for first r. last p. 108. l. 12. for Dominus reginae r. Domina regina p. 109. l. 13. dele two p. 199. l. 13. for rigorous r. vigorous THE CONTENTS Of the Third VOLVMNE SERMON I GALATIANS 2.20 TEXT Opened Page 2 Doctrine 1 Every godly gracious man is a living man and lives a spiritual life Page 3 Explication 1 What this spiritual life is 1. A supernatual perfection Page 3 2 It ariseth from our Vnion with Christ by the Spirit Page 4 3 By it we act move and work towards God Ibid 2 How it may appear that every godly gracious man is thus a living man Proved 1 By vegetative life Page 5 2 By sensitive life ib. 1 They are sensible of their sins Page 6 2 Of the hiding of Gods face ibid 3 Of the miseries of the Churches Page 7 3 By rational life ibid How it may appear that others are not in this state of life Page 8 Objections answered Page 9. 10 Application Comforts for the Saints 1. It is above the life of Adam in innocency Page 12 2. It is the most pleasant life ibid 3. It is the most communicative life Page 13 4. The Lord looks upon all our former sins under a mollifying consideration ibid Object I am afraid I have not this spiritual life because I am dead cold and stiff Answered There is a deadness opposite to liveliness as well as a death opposite to life Page 15 There is a difference between the coldness of a living man and the coldness of a dead man ibid Object I am afraid I am not alive because I do not grow Answered 1. Do you grow out of love with your own righteousness Page 16 2. Are you less subject to be offended than before Page 17 3. Do you grow more off from youth ful things that godly men look to ibid Object I am alive to the world Answered Page 18 Duties flowing from this spiritual life 1. We should live at a higher rate than the world doth Page 20 2. Our hearts should not run too much after the things of this world Page 21 3. Our comunion and fellowship should be more with the living ibid Exhortation to those that are dead in sins to come to Christ Page 23 SERMON II. Gal. 2.20 Doctrine 2. Our Justification by faith alone is no enemy but a real friend to our spiritual life Page 26 Explication 1. What is meant by Justification by faith alone Page 27 2. How doth it appear that free Justification by faith alone is the original of all our holiness 1. By contraries Page 29 2. By the paralel between the first and second Adam Page 31 3. By the sence of free remission of sin Page 32 Instanced in 1. Repentance Page 33 2. Mortification ibid 3. Obedience Page 34 3. Objections Answered Page 34. 35 4. What there is in free Justification by faith that doth advance our holiness 1. The more a man forsakes his own good for Christ the more is Christ engaged to give his good to him Page 36 2. God doth never suffer any man to pass under relation but he writes the Law of that relation in his heart ibid 3. The more a man agrees with God the fitter he is to walk with God Page 36 4. As by seeking Justification by works a man is estated in the covenant of works so by seeking Justification by faith alone a man is estated in the covenant of grace Page 37 Application Hence we see the reason why men are no more gracious Page 39 Object I fear my obedience was never right because I have turned aside to a covenant of works Answered Page 41 Object My obedience is not right because it is so little Answer 1. Doest thou limit thy self Page 42 2 Doest thou oppose them that have much ibid Object My obedience is not right because I do not find the visible characters of Justification upon my Sanctification Answered 1. Doest thou mourn for sin because 't is pardoned Page 44 2. Is there a meeting of all graces in thee ibid Object Suppose I have not stood cleer from my own doings in matter of Justification how shall I do to do it Answered 1. Be humbled in the sight of God Page 46 2. Study much the transaction of things between God the father and Jesus Christ ib. 3. Acquaint your souls with the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace ibid 4. When your duties are highest let your souls go beyond them ibid 5. When they are lowest you have an opportunity to stand cleer from them Page 47 SERMON III. Gal. 2.20 Doctrine Every true beleever that seeks Justification by faith alone is a self-denying person Page 50 Explication 1. What it is for a man to deny himself Answered Page 51 2. Whereby it may appear that the Gospel works this grace in the heart of man Answered 1. If the Law cannot do it the Gospel must Page 52 2. He that lives under the Gospel is of a disposition contrary to the world Page 53 3. He is tender of intrenching upon Gods prerogative Page 54 4. The more truly a man repents the more sensible he is of his own unworthiness ibid An objection How doth the Gospel only do this seeing moral men Heathens and Papists have spoken and written much for humility and self-denial Answer 1 Though they be humble yet they are proud of humility Page 56 2 'T is only in some particulars ibid 3 He is ruled by reason and not by the spirit ibid 4 There is no mysterie in it as there is in a Christians For 1 A Christian cries out what shall he do to be saved and yet he expects not to be saved by doing Page 57 2 He accounts himself lesse than the least of all Gods mercies and yet he thinks God hath done more for him than if he had given him all the world ib. 3 He prizes every duty though never so small and yet counts all dung in respect of Jesus Christ ib. 4 He looks upon himslf as the greatest of sinners yet would not change condition with a Drunkard c. for all the world ib. 5 He mourns under reproaches and yet triumphs over them ib. 6 He counts all he doth nothing and yet praiseth God for every thing ib. 4 What there is in the Gospel to being a mans heart to this frame Answered 1 The more of Gods glory a man sees the more humble he is Page 58 2 The more self-denial a man sees in Christ the more he denies himself Page 60 3 The more a man sees himself a debter to Christ the more humble he is Page 61 4 When Christ comes into the soule all other things must out ib. Application How hard a thing it is to Beleeve Page 62 Reply We hope we all have faith Answer Are there not some that 1 Cannot deny themselves in outward things Page 64 2 Seek themselves in spiritual things ib. 3 Stint themselves in the service of God Page 65
godliness But ye know a spark of fire though it be but a spark of fire it will not oppose the flame though it be not so great as the flame yet it will not oppose the flame it opposes the water but it doth not oppose the flame of fire And so if a man have grace though it be but a spark of grace yet notwithstanding if it be in truth it will not oppose a flame But now Civil and Moral men that walk in a way of works and are under the Law Oh! how do they oppose those that have the power of godliness that have more grace than themselves that are in a flame for Christ them they oppose Is it so with you that make this Objection Oh! No I praise the Lord your soul will say if it speak in truth though I have but little the Lord knows I do not oppose them that have much I rejoyce rather in those that have more than my self yea I rejoyce in those that have the power of godlinesse And Lord thou knowest I do not stint and limit my self Oh! I can never be godly enough and I can never Repent enough and I can never mourn for my sins enough Well be of good comfort this may be no other stream then what flows from this blessed fountain Free-remission and Justification by faith alone Object 3 Thirdly Will some say I fear that upon all this account my Obedience and my Holiness is not right for I do not find the visible Characters of Justification upon my Sanctification Justification by faith alone is the fountain of all our Holiness Then if my obedience were right it would tast of my Justification and of Free-remission if my Holiness were right it would savour of Free-remission but I do not find any visible Characters of Justification upon my Sanctification I do not find that my Sanctification does relish or savour of Free-remission or Justification by faith alone therfore I fear al is naught my obedience hath been naught and wrong all this while Answ For answer to this Know ye not beloved That a mans Justification may be hidden from Sence when Sanctification is in truth Know ye not That the life of grace is a hidden life not only hidden from the world but hidden from ones own soule many times Quest But what are those Visible Characters of Justification which are engraven upon a mans Sanctification so that when a man does see them he may say Surely here is a Sanctification that is no other than that which flows from Free-remission and Justification by Faith along Answ 1 First When a man does mourn for his sin because it is pardoned does not this repentance savour of Free-remission When a man does obey the Lord because God hath pardoned and forgiven him does not this Sanctification then savour of his Justification and of Free-remission Secondly When there is a meeting of all graces and one good work and duty and grace is reconciled to another in a mans life is there not then a tast and a savour of Justification and Free-remission When the Lord does justifie a poor sinner then al the Attributes of God are reconciled to one another Justice is reconciled to Mercy and Mercy is reconciled to Justice and all these reconciled Attributes of the Lord do meet upon the soul of a justified person and accordingly there is a meeting of all graces in the soul and all good works and graces they are reconciled to one another That whereas before a man was justified they were at ods at a distance one from another and were inimititious one to another now they are not Whereas before a man was justified he could not rejoyce in God but it hindred his mourning for sin and he could not mourn for sin but it hindred his faith and he could not beleeve but his beleeving hindred his repentance But now when a man is justified and reconciled to the Lord then all those Works Duties and Graces are reconciled to one another Why Because the Attributes of God are reconciled unto one another and all the Attributes of God they meet upon the heart of a justified person and so there are the Characters of his Justification upon his Sanctification here And I appeal to ye who ever you are that labor under this scruple Is it not thus with thy soul in truth Do not you find it thus That now you look upon the very Justice of the Lord as your friend the Justice and Righteousness of the Lord as your friend That now ye are reconcil'd as it were to those Duties that heretofore you looked upon as your Enemies That now you rest upon the Lord Christ that you may be Obedient and your very resting upon Christ makes you obedient your very beholding of Christ changes you from glory to glory as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3.18 If you would speak in truth from your soul you would say thus Lord thus 't is with me Now I am reconciled to that Duty that before was an enemy to me and now these Workes Duties and Graces are reconciled for now the more I can rejoyce in God the more I can mourn for sin and the more I Beleeve the more I can Repent Heretofore the more I Beleeved the lesse I Repented my Beleeving was my Security but now I see these works and Duties are friends to one another that now the more I Repent the more I Beleeve and the more I Beleeve the more I Repent all these works are reconciled in me And Lord thou that knowest all things knowest That therefore I grieve for my sins because thou hast pardoned them and therefore I desire to obey thee because thou hast forgiven me Well then here are the Visible Characters of thy Justification upon thy Sanctification And therefore be of good comfort notwithstanding this Objection Only let me tell thee this It may be thou hast not stood enough at a distance from thy own Doings and Duties as to the matter of thy Acceptance with God But would you be more Spiritual and Holy in your lives labour more and more to stand at a distance from all your Duties and Doings as to the great matter of your Acceptance with God the father Quest But you will say Suppose that I have not stood cleare from my owne Doings as to the matter of my Justification or Acceptance with God the Father what shall I do that now I may stand clear in this matter that so this fountain of Free-remission and Justification by faith alone may be opened upon my soul and my Spiritual life thereby may be more inlarged and increased Some things by way of Answer to this and so I have done First Be ye humbled in the sight and presence of the Lord that you have walked in that way that you have tied Jesus Christ unto your conditions and that you have made use of Christ only to eek out your Performance as to the matter of your Acceptance Secondly Study much
By this justification I mean That act of Gods grace wherby through the imputation of our sins to Christ and Christs righteousness unto us God the father doth pronounce us righteous in his sight This is justification And this is done by the Righteousness and the Blood of Christ only as the Material and Meritorious cause 'T is done only by Faith as the Instrumental cause so we are said to be justified by Faith alone Yet not so as that a man is justified by faith which hath no works for all justifying faith is full of works but these works do not come into our justification As now a mans servants they have him to bed Servants have their Master and Mistris to bed tend upon them to bed but they do not go into the bed with them They are with them again in the morning they bring them water and necessary things but they do not come to bed to them Now saies Luther Justification is that bed where Christ and a Beleeving soul lies though good works Duties and Prayers tend upon Christ and where ever there is faith there are these yet this bed of Justification is kept free and entire and only for the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and they come not to bed they come not into this work Or if you will thus Ye know that when an Israelite was stung in the wilderness by a fiery biting serpent he was then to look upon the Brasen serpent and by the beholding of the Brasen-serpent he was cured the looking of his eyes cured him He had other members there was the Arms and the Legs and other members that did accompany the Eyes but though there were other members that did accompany the Eyes it was the seeing of the Eyes that did cure the person And so though works do accompany faith and there is no saving justifying faith but works accompany it yet it is only the beholding of this Brasen-serpent by the eye of faith that does cure the soul as to the point of Justification When Abraham went up into the mountain to offer up his son he spake to his servants to stay below Gen. 22.5 Stay you here till I come again at the foot and the bottom of this hill and so they did Servants he had but they stayed below And so when a man goes up into this hil of justification this high mountain he takes only his faith with him and he sayes unto all his works and unto all his duties stay you below at the bottom of the hil and there they attend So that faith justifying faith though it hath alwaies works yet they come not into this matter of Justification 'T is Faith alone that justifies This by way of Explication Quest 2 But Secondly You will say How may it appear now that this free-free-justification of a poor sinner by Faith alone is the original of all our Holiness and Spiritual life Answ 1 Thus it appears by contraries Contraries have contrary Consequences If the Law and Justification thereby be no friend but a real enemy unto all our Grace and Holinesse then Justification by faith alone is a friend to it But now take the Law and you shall find that justification thereby is no friend but a real enemy unto all our Holiness and the power of godliness What greater enemies had the world ever to the power of godliness than the Jews were and they sought to establish their own Righteousness and to be justified by the Law And now a dayes What more bitter more fel enemy unto the power of godliness than a Moral Civil man Why Because though he do not understand himself yet he doth secretly seek his acceptance with God by his own doing and good meaning A man can never live to God that lives in himself So long as a man seeks Justification by his own doing working he lives in himself Therefore saies the Apostle Phil. 3.9 I desire not to be found in mine own righteousness to be found in it Hope is the Spring of action The Plow-man plowes in hope he sows in hope Hope is the Spring of action Now if a man seeks to be justified by the Law or the works of the Law there is no hope for all works are imperfect and if no hope saies the soul why should I work as good never a whit as never the better That cannot be the Principle of our grace and holiness which can neither Convert a man nor mortifie his sins nor quicken one to what is good nor comfort or free him from temptation Now I pray What is it that Converts a soul to Christ is it the Law or the preaching of the Law Nay Joh. 16.9 saies our Savior I will send the Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin But where do I receive the Spirit Saies the Apostle in the next chapter the 3. of the Galatians O ye foolish Galatians this would I know of ye Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Not by the preaching of the Law And as for Mortification of sin Can the Law do that Nay saies the Apostle in the 8. of the Romans The Law is weak What the Law could not do being weak God sent his own Son to condemn sin in the flesh So that the Law cannot mortifie sin the Law cannot do it And as for our Quickening unto what is good Can the Law do that Nay saies the Apostle The Law is a dead letter and the Law is the ministration of death And can that which is a dead letter and the ministraction of death quicken us unto what is good certainly it cannot And as for our Temptations and freedom from them Does the Law do that Ye know the Apostle triumphs Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect And who shall lay any thing to may charge shall the Anger and Wrath of God shall Satan or mine own Conscience I will not be much afflicted saies he why for It is God that justifies He does not say for it is Moses that justifies but 't is Christ that died and God justifies not Moses Sampson ye know found honey-combs in the body of the dead lyon not in hives at home or trees abroad but he found honey-combs in the body of the dead lyon So does a poor tempted soul find all the honey-combs of comfort in the body of the dead Lyon of the tribe of Judah not in his own hive I have read of a certain man that was much in prayer fasting and reading and the Devil came to him and told him Friend Why doest thou Pray so much and Reade so much and Fast so much 't is all to n purpose for thou shalt go to Hell at the last thou shalt never go to Heaven Saies he As for that I leave that to God it is not my Question whether I shall go to Heaven or Hell but my Question is How shall I serve God
and live to God Had he now sought Justification in a away of works and by the Law could he have ever bin able to have answered to this temptation Ye may see what the Apostle saies in the 7. chap. of his Epistle to the Romans he gives you a Similitude thus As a woman so is the sould of every man So long as a woman is married unto one man she brings forth children unto him and not unto any other but is dead unto all others but when that man dies she is free to marry and she marries another and she brings forth children unto him Now saies the Apostle at the 4. verse Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God So that so long as a man is married to the Law he can never bring forth fruit unto God Now then thus lies the Reason If that the Law and Justification thereby be no Friend but a real Enemy unto all our Holiness then contraries having contrarie consequences Justification by faith alone is a friend and no Enemy unto our Spiritual life and Holiness Seondly This also will appear if ye consider the paralel between the first and second Adam Christ is our second Adam Now saies the Apostle in the 5. of the Romans As by the sin of one death came upon all men to condemnation so by the Righteousness of one life comes unto many Well but how came condemnation upon all men by the sin of one The first Adam he was a common person he did stand for all mankind when he sinned all mankind sinned and therefore assoon as any one is born the sin of Adam being imputed to him judicially that imputation is the original of all the Unholiness that is among the children of men So our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being our second Adam he is a Common person stands in the room of al the Elect he was obedient not for Himself but for Them Christus non meruit sibi Obeyed not for Himself and he died not for himself but for them righteous for them When therefore a man is born into the world is regenerate by faith then all that Righteousness of Christ the second Adam is imputed to him And this imputation of his Righteousness by faith is the original of all that Holiness that is in our lives thus As al the Unholiness and Wickedness that is in the world does flow from the imputation of the first Adams sin So al that grace and holiness that is in the world does flow from the imputation of the second Adams Righteousness Now by faith alone this Righteousnes is imputed and does become ours and therefore Justification by faith alone is the principle and original of all our grace and holiness Thirdly If free-remission of sin and the sence thereof be the cause of our Holiness then Justification by faith alone must needs be a friend unto it For these Two Free-remission of sin and justification by faith alone go together and are ordinarily taken for one And therefore in the 3. of the Romans The Apostle having said as the 24. verse Being justified freely by his grace he saies at the 28. ver That a man is justified by faith and saying That a man is justified by faith he saies That a man is justified freely by grace these are put together Now Free-remission of sin and the sence thereof is the Cause of al our Holiness Ye know what the Apostle saies Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God hath appeared unto all men teaching us to deny Vngodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly in this present world All Holiness comes from thence The apparition of grace Free-remission of sin And ye know what it is that doth hatch the Chicken 't is not the fire that does hatch the Chicken nor is it the cold water that does hatch the Chicken but laying of the eggs under the warm feathers of the living Hen. Come to a man or woman that hath many eggs that are yet not Chickens within a month or two these are al become living Chickens Say you How comes it to pass that all these are now living Chickens What! did you lay these eggs unto the fire No for then they would have been roasted What! did you lay these eggs in the cold water No then they would have rotted but I laid them under the warm wings of the living Hen and so they are become chickens So you come to a living soul a living heart and you say Friend how came you to be thus enlivened and quickned a month or two ago I heard you complaining of your dead heart Oh! my heart is dead but how came you to be thus enlivened and to be thus quickned Did you go and lay your heart against the fire of the Law No that would have scorch'd me and tormented me What did you go and lay your heart in the cold world No that would have rotted me How then Truly after all my fears and after all my doubtings I went and laid my cold heart under the warm wings of Divine-love and so it came to pass that I am thus enlivened and I am thus quickened as you see this day for the which I blesse the Lord for ever Three things there are that do make up a gracious Conversation Repentance for sin past Mortification of sin present and the Obedience of faith or Obedience Now as for Repentance look I pray what is said in the 7. Chapter of Luke and see what is the Cause of that You reade there a story of a great Sinner that became a great Penitent at the 37. verse Behold a woman in the City which was a great sinner and she came and stood behind Jesus at the 38. verse weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head She wept much Why for saies the text at the latter end of the Chapter she loved much But why did she love much She loved much because much was forgiven her So then Remission is the Cause of Repentance And have ye not so much expresly in that 16. Chapter of Ezekiel and the last verse I will establish my Covenant with thee that thou maiest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done So that this shame and repentence comes from pacification And as for this matter Luther had so great a fight into it that saies he before I was justified by faith alone and saw into this matter of Free-remission I look't upon that word Repent as a terrible word I did even hate that word and I wish't that there had been no such word in all the book of God but after once that word justitia was opened the righteousnesse
of faith and after once I understood this Doctrine of Free-remission and Justification by faith alone then I loved Repentance As for the Mortification of sin Ye know what the Apostle saies Let not sin raign in your mortal bodies Rom. 6.12 14. or have dominion over you why for ye are not under the Law but under grace So then 't is being under grace that does mortifie sin And as for the matter of Obedience Ye know what the Psalmist saies There is mercy with thee O Lord Psal 130 4 that thou maiest be feared That is that thou maiest be Served that thou maiest be Obeyed So that Obedience also comes from the sight of mercy and of Free-remission Now if Free-remission and the sence thereof be the Cause of our Holinesse then surely Justification by faith alone can be no Enemy but must needs be a real friend unto all our spiritual life Object But by way of Objection it will be said In the Third place This Doctrine of Free-remission and Justification by faith alone seems to carry somwhat with it that is opposite unto Grace and Holiness for the more a man is bound unto the Law and takes himself to be so the more obedient he will be to the Law but now a man never takes himself more to be bound unto the Law than when he seeks to be justified by the works of the Law and so he will be most obedient Answ For Answer Ye must know that the word Law in the new Testament is taken Two waies Either it is taken for the Covenant of Works thus If you keep the Ten Commandements perfectly you shall live for ever this is the Covenant of Works Somtimes the Law is taken for the Ten Commandements the Rule of mans life In the first sence a Christian is dead vnto the Law and is freed from it but in the second sence a Beleever a Justified person is more bound to the Law to observe it as a Rule of life than ever he was Onely you must know there is a Twofold Bond There is the bond of Love and there is the bond of Fear as there is the Law of Love and the Law of Fear Love and the bond of Love is stronger than Fear and the bond of Fear for Fear is servant to Love Fear is the hand maid to Love for ye never Fear the losing of any good thing but what ye first Love Fear is the servant to Love and therefore Love is stronger than Fear and the bond of Love stronger than the bond of Fear Now though a Justified person be not bound unto the Law with the bond of a servile-Fear yet he is bound unto the Law with the bond of Love and so he is more obedient as the bond of Love is stronger than the bond of Fear A man must needs be obedient unto Christ that takes himself to be none of his own but Christs Therfore saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorify Christ with your body because ye are bought with a price and because ye are Gods So long as a man seeks to be justified by works and by the Law so long he looks upon himself as his own but when a man sees that he is justified by faith alone then he looks upon himself as Christs that he is not his own and so he is more obedient unto Christ than ever be was before Object 2 Secondly If this be such a principle of Grace and Holiness How comes it to passe that men sin the more as they hear more of this Free-remission and Justification of a poor sinner by faith alone Oh! saies one God is merciful and gracious and therefore I will now live as I list and repent afterward If this Doctrine this truth and this Grace of God be the Principle of all our Holiness How comes it to passe that men sin more hereby Answ I pray How comes it to passe if that water do cleanse that it doth not cleanse the Blackmore and if fire do warm how comes it to passe that it doth not put heat into the Dead man and if the Sun do enlighten how comes it to passe it doth not enlighten those that are blind I may ask you the reason likewise But I wil tel you the reason the reason of this is Because men are contrary unto God and all that do make this use application of the Lords mercy and grace they are contrary unto God for God works good out of evil Now a wicked man being contrary unto God he works evil out of good God works the greatest good grace out of the greatest evil sin a wicked man he works the greatest evil sin out of the greatest good Gods love and grace Why because he is contrary to God But now take this Truth and this Grace of God as it is in it self and so it is a very real friend unto all our grace and holiness Quest 4 But in the Fourth place You will say then What is there in this Justification by faith alone or Free-remission that does advance our Holiness how comes it to passe what is there in this that hath such an influence upon our lives to make us the more holy the more heavenly Answ 1 First The more a man does forsake any good thing of his own for Christ the more Christ is engaged to give a man his good things There is no losing in losing for Jesus Christ what ye lose for Chirst ye shal gain by Christ And the greater and sweeter any blessing is that ye lose for Christ the greater blessing will Christ give unto ye in the room thereof Now what neerer thing is there to a man than his own Righteousness In Justification by faith alone a man laies down al his own Righteousness at the feet of Jesus Christ and therfore Christ is engaged to give him a better Righteousness the Righteousness of God Secondly God does never cause any man to passe under any Relation but he does write the Law of that Relation upon his heart For example If the Lord does cause a man to passe under the Relation of a Magistrate God wil write the Law of that Relation upon him and give him ability to it If God doe cause a man to passe under the Relation of a Minister God will write the Law of that Relation on him If God do cause a man to passe under the Relation of a Husband or a Father God will cause the Law of that Relation to be written upon his heart Now when a man is justified by faith alone then he becomes the Son of God To as many as receive him he gives power to be called the Sons of God even to as many as beleeve on his Name John 1.12 I say When a man is justified by faith alone he becomes the Son of God he passes under that Relation therefore then does the Lord write the Law of that Relation of a Son upon his heart and thereby he is made more Son-like by his
obedience Thirdly The more a man does agree with God and the Law the more fit he is to walk with God and observe the Law when a man is justified by faith then he is agreed with God Amos 3.3 Can two walk together unless they be agreed Now when a man is justified by faith he is Reconciled to God reconciled to the Justice of God reconciled to the Anger of God reconciled to the Law of God the Law is his friend Now before a man was justified the Anger of God was his enemy and the Justice of God his enemy and the Law his enemy but now being justified he is reconciled to God reconciled to his Anger that is satisfied by Christ reconciled to the Law that is satisfied by Christ thus he is made a friend to God he is agreed with God and with the Law and so he can walk with God and so he is the more obedient But Fourthly and especially thus As by Works and seeking Justification by Works a man is Estated in the Covenant of Works So by Faith and seeking Justification by Faith alone a man is Estated in the Covenant of Grace When a man is Estated in the Covenant of grace God is engaged to give grace unto him to make him Holy For that I pray do but reade what ye have in that 36. Chapter of Ezekiel at the 25. verse and so downwards Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I wil give you an heart of flesh And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them First I pray mark here That the Lord does promise Remission of sin although it be never so great I will sprinkle clean water upon you and wash ye from all your filthiness and from all your idols wil I cleanse you But saies a poor doubting soul Though the Lord do thus wash me I am so foule and so unclean that I am afraid I shall never be cleansed Yes saies the Lord I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean But though I be clean and cleansed from my guilt and my sin pardoned yet notwithstanding I have such a naughty filthy heart as I shall foul my self again See what follows A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Oh! but my heart is so hard like a stone that I shall resist this mercy of God Nay saies he And I will take away the stony heart cut of your flesh I will take away the Resistance the stony heart out of your flesh But though it be so as long as my nature is unchanged I shal never do that which is right Saies God I will change your nature for you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh I wil make such a change in you That whereas before Naturally ye were as hard as a stone now I wil make you as soft as flesh But though the Lord do thus change my Nature yet notwithstanding I shall never be able to order my conversation aright I shall never be obedient Mark what follows I will put my Spirit within you and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes I will make you obedient saies God Oh! what streams of mercy are here But I pray mind the Fountain whence these flow They al flow from this fountain of Free-remission The first is I will sprinkle clean water upon you and cleanse you from all your idols I will forgive you freely I but though this be set first it may be this is not the Cause of the rest how shal it appear that this Free-remission is the Cause of all our holiness Then I pray look into the 8. chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrews where this Covenant of grace is repeated at the 10. verse For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel saith the Lord I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest Why for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more So that Remission is the Cause of Sanctification I will thus and thus sanctifie saies the Lord For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more this is the Cause of all that Now I say When a man is once estated in this Covenant of grace the Lord ye see is engaged then for to make him holy And as by works and seeking Justification by works a man is estated in the Covenant of works So by faith and seeking Justification by faith alone a man is estated in the Covenant of grace and so the Lord is engaged for to make him holy So that thus you see now This Free-grace of God Justification of a poor sinner by faith alone it is no enemy but a real friend unto all our Holiness and Spiritual life No wonder therefore that the Apostle saies And now I live Applyca By way of Application If all these things be so Then here we see the reason why men are no more Gracious no more Heavenly no more Holy no more Spiritual in their lives because they think not of this they study not this they never had the true sence of this Even because they do not stand cleer from their own Duties and their own Doings as to the great matter of Justification and acceptance with God Is the Free-remission of sin and Justification by faith alone the Fountain and Original of all our Holiness Then why stand ye gazing upon your own Duties upon your own Prayers and Mournings Would ye live I know you would Skin for skin Job 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life But would you live Spiritually would you live an Eternal life that life that never dies that Communicative life that life that is better than you should have had in the State of innocencie Then do you stand clear from all your own Doings and Duties and Workings as to this great matter of your Acceptance with God the Father Do ye think that Jesus Christ will present a Duty or a service unto God the Father that steps into his room and place and Office What is the Place and room of Christ He is our Saviour and the Mediator between God and man that stands between God and man for to cause Acceptance with God the Father if then you Pray Hear Reade Mourn and think
by al these to fetch in your Acceptance with God the Father Do you not bring your Duty into the room of Christ and into the place of Christ and do ye think that the Lord Jesus Christ will ever present such a Duty unto God the Father as steps into his room and place What a sad thing is it for a man to draw his own Works or his own Doings into his Acceptance or Justification for a man to turn aside to the Covenant of Works Object You will say But when may a man be said for to draw his own Works or Duties into his Acceptance with God the Father Or when may a man be said To turn aside to the Covenant of Works Answ Even godly men do it too much Abraham though the father of the faithful went into Hagar the type of the Law And so now the children of Abraham Beleevers do too much go into Hagar still and to the Law still When a man cannot dares not relye upon Jesus Christ till he first sees his own Duty and his own Prayer and Inlargment in Duty then he does this too much When a man does measure all his Acceptance with God the Father by his own Performance if I be Enlarged then I am Accepted if I am straightened now I am not Accepted then he does this too much When a man will not come to Christ till his heart be first quickened and warmed by some particular word then he does this too much But Oh! you you that are godly labour I beseech ye in Christ to stand clear from your own Duties and Doings The more distinct knowledge ye have in this Truth and the more ye walk in the sence of it the more Spiritual and Holy ye will be Object 1 But will some say that I may take off some scruples and answer some Cases of Conscience If these things be so then do I fear that my Obedience was never right for truly I have even turned aside to a Covenant of Works the Lord knows I have I remember the time when I had Legal-breakings and all my Obedience hath flowed from thence Is Free-remission and Justification by faith alone the fountain and spring-head of all our Obedience and Holiness then seeing that Legal-breakings have been the spring-head of all my Obedience then do I fear my Obedience was never right Oh! I fear that I have been wrong all this while that I have been but an Hypocrite all this while and have deceived my self and been under the Law all this while Answ Stay a little You read in Scripture concerning Jacob and Esau 't is said That the Elder shall serve the Younger Gen. 25.23 That is saies Luther in a spiritual way the Elder the Law shall serve the Younger the Gospel and the Elder Sin shall serve the Younger Grace Now have your former Legal-breakings made you more for to prize Grace and to prize Christ and to prize Free-remission and Justification by faith alone Here then the Elder does serve the Younger And what though Legal-breakings were first and were the Elder in your heart yet so long as the Elder does serve the Younger thou hast no reason to be discouraged in this respect Object 2 I fear that my Obedience and my Holiness is not right because it is so little and so scant Free-remission the fountain of all our Holiness that is a full Fountain and if my Holiness were a stream from that Fountain it would be more full and more abundant The Jews they knew little of this Truth Justification by faith alone and yet they were Holy David holy and Moses holy and Josiah holy is this the fountain of all our Grace and of all our Holiness Free-remission and Justification by faith alone Then the more discovery there is of this the more Holy we should be but alas I find my Holiness and my Obedience so scant and little that I am afraid it can never come from so full a fountain as this is Answ Beloved There is nothing little between God and a gracious soul There is nothing smal that comes from God to you because it comes from an infinite God There is nothing smal that goes from a gracious soul unto God again because it comes from an infinite desire of pleasing God It is one thing to be more in the Shell and another thing to be more in the Kernel Luther professes that when he was a Monke as it seems by his writings he was fifteen years in a Cloyster Saies he When I was a Monke I was a great deal more Holy then according to the outward appearance than I am now then I Prayed and then I Fasted and then I Macerated my body and then I went meanly but now I Eat and I Drink and I Cloath my self as others do and yet now one little Prayer is more accepted with God than all my fifteen years Prayers before why because saies he then I prayed in a way of Works and sought Justification in a way of Works but now I have had a taste of this Justification by faith alone and a little from thence is more pleasing unto the Lord then all the fifteen years before But who ever you are that make this Objection Give me leave to propound these Two Questions to you First Whereas you say It is little and therefore you fear it cannot come from so full a fountain Doest thou stint or limit thy self in thy Obedience or in thy Holiness A man that seeks to be justified and saved by his working he does stint and limit himself I have enough saies he for to bring me to heaven and what need I more a great many are very precise and strict but I praise the Lord I have enough for to bring me to heaven and what need I more So he stints and limits himself And I have been Weeping and Mourning enough for to get forgivenesse and the Lord now hath forgiven me and what need I more Thus he stints and limits himself because he is under the Law and under a Covenant of Works Again Though your Obedience as you think is very little and very small Do you oppose those that have much do you oppose those that have the power of godliness and those that have more than your self A man that seeks Justification by Works he does oppose those men that have more Holiness than himself See I pray how it was with the Jews in that 9. of the Romans and the 31. vers But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone They stumbled at Christ they stumbled at Christianity they stumbled at the corner stone And so now Moral and Civil men that seek acceptance though they do not understand themselves in a way of working they oppose those that are more godly that have the power of
the Transactions of things between God the Father and Jesus Christ And then you will find That Jesus Christ had satisfied God the Father before ever you came into the world and therefore your souls when you think of this will say How therefore can my Work or my Duty any way bring in Satisfaction or Acceptance with God the Father Study I say the Transactions between God the Father and Jesus Christ Thirdly Acquaint your soul much with the difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace In the Covenant of Works a mans Work is first accepted and then his Person But in the Covenant of Grace a mans Person is first accepted and then his Work And when you understand this then you will say I if this be true That a mans Person is first accepted and then his Work How can my Work any way fetch me in acceptance with God the Father O my soul for ever stand clear in this great matter of my Acceptance in my Duties Fourthly when ever your Duties your Works and your Graces are Highest then and then especially use thy soul to be beyond them and say thus Though now I blesse the Lord my heart is thus and thus Inlarged yet I do not count upon my Acceptance by reason of this Inlargment Though I blesse the Lord I have now Prayer that before had none yet I do not count my Acceptance with God the Father by this Prayer When I say thy Duty is Highest use thy soul to be beyond it Fifthly When your Duty Grace and Holiness is lowest then know that now ye have an opportunity to stand clear from your own Duties and Workings as to the matter of your Acceptance and Justification by faith alone If I have a friend in my house that lives in my house with me whom I would not have privy unto a Work or a business I 'le take the opportunity to do the Work when that friend is out of doors now say I he is abroad if he were at home he would be prying over my shoulder and he would have a singer in the business and he would see it but now he is abroad now I will take the time to do it My brethren your Duties Prayer and Humiliation they are all friends to your Justification but when Prayer is out and Duty is out and abroad and out of sight and not at home Now take your time to be clear in the matter of nesting upon Christ ad one and say Now my Prayer is gone and Duties gone and all out of sight Oh! Lord now I have an opportunity to rest upon Christ alone had my Prayer been at home and Duties at home they would have been peering and prying into this Work but now they are all out of sight now I will rest upon Christ and his righteousness alone This is certain that this Justification by faith alone and Free-remission of a poor sinner 't is the great fountain and principle of all our Grace and Holiness and therefore if you would be more Gracious and more Holy I beseech ye in the Name of Christ study it much and walk in the sence of it And what 's the reason that many Professors are no more Holy and Humble but waspish and peevish and harsh and of a rugged disposition but because they have not studied the Gospel more and Free-remission and Justification by faith alone and they have not the sence of this upon then hearts poor souls you want the Experience of this you think some of you there is no such way to be Holy and Gracious as to have Legal-breakings to have the Law prest upon you but I do here tell you in the Name of the Lord and I lie not That Justification by faith alone and Free-remission is the principle of all our Obedience and all our Holiness And when Paul came to this and the sence of this Now I live saies he And so wilt thou say poor foul when thou comest to the sence of this Truth I was dead before but now I live indeed I was down and my heart dead when I hung upon my owne Duties but now I live Now there fore as you desire to live and liue spiritually the Lord give you hearts to live in the sence and experience of this great Truth Justification and Free-remission by faith alone SERMON III. Preached at Stepney July 16. 1648. GALATIANS 2. part of the 20. vers Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me THE Apostle Paul having spoken of our living to God in the former verse of our spiritual life in those words Yet now I live He proceeds unto the Properties of this spiritual life and those are Three First It is a Self-denying life Yet not I. I live yet not I. Secondly It is a Christ-advancing life But Christ liveth in me Thirdly It is The life of Faith And the life which I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God I begin with the First at this time in those words Yet not I. The words hold forth a Self-Depression or Self-Annihilation The words are spoken in the Person of a Beleever So that in all these I's I through the Law and I am crucified and I live Paul doth personate a Beleever one that seeks Justification by faith alone according to the tenure of the Gospel And so the Observation is this Doct. Every true Beleever that seeks Justification by faith alone is an Humble Self-Denying person denying himself in Spiritual things The way of the Gospel is a Self-denying way Though a Beleever that seeks Justification by faith alone and not by the Works of the Law does live a spiritual life and so does act move and work towards God yet he cannot endure to write an I upon his own Performance Yet not I. He will Obey God but he will not have an I to be written upon his Obedience He will Pray to God but he will not have an I to be written upon his Performance Yet not I. I live yet not I. Where ever the Gospel comes in Power it does work this Self-denying frame of soul and spirit And thus it was with Paul in regard of his own Person as ye reade in the 1 Cor. 15. chapter speaking with relation unto the other Apostles at the 10. verse I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I. I have been a Preacher of the Gospel and have been a means to convert many souls unto Jesus Christ Yet not I but the grace of God with me I have comforted many Afflicted souls yet not I. I have been a means to plant many Churches Yet not I but the grace of God with me He will not have his work defil'd with Self or this I to be written upon what he doth And so it is with every Beleever more or lesse this is the way and this
is the spirit of the Gospel where it comes in Life Truth and Power thus it is For the clearing of this great Truth unto you First I shall spend a little time in the Explication and shew ye What it is for a man to deny himself in spiritual things Secondly I shall labor to give you some Demonstrations of the Truth Thirdly Answer One Objection And Fourthly shew ye What there is in the Gospel or the way of the Gospel that can work a mans heart to this frame Quest 1 First If ye aske me What it is for a man to deny himself in Spiritual things Answ Ye know that there is a Three-fold Self mentioned by Divines A Natural Self as a mans Parts Wit Reason Will Affections and Inclination are called ones Self Then there is a Sinful Self and so a mans Corruption Lust and Sinful Disposition is called ones Self And then there is a Religious Self and so a mans Duties Graces Obedience Righteousness and Holiness are called ones Self Now though a man is to deny all these yet I am not at this time to speak of the Common-place of Self-Denial this Scripture does not lead me to it but only of Self-Denial in Spiritual things Denial of Religious Self There is a great difference between a mans denying of his Sinful and of his Religious Self When a man does deny his Sinful Self for Christ then he is wholly to leave and forsake his sin and that Self But when a man is to deny his Religious Self for Christ he is not to leave and forsake his Duty only in point of Justification he is to renounce all and in point of Sanctification he is to attribute the strength the power and the glory of all his Graces and Duties unto Jesus Christ and to himself nothing and when a man in point of Justification does renounce all and in point of Sanctification does attribute the strength the power and the glory of all unto Jesus Christ and unto himself nothing then he denies himself in Spiritual things For there is a Two-fold denial of ones self even in Spiritual things One that is opposed to Self-Seeking And another that is opposed to Self-Advancing When a man seeks himself he makes himself his End When a man does Advance himself he makes himself his Prey Now though a man be to deny himself in opposition to all Self-Seeking yet that is not the Argument that lies here it is not the Argument of this Scripture but a man is called upon by this Scripture to deny himself in opposition to Self-Advancing I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me But yet again that we may rightly understand things Though every Beleever is to deny himself in spiritual things and so to depress himself yet notwithstanding he is not to speak evil of the grace of God within him For there are Two things in every Duty or Service There is something of Gods something of a mans own something of the Spirit of God somthing of a mans own Now though a man may trample upon all his Duties and upon all his Graces as to the point of Justification yet as to the point of Sanctification he may not mis-cal the Graces of God in him and his Duties saying These are nothing but the fruits of Hypocrisy for then he should speak evil of the Spirit whose works they are A man tramples and treads upon the Dirt but he will not trample upon Money upon Gold and Silver why because that is a precious mettal or hath the stamp or the image of the Prince upon it Now our own Duties our own Righteousness and Holiness as to the matter of Justification they are nothing worth and so we trample upon all but as to the matter of Sanctification they have the image of Christ upon them they are precious mettal and therefore for a man to say This is Hypocrisie and all is nothing but Hypocrisie this is not Self-Denial properly Self-Denial in Spiritual things is as to the matter of Justification to renounce all and as to the matter of Sanctification to attribute the strength the power and the glory of all unto Jesus Christ and to ones self nothing and when a man does attribute all the strength the power the glory of all to Jesus Christ and to himself nothing then he is said to deny himself in Spiritual things This by way of Explication Quest 2 But now Secondly Whereby may it appear that the Gospel works this grace in the heart of man Answ 1 If the Law and the preaching of the Law cannot make a man to deny himself in Spiritual things then the Gospel must do it for this grace is to be obtained and found some where something must work it Now the Law and the preaching of the Law can never make a man to Deny himself in Spiritual things but rather it will make a man to Seek himself in Spiritual things For what is it to preach the Law but when I shall come from God and tell ye That if ye do keep the Ten Commandements and fail in nothing ye shall be Saved but if ye fail in any one point ye shall be Damned and lost for ever This will not make a man to Deny his own Righteousness but rather to Seek himself his own Salvation to avoid Damnation and seek himself in Spiritual things But now when I come to ye and speak thus unto ye from the Lord That if you do throw down all your own Righteousness at the feet of Christ and rest only upon him ye shall be saved this will make a man to deny all his own Righteousness and deny himself in Spiritual things and this is the Gospel And the Gospel must needs do it For what is the Gospel but the Voyce of Christ the Preachings and the Sermons of Christ Now look as it was with the first Adam the first lesson that the first Adam did learn practice and teach his posterity was To Advance himself in Spiritual things Gen. 3.5 The day that thou eatest saies Satan to him thou shalt not die but thine eyes shall be opened and thou shalt be as God Which he beleeved and did eat and so laboured to Advance himself in Spiritual things The first lesson that ever he learn'd and taught his posterity was to Advance himself So the second Adam the first lesson that ever the Second Adam Christ put in practice was Self-Denial in Spiritual things Phil. 2.6 7. For saies the Apostle He thought it no robbery to be equal with God and yet humbled himself unto the form of a servant and became of no reputation This was the first thing Now I say the Gospel is nothing else but the Voyce of Christ the Sermons and Preachings of Jesus Christ the Second Adam and there and there only is this lesson to be learned Secondly Every Godly Gracious man that lives under the Gospel Is of a spirit and disposition contrary to the world This is the disposition
the world was Christ was one with the Father before the world was Therefore if he should pray that a Beleever might be one with him in regard of Equallity he should pray that a Beleever might be one with him in that respect which were impossible But he does not pray that a Beleever might be one with him by way of Equallitie as he is one with the Father by way of Equallitie but Similitude And yet divers Learned and Reverend men think the meaning of that place rather to be this That they may be one among themselves Christ prayes that they may be all one that is Lord I pray that they may love and agree together he prayes for Union among themselves But suppose it be taken the other way That the Lord Jesus Christ here does pray that Beleevers may be one with him as he is with the Father That is not in regard of Equallitie but in regard of Similitude that as Christ is one with the Father in a way sutable to him so Beleevers may be one with Christ in a way sutable unto them Quest But suppose then you will say that a Beleever is not one with Christ in this heighth of One-ness how may it appear by way of Scripture reason that Christ is really united unto each Beleever and that he is really in the soul of a Beleever by the Spirit not only in regard of infused Habits habits of grace grace inherent but that Christ Himself is really in a Beleever by his Spirit Answ 1 Ye know that we are united to Christ by Faith and look what Faith laies hold upon that it brings into the soul but now Faith does not lay hold upon the Graces of Christ but upon Christ himself and therefore Christ Himself by Faith is brought into the soul and is there really in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit Secondly Christ is in a Beleever as a Beleever is in Christ Now a Beleever is not in Christ that is in his Graces When we say That we are in Christ we do not mean that we are in the Graces of Christ but a Beleever is in Christ Himself as in the common Head A Beleever is not in the Graces of Christ only but he is in Christ Himself So Christ is not in a Beleever only by his Graces but he is really there in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit Thirdly If the Lord Christ were not really in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit besides those Habits of grace Actings and Operations of the Spirit then how would there be Three that bear witness The Apostle tels us 1 John 5.8 There are Three that bear witness in Heaven and in our Hearts The Spirit Water and Blood Water what is that That is Sanctification a mans Sanctification does bear witness to him that he is the Child of God that is Water But now Sanctification consists either in the Habit of grace or in the Acting of grace if therefore the Spirit of Christ in a Beleever were nothing else but Grace inherent Grace then it were all one with the testimony of Water but there are Three that bear witnesse There 's the testimony of the Spirit there 's the testimonie of Blood and there 's the testimonie of Water If by the Spirit we are to understand only the Grace of Christ the Habit of grace in the soul then there would be but Two that bear witnesse namely Water and Blood because the other would be al one with Water Water being meant only Sanctification But now there are Three that do bear witnesse unto a soul that is in Christ The Spirit and Blood and Water and therefore Christ is really in a Beleever Christ really united unto all Beleevers by his Spirit Quest What is the Benefit of all this For suppose that we grant this That Christ in a Beleever is not only Grace and the Habits of grace in the soul but Christ Himself is really in the soul of a Beleever by his Spirit What Profit Benefit or Comfort will come unto a Beleever more this way than the other way Answ 1 Much every way First If Jesus Christ be really united to each beleever by his Spirit and really in him in this spiritual and mystical way Then a beleever shall have more blessed and glorious Communion with Christ than the other way For Union is the root of Communion The Husband the Wife are first Joyned together and United and then they have Communion with one another and Fellowship in their goods and estate Union is the ground of Communion And the nearer the Union the greater the Communion Now if Christ should be only in a beleever by the Habit of grace the Union would not be so great but if this be true That Christ is really in a beleever by his Spirit Christ really United to each beleever here the Union is nearer and therefore the Communion and Fellowship that a beleever shall have with Christ a great deal more and more blessed Secondly If Christ be really united unto a beleever unto all beleevers by his Spirit Then his love must needs be infinite towards beleevers If that his Graces only were in them he would love them because thereby they should be made like unto him but now if his own Spirit be in a beleever then his love must needs be infinite unto a beleever and a beleevers love infinite to him again in his way This is a great and glorious Priviledge Thirdly If Christ be really in a beleever really united to each beleever by his Spirit Then a beleever knowing this may say I have now somwhat more than any Hypocrite can attain unto Saies a poor soul many times If I had but that grace that no Hypocrite can attain unto then my soul would be quiet within me but now as for Gifts Graces there is no Hypocrite but may attain to them or something that is like to them What will ye instance in will ye instance in Faith 'T is said of Simon Magus Act. 8.13 Mat. 27.3 Heb. 12.17 Mat. 13.20 Heb. 6.5 6. That he beleeved Will ye instance in Repentance 'T is said of Judas That he also Repented and Esau that sought the birth-right with Tears Will ye instance in Hearing of the Word with Joy 'T is said So did the False ground Wil ye instance in the partakings of the Heavenly Gift and Powers of the world to come Men have a taste of these and yet fall away Will ye instance in Sanctification it self 'T is said of certain Wicked men in the 10. of the Hebrewes That they trample upon the blood of Christ wherewithal they are Sanctified So that even a wicked man in Scripture phrase is said to be Sanctified one that fals away and comes to naught But where do ye find in all the Scripture that the Lord Christ is said to be in an Hypocrite An Hypocrite is said to Repent to Beleeve to receive the Word with joy and to be
Faith laies aside all its own Righteousness Page 202 As temptations encrease so also shall faith encrease Page 206 Faith riseth above nature Page 209 Faith commends Christ above all other graces Page 210 The strength of faith doth not lie in the assurance of our salvation Page 212 See Justification Fall see Perfection Froward Froward spirits do little good in a common wealth Page L. 30 G Grace Growth in grace how it is known Page 17 Gracious The reason why men are no more gracious Page 39 The Saints should live gracious lives Page 114 See Quality God Gods willingnesse to hide his people in time of his anger Page L. 11 See Faith promise anger Godly Every godly man is a living man Page 3 Godly men reflect upon their own actions Page 8 Difference between wicked and godly men Page 112 Godly see Preachers Gospel How the Gospel causeth Self-denial Page 58 Gospel see Learned Growth see Grace H Heaven see Kingdom Hide Whom the Lord will hide in times of danger Page L. 14 Holy The reason why men are no more holy Page 39 Holiness see Original Justification House God hath 3. houses 1. A house of instruction Page L. 7 2. A house of Correction Page L. 7 3. A house of destruction Page L. 7 Humble see Beleever Humility Christ is an example of humility Page 60 Hypocrite What a Beleever hath more than an Hypocrite Page 85 Hypocrisie It is an evil thing to call Duties by the name of Hypocrisie Page 113 I In-Being What the In-being of Christ in a beleever is Page 76 The In-being of Christ in a beleever is hard to be understood Page 77 Limitations concerning the In-being of Christ in a beleever Page 78 In-being see Benefit Christ Incertainty Gods people must trust in him in incertainties Page L. 18 Injustice see Oppression Infinite The infinite love of Christ manifested Page 114 Justification The cause of our Justification Page 26 Justification by faith is a friend to Holiness Page 28 Justification by the works of the Law is an enemy to Holiness Page 29 How Justification by faith advanceth our holiness Page 36 Our Justification may be hidden from our sence Page 43 Visible Characters of Justification laid down Page 44 How a man may stand cleer to himself in Justification by faith alone Page 46 K Kingdom How the Kingdom of Heaven is taken in Scripture Page C. 1 L Law see Faith Justification Law how taken in Scripture Page 34 The preaching of the Law cannot make a man deny himself Page 52 Learned Learned men are most opposite to the Gospel Page 199 Living see Duty Life Life is the greatest good Page 4 How vegetative life is in Sants Page 5 How sensitive life is in Saints Page 6 How rational life is in Saints Page 7 Life see Spiritual Wicked Motion Little There is nothing little between God and man Page 41 Love The infinite love of Christ to man Page 87 Love see Infinite M Man see Godly Meditations Practical Meditations for beleevers Page 112 Meek Meek men do much good in the earth and why Page L. 30 Mercy Difference between Gods Mercy and his anger Page L. 5 Mercy see Temptation Mystery Mysteries that are in self-denial Page 57 Monument Monuments of praise erected and why Page C. 13 Morral Difference in self-denial between morral men and Christians Page 55 Mortification Whence mortification comes Page 33 Motion All motion comes from life Page 9 N Nation see Wrath Nature see Faith Natural see Perfection Notion Vnder what Notion the Lord looks vpon the sins of the Saints Page 13 O Obedience Obedience whence it comes Page 24 Objections against the smalness of obedience answered Page 42 Observations Waking observations for sleeping people Page C. 20 Oppression Oppression and injustice reign still in this kingdom Page L. 22 Ordinances How Ordinances are needful Page 100 Original What the Original of all our holiness is Page 28 P Papists How Papists deny themselves Page 55 People Why godly people are exposed to danger Page L. 12 Gods people are often left at great incertainties Page L. 16 Why Gods people are so often left at incertainties Page L. 18 Perfection There is some natural perfection still left in man from the fall Page 9 Pleasant The pleasant lives of the Saints Page 12 Prayers The Saints may have no present answer of their prayrs Page 204 The Saints duties when they have no present answer to their prayers Page 205 Prayer see Temptation Preachers Godly Preachers ought to be sent out and why Page L. 9 Preservation see Angel Present see Prayer Profession see Saints Promise Gods dealing sometimes seems to run cross to his promise Page 206 True faith finds out a promise in the refusal Page 208 Q Quallity The quallity of a gracious man Page 54 R Rational see Life Religion Men lose Religion by seeking after Religion Page L. 29 Repentance Repentance whenee it comes Page 33 Righteousness How Righteousness must be sought Page L. 24 Righteousness see Faith S Saints It is a desperate thing to oppose the Saints and why Page 112 Wherein Saints and carnal professors agree Page C. 2 Wherein Saints and carnal professors disagree Page C. 3 A shelter for Saints in the midst of a storm Page L. 13 Saints see Conversion Comfort Life Pleasure Self How self creeps into all actions Page 63 How self acts in man Page 10 Self-denial Self-denial what it is Page 50 Every beleever is a self-denying person Page 49 Tryal of self-denial Page 64 Self-denial is a hard duty Page 70 How self-denial may be attained Page 71 Self-denial see Beleever Law Moral Mystery Gospel Security A caution against Security Page C. 11 Sence see Justification Sensitive see Life Sleep see Desperate Sleepers Two sorts of sleepers their difference and events Page C. 21 Spirit The Spirit of Christ is in every beleever Page 98 The Spirit is the free gift of God Page 104 Spiritual What spiritual life is Page 3 Duties flowing from spiritual life Page 20 How to get spiritual life Page 23 Strength see faith Sudden see Christ T Temptations Temptations may rise higher after prayer Page 206 Temptations sometime come about Election Page 206 When Temptations come about Election the best way is to lay aside dispute and fly to prayer Page 206 Temptation see Faith Thankfulness An exhortation to thankfulness Page C. 16 Truth No truth to be dispised Page L. 27 U Vegitative see life Union Union of Christ with beleevers Page 75 Uncertainties What to do in uncertainties Page L. 24 W Wicked Wicked men are not in the state of life proved Page 8 Wicked see Godly Witness Three that bear witness in Heaven opened Page 85 Wonderful see Dispensation World The danger of the world Page 19 Wrath Gods wrath is not yet pacified towards this Nation Page L. 20 FINIS
THE WORKS OF WILLIAM BRIDGE Sometime Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in CAMBRIDGE NOW Preacher of the Word of GOD at Yarmouth The third Volumn VIZ. 1. The Spiritual life and In-being of Christ in all Believers 2. The Woman of Canaan London Printed by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1649. To the Reader I Thought good to give thee notice That these Sermons were taken from the Authors mouth when he preached them and so were those also that were lately published the several titles whereof you may see in the Margin of this Epistle The Titles of the several Pieces that are lately published of Mr. William Bridge The first Volumn 1. The great Gospel-Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applyed from Christs Priestly Office 2. Satans power to tempt and Christs love to and care of his people under temptation 3. Thankfulness required in every condition The second Volumn 1. Grace for Grace or the overflowings of Christs fulness received by all Saints 2. The Spiritual actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 3. Evangelical repentance A word spoken is soon forgotten but what is written remains and may do you your children and childrens children good and this is the intent and desire of the Author When you view this mite of his you may see something of Christ in it let it be your care to see what you can finde of Christ in your selves Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates This Work adviseth you not to rest upon Notions for then you do no other then feed your precious souls with fancies which is as unfitting and more dangerous food for your souls then the husks were for the Prodigals body 'T is a Real Christ not a Notional Christ must satisfie your souls We all know there is store of gold in the India's but we are never the richer for it unless we have it in possession neither is it our hearing of Christ nor our knowing there is a Christ but our having of Christ in possession that benefits our souls Hast thou a proud heart read this Book and it will teach thee humility Hast thou a despairing heart read this Book and it will teach thee to believe Hast thou a legal heart read this Book it will teach thee to be Evangelical Hast thou a secure heart read this Book it will teach thee to be Watchful Hast thou a froward heart read this Book it will teach thee to be meek If thou wouldst come to Christ with a Budget of duties upon thy shoulders old Adams proud principle then thou must not look here for he labors to empty thee of thy own righteousness and send thee naked to Iesus Christ who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance If thou lookest for quaint speculations and eloquent expressions of humane wisdom which administer as little comfort to the Pastor as edification to the People in truth here 's nothing to please fantastical cars with whimseyr it was neither spoken nor written for any such intent the words were spoken for edification and were by the desire of friends written for the same intent If then thou levest plain dealing and to benefit thy soul read and this Book will teach thee to leave the success to God When Paul hath plantted and Apollo hath watred 't is God must give the increase Art thou a sinner here is mercy for thee here is Christ for thee Art thou a drunkard here 's water of life for thee which if thou drinkest thou shalt never thirst again Art thou covetous here 's riches for thee spiritual riches durable riches that will not sade Art thou prophane read this and it will teach thee to be holy Art thou a saint here is comfort for thee even the holy Spirit the comforter Art thou in darkness here is light for thee Jesus Christ the true light that lightens every one that comes into the World He shall be ten times more constant to thy soul then the sun in the Firmament Art thou weak in parts weak in Faith weak in grace read this Book and if the Lord be pleased to speak to thy soul here 's strength for thee even the mighty God Art thou poor El. Gibbor here 's Christ and the earth is his and the fulness thereof it is laid up in his hand for thee it is the purchase of his blood he hath bought it for thee 't is thy own and he doth but keep it for thee and thou mayest go boldly to him for it though thou art loath to borrow and ashamed to beg yet thou mayest go boldly for thy own This Book courteous Reader will teach thee to depend on God to wait on Christ for all He feeds the yong Ravens be tends the Sparrows he cloaths the Lillies therefore be sure he will not let his children want whatsoever storms be without Keep Christ and thou shalt have Peace yea the Prince of Peace within then thou shalt have peace when all the world is in trouble then thou shalt be kept safe in the hour of temptation which shall come to try all those that live upon the face of the earth Prepare a place for the Lord Jesus Christ in thy heart and he will provide a Mansion for thee in his Fathers house where thou shalt sin no more nor sorrow no more but God shall wipe away all tears from thy eyes Always remember thou hast here no abiding place but seekest one to come This courteous Reader is the course and aim of the Author in this Treatise for thy benefit he spends his spirits that thou mayest be happy that thou mayest grow up from strength to strength till thou comest to be a perfect man in Jesus Christ and this also is the earnest desire and prayers of him to Almighty God for thee who is and shall always remain Thine to love and serve in the Gospel VVilliam Greenhil READER THough there be other literal faults and some redundant its and there 's yet you will please to mend them with your own pen and consider the Authors absence from the Press Errata PAge 6. line 14. for them read it p. 9. l. 11. dele not p. 10. l. 2. for proxi r. proxim eni ' p. 22. l. 33. for and made alive r. and not made alive p 31. l. 25. for into the world r. into the other world p. 37. l. 29. dele me p. 44. dele quest Answ in the Margin l. 30 dele but. p. 51. l. 25. for prey r. praise p. 75. l. 5. dele so is Christ p. 76. l. 15. for but if r. for it is l. 16. for dwell r that dwelleth p. 77. l. 26. for smiles r. smiled and for in l. 29 33. r. into p. 81. l. 29. for their r. there p. 83. l. 20. after the words of Christ adde barely p. 101. l. 8. for Moses r. Ioshua p. 103. l. 34. for Legi r. Lege p. 105. l. 12.
consideration of your own unworthiness how to give an answer to those temptations ib. 7. Her victory Page 210 Question Why doth Christ rather commend her faith than her other graces Answer Faith commends Christ above all other graces ib. If the Lord Jesus commend faith so much then labor to strengthen faith ib. Observation The strength of faith doth not lie in the assurance of our salvation Page 211 How many have strong faith that think they have no faith at all ib. Lesson We ought to beleeve in the face of all discouragment Page 212 Objections Answered Page 213 THE CONTENTS OF CHRISTS COMING c. On MATTHEW 25.6 TEXT opened Page 2 Doctrine Christ comes at midnight Page 5 Explication 1 Christ will come again ib. 2. How it may appear that Christ will come at midnight 1. When he comes with converting grace he comes at midnight Page 7 2. When he comes with comforting mercy he comes at midnight Page 8 3. When he comes with outward deliverances he comes at midnight Page 9 4. At his last coming he will come at midnight ib. Reasons 1. Christ loves his people should watch for him Page 9 2. He would not have them be proud of mercies Page 10 3. He loves to come so as he may be most welcom ib. Application 1. This Doctrine looks wishly upon such 1. as Christ comes against Page 11 2. as Christ comes for Page 13 Duties flowing from this Doctrine 1. Trust in the Lord for ever Page 14 2. Why should those that are employed for Christ be unconstant because of opposition Page 15 3. Why should we not go meet him with some present of thankfulness Page 16 Application 2. Then his personal coming is not far off Page 19 Wakening observations 1. A most desperate sleep is to come upon all professors immediately before the great coming of Christ Page 20 Desperate because 1. Vniversal ib. 2. In the midst of trouble Page 21 2. They shall never wake again till Christ come ibid 3. There are two sorts of sleepers some keep their oyle Page 22 some spend their oyle Page 22 THE CONTENTS Of the SAINTS HIDING-PLACE c. On ZEPHANIAH 2.3 TEXT Opened Page 2 Doctrine 1 God hath his daies of Anger Page 5 Application 1 It is not unlawful to be angry Page 7 Applic. 2 How infinitly are our souls bound to Jesus Christ by whom we are delivered from the wrath to come Page 8 Applic. 3 What just cause there is why godly and faithful Preachers should be sent into all places of the Kingdom Page 9 Doct. 2 In the dayes of wrath God is exceeding willing to hide his own people Page 11 Object How is it so many of his dear servants have faln in these late wars Answered Page 12 Applic. Behold a shelter in time of a storm Page 13 Whom God hath by promise engaged to hide 1 Those that hide the Saints of God Page 14 2 Those that keep the word of Gods patience Page 15 3 Those that fear not the fears of men ibid 4 Those that are flourishing in Religion notwithstanding opposition Page 16 5 The meek of the earth ib. Doct. 3 Though God be willing to hide his people yet many times he leaves them at great uncertainties Page 17 Doct. 4 When Gods wrath is abroad and his people know not what will become of them then especially it is their duty to seek God Page 19 Object But the wrath of God is pacified towards us Answered I would it were Three Reasons why it is not 1 The plague is begun Page 20 2 We are so angry one with another ib. 3 The former sins God hath been punishing for all this while live stil amongst us Viz. 1 Idolatry and Superstition Page 21 2 Opposition to the Saints ib. 3 Oppression and Injustice ib. Question What shall we do in this case Answered 1 Seek the Lord Himself Page 24 2 Seek Righteousness 1 The Righteousness of Christ ib. 2 Righteousness in opposition to Oppression and Injustice Page 25 3 Righteousness in seeking the Truth Page 27 Only in seeking this part of Righteousness observe these Rules 1 Do not despise any Truth because 't is old nor neglect any Truth because it is new ib. 2 Be as plain and open-hearted as you can ib. 3 Rest not upon any means though never so great nor despise any means though never so smal Page 28 4 Look not for grapes among thorns ib. 5 Do not so hold the greater as to neglect the less and do not so seek the less as to forget the greater Page 29 3 Seek meekness Page 30 Doct. 5 If any man can do any good in the day of Gods Anger either for himself or others It is the meek of the earth Page 30 1 They have the promise ib. 2 They most honor Christ ib. 3 They leave their cause to God Page 31 4 They are most fit for Gods service ib Applic. How little is this Nation beholding to those that are of a frow ard and perverse spirit Page 31 Exhortation To meek ones go to God improve your interest Page 33 The Titles of the first and second Volumns of the Works of Mr. WILLIAM BRIDGE lately puplished I. The great Gospel-Mysterie of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and opplied from Christs Priestly-Office II. Satans power to Tempt and Christs love to and care of his people under Temptation III. Thankefulness required in every condition IV. Grace for Grace or The overflowings of Christs fulness received by all Saints V. The Spiritual actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities VI. Evangelical Repentance THE Spirituall-Life AND IN-BEING of CHRIST In all BELEEVERS Preached at Stepney July 2. 1648. GALATIANS 2. part of the 20. vers Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me IN this Epistle the Apostle Paul does industriously prove That a man is justified by faith in Christ alone and not by the works of the law Which he plainly affirms at the 16. verse Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified But if a man be not justified by the works of the law then a man may live as he lists may cease from working Not so saies the Apostle for so we our selves should be found sinner and Christ would be made the minister of sin which God forbid verse 17. yea and I should build again the things which I have destroyed and make my self a transgressor verse 18. But I through the law am dead unto the law that I might live unto God verse the 19. But if a man be justified by faith alone and so by the death of Christ then a man is crucified with Christ and if a man be crucified or if you be crucified with Christ how then do you
A child a little child is taken with Babies and with Rattles and with Gaies and when it grows bigger to eight nine or ten years old 't is taken with other things and as the child growes into a man so he grows off from those childish and youthfull things There are some things that the youth of godlines is taken withall as taken much with expressions in Prayer and Duty and Hearing the Word and taken much with the Sence feeling of Gods love this is good they cannot live without it But when a man grows into more strength of grace then he grows off from these things that the youth of godliness is taken withal and he is more able to live without them heretofore he could not live without such an expression in Duty and he could not live by faith alone but now when once he grows to a man in grace he is more grown off from that which the youth of godlines is taken withall Now upon all these things I appeal to ye who ever ye are that makes this Objection and say Ye cannot grow in grace and therfore affraid that ye are but the painted child of God and not the living child of God Whether do ye not find that ye are more grown off from those things that the youth of godliness is taken with Whether do you not find that ye are lesse subject to be offended now than you were heretofore And are you not more grown off from your own Righteousness Yes I must needs say this through the Lords goodnes and mercy to me though I am not grown in grace as I desire yet I am more grown off from my own Righteousnes than I was heretofore and I am not so subject to be offended at the good ways of God and the people of God as heretofore And I praise God I can live off from those things that the youth of godlinesse is taken withal Wel be of good comfort thou art grown and thou art not the painted child but for ought I know thou mayest be the living child dear and precious with the Lord thy father Object But there is one thing yet sticks with me and makes me affraid that I am yet dead in my sins trespasses and that I am not made partaker of this Spiritual life and that is this I am alive to the World Can a man live unto God and to the World too when I go into the world and upon my worldly occasions then I am very lively but when I come to Duty then I am dead and my heart dead and therefore I am affraid that I am not alive to God and made partaker of this Spiritual life Answ This if true is very il for I find in that 13. of Matthew the parable of the seed that there are Three false grounds unto one true ground three unsound hearts to one sound that live under the Gospel and the preaching of the Word And that ground that goes the furthest and yet falls short of the truth is the ground that received the Word the thorny ground the thorns choak'd it 'T is the worldly Professor Three to one false and the worldly Professor goes the furthest such a one as is choak'd in Duty with the world But yet notwithstanding let me tell ye this Every man is not alive to the World or a worldly man that does use the things of the world or that is active and chearfull in the way of his Calling For the things of the world they are the materials of our grace that our grace workes upon while we are here below Yea let me tell you further and I pray observe it warily Possibly a man may see a greater beauty in the things of the world after conversion than ever he saw before As now in the case of the Law while a man is in the state of nature then he is under the Law but when a man is converted and drawn to Christ then he is free from the Law and then when he is freed from the Law he sees a greater excellency in the Law then ever he saw before conversion for then saies he Now I see that the Commandements is holy just and good indeed as to the point of justification he sees a greater emptiness in the Law than ever he did before but as to the point of Rule of life he sees a greater beauty in the law than ever he did before So Paul did as ye reade in the 7. of the Romans So in this case though as to the point of Satisfaction a man after he is converted sees lesse in the creature than ever he did before yet as to the point of Christs purchases looking upon the creature as the purchase of Jesus Christ Christ hath purchased these for me he sees a greater beauty in them now than ever before for saies he Christ hath purchased these and all these are mine in Christ Christ hath paid for me Christ is mine and I am Christs and these are mine and all is Christs Though as to the matter of Satisfaction his soul cannot be satisfied he sees lesse in the world than ever he did before yet as to the matter of Christs purchase a man after his conversion may see a greater beauty in the things of the world than ever he did before Only here I remember the story of Anselme walking abroad in the fields he saw a Shepherds boy that had taken a bird and having tied a stone unto the leg of the bird the bird offered to fly and mount up but still the stone at her heel pul'd the bird back again Whereupon Anselme fals a weeping Thus saith he with himself it is with men they somtimes offer to mount up to God in good purposes but then they have some earthly business at their heel and that makes them fall down again they purpose and purpose and offer and offer to mount up to God but there 's a stone at the heel some earthly business at the heel and so they fall down to the earth again So if it be with you now if you have a stone at your heel a Calling at your heel an Imployment at your heel an earthly business at your heel yet if every day you are mourning and lamenting over it and saying Oh! what a clog have I at my heel what a stone have I at my heel Oh! Lord when shall I come to Heaven that I may be freed from this clog at my heel I say if you mourn and lament over this clog that you have at your heel it rather argues that you are alive than dead and therefore take in al the comfort that hath been spoken concerning this Truth The Saints and people of God are in a most comfortable state upon this account Quest But you will say unto me Is there nothing in this Doctrin but Comfort is there no Duty that this Doctrine cals for at our hands Suppose now that I be alive spiritually alive that indeed I am
taken from us and we have not a better life what a sad condition shall we be in Wherefore I beseech ye in the Lord labor to get another life this Spiritual life that shall never be taken from you and the Lord give you hearts to do it Quest But you will say How should that be done Answ Come unto Jesus Christ whatever thou beest man or woman now come unto Jesus Christ Saies the Lord Christ They will not come unto me that they might have life John 5.40 There are Three things that keep men from Coming to Jesus Christ one thing is Mens Negligence men think they can repent afterward and they may have Christ afterward and so for the present they neglect coming to Jesus Christ Sometimes nay alwaies Vnbelief keeps men off from comming to Jesus Christ For as faith brings Christ and the Soul together So Unbelief keeps a man from coming to Jesus Christ And another thing is Vnwillingnes to part with all for Jesus Christ The young man ye have read of in the Gospel went away sorrowful when Christ said to him Go and sel al to come to Christ so he did not come to Christ upon that account And so when we come to men and women and say You must come to Christ and leave all your former Company Nay say they I can have Christ better cheap upon better terms and I cannot leave my Company and my merry meetings and so they come not to Christ But I beseech you in the Lord Come unto Jesus Christ Oh! what ever thou hast been Come unto Jesus Christ that you may have life Object I know many will say I have been long dead in my trespasses and sins and I fear there is no hope of life for me Answ Now mark what I say to that and so I wil end al. There are Three mentioned in the Gospel whom Christ raised from the dead One a Maid that lay in her fathers house and Christ came in and took her by the hand and said unto her Arise Another was a Young-man that was carried out of his fathers house and was laid out upon the Hearse and Christ came and said unto him Arise And the third was Lazarus that had been four dayes dead and stank again and Christ speaks to Lazarus and he comes forth And these Three saies Austin shews those that Christ wil raise up from the dead again The first the maid that lay in her fathers house notes that sort of sinners that commit Secret sins never come abroad never come into act The second the son that was carried out of his fathers house and laid upon the Hearse notes that sort of sinners that sin openly Swearers and Drunkards whose sins are abroad And the Third that of Lazarus notes that sort of sinner that hath lien so long in the grave that he even smels again Now I pray further observe this That when Christ came to raise Lazarus then Christ prayed but he did not pray when he raised the other two and he groan'd over him he did not groan over the maid nor over the young-man but he groan'd over Lazarus to shew the difficulty of raising a poor sinner from the dead that hath lien long in his sin And therefore if there be ever a poor soul here that is dead in his sins Oh! go to Christ while thou art young and fall down before him and say Oh! Lord I have a dead heart of mine own Oh! let me have life from thee But whether thou beest young or old here is yet hope Lazarus raised as well as the young-maid young-man Lazarus that lay til he stank again in the grave and therefore yet there is hope though thou hast lien long Wherfore in the Name of the Lord I beseech you all Come unto Jesus Christ this morning If there be ever a poor dead soul in this Congregation as may be some there is some Drunkard crept in some Swearer some Unclean wanton Well if there be ever a dead soul in this Congregation now go to Christ that thou mayest have life and I say to thee Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and the Lord Jesus give us life SERMON II. Preached at Stepney July 9. 1648. GALATIANS 2. part of the 20. vers Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me YE heard the last day that two things especially are observable from these words First That every godly gracious man is a living man is in the state of life lives a spiritual life And this I have spoken to Doct. 2 Secondly That our justification by faith alone is no enemy but a real friend unto this our Spiritual life Nevertheless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now I live but now I live As if he should say I never did live before but now being justified by faith alone and having the experience of this great Truth Now I live At the 16. verse he had said That a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Whereupon it was or might be objected If a man be not justified by the works of the Law then is he free from the Law then is he dead unto the Law then may a man live as he lists Nay not so saies the Apostle at the 19. verse For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live to God quite contrary That I might live to God I am dead to the Law Yea and though I am crucified with Christ yet now I live and I never did live till now but now I live This very principle of justification by faith alone is the fountain and original of all my spiritual life And thus indeed you shall find for if you look into those three Epistles of Paul To the Romans the Galatians and the Hebrews ye shall find that the Apostle does give this as the rise unto all his Exhortations unto Holiness of life In the latter end of the Epistle to the Romans the Apostle does exhort unto holy practises and to a godly conversation but in the begining he does state and prove this Doctrine of Justification by faith alone So in this Epistle to the Galatians So in the Epistle to the Hebrews As if the only rise of all our Holiness and Godly Conversation were this Our Free-justification through the Blood of Christ by faith alone For the opening and cleering of this great Truth I shal spend a little time in the Explication of the terms First Justification by faith alone Secondly I shall labor to demonstrate this Truth unto you That Justification by faith alone Is the Fountain and Original of all our Holiness and Spiritual life Thirdly Answer to some Objections Fourthly Labor to shew ye What there is in this free-Free-justification by faith alone that may can or doth advance our Holiness Quest 1 What is meant by this Justification by faith alone Answ That I may be understood by the meanest
Self-Denial such an Example as the Sun never saw before Phil. 2.6 7. Luke 22.42 from first to last At the first He thought it no robbery saies the Apostle to be equal with God and yet he humbled himself and took upon him the form of a servant And at the last Saies he unto his father Yet not my will but thy will be done And if ye look into the 13. chapter of John ye shall find there that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ takes a towel and water and fals down at the feet of his Disciples and washes their feet verse the 4. He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself and after he had powred water into a besin he began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with a towel When the Pharisee saw the woman come unto Christ and wash his feet and wipe them with the hair of her head he wondred and said Surely if this had been a Prophet he would not have suffered a sinner to come so neer to him Did the Pharisee wonder at this condescention That Christ should humble himself so far as to suffer a poor woman to come so neer him as to wash his feet with her tears Oh! what condescention is here for ever to be wondred at That the Lord Christ himself should down upon his knees and wash the Disciples feet that the great God of heaven and earth the second person incarnate should now come fall down at the feet of sinners Judas among them too and wash his Disciples feet When all power in heaven and earth was in his hands that with those hands he should wash the feet of sinners But stay a little It may be all power in heaven and earth was not then given into his hands Yes reade for that purpose the 3. verse that goes before this story Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God he riseth from supper and laid aside his garments But though all power in heaven and earth was given into his hands it may be he did not know it Yes saies the text Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself After that he powred water into a basin and began to wash the Disciples feet Oh! what Self-Denial is here was there ever such Self-denial as here And this this does the Gospel hold forth unto ye and only to be learned in the Gospel Thirdly The more I see my self a debter unto Jesus Christ for all my Gifts and for all my Graces the more Humble I shall be and the more I shall deny my self in spiritual things Ye know how it is with a man that ows for his Cloaths Possibly a man may wear brave and fine Cloaths but he ows for them at such a shop While he is abroad he swaggers and is proud of his Cloaths but when he comes into the shop where he ows for them and looks upon the book and what he hath to pay he strikes sail then and is more modest ashamed and blushes The Gospel is the great Shop from whence we have al our gifts and al our graces and when I come into the Gospel there I see how infinitly I am a debter to Free-grace for al I have and though I may be proud in spirit at another time yet if I come into the Gospel and see what an infinite debter to Free-grace I am for all that ever I wear upon the back of my soul then I think Oh! what cause have I to be humble Shall I be proud shall not I deny my self in Spiritual things I say this Gospel is the Shop of all our Gifts and all our Graces Fourthly True saving justifying faith is an Emptying grace it brings Christ into the soul and when Christ comes into the soul all other things must out As when a King or Prince comes into a House the Master of the house goes out of his own lodging and all must out to make room for the Prince So when Christ comes into ones soul then all goes out all other things go out 'T is in our beleeving on Jesus Christ as in our beleeving on God the Father Joh. 14.1 Ye beleeve in God saies Christ beleeve also in me Look how ye beleeve in God the Father so do ye beleeve in me Now as when a man does beleeve in God the Father for Provision for outward Provision as seeing an Al-sufficiencie in God to Provide then he sees an In-sufficiencie in all the creatures to help and never before So when a man comes to beleeve in Christ when he sees that Al-sufficiency that is in Christ to Redeem and satisfie for him then he sees an In-sufficiency in all his own Duties and Righteousness and never till then The truth is A man cannot come to Christ unless he do forsake all As ye cannot come to this side of the water or river unlesse you come from that side of the river Now faith it is nothing else but a Coming to Jesus Christ and therefore where ever there is true saving justifying faith a man does Deny himself in Spiritual things he cannot write an I upon his own Performance upon his own Duties Applyca If so if al these things be true How hard a thing is it for a man to Beleeve how few are there in the world that do Beleeve indeed True saving justifying faith it makes a man Abundant in the work of the Lord it makes a man live a spiritual life but then it takes away that I from him he cannot write an I upon what he does as formerly he hath done It makes a man live a Spiritual life but it makes him also to Deny that Spiritual life There are Four streams that this Spiritual life is divided into The stream of Performance The stream of Obedience The stream of our Sufferings The stream of Enjoyment True saving faith and the Gospel makes a man to Deny himself in all these As for our Performance and Obedience ye know what the Apostle saies concerning himself Thus and thus I was and thus and thus I have lived but now I count all things as dung and drosse in regard of Christ As for our Sufferings I have read of some Martyrs in the Primitive times that being in prison and ready to suffer divers came to comfort them and called them Blessed Martyrs No say they we are not worthy of the Name of Martyrs by no means they would not bear it that they should call them Martyrs Denied themselves in their Sufferings As for our Enjoyment Ye know what the Apostle saies I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 Nevertheless for your sakes saies he c. I am in a
hold the Bladder in your hand or the greatest hand in the town cannot hold the Bladder But take a pin and prick the bladder and the least child may hold it then What is the reason that men cannot be held cannot be handled cannot be touch'd by their neighbors friends and those that are about them they cannot be grasp'd and walk'd with but because they are proud and swoln Therefore get an humble and self-denying heart and thou shalt walk more sweetly with thy own soul and others that are about thee Thirdly The more you deny your selves in Spiritual things the more you shall be exalted in them I say The more you deny your selves in Spiritual things the more those spiritual things shal grow be exalted the more increased Humble thy self 1 Pet. 5.6 or your selves saies the Apostle under the hand of the Lord and he will exalt you in due time And let me tell you this that look what that is wherein you do Humble your selves before the Lord therein the Lord will exalt you Doest thou humble thy self before the Lord in regard of these outward things There will the Lord Exalt thee Doest thou humble thy self before the Lord in regard of thy Parts and thy Gifts There will the Lord exalt thee Doest thou humble thy self before the Lord in regard of thine own Graces and thine own Obedience and thine own Righteousness Therein will the Lord exalt thee Ye know that John the Baptist said concerning Christ Joh. 3.30 Joh. 1.27 He must increase but I must decrease And saies John again concerning our Savior Christ Whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose Or whose shoos I am not worthy to carry Mark how he humbles himself to Jesus Christ And mark how Christ honors John Mat. 11.11 Mat. 8.8 Oh! saies Christ There 's not a greater among women than John the Baptist Christ exalts him And so saies the Centurion Oh! Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof Mark how he humbles himself here before the Lord Christ And mark what our Savior saies of him Vers 10. I tell you I have not found such faith no not in Israel So that look where thou Humblest thy self there will the Lord Exalt thee Soul doest thou desire therefore that the Lord would Exalt thy Graces that thy Gifts and Graces should be increased Humble thy self there and learn to Deny thy self in spiritual things not only in regard of outward but in spiritual things that you may say I live yet not I. Quest But you will say This is a hard thing What may we do that we may be able to deny our selves in spiritual things Answ 1 First Never perform any Duty but as often as thou canst reflect upon thy performance and observe the Defects thereof When ye write a Letter after ye have written it you reade it over Or what ever ye write almost if it be of any concernment after ye have written it then you reade it over and if ye find any thing amisse then ye blot it out and when ye have done ye take your sand-box and throw dust upon it or ye go to the Chimney and take ashes and throw upon the paper Will ye do thus for your letters that ye write and will ye not do thus for your Duties and Performances When you have Prayed and performed Duty Go go and look it over and there you will find many Defects many things to be blotted out and many things to be put in and when you have found the Defects in your Dutie throw dust upon it and humble your selves before the Lord. Secondly If you would deny your selves in spiritual things Observe much the In-comes of the Spirit of the Lord upon your soul The way and manner of it how Suddenly how Unexpectedly how Freely the Lord by his Spirit breathes upon your soul When your heart is Dead when your heart is Hard when you say God is now gone and will never return again Oh! what freedom once I had in Prayer but now my heart is hard and I shall never be able to Pray again Then comes the Spirit of God and breathes upon your soul and gives you Prayer again Now if I would but observe the breathings of the Spirit of the Lord how it comes upon me thus when I am dead when my heart is hard when I say I shall never have prayer again if I could but observe the Freeness of the Spirits breathing over my soul and raising up my heart to Duty again should I be proud of Duty think you should I not rather say Shall I be proud I was dead my heart hard and had not the Spirit come and breathed upon my soul I had never been able to pray again but had been lock'd up for ever and shall I be proud Observe the In-comes of the Spirit the way and manner of it be much in this and you will be able to deny your selves in spiritual things Lastly Look much into the Gospel study much the Gospel and the way of the Gospel The more you see an Humble Christ the more you will learn Humility Where shall you see an humble Christ but in the Gospel The more you see a Self-denying Christ the more you will learn Self-denial And where shall you reade of a Self-denying Christ but in the Gospel The more ye see the Free and Rich grace of God the more you will deny your selves in spiritual things And where shall ye see the Free-grace of God but in the Gospel The more Faith ye have the more you will deny your selves in Spiritual things And where shall ye get faith but in the preaching of the Gospel and in studying of the Gospel This grace of Humility and Self-denyal in spiritual things grows only in the garden of the Gospel in the bed of the Gospel There is a Field-Humility and there is a Common or a Field-Self-Denial as I may so speak As ye see it is with your Flowers and Herbs There is a garden-Tyme and there is a Field-Tyme there is a Garden-Rose and there is a Field-Rose there is a Garden-Hony-suckle and there is a Field-Hony-suckle So there is a Field-Self-Denial that grows among Heathen and among Moral people that can deny themselves of this or that particular thing their Appetite Cloathing or now and then their Company And there is a Gospel-Self-Denial a Mysterious Self-Denial But this Self-Denial in spiritual things grows no where but in the Garden of the Gospel there thou shalt see an Humble Christ and become Humble There thou shalt see a Self-Denying Christ and become Self-Denying Therefore study the Gospel and study the way of the Gospel You that have walked in a Legal-way study the Gospel and the way of the Gospel I tell you in the words of the Apostle If the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4.3 If the Gospel and the way of the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that
beleever Fourthly You must know this That there is a great-deal of difference between the In-being of a Spiritual thing in a Material and the In-being of one Material or Corporial thing in another I shall make it as plain as I can and it will be of concernment to you Take a body now and let that be mixt with another and each part may say I am that which I am joyned to but take the Spirit or a Spiritual Being and let that be mixt with a more Material Being and then the Material Being cannot say I am the Spirit and the Spirit I am the Matter As now ye see in the great Union between the Soul and the Body the Soul is in every part of a man tota in toto the Soul saies the Philosopher is wholly in every part the whole soul of man being in every part of the body yet notwithstanding the Body cannot say I am the Soul nor the Soul cannot say I am the Body because they are thus united together Why because here is an Union of a Spiritual thing with a more Material which does keep the Natures distinct Or thus give me leave to expresse it to ye Iron and Fire being joyned together your Fire is in every part of the Iron and yet notwithstanding though the Fire be in every part of the Iron the Iron cannot say I am the Fire nor the Fire cannot say I am the Iron Why because here is a more Spiritual Body in a more Material Body and so the Natures are kept distinct Or if you will yet farther Ye see the Light in the Air the Light is more Spiritual than the Air and the Light is in every part of the Air yet notwithstanding the Air cannot say I am the Light nor the Light cannot say I am the Air but these two are kept distinct Why because here is an Union of that which is more Spiritual unto that which is more Materiall So I say here Though Christ be really United unto each Beleever yet notwithstanding the soul of a Belever is more Material though not in it self Material yet in respect of Christ the soul is a grosse Nature in regard of the Spirit of Chirst and being thus therefore united these Natures are kept distinct the Spirit of Christ is kept distinct from the Nature of the soul and the soul from the Nature of the Spirit and therefore the soul of a Beleever though united really unto Christ by the Spirit cannot say I am the Spirit or I am Christ Object But if we look will some say into the 17. chapter of John our Lord and Saviour Christ seems to speak this way at the 20 and 21. verses Neither pray I for these alone saies he but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Here Christ prayes That Beleevers may be one with him as he and the Father were one but if Christ be really united to each Beleever by his Spirit What difference is there between this Vnion and the Hypostatical Vnion the second Person was united unto our Nature to our Flesh and if now Christ be united unto a Beleever by his Spirit which is the Third Person What is the difference between the Hypostatical Vnion and the Vnion of a Beleever with Christ by the Spirit Answ 1 Much every way For take a Beleever and though Christ be United unto a Beleever really by his Spirit yet notwithstanding the Beleever is not said to be Assumed the Spirit doth not Assume the heart of a Beleever as the second Person did Assume our flesh and though we are united unto Christ by the spirit yet not said to be Assumed by the spirit Again Though Christ be really united unto each Beleever yet it is no Personal Union as the Hypostatical Union is A man is a Person before he is United so unto Christ by the spirit but now Christs Soul and Body they were not a Person before United unto the Second Person but the Soul and Body of Christ and the second Person in the Trinitie United together make up one Person I say that is a Personal Union all making up but one Person But now a Beleever he is a Person before his Union with Christ by the spirit he is a Person a Wicked Person but he is a Person Again The Union that is between Christ and a Beleever it is in respect of the other Union an Accidental Union Christ United unto the soul by Faith by the intervening of Grace and Accidents But now the second Person was United unto our Nature and unto our Flesh not by the intervening of any Grace or any Accident but their Substance was United unto Substance by the Second Person I say it was not an Union by the intervening of any Grace for though all graces were in Christ yet the union of the second Person to our flesh is not by the intervening of any Grace Faith or the like but now our union to Christ is by the intervening of Grace of faith and so this union is but an Accidental union in regard of that Again Though Christ be united unto all Beleevers by his Spirit yet he is so far united unto a beleever as to make him a member of the Body only But the second Person was United unto our Nature and unto our flesh to make Christ the Mediator Indeed if God were United to man for far as to make him Mediator between God and Man then he might say I am God and I am Christ but I say this Union being Voluntary he does so far Unite himself unto the soul of a Beleever as to make him a Member of the Body only and not a Mediator But when the Second Person was United to our Nature the Union was to make the Person a Mediator And thus ye see there is a great deal of Difference between that Hypostatical Union and this Mystical Union of a Beleever And whereas it is said in that 17. of John That Christ praies that we may be one with him as he is with the Father That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one I answer This is an As of Similitude and not of Equallity Christ praies unto the Father that Beleevers may be one with him not by way of Equallitie that a Beleever should be Equallie one with Christ as Christ is with the Father for then Christ should pray that a Beleever might be worshipped too which he never did and if that Christ here should pray that a Beleever might be one with Christ as Christ with the Father in regard of Equallitie then Christ should pray that a Beleever should be one with him from Eternity for saies he unto his Father in the beginning of the chapter Glorify me with thy self with the same glory which I had with thee before
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you Again you may observe here That Christ in a Beleever is not Habitual grace only for saith he If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you It was not Faith or Habitual grace that raised up Christ from the dead but the Spirit of God himself And saith he this Spirit dwelleth in you So that Christ in a Beleever is not only the Habit of grace but the Spirit of Christ And then Thirdly ye may observe this too That this Spirit is a living Spirit and dwelleth or abideth in a Beleever For it is said twice here That the Spirit dwelleth in you So that plainly then you see from the words Christ dwels in every Beleever Christ dwels in every Christian he liveth in him And if it were not so How should the absence of Jesus Christ be recompenced by the coming of the Spirit or of the Comforter When our Lord and Saviour Christ left the World and his Disciples he gave them a gracious Promise of sending his Spirit Ioh. 16.7 And if I go not saith he the Spirit or the Comforter will not come but if I go I will send the Comforter and he shall make up your losse of me Now if that the Spirit of Christ should not be in a Beleever and live in him how would the coming of the Holy Ghost and of the Spirit make up the losse of the personal presence of Jesus Christ Besides You know that friends love to be neer unto one another and the neerer they are the happier they count themselves they love not to be asunder the soul of the lover liveth where it loveth rather than where it liveth Now there is the greatest friendship between Christ and a Beleever and the Lord Jesus Christ hath a happinesse above all friends that he can make himself neerer and be more One with his friends than any friend in the world can And therefore upon those terms of Love and Friendship Christ by his Spirit liveth in all Beleevers Object It will be said If Christ liveth in all Beleevers really liveth in them by his Spirit then what need of Ordinances for Christ and the Spirit of Christ in me can live without Ordinances and if a man have attained once unto the Spirit Christ in him and Christ living in him and have attained unto the Spirit the Spirit of Christ really living in him what need of any Commandements without or Rules without for the Spirit will be a sufficient-Rule to lead him into all that is right what need therefore of any Commandements Rules or Ordinances without Answ Yes For we use the Ordinances not only for the enjoyment of God in them but as a testimony of our Obedience If that the enjoyment of God and Christ were the only reason of the Ordinances then in case that a man could without the Ordinances have the enjoyment of God and Christ he might lay by the Ordinances but seeing that we are for to use the Ordinances as an act of our Obedience although a man can enjoy Christ have the Spirit and Christ living in him yet notwithstanding he is still to bear up the Ordinances because there he is to expresse his Obedience unto God and Christ And now give me leave a little to fix here to take off this scruple and Objection if you look into the 27. of Numbers you shall find that Joshua had the Spirit and not in an ordinary way but in a more than ordinary way the Lord gave Joshua his Spirit and yet notwithstanding Joshua was to be under Commandements and under Ordinances at the 18. verse The Lord said unto Moses take thee Joshua the sun of Nun a man in whom is the Spirit and lay thine hand on him and set him before Eleazer the Priest and before all the Congregation and give him a charge in their sight Mark he was to come under a Command and under a charge although he had the Spirit And he shall stand before Eleazer the Priest who shal ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord. And so it was And Moses did as the Lord commanded him Now Moses doth not say What need I go to Eleazar or to the Priest what need I go and consult by Urim and Thummim for I have the Spirit that is able to leade me into all Truth No but he submits unto his Charge and he waits upon the Lord in this way of the Ordinances although it is said here that he had the Spirit So had not David the Spirit in a great measure and yet did he not use the Ordinances But look into the new Testament and there you find that the Apostles had the Spirit also Our Lord and Savior Christ he breathed upon them they waited for the coming of the Spirit and the holy Ghost fell upon them and yet notwithstanding they were under Commands for saith our Savior Christ to them Go Mat. 28.19 teach all Nations Baptizing and teaching them to do what ever I command you So that although they had the Spirit and the holy Ghost in a greater measure than any man for ought I know ever had since yet notwithstanding they were under Commandements Teaching them saith he to do whatsoever I command you And ye know what our Savior saies in that place I mentioned even now Joh. 7.38 39. He that beleeveth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water which he spake concerning the Spirit and the holy Ghost that should be given for he was not yet glorified A Promise made to Beleevers and the Churches in the times of the Apostles they had the Spirit by vertue of that Promise and yet notwithstanding they were under Ordinances and did use the Ordinances But that you may see how this Objection runs crosse both to the old and to the new Testament look upon one place more it is in the 30. chap. of Isaiah the 20. and 21. verses a Promise made concerning the times of the Gospel And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers Here are Ordinances here are Teachers Well now but where is the Spirit Verse the 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee Who speaks that word Look into the 1. chapter of the Revelation there you shall find it is the Spirit that speaks the word behind one at the 10. verse I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice So that this voice behind is that of the Spirit When we do not expect the Spirit the Spirit cometh and speaketh to us So that thus now ye see Teaching and Ordinances and the Spirit of Christ in us and living in us may and do stand together Object
Sidon And in the 7. Mark 24. He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon He went unto some place of Judea he did not go into the way of the Gentiles but he went unto some Town and place in Judea which was upon the coasts of Tyre and Sidon And here now he being A woman comes unto him Who is described at the 22. verse From her Country and from the Action which she did Behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cried unto him saying c. A Woman a woman of Canaan and Behold a woman of Canaan As if that the holy Ghost would have us take special notice of it Behold a woman of Canaan came unto him The Canaanites were of all others the most Wicked the Jews were for to cast them out of their Nation and not to converse with them in the Jews account they were Dogs And therefore our Savior saies afterward It is not lawful to cast childrens bread unto Dogs She was a Canaanite But now this Woman this Canaanite she Beleeves comes unto Christ and Beleeves greatly O woman great is thy faith Observ Pray let us observe the wonderful dispensation of God here The Jews that Christ was sent unto they rejected Christ a Canaanite that is called a Dog receives Christ Oh! the wonderful dispensation of Gods grace Mercy takes those in and Free-grace takes in those into Christ that are most unlikely The Jews they were called the Children of the Kingdom the children they turn Dogs Beware of the Concision Phil. 3.2 beware of Dogs Children turn Dogs and Dogs turn Children the Canaanite a Dog becomes a Child and beleeves and the Jews that were the Children of the Kingdom they turn Dogs and rend Christ Oh! what Free-grace and Love is here Who would rest upon any outward Priviledge though it be never so great Who would be discouraged in regard of any unworthinesse though it be never so much But what saies this woman Saies she Have mercy upon me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Have mercy upon me O Lord thou son of David Why does she call him the son of David and not rather the son of Abraham and not rather the son of Adam and not rather the son of Man as Christ was often called why does she here call him the son of David We find in Scripture that Christ and David did often exchange Names And David your King shall reign over you Jer. 30.9 A Promise made to the Jews yet to be converted that is Christ David your King and not Abraham shall reign over you but David your King David was the King of the people of God and was to feed them and so Jesus Christ is King of the Church and feeds the people of God Abraham was not a King David a King and therefore thou son of David and not thou son of Abraham And then the Messiah ordinarily among the Jewes was called David And therefore this woman here saies O Lord thou son of David She does first of all acknowledge his Deity and therefore she cals him Lord O Lord Shee does acknowledge his Humanity and Incarnation and therefore she saies Thou son of David Her Faith was rightly planted here now ye have her Faith in the Musterd-seed look but down a few verses and you find it grown up into a great tree that the birds of the air and the Saints may come and build their nests in the branches of her Faith But here it is planted She had in her own countrey some that by Exorsisme did undertake for to cast out Devils she does not go to them she had her own gods in her own countrey she leaves them and she singles out Christ and she singles out that Name Title and Attribute of Christ wherein was most of the Covenant and most of the Promise and her faith now being thus rightly planted it rises up unto great perfection she comes on with boldness But stay O woman a little Thou art a great sinner thou art a Canaanite and so a Dog and what doest thou comming unto Jesus Christ I know what I do might she say I do not come to Peter I do not come to James I do not come to John but I come to Christ and I come to Mercy to Mercy it self I do not plead mine own Righteousness or mine own Patience or my Humility or Prayer or Perseverance in prayer but I plead Mercy Have mercy on me O Lord. Behold a Miracle in the midst of a Miracle saies Chrysostom The Angels in heaven cover their faces in beholding the glory of Jesus Christ and a poor Woman here on earth comes with boldness the Cherubims and Seraphims in heaven saies he fear before Christ fear above and faith below fear in Angels faith and boldness in a poor woman she comes with boldness Observ If faith be true and right it laies aside all one 's own righteousness and comes unto naked mercy passes by all other helps and means singles out Christ that Name and Title of Christ that hath most of the Covenant and of Gods love in it She does not only come with Boldness but she comes with Prayer Have mercy upon me c. She comes Praying for she came Beleeving Faith and Prayer well go together Prayer is the issue of Faith Faith is Prayer in the Coale and Prayer is Faith in the Flame she comes Praying And mark also She comes with Love and such Love as makes another bodies infirmity and weakness ones own For she does not say thus My Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil have mercy on my Daughter but have mercy on Me her daughters vexation is her own her infirmity is her own Faith wrought the Love here Oh! that Parents would imitate this woman and go unto Jesus Christ for their Children that are vexed with Devils If a child be sick in body a parent wil run to God and cry for help but childrens souls may be vexed with Devils every Lust and Sin is a Devil and they do not run to Christ and say Oh! Lord have mercy on me for my Daughter or my Son or my Child is vexed with an unclean Devil or a prophane Devil But this woman having planted her faith rightly her faith here it does work by Prayer and it works by Love and she saies thus Have mercy upon me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil But what now is Christs answer to her He answered her not a word Now comes the Temptations the Three great Temptations Do not wonder that I call these Temptations It is true God tempteth no man and Christ tempteth no man but take Temptation for Tryal so Christ tempts so God tempteth Satan he tempts a man for to draw out his Sin but Christ tempts for to draw out our Faith Satans temptations are black within white and sweet without but Christs temptations are black
give a denyal unto all your prayers yet at the last he will own your prayers he will own your faith and he will say unto to thee Man or Woman Great is thy faith be it unto thee even is thou wilt I come to the Victory after this Combate Then Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Here now the Lord does give a Testimony of her faith and he does give her the mercy desired First he commends her faith and secondly he commends the greatness of her faith O woman great is thy faith Quest Why does he rather commend her Faith than other graces she had other graces Here is Humility in this woman to be seen here is a great deal of Wisdom in this woman to be seen here is Prayer here is Perseverance in prayer Christ commends none of these but commends her Faith why does he rather commend her Faith than any other grace Answ Faith does commend Christ above all the other and therefore Christ will commend Faith above all other Duties or Graces Faith honors Christ and Christ will honor Faith It is faith that gives a Being to and is the root of all other graces He commends that It is only faith that brings Christ and the soul together and therefore he does commend faith above all other graces If the Lord Jesus Christ does commend faith so why should we not all labor especially to strengthen our faith Get faith you that have it not strengthen it you that have it Get Humility Patience Wisdom be much in Prayer and continue in Prayer but above all things get Faith Faith is the grace commended by Jesus Christ above all other graces therefore we should labor above all for to get faith and to strengthen faith It is observed from this place that Christ commends none but the Gentiles the faith of the Gentiles He saies concerning the Centurion I have not found so great faith no not in Israel he was a Gentile And here he saies concerning this women O woman great is thy faith and she was a Gentile What ever therefore thou hast been though a Canaanite though a Sinner though a great Sinner get faith labor to strengthen then thy faith and the Lord Jesus Christ will own thy faith at the last though for the present he seems to hide himself from thee yet he will own it at the last and he will commend it at the last Secondly He commends here the Greatness of her faith Wherein was the Greatnes of her faith Faith consists in the knowledge of Christ assent unto the truth a relying upon God in Christ in time of temptation it 's a Coming to Jesus Christ an Adherence to him But the greatness of her faith lay in this That in the midst of all these temptations yet she did hang on Christ and would not be beaten off by any of these discouragements or temptations Here was the greatness of her faith Observ The strength of faith does not lie in the assurance of our Salvation or of Gods love or of the mercy that we desire in prayer one may have strong faith and yet no assurance I say not only faith but strong faith This woman had no Assurance that we reade of not assurance of the thing that she begged that the Lord would hear her prayer she had no assurance of it only she hung upon Christ and would not away And when he put her away she gathered in upon him in the midst of all temptation and opposition still she did hang upon him So then a man may have faith and strong faith although he have no assurance And upon this account How many are there that have strong faith that think they have no faith at all Some think they have no faith because they cannot say Christ is mine Mercy is mine Heaven is mine but yet if in the time of your temptation ye can hand upon Christ and will not away from Christ but will still hang upon him still wait upon him you have not only faith but you may have strong faith a great faith as this woman had And let me tell you this for your comfort at the last the Lord will make a report of your faith unto your own heart Yea he will make a report answerable to your temptation for you may observe here That as the wound was made so the plaister was laid You have Three great temptations Answerably now the Lord Jesus Christ does testifie of this womon First of all He answered her not a word would not own her would not speak to her Now saies he O woman Then he said That he was not sent but unto the lost sheep Now he does own her for a Sheep and he saies she hath Faith Before he saies It is not meet to cast childrens bread to dogs This did argue that she was a Dog one most Unworthy Now he saies that she is most Worthy O woman thou hast not only faith but thou hast a great faith O woman great is thy faith So that I say still hang upon Christ in all your Temptations in the midst of all your Discouragments still hang upon Christ and the Lord Jesus he will not only make a report of your faith unto ye but according as your temptations rise so shall the report of your grace be from the Lord Christ unto your poor soul therefore hang upon Christ He does not only here give a testimony of her faith and the greatness of her faith but now he does give the Thing Be it unto thee as thou wilt Christ can deny nothing to a true Beleever a Beleever may have what he will of Christ at last Christ cannot hold though he do hide himself from his brethren as Joseph did for a time he cannot hold it out alwaies he cannot hold out the siege alwaies but he will give up himself to a poor Beleever O poor Beleever Be it according as thou wilt thou wouldst have Grace thou wouldst have this or that Mercy Be it unto thee even as thou wilt I 'le only take one Lesson from all and so conclude And the great Lesson that we should all Learn from this whole Story is To beleeve in the face of all Discouragement of all Opposition all Temptation still to hang upon Jesus Christ The very reading of this story provokes us hereunto Whatsoever your Temptations be whatever your Discouragements be yet hang on Christ never away still wait upon him Object You say it may be But I fear Christ and the Promise does not belong to me Answ But did Jesus Christ ever say unto ye with his own mouth I am not sent but unto the lost sheep and thou art none He said so to this woman and yet she did hang upon him and he commended her for her faith Object But you will say unto me I have been at prayer I have prayed long and I hear nothing of all my prayers Answ This
woman did pray to Christ he answered her not a word and yet she did hang upon him yet shee did beleeve and shee is commended for her beleeving Object You will say I am one that have been a great sinner an Unclean wretch even as a Dog surely there is no hope and no mercy for me Ans Did the Lord Jesus Christ ever Himself say to you as he said to this woman seeming to call her Dog yet she did hang upon him yet she did wait upon him yet she did beleeve and the Lord commended her for her faith Object I Pray indeed but it 's my Necessities makes me go unto God in Prayer and when I go unto God in Prayer my Necessities put me on Ans And was it not so with this woman Her daughter was grievously vexed with a Devil and thereupon her Necessity drave her unto Christ and yet poor woman she is welcome Object But I do not go unto Jesus Christ I go not unto Christ at all But Jesus Christ yet will come to you This woman did not come to Jerusalem Christ went down unto the coasts of Tyre and Sidon Christ came to her and yet she beleeved this stood with faith and Christ commended her faith Object I have no Assurance of Christs love and mercy towards me Answ Tell me Had this woman any assurance of the mercy that she prayed for She only brings in her wants propounds them to Jesus Christ laies them at his feet hangs upon him and this was her faith and she is commended for her faith and the greatness of her faith O woman great is thy faith So that do but now hang on Christ though thou hast not assurance of thy Salvation or of the love of God yet in the face of all Temptation and all Discouragment hang on Christ never away never be beaten off by any Discouragment hang on Christ wait on Christ and the Lord Christ will at last commend thee for thy faith and he will say unto thee Be it unto thee as thou wilt How shall people that go on in a continued way of Doubting and Unbelief ever look this poor woman in the face at the great day of Judgment this poor Canaanitish woman How will you be able you that go on in a continual way of Doubting and Unbelief to look the Lord Jesus Christ in the face Stir up your selves stir up your selves I beseech you to this great work of Beleeving I confess it 's a hard thing to Beleeve and harder to Beleeve than to keep all the Ten Commandements there is something in Nature to contribute towards the keeping of the Ten Commandements but there is nothing in Nature to contribute to thy Beleeving on the Lord Jesus Christ It is a very hard thing to Beleeve truly and those that make it an easie matter they do not know what it is to Beleeve But reade over this story and your hearts will be provoked to Beleeve to hang upon Jesus Christ do it and the Lord will commend your faith and own you and your faith FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE Of THE CHIEF MATTERS HANDLED In the Third VOLVMNE A Premonition to the READER COurteous Reader Be pleased to understand that the Two latter of these SERMONS being Preached the one before the House of Commons the other before the House of Lords we thought good to give thee notice that in this Alphabetical Table when thou seest the letter C. before the Page it directs thee to that Page in that Sermon preached before the House of Commons but when the letter L. then it directs thee to that Page in the Sermon preached before the House of Lords this if you be but heedful of you wil not er A ACTIONS see Godly Adam A paralel between the first Adam and the second Adam Page 31 Angels The preservation of the Saints is in the hands of Angels Page L. 13 Anger There is anger in God Page L. 4 How the word Anger is taken Page L. 5 How Anger is said to be in God Page L. 6 The extent of Gods Anger Page L 6 Gods Anger gives being to our Anger Page L 6 Anger see mercy Angry It is lawful for man to be angry and why Page L 8 B Beleeve How hard a thing it is to beleeve Page 62 Beleever Every true Beleever is an humble man Page 43 Beleevers need commandements and why Page 102 Christ lives more in a Beeleever than a Beleever himself doth proved Page 104 There are but few Beleevers in the world Page 107 Beleevers are in continual conflicts Page 107 Beleevers ought to be thankeful and why Page 113 Beleevers thinke meanly of themselves Page 208 Beleevers see Self-denying Christ Hypocrites Ordinances Meditations Benefit What benefit comes to the soule by the In-being of Christ Page 84 C Characters see Justification Carnal see Professors Children Children sometimes turn dogs Page 200 See Dogs Christ Christ is in all Beleevers Page 73 How many wayes Christ may be said to be in all beleevers Page 74 Christ is personally united to a beleever Page 75 How to know whether Christ be in a man or not Page 89 Duties flowing from the Inbeing of Christ in a soul Page 96 Christ lives in a beleever more than himself Page 98 That Christ lives in every beleever proved Page 98 The reason why Christ lives more in a beleever than himself Page 106 How to know whether Christ live more in a beleever than himself Page 108 The least of Christ is highly prized of beleevers Page 209 Christs coming is sudden Page C. 5 Christ coming how many wayes taken Page C. 6 How it may appear that Christs coming is sudden Page C. 7 Reasons why Christs coming is sudden Page C. 9 Christs coming is not far off reasons why Page C. 19 How infinitly we are beholden to Jesus Christ and why Page L. 8 See Humility In-being Benefit Love Beleever Christians see Moral Civility What morral Civility is good for Page 11 Coldnesse Difference between the coldnes of a beleever and the coldnesse of a wicked man Page 15 Conversion The Conversion of the Saints is sudden Page C. 8 Comfort The Comfort of the Saints is sudden Page C. 8 Comfort for the Saints Page 11 Comfort for Beleevers Page 88 D Dealing see Promise Death Death is the greatest evil Page 4 Deliverances Outward deliverances come to the Saints at unawares Page C. 9 Despair A caution against despair Page C. 13 Desperate A desperate sleep is now upon professors Page C. 20 Dispensation The wonderful dispensation of God shewed Page 200 Dog Dog how the word is taken in Scripture Page 207 Dogs often times turn children Page 200 See Children Duty see Spiritual Self-denial Christ E Election see Temptation Engagements Egagements for beleevers to come to duties Page 113 Example see Humility F Faith Man is Justified by faith and not by the works of the Law Page 1 Faith unites a man to God Page 4 Faith is an emptying grace Page 61
4 Prescribe waies to the Lord ibid 5 Have strange repetitions to themselves ib. 6 Were never sensible of their owne pride in spirituall things Page 66 Motives to Self-denial 1 The more you deny your selves in spiritual things the surer you shall be to keep them Page 68 2 The more humble you will be in other things Page 69 3 The more you deny your selves in spiritual things the more ye shall be exalted in them ibid How may we be able to deny our selves in spiritual things 1 Reflect upon thy defects in every duty thou performest Page 70 2 Observe much the incomes of the Spirit of the Lord upon thy soul Page 71 3 Study the way of the Gospel much ibid SERMON IV Gal. 2.20 Doctrine Christ is in all beleevers Page 74 Explication How Christ may be said to be in a beleever 1. By way of power ib. 2. By way of presence ib. 3. In regard of his essence ib. 4. By way of spiritual manifestation Page 75 5. By way of personal union ibid Objection Then a beleever may say I am Christ Answered 1. This union is a voluntary not a natural act Page 78 2. It is by contact not by composition ibid 3. It is by application not by mixture Page 79 4. There is a great difference between the in-being of a spiritual thing in a material and the in-being of one material thing in another ibid Objection What difference is there between this union and and the hypostatical union Answered 1 Though we are united yet are we not assumed Page 81 2 There is no personal Vnion ibid 3 It is accidental ibid 4 It is only to make him a member of the body not a Mediator Page 82 Object How doth it appear that Christ is really in the soul of a Beleever Answ 1 Faith laies hold upon Christ Himself Page 83 2 Christ is in a Beleever as a Beleever is in Christ ibid 3 How would there else be three that bear witness ib. What benefit comes from this 1 A Beleever shall have glorious Communion with Christ Page 84 2 Christ's love is infinite towards Beleevers Page 85 3. A Beleever hath something more than any Hypocrite can attain unto ib. 4 Then a beleever shall never spiritually die again Page 86 5 He may come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace ib. Application 1 Admire at the unspeakable love of Christ Page 87 2 No wicked man dares to oppose any of the people of God Page 88 3 Abundance of comfort to beleevers ibid Object I fear Christ is not in me because I do not find him working in me Answ 1 Whose servants are they that ordinarily come into and go out of your souls Page 89 2 Do you find your souls in some measure naturalized to the work of Christ ib. 3 Did you ever find that Christ was in you Page 90 4 Do you not find some workings of grace according to that station you have in the body of Christ Page 91 Duties flowing from hence 1 Why should we meddle with any thing that is distastful to Christ Page 93 2 Why should we not be contented with our condition whatsoever it be ib. 3 Why should we not venture upon any service of God all though it be beyond our strength Page 94 Exhortation Labor to get a share in this great mercy Page 95 SERMON V Gal. 2.20 Doctrine Christ hath a greater hand in the spiritual actions of a beleever than himselfe hath Page 98 Explication 1 Christ liveth in each Beleever ibid Object What need then have they of Ordinances Answered Page 100 Object What need of Teaching Answered Page 102 2 How it may appear that Christ liveth so in each Beleever that he hath a greater hand in his actions than himself 1 By scripture Page 104 2 By instances in our 1 Conversion Page 105 2 Performences ib. 3 Obedience Page 106 4 Suffering ib. 5 Assurence ib. Reason Because man should not have wherein to boast Page 106 Objection Surely there are few beleevers in the world Answered Page 107 Questions propounded 1. What doth ordinarily sway the great actions of your lives Page 108 2. Do you find a secret disposition to all the Commandements of God ib. 3. Do you find your souls carried to what is good beyond your own disposition Page 109 4. Do you find your soul is carried to what is good beyond what is intended ib. 5. Were you never perswaded that Christ lived in you Page 110 Practical Meditations 1. Now I see the in-being of Christ in the soul is no fancy Page 112 2. Here 's a vast difference between a godly and a wicked man ibid 3. What desperateness is it to oppose the Saints of God ibid 4. What an evil it is for a Saint to say his duties are hypocrisie Page 113 5. What reason a beleever hath to be thankeful to God ibid 6. What an engagement here is for a poor beleever to come to duty though his heart be dead ibid 7. What heavenly lives beleevers should lead Page 114 8. We all should admire the infinite love of Christ ibid THE CONTENTS Of the WOMAN Of CANAAN c. On Matthew 15.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. DIvision of the text 1. From whence Christ came Page 198 Observation None more rigorous opposers of of the Gospel than learned men Page 199 2. Whither he went ib. Observation The wonderful dispensation of God Page 200 3. The plaintive a woman Page 201 Observation If faith be true it laies aside all one 's own righteousness 4. Her first temptation Page 202 Observation It is no new thing for beleevers to have no present visible answer of their prayers Page 204 If this temptation fall upon you do as she did 1. she still acknowledgeth he was able to help her ib. 2. That it is his Office to help ib. 3. She doth not rest upon her own duty ib. 4. She propounds her misery ib. 5. She continues praying Page 205 5. Her second Temptation ib. Observation 1. A mans temptations may rise higher after prayer and yet he pray aright Page 206 2. Gods dealing with man may sometimes run cross to his promise ib. 3. Gods people may be tempted about their election ib. 4. When a Saint is so tempted his best way is to lay by dispute and fly to mercy ib. 5. As temptations arise so shall faith increase ib. 6. Her third Temptation Page 207 Observation It is no new thing for beleevers to have their unworthiness objected to them ib. Her answer Page 208 Observations 1. You cannot speak so meanly of a beleever but he speaks as meanly of himself ib. 2. A true beleever thinks honorably of Jesus Christ even then when he suffers the greatest reproaches to be cast upon him ib. 3. True saith finds out a promise even in the very refusal ib. 4. The least of Christ is highly prized with a true beleever Page 209 5. Faith riseth above our nature ib. Hence you see if you be tempted with