it appears that his doubts are the enemies of Gods Word and Spirit and therefore not the eccho of the word nor the just verdict of conscience speaking from the word but the voice of Satan Secondly a believer finding doubts in himself is exceedingly grieved for them bewails want of Faith as his greatest misery willingly accuseth and condemneth himself for these pangs and qualms of unbelief as for greatest sins they are very burthensome to him chiefly because they rob God of his glory and make him less cheerful in rendring unto the Lord praises and other obedience But the hypocrites doubts trouble him and he wisheth to be rid of them only because they are attended with inward disquietness terrours fears of the Lords judgments not because they are sins against God whereof this is a sufficient proof that if he enjoy a kind of peace and perswasion that he is the Child of God though his evil heart full of infidelity secretly deny or call into question an hundred things in divinity one after another he relents not he is not troubled tush these are but flitting motions nor worthy check or controlement Thirdly doubts drive a true believer first to God by earnest requests for the discovering and diminishing of his unbelief strengthening of his faith then into himself by a more exact and impartial scrutiny of his own Conscience and estate they quicken him unweariedly and constantly to go forward in resisting and subduing them in seeking and lamenting after Christ and never to sit down till God have brought his heart into the harbour of a stablished assurance till he see feel and as it were handle eternal life in himself till he know Christ and all the treasures of grace and glory in Christ as undoubtedly to be his own as his apparel money house lands till the Holy Ghost have signed sealed and delivered the heavenly inheritance in the Court of conscience in a word till he have gotten such a faith as can glory in God insult over Hell Death Devil Sin the Curse of the Law and out-wrestle all difficulties but the unsound Christian either builds himself a Castle of imaginary assurance upon the sand of false grounds or lies under his doubts irrecoverably giving over seeking before he receive a sound certain and satisfactory answer from the Lord either out of sloth or despair of obtaining or because he hath learned the strongest faith is subject to some faintings and therefore judgeth it needless to strive any longer or labour for more faith seeing that which he hath will serve his turn and it s no otherwise with him than it is with a true Christian Thirdly We must hence be admonished not to disdain or condemn such Christians as sometimes bewray some feebleness of faith in word or work Thou seest or hearest thy brother is impatient in affliction fears poverty shrinks at the approach of persecution or death is discouraged by reproaches and slanders not so zealous and valiant in maintaining Gods glory and cause as it were to be wished for fear of the wrath of Man omits some necessary good defiles himself with the doing of some evil do not now think or say such a one is a faithless temporizer take heed of such judgment lest thou be judged seeing the truly faithful have done as much thou shalt do well to be sparing in thy censures till thou canst shew a perfect faith Fourthly Vse 4 see the reason why sometimes the lives of very godly men are blemished with some faults Alas the tree is imperfect therefore the fruits must needs be so for nothing can give that it hath not Though the godly by the grace of God may be free from notorious sins yet they cannot obey perfectly because they believe but in part Why then do carnal men if they spie but a spot in a godly mans face a frailty in his conversation though it be but a moat in comparison of their beams Why do they presently cry out These that make so much profession are naught they are naught all of them they are dissemblers they are not what they seem c. Absurd unreasonable men do you expect they should be perfectly holy when they are but imperfectly faithful If one of your children have a slow or unseemly pace by reason of lameness or debility in some member you think he is rather to be pitied than upbraided If you will not learn to judge mercifully of the godly when they fall and to impute their slips rather to the imperfection of their condition than the hypocrisie of their hearts and naughtiness of their disposition you shall but prove your selves to be haters of your brethren and he that hates his brother is a murtherer 1 John 3.15 and no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Fifthly hence we are taught Vse 5 that believers must not trust to the strength of their faith as is by the power of it alone they were able to stand against all blasts resist all temptations for though it 's an excellent grace yet it 's but a creature and imperfect too and therefore in sense and distrust of our own weakness we have need to cry to God that he would shield us with his grace and support both us and our faith by his power Lastly it follows hence Vse 6 that faith doth not justifie by any valour vertue dignity of its own neither as an habit or quality nor as a work but as it is a means or instrument of obtaining that for which we are justified it s not the gift of Faith dwelling in the Heart nor the act of believing as the Novellers teach but the thing holden and possessed by believing which is our Righteousness For that thing by which we are in proper sense absolutely and as I may say formally justified and presented spotless before God must be perfect yea expiate infinite guiltiness answer the Justice of God but this faith cannot do because it is imperfect as we see The second Instruction or Conclusion to be drawn out of these words is Christians must desire the accomplishment and perfection of Faith above all other Graces Doct. 2 The reason is because Faith of all Graces which exist in us is the noblest for excellency and of necessity it hath the preeminence whether we consider the Glory it brings to God or Profit to Man First Reason 1 no grace exalteth and honoureth God as faith doth For 1. In the cause of Justification and Salvation Faith utterly annihilates man tramples under foot all the glory of nature all goodness all privileges all works of man seeks righteousness and life onely from Gods grace in Christ when a poor sinner seeth himself a condemned rebel and traitour feels nothing in himself but darkness unworthiness wrath and death hath nothing to bring to God but shame and misery Faith leads him to the Throne of Grace and makes him bold to beg and expect pardon in Christs blood for no other cause but because God is gracious yea
when his many mighty ugly sins discourage and terrifie him to cleave still to the free and everlasting goodness of God acknowledging the Bords mercies infinitely to surpass his iniquities Thus Faith gives the whole praise of mans salvation to the grace of God 2. Faith believes God upon his bare word if God have revealed or promised this or that though all the world say it cannot be though reason cannot comprehend how or why it should be though many reasons appear why it should not be beleeved none at all why it should but this that God hath spoken faith will still all contrary surmises and subscribe to Gods testimony as more stable and stedfast than the foundation of the earth Thus faith highly honours Gods truth 3. Faith proclaims God to be able to effect whatsoever he hath promised and believeth that though a thousand difficulties stand in the way the overcoming of which flesh and blood judgeth not only a thing improbable but impossible it 's as sure as if it were done already Rom. 4.20 21. Thus it gives glory to the power of God 4. Faith causeth a man denying and renouncing his own judgment wisdom will as foolishness to bless God as well when he denies or takes away as when he gives as well for the worst as the best and to rest perswaded that the worst estate is the best for him when God is the Author of it that poverty is better than abundance when God will have him poor restraint than liberty when God will have him restrained c. that it 's greatest gain to lose all things for Christ that God loves in smiting heals by wounding exalts by humbling thorow the gates of death brings unto life Thus faith extols the wisdom of God 5. Faith makes man justifie God in all his decrees judgements dealings subscribe to the equity of them all even when he conceives not of them adore the unsearchableness of them reverently submit unto them yea when they thwart his desires pronouncing approving all his ways to be pure and righteous when he neither seeth nor asketh any reason thereof but Gods will Is not this a great honour which faith gives to Gods righteousness 6. It beholds him that is invisible every where present perswaded that he seeth and knoweth all things and so glorifieth him in respect of his omnipresence In a word that I be not too long in multiplying particulars Faith if I may so speak gives unto God his whole Divinity and of all graces most sanctifies his Name by acknowledging and confirming as it were by seal all those excellent properties and perfections which the Scripture ascribeth to him Indeed other graces also as love fear joy and the rest do honour God nor do I mean to rob them of their due praises but neither primarily for the cause and foundation of all that honour is in faith nor yet in such ample and full manner as faith Seeing then nothing is so glorious to God as Faith and consequently the more faith any man hath the more he glorifies God doth it not stand every Christian in hand above all graces to labour for perfection of Faith Secondly Reason 2 No Grace is more useful more profitable to man than Faith whether we consider life spiritual or natural For spiritual life 1. Faith espouseth and conjoyneth man to the Son of God in whom he findeth and obtaineth the dignity or prerogative of Son-ship and justification of life which things the better they are known the more they are felt and sealed up in the Soul by believing the more is the heart refreshed with unspeakable comforts 2. Faith purifieth and sanctifieth because 1. Being a gift of an holy and heavenly nature descending from above it will oppose and fight against corruption as light expels darkness heat cold and antidote poison 2. Laying hold on Christ it draweth and deriveth from him the Fountain Vertue and Power whereby corruption is mastered and mortified as a leaden pipe brings water from the spring wherein vessels are washed and cleansed 3. Faith is the mother and root of all other holy graces in a Christian and therefore as faith increaseth the rest will increase the more perfect that Faith grows the nearer the perfection is the whole cluster of heavenly gifts in the children of God the more a man knows and believes the love of God to him the more fervently he will love God the more reverently he will fear him burn with zeal of his glory patiently hope earnestly desire to be with him in heaven and so of the rest 3. Faith strengthens 1. To obey God in leading an holy life in performing all duties and doing all the good works he requireth of his people so as they may please him in all things 2. To fight against and foil all spiritual enmity faith makes a poor soul able to resist the Devil a spirit of exceeding great power to stand fast when he is buffeted by Satans suggestions which Adam in innocency could not do and to overcome whatsoever is evil in the world faith either wards off the blows or so heals the wounds received in this battel that the soul becomes more sound and healthful than before the Apostle therefore to the Ephesians arming and training the spiritual souldier bids him Above all take the shield of faith Hence it is that this grace is of all others most assaulted by the Prince of darkness 3. To persevere and continue in the way of salvation to the end because it doth seat and keep believers in the impregnable fort of Gods faithfulness and tower of his Almighty power wherein the gates of hell cannot prevail against them In a word what is said of Sampsons locks may be said of faith a Christians strength lies in it yet not simply and for it self but because it lays hold upon Christ the rock of Israel who strengthens his Members to do all things Secondly for natural life 1. Faith procureth temporal good things For God who is faithful hath promised to them that fear him and will subject themselves to his government following him wholly like Caleb even outward and temporal benefits so far as they may be good for them and not prejudicial to their spiritual prosperity or soul-thriving now a Christian by believing and suing to God in prayer of faith obtaineth them and so findeth relief and supply of temporal wants 2. Faith makes evils tolerable sweeteneth crosses enables to endure afflictions by assuring the believer that in them God offers himself as a Father will moderate the stroke minister sufficient strength give an happy issue turn them to his good by setting before his eyes such a Crown such a weight of Glory with which the light and momentany sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared Now to knit up this reason if there be such necessity and use of Faith for Justification Sanctification corroboration in holy obedience and in the spiritual warfare sustentation and consolation in afflictions and
outward man in themselves or others ever to be exercised in one good work or other in a word when they endeavour seriously that their practise may answer their teaching and profession They dishonour it by barrenness fruitlesness careless neglect of good works when they place religion only or principally in knowing or talking profess piety but express it not in their practise or do not constantly shew forth mercy and equity in all their actions so that the very wicked can tax them for the want of these things 5. They honour it by bridling and moderating affections manifesting Christian meekness when occasions of being provoked are offered equanimity confidence and joy in God when he takes away good things or brings evil upon them They dishonour it by suffering passions now stirred by some adverse and ingrateful occurrences to overflow the banks and break out into unseemly excess when they can keep no mean or measure in their anger are fearful above measure altogether heartless at the approaching of danger grieve immoderately for losses and crosses For worldlings seeing the children of God so impotent impatient timorous dejected think within themselves surely there is no such joy in these mens religion no such power in faith as Preachers would perswade us 6. They honour it by union and harmony of hearts and tongues when they sweetly conspire and are knit together in judgement and affection as the boards and curtains of the Sanctuary by rings and tenons minding speaking the same thing walking by the same rule They blemish it by mutual jars vvars dissentions especially in matters of Religion 7. Lastly they honour it by constancy in religion vvhen they are called to suffer great things for it holding on in the way of life when showres of persecution falling threaten to drown them willing and chearful forgoing the dearest things for the Gospel They dishonour it by spiritual cowardife and apostasie starting back from the truth because of the Cross shrinking away from the love profession practice of godliness lest they should be troubled and persecuted This makes men think Religion is worth nothing for which they that know and have professed it will lose nothing this makes men say these love the world and the things of the world as well as others for they will yield to any thing rather than part with living liberty life This instruction thus confirmed and opened ferveth first to reprove many that desire to be counted and called Christians but answer not their stile Some notwithstanding all our preaching are unexpert in the word of righteousness in the art of godliness grow not in knowledge but stand at a stay like dwarfes and dwel perpetualiy upon that a. b. c. of Religion which they learned long ago Some of good age and long standing have begun to totter and turn after seducing spirits which promise to open unto them a new way that they may find rest and peace to their souls wherein they may walk without a Conscience Some for fear of worldly troubles let good causes fall to the ground But above all others this point thunders against those who by their disordered lives bring shame not only upon themselves but upon Christianity in general It s to be lamented that some by idleness in their callings pride unthriftiness undutifulness to Governours unfaithfulness in dealings slipperiness in promises rigor in standing upon and prosecuting their own right to the utmost discords and such like gross faults appearing in their lives give the wicked occasion of condemning our whole brotherhood 1 Pet. 2.17 and make Religion ashamed that ever she knew them yea blush and hide her face if they do but look at her or challenge any acquaintance with her And do we serve our Religion thus Beloved in which we hope to be saved Do we look she should comfort us plead for us lead us to heavenly glory and yet we deal with her as Judas did with Jesus that is daily deliver her up to be mocked scourged crucified pierced by the spears and arrows of ungodly mens venomous tongues Do we not fear lest if we continue to be a shame to our fathers house exposing it to infamy and obloquie in the world we be cast out at length as bastards and bond slaves lest if we be a shame to the Gospel the Author of the Gospel be ashamed of us in that great day Secondly Vse 2 all that call upon the Name of Christ and are called after his Name must hence be spurred and stirred up to answer their calling especially by an holy and unblameable life Brethren let us study every man in his place to be an ornament and credit to Religion Whatsoever things tend to the honouring of our holy profession let us think on them and do them embrace and follow after them whatsoever things we know or justly suspect will disparage and bring an aspersion upon our calling avoid abhor them Away with the works of darkness let them not be seen among us they are most unseemly unseasonable in Christians What a shame is it that those who are called to so great and glorious things should live like the base scullions of the Devil ought we not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of our enemies that we may give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully Let us oh let us strive to be such manner of persons for holy conversation and godliness that our very lives may proclaim to all men thaâ— our hearts hopes countrey portion is above not in this world that in our words and works wicked Men may smell the fragransie and behold the majesty and glory of Religion to their astonishment and be compelled to say these are kindly Christians indeed worthy the Name they bear the seed which the Lord hath blessed Esa 61.9 Consider I pray you for I would gladly strike this nail a little further 1. That profession separated from sutable practice is a great Enemy of Christs Kingdom Unreformed Protestants must be content to be ranked among adversaries as well as Turks and Pagans and its hard to tell which is most dangerous For 1. these fight only from without the City of God and who can look for any better from them who profess hatred and enmity against the Church Those living within the bounds and bowels of the Church put weapons into the hand both of forrain and domestick loes secretly encourage strengthen arm them against Religion while they seem to be Friends 2. Neither should external enemies have any power to hurt the Church if the sins of those that are in the Church did not provoke the Lord to become her Enemy to pull down her wall and give her into the hands of the uncircumcised 3. The bad lives of Christians are a great hindrance of the Churches increase For when the Men of the world see them as earthly midded as covetous as contentious and in a word in many things as blame worthy as themselves they
or predestination to life redemption remission of sins justification acceptation vocation revelation of the mystery of the Gospel and giving of knowledge and wisdom spiritual vivification and consequently sanctification regeneration comfort and hope after their calling ability for the faithful discharge of the duties of their callings deliverance from evil confirmation and persevetance glorification Reason proveth the same First it s a sure principle in Divinity Reason 1 the most free will of God which is all one with his goodness is the first and supreme cause of all things If God be not every way the first cause he hath either an equal or a superior and consequently sequently is not God Nothing therefore doth induce and more him to do good to his creature but his own goodness If something without him should move his will that thing must needs be in nature before him and more worthy than he he must depend upon it and suffer from it but these things cannot agree to the nature of the first cause Wherefore either we must confess there is no grace and holiness in man which springeth not from the sole goodness of God or else deny a most certain Canon of Religion and spoil God of his nature and prerogative royal Secondly Reason 2 man cannot by any desert provoke God to be good and bountiful to him For 1. while he is unregenerate there is no goodness in him nothing truly good can come from him he is dead in sins wholly corrupt and abominable his reason is blind his heart rebellious his wisdom enmity to God 2. The good gifts which are in man justified and renewed and the exercise of them cannot if we will speak properly be an impulsive provoking cause of Gods augmenting these gifts Because 1. God purposed in his eternal Councel before the world to bestow or work that increase and therefore it being an effect of Gods will cannot be a cause of the same 2. Nothing temporary in man can be a cause of that which is eternal in God therefore God was not moved by any thing fore seen in time to decree this increase If nothing besides his own goodness moved him to decree to work it nothing else moves him actually to work it else the decree and the execution of it do not agree Thirdly God is not bound to man Reason 3 owes him nothing being an absolute Monarch who hath most full and free power to do with his own what he list If he give his bounty is thereby manifested if he withhold he wrongeth none Now if we cannot possibly by any means make God our debtor it followeth that whatsoever good we have or receive it proceeds from his only kindness First then here are confuted Vse 1 first some false Doctrines of the Papists As 1. That a sinner not reconciled to God may by preparatory works of repentance deserve in some sort justification which they call the merit of congruity I am not ignorant how one of the Master-dawbers of Mystical Babylon goes about to salve this point by a favourable interpretation but if there were no snake in this grass I marvel why some of great name and note among them who doubtless understood well enough the tenets of their own times vvished the abolishing and abandoning of it 2. That Man is able by a power naturally inherent in his will if it be but helped and vvakened by grace to believe and convert Indeed they disavovv this Opinion as whoremasters are sometimes ashamed of their bastards but they must be content will they nill they to father it For the vvritings of the Jesuits who in this point are hotly opposed by their own pue-fellows the Dominicans witness that besides the outward means they acknowledge nothing necessary to conversion but inspiration illumination excitation they require not any super-natural habit or principle infused into the will by which it may be disposed and elevated to produce the act of faith they make effectual grace to be nothing else but Gods perswading and calling Men in such a time place manner as he foresees most agreeable to their disposition inspiring such motions as he seeth by their free-will they will embrace yea some of them ingenuously confess that the first radical cause of the efficacy of grace is the co-operation of mans will 3. That men may merit yea others for them increase of grace perseverance and restauration by repentance when they have fallen How these Romish Opinions are repugnant to the doctrine in hand grounded upon the plain words of the Apostle he is blind that seeth not Secondly the doctrine of the Arminians who maintain that the ground and cause of Gods election is foresight of saith and perseverance in persons to be elected that God sends the means of salvation and offers his grace to this or that people because he did see and know they would with humble readiness embrace and rightly use that grace and come when he called 1. These are right builders of Babel Is not this most horrible most wicked coufusion to thrust the first cause out of his rank and seat the second in his room to subject the Creator or make him inferiour to his creature to fetch the first rise or spring of mans salvation from man It is no less absurd and blasphemous for ought I can see to say Gods will had or needed an external moving cause in ordaining things than to say his power had or needed an outward help in creating things The Papists shall rise up in judgement and condemn them some of whom do affirm roundly and confirm as soundly that there is no cause in us of Gods predestination that election is altogether free without prevision of good works 2. What faith could God fore-see in man not half but wholly dead in trespasses and sins what power of willing their own conversion in Men of stony hearts altogether impotent to spiritual good mancipated to Satan 3. Lastly where they say God bestows means of salvation upon some rather than others because he seeth they will profit better by them a pur-blind Papist will tell them its manifestly false For if that were the reason then the Lord should always send his Gospel and Ministers to those that are most towardly and capable deny them to those who are most hard-hearted and rebellious but we see in Scripture and experience he often sends them to those that are worse than others as to Israel a gain-saying people a people of stiff and steely necks adamantine hearts brazen fore-heads Ezek. 3.6.7 Matt. 11.21 more stubborn and inflexible than the Gentils than the Tirians and Sidonians Secondly This must teach us humility Vse 2 We have no cause to be lifted up in pride for any good thing we have or can do For it s neither from our selves nor procured and purchased from God by any worthiness or work of ours Nothing is our own but evil let us take nothing to our selves but shame and confusion Hast thou honour riches
Many of better proficiency are to be censured who finding in themselves some seeds and elementary rudiments of godliness let fall the fails of their desires and sit down well contented I wish this Corinthian and Laodicean-like fulness be not a sickness too common among Christians but I fear too many not of the worst sort of our hearers if once they have but thus far profited in Christianity that they can thank God they are much reformed in mind and life or perswaded of the truth of their conversion think themselves rich enough they have gotten grace sufficient to save their souls and now they are well-satisfied they will not trouble themselves to labour for any more This is to manifest our own consciences being witnesses we have no questions we feel no poverty of spirit we complain of no wants our secret sighs and fervent longings for grace are dried up and withered the temper of our spirits is cold and dead as the winter season our affections are grown flat and frozen we please our selves in a conceit or self-sufficiency and that more holiness than we have already attained is superfluous But brethren if we be so easily so quickly satisfied and glutted with Gods dainties which make true believers more hungry I testifie unto you we may justly fear that we never rightly tasted at least never kindly digested them but have all this while dreamed and been deluded by Satan and consequently doubt of our conversion Assure your selves when God shall call us to an account such a time will come and how soon we know not we shall have small comfort in looking back and recounting what a long rich spiritual seed-time and harvest we have enjoyed wherein manifold means and opportunities of getting a fair stock of grace have been plentifully afforded and we in the mean time like loitering sons of shame dallying with Gods bounty and neglecting to redeem the season have gathered little Secondly Vse 2 if the godly must desire it followeth that in the use of all sanctified means they must labour for the accomplishment of all Gods gracious pleasure in themselves all gifts accompanying salvation We must not rest in any measure of holiness but press after perfection of every grace and never rest till we see yea feel powred upon our heads all the goodness that God hath promised to shew his children in this life Truly as the heathen King is reported to have wept when he heard a Philosopher speak of more worlds than one because himself had not yet conquered one so it s a thing much to be lamented that whereas God hath provided for his children even in this world such a liberal portion of grace as might make their lives an heaven upon earth the most of us enjoy and receive so little the reason whereof is because we are not covetous enough we beg not in good earnest or else second not our prayers with suitable endeauours we aim not at a great measure Alas that we should be so poor and have a father so able so willing to enrich us I beseech you therefore if there he any consolation in Christ if ever you have tasted how good the Lord is stick not in beginnings call upon your selves to strive and endeavour after the highest degree of mortification and power to resist and conquer remnants of corruptions the highest degree of all positive graces knowledge faith love joy fear c. the highest degree of chearful and constant obedience of lively and fruitful walking before the Lord the highest degree of peace and comfort of strength stedfastness boldness The means in which we must strive are 1. A constant attending upon publick ordinances especially the Word preached and the Lords Supper which God hath sanctified for perfecting the Saints and by which he is wont more and more to convey his graces into the souls of those who use them with pure and prepared hearts 2. Feeding much upon Christ by application of he promises drawing and keeping near him in our spirits taking all occasions of looking up and speaking to him often bringing and baring your hearts before him as husbandmen do the roots of their trees before the Sun the reason is because he is not onely the fountain of goodness who makes the spirits of those that delight in approaching to him and walking with him watered gardens but also that Sun of righteousness whose sweet and quickening heat doth enliven regenerate renew impregnate with spiritual graces and fruits the invisible world of believing souls and advance the same to persection spiritually as this visible Sun doth creatures in this visible world naturally the more communion any one hath with this fountain this Sun the more grace he shall be sure to have 3. Plying God with fervent prayers springing from spiritual hunger and deep sense of our own beggery intreating him by the wind of his Spirit To blow upon the garden of our hearts that the spices thereof may flow forth 4. Improving Song 4.16 and blowing up grace by spiritual exercises of reading finging meditation conference private communication of gifts 5. Evacuation purging out by renewed repentance such matter as might cause an oppilation of those passages in which grace should flow unto us for Christ to whom we are joyned as members if we be believers is an head full of the holy Ghost full of grace truth if we defire to receive abundantly of his fulness we must take heed the nerve of faith and pipes of Gods ordinances be not stopped or made ineffectual in us by our worldliness deadness of spirit lusts or some known corruption too indulgently handled 6. Laying our hearts low before the Lord in humiliation and humility For the low valleys because they receive most dew and rain into their bosoms are most fruitful so the humble heart the broken spirit is of all others a subject most capable of the spirit and shall be most plentifully watered with the showres of grace because the God of all grace and goodness hath promised to dwell in such a spirit Do you now see the way Walk in it that you may find rest to your souls Do you know these things Blessed are you if you do them And therefore still suffer the word of exhortation in the use of these means propound this mark to your selves To be filled with the holy Ghost with wisdom and understanding with all riches of full assurance with all might patience and long sufferance with joy and peace in believing to be full of good works of mercy and good fruits of thankfulness and Gods praises all the day Oh spare no pains for storing up abundance of grace as David said of his children the fruit of the womb happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them so may I much more truly say of the fruits of the spirit happy is the man that hath his heart full of this treasure here only covetousness yea violence is lawful and holy Say not within your selves this
is an hard doctrine and impossiose What we cannot be perfect here such thoughts are prompted by Satan to make you lazie and rob you of your crown The Apostle Paul was not ignorant of this yet He forgat the things that were behind and stretched himself unto the things before yea laboured if it were possible to attain to the resurrection of the dead So that though we cannot reach an entire and compleat perfection yet we may and must grow still more and more perfect and though our attainments shall never in this life overtake and equal our desires yet as he that shoots at the noon-Sun though he be sure he shall never hit the mark is sure to shoot higher than he that aims at a bush so if we desire and aim at the highest pitch of grace vve shall be sure to outstrip our fellows and attain such a measure as shall make our profession both comfortable to our own souls exemplary to our brethren and glorious in the eyes of strangers And thus much touching this branch of Pauls prayer for though I perceive there is one point more couched in it which have not been handled yet for brevity I will refer and reserve it to be wrapt up as well it may in the conclusion of the next member which now remaineth to be opened wherein a second thing is craved by the Apostle as a necessary and more special means of making them worthy their calling The words are and the work of faith with power where confider 1. The blessing asked which is fulfilling the work of faith By work of faith may either be meant the exercise operations fruits of faith faith stirring acting labouring producing such works as are proper to her or faith as it is Gods work in man the grace or habit of faith wrought by God in our hearts I take this latter sense the difference is not great and this includes the other 2. The efficient cause of it Gods power For so I understand those last words with power that is by his own Almighty power joyning them to the word fulfil rather than to faith which worketh powerfully in believers The meaning then is as if the Apostle had said But above all other graces we make suit unto God for the perfecting of that blessed and singular work of faith which his grace hath begun in you and that by the strength of his own right hand who is omnipotent and all-sufficient The instructions to be gathered from these words follow whereof the first is this The best faith hath wants Doct. 1 Understand it of faith in the sons of men in this world It s plain in our text The Apostle witnesseth in his former Epistle that this people received the word with much assurance that their faith to Godward was spread abroad in other places In this very Chapter he hath given thanks to God that their faith grew exceedingly yet here he tels us they have need to be prayed for that God would perfect their faith A cloud of witnesses doth further confirm it Abrahams faith did limp and halt a little when he hearkned to the counsel of Sarah in going in to Hagar for he consented to the use of unlawful means for bringing about Gods purpose likewise when through fear he sained Sarah to be his fister weakness appeared in Sarahs saith when she laughed at the promise of a son in Jacobs vvhen tidings of Esaus coming did so affright and distress him though he had a promise of Gods presence and protection in that journey in Davids when in his haste and fear he said I am cast out of thy sight all men are liars when he fained himself mad in Peters when being afraid of his skin in the high Priests hall he denied his Master And no marvel for first if knowledge be imperfect in all Christians confidence cannot be perfect in any How can the heart desire or cleave unto this or that further than the mind apprehends it as true and good I can not rest upon a man believing he will do this or that for me further than I know him The measure of faith in the will depends upon and sollows the measure of light in the understanding I mean in respect of latitude not intension or in intrinsecal vigour for otherwise I know there may be great faith where there is but small knowledge as in many Martyrs A man may know more than he believes so do many wicked men in the Church but he cannot believe more than he knows Now its certain that we know but in part for neither do we apprehend the whole object of knowledge that is the whole body of divine truth my meaning is vve know not all things to be known vve are still ignorant of many things neither do we see those things which now we know so fully clearly distinctly as vve should and shall in the life to come If therefore we know but imperfectly we must needs trust imperfectly Experience in our selves and other Christians may partly teach us the necessity of this consequence Do we not perceive this to be or have been one special cause of the failing of our faith that either vve know not this or that promise or were not sufficiently acquainted with the saithfulness and goodness of the promiser or did not so evidently behold the good things God had begun in us as from them we could conclude our selves to be heirs of the promise Secondly there are many enemies which oppugn a Christians faith from without Satan by his temptations sometimes more subtil sometimes more violent in his own bosom carnal vvisdom and reason natural slowness or untowardness of heart to that which is good inordinate affections and passions for grace doth not wholly expel and root out these Canaanites though it brings and keeps them under the yoke of the spirit Novv these sometimes dim the light of faith by raising mists and fogs of objections and doubts sometimes cast her into a slumber sometimes as it vvere by a sudden vehement blow astonish her and in a vvord by many means hinder the efficacy and working of faith No marvel therefore if sometimes the best faith stagger and waver This doctrine confuteth 1. The Papists vvho to the end they may vvith more probability maintain and perswade the possibility of fulfilling the Law in this life teach that faith and charity are perfect in this life 2. Some in our Church at home vvho hold that a man never doubts after he is a true believer It seems these men think faith to be like certain little bones in mans head of vvhich the Doctors of nature vvrite that they are of the same bigness in an old man and in a child 3. Our common people and silly ignorants vvho brag their belief is so strong as nothing can shake it no company can hurt no Devil prevail against them they never sound in themselves any want or vveakness of faith they never distrusted God in all their lives they can
believe as sted fastly as they lift From their own vvords their faith is evinced to be nothing but an idle sancy for the child of God seels such craziness in his faith as vvrings from him many deep sighs bitter cries dolorous complaints before his heavenly father who seeth in secret He who never groaned under sence and conscience of great infidelity is yet in the state of infidelity and death and hath no more true faith than the Devil But is it possible may some say that any man should be so deceived and mistaken Object as to perswade himself he is rich in faith vvhen he hath none at all I answer Answ Yes very easily For 1. the heart is naturally very full of strong presumption vvhich these men because of the ignorance that is in them not being able to distinguish from saith do therefore take and rest in the one instead of the other 2. Being full of darkness destitute of spiritual light they see not that mighty mass that sink that sea of unbelief vvhich is in them they knovv not what infidelity is nor what are the proper symptomes and effects of it and therefore though it be continually stirring yea ruling in them and breaking out so as others may discern it yet they see it not themselves because they know not them selves nor what is in them as one bodily blind or going into a dark night without a candle into a room cannot discern what filth and baggage is in it 3. All unconverted are in a deep and deadly sleep for repentance is called awaking therefore we need not think it strange or impossible they should dream of great riches when they have nothing of eating and drinking while their souls are empty 4. The Devil will do his best to keep such from doubting for fear of losing them for well he knows that to doubt one hath gone wrong is a step to returning and to fear ones heart is faithless and graceless a step to believing Secondly Let the child of God take heed of numbring himself among unbelievers and concluding that he is void of faith because sometimes he finds his heart trembling and shaken with doubtings and fears Indeed Satan will encounter a Christian with this sophistry Thou hast experience oâ— much wavering thou art not stedfast and rooted in faith therefore thou art not found in the faith but vve must ansvver the tempter boldly If this reason be good all the generation of the just must be condemned none of vvhich vvere exempted and priviledged from knovving vveaknesses and failings of faith If it be objected Object Christ prayed for every believer as vvell as for Peter that his faith should not fail I ansvver Sol. faith may be said to fail either in regard of habit vvhen it s utterly lost and extinguished and this failing doth not shall not befall a true believer according to our Saviours prayer and the true meaning of it or in regard of act and operation vvhen in time of danger some grievous fall or temptation it fainteth svvouneth vvorketh not or but very vveakly and in this sense and manner the best mans faith may fail as Peters did for his denial proceeded from such a cause as strength or lively povverful vvorking of faith expelleth viz. predominancy of carnal fear neither did our Lord Jesus pray that his elect might be preserved from it If it be objected again Object Abraham believed without staggering I answer 1. True Sol. when God promised Isaac but it doth not hence follow that he never at any time staggered 2. This example teacheth what a strong faith ordinarily can do and what every Christian should labour to do but not that every one who reacheth not Abrahams measure is an hypocrite I speak this for the comfort of true believers not to nuzzle up any in their doubts if any man shall hence take occasion to please himself in a floating uncertainty hanging between hope and fear and neglecting to try or labour for more strength of faith because he hears the best faith hath weaknesses he perverts and wrests the word of God to his own destruction But may some man say seeing a good Christian may be troubled Quest and tossed with doubts shall not I conclude I am the child of God and in an happy case if I feel doubtings Take heed of this deceit Answ A right believer may doubt and he may doubt that never was believer The difference between them is this First The doubts of a wicked man touching his salvation are caused or confirmed by the light and power of Gods word rightly divided and applied discovering his unfoundness and so convincing his conscience that its forced to give sentence against him and roundly to tell him he is not qualified like one that shall inherit the promises and enjoy the salvation of God they come not from Satan ordinarily for his custom is and he knows its for his profit to apply false comfort to hypocrites when God hath terrified and wounded them not to tempt them to unbelief I mean still about the matter of their salvation except when he gets them at a dead lift as in the hour of death or in some great extremity wherein he hopes to push them headlong into desperation because then he should minister occasion of seeking that precious faith of which himself is as much afraid as the Lion of fire and consequently should be divided against himself his own enemy But the doubts of a sound Christian come principally from Satan yet not without the help of natural ignorance and infidelity by means whereof he hath great advantage to work whose policy is when he cannot keep the child of God from grace then by aggravating his sin and unworthiness by extenuating or hiding from his eyes the good things God hath given him to hold and deter him from beleiving to make him if it were possible wholly to cast away his hope or else to languish in an heavy uncomfortableness greatly displeasing and dishonourable to God But how may one know that his doubts are from Satan 1. If after a diligent privy search in the closet of his soul he finds such signs of faith as certainly declare its there present though the comfort of it be not presently felt and discerned as namely a turning of the streame and bent of the thoughts and affections after heavenly things an ingenuous and lovely melting of the heart into sorrow for offending to the Lord strong desires of honouring and pleasing God with resolutions of cleaving to and following him though he should never receive comfort from him an hearty hatred of joyned with a serious strife against secret hypocrisie and carnal ends in well-doing and the like 2. If he feel that the spirit in the ministry of the Word fights against his doubts sweetly perswades and draws him to believe comforteth and rejoyceth his heart not beatting and battering down his confidence as ordinarily it doth the hypocrites but bettering and strengthening it for hereby
consequently the greater faith the more peace holiness strength comfort in afflictions who seeth not how needful it is that every Christian do chiefly and above all things desire the accomplishment of saith This discovers Vse 1 and reproves a great fault in some Christians who travel and take pains to increase knowledge sorrow for sin zeal to subdue and root out hypocrisie evil thoughts and lusts while the care of growing in Faith lies neglected or is superficially prosecuted fecondarily attended Alas do you not see my brethren I speak to such whom this point concerns that this is to begin at a wrong end as if a man should take Physick or apply Medicines for Stomach Eyes Legs Armes and be careless of the Vital Parts as the Heart and Liver or look well to the branches of a Plant and neglect the root Assure your selves the hand of Satan is in this matter who like a most subtil enemy when he cannot keep you now quickned with the life of God from seeking grace and working that which is good labors that you may seek and work preposterously and so without success or comfort doing any thing rather than that which chiefly and above all things should be done Wherefore Secondly Vse 2 let my counsel be acceptable to you as you labor to excel in every gvace so bend and apply your principal endeavours hither that you may flourish and a bound in this Cardinal Grace this Queen-Mother of graces which gives life to all other vertues and duties if ever you have tasted the sweetness and known the worth of Faith stir up your selves with an holy contention to aspire after a plenitude of Faith Why are we so shaken and disquieted when troubles yea rumors of troubles come so faint-hearted or dead in afflictions so oppressed sometimes with fears or fruitless pensiveness so burthned or distracted with want of this or that earthly blessing so weak in love to God in resisting our lusts in holy duties Why is there not as indeed there should such a light of heavenly joy and sanctity in our lives as might make the men of the world stand wondring at the glory of Christianity is it not want of this great faith this strong faith the Scripture commends Let us trace our own hearts and search the matter impartially and we shall find it to be so We all desire strong bodies strong houses firm evidences and Writings for money or land and shall we content our selues with a weak and wavering faith which will be dasht out of countenance with every doubt not labour for that stedfast and grounded assurance which will minister strong consolation It s a shame for us to be babes in faith who have so long enjoyed the means of faith We are now nearer our salvation than when we first believed and therefore should lay faster hold upon eternal life Little do we know what need we shall have of the strongest saith before we die Suppose we should be freed from outward trials the Devil will sift and winnow us and when that time comes the best of us shall find all the faith we have gotten little enough Besides oh the benefit of a manly and grown faith It s the crown and glory of a Christianity before Men and Angels it brings a man to know and enjoy a Heaven upon earth works for him wonderful things and incredible to reason fills the heart with such triumphant and glorious joy in tribulations as prophane men in all their wealth and prosperity never feel nor can possibly attain makes him conquer by suffering Wouldst thou gladly be broken-hearted humble patient heavenly minded Let faith have her perfect work and thou shalt be all these and more Gods yoke shall be sweet and easie to thee thy corruptions like Davids enemies shall fall under thy feet thou shalt chase and put to flight armies of temptations and lead about the roaring Lion in Triumph thou shalt behold God more neer and see him more clearly than many others when thou art weak thou shalt be strong when thou art poor thou shalt abound in darkness thou shalt see light and in the shadow of death find life eternal What could we want if we wanted not Faith how happy might we be if we were rich in Faith My exhortation therefore and earnest suit unto all Gods people is and shall be that they would not only strive to ferret insidelity out of their hearts and confirm Faith but seek and reach after the most excellent and eminent degree of Faith a powerful and victorious Faith carrying them far above the World in all conditions and labour by often chewing particular promises and meditation of their glorious hopes by praying earnestly with the Apostles Lord increase our faith by constant hanging upon the breasts of the Ministry coming to the word of faith with an eager appetite receiving it with application by keeping in memory and revolving the experience they have had of Gods Faithfulness and Mercy by fellowship with strong and experienced Christians exercising Faith in all occurrents and such like holy meanes labor I sy that the small grain of Faith which God hath sown in the soil of their Souls may grow up to a tall Tree whose height reacheth unto Heaven full of fair leaves nnd savoury Fruits yielding shade and shelter to many Blessed is he that heareth and keepeth for he provideth well for his Soul he shall sing when others sorrow stand when others stagger or fall the Lord shall reveal to him the abundance of peace and truth The Lord give us understanding in all things and perswade our hearts to the things which belong to our peace Thirdly I gather hence Vse 3 that Gods word doth warrant Christians to prize prefer respect Faith before all other Gifts which I note to let you see a difference betwixt Apostolical and Apostatical doctrine the spirit of Paul and the spirit of Papists for they depress the dignity of saith and extol charity and the works of charity far above it They teach that the Scripture when it hath to deal with men faithful and regenerate calls not for faith any longer but urgeth good workes they teach that true righteousness consisteth principally in charity that charity onely is the forme and Queen of vertues even of faith as if one should say the form of justice is temperance an habit distinct from it or motion the form of the spirits in our bodies prosound learning indeed by some of their own men disliked they teach that faith doth out only dispose us unto justification make us meet to receive grace and obtain Christs merits but charity alone sufficeth it to justification charity will purge away sin and deliver from the guilt of death eternal Who can endure to see the Daughter lift up above the Mother to hear the hand honoured above the heart But that such Divinity should come from Papists we shall think it less strange if we do but remember two things 1. That the Roman Synagogue
is just such a Church as a Carcase is a Man and therefore it was meet she should neglect that grace which is the spring and soul of all piety justice charity What 's fitter for a dead Church maintaining a dead Christ a dead Cross a dead Word dead Sacraments dead Prayer a dead Ministery than a dead justice 2. That the Popish Faith is nothing else but an assent to all such things as the Church propoundeth out of the word written or unwritten which themselves being witnesses many Catholicks have who are notorious Sinners Murtherers Fornicators Thieves Drunkards such a faith I am sure may be in the Devil and therefore good reason they should commend any thing before it If it be objected Object that our Apostle expresly affirmeth love to be greater than faith or hope I answer Answ his meaning is that love is more excellent not simply and absolurely but in some respectonly that is in regard of the manner of working extent and use towards others for the work of Faith is secret in the heart invisible the work of love manifests to others sensible Faith respects God onely Love stretcheth her Armes both to God and Man Faith is profitable only to him that hath it but Loue studys the Edification of the Church and spurs forward to labor the good of the Members thereof both in Soul and Body which seems by the Context to be the very thing the Apostle intends unless you will expound it thus as some have done that in the life to come there shall be far more frequent constant and illustrious use and exercise of Love because the glorified Saints shall not be troubled in Heaven about holding Faith and Hope as they are in this World but wholly taken up with loving God hauing no other work and imployment during all eternity but to solace and delight themselves in the fruition of his glorious Presence and the society of the blessed Angels We come now to the last instruction which is this The perfecting of faith and all other Gifts in the Elect Doct. 3 is a work of Gods Almighty power The Power of God accomplisheth the Belief as every other grace of the Godly I join together the general and special from both the clauses which might be handled distinctly Hence is that of the Apostle Ro. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.3 So elsewhere His divine power giveth us all things pertaining to godliness The truth is God himself must either do it by his own strong hand and mighty arm or it will never be done For First Reas 1 There is no other cause able to produce this effect the means without Gods blessing and spirit breathing in them are but a dead sound and can do nothing both the Ministers labours and the success of them are from Gods efficacy Man himself though indued with faith cannot believe when and so much as he pleaseth it s not in his own power to rest so firmly and stedfastly upon Gods promises as he desireth and therefore cannot perfect his own faith Alas how should he when he cannot make one hair white or black command one ounce of bodily health at his pleasure or add one cubit to his stature Secondly Reas 2 The enemies which oppose the growth of faith and holiness are such as cannot be vanquished but by the power of the Omnipotent Creator natural ignorance and infidelity degrees of spiritual death cannot be expelled but by the Author of life those potent and subtil spiritual Wickednesses cannot be mastered but by him that is strongest able to tread down Satan under our feet First Vse 1 Then it follows hence that much more the beginning and first working of Faith is from Gods powerful efficacy or effectual power For its a greater work to give than to conserve life to kindle or produce fire where none was than to keep it burning when it is kindled If that which is less viz. the consummating of faith much more that which is greater the begetting or infusing of faith must be attributed to the power of God which meets with the Arminians teaching that God doth not by his Almighty Power bring men to believe but only allure perswade excite leaving it still in their power whether they will believe or no. But the Prophet Esay makes the revelation of Gods Arm to be the efficient cause of the belief of the Gospel and our Apostle ascribes the believing of the Ephesians to the same mighty power of God by which he raised Christ Jesus from the dead It were well therefore they would change their minds or correct their Bibles Secondly Vse 2 This may comfort believers against fear of losing or salling from faith The great God who is strong in power who created all these things bringeth out their host by number and calleth all by their names by the greatness of his might who can do what he will and hinder what he pleaseth who never fainteth nor is weary hath undertaken to finish their faith by that effectual working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself As soon shall God fail as the Faith of the Elect utterly fail till the Almighty be overcome they can never perish Thirdly Vse 3 Believers who complain of weakness of faith are here taught to follow the Lord with importunate and earnest requests that he would by his out-stretched Arm uphold them in believing to the end and accomplish their faith by the same power whereby he first brought them to Faith Do we sometimes feel our selves so near swouning that we are ready with David to cry out My flesh and my heart faileth me let us cry unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of Faith Heb. 12.2 that he would strengthen us and perfect that which he hath wrought in us Let us look up unto him Joel 3.16 Ps 68.35 who is the strength of the children of Israel who gives strength to his people power to them that are faint and to them that have no might increaseth strength let us lay hold upon his strength who is the God of all Power the rock of our hearts and of our faith the worker of all our works in us and for us who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us to him be glory for ever and ever Amen Fourthly It seemes to me Vse 4 we may rightly conclude from this point that Faith shall not cease in the life to come For that which God will accomplish shall not be abolished else God should perfect and accomplish a most excellent Habit in vain and to no purpose which standeth not with his Wisdom Because the assertion may seem strange and new though indeed it hath worthy Authors these reasons may further confirm it 1. Were it not harsh and absurd to say the glorified Saints have
no confidence in God 2. No man can doubt that the spirits of just and perfect Men now in Heaven do believe and wait for the redemption of their bodies therefore faith and sight are not so opposed as they cannot stand together 3. If there shall be a word in Heaven then faith but there shall be a word not this written or printed Bible but the substance of that Doctrine which is contained in the Bible and consequently all those Promises which speak of the Eternity of that glorious Estate reserved for Believers in He aven shall be written in their hearts So that if any ask what use shall there be oâ— Faith when now they enjoy the Lords promised Salvation I Answer they shall believe that God will perpetuat and continue those joys and pleasures that blessed condition to them for ever and ever 4. I suppose this is sound Doctrine which hath hitherto gone for currant among our Divines unless in that late Controversie whether faith or repentance hath precedency it have received some affront Faith is the root foundation original of holiness Doth the root wither when the tree and branches flourish more than ever 5. In the day of Judgment the Lord shall pronounce all the sins of the righteous eternally forgiven the sentence of absolution remission shall be openly and fully declared and confirmed as Divines teach Shall they nor believe what Christ speaketh 6. Why may we not say that as the godly in this world believe things past as the creation the incarnation death resurection of Christ so shall they in the life to come These arguments sway me to this opinion as most probable that Faith in God is an eternal gift abiding in the Heavens the some Operations of it shall cease in Heaven whereof there shall be no number The matter is not of such weight that I would contend with any man about it Let the Prophet judge and instruct him better if he orr who in points of this nature suspecteth his own judgment as much as any other and is more desirous to learn than to teach Lastly from this instruction its easie to gather that we must seek unto and rest upon God as well for the finishing as beginning of our salvation Should the beginning be Gods work the accomplishment ours so wise an Apostle would not have spent nor by his own example taught us to spend so many prayers for it This is to be marked as meeting with the Papists they will have God lay the foundation of mans salvation by Predestination redemption free remission of sins but afterwards they will not be much beholden to him they can now perfect the building themselves for they can merit increase of justice and eternal life so that in effect they say to God as a man sometimes to his neighbour when he would have this or that work done do but set me in and I shall do well enough But that doctrine which suffereth us not with the Apostle to pray while we live Lord accomplish in us weak and worthless Vessels by thine own power the work of faith and all the good pleasure of thy goodness is not from heaven but from men and the Devil Hitherto we have unsolded the special requests which the Apostle made unto God for the Thessalonians There now remaineth only the end why or for which he thus intercedeth with God and moveth him for the forenamed blessings and its double 1. Principal respecting Christ 2. Subordinate respecting the Thessalonians themselves The former is set down in these words that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you that is that Christ himself by this means may be honoured in you and by you in this present world As if he should say I do the rather beg these things for you because they mainly tend to the promoting of the glory of Christ among the sons of men which thing I am sure your souls earnestly wish and desire Observe from these words to instructions First Doct. 1 that the scope of Christians must be the glorifying of Christ The Apostle testifieth of himself in another place that he desired nothing more than that Christ might be magnified in his frail body Phil. 1.20 whether by life or death and professeth that he made this the only end of his life the mark at which he aimed in his whole Ministry all his actions and passions to bring glory to Christ For so I expound those words for to me to live is Christ and generally of all true believers he saith elsewhere Whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord. And good reason For First Reas 1 Christ is the Author both of their being and conservation From him they have life and sustentation natural and spiritual For by him all things were created Col. 1.16 do subsist and are upholden by the word of his power he gives unto every Mun that comes into the World a reasonable soul he quickens sanctifies the elect Feeds them with his own flesh and bloud 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Co. 5.17 presenteth stablisheth enableth to every good word and work holds them in his hand supports them by his grace as the High Priest the ruines of Israel on his shoulders without him we have nothing can do nothing would return to nothing Therefore nothing is more meet than that Christians should wholly addict themselves to his glory Secondly Reas 2 consider the several relations of Christ unto Christians Is he not their Husband Must not all Wives give honour to their Husbands Is he not their King yea the King of glory are not subjects bound to honour their King Is he not their Lord and Master ought nor servants to count their masters worthy all honour Lastly he is their dear Redeemer who willingly disrobed and emptied himself of his regal glory and put on the homely mantle of humane flesh that he might ransom them with the price of his own bloud Therefore they owe themselves wholly to him and stand obliged to glorifie him in soul and body whose they are both in soul and body For to this end saith the Apostle Christ died for them 1 Co. 6.20 that they should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Hence the living Creatures are brought in saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive honour glory and blessing Thirdly Reas 3 it s no small honour which through Christ is already put upon them and from Christ they expect far greater in the next life They are now partakers of a glorious adoption a glorious shining righteousness glorious graces glorious joys they are called to glory and wait for a richly glorious inheritance an eternal weight of glory to be conferred upon them by Christ Now shall not those that have and look to receive so great glory from Christ endeavour so to live as Christ may have glory from them But alas Vse