unruly and obvious to be surprised for such things we are wont to keep and so much therefore is implied in that they are to be kept else they needed no keeping This is therefore the condition of our Hearts 1. They are untrusty The heart is deceitful above all things Ier. 17. 9. Therefore it stands in hand to watch it to suspect it and deal with it as we would with a notable Iugler or with an untrusty and pilfering servant to have a jealous and a watchful eye over it For if our eye be never so little off it will presently break out into some unlawful liberty or other 2. It is an unruly thing if it be once lost a man cannot recover it again without much time and labour For it is like unto a wild horse if the bridle be once let go he will be gone and not gotten again in haste yea it may be we shall be forced to spend as much time in recovering him as would have served to have dispatched our whole journey So if the bridle of watchfulness be once let go and our Hearts get loose they will not easily be regained it will ask us no small time to temper and tune them again for the service of God Lastly our hearts are continually liable to surprise we walk in the midst of snares encompassed with dangers on every side What is that almost which will not entice and allure so fickle a thing as the Heart from God We can be secure of it at no time neither sleeping nor waking in no place neither house not street neither bed nor board not in our Closet no not in the Church and Pulpit THUS much shall suffice to have been briefly observed by way of implication from the Act Keep Now I come to the Object it self The Heart Keep thy Heart By Heart we must understand the inward thoughts motions and afâ—ections of the Soul and Spirit whereof the Heart is the Chamber But not a natural man's Heart for that is not worth a keeping but such a Heart as lives to God-ward a good and gracious heart which consists in two properties in Purity and Loyâ—lty This is the state and temper we must keep our Hearts in I will speak of them in order And first of Purity and Cleanness We must keep our Hearts in Purity and Cleanness For Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see God and none but such shall ever see him It behoves us therefore to know what this Cleanness is the having or not having whereof concerns us so nearly Know then A clean or pure Heart is that which loaths sin and loves righteousness For the better understanding whereof we must further know That an absolute cleanness and pureness of the heart and soul from sin is not attainable in this life Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Yet is there a cleanness of heart which must be had and without which we shall never see God as you heard before Such was that which David prays for Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me And 2 Tim. 2. 22. true Christians are described to be such as call upon the Lord out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the Commandment saith the Apostle is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned And himself 2 Tim. 1. 3. thanks God whom he served from his forefathers with a pure conscience But if this Purity of the heart were no other than a total freedom thereof from all unclean thoughts and sinful motions and desires in such sort as a man should never be troubled and defiled with them alas who then should see God who should be saved That Claenness therefore that measure of Purity which God requires to be in the heart of every one who shall see him and with whom he will vouchsafe to dwell is as I told you the loathing of sin and the love of righteousness that is an accepted Cleanness through Faith when the hate of impurity and love of cleanness in the heart is accepted with God for cleanness and pureness it self Though not a cleanness of all our affections yet at least and what can God require less an affection to all cleanness For God accepts the will for the deed If we love if we desire if we delight heartily in that which is clean and pure in the eyes of God if we hate and abhor if we loath in our selves all sinful impurities and pollutions both of flesh and spirit howsoever we find in our selves a great want of the one and our hearts much and often vexed and troubled with the other yet is this affection of our hearts accepted with God for a pure and cleansed heart indeed And where this disposition is the heart cannot chuse but grow cleaner and cleaner even with real and formal cleanness For a man cannot but cherish that which he loveth and rid himself as much as may be of what he loatheth So he that loveth and affecteth cleanness of heart will cherish and make much of every good motion which the Spirit of God shall put into it and if he indeed loath and abhor unclean and sinful thoughts will do his best to stifle them and remove them far from him This Cleanness and Purity of Heart is that which the Scripture slyleth Holiness even that Holiness without which S. Paul tells us Heb. 12. 14. no man shall see the Lord. For in the Law the legal cleansing washing and purging of that which any way belonged to God or was prepared for his presence and service is called sanctifying or hallowing Exod. 19. 10. When the Lord was to come down upon Mount Sinai Go unto the People saith he to Moses and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their clothes 2 Chron. 29. 5. Hezekiah saith to the Levites Sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place And accordingly in the 16. ver the Priests go in to cleanse it which cleansing in the next verse is called their sanctifying it In Deut. 23. 14. where a law is given for cleanness and neatness in the Camp the reason is rendred in these words For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of the Camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee The same expression S. Paul applies to spiritual cleansing 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us saith he cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Here with S. Paul also Holiness is Cleansing and Cleansing is Holiness So Eph. 5. 26. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it c. As therefore under the Law that
bread that he giveth us meat to eat and cloaths to put on and yet which of you all will not use the means to get these things because else you cannot look that God should give you his blessing Do you not know when you are sick of a bodily disease that if you be healed God must heal you God must restore you to your former health and yet which of you all will not seek unto the Physician and use all means that can be gotten Do you not know when you are in danger that God must deliver you and yet would you not laugh at him that in such a case should sit still and say God help me and never stir his finger to help himself Are you thus wise in these outward things and will you not be as wise in things spiritual It is needful you should use the means to obtain God's blessing in things concerning your Body and is it needless in things concerning the good of your Soul It is true indeed that of your selves you are not able to turn from your evil ways unto the Lord your God but you are able I hope to use the means whereby God's Spirit works the conversion of the heart This Sun the Lord makes to shine both upon the evil and the good this Rain he showres down upon the just and unjust What though thou canst not believe of thy self yet thou canst use the means of believing What though thou canst not of thy self will or do the thing which is good yet mayest thou use the means whereby God gives the grace of willing and doing good Wouldest thou then have God to enable thee with the grace and power of his Spirit use the means wherein the Spirit of God is lively and mighty in operation sharper than any two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit Meditate continually in the Law of God be diligent to hear the Word both read and preached attend to Exhortation to Instruction and as Ioab said unto his army going against the Aramites Be strong and let us be valiant for our people and for the cities of our God and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes so say thou unto thine own Soul I will firmly resolve and with all the power I have endeavour to use the means appointed by our God and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes Nay then fear not thou shalt see the salvation of the Lord he will give thee a new heart and put a new spirit within thee he will take away thy heart of stone and give thee an heart of flesh that thou mayest walk in his statutes and keep his Commandments and thou shalt be one of his people and he will be thy God Observe in the second place That a true and unfeigned Faith in Christ which is the knowing him here mentioned brings forth obedience to his Commandments Christ we must know is not only a Priest to reconcile us but also a King to be obeyed by us These two as they are inseparable in him a Priest but a Kingly Priest a King but a Priestly King so must the acknowledgment of them be in his servants Whosoever therefore receives him as a Priest for atonement of his sin must also submit unto him with loyal obedience as a King We can never truly acknowledge him the one but we must also yield him the other For Christ will not be divided by us we must if we will have him take him whole otherwise we have no share in him at all This is that Faith we say justifies and no other but such a Faith as this which adheres unto Christ Iesus both as a Priest and as our Lord and King And therefore do our Adversaries most unworthily and wrongfully charge us That we condemn Good works or hold a man may be in Christ or in the state of grace though his life be never so wicked because we hold as S. Paul does we are justified by Faith and not by the works of the Law Gal. 2. 16. Observe thirdly That the Act of Faith which justifies is the Receiving or Knowing of Christ not as some erroneously conceive an Assurance or Knowing we know him For Assurance of being justified is no way a Cause or Instrument but a Consequent of Iustification A man must be first justified before he can know or be assured he is justified For this Assurance or Certification you may see in my Text comes in the third place not in the first wherein you may observe these three things to have this order 1. Knowing or owning Christ which is Faith 2. Keeping his Commandments which is the Fruit and evidence of a true Faith then in the third place comes Assurance For by this we are sure we do know him if we keep his Commandments The Object must be before it can be known the Sun must be risen before she can be seen So hath every one his interest in Christ before he can know he hath it Nay he may have it long before before he knows he hath it For it is not only a consequent but a separable consequent neither presently gotten and often interrupted For though it be necessary the Sun should be risen before she can be seen yet she may be long up before we see her and often clouded after she hath shined This I observe for the comfort of those who are troubled in mind and tempted to despair because they see not the light of God's countenance shining in their hearts My fourth Observation and the chief in the Text is this That he that walks in the ways of God and makes conscience to keep his Commandments may hereby inâ—allibly know he knows Christ that his Faith is a true Faith and that he shall be saved everlastingly This is the main and principal Scope of the Text and so plainly therein expressed that it needs no other confirmation But the Reason is plain For Good works are the fruits of Faith and a Godly conversation is the work of God's holy Spirit Whomsoever Christ accepts as a Servant he gives the token of his Spirit the Grace which enlivens and quickens the Heart and Will to his Service in a new and reformed conversation Even as the heat of the Fire warmeth whatsoever comes near unto it so the Spirit of Christ kindles this Grace in every Heart that Faith links unto him the Fruit whereof is that infallible Livery whereby every one that wears it may know himself to be his Servant A Tree is known by its fruit the workman is known by his work whosoever them shews these works and brings forth these fruits hath an infallible argument that the Spirit of God the earnest of his Salvation dwells in his heart that his Faith is a true and saving Faith that his believing is no presumption no false conceit no delusion of the Devil but the true and certain motion of God's own
Spirit The rising of the Sun is known by the shining beams the Fire is known by its burning the Life of the Body is known by its moving Even so certainly is the presence of God's Spirit known by the shining light of an holy conversation even so certainly the purging Fire of Grace is known by the burning Zeal against sin and a servent desire to keep God's Commandments even so certainly the Life and liveliness of Faith is known by the good motions of the Heart by the bestirring of all the powers both of Soul and Body to do whatsoever God wills us to be doing as soon as we once know he would have us do it He that hath this Evidence hath a bulwark against Despair and may dare the Devil to his face He that hath this hath the Broad Seal of Eternal life and such a man shall live for ever But on the contrary He that walks not in the ways of Obedience to God's Commandments whatsoever conceit he hath of God's favour toward him without all doubt he knows not Christ to be his Redeemer he hath not nor cannot have any Assurance of Salvation for how should a man be assured of that which is not His Hope is Presumption his Faith is nothing but Security his Comfort if he feels any a mere imagination His Hope his Faith his Comfort are all delusions of the Devil For if we say saith our Apostle chap. 1. ver 6. that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we are lyars yea and the Devil the Father of lies is in us Here therefore is a good Caveat for us all Let us not deceive our selves without Holiness no man shall see God Beware of Presumption for Presumption sends more to Hell than Desperation Let us never think we have Faith to be saved by or acknowledge Christ throughly till we may see and know it by keeping his Commandments For hereby we know that we know him c. But you may say Alas this is an hard saying If none have true Faith or know Christ aright but those who keep the Law of God who then can be saved For what man is he who hath such a Faith For there is no man living which sins not and who can say his Heart is clean the best of us all hath need to pray unto God daily and hourly Lord forgive our trespasses 1. I answer It is true that an absolute and perfect Obedience to the Law of God is not attainable in this life For the best that are though not in a current and constant course yet ever and anon offend both in doing what they ought not and omitting what they should do yea some mixture of infirmity and imperfections will cleave unto the face of the fairest action So incompatible is an uninterrupted and unstained purity with this unglorified state of mortality 2. All this is true and cannot be denied For our Apostle himself saith chap. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us But the same Apostle in chap. 3. 8. of this Epistle saith also That he which commits sin is of the Devil There is therefore some measure of holiness and obedience and that more than ordinary required of those who are the Sons of God That ours may be such we must know the requisites thereof are three To be Cordial Resolved and Vniversal 1. It must be Cordial that is Conscionable and Sincere it must be internal proceeding from the Heart not external only in the appearance of the outward work God looks for fruit and not for leaves therefore the Fig-tree in the Gospel which had nothing but leaves we know was accursed But blessed are they saith David that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart For true Faith not only restrains the actions of the outward man for that Humane laws and other respects may do but it purifies the Heart also from the reigning allowance of any lust or lewd course of sin There is abhorring as well as abstaining loathing as well as leaving for else a chained Lion though he abstain from devouring hath his Lionish nature still 2. It must be Resolved that is out of a full and setled purpose to conform our selves to the Law of God That howsoever we often fail in the execution yet this Root may still keep life within us For good actions which come only by fits and occasions are no part of true Obedience nor where such a Resolution is are failings and slips more a sign of a disobedient child than the missing of a mark argues he that shot never aimed to hit it but only is a sign either of weakness want of skill or good heed or some impediment 3. It must be Vniversal I say not absolute and perfect for no man can keep the Law of God absolutely and perfectly yet it must be Vniversal that is to one Commandment as well as to another True Obedience knows no exception no reservation nor can any such stand with a true Faith and allegiance to Christ our Lord. First therefore there must no darling no bosome sin no Herodias be cherished such a dead fly as this will marre the whole box of ointment For how should he take himself for a faithful servant of Christ who still holds correspondence with his Arch-enemy the Devil It were treason in an earthly subject to do it how serviceable soever he might otherwise be unto his Prince One breach in the walls of a City exposeth it to the surprise of the Enemy one leak in a Ship neglected will sink it at last into the bottom of the Sea the stab of a Pen-knife to the Heart will as well speed a man as twenty Rapiers run through him If thou hedge thy close as high as the middle region of the Air in all other places and leave but one gap all thy grass will be gone If the Fowler catch the Bird either by the head or the foot or the wing she is sure his own So in the present case If Satan keep possession but by one reigning sin it will be thine everlasting ruine If thou live and die with allowance and delight in any one known sin without resolution to part with it thou art none of Christ's servants thou as yet carriest the Devil's brand he hath thereby markt thee out for his own Secondly An Vniversal obedience submits not only to Prohibitions of not doing evil but puts in practice the Injunctions of doing good Many think they keep the Commandments well so they do nothing which they forbid But the not doing good is a sin as well as the doing of evil Dives fries in Hell not for robbing but for not relieving Lazarus The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness not for spending but for not bestowing his Master's talent The five foolish Virgins were shut out of doors not for wasting but for not having oil in their Lamps And the wicked shall be
and believe the Gospel of which I am to speak now None can be Members or Citizens of the Kingdom of God but only those who are the Sons of God The means to become the Sons or Children of God is by Regeneration or New-birth This is the Mystery our Saviour told Nicodemus of when he came to him by night Except a man saith our Saviour be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Iohn 3. 3. Now Regeneration or New birth consists of these two parts Repentance towards God and Faith towards Christ according to that which the Apostle Paul told the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. 21. that he had testified both to Iews and Greeks Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ that is the whole mystery of Regeneration whereby a man becomes the Child of God and a member of his Kingdom Where we are to note and it will serve us to understand these things the better that Repentance properly and distinctly taken looks towards God the Father and Faith unto Christ our Mediatour The one is our returning unto God from whom we are gone astray by sin the other the means or way of our return unto him by Christ without whom we can neither be reconciled to our heavenly Father nor perform any service acceptable unto him These two therefore our Saviour distinguisheth when he saith Repent and believe the Gospel the one looking to his Father the other to himself Both joyned together make the New birth or a new man even as in natural generation the Soul being united with the Body makes a natural man Repentance here being as the Body or Matter which Faith in the Gospel of Christ inlivens and informs as a Soul Those therefore who make Faith a part of Repentance understand by Repentance the whole Regeneration of a sinner Otherwise if Repentance be taken precisely and distinctly as it is here by our Saviour then is not Faith a part but a necessary concurrent of Repentance as the Soul is no part of the Body but concurs therewith to the making of a Man And thus much I held needful to speak of Repentance and Faith in general to make my way the more straight and easie to the handling of them severally and apart which now I come unto And first to begin with that which is first Repentance REPENTANCE is A turning of the whole heart from Satan and Sin to serve God in newness of life I say from Satan and Sin because he that lives in Sin serves the Devil and belongs to his jurisdiction And therefore in our Baptism which is the Seal of our New birth we profess our Repentance by renouncing the Devil and all his works that is the works of Sin wherewith he is served and then we swear fealty to God saying I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth c. The Definition I have given you shall find full and whole in our Saviour's words to S. Paul when he appeared to him going to Damascus Acts 26. 18. as S. Paul himself reporteth them namely that he would send him to the Gentiles To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified Which voice S. Paul there saith V. 19. he was obedient unto and thereupon went and shewed first to the Iews and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance V. 20. The Commission therefore given him in the words aforesaid was To preach Repentance And howsoever the name of Repentance be by a custome of speech restrained only to that Sorrow and Remorse for sin which is but the beginning of our Turning yet if we will speak according to Scripture as we must do when we expound it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Repentance is of a larger extent signifying not only those pangs of Contrition wherewith Repentance begins but the whole change and journey as I may so speak of the Soul of a sinner leaving the service of the Devil and turning to the service of God For this word in the New Testament answers to that of Turning and Returning so frequent in the Old as appears not only by the Syriack which so renders it but by those places in the New Testament where the one is put to explain the other as in that of S. Paul now quoted And that the word Turning is of as large sense as I speak of I shall need go no further for proof than to the words of our Saviour to S. Paul even now mentioned But this will appear better by the ensuing Discourse of the Parts of Repentance Repentance as any one almost may gather by the Definition given thereof hath two parts according to the two terms à quo ad quem An aversion or turning away and A conversion or turning unto An aversion or turning away from Satan and Sin that is the first part then A conversion or turning unto God by newness of life that is the second part The one is a falling off from the Creature the other a betaking to the Creator The first some call Mortification from that phrase in Scripture of Dying to sin Rom. 6. 11. Col. 3. 3. that is of ceasing to be the servants of sin The second Vivification from that Scripture-phrase of Living to God Rom. 6. 11. Gal. 2. 19. that is of beginning to be to God-ward the first receiving virtue from Christ's death the other from his resurrection For to live in the Scripture notion is as much as to be to die as not to be Because therefore to turn away from Satan and Sin is to renounce them and to be no more their 's under them it is called Dying to sin and because to turn unto God by newness of life is to become his and be that to him which before we were not it is called Living unto God But the more usual name of the first part of Repentance or the act of aversion and turning away is Contrition a term borrowed from the Old Testament The other part is simply called Conversion unto God or by some Reformation or Newness of Life I shall use some of these terms so as not to neglect the rest And the first part of Repentance I will call Contrition or Dying to sin as the most easie expression of which I shall now begin to speak Contrition or Dying unto sin hath sometimes the whole name of Repentance and Turning given to it namely as often as the thing to be turned from is solely mentioned As Heb. 6. 1. we have repentance from dead works S. Peter saith to Simon Magus Act. 8. 22. Repent of thy wickedness S. Paul 2 Cor. 12. 21. speaks of repenting of uncleanness and sornication and lasciviousness In all which and the like places Repentance
thy self to Christ become a disciple and a member of his Kingdom S. Paul likewise taught the Gospel in like manner for himself tells us so Acts 20. 21. that he testified both to Iews and Gentiles Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ. Repentance therefore and the Gospel cannot be separated If Repentance includes newness of life and good works the Gospel doth so For Christ is the way of Repentance without Repentance there is no use of Christ and without Christ Repentance is unavailable and nothing worth for without him we can neither be quit of the sins we forsake nor turn by a new life unto God with hope of being received He is the blessed Ferry-man and his Gospel is the Boat provided by the unspeakable mercy of God for the passage of this Sea As therefore in Repentance we forsake sin to serve God in newness of life so in the tenour of the Gospel Christ delivers us from sin that we might through Faith in him bring forth the fruits and works of a new life acceptable to our heavenly Father Hence it is that we shall be judged and receive our sentence at the last day according to our works Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Forasmuch as ye have done these things unto the least of my brethren ye have done them unto me Lord how do those look to be saved at that day who think good works not required to Salvation and accordingly do them not Can our Saviour pass this blessed sentence upon them No assuredly he will not But if the case be thus in the Gospel What is the reason will some men say that the Apostle tells us that we Christians are no longer under the Law nor justified by the works of the Law but under Grace and justified by Faith only I answer It is true that we are justified that is freed and acquitted from sin by Faith only But besides Iustification there is a Sanctification with the works of piety towards God and righteousness towards men as the Fruits yea as the End of our Iustification required to eternal life For therefore we are justified that we might do works acceptable to our heavenly Father through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ which of our selves we could not and so obtain the reward he hath promised the doers of them As for the Law it is to be considered either as a Rule and so we are bound to conform and frame our actions to it for who dare deny but a Christian is bound to fear God and keep his Commandments or the Law may be considered as it is taken for the Covenant of works The Apostle when he disputes of this argument by the Law means the Covenant of works which he also calls The Law of works and by Faith and the Law of Faith he understands the Covenant of grace the condition whereof is Faith as will easily appear to him that shall diligently read the third and fourth chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians where he expresly changeth those terms of Law and Faith into the equivalent appellations of the Two Covenants Now as the Law is taken for the Covenant of works the Seal whereof was Circumcision 't is true we are not under it For the Covenant of works called by the Apostle the Law is that Covenant wherein Works are the condition on our part which if we perform in every point as the Law requires we are justified before God as keepers of his Covenant otherwise if we fail in the least thing we are condemned as guilty of the breach thereof Under this Covenant we are not for if we were and were to be judged according to it alas who could be saved For all saith the Apostle have sinned and come short of the glory of God There is none righteous no not one But the Covenant we are under is Believe and thou shalt be saved the Covenant of Grace the condition of which Covenant on our part is not the doing of works which may abide the Touch-stone of the Law but Faith in Iesus Christ which makes our works though of themselves insufficient and short of what the Law requires accepted of God and capable of reward This is that S. Iohn saith 1 Ep. 5. 3 4. That to love God is to keep his commandments and his commandments now under the Gospel are not grievous For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith c. Whence our Saviour also saith that his yoke the yoke of the Gospel was easie and his burthen light The condition of the first Covenant was that which we could not do the condition of the second Covenant is that which enableth us to do and makes accepted what we can do and this is the Covenant of the Gospel a Covenant of savour and grace through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thus we have seen what the Apostle's meaning is when he saith we are not under the Law but under Grace Not as though a Christian were not bound to walk after God's commandments but that the exact fulfilling of them is not the condition whereby we are justified in the New Covenant but Faith in Iesus Christ in whom whosoever cometh unto the Father is accepted be his offering never so mean so it be tendered with sincerity and truth of heart Most unworthy therefore should we be of this so great and unspeakable favour of Almighty God our heavenly Father offered us in the Gospel if when he hath given us his only Son to make the yoak of our obedience easie and possible to be born we contemning this superabundant grace should refuse to wear and draw therein Far be it from the heart of a Christian to think it possible to have any benefit by Christ as long as he stands thus affected or ever to win the prize of eternal life without running the race appointed thereunto Shall we sin that grace may abound saith S. Paul God forbid THUS much of the Gospel Now of Faith whereby we are partakers of the grace therein being the condition of the New Covenant which God hath struck with men Faith is to believe the Gospel that is to attain Salvation through Christ. But there is a three-fold Faith wherewith men believe in Christ. 1. There is a false Faith 2. there is a true Faith but not a saving and 3. there is a saving Faith A false Faith is to believe to attain Salvation by Christ any other way than God hath ordained as namely to believe to attain Salvation through him without works of obedience to be accepted of
God in him which is a Faith whereof there is no Gospel A true Faith is to believe Salvation to be attained through obedience to God in Iesus Christ who by his merits and satisfaction for sin makes our selves and our works acceptable to his Father A saving and justifying Faith is to believe this so as to embrace and lay hold upon Christ for that end to apply our selves unto him and rely upon him that we may through him perform those works of obedience which God hath promised to reward with eternal life For a justifying Faith stays not only in the Brain but stirs up the Will to receive and enjoy the good believed according as it is promised This motion or election of the Will is that which maketh the difference between a saving Faith which joyns us to Christ and that which is true indeed but not saving but dogmatical and opinionative only And this motion or applying of the Will to Christ this embracing of Christ and the Promises of the Gospel through him is that which the Scripture when it speaks of this Faith calleth coming unto Christ or the receiving of him Come unto me all ye that are heavy-laden and I will ease you Matth. 11. 28. See Iohn 5. 40. and chap. 6. 37 44 45. So for receiving Iohn 1. 12. As many as received him to them he gave power or priviledge to be the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name where receiving and believing one expounds another Now if this be the Faith which is saving and unites us unto Christ and none other then it is plain that a saving Faith cannot be severed from good works because no man can embrace Christ as he is promised but he must apply himself to do them Would we then know whether our Faith be true and saving and not counterfeit This is the only sign and note whereby we may know it if we find these fruits thereof in our lives and conversations For 1 Iohn 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with Christ and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth Ch. 2. 3. Hereby we know that we know him namely to be our Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for our sins if we keep his Commandments And ch 3. 7. Little children let no man deceive you He that doth righteousness is righteous even as Christ is righteous For if every one that believes in Christ truly and savingly believes that Salvation is to be attained by obeying God in him and so embraces and lays hold on him for that end how can such a ones Faith be fruitless DISCOURSE XXVII Acts 5. 3 4 5. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost and to purloin of the price of the land Whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thy power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost IN the 110. Psalm where our Saviour is Prophetically described in the Person of a King advanced to the Throne of Divine Majesty glorious and victorious The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool c. amongst other Kingly Attributes and Graces it is said if it be translated as it should be That his people in the day of his power should offer him Free-will-offerings that is bring him Presents at the day of his Inauguration or Investment as a sign of their Homage For so was the manner of the East to do unto their Kings and therefore when Saul was anointed King by Samuel it is said of those sons of Deâ—ial which despised and acknowledged him not that they brought him no presents But of Messiah's people it is said Thy people in the day of thy power that is the day when thou shalt enter upon thy power or the day of thy Investment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people of free presents or shall bring thee Free-will-offerings It is an Elliptical speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rightly expressed in the Translation of our Service-Book Thy people shall offer or bring the Free-will-offerings This we see fulfilled in the Story of the foregoing Chapter when after our Saviour's ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God which was the day of his power or Inauguration in his Kingdom assoon as this his Investment was published by sending of the Holy Ghost presently such as believed in him that is submitted themselves to his power and acknowledged him to be their King dedicated their goods and possessions to his service selling their lands and houses and laying down the money at the Apostles feet namely to be distributed as were the sacred Offerings of the Law partly to the maintenance and furnishing of the Apostles for the work whereabout they were sent and partly for the relief of the poor Believers which belonged to Christ's provision According to this Example one Ananias with Sapphira his wife consecrated also a possession of theirs unto God and sold the same to that purpose but having so done covetousness tickling them they purloined from the price and brought but a part of the summe and laid it down at the Apostles feet Then said Peter according to the words I have read Why hath Satan filled thine heart that is made thee so daring to lie unto the Holy Ghost and to purloin from the price of the field c The words I have read contain two things Ananias his Sin and his Punishment therefore His Sin in the third and fourth verses his Punishment in the fifth Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost Concerning his Sin as appears by the relation I have already made it was Sacriledge namely the purloining of what was become holy and consecrate unto God not by actual performance but by vow and inward purpose of the Heart For as it is well observed by Ainsworth on Levit. 7. 16. out of Maimonid in his Treatise of offering the Sacrifice Chap. 14. Sect. 4 5. c. In vows and voluntaries it is not necessary that a man pronounce ought with his lips but if he shall be fully determined in his heart though he hath uttered nothing with his lips he is indebted And this is no private Opinion of mine the Fathers so determine it S. Augustine that Ananias was condemned of Sacriledge quòd Deum in pollicitatione fesellisset because he had deceived God had been false to him in what he had promised him And in another Sermon Ananiam detraxisse de pecunia quam voverat Deo Ananias purloined and kept back part of the money he had devoted to God S. Chrysostome in his 12. Homily upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The
whosoever had at any time committed such and such misdemeanours should have his estate confiscated or suffer some grievous and exquisite torments as a Traitor unto his Prince if I should see a man deeply liable unto all this who could hear of such a Proclamation securely without trouble and astonishment that could sleep quietly and be no whit dejected or cast down therewith might I not justly think either he believed himself not guilty of any of the crimes there mentioned or took it for a counterfeit or only some scare-crow never meant to be put in execution I know your selves would think so How then is it possible that a man should firmly and seriously give credence to the Law of God and the Threats contained therein and yet his Heart never smite him his Soul be never touched with remorse No without doubt this Legal faith for so I call the belief I speak of is yet a weak one a superficial and unsetled perswasion perhaps but no grounded or firm impression Wouldst thou amend it wouldst thou drive it deeper Rub thy Heart continually with a fixt and frequent meditation of the severity of God's Law of the number and greatness of thy transgressions of the dreadfulness of wrath and vengeance due for the same Never cease doing this untill thy Heart shall yield and thy bowels melt within thee One drop of water weareth not a stone but continual dropping will do it Gutta cavat lapidem c. If one meditation will not melt thy Heart yet a continuance therein will do it Those who let bloud will rub the Vein often to make it swell so must thou rub thy Heart often to make it bleed A hard skin with often grinding and fretting will at length grow thin and tender I COME now to the Second thing I propounded in this Invitation The thing invited to which is double Coming unto Christ and Taking his yoke upon us I begin with the first This coming unto Christ is the approaching to him by Faith which is manifested by those places of Scripture where coming and believing are interchangeably used as one and the same thing He that cometh to God saith S. Paul Heb. 11. 6. must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Iohn 6. 35. I am saith our Saviour the bread of life He that cometh to me shall never hunger he that believeth on me shall never thirst Here coming is expounded by believing Ver. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out In Iohn 1. 12. it is called a receiving of Christ But as many as received him to them gave he power or priviledg to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Here therefore observe That a Saving Faith a Faith which makes Christ our own and hath promise of ease by him in a word that Faith which gives us an interest in Christ Iesus is more than a bare assent or perswasion that the Gospel is true which saies that Christ is the Son of God and the Redeemer and Saviour of mankind It is a coming Belief a coming Faith that is an assent inclining the Soul to Christ to be made partaker of the Benefits through him Not a bare Speculative assent which remains in the Brain and proceeds no farther but such an assent as rests not there but worketh a motion in the Will to seek and embrace that which is believed Such an assent as not only believes the Promises made in Christ but goes unto him relies upon him clings unto him for them Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will ease you To believe the Gospel is true that Christ Iesus is the only means of Salvation ordained by God I grant it to be a Faith though it go no farther But it is an insufficient Faith an imperfect and impotent Faith which is usually called Historical Faith which I make no question but you all have But if you stay here the Devil believes as much as you do But a Saving Faith though it begins with this yet it staies not there It stands not only gazing upon Christ but is effectual and powerful upon the Soul to make it apply and betake it self unto him This height of Faith the Devils have not nor can have They can believe as well as we that Christ is a Saviour but never so far or so much as to have any hope affiance or confidence in him For if a King should proclaim a general pardon to a number of known rebels and vow execution without mercy upon some principal offenders who had cunningly and maliciously seduced the rest both of them might equally believe the Proclamation to be true yet the one would be encouraged to relie upon the King's clemency and to sue out his pardon but the other would be utterly disheartned as being uncapable Such altogether is the case of men and wicked Angels in the Proclamation of the Gospel Men hearing Christ took the woman's Seed are encouraged with hope of pardon the Devils knowing he in no wise took the nature of Angels the better they believe his Incarnation the less are their hopes of their own redemption Come we therefore to application He that cometh unto God saith S. Paul must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him So say I He that cometh unto Christ must believe that he is and that he is the Easer of them that seek unto him He that believes this sufficiently cannot but go unto Christ. You therefore that labour and are heavy laden with your sins do you believe that Christ is and that he is the Easer of them that being weary of their sins seek unto him How can your Soul then but fly unto him with trust and confidence in him Yea but will some men say I believe that Christ is and that he is the Easer of them that seek him yet for all this I can put no trust and confidence in him Yea but dost thou believe it so well as to find thy Soul on wing toward him to seek and sue for pardon If thou findest this thou hast some trust and confidence in him more or less For didst thou quite despair of Ease from him thy Heart could never seek to him for where a man utterly despairs to obtain he will not so much as stir a foot to make a suit The motion or flight of the Soul is Desire He that out of a true sense and feeling of his sin for no other can do it in good earnest desires Christ he goes unto him And Christ thou â—eest requires no more but that all those who are weary and heavie laden should thus come unto him and he will ease them And this is the first degree of a Faith which is Iustifying and gives interest in Christ Iesus For this Faith is not barely Historical and in
speculation but a Faith in motion and able to walk and go unto Christ Iesus whom it believeth which if cherished will in time gather such further strength as will fill the Soul with a full and stedfast confidence But if thou sayest Thou believest that Christ is and that he is the Easer and Saviour of those which seek him and yet thy Soul is not on wing nor any motion in thy Heart advancing to him I say then either thy Sorrow for thy sin is not true and therefore thou yet feelest no need of him or thy Belief is deficient Whatsoever thou sayest and thinkest of thy self thou believest not yet throughly and indeed that Christ Iesus is a Redeemer and Saviour of those that come unto him For as I told you before that he believed not the Law throughly and indeed that could hear it without remorse of Conscience and contrition of Soul so he believes not the Gospel throughly and firmly who being laden and grieved for his sins yet is not able to flie and betake himself unto Christ for mercy For if you saw a man condemned to die and in great affliction for the same who hearing of a Pardon proclaimed for all in his case who would demand it should nevertheless sit still and never go about to seek it who would think but that either he misdoubted the report or gave but little credence to the word of the King Such is the case here There is certainly some defect in believing And this must be cured after the same manner as that in believing the Law namely by a sober and frequent meditation reading hearing and thinking of that great mysterie revealed of Redemption in Iesus Christ and of the gracious Promises of the Gospel in and through him This is Faith's whetstone which if it be blunt will make it keen This is the only means to establish thy Belief if it be deficient or unsetled if there be any metal in it this will give it an edge if there be any sparkles this will blow them into a flame Thus you have heard what Coming to Christ is that is what a Saving Faith is namely so firmly and effectually to believe that Christ is a Saviour of those that seek him as doth incline thy Heart to go unto him to sue out a Pardon and rely upon him for mercy and Redemption NOW follows the Benefit Ease and Rest to thy Soul I will ease you or give you rest that is I will free you of your burthen I will ease you of your sin I will acquit you And this is that we call Iustification of a sinner which is an Absolution or remission of sins by the only merits and satisfaction of Christ accepted for us and imputed to us An acquitting and cancelling of all bonds and obligations of transgression for Christ's sake through the only merit of his death passion and shedding of his bloud For he that hath right to Christ hath right in Christ to be partaker of his righteousness and of whatsoever satisfaction he hath undergone for the sins of mankind whereby he is justified that is acquit before God of the guilt of sin and of the punishment according to the Law due for the same For God saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 5. 21. made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Rom. 5. 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous This is the Ease this is the Rest here mentioned the unlading and unburthening of a sinner where Christ dischargeth him of his loading and beareth him upon his own back For he saith Esay chap. 53. 4 5 6. hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all Thus he eased Peter when his heart was ready to break for denying him Thus he eased Mary Magdalen a woman laden with sins when she bathed his feet with tears Luke 7. 48. Thus he refreshed trembling Saul the persecutor Acts 9. 6. And still he casteth the eyes of his mercy upon every one that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at his word Esa. 66. 2. See therefore here to whom alone a troubled soul is to have recourse for Ease Neither to Angels nor Archangels For those who do so hold not the head Col. 2. 19. Neither to Saints nor Martyrs to Peter nor Paul no not to the blessed Virgin her self For Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knows us not Esa. 63. 16. and Cursed is he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Ier. 17. 5. Nor to the Law given by Moses For the Law worketh not ease but wrath Rom. 4. 15. Nor will our merits and good works pilgrimages fastings or alms-deeds purchase this Ease For although we could do all we ought to do yet must we say we are unprofitable servants and that we have done but that which was our duty to do Luke 17. 10. It is Christ Iesus and only Christ Iesus who can give Rest to a troubled soul that Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world AND thus you have in part had a view of the Three points considerable in this Invitation 1. The Persons who 2. The Invitation or Thing invited to what and 3. The Benefit to be attained But I must call you to the Second point again there being one part thereof not yet spoken of For I told you The thing here invited unto was double Christ himself and His yoke The first concerning Christ himself I have spoken of in those words Come unto me Now it remains to speak of the second Take my yoke upon you Those who come unto Christ must also take his yoke upon them But what is this yoke even the yoke of obedience which should have been ours but Christ for our sakes took it upon him and made it his Yet not that we should draw our necks out of the collar but still do our endeavours by denying ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope to come As therefore in coming unto Christ you had Faith in the Ease by him Acquitting or Iustification so in the taking his yoke ye have Sanctification or Holiness of life All which are so linked together that neither must they nor can they be put asunder No man comes to Christ by Faith but shall be eased but no man can ever truly and seriously come unto him to be eased by him but he must take his yoke upon him No man puts on Christ to be justified but he takes on his yoke also to be sanctified That which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder True it
is and nothing more true That no works of ours in this life can abide the Touch-stone of God's Law and therefore not able to justifie us in the presence of God but to condemn us But it is true also That we are therefore justified through Faith in the bloud and righteousness of Christ that in him we might do works pleasing and acceptable to Almighty God which out of him we could not do For as the bloud and sufferings of Iesus Christ imputed to us through Faith cleanseth and acquitteth us of all the sins whereof we stood guilty afore we believed so the imputation of his righteousness when we believe makes our works though of themselves far short of what they should be yet to be acceptable and just in the eyes of the Almighty Christ supplying out of his Riches our poverty and by communication of his obedience continually perfecting ours where we fail that so we might receive the reward of the righteous of him that shall reward every man according to his works Being therefore in Christ we are so much the more bound to frame our lives in holy obedience unto God's Commandments in that before we were justified we could not but now henceforth we are enabled to do that which for Christ's sake will be acceptable and pleasing to Almighty God our Father This is that which S. Peter tells us 1 Epist. 2. 24. That Christ his own self bare our â—â—s in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness So S. Paul Tit. 2. 11 c. The grace of God saith he that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men wherefore Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ ver 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Here you may see that Christ is therefore given us to be a propitiation for our sins and to justifie us that in him we might walk before God in newness of life so to obtain a crown of righteousness in the world to come But if this be not enough to perswade us to take on this yoke of Christ yet I hope this consideration will do it when I shall shew you that That Faith can never be true which is not attended with these fruits Nor is there any other mean to assure us we are truly come to Christ and ingraffed in him but this If we have taken up this yoke of Christ we may know then we have put on him If we have never put our necks to his yoke we never put on him It is S. Iohn's express assertion 1 Epist. 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the the truth Ch. 2. 3. Hereby we know that we know him viz. to be our Advocate with his Father and the propitiation for our sins if we keep his commandments The Reason is plain Because the one follows the other as the heat doth the Fire or the light the Sun Which I thus demonstrate both on Christ's part and ours On ours thus He that sincerely sues to and seriously relies upon another for a Favour which nearly concerneth him and no other can do for him will by all means endeavour to avoid whatsoever he knows may distaste his Patron and do his best to approve himself in whatsoever he can learn is most pleasing unto him If you should see a man having a Suit to some great Courtier for a pardon of his life and yet shewing no care of doing in his presence what he knew would deeply offend him and wilfully neglecting that he knew would give him the best content would you think such a man in earnest and sufficiently perplext with fear of death and seriously relying upon that man to save it I know you would not If therefore out of a true affrightment and sense of the wrath of God for sin with a sincere and serious Faith thou suest unto and reliest upon Christ for mercy and redemption as the only name under heaven whereby thou canst be saved how canst thou but love him with all the Powers of thy Soul and therefore do thy best to please him upon whom thou dependest for so great and unvaluable a benefit If thou dost not surely thou hast not yet weighed thy misery sufficiently thy Faith is insufficient and counterfeit it never yet came home to Christ that he might ease thee The same appears on Christ's part For unto whomsoever Christ is given for Iustification through the imputation of his merits and righteousness in him God creates a new heart and reneweth a right spirit as the Psalmist speaketh Psal. 51. 10. that is by virtue of this union he conferreth upon him the grace of his Spirit for the abolishing of the body of sin and enabling the Soul in some measure against the assaults thereof to abandon at least the more eminent notorious enormous and mortal sins though sins of ordinary infirmity shall not be quite subdued in this life If therefore I see a man run still without restraint into gross and open sins and walk not blameless in the eyes of men I conclude he hath not this Spirit of grace within him and therefore was never ingraffed into Christ by a true and lively Faith Wheresoever therefore is a true faith and unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. there follows a new life He that cometh to Christ sincerely takes his yoke upon him too Labour therefore as S. Iames saith to shew your Faith by your works For not every one that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the will of my Father saith Christ shall inherit the kingdom of heaven DISCOURSE XXXII S. MATTHEW 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls THese Words are a continuing of the former Exhortation to take upon us the yoke of Christ First in general That we follow his Example Learn of me Then in particular wherein we should follow him In Meekness and Lowliness For I am saith he Meek and Lowly in heart Then the Profit we shall reap thereby Do this And ye shall find rest unto your souls For the first Learn of me Observe That Christ is given unto us not only for a Sacrifice for sin but for an Example of life They are the words of one of our Collects For he is our Lord and King and Subjects we know will naturally conform and fashion themselves unto the manners of their Princes Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis And those which do so are accounted the most devoted to them and are the best accepted of them If Christ then be our Lord and King we must acknowledg him to be such by conforming to his Example
We rely not upon God as we ought when we pray but trust more to second means to our Wit to our Friends or the like than to Him And this seems to be that wavering in prayer S. Iames speaks of when he bids us pray in faith without wavering Chap. 1. 6. that is without reeling from God to rest upon second means But as with our mouth we pray to him so should our Hearts rely upon him to give us what we ask But we often pray to God for fashion but indeed we look to speed by others and so God takes himself mocked and so no marvel if he hears us not If it were our own case we would not listen to such suiters Or 3. We pray and speed not when we make not God's glory the End of what we ask Ye ask saith S. Iames Chap. 4. 3. and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye might consume it upon your lusts Or 4. We may ask something that crosseth the Rule of Divine Providence and Iustice and then also we must not look to speed David prayed for the life of his child by Bathsheba Vriah's Wife but was not heard because it stood not with the Rule of Divine Iustice that so scandalous a sin which made the Enemies of God to blaspheme should not have an exemplary punishment In like manner sundry times when the children of Israel rebelled against the Lord and murmured against Moses and Aaron their Governours Moses poured forth very earnest prayers to God for removing his judgments from off the people but God would not hear him because their sins were scandalous and committed with so high a hand that it could not stand with the Rule of his Iustice not to inflict punishment for them 2. Again sometimes and that too often we are indisposed for God to grant our request As first when some sin unrepented of lies at the door and keeps God's blessing out Psal. 66. 18. If I regard saith David iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me So God would not hear Ioshua praying for the Israelites when they fled before the men of Ai because of Achan's Sacriledge Get thee up saith God why liest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned for they have taken of the accursed thing that is the thing that cursed were those that medled therewith Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their Enemies because they were accursed Neither will I be with you any more except ye put the accursed thing from among you Or lastly our Prayers often are not heard because we appear before the Lord empty we do not as Cornelius did send up Prayers and Alms together we should have two strings to our bow when we have but one This is another indisposition which unfits us to receive what we ask of God For how can we look that God should hear us in our need when we turn away our face from our brother in his need When we refuse to give to God or for his sake what he requires why should he grant to us what we request Hear what an ancient Father of the Church S. Basil by name in Concione ad Divites saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have known many saith he who would fast who would pray who would sigh but not bestow one halfpeny upon the poor But what then will their other devotion profit them 3. Add to all these Reasons of displeasure a Reason of favour why God sometimes grants not our requests namely because we ask that which he knows would be hurtful for us though we think not so We ask sometimes that which if he granted us would utterly undo us As therefore a wise and loving Father will not give his child a knife or some other hurtful thing though it cries never so much unto him for it so does God deal with his children And how wise soever we think our selves we are often as ignorant in that which concerns our good as very babes are and therefore we must submit our selves to be ordered by the wisdom of our heavenly Father Moreover we must know and believe that God often hears our Prayers when we think he doth not and that three manner of ways As namely 1. When he changes the means but brings the End we desire another way to pass We ask to have a thing by our means but he likes not our way but gives it us by another means which he thinks better S. Paul that he might the better glorifie God in serving him desires the thorn in the flesh might be taken from him God denies him that means but grants him grace sufficient for him that so being humbled by the sight of his own infirmity he might glorifie God for his power in mans weakness And is it not all one whether a Physician quench the thirst of his Patient by giving him Barberies or some other comfortable drink as by giving him Beer which he calls for 2. God often grants our request but not at that time we would have it but defers it till some other time which he thinks best Daniel prays for the return of the Captivity in the first year of Darius but God defers it till the first of Cyrus We must not therefore take God's delays for denials The Souls of the Saints under the Altar Rev. 6. 10. cry out aloud for vengeance God hears that cry and cannot deny the importunate cry of innocent bloud yet he defers it for a little season saith the Text v. 11. and why because their fellow-servants and brethren that should be slain as they were might be fulfilled Lastly God sometimes grants not the thing we ask but gives us in stead thereof something which is as good or better And then we are not to think but that he hears us And thus much concerning the power and efficacy of Prayer Now I come also to shew the like of Alms how powerful a means they are to procure a blessing from God Not thy Prayer only saith the Angel but thine Alms also are come up for a remembrance in the sight of God For Alms is a kind of Prayer namely a visible one and such an one as prevails as strongly with God for a blessing as any other Hear David in Psalm 41. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble 2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness A place so evident as flashes in a man's eye But hear Solomon speak to Prov. 19. 17. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given he will pay him again And Prov. 28. 27. He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack but he that hideth his eyes
whole Orthodox Christian Church in the Age immediately following the Apostles 771. a passage out of Iustin Martyr to this purpose vindicated which had been corrupted as other passages to the like purpose were expunged out of Sulpitius Severus Victorinus Petav. and others of the same judgment 533 534. nor was it anciently denied but by Hereticks and such as denied the Apocalyps 534 602. Other Testimonies for it as out of the Council of Nice 813. and a Carechism set forth in K. Edward the sixth his Reign 813 815. That this Millennium follows upon the expiring of Antichrist's reign 603. this clearly proved by the Synchronisms 429. That the 1000 years of Satans being bound began not at Constantine 427 880. S. Hierome's misrepresentation of the sense of the more ancient Fathers detected 899. Doubtful whether Cerinthus held any part of this Opinion though in a wrong sense 900 Mincha what 357 826. in marg The Purity of the Christian Mincha explained in three particulars 358 359 Minister how the word is sometimes used improperly 27 517. Four Solecisms from the improper use thereof ibid Ministers are not the peoples Ministers but God's 26. and are maintained out of Gods revenue 77 78 120. their maintenance is not of the nature of Alms 73. To make provision for God's Ministers and Worship a work highly pleasing to God 174 Miracles No noise of Miracles done by Reliques of Martyrs in the first 300 years after Christ 679 680. The design of the pretended Miracles in after-ages 681 c. Monks and Friers the chief promoters of Saint-worship 690 691. and of Image-worship 691. The two characters of Monastick professors 688. a third character 689. Monkisn poverty no point of Piety 126 c. Months The 42 Months in Apocal. 11. 2. the same with 1260 Days in vers 3. are to be taken for Months of years and are more than three single years and an half 598. their beginning and ending 600. why the profaning of the holy City by the Gentiles and the continuing of the Beast is number'd by Months Apocal. 11. 2. ch 13. 5. but the Prophesying of the Witnesses and the Woman's abode in the Wilderness by Days ch 11. 3. ch 12. 6. 481 492 Moses the Rites and Ordinances of Moses observed for some time after Christs ascension by the Apostles and believing Iews 841 Mountains and Hills what they signifie in the Prophetick style 135 462 Mountains and Islands 450 N NAme written in their foreheads in Apocal. 14. 1. what meant thereby 511 Name of God Hereby is meant 1 God himself 2. what is his by a peculiar right 4 5. Gods Name to be called upon a thing what is imports 5. Gods Name how it is sanctified or hallowed 9. how it is prophaned or polluted 14 Names of men in Apocal. 11. 13. what 489 490 Nations or Gentiles put in the Apocalyps for the Apostate or false Christians 574 908 Nazarites their Vow and Law abrogated by the Apostles and therefore no ground for Monkish orders 128 Nebuchadnezzar's Vision of an Image of Gold Silver Brass and Iron explained 104 105 743 744 New Heavens and New Earth what meant thereby 613 New Ierusalem what meant thereby 772 877 914 Nicene Council See Council Noah The seven Precepts of the sons of Noah 19. these Precepts were briefly included in the Apostles decision at the Council in Ierusalem Acts 15. 165. whether the observation of the Sabbath-day was included in any of these Precepts 20. The division of the Earth by Noah's Sons was not confused but orderly 274 Number of the Beast 666 why he differs from Monsieur Testara's conjecture about it 795. Mr. Potter's Discourse upon it highly approved by him 877 Numbers of Times when Definite and Indefinite 597 656 Numbers Distributive or Divisive wanting in the Hebrew Text and how supplied 700 O OBedience to Gods Commands the best protection against dangers 262. a more necessary and acceptable duty than Sacrifice 351 c. Three qualifications of true Obedience 1 Cordial 2 Resolved 3 Vniversal 310 Offerings were either Eucharistical or Euctical and Vâ—tal 285. a description of these 289. They are due to God naturally and perpetually 286. That they were not Typical and Ceremonial but Moral in their end and nature proved by four arguments 288 289. That they are required of Christians 291. the three degrees or parts thereof 290 Offerings and Sacrifices wherein they differ 369 The two Olive-branches in Zech. 4. explained 833 Oracles The Heathen Oracles began to cease at the birth of Christ. 193 194 Oratories See Proseucha's P. PAlestine See Canaan Passions 4 Rules for the governing of them 227 S. Paul's Conversion a Type of the calling of the Iews 891 Peace on Earth Luke 2. what is meant thereby 93 94 Peace-offerings and other Sacrifices were to be eaten before the third day and why 51 Penitents 5 degrees of them according to the discipline of the ancient Church 331 Pentecost why called the Feast of Weeks 265. and of harvest 269. why the Gospel was first published and in such a miraculous way at Pentecost 76. That those First Converts to the Christian Faith at Pentecost were not Gentiles but Iews 74 75 Perfect Heart See Heart Perjury upon Theft a more dangerous Sin in the Iewish State 133 Persecutions Which were the greatest and longest of the 10 Persecutions 334 S. Peter his Second Epistle why and by whom questioned 612 Pillars and Images why at first erected 632 The Pontifical Stole and Title first refused by the Emperour Gratian. 601 Poverty its dangers and evils 132 133 Prayer why God requires it of us 170. why not always heard 168. how God often hears our Prayers when we think he doth not 169. A set Form of Prayer proved to be lawful 2. Objections against set Forms answered 3 4. To be prayed to in Heaven and to present our Prayers to God is a Right and Privilege proper to Christ 639. and that Christ purchased it by his death 640 Presents The Oriental Custome to bring Presents to their Kings 115 Priesthood why confined to one Tribe only under the Law 178 179 Prophecies so foretel things to come as yet to instruct the present Church 285 Prophesying hath a fourfold sense in Scripture 58. in what sense it is attributed to Women 58 59 A Prophet's Reward is a special and eminent Reward 87 Prophetical Schemes familiar and usual to the Eastern Nations 616 759 Proselytes two sorts of them 1 Proselytes of the Covenant or Righteousness 2. Proselytes of the Gate 19 20. these are called in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worshippers and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that fear God 20 21. why there were more of this sort of Proselytes 21 22. how these became so ready for the Gospel and Faith of Christ. 22 Proseuchae or Places of Prayer their use among the Iews and how they differed from Synagogues 66 67. where they are mentioned in Scripture 67. their Antiquities 68 69 Prosperity is apt to make men