out that word in Isa. 65. 1. Behold me behold me O may wee not summond Angels and these twenty four Elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that wee should believe on the Name of the Son of God after that wee had broken that first and primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree Was not this indeed to make mercy rejoyce over judgement And O may wee not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant whereby he hath sworn That hee delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose yee were poor Adams thoughts when at first the Doctrine of Free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Saviour was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying Adam think of these morning and first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome and precious heart before the foundation of the world was laid Wee know not whether the infinitenesse of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder But sure these three joyned together make up a matchlesse and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask the Question What is Christ worth Wee could give no answer so suitable as this it is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Iobs divinity Iob 28. 13. Man knoweth not the price of wisedome And must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of Faith and wisedome of the Father bee a supereminent and excellent One who hath that Name of King of kings and Lord of lords not onely ingraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousnesse of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings and motions hee proveth himself to bee higher then the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his Beauty and Majesty and to bee satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly wee should finde a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious moâ—â—h by which hee doth subject and subjugate his own to himself as well as hee hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which hee judgeth and maketh war with his enemies Wee confesse it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit a Hyperbole in commending of him His worth being alwayes so far above our expressions and our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore wee may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to begin our discourse upon that radicall and precious grace of Faith wee intend to speak of it under this twofold notion and consideration First We shall speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour makeing application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which wee call justifying Faith And in the second place we shall speak a little-unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Iesus Christ by which wee advance in the work of holinesse and divine consormity with God which wee call sanctifying Faith However it is not to bee supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ in different respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choice of these words The Apostle Iohn in the former verse hath been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of obedience and of keeping of his commands that such a one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God and doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth these things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words hee doth as it were answer an objection that might bee proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they bee remembered This hee doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law and Gospel viz. That wee should love one another which is the compend of the Law and The we should believe on the Name of His Son which is the compend of the Gospel And by this he sheweth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favour both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith Wee have 1. the advantages of it implied in the words and clear also from the scope as no doubt all the commands have infinit advantages infolded in their bosome which redounds to a Believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called His command as if hee had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 3. There is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word His Commandment as if he would have said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that ye would not conceive that it is an arbitrary and indifferent thing for you to believe or not But be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly Yee have the precious Object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the Name of the Son of God And no doubt Faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet and inseparable union with Christ and is that golden and precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious Image on our hearts and by love doth accomplish
and perfire them Now Faith taketh hold not onely on the faithfulnesse of God that hee is a God of truth and that in him there is no lie but likewise it taketh hold on the omnipotency of God that hee is one to whom nothing is too hard and on the infinite mercy and love of God that hee is one who doth delight to magnifie this Attribute above all his works And these are the three great pillars of justifying Faith From the first it answereth all these objections of sense which do ordinarily cry forth Doth his promise fail for evermore And that with this one word If hee hath once purposed it hee will also do it and if hee hath once spoken it hee will also make it come to passe From the second it answereth all these objections that may arise from carnal reason and probability which tend to the weakning of his confidence And these do oftemtimes cry out How can these things be But Faith laying hold upon the omnipotency of God it staggers not at the promise but is strong in the Faith giving glory to God And it is the noble and divine exercise of this Heroick grace of Faith that these objections of reason and probability which it cannot answer it will lay them aside and yet close with the promise Which was the practice of believing Abraham who considered not his own body being weak nor the barrennesse of Sarahs womb As likewise it was the commendable practice of that woman Matth. 15. who not being able to answer the second trial of her faith from reason yet notwithstanding Faith made her cry out Have mercy upon mee O Son of David And from the last a Christian doth answer all the arguments of misbelief which do arise from the convictions of our unworthinesse and sinfulnesse which makes us oftentimes imbrace that divinity of Peters Luk. 5 8. Depart from me for I am a sinful man But Faith taking hold on the infinite mercy and love of Christ it answereth all with this He walks not with us according to that rule of merit but according to that precious and golden rule of love and boundlesse compassion But before we shall speak any thing unto you of these things wee would a little point out some few things to be known as previous to these we shall not dwell long in pointing out the nature of justifying Faith it is that grace whereby a Christian being convinced of his lost estate and of an utter impossibility to save himself he doth flee to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and unto him who is that precious City of refuge and there doth abide till our High Priest shall die which shall not be for ever Or if ye will it is a sweet travelling of the immortall soul betwixt infinite misery and infinite mercy betwixt an utter impossibility to save our selves and a compleat ability in him to save to the uttermost betwixt abounding sin and superabounding mercy Hence Faith is often holden forth to us in Scripture under that notion of coming Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him And we may say by the way that if once a sinner could be brought to this to count all his own righteousnesse but filthy rags and to belive that a man is as really justified before God by imputed righteousnesse as if it were by inherent holinesse surely such an one were not far from the Kingdom of God Neither shall we stand long to point out this unto you that it is your duty to believe for it is clear not only from this place but likewise from Isa. 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God belive also in me Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come buy without money and without price But Oh! it 's a great misery of many and that which may be a subject of perpetuall lamentation that we can neither be subject to the Law as commanding to obey it or as threatning to believe it Nor to the Gospel as promising to imbrace it and sweetly to receive it O but that primitive temptation and delusion whereby Sathan did deceive our first father is that whereby he yet seeks to catch and delude many souls viz. That though we eat of the forbidden fruit and walk in the vain imaginations of our own hearts yet he doth suggest this to us that we shall not die but shall once be as God This is Sathans great and deâ—â—ding divinity And therefore to inforce his great and precious Command a little further wee shall propose these considerations First That the Gospel hath laid no obstruction in our way of closing with Christ and partaking of the effects of the Gospel but on the contrary sheweth that the great impediment is our want of willingnesse which wee lay in our own way as is clear from Ioh. 5. 40. Yee will not come to mee that yee may get life as likewise from Rev. 22. 17. where the gates of the Gospel are cast open and whosoever will are commanded to enter in So that although you may father your misbelief upon your inability or that your spot is not the spot of his people yet know that the rise and original of it is the want of willingnesse But to make this more clear wee would have you knowing this that all the qualifications annexed to this Commandement of Faith as that in Matth. 11. 28. speaketh out the qualifications rather of these that will come than of all these that ought to come Oâ— hee inviteth these that through the spiriâ— of discouragement and misbelief have the greatest reluctancy to come And may noâ— that cardinal and soul-refreshing promise Ioh. 6. 37. stop the mouth of misbelief so that it should have nothing to say Hâ— that cometh unto mee I will in no wayes casâ— out Yee may reduce your misbelief rather to the sinfulnesse of your will than to the sinfulnesse of your walk And if once yee could come the length of willingnesse to imbrace Jesus Christ all other objectioâ— and knots should be sweetly loosed and dissolved Secondly Consider that though we should pray the on half of our time and weep the other yet if we want this noble grace of Faith the wrath of God shall abide on us What are all the works of these hypocrites and these gâ—â—string acts of Law-sanctification but a plunging of our selves in the ditch untill our own cloaths abhorre us Therefore it is that after the Prophet Zachary hath made mention in the 12. Chapter of his Prophesie of making bitter lamentation for him whom wee have
placeth a Christian upon the top of mount Pisga and there letteth him see a sight of the promised Land And doth open a door in Heaven thorow which a Christian is admitted to see Christ sitting upon His Throne And Faith hath not only a kind of Omnipotency as is clear That all things are possible to them that believe but it hath a kind of Omnisciency and all knowledge that it can take up and comprehend the greatest mysteries of heaven according to that word Prov. 28. 5. He that seeketh the Lord shall understand all things As if hee said there is nothing dark to a believing Christian as there is nothing impossible to â— believing Christian. As likewise Faith â—s that grace that must take aside the vail that is spread over the face of a crucified Christ. And Faith is that precious spy that goeth forth and taketh up these wonderfull excellencies that are in him The grace of love as it were is born blind and it hath nothing wherewith to solace it self but that which is presented unto it by this noble and excellent grace of Faith Now before wee shall speak any thing to these things that wee did propose to speak of it at the last occasion wee shall yet speak a little unto some things which are necessary to be known for the distinct up taking of the nature of justifying Faith which is the great commandement of this everlasting Gospel and that which wee would first speak to shall be this What is the reason and ground that the Gospel conveyance of righteousnesse and life and of the excellent things of this everlasting Covenant should be through the exercise of the grace of Faith For it is not said in the Scripture that repentance justifieth that love justifieth or that mortification justifieth but it is Faith only that justifieth and it is Faith by which a Christian inheriteth the promises so that is clear that Faith is that Conduit-pype through which are conveyed to us the great blessings of this everlasting Covenant I. And the first ground of it is this it is through Faith that all our blessings may be known to be by love and by free and unsearchable grace as is clear Rom. 4. 16. While the Apostle is giving a reason why the inheritance is conveyed to a Christian through Faith It is of faith saith he that it might be of grace for if the inheritance were conveyed to a Christian through a Covenant of Works then these spotlesse draughts of infinite love and of unsearchable grace should not be written on our inheritance as is clear Rom. 4. 25. And it is that great designe of Christ to make his grace conspicuous in conveying salvation to us through Faith II. There is this second ground likewise of it that all the promises and blessings of this everlasting Covenant might be sure and stedfast to us therefore they are conveyed to us through the exercise of the grace of Faith as is clear Rom. 4. 16. They are of Faith saith he that they might be sure or as the word is that they might be settled when the promises of life and of eternal salvation were conveyed to us through mans obedience were they not then most uncertain and unstable But is not heaven your everlasting crown now stedfast unto you seeing you have that golden pillar of Christs everlasting righteousnesse to be the foundation of your Faith and the strength of your confidence in the day of need III. There is this third ground why the promises and excellent things of this Gospel are conveyed to a Christian through the exercise of Faith that all boasting and gloriation might be excluded according to that word Rom. 3. 27. By what law is boasting excluded Not by the law of works but by the law of Faith And certainly seeing Christians have all the great things of heaven conveyed to them through the exercise of Faith think yee not that this shall be your first song when yee shall be within the gates of that new Jerusalem Not unto us not unto us but unto thee doth belong the glory of our salvation O what a precious dignity were it but for one half hour to be admitted to hear these spotlesse songs that are sung by these thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy Angels that are round about His Throne Doth not David that sweet singer of Israel now sing more sweetly noâ— he did while he was here below Doth not deserted Heman now chaunt forth the praises and everlasting song of him that sitteth upon the Throne And doth not afflicted Iob now sing sweetly after his captivity is reduced and he entered within that land where the voice of joy and gladnesse is continually heard Would ye have a description of Heaven I could give it no tearm so suitable as this Heaven is a rest without a rest for though there remain a rest for the righteous yet Rev. 4. 8. These four beasts that stand before the Throne they rest not night nor day crying holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty yet there is much divine quietnesse in that holy unquietnesse that is above IV. There is this last ground why the blessings of the Gospel and life and righteousnesse are conveyed to us thorow the exercise of Faith that the way to attain to these things might be pleasant and easie we are certainly perswaded that the way of winning to Heaven by a Covenant of Works was much more unpleasant and difficult But is it not an easie way of entring into the holy of Holies to win unto it through the exercise of Faith Are not all wisdoms wayes pleasantnesse and are not all her paths peace Was not that just self-denial in one that said he would not take up a Crown though it were lying at his foot But oh that cursed self-denial doth possesse the breasts of many so that though that Crown of immortal Glory and eternal blessednesse be lying at your feet yet ye will not imbrace it nor take it up Is not the hatred of many to Christ covered with deceit and therefore Your iniquity shall be declared before the Congregation Now that what we have spoken upon this might be more clear and that the nature of â—ustifying Faith be not mistaken We would have you taking notice of these things 1. That the grace of Faith doth not justifie Christian as it is a work or because of any inherent excellency and dignity that is in this grace above any other graces of the Spirit â—ut Faith doth alone justifie a Christian instrumentally and objectively that is it is â—hat by which a Christian is just by laying hold â—n the precious object of it the righteousness of Christ. And to clear this we would only have you knowing this That Faith doth juifie as it closeth with Christ but not because 〈◊〉 closes with Christ which some vainly are â—old to assert because there is not any digâ—ity or worth in the act of Faith in closing with Christ
at â—eath and destruction when assailing him â—here is that fifth property of Faith That â—â—s the grace that bringeth satisfaction unâ—â— the spirituall senses of a Christian by a â—ose and particular application of Christ 〈◊〉 the nouâ—â—ishment of the soul. Hence it is â—lled an eating of the flâ—sh of Christ. There are â—ree senses that Faith satisfieth Faith satisfieth the sense of sight it satisfieth the sense of taste and it satisfieth the sense of touch Faith will make a Christian handle that eternall word of life Faith will make a Christian see that noble plant of renown And Faith will make a Christian taste and see how gracious the Lord is And no doubt these thaâ— have once satisfied their sight they will bâ— longing to satisfie their taste There is thaâ— sixth property of Faith It is that grace which giveth rest unto a Christian Hence iâ— is called a casting of our burden upon him Iâ— is as it were the soul giving unto Christ thaâ— unsupportable yoke of our iniquities anâ— taking from Christ that easie and portablâ— yoke of his Commandements And seventhly There is that last property of Faith Iâ— is that grace by which Sanctification is pro moved Hence it is called a coming to Christ It is the soul in a divine motion and travelling from the land of Egypt unto the land oâ— Canaan Faith it is the soul in a pleasant motion from the land of the north the land oâ— our captivity unto that land of perfect liberty all along going out by the footsteps of tâ—â— flock and walking in that new and living waâ— even in Him who is the Way the Truth and tâ—â— Life And now for a more full application 〈◊〉 this we shall speak but to two things further 1. We would have it considered thâ— there are some that come unto the Covenaâ— of Promise with lesse difficulty and after more divine and evangelick way and theâ— are some that close with Christ in a moâ—â— difficult and legall way there are some that before they can come to mount Sion they must dwell fourty dayes at mount Sinai There are some before the decreet of heaven shall be given to them they must roaâ— as an ox and must cover themselvs with sackcloath having ashes upon their heads we must be a Benoni before we be Benjamin that is we must be a son of sorrow before we can be a son of consolation But this is certain that Christ leadeth sometimes some to himself through a valley of roses And I would only have you taking notice of these two which though we conceive they bâ— not infallible in the rule yet oftentimes experience maketh them out to be truth 1. That there are three sorts of persons who are most ordinarily brought under great terrour â—ere they close with Christ. First These who have committed some grosse and abominable sin that is most contradicting unto the light of nature Secondly That person that sinneth much against light before conversion Hence it is observed in all the Books of the Gospel and in the book of the Acts there was a more Gospel and love way of converting the Gentiles then was of converting the Jews see Act. 2. 37. there is a sharp Law exercise among them who had crucified the Lord of Life and Act. 9. Paul that had been a grievous persecuter at his conversion he is first stricken dead to the ground before he be made a captive of the love of Christ and constrained to cry out What wilt thou have me to do but look to Act. 8. and chap. 19. and there ye will find a more fair and smooth way of begetting sons to Christ. And thirdly that person that is much in conceit of his own righteousnesse he useth to be brought to Christ through much terrour and exercise of the Law that is clear in Paul his condition also Phil. 3. and Act. 9. compared and certainly who ever thinketh to come that length in self abasement and will count as the Apostle doth in that Chapter must dwell many dayes at mount Sinai and learn his Arithmethick there 2. We would have you taking notice of this that though the person that is brought in to Christ in a more smooth and evangelick way may have the preheminency of the person that is brought to Christ after a more legall and terrible way in some things Yet we conceive that a Christian that is brought to Christ through much of the exercise of the Law and through many of the thunderings of mount Sinai after he hath wone to see his right of Christ he is more constant in the exercise of Faith and the reason of it is because that an ordinary ground of misbelief is our not distinct uptaking either of the time of our conversion which is oftentimes hid from these persons that are converted in a more evangelick way as likewise this that those persons that are brought to Christ in a more Gospelchariot are sometimes put to debates whether ever they were under the exercise of the Law and this maketh them often as it were to raze the foundation and to cry forth My hope and my strength is perished from the Lord. And now to shut up our discourse we shall adde this one word of exhortation that ye would carefully lay hold upon that noble object and exercise your faith upon him and I shall say but this that all these that have this noble grace of Faith and that are heâ—â—s of that everlasting inheritance There is a fourfold Crown prepared for you There is a Crown of life that is prepared for him that shall sight the good fight of Faith â—ut what may you say is a Crown of Life except we have joy waiting upon that life â—or what is life without joy but a bitternesse and a burthen to it self Therefore â—e shall have a crown of joy but what were â— crown of Life and a crown of â—oy except we had the grace of Holinesse and were compleat in that Therefore ye shall have â—lso a crown of Righteousnesse But what were Life Joy and Righteousnesse without Glory Therefore ye â—hall have likewise a â—â—own of Glory But what of all these if that Crown should once fall from our head 〈◊〉 we should be deprived of our Kingâ—om Therefore take this to make up all â—he rest it is an eternal crown of Glory â—hat word in Prov. 27. nâ—aâ— the close The â—â—own saith Solomon doth not endure for ever â—ut this precious Crown that the hands of â—hrist shall fix upon the head of an overâ—oming Christian this is the motâ—o that is â—â—gravâ—n upon it Unchangeable and Eterâ—all Eternal and unchangeable and O what a day suppose ye shall that be when thaâ— precious Crown shall be put upon our heads What think you will be the difference betwixâ— Christ and the Believers in heaven They shall have these four crowns which are indeed one but Christ shall have upon hiâ— head many Crowns according to that word Rev. 19. 12. But let me
THE Mystery of FAITH Opened up Or some SERMONS concerning Faith two whereof were not formerly Printed Wherein the Nature Excellency and Usefulnesse of that noble Grace is much cleared and the practice thereof most powerfully pressed Whereunto are added other three Sermons two concerning the Great Salvation one of these not formerly Printed and a third concerning Death By Mr. ANDREW GRAY late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow All these Sermons being now carefully Revised and much Corrected Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Edinburgh Printed by George Swinton and Iames Glen Anno 1669. Mr. GRAY'S Mystery of Faith Christian Reader AMong many weighty and soul pierceing Sentences that you will find in these following Sermons this is oneâ— That the Professors of this â—ge whether they go to heaven or hell they will be the greatest debtors that shall be in â—ither placeâ— the 〈◊〉 to the free grace of God and the other to his Justice And certainly if we speak of those in this time whose â—lessed lot it shall be to inherit the Kingdom â—hey cannot but acknowledge themselves inâ—ebted to his love above all that have gone â—efore them for wâ—shing them from such ugly â—â—llutions â—â— this generation hath been defiled â—ith for bringing them through so great triâ—â—ilations preserving them in the midst of so â—â—eat tenâ—ations and dangerous sâ—ares as have â—compassed them yea and still keeping in the â—â—ght before them notwithstanding of so many â—asts if we may so speak from all the four â—inds of hell to blow it out And on the other â—nd if we speak of these whom in this geâ—â—ration shall perish assuredly their debt unto â—ivine Iustice must be exceeding great above â—â—l who are gone down to the pit before them â—â—cause the Roll of their mercies will be found have been many â—â—bits longer and many cuâ—s broader than theirs who lived in the preâ—ding ages and the great things that the â—â—rd hath wrought in our dayes have born a greater testimony against the wickednesse hardnesse and atheism of this time then of many former But above all the great measure of Gospel-light that he hath no lesse plentifully offered then wonderfully preserved to this generation beyond all our Ancestors hath undoubtedly made the sin of these who shall utterly reject their own mercy so out of measure sinfull and their unbelief so exceedingly inexcusable that their guilt must needs justifie Corazin and Bethsaida or Sodom and Gommorrah in that day when every man shall give account of himself to God And amongst the many preaching witnesses that al as we are afraid shall compear in that day against many yet living in their pleasures and dead while they live This now glorified Author cannot but be one whose testimony must be very condemning especially to the vain loose negligent and time-wasting youth in this age For when hâ— was first drawn to the Ministry he was but youth indeed scarce twenty years compleat fâ—â— within that age that by the constitutions oâ— this Church except in case of more then common abilities which indeed he had is required for entring to that great and holy Calling And for the space of two years after whicâ— was all the time that the Church enjoyed his Labour he was helped to presse the Truths anâ— Threatnings of God so home upon the Conscience of his hearers that as it was observed of him bâ— one of his most Learned and pious Colleaguâ— Master Durham who is now in glory with him he did many times cause the hair of their head stand up The Lord not only hereby verifying his Word that he can take the weak things of the world to confound the strong and out of the mouth of Babes can perfect his own praise but designing also as would seem of purpose to send a Boy out of the School for a reprover of the sluggishnesse of his People that thereby the aged might be the more ashamed and the younger more afraid Neither do wee think that this was all but truely when we consider what measure of Graces Gifts and Experiences the Lord did bestow upon so young a person and then with what humility self-denial gravity prudence diligence authority and moderation he was helped to manage these Talents during that short time of his Ministry It may be justly conceived that the Lord brought him forth to be a great conviction even to many of us in the Ministery who came into our Masters vineyard long before him and will go out behind him And indeed to us it looketh somewhat like the Lords taking up of the little Childe and setting him amongst the midst of his contending Disciples in these times that even they who would be greatest amongst us might be least and see somewhat of their own weaknesse As to this little Peece whatever yee shall finde in it It hath this to say for its self that whereas many Writings in the world do intrude themselves upon the Presse yet this the Presse hath violently thrust into the world For some young Student from his good affection to the edification of the Lords People and no doubt from his high esteem of the precious Author his memory having given in to the Presse a Copie of some of these Sermons being only Notes taken from his mouth when he preached them no sooner were they seen abroad but all the Presses in the Nation fell a labouring about them so that if we mistake not in lesse noâ— two or three Months time three or four Impressions were cast off yet all of them so imperfect and maimed that howbeit the excellency of the matter and the fresh remembrance of the worthy Author his name made them very sweet to many especially those who had heard him Preach yet the unsuitable dresse wherein they appeared and their mistakes of the first Writers they being hardly able to take up every thing as it was spoken occasioning diverse material failings in the sense besides lesser faults could not but be a trouble to those who were acquainted not only with the singular graces but parts also of that eminent Youth This gave occasion to some friends to speak a little what way these prejudices which both the Truth and the Authors name might â—ly under by these uncorrect Impressions might be taken off And finding that the Copie which by providence the worthy young Gentlewoman who was his wife had lying by her though it was but Notes taken from his mouth yet was the most correct that could be found And that it also did contain the whole purposes that he had preached upon these Texts yea the whole purposes concerning Faith that he had preached according to that method proposed in the first of the Sermons formerly published This was undertaken to be revised by some who albeit none of the fittest for these imployments yet rather or nothing should be done in the businesse were conâ—tent to bestow
some hours upon it according aâ— other necessary imployments would permit And now having sought out all the Notes of these Sermons which we could finde from other hands and compared them with the Copie abovementioned wee do again present them unto the Lords People not with any confidence that our pains hath put any new lustre upon them only wee have some hopes that the whole subject being now before them and these things in the way of expression helped which either might seem to be somewhat unpleasant or liable to mistakes they shall not nâ—w be lesse edifying nor lesse acceptable then formerly they were We did not think fit to make any considerable alterations â—â—â—o the method or other things of that kind lost â—aply by straining his excellent purposes too much to shape them to the ordinary Rules or to reduce them to that order which might best have pleased our selves we should have wronged the matter it self at least have put these to a losse who did hear him Preach and it may be â—ow upon their reading things in that same order as they heard them will be the more readily brought under the impressions of that livelinesse power and weight which it may be formerly they felt upon their hearts when he was speaking If the method do not altogether satisfie some spirits or the explication seem not so fult or â—f they finde some introductions which possibly â—ead not in so close or seem not so sib to the subject of the Sermon or happly now and then there bee some little digressions from the main purpose wee shall desire that this may not at all bee constructed to bee the Authors ignorance of Rules and Method or his want of abilities in humane Learning it being known to these who were best acquaint with him that hee had indeed a Scholastick spirit and was in reading far beyond his age and opportunities for Studying But as to all these wee shall intreat you rather to consider 1. His age and that his gift was but in the very moulding and breaking as wee speak in the point of order and method when the Lord was pleased to call him home from his work 2. That every man hath his proper gift of God whâ— in his great wisdom and certainly for the good of His Church doth so order that there is somewhat singular and peculiar almost in every mans way as to these things 3. For any thing we know hee had never that high esteem of this or any other of his labours as to design anâ— of them for publick view and these are buâ— Notes taken from his mouth 4. We are perswaded hee studied more his hearers than himself Ye will easily perceive when ye have buâ— read a little that hee hath been a man of a verâ— zealous temper that the great â—ensil of hiâ— spirit and that which hee did wholly spend himself about was to make people know their dangerous condition by nature and by all means tâ— perswade them to believe and lay hold upoâ— the Great salvation And truely that a maâ— in such a frame should lesse attend to these lesse things is not to be wondered at And indeed though these things be good in themselves and worthy to be looked to in their own place yet for a Minister of the Gospel in all Auditories and upon all occasions to pin up every purpose to such a method and insist into such a measure of Explications and Criticismes upon words it is but to â—etter himself and to starve his people 5. Consider the dulnesse of the most part of hearers in this age and how hard a thing it is to awake a sleeping world and to get them but to think that it doth concern them to hear in earnest And possibly it was not a small piece of spiritual wisedome in him and it may be not unfit to be imitated by others to begin or end all his Sermons with an awakening word concerning Heaven or Hell or Iudgement and the danger of choising the evil and refusing the good 6. For digressions the truth is that his soul was so filled with such longings after Heaven and Glory and so inflamed with the love of Christ especially towards the latter end of his race that when he fell upon these subjects upon which ye will see most of these digressions are he could not well contain himself nor easily bring off his own spirit A thing not unusual to the Saints in Scripture And howbeit such things might seem somewhat singular in the time and not so coherent yet now we have grounds to apprehend that they were often strong influences of the Lords Spirit stirring up a lamp as it were into a sudden blaze that was not to burn long in his Church But now we shall detain you no longer only this we may assure you of That although these Sermons are neither so exact nor so full as doubtlesse they would have been if they had come from the Authors own pen yet as we dare say they were studied with Prayer Preached with Power and backed with Successe so also if ye shall read them with consideration meditate with Prayer and Practise with diligence ye shall neither find your time nor pains ill bestowed but shall have cause to blesse the Lord for this amongst other helps that he hath given for making you meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light That it may be blest to this end is the earnest desire and prayer of your servants in the work of the Lord Ro. Trail Jo. Stirling The Mystery of Faith Opened up SERMON I. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THis everlasting Gospel in which there are drawn so many precious draughts and divine lineaments of the transcendent beauty of a crucified Saviour and of the riches of his unsearchable grace is a most precious and excellent thing not onely because it doth contain most absolute and sublime precepts and commands in the exercise and obedience of which we do not only attain unto the highest pitch in holinesse but likewise because it containeth most rich and precious promises in the possession and fruition of which wee are advanced to the highest pinacle of eternal blessedness this is clear in the grace of Faith for what doth more purifie the heart and stamp it with the Image of the invisible God then this grace of Faith And what richer promises are annexed to any duty then to this duty of believing to wit everlasting life and fruition of God So that if we have dwelt fourty dayes at the foot of Mount Sinai and had been under the greatest discovering and condemning power of the Law we may yet come with boldnesse to mount Sion and there imbrace Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to such as believe Upon which Mount hee standeth holding forth the golden Scepter of his peace desiring us to imbrace him and is crying
pierced as for an only Son Yet in the beginning of the 13. Chapter he maketh mention of a Fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse Which may intimate unto us that although we have washed our selves with our own tears yet there is use of the bloud of Christ and that we must bee washed in that fountain even from our own righteousnesses which are but as filthy rags Thirdly Consider that great and monstrous sinfulness that is in this sin of unbeleif we will strain at a gâ—at but many will easily swallow down this Camel we will tith Mint and Anise and fast twice in the week but neglect faith and love and judgment which are the weightier things of the Law And indeed there are these things which speak out the sinfulnesse of unbelief 1. That when the holy Ghost is sent to convince the world of sin Ioh. 16. 9. he pitched upon this sin as though there were no other sin of which the world had need to be convinced He will convince the world of sin because they believe not on the Son of God and no doubt there is more sinfulnesse in that sin than in many breaches of the Morall Law it being a sin against matchlesse love and against that which is the remedy of sin 2. That it is called by way of eminency disobedience as is clear from Heb. 4. 11. Lest any of you fall after the same example of unbelief or as the word may be rendered Lest any of you fall after that example of disobedience Eph. 2 2. 3. That among all these that shall be eternally excommunicate from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power these that are guilty of this sin of unbelief they are put in the first place Rev. 21. 8. And 4. that unbelief doth contradict and deny these three precious and cardinall Attributes of God 1. Doth not unbelief contradict his faithfulnesse and make him a liar 1 Ioh. 5. 10 2. Doth it not contradict the infinitenesse of his power And 3 the infinitenesse of his love and supposeth that there is something too hard for him which his power cannot reach nor his infinite love overcome We may reduce many of our questions and disputings of his good will to this original viz. to the disputing of his power No doubt if we belong to him we shall once sing that note of lamentation over our unbelief This is our infirmity for changes are from the right hand of the most High And lastly to enforce this precious command of Faith consider that it is His Command which speaketh forth this that we must not take an indulgence or dispensation to our selves to believe or not to believe at our pleasure And is it not a strange thing that Christians are lesse convinced of the breaches of the Commandements of Faith then of other commands They think misbelief to be but a Zoar a little sin And it proceedeth either from this that the convictions of other sins as the neglect of prayer or the sin of swearing or committing adultery do arise from a natural conscience for there is somewhat of natures light to make us abominate and hate them when yet the light of nature will not lead us to the convictions of the sinfulnesse of misbelief it being a Gospel and more spiritual sin Or it proceedeth from this that unbelief doth ordinarily passe vail'd under the vizard of some refined vertue as humility and tendernesse though that rather it may be said that it is pride and ignorance cloathed with the garments of humility And no doubt Christ doth account it obedience to this Commandement of Faith the greatest act of humility as is clear from Rom. 10. 3. where it is called submission they submitted not to the righteousnesse of God Or else it proceedeth from this that we conceive that the commandment of Faith is not of so large extent as other commands and so doth not bind us to the obedience of â—t But know this that it shall be the condemnation of the world that they have not believed on the Name of the Son of God And no doubt but it is Sathans great design and cardinall project to keep us back from obedience to the commandement of Faith and that we should not listen to the precious promises of this everlasting Gospel but should reject the counsel of God against our selves and refuse his precious and divine call The second previous consideration that we would give shall bee to show you what are the causes that there is so much disputing of our interest and so little beleiving that we are unstable as water marring our own excellency spending so much of our time in walking under a cloud and are so seldom admitted to read our names iâ— these precious and eternall records of heaven No doubt these things have influence upon it viz. 1. That we are more judging of God by his dispensations then by Hiâ— word supposing ever the change of his dispensations to speak forth the change of ouâ— state This is misbeliefs divinity that wheâ— sense cannot read love in his face but he appeareth to frown and to cast a cloud oveâ— it then it is presumption saith sense tâ— read love in his heart or in his word Buâ— know it was a self denying practice of Believing Iob to cry out Though he shoulâ— kill me I will believe in him Thereforâ— make not dispensations your Bible other wise ye will stumble at the noon-ride of thâ— day and shall halt in your way Knew yâ— never what such a thing as this meaned to ascend in overcoming thoughts of his love notwithstanding any thing that his dispensations might preach We conceive that if the eyes of our faith were opened we might see infinite love engraven on the darkest acts and most dismal-like dispensations of his to us though it bee oftentimes written in dark and â—im characters of sense 2 There is this likewise which hath inâ—â—uence upon our so much disputing and misbelieving viz. a guilty conscience and the â—ntertainment of some predominant lust which oftentimes occasioneth our walking in darknesse and having no light This is â—lear from 1 Tim. 1. 19. where that precious â—ewel of Faith can bee holden in no other place but in a pure conscience that is that â—oyal palace wherein it must dwell And â—o doubt if once wee make shipwrack of a â—ood conscience wee will erre concerning our â—aith A bosome idol when it is intertained â—oth exceedingly mar the vigorous exercise â—f these graces which are evidences of our faith And certainly grace rather in its â—egrees than in its sincerity or simple being onely is that which giveth the clear evidence of Faith Therefore when we find not love â—â— its high and eminent actings wee hardly win to make it any clearly concluding demonstration of our Faith 3. As likewise a bosome idol when it is â—ntertained maketh use to lose much of our â—igh esteem and reputation of Jesus Christ which
doth exceedingly interrupt the sweet and precious actings of Faith For it is certain that if once the immortal soul be united to Jesus Christ by the bond of love and respect then our Faith will increase with the increase of God Our intertainment of a bosom idol is ordinarily punished with the want of the sensible intimations of his peace and of our interest in him So that sometimes his own are constrained to cry out God hath departed from mee and he answereth mee not neither by dreams nor visions 4. There is that likewise that hath influence upon it our not closing absolutely with Jesus Christ but upon conditions and suppositions We make not an absolute and blank resignation of our selves over unto Christ to hold fast the Covenant notwith standing hee should dispense both bitter and sad things to us But wee conceive that Christs Covenant with believers is like thaâ— Covenant that God made with Noah thaâ— there should bee summer and winter seedâ— time and harvest night and day unto Christian. A Christian must have his nighâ— as well as his day hee must once sowe iâ—â— tears before hee reap in joy and hee musâ— once go forth bearing his precious seed bâ—fore hee can return bearing his sheaves in hiâ— bosome and that this hath influence upoâ— our instability may bee seen from this Thâ—â— often a Christian after his first closing witâ— Christ hee meeteth with desertion in poiâ—â— of tendernesse in point of joy and in poiâ—â— of strength so that his corruptions seeâ— now to be awaked more then formerly thâ— hee wants those seeming injoyments of him which formerly he had And that much of â—is softnesse of heart hath now evanished which is clear somewhat from Heb. 10. 32. That after they were enlightened they ondured great fight of afflictions For the word that â—â— there rendered afflictions signifieth inward â—roubles through the motions of sinne as well as outward afflictions Gal. 5. 24. And God useth to dispense this way to his own â—ot only to take trial of the sincerity of our â—losing with him but to make our faith â—ore stedfast and sure And no doubt if we â—ose not absolutely with Christ when â—nder these temptations and trials we will â—eject our confidence as a delusion and supâ—ose it to bee but a morning dream thereâ—ore it were a noble and divine practice of a â—hristian to close with Christ without reâ—ervation seeing hee doth dispence nothing â—â—t that which may tend to our advantage â—nd we would say to such as are under these â—emptations that if yee endeavour to resist â—â—em it is the most compendious and excelâ—â—nt way to make your hearts which now â—â—e dying as a stone to bee as a watered Garâ—â—n and as springs of water whose waters fail â—â—t and to make you strong as a Lion so that 〈◊〉 temptation can rouse you up but you all bee enabled to tread upon the high places the earth and to sing songs of triumph over â—â—ur Idols 5. There is this likewise which hath inâ—â—ence on it or building of our faith more â—â—on sense then upon Christ or his Word and therefore it is that Faith is so unconstant and changeable as the Moon we not knowing what such a thing meaneth To hope against hope and to bee strong in faith giving glory to God And we would onely say unto you that erect your confidence upon so sandy a foundation that when the storm and wind of tentation shall blow That house shall fall to the ground As likewise building of your faith upon sense doth abate much of your joy and much of your precious esteem of Jesus Christ it being faith exercising it self upon an invisible object that maketh the Christian to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Peâ— 1. 8. 6. There is this last that hath influence upon it even our sloathfulnesse in the exercise of our spiritual duties by which Faith should bee entertained Faith is a tender grace and a plant that must not be ruffled buâ— nourished through the sap of other precious graces but wee grow remisse in ouâ— spiritual duties and do turn our selves upoâ— the bed of security as the door upon thâ— hinges And doth not our drowsinesse cloath us with rags and make us fall into a deep sleep while as if wee were diligent Oâ— souls should bee made fat and rich Yea slothfulnesse doth not only impede assurancâ— in this that it hindereth the divine communications of his love and respect by which assurance may bee keeped in life Cant. 5. 2 But also it maketh our poverty come on us an armed man and our want as one that travelleth And withall it letteth loose thâ— chain by which our corruptions are tyed and maketh them to lift up their head by which our assurance is much darkned and impared and our hope is much converted into diffidence and dispair And we would only say this it is the diligent Christian that is the believing Christian and it is the believing Christian that is the diligent Christian there being such a sweet reciprocation betwixt these two precious graces that they die and live together Now thirdly we shall shut up our discourse with this in pointing out a little what are those things that do obstruct a Christians closing with Christ and believing in his precious Name I. We conceive that this wofull evil doth â—pring and rise from that fundamentall ignoâ—ance of this truth that there is a God as â—â— clear from Heb. 11. 6. where that is reâ—uired as a qualification of a Comet That he â—hould believe that God is And assuredly â—ill once this precious truth be imprinted â—pon our souls as with a pen of iron and â—oint of a diamond we will look upon the â—ospel as an Uâ—opian fancy and a deluding â—otion to teach unstable souls who know â—ot the way to attain unto real blessednesse â—nd truly it is a fault in many that they â—egin to dispute their being in Christ before â—hey know there is a Christ and to dispute â—heir interest in him before they believe his â—eing and that there is such a one as is calâ—â—d Christ. II. Our coming unto Christ is obstructed from the want of the real and spiritual convictions of our desperate and lost estate without Jesus Christ and that our unspeakable misery is the want of him which is clear from Ier. 2. 31. We are Lords we will come no more to thee And it is evident from Rev. 3. 16 18. That such a delusion as this doth overtake many that they can reign as Kings without Jesus Christ and that they can build their happinesse and establish their eternal felicity upon another foundation But O that we could once win to this to believe what we are without Christ and to believe what we shall be in the enjoyment of him with the one eye to descend and look upon these deep draughts that the mystery of iniquity hath imprinted upon your immortal souls and withall to reflect upon the wages
of sin which is death and be constrained to cry out Wo is me for I am undone And with the other eye to ascend and look to that help that is laid upon One that iâ— mighty and to make use of the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour that so what we want in our selves we may get it abundantly made up in him III. There is this likewise that obstructeth our closing with Christ our too much addictednesse to the pleasures and carnal delights of a passing world which is cleaâ— from Luk. 14. 18 19 20 21 22. Matth. 22 5 6. where these that were invited to comâ— to the feast of this Gospel they do makâ— their apologie and with one consent do refuse it some pretending an impossibility tâ— come and some pretending an unavoidable inconveniency in coming And O! What a rediculous thing is that poor complement that these deluded sinners used to Christ I pray you have us excused And is it not the world the great plea and argoment that they make use of When they will not come and make use of Christ IV. There is this lastly which doth obstruct ones coming to Christ their unwillingness to be denyed to their own righteousness Which is clear from Rom. 10. 23. And wee conceive if once these two were believed which are the great Tropicks out of which all these arguments may be brought to perswade you to imbrace Christ to wit the infinite excellency of His person on whom we are to believe and the infinite losse that these do sustain who shall be eternally rejected of him We might be persuaded to entertain a divine abstractednesse and holy retirement from all things that are here below and to pitch our desires alone upon him who is the everlasting wonder of Angels and the glory of the higher House O did we once suppose the unspeakable happinesse of these whose Faith is now advanced unto everlasting felicity and fruition and hath entered into that eternal possession of the promises might we not he constrained to cry out It is good for us once to be there Christ weepeth to us in the Law but we do not lament and he pypeth to us in the Gospel but we do not dance He is willing to draw us with the cords of men and with the bonds of love and yet we will not have him to reign over us May not Angels laugh at our folly that wee should so undervalue this Prince of love and should contemn him who is holden in so high esteem and reverence in these two great Assemblies that are above of Angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect Christ hath now given us the first and second Summonds the day is approaching when the sad and wofull summonds shall be sent against us of departing from him into these everlasting flames out of which there is no redemption and this shall be the capestone of our misery that we had once life in offer but did refuse it And though there were four gates standing open toward the north by which we might have entered into that everlasting rest yet we choosed rather to walk in the paths that lead down to death and take hold of the chambers of hell O but there are many that think the Gospel cunningly devised fables and foolishnesse they being unwilling to believe that which sense cannot comprehend nor reason reach and this is the reason why the Gospel is not imbraced but is rejected as a humane invention and as a morning dream c. SERMON II. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are three great and cardinall mysteries in the unfolding of which all a Christians time ought to be spent First There is that precious and everlasting mystery of Christs love and condiscendency which those intellectual spirits the Angels are not able fully to comprehend Secondly There is that woefull mystery of the desperate deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of the heart which no man was ever yet able fully to fathom and comprehend And thirdly there is that precious mystery of that eternal felicity and blessednesse that is purchased unto the Saints that once they shall reign with Christ not a thousand years only but throughout all the ages of everlasting and endless eternity so that there is this difference betwixt the Garden of everlasting delights that Christ hath purchased to the Saints and that first Paradise and Eden wherein man was placed There was a secret gate in the first thorow which a man that had once entered in might go out again But in this second and precious Eden there is no accesse for going out And all that is to be known of these three mysteries is much comprehended in this to know that they cannot fully be known Paul was a blessed proficient in the study of the first mystery and had almost attained to the highest Classe of knowledge and yet he is constrained to professe himself to bee ignorant of this Hence is that word Eph. 3. 19. That ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge And is it not a mysterious command to desire people to know that which cannot be known The meaning whereof we conceive to be this in part that Paul pressed this upon them that they should study to know that this mystery of Christs love could not be known Ieremiah was a blessed proficient in the knowledge and study of the second mystery he had some morning and twilight discoveries of that and yet though in some measure he had fat homed that deep yet he is constrained to cry out chap. 17. vers 9. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And indeed that which Solomon saith of Kings Prov. 25. 3. may well be said of all men in this respect The heavens for heighth and the earth for depth and the heart of man is unsearchable The Apostle Paul also was a blessed proficient in the study of the third mystery having some morning and twilight discoveries of that promised rest and was once caught up to the third heavens and yet when he is beginning to speak of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. he declareth all men to be ignorant of the knowledge of this profound mystery of mans blessednesse and cryeth out Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And if there bee any thing further to bee known of these mysteries the grace of Faith is found worthy among all the graces of the Spirit To open the seven seals of these great deeps of God Is not the grace of Faith that whereby a Christian doth take up the invisible excellency and vertue of a dying Christ Is not Faith that precious grace by which a Christian must take up the sports and blemishes that are within himself And is not the grace of Faith that precious grace that
that can be the foundation of our â—ustification else it were to confound that precious decreet of free grace 2. There is this that we would have you all knowing That Faith is not the instrument of Justification as Justification is taken in an active sense though it is the instrument of Justification as it is taken in a passive sense and the ground of this conclusion is this because it is impossible that any action in man can be an instrument of any action in God And therefore that phrase that you have so ordinarily spoken of That Faith justifieth it is thus to be resolved That we are justified by Faith 3. There is this that we would have you knowing that betwixt a Christians closing by Faith with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and the justification of a sinner I say there is no natural and indispensible connexion betwixt these two but onely there is a connexion of divine appointment and of free grace though we conceive there is a natural aptitude in the grace of Faith to lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ more then there is in any other grace of the Spirit as ye may see there is a more natural aptitude and fitnesse in the hand to receive then in any other organ of the body 4. There is this also that we would have you knowing that a Christian in his first closing with Christ Christ considered as crucified is the immediate object of his Faith and not Christ considered in his personal excellencies Hence it is often in Scripture that Christ as crucified is holden forth as the immediate object of justifying Faith as is clear Rom. 3. 5 24 25. And the ground of this assertion is this because that it is the formall object of justifying Faith which doth formally justifie the sinneâ— and on which Faith doth immediately lay hold as a ransome to satisfie justice and as a righteousnesse in which the soul dare venture to be found when it shall stand before the Judgement seat of God And certainly this is Christ as obedient to the death of the crosse And it is likewise clear that the thing which doth engage the soul to Christ is not onely because he is good in himself but because he is good to us 5. And there is this lastly that we would have you knowing That though faith doth alone justifie yet Faith doth not justifie being alone Hence is that which we have so often in Schooles Fides justificat solum licet non solitariè that Faith justifieth alone though not being alone as Iames doth speak Faith without works is dead and is of no effect Now that which secondly we shall speak to shall be this To point out to you some differences betwixt justifying Faith which is in a real Believer and temporary Faith which is in an Hypocrite and one that is destitute of that everlasting hope though he do pretend to have it And first That there is such a thing as temporary Faith is clear from Luk. 8. 13. It is said there of some That they believed for a season yea in Acts 8. 13. It is said of Simon Magus who was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity he believed And these in Ioh 2. 23. When they did behold the miracles they believed on Iesus Christ and yet we conceive that their faith was not sincere and so this was not saving Faith And indeed ye may see a difference betwixt these two in the very name temporary for this is such a Faith as doth not continue long with him that hath it but doth evanish and passe away for as this is certain that an hypocrite will not always call upon God Iob 27. 10. So that is also certain that a hypocrite will not alwayes believe in God I tell you that the longest time a hypocrite doth keep his Faith Iob hath set down in his 18. Chap. vers 14. Their hope saith he shall bring them to the king of terrours and then it shall be rooted out of them and their tabernacle their faith will bring them no further then the gates of death and then their faith will flee away as a dream and evanish as a vision of the night II. There is this difference likewise betwixt them That temporary Faith it closeth with Christ as a Saviour and for righteousnesse but it closeth not with Christ as a Prince and for Sanctification but justifying Faith taketh Christ as well for a Prince as it taketh him for a Saviour and if Solomon did discern who was the true Mother of the childe by that that she who would have the childe divided was not the mother of the childe so we may say that they who would divide Christ in his Offices it is an evidence that they are not among these who are actually made partakers of the Adoption of children there is somewhat of this pointed at in Ioh. 6. 66. where that which made many who were his disciples and did once believe desert him was because of the hardnesse of his command This is an hard saying who can hear it And it is certain that it is a greater difficulty for a Christian to take Christ as a Prince then as a Saviour for by that he must make an absolute resignation of himself over to Chrrst never to be reduced O when saw you such a sight of Christ that ye were constrained to cry our without a complement to him Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant O were ye never ravished with one of his eyes nor overtaken with one chain of his neck Believe me they who see him thus do believe that His commands are not grievous III. There is this difference that temporary Faith is attained unto without the exercise of the Law but justifying Faith is not attained to without some measure of the exercise of the Law this is clear Mark 4. 5. where speaking of these temporary believers it is said of them that the fruit did immediately spring up c. Are there not some it may be here who think they do believe and yet were never in any measure trembling under the discovering condemning power of the Law Is not that a mystery that one should bring forth without travelling And is not this a mystery in Christianity that one should believe before he hath found the paâ—gs of the New birth I am afraid of this that many of us have taken up our Religion at our foot for there are many who take up Religion before Religion take them up But would ye know the properties of a Christians Faith It is a begotten Faith 1 Pet. 1. 2. and not a Faith that is taken up at our pleasure And I would only say these two things to you be perswaded of this that hypocrisie may be spun with a veâ—p small threed so that the most discerning Christian cannot take up that desperate enmity that is in them How long did Iudas luâ—k under the name of a Saint even with these that
bond and yoke of our iniquities and hath given to us that unweariable easie and portable yoke of his Commandements among which this is â—ne That wee should believe on him Spotlesse Christ was made sin for us that sinful we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him And is not this the condemnation of the world that we will not believe in him that wee will not delight ourselves in loving of Him And I would say this to you that though you should weep the one half of your dayes and pray the other half yet if ye want this noble grace of Faith Your righteâ—usnesse shall be but like a menstruous cloath and filthy rags before him for what is prayâ—ng without believing but a taking of His â—lessed Name in vain What is our conferâ—ing upon the most divine and precious Truths of God without believing Is it not â— lying to the holy Ghost and a flattering of God with our mouth And we would have you knowing this that there is a sweet harmony that is now madeup betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law bringeth us to Christ as a Saviour and Christ bringeth us back again â—o the Law to be a rule of our walk to which we must subject our selves So then would ye know the compend of a Christianâ— walk It is a sweet travelling betwixt mount Sinai and mount Sion betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel And we conceive that the more deep that the exercise of the Law be in a Christians conscience before his closing with Christ there is so much the more precious and excellent advantages waiting for him I. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it is the way to win to much establishment in the Faith when once we begin to close with Christ. O Christians would ye know that which maketh the superstructure and building of grace to be within you as a bowing wall and as a tottering fence So that oftentimes yâ— are in hazard to raze the foundation it is this Yee were not under the exercise of the Law before your believing in Jesus Christ. There are some who do not abide three dayes at mount Sinai and these shall not dwelâ— many dayes at mount Sion II. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law it maketh Christ precious to a mans soul. What is that which filleth the soul of a Christianâ— with many high and excellent thoughts of Christ Is it not this to have the Law registrating our Band and putting us as we use to speak to the horn that is to have the Law cursing us and using the sentence of condemnation against us That which maketh us have such low and undervaluing thoughts of precious Christ is because the most part of us are not acquainted with the deep and serious exercise of the Law that is a mystery to the most part of Christians practice Ye know that there were four streams which went out from the Paradise of God into which man was first placed And so we may say that there are four golden streams by which lost and destroyed man is brought back again to this Eden and Paradise of everlasting delights First there is the precious stream of Christs righteousnesse by which we must be justified And secondly There is that stream of his Sanctification by which we must be purified Thirdly There is that stream of the Wisedom of Christ by which we must be conducted through this wildernesse wherein we have lost our way And fourthly There is that stream of Christs Redemption by which we must be delivered from the power of our enemies and must turn the Battel in the gate It is by the Redemption of Christ that we shall once sing that triumphant song O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory O but all these streams will be sweat and refreshing to a soul that is hotly pursued by the Law So long as we see not the uglinesse of our leprosie in the glasse of the Law we have our own Abana and Parphar that we think may do our turn but when once our case is truly laid open to us then will we be content to wash our selves in Iordan seven times III. There is this advantage that waiteth on the deep exercise of the Law that it maketh a Christian live constantly under the impression of the sinfulnesse of sin What is it that maketh sin exceeding sinfull to a Christian Is it not this He hath been fourty dayes in Moses School And we conceive that the ground why such fools as we make a mock of sin is because we know not what it is to be under the power of his wrath and the apprehensions of the indignation of God But now to come to that which we intend to speak of We told you at the first occasion that we spake upon these words that there were many excellent things concerning the grace of Faith holden forth in them The first thing which was holden forth concerning this radicall grace of Faith was the infinite advantage that redoundeth to a Christian through the exercise of Faith and giving obedience to this command which we cleared to be holden forth not onely from the scope but also from the nature of this command And now to speak a little to the point we shall propose these considerations that may abundantly shew how advantagious â— thing this excellent grace of Faith is I. The first Consideration that speaketh it is this That Faith maketh Christ precious to a soul according to that word 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you that believe Christ is precious And we would have you knowing this that Faith maketh Christ more precious to a soul nor sense or any other thing can make him And first Faith maketh Christ more precious nor sense because the estimation which the grace of Faith hath of Christ it is builded upon the excellency of his Person but the estimation of sense it is builded upon the excellency of his actings so that because he is such to them therefore they love and esteem him But that Heroick grace of Faith it taketh up the excellency of Christs person and that maketh him precious to them Secondly Faith makes Christ more precious then sense because sense looketh to that love which Christ manifesteth in his Face and in his Hands and in his Feet but Faith looketh to that love which is in his heart Sense will cry forth Who is like to thee whose countenance is like Lebanon excellent as the Cedar whose hands are as gold rings set with Beryl and whose legs are like pillars of Marble set in sokets of Gold Sense will look to the smylings of Christ and will wonder it will look to his dispensations and actings and will be constrained to cry out Who is like unto thee But the grace of Faith solaceth it self in the Fountain from whence all these springs and sweet inundations of
love do flow Thirdly Faith maketh Christ more precious then Sense because Faith looketh not only to what Christ is presently but unto what Christ is from eternity before time and what Christ shall be unto eternity after time But sense onely doth look to what Christ is presently And ye must conceive that the sweet travelling of Faith betwixt infinite love from eternity before and infinite love unto eternity after must make Faith to fall in a sea of wondering and raiseth the thoughts to the highest pitoâ— of desire and estimation Fourthly We may likewise adde that the impression of the preciousnesse of Christ which sense maketh upon the soul it is not so constant not so single as that which faith doth make O but the grace of Faith giveth the Christian a broad look of Christ and letteth him see Christ cloathed with ornaments of Glory and divine Majesty Sense followeth Christ rather that it might see his Miracles and Love that it may be fed with Loaves but Faith follows Christ for himself above all II. The second consideration to speak the advantage of it is that the grace of Faith it hath as it were an arbitrary power with God so that whatsoever a Christian shall seek in Faith hee shall receive it It is the noble gift that was once given to Faith that it should never seek any thing and bee denyed according to that word in Matth. 21. 22. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive it And that word in Joh. 15. 7. Abide in me that is believe and the promise is annexed to this whatsoever ye shall ask yee shall receive And it is clear likewise from the preceeding verse to our Text that if we obey this command of Faith Whatsoever we shall ask of God we shal receive it And I would speak these two things to you from this First That oftentimes Christ putteth a blank in a Christians hand who is much in the exercise of Faith according to that in Matth. 20. 32. Is there not an ample blank put into that mans hand What wilt thou that I should do unto thee Christ desireth him to fill up that blank with what he would And secondly There is this which is one of the greatest steps of Christs matchlesse condescendency that oftentimes when his own have sought in their presumption a blank to be put in their hand Christ condescendeth to give it according to that strange passage in Mark 10. 35 36. The two disciples who present this desire to Christ We desire say they That whatsoever we ask thou shall give it unto us and presently that is answered What will ye that I should do for you Christ hath an infinite good will to satisfie the desires of his own and that which yet more speaketh out Christs boundlesse good will to satisfie the desires of all that belong to him It may be cleared in that word Ioh. 16. 24. Where he chargeth his Disciples with this Hitherto saith he have ye asked me nothing ye must not suppose that Peter Iames and Iohn never sought a suiâ— of Christ but the meaning of that expression is this ye sought nothing in comparison of that which I was willing to give and which your necessity did call for at my hands which ye should have sought III. There is this third consideration to point out the advantage of Faith It is that grace that keepeth all the graces of the spirit in life and exercise Faith is that higher wheel at the motion of which all the lower wheels do move If so wee may speak Faith is that Primum mobile that first moves and turns about all these lower graces of the Spirit according to that 2 Pet. 1. 5. Adde to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience and to your patience brotherly kindnesse First The grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Love as is clear Eph. 3 17. where these two Graces are conjoyned As likewise from Rom. 5. 1. compared with verse 5. Being justified by faith Then this effect followeth upon it The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts And so it is certain that Faith keepeth Love in Life Faith being the Spy of the soul and that Intelligencer and precious Messenger it goeth out and bringeth in objects unto Love Faith draweth aside the vail and love sitteth down and solaceth it self in the discoveries of Faith Secondly The grace of Faith likewise it keepeth the grace of Mortification in exercise as is clear not only from Ephes. 6. 6. but from 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith And it is certain that Faith keepeth mortification in exercise and advanceth holinesse not only because of this that Faith is that grace that presenteth to a Christian the absolute purity and spotlesse holinesse of Jesus Christ but also because it maketh them esteem their idols tastlesse as the white of an egge and they become unto them as their sorrowfull meat The best principle of mortification is this the discoveries of the invisible vertues of Jesus Christ. That mortification which aâ—iseth from the lovely discoveries of the excellency of Jesus Christ is most real and abiding as these waters which riseth from the highest springs are not onely constant but likewise most deep and excellent Thirdly Faith likewise hath influence upon mortification as it doth take hold of that infinit strength that is to Christ by which a Christian is inabled to moâ—â—ifie his corruptions Fourthly Faith likewise maketh application of the bloud of sprinkling by which wee are purified from dead works Fifthly Likewise the grace of Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of Humility as is clear Rom. 3. 27. By what Law saith he is boasting excluded It is not by the Law of Works but by the Law of Faith Sixthly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of joy as is clear Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So that ye see the proper fruit of Faith is joy in the Holy Ghost And certainly did wee believe more wee should rejoyce more Seventhly and lastly Faith keepeth in exercise the grace of hope for it is impossible for hope to bee in lively exercises except Faith once bee exercised which may bee a shame unto you For how can wee hope to attain the thing that is promised except our faith first close with the promise So there is this difference betwixt the grace of Faith and the grace of Hope the grace of Faith closeth with the promises but the grace of Hope it closeth with the thing that is promised IV. There is this fourth Consideration that may speak out the excellency of the grace of Faith It is that grace by which a Christian doth attain to most divine fellowship and constant correspondency with Heaven Would yee have that question resolved and determined What is the best way Not to stir up our beloved nor awake him untill
he please It is this be much in the grace of Faith this is clear from Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith By the exercise of all other graces Christ is but a sojourner That turneth aside to tarry but for a night but by the exercise of this grace he cometh to take up house with us I will tell you what faith is It is a ladder that reacheth betwixt heaven and earth by the steps of which a Christian doth daily go up to heaven and converse with the higher House Faith is that grace as the Apostle speaketh by which wee have accesse to the Throne of his grace Faith ushers in the Believer to the Throne and without it hee cannot have accesse there nor joy when he is there V. Here is this advantage that attendeth the exercise of Faith A believing Christian is a praying Christian according to that word in Mark 9. 24. where these two are conjoyned together Lord I believe and then hee falleth to his prayer presently after that confession Help thou my unbelief And it is clear from Psal. 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee And sometimes Faith is a most impatient grace but we may alwayes say of it that it is a most diligent grace Oh is it not the neglect of this precious exercise of faith and of the duty of secret Prayer that makes our leannesse testisie to our Face and maketh our souls as a barren wildernesse I am perswaded of this that since Christ had any followers and since ever this everlasting Goâ—pel was preached in Paradise the exercise of secret prayer was never so much neglected Wee have turned over all our prayers into complements with God We know not what â—t is to rise at mid-night and call upon God and to inquire after our Maker under the silent watches of the night O but it is a sweet diâ—ersion from sleep to retire our selves in the â—ilent seasons of the night from all thoughts â—bout worldly matters and to converse with â—hat invisible Majesty VI. There is this sixth consideration to â—oint out the advantage of Faith That Faith â—s that grace that doth facilitate a Christians obedience and maketh it most pleasant and â—asie This is clear from Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham when commanded to go to a strange land obeyed and went out not knowing whether â—e went The word may be rendered He did â—hearfully obey And ver 17. By faith he ofâ—ered up his only Son Would ye know the reaâ—on why his commands are your burden and why his precepts are your crosses It is beâ—ause of this Yee do not believe And so it is most certain that it is impossible for a Chriâ—tian to attain to a pleasant way of obedience â—ithout the exercise of Faith Faith holdeth â—p the Crown to a Christian and this crown â—aketh him to obey Faith gathereth strength â—rom Christ and that strength maketh obeâ—ience very easie Faith â—aketh up the excellency of Christ and this maketh a Christian to look upon his duty more as his dignity then his duty And we are perswaded of this that our chariot wheel should move more swiftly like the chariots of Aminadab if we were more in the exercise of the grace of Faith Would ye know an answer to that question What is the first most requisit for a Christian while here below Faith And what secondly is most requisit Faith And what thirdly is most requisit for a Christian even Faith Faith above all things and above all things Faith VII There is another advantage of it that by Faith our service and prayers are accepted of God Would ye know what is the prayer of a Christian that is not in Faith Iâ— is a smoak in his nostrils and a fire that burneth all the day The unbelievers sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord. This is clear from Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered up unto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain and we conceive that there are many unanswered prayers which we do put up because we want that noble exercise of Faith VIII And lastly we shall likewise addâ— this that Faith is the graâ—e by which a Christian hath that perfect and immediate sight as it were of great things that are promised to him Faith bringeth a Christian withiâ— sight of Heaven and Faith bringeth a Christian within sight of God according to thaâ— word Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence â— things not seen and that noble paâ—adox thâ—â— is said of Faith Heb. 11. 27 By faith Mosâ—â— saw him that is invisible Is it not an impossible thing to see that which cannot be seen But the meaning of it is this That Faiths discoveries of God are as certain and sure as the discoveries of our bodily eyes are Faith is an intelligent grace yea it is a most sure and infallible grace What will Faith not do And what can yee do who want Faith Now to enforce the advantages and excellencies of Faith a little more wee shall propose to you the disadvantages of that wofull sin of unbelief I. There is this disadvantage of the sin of unbelief that all the actions that proceed from an unbeliever they are impure and defiled according to that in Tit. 1. 15. But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Their prayer is unclean yea as Solomon speaketh their plowing is sin yea their going about the most excellent duties for matter is an abomination to God according to that word Rom. 14. 23. What ever is not of faith is sin So the want of Faith is the great polluter of all our actions and of all our performances II. There is this second disadvantage of misbelief that it is impossible for one in the exercise of unbelief to moâ—tifie a lust or idol and wee may allude unto these words in Matth. 17. 20. When his disciples came to him and asked this question Why could wee not cast out this devil That was given as an answer because of your unbelief Unbelief is that which taketh up arms for our idols and doth most strongly defend them for there is nothing that will kill corruption so much as the exercise of faith and when that is laid aside we have laid by our weapons and have in a manner concluded â— treaty of peace with our idols that we shall not offend them if they offend not us III. There is this disadvantage that waiteth upon the sin of unbelief that such an one cannot win nor attain to the grace of establishment but is alwayes as the waves of the sea tossed to and fro untill once hee win to the exercise of Faith as is clear from Isa. 7. 9 Except ye believe ye shall not be established IV. There is this disadvantage that waiteth on it it is the mother of hardnesse and stupidity of heart according to that word in Mark 16. 14. Where he
upbraideth then because of their unbelief and then that danger followeth to wit hardnesse of heart this is clear also from Act. 19. 9. Where these two sister devils are conjoyned and locked together unbelief and hardnesse of heart because it is unbelief indeed that hindereth all the graces by which the grace of tendernesse must be maintained V. There is this disadvantage in the sin of unbelief that it is big with childe of apostacy from God and of defection from him according to that word Heb. 3. 12. Beware lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and there the fruit of it to depart from the living God And certainly it is no wonder that unbelief travel in birth till that cursed childe of Apostacy be brought forth not onely because of this that an unbelieveâ— loseth the thoughts of the excellency of Christ but also because he increaseth in his thoughts of love towards his idols for Christ doth decrease in those who misbelieve and their idols do increase in their love and in their desires and in their estimation VI. There is this sixth disadvantage in the sin of unbelief it hindereth the communication of many signall workings and tokens of the love and favour of the most High according to that sad word that is in Mat. 13. 58. at the close He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief Unbelief as it were laid a restraint on Christ that he could not effectuaâ—e these things which he was willing to perform And to shut up our discourse at this time I would only adde these two aggravations which may somewhat enforce what we have spoken I say there are these two aggravations in the sin of unbelief even in his own who have a right and also his call to believe 1. That after Christ hath given most sensible discoveries of himself Wherein yee have seen him as it were face to face yet wee will not believe this is clear from Ioh. 6. 36. Though ye have seen me saith Christ yet yee do not believe in me There is not a manifestation of Christs presence but it is a witnesse against you because of your unbelief Would ye heat the voice of sense that is rectified It is this believe on the Son of God Secondly That notwithstanding of the signal demonstrations of the power of Christ yet though it were the mortifying of some lust and idol within them yet they will not believe but upon new temptations will doubt of his love to them Christ preacheth faith by his Word He preacheth faith by His fufferings He preacheth faith by his dispensations He preacheth faith by his promises he preacheth faith by his rods and if these five instruments will not ingage your hearts to believe what can move them Do not his two wounds in his precious hands preach out this point of Faith believe him Doth not that hole opened in his side preach this Doctrine That we should believe in him And these two wounds that he received in his precious feet do they not preach this That we should believe on a crucified Saviour And we would only say this that sometime it is the case of his own that after the convictions of this that it is their duty to believe and also after some desires to close with Christ yet they find inability to close with him Is it not certain that to will to believe is sometime present with you but how to perform ye know not And I would have a Christian making this foursold use of such a dispensation as that which is most ordinarily when convictions of our duty to believe and some desires to close with Christ is not followed with actual performances 1. To study to have your convictions more deeply rooted within you for it doth sometimes follow that resolutions and minâ—s to believe are not blest with actual believing because the conviction of our duty to believe is not deeply imprinted upon your conscience 2. Be convinced of that desperate enimity and that mystery of iniquity that is within you that yee can have some will to do without ability to perform Wee confesse it is not an ordinary disease in these days to have such a contrariety betwixt a Christians will and his practice our will for the most part being no better then our practice But sometime it is which may make you cry forth O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 3. That ye would be much in the imploying of Christ that as hee hath given you to will so also hee might make you to do Christ is about to convince his own in such a dispensation as that That faith is the gift of God Faith is so noble a grace that it cannot be spinned out from our resolutions nor from our endeavours Faith is such a divine plant as the Fathers right hand must plant in our souls 4. Let it convince you of the excellency of the grace of Faith for the difficulty of attaining to any thing may speak out the excellency of that thing there is no sin but it may be easily win at There is an easinesse and facility to overtake the paths of our idols but the graces of the Spirit are so excellent things that wee must fight before we attain them And you who are strangers to Christ Iesus and have never known what â—t is to close with him wee would request you in Christs Name to be reconciled to him What know ye O men or rather Atheists but this shall bee the last summonds that yee shall get to believe And that because yee disobey this precious summonds there shall be one presented to you that yee cannot sit I remember of one man who looking upon many thousands that were under his command weeped over them when he considered how that within a few years all these should be laid in their graves and should be in eternity O but it were much of our concernment to bee trying our selves how it is with us We are not afraid that it is a breach of charity to wish that but one of each ten that are within these doors were heirs of the grace of life and had the solide and spiritual expectation of heaven I think if Christ were to come presently to speak to us hee might not onely say to each twelve that are here One of you shall betray me but wee are afraid that hee would say to each twelve that are here Eleven of you shall betray mee and but one only shall passe free O doth it not concern you to enquire where ye shall rest at night when the long shadows of the everlasting evening shall be stretched out upon you I think there are some that are so settled upon their lies that if they were one day in hell and saw all the torments that are there and were brought from it the next day to live on earth they would not repent And more there are some that take them up
precious excelâ—ency of this grace of Faith and we shall only â—peak to these things I. The first thing that speaketh out the â—xcellency of Faith is this it exerciseth it â—elf upon a most noble Object to wit Jesus Christ Faith and love being the two arms â—f the immortal soul by which we do imâ—race a crucified Saviour which is often â—ointed at in Scripture and we shall point â—t these three principall acts of Faith which â—t exerciseth on Jesus Christ as the Object fit 1. The first is to make up an Union beâ—wixt Christ and the Believer Faith being â—ndeed an uniting grace and that which â—nitteth the members to the head and to â—ake this more fully appear we would point â—ut a little what sweet harmony and corâ—espondency there is betwixt these two sister graces to wit faith and love Faith iâ— that nail which fasteneth the soul to Chriâ—â— and love is that grace which driveth that naiâ— to the head Faith at first taketh but a tender grip of Christ and then love cometh iâ— and maketh the soul take a more sure grip oâ— him Secondly Ye may see that harmonâ— in this Faith is that grace which takeâ— hold as it were of the garments of Chrisâ— and of his words but love that ambitioâ—â— grace it taketh hold of the heart of Chrisâ— and as it were his heart doth melt in thâ— hand of love Thirdly It may be seen iâ— this Faith is that grace which draweth thâ— first draught of the likenesse and image Christ upon a soul but that accomplishinâ— grace of love it doth compleat these fiâ—… draughts and these imperfect lineaments 〈◊〉 Christs Image which were first drawn on thâ— soul. Fourthly By faith and love the heaâ—â— of Christ and of the Believer are so uniteâ— that they are no more two but one Spirit 2. There is this second act that Faith 〈◊〉 exciseth on Christ and it is in discovering tâ—â— matchlesse excellencies and the transceâ—dent properties of Jesus Christ O whâ—â— large and precious commentaries doth faiâ—â— make upon Christ It is indeed that faith â—â—spy which doth alwayes bring up a goâ—â— report of him Hence it is that faith is câ—â—led understanding Colos. 2. 2. Because it â—â— that grace which revealeth much of the prâ—cious truth of that noble Object 3. And there is this third noble act 〈◊〉 Faith exercising it self upon Christ 〈◊〉 maketh Christ precious to the soul accorâ—ing to that word 1 Pet. 2. 7. Unto you which â—elieve hee is precious And if there were â—o other thing to speak forth its worth but â—â—at it is more then sufficient for no doubt â—â—is is the exercise of the higher House to be â—welling on the contemplation of Christs â—eauty and to have their â—ouls transported â—ith love towards him and with joy in â—im Reason and amazement are seldome â—ompanions but here they do sweetly joyn â—ogether First a Christian loveth Christ â—ecause of Christs actings and then hee loâ—eth all these actings because they come from Christ. II. Now secondly this pointeth out the â—recious excellency of the grace of Faith it â—â— that grace which is most mysterious and â—ublime in its actings it hath a more divine â—nd sublime way of acting then any other â—race Hence it called The mystery of faith â—hich speaketh this that the actings of â—aith are mysteries to the most part of the world and I shall only point at these things which may speak out the mysterious actings â—f the grace of Faith 1. Faith can believe and fix it self on a word of promise although sense reason and â—robability seem to contradict the accomâ—lishment of that promise Faith it walketh â—ot by the low dictates of sense and reason â—ut by a higher rule to wit The sure word â—f prophecie which is clear from Rom. 4. 19. â—here Abraham believed the promise notwithâ—anding that sense reason seemed to contradict it Hee considered not the deadnesse of his own body neither the barrennesse of Sarahs womb but was strong in the faith giving glory to God As it is clear from Heb. 11. 29 34. Where Faith believed their passing through the red sea as through dry ground which waâ— most contrary to sense and reason Faith believed the falling down of the walls of Iericho by the blowing of rams horns Which thingâ— are most impossible to sense and reason for sense will oftentimes cry out All men are â—iars And reason will say How can such a thing be And yet that Heroick grace of Faith cryeth out Hath he spoken it He will also do it Hath he said it Then it shall come to passe 2. Faith can believe a word of promise notwithstanding that the dispensations of God seem to contradict it as was clear in Iob who professed Hee would trust in God though he should kill him And no doubt but this was the practice of believing Iacob hee trusted that that promise should bee accomplished That the elder should serve the younger though all the dispensations of God which he did meet with seemed to say that promise should not be accomplished 3. Faith can believe a word of promise even when the Commands of God seem to contradict the accomplishment of that promise This is clear in that singular instance of Abrahams faith that notwithstanding hee was commanded to kill his promised seed upon whom he did depend the accomplishment of the promises yet hee believed that â—e promises should bee performed And â—â—ough there were indeed extraordinary and â—range trials of his faith as he had natural â—ffections to wrestle with yet over the belâ— of all these believing Abraham he giveth â—aith to the promise and bringeth his Isaac â—o the Altar though hee did receive him â—ack again this is clear from Heb. 11. 17 â—8 19. 4. Faith can exercise it self upon the promise notwithstanding that challenges and convictions of worthinesse and guilt do wait on the Christian This is clear 2 Sam. 23. 5. That although his house was not so with God as did become yet he believed the promise As â—ikewise it is clear from Psal. 65. 3. Iniquiâ—ies prevail against mee and yet that doth not interupt his Faith but he saith As for our â—â—â—â—gressions thou shalt purge them away And â—ertainly iâ— were a noble and precious act of Faith to believe notwithstanding of unâ—nswerable challenges of guilt the best way â—oth to crucifie our Idols and to answer â—hese challenges is believing And hoping aâ—ainst hope and closing with Christ This is most clear from Isa. 64. 6 7. compared with â—ers 8. where after strange challenges the prophet hath a strange word But now O Lord â—hou art our Father There is an Emphasis in â—he word now for all this Yet thou art now our Father 5. And lastly this pointeth out the mysterious acting of the grace of Faith that it exerciseth it self upon an invisible object even upon Christ not yet seen according to that word 1 Pet. 5. 8. Whom having not seen yet ye love in whom though now ye see
him not yet believing c. I pose the greater part of you who are here whether or not these bee two of the greatest Paradoxes and mysteries unto you For is not this a mystery to love him whom wee never saw Whom having not seen yet ye love To love an absent and unseen Christ is a mystery to the most part of the world and is not this a mystery to believe on him whom we never saw In whom though ye see him not yet believing And I shall adde this that Faith can hold fast its interest with God notwithstanding the most precious Christian should call us hypocrites and not acknowledge us this is clear in the practice of Iob And most clear from that word Isa. 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not III. Thirdly this pointeth out the excellency of the grace of Faith that Faith when it is in exercise is that grace by which a Christian doth atâ—ain unto most sensible enjoyments There is a great question that is much debated among Christians what is the way to win this happy length to bee alwayes under the sweet and refreshing influence of heaven and to have his dew alwayes coming down upon our branches I can give no answer to it but this be much in the exercise of Faith This is clear from that notion and name put upon Faith Isa. 45. 22. It is called a look to Christ which is a most sensible act If yee would know a description of Faith It is this The divine contemplation of the immortal soul upon that divine excellent and precious object Iesus Christ. For God never made Faith a liar and therefore its eve is never off him that is the noble object of Faith Jesus Christ manifested in the Gospel as it is clear Ephes. 1. 13. After ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which preacheth out the excellent enjoyments these had after their closing with Christ who is invisible Our Faith is called a seeing which speaketh out this that Faiths sight of God is as certain as if we did behold him with our eyes as is clear Heb. 11. 27. Moses saw him by Faith who is invisible And we conceive that the ground which maketh the most part of us have such complaints How long wilt thou forget us for ever It is this the want of the Spiritual exercise of Faith and are there not some here who may cry out It is more then thirty dayes since I did behold the King Yea there are some who may go a greater length and cry out I have lived these two years at Ierusalem and yet I have not seen the Kings face Yea there are some here whose complaint may go a little higher and cry forth These three years and six moneths it hath not rained on me but the clouds have been restrained and bound up and the heavens have become brasse And would you know the rise of these complaints it is this ye are not much in the Spiritual exercise of Faith And to you I would only say these two words First It is easier to perswade a reprobate that he is defective in the fear of God and in his love to God then to perswade some such that they are wanting to God in their Faith for they hold fast that peece of desperate iniquity till they die Secondly We would say to these of you who have the valley of Achor for a door of hope and have tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ some of you will be lesse convinced for the neglect of the duty of Faith then for neglect of the duty of Prayer or of the duty of keeping the Sabbath day But I am perswaded of this that if the noble worth of that transcendant object were known we would have a holy impatience untill once we did believe IV. Fourthly This also pointeth out the excellency of the grace of Faith It is that grace by which a Christian is advanced to the highest and most inconceivable pitch of dignity and that is To be the child of the living God As is clear Ioh. 1. 12. To as many as received or believed in him he gave power or prerogative to become the sons of God And certainly that noble prerogative of Adoption is much undervalued by many And I will tell you two grounds whereon the most part of men undervalue that excellent gift of Adoption First They do not take up the infinit highnesse of God and what a one He is otherwise they would cry out with David Seemeth it a small thing in your eyes to bee a son to the King of Kings Secondly We do not take up nor understand these matchlesse Priviledges which are given to them who are once in this estate I am perswaded if this were believed that he who is a servant doth not abide in the house for ever though he that is a Son doth it would stir us up to more divine zeal in our persuit after faith V. Fifthly This likewise pointeth out the excellency of the grace of Faith It is that grace by which all other actions are pleasant to God and are taken off our hand as is clear Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain which must be understood even of all other duties And that word vers 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God speaketh this also That by faith we do exceedingly please him And this is a most sad and lamentable repoof unto many who are here that their actions do not please God because they are not in Faith Would ye know a description of your prayers ye who are hypocrites and destitute of the knowledge of God It is this Your prayers are the breach of the third Command In taking the name of the Lord in vain for which he will not hold you guiltlesse And would ye know what is your hearing of Sermon It is an abomination to the Lord according to that word in Tit. 1. 15. To the unbelieving and impure nothing is clean And as Solomon doth speak The plowing of the wicked is sin So that all your actions that ye go about are but an offence to the Majesty of the Lord. Now we would speak to these two things before we proceed to the evidences of faith to wit First That there is a difference betwixt the direct act of Faith and the reflecting act of Faith For there may be a direct act of faith in a Christian when he is not perswaded that he doth believe but the reflecting acts of faith are these which a Christian hath when he is perswaded in his conscience that he doth believe And we would secondly say that there are many that go down to there grave under that soul destroying delusion that they are in faith and yet never did know what faith is I am perswaded there are many whom all the preachings in the world will never perswade that they did
never believe their faith being born with them and it will die with them without any fruit But faith being such an excellent grace and so advantagious whereof we have spoken a few things we shall speak a little further of it First in pointing out some evidences by which a Christian may know whether or not he be indeed in the Faith Secondly I shall give you some helps whereby Faith may be keeped in exercise I. Now there is this first evidence of faith that a Christian who doth believe he accounteth absence and want of fellowship with Christ and communion with him one of the greatest and most lamentable crosses that ever he had as is clear Psalm 13. 3. Lighten mine eyes saith David that is Let me behold and be satisfied with thy face and the moâ—ive that he backeth it with is this Lest I sleep the sleep of death David thought himself a dead man if Christ did withdraw his presence from him Also it is clear Cant. 3 1. compared with the following verses where absence from Christ and want of communion with him was the greatest crosse the Spouse had and it is clear from Ioh. 20. 11 12 13. where Mary had a holy disdain of all things in respect and comparison of Christ. But I will tell you what a hypocrite doth most lament and that is the want of reputation among the Saints that is the great god and idol among hypocrites and that which when not enjoyed hypocrites and â—theists lament most the world and the lust of their eyes when they want these â—hen they cry out They have taken away my gods and what have I more They think heaven can never make up the losse of earth And certainly if many of us would examine our selves by this we would finde our selves most defective I would pose all you who are here who have taken on a name to be followers of Christ whether or not ye have been content to walk thirty dayes in absence from Christ and yet never to lament it Hath not Christ been thirty dayes and more in heaven without a visit from you And yet for all this ye have not cloathed your selves with sackcloath I will not say that â—his is an undeniable evidence of the totall â—aâ—t of the grace of Faith but it doth eminently prove this that the person who hath â—ome this length hath losed much of his primitive love and much of that high esteem which he ought to have of matchlesse Christ what can you find in this world that maketh you converse so little with heaven I think that it is the noble encouragement of a Christian when hee is going down to his grave that he hath this wherewith to comfort himself I am to change my place but not my company death to the believing Christian being a blessed transition and transportation to a more immediate constant and uninterrupted enjoyment of God But I believe that if all who have the name of Believers in this generation should go to heaven they might have this to say I am now not only to change my place but also my company For these seventy years I have been conversant with my idols but now I am to converse with more blessed divine and excellent company O that yee might be perswaded to pursue much after an absent Christ. Were it not a sweet period of our life to breath out our last breath in his armes and to be living in the faith of being eternally with him which might be founded upon his Word II. There is this second evidence of one that is in the Faith They do endeavour to advance that necessary work of the mortification of their idols according to that word 1 Ioh. 3. 4. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Act. 15. 9. Faith it purifieth the heart And concerning this evidence lest any should mistake it I would say these things to you First The mortification of a Christian as long as he is here below it doth more consist in resolutions then attainments It is certain that there are high attainments of a Christian in the mortification of his idols but his resolutions go far above his performances Secondly Wee would say this That those Christians who never came this length in Christianity to make that an universal conclusion and full resolution What have I to do any more with idols They may suspect themselves that they are not in the Faith for a Christian that is in Christ he is universal in resolutions though he be not so in practice but defective in performances A Christian may have big resolutions with weak performances for resolution will be at the gate of heaven before practice come from the borders of hell there being a long distance betwixt resolution and practice and the one much swifter then the other And thirdly Wee would likewise say That yee who never did know what it was to endeavour by prayer and the exercise of other duties the mortification of your lusts and idols yee may bee afraid that ye have not yet the hope of seeing him as he is And I would say this to many who are settled upon their lies and who never did know what it was to spend one hour in secret prayer for mortifying an idol that they would beware lest that curse bee past in heaven against them I would have purged you and yee would not be purged therefore yee shall not bee purged any more till you die that iniquity of refusing to commune with Christ in the work of secret mortification I say that iniquity shall not be purged away And we would once seriously desire you by that dreadful sentence that Christ shall passe against you and by the love ye have to your immortal souls and by the pains of these everlasting torments of hell that ye would seriously set about the work of spirituall mortification that so ye may evidence that ye have believed and that ye have the soul-comforting hope of eternal life I would onely speak this one word to you and desire you seriously to ponder it What if within twelve hours hereafter a summonds were given to you without continuation of dayes to compear before the solemn and dreadfull Tribunal of that impartial Judge Jesus Christ What suppose ye would be your thoughts Will ye examine your own conscience what ye think would be your thoughts if such summonds were given unto you I am perswaded of this That your knees would smite one against another and your face should gather palenesse seeing your conscience would condemn you That ye had been weighed in the ballance and found light O think ye that ye can both fight and triumph in one day Think ye that ye can fight and overcome in one day Think ye your lusts and unmortified corruptions so weak and faint hearted an enemy that upon the first appearance of such imaginary champions as most part of us are in our own eyes that your idols would lay
your closing with Christ and of your coming out of Egypt and we may allude unto that command if not more then allude unto it in Dent. 16. 1. Observe the month of Abib and keep the passeover unto the Lord thy God For in the moneth of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of the land of Egypt And secondly We would have you much in marking these experiences which have increased your Faith and which have strengthned your love and which have made you mortifie your idols These are experiences especially to be marked 2. Faith is keeped in exercise and we win to the lively assurance of our interest in God which we would presse upon you by being much in the exercise of secret prayer O but many loveth much to pray when abroad who never loved to pray when alone And that is a desperate sign of hypocrisie according to that Matth. 6. 5. It is said of hypocrites They love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corner of the street s that they might be seen of men But it is never said of these persons that they love to pray alone onely they loved to pray in Synagogues but it is secret and retired prayer by which Faith must be keeped in exercise 3. And there is this likewise that we would presse upon you that ye would be much in studying communion and fellowship with God that so your Faith may be keeped in life And O what a blessed life were it each day to be taken up to the top of the mount Pisga and there to behold that promised land to get a refreshfull sight of the Crown every morning which might make us walk with joy all alongs that day The heart oâ— a Christian ought to be in heaven his conversation ought to be there his eyes ought to be there And I know not what of a Christian ought to be out of heaven even before his going there save his lumpish â—abernacle of clay which cannot inherite incorruption till he be made incorruptible And I shall say no more but this many of us are readiâ—â— to betray him with a kisse and crucifie him afresh then to keep communion with him but wo eternally be to him by whom the Son oâ— man is betrayed and that doth crucifie Christ afresh it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into thâ— depth of the sea I remember an expressioâ— of a man not two dayes ago who upoâ— his death bed being asked by one what hâ— was doing did most stupidly though mosâ— truly reply That he was fighting with Christ and I think that the most part of us if he prevent us not shall die fighting with Christ. But know and be perswaded that he is too sore a party for us to fight with He will once tread you in the wine presse of his fury and he shall return with dyed garments from treading such of you as would not imbrace him He shall destroy you with all his heart Therefore be instructed lest his soul be disjoynted from you as that word in Ier. 6. 8. And lest your soul eternally be separted from him Be instructed I say to close with him by â—aith Now to him who can make you to do so we desire to give praise In the two Sermons next following you have the rest of these sweet Purposes which the worthy Author Preached upon the same Text Never before Printed SERMON V. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are two great rocks upon which a Christian doth ordinarily dash iâ— his way and motion toward his rest 1. The rock of presumption and carnal confidence so that when Christ dandleth them upon his knees and satisfieth them with the breasts of his consolations and maketh their cup to overflow then they cry out My mountain standeth strong I shall never be moved And 2. The rock of misbelief and discouragement So that when he hideth his face and turneth back the face of his Throne theâ— they cry out Our hope and our strength is perished from the Lord we know not what iâ— is to bear our enjoyments by humility noâ— our crosses by patience and submission â—â— but misbelief and jealousie are bad interpre ters of dark dispensations they know noâ— what it is to read these mysterious character of divine Providence except they be writâ—â—â— in the legible characters of sense misbelieâ—â— is big with childe of twins and is travelliâ—â— till it bring forth apostacy and security anâ— no doubt he is a blessed Christian that haâ—â— overcome that woful idol of miâ—belief anâ— doth walk by that Royal Law of the Worâ— and not by that changeable rule of dispensatâ— on s We conceive that there are three greâ—â— Idols and Dagons of a Christian that hindereâ—â— him from putting a blank in Christs hand concerning his guiding to heaven there is pride self-indulgence and security Do we not covet to be more excellent then our neighbour Do we not love to travell to heaven through a valley of Roses And doe we not ambitiously desire to walk toward Sion sleeping rather then weeping as we go Are there not some words that we would have taken out of the Bible That is sad divinity to flesh and bloud Through many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of Heaven we love not to be changed from vessel to vessel that so our scent may be taken from us There are three great enemies of Christ Misbelief Hypocrisie and Profanity Misbelief is a bloudy sin hypocrisie is a silent sin profanity is a crying sin Those are mother evils and I shall give you these differences betwixt them Misbelief crucifieth Christ under the vail of humility hypocrisie crucifieth Christ under the vail of love and profanity putteth him to open shame Misbelief denyeth the love and power of God hypocrisie denieth the omnisciency of God â—nd profanity denyeth the justice of God Misbelief is a sin that looketh after inherent â—ighteousnesse hypocrisie is a sin that lookâ—th after external holinesse onely and proâ—anity is a sin that looketh after heaven without holinesse making connexion between â—hese things that God hath alwayes sepaâ—ate and separating these things which he â—ath alwayes put together So that their faith shall once prove a delusion and flie away as a dream in the night But let us study this excellent grace of true and saving Faith which shall be a precious remedy against all those Christ-destroying and soul-destroying evils But now to come to that which we did propose thirdly to be spoken of from the words which was the sweetnesse of this grace of Faith no doubt it is a pleasant command and it maketh all commands pleasant it is that which casteth a divine lustre upon the most hard sayings of Christ and maketh the Christian to cry forth God hath spoken in his holinesse I will rejoyce Wee need not stand long to clear that Faith
is a sweet and refreshing command for it is oftentimes recorded in Scripture to the advantage of this grace and unspeakable joy and heavenly delight are the hand-maids that wait upon it But more particularly to make it out we shall speak to these things The first is That this grace giveth a Christian a broad and comprehensive sight of Christ and maketh him to behold not only the beauty of his actings but the beauty of his person and there are these three precious sights that Faith giveth to â— Christian of Christ. First It letteth the Christian see Christ in his absolute and personalâ— excellency taking him up as the eternal Soâ— of God as the Ancient of Dayes as the Father of Eternity as the expresse Image of Hiâ— Fathers person and the brightnesse of his glory and this filleth the soâ—l with divine fear anâ— admiration Hence is that word Heb. 11. 27 That we see by Faith him that is invisible As if he had said Faith is that grace that maketh things that are invisible visible unto us Secondly It letteth the soul see Christ in his relative excellencies that is what he is to us Faith taketh up Christ as a Husband and from thence we are provoked to much boldnesse and divine confidence and withall to see these rich possessions that are provided for us by our elder Brother who was born for adversity Faith taketh up Christ as a blessed Days man that did lay his hand upon us both And from thence it is constrained to wonder at the condescendency of Christ it taketh him up as dying and as redeeming us from the power of the grave and from the hands of our enemies and this provoketh Christians to make a totall and absolute resignation of themselves over unto Christ To serve him all the dayes of our life in righteousnesse and holinesse And thirdly Faith maketh the soul behold these mysterious draughts of spotlesse love those divine emanations of love that have flowed from his ancient and everlasting love since the world began Would you know the great ground why we are so ignorant of him who is the study of Angels and of all that are about the Throne it is this we are not much in the exercise of faith And if we would ask that question What is the way to attain to the saving knowledge of God in Christ We could give no answer to it but this Believe and again believe and again believe Faith openeth these mysterious seals of his boundlesse perfection and in some way teacheth the Christian to answer that unanswerable question What is His Name and what is his Sons Name There is this secondly that pointeth out the sweetnesse of Faith that it giveth an excellent relish unto the promises and maketh them food to our soul. What are all the promises without faith as to our use but as a dead letter that hath no life But faith exercised upon the promises maketh a Christian cry out The words of his mouth are sweeter unto mee then the honey and the honey comb as is clear from Heb. 11. 12 13. It is by Faith that wee imbrace the promises and do receive them Thirdly The sweetnesse of Faith may appear by this that it enableth a Christian to rejoyce under the most anxious and afflicting dispensations that hee meeteth with while hee is here below as is clear from Rom. 5. 1 5. where his being justified by Faith hath this fruit attending it to joy in â—ribulation And likewise from Heb. 10. 34 35. Doth not Faith hold the crown in its right hand and letteth a Christian behold these infinit dignities that are provided unto them after they have as a strong man run their race And when a Christian is put into a furnace hot seven times more then ordinary it bringeth down the Son of man Jesus Christ to walk with them in the furnace So that they walk safely and with joy through fire and water and in a manner they can have no crosse in his company For would yee know what is the description of a crosse It is to want Christ in any estate And would ye know what is the description of prosperity It is to have Christ in any condition or estate of life What can ye want that have him and what can he have that want him He is that All so that all things besides him are buâ— vanity But beside this Faith doth discover unto a Christian that there is a sweet period of all his trials and afflictions that he can be exposed unto so that he can never say that of faith which Ahab spake of Micajah He never prophesieth good things to me But rather he may say alwayes the contrary Faith never prophesieth evil unto me it being a grace that prophesieth excellent things in the daâ—kest night and sweetly declareth that though weeping do endure for the evening yet joy cometh in the morning And that though now they â—o forth weeping bearing precious seed yet at last they shall return rejoycing having sheaves in their bosome And this may bring in the fourth consideration to point out the sweetnesse of Faith That it giveth a Christian a refreshing sight of that â—and that is a far off and maketh him to behold that inheritance that is provided for the Saints in light it goeth forth to the brook Eshcol and there doth pluck down those grapes that grow in Emanuels land to bring up a good report upon that noble Countrey we are sojourning towards and the City the streets whereof are paved with transparent gold And howbeit it may be a perplexing debaâ—e between many and their own souls whether or not these eyes that have been the windows through which so much uncleannesse hath entered and these species of lust have been conveyed into the heart shall once be like the eyes of a dove washed with milk and fitly set and be admitted to see that glorious object the Lamb that sitteth upon the Throne Or whether ever these tongues that have been set on fire of hell and these polluted lips that have spoke so much against God and Heaven and all his People and Interests shall ever be admitted to sing these heavenly Halelujahs amongst that spotlesse queer of Angels and that assembly of the first born or if these hands or feet that have been so active to commit iniquity and so swift to run after vanity shall even bee admitted hereafter to carry these Palme Branches and to follow the Lamb where ever hee goeth and whether ever these hearts that have been indeed a Bethaven and house of idols may yet notwithstanding bee a dwelling for the Holy Ghost Though these things wee say and such like may bee the subject of many sad debates to some weary souls and cause many tossings to and fro till the morning yet faith can bring all these mysteries to light and looking within the vail can let us see thousands of thousands who were once as ugly as our selves yet now having washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb are admitted to stand before the Throne of God and serve him day and night Now there is that fourthly which weâ— promised to speak of concerning this grace of Faith from these words and it is the absolute necessity that is of the exercise of this grace which is holden forth in that word his Commandment which doth import these three things 1. That all the Commands that wee can obey without this Commandement of Faith it is but a polluting of our selves and a plunging of our selves in the ditch till our own cloaâ—hs abhor us 2. That God taketh greater delight in the exercise of that grace of Faith then in the exercise of any other And lastly that as to the many imperfections which wee have in our obedience there is a sweet act of oblivion past of them all if we make conscience seriously to obey this command of Faith which is indeed the sweet compend of the Gospel all these things do most clearly appear in that believing here is called His Commandement by way of excellency as if this were his only Commandement But that we may yet a little more particularly point out the absolute necessity of Faith there are these things that speaketh it forth to the full 1. That though rivers of tears should run down our eyes because we keep not his Law though we should never rise off our knees from prayer and should all our life time speak to God with the tongue of Angels and though we should constantly obey his Commands yet without Faith we should never escape that eternal sentence of excommunication from the presence of the Lord there being no action that doth proceed from us which can please the majesty of the Lord unlesse it hath its rise from this principle of Faith as is clear from Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God And though we should offer unto him ten thousand rivers of oyl and thousands of rams and should offer up in a burnt sacrifice all the beasts that are upon the mountains and the trees that are upon hills this should be the answer that God should return to us Who hath required these things at your hands I take no pleasure in these solemn sacrifices Because there is no way of attaining peace with God but through the exercise of Faith making use of the spotlesse righteousnesse of â—esus Christ. 2. Let us do ouâ— outmost by all the inventions we can to bring down our body and let us separate our selves from all the pleasures of the flesh yet all our idols shall reign without much contradiction except once we do attain unto this grace of Faith which is that victory whereby we must overcome the world and the hand that maketh use of infinite strength for subduing of corruption making the Christian sweetly to take up that song Stronger is he that is with us than he that is in the world From all this that we have said both of the sweetnesse of Faith and the necessity thereof we would propose these few considerations to two or three sorts of persons 1. There are some who live in that vain imaginary delusion of attaining heaven through a Covenant of Works and do neglect to seek salvation by Faith in the righteousnesse of Christ. And to these who build upon this sandy foundation I shall say but these two words First How long shall ye labour in the fire of very vanity do ye ever think to put on the capestone know ye not that the day is approaching when your house shall fall about your ears your confidence shall be rejected and your hope shall evanish as a dream and flee away as a vision of the night Secondly What a monstrous blindnesse and what an unspeakable act of folly must it â—eâ—â— to say that Christ was crucified in vain which yet ye do practically assert when ye go about to purchase a righteousnesse through the works of the Law 2. There are some who are secure in their own thoughts concerning their â—aith they never questioned the realty of it they never examined it O ye whose faith is as old as your selves ye say ye never knew what it was to dispute and I may say ye never knew what it was to believe Thou profane hypocrite let me tell thee a strong faith and yeâ— strong idols must needs be â— strong delusion Thou wilt not obey the Lord thou wilt not pray thou wilt not believe a threatning in all the Word thou wilt count all Religion madnesse and foolishnesse and yet thou wilt perswade thy self thou Believest in Christ. O be not deceived God is not mocked and why will ye mock your selves Shall I tell you that reprobates have a saâ— Religion one day they must believe and obey and pray and give a testimony to Godlinesse but alas too late and little to their advantage Shall not he whom all the Ministers on earth could scarce ever perswade to believe so much as a heaven oâ— hell or one threatning in all the Book oâ— God at last be forced to believe their owâ— sense when they shall see the Ancient of Days upon the Throne and shall hear the cryes of so many thousand living witnesses come ouâ— both from heaven and hell bearing testimony to the truth of threatnings and promises that not one jot of them is fallen to the ground and he who would never be perswaded to bow a knee to God in earnest all his life shall he not then pray with greatest fervency that hills and mountains might fall upon him to cover him from the face of the Lamb And hâ— that would never submit to a Command of God must he not at last obey that dreadfull Command Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting torment c. Yea he who was the greatest mocker in the world shall then confesse that they are blest who put their trust in the Lord as they are excellently brought in though in an Apocriphal Book Wisd. c. 5. 4 Crying out with great terror while they behold that unexpected sight of the glorious condition of the Godly O here is the meâ— say they whom we mocked whose life wâ— accounted madnesse and their end dishonourable Be wise therefore in time and do that willingly which ye must do by constrainâ— and do that with sweetnesse and advantage that ye must do at length with losse and sorrow Thirdly There are some who certainly have some hope of eternal life but contenteth themselves with a small measure of assurance and these I would beseech that ye would be more endeavouring to make your calling and election sure and would be endeavouring to see your names written in the ancient Records of Heaven And this we shall presse upon you by several Arguments 1. Those strong and subtil and soul destroying delusions that are amongst many who conceive they do believe as we were saying and are pure in their own eyes who yet are not purged from their iniquities
Oâ— are there not many of us that are in a golden dream that suppose we are eating but when we awake our soul is empty whose faith is a metaphysick notion that hath no foundation but mans apprehension and this shall never bear us through the gates of death nor convey us in into eternity of joy 2. May not this presse you to follow after assurance that it is the compendious way to sweeten all your crosses As is clear from Hab. 3. 17 18. where the convictions of this made Habbakuk to rejoyce in the God of his salvation Though the fig tree did not bear fruit and the labour of the olive did fail and there were no sweetnesse to be found in the vine and from Heb. 10. 34. where they took joyâ—ully the spoiling of their goods knowing within themselves that they had a better and an enduring substance This is indeed that tree which if wee cast into the waters of Marah they will presently become sweet for it is not below the child of hope to be much anxious about these things that he meets with here when he sincerely knoweth that Commandement shall come forth Lift up your head for the day of your eternal redemption draweth near even the day when all the rivers of his sorrow shall sweetly run into the ocean of everlasting delighâ—s 3. A Christian that is much in assurance he is much in communion and fellowship with God as is clear from the Song 1. 13 14. and Song 2. 3. where when once she cometh to that to be perswaded that Christ was her beloved then she sat down under his shaddow and his fruit was pleasant â—nto her taste for the assured Christian doth taste of these crums that â—all from that higher Table and no doubt these that have tasted of that old wine will not straight way desire the new because the old is better And then 4. It is the way to keep you from Apostacy and making defection from God Faith is that grace that will make you continue with Christ in all his tentations as is clear from 2 Pet. 1. 10. where this is set down as a fruit of making our calling and election sure that if we no these things we shall never fail Faith makes a Christian to live a dependent life for would you know the motto of a Christian It is this self diffidence and Christ dependence as is clear from that word in the Song 8. 5. that while we are walking through this wildernesse we are leaning upon our welbeloved 5. This assurance will help a Christian to overcome many tentations There are four sorts of tentations that assâ—ult the Christian there are temptations of desire temptations of love temptations of hope and temptations of anxiety all which a Christian through this noble grace of Assurance may sweetly overcome he that hath once made Christ his own what can he desire but him As Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord What can he love more then Christ or love beside Christ all his love being drowned as it were in that Oâ—ean of his excellencies and a sweet complacency found in the enjoyment of him And as to hope will not assurance make a Christian 〈◊〉 forth Now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee And when the heart is anxious doth not assurance make a Christian content to bear the indignation of the Lord and patiently submit unto the crosse since there is a sweet connexion betwixt his crosse and his Crown Rom. 8. 35 36. If he suffer with him he shall also reign with him And lastly There is this argument to presse you to assurance that it sweemeth the thoughts of death it maketh death unto a Christian not the king of terrours but the king of desires and it is upon these grounds that assurance maketh death refreshfull unto a Christian. 1. He knoweth that it is the funerall of all his miseries and the birth-day of all his blessed and eternal enjoyments 2. That it is the Coronation day of a Christian and-the day when he shall have that Marriage betwixt Christ and him sweetly solemnized And that when he is to step that last step hee knoweth that death will make him change his place but not his company And O that we could once win unto this to seal that conclusion without presumption My beloved is mine and I am his We might without presumption sing one of the songs of Sion even while we are in this strange land and taking Christ in our arms might sweetly cry forth Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for my eyes have seen thy salvation Comfort your selves in this that all your clouds shall once passe away and that that truth shall once come to passe which was confirmed by the oath of an Angel with his hand lifted up towards Heaven That time shall be no more Time shall once sweetly die out in eternity and ye may be looking after new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse O long to be with him for Christ longeth to have you with him SERMON VI. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are three most precious and cardinal graces which a Christian oughâ— mainly to pursue There is that exalting grace of Faith that comforting gracâ— of Hope and that aspiring grace of Love and if once a Christian did take up that heavenly difference that is between those sister-graces hee might be provoked to move after them most swiftly as the chariots of Aminadab And there is this difference between those graces Faith is a sober and silent grace Hope is a patient and submissive grace Love is an ambitions and impatient grace Faith cryeth out O my soul be silent unto God Hope cryeth out I will wait patiently for the Lord untill the vision shall speak but Love it cryeth out How long art thou a coming and it is waiting to hear the sound of his feet coming over the mountains of separation That is the Motto of Hope Quod defertur non aufertur that which is delayed saith Hope is not altogether taken away and made void and that may be the divine embleme of the grace of Love It is sight infolding desire in its armes and it is desire cloathed with wings â—reading upon delay and impediments There is this second difference between these graces the grace of Faith it embraceth the truth of the promises the grace of Hope it embraceth the goodnesse of the thing that is promised but that exalting grace of Love it embraceth the Promiser Faith cryeth out Hath hee spoken it Hee will also do it Hope â—ryeth out Good is the Word of the Lord be â—â— unto thy servant according to thy promise And Love it cryeth out in a higher note As is the apple tree amongst the trees of the â—ood so is my well-beloved amongst the sons â—hirdly There is that difference between â—hese graces Faith it
overcometh temptations Hope it overcometh difficulties but Love stayeth at home and divideth the spoil There is a sweet correspondence between those graces in this Faith it fighteth and conquereth and Hope it fighteth and conquereth but Love it doth enjoy the Trophies of the victory And Fourthly there is this difference the noble grace of Faith it shall once evanish into sight That noble grace of Hope it shall once evanish into possession and enjoyment But that constant grace of Love it shall be the eternal companion of a Christian and shall walk in with him unto the streets of the New Ierusalem And I would ask you that question What a day shall it be when Faith shall cedâ— to sight What a day shall it be when Hope shall yeeld its place to Love and love and sight shall eternally sit down and solace themselves in these blessed mysteries these everlasting consolations of Heaven world without end And fifthly there iâ— this difference lesse will saâ—isfie the gracâ— of Faith and the grace of Hope thaâ— will satisfie the grace of Love Faith iâ— will be content with the promise and Hopâ— will be content with the thing that is promised but that ambitious grace of Love iâ— will be onely content with the promiser Love glaspeth its arms about that Preciouâ— and noble object Jesus Christ Love is a â—â— spicious grace It oftentimes cryeth forthâ— They have taken away my Lord and I knoâ— not where they have laid him So that Faiâ—â— is oftentimes put to resolve the suspicions â—â— love I can compare these three graces to nothing so fitly as to those three great Worthies that David had These three graces they will break thorow all difficulties were it a host of Philistines that so they may pleasure Christ and may drink of that Well of Bethlehem that Well of everlasting â—onsolation that â—loweth from beneath the â—hrone of God Love is like Noah's dove â—t never findeth rest for the sole of its foot â—ntill once it be within that Ark that place â—f repose Jesus Christ. And sixthly There is this last difference between them Faith taketh hold upon the â—â—ithfulnesse of Christ Hope taketh hold â—pon the goodnesse of Christ but Love it â—â—keth hold upon the heart of Christ. And â—hink yee not it must be a pleasant and soulâ—â—freshing exercise to be continually taken â—â— in imbracing him that is that eternal adâ—iration of Angels Must it not be an exâ—ellent life dayly to bee feeding on the finest the wheat and to bee satisfied with honey â—â— of the rock O but Heaven must be a pleaâ—â—nâ— place And if once we would but taste â—â— the first ripe grapes and a cluster of wine â—â—aâ— groweth in that pleasant land might not â—â—e be constrained to bring up a good report it But now to come to that which wee purâ—â—se mainly to speak of at this time The 〈◊〉 thing concerning Faith that wee proâ—â—sed from the words was the object upâ—â— which Faith exerciseth itself which is 〈◊〉 set down to bee the Mame of his Son Iesus Christ. And that we may speak to this more clearly wee shall first speak a little to the negative what things are not the fit object of Faith and then to the positive shewing you how this Name of God and of His Son Christ is the sure ground upon which a Christian may pitch his Faith For the first yee must know that a Christian is not to build his faith upon sense nor sensible enjoy ments Sense may bee an evidence of Faith but it must not bee the foundation of Faith I know there are some that oftentimes cry out Except I put my fingers into the print â—â— the nails and thrust my hand into the hole â—â— his side I will not believe and indeed it is 〈◊〉 mystery unto the most part of us to bee exercising Faith upon a naked word of promise abstracted from sense to love an absent Christ and to believe on an absent Christ are the two great mysteries of Christianity But that sense is no good foundation for Faith may appear 1. That Faitâ— which is builded upon sense is a most unconstant a most fluctuating and transient Faitâ— I know sense hath its fits of love and as were hath its fits of Faith Sometimâ—â— sense is sick of love and sometimes sense 〈◊〉 strong in Faith but ere six hours go about sense may bee sick of jealousie and sick 〈◊〉 misbelief as yee will see from Psal. 30. 6 〈◊〉 sense that bold thing it will instantly 〈◊〉 out My mountain standeth strong I will â—â—ver be moved but behold how soon it chanâ—eth its note Thou hides thy face and I 〈◊〉 troubled At one time it will cry forâ—â—â— Who is like unto him that pardoneth iniquity and that passeth over transgressions but ere many hours go about it will sing a song upon another key and cry out Why art thou â—ecome unto mee as a liar and as waters that â—ail 2. That Faith which is built upon â—ense it wanâ—eth the promise of blessednesse â—â— this is annexed to believing that is founded upon the Word according to that in â—oh 20. 29. Blessed are these that have not â—en and yet have believed nor hath that â—ith that is built upon sense such a solide â—y waiting on it as faith that is built upon â—he naked word of promise as may be cleared from that word 1 Pet. 1. 8. where faith exercising it self upon Christ not seen maketh a Christian to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory a joy that doth not atâ—â—nd believing founded upon sense 3. That â—ith that is built upon sense it giveth not â—uch glory to God for faith that is built â—â—on sense it exalteth not the faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 God it exalteth not the omnipotency of â—od I will tell you what is the divinity 〈◊〉 sense let me see and then I will believe 〈◊〉 it knoweth not what it is to believe â—â—on trust and because the Lord hath spoken 〈◊〉 his holinesse And in effect Faith that is â—â—ilt upon sense is no Faith even as â—â—m 8. Hope that is seen is no hope And therefore when the Lord seeth a Christian â—â—king sense an idol that hee will not beâ—â—ve but when hee seeth or feeleth this doth â—â—en provoke the Majesty of the Lord to withdraw himself from that Christian and to deny him the sweet influences of heaven and these consolations that are above so that in an instant hee hath both his sense and hiâ— faith to seek 2. A Christian is not to make his grace the object of his Faith that is when a Christian doth behold love burning within him when hee doth behold influences to pâ—ayâ—â— encreasing and mortification waxing stroâ—â— hee is not to build his faith upon them thiâ— was condemned in the Church in Ezek. 16 14. compared with the 15 verse I mâ—â— thee perfect with my comlinesse but the usâ— that thou didst make of it thou didst put 〈◊〉 trust in thy beauty and then thou didst plaâ—
the harlot It is certain that grace when 〈◊〉 is the object of our Faith it doth provoke God to blast the lively exercise thereof and to make a Christian oftentimes have thâ—â— complaint Wo to me my leannesse my leaâ—â—esâ—â— testifieth to my face I will tell you thrâ—â— great mysteries of Christianity about grace The first is to ride marches between theâ—â— two not to deny what they have anâ— yet to bee denyed to what they have maâ—â— times there is grace-denying and not selâ— denying but this is that wee would presâ—â— upon you to bee denyed to grace according to that which is recorded of Moses his faâ—â— did shine and he knew it not hee did misâ—eâ—â— as it were and did not at all bee puffed â—â— with it for so the words wee conceive mâ—â— run Secondly it is a great difficulty fâ—â— a Christian to bee denied to his self denial 〈◊〉 â—ee humble in â—his being humble for if priâ—â— â—â—n have no other foundation it will build â—â— self upon humility and a Christian will â—â—ow proud in this that hee is growing humble Thirdly It is a difficultie for a Christian to examine his growing in grace and not bee puffed up It is certain a Christian ought to examine his growth in grace humbly according to that Psal. 63. 8. My â—â—ul followeth hard after thee thy right hand â—â—holdeth mee Hee doth not only take notice â—f this that his soul did follow after God â—ut of the measure of that pursuit my soul â—â—lloweth hard after thee and yet sweetly acknowledgeth it was not his own feet which â—â—rried him nor his own hand that kept him â—â—om falling 3. Yee are not to build your Faith upon â—our works and upon the righteousnesse â—f the Law I need not stand long to reâ—ure â—â—at practicall Popery that is amongst us â—â—at thinketh wee can go to heaven through 〈◊〉 Covenant of Works I told you not long â—â—â—e what your going to heaven through Covenant of Works speaketh even this â—â—râ—id blasphemy That it was an act of â—onstruous folly to send Christ to die for â—â—ers for if you can go to heaven withâ—â—t him was not Christ then crucified in 〈◊〉 And I would tell you now that â—â— is speaketh out your damnable ignorance 〈◊〉 the weaknesse and deceitfulnesse of your â—â—n hearts O yee that are so great deâ—â—ders of Salvation by the Covenant of â—orks I beseech you What is the reaâ—â—â— that yee break the Covenant of Works oftner then any for there is none thâ— thinketh they will go to heaven this way but these that are the greatest breakers of thâ— Covenant of Works And is not that inconsistent and most contradictory divinity yoâ—â— faith contradicting your practice and youâ— practice telling you that your faith is a lie Fourthly We must not mix our owâ— righteousnesse with Christ as the object oâ— our believing This is indeed an evill thaâ— often lodgeth in the bosome of the most refined hypocrite when Satan cannot prevaâ—â— to exclude Christ altogether then he is content with that whorish woman to divide thâ— childe and let the object of our faith be haâ— Christ and half of self And the truth iâ— many of these poor unwise sons who stâ—â— long in the place of the breaking forth â—â— children do willingly hearken to this oveâ—ture for fear it be presumption for such poâ—â— wretches to meddle too boldly with the righteousnesse of Christ but it were good sucâ— weak ones would consider that word Râ—â— 10. 2. where the Holy Ghost calleth thâ— making use of His righteousnesse an act â—â— submission They have not submitted saith hâ—â— unto the righteousnesse of Christ. O will yâ—â— not lay this to heart that our Lord will taâ—â— your believing or your putting on his righteousnesse for an act of great humility aâ—â— will take your misbelief as a marvelous act 〈◊〉 the highest pride and presumption Fifthly We are not to make providencâ— the object of our faith I know there â—â— some that ask the ground of their right 〈◊〉 heaven they will tell us that God hath been â—ind to them all their dayes I would only â—ay to such He may be feeding you unto the day â—f slaughter and no man knoweth love or hatred â—â—y any thing that is before him This much of â—he object of Faith negatively And now to speak to it positively we see â—he Text holdeth out Christ himself as that excellent and compleat object of Faith This â—s his Commandement that we believe on the â—ame of his Son and thus Faith closeth with Christ in a fourfold consideration First It â—oseth with God in Christ not with God immediatly and nakedly for hee dwelleth in â—â—ght inaccessible that no man can approach unto He is higher then the heaven what can we do â—nd deeper then hell what can we know Job 11. â—herefore wee must approach unto Him â—hrough a vail even the vail of Christ His â—esh Heb. 10 God is a consuming fire and of â—â—rer eyes then that he can behold iniquity and therefore we must first cast our eye upon that â—essed Days-man that laid his hand upon us â—â—th and look upon God as in Christ reconâ—ling the world to himself and so draw near â—nto him through a Mediator who is the first â—â—d the last and he that liveth and was dead â—â—d is alive for evermore able to save to the â—termost all that come unto God by Him â—eing he liveth for ever to make intercessiâ—n for them Secondly Faith closeth with â—hrist as tendered freely in a Covenant of â—omise We could have had nothing to do â—â—th Christ if he had not been given of the â—ther and offered himself in a free Covenant of promise but he being thus holdeâ— forth upon tearms of free love which dotâ— utterly abominat hyre and so nodle a proclamation issued forth under the great seâ— of Heaven That whosoever will may come anâ— drink of the water of life freely Upon thâ—â— the poor creature draweth near by vertue 〈◊〉 a right and stretching out the armes of moâ—â— enlarged affections doth run upon him witâ— that joyful shout My Lord and my God anâ— then maketh an absolute resignation of it seâ— unto him which is holden out in the Scripture by that sweet expression of kissing 〈◊〉 the Son And there are three parts of Chrisâ— blessed Body that the Christian must endeavour to kisse and imbrace the mouth â—â— Christ the hand of Christ and the feet â—â— Christ the kissing of his feet importing thâ— exercise of love the kissing of his hands thâ— exercise of subjection and the kissing of hâ—â— mouth the exercise of communion and fellowship with him Thirdly Faith closeâ— with Christ as the purchaser and meritorious cause of all the good we receive He is the person that hath purchased all these thiâ—â— unto us and there is not one blink of lovâ— there is not the smallest enjoyment that Christian meeteth with but it is the price the blood of Christ Christs precious bloâ— was laid down
for it Fourthly Faith â—â—seth with Christ as the efficient and workâ— of all our mercies all our enjoyments thâ—â— are far from him as the efficient cause that He is the worker of all these things in 〈◊〉 it is his precious fingers that must accomplish that blessed work of grace and they are from Christ as the dispenser of these things Christ is the great Steward of Heaven that doth communicate unto Believers all the Treasures of the Higher House For Him hath God the Father sealed O but that word that Christ once spake is much verified by Himself It is more blessed to give then to â—eciâ—ve Christ is that fountain and treasure 〈◊〉 whom all our gifts and graces are treasured â—p for before the blessing come to Believers â—hey come to Christ as the Head according â—o that word 2 Tim. 1 9. Which grace was â—iven to us in Him before the foundations of the â—orld were laid It was given to Christ beâ—â—e the world was made and for that end â—â—at it might be communicate unto all his â—embers and so out of His fulnesse we all â—eive and grace for grace But secondly The Text holdeth forth â—ore particularly this excellent object of â—â—th to be the Name of his Son That ye â—â—ieve in the Name of his Son And here â—â—eed we may be at a stand It is long â—â—ce Agur did non plus all the world â—â—th that question What is his Name and â—â—at is his Sons Name if thou canst tell â—â—ow little a thing can be known of Him â—â—d O how brutish is this generation that â—â—w so much lesse then might be known Him in such a day of the Gospel But â—t we may speak a little according to our â—â—k measure of Faith as closing with the â—â—e of Christ. His Name is His glorious â—â—â—uâ—es by which he revealeth so much of Himself in the Scriptures as poor mortals can take up Wee did shew you before that there was three of these that were the main pillars of justifying Faith Faithfulnesse Omnipotency and His infinite Love and Mercy And how from these may bee answered all the objections of sense of câ—rnall reason and of misbelief arising from convictions of unworthinesse And certain it is that Faith in all its conflicts maketh much use of the Names of Christ. And there is not an objection that a poor tempted soul can make but Faith can frame an answer to it out of some of these excellent Nameâ— of God or of his Son Christ. It would bee a more longsome work then I intend to let you see this in all But I shall onely instance in that One glorious Name of God by which he proclaimeth his glory Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truthâ— Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitâ— transgression and sin and that will by no meanâ— clear the guilty c. I think there are seveâ— ordinary objections which may bee answereâ— from that place First It is an ordinarâ— objection which misbelievers do make thâ—â— they are under the strength of their corruption that they are black as the Tents of Kedaâ— and not beautifull aâ— the Curtains of Solomon And doth not the first letter of that Namâ— answer this that he is a mercifull Lord thâ— one importing his ability to save and 〈◊〉 bring down every high imagination Thâ— other importing his infinite delight to hâ—â— those who have no strength and are under the power of their adversaries the power of God being of no larger extent then his love There is that second objection of misbelief that wee have nothing to commend us to Christ But all that wee have to boast of are infirmities and imperfections And this is abundantly answered from that second letter of his Name that he is Gracious which importeth the freedom of the dispensations of his love that hee walketh nor with us according to that rule of merit but according to that golden and excellent rule of Love It is a great dispute whether Mercy or Grace be the greatest wonder Whether the love of Christ or the freedom of it bee the greatest mystery Sure both these put together make up a matchlesse wonder Thirdly Misbelief will object that wee have forsaken him dayes without number and that wee cannot trace back our apostasie unto the first day of its rise And is not that abundantly answered from that letter of his Name that hee is long suffering This being that Glorious attribute in God the glory of which hee desireth to magnifie above all his Name Fourthly Misbelief doth ordinarily propose this objection that wee have multiplied our transgressions and have committed whoredoms under every green tree and have given gifts to our lovers even hyring our idols So that wee may take up that lamentation is not our sin great and our transgression infinit And is not that also answered from that letter of his Name that hee is abundant in goodnesse That though sin abound in us yet grace doth much more superabound in him Wee confesse indeed that there are some that may walk under that condition that if they had no other exercise throughout eternity but to make confession they might confesse and never make any needlesse repetition And truely in some respect it is a mercy that we are mysteries unto our self for if wee did know compleatly the seven abominations of our hearts and those mysterious actings of the body of death we would be in hazard to choise strangling and death rather then life Yet may not one glimpse of that abundant goodnesse satisfie us and calm the storm Fifthly Saith misbelief wee know that we have broken our Vowes and Covenants with God and that all these things that wee have taken on have been but as flax before the fire of tentation so that wee have no hope that he will have mercy upon these that have broken wedlock and have not been stedfast in his Covenant But is not that abundantly answered from that letter of His Name That hee is abundant in truth which speaketh That though wee deny our selves yet he abideth faithfull and doth not alter the word that hath gone out of his mouth It is the infinite blessednesse of man that though hee bee changeable yet they have to do with one that is an unchangeable being Sixthly There is that objection That notwithstanding all these things are matters of encouragement to some yet they know not whether or not the lot of everlasting love have fallen upon them And whether their names be in the ancient records of Heaven But this is answered from that letter of His Name hee keepeth mercy for thousands which sheweth us that great number of those upon whom the lot of everlasting love shall fall And if there were no other sentence in all the Scripture â—his might be a sufficient matter of a Song and might make us cry out Who is like unâ—o him whose compassions have no end And who desires to
magnifie his mercy above all his works And lastly Misbelief maketh this objection They have sinned not onely against light not onely against vowes not onely after much enjoyment of God but even after the application of threatnings So that they conceive that their Maker will â—ot have mercy upon such Yet this is fully answered likewise from that letter of His Name He forgiveth iniquity transgression â—nd sin which three words doth abundantly speak forth That there is no transression which he will not pardon there being but one particular amongst all that â—â—nuâ—etable number of sins which lodgeth 〈◊〉 the heart of fallen man that he declared â—â—pardonable And there is none of our â—iseases that is above the infinit aâ—â—e of love â—nd concerning which we can take up that â—omplaint There is no balm in Gilead and â—â—ere is no Physician there And though proâ—idence may master up many impossibilities â—et let Faith take the promise in the one â—nd and impossibilites in the other and desire God to reconcile them that if we cannot see any connexion between Providence and the Word yet may we reflect upon the omnipotency of God that can make thingâ— that are seeming contrary sweetly to agree together the Commentâ—â—y will never destroy the Text nor Providence will never destroy the faithfulnesse of God And let me give you this advice that those objections of misbelief which you cannot answer and in â— manner putteth you to a non plus and wheâ— ye have looked over all the Names of God yâ— cannot finde an answer to them sleight them and cover them as we have often told you was the practice of believing Abraham Rom 4. 19. where that strong objection of misbelief appearing before his eyes the deadnessâ— of his body and the barrenesse of Sarahs womb It is recorded of him he considered not thesâ— things as it were he had a divine transitioâ— from the objections of misbelief to the actinâ— of Faith and this is clear from Matth. 15 25 26. Where that strong objection of misbelief being proposed against that woman the she was not within the compasse oâ— Christs Commission she hath a noble way oâ— answering with this Lord have mercy upon mâ— And if so we may speak Faith hath a kinâ— of divine impertinency in answering the objections of misbelief or rather a holy sleighting of them that gaineth the victory wheâ— cavilling with tentations will not do it The like also may be instanced in His Soâ— Name O how glorious titles are given tâ— that Prince of the Kings of the earth and 〈◊〉 that Plant of renown upon which the weakest faith may cast anchor and ride out the greatest storm I shall not detain you long on this subject but this we would have you know that there is no strait nor difficulty that a Christian can be exposed unto but there is some name or aâ—tribute of Christ that may sweetly answer that difficulty and make up that disadvantage Is a Christian exposed unto afflictions and troubles in a present world Let him comfort himself in this that Christ is the shadow of a great rock in a wearied land Is a Christian under inward anxiety and vexation of mind Let him comfort himself in this That Christ is the God of peace and of all consolation Is a Christian under darknesse and confusion of spirit Let him comfort himself in this That Christ is the Father of lights and is the eternal wisdom of God Is a Christian under the convictions of this that he is under the power and dominion of his lusts Let him comfort himself in this that Christ is Redemption yea that I stay no longer if it were possible that a Christian could have a necessity that he could not find a name in Christ to answer it he may lawfully frame a name to Christ out of any promise in all the Book of God and he should find it forth-coming for the relieving and making up of that necessity God would not disappoint his expectation There is yet one thing further in reference to the object of Faith which we shall desire you to tale notice of and it is the way of Faiths closing with its noble object and its testing on him and this we conceive may be excellently taken up by our considering of the many several names that Faith getteth in Scripture beyond any other of â—he graces of the Spirit It is called looking Isa. 45 22. Look unto me It is called abiding in Christ Joh. 15. 4. Abide in mee It is called a keeping silence unto God Psal. 37. 7. My soul trust in God Or as the word is in the Original My soul be silent unto God and that in Psal. 62. 1. My soul waiteth Or as the word is Truly my soul is silent unto God Likewise Faith is called a leaning Psal. 7. 15. I have leaned upon thee from my mothers womb Faith is called an eating of Christs flesh John 6. 53. Faith is called a casting of our burden upon God Psal. 55. 22. Cast your burden upon God and Faith it is called a coming unto God Matth. 11. 28. And according to these different names there are these seven noble properties maâ—chless differences of this grace of Faith The first is That this is this grace by which a Christian doth enjoy much communion with God Hence it is called a looking which importeth that Faith is a continuall contemplation of the immortal Soul upon that precious and excellent object Jesus Christ. There is that second property of saith That it is that grace by which a communion with God is maintained Hence it is called an abiding in God It is that grace whiâ—h maketh Christ and the believer to dwell together The third property of Faith is that it is a most submissive grace Hence it is called a keeping silence unto God Faith as it were it knoweth not what it is to â—epine It is the noble excellency of Faith it never knew what it was to misconstruct Christ. It is the noble excellency of Faith it never knew what it was to passe an evil report upon Christ. Faith it will promise good things to a Christian in the darkest night for when Love asketh Faith that question Isa. 21. 11 12. Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night Or when shall the morning break Faith answereth it with the words that follow onely a little inverting the order The night cometh and also the morning the morning is approaching that admitteth of no following night There is that fourth property of Faith It is the grace which keepâ—th a Christian in â—e severance by its â—uilding upon the rock Hence it is called a â—eaning upon God for a Christian by Faith doth perpeâ—ually joyn himself to Christ so â—hat what ever trouble hee be cast into by Faith hee comeâ—h up out of that wildernesse â—eaning upon his beloved and by Faith hee is â—ed up to the Rock that is higher then hee â—here he may sit in safety and even â—augh
Therefore study by all means to think often upon it and make ready for it For believe me death is a very big word for it will once make you stand with horrour in your souls if your peace be not made up with God I know not a more dreadfull dispensation then death and a guilty conscience meeting together The second thing that I shall speak unto from this first observation viz. That it is a most certain and infallible truth and all persons shall once see death shall be to give you some considerations for pressing you to prepare for death I. The first consideration is this That to die well and in the Lord is a most difficult work therefore I intreat you prepare for death It is a difficult work to communicate aright it is a difficult work to pray aright and it is a difficult work to conâ—er aright But I must tell you it is a more difficult work to die aright then any of these It is true it is more difficult to communicate aright then to pray aright yet it is much more difficult to die aright then to communicate aright For it is a most difficult work to die in the Lord. Death will put the most accurate Christian that is here to a wonderfull search and therefore I will tell you nine things that death will try in thee 1. Death will try both the reality and strength of thy Faith It may be easie for thee to keep up Faith under many difficulties but death shall put thy Faith to the greatest stresse that ever it did meet with Yea know this that the Faith of the strongest Believer may get and ordinarily doth get a set at death the like whereof it never got before therefore prepare for death 2. Death will try thy love to God some persons pretend much love to him but death will propose this question to such a person Lovest thou him more then these Lovest thou him more then thy wife More then thy house More then thy friends But your unwillingnesse to die giveth us much ground to fear that many have little love to Christ but much to the world and so dare not answer the question Lord thou knowest I love thee 3. Death will try thine enjoyments some of you may be ready to think that ye met with many enjoyments so that ye might reckon as you think to fourty enjoyments and sweet out lettings but beware that death bring them not down to twenty I have known some who thought they had met fourty times with God but when death came it made them take down the count to the half therefore seeing death will try the reality of thine enjoyments O prepare for it 4. Death will try thy patience Thou may seem to have much patience now but when death cometh and thou art put to die it will put thy patience to a great tryall therefore prepare fore it 5. Death will try the reality of thy duties yea even these duties wherein thou had most satisfaction as thy communicating aright in such a place thou hopest that is sure thy reading the Scripture at such a time aright thou hopest that is sure thou prayed at such a time aright and hopest that is sure thou meditated in such a place aright and hopest that is sure But believe me death may make thee change thy thoughts for there are some persons who have communicated and prayed c. as right as any in this generation who for all that will not find six duties wherein they can find satisfaction at death Therefore our need is great to prepare for it 6. Death will exceedingly try thy sincerity when it cometh An hypocrite may go all alongs his whole way undiscovered yet death may bring him to light and make it appear what man he it 7. Death will discover unto thee many hid and secret sins of which thou never had a thought before yea albeit thou thought these had been forgotten death will let thee see them standing between thee and the light of his countenance 8. Death will accurately try thy Mortification Some think they have come a great length in Mortification but believe me death will try it and put it to the touch-stone 9. Death will try thy hope whether it bee real or not I shall onely say this that all the other graces must low their sails to Faith and so it is Faith must carry us thorow being that last triumphing grace which must fit the field for us when all the other graces will faint and ly by It is Faith that must enter us fairly within the borders of eternity It is Faith must gainstand all the temptations of death yea all the other graces must as it were stand by and see Faith strike the last stroak in this war II. The second consideration to presse you to mind death is this that yee are to die but once O labour to do that well which yee are to do but once and the wrong doing of which can never bee helped If yee pray not aright ye may get that mended if yee meditate not aright yee may get that mended and if ye communicate not aright ye may get that also mended but alas if ye die not aright there is no mending of that Therefore O prepare for death that ye may die well seeing ye are to die but once III. The third consideration to presse you to mind death is this That they are pronounced blessed who die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord O let that provoke you to prepare for death that so you may die in the Lord that is the only way to make you eternally happy I confesse it is a question difficult to determine whether it be more difficult to die well or to live well I shall not answer it but rather desire you to study both IV. The fourth consideration to presse you to prepare for death is this viz. That though thou put all thy work by thy hand before death yet shalt thou finde that death shall have work enough for it self yea as much as thou shalt get done It will then be much for thee to win to patience it will be much for thee to win to the sight of thy Justification and it will then be much for thee to win to assurance O then is it not needfull for thee to put all thy work by thy hand before thy latter end come Wherefore I may say to you as Moses said in his Song Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end O that ye had this piece of divine wisdome I pray you consider that sad word Lament 1. 9. She remembereth not her last end And what of it Therefore she came down wonderfully So will the down coming of many in this generation be wonderfull who consider not their last end V. The fifth Consideration for pressing you to prepare for death is this viz. That their
one day to see the joyes of heaven and bring them back again they would â—ot pursue after these blessed and everlasting â—njoyments O is not Christ much undervaâ—ued by us But I must tell you this One wo â— past but behold another wo is fast coming O â—he sâ—reighing of these spirits that are enterâ—d into their everlasting prison-house out of which there is no redemption What shall â—e your choise when Christ shall come in the â—louds I am perswaded there are many â—o whom at that day this Doctrine would be â—avishing viz. That there were not a death â—hat there were not a God and that there were â—ot an eternity Oh! will yee believe That â—he sword of the Iustice of God is bathed in heaâ—en and shall come down to make a sacrifice â—ot in the land of Idumea nor in the land of Bozra but hee is to make a sacrifice among his â—eople who seemed to make a Covenant with â—im by sacrifice Ah ah shall we say that â—f that argument were used to many that within fourty dayes they should bee at their â—ong and everlasting home they would yet â—pend thirty nine of these days in taking pleaâ—ure upon their lusts I am perswaded of â—his that there are many who think that the â—ay betwixt heaven and earth is but one days â—ourney they think they can believe in one day and triumph at night But O! it shall â—e a short triumphing that such believers as â—hese shall have Therefore O study to close with a crucified Saviour rest on him by faith delight your selves in him with love and let your souls be longing for the day when your â—oice shall bee heard in heaven and O how â—weet shall it be sung Arise arise arise my love my dove my fair one and come away foâ— behold your winter is past your everlasting summer is come and the time of the singing of birds is near When Christ shall come over these mountains of Bether hee shall cry Behold I come and the soul shall sweetly answer Come Blessed Lord Iesus Come O what a life shall it be that with these two arms yee should eternally incircle Christ and hold him in your arms or rather be incircled by him Wait fâ—â— him for he shall come and his reward is with him and he shall once take home the wearied travellers of hope SERMON IV. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ c. THere are two great and excellent gifts which God in the depth of his boundlesse love hath bestowed on his own First There is that infinit gift and royal donation his own beloved Son Jesus Christ which is called The gift of God Ioh. 4 10. And secondly There is that excellent gift of the grace of Faith which God hath bestowed upon his own which is also called The gift of God Ephes. 2. 8. Faith is the gift of God And is it not certain that these two gracious gifts ought to ingage ouâ— souls and hearts much unto him Infiniâ—e Majesty could give no gift greater nor his Sâ—â— and infinite poverty could receive no â—â—her gift so suitable as Christ It was the most noble gift that heaven could give and it is the greatest advantage for earth to receive it And wee could wish that the most part of the study and practice of men that is spent in pursuit after these low and transient vanities might bee once taken up in that precious pursuit after Christ. We could wish that all the questions and debates of the time were turned over into that soul concerning question What shall we do to be saved And that all the questions controversies and contentions of the time were turned over into that divine contention and heavenly debate Who should be most for Christ who should be most for exalting of the noble and excellent plant of â—enown and that all our judgings and searchings of other mens practices and estate might â—e turned over into that useful search â—ro â—rove and examine our selves whether we be in â—he faith or not And I would ask you this question what are your thoughts concernâ—ng precious Christ seeing he is that noble â—bject of Faith We would only have you â—aking along these things by which Christ may be much commended to your hearts First There was never any that with the â—yes of Faith did behold the maâ—ehlesse beauâ—y and transcendent worth of that crucified â—aviour that returned his enemy There is â—oul conquering vertue in the face of Christ â—nd there is a heart captivating and overâ—oming power in the beauâ—y of Jesus Christ. â—his first sight that ever persecuting Saul got of Christ it brought him unto an endlessâ— captivity of love Secondly There is thâ— that we would say of precious Christ whicâ— may engage our souls unto Him that for alâ— the wrongs Believers do to Christ yet hatâ— He never an evil word of them to His Fattheâ— but commends them which is clear froâ— that of Ioh. 17. 6. where Christ doth conâ—mend the Disciples to the Father for thâ— grace of obedience They have keeped thâ— Word and for the grace of Faith verse 8 They have believed that thou didst send me and yet were not the Disciples most defectiâ—â— in obedience both in this That they did noâ—â— take up their crosse and follow Christ and alâ—â— in that they did not adhere to Him in thâ— day that He was brought to Cajaphas hall and were they not most defective in the graâ—â— of Faith as is clear from Matth. 17. 17. aâ—â— likewise from Ioh. 14. 1. He is pressing theâ— to believe in Him and yet He doth commeâ—â— them to the Father as most perfect in thâ— things Thirdly There is this that wâ— would lastly say of Him who is the noble oâ— ject of Faith look to the eminent depthâ— Christs condescendency and then ye will provoked to love Him Was it not infiâ—â—â—â— love that made Christ to ly three dayes in tâ—â— grave that we might be through all the agâ— of Eternity with Him Was it not in fâ—â—â—â— condescendency that made His precious he wear a crown of thorns that we migâ—â— eternally wear a crown of Glory Was not infinite condescendency that made Chrâ—â—â— wear a purple robe that so we might wâ—â— that precious robe of the righteousnesse of â—he Saints And was it not matchlesse condescendency that Christ who knew no sin was made sin for us and like unto us that so we might become like unto him and be made the righteousnesse of God in Him But to come to that which we intend mainâ—y to speak upon at this time which is that â—econd thing that we proposed to speak of â—rom these words and that is concerning the excellency of this grace of Faith which we cleared was holden out in that that faith was called his commandment which is so â—alled by way of eminency and excellency There are many things in Scripture which may sweetly point out the