which defile the conscience and stain the reputation by wrinkle lesser sinnes those of infirmity which are some blemishes to our spirituall beauty and this is that righteousnesse that doth exceed the Scribes and Pharisees spoken unto by Christ Mat. 5. 20. from which this question was raised Now we are further to consider that all our own righteousnesse as the Prophet Isay saith Isai 64. 6. Is as filthy rags and we all doe fade as a leaf and our iniquity like the winde have taken us away Jer. 2. 22. For though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soap yet thine iniquity is marked Job 9. 30 31. If I wash my self with snow water yet mine owne cloathes shall abhorre me Isai 28. 20. The bed of mans owne righteousnesse is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering is narrower then that a man can wrap himself in it Isai 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sorrow Phil. 3. 8 9. Paul saith Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse and dung that I may winne Christ Vers 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of god by faith and yet this Paul had as many fleshly priviledges as any man for he saith Phil. 3. 4. If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more circumcised the eight day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law and profited in the Jewish Religion above many my equals and for my conversaâ—ion as touching the righteousnesse of the Law I was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. But all this is but dung Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord and doe account them but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse of God by faith Phil. 3. 10. That so I may live out of my self in the Spirit upon Christ unto God above the world under ordinances looking to election behind and perfection before 2. The righteousnesse of a Christian doth exceed the righteousnesse of a Heathen yea and the Scribes and Pharisees also in this he endeavours to walke more by rule then by example whereas the Scribes walke more by example then by rule again a true Christian is willing to be searched in all things the other is not again he is not only willing to do but to suffer for the name of Christ so is not the other again he mournes in secret when God is dishonoured the other mournes when selfe is dishonoured lastly an upright heart doth all things to the glory of God when he hath done any good thing if he doth not apprehend God glorifyed by it he is not satisfyed 1 Cor. 10. 31. So then a Christians righteousnesse doth exceede that of the Scribes and Pharisees in these foure ensuing things 1. In the matter 2. In the ground 3. In the forme 4 In the erd he propoundeth to himselfe in the performance of every duty 1. For matter that may be sometimes good when the manner and circumstances are naught but nothing can be good if the matter be naught such as are mens principles within such are their practises without Matth. 12. 33 34. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for a tree is known by his fruit Jehu did for matter that which God required but not from a right principle 2 Kings 10. 30 31. 2. Now the right ground and principle from which all holy and righteous acts should flow is threefold 1. A pure heart purifyed by the bloud of Christ by the way of justification Zech.
understand his errours Then again for sins of omission thy barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse thy omitting of time that is so precious and omitting of occasions of doing good see Mat. 25. 45. Again let us consider the aggravations of sin first every sin is against the great Majesty of God the greater the person offended is the greater the sin committed is Again we sin against knowledge it was the great sin of the Gentiles that when they knew God they glorified him not as God to sin against knowledge is a resisting the holy Ghost tribulation therefore is first to the Jew that knew the will of God and then to the Gentile Now the Gentiles had but the light of nature see Rom. 2. 9. Again another aggravation of sin is this we have sinned against vowes and covenants made with God now sin after covenant is greater then it was before though in act it be but the same Again we sin against means yea against those means that God hath put as weapons in our hands to resist it as mercies or corrections of God or his word whereby we profit not Now all this that hath been spoken hitherto of our sinfull condition by nature and practise is but a taste of one drop to the Ocean to that bulk and body of corruption that lyeth covered in our hearts as fire under ashes see Psal 19. 12. Who can understand the errors of his life saith David I will set thy sins in order before thee saith the Lord Psal 50. The next thing to be considered is the judgements threatned against those sins Psal 50. 22. Now consider this saith the Lord lest I come and tear you in pieces Cursed is he that continueth not in every thing that is written Gal. 3. 10. and he that keepeth the whole Law and offends but in one point is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. so that sin and punishment are linked together See the forementioned places Rom. 6 32. Rev. 14. 10. Psal 9. 17. Rom. 2. 9. Deut. 28. 16 17 18. Now when the soul seeth his sin and the judgements due to him for sin then the soul doth begin to make a stop and to consider where it is and whither it is going and as it looks up it seeth an angry Judge ready to pronounce his condemnation and as it looks down it sees hell mouth open ready to receive it If thou look before thee all the world seems in a flame of fire and behinde thee a hideous noise of an innumerable number of thy fellow sinners at their wits ends crying out with the Jaylor What shall I do to be saved or else with the four leapers 2 King 7. 3 4. If we should enter into the city the famine is there and we shall dye and if we sit still here we die also Now therefore let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians if they save us alive we live if not we shall but die Even thus is it with every soul a little convinced of his sinfull life lost and undone condition First if we should look back and enter into the City of all the good that we have done the famine is there and we shall die and if we sit still here in this state of nature not improving the opportunity nor ability that is in our hands we die also now therefore let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians if they save us alive we shall live if not we shall but die This third and last resolution of the Lepers doth shew and fully discover to all men that have their eyes in their heads that a man or woman once convinced of sin both originall and actuall of omission and commission both in flesh and spirit with all its aggravations and denominations this party seeks for healing but it goes to the Assyrians an enemy that could not help themselves so we even we the most of men awakened out of a secure estate of sin the soul seeks and comes to the Assyrian of his own righteousnesse and when he comes to the camp he findes that fled away then he returns to all his friends and relations and finds them unable to help themselves much leste to help him Then the soul comes to the Assyrian of his own duties and ordinances and so rests upon a form without the power and so we wil never come to Christ the true and only physician of the soul untill with the woman in Mar. 5. 25 26 27 28. we have spent all our money time and pains and left no stone unturned no means unattempted to get cuâ—e and healing in something beside the Lord Jesus Christ but when with this woman we have spent all and yet grow worse and worse then the soul begins to make a halt or stop again and so begins to reason with it self If I sit still here in the state of nature I shall die or if I should go into the City of my own works the Lord hath written death upon that no flesh shall be justified by that I will even fall into the hands of God the great Creator of the Assyrians Who can tell but that he may be gracious unto me that I perish not Jonah 3. 9. Joel 2. 14. Nay the Lord may be gracious to me and save me Amos 5. 15. Oh let me and all those my fellow sinners fall into his hands it may be we shall be hid in the day of the Lords wrath It is true we being wicked he may say to us as in Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth But for all this I am resolved saith one I am resolved saith another to go to him and cast my self upon him although it doth seem to be contrary to his law which is our Debt-book yet there doth seem to be a way opened in the Gospell which is the Pay-book where if I mistake not are Receipts for most of my debts if not for all Wherefore as Esther 4. 16. she resolved to go to the King though it was contrary to the Law So am I saith the convinced sinner resolved to go in to the King of Kings and if I perish I perish Now sometimes before the soul comes to this strong resolution even when once it begins to be throughly convinced of sin it makes a stop or halt like a traveller meeting with two waies and knows not which to take he stands still and takes neither of them for the present but continues inquiring of all that passe by and at last having silenced his own thoughts he hears a voice behinde him saying as in Isa 30. 21. This is the way walk in it and so the Lords gives a mighty turn to the soul by that secret voice but before the soul comes thus farre there is wrought in the soul the assenting act of faith but not the applying act now the assenting act is that whereby a man assents to the truth of the Scripture that he is such a miserable wretch as
the Scripture saith that he shall perish eternally if he be not new born and taken out of the first Adam and graffed in the second But some will object or demand Whether a soul thus convinced doth beleeve first or repent before it doth beleeve But for answer hereunto consider that there are three acts of faith viz. 1. The assenting act 2. The relying act or Faith of relyance 3. The Faith of evidence or perswasion Now the assenting act of faith is repentance and so godly sorrow is an effect of it so that this assenting act of faith leads a soul to an ordinance in Gods hand as to the first part of repentance consisting in conviction contrition and humiliation now the habit of faith and repentance are both together in the soul we only question which God doth give the soule power to act first and for the further clearing hereof consider That a soul cannot come to Christ till it goes out of its selfe now a soul will not goe out of its self till it doth see the danger of continuing in its self this danger workes fear this fear workes sorrow and this sorrow is humiliation and this cannot be without the first act of faith seeing we cannot dive into the dispensations of God by a bucket of reason It is true that the troop of Converts Act. 2. 37. they were pricked at their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do and in Act. 16. 29. the Jaylor came trembling and fell at their feet and said Sirs what must I do to be saved So that repentance is the effect of faith and the cause must needs go before the effect only minde that repentance hath three parts to wit conviction contrition and humiliation or the turning of the soul from sin and the conversion of the soul to God and this cannot be done in Gods ordinary way before the habit of faith be wrought in the soul so that we may judge of the habit of faith by the acts of humiliation that it doth work in the soul The next thing to be considered is What is that conversion of a sinner so much spoken unto in the Scriptures For answer unto which it is most clear by Scripture and experience that the conversion of a man is as hard a thing as to turn the course of nature rewards and punishments proposed may turn mens actions but to turn the inclination of the heart is proper to the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. By the Spirit of the Lord we are changed into the Image of God and this Spirit will shew you the corruption of your understanding memory conscience will and affâ—ctions with thoughts words and deeds and actions omissions commissions and by a mighty power change all these into the Image of God There is no power below that power that raised Christ from the dead and that made the world that can turn the heart of a sinner we are as well able to turn a flint into flesh as to turn our own hearts to the Lord to raise the dead and to make a world as to repent Repentance is a flower that grows not in natures garden Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also that are accustomed to do evill do good Jer. 13. 23. Repentance is a gift that comes down from above men are not born with repentance in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouths the same power that formes the child in the naturall wombe for the child doth not forme its selfe and its father and mother are but the meanes I say the same power that gives it the first birth must give it the second birth or else it will not be borne again and if not it can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Joh. 3. 3. No power but the power of the Almighty can convert a sinner or recover a backslider Turn thou me and I shall be turned saith Ephraim After that I was turned I repented saith he For as Mr. Thomas Brooks well observes repentance hath in it these three things 1. The act to turne from darknesse to light 2. The subject changed that is the whole man both the sinners heart and life first his heart then his life first his person then his practise it is a through change both of the mind and man 3. The termes of his change and conversion from what and to what the whole heart and life must be changed and that is from all sin to good repentance is not only a turning from all sin but also a turning to all good at least to love all good to a prizing of all good and to a following after all good Ezek. 18. 21. c. it is not enough that the tree beares not bad or ill fruit but it must bring forth good fruit else it must be cut down and cast into the fire true repentance strips a man starke naked of all the garment of the old Adam and leaves not so much as a skirt behind in this rotten building It makes a man poor hungry empty naked lost and blind c. these are those to whom the promises be made and these are those that Christ came to seek and save heal and pardon Object But say many sinners If this worke be such a mighty worke that none can doe it but the almighty power of God to what end shall I look or dive into my selfe and my lost condilion seeing I cannot recover my selfe out Answ It is the Pool of Bethesda appointed by God for a sinner to wait at and the way of God that he will be found in and the place in which he hath abundantly promised in his Word that he will manifest himselfe to us in he never said to any soul that doth wait upon him in the way of his ordinances seek ye me in vain but he saith seek ye me in this way and you shall finde me aske hear and you shall have for these ordinances are my Pipes of conveyance Object But why doth God promise eternall life onely to those that beleeve and threaten death to those that do not beleeve seeing it is not in a mans power by nature to beleeve Answ 1. That the Lord might by means of these promises and threats work us unto that which by nature we are averse unto 2 Cor. 11. 20 21. 2. That the grace of God might as well appear in giving power to beleeve as in giving Christ and in him forgiveness of sins to be beleeved Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy so again Rom. 11. 5 6 7. 3. That all men might appeare more and more inexcusable when neither promises nor threats will move them to embrace free mercy Acts 13. 46. Seeing you put the word from you loe we turne to the Gentiles and in the 51. verse so they shooke the
but a form of godlinesse or if ye be Christians in truth yet you are unexperienced Christians and without proof of the truth of it in your selves so the word here rendred Reprobate cannot be meant of such as be reprobates indeed but of such only as can give no proof for the present that they are in the faith or that Christ is in them and this is one great cause of a Christians dejectednesse and uncomfortablenesse that although they be in a state of grace yet they cannot discern themselves to be in such a gracious state as Hagar when her bottle of water was spent and her childe ready to die she sate down full of perplexity and yet there was a Well in the place the Well did not comfort her though close by her till the Lord opened her eyes to see it How pensive and sad were the two Disciples going towards Emmaus about Christs death though Christ risen from the dead was in their company and talked with them Luk. 24. 14 15. how did Mary Magdalen Joh. 20. 14. 15. stand weeking before Christs Sepulchre supposing that his dead body was thence stolen away though Christ revived and risen stood close by her Christ was present but she did not know him so there is many a poor soul that stands close by the Well of grace and is in the presence of Christ and yet complains for want of both 1 Sam. 12. 13. David was told by the Prophet The Lord hath put away thy sinne but because he had not the manitestation thereof Psal 51. 8 12. He groaned still under his broken bones It is true there be many men and women that do think they have faith and yet they have none and it is as true that many poor weak Christians doe think they have no faith and yet they have faith they have the assenting act but not the applying act they have faith of adherence but not the faith of evidence now the faith of adherence is wrought in the soul by discovering the necessity of Christ to salvation Acts 4. 12. and by displaying the sufficiency and alluring excellency of Christ for salvation Heb. 7. 25. XIII Well saith the weak timorous trembling Christian I did not think that all the Devils in hell had been cunning enough nor able enough to have cast so many stumbling blocks in my way but through mercy they be all removed and my heart cleared now I see that God is no hard taskmaster he takes not up where he layes not down no no none but a fleshly understanding can condemne God for a hard taskemaster Oh what love is that in the Father to choose me and to send Christ to die for me Oh what love was this that Christ should come from the bosome of his Father and that God should be manifested in the flesh the Creator made a Creature that he that was clothed with glory should be wrapped with rags that the God of circumcision should be cercumcised that he that binds the Devils in chaines should be tempted that the Judge of all flesh condemned and that for me that the God of life should be put to death that he before whom the Angels doe cast downe their crownes should be crowned with thornes and those eyes more pure then the sun put out by the darknesse of death and that for me his enemy Oh that those ears which heard nothing but Hallelujahs of Saints and Angels should now hear the blasphemies of the multitude that face that was fairer then the sons of men to be spit upon by those filthy Jewes that that mouth and tongue that spake as never man spake should be accused for blasphemy those hands that freely swayed the scepter of heaven nayled to the Crosse and that he should suffer all this for me and such vile sinners as I am when I was a slave to the Devill and a firebrand of hell even then did Christ rescue me from the power of the one and redeem from the plague and punishment of the other 2 Tim. 2. 26. Well I had not enjoyed this Heaven upon earth but a few months but I fell into some grosse sinne and God doth hide his face again and my soul is sore troubled and if I mistake not I see a greater stumbling block before me now then ever I saw before and I finde by Scripture the sentence of death and damnation put upon me Oh! I was enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and yet I am fallen away Oh! here is my state set forth in these three Scriptures Heb. 6. 4 5. For it is impossible that they which were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost if they fall away should be renewed again by repentance Heb. 10. 26. For if we sin willingly after we have received the truth there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sinne but a fearfull looking for of Judgement and violent fire 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. They that have escaped from the filthynesse of the world if they be intangled again therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning for it had been better for them not to have acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after they have acknowledged it to turne from the holy commandements given unto them This is my state saith the soul I have fallen shamefully and sinned willingly and certainly I must never looke to repent nor to finde mercy with God but expect hell-fire hereafte and some fearfull end here c. Answ That place Heb. 6. 4 5. is not to be understood of one or more particular faillings but of an invincible apostasie and falling from Christ for the Apostle saith not if they fall but if they fall away utterly renouncing Christ not sparing what lyeth in them to crucifie him afresh That place Heb. 10. 26. is in like manner not to be understood of any one or more sinnes voluntarily committed for see even the best of Gods children after regeneration have sinned but to sinne wilfully that is spitefully and malitiously treading underfoot the Sonne of God and counting his bloud an unholy thing and even despiting the spirit of grace this I suppose every backslider doth not doe Again it is one thing to have the whole consent of the will unto some sinne stolen away by some particular temptation and another thing to be wholly addicted and devoted to the wayes of sinne to have a whole heart universally married to Iust and filled with Satan the dearest Saints have fallen in the former but not in the latter And as for that place 2 Pet. 2. 20. it is not meant of every re-insnarement and re-intanglement into sinne after conversion for which of all Gods children can so carefully looke unto himselfe but that some of Satans nets snares baites traps which he sets in a Christians way if God leave him never so little to himself Satan will re-insnare him but it is to be understood of such a
I have been speaking to XVIII The next stumbling block is or may be this I fear saith another poor stammering soul that I shall never be saved for Christ tels me plainly Mat. 5. 20. that except my righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees I shall not be saved and I have examined my self and doe finde that my righteousnesse is so farre from exceeding theirs that theirs doe much exceed mine Answ The Scribes and Pharisees sought righteousnesse only by the works of the Law which made none perfect in that the Scriptures saith it was weak through the flesh Rom. 8. 3. none were able to fulfill it therefore Israel attained not to the Law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9. 31. our righteousnesse must exceed this as doth the righteousnesse which is of faith in Jesus who perfectly fulfilled the Law for us or you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven For by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified Rom. 3. 20. and we are justified by faith only without the works of the Law Now if by righteousnesse was meant works of mens own acting as temperance obedience mercy and justice and upright dealing then we finde in Scripture that Heathens have outstript many if not most of us 1. For temperance King Ahasuerus Hester 1. 8. a Heathen King made a law that no man should be compelled to drink and yet many that call themselves Christians can hardly lay aside their drinking of healths 2. For Obedience when King Abimelech took Abrahams Wife no sooner did the Lord command him to deliver her to Abraham again but he obeyed the command of the Lord. Jonah preached at Niniveh to the Heathen and no sooner did they hear him but they did beleeve and repent 3. For Mercy when Paul and the rest of the company suffered ship-wrack the Heathen came and did receive them See Act. 28. 1 2 3. 4. For Justice and upright dealing the King of Sodome a Heathen when Abraham had overcome the four Kings and brought home the Sodomites the King of Sodome said unto him Give me the men and take thee the goods for thy pains Belshazzaâ— see how he kept promise with Daniel for when he saw the hand writing on the wall he said unto Daniel If thou wilt interpâ—et it for me I will make thee the third ruler in my kingdome Daniel told him that it tended to the ruining of him and all his house and notwithstanding this Heathen King kept promise with him and made him the third ruler in the land Dan. the 5. from the 16. to the 29. vers Again consider well this Scripture Ezek. 5. from the 6. verse to the end of that chapter the Lord doth send heavie judgements upon his people for being out stript by Heathens Vers 6. Shee hath changed my judgements into wickednesse more thâ—n the Nations and my Statutes more then the Countries round about therefore Vers 7. Thus saith the Lord God because ye multiplyed more then the Nations that are round about you and have not walked in my Statutes neither have kept my Judgemenâ—s Vers 8. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgements in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations and I will doe in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not doe any more the like because of all thy abominations Vers 12. Therefore a third part of thee shall die with the pestilence and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee and I will scatter a third part into all the world and I will draw out a sword after them Verâ— 13. Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal when I have accomplished my fury in them c. From all which we may clearly learn that God will not spare a sinfull people but let out his fury to the full to the highest degree stirre up all his wrath pour out his full vials upon a disobedient people although they were known by the name of the Lords owne inheritance if their righteousnesse doth not exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees But on the contrary if their wickednesse doe exceed the wickednesse of the Heathen then there is no escaping from Gods judgements one or other will overtake them 1 King 19. 15. The Lord will scatter them into Babylon Moab Ammon Egypt Psal 44. 12. So that if we look only upon the externall performance and judge according to the outward appearance you shall finde many civilized men and women out-strip some of the Saints but yet for all that we are exhorted by Christ in some cases not to judge according to the outward appearance but to judge righteous judgement Joh. 7. 24. Now the righteousnesse of a Christian doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees and all Heathens in the world in these two things 1. By faith in Christ whereby all the righteousnesse of Christ is made his 2. In works done in faith which the other cannot doe one thing done in faith is better then a thousand in unbelief Rom. 14. 23. 1. Every Christians righteousnesse doth exceed that of the Pharisees by saith in Christ whereby the righteousnesse of Christ is made his by faith the poor creature seeth all his sinnes which the Spirit of God had convinced him of laid upon Christ Isai 53. 6. Again by faith he cometh to see Christ made unto him wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. And so by faith in him he can say the Lord our righteousnesse and hear the Lord say unto him in me is thy fruit found So the soul looking upon Christ in whom he is accepted Ephes 2. 13. and so he seeth all is of grace nothing of debt election is the election of grace vocation is according to the good pleasure of his will 2 Tim. 1. 9. regeneration was of Gods own will Jam. 1. 18. Faith the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Justification is freely by grace Rom. 3. 24. and a free gift Rom. 5. 15 18. and forgivenesse of our sins according to the riches of his grace Ephes 1. 7. Eternall life the freest gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Act. 15. 11. even the life of glory is the grace of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. Christ himself was a token of free love from the Father to mankinde and as his whole work was to love so his whole love was free and as we said before there is not one soul that ever be loved but it was poor and empty sick and impotent unamiable and filthy regardlesse of him and opposite to him The language of the Law is Doe this and live if not die no work no
13. 1. 2. A good Conscience purged from dead workes to serve the living God 3. Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now faith may be said to be unfained when it hath the true nature of faith of assenting to the truth revealed and applying particularly those truthes assented to 3. For forme and manner do things required in such sort as God requires them not only doing good things but doing them well 1. Spiritually and heartily with heart and spirit not with body only this God requires Proverb 23. 26. My sonne give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes Joh. 4. 24. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 1. 9. God abhorres all other services Matth. 12. 7 8. Ezek. 33. 31 32. 2. Sincerely and uprightly as in the sight of God Gen. 17. 1. God said to Abraham Walke before me and be perfit 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 3. Constantly perseverance in well doing crownes well doing Psal 1. 2. In his law doth he meditate day and night Psal 92. 14. They shall still bring forth fruite Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patience continuing in well-doing 4. Obediently because God commands it therefore in conscience and love to the command obedience is performed as in Noah Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being warned of God prepared an Arke Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went So we might instance in David Psal 40. 8. and Paul Rom. 7. 22. 5. Vniversally without reservations and exceptions Hypocrites may doe many things as Jehu 2 Kings 10. 30 31. Herod Marke 6. 20. But an upright heart hath respect to all things required as we may see and read in David Psal 119. 6. Caleb Num. 14. 24. Zachariah and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. Now O Christian dost thou practise or performe the things required spiritually sincerely obediently universally and constantly If so then thy righteousnesse in the practicall part doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees 4. And Lastly dost thou do the thing commanded for right ends viz. Gods glory primarily 2 Cor. 10. 41. Thine owne and others spirituall or eternall good Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 2 3 4. Low and base ends spoyle the highest undertakings as we may see in Jehu 2 Kings 10. and the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 6. 15 16. and Saul 1 Sam. 15. 30. Now then lay these foure things together upon thy heart and state the question to thy owne soule Soule I charge thee in the presence of the Allmighty God as thou shalt answer at the last dreadfull day of Judgement dost thou looke to the principle from which thou dost act and to the matter and to the manner and to the ends and art thou pure in all this in some measure then let me tell thee thy righteousnesse doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees both in the doctrinall part and in the practicall part for they act from a corrupt principle and for base ends to be seen of men and so the righteousnesse of the Scribes cannot justifie a poore soule because it doth crosse the ends of the Lord in giving the Law the Lord gave the law to shew people their sinne and the judgements thereunto due Again it cannot justifie a sinner because then it would frustrate the death of Christ then Christ dyed in vaine XIX The nineteenth stumbling block Oh! but for all this I feare I have but a forme of Godlinesse and so shall not be saved for I find my selfe apt to look more upon gifts then upon grace upon law then upon Gospell upon a forme more then upon the power of Godlinesse Oh! I shall bâ—tray Christ with Judas or embrace the present world with Demas I have but only tasted of the Heavenly gift Heb. 6. 4. Note it is not said to have eaten or drunken but only tasted that is I have had some kinde of relish or small sense by a temporary faith of the excellency of Christ I have but onely tasted of the good word of God as those cast-awayes did Heb. 6. 5. And so again I have tasted of the powers of the World to come but alas I see I have only a name to live though in truth I am dead I live in a forme but I want the power of Godlinesse I have deceived my selfe and others have been deceived by me and the Lord alone knowes what will become of me Answ The Devill hath many wayes to keep poor soules in a sad doubting and questioning condition sometimes by suggesting that their graces are not true but counterfeit sometimes by tempting men to cast off all formes as things too low for strong Saints at least to make use of and sometimes by making men to rest or satisfie themselves in a forme without the power and by this Dragons taile a third part of men and women are deceived see Revel 12. 4. All men that would walke with God and worship him in spirit take heed of formality in all holy duties take pains with your hearts in them labour for the power of Godlinesse strive to get up to God in them it were well if when we did performe holy duties we did but keep close to the duty it selfe few goe so farre but it is one thing to keepe close to the duty and another thing to keep close to God in the duty to finde God in all duties that we wait upon him in and in the use of all ordinances to take paines to finde God there and not to satisfie and quiet our hearts except we finde God in the duties that we performe We have a full Scripture for this Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee that is where ever there is any Ordinance or any holy duty to be performed there is a recording of Gods name and saith he I will come unto thee and there I will blesse thee if you would finde God you must goe where God is promised to be manifested and that is in the way of his ordinances when men come to rest in a forme as most do they never honour their profession they have little comfort to their own souls they goe on in a dead heartlesse condition they know not what it is to have communion with God It may be thou hast prayed preached conferred meditated but have you been in heaven that while what converse with God have you had there Oh take heed of formality it will drown men in perdition even when they expect salvation but now a Christian that can but chatter to God and speake a few broken words and halfe sentences yet if he doth not rest in formality he may have much converse with God whereas others that have excellent parts yet resting in the worke done never knowe what the meaning is of having communion and fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and Saints in the spirit they are just such a people spoken to in