A man may be a sanctified person and yet not sanctifie God in this Ordinance if he doe not exercise those Graces gracious dispositions which God requireth here are sutable to the quality and nature of the Ordinance 1. Now the first and great grace that here is to be exercised is Faith Faith is the great Grace which gives admission unto this ordinance and faith is the great grace that is to be exercised and to run through the use of it Concerning which we shall desire to unfold three things 1. What act of Faith is here to be exercised 2. Upon what object we must exercise our Faith here 3. For what benefits faith must here be exercised For the first viz. what act of Faith is here to bee exercised There are these two main acts of Faith 1. An act of Recumbence 2. An act of apprehension application of Christ Fides potest habere aliquem modum dubitationis salvâ fide Daven Fideicertitudo importat firmitatem adhaesionis non quietationem intellectus Aquin. Both these may be exercised here and to our spirituall benefit By the one we go over to Christ by the other we bring Christ over to us The first act of Faith gives us an interest in all the benefits of Christ though as yet the soule is not able to bring home to it selfe the great revenue of mercie and grace which Christ hath purchased and the soule hath an interest in The second act of faith brings it all home In the former God makes Christ ours and we his in the latter wee make him ours Christ in his blood and merits Christ in his grace and Spirit Christ in all his doings and sufferings so far as he is coÌ„municable to poore sinners Now there is not much difference betweene these two acts The difference is not in the nature and essence of the grace both are faith and saving faith nor in the fruits and benefits both give a man union and communion with Christ c. But the difference is in the measures and degrees in the comforts of it To the first there goes a conviction of sin a manifestation and clearing of the promise a perswasion of the truth fulnesse freenesse sutablenesse and goodnesse of the promise And upon all this here is a rowling a resting upon Christ And the latter is but a further degree a bringing over or home all this to its own selfe In the former act the soule hath communion with all the benefits of Christ It 's such an act of Faith as gives a soule union with the person and that cannot be without communion with the priviledges and benefits In this latter there is but a clearer apprehension of it In the first we go over to Christ in the latter we bring over Christ to us In the former we are apprehended of Christ Phil. 3.12 in the latter wee apprehend Christ Now to the Answer what act of faith is here to be exercised unto which I say that that act of faith which doth apprehend and apply Christ is most sutable to this ordinance of the Sacrament hence is this called a taking of Christ a receiving of Christ a feeding upon Christ eating his flesh and drinking his blood all which shew this act is most sutable to the ordinance Here we have an offer of Christ and this act is most sutable to take him as offered And the more strength wee have to apply and bring Christ home the more we feed on him the more wee are nourished and built up But though this act of faith is most sutable to the ordinance yet wee shut not out the other from the comfort benefit of it That which gives the soul union with Christ doth give it communion with all the benefits of Christ Christ and his benefits go together Yet I could wish that every one who hath done this first act of faith would work it up one degree higher to apprehend and apply Christ in the promises of grace Seeing according to the measure of your faith and feeding upon Christ such is the measure of the benefit by Christ here But however be not discouraged such as are weak in faith will Christ receive Rom. 14.1 If hee have a care that others shall not reject them for their weakness but bid them to receive them much more will hee himself receive them and whom he will receive shall receive him If therefore thou art weak in applying faith and thou cannot bring Christ over to thee go thou over to Christ if thou cannot fully apprehend him let him apprehend thee Phil. 3.12 cast thy self into his arms In languidâ fide magis nos apprehendimur a â—hristo quà m quod nos ipsum apprâ—hendamus Chem. by this act set thy seal to Gods truth and expect here in this ordinance that God should put his Seal to thy heart by assuring So much for the first what act of faith is here to be exercised We come to the second 2. Upon what Object must the act of faith be terminated here You must know there are many objects of faith in generall as God himself in the unity of Essence and trinity of Persons the Word of God the Promises of God But there is but one object of Justifying faith and that is Christ God-man Act. 10.43 Gen. 3.15 the Mediatour To him give all the Prophets witness that who ever believes in him shall receive remission of sins This is the object upon which the faith of Adam was terminated Gen. 3.15 the seed of the woman and thereby was justified and had his recovery after the fall This is that object upon which the faith of Abraham who was the Father of the faithfull was terminated who saw his day and rejoyced it was not the believing of the Promise of seed but in the promised seed To him also did the eyes of the faithfull look under the law through the shadows and sacrifices and were justified by Christ to be as we are now by Christ exhibited And upon him must our faith be terminated not only in the first act of faith for justification but also in the exercise of it in this ordinance for the further assurance of justification and increase of sanctification And let it not seem strange to you wee are not so much to deale with a promise here as with the thing promised nor to feed on a promise as upon Christ himself by faith to eat his flesh and drinke his blood Matth. 26.26 Corpus Christiest pabulum fidei Joh. 6.15 This is my body c. Christ is the meat here for the hand of faith to receive the mouth of faith to eate as hee faith My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed You may make use of the promises here the Sacrament is the seale to every promise in the covenant But the matter of the Sacrament indeed and that whereon wee are chiefly to feed is Christ himselfe Christ as he is laid
we must sanctifie God in this ordinance p. 40 1 Something is required before 41. 1 Habituall 43. preparation 2 Actuall 2 Something in the time 44. 1 Exercise of Grace 2 Sutable demeanors Faith Repentance 1 Faith where is discovered 1 What act of faith 45. 2 Vpon what object 50. 3 For what benefits 54. Faith is to be exercised for four benefits in the Sacrament 1. For the further assurance of our justification 56. 2. For the increase of sanctification 59. 3. For the subduing of corruptions 70. 4. For deliverance out of temptation 74. And how faith is to be acted upon Christ for these benefits is discovered 2. The second Grace to be exercised in the time is Repentance pag. 78. Where is set down 1 The kindes of mourning 1 Historicall 79. 2 Spirituall 79. 2 The advantages to it 82. 1 The discovery of love 2 Sufferings of Christ c. These are the Graces required in the time now the demanours p. 89. 1. An humble reverence 2. Discharge of worldly thoughts p. 90. 3. Something is required afterward to sanctifie God in this ordinance p. 93. Thankfulnes 94 2 Obedience 98. 3. Why we must sanctifie God 3. Reasons p. 103. 1 Because God commands 103. 2 Because otherwise get no good p. 105. 3 Because otherwise get hurt p. 107. Vse Of complaint How few do sanctifie God in this ordinance p. 100. 2 Vse Examination Whether you have sanctified God in it p. 112. Before 1 See if you have observed God's order p. 113. 114. 2 See whether observed God's rules p. 16. 3 See whether you have observed God's ends p. 118. 2 See if you have exercised Gods graces in the time p. 123. 3 See whether wee have returned home with God's quicknings and refreshments p. ibid. 3 Doctr. God will be sanctified of every one that doth not sanctifie him in Ordinances p. 130. 1 What is meant by God's sanctifying himself on men p. 131. 2 What are the reasons why God doth sanctifie himself on those who do not sanctifie him in ordinances p. 132. 6 Reasons of it 1 For terrour and dread of prophane persons p. 133. 2 For caution to others p. 134. 3 To declare his justice p. 136 4 To remove scandall p. 137. 5 To hold up his great name p. 148. 6 To declare his hatred against sin p. 142. Vse Caution to prophane persons 143. Vse To exhort us to turn our eyes backward and examine whether wee have not been guilty of the prophanation of this ordinance p. 151. The triall is put upon three further designes pag. 151. 1 Sign If the Sacraments have wrought no further good upon thee p. ibid. 2 Sign If thou art worse after then before p. 153. 3 Sign If thou hast fed upon nothing but outward elements thou hast been a prophaner of this ordinance p. 156. A briefe rehearsall and application of the whole to wicked and unregenerate persons Imprimatur John Downam LEVIT 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will bee sanctified in them that come nigh me WE are all here present met together at an Ordinance and many of us have intended to goe upon a further Ordinance And there is no man or woman who hath to doe with any Ordinance of God but hath to deale with God in it he drawes neere to God And God hath said he will â—e sanctified in all them that draw â—eere to him either he will be sanctified by you in your active glorifying â—f him or upon you in your passive â—earing his displeasure A te vel De te There is never a one of you here present but God will be sanctified and glorified in you this day And 't is my earnest desire that you may all actively glorifie God that he may not passively glorifie himselfe upon you and raise his glory out of the ruines of any of you I need not travell farre back to find you a coherence the verse before will afford it And the first word of my Text bids me go no further There is 1. The occasion of these words 2. The Preface to them 3. The words themselves 4. The effect of them 1. The occasion of these words and that was the untimely death of Aarons two sonnes their death gave birth to these words And a sentence it is not too deare if bought with the lives of thousands of men 2. The Preface to them This is that the Lord said why where did the Lord speak it Did he speak it to Moses only or did he speak it â—o the Congregation also we never reade it was booked before totidem verbis Some think this punishment was all the command they had but I cannot think that God doth first punish and thereupon raise a precept but he first gives his Law then punishes the breach of it And the words declare there had been some charge given This is that the Lord said so that there was some charge But where was it Wee read not of it here Some say it was spoken but not written and this they would have to countenance their unwritten traditions Some will have it in Exo. 19.22 Let the Priests sanctifie themselves lest the Lord break in upon them Others will have it in Levit. 8.35 36. Keep the Lord's charge that you die not Calvin will not have it referred to any particular place but a generall charge given at divers times and now the present occasion brings it forth to particular application to which I assent 3. Wee have the words themselves I will be sanctified Why what is that Can God be sanctified of us Indeed he sanctifies us but how can we sanctifie him God is sanctified two wayes 1. Actively 2. Passively 1. Actively as 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and thus God is sanctified when wee cherish and maintain high esteems of God in our hearts when we do honour esteem and advance God in our hearts and in our lives 2. Passively by punishing of offenders Ezek. 28.22 When I have executed my judgement on her Sanctificatio Dei est poena peccantium Jerom. then shall I be sanctified in her Jerome on this place saith The punishment of offenders is the sanctification of God So you see it was in the Text God was sanctified on them not by their doing good but by their suffering evill not Actively but Passively And in both these senses the words are to be read I say the words are to be read in this disjunctive sense I will be sanctified of all them that draw neer to me that is either actively in glorifying me in the work or passively in glorifying my self upon the workman Si voluntas Dei non fiat a te fiet de te Aug. if you do not sanctifie God in an Ordinance he will be sanctified upon you 4. We have the effect of these words upon Aaron it is said it struck him dumb a dutifull dumbness he was silent to Jehovah he held his
nourish and feed himself his own graces here Christ in the Sacrament doth nourish Christ begotten in the heart by the Word And the soul feeding upon Christ by faith is further changed into his Image In our corporall feeding the meat is changed into the nature of the eater but in our spirituall feeding the eater is changed into the nature of the meat eaten the Believer into the nature of Christ 1 Cor. 3.18 While beholding him as in a glass we are also changed into his Image Thus doth faith feed upon Christ and draw down nourishment for the strength of every grace in us c. And according to the measure of faith's feeding such is the proportion and measure of nourishment conveyed As the stomach sendeth down nourishment to all parts from the supply of food which it hath fed on Or as the Liver having drawn down and made blood from the nourishment in the stomach diffuseth and spreadeth abroad and sends to every part some So Faith having fed upon Christ doth here send down nourishment to all the graces or as in a Feast you send portions to your poor brethren so Faith having feasted it self on Christ sends down portions to her sister-graces All our graces have a dependance on Faith and Faith on Christ our Graces depend on Faith as a Mediatour to our Mediatour as that grace which hath immediately to do with Christ from whence it fetcheth supply and provision for all the rest That is the second benefit faith is here to be acted for 3. The third benefit that Faith is here to be exercised on Christ for is the further subduing and conquering of our corruptions Faith hath a double work to do It works in Heaven and it works in Earth As it works in Heaven for the justification of a sin so it works in earth for the mortification of sin and here in this Ordinance is faith acted on Christ for the further killing of sin Faith hath a special art in going over to Christ fetching from him such help as is sutable to the necessities of the soul If we be weak in Graces Faith can go over to Christ for the strengthening of them If corruptions be strong Faith can go over to Christ for the subduing and conquering of them And by making use of the merit power promise Spirit of Christ gets strength from him for the subduing of unruly lusts untamed corruptions Why will Faith say Lord thou hast promised to subdue my corruptions and thou art able to subdue all to thy self Oh! therefore set thy power against the power of my lusts These sons of Zerviah are too strong for me but not for thee I am burthened with a dead heart a hard heart unbelieving heart c. But never was there heart so hard but thou canst break it never heart so dead but thou canst quicken it There is life enough in thee for all the sons and daughters of death in the world oh that therfore thou would'st quicken me that thou would'st break me Thus doth Faith make use of Christ here for the subduing of corruptions And let me tell you there is a speciall art dexterity and skill which faith hath wherby it forms such conceptions of Christ as are ever sutable to the present necessity of the soul whereby it gets more speedy relief 1. If there be a return of guilt upon the soul and burthen upon the conscience Faith looks upon Christ in blood Christ a Priest a Sacrifice for sin 2. If the soul labour under ignorance Faith looks upon him as the great Prophet of the Church and saith Lord thou hast taken upon thee to be the great Prophet of the Church Joh. 6.45 Isa 14.13 Jer. 31.34 thou hast promised wee shall be all taught of God Oh! therefore teach me instruct me c. It is not so sutable to look upon Christ as a Priest when we desire he should do the work of a Prophet 3. If we be weak in grace faith looks upon him as the universall fountain and principle of grace one who hath all fulness in him able to fill a world of hearts with grace though they were never so barren or empty And so goes over to him for strengthening c. 4. Mal. 3.2 If we labour under the pollution of sin faith looks upon Christ as a refiner a purifier a purger of his people from sin As one who came not only to be a Redeemer but a refiner not only a Saviour Eph. 5.26 Tit. 2.14 but a sanctifier of his people Ephes 5.26 Tit. 2.14 5 And so if corruptions be strong faith looks upon him as a King who is able to subdue and conquer unruly affections and to bring every thing into subjection to himself God hath not only furnished Christ with fulness of supply to answer every need of the soul but God hath given to Christ diversity of titles that wee might conceive of him not only as a ful but as a sutable good to every necessity of the soul And God having thus diversly represented Christ to our understandings as a Prophet a Priest a King a Refiner c. Faith doth form such conceptions of Christ as are most sutable to the present necessity of the soul 4. A fourth benefit for which Faith may be exercised in this Ordinance is for deliverance out of temptations Thou hast been long assaulted by Satan Vnus filius sine peccato nullus sine tentatatione 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Cor. 12.9 Heb. 2.18 Rom. 16.20 thou hast felt the blows and buffets of Satan many yeers God hath not only promised to support thee and succour thee in this condition but God hath promised to deliver thee out of this condition Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly Why now exercise faith to sue out these promises God hath made go over to Christ not only for strength and support in the condition but for victory and deliverance out of it These dayes they are not only God's sealing but God's performing dayes God doth not only here put his seal to every Promise folded up in the covenant but hee is ready here to make performance of the things he hath promised And therefore go gather a catalogue of promises which suits with thy condition spread them before God and here come sue them out in this Ordinance Thus you see the first grace which is to bee exercised in this ordinance namely Faith And I have shewed you 1. what Act 2. upon what Object 3. for what benefits faith is here to be exercised I have named foure but here is not all the Sacrament is the Seale of the whole covenant and what ever particular benefits are folded up in the great draught and covenant of God here you may exercise faith for the compassing and obtaining of them Where ever there is a promise in the Word there is work for faith to sue it out in this ordinance which is the seale to all c.
out unto us in his death and sufferings whereon feeding wee get spirituall nourishment for grace and death of sinne The blood of Christ like the waters appointed for the triall of jealousie hath a double property to kill and to make fruitfull to kill our sinnes and make our graces grow to rot our sins and ripen our grace Well then remember that the great dish thou feedst on at this Feast be Christ himselfe Christo sublato nihil restat in sacramentis praeter inanespectaculum Dav. in col Thou canst not feed upon a promise untill thou first feed upon Christ he doth not onely give us title and interest in them but appetite to them If thou feed on him thy stomach will be quicker to feed on them nay if thou feed on him Christus est substantia sacramentorum ejus operatio est ipsa vita sacramentorum thou feedest on all the promises and hast an interest in all the good of them the sweet of all the promises is tasted in Christ All the promises are folded up in Christ and thou canst not feed on him but thou feedest on all and hast the blessing of every one in particular The promises of justification sanctification subduing of corruptions increase of grace upholding in grace interest in glory they are all of them folded up in Christ hee is all The promise doth not but Christ doth justifie Christ doth sanctifie you get nothing from the promise separate from Christ but all the good of the promise comes in by Christ and therefore here terminate your faith And so much for the second upon what object wee must terminate our Faith We come to the third For what benefit must Faith here be exercised Partic. 3. First faith must not bee here acted for your justification it is required you should be justified persons have your sins forgiven before you come hither He that comes hither under the guilt of sin goes away with more guilt and his former guilt is doubled and confirmed on him So that for this benefit faith is not to bee acted as wee shall shew hereafter Secondly faith must not be here acted for Regeneration It is required a man should be borne againe bee in the state of grace sanctified before hee come hither Here is the multiplying of grace but no begetting of grace As in the miracle of loaves Mat. 14.19 there was no new bread created but a multiplying of the bread they had So here is no giving of grace where there is none but a multiplying of grace where it is where grace is there it is increased but it is not here begotten A man may come to the Word though he be gracelesse Rom. 10.14 because the Word is an Ordinance set up for the gathering of men and begetting souls to Christ but none are to come to the Sacrament but such as are begotten anew the Sacrament is not the Font it is not the place where men are born but the table where men are nourished it is not the seed of the new birth but the meat of the new born we must be born before we eat bred before fed begotten before nourished If we come graceless hither we shall go graceless away and worse then we came In particular then Faith must here be exercised for the further assurance of our justification God hath cast down the soule by the ministery of the Word hee hath discovered and revealed the promise brought the soule over to the promise upon which it rests and is justified and hither we come to be further assured of it This was one end why the Sacrament was set up We know the strongest are but weake in faith Fides non toll it sed vincit omnem dubibitationem Dav. there is no such assurance in the world as to expell all doubts fears though to overcome them but though they may be suspended in their actings for a time and well subdued and conquered yet they are not altogether expelled if they were then were there no need of the Sacrament for this end to confirme and strengthen faith Fides potest habere aliquem modum dubitationis salvâ fide and so one of the ends wherfore God set up this Ordinance were in vaine to that man But I say there is no man so sure but may be surer there are degrees of assurance as well as faith and so may we grow up in assurance as well as faith And now for the further assurance of our justification God to the covenant of grace and mercie wherein he promised the free pardon of sin hath annexed the Seale of the covenant whereby we may be more assured Indeed here is no need of this in respect of God our justification is sure with him his intention is as good as his promise his promise as his oath his oath as his seale But it was God's goodnesse to us pitying the weaknesse of our faith he stooped below himself and was not only content to give us his promise but to confirm it with his oath the great seale of Heaven and to all this to afford his Sacraments to seale up all unto us Heb. 18.19 that we might have strong assurance and consolation Heb. 6.18 It was to this end to assure us who have such unbeleeving hearts that God gave word upon word promise upon promise oath to oath seale to seale heaping mountain upon mountain and all to confirm our staggering hearts That we might be strong in him when weak in our selves faithfull in him when fearfull in our selves stedfast in him when we stagger in our selves And how should we exercise faith here and go doubting away How shall we go away trembling after all this confirmation An oath among men is the end of all controversie the concluding of all difference and disputes and shall not God's oath prevail thus much with you Why doe you suffer returne of feares and doubts after such a seale Woe be to us Vae nobis si nec juranti Deo credimus Aug. if we will not beleeve God no not upon his oath Doest thou desire better security Thou shalt never have it thou canst not If you would come up to God and take his security how could you doubt 2. A second benefit for the compassing of which faith must be exercised c. is the increase of our graces or perfecting of our sanctification My brethren we are weak in grace you know how much infidelity and how little faith how much enmity how little love how much obstinacie how little pliable conformity to his will what a deale of formality how little power what hardnesse of heart how little brokennesse of spirit for sin c. And being weak in grace there is a necessity that these graces should bee nourished As there is necessitie of daily bread for the nourishing and upholding of our bodies so there is necessitie of spirituall food for the nourishing of grace in our soules And as there is