is any 2. Prayer must be in Faith whit available in the sight of God It s the prayer of a righteous man which availeth much And only beleevers are accounted righteous in the sight of God 3. Prayer must bee fervent James 5. 16. Qui timide rogat docet negare 4. All Prayer must be put up in the name of Christ Joh. 15. 6. 3. Prayer must be fervent 4. All Prayer must be put up in the nāe of Christ 5. Prayer must be with perseverance 6. Prayer must proceed from the spirit of Adoption No petition can be excepted unlesse it be prefer'd in the name of Jesus Christ 5. This Prayer must be with perseverance 1 Thess 5. 17. Will the Hypocrite saith Job pray alwayes will he alwayes call upon God 6. Prayer must proceed from the Spirit of adoption Gal. 4. 6. Many have a gift and are strangers to the grace of prayer Many use a form and yet are unacquainted with the Spirit of prayer Many use prayer as a duty few as a meanes Wherefore we must shaddow forth the spirit of prayer by these propertyes 1. There 's a warming of the heart the heart powreth out its selfe before the Lord Hence comes grones sighes supplications The heart is seriously affected Prayer is rather heart labour then lip labour and the heart breakes and pants after God in prayer So was Hannah affected in powring out her heart before the Lord. 2. There is a Child-like language There is Abba Father 2. Gal. 4. 6. There is much difference betweene the language of Children and Slaves Gods children learn his language and they come as children unto a Father 3. Their aime ends and designes are Gods honour and glory 3. Self-ends and interests doe not set men on work to pray the spring that moves is love to God his honour and glory and the end and aime they drive at is the glory of God In the next place its inquired How may we give God the Q. 2. How we may give God the Male in receiving of the Sacrament Male in receiving of the Sacrament For Answere hereunto we are to note that if we rightly examine our selves we may participate of the Sacrament To which purpose I will set down Self-examining-objects Self-examining-propertyes and Self-examining-graces 1. For self-examining-objects and they are either thoughts Words and Deeds as 1 For our Thoughts we must examine whether they are sanctifyed 1. Self-examining-objects 2. Self-examining-Propertyes 3. Self-examining-graces Jer. 4. 14. 2. As for Words they must be such as minister grace to the hearers Col. 4. 29. and 3 As for our Actions they must be such as become the Gospell Phil 1 27. 2. For self-examining-propertyes they must be 1. Thorough and Impartiall we must take notice both of lesse and greater sinnes No sinne must escape us without due and serious examination 2. Regular The rule of the word must be that whereby we must try and examine our whole life we must bring all to the Law and Testimonye Then 3. For Graces we are to examine in these especially 1. Knowledge is required whether we discern the Lords body An Ignorant blind devotion is abominable and rejected by God we must know the nature of a Sacrament the Institutor the end of it we must know our happynesse by creation our misery by sinne in Adams fall our restored condition by Christs Redemption the benefits of Christs purchases viz. Justification Sanctification and Glorification 2. Faith is required and this must not be Temporary Historicall Dogmaticall but a Justifying faith such a one as purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. as is unfained and worketh by lowe 3. Repentance this must be Evangelical This Repentance must have these fruites 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. 4. Love both love to God and love to the Brethren Joh. 13. 47. Love is the badge of a Disciple 5. New obedience newnesse of life is required Isa 55. 7. And thus we must give God the Male in the celebration of his Ordinance But the next Question hath some affinity unto this Q. 2. Whether we give God the best in our graces Q. 2. Whether we give God the best in our Graces Not to instance in what I instanced before I le propound other instances viz. In Humility Meeknesse Temperance Wisdom 1. Doe we give God the Male in the exercise of the grace of Humility There may be a voluntary Humility and a naturall humble carriage but the question is whether we have that Humility which is of the same stamp with spiritual Poverty whether self be emptied Christ advanced 2. For Meeknesse there 's in some a more natural inclination to Meeknesse But when we are provoked to wrath do we then shew meek spirits to bear and forbear with others to overcome evil with good to heap coales of fire upon enemies heads 3. For Temperance where is our sober temperate carriage in Abstinence and Moderation Phil. 4. 5. 4. For Wisdome doe wee labour for Wisdome Divine Wisdome and honour God with it lay forth our parts interests and all to honour God withall Q. 3. Whether we give God the Male in our whole life conversation Q. 3. Then the last Question is whether we give God the Male in our whole Conversations To which purpose by way of character we must decypher out such a Conversation 1. It must be holy 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1. Holy 2. Sincere 3. Universall 4. Wise 2. It must be sincere 2 Cor. 1. 12. 3. It must be universall Ps 119. 6 101. 4. It must be wise and ordered with discretion the wisdome of the Serpent is required as well as the innocencie of the Dove 5. Fruitfull 5. It must be fruitfull in the exercise of good works A Christian Conversation is not barren it must bear twins 6. Regular 6. It must bee regulated according to the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. Vse 4. For Direction The fourth Use in order is for Direction For the better setting home this Use as may be most profitable for you I shall endeavour to answer two Queries The first whereof is what impediments and obstacles we should remove that hinder us from giving God the best Then secondly What special duties are required to shew the Q. 1. What Impediments are to bee removed Imped 1. Ignorance sincerity of our hearts that we offer God the Male even the best of all our services For answer unto the first Question the Impediments are these especially 1. An ignorant blind mind when people understand not the excellency of Jesus Christ they will brayd of the Gaderenish humour they preferre their swine before him There 's ignorance sufficient when they askt what is thy Beloved more than another beloved Cant. 5. 9 10. But the Spouse gives an experimental answer v. 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand 2. A frothy and vaine spirit How many entertain a low and Imped 2. A frothy vain spirit cheap
passeth currantly through all Believers for their eternal salvation and to unbelievers to leave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their conviction and condemnation Seventhly and lastly Pearls are lasting and durable they are solid 7. Pearls are lasting and duraâ—le substantial and the solidity and duration of them inhanceth their estimation So the Gospel of Christ is a durable Pearl It 's Christs Legacy bequeath'd from generation to generation Gods Word shall never fail Salvation is a Pearl that will never moulder away The plâ—asures of heaven are for evermore Christ the Pearl of Psâ—l 16. 11. Heb. 13. 8. price is an unchangeable Saviour Thus far of the Doctrinal part It now remains that I should draw down the similitude of a Merchant and from his properties infer the particular Application unto your practice 1. A Merchant must be a man of knowledge and good understanding Prop. 1. 1 A Merchant must be a man of knowledge He must be able to know the worth of his Commodities how to distinguish true from counterfeit Pearls The Merchant in the Text knew well the incomparable worth of the Pearl of price otherwise he would not straightway have for gone all for the purchase of it We say commonly and as truly Ignoti nulla cupido So every spiritual Merchant must know the excellent worth of the Gospel the riches of Christ the riches of saith The knowledge of them will set his affections awork Hear O Christian know thy main duty that Vnum Necessarium to learn the knowledge of Jesus Christ This is that fundamental knowledge without which you can never come to Heaven Eternal life consists in this knowledge John 17. 3. Above all thy gettings get this understanding What if thou art skill'd in all Arts and Sciâ—nces in all the humane Learning in the World and in the mean time art ignorant of Jesus Christ Thou art as the ordinary Proverb saith penny wise and pound foolish For all thy secular Learning thou mayst go to Hell O then let thy vote run parallel with Solomons for Wisdom Beseech 1 King 3. 9. Rev. 3. 18. Christ to anoint thee with eye-salve and to enlighten the eyes of thy minde that thou maist comprehend all the dimensions of the love of God As the light of the body is the eye so the light of the soul is the understanding As the Pilot to the Ship the Sun to the World the Commander to his Soldiers so is knowledge to the Soul to steer guide and direct its motions Say not though thou art ignorant yet thou hast a good heart Solomon tells us Without knowledge the heart is not good Say not thou art a Believer Prov. 19. 2. though thou art ignorant for knowledge precedes faith Psal 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Boast not that thou esteemest highly of Christ and yet canst not tell what worth is in him what Justification means what saving faith is For an ignorant person cannot set an high price upon Christ Hee 'l ask What 's this beloved more then anâ—ther beloved And you my Brethren that are men of Learning bred up in this Famous Nursâ—ry do not glory in your skill in Tongues nor in your skill in the Liberal Sciences you that are the greatest Scholars must come the same way to Heaven as the meanest Christian that cannot read one letter in the Book What will all your knowledge avail you without the knowledge of Jesus Christ There 's no Postern-door for Heathens no name but that of Christ no way besides v. Acts 4. 12. John 14. 6. O then set your hearts and heads on work to know Jesus Christ If you knew the worth of this Pearl you would prize it the fairest of Ten thousands and you would willingly venture all for the purchase of it 2. A Merchant is a man of indefatigable labors and industry he Prop. 2. A Merchant is a man of paint compasseth Sea and Land and negotiates in foreign places for his advantage Hereupon the good Huswife Prov. 31. 14. is compared to Merchants Ships she bringâ—th her food from afar she risâ—th also whilst it is yet night and giveth meat to her houshold and a pâ—rtion to her maidens A Merchant is a man of much imployment and therefore must be very diligent and industrious He well knoweth Prov. 10 14. that of Solomon that the hand of the diligent maketh rich And thus must every true Believer every Merchant for the soul be a man of diligence and unwearied labors He knows it's a long and difficult journey to go to Heaven and therefore his wisdom is to set out early and consecrate to God the morning of the day The World sometimes throws Caut-ropes in the way to gaul him sometimes golden Apples of pleasures profits preferments to bewitch him other times he meets with scoffing Ishmaels railing Rabshakehs Beasts of prey which open their mouthes ready to devour him And therefore it concerns him to fortifie himself with saith hope and patience and steel himself with invincible courage He that Trafficks for Heaven must look for Pauls portion To be in weariness 2 Cor. 11. 27 and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness My exhortation therefore runs parallel with the Apostles Thou therefore endure hardness as a good Solaier of 2 Tim. 12. 3 4 Jesus Christ No man that warreth c. He that aims at proficiency must not shrink at difficulty You are seeking for Pearls for pretious Stones for pretious promises pretious graces even the Pearl of price The Lord Jesus Do not leave of seeking till you finde slack not your endeavors Be not weary of well doing but persevere in the work and you shall reap if you faint not The pretious Pearls of the Gospel are in jeopardy A Jesuitical party would take away our Gospel which if once gone we may call all our comforts Ichabods Adde ' therefore to your pains and as you are exhorted Jude 3. Contend for the faith delivered to the Saints stand up for Christ and own his cause before men otherwise he will not own you in his kingdom Thirdly It 's the property of a Merchant to venture largely in the 3. A Merchant ventures largely in the stock stock in hope of a plentiful return A Merchant-Venturer commits his Merchandize to the mercies of Winds Waves Pyrates It 's their common Proverb Nothing venture nothing have And thus must every spiritual Merchant venture liberally in the stock he must venture his Prayers one day they may return with good measure full prest and running over He ventures his Alms and he Eccles 11. 1 2. hath a ground of incouragement to finde bread cast upon the waters after many days He ventures his life livelyhood hopes fears all upon Jesus Christ If Christ be in the Ship no fear of sinking here 's safe venturing And so let not us of the Ministry be afraid of
conscience 2. The strivings of a mans own spirit are pacified with natural means are pacified with natural means eating drinking sleeping idle company vain pleasures quiet meer natural convictions But where Gods Spirit strives the soul cannot be quieted but by supernatural means the in omes of God the ravishing consolations of the holy Ghost a white Stone a pardon sealed no mirth sports company can satisfie a wounded conscience onely one remedy is reserved for a perfect cure and that 's the Medicine made up of the Blood of Christ 3. The strivings of a mans own spirit are flashy suddain and soon gone when the judgement ceaseth As soon as the judgement 3. The striviâ—gs of a mans own Spirit are flashy and suddain is removed the strivings cease but when Gods Spirit strives it is solid and serious If the Jvdgement be removed and the sâ—n unpardoned there can be no quiet If the Judgement be over Pharaoh is quiet but no quiet in Davids spirit till the sin be removed Q. 3. A third Quaery is How may we know whether Gods Spirit Q. 3 A. hath effectually stroven and prevailed with us 1. When we hearken to the call of Gods Spirit Psal 27. 8. Thou 1. Whâ—â— we answeâ— the call of Godâ— spirit saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek 2. When we have the testimonie of Gods Spirit as Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the 2. When we have the spirits testimony children of God 3 When we have the sealing of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. In 3. When the spirit seals whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit Eph. 1. 14. 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit 5. When we have the spirits anointing 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Use 5. For direction 1. Pray for the Spirit 2. Set a high price on the Spirit 3. Cherish the motions of the Spirit 4. Observe the call and knocking of the Spirit 5 When we have the anointings of the Spirit 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23 24. Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance The fifth Use is for direction 1. Pray for the Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse thee No work of sanctification but by the spirit 2. Set an high price of and be a diligent attendant of Gods word The Spirit usually works by the Word The Spirit and Word agree together 3. Cherish the sweet motions of Gods Spirit make much of every holy motion and inspiration O do not grieve nor sad O do not quench the Spirit of God but account Gods long-suffering your salvation God waits and is patient O do not provoke do not abuse his patience 4. Observe all the calls knocking 's and invitations of Gods Spirit The Lord calls by his word by checks of conscience by mercies and by judgements do not then bolt the doors of your hearts nor stand out against all the warnings threatnings and promises all these are upon record Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Lastly Here 's one word of comfort unto all those who make Use 6. For comfort much of the strivings of Gods Spirit These shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit The Spirit will comfort support help them In Prayer The Spirit helpeth their infirmities Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit purgeth and purisieth them The Spirit of God is their Counsellor in doubts their Comforter in all distresses and the Spirit will guide them by his counsel till he bring them unto glory Doct. 2. It s aâ— exceeding great mercy c. I now proceed in a few words to the second Doctrine That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for repentance Here the Lord alloweth to the old World 120 years so long it was that the Spirit of God strove with the old World We read in Gen. 18. 24 25. the Lord staid communing with Abraham making abatements from 50 to 45 from 45 to 40 from 40 to 30 from 30 to 20 from 20 to 10 Was it not a great mercy for the Lord to bear so long with the Amorites They had a long time of forbearance Thus did the Lord deal with Niniveh Jonah 3. 4. Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be overthrown So the Lord waited long on the Israelites Psal 95. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness So Jerusalem Luke 19. 42 44. If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes The five foolish Virgins had a time allowed both wise and foolish slept and slumbred but the foolish wanted oyl and lost the accepted season Jezabel had time alloted her Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication but she repented not The Reasons are 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy Mercy Reas 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy waits upon us wooing and alluring us to repentance The Lord invites Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come c. He calls sinners to repentance He entreateth by his Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. He waits to be gracious Rev. 3. 20. 2. To glorifie the Justice of God and to leave a people without R. 2. To glorifie Gods justice excuse When mercy patience goodness graciousness long-suffering are all abused what remains but destruction never fruit grow on thee more Cut it down I will take this kingdom from you I will send you a famine of the word These are terrible threatnings 3. The Lord oftentimes is pleased to spare a people longer at the R. 3. God spares a people at the request of his servants request of his servants Luke 13. 8. The Vine-dresser prayed Let it alone yet longer till I dig about it and dung it Gods Ministers pray hard and tug hard at the oar they cry night and day Lord spare try this people a little longer exercise a little more patience towards them let thy Word work upon them they live under the sound of it let it effectually prevail with them The Uses are 1. For admiration O admire the infinite mercies of God who doth thus bear with sinners notwithstanding Use 1. For admiration their provocations yet he tryes waits and allows them a great deal of space when as in Justice he might cut sinners assunder in the midst of their sins This breathes terrors unto all presumptuous sinners who presume Vse 2. For terror of space and grace neither of which is in their own power To some God gives space others he
thus imployed in striving to crucify sinne and in some good measure they have obtained victory this is an excellent imployment to be wrastling against corruption beating downe the body bringing it into subjection But it will be objected That sinne is in the best of Gods children Object and notwithstanding all their strivings and struglings they cannot get rid of sinne whilest they are in this world Ans 1. You must know that in this life there are imperfections Ans in the best and an absolute perfection cannot be attained till we come to heaven 2. Sinne though it is yet it Reignes not in the Regenerate Rom. 6. 12. vers 14. 3. The Regenerate make not a trade of sinne 1 Joh. 3. 9. They are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Sinne is the griefe disease burthen of Regenerate men wherefore they grieve that they sinne and would faine be in that condition where they may sinne no more hereupon they crye out for a deliverer Rom. 7. 24. 5. It 's the endeavour of Regenerate persons to conquer every sinne they allow not themselves in sinne they strive to destroy bosome sinnes Ps 18. 23. 6. God accepts of Evangelicall Perfection i. e. sincere Intentions and endeavoâ—rs for action the will for the deed Wherefore then though flesh remaines as well as spirit yet the spirit at length will prevaile and returne conqueror and herein consists the great conquest of Christians to conquer the flesh to subdue all inordinate affections and insatiable desires and this is that which I have prest from my Text To crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts GODS LOVE IN CHRIST DISCOVERED From Rom 5. vers 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for us THE Apostle having disputed at large the Doctrine Sermon 6. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. March 20. 1658. of Justification by faith concludes by way of inference that singular priviledges graces and benefits are the peculiar portion of a justified person Justification is the root and the following graces are the fruit Justification the mother grace they the issue or Daughters viz. Peace of conscience vers 1. Accesse to the Throne of Grace vers 2. Joy in tribulation vers 2. Patience vers 3. Experience vers 4. Hope vers 4. And the ground of this hope is the love of God vers 5. Not that love whereby we love him but whereby he loveth us It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have a sensible feeling of this love and this is not a delusion of our owne fancy but it is the effectuall working of the Holy Ghost A singular Instance of this love appeares by the death of Christ wherein we have 1. The season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the due time and fittest 1. The season season this is the accepted time 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation The most conveninient time even now when the fulnesse of time was come Gal. 4. 4. But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law c. 2. The condition of the persons for whom it 's expressed by two 2. The Condition of the Persons words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infirme impotent persons unable altogeather to help and deliver themselves And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly such as left Gods true worship and defil'd themselves with Idolatry Now the love of Christ is further amplified by a comparison vers 7. let 's compare Christ's love with the love of men vers 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one dye yet per adventure for a good man some would even dare to dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By a righteous man we understand an innocent godly inoffensive just dealing man By a good man here we understand an usefull serviceable man a publick spirited man a Patriot for his countrey one that hath shewed much goodnesse to us Justus reddens cuique quod suum est Bonus qui beneficus est ac bene à multis meritus as some of the Learned observe But what 's this in comparison of the love of Christ All the love of creatures in comparison of Christ's love is not so much as the drop to the Ocean Note the incomparable unparrelled love of Christ to sinners in my Text. But God commendeth his love unto us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Wherein observe these Remarkable Particulars 1. The greatnesse of Gods love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commendat verbum Insignem summe commendabilem esse ostendit Beza Commendare significat aut confirmare as Aretius observes It signifieth testatum facere as Budaeus and Demosthenes use the word 2. The Proofe or Evidence of this love by Christ's death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The condition of the persons sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellious sinners such in whom sinne raigned who were wholy under the power of sinne in their blood in a loathsome filthy condition All are sinners they have no truth in them that deny it 1 Joh. 1. 8. But here by sinners saith * Qui toti vitiosi sunt ac peccato addicti Calv. in Loc. Calvin are understood such Who are wholly vitious and addicted unto sinne We read that God heareth not sinners Joh. 9. 31. For these sinners Christ died for enemies rebells polluted lyeing in their filth these Christ loved and washed No fore sight of their faith repentance moved him to pitty them only his love For these he died and this is an unparrellel'd demonstration of the love of God and of Jesus Christ I shall comprise the whole of my meditations in one fundamentall Doctrine That the death of Christ for sinners is an evident demonstration Doct. of the love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ This I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfold by Explication Confirmation and particular Application 1. For Explication I propound these Queries Query 1. Wherein consists this love of God the Father Ans In sending of his Sonne his beloved Son his only Son the Son of his bosome God might have impowred an Angell and sent him but the mission of his Son sets forth love inexpressible There 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3. 16. He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever believâ—â—â— in him shall not perish but have everlasting life And further we read 1 Joh. 4. 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten sonne into the world that we might live through him God left the fallen Angells without a Saviour but took pitty on lost man God would never be reconciled to the fallen Angells but from eternity he contrived a way to reconcile man unto himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 19. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto
portion for eternall life is their inheritance Joh. 10. 28. Secondly Faith is a hand to lay hold on Christ But not a working hand as that hand of a labourer that earnes his living upon his desert and for his work receives his wages But faith is a receiving hand of a poore man that layes hold on a pearle and receives all of mercy and favour from God Hence faith is exprest by receiving Joh. 1. 12. Thirdly Faith gives insight into heaven and communion with God Heb. 11. 27. Fourthly From Justification by faith flowes all our comforts and priviledges Rom. 5. 1. 2. But if the Consideration of the benefit of Faith take no Motive 2. From the mischiefe of unbeliefe place on the contrary take notice of the mischiefe of Insidelity You heard before the reasons of the Doctrine after another sort how Infidelity bound Gods hands refused the remedy I will adde other great mischiefes which spring from the fountaine of unbeliefe viz. these following 1. Unbeliefe makes all our prayers unavailable To pray and not in faith is sinne for whatever is not of faith is sinne 2. Unbeliefe causeth diffidence of and staggering at promises Rom. 4. 20. 3. It hinders and deprives men of Communion with believers 2 Cor. 6. 15. 4. Every thing is uncleane and desiled to unbelivers Tit. 1. 15. Their spirituall uncleannesse makes every thing uncleane unto them The distinction of cleane and uncleane meates is disanulled by the Gospell the use of them is pure to them who are cleansed by Christs blood and sanctified by his spirit but of unbelievers it is said Their mind and Conscience is defiled 5. Unbelievers are given up to damnable delusions 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth The fourth Use is for Examination and Triall of Faith and Vse 4. For Examination Infidelity Every one is ready to say he believes but the number of believers is very small But where there is true faith it hath these singular Qualifications to inlighten the understanding to purify the heart to sanctify the life and Conversation to trust God with all to live by faith for that is the life of a Christian To inlarge a little these Qualifications First True faith inlightens the understanding Paul when of Qualific 1. True faith inlightens the understanding an unbeliever he became a believer it 's said And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had been scales Act. 9. 18. Where God worketh faith he illuminates the understanding Act. 26. 18. Joh. 2. 20. Secondly faith purifieth the heart it 's a purifying grace Act. Qualific 2. Faith purifieth the heart 15. 9. The heart is purged and cleansed from malice this God calleth for Jam. 4. 8. Jer. 4. 14. Thirdly Faith reformes the life hence faith is called a holy faith Jude 20. An unfained faith the Faith of Gods elect a Pretious Qualific 3. Reformes the life Faith For a true believer is a man of another Conversation As it was said of Caleb Num. 14. 24. He had another spirit with in him So true believers are of another spirit i. e. of a gracious spirit farre different from what they were in the State of unregeneracy and farre different from the men of the world Qualific 4. Faith trusts God with all Qualific 5. the juâ—t lives by faith Fourthly Faith trusts God with all David calls God his Rock Fortresse Bulwark c. Psal 18. 2. Psal 27. 1. A Believers heart is fixed and setled in unsetled times Psal 112. 7. Fiftly Faith is that whereby the just lives Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. A believer in a storme gets himselfe upon a Rock he hides himselfe in the clefts of a Rock Christ is the Rock of Ages A believer climbes up thither and there rests In dangers he goeth to God hee 's his Refuge strong Tower and Bulwark of defence In doubts God is his Counsellour in distresse God is his comforter Now le ts inquire after some signes and symptomes of an unbeliever The first which is to be reckoned in the fore front is partiall Signe 1. Partiall obedience obedience an unbeliever whatever he pretends is but obedient to halves so was Saul in sparing Agag c. So was Ananias and Saphira in keeping back part of the price Agrippa would be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 26. 28. We have many such al-most Christians halfe baked cakes like Ephraim a cake not turn'd Hos 7. 18. The second signe of Unbeliefe is murmuring and impatience Signe 2. Murmuring The Lord complaines often of the murmuring of the Children of Israell Psal 106. 25. vers 29. And this is forbidden 1 Cor. 10. 10. See their impatience Num. 14. 44 45. Murmuring and impatience go togeather when God answers not at our time we begin to murmur and wax exceeding impatient so did they Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table in the wildernesse Thirdly Unbeliefe appeares evidently by that refuge which Signe 3. Broken Refuge men betake themselves unto in streights and difficulties Saul went to a witch Judas and Achitophel to a halter Ahaziah sent to Baalzebub the god of Ekron The Foole in the Gospell comforts himselfe with his riches voluptuous men betake themselves to their pleasures Ambitious men to their titles of honour but all these are broken and deceitfull refuges and wiâ—l faile in the greatest difficulties like cloath that shrinks in the wetting The fifth Use is for Direction And this I shall branch into a Vse 5. For Direction few Duties First be sure to act faith upon the promises have a word for Dir. 1. Act Faith upon promises your warrant I trust in this word saith David I hoped in this word Study promises and apply them live upon them we read Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth hath eternall life But I am a believer c. make good this Assumption and thou maist conclude that thou shalt be saved Secondly Content not your selves with those attainments and Dir. 2. Content not thy selfe with former attainments measures of faith you have already got but pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith we read of some thing lacking in the faith of the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3. 10. Labour to get thy faith strengthned and thy heart established upon God It s no easy matter to believe when the Son of man comes shall he find faith in the earth Dir. 3. Be Conscientious in the use of Ordinances Dir. 4. Often search thy heart Vse 6. For Consolation Thirdly Be diligent and conscientious in the Use of Ordinances as hearing Gods Word Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. And adde praying and receiving the Sacraments Fourthly Often search thy heart for feare least a Temporary Faith lurke there Much unbeliefe lurketh in thy heart therefore watch and pray against it labour to get it rooted out The last Use is for Consolation unto Gods