in shew but false in heart p. 279 Here are further to bee discovered foure sorts of Hypocrites 1 There is a whining Hypocrite p. 280 2 The wrangling Hypocrite p. 280 3 The glorious Hypocrite p. 280 4 The presumptuous Hypocrite p. 280 We are now come to the worke of the will p. 283 Doctrine VIII The will of a poore sinner humbled and inlightned comes to be effectually perswaded by the Spirit of the Father to rest upon the freenesse of God in Christ that it may be interested therein p. 284 The opening of this Doctrine consisteth in 4 particulars Particular I. That this worke must be in an heart humbled and enlightned p. 285 Particular II. The will must be effectually perswaded by the Spirit of the Father p. 287 Particular III. By the power of this perswasion it casteth it selfe upon the rich grace free mercy of God in Christ p. 295 Now this resting of the soule upon the rich grace of God in Christ discovereth it selfe in a 5. fold Act. Act I. It doth imply a going out of the soule to Christ that the soule runs and reacheth after a Christ p. 296 Act II. Of resting is this it layeth fast hold upon Christ p. 298 Act III. Of resting is this it flings the weight of all his occasions and troubles upon Christ p. 302 Act IV. Of resting and reposing is this it doth draw vertue and derive power from the Lord Iesus Christ for succour and supply p. 305 Faith doth draw vertue from Christ by a three-fold Act. p. 307 Act I. Is this Faith doth appropriate and apply the promise to it selfe in particular ibid. Act II. Faith doth jog the hand of God and sets Gods power on worke p. 309 Act III. Faith urgeth God with his owne Word and presseth Gods promise and challengeth God on his faithfulnesse and truth not to be wanting unto him for the acceptation of his Person and the pardon of his sinnes p. 311 Act V. Of resting is this it doth leave the soule with the promise p. 312 Particular IV. Is the finall cause why it doth rest that it may be interested into all the good that is in the promise and to have supply of all Spirituall wants from the promise p. 315 The Spirituall wants of the soule which faith doth supply are of 3. sorts p. 316 Sort I. Of Spirituall wants are these that the soule is gone away from God and is estranged to God now faith bringeth the soule againe to God ibid. Want II. Is this the soule being departed from God hence the soule is deprived of all good grace and life now faith doth not onely bring a sinner to God but it doth communicate from God to a sinner p. 320 Want III. Is this the heart is fearfull lest it should lose that grace now faith it is that doth keepe a man grace p. 322 Question How doth the soule come to beleeve Answer There are three things in the promise where by the will of man is drawne to beleeve p. 327 Motive I. Is the All-sufficiencie of the freenesse of Gods love p. 328 Motive II. Is this that this mercy is intended for thee p. 329 Motive III. Is this that God doth earnestly desire thee to come and to take this mercy p. 330 Use I. Of information that saving faith is no part of that holinesse which Adam had nor no part of that Image to which wee are restored by Sanctification p. 335 Use II. â—t is an use of terrour to all that still remaine in unbeleefe p. 349 The fearfulnesse of this sinne of unbeleefe is laid open in foure Particulars p. 352 Particular I. Because unbeleefe it doth keepe off the riches of mercies from the soule that are in Christ that it cannot enjoy them p. 352 Particular II. Vnbeleefe it doth make all meanes to be unprofitable p. 356 Particular III. Vnbeleefe all sinne in the strength and power of it in the heart of a sinner p. 361 Particular IV. Vnbeleefe maketh the soule of a sinner to be in a desperate case and condition p. 366 The danger of unbeleefe doth appeare in these three Particulars p. 369 Particular I. Consider it seriously that whatsoever thou dost so long as thou art an unbeleever it is all unprofitable and to no purpose at all p. 369 Particular II. All the good things an unbeleever doth enjoy will prove uncomfortable p. 370 Particular III. Vnbeleefe is the breeder and maintainer of all the rest of the sinnes of an unbeleever p. 371 Use III. It is a collection concerning the difficultie of the worke of faith that the worke of faith is beyond the reach of all created power p. 374 Use IV. It is to shew the benefits that come by faith to the soule p. 390 What these benefits are in particular vid. p. 394. and p. 396 Use V. It is an use of consolation and great comfort to all the servants of God that through his mercy have received this grace p. 416 The knowledge of true saving faith from a false faith appeareth in these three trials p. 423 Triall I. Is this observe the root and rise of thy faith the cause by which thy faith was wrought and from whence it came p. 423 Triall II. Observe whether thy faith doth make choice wholly of Christ and doth resolve to match with Christ only p. 428 Triall III. Observe whether thy faith doth beare it selfe upon the promise in all its extremities and is satisfied with it p. 431 Use VI. It is a word of reproofe against all those that never yeâ— were made partakers of the blessed worke of grace p. 434 Most that live in the bosome of the Church want saving faith p. 437 The reasons of it vid. p. 440 There bee foure sorts in particular that have no faith p. 446 Sort I. The ignorant persons p. 447 Sort II. The carnall Gospellers that doe live scandalously and trade in their wickednesse p. 450 Sort III. The meere civilized or judicious professours that beare up themselves much upon their owne wisdome and judgement p. 455 Sort IV. The counterfeit that have a forged kinde of false faith they have their alcumie faith p. 464 Of these counterfeit beleevers there are three sorts p. 465 Sort I. The first sort of counterfeit beleevers are the temporarie beleevers p. 465 Sort II. The second sort of counterfeit beleevers are the sturdy hypocrites p. 483. Sort III. The third sort of counterfeits are the shifting stately hypocrites p. 500 Use VII It is an use of exhortation to desire you to labour to get this grace of faith p. 515 The hinderances of faith are of two sorts some are reall hinderances that doe hinder the soule from Christ others doe not hinder the soules interest in Christ p. 519 The reall hinderances are foure p. 520 The hinderances that doe not hinder the title to a Christ are three in particular p. 538 Sort I. The first kinde of seeming hinderances are those discouragements which oppresse the soule through carnall reasoning p.
may say on which faith stands and whereby it is able to rest it selfe upon the promise Thirdly the nature and forme of faith is this the reposing of the soule upon the Lord and his speciall favour so reported for the ground why any man goes to God is because he was effectually perswaded of and also affected with the goodnesse of God as it is with some outlawed traitour he dares not goe to the court unlesse he will goe to his ruine because hee knowes there is nothing expected but cruell execution but if once he come to see his pardon sealed under the broad seale and that there is some hope of mercy then hee willingly goes to the court what was the ground of his going home even this because hee was effectually perswaded that the King had a favour to him so it is with an humbled sinner humbled in the fight of his sinne and broken because of his Lords displeasure against him and when the soule hath this certification from tâ—e hand of the Spirit that the Lord intends good to him then the soule goeth and saith Lord I durst not have beene here but that I have heard thou art a mercifull God And lastly the finall cause of faith is this the soule comes to be fitted with all good according to is necessity Object But some may say I heare nothing of the beleevâ—r all this while it seemes he doth nothing if the Spirit bee the efficient cause and if the Spirit workes it and makes the soule able to worke upon Gods free grace and if the Spirit be the finall cause of all then the beleever doth nothing c. Answ This worke of beleeving is a worke of the Spirit upon the soule rather than any worke wrought by the soule or issuing from any principle which the soule hath in it selfe as it is with an eccho when God saith thy sinnes are pardoned thy person accepted faith sounds againe my sinnes pardoned my person accepted good Lord let it be so then this perswades the heart and that marvellously to rest it selfe there for all good but it is done upon the soule rather than by the soule as Phil. 3.12 we are said To be comprehended of God and not to comprehend God so we know God because we are knowne of him now give mee leave in a word to describe the cause of it what it is in the promise that thus effectually perswades the heart that it may beleeve and herein I will goe no further than the promise and therein shew the motives in the promise and how the heart comes to beleeve and these will discover the reason of the point There are three things in a promise 3. Things in a promise whereby the will of man is drawne to beleeve First the all-sufficiency of the freenesse of Gods favour that is an admirable cause to perswade the heart to come on cheerefully it is the speciall prerogative of the promise to answer the soule wholly in all the desires of it nothing under heaven doth or can doe this but the promise haply a man desires wealth and when hee hath it this cannot make him honourable and the ambitious man desires honours and when hee hath them they cannot make him rich so each thing of it selfe hath but a particular helpe but the promise hath all-sufficiency to answer all the heart would have the will of a man naturally desires good and so consequently all good now the promise hath all good in it as in that place open thy mouth wide and I will fill it there is a fulnesse in the promise to answer all the pantings and desires of the soule thou saist thou art a poore dead sluggish creature and the promise calls upon thee as the Angel did and saith come hither and here is life that will quicken thee and thou art a weake creature come hither saith the promise and I have grace to make thee strong and thou art a damned creature come hither then saith the promise here is mercy to pardon all sinnes of all kindes the consideration of the rich provision in his fathers house carried the prodigall home so there is mercy grace pardon comfort enough in the promise you poore hungerbitten sinner away away away for shame to that enough of the promise and there refresh your selves for ever it is that which Elisha said to Naaman 2 King 5.8 Let him come hither and he shall know that there is a God in Israel and that there is a healing God though not a helping King so the promise saith to every fainting languishing and leprous soule if thou art a truly humbled heart and art sick of thy sinnes and even drawing on to despaire and all thy prayers and dayes cannot prevaile nor doe thee good but still thy sinnes thy sorrowes thy corruptions prevaile and thy condemnation sleepes not but is drawing on apace upon thy soule now see what the promise saith let him come hither and he shall know that there is a God in Israel that is able to cure all and to loose him from all his corruptions Object Oh but saith one I confesse there is enough in the promise to be had but what is that to me if the Lord intend it not to my good Ans 2 Thou being humbled and broken hearted God doth seriously intend it for thy good and on Gods part there is nothing to hinder thee from it it is not more cleare that the promise is all sufficient then it is certaine the Lord intends it for thee if thou beest humbled God sent his Sonne to save thee Esa 61.1 Christ came to binde up the broken hearted and to comfort all that mourne Iohn 12.47 God sent not his Sonne to condemne the world c. Nay Christ being sent of his Father freely came to this end 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners that is humbled and broken and meeke hearted sinners and not some of them neither but all that are broken hearted and all that are lost sinners but never a proud stout-hearted and sturddy sinner under heaven hee came not to call the righteous that is those that trust to their owne righteousnesse but sinners to repentance Nay God doth earnestly desire thee to come and take this mercy ho every one that will let him come to the waters of life c. and behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any will open c. and the Lord intreateth you to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and be that commeth I will in no wise cast away Ioh. 6.37 the originall saith cast away no no thou poore distressed soule though thou art never so meane in parts or gâ—fts or never so much distressed in the world though thou weare a leatherne pelt and though haply great men may despise thy society yet the Lord Jesus Christ will not cast thee away thou mayst cast away thine owne comfort if thou wilt through thy pride
by the spirit of the Lord this discovers how faith brings in a new soule and a spirituall life into the soule by the glory of the Lord is meant the glorious attributes of the Lord as his holinesse justice righteousnesse patience c. by the glasse is meant the Lord Jesus Christ as a mâ—â—â— face is seene in a glasse so all the attributes of the Lord are cleerly seene as in a glasse in the Lord Jesus Christ now how doe wee behold them 〈◊〉 him the heart being made to beleeve by faith it lookes upon the Lord Jesus Christ and in hiâ— seeth all these graces and what followes thereby we are changed that is we are transformed from one degree of glorious grace to another Jesus Christ God and man hath all graces in himselfe now by faith the soule eyes the Lord Jesus Christ and then answerably it receives grace for grace eying his patience by the self-same spirit it is made patient and eying the holinesse of God by the self-same spirit it is made holy and eying the meeknesse of Christ by the self-same spirit it is made so thus the soule looking upon the glorious grace of Christ it receives graâ—â— for grace if thou wouldst be patient see that by faith in Christ and by that spirit of patience iâ— Christ that it imprint the like grace upon thâ— soule and it will doe it Want 3 In the supply of this third want appeares the excellencie of this worke of faith the heart of 〈◊〉 poore sinner being friends with God and having received grace from God it is marvellous fearfull lest it should lose that grace that it hath and not bee able to maintaine that stock which God hath put into his hands this is a great want and it was in Adam he had a faire state and lost all and undid himselfe and his posterity too now the soule feares this but faith steps in and lends succour herein as thus faith maintaines a continuall influence of Gods grace and power into the soule upon all occasions so that howsoever many wants and weaknesses may bee in the soule faith goes to heaven and brings new succour upon all occasions to releeve it this is the maine difference betweene the first and second covenant Adam had the stock in his owne hands and the fountaine and roots of it was in himselfe yet howsoever it is true a mans grace is weake and would come to nothing and may easily bee overcome and yet the fountaine of grace and goodnesse that is in Christ will never be drawne dry and faith goes to that daily and so drawes supply and succour and from hence it is that faith is called the protectour of all graces Ephes 6.16 there faith is called a shield now the nature of a shield is this It not only covers the body but all the armour of the body so faith not only covers the soule but all the graces of the soule and succours them all and it is not only the protectour of all graces but it is also a victorious conquerour in the behalfe of graces so 1 Ioh. 5.4 This is your victorie even faith so that faith makes a Christian soule a conquerour and keepes him safe and sure now it is true indeed that mans corruption is too strong for his owne grace in himselfe and his temptations are too strong for all his spirituall abilities in himselfe yet faith goes for nâ—â— power and might from Christ and with this might and power from Christ makes him strong as Ephes 6.10 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 2 Tim. 2.1 My sonne be strong in the grace that is in Iesus Christ hee doth not say bee strong in the grace that is in thy selfe but in the Lord Christ as for instance thou hast many pâ—â—vocations to kindle thy patience and choler and many occasions to injurious dealings and thâ—â— hast an impatient and peevish heart of thiâ—e owne too now these corruptions are too strong for this patience yet faith saith I will be strong by that might and power of that patience which is in Christ and that subdues all impatience and beares all injuries and faith brings that patience in Christ and makes the soule strong with that patience hence we are said to be preserved through faith unto salvation faith keepes the soule to God and God keepes faith and soule and all so that it is the power of God by the meanes of faith clasping the soule to God you that are weake Christian consider this you complaine that you are so proud and peevish that you cannot subdue these corruptions now set faith on worke and that will make you strong in Christ and make you able to stand against all temptations and occasions as it is in the naturall frame of a man the Philosophers and Physitians observe these two passages in it there is not only a soule and a body in a man but there is an heavenly heat and a naturall spirit either animall or vitall that lyes and knits the soule and the body together â—nd looke how strong this is so strong is the boâ—y but if this band bee once broken the body â—omes to nothing just so it is with the soule God himselfe is the soule of this soule I meane Gods free grace in Christ the heavenly heat and â—pirituall spirit and the bloud that bindes God â—nd the soule together is faith and whiles this â—aith holds a mans good condition holds even for â—ver I conclude with that of the Apostle â— Corin. 1.24 where hee saith by faith you stand it is faith that gives foot-hold to all graces we have weake patience but faith gives patience strength and foot-hold for it goes our to the Lord Jesus and receives sap and life from him whereby every grace comes to flourish in the soule 1 Pet. 1.9 Receive the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules as if he had said faith will be with you upon all occasions in temptations and distempers of heart and doe you service â—nd goe to Christ for strength and power and uphold you till it hath brought you into heaven â—nd shut the gates upon you and if you cannot â—hift for your selves there then perish this faith puts a man into possession of everlasting happinesse and never leaves him till then this faith furnisheth the soule with a supply in spirituall wants Now to summe up the point 4. Causes of faith take notice of the â—ength and breadth of this blessed grace of faith that you may see how it is made up of the causes which are foure First the next principle and the efficient cause of faith is the Spirit of God undeniably reporting this favour of God unto the soule this is that which workes faith and the hand from whence it comes Secondly the matter of which faith is minted is this it is effectually perswaded of and affected with this goodnesse of the Lord thus reported this is the firme earth as I
Adam could not seeke to another for a principle of life for hee had it in himselfe neither was â—t sinne in him for the Angels themselves doe not beleeve in Christ neither is it required of them Againe Adam had a kinde of trust and confidence in God but not this trust nor this faith but it was this so farre as the creature beâ—ng a second cause should stay and move it selfe according to the first cause and to concurre with the first cause unto any worke This Adam had â—nd the Angels have it in Heaven which beleeve not in Christ The blessed Angels have a power spirituall in themselves and they say that all power is firstly in God and that he doth governe them and all the Heavens too and stay themselves upon God firstly and so co-worke with God but this is farre different from saying thus the Angels stay themselves first upon God as being the first cause of all created substances and to goe to God to fetch a principle of life from God these are contraries Object 3 The maine objection of all is this If say they Adam never had power to beleeve and so beleeving in Christ was not in the state of his innocency then why doth God condemne 〈◊〉 for not beleeving seeing they have not this power and Adam had it not It is all the difficulty that lies upon the point The answer is plaine open and naked and therefore I answer it by distinction thus Answ 3 Infidelity and not beleeving doth imply two things thus the first is the meer want of the power of faith and the absence of ability to rest upon another and to fetch the principle of grace from another neither the Law nor the Gospell nor God himselfe doth condemne thee for this nay the Gospell doth not require this that a man should have power of himselfe to beleeve not God doth not require it but the promise breeds faith and feeds faith it begets faith and continues faith in the soules of all those that have it and this is all that God would have that the soule of a poore sinner should be contented to taked from him and bee under the Spirit that would inable him to beleeve and to goe to him for the which may make him beleeve that hee might be made strong in the power of the might of Jesus Christ as in that place of the Ephesians the Gospell saith thou art a poore miserable sinner her is mercy only be contented that I should worke upon thee for thy good and convey mercie to thee so that the bare want is not the cause why God doth condemne a man the Angels in heaven this day have not this saving faith and yet there is no sinne in them againe besides 〈◊〉 are want of this confidence there is an aversnes â—f heart and a crossenesse of soule to the meanes of grace and the Gospell and against the Spirit â—f grace that would worke faith and draw my â—â—ule out of my sinne and plucke my soule to my â—aviour 〈◊〉 sinfull soule is fastned to his folly and â—ettled upon his base corruptions and hee rests here with a kinde of resolution not to goe off â—om his distempers and he will hold his corrupâ—ons and maintaine his lusts so that when merâ—e is offered he saith I will not have mercie but â—y sinne and the Spirit of God shall not plucke â—y corruptions from mee but I will have my â—nne rather than a Christ thought I perish for it â—is resisting against the meanes of grace the proâ—ise and mercie and the most blessed Spirit of â—â—ace this flowes from originall corruption and â—â—refore Adam never had this and comming â—om sinne and being a fruit of sinne a man shall â—nd must justly bee condemned for it though â—dam had not faith yet he would not have oppoâ—d the Spirit of grace it would have wrought â—pon him this is the infidelitie which the Scripâ—ure so often makes mention of because the â—eart is proud and sturdy and setled upon his â—es and saith What shall Jesus Christ come to â—fer me grace and to plucke away my sinnes and â—rruptions and to give mee grace I will none 〈◊〉 this Christ not I if thou doest want grace beâ—use thou hast resisted grace thou art justly to â—e condemned as a sinner this is the whole â—urse of Scripture Ioh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse better than light because their wayes are evil that is they love their sinne lusts and corruptions and chuse them and fasten to them and will have them and will not have a Christ this is the ruine of a sinner and this is the infidelity which the Lord speakes of and this is nothing else but the resisting the grace and mercie which would worke grace in him and this is properly unbeleefe to see how unbeleefe bankes the way to heaven a man that is a covetous wretch close hearted the word reveales this and condemnes this and saith hee I will not forsake the world and the adulterer saith I will not forsake my lusts and the drunkard faith I will not forsake my companions hee is staked downe to his corruptions so that all the Angels in heaven and all the promisses of the Gospell cannot perswade him to forsake his corruptions but he is staked downe to his corruptions and hugs them and saith I will hug my sinne in despire of all the world and God himselfe this is a cursed fruit of originall corruption this is sinfull and fearfull and a man is justly condemned for it so then no man is condemned for want of power to beleeve but because he resists grace and mercie and will not receive power to beleeve Thirdly now I come to show how the Lord workes upon the heart this is easie for all of you to apprehend and you may the better see the order of Gods worke if yee observe these foure rules the maine weight lies upon the third and the fourth therefore we will onely propound the two former to make way for the rest First when God comes to worke upon a poore sinner hee findes him dead in sinne and hee hath no good at all in him no saving supernaturall good and hee is not able to worke any good in himselfe by all the meanes in the world and he is not able to receive any spirituall good in the use of those meanes so the Apostle saith I know that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and our Saviour Iohn 3.6 Whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh whatsoever comes from man from corrupted flesh is uncleane so Rom. 8.7 The carnall or the fleshly wisdome is not subject to the law of God so that a man not only hath no good in himselfe but he is not able to receive any good but rather oppose it Secondly hence it is cleare that all saving workes are the proper gifts of God and the peculiar operations of his good Spirit in the hearts
from the Lord and his grace and his mercy and it preferres sinne and the Devill before the Lord and all that sufficiency of good that is in him and therefore the Prophet wisheth the Heavens to bee astonished at this weake things naturally incline to that which may strengthen them and heavy things will not rest untill they come to the earth because that will sustaine them Oh what a basenesse is this the Heavens are weary of a base wretch that will trust to his owne corrupt heart and renounce grace and Christ and happinesse and all this is the first passage Secondly unbeleefe it makes all means to bee unprofitable that is when a man is setled upon his folly and is resolved to rest upon his rebellious will and to bee ruled by that hee will not looke out nor attend nor give entertainment to whatsoever is revealed to the contrary This makes all meanes unprofitable bee the meanes never so precious and powerfull and though they have done never so much good in quickning the hearts of others yet they never doe these men good this unbeleefe makes all meanes to be spilt upon the ground and they never doe good to an unbeleeving heart as Heb. 4.12 let us feare therefore lest at any time by forsaking the promise of entring into his rest any of you should seeme to be deprived of the grace and mercy of God for the word was preached first to us as also unto them but it did not profit them that heard it because it was not mixed with faith there is the cause be the reproofes and threatnings never so fierce that it would almost affright the heart of a Devill and the comforts never so sweet and the heart of a poore Minister never so enlarged to worke upon the hard-hearted yet infidelity is as the buckler that beares off all and he saith I will never beleeve it all his words fall to the ground and enter not unto the heart no reproofe terrifies no exhortation prevailes the heart is unbeleeving it beats backe and shuts out all this is the reason why the Devill labours to make up this fortresse above all the rest because he knowes if any man have an unbeleeving heart it will make all meanes unprofitable the Devill is content that men have parts and gifts and these will carry a man to hell that hath an unbeleeving heart and therefore many wicked men that are the Devils factours and schoolmasters the first lecture they read to a poore soule that is comming on because they feare that hee will bee wrought upon by the word and the light of the word is come into his minde and his eyes are inlightned and hee saith If this bee true that the word saith then hee saith I am a miserable man the Lord be mercifull to me now see what the carnall wretch that is the Devils familiar saith to him I hope you have more wit than to bee perswaded of whatsoever he saith he speakes out of passion and he must say something and threatned men live long c. thus nothing workes upon him and the Minister had as good speake to the pillars for all comes to nothing and we finde it in nature thus that the not beleeving of any thing keepes the heart from being affected with it as for example thus let there bee never so many threatnings as that the Spanyard hath an invincible navie of so many ships set out the merchant that understands any thing knowes that the Spanyard cannot make such a navie and therefore they beleeve it not but in eighty eight every mans heart begins to shake and every man begins to bestirre himselfe nay let the promise be never so faire and sweet yet if wee are not perswaded of it we never care for his kindenesse and we looke not after it and say these are good words and faire words make fooles faine but wee beleeve it not just thus it is with an unbeleever when hee comes to receive all the meanes of grace from the Lords hands and when all judgements are denounced from heaven and the wrath of God against sinne and the word saith Be not deceived God is not mocked if you soâ— to the flesh and walke after it you shall reape everlasting perdition and againe No adulterer nor drunkard shall enter into the kingdome of heaven they heare these and consider of them and make a small mater of it and will not beleeve it and therefore they tremble not at it and are not affected with that cursed condition in which they are Deut. 29.18 19. when the Lord had denounced all the judgements that could be expressed all the mercies that could bee revealed in the end he saith Take heed lest there be in any of you any root of bitternesse so then when yee heare the words of this curse yee blesse your selves in this estate and say I shall have peace though I walke in mine owne wayes as if he had said if any man come to this that hee can heare all the flashes that come from hell and see hell gaping for him and here the thundering of Gods judgements and beleeves nothing but blesseth himselfe and saith the Prophets and Ministers must say something and they must have leave to speake but yet I shall bee blessed for all this this wipes of all the authority of the truth of God looke as it is in nature that physick which the stomack is not able to retaine though it bee never so good it will never purge and the meat though never so comfortable yet if the stomack cannot take it downe and digest it it will never nourish a man so be the word never so physicall and cordiall yet if a man have 〈◊〉 unbeleeving hâ—â—â—t that he will not take downe the truth it is marvellous certaine that that word cannot profit an unbeleeving heart and thatâ— the cause of that curse which Ieremiah speakes of chap. 17.5 Cursed bee the man that trusts in man and hee that maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord for hee shall bee like the barren heath in the wildernesse that it shall not see when good commeth as it is with a barren heath though the seed bee never so good and the seasons never so comfortable and though the sunne shine never so fairly upon it and though the dewes come from heaven never so sweetly yet there will not be a graine of good corne because it is a barren heath so it is with that unbeleeving heart of thine thy heart shall be like a barren heath and thou shalt never see when good commeth much good will come to thy family it may be there will one childe be humbled and it will come to the same chamber one servant is hardened and another saved the wife converted and the husband is hardned and the husband is converted and the wife is wayward and froward still now though the dewes of heaven bee never so comfortable so that one poore soule is strengthened and
the Lord there is no time to late if a man have a heart to returne Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers that is thou hast followed many sinnes and addicted thy selfe to many distempers yet returne unto mee If a man put away his wife for fornication will he receive her againe no he will not doe it yet you have had many base haunts and backdoores yet returne unto me after all that stubbornnesse whereby you have opposed my grace and slighted my mercy yet returne unto me and receive grace offered There is no limit of the pardon and free grace of God offered to a poore sinner except the sinne against the Holy Ghost the Lord stands and waits and knocks if any man will open though he call till hee bee hoarce and knock till he be weary yet if any man will open bee the drunkard never so base the adulterer never so vile if hee will open the Lord will come and will bring his comforts with him and will sâ—p with him and restore consolation to him Object But you will say Aye that 's true if I had but a heart to mourne for them see my sinnes I doe and I cannot but acknowledge my corruptions but I am not sensible of the load that lyes upon me I cannot be burthened with the evils that oppresse me I have a heart not only that doth not but that cannot mourne Answ I answer this hinders not neither provided thou beest troubled because thou canst not bee troubled provided thy heart be weary of it selfe because it cannot be weary of its sinnes if this be thy temper and frame this hinders thee not from the mercie of God which is offered and thou needest for that Christ that freely pardons sinne can and will and that easily breake thy heart and fit it for pardon Micah 7.18 The Lord pardons sinnes and subdues iniquities not because thou pleasest him but because mercie pleaseth him wherefore did the Lord shew most mercie to Saul when he shewed most hatred against him Saul is posting to Damascus and breathing out threatnings against Christ the Lord is opposed by Saul and the Lord in the meane time pities and shewes mercie to Saul Saul persecutes him and he makes his moane to Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee the bloudy jaylour that opposed the meanes of grace the Lord overcame him by the meanes of grace he that resisted the meanes of grace was brought home by the power of the meanes to the Lord Jesus Christ Object But the soule saith this is that which overthrowes mee you are now come to the quicke this very word is like a milstone about my neck that will sinke my soule into discouragement for ever for this is my misery the meanes doth not better me though Saul and the jaylour were bad enough yet they were bettered by the meanes but this is the hopelesse condition of my heart prayer will not worke the meanes of grace will not prevaile sometimes I thinke Lord this Lords day will doe and this sermon will worke it but to this very day the word of the Lord profits not nor workes upon mee for my good and is there such a heart in hell is there any hope that I shall ever have grace when the meanes which should worke grace will doe mee no good this is the last plea of the soule and indeed of Sathan whereby hee holds many a distressed foule in hand that God intends no good towards him Answ I answer yet this hinders not but at least thou maist have a hope of mercie to support thy heart in the expectation of good and that I may speake cleerely observe three passages First the word and meanes doe worke if it doe make thee more sensible and more apprehensive of thy owne hardnesse and deadnesse though indeed it workes not that good and after that manner thou wouldst and desirest and expectest yet if it make thee see thy owne basenesse and observe thy owne wretchednesse in regard of that body of death that hangs upon thee it workes marvellous well after the best manner because it is after Gods manner though not after that manner which thou desirest and seest best in thy owne apprehension observe it that physick workes most kindly that makes the patient sicke that salve that drawes before it heales cures most safely so it is with the word it workes kindly when it makes thee sicke of these distempers when it shewes thee the stubbornnesse and deadnesse of thy owne heart and makes thee apprehend that a broken spirit is the gift of God and not of man and meanes therefore the Lord will make thee looke to him to worke it and continue it therefore know that this is a worke of God for to see deadnesse is life and to feele hardnesse is softnesse onely beware that there bee not a haunt of heart and distemper that thy soule cleaves to and pants after and thou art loth to part withall for then the word will harden thee because thou hardenest thy selfe but if thou art content that the word should lay open the bowels of thy heart and discover what ever is amisse and reveale what ever is crosse to Gods command and plucke away every corruption and distemper then if the word reveales any hardnesse in thee know that the word workes comfortably that reveales hardnesse and basenesse and doth drive thee out of thy selfe to God for succour Secondly thou art the cause why thy heart is not softned thou art the fault why the word prevailes not because the distemper of thy heart hinders the worke of the word and the dispensation of Gods providence and the tenor of the covenant of grace when a man will stint the Lord and limit the holy One of Israel just this sermon and this quarter and this season this hinders the nature of the covenant and crosses the worke of the covenant of grace the Lord doth not stand bent to thy bow the Lord is not at thy call he will not give thee grace when thou wilt but when he pleases no it is not for us to know the times and the seasons that God hath appointed what if thou goest upon thy hands and knees begging of mercie to the last gaspe and if then the Lord be pleased to shine in a drop of goodnesse and mercie it is more than the Lord owes therefore heare to day and attend to morrow thou knowest not whether God will blesse this sermon or that meanes or the other ordinance and doe not complaine upon the meanes but attend Gods leisure and remember the Lord hath waited long for thee in the time of your rebellion in the day of your ignorance before you looked towards the Lord and therefore if the Lord now make you wait for mercie and assurance of his love know that the Lord deals equally and kindly and lovingly with you and so as all shall be best for you and know that this distemper of heart opposeth the tenor of the covenant of
burthened Christ will ease you and you that are thus lost Christ will finde you But now if a man will not set to his seale and if the soule doe not take all this to it selfe and enter possession of it in this kinde and seale and deliver as wee use to say it will never prove authenticall but when it is sealed and delivered then it is authenticall So when the soule makes an application of the promises to it selfe then it is authenticall and the soule feeds upon it and refresheth it selfe therewith for ever Secondly faith jogs the hand of God and sets Gods power on worke and makes way for the streame of Gods promise and providence that it may take place I say it makes ay for the worke of the promise that so whatsoever is good may flow in amaine upon the heart and be communicated to it as it is in other courses of providence When God sets up a course of providence in the â—se of means then in the use of those means as â—â—e ordinarily workes Now God will nourish a man if he will eat his meat and use the means appointed for his nourishment and hee that will take up the course that God hath appointed may expect a blessing so faith is the condition that God requires and the means that he hath appointed whereby he will convey all good to the soule and as all grace and mercy is conveyed from God through the promise so if wee will beleeve and lay our hearts to the promise wee are under the power of the promise to convey all grace and mercy to us As it is with a Pump or Well there is water enough in the Well but yet a man must draw and pump it up before hee can have any and when hee drawes then the water doth come So the Fountaine of all grace and goodnesse in Christ and the promise is the pump now faith must jog the promise before any grace can come this I take to be the reason of all those passages in Scripture where the Lord is said to give away himselfe to beleeving soules as Matth. 15.28 Oh woman great is thy faith bee it unto thee as thou wilt Christ gives her leave to goe to the treasure of mercy and grace and to take what she would he doth not say be it unto thee as I will but as thou wilt looke what health thou wilt have for thy daughter and what comfort for thy conscience goe and take it the Lord denies her nothing This is the meaning of that place Math. 9.29 Bee it unto you according to your faith not according to your wit or pride or strength or sturdy spirits as if a man would goe to Heaven and bee proud and stout hearted too no no there is no such matter not according to your parts and gifts but according to your faith Gen. 17.7 God makes a deed of gift to Abraham saying I will be a God to thee and thy seed after thee take all Abraham so that beleeving sets Gods grace a going and puts Gods power and providence forth for the good of the soule Now imagine the Lord did yet deny that soule that mercy which it seekes and begs and doth not answer the desire of the heart and let in that good and sweetnesse the beleeving soule expects from him what will faith doe then This is the third Act of faith in drawing vertue from Christ faith urgeth God with his owne word and presseth Gods promise and challengeth God on his faithfulnesse and truth not to be wanting unto him for the acceptation of his person and the pardon of his sinnes Faith enters into suit with God Psal 143.1 Heare my prayer Lord and in thy faithfulnesse answer me as if he had said I confesse I am base vile and sinfull and deserve â—o mercy therefore not in my worthinesse but in thy faithfulnesse answer me I cannot bee but â—ile and thou canst not bee but faithfull and if thou canst cease to be faithfull I am content to be miserable and so you may for he can as well cease to be faithfull as cease to bee God It is a â—aw-case betweene God and Iacob Gen. 22.10.11 see how he presseth God in a point Oh saith hee I know my brothers maliciousnesse and dogged spirit and I expect hard measure from him O Lord therefore remember thy servant for I feare my brother Esau and thou hast said thou wilt doe good to thy servant c. As a man that hath a good cause at the Assizes or Sessions though hee hath a great enemie one that over-powers him yet being confident that his cause is good will bring it about againe and will not rest till he hath an equall hearing So faith when the Lord frownes upon him yet the heart puts him in suit as it were and doth expostulate the cause with the Lord saying Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious and will he be no more intreated This expostulation of the soule that the heart presseth in upon God withall when it is upon a good ground it argues the pursuit of God that he will not leave till the Lord give that hee hath engaged himselfe to bestow Thus to gather up all faith goes out to the Lord Jesus Christ and layes hold upon him layes all the weight upon him drawes vertue from him as in all the former particulars The fifth and last thing wherein the great worke of resting consists is this faith leaves the soule with the promise and after all desires haply and all denials and all the discouragements of God and yet the soule seeth not the way of God but that God frownes upon him and though God comes not yet faith leaves the heart with God This is marvellous needfull and it must needs be the worke of faith for it is the maine tenour of the worke of the covenant of grace and the covenant of workes in the covenant of workes made with Adam when he said doe and live If Adam had done that hee should have received constant assistance and God would never have denied to helpe him but now in the covenant of grace because it must bee and is free and that a soule may and must know that it is onely the goodnesse of God to us therefore the Lord reserves this prerogative royall to himselfe that howsoever God will bestow what he hath promised yet hee reserves the time to himselfe and what time he will doe it and after what manner and by what means that is onely of Gods free will and hereupon the soule acknowledgeth that it is of Gods free grace as if the Lord should say it is mercy that I give and therefore it is according to my owne minde and I will take my owne time Now in this dead lift the power of faith is this it leaves the soule with the promise it takes up its standing there and saith I will goe to none other and I will seeke no further Esay 28.16 He that beleeves makes not
great and marvellous are thy workes and in the 107. Psalme 8. when the Prophet had shewed the great workes that God had done for his people Israel he saith Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men This was also a type of our spirituall comming home to Christ wee are all slaves to the Devill and in spirituall bondage under sinne hell and death but faith sets a man upon the shore and brings him home unto Christ as Iohn 5.24 He that doth beleeve is passed from death to life Lord saith the poore soule I confesse I was in the mouth of hell but now I am passed from death to life faith sets a man beyond sinne and death and all therefore the soule should be thankfull and sing a song of praise unto the Lord his God Now there are two bottomes from the former Doctrine which give foot-hold to your comfort First by beleeving all the goodnesse and mercie of God is thine and he cannot nay he will not deny thee therefore thou mayst with boldnesse challenge the good of all that mercie and goodnesse of his When God hath engaged himselfe to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee he cannot take away his mercy from a faithfull soule because hee cannot deny himselfe hee will not denie his truth and his promise therefore the Saints of God cannot but be partakers of all this mercie and goodnesse the Apostle saith Ephes 3.17 Christ dwels in our hearts by faith so Coloss 2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge now gather up all and the summe is thus much and there you may see how the comfort comes by faith I lay hold upon a Saviour in whom dwell all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and so I lay hold upon these what would you have and what is it that may comfort you thou art beggerly in wisdome and in consolation and in all the graces of Gods Spirit but if thou hast faith thou hast a Christ and in him are all the treasures of wisdome and mercie take your treasure and be inriched for evermore you may doe it it is your owne Secondly all the sinnes that thou standest guilty of and all the temptations of Sathan cannot hinder thee from injoying that light and receiving that good which thou hast need of there is no sinne that hath beene committed can stand betweene thee and eternall life be thy corruptions never so many for number never so vile and strong for nature never so long for continuance in them and all those old bruises and old lusts of youth which make thee say can the Lord pardon me and is it possible for such a wretch as I am to have mercie that have all these corruptions I answer it skils not what thy sinnes be see thy faith and repentance bee sound it matters not what thou hast beene a rebell even against God if now thou canst beleeve and rest upon God and repent thee of thy sinnes Quest But now the point growes on the soule is in some reasonable manner satisfied that if it had faith then it could be satisfied but many seeme to have faith and have it not if my faith were true I could gaine some sound comfort to my selfe that all would goe well with mee but how shall I know that Answ I answer I confesse that the faith of the most men in the world is but a meere delusion as I shall discover in the next use of reproofe but that thou maist be undoubtedly perswaded of the truth of this grace that though thy faith be never so little yet it is saving justifying faith I will therefore lay downe some trials I will not now intrench upon any of the particulars that come afterward but onely lay open such particulars for triall as are in the doctrine I know faith purifies the heart and workes by love c. and faith makes a new creature but these come too farre off I will onely gather somwhat from the point in hand Triall 1 First observe the root and rise of thy faith the cause by which thy faith was wrought and from whence it came and this will be an undoubted evidence whether thy faith be good or not therefore when thou dost begin to brag and say I doe beleeve then aske thy heart this question and say how came I by it prove it have I faith make it good then it is not enough to say so but let mee see that it is so didst thou bring it into the world with thee did thy wits contrive it did thy parts and abilities worke it and because thou hast more wit and learning than others and thou thinkest it as easie a matter to beleeve as to understand a hard writing if it bee thus thy faith is a delusion and no faith at all it is true here of faith which Iob speakes of wisdome nature saith it is not in me and eloquence saith it is not in me I know not the way to it all these say I have heard the newes of faith but I am not acquainted with it God onely knowes the way thereof and is the worker of it the text saith Every man than hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me the Father must first teach this lesson or else no man can understand it except the Father give thee a heart to know Jesus Christ there is no power in thee that is able to give this grace to the soule hast thou thy faith from heaven then it is like to bee of the right kinde but it must bee from thence it ariseth not from the earth it comes not from parts and gifts and learning it must come from heaven or else it is not of the right kinde all the coine that is currant is minted in the tower by authoritie of the King if not it is not currant in 1 Pet. 1.7 the Apostle cals it precious faith it must bee stamped by the Lord Jesus Christ by the hand of the Spirit it must come from the tower of Zion or else it is copper faith and not saving justifying faith nor that which will stand in steed in the day of triall here or in the day of judgement hereafter as wee say in nature the Alcumists are growne to that skill that they will make Alcumie appeare to be perfect silver and gold and much of it will beare the touchstone insomuch that a man can hardly discover some of it it is so cunningly made but when the fire and the hammer comes it will beare neither of them but the true gold comes from the gold oare and will endure the fire and hammer the alcumie gold comes not from the right place where the gold is it comes not from the minerals from the golden mines so there is a great deale of this alcumie faith for the world is come to this passe that they have a faith of their owne faining