great and convincing manner it speaks in a prevailing manner it speaks over and above all it speaks in a ravishing manner it makes the soule see a cornucopia of all good an abundant treasury of all mercy in the ways of God and in the promises of the Gospel it makes a man see that whatsoever the heart can wish and desire that is good it is there to be had and no where else to be attained it speaks in an uncontroulable manner to the soul that the soul can stand out no longer but must come off JOHN 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst WE have finished the first part of Effectual Calling and now we come to the second Namely the answer to this Call for this is the difference between effectual calling and that which is not effectual the one makes a man come and the other doth not now this coming is by faith and this we have here in the text He that cometh unto me c. Now before I come to handle this point I must premise something concerning faith Namely that it is not only a bare assent of the minde that all good things are in Christ but it is a confidence for the having of all the good things that are in him it is not only the first act of faith Namely an assent to the truths of the Gospel that God hath put all treasures of eternal life in his Son this I will not speak of because all both Papists and Protestants agree in this that faith is an assent of the minde this is a controversie on neither side therefore I will omit it But it is the second part or act of faith which is the believing that in the Lord Jesus Christ he shall have eternal life which is an act of the heart and this is that which I will stand upon it is a confidence in God and Christ for all good things when a man doth not only believe that all the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ but when a man doth fiducially and confidencially bear himself and rest upon Christ for all these things he comes to Christ for all good he looks for this I will prove to be an act of a justifying faith and that I may not be mistaken I will distinguish There is a confidence in the power of God a natural man may believe the power of God and yet not have a justifying faith all that had miraculous faith did believe the power of God but the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.2 If I had all faith that is all miraculous faith even to the removing of mountaines without charity it were nothing Secondly there is an unrooted confidence of the will which may be in a natural man as a natural man may believe that Christ is the only hope of Glory the only way the Truth and the Life the only one for whose sake he shall be accepted as he may assent to this so he may have a kinde of unrooted confidence in these things which may procure a great deal of peace to his conscience this is that which Divines call a temporary faith Mat. 13. for a time they do believe c. A natural man may not only believe Christ but believe in Christ in some sense truly he cannot but in an unrooted manner there may be such an act put forth though it be not rooted in the heart this you may see John 2.23 24. Many believed on Christ saith the text yet he would not commit himself unto them he would not trust them with mercy and grace and favour he would not trust them in regard of his own body and safety they were not right for all that and yet they did not only believe Christ but in some sense and in an unrooted manner they believed on Christ therefore there is not only a firme assent to the truth which may be in a natural man but also some kind of confidence Thirdly there is a presumptuous confidence in God and Christ for salvation which the workers of iniquity may have they may not only believe the general truths of the Gospel but have some kind of confidence in Christ though not so good as the former for that reformes a man and makes him follow Christ till persecution come and may be in persecution too till he be weary but this is not so good you shall have a drunkard a prophane person he hath confidence in Christ that God heares his prayers accepts his duties and will provide for him our Saviour Christ speaks of such Matth. 7.22 He tells us of many that shall be confident in him how they have done wonderful works in his Name and eate and drank in his presence and have heard him preach in their streets and yet are but workers of iniquity I do not mean this neither these are but false confidences Now there are two godly confidences gracious ones such as are only in Gods Elect and not in all Gods Elect neither but only in such as are effectually called and yet come not within this definition of faith The first is that full special perswasion of the heart a man may have true justifying faith though he never attaine to this for justifying faith is a confidence in Christ for justification now this special and full perswasion of the heart is not only an affiance in Christ for justification it doth not only apprehend Christ for justification but it apprehends justification it self now this must needs be after justifying a man must needs be justified before he can confidently apprehend justification he must first be justified before he can say he is justified the object must be before the act Thus it goeth justifying faith must needs be before justification and justification must be before the sense and feeling of justification before a man can feel and apprehend he is justified the cause goeth before the effect in order of nature for a man is justified by faith Now if a man know he is justified then the thing must be true before he knows it is so now here they differ that faith is a confident apprehending of Christ for justification and this full special perswasion of the heart is not only a confident apprehending of Christ for justification but an apprehending of justification it self Now true justifying faith may be without this Job 13.15 Though he kill me yet I will trust in him That is suppose that I were at an utter losse that I knew not whether God will slay me yet slay me or not slay me perish or not perish I will trust in him Imagine God deliver me up and will none of me yet though he kill me I will trust in him I do not say I am at this losse that he will kill me blessed be God I am not in this case but if I were at this losse that he would kill me for ought I knew yet I would trust in
more inexcusable if he comes not to him no this motion of coming unto Christ it is a spirituall motion of all the whole man a mans minde goeth to Christ and a mans heart and a mans affections and all the strength of a mans soule goeth to Christ this is coming to Christ Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden that is beleive in me he puts it into that phrase this true faith makes the soul come to Christ so 1 Pet. 2.4 to whome coming as to a chiefe corner stone There are two tearmes in this coming to Christ the one from whence a man comes from all his owne wayes from all his owne desires from all his owne ends and aimes and the other tearme is to what a man comes and that is to Christ to his promises to his Commandements to live and dy with him this is coming unto Christ as you may see Acts 26.18 there both these tearmes are set downe to open their eyes saith the Text and to turne them from darknesse to light that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes It is this coming that receives forgivenesse not only an act of the mind when that goeth to Chirst but an act of the heart when that goeth to Christ when a man comes from darknesse to light from pride to humility from the world to God when a man passeth from the one tearme to the other tearme and so cometh to this righteousnesse of God in Jesus Christ now he is come to Christ and now he shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes so that you see faith is not only an assent of the mind but an affiance of the heart both these together make up this coming of the soule to Christ Fourthly true justifying faith the proper object of it is no sentence â—o proposition in the Word I mean the act of a justifying faith in that act whereby it justifieth the proper object of it is no sentence or proposition in the Word no complext truth in the Word but it is Christ himself t is true a man must beleive that the Word of God is true and the promises true and Yea and Amen but that act doth not justifie it may be in a reprobate or in a Devill therefore it cannot be an assent of the mind for that supposeth that the object must be a proposition neither can it be a sure and certain perswasion that God hath elected me and intended Christ to me this may be the act of an after faith but not the act that justifies but Christ himself is the object of a justifying faith I am the way the truth and the life I my self it is God or God by Christ when a man beleives in Christ or by Christ beleives in God this is the object of a justifying faith it is no proposition or text of Scripture that is the object of a justifying faith that is the thing that is a justifying faith as it justifyes doth assent unto but the object of a true justifying faith as it justifies is Christ himself the cause of forgivenesse of sinnes the cause of eternall life the cause of the derivation of all these blessings to us it lookes for all in Christs own person 't is true the propositions of the Scripture about Christ are the ground of a justifying faith as he that believes in Christ shall be saved that is the ground of a justifying faith but these propositions though they must be acknowledged at the time by faith yet these propositions do not justifie a man for a wretch may do this but when a man believes in Christ that is propounded and tendered in the Word when a man hath affiance in him and commits himself to him faith seekes for all good in Christs own person first it layes hold on the person of Christ and taking him it takes all good things with him indeed it takes the propositions of the Word for its ground because the Word saith thus and thus that eternall life is in him and he openeth the Kingdom of heaven to all believers and he is a sufficient Saviour this is the ground of faith but the object of a justifying faith is Christs owne person to that believing cannot be an act of the mind but when a man believes in Christ and is rooted and built upon him it is the person of Christ I will make this appeare to you you know God doth count it Idolatry for a man to believe in any creature when a man believes in the Son of man God forbids this as an Idolatrous thing for a man to believe and put his confidence and affiance in any creature now what is the meaning of this what is this Idolatry to assent to such a creature to believe that such a man is his friend and tenders him and is faithfull unto him this is a truth about a friend is this Idolatry No but when a man makes a friend his staffe a creature his staffe when a man makes riches his Idol is this onely to assent that riches can do much in the world can buy meate and cloathes and lands and inheritances is it the knowing these things are so No but when a man makes riches his prop and stay and believes in them and that is the stay that he hath It is not the beleiving these things about riches for so a man that believes only in God may know these things about riches and a friend Jer. 17.5 Cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme he doth not say cursed is he that apprehends that a man is his friend and willing to releive him but cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme that leans upon this man that trusts unto him that is the thing so what is the meaning that we must not trust in Chariots and in horses doth the Scripture mean that we may not assent and affirme these truths about them that they are many and strong and potent that they are admirable horses is this it No but woe be to them that go down to Egypt for help and put their trust in Chariots and Horses Isa 31.1 When a man rides a journey and makes his Horse his stay when a man goeth about a businesse and makes his purse his prop when a man walks from day to day and the creature is the thing he hangs upon he doth not see God and draw near to God he doth not set his heart upon God he doth not relie upon him to have God with him in his journey and what he goeth about No he hath an Horse with him and means and maintenance with him and God shall have a prayer may be now and then but he makes not God his arme and this is idolatry so our believing it is not the believing the propositions about a thing but when a man believes in the thing it self and makes the thing his stay his buckler his aide his help and comfort Lastly the maine Argument is this true justifying faith is a faith
of union it is such a faith as unites a man to God and Christ and in him to God the Apostle saith 1 John 5.20 We know that we are in him that is true his meaning is we are in him by faith that is we have such a kinde of faith whereby we do not only assent to him that he is the Sonne of God and all things are true that are spoken of him but we are in him we are in him that is true that is we are united to him and 2 Cor. 17.5 Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature and Paul saith of Andronicus and Junia they were in Christ before him Rom. 16 7. So Christ is said to be in them Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates it is the faith of union He that hath the Sonne hath life 1 John 5.12 That is he that believes in the Sonne of God that is so believes that he hath him and is united to him that man hath life and none else so that it is a faith of union that justifies a man not as though faith of it self doth this for its own worthinesse as though it were able to unite a man to Christ it is only by vertue of Gods Ordinance that faith unites a man to Christ God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse hath appointed faith to be such a thing that upon putting forth of that act he shall presently have relation to Christ and Communion with him by grace are we saved through faith saith the Apostle we are saved through faith but not for any worthinesse of faith but by grace this is the thing the Lord hath appointed such a kinde of faith shall justifie as shall unite a man to Jesus Christ Nay if faith did not do this faith could not justifie and sanctifie and purifie and intitle a man to Heaven for it doth all these by vertue of union first it unites a man to Christ and makes Christ one with him and him one with Christ and so he comes to have right and title to all the merits and all the good things that come by Christ so then if thou hast not this faith of union though thou hast all faiths besides historical faith temporary faith and if it were possible miraculous faith Nay if thou hadst ten thousand thousand faiths more if it were possible yet if thou hast not such a faith as to be united to Christ thou art in thy sins and art under the law and under the curse of the law and under Gods justice if thou shouldest pray never so much and give thy body to be burned yet if thou do not dwell in Christ and Christ in thee if thou be not one with Christ and Christ one with thee thou art nothing but as sounding Brasse and as a tinkling Cymball though thou hast been a professor these twenty yeares together and hast been taken for a godly man through Town and Countrey yet if thou art not in Christ thou artâ— still in thy sins faith doth unite a man to Christ through the Ordinance of God by the Grace of God it doth unite a man to Christ 1 John 4.15 whaâ— confession doth the Apostle meane there Only a confession of historica faith when a man believes that God is so and so and confesseth him No the Apostle expounds himself 1 John 3.24 as who should say it is such a faith as wholly resignes a man unto God to be ruled and guided by him as well as saved by him it is such a faith as makes a man with minde and heart and will and all that is in a man to cast himself upon Christ so that all obedience and all conformity to the Sonne of God will follow he that hath this faith to keep his Commandements dwelleth in God and God in him Now what kinde of faith can this be can it be only the act of the minde whereby a man believes all the truths concerning Christ doth this unite a man to Christ It were blasphemy to say so for by this Argument the union between Christ and a true believer were no better then the union between a true believer and the Devil because a true believer believes all the truths and assents unto them that God hath spoken concerning the Devil as well as concerning Christ this doth not unite a man there is a kinde of union indeed in the minde but that union is only notional and intentional and rational as for example when I think of an horse or a tree there is an union of the tree with my minde for the tree is in my minde in the notion of it but this is a bare intentional and simple union the maine union of all is in the heart when the heart is united to a thing an heavenly minded man he may have an union of his understanding with the things of this world he may understand carnal men understand their courses and wayes and there is a notional intentional union with these things in his understanding but he is not truly united to those courses except his heart be set upon those courses then he takes them up so untill the heart is set upon Christ a man is never heavenly never godly never a true Christian till he is thus united into Christ Nay I will tell you more and I will prove it and it is a thing to be considered that were it possible Suppose God should reveal he might if he would to any man that he is elected before he is converted Suppose this I do not say God doth thus to any of his Elect but suppose an Elect man that is yet unconverted and yet out of Christ he is a natural man and yet an elected man Suppose I say God should reveal to this man thou art elected to eternal life I have intended from all eternity to give my Son to thee all his merits and death and passion I have intended them to thee and I have intended thou shalt have fellowship with him God reveales this and the man firmly assents to the authority of the speaker that he is elected to eternal life doth this faith justifie a man A man is in his sins yet for all this though he knoweth and God hath revealed such a thing to him that he hath intended Christ to him as long as he hath not revealed that he is in Christ this doth not put him into Christ this sheweth him that he shall be in Christ but this act of believing doth not put him into Christ therefore the children of God that are converted and are believers and can believe that God hath elected them and eternally intended Christ to them this act of their faith doth not justifie them this only is an act to know that they are justified already and converted already I will shew you an excellent place for this 2 Tim. 1.12 For which cause saith the Apostle I also suffer these things for I know in whom I have believed and that
behave my selfe as I ought though a persecutor of Religion were in company can he know these thoughts No man can persecute or mock him for any of these a man may think as good thoughts as he will if he hath an heart to them and this will keep up a mans quickning when a man goeth abroad what should hinder but he may be imployed in inward duties considering seriously and thinking solemnly how it stands between God and his soule what shall hinder a man from these duties Now the neglect of these is the cause of the deadnesse of mens hearts people come to Church and hear Sermons but what do ye do within do you set up Gods Ordinances in your bosomes do you set up a Christian watch in your bosomes and prayer in your bosoms how do you go up and down all day long is heaven in your bosoms is the fear of God in your bosoms preserving and keeping of you This is that which will quicken you and a man can never be quickned if he make not conscience of this Lastly Another cause of deadnesse is peoples contenting themselves with what they have attained unto if they have gotten any thing they are apt to set up their staves there and content themselves as if all were well this is the cause of the deadnesse of peoples hearts because every little sufficeth them if they have but any hope that they are of God and fear his name if they finde they have any thing in them they are apt to be secure and not to be earnest to grow in grace from day to day Now when this gets into a mans heart it will dead him presently therefore the Apostle when he perceived many of the Hebrews deaded their hearts this way he shakes them up Heb. 6.1 Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection As who should say Let us on on for shame unto perfection let us proceed further let us not ever be learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth let us not be ever laying a foundation and never building thereupon let us not be ever going about repentance and faith and the first principles of the Oracles of God and never come to perfection This is the effect of the Epistles of Peter that people should not content themselves with what they have but that they may grow and goe forward Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 and grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 He is beating upon this that no man should content himselfe with any measure already attained if he do his heart will be deaded and made dull and blockish to all goodnesse and this is another cause of the deadness of peoples hearts they are at a stay they are at a stand every man may be would be a good Christian and a childe of God and if he can get but any hope that he is a childe of God now he is safe and now he goeth dully and blockishly on if he can but hold there and if he hath any fears that he is not right then may be he begins to stir himselfe a little but as soon as ever he gets any hopes again that he is right he goeth on in a blockish manner and passeth over holy things otherwise then he ought to doe and then if any spurs come into his conscience and awaken him may be he stirs again till he gets up a little hope that his condition is good and then he falls off and grows as secure again as he was before and this deads the hearts of people I come now to the meanes how a man may be quickened and the first is this If we would be quickened we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we must goe to him I speak now to good people if you would be quickned you must goe and fetch it from the Lord Jesus Christ he is a fountain of life opened unto all that come unto him I am come saith Christ that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly John 10.10 Christ is not only come to quicken the dead and raise them up that they may be alive towards God barely and nakedly but he came to make all his people lively that they should have more life and quickning and be more enlarged in grace he came not onely to work the thing but to work a growth and increase of it more and more Now if you would know how to come by this life in Christ Jesus the only way is to believe in Christ John 7.38 He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water there shall be rivers of spiritual life in that man that shall never be drawn dry so then doe any of us stand sticking at this how shall we be quickned and shake off this deadness that is in us I say look up to Christ and labour truly and unfainedly to desire him and hunger and thirst after him if we did search after Christ wee should be quickned presently there is no man is dead but he that hath no care to look after Christ and desire him if we would have Christ if our hearts be open to him if we doe but desire him and long for him if we have but these groanes and outgoings in our souls oh that I had but Christ shed abroad in my heart if I had him I should have life and quickning if I had him I should have right and title to all Gods heavenly comforts if our hearts did but goe up and down longing after Christ this is the way to attain to quickning Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Come and ye shall have waters that shall never be dried up the want of faith is the cause of hardness of heart and of deadnesse as our Saviour Christ when he saw they were dead Matth. 16. he did upbraid them with unbeliefe if a man did but once believe if a man did but truly cast his soul upon God if he had but once his eyes opened to see the vanity of all other things to see the danger of sinne and iniquity the misery of all unregenerate people and to see the worth of Christ and the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ what an admirable pearl it is to enjoy him how it is better then life it selfe better then the whole world yea then thousands of worlds if a man did but see this and had his heart affected with this to be drawn to Christ and to have his heart and minde run after him to be possessed of him this is faith you that would know whether you have faith or no if you had all the faiths in the world you are infidels without this faith but if you have this faith you have true faith if you have a heart running after Christ minding him and longing for him and casting your soules upon him for all good
justifie though in the act of justification it be alone yet in existency it is not alone but it hath good works together with it as signs and marks of the same as 1 John 1.6 If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and doe not the truth Hereby we may know that we are deceived we may think we have faith and so fellowship together with him yet if we walk in darknesse we may know we lye for this could not be if we had fellowâ—hip with God So 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar If a man should once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar Hereby shall all men know ye are my disciples if ye love one another saith Christ and as it is a sign to others so it is a sign to a mans own self Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life if we love the Brethren He sets down one good work in stead of all other if we bring forth the works of new obedience and if our hearts be purged of God iâ— we bring forth the fruits of holiness this is a signe we have faith for faith makes a man to choose God for his God and raises a man up to see him to be the chiefest good of all and to see all happiness in him and a supply of all the good we need in him and so it makes a man to love God and by love to doe the works of God Fourthly Good works are necessary also by necessity of commandement not onely to be effects and signes of faith but they are also such things as are commanded of God God hath commanded good works that we should walk in all holiness of conversation to be holy as he is holy that we should be holy in our carriages and behaviour Tit. 3.8 The same God that commands us to believe commands us to maintain good works as we may see there we see that Ministers are to urge people and maintaine it against all gainsayers that there is a necessity of good works and that the Lord will have us to go on in them for faith through the Object of it as it justifies is the promise of God in Christ for forgiveness of sins yet faith in it selfe looks upon the whole word of God and looks whatsoever it seeth joyned together by that it joynes together of it self as the Promises and Commandements are bound together by an inviolable knot so faith joynes them together it cannot take the promises of God but it must take the commandements of God also faith looks upon God and as it seeth him to be gracious whereby it comes to have faith to rely upon him so also it seeth him to be holy a God that is severe against sin and hateth unrighteousness so that it is necessary that works be together with faith for the commandement and nature of God require it Fifthly They are necessary also by necessity of end for God hath ordained his people to this end that they should bring forth good works Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them We are created in Christ Jesus not onely that we should be saved but that we should bring forth good works Now good works are necessary by necessity of end in divers respects First to this end To glorifie God in the world Let your light so shine before men c. Matth. 5.16 So 1 Pet. 2.12 the Apostle saith Having our conversation honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers c. For when a Christian that professeth he believes in God and Jesus Christ is plentiful in all manner of good works this stops the mouth of all gainsayers You know Piety and Religion is hated in the world the Gospel finds opposition among men Now when those that are Professors are loose and licentious in their lives this opens their mouths against the truth but when our lives and conversations hold forth Jesus Christ as we take up the profession of his holy name so they are agreeable to his will they are just and holy and righteous and good this makes men think in their conscience this is of God this stops their mouths that they cannot rail at the Gospel Secondly They are necessary to doe good to others and convert others as the Apostle instanceth in women that believe if they be zealous of good works if they be chast and humble and meek and discreet by this means they may be instruments to convert their husbands that believe not 1 Pet. 3. The Lord looks that his people all that believe in him should be fruitful in good works that they may winne and gaine others to the faith Thirdly Another end is to purifie our selves for it is vertue that must throw out vice we are all borne by nature filthy and unclean and full of noysome lusts and the way to expel these is by the contrary vertues 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your soules by obeying the truth Fourthly Another end is to qualifie us for Heaven we cannot be qualified for the Kingdome of heaven unless we be holy and godly in Christ Jesus except we have our conversations honest as becometh Saints for though it be faith that entitles a man to the Kingdome of Heaven and gives a man right to the Kingdome of God yet holinesse and conformity to the minde of God and the image of God is that which doth fit and qualifie a man for to enter into the Kindome of God as Christ saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you can in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Though it be true we are saved by grace and so good works have no causality no proper efficiency in our salvation yet notwithstanding they are a cause sine qua non without them there can be no salvation we cannot enter into Gods Kingdome except we be humble and meek and lowly except we fear God and be according to his minde in all things in some measure we cannot enter into his Kingdom Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A man cannot be admitted to the Beatifical Vision of God except he be pure in heart and he cannot enjoy the Kingdome of grace neither here unless he be pure in heart Rev. 21.27 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 13. It is impossible we should enter into Gods Kingdome by having actual possession of it except we be holy and fitted for it as the Apostle saith Col. 1.12 It is impossible that drunkards and unclean persons should have society with the blessed Trinity with the eternal God with the Spirit of holinesse to dwell with them for evermore we