befel the world in the world from Adam to this day is laid to the charge of sin Faith sayes As where no transgression no curse Rom. 3. so wheresoever there is curse there is transgression Whatever sad stories are reported of 70 years Captivity of Sword of Pestilence and Famine c. yea sayes Faith you may thank sin for all this Was Cain a runnagate Pharaoh drown'd in the Sea Josephs brethren in sad perplexity c Surely they may say We are verily guilty Gen. 42.21 c. Yea Gods people may thank sin for all their affliction Isa 27.9 This is all the fruit to purge away your sin Sin is like a stubborn Tenant or a Thief that will not out unless the house be fired over his head 2. Inward Witness which is the Conscience in stead of a thousand witnesses Rom. 2.15 Their own consciences bearing them witness c. What saist thou Conscience did not sin do thus and thus and is the cause of all this misery c Art 5 Fifthly Faith empannels the Jury of Saints or Believers not as unbelievers that compare themselves with themselves 2 Cor. 10.12 For what part hath he that believeth with an infidel 2 Cor. 6.15 and calls in the Judge For sin must be judged by God and the Bench See Psal 50.5 6. and not by the Countrey of Carnal men For though the Conscience of Carnal men can bear evidence against sin yet they are partial Jury-men they would fain have sin live Let loose Barabbas and crucifie Christ But the Bench of godly men sitting with Christ upon his Throne as they shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. so they judge sin They finde sin guilty and worthy of death and cry out for Justice Justice my Lord upon sin These are the cloud of Witnesses and Jury-men that account sin as the greatest burthen in the world Heb. 12.1 Therefore sayes Faith if asked to which of the Saints wilt thou turn Job 5.1 I will be judged by all the godly in the World And this Jury ground their Verdict upon Evidence Note Works outwardly Conscience inwardly have brought in this witness against sin 1. 'T is a deadly enemy to God and his Grace Rom. 8.6 't is enmity against God Nothing is contrary to God but sin 2. It gives Laws against God Rom. 8.2 the law of sin and death God sayes This must be done Sin sayes the flat contrary 3. It forceth its Obedience 't is a Tyrant over Gods people makes them cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7.24 Luke 19.14 Indeed wicked men are voluntary slaves 4. It is guilty of all the slain that lie in the pit If it be said Who slew all these we may say Sin 2 Kin. 10.9 Though the Devil be a Murtherer John 8. yet he cannot slay one Soul without the assistance of Sin The Soul than sinneth shall die Ezek. 18.5 'T is guilty of Christs blood Sin thou hast crucified the Lord the Life Our sins were the nails in his hands and spear in his side and is not he worthy to die that put Christ to death Art 6 Sixthly Faith calls in the Judge as the importunate widow Luk. 18.3 Avenge me of mine adversary Faith makes God in his VVord to be the Judge viz. the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles Both Whether sin be thus guilty or no Jam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God c. Sin would lay the fault upon God but God layes the fault upon sin And secondly What punishment sin is worthy of No less than death saith God Therefore thou must die saith Faith to Sin 1 Cor. 11.31 For this cause many sleep i.e. die Art 7 Seventhly He therefore lives by Faith for the condemnation of Sin God hath condemned sin to die Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you Therefore sayes Faith I have Gad on my side Sin must not reign nay Sin must not live As the soul that sins must die so the Soul than is freed from death is freed from sin both in the guilt and power Art 8 Eighthly He lives by Faith in the Execution of the Sentence upon Sin Heb. 11.17 Offers up the dearly beloved sin And that in respect 1. Of the time presently whilest it is called to day There is no truce no reprival no sparing of sin Life must go for life Sin is never the better for kinde usage Some sinners are won that way but not sin it self God cannot reconcile sin to himself though he reconcile sinners to himself 2. For the Means where there is 1. Arming our selves Eph. 6. Take to you the whole armour of God especially the shield of faith 2. Disarming sin The strength of sin lies either in the Law of God 1 Cor. 15.56 The strength of sin is the law Or in the power and policy of Satan Ephes 2.2 that worketh in the children of disobedience Now Faith disarms Sin 1. It cuts the sinews of the Law Rom. 6.14 We are not under the law but under grace 2. It cuts the sinews of Satan 1 John 3.8 For this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil Therefore that Soul that is willing Christ should live in it shall be sure to have sin die in it Lastly Taking sin captive leading this Captivity captive Eph. 4.8 Psal 149.6 and putting it to death by the two-edged sword of the Word in its hand and so executing the judgement written Heb. 4.12 So much for the first Quaere Quest II. Secondly What are the Reasons why Faith will have sin to be mortified Answ Many 1. Reasons of the mortification of sin Because sin is most contrary to the nature of Faith Faith is a most holy Faith Jude v. 20. It is that which purifies the heart Acts 15.9 And sin is loathsome and impure For it defiles 1. The Person Tit. 1.15 To the unbelieving even their minde and conscience is defiled 2. The Actions Hag. 2.12 13. every work of their hands and that which they â—ffer is unclean 3. The Name as Jacob said to Simeon and Levi Gen. 34.30 Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land 4. It defiles others as that incestuous Person 's sin 1 Cor. 5.6 as leaven spreads over the whole lump 5. The Land it self Gen 6 11. The earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence So the Lord sayes Num 35.33 The land is polluted and defiled with blood Therefore Faith and Sin are contraries and contraries hate one another to the death Mutuò se expellunt they cannot live together Reas 2 Because they have most contrary Ends and Designes The design of Faith is to bring life to the Soul The just shall live by Faith The design of Sin is to bring death to the Soul Ezek. 18. The soul that sins shall die the death and
a very unskiful Souldier in this warfare Means of mortification Ans The first Means is to look up to God who teacheth thy hands to war and thy fingers to fight Go out in his Name as David did against Goliah Fall down before him as Joshua before the Captain of the Lord host Josh 5.14 Be much in Prayer and adde Fasting to Prayer Some sins cannot be cast out without this Means 2 Secondly Learn to loath and hate sin A man hates to death what he mortifieth and though he cannot kill it outright 1 Job 3. yet as he that hates his Brother is a manslayer so he that hates his sin as sin is a sin-slayer in Gods account For ye are dead sayes the Apostle Col. 3.3 then follows Mortifie therefore your Members c. ver 5. Means 3 Thirdly Get assurance of the Love of Christ and this will constrain to suffering and doing 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us We love our sins naturally as our right eye and therefore are loath to part with them It must be the sense of a greater love that will make us willing to pluck out our right eye He that was next of kin to the person murthered was to be the Avenger of blood because it was to be supposed he loved him best If we consider what enemies our sins are to Christ our best beloved we shall do that part Love Christ much and you will hate sin much and the way to love Christ much is to be assured of Christs love to us 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by our rejoycing we have in Christ Jesus I die daily Means 4 Fourthly Apply the Cross of Christ Rom. 6.6 knowing this that our old man is crucified with him The death of Christ is the death of sin First because it is the meriting Cause meriting the Spirit by which our sins are mortified Secondly the serious Consideration of Christs death doth give sin a deadly wound What did Christ die for my sins O let me crucifie them that crucified him Did Christ love me so well as to be willing to lose a precious life Let me love him so well as to part with a sinful life or the life of sin The death of Christ is the slaying of the Enmity not onely betwixt man and man Eph. 1.16 but between God and Man I am crucified with Christ sayes the Apostle Gal 2.20 Means 5 The fifth Means is set down Eph. 6.11 Put on therefore the whole armour of God c. VVhere you see two things 1. God hath provided for a Christian Complete Armour 2. Every Christian that would stand in the day of battel must put it on But what is the Armour God hath provided Ans See there in the verses after they are the Graces of Gods Spirit all Christian Vertues 1. Truth the Souldiers Belt that knits all other graces all other pieces of the Armour fast together Truth of Doctrine opposed to Errour Truth of Graces and Actions opposed to Hypocrisie Hypocrites are fearful true men are valorous One true man beats two or three thieves Prov. 28.1 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousness Righteousness imputed and Righteousness imparted and this is Murus aheneus Though infirmities may be in many yet this saves the Vitals 3. Shoes of Patience like brazen Greaves whereby the Christian Souldier treads upon Scorpions he treads down Satan under his feet in this Spiritual Combate 4. The Shield of Faith above all or over all For this covers all our Armour all our Graces and strengthens them in the Combate 5. The Helmet of Salvation which is Hope 1 Thess 5.8 Then lastly there is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God of which in the next Means Means 6 Sixthly Hear and apply the Word In Hos 6.5 God hews them by his Prophets and slays them by the Words of his mouth This is a sharp and two-edged sword that pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit Heb. 4.12 And here apply the threatnings as well as the Promises to the mortifying of sin VVhen the Minister reproves such sins as we are guilty of every one should turn the Point to his own breast Suppose it be Lying or Adultery or Idolatry c. out of that place Rev 22.15 If there be an hundred in the Congregation every one should say Surely God meant I should take this to my self Suppose Despising of the VVord out of Prov. 1.25 Suppose partaking of other mens sins out of Psal 50.18 When thou sawest a thief thou consentedst c. VVe should do as Job's friends advised him Job 5.27 Hear it and know it for thy self This was that which prick'd their hearts Acts 2.36 37. when Peter told them they had crucified that same Jesus Means 7 Seventhly Entertain the Spirit for the VVord is but the Sword of the Spirit Rom. 8.11 If ye by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh This will conquer Corruption For 1. It is of a most contrary nature to it a holy Spirit 2. It is an Almighty Spirit able to cast corruption out 1 Joh. 4.4 Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world Therefore walk in the guidance and strength of the Spirit Look higher than our selves for new supply of strength as we have new Employments new Trials new Temptations Do not onely desire it and pray for it but use it kindely The Spirit is of a tender and delicate nature very free where it is entertained and acts with freedom If thy Soul welcom the Spirit he will soon thrust out those domineering lusts that have disturb'd his quiet and peaceable possession And hereunto look with an eye of faith unto those great Promises of the Spirit Isa 44.2.3 Ezek 36.25 c. Joel 2.28 The Spirit is promised to be poured out largely under the Gospel as Ezekiel's waters chap. 47. 't is observable the further they run the deeper they grew They took the Jews up to the ankles the Primitive Christians to the knees the Middle Times to the loyns c. Means 8 Eighthly Moderate the use of lawful things Satan gets great advantage in these things Corruption is strengthned by immoderate use of lawful things Luk. 17.27 They eat they drank they married and gave in marriage and the flood came and destroyed them all They were first drown'd in their security and unbelief and then the flood drown'd them Means 9 Ninthly Keep corrupt Nature in compass by Vows As they vow'd the death of Paul Acts 23. so do thou of thy sins Vows are against either things absolutely unlawful and these binde ad semper alwayes as the Vow in Baptism against the World Flesh and Devil or things indifferent but in danger to be abused and these it is best to be made onely ad tempus for a time lest afterwards they become a snare Means 10 Lastly Shun Occasions of
love and all other Graces on work So Unbelief sets all manner of sin on work and sin when it is finished Jam. 1. bringeth forth death Unbelief is the cause of all sin and misery As the Just lives by his Faith so the wicked man dies by his Unbelief All sins are pardonable to him that believes but Unbelief binds all other sins upon the Soul to condemnation O the miserable condition of all unbelievers and such are we all in our natural condition Let us confess it and bewail it at the Throne of Grace That God may give us this excellent gift of Faith that we may live by Faith upon the living God Inform. 3 Thirdly See the reason why Satan is such an enemy to Faith Reason of Satans enmity against Faith Because by it under God the creature lives Now Satan is an utter enemy to the creatures life and happiness he was a Murtherer from the beginning and therefore an enemy to Faith from the beginning He was an enemy to that Faith that was proper to the first Covenant Gen. 3.1 Now the Serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made and he said unto the woman Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden His great Temptation was to perswade Eve not to trust God upon his Word Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden And he is as great an enemy to that Faith which is proper to the second Covenant whereby a poor sinner casts himself into the arms of Gods Mercy through Christ held out to him in a promise of Free-grace Luke 22.31 32. you may see Satan was an enemy to Peters faith and so to the faith of every believer How do you know this Word saith the Devil to be the Word of God or if it be so how dost thou know it belongeth to thee Dost thou think God will ever make good his Promise to such a vile creature as thou art and a thousand such Objections No marvel Satan is such an enemy to Faith seeing the Just lives by his Faith Faith is that which puts life into our Zeal our Courage our Prayers all our Christian duties The Devil knows if he can but ham-string our Faith we shall halt and go lame all our days and in all our duties As our Faith is weakned our Zeal is cooled our Courage daunted our Prayers infeebled our Graces languishing and our Duties decaying from day to day Therefore as the Devil strikes most of all at our Shield of faith let us be perswaded to hold it so much the faster Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one If thou wouldst know how a Christian doth Ask him How his faith does if thou wouldst have him a thriving Christian perswade him to look well to his Faith 1 Thess 3.5 For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith lest by some means the Tempter hath tempted you and our labour be in vain The Tempter fights neither against small nor great but against our Faith If he robs us of that 2 Pet. 1.1 he robs us of our greatest Treasure Saving Faith is precious Faith and it is that which maintains the most precious life Therefore it is no marvel Satan is so great an enemy to our Faith Inform. 4 Fourthly Difference between the life of Christ and ours This informs us of the difference betwixt the life of Christ and ours Christ hath life of himself as the Father hath life of himself Joh. 5.26 He is the Principle of Life to himself he receives it from no other But our life is a derivative life we derive our life from him who is the Fountain of life and the Fountain of light too Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Therefore as this puts us in minde of the glorious Dignity of Jesus Christ who is as the Sea to all living creatures especially such as live the Life of Grace to whom he is the Fountain of light and life So it should reminde us of the Humility which befits creatures in such a condition as we are As we should have high thoughts of Christ so vile and mean thoughts of our Selves For though Christ could live well enough without us as he did before we had any Being yet we cannot live without him he is the main Object of our Faith and therefore the very Principle of our Life for the Just doth live by his Faith Inform. 5 Fifthly This informs us why there are so many dead creatures in the world As Christ saith Why so many dead Mat. 8.22 Let the dead bury the dead let such as are dead in sins and trespasses bury such as are naturally dead How manymen in the world have no life to any thing that is good dead-hearted creatures and yet insensible of their deadness alive unto sin but dead unto all gracious performances The very reason is They want Faith Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes shall he finde Faith upon the earth Luke 18.8 There is little Faith in the world and therefore little Life in the world Nay many of those who have a Name to live are dead Rev. 3.1 because many who make Profession of Faith do want the Faith which they do profess They are not by Faith united to Christ the onely Principle of all Spiritual Life and of all living actions and therefore their most specious good works such as are materially good are no better than dead works and so sinful works because formally evil as not springing from a living Principle to wit from the Spirit of Grace dwelling in the creature and uniting him by Faith to Jesus Christ who is the Fountain of Life I confess a wicked man may perform many excellent works and that by the help of Gods Spirit too and yet have no life in him for all that for There is a twofold help from the Spirit of God the one from the inhabiting Spirit of God dwelling in the heart and changing the nature of the creature the other springing onely from some common work of the Spirit strengthning a man to this or that particular action by the Elevation of his natural parts and the improvement of them in outward Expressions There is a great deal of difference betwixt a creature that is moved by a Spirit that dwells in it and informs it That is forma informans and so acts it from an inward Principle and that which is moved by a Spirit that dwells not in it but doth onely make use of it or assist it pro tempore that is but forma assistens as the Angel that made use of a body in appearing and speaking to Manoah and his Wife Thus it is with men of most eminent parts if they have not Faith though
Cor. 7. 2 Pet. 3. that measure Time shall be rolled up as a Scroll And though time should last never so long to the world in general yet how soon the Angel may swear concerning thee or me Time shall be no more Rev. 10.6 we know not 6. We must not onely account for the means of fruitfulness Isa 5. What could I have done more c but for the time afforded for fruitfulness Luk. 13.7 These three years have I come looking for fruit and behold I finde none Cut it down c. Eccles 11.9 God will take account of the days of thy youth therefore call thy self to account and be fruitful in season 7. Lastly What would the damned in Hell give now for one of these hours to become fruitful If the rich glutton Luke 16.27 would so willingly have a messenger sent to his five brethren What would he have given to have been the messenger himself but could neither So much for the two first Branches in the Life of Sanctification which the just man lives by his Faith Now follows the Third BRANCH III. IN THE LIFE of FAITH IN SANCTIFICATION VIZ. MORTIFICATION THE just lives by Faith the Life of Mortification which consisteth in the killing and crucifying of sin and this follows fitly upon the Life of Fructification For sin is the Caterpillar upon the Branch that devours all the fruits Nay it is the Worm at the Root that hinders the fruitfulness of it or else it is the Toad at the Root that poisons the fruit Deut. 32.32 33. Their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrha their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel venom of Asps. The best fruits of natural men where sin lives in the dominion of it are no better than such poisonous fruits Therefore the just man lives by Faith of Mortification He is dead to sin and dead to the law that he may bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 For the more sin dies Faith resemâ—les the expulsive faculty in the natural body the more grace lives and the more sin lives the more grace dies Therefore Faith lives in killing that which is an enemy to its life and is as the expulsive faculty in the body Obj. But is not sin dead as soon as a man believes Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ans Sin indeed hath receiv'd its deadly wound at the first blow but yet it will not be wholly dead till we die Nay it fares with it as with a creature that hath received its deadly wound it struggles and strives more violently than ever before Rom. 7.8 9. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead c. Insomuch that this combat continues till our dying day Gal. 5 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would And Satan he takes part with our corruption he is Sins Second in the field Now Faith is a Christians chief weapon by which he defends himself and offends his adversary Eph. 6.16 the shield of faith For the method of proceeding in this Head it shall be to shew 1. How Faith proceeds in Mortification of sin 2. Why Faith will have sin to be mortified 3. The Uses hence Quest I. First How Faith proceeds in mortifying sin I answer It does it as men use to do in the prosecution of a Malefactor As the avenger of blood pursued the Murtherer in a legal way Sin is put to death by the law Rom. 3.22 By what law of works nay but by the law of faith So that as the Jews said of Christ faithful men may say of sin We have a law and by our law he ought to die Art 1 First there is a rising of the heart against the person How faith goes about the mortifying of sin Gal. 5.6 A man will never prosecute him whom he hath no quarrel against So Faith stirs up a Christian to hate his sin as it stirs him up to love God so consequently to hate sin Gods deadly enemy yea he hates it to death Col. 3.1 5. Ye that love the Lord hate that which is evil Psal 97.10 Nay sayes Faith to sin I will have thy life nothing shall satisfie me but thy life Thou hast wrong'd my dear God therefore I will be reveng'd of thee True Repentance and true Faith work indignation and revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 Yea what indignation what revenge As we cannot love God too much so we cannot hate sin too much Art 2 Secondly There is a diligent enquiry after the Malefactor So faith sends out Hue and Cry VVhere is the Rebel the Traytor It is the voice of Faith that Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes c. Faith knows if we finde not sin out sin will finde us out Num. 32.23 and if it sees us first it slayes us as the Basilisk Faith knows all the haunts of sin as Saul said of David to the Ziphites 1 Sam. 23.22 Go I pray you know and see his place where his haunt is It searches the root of all actual sins Psal 51.5 In sin was I shapen c. An unbeliever hides extenuates excuses denies his sin But Faith never leaves till it discover and brings it before the judgement-seat As Rahab entertained the spies Heb. 11 31. So faith entertains the spies of enlightned reason Psal 119.105 and Prayer Psal 139.23 Art 3 Thirdly Faith brings in the Accusers of sin 1. The Law Joh. 5.45 There is one that accuseth you even Moses Rom. 7.7 I had not known sin but by the Law 2. The Gospel though it saves the sinner it condemns the sin Rom. 6.1 2. Shall we we believers continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 3. The Renewed man converted by the Gospel Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me whereas sin accuseth the godly man to be the troubler of the person family 1 Kin. 18.18 Josh 7.25 state c. Faith sayes to sin Thou art the troubler of Israel therefore thou deservest to be stoned to death Jam. 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings amongst you come they not from your lusts Art 4 Fourthly Faith brings in Witness against sin whereas sin pleads for it self and accuseth Holiness and strictness to be the cause of all misery Faith brings in witness to the contrary 1. Outward By faith we understand the world was made c. Heb. 11. and so that the world was destroyed by sin once drown'd again reserved for fire to wash 2 Pet. 3. to burn out the filth of sin All evils that ever
of thee yea he will establish and confirm thy hold of him Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform or finish it until the day of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me This is the fourth respect wherein Faith is such a precious Gift viz. Faith lays hold on Christ and consequently on whatsoever is precious so as never to let go its hold which Consideration ought to excite our Thankfulness for so rich a Jewel as Faith which everlastingly entails all the Priviledges of the Covenant 5. and lastly We should be Thankful for Faith 5. Faith is rare because it is so rare and scarce to be found This Flower grows not in every Garden We should indeed be Thankful for good things though they are common but I know not how it comes to pass we take little notice of such Mercies Among outward things what more precious than the Sun the Air and the Water and yet because they are common how few are affected with Gods goodness in these things as they ought to be But what is scarce and hard to be found we are usually much taken with such a thing and can prize the Donor of it Now such a thing is true Faith it s very hard to be found When the Son of Man cometh Luke 18.8 shall he finde Faith upon the earth Doubtless many may be found that have the Profession of Faith in their mouths but few that have the Grace of Faith in their hearts or the Fruit of Faith in their lives As there are few that shall be saved so there are few that do truly believe for He that believeth shall be saved Mark 16.16 Now of those few there are very few wise and mighty and noble upon whom God bestows this precious Gift of Faith A poor despicable creature that hath obtain'd Faith at Gods hands may say Blessed be God though I have but little in the world yet God hath given me that which he hath denied to many wise and mighty and noble men in the world Therefore such a man hath great cause to be thankful to be thankful I say even to admiration Joh. 14.22 Lord how is it that thou dost manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world This is that for which Jesus Christ himself is so thankful to his heavenly Father Mat. 11.25 At that timt Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father because it seemed good in thy sight Here is something very remarkable in the speech of Christ which we shall take notice of in the Resolution of two questions Quest 1. Why it is said At that time Jesus answered when we reade not any body said any thing to him before Ans I answer S. Luke will resolve this question Luk. 10.21 In that hour Jesus rejoyced in the Spirit and said I thank thee c. Observe God spake joy to his Soul inwardly though nothing was spoken outwardly even such joy as makes men exult or leap for joy as the word signifies And in answer to this inward work of joy Jesus answered and said I thank thee c. Quest 2. But then secondly it may be questioned Why an inward answer of Thankfulness might not serve the turn to an inward voice of joy Ans For this we must know Christ doth return his answer in an audible voice for their sakes that stood by as he said in another case Joh. 11.42 viz. To stir up the Disciples and all Gods People to be the more thankful for such a choice and singular Mercy He sets before us a pattern of Thankfulness he tells us what we should be thankful for above all other things namely That God hath revealed to us the great Mystery of Salvation And how is this revealed but by Faith and why should we be so thankful for the revelation of this Mystery by Faith even because there are so few that do believe it is a Mystery that is hid from the wise and prudent and revealed to a few babes that have no more knowledge of heavenly things by nature than if they were babes It is kept secret from the wisest part of the world and from the greatest part of the world And therefore if Faith be so rare and scarce as well as precious we have the greater cause to be thankful Each true Believer may stand and wonder and say Lord who am I that whilst so many Millions go in the broad way that leads to destruction who am I that I should be one of those few that do believe to the saving of the soul Heb. 10.39 Vse V. Of Humiliation Vse 5 The fifth Use is for Humiliation in case upon Trial we finde we believe not Humiliation for Unbelief we have great cause to be humbled for our Unbelief for as the just lives by his Faith so the Unbeliever dies by his Unbelief as we have heard We should look at Unbelief as the most deadly and dangerous of all other sins and therefore be humbled for it When Christ saith His Spirit should convince the world of sin Joh. 16.9 he says no more but thus It shall convince the world because they believe not on me as if Unbelief were the greatest of all other sins O that we could conceive it so We startle at Murther Adultery Theft c. and good reason we should do so in the mean time it may be we are little troubled that we do not believe nay it may be we think we do well to doubt of the Promise as Jonah thought he did well to be angry The evil of Unbelief And yet this sin of Unbelief exceeds all other sins in some respect For 1. It dishonours God First it is a sin that doth exceedingly dishonour God Indeed it calls the Divinity it self in question for if God be not a God of Unchangeable Truth and of Infinite Power he is as good as no God But Unbelief questions the Truth of God God saith He that trusts in him shall not be confounded But saith the Soul Though I should cast my self upon his Promise I question whether it should be made good to me Thus 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a liar So Unbelief another while questions the Power of God Can God prepare a Table in the Wilderness and the like Can God forgive or can God subdue such sins Now what a dishonout is this to God 2. It grieves the Spirit of God Secondly it 's a sin that doth exceedingly grieve the Spirit of God When King Ahaz
Converting of thy Soul The life of heaven is nothing else but a life of Thankfulness for this unspeakable mercy God might have rejected us as fire-brands of Hell for ever Quest But how shall I know that I am converted and effectually called that I may be thankful Answ If thou art turned to righteousness thou art turned from sin Act. 26.18 Perfecta contrarietas nullum medium admittit Ob. There is sin in the best Answ True there is sin in the best but not with allowance Observe Sin is cast out of its Throne though not out of the Man in a regenerate person Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness There 's no sin with peaceable possession The strong man armed is cast out Secondly There is a love of and endevour after Righteousness and Holiness 1 Joh. 3.3 Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure We were redeemed Luke 1.75 that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days It is in fieri though not fully perfected Thirdly By resolved reliance upon God Job 13.15 Though he kill me yet will I trust in him at least earnestly desire so to do Fourthly By renouncing all other Confidences He that lays hold on God le ts go all his other holds God hath knock'd off his hands and his heart from other things Psal 44.5 6. Through thee will we push down our enemies through thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us for I will not trust in my bowe neither shall my sword save me Hos 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands Ye are our God for in thee the fatherless finde mercy He that turns to God renounceth all other confidence yea even his own Righteousness Rom 10.3 They that establish their own righteousness have not embraced the righteousness of God So they that are turned to Gods Righteousness are turned from their own i.e. from trusting to it in point of Justification Fifthly By the Testimony of Gods Spirit and our own regenerate Spirit Rom. 8.16 For the Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God at least testifying to us in point of Holiness if not in point of Comfort Sixthly By the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and Adoption Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father None of Gods children are born tongue-ty'd Seventhly By our Love or working of our love to a threefold object for Gods People partake of Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and this Divine Nature is discovered in nothing more than in a way of love 1 Joh. 4.16 1. To God and Jesus Christ as our chief portion Psal 119.57 Thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy words 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you which believe he is precious 2. To the Word of God which was an instrument to beget us to God 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible seed by the Word of God 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby 3. to our fellow brethren that are begotten with us as children of the same womb and loyns that have Father and mother the same 1 Joh. 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 Joh. 3.14 We knew that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren If we see these marks of our conversion and spiritual cleansing we are commanded as the leper upon the like discovery of their cleansing to present our offering of praise as a testimony of our unfeigned thankfulness If he hath cause to be thankful that receives a change from sickness to health Mat. 8.4 from poverty to riches how much more is he bound to be thankful that is changed from sin to righteousness and from death to life Secondly not only so 2. Thankf If we have bin instruments of others conversion but we should be very thankful also if God hath made us instruments of others conversion for they that turn men unto Righteousness c. Is the work such an excellent work that the angels admire it And is the reward such an excellent reward that the very lustre of the heavens is little enough to resemble it How should we then be thankful if God hath made us instruments of others conversion If God hath blest our Admonitions Exhortations Examples Prayers as private men Especially Ministers Or if God hath blest any of our indeavours in the publick ministry to that happy end 1. We should be thankful that God hath let us in such a calling We deserved not to be so much as door-keepers in his house 2. Thankful that Christ hath in any measure gifted us for the discharge of our calling for t' was he that did ascend to give gifts unto men Eph. 4.12 3. Thinkful especially that God doth bless our endeavours in the exercise of those gifts to the conversion of souls for how many men of great gifts and parts do fish all night and all day too yea many dayes and years and catch nothing though they cast out the net of the word many thousand times Therefore be thankful that God should vouchsafe to imploy any of us in so honorable work and service who deserved not to wash the feet of his servants That God should crown our poor weak indeavours with the conversion of souls If God hath so honoured us Give God in Christ the honour of conversion let us put the honour back upon him yet not we but Jesus Christ may be admired among the people As they said of their bodily cure Act. 3.12 So should we of the conversion of a soul Why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk No The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob hath glorified his son Jesus Christ and his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong whom ye see and know Yea the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all Ministers are but Trumpets Alas we are but trumpets Isai 58.1 Lift up thy voice like a trumpet and therefore if God breath not in us we are as dead as others are neither can we raise others from the dead T is true indeed the dead shall be raised in the last day by the sound of the trumpet but not by the power of the trumpet it self but by the power of him that ordained it So those that are dead in sin shall be raised in the mean time by the trumpet of the gospel but not by the power of the gospel it self or of the publisher of it but by the power of that God who appointed the foolishness of preaching for the
for so the Apostle applies this Text very frequently to prove that the just man lives a Spiritual life by Faith Obj. Obj. But the Apostle may seem to wrest the words because the Prophet speaks here of a temporal deliverance from the Chaldeans Ans Ans 1. Their deliverance from temporal Babylon was a Type of their Deliverance from Spiritual Babylon 2. However the secondary objects of Faith be divers some Temporal some Spiritual some Eternal yet the prime and principal object of faith is still one and the same and that is Jesus Christ and Gods favour in Christ and before I can embrace the other I must first embrace this Therefore the same faith in Christ that enables me to live in temporal things enables me to live in spirituals also and so the Apostles argument from one to the other holds good Well then the just lives by Faith in respect of Spiritual life which is far more excellent then the other as grace is above nature And this is either the Life of I. Justification whereby the Soul layes hold upon Christ or II. Sanctification whereby the Soul draws vertue from Christ And that is either Renewing and Cleansing vertue the Life of Renovation or Fructifying the Life of Fructification or Mortifying Vertue the Life of Mortification or Vivifying the Life of Quickning and Vivification Confirming Vertue the Life of Conservation that God will not forsake his people Augmenting whereby life is encreased and Comforting Vertue the life of Consolation In the first our spiritual life is purified in the second beautified and in all these the just live by faith THE LIFE of FAITH IN JUSTIFICATION 1. HE lives by faith the Life of Justification and so the Apostle applies this very Text Rom. 1.16 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written And so again Gal. 3.11 where he doth oppose justifying by faith to justification by works of the law But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident for the just c. The just doth not live by his own justice but by faith that is by the application of the justice and righteousness of another That we may the better understand the excellency of this Life of Justification it will not be amiss to adde the definition of it according to the Scriptures seeing whatsoever is truly known is known by the causes thereof Justification therefore is thus defined It is a most gracious and righteous action of God whereby he imputing the righteousness of Christ to a believing sinner absolveth him from his sins and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ and as an heir of eternal life to the praise and glory of his own Mercy and Justice For Explication consider 1. The Act to justifie 2. The Object a sinner and yet a believing sinner and so made righteous 3. The Application of the Act to the Object and that 's onely by Faith 1. The Act to justifie Now to justifie signifieth properly to make just as to magnifie to make great though sometimes onely to declare great Now God makes just either By Imputation or Infusion of Righteousness The first is the life of Justification the second of Sanctification the first perfect the latter imperfect 2. The Object is a sinner God doth not justifie those that were just before but such as were unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once offered for sin the just for the unjust There was a time then when we were unjust a time when we were sinners when we were ungodly Rom. 5.6 Christ dyed for the ungodly and While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified we shall be saved from wrath through him So that as to heal signifies of a sick man to make sound so to justifie is of a sinner to make righteous and if it were not so where were the excellency of Gods free grace to make us righteous if we never were in a state of sin He that in no consideration looks at himself as a sinner fallen in the first Adam cannot possibly look at himself as a righteous person recovered in the second Adam How can God be said to shew mercy to that man that was never in misery to redeem that man that was never lost Lost I say and that really and not onely in his own conceit and apprehension 3. The Application of the Act to the Object and that is by Faith as here in the Text. Though a sinner be justified yet it is onely a believing sinner and so of a sinner is made just Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith c. By Faith how not as the meritorious but onely as the instrumental cause of our justification For the clearer understanding of this we must know according to the former definition there are several causes of our Justification viz. Efficient Material Formal and Final The Efficient cause is either 1. Principal or 2. Instrumental Principal is either 1. Working or 2. Moving to the Work Causes of Justification 1. Principal The 1. Principal working Cause is God himself It 's an action of God Rom. 8.38 it is God that justifieth Isa 43.25 I even I am he c. Vide Rom. 9.16 All other causes are nothing to this though man believeth and man wills and runs on chearfully in the wayes of God yet from whence comes all this but from God that justifieth a poor sinner So that it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth c. but of God of God the Father as the Primary Cause the Son as the Meritorious the Holy Ghost as Applicatory It is God that justifieth who shall condemn c. He that is the Law-giver he justifies from the offences committed against the Law The 2. Principal Cause Moving or promoting to the Work is either 1. Internal Gods Mercy Justice It 's a gracious and a righteous action of God nothing without him the first Mover 2. External 1. Mans Misery moving to pity the Samaritan c. the Infant Ezek. 16. 2. Christs Merit moving to forgive Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins 2. Instrumental Cause 2. Instrumental and that 1. On Gods part the Word Manus offerentis 2 Cor. 5.18 He hath given to us the Ministery of Reconciliation Dan. 12.3 Rom. 4.11 2. On our part Faith Manus accipientis Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness Rom. 10.5 c. Therefore faith doth not justifie by merit and dignity of the work for then we should be justified by works though by faith but onely by the Instrumentary application of Christs Righteousness 2. The Material Cause Christs Righteousness Material cause as Jacob gat his blessing in Esau's garment therefore called The Righteousness of God Rom. 1.17 the Righteousness of that Person who is God Now there is a twofold
Righteousness in Christ 1. Active 2. Passive For in that we owed a double debt to the Law the one being perfect obedience for the present the other most deserved punishment for our fâ—rmer disobedience It was requisite that Christ beâ—ng our surety should pay whatsoever we owed unto God and that was the double debt of Doing and Suffering whatsoever the Law of God required at our hands 1. Active fulfilling all Righteousness and that for us as he became a Creature and not for himself Matth. 3.15 2. Passive Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Vse Thirst after this Righteousness Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness c. Philip. 3.7 8. and that I may be found in him not having my wn righteousness c. Formal Cause 3. The Formal Cause Imputation of Christs righteousness As by imputation of Adams sin we are guilty so by imputation of Christs righteousness we are righteous Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom 4.5 6. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Reas His righteousnesse is onely perfect Heb. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Jer. 23.6 He is the Lord our righteousness Onely his righteousnesse is infinite and everlasting Dan. 9.24 to bring in everlasting righteousness c. The righteousnesse of Angels and Saints is finite as well as tattered and torn the poor weary and heavy laden naked Soul can never lie down with rest in his bed Isa 28 20. for the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on 't c. but Christs righteousnesse is so long and so large that it gives a man rest on his sick-bed Psal 41.3 The Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing What is his comfort then but a clear sight of Christs righteousnesse Job 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him to shew unto man his righteousness c. Rest on the death-bed and afterward in the grave Isa 57.2 They shall lie down in their beds and peace shall be with them c. Rev. 6.11 And white robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest So that as God saith Psal 134.14 This is my rest for ever so may the Soul Final Cause 4. Final Cause 1. Supreme 1. The Supreme Gods glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself c. This is the end of all especially this work Rev. 5.9 The glory either of 1. Mercy and Love God so loved the world c. Joh. 3.16 Well saith God rather than Souls shall perish I will pour out the blood of my own Son Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 8.32 He spared not his Son c. Or 2. Justice not forgive without satisfaction Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy or merciful in all his works 2. Subordinate 1. Sanctification 2. Subordinate 2. Salvation Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruits unto holiness and the end everlasting life All or most of these causes are set down by the Apostle Rom. 3.20 to 29. 1. The Efficient primary moving Cause internal free grace v. 24. 2. External moving Cause Mans Misery v. 23. Christs Merit v. 24. 3. Instrumental 1. The Word v. 21. 2. Faith v. 22. 4. Final 1. The glory of Gods 1. Severest Justice v. 26. 2 Richest Mercy v. 24. 2. Glorification of Man in Gods Justification and Salvation of Man v. 23 c. Quest How doth the just live by Faith the life of Justification Ans The answer shall extend to the several parts and degrees of Justifications Manifestation For though it be a perfect act of God yet it is a continued act and there are degrees of the manifestation of it To speak therefore 1. Of the Act it self 2. Of the Continuing and Renewing of the Act 3. Of the Assurance of the Act. See how the just lives by Faith in all these 1. For the first Act and work of Justification Faith in the act of justifying First Faith Convinceth a man of sin in a saving manner and so of his need of Christ and of his own impotency to obtain Justification and Salvation without Christ Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit as Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by love so by poverty of spirit Secondly Faith puts persons into a Mourning confessing prayerful frame Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn but no blessedness if not springing from faith Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication c. Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weepings and with supplications will I lead them Acts 2.37 They were pricked at their hearts c. This is the work of Faith though not alwayes so easily discerned to be of Faith by the party himself Thirdly Faith subdues the heart to lay down all Oppositions against God and to be willing to take any course God directs for Justification and Salvation Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek c. Acts 9.5 6. Paul speaks reverently Lord what wilt thou have me to do Jer. 31.18 Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. He submits obediently they are tame as a lamb Isa 11.6 Fourthly Faith fixeth the heart upon Christ alone and his Righteousness held out in the Promises with renunciation of our own even with indignation in point of Justification The Soul is hungry after Christs Righteousness as most excellent and loaths its own as dung and draught Phil. 3.6 7 8 c. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things loss that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness c. See these or most of these Luke 15. in that gracious Convert mentioned Luk. 15. set out as a patern as a picture and as a lively inviter for a poor sinner to look to that desires to partake of the like mercy 1. Faith Convinceth him to be in a perishing condition without his Fathers love ver 17. And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I say it was Faith that wrought this same conviction for it was not before he came to himself that is before he raised him
will wait upon the Lord who hideth his face from the house of Jacob. Faith saith as Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the righteous c. Psal 85.8 I will hearken what God the Lord will say for he will speak peace c. Surely God shall command his loving kindness in the day-time True it thinks long Why tarry the wheels of his Chariots Cant. 2.8 9 17. Cant. 4. the last Be as the Chariots of Amminadab Psal 40. the last Make no long tarrying O my God Yet it will wait as Jacob for Rachel yea Faith chides the Soul out of unbelief by propounding the Promise of future Assurance Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul c Psal 27. last Faith gives courage in waiting Psal 31. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart Christ hath his several seasons of manifesting himself * Vide Mr. Reynolds Blessed are all they that wait for him He that believeth maketh not haste Though he tarry wait for him Christ shewed himself first to Mary then to Cephas or Peter then to James then to the twelve then to above five hundred brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 and last of all he was seen of Paul as of an abortive because there is more pain in the birth of such But as in the bodily sight of Christ some saw him sooner and some later so in the spiritual and as he shewed himself soonest to those that stood most in need of comfort as Mary and Peter for what was past and James for what was to come Acts 12. so spiritually Christ shews himself soonest to those have most need c. And as he entred the doors being shut when they were full of fears Job 20.19 so sometimes he comes into the heart when we think the doors most fast shut up Onely wait and then sooner or later he will shew himself to some in their middle age to some in their old age to some at their death to some at the Stake as that gracious Martyr cryed out joyfully to his fellow-sufferer He is come he is come Therefore be sure to wait and he that hath appointed to come will come and will not tarry Blessed are all they that wait for him Rom. 8.25 If we hope for that which we see not then do we with patience wait for it Reason why wait Because true faith can never be lost till it come to full assurance Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed c. This is the life and comfort of a weak Christian A babe shall be a strong man Philip. 1.6 He that hath began this work will perfect it Luke 22.32 Christs Prayer for Peter Vse If the godly live by Faith in regard of the assurance of the Act of Justifying then 1. This Reproves those that wait not Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established c. 2 Chron. 20.20 2. Reproves those that Rest in the first degree of Faith and say I care not if I can but go to heaven at last Other things grow up to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decay again but the faithful grow from strength to strength He is no good natured childe that will say I am sure to have my Fathers inheritance at last and therefore I care not though he frown upon me in the mean time No a good childe prizeth his Fathers love and the light of his countenance above his inheritance even Absalom 2 Sam. 14.31 could say Let me see the Kings face c. 3. Exhortation To live by Faith in waiting for Assurance Motives 1. It 's certain He that hath appointed to come will come Heb. 10.37 2. It 's worth the staying as Jacob stayed for Rachel This is better then life Psal 63.3 3. It 's the sweeter when it comes Olim haec meminisse c. as the Sun rising after a long Winter night half year night Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life 4. It 's the property of Faith not to make haste Isa 28.6 He that believeth maketh not haste 4. See the difference 'twixt just and unjust The just as they expect so they shall be assured though poor in spirit yea because poor Matth. 5.3 Psal 9.18 The expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Prov 24.14 Thy expectation shall not be cut off But for the wicked Job 8.13 14. Their hope shall perish and be as a spiders web Job 11.20 Their hope is as the giving up the ghost Therefore fear God and be righteous For Prov. 10.28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness but the expectation of the wicked shall perish Therefore Prov. 23 17 18. Let not thine heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long for surely there is an end and thine expectation shall not be cut off 5. Comfort to such as believe but want Assurance He may yet live by Faith in the expectation of it Be not discouraged when thy Soul is ready to faint for the salvation of God Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Be assured where there is any true light it will encrease more and more till the perfect day Prov. 4.18 The state of the Soul is good and Salvation is certain in the mean time Though many complain for want of Assurance yet if they can but trust c. Isa 50.10 He that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God They are sure to be comforted at the last and supported in the mean time Thus you see how the just lives by Faith the Life of Justification Vse of all in general 1. OF Humiliation Use of the Doctrine of Faith in justification 1. Humiliation If a Christian lives by Faith the Life of Justification in applying the righteousness of another it may be matter of Humiliation A Prisoner that is freed from Condemnation by a Pardon from the King and not by Self-justification hath cause to walk humbly for ever after This is our case c. It was a great sin in Absalom after his Father had pardoned his Murther and received him into favour again and kissed him the next news we hear of him he prepares him Chariots and Horses and Men to run before him that by stealing away the hearts of the people he might step up into his Fathers Throne and thrust him out And surely it is the greatest expression of neglect and unthankfulnesse that can be after God hath pardoned our sins and received us into favour for us to steal away the hearts of his people and to set up our selves in stead of magnifying the Name of God to draw Disciples after our own selves in stead of drawing Disciples after Jesas Christ It is a sin and a temptation which is common to the nature of man even the Regenerate themselves are not out of this Gun-shot Paul was in
unrighteousness 2. We may know it by the End of spiritual actions if it be the glory and honour of Christ and a care to preserve the things of Christ as the Members of the Body have a principal care of adorning and preserving the Head The Arm receives a blow to defend the Head so a living Member of Christ truly united to him as he goes to Christ for strength Phil. 4.13 so he refers all to the honour of Christ in conclusion another adventures himself far for the truth and cause of Christ as Paul Acts 20. Neither is my life dear unto me so I may fulfil the Ministery of Christ c. So in general Faith lives on Christ 2. In particular Or 2. In particular he lives by Faith in the Application Means 1. His Death 1. Of the Death of Christ for though we have benefit by the Birth of Christ Luke 2.10 11. as we shewed this day fortnight yet not so much as by his death and joy in birth onely in relation to his death He is born a Saviour i.e. one that shall die for your sins Rom. 5.10 Heb. 2.14 Through death he destroyed him that had power of death that is the devil Yet there is joy in his Birth as in the approach of a friend that comes to loose as out of Prison if we be in for Debt or Murther We then rejoyce when he comes to the door but onely in reference to paying of the Debt for if he should then turn back it would sad us the more So in this case Must Aarons ear and hand and foot be sanctified it must be done by the application of the Blood of the Covenant Exod 29.20 Thus our hearing thus our words thus our works thus our walking is sanctified in the application of the Blood of Christ Heb. 9 14. the Blood of Christ purge your consciences 'T is all the price of Blood 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us c. Faith sanctifies as by laying hold of the Blood and Death of Christ so of the Resurrection and Life of Christ Means 2. His Resurrection As the Resurrection of Christ is a Birth so he is called The first-born from the dead so the assurance of his Resurrection proved by the powerful government of the Church and of the whole World for the Churches sake in his Session at the Right-hand of his Father this begets a lively hope and so a spiritual new birth in us 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Faith or Hope makes use of Christs Resurrection and this New birth of faith begets a New life of Sanctification Coloss 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ c. The love of Christ dying for us and rising for us and reigning for us acting all our affairs at the Right-hand of God his Father yea the love of Christ begetting of us to this lively hope by his Death and Resurrection all these constrain us to a holy life 2 Cor. 5. Ver. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that 15. He dyed for all that they which live should not live henceforth unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again Therefore 16. We live no more after the flesh i.e. with carnal and sinful affections And 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature a new man a regenerate person and hath a renewed conversation Therefore Wherefore because he seeing the love of Christ by the eye of Faith in dying for him and rising again this raiseth up his heart to newness of life As if he heard Christ perswading of him like as a tender-hearted mother perswades her childe per viscera by her own bowels If thou art my childe if thou dost own me for thy Mother then obey my commandments and follow my advice so saith the Apostle Col. 3. If ye be risen again with Christ if ye be partakers of a New Birth through the pangs of his Death and the power of his Resurrection if ye be his children if ye acknowledge God for your Father set your affections ow things which are above Phil. 3.20 and let your conversation be in heaven And so the just lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Death and Resurrection of Christ 3. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification Means 3. His Appearing and Judgment in the application of the Appearing of Christ and the Judgement of Christ 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant c. Look as the warning of an Assize or Sessions makes one careful to provide themselves that their cause may be found good that they may be able to stand in Judgement so in this case The same argument see Tit 2.13 Live soberly righteously c. looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And 1 Cor. 15. last Theâ—efoâ—e my beloved brethren be ye stedfast c. Wherefore for as much as ye know c. i. e knowing by faith or believing your labour one day shall not be in vain in the Lord. A cause of all sins is made not believing the Judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Where is the Promise of his coming c and a cause of holy walking the believing of it ver 11 12. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all hâ—ly conversation and godliness looking for and hasting to the coming c. Therefore it is observable in Scripture where-ever almost there is mention of the last Judgement it speaks of Christs judging men by the fruits of Faith rather then by Faith it self that the believing of the last Judgement may stir us up to a holy life Mat. 25.35 c. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 there the Books are opened the Book of Gods Decree and yet men judged according to their works Think of this you that have to do in Judgement this day * other Books must one day be opened It may make a Felix tremble it may move all to be holy and righteous in all their actions Means 4. His Word 4. He lives by Faith the Life of Sanctification in the application of the Word of Christ Without Faith the Word profits not neither this nor any other way but being mixed with Faith Heb. 4.2 it is quick and powerful and mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10 4. to the pulling down of strong holds i.e. proud thoughts earthly thoughts unclean thoughts Joh. 15.3 Now are you clean through the word that I have spoken to you Psal 19. The word of the Lord is clean and endures for ever And as it is clean in it self so it is a cleansing word in the effect
As a natural death seizeth on all parts heart and all so true Mortification extends it self to all parts of the old man even to the best beloved sin and that which lies next the heart 3. Then there is no more delight in sin 3 Mark Rom. 6. If sin be dead in us we are dead to sin Bury my dead out of my sight said Abraham of his beloved Sarah when she was once dead Gen. 23.4 4. Further let us see 4 Mark if we have proceeded against sin as the avenger of blood in those eight Particulars above-mentioned viz. Is there 1. A rising of the heart against sin 2. A diligent enquiry after it 3. An accusation of it c. Obj. But my sin revives in me rather than is mortified Ans I answer as before VVhen a beast is struck it struggles Besides as Christ died a lingring death so doth a believers sin that is crucified with him There is a long Combate between the flesh and Spirit as there was between the houses of Saul and David Gal. 5.17 2 Sam. 3. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit c. Obj. Yea but there is a combate in the Conscience of Natural men against sin as there is in the Regenerate of the Spirit against the flesh And I am afraid mine is no more how shall I know it Marks of the combate of flesh against Spirit Ans Know it thus 1. By the Cause What is the Cause of this Combate or Trouble of Conscience Is it onely some gross sin or great judgement That may proceed from the horror of natural Conscience But if thy very corrupt frame of Nature troubles thee and its putting forth in the least sins in sinful thoughts in sinful looks c. This combate proceeds from a Nature renew'd by the Spirit of God Rom. 7.23 24. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde O wretched man that I am c Second Mark of the difference 'twixt a true and false combate 2. By the Aim The aim of a natural man in his combate or wrestling is onely to give sin a foil or at most a fall and he is willing to let it rise again so it will be quiet and not bring him to shame by giving him a fall in the place of lookers-on But the aim of a spiritual man in his combate is not onely to give sin a fall but to kill it and crucifie it He lives the Life of Mortification he desires that all that natural enmity which is in his heart against God Eph. 2.16 may be utterly slain 3 Mark 3. In the Effects and Issue For 1. the combate of a Natural man drives him to false succours When the evil Spirit troubles Saul he runs now to his Musick now to the Witch of Endor Cain to his building of Cities But a spiritual man runs to Christ Rom. 7.25 Who shall deliver me from the body of death I thank God sayes he through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. The combate of a Natural man endeth usually either in Despair or Dissoluteness The flesh gets the better hand and at last his troubled conscience comes to be drown'd or sear'd But the combate of Spiritual men ends in Victory his conscience is more tender and smites him for the lap of a garment or any small thing and so he gets more power against sin from day to day Though he halts for it yet he gets the victory Vse 3 Thirdly It Reproves all that live not by Faith the Life of Mortification Conviction Reproof to 7 sort of persons 1. Such as rather make peace with sin than fight against it Though the Lord hath sworn that he will have war with this Amalek from generation to generation Exod. 17.16 What is this but to make a Covenant with Death and to be at an Agreement with Hell Isa 28.15 2. Such as in stead of fighting against sin fight for it See also Jer. 44.16 As the Sodomites for theirs Gen. 19. or the Benjamites in defence of theirs Judg. 20. or the Ephesians for their Diana Acts 19. Such take the Devils part and fight against Christ as the Dragon against Michael Rev. 12.7 3. Such as nourish and cherish their Sin as the countryman did the Snake till it sting them to death What Solomon sayes of one Sin may be said of all Prov. 23.32 At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder These are such as make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it Rom. 13. last 4. Such as seem Neuters in this Christian Warfare Though none are so indeed for all are either with Christ or against him But some seem Neuters as Laodicea Rev. 3.16 that is neither hot nor cold Double-minded men that are unstable in all their wayes Jam. 1.8 Such as the Lord will spew out of his mouth Why halt ye between two said Elijah 1 Kings 18.21 if Baal be God follow him if God be God follow him 5. Such as will chide and rate their Sins and themselves for their Sins as Saul did before David My Son I have done very foolishly and Pharaoh before Moses 1 Sam. 14.16 Exod 9.27 The Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked and Judas did before the High-Priest I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood and yet for all that they spare the life of them They had rather kill themselves than kill their Sins as Saul did and Judas also 6. Such as will restrain Sin or imprison it or binde it to its good-behavior or cast it so bound into a pit as Joseph was cast by his Brethren that the world may not see their wickedness Gen. 27.21 but they are resolved they will never kill it outright No but they plead for the life of it as Reuben pleaded for the life of his Brother Let us not kill him 2 Sam. 18.5 c. Or as David for Absolom Deal gently with the young man Just so men deal with their Sins they are kinde-hearted to their Sins but cruel to their Souls 7. Such as will whip and scourge their Sins and themselves for their Sins but spare the life of it As Papists do by their Fastings Pilgrimages and Scourgings and then presently give a new Indulgence to Sin As the worshippers of Baal cut themselves with knives and lancers 1 Kings 18. So these mortifie the outward man but the inward man is never pricked at the heart Alas it's easier to endure all outward torments than to mortifie one lust The sinner will endure any pain Job 2. so his sin may live Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now Sin is the very life of a sinner in his own apprehension dearer than his right hand or his right eye 8. Such as deal with their Sins as those Cutters in the 10 of Luke dealt with the Traveller between Jerusalem and Jericho wound them sore and leave
of God is grieved by the sins of his own people or else that Exhortation were needless Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption And if we grieve the Spirit of God be sure it will grieve our spirits it will make us glad to cry Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation Psal 51.12 And if we rejoyce the Spirit of Ged it will rejoyce ours Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me saith Wisdom so I rejoyce them that rejoyce me and what rejoyces Gods Spirit but purity of heart and life Prov. 11.20 The upright in the way are his delight So God dispenses peace to such Psal 85.8 It is God who will speak peace to his Saints to his sanctified ones 'T is true indeed a man cannot be sanctified before he be justified and so soon as he is justified he hath the ground-work of peace But the Word doth strongly infer That no man is justified but he is also sanctified at the same time And God is pleased to speak peace to none but such as he is pleased to sanctifie at the same instant when he first begins to speak peace unto them Well but what shall we say for after times May they then live as they list when God hath once spoken peace to their Souls No as ever they desire to keep it when they have it as they love their peace let them not again return to folly As much as to say If they be so foolish to turn again to their former sins God will turn again to his former displeasure of which he had spoken in the former verses Not that God will hate them or look at them as his enemies but they shall know for all that though God continues to be their Father yet a Father knows how to frown upon his children and how to come with a Rod in his hand if they once wax wanton under the expression of his love and favour Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Well then as ever thou desirest to live the Life of Consolation be sure to live the Life of Sanctification Though God do not dispense comfort for thy Sanctification yet he will never dispense it without Sanctification The water of Consolation must run in a clear channel Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God to their comfort Therefore as Faith purifies the heart Act. 15.9 so it comforts the heart And so the just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation Quest Yea but how shall I know I am sanctified that I may have the comfort of it Ans I answered to this in that precedent Chapter viz. Life of Faith in Sanctification Vid. supra Reas 5 5 Reason why the just lives by Faith the Life of Consolation it is Why Consolation comes by Faith Because by Faith a man reflects upon his own Sanctity and Sincerity he proves it and brings it to the touchstone and when he knows it is right he hath the comfort of it For as Faith purifies the heart and conscience so the conscience thus purified doth the office of a faithful examined Witness and Judge who upon examination gives in this Judgement Thou art sincere saith Conscience to the believing Soul thou art in the Faith Christ is thine and therefore thou hast cause to rejoyce 2 Cor. 1.12 For 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 and more abundant to you-wards Mark the ground of Paul's rejoycing was the reflect act of Faith in the testimony of his renewed conscience And lest any man should say This was a singular case 't is possible Paul might have ground of rejoycing upon the thorow examination of his own condition but ordinarily Christians cannot have the like Therefore the Apostle makes it a general case to all believers either they do or they ought to do so Gal. 6.4 But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another Mark this is the duty of every man that desires comfort of every man that is in the Faith Wouldst thou have comfort Then make use of thy Faith to the proving of thy self and the proving of thy work It may be thou thinkst thy Joy and Consolation must evidence thy good estate but the Word saith The evidence of thy good estate upon Proof and Trial must bring sound comfort if ever thou hast it upon good grounds Thy comfort must not be thy evidence Note but thy evidence must be thy comfort Now this is the proper act and evidence of Faith And so by Faith the just lives the Life of Consolation As for example the Word saith Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Even by this we know we are translated from death to life if we love the brethren 1 Joh. 3.4 But saith the conscience renewed by Faith I fear the Lord c. therefore I have cause to rejoyce Obj. Oh but these Marks and Evidences may fail you Ans Heaven and Earth shall pass but not one tittle of the Word shall fall Obj. But you may think you have these when you have them not Ans Therefore they are first to be tried by the Rule for their Principle and Existence Obj. If it be said You may think you have the witness and comfort of the Spirit when you have not Is there not a joy of the stony ground and of an hypocrite as well as the joy of a true Christian And is there not a peace from Satan in the heart as well as the peace of God Luk. 11.21 When the strong man armed keepeth the palace his goods are in peace Ans Oh but he that hath the true peace and joy in the holy Ghost cannot be deceived so he that hath the true fear of God and hunger c. cannot be deceived But of the two Note it is easier to be deceived in our Comforts than in our Graces Therefore the Scripture commands us to try our comforts by our graces but never to try our graces by our comforts as in the place before-alledged Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father It is true the first evidence of a Christians Justification in order of nature is a pure simple act of Faith laying hold on Gods free grace in a Promise indefinite made not to righteous persons but to sinners ungodlly persons and to enemies and to such as are simply so For God will strip a man of all conceits of his own Righteousness before he clothe him with the Righteousness of Christ But then the second evidence of Justification in order of nature though it be at the same instant in order of time
shall prove the gall of Asps in their belly Job 20.12 13 14. Though wickedness be sweet in the mouth though he hide it under his tongue yet his meat in his bowels is turned into the gall of Asps within him Obj. Oh but some may say Faithful persons experience tells us they are sometimes very uncomfortable what should be the reason of this or how comes this to pass that it is so with them Ans It springs from themselves Satan or from God Rise of the Sâ—s heaviness From themselves 1. Either from the Commission of some speciall Sin 2. The inordinate Aggravation of sin committed in some special case from Natural Constitution or Spiritual Câ—â—dition 3. Ignorance of the right way to attain assurance of forgiveness of sin 4. Not Acting their Faith though they have the habit of it 5. Their Forgetfulness of taking Christ on his own terms or that they have taken Christ upon such terms From themselves First from the committing of some special and notable sin 1. Sorrow from the commissioÌ„ of some sin God will not frown upon his Children for every weakness but if they commit some scandalous wickedness he will not onely frown but strike with the Rod also and make them cry Peccavi as it was with Peter and David and many of Gods chosen Such as will not be guided by the Light of the Sun of Righteousness shall not be warmed with the heat of it for the present but God will put his Face under a Cloud till they know how to injoy their Fathers smiles Isa 17.18 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wrath and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Cause 2. Inordinate aggravation of sin Secondly it falls out from the inordinate aggravation of sin committed It is the policy of Satan before the Commission of sin to lessen sin and magnifie mercy but after the Commission to magnifie sin and lessen mercy As Cain said My sin is greater than can be forgiven Yea sometimes believers themselves are over-taken with this Temptation Fain I would believe saith a poor Soul but I am so sinful so unworthy I cannot lay hold on the Promise and so the comfort is suspended But it were good for such to remember the grace of God is free Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance yea the greatest of sinners such as Paul Manasses Mary Magdalen c. No matter what the disease be if thou wilt come humbly to Christ the Physician of Souls And tell me when did he ever turn away any diseased person without cure He hath one Medicine of sufficient vertue to cure all diseases 1 Joh. 1.27 The Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Nothing but the Blood of Christ can cleanse from the least sin and the Blood of Christ can cleanse from the greatest But this is the second stop-Cock to the waters of Comfort immoderate aggravation of sin and too much poring upon our own unworthiness The third is Cause 3. Ignorance of forgiveness Ignorance of the right way to attain assurance of forgiveness of sin and of Gods favour conceiving the promises are onely made to such as do actually believe and thereupon they conclude against themselves No Promise can belong to them because they do not believe and upon that ground they should be kept from believing as long as they live Note For God doth not make a Promise to a man because he believes but a man believes because God makes a Promise Because we may believe Promises are laid as Foundations of Faith and not Faith laid as Foundations of Promises Now the Ignorance of this strips the Soul of comfort for a long time So the mistake of the Spirits witness whilst men take it to be some vocal Testimony and so wanting that they fall into no small perplexity not knowing that the fruits of the Spirit are sufficient evidences that we are led by the Spirit and are not under the Law Psal 5 18.22 But the mistake of this evidence doth much eclipse our Comfort The fourth Impediment of Comfort is Cause 4. Want oâ— acting Faith their not acting of Faith though they have the habit They forget the application of Gods faithful Word or of his faithful Works according to his Word to their present condition and then they must needs want comfort 1. In application of Gods faithful Word 1. The Application of his Faithful Word Heb. 12. The believing Jews were apt to faint in their minds and to be weary in the time of trial why so ver 5. They had forgotten the word of Exhortation which speaks to them as unto children Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him They had forgot the word of Exhortation and the word of Promise whereby God had ingaged himself to be as a Father to them in their greatest affliction and therefore they wanted comfort 2. In application of Gods faithful Works They forgot the Application of his Faithful Works according to his Word Mat. 16.17 The Disciples were very solicitous and careful about bread it troubled them much they had no more provision and what was the reason of it They had forgotten the application of his Faithful Works according to his word v. 9. Do ye not understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand c. So that the wanting of acting of our Faith in the Word and Works of God is the occasion of the the want of Comfort Cause 5. Overlooking the terms on which Christ is had Fifthly Their forgetfulness to take Christ on his own terms with the Cross and therefore when the Cross comes unlooked for they are troubled they are troubled out of measure and it may be they want inward comfort too and why so because Christ will not speak peace to a Soul till he makes it willing to take him upon Gospel-terms and that is with the Cross Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brother and Sister yea and his own Life too he cannot be my Disciple and whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me he cannot be my Disciple These are the Articles of Agreement betwixt Christ and the Soul these must be signed and observed before we can have comfort and we must remember them as we desire to retain our comfort for in case we forget them a little thing will offend us and throw our comforts off the hooks And thus sometimes the want of comfort in Gods People springs from themselves At other times it springs from Satan 2. From Satan who because he is miserable himself would fain make all others like himself But because he cannot hinder the happiness of Gods people therefore he will do
of the Lord may run and be glorified 2 Thess 3.1 Thus God glorifies his Word His Kingdom 5. God glorifies his Kingdom for what 's the honour of a King but the multitude of his Subjects Prov. 14.28 Now the Conversion of Souls is nothing else but the addition of so many Souls to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and this makes much for the honour of it Thy Kingdom come is the next Petition to Hallowed be thy Name to signifie that Gods Name is then most hallowed when his Kingdom is most enlarged David we know took not a little content in numbring of his People and surely the sin lay not so much in the bare numbring of them as in his carnal confidence in them We are sure Jesus Christ takes a great deal of content in the numbring of his Subjects he keeps a List and Roll of their Names No sooner is a Soul converted but presently his Name must be entred into the Church-book in the best sense Psal 87.4 5 6. This man was born there and of Zion it shall be said This and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shall stablish her her Charter is sealed by the King of Heaven The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people that this man was born there Selah Thus God glorifies his Kingdom The Conversion of Souls is such a Work as brings most glory to God 2. It brings most good to the Creature Secondly it is such a Work as brings most good to the Creature and that not onely to the creature converted but to many others also that have cause to rejoyce in their conversion 1. To the converted 1. To the Creature converted His Conversion is a means of his Salvation and that not of his Body onely but of his precious Soul also He that knows not how to prize a Soul let him weigh the price of a Soul in the Blood of Jesus Christ let him look upon Christ crying sweating bleeding dying and all to save Souls Now he that converts a sinner saves a soul saith S. James and he saves it from death from the first Death and from the second Death also Jam. Chap. 5. ver 20. Nay he restores such a Soul to life to a better life than ever the Creature enjoyed before and therefore it is said Prov. 11.30 The fruit of the righteous is as the Tree of Life and he that winneth Souls is wise Comparing such a man as makes it his work to convert Souls to the Tree of Life planted in the Garden of Paradise and that in many Particulars 1. Because it was Gods planting and grew not out of the Earth of its own accord So is a righteous man a piece of Gods special husbandry for true Grace grows not up in any by natural Propagation but is of Gods particular Plantation 2. Because it was more excellent than other Trees and therefore placed in the midst of the Garden So is the righteous more excellent than his neighhour Prov 12.26 whatever the world accounts of him 3. In regard of the fruit of it For 1. As that one Tree bare divers kinds of Fruits and bare those Fruits at all times of the year Rev. 22.2 So doth a righteous man he bears divers kinds of Fruits and that at all times Psal 106.3 2. As the Fruit of that Tree was a special means to preserve the life of those that took it therefore called The Tree of Life So is a righteous man a special means under God to preserve the Life of others and therefore also called a Tree of Life Vt supra The fruit of the Righteous is as the Tree of Life Nay in some respect it is more excellent than the Tree of Life in Paradise for that did but preserve a man from death so long as he continued in his uprightness but this hath power in the strength of Christ to raise up a sinner from the dead The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5.25 They shall live the most excellent life they shall so live as never to taste of the second death and therefore it is such a Work as brings most good to the creature converted Yea and Conversion brings good to others that see the Conversion It rejoyces 1. The Minister Secondly it brings good to many others also that have cause to rejoyce in their Conversion As 1. How doth it rejoyce him that under God is made an instrument of that happy work Solomon tells us no less than three or four times in the Proverbs that a wise Son maketh a glad Father Prov. 10.1 15.20 23.24 25. And if this be true in some sense of natural Parents and natural Wisdom how much more is it true of Spiritual Parents and Spiritual Wisdom If the natural Parent so soon forgetteth all her sorrow Joh. 16.21 for joy that a man-childe is born into the world how much more do Spiritual Parents whom God makes Instruments of the New-birth forget all their sorrow whilst they were labouring and wrestling with God by Prayers and Tears many years together for the Conversion of such a poor Soul I say how much more doth such an one forget all his sorrow and rejoyce with exceeding great gladness for joy that a Spiritual childe is born and brought forth into the Kingdom of God How doth the Apostle rejoyce to call Timothy his natural Son in the faith and to call the converted Philippians his dearly beloved and longed for his joy and crown of rejoycing in the Lord Phil. 4.1 Never did natural Parents rejoyce more in their natural children than Spiritual Parents do rejoyce in their Spiritual children And if God would please so to bless my Labours this day as to make me a poor Instrument of begetting one Soul to Jesus Christ I should think it an hour well spent I should have cause to bless God to all Eternity for this days work O remember I beseech you remember whilst you stout it and stand it out against God as you grieve the Spirit of God so you grieve the Spirits of your Ministers that desire to be faithful you compel them to give up their accounts with grief and not with joy Heb. 13.17 But when you come in and believe and obey they can say with S. John in Ep. 3. v. 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the Truth to hear that such an one that was awhile ago an enemy to God and all goodness is now made a friend a favourite a childe For indeed Conversion brings a great blessing to the instrument this is such a work as brings a great Blessing along with it And that 1. From God Mat. 5.9 Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God and surely if they that make peace betwixt man and man much more they that make peace betwixt God and man betwixt God and the
a respect and honour due to all those that labour in the Conversion of Souls as private Christians by their private Admonitions Exhortations Counsels Prayers c. wherein they may be singularly helpful to the Ministers of God But principally this is due to those whose peculiar work and calling it is to convert Souls to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Thess 4 8. Vse 2 Vse 2. of Reproof Reproof of Secondly this Reproves many If the Conversion of Souls be such an excellent Work then it Reproves 1 Them that slight this work First Such as slight this Work and make no account of it as if it were not worth the while to Convert Souls 1 Sort. 1. Such as Cloister up themselves in a solitary Monastical life as a state of greater perfection Though they profess the Faith yet they bring forth little fruits of it they are all for Contemplation little for Action all for themselves little for others in the propagation of the Faith Let others sink or swim all 's one to them So they may save their own Souls they care little what becomes of others Gen. 4. But this is not the voice of Faith to say Am I my Brothers keeper 2 Sort. 2. Such are to blame who though they have many opportunities in regard of their frequent converse with men yet they take not those advantages to win Souls They can compass Sea and Land and take all possible advantages to win Proselytes and to win disciples to themselves to win men to their Opinions but not to win them to the Faith to win wealth and to win friends and to win credit and honour but not to win Souls How many of these whilst they seem to lay siege against a sinner make use onely of such carnal weapons of humane Eloquence and fleshly Wisdom whereby they take onely the out-works of mens fancies to win them to themselves but never use such weapons as strike to the heart and conscience and are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.2 to the pulling down of strong holds and to the taking of the Castle of their Hearts to win them to Jesus Christ All that labour is but vain that tends not to the Conversion of Souls Secondly 2. Them that strive not to win Souls by such means as God hath appointed it Reproves such as strive not to win others to the Faith by fair means or by such means as God hath appointed Gen. 9.27 but force them to the Faith by fear and terror Indeed they rather force them from the Faith than to the Faith Fides non cogitur Faith cannot be forced when we have done all we can Fire and Faggot are Arguments from Rome and Argumets from Hell rather than from Heaven To devote Hereticks as They call them to destruction because they believe not is an argument of a strange spirit You read Luk. 9.54 because the Samaritans would not receive Jesus Christ presently the Disciples James and John were fire and towe against them nothing will serve their turn but that fire must immediately come down from heaven to consume them But in stead of incouragement they meet with a check from Christ ver 55. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Certainly they are of strange spirits that would send men quick to Hell because they will not be perswaded to go in their way to heaven But this is the way to destroy Souls and not to save them 3. Them that neglect this duty Thirdly It Reproves such as do utterly neglect this great duty of winning Souls unto God And surely if they are wise that labour to win Souls they must needs be fools that do wittingly and willingly neglect it And yet many such there are in the world such as never speak a word from one end of the year to another to their Neighbors or to their Friends nay hardly to their Children Servants or Yoke-fellows to draw their Souls to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ O cruel Husbands and cruel Fathers may such Wives and such Children say as Zipporah said to Moses A bloody husband hast thou been to me And surely if he that hath power to save a man from temporal death and doth not is no better than a murtherer Then he that for ought be knows might save a man from Spiritual and Eternal death and doth not use the means in the compass of his Calling he is no better than a Soul-murtherer in the sight of God His blood says God will I require at thy hands thy life shall go for his life and thy soul for his soul Ezek. 33.7 8. 4. Them that pervert from the Faith Fourthly and lastly Much more then are they to be Reproved who are so far from converting others to the Faith that they do what they can to pervert them In stead of drawing others to God they drive them from God and if they draw them any ways they draw them farther into sin Such men as they do the very office of the Devil himself Look as those that win Souls to God are fellow-workers with God so those that destroy Souls are no better than fellow-workers with the Devil they are Tempters under him and act the Devils part Prov. 1.11 Come say they let us lay wait for blood let us lurk privily for the innocent without a cause c. Cast in thy lot among us and let us all have one purse Such men as these think it not enough to be Thieves and Drunkards and Adulterers and Blasphemers and Contemners of Gods Ordinances themselves but do what they can to draw others to the same sins and to make them sevenfold more the children of Satan than themselves What are your own sins too light that you do thus cry for more weight not to ease your pain but to increase it for such as are partakers of other mens sins shall certainly be partakers of other mens judgements Rev. 18.4 Oh! that there should be such an itch in this Spiritual Plague-sore to infect others to make them as sinful and as miserable as themselves O hear and fear and tremble thou that makest it thy work to tempt others so sin against God For if they shall not escape that have not furthered the Salvation of others where shalt thou appear that hast furthered the damnation of others and sent them post to Hell I say where shalt thou appear unless thou repent and be deeply humbled for this thy superlative wickedness And surely if ever thou dost repent thou wilt be ready to admonish thy fellow-Drunkard or Adulterer or Blasphemer that they may become partners with thee in thy Repentance that have been partners with thee in thy sin The
and also for the opening of the heart by working upon the affections Vse 5 Vse 5. Exhortation to the People To People twofold 1. To be willing to be wrought upon and to be converted 2. To be willing to attend upon such means as is most proper for the effecting of that great Work 1. To be willing to be wrought upon First To be willing to be wrought upon and to be converted For if it be such an excellent thing to be an Instrument of others Conversion then it must needs be excellent to be converted O remember the vast difference betwixt a man in the state of Nature and in the state of Grace betwixt a man converted and unconverted O remember whilst you are unconverted you are in a state of Darkness Enmity Death But when once converted in a state of Light Peace Life Motives 1. When ye are unconverted ye are in a state of Darkness Eph. 5.8 Once darkness c. 1. Darkness of Ignorance Ephes 4.18 Alas they know nothing 1. Of themselves and their miserable condition by nature Rev 3.17 I counsel thee to buy of me eye-salve c. 2. Of Christ in a Soul-saving way Ephes 2.12 Without Christ c. 2. Darkness of Sorrow at least when unconverted persons lie down in the Grave Isa 50. last They shall lie down in sorrow 2. In a state of Enmity Ephes 2.3 Children of wrath as well as others Joh. 3.36 God is an enemy to unbelievers and to be sure they are enemies to God Rom. 8.6 7. The carnal minde is enmity against God c. O what a dangerous condition this is It were better to have all the world enemies to us than God Remember what God saith Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee 3. In a state of Death Ephes 2.1 Dead in sin and liable to death for sin to a first death and a second death and this of all terribles is the most terrible But secondly when once converted thou art in a state of Light Peace Life Mal. 4.2 1. In a state of Light Ephes 5 8. Ye were once darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. The Sun of righteousness doth arise with healing in his wings Healing the darkness of Ignorance Sorrow True Light and Heat come both together 2. In a state of Peace Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God It is better to have God to be our friend than to have all the world beside 3. In a state of Life Luke 15. last This thy brother was dead and is alive And thus the just lives by his Faith the most excellent life that can be desired Therefore come in and be willing to be wrought upon c. Obj. If you shall say as they in Jeremy There is no hope I am so great a sinner God will never shew mercy to me It were presumption for me to offer to lay hold on the Promise Answ Look to the Pattern of great sinners converted on purpose to incourage others to come in to Christ Did Manasses or Mary Magdalen or Paul presume when they did believe 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer a persecutor injurious c. and v. 16. How be it for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe Onely be humbled for thy sins and accept of Christs Righteousness go not about to establish thine own Rom. 10.3 Remember As no man is accepted for his own Righteousness but Christs So no man is rejected for his own unrighteousness but for his final impenitency and unbelief Therefore be perswaded to come in Accept of mercy while God offers mercy Do not draw back when God is drawing of you I hope you have some good thoughts Act. 26. some good desires in your hearts You are almost perswaded O be not onely almost but altogether Perhaps some of you are even upon the very pangs of the New-birth O let not Spiritual difficulties cause you to draw back as Ephraim did Hos 13.13 O strive O pray The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence O be earnest with God and bemoan your backwardness Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephaim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Pray God to open the everlasting doors c. Psal 24 ult O yield to God when he perswadeth when he beseecheth When Christ and Satan are Suitors and Competitors do not put off Christ and yield to Satan Be not cruel to your own flesh and enemies to your own Souls Remember how you rejoyce Angels The Churches Christ himself Your own Hearts Therefore be perswaded c. Secondly 2. To be willing to attend upon such means as are proper Be willing to attend upon such means as are most proper for the effecting of that great Work To attend upon a Soul-saving Ministery God complains by the Prophet Jeremy that as the false Prophets did Prophecy smooth things and false things so his People did love to have it so Jer. 5 last That same Athenian itch in the people to hear some new strange thing Act. 17. doth too often draw forth an Athenian scratch from the speaker to tell what they so much desire to hear Act. 17.21 But 't is wisdom in both to be conversant in the pattern of wholesom words To give and receive that Spiritual food which may not so much please the palate as nourish the person to Life Eternal Doubtless he preaches best and he hears best that preaches and hears to the Salvation of the Soul Many thousand Souls in heaven shall bless God for ever for the plain and powerful preaching of the Word And many thousand Souls in hell shall complain to all Eternity that their hurt was soon healed and skinned over with silken language and soft words as the Prophet Jeremy speaks Vse 6 Vse 6. Of Thankfulness Of Thankfulness Of Thankfulness in case 1. We our selves are converted 2. If any by us or by our means be converted 1. If we be converted our selves First if the conversion of Souls be such an excellent Work Be thankful if we our selves be converted 1 Tim. 1.13 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever This shout of Praise follows upon the acknowledgement of Pauls Conversion and it were easie to shew how those Attributes have an influence on Conversion Eternity is little enough to praise God for such a Mercy Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in heaven Psal 33.34 Sing unto him a new song play skilfully with a loud noise for the word of the Lord is right and all his works are done in truth This for
conversion of souls 1 Cor. 3.5 6. Who is Paul and who is Apollo but the ministers bâ—y whom ye believe Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God along that giveth the increase If God therefore be the strength of his servants in the conversion of souls there is good reason he should be their Praise we have cause to bless God if any rise up and call us blessed we might have been so far left to partake in other mens sins that others might have risen up and called us cursed Vse 7 Therefore let God have all the glory if any of us have been made instruments of the conversion of any Thus Paul 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath inabled me for that he hath counted me faithful putting me into the ministry Of comforts to them that are Instruments of others Conversion Vse 7. Of Comfort Comfort to those that are instruments of others conversion in the midst of all discomforts they meet withall from the world for to that end as we told you in the beginning is this argument brought Be it so that those that perform this Spiritual piece of service for God and the Church in the conversion of Souls do meet with more than ordinary opposition and contempt from the world yet let this be their comfort their reward and encouragement from God is more than ordinary What if stones fly about Stevens ears upon earth so long as heaven is opened to him and he can see the glory of God Acts 7.56 and Jesus standing at the right hand of God this makes amends for all And truly this Text is as the opening of Heaven to those that labour in the conversion of Souls It may be the lot of such to be made with the Apostles the very filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4.13 But what of that the more they suffer the more they shall be glorified The adversaries Reproaches shall be turned into Crowns of Glory and therefore they may say with Job 31.31 If mine adversary should write a book against me yet would I take it and binde it as a Crown upon my head This therefore I say may be matter of comfort against all that discomfort which the Ministers of God meet withall I plead not for all that are called by that Name who wear a garment or a name to deceive who prophecy of wine and strong drink who seek themselves and seek the fleece more than the good of the flock Let such bear their own burthen But I speak of such as are faithful and seek the things of Jesus Christ Let wicked men spit out their gall and spleen against Gods faithful Messengers Let them rail and revile and cast dirt upon their faces c. God himself shall undertake to wipe away all reproaches and all their tears when shame everlasting shame shall cover their adversaries Then they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever THE EPILOGUE OR A Pathetical Conclusion of the whole Work THus you see how such as live by Faith themselves should labour to convert others to the Faith And thus have we done through Gods grace assisting with this whole Subject of Faith I have now but two Requests to make unto you by way of Conclusion the one is that I may obtain the help of your Prayers that I may be enabled from God to hold forth by Pattern what I have so long held forth by Precept in the Life of Faith whatever Trials should come And the other is That you would be perswaded to follow after in walking according to the Rule that hath been set before you That what hath been spoken may be prest and imprinted upon your hearts by the Spirit of the living God You have heard much of Faith in my Reverend Predecessors time as appeareth by what is left upon Record and God hath directed me to strike upon the same Nail I may say as many years together as I intended days at the first But he that multiplied the barley loaves and the broken meat was pleased in the dividing and distributing of this Subject of Faith to multiply my Meditations far beyond my first intentions I heartily desire this 〈◊〉 be the fruit of my poor labours That when I have done preaching of this Subject you may so begin and continue to practise what hath been taught that your life may be a living by Faith and a perpetual Commentary upon the Text. And Oh that I could perswade you to live this Life of Faith before you lay down this Life of Nature or else you die and die for ever And do not say thus within your selves I 'll do it the next Year Moneth Day How many Scores yea hundreds have been cut off by Death since we began to speak of this Life of Faith And it may be many of them thought themselves as likely to live as any of us and it may be they were so indeed in the course of Nature But remember our Times are in Gods hands and not in our own And therefore let us put our hearts into his hands also that he may fit us for our times how long or how short soever our lives may prove Some have said I have been too long upon this matter of Faith but I confess they were some such as heard me not and therefore I do the less respect what they say because they speak evil of the things they heard not and therefore of the things they know not It hath been some encouragement and an Argument of Blessing that such as were usual hearers have not been tired out as hath appeared by these days assemblies compared with the other Lecture-day But I beseech you be you Believers and doers of this word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves Jam. 1. Else I shall have cause to complain I have not stood long enough upon this Subject For that is never sufficiently taught that is not sufficiently learnt and put in practise My hearts desire and Prayer to God for Ipswich is That as they have heard much of Faith so they might live by it as much that whilst our Neighbors look upon us and mark our steps they may not see in this Town here a company living by Sense and there another living by Wits Shifts and Projects and a third living upon their Lusts and a fourth upon their unrighteous Mammon and a fifth upon their Self-righteousness and so the rest But we might so generally live by Faith through the grace of God that I might have cause to glory of you as the Apostle doth of the Romans Chap. 1.8 I thank my God through Jesus Christ that your Faith is spoken of in all places However in the mean time I bless God that I have found some fruits of my weak endevours in helping any to set their faces Sion-ward who have