Marriages are first made in heaven See this also in the marriage between Boaz and Ruth Here note That when we say God is the Author of the marriage-union this is to be understood only of the union between such persons as are lawfully and rightly joyned in marriage according to Gods Ordinance at least in regard of the substance of that which God in his Word requireth in a lawfull marriage For otherwise if any be joyned in marriage in unlawful manner or by unlawful means as without consent of Parents or with such as are within the degrees of kindred forbidden Levit. 18. or by any other unlawful means God doth not joyn them together But in all lawful marriages it is God that doth joyn man and wife together Vse 1 Use 1. See by this the dignity of the married estate in that God himself is the Author and efficient cause of it and of that near union which is between man and wife in that estate But of this before Verse 6. Vse 2 Use 2. See how great a sin it is for any to break or dissolve this union between man and wife or to give cause or occasion hereunto as by the foul sin of adultery or by ministring matter of strife and debate between man and wife whether this be done by the married couple themselves or by others This is to divide those whom God himself hath joyned and so to sin directly against the Ordinance of God Let every one therefore take heed they be not guilty of this sin Use 3 Use 3. Seeing it is God that joyneth man and wife in the married estate This should teach married couples to look at God's hand and providence in their marriage and in the uniting and joyning of them therein often considering and remembring who it was that brought them together at first and drew their affections one to the other and gave success to the means used for the accomplishment of the Matrimoniall conjunction between them that so this consideration may be a means more and more to unite their hearts in true marriage love and to cause them to shew their love by all fruits of it as by bearing with each others infirmities c. and by doing all Marriage-duties one to the other more conscionably To this end they are often to remember that they were not joyned together by chance c. Use 4 Vse 4. See how fit for such as intend and desire to enter into the married estate first to seek unto God by prayer both that he may direct them to such parties as are fit for them to be joyned with in marriage as also that he may unite their affections c. So Abraham's servant Gen. 24. 12. Prov. 19. 14. A prudent wife is from the Lord So is a prudent husband also Use 5 Use 5. This may comfort married persons against the troubles incident to the married estate In that he who hath joyned them together in that estate and called them to it will enable them to bear and go thorow the troubles and difficulties of it and not only so but sanctifie all unto them causing them to work for their spiritual good and to further them to heaven which should therefore cause them with patience contentedness and chearfulness to bear those troubles c. Doctr. 2 Doct. 2. That it is not in the power of man to untye or dissolve that union which God hath made betwixt man and wife in the married estate Our Saviour here gives a general Precept and warning that no man should presume to do it to shew that it is not in mans power only God himself who maketh this union can dissolve it either by the death of one or both of the married parties or in the case of adultery by giving liberty to the innocent party to be separated from the other by divorce and to marry with another Vse Use To confute the Papists teaching That it is in the power of the Church that is of the Pope as they mean it to dissolve the marriage bond betwixt man and wife in some cases and that out of the case of adultery for in that case they hold that the marriage bond is not dissolved As for example If the husband or the wife after marriage do make a religious Vow as they call it that is to say a Vow of perpetuall continency or that they will live a Monastical life in this case they hold That by reason of such a Vow made the Church or the Pope hath power to make void the marriage bond between husband and wife Vide Concil Trident. Sess 24. Can. 4. et 6. Herein the Pope discovereth himself to be that Antichrist foretold by the Apostle 2 Thess 2. 4. not only in equalling himself with God but exalting himself above God For God hath not any where in his Word dispensed with the separation of man and wife and dissolution of the marriage bond except in the case of adultery but the Pope doth dispense with it for other causes and not for adultery See how contrary he is to God Vide Bellarm. de Monachis lib. 2. c. 38. Doctr. 3 Doctr. 3. In that our Saviour speaks generally here not only of man and wife but of all other persons and things which God hath joyned together that man ought not to separate them hence we learn That it is a sin not only to separate man and wife being joyned of God in the married estate but also to separate any other persons or things whatsoever which God hath appointed to be joyned together For example It is a sin in any to separate between Christian brethren or friends c. by causing strife and debate between them One of the seven things which God in speciall manner hateth Prov. 6. 19. Him that soweth discord among brethren So also it is a sin to separate any of those things which God hath joyned and will have to be joyned together For this is to transgress the general Rule and Precept here delivered by our Saviour That what God hath joyned man may not put asunder Now there are many who are guilty of this sin of separating the things which God hath joyned 1. The Papists in separating the God head from the Manhood of Christ in the Office of Mediation holding him to be Mediator only according to his humane nature c. Also in separating the bread from the wine in the Lords Supper 2. Many also among our selves in our own Church do sin against this Rule of our Saviour For example Such as do separate good works and holy life from the profession of faith which God hath joyned Contrà Jam. 2. Such as separate Justification from Sanctification or forgiveness of sins from repentance which God hath joyned perswading themselves that their sins are forgiven and themselves justified though they live in sin c. Such also as do separate refraining of evil from doing of good in the practice of repentance Contra Rom. 12. 9. Such as do
Whom he Called them he Justified and Glorified 3. By the Grace of Justification applyed unto them by Faith having their sins forgiven and being accepted of God as Righteous by the perfect Righteousnesse of Christ applyed by faith Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them he glorified Act. 26. 18. That they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me 4. By the Grace of true Sanctification wrought in them by the Spirit of God whereby the corruption of sin must be mortified and the Image of God standing in Holinesse and Righteousnesse must be restored in them in part Hebr. 12. 14. Without Holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Rev. 21. 27. More particularly there are some special sanctifying Graces required to make us meet partakers of God's Kingdome viz. such as make us like to little Children but more of these in the next point of Doctrine Use Vse This teacheth us what to do if we desire to know and be assured that we shall be partakers of God's heavenly Kingdome after this life we must examine our selves whether we be first qualified and made fit for it and capable of it in this life in such sort as we have heard Do we feel the work of Repentance and true Conversion from our sins unto God wrought in us have we truely left and forsaken our old sins c. Are we called and separated from the profane world in heart and life not living after the course of this World c Ephes 2. Do we by Faith feel our sins to be forgiven and that we are in Christ accepted of God as Righteous c. Do we feel our selves in some measure sanctified by the Spirit of God the corruption of sin killed in us and Gods Image of Holiness renewed in us c. If it be thus with thee thou art a fit and meet person to receive the Kingdome of heaven thou art capable of it yea thou shalt most certainly be partaker thereof actually On the contrary if thou be not thus fitted prepared and qualified for that Kingdome in this life never look to be partaker of it after this life Thou must here make entrance c. 2 Pet. 1. See Mr. Hieron's Sermon upon Mark 10. 5. called The Minority of the Saints Doctr. 2 Doctr. 2. See what is one part of that qualification and fitnesse required in all such as shall be partakers of Gods heavenly Kingdome they must be qualified like unto little Children they must resemble little Children in disposition and qualities Our Saviour affirmeth here That Whosoever receiveth not the Kingdome of God as a little Child shall not enter therein So in the former verse Of such is the Kingdome of God Matth. 18. 3. Except ye be Converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Quest Quest In what qualities or properties especially must such resemble little Children Answ Answ Not in all properties 1. Not in ignorance 1 Cor. 14. 20. 2. Not in inconstancy or variablenesse Ephes 4. 14. But in such Christian Graces and vertues whereof they have a lively Image and example in little Children especially in these properties 1. In Holinesse and Innocency of life 1 Cor. 14. 20. In Maliciousnesse be Children 2. In true humility and lowlinesse of mind thinking meanly of themselves and well of others yea of their infetiours Thus little children do So David Psal 131. 1 2. Lord My heart is not haughty mine eyes are not lofty c. Surely I have behaved my self as a Child that is weaned from his Mother c. Little Children do not mind high things but have low conceipts of themselves not swelling with Pride against others If two little Children be together one the child of a Rich man the other of a Poor man c. 3. In being void of malice and envy against others and on the contrary being of a loving and kind disposition Thus it is with little children they do not malice c. they soon forgive wrongs c. And so must it be with Christians 1 Pet. 2. 1. Laying aside all malice guile hypocrisies envy c. As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word c. 4. In being teachable and tractable towards God their heavenly Father as little children are towards their earthly Parents A little child is apt to be taught and easily reclaimed from a fault by admonition or correction So must it be with Christians c. Hebr. 12. 9. We have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live 5. In being contented with their outward estate in the World and not ambitiously or covetously seeking after higher or greater estates The poor mans little child is as well contented with his estate as the rich mans So should it be with a Christian as Paul Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am c. therewith to be content I know how to be abased and how to abound c. 6. In faithfull dependance upon God's providence without distrustfull or distracting cares for things of this life Little children depend upon their Parents for Provision of things necessary for them as meat drink c. The Infant hangs upon the Mothers breast without taking further thought c. So must it be with Christians that look to be partakers of Gods Kingdome they must herein resemble little children Matth. 6. 31. Take no thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink c. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Vse Use 1. See how to try and know whether we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven and capable of it and whether we shall indeed be partakers of it after this life examine whether we be as yet become like unto little Infants or young Children in those properties before set down Thou that professest thy self to be a Christian and hopest for eternal life and a part in God's heavenly Kingdome examine thy heart and life look whether thou be fit for that Kingdome and capable of it canst thou receive it as a little child dost thou feel thy self so converted turned and changed that thou art indeed like unto a little child in disposition and qualities in Innocency of life humility love tractableness contente dness with thy estate c. If it be thus with thee it shews thee to be fit for the Kingdome of heaven and shalt be indeed partaker of it On the contrary if thou be not yet like unto a young child in these properties and Christian Graces thou art not capable of Gods Kingdome c. Try thy self therefore and that diligently and thorowly compare thy self with such little children to see how like or unlike thou art unto them Vse 2 Vse 2. See what we must do if we desire to be fit for the Kingdome of
Faith that as in eating and drinking there is an applying of Meat and Drink with the hand to the mouth and so a receiving of it into the stomach for the Nourishment of the Body so in believing there must be a particular applying of Christ the bread of Life to the Soul for the spiritual nourishment of it Reas 2 2. Joh. 3. 16. Whoso believeth in Christ shall have everlasting Life Now if to believe in Christ were onely in general to believe all things to be true which are revealed in the Word touching Christ then not onely many wicked men but the Devils should be saved for they believe the History of the Gospel to be true as may appear because they confessed Christ to be the Son of God c. and Jam. 2. 19. They believe and tremble yet they shall never be saved therefore in saving Faith there is something more required than a general assent to the truth of the Word namely a particular Application of Christ c. Reas 3 3. True Faith breedeth Peace of Conscience Rom. 5. 1. and confidence towards God Ephes 3. 12. But a general perswasion of the truth of the Word will not work these effects onely a particular Application of Christ will do it this therefore must be in true Faith Thus we see that in true Faith there must be a particular applying of Christ Therefore let none content themselves with that Popish Faith which is onely a general Belief of the truth of the Word Ignorant People think this is a good Faith but it will deceive them if they trust to it The second thing to be spoken of is The Degrees of true Faith which are two The first is a weak Faith yet true and sincere The second is a strong Faith A weak Faith I call that which is mixed with much doubting which doth generally assail it and often prevail much against it This weak Faith is nothing else but an earnest and unfeigned desire of being reconciled to God in Christ with a hearty sorrow for our Unbelief and with a care to use all means for the encrease and strengthning of Faith God accepts this Desire in stead of a stronger Faith Therefore the promise of blessedness is made to it Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness c. and Revel 21. 6. I will give unto him that is athirst c. Such a weak Faith was in him Mar. 9. 24. I believe help my Vnbelief and Matth. 8. 26. The other Degree is a strong Faith by which I understand a more full perswasion of God's Love in Christ and of Salvation by him This was in Abraham Rom. 4. 20. Who did not doubt of the Promise c. and in Paul Rom. 8. 38. This is not wrought in a Christian at the first but in tract of time after one hath had many experiences of God's Love This measure of Faith we must all strive unto yet the other weak Faith if it be sincere and unfeigned doth truly apprehend Christ though weakly As a weak Eye-sight might look upon the Brazen Serpent as well as a stronger sight Therefore let not such be discouraged who find onely this weak Degree of Faith in themselves onely look to this that it stand not at a stay but that it grow in thee and that to this end thou use all good means else it never was true Faith if it continue still as weak as at first and grow not to more strength by Degrees The third Point is The necessity of Faith for a Christian which may appear by these Reasons Reas 1 1. It is the onely instrumental cause in us of our Justification and Salvation Rom. 5. 1. Justifyed by Faith c. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved c. It is that alone which uniteth us to Christ by which he dwells in us Ephes 3. 17. and so by it we come to be partakers of all the saving benefits of Christ as God's favour Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation it self Reas 2 2. Hebr. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God The best works we perform if they be not done in Faith believing that the person and work is accepted in Christ they are unpleasing to God yea they are sins Rom. 14. ult Reas 3 3. Faith is the means of up-holding our spiritual and temporal life Gal. 2. 20. Hab. 2. 4. Without Faith we cannot live the spiritual life of Grace because by it alone we are united to Christ and so receive Influence of Grace and of spiritual life from him He is life but we partake not of this life but by Faith Again without Faith we cannot lead our temporal life in such manner as may be pleasing to God and comfortable to our selves It is Faith which must guide and order our temporal life in such manner as God requireth causing us to seek his glory in all our wayes and to depend on him in all estates as well of adversity as prossperity Thus we see the necessity of Faith for every Christian In the fourth place let us see some special marks and signs by which we may examine whether we have true Faith 1. True Faith purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. causing in us a constant purpose and striving against all sin yea against our most inward and secret corruptions It will cause not onely a wandring and inconstant purpose of avoiding sin but a constant purpose True Faith cannot stand with a purpose of continuing in any known sin He that believes truly that his sins are forgiven by the mercy of God in Christ that person believeth withal that he must not live in sin because it is offensive to God Examine thy self by this property of Faith whether it be in thee Art thou careful to purge thy heart and life from sin c. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Art thou careful not to defile thy Conscience with sin True Faith cannot stand with an evil conscience 2. Where true Faith is there will be a daily striving against Unbelief and doubtings with a careful use of the means whereby these doubtings may be subdued and the heart setled in a stedfast belief of God's promises Now these means are the Hearing of the Word Use of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Prayer c. Where Faith is there will be a conscionable use of these spiritual exercises for the strengthning of Faith Examine thy Faith by this mark Doest thou feel contrary doubtings and much Unbelief in thy heart And doest thou hate thy doubtings and constantly strive and pray against them Doest thou say Lord I believe help my Vnbelief It is an Argument thou hast Faith in some measure Some say they never doubted of their Salvation this shews they never truly believed for Faith is mingled with Unbelief and causeth a strife against it in all that have it 3. True Faith is fruitful in 〈◊〉 works especially in the works of Love Gal. 5. 6. Faith worketh by Love Jam. 2. It is
pardon unto them and this keeps them from believing the pardon of them and from laying hold on God's mercy in Christ because they cannot be perswaded that this mercy belongs to so great Offenders c. For Removal of this Impediment 1. Let such examine their hearts whether they be truly humbled for their sins and whether they unfeignedly hate and strive against them If it be thus with thee know this that Christ came to heal the broken-hearted and to save such sinners as thou art even great sinners Fear not therefore to go unto Christ and to lay hold on him by Faith notwithstanding the greatness of thy sins The Blood of Christ is of sufficient vertue and merit to purge thee from all sin even from the greatest 1 Joh. 1. 7. 2. Consider that God's mercy is sufficient to pardon the greatest sins See Psal 103. 8. And this mercy he hath promised to the penitent though their sins be great and heinous as we see Isa 1. 18. Even the sin against the Holy Ghost if it could be repented of might be pardoned by the infinite mercy of God Therefore though thy sins have been many or great yet if thou be truly humbled for them and truly turn from them by Repentance thou mayst undoubtedly believe the pardon of them through God's mercy in Christ It is not simply the greatness of sin but continuance in sin without Repentance that shall condemn any So much of the two main Hinderances which keep men from Faith Others might be stood upon but these shall suffice Hitherto of the first thing in the words namely the Act of Believing Now it followeth to speak somewhat of the Object viz. The Gospel Doctr. Doctr. Observe here that the principal matter and Object which true justifying Faith must look at and apprehend is the Doctrine of Reconciliation with God and of Salvation by Christ taught in the Gospel Therefore the Gospel is said to be the Word of Faith Rom. 10. 8. because this is that Word which justifying Faith doth chiefly lay hold upon and believe Quest Quest Is not the whole Word of God to be believed by Faith Answ Answ Yes but not in respect of Justification For the conceiving of this know that there is a twofold Object of Faith The first is the general Object of it called Objectum adaequatum and this is the whole Word of God both Law and Gospel The second is the more special and principal Object of it so far as it justifieth and this is onely the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Promise of Salvation by Christ which is made in the Gospel Object Object Christ himself is the principal Object of our Faith Act. 16. 31. Answ Answ It is all one in effect to say that Christ as he is set forth to us in the Gospel is the Object of our Faith and to say that the Gospel it self or the Promise of Salvation by Christ which is made in the Gospel is the Object of our Faith as it doth justify Use 1 Use 1. See how needfull it is for us to know and be well acquainted with the Doctrine of the Gospel especially with the Promises of forgivenesse of Sins and Salvation by Christ which are contained in the Gospel These Promises are the principal and special matter and obâ—ect at which our Faith must look and upon which it must lay hold now if we know not these Promises how can we believe or apply them to our Selves by Faith Ministers of the Word therefore must unfold this Doctrine of the Gospel and the Promises of it to their People and the People must be forward and desirous to hear the same opened and applyed to them Use 2 Use 2. Learn hence to settle the eye of our Faith upon the true and right object of it viz. The Promises of the Gospel made in Christ to such as repent and believe labour daily in applying these to our Selves We must by Faith believe every part of the Word of God and apply it to our Selves but it is chiefly the Gospel and the Promises of it in Christ which our Faith must look at for Justification and Salvation As the Israelites being stung with Serpents in the Wilderness looked on the brazen Serpent for the curing of their Bodies So must we by the Eye of Faith look at Christ as he is revealed in the Gospel for the healing of our Souls Mark 1. 16. c. to 21. And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee He saw Simon and Andrew his Brother c. Nov. 8. 1618. NOw we are come to the fourth particular History recorded in this Chapter viz. Our Saviour's calling of four of his Disciples which is laid down from this 16. Ver. unto the 21. Verse And 1. The Evangelist layeth down the Calling of Simon and Andrew Ver. 16 17 18. 2. The Calling of James and John the sons of Zebedeus Ver. 19 20. But I will in handling these Verses consider the Calling of all these Disciples joyntly together In the History I consider these four things 1. The place where Christ called them which was By the Sea of Galilee 2. The Persons that were Called which are Described 1. By their Names Simon Andrew James and John 2. By their Kindred or Allyance one with another in that they were two Couples or Pairs of Brethren Simon and Andrew were Brethren and so were James and John both sons of Zebedees 3. By their Profession or Trade of Life they were Fishers 4. By their diligent imployment in their Callings they were busied partly in casting out their Nets to take Fish and partly in mending their Nets The third thing in the History is the Calling it self which is mentioned both generall in that it is said he called them that is James and John Ver. 20. and more particularly in that the words themselves are set down which our Saviour used to Simon and Andrew which words contain two things 1. A Commandement to follow Him 2. A Promise that He will make them Fishers of Men. The fourth and last thing to be considered is their ready and prompt obedience yielded to Christ's Calling in that it is said They left their Nets and their Father and followed Him To speak of these things in order Touching the first namely the Place where these Disciples were called it was near the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked Of this I will speak very briefly onely shewing what is meant by it This Sea of Galilee is the same which St. Luke calleth the Lake of Genesareth Luke 5. 1. and which St. John calleth the Sea of Tiberias John 6. 1. Vide posteà Cap. 4. Ver. 1. It was a great Lake or Pool of Water which was joyning unto Galilee the lower through the midst of which Lake Jordan did run And this great Lake is called a Sea after the Hebrew Phrase for the Hebrews call such great Pools of Water by the name of Seas Hieron in Ezek. Cap. 48. Col. 490. A. Some Write
laid down the second Consequent of the Miracle which was our Saviour's comforting and incouraging of the Woman being much humbled and cast down with fear of Christ's Divine Majesty and with the sight and feeling of her own unworthiness as we heard out of the former Verse Now he doth incourage her three wayes 1. By calling her Daughter 2. By commending her Faith telling her that she was made whole by it 3. By assuring her by promise of the continuance and constant fruition of the benefit of health restored to her in these words Go in peace and be whole of thy Plague Doctrines generally arising from the coherence of this verse with the former Observ Observ In that this Woman being stricken with fear and trembling at the Divine Majesty of Christ and greatly humbled before him in the sense of her own vileness our Saviour doth thereupon incourage and comfort her Hence we learn that Christ Jesus is the raiser up and Comforter of such as are truly humbled before him in the fight of their own unworthiness and vileness in regard of their sins Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest c. Esay 42. 3. A bruised Reed shall he not break c. Luk. 4. 18. He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted Quest Quest How doth Christ comfort such as are so humbled Answ Answ 1. Outwardly by his Word and Ministery of it especially by the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospel applyed to them effectually See Esay 50. 4. 2. By the inward consolations of his Spirit speaking peace to their Consciences and assuring them of his favour and of the forgiveness of their sins Use 1 Vse 1. To stay and comfort the Hearts of such as are much cast down before God in the feeling of their sins and unworthiness by reason of them and cannot for the present conceive or feel any comfort or assurance of Gods mercy and favour yet let them not be utterly dismayed or out of all hope of comfort but wait still upon God and upon Christ Jesus the Lord for comfort for assuredly he that is the Comforter of all the humbled and broken hearted will in due time raise up and comfort them with the feeling of his favour c. Vse 2 Vse 2. If we would have the Lord Jesus from Heaven to raise us up and comfort uâ— we must then first see that we be truly humbled and cast down in his sight with the sense of our sins and wretchedness of our selves Jam. 4. 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up If thou wouldst have Christ to give thee ease and rest thou must first travel under the burden of thy sins if thou wouldst have him to heal thee thou must first be broken in heart and bruised in conscience for thy many and great sins So much of this general Observation from the coherence Now to speak more particularly of the words Daughter He giveth her this title of a daughter thereby to testifie his loving affection toward her which was such as is in a natural father toward his child and by this also he implyeth that near spirituall union which was between himself and her in respect of the bond of faith by which she wa knit unto him Observ Observ Here then we are to take notice of the strait and near union that is between Christ and all true Believers they are as nearly united as natural Parents and Children yea much nearer in as much as the bond of grace is straiter than of nature See this before Chap. 3. 33 c. It followeth Thy faith hath made thee whole This is the second thing by which he doth encourage her namely by commending her faith By faith understand not onely a general belief of Christ's power that he was able to cure her but also a particular and speciall applying of his power and mercy to her self being perswaded that he was both able and willing to cure her as may be gathered out of the 20th Verse going before where it is said That she said that is was perswaded in heart that if she touched him she should be whole Quest Hath made thee whole Quest How can her faith be said to have made her whole seeing it was the vertue which went out of Christ that is his Divine power which healed her as we heard before Verse 30. Answ Answ The miraculous cure is here attributed to her faith not as to the efficient cause for that was Christ's Divine vertue but as to the instrumental cause or means by which she apprehended and applyed to her self that divine power of Christ by which she was healed Doctr. Doctr. Hence we may gather That faith is the onely means and instrument by which we receive and apply to our selves all benefits and good things which we have from Christ As this Womans faith was the mean and instrument by which she came to receive bodily health from him so it is also the only instrumental cause or mean by which we receive all other benefits from Christ which he bestoweth on uâ— or hath purchased for us The reason hereof is because by faith alone we are united unto Christ himself by it we receive him Joh. 1. 12. and by it he comes to be joyned to us yea to dwell in us Ephes 3. 17. We are also married to him by faith Hos 2. 20. Therefore seeing it is by faith that we come to receive Christ and to be united and joyned so near unto his person in a spiritual manner hence it followes that by the same faith we receive all benefits from Christ which we have from him Even as the Wife being by the marriage-bond â—oyned to her Husband comes by this means to have an interest in those things which are her Husbands as his Honour Riches c. So we being by faith married to Christ by the same faith also we come to have interest in all benefits of Christ which he hath procured for us Now the benefits which we have from Christ and by his means are of two sorts 1. Spiritual which concern our souls and the life to come as justification forgiveness of sins God's favour and salvation it self All these and the like we receive from Christ by faith Rom. 3. 28. we are said to be justified by faith c. So Act. 13. 38. Through this man that is through Christ is preached to you forgiveness of sins See Mar. 2. 5. And by him all that believe are justified from all things Joh. 3. 16. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life See also Mark 16. 16. 2. Temporal benefits which concern this life as bodily health wealth outward peace and prosperity These also we may be said to receive from Christ 1. In that we come to have true right and interest to them in him and by him alone for as in Adam we have lost our right
In this particular apprehension and application of Christ stands the nature of faith chiefly when we do not onely believe in general that Christ is a Saviour but do in particular apprehend him and believe him to be so unto us as Paul Gal. 2. 20. This is called receiving of Christ by faith Joh. 1. 12. and is set forth Joh. 6. by the phrase of eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his blood c. 3. Christ and his benefits That is to say those spirituall and saving benefits which flow from his death and suffering as pardon of sin justification reconciliation with God and eternal life To shew that faith doth apprehend Christ not barely or nakedly considered in respect of his Person but clothed with these excellent saving benefits purchased for us by his death and obedience Observ 1 Observ 1. That it is one special quality and property of all true Christians to be indued with the grace of true Justifying faith whereby they do believe in Christ that is apprehend and apply him particularly unto themselves together with the benefits of his death as pardon of sin c. By this Property our Saviour himself here describeth his true disciples calling them such as do believe in him So in many other places of the New Testament they are called Believers and faithfull ones as Act. 4. 32. The multitude of Believers were of one heart c. Rom. 4. 11. Abraham is said to be the Father of Believers Reason Reason True Christians have a most near Union with Christ Jesus as the Members with the Head Ephes 5. 30. As Branches with the Vine Joh. 15. 5. They are one with Christ and he with them Now this cannot be without faith by which therefore he is said to dwell in their hearts Ephes 3. 17. they are said to be in Christ and he in them Note That this Faith is not in all true Christians in the same degree but in some weaker in some stronger c. Vse Use For Examination To try and know whether we be true Christians yea or no by examining what true faith is in us whereby to believe in Christ and to apply unto our selves the benefits of his death and obedience We must not rest in the bare name of Christians or in the outward profession of Christian Religion in coming to Church c. but examine whether we be Christians indeed what true Union we have with Christ by faith c. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith Prove your selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you c. And because there is a false and counterfeit faith which is in many hypocrites yea in reprobates by which they in some sort believe and perswade themselves that Christ is their Saviour and that they shall have their sins forgiven by the merits of his death c. Therefore let us try and examine the truth and sincetity of our faith by such marks and sings thereof as are set down in the Word of God of which I spake very lately upon the beginning of the â—reed Here therefore I will but briefly touch this matter contenting my self only with the mentioning of one special mark and property of true faith amongst the rest by which we are to examine the truth of it and that is this Examine whether that faith by which we proâ—ess to believe Christ to be our Saviour and that our sins are or shall be forgiven by him do cause and bring forth in us a true hatred of sin and conscionable care to resist and strive against it in our selves Act. 15. 9. By true faith the heart is purified c. Faith and Repentance are unseparable So 1 Tim. 1. 5. Faith and a good conscience are joyned Try thy self by this c. especially now we are to be partakers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Faith being one of those graces especially required to make us fit partakers yea the chief of those graces without which we cannot be good Christians or true members of Christ and so can have no right to the Sacrament which is ordained for further confirmation of our faith and to seal our further growth in Christ Jesus c. Observ 2 Observ 2. From the phrase of believing in Christ which is here used implying not onely a particular apprehension and application of Christ and his benefits but withall a resting and relying upon him for eternall life and salvation hence we learn That it is the nature of true faith to cause and inable Believers to rest and rely upon Christ as their only Saviour and to depend on him by assured trust and confidence for the obtaining of salvation This is properly to believe in Christ or to believe on Christ as it is sometimes translated in the New Testament Rom. 10. 11. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed This is to rest and rely on him by confidence of heart for pardon of sins justification and eternal salvation Called sometimes trusting in Christ Ephes 1. 12. Psal 2. ult This trusting in Christ or resting on him by confidence and affiance of heart for salvation is alwayes joyned with true justifying faith and is the proper work of faith Ephes 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him By true faith the Believer doth not only apprehend and apply Christ to himself in particular believing him to be his salvation but withall resteth on him for salvation c. Use 1 Use 1. See what to judg of the Popish faith which they profess and teach to be sufficient which is nothing but a general belief of the Word and Promises of the Gospel touching forgiveness of sins and salvation without any particular trust affiance or confident resting upon Christ Jesus for Justification and salvation This is not to believe in Christ or to believe on Christ and therefore their faith is no true faith noâ— such as can justifie or save them Vse 2 Vse 2. By this again we learn To try and examine our faith whether it be indeed a true justifying and saving faith Examine whether it inables us in some measure to put our trust and confidence in Christ Jesus as our Saviour and to rest and rely on him for Justification and eternal Salvation If it be so this shewes true faith Otherwise if thou canst not thus rely and rest upon Christ as thy Saviour and Redeemer and trust on him by assured confidence of heart for pardon of sins and for reconciliation with God and eternal life I say if thou canst not do this in some measure there is no true faith in thee as yet For if thou didst truly and effectually believe and apprehend Christ to be thy Saviour thou wouldst rest on him by faith for Justification and eternal salvation Therefore examine thy heart diligently touching this property and work of faith viz. this confident resting on Jesus Christ c. And if thou
what are we by nature but Prisoners under the bondage of Sin and Satan Malefactors and Traytors before God guilty of eternal damnation Oh then let us joyfully embrace the doctrine of the Gospel which brings to us the news of spiritual freedom from Sin and Satan purchased by Christ and of the pardon of our sins procured for us by him How highly should we prize this doctrine how happy should we think our selves when we may enjoy the preaching of it and how far should we be from contemning or neglecting so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. c. Such as contemn this doctrine contemn their own good and happiness c. Use 2 See what cause there is why the faithfull Ministers of God which bring this glad tydings of the Gospel to us should be entertained with love and reverence for their message sake which they bring to us Rom. 10. 15. How beautifull are the feet c. See 1 Thes 5. 12 â—â— So much of the first thing by which the doctrine of the Gospel is described which is the name or title given to it in that it is called The Gospel It is joyfull-tydings Now followeth the second thing in the description namely the Author and matter of it Jesus Christ for as I have shewed it is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ both because he is the chief Author of this doctrine and also the chief Subject or matter of it Point 1 Here then we learn two Points 1. That Christ Jesus as he is God is the Author of this Gospel that is of the glad tydings of salvation by Himself This is one main cause why this doctrine is so often called the Gospel of Christ and the Gospel of the Son of God to signifie that Christ Jesus the Son of God is the Author of this doctrine John Baptist as we heard before was the first preacher of the Gospel but he preached it not as his own Doctrine nor by his own Authority but as the Doctrine of Christ and as being sent of Christ to publish it See Mal. 3. 1. Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me The Prophet bringeth in Christ himself thus speaking of John Baptist Therefore though John were the first Preacher of the Gospel yet Christ himself was the Author of it and John was but the Minister and Messenger John first preached it by the Authority of Christ but Christ himself preached it first by his own Authority So Heb. 2. 3 This salvation began at the first to be spoken by the Lord. Therefore in his Sermons he often used these words I say unto you Math. 5. And as our Saviour Christ preached this doctrine in his own name so he confirmed it by many Miracles wrought by his Divine Power which shewed him to be Author of it Use See how great the sin is of such as contemn this Doctrine of the Gospel or refuse to believe and obey it They contemn and reject Christ himself 1 Thes 4. 18. Take heed we be not guilty of this sin God will severely punish it Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation c. Yet how common is this contempt of the Gospel now a daies How little care is in some to hear it unfolded in the publick ministery a small matter hinders them One cause of such contempt is this that men are not yet throughly perswaded that the doctrine delivered by a frail man like themselves is or can be the doctrine of Christ himself they neither see nor feel any divine Power of Christ working in and by this doctrine when it is delivered therefore they think it to be the word of a Man not the word of Christ Jesus the Son of God Is not this the blockish ignorance of some But know this though Christ Jesus useth the ministery of weak men yet the word and message which they bring is the message of Christ himself And what if we bring this treasure to you in earthen Vessels yet the treasure is not the lesse worth Look not then only at the Minister but chiefly at Christ Jesus the Son of God whose message he delivers and learn with all reverence and conscionable obedience to submit unto it Point 2 The second Point to be learned here from hence that it is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this That as Christ is the Author of this doctrine so he is also the chief Subject Matter and Argument of the Gospel Rom. 1. 3. The Gospel is said to be concerning the Son of God Jesus Christ c. because he is the chief and main matter taught and revealed in it 1 Cor. 1. 23. We preach Christ crucified c. Whatsoever is taught in the Gospel is either concerning the Person of Christ or concerning his Offices as He is our Priest Prophet and King or concerning these benefits we have by Christ as Justification and Salvation c. or lastly touching the means of enjoying these benefits from Christ as Faith and Repentance So that Christ Jesus is the sum and main scope of the Doctrine of the Gospel Use 1 This shews a difference between the Doctrine of the Law and of the Gospel the preheminence of this above that for the main matter taught in the Gospel is Christ whereas the Law teacheth not Christ at all ar least not properly and directly as the Gospel doth Indeed it is said Gal. 3. 24. the Law is our Schoolmaster to Christ but that is onely by accident because it sheweth us our sins but not any remedy against them therefore it driveth us to seek a remedy elsewhere namely in the Gospel which revealeth Christ as the remedy against sin But the Law of it self doth not directly lead to Christ or teach him only the Gospel doth this Use 2 See again by this the excellency and preciousness of this Doctrine of the Gospel seeing the main matter and scope of it is Christ Jesus in whom are hid all the treasures of saving Grace yea of Salvation it self Col. 2. 3. God's favour forgiveness of Sins yea salvation it self are all hid in Christ and Christ is revealed in the Gospel How excellent then must this Doctrine needs be Is it not a precious Doctrine which revealeth Christ to us the greatest jewel that ever God bestowed on mankind Happy then is that people and congregation where this Doctrine is soundly and ordinarily taught and wretched and profane men are they that cry out There is too much preaching which is all one as if they should say They may hear too much of Christ or learn him too well Away with such atheistical thoughts and speeches and know we this for a certainty that as to know Christ is eternal life John 17. 3. so he that hath not this knowledge must needs perish everlastingly And there is no ordinary means of knowing and learning Christ but by hearing the Gospel preached Eph. 4. 20 21. This it is that revealeth and teacheth Christ to us
therefore we may as well be without Christ as without the Gospel preached See the necessity of this Ordinance of God and learn to make great account of this his mercy that we enjoy the freedom of the Gospel in the preaching whereof Christ Jesus himself with all his benefits is daily set forth unto us We cannot be sufficiently thankful for this unspeakable favour of God if we seriously think of it as we ought So much of the cheif Author and matter of the Gospel which is Christ Jesus Now followeth the Description of Christ by one special Title called The Son of God How Christ is the Son of God I shewed before in opening the words namely in this respect That he was from everlasting begotten of God the Father after an unspeakable manner Doct. Now in that Christ Jesus is the Son of God by eternal generation or begetting hence we gather That therefore he is true and very God as well as the Father or the Holy Ghost He is not a meer man but God as well as Man yea equal with the Father and Holy Ghost in respect of the divine Essence and nature Phil. 2. 6. Being in the form of God he thought it no robbery to be equal with God See also Joh. 1. 1. Reasons to prove that he is very God Reas 1 1. The essentiall properties of the divine Nature are given to him â—â— Eternity Esay 9. 6. The everlasting Father So also Omnipotency 〈…〉 the Almighty Reas 2 2. The 〈◊〉 or God are ascribed to him as the Creation of the World John 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. By him all things were created c. So also the Preservation of the World Heb. 1. 3. He beareth up all things by the word of his Power So he is said to forgive sins which is proper to God onely Reas 3 3. Divine worship is to be given to him even by the Angels themselves Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels worship him Act. 7. 59. Steven prayed to him Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Use 1 This confuteth all Hereticks that have denyed or do at this day deny the God-head of Christ as the Arrians Turks Jews and the like Use 2 Christ Jesus being true God is therefore an all-sufficient Saviour Heb. 7. 25. He is able perfectly to save them that come unto God by him by the power of his God-head he is well able to vanquish Death Hell Satan and all Enemies of our Salvation Further in that he is God as well as Man he is able to merit Forgiveness of sins God's Favour and Salvation it self for his elect and faithful ones for this Dignity of his person added vertue and efficacy to his death and sufferings in that he that dyed and suffered was the Son of God therefore Act. 20. 28. God is said to have purchased the Church with his own blood Again in that he is God as well as man he is able not onely to merit Salvation for his Elect but also actually to confer and bestow Salvation and all means of it upon them Joh. 10. 28. He gives eternal life to his sheep c. All this is matter of singular comfort to true Believers who know themselves to have part in Christ they are sure not to miss of Salvation Hell-gates cannot keep them from it seeing the Son of God himself is their all-sufficient Saviour Here then we must learn by faith to trust in this Son of God our powerful Saviour and to rely wholly upon him for Salvation and for all the parts and degrees and means of it seeking Salvation in none other but him onely who is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. Mark 1. 2. As it is written in the Prophets Behold I send my Messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee HAving spoken of the Preface set before the History of John Baptist his publick Ministry in the former Verse Now we come to the History it self In which St. Mark layeth down three principal matters touching the Ministry of John First The ground or warrant of his Call to his Office namely The Writings of the Prophets Ver. 2. 3. Secondly The Execution of his Ministry in baptizing and preaching the Word Ver. 4. ver 7 8. Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of his Ministry Ver. 5. in that all the Land of Judea and they of Jerusalem went out to him c. which shews how effectual and powerful his Ministry was Touching the 1. Point namely The Ground or Testimonies of two Prophets Malachy and Esay which Testimonies are alledged by the Evangelist for the warranting and confirming of John's Ministry As it is written in the Prophets That is in the Writings or Books of the Prophet Malachy and of the Prophet Esay as we shall see when we come to the Testimonies themselves Now these words As it is written c. have Relation to the 4. verse following where it is said That John baptized and preached c. And it is all one as if the Evangelist had said thus In that John Baptist went before Christ to prepare the way for him by preaching and baptizing in taking this Office upon him and in executing it accordingly he did nothing but that which was agreeable to the Prophecies that went before of him by which it was foretold That he should be the Harbinger of Christ to prepare the way for him by his Ministry and Preaching And therefore by these Prophecies both his Calling to the Ministry and the Execution of it are sufficiently warranted Thus wee see the purpose of the Evangelist in alledging these Testimonies of the Prophets for the warranting of John's Ministry And here some things are to be observed for our Instruction before we come to the particular handling of these Testimonies alledged Obser 1 In that the Evangelist alledgeth the writings of the Prophets for the Ground and Warrant of John Baptist his Calling to the Ministry Hence we learn that whosoever takes on him the Office of a Minister must have his Ground and Warrant from the Word of God for so doing else he may not thrust himself into that holy Function Not that every Minister must have such special Warrant from express words of Scripture to justify his Calling as John had for he being an extraordinary Prophet and Minister of the Gospel his Calling to that Office was in special manner foretold by the Prophets in their Writings and so he had a special and extraordinary Warrant for it It cannot be that every ordinary Pastor or Minister of the Church in these times should shew such particular and special Warrant from express Scripture for his Calling to that Office Nevertheless every Minister must be able to shew the general Warrant of the Word of God for the proof and justifying of his entrance into that Calling Reas 1. Else he cannot look for the Blessing of God upon his Ministry 2. Nor for perfection 3. Nor do his duty cheerfully Quest When is
will do this or that good Duty and then set about it So Psal 119. 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my Feet to thy Testimonies Vse Use This reproveth such as are rash and unadvised in their wayes taking in hand weighty Actions and enterprises without Counsell and Advice taken in their Hearts before-hand Thus some do rashly set about the Duties of God's worship as Prayer Hearing of the Word and such like without due premeditation going before contrary to the Precept of Solomon Eccles 5. 1 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy Heart be hasty to utter a word before God c. So others take in hand the Duties of their particular Callings without advice and deliberation going before God often punisheth such rashness with ill success Prov. 15 22. Without Counsell purposes are disappointed Observ 2 Observ 2. As this Woman came behind Christ in the Press and touched his Garment thereby shewing her desire to be healed so she brought Faith in her Heart whereby she was resolved of the power and goodness of Christ that he could and would cure her if she touched him so that as she touched his Garment with her hand so withall she touched him in her Heart by Faith applying his power and goodness to her self Now this teacheth us that such as come to Christ to be cured of their bodily or Spiritual diseases must come with Faith in their Hearts whereby they may touch Christ in a Spiritual manner that is apprehend and apply to themselves his power and mercy for the healing of them Thus in our bodily sicknesses when we seek to Christ by Prayer for help and ease we must pray with Faith else we cannot look to be heard Jam. 5. 15. The Prayer of Faith shall save the sick c. Thus Mark 2. 5. It is said our Saviour saw the Faith of him that was sick of the Palsy and of those that brought him to Christ So also when we come to Christ to be cured of our sin the Spiritual diseases of our Souls we must bring Faith to apply his power and mercy to our selves for the curing of them else we must not look to be healed As the most skilfull Physitian for the body cannot cure such a one as will not or cannot take and apply the Physick given him so Christ Jesus though a most powerful Physitian for the Soul yet doth not cure any but such as by Faith apply to themselves the soveraign Medicine of his pretious bloud that is the merits of his death and obedience which is that Spiritual Physick which he offereth to them As it is said Hebr. 11. 6. He that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him So he that commeth to Christ must come with Faith c. See Joh. 3. 14. Use Use Labour then for true Faith by which we may touch Christ in a Spiritual manner applying to our selves his power and goodness for the curing of our bodily and Spiritual diseases especially our Spiritual diseases think not to be cured in Soul of thy sins unless thou have Faith to apply to thy self the soveraign Medicine of Christ's bloud In vain for thee to come to Christ in Prayer and to intreat him to heal thee of thy sins if thou bring not Faith whereby thou mayest Spiritually touch him and receive Divine vertue from him for the healing of thee Look therefore that thou come to him with a Believing Heart as this Woman did Pray unto God to work and increase this Faith in thee and use all other good means to this end So much Faith as thou hast to touch Christ and to apply him to thy self so much healing vertue thou shalt receive from him to cure thy diseased Soul and Conscience Observ 3 Observ 3. In that this Woman shewed some weakness of Faith in that she thought she could not be healed without the touching of Christ's garment this teacheth us that the Faith of true Believers in this life is imperfect and mingled with some unbelief So was the Faith of him that brought his Child to Christ to be dispossessed of the Devil Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Yea the Faith of the Apostles themselves was imperfect Luke 17. 5. otherwise they would not have prayed to Christ to increase it Reason Reas The whole work of Sanctification is imperfect in this life therefore every particular Sanctifying Grace is imperfect Use 1 Use 1. Labour to see and feel the weakness and imperfection of our Faith how much it is assailed with doubtings and distrustfulness of Gods power and mercy and not onely to feel this but to be grieved for it yea to lament and bewail it in our selves and daily to strive against unbelief by Prayer and Meditation of Gods promises in Christ Use 2 Vse 2. See how needfull even for the best Christians to be diligent from time to time in the use of all good means ordained of God for the strengthening of their Faith as the Word Preached the use of the Sacraments and Prayer c. Mark 5. 29. And straightway the Fountain of her bloud c. Dec. 10. 1620. HItherto of the Description of the person upon whom the Miracle was wrought Now followeth the Miracle it self ver 29. The fountain of her bloud was dryed up And this is amplified 1. By the Circumstance of time or speediness of the Miracle straightway 2. By the truth and certainty of it in that she felt in her body that she was healed of her Plague Straightway So soon as she touched Christ's Garment with her hand and Christ himself inwardly by Faith The fountain of her bloud was dryed up That is the unnatural Flux or Issue of Bloud with which she had been so long afflicted was stopped and so the cause of her disease taken away Healed of that Plague or scourge that is of her disease so called to shew the nature of that disease that of it self it was a fruit of sin and a punishment inflicted for it So much of the words Now to gather such Instructions as arise from them And first from the Miracle it self or the effect which followed upon the Womans touching of Christ The fountain of er bloud dryed up and she was healed Doctr. 1 Doctr. 1. This Miracle of our Saviour in curing the Woman of an incurable disease without any means onely by his Divine power doth serve to confirm our Faith in the Article of Christ's Divine nature proving him to be God Of this often before See chap. 1. ver 42. Doctr. 2 Doctr. 2. Further this Miracle serveth even as the rest do to prove this Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary to be the Christ or the true Messiah that is to say that person which was ordained of God from Everlasting and in time foretold by the Prophets to be the Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind This also is proved and shewed before
ten in the Glasse of the Law of God this will discover to us the filthiness of our hearts and the Sea of corruption that is in them Especially examine our hearts by the first and by the last Commandement of the Morall Law which are more spirituall then the rest and go neerest to the ransacking of the heart And we must deal thoroughly in searching out the corruptions of our hearts remembring how deceitfull they are and how hard it is to know them Many do not feel or complain of the filthiness and corruption of their hearts because they never yet ransacked their hearts by the Law of God Use 2 Use 2. See what need for us to get our hearts purged and cleansed from this sink and puddle of Sin which is in them and not onely to have them once purged or begun to be purged but to labour in the daily purging of them more and more To this end consider often what a deal of filthiness and how many Sins are to be purged out thence Quest Quest How may we get our hearts purged Answ Answ 1. By the power and efficacy of God's sanctifying Spirit which in this respect is in Scripture compared sometimes to Water sometimes to Fire in regard of the purging vertue of it able to cleanse the foulest heart from the filth of sin so as it shall no longer reigne and bear sway there as it did before c. Pray therefore unto God to baptize and wash thy Heart with the Holy Ghost and with Fire 2. By the Ministry of the Word which is also in this respect compared unto fire Jer. 23. because it is of force to purge the heart from the Corruption of sin yea to consume and waste it more and more Therefore come diligently to the Word preached which is powerful and mighty in operation to work upon the heart and to cleanse and purge it 3. Get true Faith apprehending God's saving Love and Mercy in Christ pardoning thy sins c. This will work in thee a hatred of all sin and a care to purge thy heart from it daily Act. 15. 9. God purified the hearts of the Gentiles by Faith Use 3 Vse 3. See by this how great a work is the Work of Regeneration and Sanctification whereby the heart must be purged from such a World of wickedness and Sea of filthiness This is such a Work as is not easily done or suddenly in short time but very hardly and in much Tract of time The whole time of our life is too little for the doing of it throughly Such a Work it is as no Creature Man or Angel can perform but God onely by the Divine Power of his Spirit He must poure clean water upon us c. Ezek. 36. 25. Without this purging fire and water of his Spirit all the water in the Sea will not wash thy heart from Wickedness all the Nitre and Soap in the World will not purge it from one sin much less from so many as are in it by Nature Do not therefore think thou canst wash thy own heart from sin when thou list and thereupon put off thy Repentance till death or Old-Age But go speedily unto God and seek to him earnestly to purge and cleanse thy heart So much in general of these manifold sins and corruptions which are said to come out of the heart Now further my purpose is to take occasion here to speak something particularly touching the severall Sins here named yet I intend not any large or full Treatise of them but onely to speak so much as shall be most needful 1. I will shew the nature and kinds of the sins so far as shall be needful 2. Some Remedies Before I speak of the particular sins note here that they may be distinguished two wayes 1. In regard of the Object And so some sins are more directly against God forbidden in the first table of the ten Commandments as Blasphemy Pride c. Some more directly against Man or our Neighbour forbidden in the second Table as Adultery Fornication c. 2. They may be distinguished in regard of the extent of them For some are more general sins as evil thoughts wickedness foolishness Some more particular as Adultery Fornication c. But to speak of them in order as they lye in the Text 1. Of the first Evill thoughts By which we are to understand in general all sorts of corrupt and sinfull Motions arising in the Heart or inner Man which may be distinguished in regard of the Object of them into two sorts 1. Such as are most directly against God condemned in the first Table of the Moral Law as motions of Atheism Infidelity Distrust of God's Mercy blasphemous thoughts c. 2. Such as are more directly against our Neighbour forbidden in the second Table as motions and thoughts of Covetousness Malice Envy c. Now both these kinds of evil thoughts are here to be understood Further these corrupt motions of the heart may be distinguished in regard of the nature or degrees of them into two sorts 1. Such as are joyned with actuall consent of Heart and Will yielding unto them See Mat. 5. 28. 2. Such as arise in the Heart and do spring from our corrupt Nature yet are not consented unto by the Will but resisted upon the rising of them Now these also are in themselves evil and sinful as well as the former though not in the same degree Reasons Reason 1. Because they come from corrupt Nature as Fruits 2. Because they are against the Law of God and breaches of it See Rom. 7. 7. Now both these degrees of evil Motions may here be understood Now to lay down some Remedies against evil thoughts 1. Bring our thoughts in Subjection to God and His Word as well as our words and Actions See 2 Cor. 10. 5. Do not think that Thought is free before God c. Every Thought is to be conceived in Obedience to God 2. Meditate often of God's Omniscience that he knoweth all things perfectly and therefore our hearts and all the thoughts and motions and affections of them Hebr. 4. 13. All things are naked and open c. He is called The Searcher of the Heart and Reins Jer. 17. 10. Psal 139. 2. Thou understandest my thought afar off Let this consideration move us to take heed of harbouring any evil or wicked Thought or sinful Lust in our Hearts seeing God takes notice of every evill Thought and He is of pure Eyes Habbak 1. If we refrain sin in Word and outward Action in the sight of men especially of good men How much more c. 3. Labour to have our hearts constantly taken up with good thoughts and affections either concerning spiritual and heavenly matters as God his Word Worship c. or concerning the Duties of our particular Callings that so by this means evil Thoughts may be shut out or at least restrained and kept under that they bear not sway in our hearts Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever
for else they would never have come and sought to him For as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4. 13. We believe and therefore speak And Rom. 10. 14. which shews That where there is no Faith in the Heart there can be no speaking by prayer unto God or unto Christ But withall they discover much weaknesse in their Faith in that they seem to tye Christ's Power unto outward means as to the outward touching of the blind man with his hands as if without this he could not cure and restore him to sight Observ 1 Observ 1. It is the duty of all Christians to help one another by their prayers in time of Distresse and Affliction To seek to God for others as well as for themselves and to commend the afflicted estate of others to God in prayer This we may hence learn from those which brought this blind man to Christ in that they did not onely conduct him to Christ but being come they sought or prayed unto Christ for him that he might be cured of his blindness See this Point before handled on Chap. 7. Ver. 32. and Jam. 5. 16. Observ 2 Observ 2. In that both the Friends of the blind man which brought him to Christ and also the blind man himself as is not to be doubted did shew their Faith by seeking to Christ for help in this distressed Case We hence learn That where there is any measure of true Faith in the Heart it cannot but break forth and shew it self by Prayer and Calling on God in our own and others necessities Thus David in his Affliction believed and therefore spake to God by Prayer Psal 116. 10. So Paul 2 Cor. 4. 3. we believe and therefore speak Wheresoever there is a Spirit of Faith as the Apostle there saies there is also a Spirit of Prayer to Call upon God Therefore Jam. 5. 15. it is called the Prayer of Faith because it is an inseparable Effect and Consequent of Faith flowing from it Jude ver 20. Building up your selves in your most holy Faith and praying in the Holy Ghost Reas 1 Reas 1. Faith is not an idle Grace but operative and working where it is 1 Thess 1. 3. and among other effects which it worketh this is one speciall one That it brings forth Prayer in us Reas 2 Reas 2. True Faith perswadeth us of God's Power and Ability to hear and help us in all Necessities and Distresses and this moveth us to seek to Him by Prayer This moved Christ himself to pray in his Agony Mark 14. 16. Abba Father all things are possible to thee take away this Cup c. The Leper Matth. 8. 2. Thou caust make me clean Reas 3 Reas 3. Faith perswades us of God's willingness and readiness to hear and help us in regard of his Goodness and Mercy as also of his Promise and this cannot but move us to seek to Him by prayer in our own and others Necessities and Miseries Hos 6. 1. Come let us return to the Lord for he hath torn us and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up After two Dayes will he revive us c. When we are perswaded that he is rich unto all that Call upon him this moveth us to Call upon him for our selves and others Vse Vse To examine our selves by this what true Faith is in our Hearts Look how conscionable and frequent we are in the Duty of Prayer and Calling upon God in our own and others Necessities and Distresses If we truly believe God's Power and Goodness and be perswaded of the Truth of his Promise to hear and help us in our Troubles to relieve us in our Wants c. this cannot but inlarge our Hearts and open our Mouths to speak to God by prayer in all our Necessities and in the Necessities of others Contrà if we have no Hearts to call upon God nor Mouths to speak to him by prayer for our selves and others this argues want of Faith Let men say and professe never so much that they believe God's power and readiness to help them in all their Necessities yet if they seldom or never use to seek to him and to call on him by prayer it is certain That either they want Faith or their Faith is very weak For if they were effectually perswaded of God's Power and Will to help and relieve them and of the Truth of his Promise they could not but often go and seek to him by prayer See then that we shew our Faith by this excellent Fruit of it viz. by frequent calling upon God in our own and others Necessities c. we must not onely believe but speak to â—od by prayer of Faith especially in our greatest Necessities and Troubles Our Wants and Miseries should stir us up to frequent and earnest calling upon God thereby to shew and testifie our Faith that we believe and rest upon him for help comfort and relief Necessity drives men sometimes to crave help and relief even of their Enemies when they are perswaded of their power to help them How much more ought our Necessities to drive us to God by prayer Else how do we shew our selves to believe and be perswaded of hiâ— power and readiness to help us The Child that is perswaded of his Father's love and doth rest and rely upon him for all necessaries of this Life he will often come to his Father to crave and ask of him such things as he wanteth So here c. Observ 3 Observ 3. Though the Faith of this blind man and of those that brought him to Christ was but weak and imperfect as appears by their tying of Christ's Power to the outward touching yet our Saviour doth not reâ—ect them but granteth their request and did perfitly cure the blind man Whence we may learn That weakness of Faith if it be true and sound doth not hinder any from receiving good and benefit by Christ but Christ doth communicate himself and his benefits to such as are weak in Faith As here he vouchsafed the benefit of this miraculous Cure to this blind man though himself and his Friends which brought him to Christ shewed much weakness of Faith though their Faith was imperfect yet the blind was perfitly cured So Mark 9. 24. though the Father of the Child possessed with a dumb and deaf Spirit were but weak in Faith yet our Saviour granted his Request in casting the Devil out of his son This is also true of Spirituall benefit which Christ doth bestow upon us and hath purchased for us as forgiveness of sins justification c. weakness of Faith so it be sincere and sound doth not exclude any from being partakers of these benefits but even the smallest and weakest measure of Faith makes a Christian capable yea actually partaker of them all Though our Faith be but as a grain of Mustardseed yet it is sufficient to receive and apply Christ with all his spirituall Benefits and to make us partakers of his unsearchable
Riches Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse for they shall be filled Rev. 21. 6. I will give to him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely When Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent in the Wilderneâ—s which was a Type of Christ's being lifted on the Cross Joh. 3. Such as had but a weak eye-sight yet by looking upon that brazen Serpent were cured of the sting of fiery Serpents So though a Christian have but a weak eye of Faith to look at Christ crucified yet being true Faith it is sufficient to receive and apply all the saving benefits of Christs death to himself Use Great comfort to such Christians as feel and complain of the weaknesse of their Faith no cause for such to be discouraged For if their Faith be true and sound the small or weak measure cannot shut them out from Christ's benefits but it is sufficient to give them interest in all yea to give them actuall possession of Christ himself So ready is he to communicate himself and his benefits to us that he suffereth himself to be received and enjoyed even of such as have but a very weak and feeble hand of Faith to lay hold on him For as a weak hand is a true hand and may truly lay hold upon that thing which it reacheth after so our Faith though very weak and feeble yet may be true Faith and truly apprehend Christ to Justification and Salvation A man may draw Water out of a deep Well or Fountain with a small Bucket or other Vessel so may we draw Waters of Life out of Christ the Fountain of Life and Salvation though the Vessel of our Faith be but small c. Yet we must not rest content with a weak Faith but labour for increase daily The property of true Faith is to grow c. Mark 8. 23 c. And he took the blind man by the hand c. April 3. 1625. OF the occasion of this Miracle ye have heard versu priori viz. 1. Our Saviour's coming to Bethsaida 2. The bringing of the blind man unto him 2. Their Sute or Request made to Christ for him Now the next principall matter set down by the Evangelist is a speciall preparative used by our Saviour before the working of this Miracle viz. His taking of the blind man by the hand and leading him out of the Town Quest 1 Quest 1. Why did he thus lead him out of the Town before he cured him and not rather work this Miracle in the Town that so the whole Town might have taken notice of it Answ Answ Some think the reason was because the People of this Town had formerly shewed such incredulity and unthankfulness in rejecting Christ's Doctrine and Miracles and not profiting by them therefore he now refused to work any more Miracles there But then it is likely That he would not have come again at all unto this Town nor have wrought this Miracle near unto it Therefore I take the true causes to be these 1. To avoid all shew of Ambition and desire of Vain-Glory 2. To prevent the concourse and flocking of the Multitude about him which might have been a disturbance and hinderance to him in working the Miracle therefore that he might with more freedom and lesse distraction proceed in the quiet and orderly woâ—king of it he withdrew the blind man out of the Town into some more private place Quest 2 Quest 2. Why did he take him by the hand and lead him himself and not appoint others to lead him as he might have done Answ Answ 1. To shew his goodnesse and mercy towards the blind man and how ready willing and forward he was to cure and heal him 2. To shew his Humility that he did not proudly scorn or disdain him in his Misery and Affliction but was content to abase and submit himself to do any mean Office in way of helping and relieving him Observ 1 Observ 1. That in all Actions and Duties which we take in hand and perform we ought to be far from Ambitious desire and seeking after Vain-glory and praise from Men. So was our Saviour Christ as we see here and at other times Joh. 5. 41. and Joh. 8. 50. I seek not mine own Glory c. Herein we must imitate Him Gal. 5. ult Let us not be desirous of Vain-glory c. 1 Thess 2. 6. Paul professeth that he sought not Glory from men in his ministry Yea we are to shun all shew and appearance of such Ambition and desire of Vain-glory in our Actions Reas 1 Reas 1. This ambitious seeking of our own Praise is a main hinderance to the conscionable seeking of God's Glory and Honour which ought to be the main scope of all our Actions Reas 2 Reas 2. It is a fruit of Pride and therefore a sin to be abhorred and taken heed of Reas 3 Reas 3. The property of Hypocrites is to hunt after Vain-glory as the Pharisees Matth. 6. 2. Reas 4 Reas 4. It cannot stand with true Faith Joh. 5. 44. How can ye believe when ye receive Glory one from another c. where Pride and Ambition raigneth in the Heart there can be no truth or soundnesse of Faith For Faith causeth us to deny our selves and to give all Glory to God c. Object Object Phil. 4. 8. If there be any Vertue or Praise think on these things c. Answ Answ 1. By Praise understand such things as are Praise-worthy as religious and vertuous Actions These we should be carefull and diligent to perform that so we may deserve most praise and commendation from God and Men not that we should ambitiously hunt after Vain-glory or Praise from Men especially from the common multitude c. 2. Not all seeking of Praise condemned so it be just and for well-doing But seeking Vain-glory which is 1. When we seek praise for evil things or for good things that are not in us 2. From unfit persons as the profane sort or multitude 3. When we onely or chiefly seek our own praise and not God's Glory principally Use Use For admonition to us to beware of this ambitious hunting and seeking after vain-glory and praise of men in our Actings especially in good Duties as in Duties of God's Worship as Preaching Prayer frequenting Sermons Reading c. So also in works of Mercy as giving Alms to the Poor c. Take heed of seeking our selves and our own glory in performance of these and the like Duties lest we be like the hypocriticall Pharisees and those Rulers mentioned Joh. 12. 43. Who loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God If it be so with us we have our Reward as our Saviour saith of the Pharisees Matth. 6. Contrà see that in all our Actions we seek God's Glory chiefly and principally and that we be much more carefull to approve our wayes and works to God then to Men. This is the way to have true comfort
certainty of it and must serve to confirm our Faith therein and so much the rather because this History doth contain excellent matter of Instruction and Comfort for the true Church and faithful Servants of Christ as we shall hear afterward God willing Observ 2. Our Saviour chose none to be with him to see the Glory of his Transfiguration but such as were of the number of his true and faithful Discipleâ— as Peter James and John for which cause Judas Iscariot was none of the three Hence we learn what kind of Persons they are who shall see the heavenly Glory of Christ in the life to come viz. none but such as are Christ's true Disciples in this life none but true Believers and sanctified Persons such as do not onely make outward Profession of Christ's Name but do truly believe in him and shew their Faith by holiness of life These onely shall see the Divine Glory and Majesty of Christ in Heaven hereafter and not onely see it but be partakers of it Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me c. Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Therefore Heaven is called the Inheritance of the Saints Col. 1. 12. to shew that none shall be Partakers of it nor see the Glory of God or of Christ there but the Saints and faithful As none but Believers and Saints were admitted of Christ to behold his Glory in the earthly Mount which is therefore called the Holy Mount 2 Pet. 1. 18. So none but the Saints and faithful shall be admitted to see Christ's Glory in the heavenly Mount Use 1 Use 1. See how many deceive themselves who vainly hope and perswade themselves that they shall come to Heaven hereafter and there see Christ in glory though as yet they be not in the number of Christ's true Disciples though they be as yet no true Believers or sanctified Persons but on the contrary are utterly void of true Faith and profane in life Some live in gross Ignorance of the Word of God and of the very grounds of Christian Religion having no sound Knowledge of Christ and therefore can have no true Faith in him Others live in gross and manifest sins and corruptions unreformed in swearing drunkenness uncleanness covetousness c. and yet hope for Heaven and to see Christ's Glory there hereafter But deceive not thine own Soul For if no profane or unsanctified Person might go with Christ up to the earthly Mount to see him there transfigured how much less shalt thou being a profane Person and living in thy sins be admitted to see Christ's Glory in the heavenly Mount No unclean thing shall ever come into that holy City the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 27. Use 2 Use 2. See here the Profaness of such as reproach others with the Name of Puritan Let them know that if ever they look to see Christ's Glory in the Heavenly Mount themselves must be Puritans c. See 1 Joh. 3. 3. Use 3 Use 3. If we would know and be assured that we shall hereafter see and be partakers of Christ's Glory in Heaven labour first in this life to be joyned to him by true Faith that we may feel him dwelling in our hearts by Faith and to shew forth this Faith by the fruits of it in Holiness of life If we would be received up into that heavenly Mount whither he is ascended before us there to behold his divine and heavenly Glory and to partake in it with the rest of the Saints let us look to it that we be in the number of his true Disciples that is of his faithful Saints and Servants such as these three were whom Christ took with him into the earthly Mount to see his excellent Glory Labour above all things in the World for some measure of true Faith and Sanctification to make our Calling and Election sure c. 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Now followeth the Place where our Saviour was transfigured An high Mountain into which he led up his three Disciples apart by themselves What Mountain this was is not expressed by the Evangelists but the most received Opinion of Interpreters is that it was the Mount Tabor mentioned Judg. 4. 6. which was in the Country of Galilee and in the border or coast of of the Tribe of Zebulun as Hierom writeth in locis Haebraicis And this is the more probable 1. Because our Saviour conversed much in Galilee and it is probable he was now in that Region or Country 2. Because the Evangelists affirm that it was an high Mountain and so doth Hierom testify of the Mount Tabor that it was mira rotunditate sublimis Vide Maldonat cui incertum videtur Vide potius Casaub contra Baron Exerc. 15. Ann. 33. Num. 29. Quest Quest Why did our Saviour lead them up into this Mountain apart Answ Answ 1. Because he intended to give himself to private Prayer thereby to fit and prepare himself to his Transfiguration for which a private place was fittest Luke 9. 28. He went up into a Mountain to pray viz. that there he might be private with his three Disciples and free from distractions So at other times when he intended to pray privately he used to go apart into some private Mountain or Hill as Mark 6. 46. and Lukâ— 6. 12. 2. That the Disciples might also be free from all distractions that might hinder them either in Prayer or in the fight and beholding of Christ's Glory 3. The Mountain being a remote solitary and private place was fittest for this private manifestation of Christ's Glory before the three Disciples that so no others besides might see it done Observ 1 Observ 1. When we go about the performance of weighty and serious duties we should withdraw out selves from all occasions that may hinder or disturb us therein especially when we go about holy and spiritual actions and duties as our Saviour now being to give himself to Prayer and withall intending to comfort his Disciples by revealing to them this extraordinary and miraculous Vision or Apparition of his heavenly Glory he therefore withdrawes himself from all company except three of his Disciples and goes apart with them alone into a private solitary Mountain where no unfit company or other outward occasions might hinder or disturb him So when we go about religious duties of God's Worship publick or private we are first to separate and free our selves from hinderances we must ascend up above them and leave them below us when we are to pray read hear the Word c. See before on the 37th Verse of Chap. 5. The not doing of this is one main cause that we often find so many hinderances and distractions in performance of such duties Observ 2 Observ 2. We are not onely to separate our selves from
because of their unbelief So that the fault was in themselves not in him that they had no more benefit by his Miracleâ— Jam. 4. 2. Ye have not because ye ask not c. q. d. The fault is in your selves that ye want many blessings which ye might enjoy Jer. 5. 25. Your sins have with-holden good things from you Use Vse This must teach us in the want of any blessing or benefit which we desire to be far from blaming the Lord as if he wanted power or will to do us good and to lay all the fault upon our selves in regard of our unbelief negligence in prayer or other sins which hinder good things from us Think not that the Lord's arm is shortned or his bowels of mercy shut up but look into thy self what sin there is to hinder the Lord's Power and Goodness toward thee Observ 2 Observ 2. See here what condition is required on our part to make us capable and fit to be partakers of those benefits and blessings which we stand in need of and which the Lord hath promised or purposeth to bestow upon us viz. The condition of Faith that we do believe the Power and Goodness of God toward us and the truth of his Word and Promise made unto us Our Saviour here purposing and promising to the father of the Lunatick child this great benefit of the miraculous healing of his child doth first require Faith on his part that he should believe and rest upon the Power and Goodness of Christ for the obtaining of this which he desired So at other times he used in like case to require Faith of such as were to be partakers of the benefit of his Miracles as Matth. 9. 28. of the two blind men Believe ye that I am able to do this So when the Lord promiseth any special benefit to his Church or People he requireth Faith on their part to believe it 2 Chron. 20. 20. Jehosaphat to his People Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established c. On the contrary Isa 7. 9. If ye will not believe ye shall not be established Now as this is true of outward and Temporall benefits of this Life so much more of Spirituall blessings which concern the Life to come as remission of Sins Justification and eternall Life that as God hath promised these unto us in Christ So â—e requireth the condition of Faith on our part that we should believe and rest upon his Word and Promises and upon his Power Goodness and Truth for performance of his Promises and without this Faith we are not capable of the blessings promised Hence it is That all such Promises of Spirituall blessings in Christ are made upon condition of our Faith Acts 13. 38. Paul tells those of Antioch That through Christ was preached to them forgiveness of Sins And by him all that believe were justified c. And Joh. 3. 16. God gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish c. So Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is Baptized c. Acts 16. 31. Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy House Use 1 Use 1. See that such as want Faith are not capable of any blessings or benefits which God hath promised in his Word neither have they any right or title to them no not to the Temporall blessings of this Life as Health Wealth Prosperity c. for though they enjoy these yet not as blessings but as curses rather much less have they any right or title to any spirituall or saving benefit of Christ as pardon of sins God's favour c. nor any part in these nay they are not so much as capable of any of them which therefore shews the misery and wretched estate of all Unbelievers which are yet destitute of true Faith Vse 2 Use 2. See what to do if we would be partakers of those benefits both Spiritual and Temporal which we desire and stand in need of and which the Lord hath in his Word promised to his Elect. Labour to perform the condition required on ourpart viz. by true Faith to believe and rest upon the Word and Promises of God and upon the Power and Godness of God for the receiving and enjoying of all such blessings and good things as he hath promised and we stand in need of This is the condition that must qualify us and make us capable of all the blessings of God Spirituall and Temporall and without it we are not fit to receive or enjoy any of them no not the least of them as they are blessings much less those great and inestimable blessings which concern Salvation we are by Nature as empty Vessels and infidelity stops us up that which cannot receive any Grace Faith opens our mouths c. Therefore as thou desirest to be a partaker of these and all other blessings of God which he hath made promise of so look thou have some measure of true Faith to believe and apply his Promises and to rest on his Almighty Power and Goodnesse for the enjoying of all blessings needfull for the Soul and Body Never rest till thou feel this Faith begun in thy heart use all means to attain to it Labour first to feel thy want of Faith by Nature and how miserable thou art without it having no true communion with God or Christ nor any true title to any blessing promised of God in his Word c. Then get a hungring and thirsting desire after this Faith for God will powre his Spirit upon the thristy Esay 44. 3. withall see thou attend conscionably upon the principall means sanctified of God to work Faith viz. The ministery of the Word Rom. 10. 17. Be a frequent and diligent Hearer of this Word of Faith then God will bless his own Ordinance to thee for the working of Faith in thy heart This also concerneth such as have Faith already to stirr them up to labour for further growth and increase thereof that by this means they may become more and more capable and fit to be partakers of all blessings which God hath promised and they stand in need of But of this growth of Faith we shall have occasion to speak more upon the verse following It followeth All things are possible c. Observ Observ The great Power and Efficacy of true Faith that it is a means to procure and obtain all good things at the hands of God which stand with his Will and do make for the benefit and good of the Believer It prevails with God to set on work his Power for the doing and effecting of whatsoever makes for his own Glory and for the Good and Salvation of the Believer There is nothing so hard to be done but Faith is able to procure it to be done by the Almighty Power of God for the Believers sake no blessing so hard to be obtained at the hands of God but Faith can obtain it for the Believer so far as
is good for him and stands with the Will of God yea it is a powerfull means for the obtaining not onely of ordinary favours but also of extraordinary and miraculous Benefits and Priviledges at the hands of God and that both Spirituall and Temporall Touching Spirituall it is a means to obtain pardon of sin and God's favour justification and eternall Life at the hands of God For all these are in Scripture promised to such as believe as we have heard before Touching temporall Favours and Priviledges of this Life there is none so great or hard to be obtained but Faith is able to procure for the Believers good Hebr. 11. The Apostle reckoneth up sundry great and excellent Benefits which Believers obtained at the hands of God by means of Faith as that by it the Israelites obtained safe passage through the Red-Sea as on dry Land ver 19. So ver 33. By Faith they subdued Kingdoms obtained the Promises of God stopped mouths of Lyon quenched violence of Fire c. And ver 35. Women received their Dead raised to Life again c. By Faith the Apostles of Christ obtained the extraordinary Power and Gift of Miracles in those times as of healing the Sick raising the Dead casting out Devils c. And by the same Faith they should have been inabled to work other Miracles besides those they did work if it had made for God's Glory Matth. 17. 20. Verily I say unto you If ye have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain remove hence c. and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you So Luke 17. 6. Reas 1 Reas 1. By Faith a Believer doth honour God believing his Word Power c. Therefore God doth honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Reas 2 Reas 2. It helpeth and inableth us to pray unto God earnestly and effectually in all our Necessities and so to obtain all things of God which tend to his Glory and our Good Jam. 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much that is the prayer of Faith as he calls it before ver 15. Oratio fidei omnipotens Luther Vse 1 Vse 1. See the excellency of this Grace of true Faith worthily called precious Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. in that it is so powerfull and effectuall to prevail with God for the obtaining not onely of some but of all Blessings and Benefits needfull and profitable for us By Faith Jacob wrestled and prevailed with God and obtained a blessing Gen. 32. 28 29. And by this as by a powerfull instrument or means we prevail with God for the obtaining of all blessings Spirituall and Temporall especially Spirituall This makes all things possible to be obtained for us at the hands of God yea by it we do actually come to receive from God whatsoever is good for us The hand of our Souls by which we lay hold upon all the blessings of God and reach them to our selves though they be never so hard to be obtained though they be never so far removed from us c. A strange and wonderfull Instrument or Engine it is by which we are inabled to reach up to Heaven and to pull down from thence all things which we stand in need of all blessings and good things all deliverances from evil c. Use 2 Use 2. For the comfort of all true Believers who are indued with any measure of this excellent and powerfull Gift of Faith which is able to work so great matters and to prevail so much with God Great is the Priviledge and Happiness of such as are partakers of this Grace for having Faith they either have or may have all things in Heaven and Earth that are good and necessary for them All Spirituall blessings as pardon of Sins God's favour c. All Temporall blessings of this Life as Health Wealth and outward Prosperity so far as is good and fit for them and so far as stands with the Will of God 1 Cor. 3. 22. All things are yours and ye are Christ's c. Hieronym Fideli homini totus mundus divitiarum est Object Object But do we not see that the Faithfull do want many good things in this Life especially Temporall things c. Answ Answ 1. They want nothing that is good and profitable for them to further their Happinesse and Salvation Psal 34. 10. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 2. If they do want any Blessing it is their own fault because they do not stirr up and exercise their Faith in depending upon God and praying to him so often and earnestly as they should Vse 3 Use 3. See what cause for us to labour for this excellent Grace of Faith as we were before exhorted c. Mark 9. 24. And straightway the Father of the Child cryed out and said c. May 13. 1627. IN this verse and the three next going before as ye have heard is laid down to us a Conference holden between our Saviour Christ and the Father of the Lunatick Child which Conference consisteth of four parts 1. A Question moved by our Saviour to the Father of the Child How long his Son had been in that case 2. The Answer of the Father in which he doth not onely certify our Saviour how long his Son had been so even from his Childhood or Infancy but withall takes occasion further to lay open the misery of his Child and to renew his earnest sute and supplication unto Christ for his Son 3. Our Saviour's Reply which he made to that Answer and particularly to the Petition or Sute made to Him by the Father of the Child In which Reply he doth seem to yield and grant his Request conditionally that he could believe that is by Faith rest perswaded of his divine Power and Mercy and depend on it for the working of this Miracle on his Child 4. The Answer of the Father of the Child unto that Reply of Christ Touching the three first parts of this Conference I have spoken already Now followeth the fourth and last which is set down in this 24th Verse now read viz. The Answer made by the Father of the Child unto Christ's Reply in the former Verse requiring Faith of him to believe his Power and Mercy if he would have this Miracle wrought for his Child To this he now answereth in these words which do contain in them nothing else but an earnest Prayer or Supplication made by the Father of the Child unto our Saviour Christ in which as he doth make open Profession of his Faith so withall he prayeth for further encrease of it In the words consider three things 1. The time when he made this Prayer to Christ Straightway that is immediately upon those words of our Saviour used to him in the former Verse in which he assured him that If he could believe all things were possible c. 2. The manner of his praying or making Supplication to Christ which consisteth
do not yet feel it labour and strive unto this practice of faith especially then when thou feelest the burden of thy sins and fearest God's wrath Then especially labour by faith to cast thy self upon Christ and to rely on him for pardon of sins c. Observ 3 Observ 3. In that our Saviour joyneth these two Properties together in his disciples 1. That they were little ones in humility 2. That they were believers in him hence we may gather That true faith and true huâ—â—lity go alwayes together in such as are good Christians they are inseparably joyned as the cause and the effect in every true Christian faith being the cause and humility the effect and such an effect as is never severed from the cause See this in the Publican Luke 18. he was both a true Believer as appears in that he went away justified which could not be without faith and withall he was very humble in himself as appeared by his carriage looking downward and standing far off c. So Luke 7. in that woman that washed Christ's feet with her tears c. Matth. 8. 8. the Centurion excelled in faith and likewise in humility thinking himself unworthy that Christ should come under his roof c. Reas 1 Reasons 1. There is a connexion of all sanctifying graces of the Spirit in the regenerate especially of such as are fundamental and most necessary to salvation so as he that hath one hath all in some measure Therefore he that hath faith must needs have humility 2. By true faith the Believer doth apprehend God's mercy in Christ for the pardon of his sins which cannot be without a true feeling of sin and godly sorrow for it which is the ground of true humility 3. Faith doth apprehend Justification by free grace and mercy of God without any merit or worthiness in the person and so causeth the Believer to deny himself and his own righteousness in the matter of his Justification and so to be humble Vse 1 Use 1. See here again how we may try and know true faith in our selves viz. by this inseparable effect and companion of it which is true humility if thou be truly humble and lowly in heart and in thy whole â—aâ—riage even as a young child And this argues thee to be a believer in Christ and to be indued with some measure of true faith which is the mother of humility c. Use 2 Use 2. If we would be truly humble as little children c. as we must be if ever we come into the Kingdome of Heaven then labour first for the grace of true faith to apprehend God's mercy in Christ Jesus for pardon of sins c. This will cause and bring forth in us true godly sorrow and grief for thy sins and so work true humility for a heart truly broken for sin is alwayes an humble heart True faith will cause thee to deny thy self and all that is in thee in the matter of thy Justification and Salvation and make thee go and seek to Christ alone and this will make thee truly humble c. Now followeth the third and last thing to be spoken of in this Threatening denounced by our Saviour against such as offend or wrong his true Disciples viz. the grievous punishment threatned against such set forth by comparison to the punishment of such malefactors as were wont to be drowned in the Sea with a stone about their neck c. Observ 1 Observ 1. The Lord will most severely judge and punish such as give offence to his Saints and servants by any wrong or injury offered unto them As he will reward such as do good to his Saints as we heard before in the Verse foregoing so he will severely punish such as wrong them This may appear in that our Saviour here denounceth such a grievous threatening of Judgment against such that it were better for one to have a milstone hanged about his neck c. This shews that the Lord will severely punish and be revenged of all such as offer wrong to his true Servants and that both in this life and after this life 1. In this life with temporal Judgments Gen. 12. 3. the Lord telleth Abraham that he would curse such as cursed him And we have Examples of the temporal Judgments of God inflicted in this life upon such as have wronged or abused his faithful Servants and not only upon particular persons but upon whole families as upon Pharaoh and his house for taking Abraham's wife from him wrongfully Gen. 12. 17. So upon Abimelech King of Gerar and his house for the same sin Gen. 20. 18. Therefore Psal 105. 14. it is said He reproved Kings for their sakes viz. not onely in words but really by plaguing and punishing them for his servants sakes yea upon whole Nations Matth. 23. 35. Our Saviour threatens the Jews that upon them should come all the righteous blood of God's servants that had been shed upon the earth from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias c. The Histories of the Church are full of examples in this kind viz. of God's Judgments in this life upon the persecutors of his Saints c. 2. After this life God will most severely punish such as offend and wrong his faithful servants by eternal Judgment and damnation in Hell if they repent not This is chiefly implyed in this place when our Saviour sayes It were better for one to have a milstone c. Therefore also Matth. 18. 7. a Woe is denounced against such as are the cause of such offences and injuries against the Saints of God 2 Thess 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire c. And if it be so that the Reprobate shall be condemned at the last day for not doing good to the Saints of God Matth. 25. 41. how much more for doing them hurt c. Use 1 Use 1. This serves for the terrour of all such as are guilty of this sin of offending the Saints or Servants of God by any wrongs injuries or abuses offered to them in word or deed Let them know and be assured that howsoever the Lord do for a time permit and suffer them to wrong or abuse his Servants yet he will not alwayes suffer it but will in due time most severely punish and be revenged on them for all the wrongs they have offered to his servants He hath threatened to do it and it is just with him to do it and therefore he will most certainly doâ—st The wrongs and abuses offered to his Saints and Servants are so many indignities done against the Lord himself and so doth he esteem them and therefore cannot but severely judg and punish such both in this life and after this life in Hell who are guilty of this sin of offending and scandalizing his servants by such wrongs and
what kind of questions are fittest for Christians to come to their Pastors and Ministers withall not about earthly matters or matters of this world but about spirituall and heavenly matters which concern the world to come or the Kingdom of heaven Vse Vse This reproveth such as seldom or never repair to their Ministers in private to confer with them or to move any question to them unlesse it be about matters of the World to talk about their Tythes c. These are worse than this young man who though he were rich and worldly yet c. Contrà Mal. 2. 7. They should seek the Law of God at their mouthes Observ 3 Observ 3. In that this young man did not propound a question to our Saviour about any small or sleight matter nor yet any curious question about some unprofitable or needlesse matter but a very necessary and profitable question about a weighty matter yea the weightiest of all other even about the obâ—aining of eternal life and salvation This teacheth us what kind of questions about matters of Religion we should propound and move to others and especially to Gods Ministers in private conference not curious or unprofitable questions not about small and sleight matters not so needful to be enquired after but about main matters of Religion and Christianity which are most necessary and profitable to be known not about curious speculations to feed the understanding only but rather about matters of practice to edifie the conscience Such was the question moved by the Jaylor to Paul and Silas Act. 16. 30. Sirs What must I do to be saved So Act. 2. 37. Use Use This condemneth the custom and practice of some who will ask questions of the Ministers of God and others touching matters of Religion or of the Scriptures but it is for most part about curious and needleâ—s matters not so profitable or fit for them to enquire after such questions as breed rather strife of words than godly edifying in the faith as the Apostle speaketh Such curious and unprofitable questions do spend that pretious time which should be bestowed in more profitable conference Observ 4 Observ 4. Lastly in that he demandeth what he shall do c. implying that he did erroneously think to obtain eternal life by the merit of his own good works this teacheth us That it is a natural errour and blindnesse in men to desire and hope to obtain eternal life by the merit of their own good works So though this young man who came to Christ with this question And this was a common errour amongst the Jews in those times So Joh. 6. 28. when our Saviour bade them labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life c. they make this answer What shall we do that we might work the works of God See also Rom. 9. 32. Yea the Scribes themselves were tainted with this errour Luke 10. 25. A certain Lawyer or Scribe stood up and tempted him saying Master What shall I do to wherit eternal life So the Papists at this day are tainâ—ed with this gross Errour holding Justification and Salvation by the merit of their own good works And the ignorant people amongst us are sowred with this leaven of Popery For if one ask them how they look to be saved or to come to Heaven Some are ready to answer By their good prayers or by their good meaning or good serving of God Which are meer Popish conceits So that it is true which Luâ—her saith of us by Nature Unusquisque nostrâ—m gestat in siâ—u suo magnum Monachum c. We every one â—â—rry a great Moâ—k in our bosome that is We carry in our hearts a Popish conceit of our own merit of good works Vide Luther Loc. Com. per Fabric Class 5. pag. 81. Reason Reasâ—n This conceit of obtaining life eternal by our good works is a fruit of pride and self-love which is a very natural sin to every one of us Use 1 Use 1. See one cause why so many are apt to be seduced and drawn away with the Popish Errours of Justification by works and of meriting eternal life by them It is because these errours do sute so well with man's corrupt Nature and are so agreeable unto it as nothing more yea the whole frame of the Popish faith and religion is for the most part such as is agreeable and very pleasing to corrupt nature by reason whereof it hath the more followers whereas contrarily the true Religion of Christ is an enemy to man's corrupt Nature crossing and contradicting it yea teaching us to deny and crucifie it c. Vse 2 Vse 2. For Admonition to us to be so much the more careful to shun and take heed of this erroneous conceit and opinion of meriting eternal life by our good works yea to abhor and derest it as a grosse and damnable errour The more natural it is unto us the more dangerous and the more must we resist it and take heed of it in our selves We must labour every one to cast the Popish Monk out of our boâ—om that is to abandon all Popish conceitâ— of our own goodnesse or righteousnesse going out of our selves and seeking salvation in and by the merits of Christ Jesus alone trusting to obtain eternal life not by the merit of our own works though never so good but by believing in him that justifieth the ungodly that is by the merit of Christ's death and obedience imputed to us of God and applyed by faith Mark 10. 18 19. And Jesus said unto him Why callest thou me good c. June 29. 1628. NOw followeth Christ's Answer to the young man's Question consisting of two parts 1. An Expostulation with him about the title of good which he gave unto him blaming him for it Why callest thou me good Together with a reason of that Reproof or Expostulation his verbis There is no man good but one that is God 2. A Direction or Prescript given him by our Saviour what he must do if he did look to obtain eternal life by his good works he must keep the Commandements of the Moral Law unto which therefore he referreth him particularly instancing in the Commandements of the second Table and appealing to his own knowledg of them Verse 19. Thou knowest the Commandements Do not commit adultery Do not kill c. Of the first part Why callest thou me good He doth not absolutely or simply blame him for giving this title to him for it did of right belong to Christ but in some respects and for some special reasons 1. Because he gave this title to him as unto a meer man as he conceived him to be and not as to the Son of God and true God as indeed he was whereas this title though it did agree and was due to him as he was man yet not only as he was man but chiefly and principally as he was God as our Saviour plainly implyeth in the very next words telling him that there is
the wicked 3. From the eternal punishment of all their sins 4. From the curse and sting of all temporall afflictions and of death it self They are also delivered from the power and tyranny of Satan so far forth that though he may tempt them and sometimes cause them to yield to his temptations for a time yet not so as finally to vanquish or overcome them neither are they any longer subject to him as he is the Executioner of God's Wrath and Justice on the wicked Use Use For unspeakable comfort to so many of us as truly feel and are sensible of our spiritual bondage under sin and Satan labouring by faith to believe in Christ and to lay hold oâ— the merits of his death Let such consider and remember to what end Christ the Son of God also did give his life and suffer death even to this end that by payment of this counter-price to the Justice of God he might fully satisfie for our sins and so deliver and free us not only from the guilt and punishment of all our sins but also from the power and dominion of sâ—n and our sinful lusts that we may be no longer captives and slaves to them as also from the power and tyranny of Satan in whose snare we were holden by Nature and to whom we were subject as the Executioner of Gods wrath c. So that now we are no longer captives or slaves of sin and Satan no longer subject to God's wrath and curse but we are in Christ Jesus freed from all these so as they can no longer hurt us or hinder our salvation We are the Lord's Free-men 1 Cor. 7. And this is the best of all kinds of liberty and freedom and a full and perfect freedom so far as we are capable of it in this life Joh. 8. 36. If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed If it be a great benefit and comfort to a prisoner or captive under the Turk to be delivered and ranâ—omed from that bodily slavery how much more to a child of God to be delivered and freed in Christ from this spiritual bondage c. How should this comfort us against our sins against the fear of God's wrath and against the power of Satan c. Think of this now we come to the Lord's Supper in which we are in special manner put in mind of this unspeakable benefit of our redemption by Christ's death c. to strengthen our faith in God's promise of forgivenesse of sins and salvation by Christ and to stir us up to thankfulnesse for the same c. Observ 3 Observ 3. Here also by comparing the end with the means that is to say our Redemption or Ransoming with the death of Christ we might observe the greatnesse of our spiritual bondage by Nature and how hard it was for us to be delivered from the same in that there was no way to effect this but by the death of Christ the Son of God no Ransom or Price would serve but the giving of his life for us c. But I will not inâ—ist on this here It followeth The persons for whom our Saviour came to give his life as a Ransom not for all Mankind but for many viz. for the Elect of God being many in number Observ 1 Observ 1. Christ Jesus did not give his life or suffer death for the redemption of all Mankind simply but for his true Church that is for his elect people chosen and appointed to salvation in his eternal Counsel These signified here by the word many as also in other places of Scripture as Esay 53. ult He bare the sin of many and Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many c. These many are the true Church c. Joh. 10. 15. called the sheep of Christ for whom he layeth down his life See Ephes 5. 25. True it is that the death of Christ was in it self of sufficient merit and vertue to redeem all Mankind but it was not intended by him or in the counsel and purpose of God as an effectual means to redeem all but only the true Church which are the Elect and faithful People of God Use 1 Use 1. To confuâ—e the Opinion of those which hold an Universal Redemption of all Mankind by the death of Christ On the contrary here we see that Christ came into the world to give his life a Ransom not for all but for many c. Object 1 Object 1. In some places of Scripture Christ is said to have dyed for all men as 2 Cor. 5. 15. and Heb. 2. 9. he tasted of death for all men and 1 Tim. 2. 6. He gave himself a ransom for all men Answ Answ By All we are to understand not simply and absolutely all Mankind but 1. All the elect and faithful people of God which are his true Church 2. That he dyed for some of all â—orts of men as it is plain that place in Timothy is so to be understood not for the Elect Jews only but also for the chosen of God among the Gentiles for some of every Nation So also for some of every estate degree or calling of men for Kings and Rulers as well as for meaner persons and for these as well as the former Object 2 Object 2. 1 Joh. 2. 2. Christ is the propitiation for our sins and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world Answ Answ The Apostles meaning is That Christ was a propitiation not only for the sins of those Believers to whom he wrote which then lived but also for the sins of all other the elect and faithfull which should live to the end of the World Vse 2 Vse 2. If we would know whether we be redeemed by Christ's death To examine our selves whether we be in the number of God's true Church and chosen people effectually called to faith in Christ Now the way to know this is by the true fruits and effects of God's Election and effectual Calling if we can find them in us especially by one fruit amongst other which is the grace of true sanctification wrought in our hearts and appearing in our lives If thou feel an inward change in thy heart from the love of sin to the hatred of it if thou make conscience to refrain all sin and to walk before God in holinesse of life this is a sign thou art one of God's Elect and true Church c. and consequenâ—ly in the number of those for whose Redemption Christ gave his life 2 Tim. 2. 21. If a man purge himself he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified c. Tiâ— 2. 14. Christ gave himself that he might redeem us from iniquity and purifie to himself c. See Esay 59. 20. Observ 2 Observ 2. The true Church of God which are his Elect and faithful people though in comparison of the Reprobate and wicked which are out of the Church they be but few yet in themselves
it was an instrument by which he apprehended Christ's power and mercy for the working of this Miracle upon him Where note by the way That it is one and the same faith by which the Saints of God do believe God's mercy for the pardon of their sins and justification and by which they do also believe the power and goodnesse of God and of Christ for the obtaining of all other blessings needful whether spirituall or temporall These are not two kinds of faith but distinct acts of one and the same faith in true Believers Quest 2 Quest 2. How did our Saviour know that this blind man had faith seeing it is an inward grace hid in the heart Answ Answ 1. He knew it by his Divine Spirit as he was God Joh. 2. 25. He knew what was in man 2. He knew it also by the outward fruits of faith appearing in him as his earnest prayer and supplication to him and calling him the Son of David and by his forwardnesse to come unto him when he was called casting off his garment c. Observ 1 Observ 1. True faith is the only instrumental cause and means by which we receive and come to be partakers of all the benefits of Christ which he came to bestow upon Mankind and especially upon his Church and Elect people whether they be temporal or spiritual benefits c. For there is the same reason of both sorts And that which is said here of this outward corporal benefit which this blind man was by faith made partaker of is true of all other blessings and benefits of Christ which he came to bestow upon us and upon his true Church Faith is the mean by which we come to receive and enjoy them Observ 2 Observ 2. In that our Saviour doth take such special notice of this Faith of the blind man which he knew to be in his heart and is so ready to commend it yea to reward it with this Miracle Hence gather that Christ Jesus the Son of God doth take special notice of all the sanctifying Graces which are in the hearts of his Saints and servants and not onely so but doth greatly like and approve of them c. Now followeth the Miraculous effect which followed in the blind man upon the former words of Christ Immediately he received his sight That is he was forthwith Miraculously cured of his blindness and obtained the benefit of his sight by the Divine power of Christ Observ 1 Observ 1. The truth and certainty of this Miracle of Christ that it was not wrought in shew and appearance onely but in deed and truth for the blind man was actually really and truely cured of his blindness and restored to his sight So the Evangelist doth testify that he did receive his sight And this is confirmed in that hereupon he followed Jesus in the way Our Saviour did not delude him with vain words or shews but really and truely cured him by his Divine power And herein the true Miracles of Christ do differ from the false and lying wonders of Satan and his Instruments which either are such works as are not truely and really done but in shew and appearance onely as the Miracles wrought by the Magicians of Egypt Exod. 7. or if they be really done yet not above and beyond the power of nature but by some naturall helps and means Observ 2 Observ 2. The greatness of this Miracle in that it was wrought so suddenly and in so short a time viz. immediately upon the words of Christ and upon his touching of the eyes of the blind which is an eviden of Christs divine power manifested herein c. The like we may see in most of his other Miracles though not in all for in working some he took time yet not for want of power c. See before chap. 8. ver 23. 24 c. It followeth And he followed Jesus in the way Luke 18. 43. He followed him glorifying God Having received this great and extraordinary benefit in token of thankfulness to Christ he forthwith joyned himself to the rest of the company which followed Christ glorifying God before them all Observ Observ We owe the duty of thankfulness to God and unto Christ for all blessings and benefits which we receive and enjoy at any time by his goodness and mercy especially for great and extraordinary benefits vouchsafed us such as this here bestowed on this poor man For these especially we are bound to be truely thankfull unto God and so for all other benefits received of what nature or kind soever Spiritual or Temporal 1 Thess 5. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus c. This we are taught here by the example of this poor blind man who receiving from Christ the benefit of this Miraculous cure shewed his thankfulness by following Christ and glorifying God before all that were present So also by the examples of others who received the like benefits from Christ when he was on earth as in Peter's Wives Mother before chap. 1. ver 31. who being cured of her Feaver shewed her thankfullness presently by ministring to Christ and his Disciples So also in one of those ten Lepers cleansed Luke 17. who returned to shew his thankfulness The like might be shewed by sundry other examples of the best Saints and servants of God who upon the receiving of any blessings from God whether bodily or Spiritual have shewed their thankfulness to God which shews that they thought themselves tyed and bound to this duty Now this true thankfulness which we owe to God for benefits received is twofold 1. Inward in the heart for here true thankfulness beginneth Therefore David Psal 108. 1. O God my heart is fixed or prepared I will sing and give praise This inward thankfulness of the heart stands in an inward feeling of the greatness and excellency of the blessings which we enjoy and especially of the love and favour of God from whence they flow unto us together with an earnest desire of glorifying God for the same 2. Outward thanksgiving to be expressed before men upon all occasions and that both in our words and also in our life and actions In our words by breaking forth into words of Praise and Thanksgiving to God offering the Calves of our lips in sacrifice to him Hos 14. 2. and Hebr. 13. 15. The fruit of our lips In the actions of our life yea in the whole course and carriage of it by giving up our selves wholly in obedience to the will of God and being carefull to glorify him in all our wayes Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God c. Vse 1 Use 1. To reprove such as make little or no Conscience of this duty of thankfulness which they owe to God for those blessings they receive from him c. Many such to be found for unthankfulness to God is a common and raigning sin amongst us How few are so affected in
ready and forward to give those things we desire so far as he sees to be fit and expedient Psal 36. 7. How excellent is thy mercy c. 4. Consider the Almighty power of God being All-sufficient and able to give us whatsoever we desire and is needfull and fit for us for Soul or body yea those things which seem most hard and difficult to be obtained Ephes 3. He is able to do above all we ask or think Upon this ground did the three Children believe and trust in God for deliverance Dan. 3. 17. Our God is able c. Abraham Rom. 4. 21. was perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform Paul 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded he is able to keep c. 5. The truth and faithfulness of God in his Word and Promise Hebr. 11. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promised And 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull c. 6. Our former experience of Gods power mercy and goodness in giving us the things we have desired and wanted so far as hath bin good for us 1 Sam. 17. 37. David trusted on God to give him Victory over Goliah because he had formerly delivered him from the Lyon and Bear So Paul 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death c. In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Consider these grounds and Motives c. Vse 3 Use 3. See what to do now we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if we desire to be partakers of Christ himself and the saving benefits of his death as forgiveness of sins Justification c. which are all sealed to us in this Sacrament and not only so but to be more and more assured that we are partakers of these benefits Then labour not only to bring Faith in thy heart to this Sacrament but by this Faith to rest and rely upon God that is upon his power and mercy and upon the truth of his Word and promise which he hath made to such as come duly prepared and use this Sacrament aright that together with the Bread and Wine he will most certainly give Christ with his benefits as pardon of sins c. Labour by Faith to believe and rest upon this promise of God Then be sure thou shalt be partaker of the things promised yea thou shalt by means of the Sacrament come to more comfortable feeling and assurance that Christ is thine and that in him thou hast thy sins forgiven art reconciled to God c. Though thou see nothing in thy self to move thee to believe this but the contrary yet have Faith in God rest on his power mercy truth of his promise c. Use 4 Use 4. Comfort to such as can and do by Faith believe in God and rest on him for all things which they desire and have need of c. Such shall want nothing that is good for them Psal 34. As they honour God by believing his power goodness faithfulness c. So he will honour them by giving to them all things needfull and fit for them by fulfilling all their lawful and good desires so far as may make for his glory and their good Observ 4 Observ 4. Though the Disciples had Faith already yet he exhorts them to it Hence gather that Christians ought not to content themselves with that measure of Faith or confidence in God which they have already but to labour for a further degree of faith and for further growth and increase therein So Luke 17. 5. the Apostles pray unto Christ to increase their Faith And Mark 9. 24. the father of the Lunâ—tick child Lord I believe help thou my unbelief 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in Grace c. If in other Graces then in Faith Reasons Reasons 1. It is the nature of all sanctifying graces to grow and increase and to cause those in whom they are to desire and labour to grow in them Matth. 13. 31. The Kingdome of heaven is like unto a grain of Mustardseed c. 2. God hath ordained means not onely to work Faith in us but also to confirm and strengthen it and to cause us to grow in it As 1. The Ministry of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere miâ—k of the Word that ye may grow thereby 2. The use of the Sacraments especially of the Lords Supper which is a Sacrament of Spiritual nourishment and growth in grace ordained of purpose to confirm our Faith c. 3. Prayer unto God for he will give his Spirit that is the graces of it viz. a further increase of them to such as ask the same Luke 11. 13. 4. To these also may be added all other helps and means to strengthen our Faith a private reading of the Scriptures meditation of the promises of God c. All these means hath God ordained for the confirming of our Faith which shews that it is his will we should not stand at a stay but labour to grow and increase therein Use 1 Use 1. To stir us up to labour for this growth and increase of Faith in our selves using all good means ordained of God to this end as diligent attendance on the Ministry of the Word Prayer Meditation in the Word and Promises of God c. To this end also labour to see and feel the weakness and imperfection of thy Faith that this may stir thee up to hunger and thirst after increase c. And then if thou use the means conscionably God will satisfy thy hunger and thirst for he filleth the hungry with good things c. Esay 44. 3. I will powre water upon the thirsty c. Some think their Faith is perfect already and needs no growth which is a fond opinion without all ground of Scripture yea contrary to it 1 Cor. 13. 9. Phil. 3. 12. Others despise the means of growth as the Ministry of the Word c. A manifest sign there is as yet no true Faith in them for if there were they could not but desire to grow and carefully use the means c. Vse 2 Use 2. See what cause for us to esteem highly of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and to desire often to be partakers of it seeing it is one principal means ordained of God to confirm and strengthen our Faith in God for the obtaining of Christ and all benefits of his death c. Consider how great a mercy in God to ordain this excellent help to confirm our Faith and to add this means to the Ministry of the Word whereas he might have given us that alone c. Therefore let every one of us make use of this excellent means for the helping and strengthening of our Faith and confidence in God and in Christ Jesus for the pardon of our sins and all other saving graces c. And to this end remember before thou come to this Sacrament not only to examine what Faith thou hast but the wants