it appears that his doubts are the enemies of Gods Word and Spirit and therefore not the eccho of the word nor the just verdict of conscience speaking from the word but the voice of Satan Secondly a believer finding doubts in himself is exceedingly grieved for them bewails want of Faith as his greatest misery willingly accuseth and condemneth himself for these pangs and qualms of unbelief as for greatest sins they are very burthensome to him chiefly because they rob God of his glory and make him less cheerful in rendring unto the Lord praises and other obedience But the hypocrites doubts trouble him and he wisheth to be rid of them only because they are attended with inward disquietness terrours fears of the Lords judgments not because they are sins against God whereof this is a sufficient proof that if he enjoy a kind of peace and perswasion that he is the Child of God though his evil heart full of infidelity secretly deny or call into question an hundred things in divinity one after another he relents not he is not troubled tush these are but flitting motions nor worthy check or controlement Thirdly doubts drive a true believer first to God by earnest requests for the discovering and diminishing of his unbelief strengthening of his faith then into himself by a more exact and impartial scrutiny of his own Conscience and estate they quicken him unweariedly and constantly to go forward in resisting and subduing them in seeking and lamenting after Christ and never to sit down till God have brought his heart into the harbour of a stablished assurance till he see feel and as it were handle eternal life in himself till he know Christ and all the treasures of grace and glory in Christ as undoubtedly to be his own as his apparel money house lands till the Holy Ghost have signed sealed and delivered the heavenly inheritance in the Court of conscience in a word till he have gotten such a faith as can glory in God insult over Hell Death Devil Sin the Curse of the Law and out-wrestle all difficulties but the unsound Christian either builds himself a Castle of imaginary assurance upon the sand of false grounds or lies under his doubts irrecoverably giving over seeking before he receive a sound certain and satisfactory answer from the Lord either out of sloth or despair of obtaining or because he hath learned the strongest faith is subject to some faintings and therefore judgeth it needless to strive any longer or labour for more faith seeing that which he hath will serve his turn and it s no otherwise with him than it is with a true Christian Thirdly We must hence be admonished not to disdain or condemn such Christians as sometimes bewray some feebleness of faith in word or work Thou seest or hearest thy brother is impatient in affliction fears poverty shrinks at the approach of persecution or death is discouraged by reproaches and slanders not so zealous and valiant in maintaining Gods glory and cause as it were to be wished for fear of the wrath of Man omits some necessary good defiles himself with the doing of some evil do not now think or say such a one is a faithless temporizer take heed of such judgment lest thou be judged seeing the truly faithful have done as much thou shalt do well to be sparing in thy censures till thou canst shew a perfect faith Fourthly Vse 4 see the reason why sometimes the lives of very godly men are blemished with some faults Alas the tree is imperfect therefore the fruits must needs be so for nothing can give that it hath not Though the godly by the grace of God may be free from notorious sins yet they cannot obey perfectly because they believe but in part Why then do carnal men if they spie but a spot in a godly mans face a frailty in his conversation though it be but a moat in comparison of their beams Why do they presently cry out These that make so much profession are naught they are naught all of them they are dissemblers they are not what they seem c. Absurd unreasonable men do you expect they should be perfectly holy when they are but imperfectly faithful If one of your children have a slow or unseemly pace by reason of lameness or debility in some member you think he is rather to be pitied than upbraided If you will not learn to judge mercifully of the godly when they fall and to impute their slips rather to the imperfection of their condition than the hypocrisie of their hearts and naughtiness of their disposition you shall but prove your selves to be haters of your brethren and he that hates his brother is a murtherer 1 John 3.15 and no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Fifthly hence we are taught Vse 5 that believers must not trust to the strength of their faith as is by the power of it alone they were able to stand against all blasts resist all temptations for though it 's an excellent grace yet it 's but a creature and imperfect too and therefore in sense and distrust of our own weakness we have need to cry to God that he would shield us with his grace and support both us and our faith by his power Lastly it follows hence Vse 6 that faith doth not justifie by any valour vertue dignity of its own neither as an habit or quality nor as a work but as it is a means or instrument of obtaining that for which we are justified it s not the gift of Faith dwelling in the Heart nor the act of believing as the Novellers teach but the thing holden and possessed by believing which is our Righteousness For that thing by which we are in proper sense absolutely and as I may say formally justified and presented spotless before God must be perfect yea expiate infinite guiltiness answer the Justice of God but this faith cannot do because it is imperfect as we see The second Instruction or Conclusion to be drawn out of these words is Christians must desire the accomplishment and perfection of Faith above all other Graces Doct. 2 The reason is because Faith of all Graces which exist in us is the noblest for excellency and of necessity it hath the preeminence whether we consider the Glory it brings to God or Profit to Man First Reason 1 no grace exalteth and honoureth God as faith doth For 1. In the cause of Justification and Salvation Faith utterly annihilates man tramples under foot all the glory of nature all goodness all privileges all works of man seeks righteousness and life onely from Gods grace in Christ when a poor sinner seeth himself a condemned rebel and traitour feels nothing in himself but darkness unworthiness wrath and death hath nothing to bring to God but shame and misery Faith leads him to the Throne of Grace and makes him bold to beg and expect pardon in Christs blood for no other cause but because God is gracious yea
or predestination to life redemption remission of sins justification acceptation vocation revelation of the mystery of the Gospel and giving of knowledge and wisdom spiritual vivification and consequently sanctification regeneration comfort and hope after their calling ability for the faithful discharge of the duties of their callings deliverance from evil confirmation and persevetance glorification Reason proveth the same First it s a sure principle in Divinity Reason 1 the most free will of God which is all one with his goodness is the first and supreme cause of all things If God be not every way the first cause he hath either an equal or a superior and consequently sequently is not God Nothing therefore doth induce and more him to do good to his creature but his own goodness If something without him should move his will that thing must needs be in nature before him and more worthy than he he must depend upon it and suffer from it but these things cannot agree to the nature of the first cause Wherefore either we must confess there is no grace and holiness in man which springeth not from the sole goodness of God or else deny a most certain Canon of Religion and spoil God of his nature and prerogative royal Secondly Reason 2 man cannot by any desert provoke God to be good and bountiful to him For 1. while he is unregenerate there is no goodness in him nothing truly good can come from him he is dead in sins wholly corrupt and abominable his reason is blind his heart rebellious his wisdom enmity to God 2. The good gifts which are in man justified and renewed and the exercise of them cannot if we will speak properly be an impulsive provoking cause of Gods augmenting these gifts Because 1. God purposed in his eternal Councel before the world to bestow or work that increase and therefore it being an effect of Gods will cannot be a cause of the same 2. Nothing temporary in man can be a cause of that which is eternal in God therefore God was not moved by any thing fore seen in time to decree this increase If nothing besides his own goodness moved him to decree to work it nothing else moves him actually to work it else the decree and the execution of it do not agree Thirdly God is not bound to man Reason 3 owes him nothing being an absolute Monarch who hath most full and free power to do with his own what he list If he give his bounty is thereby manifested if he withhold he wrongeth none Now if we cannot possibly by any means make God our debtor it followeth that whatsoever good we have or receive it proceeds from his only kindness First then here are confuted Vse 1 first some false Doctrines of the Papists As 1. That a sinner not reconciled to God may by preparatory works of repentance deserve in some sort justification which they call the merit of congruity I am not ignorant how one of the Master-dawbers of Mystical Babylon goes about to salve this point by a favourable interpretation but if there were no snake in this grass I marvel why some of great name and note among them who doubtless understood well enough the tenets of their own times vvished the abolishing and abandoning of it 2. That Man is able by a power naturally inherent in his will if it be but helped and vvakened by grace to believe and convert Indeed they disavovv this Opinion as whoremasters are sometimes ashamed of their bastards but they must be content will they nill they to father it For the vvritings of the Jesuits who in this point are hotly opposed by their own pue-fellows the Dominicans witness that besides the outward means they acknowledge nothing necessary to conversion but inspiration illumination excitation they require not any super-natural habit or principle infused into the will by which it may be disposed and elevated to produce the act of faith they make effectual grace to be nothing else but Gods perswading and calling Men in such a time place manner as he foresees most agreeable to their disposition inspiring such motions as he seeth by their free-will they will embrace yea some of them ingenuously confess that the first radical cause of the efficacy of grace is the co-operation of mans will 3. That men may merit yea others for them increase of grace perseverance and restauration by repentance when they have fallen How these Romish Opinions are repugnant to the doctrine in hand grounded upon the plain words of the Apostle he is blind that seeth not Secondly the doctrine of the Arminians who maintain that the ground and cause of Gods election is foresight of saith and perseverance in persons to be elected that God sends the means of salvation and offers his grace to this or that people because he did see and know they would with humble readiness embrace and rightly use that grace and come when he called 1. These are right builders of Babel Is not this most horrible most wicked coufusion to thrust the first cause out of his rank and seat the second in his room to subject the Creator or make him inferiour to his creature to fetch the first rise or spring of mans salvation from man It is no less absurd and blasphemous for ought I can see to say Gods will had or needed an external moving cause in ordaining things than to say his power had or needed an outward help in creating things The Papists shall rise up in judgement and condemn them some of whom do affirm roundly and confirm as soundly that there is no cause in us of Gods predestination that election is altogether free without prevision of good works 2. What faith could God fore-see in man not half but wholly dead in trespasses and sins what power of willing their own conversion in Men of stony hearts altogether impotent to spiritual good mancipated to Satan 3. Lastly where they say God bestows means of salvation upon some rather than others because he seeth they will profit better by them a pur-blind Papist will tell them its manifestly false For if that were the reason then the Lord should always send his Gospel and Ministers to those that are most towardly and capable deny them to those who are most hard-hearted and rebellious but we see in Scripture and experience he often sends them to those that are worse than others as to Israel a gain-saying people a people of stiff and steely necks adamantine hearts brazen fore-heads Ezek. 3.6.7 Matt. 11.21 more stubborn and inflexible than the Gentils than the Tirians and Sidonians Secondly This must teach us humility Vse 2 We have no cause to be lifted up in pride for any good thing we have or can do For it s neither from our selves nor procured and purchased from God by any worthiness or work of ours Nothing is our own but evil let us take nothing to our selves but shame and confusion Hast thou honour riches
grace vvill make no such conclusions It s the Devils Logick not Gods vvhich teacheth to reason from the certainty of Gods grace to the neglect of our ovvn duty Thus of the former instruction Our second Lesson from the same ground is that Godly Mens Prayers promote the salvation of others The hearty supplications of the faithful put up unto God for their brethren are good means furthering and helping forvvard the salvation of their brethren if this were not so our Saviour would not have taught us to pray that Gods Kingdom of grace and glory may come to others as well as our selves that others as well as our selves may know and obey the will of God sincerely chearfully constantly The Apostle would not have said I know this shall turn to my salvation through your prayers my prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved the Lord grant that he may find mercy in that day If a man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death For sometimes the prayers of the godly obtain for others the beginning of actual salvation that is conversion as our Saviours prayer for the Jews who crucified him took effect when so many of them were brought to repentance by Peters first Sermon and Stevens when Paul was converted therefore the Apostle willeth Christians to pray that Heathenish Magistrates may be turned to the Lord and come to the knowledge of the truth sometimes the progress of it that is the continuance and increase of all consequent blessings and gifts which are preparatives forerunners certain prognosticks of perfect salvation as fuller assurance comfort in afflictions spiritual establishment and the like Yet here we must know that we may rightly and soundly understand the point that Prayer is not a cause moving God to save those whom before he did not intend to save or making him more willing to save such whose salvation he formerly willed for Divinity teacheth that the will of God admitteth not intension or remission but a condition commanded and required in us which being fulfilled by us the Lord hath promised to shew and shed abroad upon others that grace which he had purposed before all time to bestow upon them The which doctrine serveth first to teach us what is the best office and greatest good turn we can do to any whom we love or whose kindness we desire to recompence as faithful friends bountiful benefactors kind parents dutiful children loving yoke-fellows Lend them many hearty prayers intreat the Lord ser them that they may be delivered from this present evil world their eyes enlightned their sins pardoned their hearts parged their feet guided in the way of peace beg these things for them If thou prevailest in thy suit thou hast done more for them than if thou hadst made them Lords of all that the Iberian Nimrod doth either possess or desire all the Kingdoms of the earth Oh the dignity utility riches of prayer a good man by prayer may do that for his friend which all the wealth and power of the world cannot do The poorest Christian on whom God hath powred the spirit of supplications may be very profitable to the rich helping him to that which all his store cannot purchase For by the Heaven-piercing prayers which ascend daily from the Altar of a pure heart in the Temple of his soul he may be a means of receiving him into everlasting habitations that is of saving his soul Secondly hence we must be stirred up 1. In our daily petitions not only to speak for our selves but to remember also the whole community of them that belong to God wheresoever scattered It s a great fault in Christians not only to omit this duty altogether but to make it as too many do a meer matter of form Indeed our wicked hearts out of sloth or unbelief will be too ready to say Alas wherein can our prayers be profitable to them whose faces and cases are unknown to us But answer them from this Doctrine our prayers may advance the business of their salvation and like a prosperous wind facilitate their course or set them forward with happy speed towards the Celestial Paradise How are we friends of Gods people if we deny our helping hand to procure in special sort we should be mindful of them that travel under tribulation and suffer with Christ or for Christ This duty is included in that general precept remember them that are in bonds The practice of it occurs often in Scripture The sweet Psalmist singeth redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles that thy beloved may be delivered save with thy right hand and hear me How often do the Faithful in the Psalms complain to God of the Churches distress and petition for redress Psal 74.79 80. Daniel and Nehemiah Courtiers both in great favour with the greatest Monarchs in the world at that time how mournfully and earnestly do they intreat for the church then in misery For First Reason 1 they are our fellow-members parts of the same body if one member suffer or be diseased will not the rest sympathize and seek the best relief for it they can if the head ake the stomack want meat the heart be pained the arme wounded the foot gouty will not the tongue the souls orator by speaking the hand by writing crave supply or remedy sure else they were unworthy to have any place in the body or receive life or motion from the head and heart Secondly Reason 2 they greatly need our prayers for their condition is both pityful and dangerous They stand as Gods souldiers in the very heat and heart of the most dangerous battle have not these need to be well backed by our prayers they sigh and groan under oppression and wrong have not these need to be eased and helped by our prayers they are in the furnace of fiery tryal Have not these need of the cooling comfort of our prayers if they should quail and start back whom the Lord hath now brought into the open field for the maintenance of his truth the enemies would insult Satan be proud of his victory Gods cause in danger to fall to the ground and many weak ones be discouraged Thirdly Reason 3 we may do them much good by our prayers We may knock their persecutors in the head it hath been observed that the faithful fighting against proud and cruel Tyrants with no other weapons but prayers and tears have given them blows after which they could never rise or recover we may move the Lord to give them compassion before those that afflicted them or to raise them up friends and fautors we may obtain for them deliverance as the Church did for Peter or strength to stand invincible under the cross Lastly our own hearts will tell us Reason 4 that were we in their case we would desire and expect this kindness from others We would think them
is an hard doctrine and impossiose What we cannot be perfect here such thoughts are prompted by Satan to make you lazie and rob you of your crown The Apostle Paul was not ignorant of this yet He forgat the things that were behind and stretched himself unto the things before yea laboured if it were possible to attain to the resurrection of the dead So that though we cannot reach an entire and compleat perfection yet we may and must grow still more and more perfect and though our attainments shall never in this life overtake and equal our desires yet as he that shoots at the noon-Sun though he be sure he shall never hit the mark is sure to shoot higher than he that aims at a bush so if we desire and aim at the highest pitch of grace vve shall be sure to outstrip our fellows and attain such a measure as shall make our profession both comfortable to our own souls exemplary to our brethren and glorious in the eyes of strangers And thus much touching this branch of Pauls prayer for though I perceive there is one point more couched in it which have not been handled yet for brevity I will refer and reserve it to be wrapt up as well it may in the conclusion of the next member which now remaineth to be opened wherein a second thing is craved by the Apostle as a necessary and more special means of making them worthy their calling The words are and the work of faith with power where confider 1. The blessing asked which is fulfilling the work of faith By work of faith may either be meant the exercise operations fruits of faith faith stirring acting labouring producing such works as are proper to her or faith as it is Gods work in man the grace or habit of faith wrought by God in our hearts I take this latter sense the difference is not great and this includes the other 2. The efficient cause of it Gods power For so I understand those last words with power that is by his own Almighty power joyning them to the word fulfil rather than to faith which worketh powerfully in believers The meaning then is as if the Apostle had said But above all other graces we make suit unto God for the perfecting of that blessed and singular work of faith which his grace hath begun in you and that by the strength of his own right hand who is omnipotent and all-sufficient The instructions to be gathered from these words follow whereof the first is this The best faith hath wants Doct. 1 Understand it of faith in the sons of men in this world It s plain in our text The Apostle witnesseth in his former Epistle that this people received the word with much assurance that their faith to Godward was spread abroad in other places In this very Chapter he hath given thanks to God that their faith grew exceedingly yet here he tels us they have need to be prayed for that God would perfect their faith A cloud of witnesses doth further confirm it Abrahams faith did limp and halt a little when he hearkned to the counsel of Sarah in going in to Hagar for he consented to the use of unlawful means for bringing about Gods purpose likewise when through fear he sained Sarah to be his fister weakness appeared in Sarahs saith when she laughed at the promise of a son in Jacobs vvhen tidings of Esaus coming did so affright and distress him though he had a promise of Gods presence and protection in that journey in Davids when in his haste and fear he said I am cast out of thy sight all men are liars when he fained himself mad in Peters when being afraid of his skin in the high Priests hall he denied his Master And no marvel for first if knowledge be imperfect in all Christians confidence cannot be perfect in any How can the heart desire or cleave unto this or that further than the mind apprehends it as true and good I can not rest upon a man believing he will do this or that for me further than I know him The measure of faith in the will depends upon and sollows the measure of light in the understanding I mean in respect of latitude not intension or in intrinsecal vigour for otherwise I know there may be great faith where there is but small knowledge as in many Martyrs A man may know more than he believes so do many wicked men in the Church but he cannot believe more than he knows Now its certain that we know but in part for neither do we apprehend the whole object of knowledge that is the whole body of divine truth my meaning is vve know not all things to be known vve are still ignorant of many things neither do we see those things which now we know so fully clearly distinctly as vve should and shall in the life to come If therefore we know but imperfectly we must needs trust imperfectly Experience in our selves and other Christians may partly teach us the necessity of this consequence Do we not perceive this to be or have been one special cause of the failing of our faith that either vve know not this or that promise or were not sufficiently acquainted with the saithfulness and goodness of the promiser or did not so evidently behold the good things God had begun in us as from them we could conclude our selves to be heirs of the promise Secondly there are many enemies which oppugn a Christians faith from without Satan by his temptations sometimes more subtil sometimes more violent in his own bosom carnal vvisdom and reason natural slowness or untowardness of heart to that which is good inordinate affections and passions for grace doth not wholly expel and root out these Canaanites though it brings and keeps them under the yoke of the spirit Novv these sometimes dim the light of faith by raising mists and fogs of objections and doubts sometimes cast her into a slumber sometimes as it vvere by a sudden vehement blow astonish her and in a vvord by many means hinder the efficacy and working of faith No marvel therefore if sometimes the best faith stagger and waver This doctrine confuteth 1. The Papists vvho to the end they may vvith more probability maintain and perswade the possibility of fulfilling the Law in this life teach that faith and charity are perfect in this life 2. Some in our Church at home vvho hold that a man never doubts after he is a true believer It seems these men think faith to be like certain little bones in mans head of vvhich the Doctors of nature vvrite that they are of the same bigness in an old man and in a child 3. Our common people and silly ignorants vvho brag their belief is so strong as nothing can shake it no company can hurt no Devil prevail against them they never sound in themselves any want or vveakness of faith they never distrusted God in all their lives they can
believe as sted fastly as they lift From their own vvords their faith is evinced to be nothing but an idle sancy for the child of God seels such craziness in his faith as vvrings from him many deep sighs bitter cries dolorous complaints before his heavenly father who seeth in secret He who never groaned under sence and conscience of great infidelity is yet in the state of infidelity and death and hath no more true faith than the Devil But is it possible may some say that any man should be so deceived and mistaken Object as to perswade himself he is rich in faith vvhen he hath none at all I answer Answ Yes very easily For 1. the heart is naturally very full of strong presumption vvhich these men because of the ignorance that is in them not being able to distinguish from saith do therefore take and rest in the one instead of the other 2. Being full of darkness destitute of spiritual light they see not that mighty mass that sink that sea of unbelief vvhich is in them they knovv not what infidelity is nor what are the proper symptomes and effects of it and therefore though it be continually stirring yea ruling in them and breaking out so as others may discern it yet they see it not themselves because they know not them selves nor what is in them as one bodily blind or going into a dark night without a candle into a room cannot discern what filth and baggage is in it 3. All unconverted are in a deep and deadly sleep for repentance is called awaking therefore we need not think it strange or impossible they should dream of great riches when they have nothing of eating and drinking while their souls are empty 4. The Devil will do his best to keep such from doubting for fear of losing them for well he knows that to doubt one hath gone wrong is a step to returning and to fear ones heart is faithless and graceless a step to believing Secondly Let the child of God take heed of numbring himself among unbelievers and concluding that he is void of faith because sometimes he finds his heart trembling and shaken with doubtings and fears Indeed Satan will encounter a Christian with this sophistry Thou hast experience oâ— much wavering thou art not stedfast and rooted in faith therefore thou art not found in the faith but vve must ansvver the tempter boldly If this reason be good all the generation of the just must be condemned none of vvhich vvere exempted and priviledged from knovving vveaknesses and failings of faith If it be objected Object Christ prayed for every believer as vvell as for Peter that his faith should not fail I ansvver Sol. faith may be said to fail either in regard of habit vvhen it s utterly lost and extinguished and this failing doth not shall not befall a true believer according to our Saviours prayer and the true meaning of it or in regard of act and operation vvhen in time of danger some grievous fall or temptation it fainteth svvouneth vvorketh not or but very vveakly and in this sense and manner the best mans faith may fail as Peters did for his denial proceeded from such a cause as strength or lively povverful vvorking of faith expelleth viz. predominancy of carnal fear neither did our Lord Jesus pray that his elect might be preserved from it If it be objected again Object Abraham believed without staggering I answer 1. True Sol. when God promised Isaac but it doth not hence follow that he never at any time staggered 2. This example teacheth what a strong faith ordinarily can do and what every Christian should labour to do but not that every one who reacheth not Abrahams measure is an hypocrite I speak this for the comfort of true believers not to nuzzle up any in their doubts if any man shall hence take occasion to please himself in a floating uncertainty hanging between hope and fear and neglecting to try or labour for more strength of faith because he hears the best faith hath weaknesses he perverts and wrests the word of God to his own destruction But may some man say seeing a good Christian may be troubled Quest and tossed with doubts shall not I conclude I am the child of God and in an happy case if I feel doubtings Take heed of this deceit Answ A right believer may doubt and he may doubt that never was believer The difference between them is this First The doubts of a wicked man touching his salvation are caused or confirmed by the light and power of Gods word rightly divided and applied discovering his unfoundness and so convincing his conscience that its forced to give sentence against him and roundly to tell him he is not qualified like one that shall inherit the promises and enjoy the salvation of God they come not from Satan ordinarily for his custom is and he knows its for his profit to apply false comfort to hypocrites when God hath terrified and wounded them not to tempt them to unbelief I mean still about the matter of their salvation except when he gets them at a dead lift as in the hour of death or in some great extremity wherein he hopes to push them headlong into desperation because then he should minister occasion of seeking that precious faith of which himself is as much afraid as the Lion of fire and consequently should be divided against himself his own enemy But the doubts of a sound Christian come principally from Satan yet not without the help of natural ignorance and infidelity by means whereof he hath great advantage to work whose policy is when he cannot keep the child of God from grace then by aggravating his sin and unworthiness by extenuating or hiding from his eyes the good things God hath given him to hold and deter him from beleiving to make him if it were possible wholly to cast away his hope or else to languish in an heavy uncomfortableness greatly displeasing and dishonourable to God But how may one know that his doubts are from Satan 1. If after a diligent privy search in the closet of his soul he finds such signs of faith as certainly declare its there present though the comfort of it be not presently felt and discerned as namely a turning of the streame and bent of the thoughts and affections after heavenly things an ingenuous and lovely melting of the heart into sorrow for offending to the Lord strong desires of honouring and pleasing God with resolutions of cleaving to and following him though he should never receive comfort from him an hearty hatred of joyned with a serious strife against secret hypocrisie and carnal ends in well-doing and the like 2. If he feel that the spirit in the ministry of the Word fights against his doubts sweetly perswades and draws him to believe comforteth and rejoyceth his heart not beatting and battering down his confidence as ordinarily it doth the hypocrites but bettering and strengthening it for hereby
kindness of God and that unspeakable love of Christ the Mediator which he shewed in giving himself for us that he might bring us to the glory of the Father and through whom all the effects of that eternal grace of God are derived and conveyed unto us Observe hence only this instruction Heavenly glory is from Gods meer grace Ye are saved by grace Doct. It is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom Where good pleasure signifies the meer loving kindness of God as a Jesuite confesseth against himself I suppose Other places we shall see afterwards For First Predestination to glory is meerly from grace this a Papist will not deny therefore induction into glory is meerly from grace The consequence is good For first no man can properly be said to be freely chosen to a place of dignity for which he pays sweetly as we say which he procureth by his own mony Election to life is not wholly of grace if collation of life be not wholly from grace 2. The root is the cause of the several branches that grow out of the stock as well as of the stock it self Grace is the root Predestination the stock wherefore grace hath no less a stroke in all subsequent benefits whereof glorification is one than in predestination Secondly Life eternal is an inheritance following adoption a childs portion yea such an inheritance as is assigned by lot like the several seats of the Tribes of Israel in the land of Canaan and therefore as antiquity did hence truly gather comes not by humane acquisition but Gods gracious disposition and donation Thirdly Whatsoever is procured for us by Christ and given us for Christ is from grace For that which is the cause of giving Christ must needs be the cause of giving all the riches of Christ which cannot be separated from himself and Christ cannot make an imperfect purchase But we attain life eternal by and for Christ he hath procured it for his Members he is given to them to be their redemption as well as righteousness and sanctification he is our life our hope our hope of glory through his righteousness we continue to reign in life by his bloud we have liberty to enter into the holiest Hence we are said here and elsewhere to be saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ If the purchase be already made by one so sufficient there remaineth nothing for us to do but thankfully to receive what the grace of God is ready to bestow Fourthly Holiness is the beginning of glory they differ not in kind but in degree holiness is glory inchoate glory is holiness perfected Now holiness begun in regeneration is from grace if Gods grace give the entrance into glory why not the upshot and consummation It may be objected life eternal is from justice because purchased by Christ therefore not grace The most common and received answer is it s from both in divers respects From justice if we look at Christ because he payed dear for it from grace in respect of us who bring nothing to our own salvation But others say thus Christs satisfaction or the price of redemption which he paid doth not buy life at the hand of justice but remove the bar which justice had put into the door of Gods storehouse the which being taken away grace hath full power to bestow salvation which before she had not They explain themselves thus God out of meer grace appointed some to life These have defiled themselves with sin whereupon justice flepping sorth puts a caution into the Court of Mercy I will and must be satisfied before Man shall see life and happiness Christ comes and gives full contentment to justice whereupon grace may now freely go forward with her dole and finish the work she had intended and begun The summe is Christs satisfactory obedience doth not put falvation into the hands of Justice to bestow but enables grace to bestow it justice not gain saying Let him that readeth chuse whether of these answers he liketh better or judge if he be able whether is the foundder This fighteth against that devilish doctrine of Papists which saith heavenly happiness is not to be expected as an inheritance but won and procured by our merits and consequently comes not from grace but from justice So that if Paul were alive again the Italian Idol I mean the great Bridge-maker of Rome the Porter of the bottomless pit would compel him to change his stile or else anathematize him and make a bon-fire of his bones Were there no other difference betwixt us and the Romanists this alone is a sufficient cause why we should abhor them and damn their Doctrine to the bottome of Hell unless we will be Traitors to the Grace of God But a Papist will object it may be both from grace and justice from grace because its the grace of Christ which gives power to merit from justice because the Apostle saith The just Judge will in the last day give a crown of Righteousness to all that love him I answer 1. Their Goliah seems here to stagger for tho sometimes he maintain that good works do merit eternal life by reason of an inherent dignity which he endeavours to prove by seven most silly sophismes yet elsewhere he saith We attribute not to works such merit as hath an answerable wages due unto it from Justice and again setting aside the promise of God he is not bound so to accept our works as to reward them 2. That place of the Apostle is not to be understood of Justice commutative or distributive respecting mans merit but of Gods verity of fidelity who hath promised this Crown to all that strive lawfully the faithful fulfilling of which promise is a part of his Justice For else the Apostle should manifestly contradict himself as who in other places hath taught most plainly that grace and debt grace and mans works in respect of causation of salvation can never stand together that eternal life is a free gift not wages they shall never be able to make other construction of Pauls words yea such a gift of grace as is not any way from our selves all the wit in the world shall never elude so perspicuous a passage 3. This will better appear if we do briefly shew that the Scriptures do not know but overthrow the doctrine of mans merit for themselves cannot deny but it s a good rule in expounding Scripture to compare one place with another First therefore the faithful Israelites did not merit the possession of the land of Canaan Deut 9.4 5 6. Psal 44.3 2. It s impossible man should merit by paying his debt but whatsoever we do or can do for God in this present world its debt 3. They that are but instruments doing all things by a power received from and continued by another cannot merit at his hands but such are we 4. Could we merit we might by our works make God a debtor to us but this may not be granted My goodness extendeth not to thee saith David which phrase is not to be expounded by that Thy vows are upon me O God that is have made me obliged and indebted to thee 5. If the best mans best works cannot endure the strict judgment of the Lord if the best men shall need mercy in the last day there is no place for merit But the first is true 6. We cannot deserve the least morsel of bread but must seek it at Gods hands like beggars Lastly if we must not look to have our Prayers heard and granted much less Heaven bestowed upon us for our merits But the first the Scripture teacheth Dan. 9.18 and Papists confess and therefore in one of their Missal-prayers they intreat God not to weigh their merits but to pardon their offences Secondly Let us look and trust only to this grace of God in Christ that we may find salvation renouncing and disclaiming all meriting causes of salvation in our selves and all creatures Let us never think of challenging any thing at Gods hand by desert much less the Kingdom that cannot be shaken They that put confidence in their works are like little children beginning to go by themselves who that they may stand more firmly take fast hold on their own clothes but alas they are never a whit further from falling Nay well were it if it were no worse but further they forsake their own mercy and are abolished from Christ Indeed we must labour strive run fight before we be crowned but when we have done all still we are to acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants and confess that Heaven is Gods free gift called a reward not because by our working it is deserved but because by God graciously promised Hold this fast that if Satan object thus unto thee on thy death-bed How canst thou hope for any part in the Kingdom of God who art conscious to thy self of so great sins so many haltings and imperfections thou mayest have what to answer indeed Satan it were something thou sayst and might shake me terribly if I did challenge or expect salvation for my own works my own preaching praying holiness zeal serving of God c. But I abhor my self my worthiness is none my righteousness is spotted my merit is hell I depend aad rely only on the Lords mercy and Christs purchase this is my rock and portion for ever Notwithstanding this hindreth not but if Satan assault us another way we may lawfully look at Gods image graces and works in us as testimonies of our faith seals of the truth of our calling evidences that Gods grace hath not been ineffectual in us and that we are of the number of those to whom salvation is promised FINIS
renewed our souls repaired than our decaying bodies bodily strength by daily food Now Prayer is that which gets these vvants supplied fetcheth from Heaven that blessing by vvhich spiritual strength and stature is augmented yea by exercising and stirring up Gods graces in the heart increaseth them Fifthly We are commanded every day to lead holy lives to walk as becometh Saints to have our conversation in Heaven to pass the time of our dwelling here in fear to spend that which remaineth of our life not according to the lusts of the flesh but according to the will of God Novv Prayer is a necessary help and prop of a godly life a good means of quickening seasoning well-ordering the heart of vvinding it up from Earth to Heaven and of passing thorough all the parts and businesses of the day christianly and purely Lastly vve are every day yea every hour subject to many dangers outward in our bodies families estates inward in our Souls Satan incessantly vvatcheth all opportunities to do us a displeasure to strike us to the heart vvith some fiery dart to overthrovv our goings lays snares for us in the most lawful things provocations to sin abound every vvhere hovv soon are vve distempered dissetled hovv hardly brought into good frame again Novv Prayer is our Hedge fencing us an excellent Weapon by vvhich vve drive back Satan and overcome the evils vvithin or vvithout vvhich encounter us Have vve not need to be daily armed vvith such a notable help that so vve may stand fast against temptations vvalk safely and hold fast peace vvith God This Doctrine if vve descend to application vvill first reprove Three sorts 1. Those that Pray not at all except in the publick Assembly that rise up and lie dovvn daily vvithout request-making to God urge upon them praying at home their reply is ready that 's too much purity they have other things to mind and vvill leave that burden to the Minister The Scripture hath long since branded these for Atheists Not Papists only but even Gentiles shall condemn them one of which counselleth his Brother every Morning and Evening to offer to God pure incense and oblation that Gods favour may be towards him and he may have success in his affairs If amongst us after so long teaching any continue in this sin let them know that as Gods fear is not in their hearts so God is not in their houses for he dwels where he is worshipped by prayers and praises the Devil rules all and unless they repent the curse of God as a canker shall consume them and theirs 2. Those that pray by fits only as when Conscience gnawes fickness binds them to their beds death threatens business calls not or suffer any worldly any trivial occasion to break off or justle out this duty Shall I fear to say this seeking Gods help only in extraordinary straits argueth that men think they can do well enough ordinarily without his help and by their own wit strength industry compass their own ends and desires which a Papist will tell them is Gentilism Had some of these Men a Neighbour who would never visit them but when some urgent necessity did press him would they not suspect his affections towards them to be cold and that he cared little for their company I dare assure them the Lord judgeth of them as they of this Neighbour It may justly be doubted vvhether ever they knew the necessity or selt the sweetness of true Prayer Let us fear least if we send for and entertain Prayer but now and then as a stranger God be strange to us when we vvould most gladly be acquainted with him 3. Those that are fallen from their former Conscience and care of practising private prayer whoseharts can tell them they are particularly touched if I do but say there are some amongst us vvho in former times were as forward and servent this way as the best and are now become as careless of praying as the prophane It s easie to shevv the reason why they are weary of Prayer They have banished the holy Ghost and entertained the unclean Spirit again which carries them to swearing drinking delighting in bad company and those abominations from vvhich they were washed vvhence it is that they have lost both skill and will to call upon God they are condemned by their own Mouths by their own Consciences when they do pray and therefore dare not call upon God but flie from his presence The Lord be merciful unto you that you sleep not the sleep of death but may remember whence you are fallen and come out of the snare of the Devil I say unto you in the name of the Lord take heed you become not very Cains spiritual vagabonds straying and running further and further from God till you arrive in the land of eternal horrour Secondly let all the Servants of God continue their holy care of daily offering the Sacrifice of invocation Observe the seasons and occasions of prayer as thou dost thy Meal-times Persevere in Prayer and faint not Resolve with thy self rather to strive to perform this duty in a better manner and more abundantly than to break it off and take liberty to neglect it Brethren why are we so backward to come unto him to whom the oftner vve come the more we are vvelcome the more importunate the more acceptable Whence is it that every Year we see or hear of strange punishments heavy accidents befalling men whereby they are brought to misery or untimely death Is it not hence that true Prayer is out of request with the most Whence is it that many ahve no better success in their Earthly Callings and Affairs They pray not Whence that we hear Men complain their Houses are insested with Spirits all such things are not fables and illusions though many be There is no Prayer in their Houses Whence is it that we find not help or more comfort and strength in our troubles We pray not Whence that many of us are ensnared and overturned by every temptation We Pray not Pray and thou canst not want any good thing which God can give unless the want be better for thee than the possession In few words think seriously of thine own need and the great gain of Prayer the danger and hurt of careless and willing neglect of it how highly it honours God and I shall not need to use many reasons for perswading thee to assiduity and constancy in the performance of it Far be it from any truly fearing God to think a Christian may be as strong and well armed against temptations as heavenly minded as able to walk holily and faithfully in his calling to preserve peace and purity of heart without Prayer as with it They that are thus minded shall I hope acknowledge before they die if they belong to God that this is not the perswasion of him that called them Thus much of the circumstance of time The second point is the motive or cause which induced
and stirred up the Apostle thus to pray and that was his thirst after the salvation of the Thessalonians or his earnest desire that they might be glorified among other Believers in the day of Judgment This is implied in the word Wherefore as if he should say And now to the end you may obtain without fail this rich prize of Heavenly happiness which I have set before you and towards which you are already marching that you may be sharers with the rest of the Saints in that admirable glory mentioned in the former verse I pray c. Here let it be observed that though the Apostle knew these Thessalonians were entred into that good way which would certainly lead to life eternal and assured of their full and future glorification yet he thinks it behoveful and needful to help them forward by Prayers Out of the which we may collect two instructions First that the best need helps towards Heaven And no marvel For First as Mans final happiness so the means leading to it are included in Gods predestination He that hath ordained certain Men to salvation hath ordained that by certain means they shall be brought to the knowledge of it strengthened in the saith and hope of it upholden in the way to it For whomsoever God hath prepared glory I speak of those that are of ripe age in the Church to them he hath left and commended his sacred Word Pastors and Doctors Sacraments Prayer Watchfulness Fasting and the like with express charge to exercise and attend upon these means while they abide in this Tabernacle Now if we did not need these things God would never have appointed them he that is most wise doth nothing in vain nor cloggeth his Children with unnecessary burdens Secondly not every one that beginneth well but he that continueth to the end shall be saved No Crown without perseverance back sliding is the way to perdition Now the best are prone to turn back from following the Lord or to faint in the way For the best 1. have weakness in them 2. meet with many lets incumbring them 3. The trade of godliness is difficult irksome and grievous to the flesh True it is Isa 45.24 the strength by which they stand is in and from Christ but conveyed and ministred unto them by the pipes of holy means and ordinances which himself hath sanctified to that end In vain do they look to be kept and strengthened by Christ who wittingly cast away the means by which his strength should be applied to them These things being so who seeth not how necessary it is that they who run well be helped and undershored by spiritual means Thirdly Satan hath great wrath against those that are taken out of his hands and translated toward the Kingdom of Christ he labours busily to intangle them in the old servitude and bring them back into the former bondage In regard of this wicked one therefore they have need to be supported lest the Dragon cast them down from their good beginnings and so their latter end be worse than their beginning of which the Devil would be most glad First then we see the folly of them discovered and checked who cry down all means as being of little or no use to them that are in Christ I know the Mans Name who compared one commed to Christ unto a Man that having finished his House lays aside his Tools How I pray you judge in your selves can those Men who deny that Scriptures are either guide or rule to a true Christian who maintains that Ministers ought not to urge call for repentance mortification holy walking who dislike repetition of Sermons judge Family-prayer a thing indifferent dare travel on the Lords day without scruple rest contented with a reading Minister cast away all Books but the Bible and say plainly Commentaries do but mislead Men that Treatises directing to lead a godly life will mar Christians How I say can these think that means and duties are needful And doth any Man now expect that by Arguments drawn out of the Word I should oppose this new Divinity shall I spend time in shewing how this Opinion fights with the experience and practice of David and Daniel both of them though Prophets most precise observers of holy duties and exercises and one of them bitterly lamenting the want of publick means How it voideth and breaketh many Scriptures as Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophecying Stir up the gift of God in thee Attend at the posts of wisdom Keep thy Heart above all keeping Ponder the path of thy feet Build your selves on your most holy faith Search the Scriptures Whet these things ou thy Children Hold fast what you have heard Watch and Pray Examine your ways and almost six hundaed such like places unless they will give us new senses of these plain Texts never before heard of or lastly that it carrieth a too too rank favour of Anabaptism and Familism No no the bitter fruits of such loose conceits in the lives of these new Evangelists cry aloud that the good Spirit is not the Father of them Behold here a marvellous policy and stratagem of that many-headed Serpent The greatest part of the world he holds in a secure and dead condition wherein they came neither for Christ nor means When he cannot keep Men from means he perswades and cunningly prevails with many to rest contented in the naked and powerless use of them abstracted from Christ and his quickening Spirit the Life of means When this plot succeeds not he will push Men into the contrary extream perswading so to hang upon Christ as they neglect all means wherein it seems some of the Corinthians faulted Oh that these Men would consider that which the Devil knows full well that they who dare abandon and relinquish the means of maintaining Godliness and a good Conscience will in time cast off all care of godliness and keeping a good Conscience and he who dare bid farewell to the means of executing Gods predestination is in danger to fulfil his own reprobation Secondly therefore let us take heed of setting at naught the gracious helps which God offers and affords for bringing us on in our spiritual Journey Let us lay hold upon them and apply them with diligence publick private ordinary extraordinary God could save us without them but will not We shall never be so strong as not to need these staves till we appear perfect before him in his holy Mountain It s as vile presumption and madness to think our Souls can be in good plight and our spiritual life continued without them as to hope for a crop vvhere vve never sowed or strength and life without meat and drink Do vve not see that such Christians as use them most have most grace Take heed say not in thy heart I am sure I shall never fall I cannot be taken out of the hands of Christ therefore these outvvard duties are not needful for me the Spirit of
when his many mighty ugly sins discourage and terrifie him to cleave still to the free and everlasting goodness of God acknowledging the Bords mercies infinitely to surpass his iniquities Thus Faith gives the whole praise of mans salvation to the grace of God 2. Faith believes God upon his bare word if God have revealed or promised this or that though all the world say it cannot be though reason cannot comprehend how or why it should be though many reasons appear why it should not be beleeved none at all why it should but this that God hath spoken faith will still all contrary surmises and subscribe to Gods testimony as more stable and stedfast than the foundation of the earth Thus faith highly honours Gods truth 3. Faith proclaims God to be able to effect whatsoever he hath promised and believeth that though a thousand difficulties stand in the way the overcoming of which flesh and blood judgeth not only a thing improbable but impossible it 's as sure as if it were done already Rom. 4.20 21. Thus it gives glory to the power of God 4. Faith causeth a man denying and renouncing his own judgment wisdom will as foolishness to bless God as well when he denies or takes away as when he gives as well for the worst as the best and to rest perswaded that the worst estate is the best for him when God is the Author of it that poverty is better than abundance when God will have him poor restraint than liberty when God will have him restrained c. that it 's greatest gain to lose all things for Christ that God loves in smiting heals by wounding exalts by humbling thorow the gates of death brings unto life Thus faith extols the wisdom of God 5. Faith makes man justifie God in all his decrees judgements dealings subscribe to the equity of them all even when he conceives not of them adore the unsearchableness of them reverently submit unto them yea when they thwart his desires pronouncing approving all his ways to be pure and righteous when he neither seeth nor asketh any reason thereof but Gods will Is not this a great honour which faith gives to Gods righteousness 6. It beholds him that is invisible every where present perswaded that he seeth and knoweth all things and so glorifieth him in respect of his omnipresence In a word that I be not too long in multiplying particulars Faith if I may so speak gives unto God his whole Divinity and of all graces most sanctifies his Name by acknowledging and confirming as it were by seal all those excellent properties and perfections which the Scripture ascribeth to him Indeed other graces also as love fear joy and the rest do honour God nor do I mean to rob them of their due praises but neither primarily for the cause and foundation of all that honour is in faith nor yet in such ample and full manner as faith Seeing then nothing is so glorious to God as Faith and consequently the more faith any man hath the more he glorifies God doth it not stand every Christian in hand above all graces to labour for perfection of Faith Secondly Reason 2 No Grace is more useful more profitable to man than Faith whether we consider life spiritual or natural For spiritual life 1. Faith espouseth and conjoyneth man to the Son of God in whom he findeth and obtaineth the dignity or prerogative of Son-ship and justification of life which things the better they are known the more they are felt and sealed up in the Soul by believing the more is the heart refreshed with unspeakable comforts 2. Faith purifieth and sanctifieth because 1. Being a gift of an holy and heavenly nature descending from above it will oppose and fight against corruption as light expels darkness heat cold and antidote poison 2. Laying hold on Christ it draweth and deriveth from him the Fountain Vertue and Power whereby corruption is mastered and mortified as a leaden pipe brings water from the spring wherein vessels are washed and cleansed 3. Faith is the mother and root of all other holy graces in a Christian and therefore as faith increaseth the rest will increase the more perfect that Faith grows the nearer the perfection is the whole cluster of heavenly gifts in the children of God the more a man knows and believes the love of God to him the more fervently he will love God the more reverently he will fear him burn with zeal of his glory patiently hope earnestly desire to be with him in heaven and so of the rest 3. Faith strengthens 1. To obey God in leading an holy life in performing all duties and doing all the good works he requireth of his people so as they may please him in all things 2. To fight against and foil all spiritual enmity faith makes a poor soul able to resist the Devil a spirit of exceeding great power to stand fast when he is buffeted by Satans suggestions which Adam in innocency could not do and to overcome whatsoever is evil in the world faith either wards off the blows or so heals the wounds received in this battel that the soul becomes more sound and healthful than before the Apostle therefore to the Ephesians arming and training the spiritual souldier bids him Above all take the shield of faith Hence it is that this grace is of all others most assaulted by the Prince of darkness 3. To persevere and continue in the way of salvation to the end because it doth seat and keep believers in the impregnable fort of Gods faithfulness and tower of his Almighty power wherein the gates of hell cannot prevail against them In a word what is said of Sampsons locks may be said of faith a Christians strength lies in it yet not simply and for it self but because it lays hold upon Christ the rock of Israel who strengthens his Members to do all things Secondly for natural life 1. Faith procureth temporal good things For God who is faithful hath promised to them that fear him and will subject themselves to his government following him wholly like Caleb even outward and temporal benefits so far as they may be good for them and not prejudicial to their spiritual prosperity or soul-thriving now a Christian by believing and suing to God in prayer of faith obtaineth them and so findeth relief and supply of temporal wants 2. Faith makes evils tolerable sweeteneth crosses enables to endure afflictions by assuring the believer that in them God offers himself as a Father will moderate the stroke minister sufficient strength give an happy issue turn them to his good by setting before his eyes such a Crown such a weight of Glory with which the light and momentany sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared Now to knit up this reason if there be such necessity and use of Faith for Justification Sanctification corroboration in holy obedience and in the spiritual warfare sustentation and consolation in afflictions and