overcometh temptations Hope it overcometh difficulties but Love stayeth at home and divideth the spoil There is a sweet correspondence between those graces in this Faith it fighteth and conquereth and Hope it fighteth and conquereth but Love it doth enjoy the Trophies of the victory And Fourthly there is this difference the noble grace of Faith it shall once evanish into sight That noble grace of Hope it shall once evanish into possession and enjoyment But that constant grace of Love it shall be the eternal companion of a Christian and shall walk in with him unto the streets of the New Ierusalem And I would ask you that question What a day shall it be when Faith shall cedâ— to sight What a day shall it be when Hope shall yeeld its place to Love and love and sight shall eternally sit down and solace themselves in these blessed mysteries these everlasting consolations of Heaven world without end And fifthly there iâ— this difference lesse will saâ—isfie the gracâ— of Faith and the grace of Hope thaâ— will satisfie the grace of Love Faith iâ— will be content with the promise and Hopâ— will be content with the thing that is promised but that ambitious grace of Love iâ— will be onely content with the promiser Love glaspeth its arms about that Preciouâ— and noble object Jesus Christ Love is a â—â— spicious grace It oftentimes cryeth forthâ— They have taken away my Lord and I knoâ— not where they have laid him So that Faiâ—â— is oftentimes put to resolve the suspicions â—â— love I can compare these three graces to nothing so fitly as to those three great Worthies that David had These three graces they will break thorow all difficulties were it a host of Philistines that so they may pleasure Christ and may drink of that Well of Bethlehem that Well of everlasting â—onsolation that â—loweth from beneath the â—hrone of God Love is like Noah's dove â—t never findeth rest for the sole of its foot â—ntill once it be within that Ark that place â—f repose Jesus Christ. And sixthly There is this last difference between them Faith taketh hold upon the â—â—ithfulnesse of Christ Hope taketh hold â—pon the goodnesse of Christ but Love it â—â—keth hold upon the heart of Christ. And â—hink yee not it must be a pleasant and soulâ—â—freshing exercise to be continually taken â—â— in imbracing him that is that eternal adâ—iration of Angels Must it not be an exâ—ellent life dayly to bee feeding on the finest the wheat and to bee satisfied with honey â—â— of the rock O but Heaven must be a pleaâ—â—nâ— place And if once we would but taste â—â— the first ripe grapes and a cluster of wine â—â—aâ— groweth in that pleasant land might not â—â—e be constrained to bring up a good report it But now to come to that which wee purâ—â—se mainly to speak of at this time The 〈◊〉 thing concerning Faith that wee proâ—â—sed from the words was the object upâ—â— which Faith exerciseth itself which is 〈◊〉 set down to bee the Mame of his Son Iesus Christ. And that we may speak to this more clearly wee shall first speak a little to the negative what things are not the fit object of Faith and then to the positive shewing you how this Name of God and of His Son Christ is the sure ground upon which a Christian may pitch his Faith For the first yee must know that a Christian is not to build his faith upon sense nor sensible enjoy ments Sense may bee an evidence of Faith but it must not bee the foundation of Faith I know there are some that oftentimes cry out Except I put my fingers into the print â—â— the nails and thrust my hand into the hole â—â— his side I will not believe and indeed it is 〈◊〉 mystery unto the most part of us to bee exercising Faith upon a naked word of promise abstracted from sense to love an absent Christ and to believe on an absent Christ are the two great mysteries of Christianity But that sense is no good foundation for Faith may appear 1. That Faitâ— which is builded upon sense is a most unconstant a most fluctuating and transient Faitâ— I know sense hath its fits of love and as were hath its fits of Faith Sometimâ—â— sense is sick of love and sometimes sense 〈◊〉 strong in Faith but ere six hours go about sense may bee sick of jealousie and sick 〈◊〉 misbelief as yee will see from Psal. 30. 6 〈◊〉 sense that bold thing it will instantly 〈◊〉 out My mountain standeth strong I will â—â—ver be moved but behold how soon it chanâ—eth its note Thou hides thy face and I 〈◊〉 troubled At one time it will cry forâ—â—â— Who is like unto him that pardoneth iniquity and that passeth over transgressions but ere many hours go about it will sing a song upon another key and cry out Why art thou â—ecome unto mee as a liar and as waters that â—ail 2. That Faith which is built upon â—ense it wanâ—eth the promise of blessednesse â—â— this is annexed to believing that is founded upon the Word according to that in â—oh 20. 29. Blessed are these that have not â—en and yet have believed nor hath that â—ith that is built upon sense such a solide â—y waiting on it as faith that is built upon â—he naked word of promise as may be cleared from that word 1 Pet. 1. 8. where faith exercising it self upon Christ not seen maketh a Christian to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory a joy that doth not atâ—â—nd believing founded upon sense 3. That â—ith that is built upon sense it giveth not â—uch glory to God for faith that is built â—â—on sense it exalteth not the faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 God it exalteth not the omnipotency of â—od I will tell you what is the divinity 〈◊〉 sense let me see and then I will believe 〈◊〉 it knoweth not what it is to believe â—â—on trust and because the Lord hath spoken 〈◊〉 his holinesse And in effect Faith that is â—â—ilt upon sense is no Faith even as â—â—m 8. Hope that is seen is no hope And therefore when the Lord seeth a Christian â—â—king sense an idol that hee will not beâ—â—ve but when hee seeth or feeleth this doth â—â—en provoke the Majesty of the Lord to withdraw himself from that Christian and to deny him the sweet influences of heaven and these consolations that are above so that in an instant hee hath both his sense and hiâ— faith to seek 2. A Christian is not to make his grace the object of his Faith that is when a Christian doth behold love burning within him when hee doth behold influences to pâ—ayâ—â— encreasing and mortification waxing stroâ—â— hee is not to build his faith upon them thiâ— was condemned in the Church in Ezek. 16 14. compared with the 15 verse I mâ—â— thee perfect with my comlinesse but the usâ— that thou didst make of it thou didst put 〈◊〉 trust in thy beauty and then thou didst plaâ—
doth exceedingly interrupt the sweet and precious actings of Faith For it is certain that if once the immortal soul be united to Jesus Christ by the bond of love and respect then our Faith will increase with the increase of God Our intertainment of a bosom idol is ordinarily punished with the want of the sensible intimations of his peace and of our interest in him So that sometimes his own are constrained to cry out God hath departed from mee and he answereth mee not neither by dreams nor visions 4. There is that likewise that hath influence upon it our not closing absolutely with Jesus Christ but upon conditions and suppositions We make not an absolute and blank resignation of our selves over unto Christ to hold fast the Covenant notwith standing hee should dispense both bitter and sad things to us But wee conceive that Christs Covenant with believers is like thaâ— Covenant that God made with Noah thaâ— there should bee summer and winter seedâ— time and harvest night and day unto Christian. A Christian must have his nighâ— as well as his day hee must once sowe iâ—â— tears before hee reap in joy and hee musâ— once go forth bearing his precious seed bâ—fore hee can return bearing his sheaves in hiâ— bosome and that this hath influence upoâ— our instability may bee seen from this Thâ—â— often a Christian after his first closing witâ— Christ hee meeteth with desertion in poiâ—â— of tendernesse in point of joy and in poiâ—â— of strength so that his corruptions seeâ— now to be awaked more then formerly thâ— hee wants those seeming injoyments of him which formerly he had And that much of â—is softnesse of heart hath now evanished which is clear somewhat from Heb. 10. 32. That after they were enlightened they ondured great fight of afflictions For the word that â—â— there rendered afflictions signifieth inward â—roubles through the motions of sinne as well as outward afflictions Gal. 5. 24. And God useth to dispense this way to his own â—ot only to take trial of the sincerity of our â—losing with him but to make our faith â—ore stedfast and sure And no doubt if we â—ose not absolutely with Christ when â—nder these temptations and trials we will â—eject our confidence as a delusion and supâ—ose it to bee but a morning dream thereâ—ore it were a noble and divine practice of a â—hristian to close with Christ without reâ—ervation seeing hee doth dispence nothing â—â—t that which may tend to our advantage â—nd we would say to such as are under these â—emptations that if yee endeavour to resist â—â—em it is the most compendious and excelâ—â—nt way to make your hearts which now â—â—e dying as a stone to bee as a watered Garâ—â—n and as springs of water whose waters fail â—â—t and to make you strong as a Lion so that 〈◊〉 temptation can rouse you up but you all bee enabled to tread upon the high places the earth and to sing songs of triumph over â—â—ur Idols 5. There is this likewise which hath inâ—â—ence on it or building of our faith more â—â—on sense then upon Christ or his Word and therefore it is that Faith is so unconstant and changeable as the Moon we not knowing what such a thing meaneth To hope against hope and to bee strong in faith giving glory to God And we would onely say unto you that erect your confidence upon so sandy a foundation that when the storm and wind of tentation shall blow That house shall fall to the ground As likewise building of your faith upon sense doth abate much of your joy and much of your precious esteem of Jesus Christ it being faith exercising it self upon an invisible object that maketh the Christian to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Peâ— 1. 8. 6. There is this last that hath influence upon it even our sloathfulnesse in the exercise of our spiritual duties by which Faith should bee entertained Faith is a tender grace and a plant that must not be ruffled buâ— nourished through the sap of other precious graces but wee grow remisse in ouâ— spiritual duties and do turn our selves upoâ— the bed of security as the door upon thâ— hinges And doth not our drowsinesse cloath us with rags and make us fall into a deep sleep while as if wee were diligent Oâ— souls should bee made fat and rich Yea slothfulnesse doth not only impede assurancâ— in this that it hindereth the divine communications of his love and respect by which assurance may bee keeped in life Cant. 5. 2 But also it maketh our poverty come on us an armed man and our want as one that travelleth And withall it letteth loose thâ— chain by which our corruptions are tyed and maketh them to lift up their head by which our assurance is much darkned and impared and our hope is much converted into diffidence and dispair And we would only say this it is the diligent Christian that is the believing Christian and it is the believing Christian that is the diligent Christian there being such a sweet reciprocation betwixt these two precious graces that they die and live together Now thirdly we shall shut up our discourse with this in pointing out a little what are those things that do obstruct a Christians closing with Christ and believing in his precious Name I. We conceive that this wofull evil doth â—pring and rise from that fundamentall ignoâ—ance of this truth that there is a God as â—â— clear from Heb. 11. 6. where that is reâ—uired as a qualification of a Comet That he â—hould believe that God is And assuredly â—ill once this precious truth be imprinted â—pon our souls as with a pen of iron and â—oint of a diamond we will look upon the â—ospel as an Uâ—opian fancy and a deluding â—otion to teach unstable souls who know â—ot the way to attain unto real blessednesse â—nd truly it is a fault in many that they â—egin to dispute their being in Christ before â—hey know there is a Christ and to dispute â—heir interest in him before they believe his â—eing and that there is such a one as is calâ—â—d Christ. II. Our coming unto Christ is obstructed from the want of the real and spiritual convictions of our desperate and lost estate without Jesus Christ and that our unspeakable misery is the want of him which is clear from Ier. 2. 31. We are Lords we will come no more to thee And it is evident from Rev. 3. 16 18. That such a delusion as this doth overtake many that they can reign as Kings without Jesus Christ and that they can build their happinesse and establish their eternal felicity upon another foundation But O that we could once win to this to believe what we are without Christ and to believe what we shall be in the enjoyment of him with the one eye to descend and look upon these deep draughts that the mystery of iniquity hath imprinted upon your immortal souls and withall to reflect upon the wages
of sin which is death and be constrained to cry out Wo is me for I am undone And with the other eye to ascend and look to that help that is laid upon One that iâ— mighty and to make use of the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour that so what we want in our selves we may get it abundantly made up in him III. There is this likewise that obstructeth our closing with Christ our too much addictednesse to the pleasures and carnal delights of a passing world which is cleaâ— from Luk. 14. 18 19 20 21 22. Matth. 22 5 6. where these that were invited to comâ— to the feast of this Gospel they do makâ— their apologie and with one consent do refuse it some pretending an impossibility tâ— come and some pretending an unavoidable inconveniency in coming And O! What a rediculous thing is that poor complement that these deluded sinners used to Christ I pray you have us excused And is it not the world the great plea and argoment that they make use of When they will not come and make use of Christ IV. There is this lastly which doth obstruct ones coming to Christ their unwillingness to be denyed to their own righteousness Which is clear from Rom. 10. 23. And wee conceive if once these two were believed which are the great Tropicks out of which all these arguments may be brought to perswade you to imbrace Christ to wit the infinite excellency of His person on whom we are to believe and the infinite losse that these do sustain who shall be eternally rejected of him We might be persuaded to entertain a divine abstractednesse and holy retirement from all things that are here below and to pitch our desires alone upon him who is the everlasting wonder of Angels and the glory of the higher House O did we once suppose the unspeakable happinesse of these whose Faith is now advanced unto everlasting felicity and fruition and hath entered into that eternal possession of the promises might we not he constrained to cry out It is good for us once to be there Christ weepeth to us in the Law but we do not lament and he pypeth to us in the Gospel but we do not dance He is willing to draw us with the cords of men and with the bonds of love and yet we will not have him to reign over us May not Angels laugh at our folly that wee should so undervalue this Prince of love and should contemn him who is holden in so high esteem and reverence in these two great Assemblies that are above of Angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect Christ hath now given us the first and second Summonds the day is approaching when the sad and wofull summonds shall be sent against us of departing from him into these everlasting flames out of which there is no redemption and this shall be the capestone of our misery that we had once life in offer but did refuse it And though there were four gates standing open toward the north by which we might have entered into that everlasting rest yet we choosed rather to walk in the paths that lead down to death and take hold of the chambers of hell O but there are many that think the Gospel cunningly devised fables and foolishnesse they being unwilling to believe that which sense cannot comprehend nor reason reach and this is the reason why the Gospel is not imbraced but is rejected as a humane invention and as a morning dream c. SERMON II. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are three great and cardinall mysteries in the unfolding of which all a Christians time ought to be spent First There is that precious and everlasting mystery of Christs love and condiscendency which those intellectual spirits the Angels are not able fully to comprehend Secondly There is that woefull mystery of the desperate deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of the heart which no man was ever yet able fully to fathom and comprehend And thirdly there is that precious mystery of that eternal felicity and blessednesse that is purchased unto the Saints that once they shall reign with Christ not a thousand years only but throughout all the ages of everlasting and endless eternity so that there is this difference betwixt the Garden of everlasting delights that Christ hath purchased to the Saints and that first Paradise and Eden wherein man was placed There was a secret gate in the first thorow which a man that had once entered in might go out again But in this second and precious Eden there is no accesse for going out And all that is to be known of these three mysteries is much comprehended in this to know that they cannot fully be known Paul was a blessed proficient in the study of the first mystery and had almost attained to the highest Classe of knowledge and yet he is constrained to professe himself to bee ignorant of this Hence is that word Eph. 3. 19. That ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge And is it not a mysterious command to desire people to know that which cannot be known The meaning whereof we conceive to be this in part that Paul pressed this upon them that they should study to know that this mystery of Christs love could not be known Ieremiah was a blessed proficient in the knowledge and study of the second mystery he had some morning and twilight discoveries of that and yet though in some measure he had fat homed that deep yet he is constrained to cry out chap. 17. vers 9. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And indeed that which Solomon saith of Kings Prov. 25. 3. may well be said of all men in this respect The heavens for heighth and the earth for depth and the heart of man is unsearchable The Apostle Paul also was a blessed proficient in the study of the third mystery having some morning and twilight discoveries of that promised rest and was once caught up to the third heavens and yet when he is beginning to speak of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. he declareth all men to be ignorant of the knowledge of this profound mystery of mans blessednesse and cryeth out Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And if there bee any thing further to bee known of these mysteries the grace of Faith is found worthy among all the graces of the Spirit To open the seven seals of these great deeps of God Is not the grace of Faith that whereby a Christian doth take up the invisible excellency and vertue of a dying Christ Is not Faith that precious grace by which a Christian must take up the sports and blemishes that are within himself And is not the grace of Faith that precious grace that