Abraham still So by Faith Sarah conceived it pleased God to give her conception when she was 90 Years old she had her infirmities and weaknesses she told a Lye in the hearing of the Angel but yet for all that she pleased God and so I might instance in others David pleased God by Faith David had his failings and did sometimes displease God but yet by his Faith he did please God And so look upon all those that have been believers by their acting and exercising of of Faith they have all of them come to please God and therefore we may take it up for a general conclusion and may be confident of it that by Faith we shall please God 2. The Holy-Ghost doth testifie in the Scripture again and again that a man or woman by Faith doth live What Life not a natural but a Spiritual life Now to live is not only to have the life of Justification and the life of Sanctification but to live is to have the favour of God to have God pleased with a person that is to live saies Abraham to God in the 17th of Genesis Oh that Ishmael might live in thy Sight what did he mean by that what that his Life might be lengthned out No but that he might find favour in thy Sight and saies the Prophet in Psal 30.5 In thy favour is life And so in Isaiah 6.55 Hearken unto me and your Soul shall live that is you shall please God and be accepted of God Now then this is frequent in Scripture that all that are Believers do live The just shall live by Faith both the Old Testament and New-Testament bear witness to it the same thing is in the Old-Testament Habakkuk 2.4 and repeated again in the new Hebrews 10.38 The just shall live by Faith therefore it is out of doubt and Question 3dly By Faith a Soul comes to have the guilt of sin taken away I pray what is that whereby a Man or Woman doth displease God Namely by his Sin guilt doth displease God Now then Faith is a means and instrument to take away that which is displeasing to God to take away the guilt of Sin In Acts 10.43 saies Peter there to Cornelius To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleiveth on him shall receive remission of sins And so in Chapter 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and by him all that beleived are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses By believing on him we come to receive remission of sins And so in Acts 26.18 That they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified through Faith which is in me Now then if so be that all believers all that have Faith in Christ and do exercise their Faith in Christ be justified from the guilt of sin then they are freed from all that makes them displeasing to God then by Faith they come to please God because by Faith the guilt of sin is removed which is the matter of Gods displeasure 4thly and Lastly to have done By Faith a Man or Woman comes to please God because by Faith now the very heart which is a fountain of uncleanness comes to be made clean this is the only way to have our hearts purified and cleansed Purifying their hearts by Faith saies the Apostle Acts 15.9 so in 1 Timothy 1.5 saies the Apostle there Out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Faith unfeigned is the means whereby the Conscience and the Heart is purified and truly hence it is that believers are called clean all that have Faith in Christ and do exercise their Faith in Christ they are all pure and every thing is clean to them Titus 1.15 To the pure all things are pure Who doth he mean by pure mark now by the contrary But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but their very conscince is defiled By Faith now a mans heart comes to be pure which is the Fountain of all his actions all that he performs and does it must come from the Heart if the heart be clean if the Fountain be clean then the water that flows from the Fountain is clean so now the Heart being purified by Faith now the Actions come to be pure in the sight of God through Christ To a believer every thing is pure all that he meddles with and undertakes if he doth act Faith in it he pleaseth God So now you have seen the 4th thing opened how we may be sure that by Faith we come to please God Now there is a further question remaining But may not a Man or Woman please God without Faith by doing the thing that God hath commanded as now to pray and perform duties to walk uprightly c As the generality of the World do think that this is the way and means to please God I do not deny but we should do those things and the things themselves as to the substance of them are pleasing to God but yet still without Faith it is impossible to please God How that appears follows to be spoken to in the next place and then come to the Application But thus much shall suffice for the present SERMON V. Hebrews XI 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please Him YOU have heard the dependance of these Words upon the foregoing we came directly to open the Proposition as it lay before us in the Words Doct. That without Faith it is impossible for any Man or Woman alive ever to please God We have shewn you first what it is for a Man or Woman to please God Secondly we have proved to you that this pleasing of God is a matter of very great concernment it is a thing very desirable for a Man or Woman to be found pleasing God And then in the third place we came to enquire what Faith that is without which it is impossible to please God And then fourthly we came to clear it up to you that by Faith a Soul doth please God Thus far we have gone 5. Now we come in the fifth place to give you some demonstrations to make it evident to you if the Lord please to set in with it that it is impossible for any Man or Woman ever to please God without Faith It is not only said here that without Faith a man hath not pleased God or without Faith no man ever shall please God but he speaks a greater word without faith it is impossible to please God This is such a thing that it will hardly enter into the hearts of men and women to be perswaded of it What! not please God by doing what God requires why if I be diligent and faithful in my calling doth not that please God! if I perform the Duties that God requires doth not that please God! if I give
that give Alms they perform the very same Duty the one gives as much alms as the other and yet what the one doth may be accepted with God and pleasing to him and the other not whence comes the difference One doth it in Faith and the other not Abel and Cain brought their offerings to God God had respect to Abel and his Offering and God had not respect to Cain and his Offering what was the ground of the difference saies the Apostle By Faith Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain Well but what Faith is it then whereby a Soul and his Duties and Services come to be pleasing unto God Answ Brethren do not mistake your selves it is not that Faith whereby a man or Woman gives his consent to and believes all that is written in the Scriptures all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Christ a man or woman may believe all this and yet this is not the Faith whereby he comes to be accepted as you know the Devils believe all this and yet are not accepted So a man or Woman may believe all that is revealed in the Gospel and yet never please God But what Faith is it whereby a Man and his Duties and performances come to please God and without which it is impossible to please God Briefly there is a three-fold Faith required for the acceptance of a mans services and performances with God that God may be pleased with them Mind it I pray for it is a thing of great concernment and possibly that which very few have considered 1st There is required saving Faith in Christ that which we call justifying Faith such a believing in Christ whereby a Soul comes to be in Christ and Christ in the Soul whereby Christ becomes the life of the Soul the very principle of Life in the Soul a justifying saving Faith in the habit the principle of Faith the grace of Faith infused into the heart whereby a Soul comes really to be united to Christ and have an Interest in him to be in Christ as you know the Scripture frequently speaks I shall not stand to give you Scriptures for that you see Brethren here how Abel and how Enoch came to please God it was by Faith What Faith It was this true Justifying Faith this Faith in Christ that was to come for it was by their Faith in Christ that they came to be accepted and their Offering was accepted and pleasing unto God by Faith Abel was accepted and his Offering and Sacrifice was accepted Cain he offered his Sacrifice but it was not accepted because he had not this justifying Faith Enoch he pleased God and whence was it It was by his Faith and saies the Apostle thereupon he had his Testimony that he pleased God it was by his Faith his justifying Faith in Christ whereby he came to be accepted his person was accepted of God and consequently his services came to be accepted of God a man or woman must first have a principle of Life before he can live a Spiritual Life now Christ is a Christians life and how comes Christ to be the Life of a Christian Namely by his Faith when he comes to believe in Christ then Christ is his Life the principle of his life the Spirit of Christ now is in the Soul that is a plain word which the Apostle hath in Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his And saies Christ in John 15.5 As the branch cannot bring forth Fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And without me mark without me ye can do nothing Nothing that is pleasing to God the word without me holds forth not so much without Strength from Christ though that is true too but the word signifies properly in the Original without me that is separated from me not united to me that is the word in the Greek just as when a Branch is cut off from the Vine the Branch cannot bring forth Fruit without ful disputations for one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth Herbs Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him And again at verse 5. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike What then Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own mind if he do venture to eat any kind of Meats let him be fully and clearly perswaded in his own mind that he may do it and then he eats in Faith and if he do not observe those days if he be fully perswaded in his own mind then he doth it in Faith in the two last Verses he calls this Faith Hast thou Faith Have it to thy self before God Hast thou Faith that is hast thou a perswasion that it is lawful for thee to eat any kind of meats or it is Lawful for thee to forbear the Observation of those Days Hast thou Faith have it to thy self But mark Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing that he alloweth and he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith He that doubteth that is he that questioneth whether it be lawful for him to eat this kind of meat or no he that doubteth whether he shall do well to observe this day or no He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith That is he is not fully perswaded in his own mind for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin whatsoever is not of that perswasioâ— that it is according to the Will of God oâ— not contrary to the Will of God if he do it without that perswasion then it is not of Faith and so is a damnable sin though the thing be Lawful in it self yet if he doth the same thing doubtingly it is a damnable sin that he commits without this Faith this perswasion in his Mind that what he doth is according to the Will of God and this Faith is requisite to the pleasing of God So here in the instance before us in Abel and also in Enoch Abel pleased God by offering up a Sacrifice he had this Faith not only a Justifying Faith but he had this Faith he was perswaded that what he did offer up in Sacrifice was according to the Will of God and so Enoch he walked with God and had this Testimony that he pleased God that in the course of his Lise the steps of his Life was according to the Will of God he walked with God the actions that he did he was perswaded was according to the Will of God and thus he pleased God and this is a Second Faith that is required to the pleasing of God 3dly There is another Faith that is required further to the pleasing of God without which though I be a Believer and have a justifying Faith and though I be perswaded that what
by a false Compass and so steers his Course wrong Truly thus it is with many Professors they perform Duties they go on with full sail in Duties they perform Duties every day and they attend upon the Lord as they have opportunity to hear the Word and read the Word daily they go on amain Ay but still they steer a wrong Course they sail by a false Compass and certainly they will never come to the Haven of Rest but will run upon their own ruine at last Therefore observe it the Devil will allow a Professor to go on in a course of Duties to pray every day in his Family and Closet he will allow him to go on in a course of Ordinances attending upon God daily so long as his Duties and Services are not touched with the Loadstone if they be not done in Faith he knows what will be the Issue of them he lets him alone because he knows he doth but deceive himself and delude his own Soul he looks to come to such a Haven but he will perish and miscarry for ever Therefore Brethren I pray consider whether it be not a matter of very great concernment for every one of us to look to it and be careful that all our Duties and Services be done in Faith or else we can never please God Well This is the Question How shall we so perform our Duties and Services in Faith as they may be pleasing unto God Answ In answer to it there are some Directions that I shall lay down that may be of general Concernment and reach all the Duties that we are to perform and shew you how we shall perform them in Faith that they may be pleasing unto God And then afterward we shall come to lay down more particular Directions how we may perform every Duty as Prayer in Faith and hearing the Word in Faith and partaking of the Lords-Supper in Faith how we may perform every Duty in Faith that so we may please God in what we do First Then for the General Rules that we may make use of in all Duties for the performing of them in Faith that so they may be pleasing unto God 1. First then take this for a general Rule that may be of concernment for every Duty Let us look especially that we be Believers that we have a Faith in Christ for if we be not Believers we can never perform any Duty in Faith we must first believe in Christ before we can perform any duty in Faith Therefore I say Let us be sure of that that the work of Faith be wrought effectually in our hearts that we do really and truely believe on Christ be sure of that lay that for a foundation and the more clear that is the more sure we are of that that there is a real work of Faith wrought in our hearts we may be the more easily perswaded that what we do we do in Faith though that alone is not enough neither But without that it is impossible for us to do any thing in Faith so as to please God it is by Faith that our persons come to be accepted without Faith our persons are not pleasing unto God No It is through the beloved that we must be accepted in our persons Ephes 1.6 And if our persons be not accepted nothing that we do can be accepted No we may pray day by day and cry aloud and we may perform extraordinary Duties too and none of these accepted if our persons be not accepted through Faith in Christ there must be the foundation of all For Brethren it is by Faith that our hearts are purified and made holy now if so be that we be not holy we cannot please God by any thing that we can do for he is a holy God and whatsoever is pleasing to God must be holy Now it is by Faith that our hearts come to be purified Act. 15.9 By Faith we come to have an habitual Holiness wrought in us though there may be and there is still a body of sin but still there is a Principle of Holiness by Faith wrought in the heart whereby we come to be made holy in Gods account For if so be that we be not made holy through Faith then all that ever we do is unclean all that comes from us is unclean look as the Fountain or Spring is so is all that issues from it every drop of water that comes from it is accordingly Can you bring forth a clean thing out of an unclean None can do it Does a bitter fountain send forth sweet water No it cannot be The fountain must first be made clean and sweet or else all the streams will be according as the fountain is A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit make the Tree good or the fruit cannot be good All that comes from a man or woman that is in a state of unbelief is unclean and whatever Duties or Ordinances he touches is unclean and polluted and therefore cannot please God Look as it was under the Law if one that was Legally or Ceremonially unclean touched any thing it was unclean Hag. 2.12 13. If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyl or any meat shall it be holy And the Priests answered and said no it shall be unclean So now whatever Duties be performed under the New-Testament if we be not Believers if our hearts be not purified by Faith truly then all that we touch is impure and unclean to us as the Apostle saith Tit. 1.15 Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled Who are those he explains it in the very next words and unbelieving is nothing pure They can do nothing that the Infinite Holy and Pure God can be pleased with Now there is no way for a Soul to be made clean to lave an habitual Holiness but through Faith wrought by the Spirit of Christ and the application and sprinkling of the Vertue of the Blood of Christ upon the Conscience So a man or woman comes to be made clean In Heb. 9.13 saies the Apostle there For if the blood of bulls and goats and the Ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh that is The Holy Water under the Law that being sprinkled upon the unclean did purifie him and make him clean and if the sprinkling of that water did purifie from Ceremonial Uncleanness How much more shall the blood of Christ verse 14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God purge your Conseiences from dead works to serve the living God Two things the Apostle doth plainly hint to us in this Scripture Namely 1. That all our Works that we perform before we be cleansed by the Blood of Christ they are all but dead works unholy and unclean And then 2. it implies thus much That we come to be cleansed from our dead works by the sprinkling of
by a threefold adjunct 1. From his Authority and mission from the Father in those words He whom God hath sent 2. From his Fidelity in the discharge of that work he is employed in in those words He speaketh the words of God As a faithful Messenger from a King will act according to his commission so our Lord Jesus who was faithful to him that appointed him he speaks the Word of God and nothing else but the Word of God 3. Our Lord Jesus is described and set forth by his Ability and qualification for that work he was employed in this you have in those words For God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him The Spirit is given to Christ as Mediator without measure or above measure He whom God hath sent The word here translated sent comes of the same word that the Apostle doth Christ is the great Apostle the great Messenger of the Covenant whom all the Elect delight in Mal. 3.1 The Apostle and high Priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 John the Baptist and the other Prophets and so likewise the Apostles they were Gods Ministers and Ambassadors but our Lord Jesus he is Ambassadour extraordinary Men and Angels too Luke 1.18.19 â—ave been sent and employed by God but none of them were ever sent as Christ was to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in an everlasting righteousness This was he who was the brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of God he only was able by himself to purge away sin neither was ever any other set about this work but he God never laid the help and salvation of his people upon any but that mighty one Doctrine 1. That Jesus Christ our Mediator was sent of the Father There is frequent mention made by our Saviour of his being sent of God To mention a few places John 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Vers 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me And again vers 21 That they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Vers 25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me 1. How shall we understand this Phrase That Christ was sent of the Father Sent of God! This is a great mystery which we shall not fully understand till we come to Heaven when Christ is said to be sent of God 't is to be understood principally and primarily of him as he is the Son of God and so he is said to come down from heaven John 3.13 To descend Eph. 4.9 But he being in that respect equal with God the Father Eternal Infinite Immense Omnipresent as the Father is it may be asked How the Lord Jesus is said to be sent of the Father Answ 1. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father as Mediator in respect of the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and him for the salvation of the Elect for though Christ as God is equal with the Father yet with reference to the work of Redemption he is said to be his Elected one and Servant Isa 41.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth 2. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father in regard of his Incarnation so Gal. 4.4 5 But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Now brethren upon this account because the Father prepared him a body Heb. 10.5 He is said to send him to redeem us 3. The Lord Jesus may be said to be sent of the Father in regard of his commission him hath God the Father sealed John 6.37 Christ and no other is ordained of God an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck 2. How doth it appear that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah he that was sent of God to be the Saviour according to the Promise made unto the Fathers Answ 1. By the miracles he wrought Nicodemus could say so much John 3.2 says he We know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles but he who is sent of God John 5.36 37 I have a greater witness then that of John for the works that my father hath given me to finish the same works bear witness of me And so when John Baptist sent unto Christ to know whether he was the Messiah saith our Saviour Go and shew him the things which you do hear and see the Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Leapers are cleansed 'T is true the Prophets and the Apostles wrought miracles but not by their own power and holiness but Christ wrought them by his own power 2. By his raising of himself from the dead As he is said to be raised by the Father so he is said to be raised from his own power John 2.20 21 Destroy saith he this temple speaking of his Body and I will raise it up in three days To these might be added many other demonstrations as that all the Notes and Characters of the Messiah mentioned in the Old Testament were fulfilled and accomplished in him Moreover every believer hath the witness in himself that Jesus is the Son of God 1 John 5.20 Their faith is not a meer historical faith or grounded upon what is commonly owned and professed where they live but the Spirit beareth witness to their hearts that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God the true Messiah that was to come into the World 3. The next thing is to shew you wherefore God sent his Son into the world The great business that Christ was sent into the world for was to save his people from their sins to save them that were given to him of the Father There were some particular persons given to Christ by name to be his people to be his sheep that he should take care of to bring to eternal life John 17.2 Thou hast given me power over all flesh that I should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me 1 John 4.14 And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world that is his Elect of the world of mankind And so it was Prophesied of Christ Dan. 9.24 that he should make an end of sin and make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in an everlasting righteousness There was not one man in the world that was able to make reconciliation for his iniquity Christ was sent to do that There was none righteous no not one Christ was sent to bring in an everlasting righteousness to make his
them a City and in enjoying God they enjoy all And then observe that the Happiness of Believers is for ever they are not freed from all evil for a time only and enjoy all good for a time only but for ever And so they have everlasting Life 2. Let us enquire what is this believing what this Faith is upon which a man or woman comes to have everlasting Life I answer 'T is not a bare assent to the Truth of the Gospel 'T is not a meer Historical Faith Yea though you should be somewhat affected with it and hear the Word with Joy and do many things as Herod did But this believing is a Receiving of Christ himself in some word of Grace wherby the humbled Sinner doth wholy rely upon Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation Although we are to believe all that is Written in the Law and the Prophets and the whole Word of God yet Christ as a Saviour and Mediator is the object of justifying Faith Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Faith is wrought in us by the hearing of the Gospel by some word of Grace wherein Christ is held forth as a Saviour either Explicitly or Implicitly The Text saith He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life And Paul bids the Jaylor believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved So that whatsoever word the Lord hints to us to work and beget Faith in our Hearts yet the Soul doth not stay there but Ventures and Casts it self wholy upon Jesus Christ as the Saviour and Mediator Thirdly To give you some Demonstrations or Arguments to prove that whosoever believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life 1. God the Father promised this to Christ the Mediator in the behalf of his Ransomed ones Tit. 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began God promised to Christ no less than Eternal Life for his Seed Rom. 6. last The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Joh. 2.25 This is the Promise which he hath promised us even eternal Life This was promised to Christ that by his Obedience all his People should be made Righteous and have Eternal Life 2. Christ as Mediator prayed for no less than Eternal Life for his people and the Father always heareth him Joh. 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me 3. Jesus Christ hath purchased Eternal Life for his People Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance Christ having made Satisfaction for the Sins of his People and brought in an everlasting Righteousness for them What should now hinder them of Everlasting Life who believe on his Name 4. One thing more to shew you in what sense it is said in the Text That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life not only shall have it but hath Everlasting Life Seeing that Believers have Sin dwelling and remaining in them and are liable to Temptations and Buffetings of Satan and liable to all kind of outward Sorrows and Afflictions and have this Earthly Tabernacle yet to put off How can it be said that a Believer now hath everlasting Life I answer 1. In regard of the certainty of it As when it is said Babylon is fallen 'T is as certain that Babylon shall fall as if it were fallen already So it is as certain that Believers shall have everlasting Life as if they had it already And so it is said 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us We are saved already 2. In regard that everlasting Life is begun to a Believer Every Believer is in a justified estate his Sins pardoned and the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and Holiness and Communion with God is begun already in this Life his Fellowship is now with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 3. In regard of Christ our head Ephes 2.6 He hath raised us up and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ. The members of the mystical Body are now in Heaven though not in their own Persons yet in Christ their Head Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus He hath taken up Heaven for them and appears in the presence of God for them Application Use 1. From what is said here That he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that beleiveth not on the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Learn that there is an everlasting estate appointed for every one either everlasting Life or everlasting Death An eternity there is for every one of us and we are near it we are upon the brink of it we are near Heaven or Hell The Lord knows that we mind these present things too much and eternity very little But O! That when we come to dye to go into eternity that we may be in Christ that so when the Earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we may have a Building of God an House not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens O! that we may remember our eternal condition more that the thoughts of Eternity may be with us in our Callings and Business all the day long and that we may make sure of our interest of Christ that we may have everlasting Life Use 2. Wonder at the Lord's Grace in Christ that he should give everlasting Life to any of us fallen sinful men God doth not give everlasting Life to any of the Angels that sinned but cast them all down to Hell And you that live under the Preaching of the Gospel bless God that you hear of these glad tidings of everlasting Life through Christ and hearing this way of Life Preached and Declared to you O! that you may receive Christ That you may believe on him that you may have everlasting Life Use 3. Heere is matter of strong consolation to those that have believed on the Son O! Let such rejoyce in the Grace of God the Lord hath abounded towards them in his kindness through Christ Jesus It is true you may meet with many sorrows here in this world but rejoyce in this that there is no Condemnation to you because you are in Christ Jesus And not only no Condemnation but you have everlasting Life You may lose Estate Name Liberty and Life in this World but you can never lose everlasting Life for he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Use 4. Here is Direction to those that are convinced of their sins that are weary and heavy laden whose consciences are pressed with the burden of their sins as if they had a heavy mountain lay upon them
wrath of God Can you endure to have the wrath of God to abide upon you Let me beseech one thing of you even for the Lord's sake and for your own Souls sake that when you come home that you would retire a little get alone and seriously ponder these words He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ask your own hearts whether you believe what is spoken here and that it shall be fulfilled upon all those that reject Christ And when you are alone put it upon your hearts to consider seriously what it is to have the wrath of God abide upon you what a miserable condition that will be If you had but a Sentence of Death passed upon you by a Judge of Assize how terrible is it to most men But then how dreadful will this be to you when the Lord shall say Depart from me ye Cursed when the Lord shall say that you shall never see Life but the wrath of God shall abide on you for ever Did you never see one under a deep sense and apprehension of Gods wrath O how such an one will cry out And yet it is but some drop or so that falls upon the Conscience here in this Life in comparison of Hell If you have not seen any under the sense of God's wrath consider what the Scripture saith of Cain and Judas what Terrours they were under and read the Story of Francis Spira there you may see what amazing astonishing Expressions and Wishes came from him under a sense of God's wrath lying upon him he was so tormented that but he was watched by his Friends and could not get opportunity he would have killed himself Yea and consider our Lord Jesus Christ who never had any sin inherent in him yet standing in the room of his People and having their sins imputed to him that by his Suffering in their stead Justice might be satisfied for Sin How he was filled with Astonishment and Grief under the wrath of God due to our sins Mat. 26.38 Then saith he unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Luk. 22.44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground And he cried out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We must not think that the Captain of our Salvation was thus sorrowful and sweat drops of Blood and cried out so vehemently for the fear and pain of bodily death which many Martyrs and other men have endured without any great disturbance but Christ bare that in his Sufferings that was ten Thousand times more dreadful he had the Iniquities of all his people at once laid upon him and so bare the wrath of God due unto them Our Lord Jesus Christ the Mighty One being God-man soon made Satisfaction for the sins of his people and so was acquitted and discharged and is now in the same Nature wherein he Suffered at the right hand of God But I pray consider If we bear the wrath of God our selves what shall we do You see it is no light matter it will be a burden too heavy for us to bear it will make us wish again and again that we had never been born And truely if we do not believe on the Son who hath born wrath for Sinners and who alone delivers from the wrath to come it must abide upon us Think of these things between the Lord and your own Souls and let us call to one another and awaken one another and tell one another of the danger that we are in If this house where we are were set on fire and one were asleep here it were time to awaken them O! If you have Children Servants Acquaintance that are in an ignorant and prophane way call to them and endeavour to convince them of their sins and draw them to believe in Christ Quest But it may be some will say you press this believing in Christ very much and what is there in believing that those that believe should have Everlasting Life Answ There is nothing of Merit of Efficiency or Causality in our believing to free us from the wrath of God and to bring us to everlasting Life For everlasting Life is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord so that we do not set up Faith to have any part with Christ in the Glory of our Salvation But I pray consider it that Faith is that Grace whereby we lost Sinners being convinced of our Sins and having no hope of any help and relief in our selves do wholy betake our selves to Jesus the Mediator for our Salvation So that Christ is all and doth all and by Faith we receive and embrace Christ our Justifier And so hath the Lord ordained that by going out of our selves and receiving Christ the Mediator we have the Gift of Righteousness even the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us to the Justification of Life So that it is not Faith as a Work but Faith as a Hand or Instrument whereby we receive Christ the Saviour that justifies us in the sight of God Quest But how shall I come to believe on the Lord Jesus Answ 1. You must be convinced of Sin You must see that you are guilty before God that you cannot stand before the Holy Lord God But alas Mens hearts are so taken up with the Cares and Pleasures of the world and think so little of Eternity and the Judgment to come that it is in the thoughts of few how they shall be discharged from the guilt of their Sins and have everlasting Life 2. You must see that there is no help for you in your own personal Righteousness How can there when you have sinned already And all the Righteousness that you can perform in this Life is defective and full of Imperfections You must know that there must be a perfect Righteousness to justifie you 3. You must know that Christ is he that is Ordained of God to be the Saviour That you can be saved only by his Blood and Righteousness and so cast your self wholly upon him This Faith is the Gift of God No man can come to Christ except the Father which hath sent him draw him And though some may think this believing in Christ a notion a fancy or however a common or easy thing yet as it is a real thing wrought in the hearts of the Elect by the Spirit of God so it is no easy thing to believe truly on Christ when a sinner is convinced of the Greatness of God the Holiness of his Law the revenging Justice of God and his own guilt and filth it is a great work of God to fix and stay the heart upon the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one from going down to the pit and bring the soul to everlasting Life Object I dare not come to Christ because I do not know I am Elected Answer You cannot
in a State of enmity till such time as he comes to believe on Christ then indeed the enmity is taken away but till he come to believe on Christ he is an enemy to God and he hates God in his Soul and whatever he doth he doth but dissemble if he comes and confess his sins and give thanks to God and make petitions and supplications to God all this doth not please God he doth but Flatter and play the Hypocrite and Lye to God to his Face How then can a Man or Woman please God without Faith that is the Second demonstration Take one more Thirdly Without Faith it is impossible to please God why because all that ever a man or Woman doth that is an unbeliever is all but dead works all is Stinking Dead a dead Service and a dead Sacrifice whatever he brings to God it is dead his Prayers and Thanksgivings are dead and his Supplications and Petitions are all dead his Reading and Hearing the Word is all dead all that he doth is dead Now do you think that the living God can or will be pleased with dead services can this be pleasing to him all is dead because it comes from a dead principle every unbelieving man and woman in the World is spiritually dead and therefore all that comes from him must be dead they are all dead works as the Apostle calls them in Hebrews 6.1 Leaving the Principles of Repentance from dead works saies he and so in Hebrews 9.14 How much more says he shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God without spot purge your Concience from dead works c. when the Blood of Christ comes to be sprinkled upon the Soul by Faith then he is cleansed from dead works but before all is dead his faithfulness in his calling his thanksgivings his prayers and all is dead and how can this please a living God Can a man gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles No. So can any thing that is lively and acceptable to God come from a dead Heart No. Can God be pleased with that which is dead that which is dead is displeasing to you if they give you dead Drink dead Beer or dead Wine doth it please you No you will say you had rather drink Water All the services that an unbeliever can perform they are all but dead in the savour of God they are all stinking loathsome things therefore how can these things be pleasing unto God This is the state of every unbeliever he is spiritually dead and all that he doth is dead nothing that is living or lively can come from a dead thing a dead thing cannot produce a living action but now by Faith a soul comes to be made alive when a soul comes to receive Christ he receives a principle of Life but every unbeliever is dead and therefore nothing that he does can be pleasing unto God So now you have heard the point demonstrated to you That it is impossible for any man or woman to please God without Faith We come now in the next place for the further clearing this truth and for your more distinct understanding of it to remove some objections that possibly may be made against it As first what is nothing pleasing to God without Faith You will say did not the Elect please God from all Eternity did not God chuse the Elect and set his love upon them did not they please God yet they had no Faith then it seems it is possible to please God without Faith Indeed if the Arminians were to answer this they would easily answer it for they make election to be upon foreseen Faith that God did foresee that such and such a man would believe and therefore he elected him and if so then the elect cannot please God without Faith but we do not joyn with them in that thing there was not any thing foreseen that did move God to elect one or another In Romans 9.11 the Apostle there instances in the two Children Jacob and Esau For the Children being not yet born having done neither good nor evil God did not consider them as having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger God doth not consider that in point of election for election is not the effect of Faith foreseen but Faith is the consequent of Election he hath chosen us that we should be Holy that we should believe in Eph. 1.4 and in Acts 13.48 And as many as were Ordained to Eternal Life believed Election is antecedent to Faith and believing God was not pleased with the Elect because of their Faith no but they were chosen to Faith and then did not they please God without Faith there is the objection still Answ I answer shortly That the Elect did not please God but God was pleased out of his free Grace to set his Love of Benevolence upon them and thereby did intend in time to shew Love and Friendship to them I say it was not because they pleased God that God chose them and elected them but God was pleased out of his infinite free Grace and Love to ordain them in time to manifest his love of friendship to them so that it was not for Faith nor without Faith for they did not please God Obj. But then you will say Did not Adam in innocency please God if he did then it is possible to please God without Faith for Adam had no Faith in innocency Now before the fall Adam did please God was there not a sweet intercourse between God and Adam was there not a covenant made between God and Adam Did not God come and speak in a familiar way to Adam Surely Adam pleased God Adam had not Faith then it is possible to please God without Faith For Answer to this First In a word Adam had a Faith though not such a Faith as believers have now yet Adam had a faith of Affiance of Trust and Confidence and Dependance upon God which was required in the first Commandment and Adam had all the Commandments of the Law written upon his Heart 2. But Secondly This Truth doth presuppose man in a sinful fallen state Adam after his fall and so all the posterity of Adam now there is no Son nor Daughter of Adam since the Fall that can ever please God without Faith Adam himself since the fall if ever he pleased God it was by Faith for the Apostle speaks of those that are supposed to be Sinners and Enemies against God That without Faith it is impossible for them to please God Obj. But you will say Have not some that have been unbelievers by doing of those things that God hath required pleased God Look into the example of Jehu 2 Kings 10.30 You know that God commanded Jehu to go and cut off all the House of Ahab that was his Message
and good works they are not Faith and without Faith it is impossible to please God Reckon what you can reckon and say what you can for your selves yet consider is this Faith or no If it be not Faith it cannot please God Possibly you may desire and endeavour to walk in the strictest way of profession and worship God in the closest way suppose you do so you desire to walk in Church-fellowship with the Saints but this is not Faith still and without Faith is is impossible to please God I pray consider the Apostle Paul saies Paul before he was converted and was brought to believe on Christ in Acts 16.5 says he After the most straitest sect of our Religion I lived a Pharisee And says he in another place in Phil. 3.7 8 9. As concerning the righteousness which is in the law I was blameless says he at verse 6. But now mark says he this was not faith though when he comes to believe on Christ Now says he I look at all that ever I did as nothing and I count all but dung that I may win Christ Brethren whatever we do without faith it is impossible for us to please God But possibly you will say to me I hope I do believe If you do it is well But I pray do you know what it is to believe ask this question to your own hearts Do you know what it is to believe It is not to believe that every thing that is spoken in the Gospel is true no no this Faith whereby we come to please God is another manner of Faith But suppose now that you do believe indeed and in truth I pray have you done all that ever you have done in a way of Faith and believing truly without Faith you see it is impossible to please God even you that are Believers without acting of Faith in what you do you cannot please God Quest But you will say to me then How shall a Christian man or woman so perform duties in Faith so as they may be pleasing unto God As suppose now the duty of Prayer How shall we perform the duty of prayer so as it may be pleasing unto God or for hearing the Word How shall we so hear the Word in Faith that it may be pleasing unto God and how shall we partake of the Lords-Table in Faith so as to please God I cannot come to answer this now but possibly if the Lord please I may speak something to that at some other time all that I have to say for the present is this You see Friends Brethren and Beloved what cause we have all of us I speak not only to unbelievers but to those that are believers as for unbelievers what cause have they to go home and bewail and bemoan their condition before the Lord Look back upon all that you have done throughout your whole lives and you may write this upon it all you have displeased God you have made many Prayers and confessed many Sins and given thanks to God often you have read and heard the Word and have done this and that and yet in all that you have done you have never pleased God because without Faith it is impossible to please God Go and bewail it before the Lord that you have led such a course of life that you have done nothing that hath been pleasing unto God And you that are Believers have you done all that you have done in Faith have you prayed in faith have you heard the word in faith and have you partaked in other Ordinances in a way of faith we have all cause to go home and in private fal down before the Lord and acknowledge that we have displeased God in every duty and service that we have performed But thus much shall suffice for this time SERMON VI. Hebrews XI 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please Him THe words as you have heard are an intire Proposition Doct. That without Faith it is impossible for any Man or Woman by all that ever they can do to please God You have heard it opened at large we came the last day to touch upon a word of Application and that was to shew what a sad and uncomfortable condition every unbelieving person was in that nothing that ever he hath done or can do or shall do whilst he is in this state can be pleasing unto God For Without Faith it is impossible to please Him Whatever Duties we perform whatever Ordinances we partake in if all be not done in Faith it cannot be pleasing unto God Quest You will say unto me then How shall we so act in Faith in the performance of all Duties and in the partaking of all Ordinances that so we may please God in what we do This is a great Question and I shall desire through the Lords assistance to speak something to this at this time And O Brethren this is a matter of very great concernment to do all that we do in Faith to pray every Prayer in Faith and every time we hear the Word to hear it in Faith and if we partake of the Lords-Table every time to partake in Faith or else we do not please God in any of these Duties Let me therefore a little stir you up to it that you may be provoked if possible to do all that you do in Faith Briefly Let me hint three or four words that way to shew you that it is of very great concernment for every one of us to perform every Duty and to partake of every Ordinance in a way of Faith For first of all else all that ever we do all our labour all our endeavours all our pains in our duties and performances will be all in vain And would a wise man be willing to do any thing in vain to take pains and all in vain Have ye suffered so many things saies the Apostle Gal. 3 4. in vain Truly so may we say to those that do not exercise Faith in their duties and performances have you done so many things in vain Would any of you take pains in your Callings willingly in vain and loose all your labour Are you willing that all your labour and travel and pains from day to day should be lost and all in vain You would count it a very grievous and uncomfortable thing if any of you should take any great Voyage by Sea and all your Voyage and Hazard should be in vain or if you should take any great Journey by Land in heat and cold in wet and dry through thick and thin and all your Journey should be in vain and nothing at all come of it what a grief and vexation would it be to your hearts Now Brethren I pray Consider of it if we perform duties take pains in duties day by day perform Duties in our Families and in our Closets every day presenting our Prayers and Supplications before the Lord and frequently in season and out of season atrending upon the Word of God
the Blood of Christ upon us and that by the Eternal Spirit the Spirit of God This is the way and the only way whereby a man or woman comes to be habitually clean and holy by Faith in Christ whereby the Soul is not only justified from the Guilt of sin but there is the Spirit of Christ conveyed and communicated to the soul whereby there is a principle of Holiness of Habitual Holiness put upon the Soul Well this is now the first general Rule and therefore I say Brethren and Friends it is of great concernment to us to look to that if we would act Faith in our Duties so as to please God we must first of all look that there be a work of Faith wrought in our hearts that we do truly believe on Christ and to that end we should be venturing to lean the weight of our Souls upon Christ and upon his Blood and Righteousness as it is tendred and held forth to us in the Gospel and to this end also let us wrastle with the Lord and beg for the Spirit of Faith to be given out to us Christ hath promised that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him This is the first Rule to look that we be true Believers 2. Secondly As Faith does possess the Soul with Habitual Holiness so it is by Faith also that a Soul comes to be cleansed from actual Guilt Therefore the Second Rule to act in Faith in our Duties and Performances is to put away all Guilt all sinful Uncleanness from us when we come to perform any Service or offer up any Sacrifice to the Lord If a Man or Woman come before the Lord in the guilt of any known sin that he lives in if he do not put that away it makes all his Duties unclean and not pleasing to God A man cannot act in Faith so long as he comes knowingly with any guilt upon his Conscience living in the neglect of any known Duty or living in the commission of any known sin if he live in it he cannot act in Faith Faith will purge and cleanse the Soul from sin that he will put away all guilt when he comes to draw near to God See what is said in Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If Iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot c. When you come to stretch out your hands towards God in Prayer or when you come to draw near to him in any Duty Then saies he if there be Iniquity in your hand put it far away Do not come to God in Prayer or in any Ordinance in any known Sin that you do allow your selves in for if you do you cannot perform those Duties in Faith and so they cannot be pleasing unto God Therefore be sure that you put away all evil from you As now for Example to shew you the Application of this Rule that you may know how to make use of it for every Duty suppose now you go to prayer if you would pray in Faith so as to please God you must not allow your selves in any known sin No says David in Psal 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I cannot make a Prayer in Faith If you have made a thousand Prayers though you be a Believer in the main yet all those Prayers that you have put up in such a way with the guilt of any known sin upon you that you allow your self in and go on in your Prayers have not been put up in Faith and so God will not regard them Therefore be sure of that when you come to pray see that you do not allow your self in any known sin So if you come to hear the Word if you would hear in Faith so as to please God in it you must put away all evil out of your hands In Jam 1.21 says the Apostle there Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Do you desire to hear the Word in Faith so as it may be a saving Word to your Souls Then Lay aside all Filthiness and Superfluity of naughtiness Allow your self in no known sin when you come to draw near to God in any Ordinance So the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2 1 2. saies the Apostle there Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisie and envy and evil-speaking as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Do you desire to hear the Word so as you may please God in your hearing Then let there be no Envy nor Malice nor Hypocrisie allowed in your hearts for else you cannot receive the Word so as to be milk to your Souls so as to grow and profit by it And so also if you come to any other Ordinance as to the Lords-Supper you must come in Faith to it and partake in Faith or else we cannot please God by it Now this is one way whereby we come to partake in Faith namely by cleansing our selves Saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 8. speaking by way of Allusion to the Passover Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth If we draw near to God in this Ordinance we must cleanse our selves in Jam. 4.8 Draw near to God and God will draw near to you And how shall we draw near to God so as God may draw near to us Mark what follows Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Here is the way for us to draw near to God in a way of Faith for it is properly the work of Faith to purge the Heart and to purge the Hands That is the second Direction that may serve as a General Direction to help us to draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God 3. The Third way to perform Duties so as to please God is this It is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now if you will draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance so as to please God then come with Self-emptyings for Faith is a self-emptying Grace that is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it self Now there are two things that Faith does empty the Soul of in the performance of holy Duties The one is It empties the Soul of the sense of its own Sufficiency and Ability to perform holy Duties and also it empties the Soul of the sense of its own worthiness to receive any Mercy from the Lord in any Duty or Ordinance These two things Faith doth empty the Soul of and so you shall find it that where Faith hath been acted and
his Prayer and so prevails So I might instance in others sometimes God casts in a promise gives some secret hint of a promise in Prayer As Paul he had that promise when he was afflicted with the Thorn in the Flesh and a Messenger of Satan to buffet him God told him that his Grace should be sufficient for him 2 Cor. 12.9 And he makes use of that and gathers strength from it But Suppose now a man or woman have no particular promise to strengthen his Faith in Prayer then let him eye some general promise or other and this will be a mighty encouragement and strengthning and help to Faith in prayer to encline the Heart to be perswaded that God is willing because of such general promises Or suppose that any Man or Woman have no promise to lay hold upon or to act Faith in Prayer upon then Fourthly In the Fourth place take a fourth direction and that is to eye the Name of God the Attributes of God they are called the Name of God thereby God doth discover himself and his nature to us and plead by vertue of some attribute of God the Name of God for sometimes a Believer may be in the dark and may not have the light of so much as any one promise to make use of Now you know what the Holy-Ghost saith in Isaiah 5.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in Darkness and sees no light not the light of any Promise let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon hâ—s God let him make use of the Name of God to strengthen his Faith The Saints and People of God have been wont to plead for the Name of God and the Glory of Gods Name that you find frequently in the Scripture in Jeremiah 14.7 O Lord though our iniquities testify against us do thou it for thy Names-sake So in the Psalms frequently in Psalm 25.11 For thy Name-sake Oh Lord Pardon my iniquity for it is great But more particularly eye some Attribute of God some particular Name of God as I may so call it for God is made known and discovered to us by his attributes and the properties of his Name now let us eye some Attribute of God that may be helpful to us in Prayer as now the Power of God it is very useful to eye the Power of God in Prayer and so you will find the Saints have made use of the power of God that was put forth in the Creation of the World I remember Jeremiah Chapter 32. when the Children of Israel were to go into Captivity for seventy years the Lord bad Jeremiah to buy the Field of his Uncle for an evidence that God would bring his people back again Jeremiah when he had done he would fall to Prayer and he makes use of the power of God at the 17th verse Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the Heavens and Earth by thy great Power and stretched out Arm and there is nothing too hard for thee It is a hard thing for Flesh and Blood to believe that I and my posterity shall have this Land again but there is nothing too hard for thee God can easily bring them back again from their long Captivity so you may see how Moses did eye the Power of God in Numbers 14.17 18. And now I beseech thee let the Power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken c. He urges the greatness of Gods Power and so Jehoshaphat in that Prayer of his 2 Chron. 20.6 Oh Lord saies he art not thou God in Heaven and rulest not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen and in thine Hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee And so Asa when he also was in the like distress when his Land was invaded 2 Chron. 14.11 he cried to the Lord and mark how he eyed the Power of God And he said Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with a many or with them that have no power help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this Multitude And so if you observe when Christ gives us directions to pray in that which is called the Lords Prayer still in our prayer we are to eye the Power of God For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory Still eye the Glory of Gods Power and this is more helpful to Faith than we are aware of you know when many came to Christ in their distresses when he was here upon Earth for help the poor Leper when he came to Christ he came with this Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Mat. 8.2 And saies Christ to the Father of the Child that was possest when he came to him to cast out the Devil Canst thou believe saies Christ that I am able to do this because he questioned the Power of Christ Mark 9.22 Lord if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us saies Christ if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Verse 23. He would have him to eye his Power and the eying of the Power of God doth wonderfully strengthen Faith and enable us to pray in Faith And so again eye the mercy and goodness and kindness and grace and compassion of God in Prayer and that will help us in our prayers strengthen Faith in the Mercy of God You read of it frequently in the Psalms how David made use of that in his Prayer For thy mercy sake deliver me and have mercy upon me according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies Psal 51.1 So Moses in Numb 14.17 18. He argues the Cause with God in his Prayer upon the account of his Mercy Let the Power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying the Lord is long suffering and of great Mercy forgiving iniquity c. Verse 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this People according to the greatness of thy Mercy This is now the fourth direction to help us to pray in Faith namely to eye the Name of God the Glory of his Name some of his Glorious Attributes and plead the vertue of them To name but one more Fifthly To pray in Faith is to pray with a hope and expectation of an audience of our prayers there is much lies in this many pray and pray and never look after their Prayers they pray without any hope or expectation of Gods hearing and answering their Prayers Now I say we should pray with hope and expectation waiting for an answer of our Prayers from the Lord one way or other in the Lords own way for sometimes the Lord may answer us in a way that we could not expect not in that particular thing that we pray for As David saies in Psal 35.13 But as for me when they were sick my cloathing was Sackcloth I humbled my Soul with fasting and
my Prayer returned into mine own Bosom There was an answer but not a particular answer to what he Prayed for yet he had an answer so God may answer our Prayer and we should pray hoping and waiting and expecting an answer for Faith doth help us so to act to look up and wait In Psalm 5.3 saies David My voice shalt thou hear in the morning Oh Lord in the Morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I will look after it says he and wait for some answer or other There are many that commonly put up their Prayers Morning and Evening and turn their Backs and never mind what answer God will give them this is not to pray in Faith Faith doth help a Soul to look up and wait for an answer one way or other at one time or another In Habakkuk 2.1 He had been making his Prayer unto God in the former Chapter and now saies he I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me and what I shall answer when I be reproved and then verse 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it Ah! Brethren there is more in this than we are aware of namely to wait in hope and expectation of an answer of our Prayers one way or other in the Lords time this we may expect God having revealed and made known himself to be a God hearing Prayer and he hath not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Now the Soul may draw near to God in Prayer with hopes and expectations that God being a God hearing prayer will one way or other hear and answer my Prayers look for it and expect it And Brethren this waiting and expecting an Audience and answer of our Prayers from God doth as it were lay an ingagement upon God to answer our Prayers As now if a man knows that another trusts in him for a thing it does lay an ingagement upon him to be the more careful to do it So now when a Soul doth trust in the Lord and rely upon him expecting Audience because he hath declared himself to be a God hearing Prayer now God is ingaged as it were to answer thee saies David in Psalm 9 10. Thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee The Lord will not forsake them that seek we may forsake our Prayers when we have made them but the Lord will not forsake them that seek him as he saies again in Psalm 34. the last Verse None of them that trust in him shall be desolate God is a God hearing Prayer therefore none that trust in him shall be desolate thus we are to wait for and expect an answer of our Prayers and God will hear us And thus now you have had some few Directions given and laid down to help us to pray in Faith and Brethren by thus Praying in Faith we shall avail much this is the prevailing Prayer and without Faith we cannot expect to prevail Quest But you will say to me The Truth is I hope I have Prayed in Faith I have been perswaded that what I have Prayed for hath been according to the Will of God and I have Prayed out of Obedience to the Command of God and I have had an eye to the promise c. And yet I do not find any answer of my Prayer and therefore I have cause to question whether ever I have Prayed in Faith or no How shall I know whether my Prayer have been a Prayer of Faith or no This question is of very great concernment I shall briefly speak something to it First Negatively To pray in Faith is not for a Soul to be perswaded and assured that the particular thing that I pray for I shall have though many do mis-apprehend it and think this is to pray in Faith to pray with an assurance that I shall have the particular thing I pray for no there may be a great delusion in this as I knew a professor once a Woman and I hope a godly Woman she was carried away with this delusion and conceit I know saies she that I shall have this thing and the other thing I know I shall have my Father and Mother come to me from another Country why said the Party to her why said she the promise is that whatsoever I ask in Prayer believing I shall receive and says she I have Prayed for it and I do believe I shall have it They perswaded her it was but a deceit no no saies she I am confident of it But a short time after she fell into a frenzy and madness but yet she recovered again afterward and I hope she was a godly woman possibly yet living but I speak of it for this to shew you that this is not to pray in Faith to be assured that what I pray for shall be given me a Man or Woman possibly may not have the thing they pray for or may not have a perswasion of the thing to be granted and yet may pray in Faith I pray did not our Lord Christ himself pray that the Cup might pass from him And did not he pray in Faith and was not he heard Father I thank thee saies he that thou hearest me always John 11.46 He prayed that the Cup might pass from him he had not the particular thing that he Prayed for and yet he was heard and did pray in Faith for all that so that I say people may delude themselves and think this is to pray in Faith when we are perswaded that we shall have the paritcular thing granted we pray for no this is not to pray in Faith a man may pray in Faith though the thing be not granted at present nay though it never be granted You will say then How shall I know whether I pray in Faith or no though the thing be never granted that I pray for I shall briefly speak three or four things to this and so wind up all First of all Observe I pray when the Heart is brought to be subject to the Will of God and to submit to his dispose when the Heart is brought after Prayer or upon Prayer to submit to the Will of God possibly the Soul hath met with some great Cross and affliction or some great loss possibly of a near and dear Relation the Soul it may be is mightily troubled about it and now goes to God in Prayer and commits its self and its case to God by Prayer and possibly now the Soul is made to submit to the Will of God the Soul comes to argue and reason thus The Lord is wiser than I and the Lord hath an absolute power over me and he may do every thing and it is fit that his Will should be done and hereby the Heart comes to be quiet and made submissive to the Will of God this argues now that
the Soul hath been praying in Faith and God hath heard his Prayer though he give him not the particular thing he prays for yet he is made to submit to the Will of God This was just the case of Christ Christ prayed that the Cup might pass from him the Cup did not pass from him yet in his Prayer he was brought to submit to the Will of God Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done So possibly the Soul could not be satisfied with the dispensation of God he comes and commends himself and his case to the Lord and upon Prayer the Soul is brought to submit to the Will of God and to say not my will but thy will be done This is the first Secondly When the Soul is brought into a composed frame upon Prayer possibly the Soul was all in a hurry and royl before it met with something that was matter of affliction and perplexity and it was like the raging Sea the Soul could not rest night nor day well when this Soul comes and commits its self and case and condition to the Lord in Prayer and now there is a great calm and quiet in the heart and all is allayed on a sudden here is now the Power of Faith the spirit of Faith hath prevailed and God hath come in and answered that Prayer tho' not in the same kind and way that the Soul desired yet it is a sign it is a Prayer of Faith and God hath answered it because now the heart is quieted and composed after such a storm This was the case of Hannah Hannah was in a royle at first when she was upbraided for barrenness she goes and commends her Case to the Lord before she told Ely she was a woman of a troubled spirit 1 Sam. 1.15 I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. And when she had gone before the Ark and commended her self and case to the Lord by Prayer it is said at Verse 18. That she went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad And so likewise this was David â—s case David was exceedingly troubled and perplexed and disquieted because of the sickness of his Child 2 Sam. 12. He fasted and prayed earnestly a long time and though the Child died yet David's spirit was calm and composed and when he heard the Child was dead then he anointed himself vers 20. and went into the House of the Lord and worshipped and he went also into his own House and did eat and drink as he used to do to the wonderment of his Servants about him God had composed his heart and though he had not the thing he prayed for yet he had his Prayer answered and his Prayer was a prayer of Faith Object But you will say May not another that hath no faith at all pray and find his spirit quiet how is this then the work of faith one that never had any faith at all possibly he may pray and have his spirit quiet and is never troubled at all wherein lies the difference Answ Mark I pray such a one that is not at all troubled about his condition he is after Prayer just as he was before Now I say this is an evidence that Faith hath been at work upon the heart namely when the spirit was all in a royle and commotion like the raging Sea and then upon Prayer it is calmed and quieted this is an argument that this Prayer is a prayer of Faith Thirdly It is an argument that a Soul prays in Faith when as the Soul is made to persevere in Prayer notwithstanding the discouragements and difficulties it meets withal for this is the proper work and effect of Faith to go on against discouragements and not to be taken off by difficulties As now the woman that had the bloody Issue she would fain have come to Christ but she met with impediments there was a great throng about him that she could not tell how to get near him but her Faith did carry her on against all the discouragements and impediments that she met withal she would press into the throng and if she could but touch the Garment of Christ she would be satisfied the throng should not keep her from Christ Mark 5.28 And so the blind man in Mark 10.46 c. that sate by the way-side begging he heard that Jesus was passing by and he cryed out Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me and he made such a noise that the people were offended at him and charged him to hold his peace and it is said vers 18. That he cried out a great deal more and Christ took notice of his Prayer and called him to him and said What wilt thou that I should do to thee verse 51. Lord said he that I might receive my sight Go thy way says Christ thy faith hath made thee whole It was a prayer of Faith and Christ did hear it and he was kept on praying against discouragements and impediments that he met with And so the woman of Cannaan came to Christ for her Daughter Matt. 15. she intreats Christ to have Mercy upon her Christ turns a deaf ear to her and and answers her never a word she goes on still and Christ denies her I am not sent says he but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Here was discouragement upon discouragement she goes on still and says Christ It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to dogs Yet she would not be discouraged but went on till she had obtained the Mercy So I say when a Soul is drawn out to go on in Prayer notwithstanding discouragements and objections and temptations to the contrary it is an argument that it is a Prayer of Faith and God will hear it and answer it in his own time 4. I might have added a fourth which is this namely when a Soul is made to wait upon God still for an answer and return of his Prayer though the Soul have not yet an answer and doth not meet with a return yet notwithstanding the Soul is made to wait and to go on in waiting to wait and to persevere in waiting truly this is an argument that that Prayer is a prayer of Faith when the Soul is made willing to wait the Lords time and the Lords way for an answer of that he prays for and expects this is an argument of the exercise of Faith Says David when the Lord had promised him to give him the Kingdom Saul was then alive and he sought David's life David sometimes had Saul at an advantage as in 1 Sam. 26. and one of his Worthies that was with him said to him at ver 8. God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear even to the earth at once c. No says David stay the Lords time vers 9.10 11. Destroy him not As the
Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall descend into battel and perish The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lords annointed And so for a deliverance out of danger Faith doth help a Soul to go on to persevere in waiting for it till the Lords time Says David in Psal 40.1 2. I waited patiently for the Lord and he enclined unto me and heard my cry he brought me up also out of an horrible pit out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock Here was a prayer of Faith he was willing to wait the Lords time and the Lord did hear him And thus now you see here are some symptoms whereby we may discern whether we pray in Faith or no. Now Brethren you have heard this particular thing spoken to namely how we should so pray in Faith that our prayers may be pleasing unto God What shall we think then of those that do not pray at all Nay what may they think of themselves if those that pray and do not exercise Faith do not please God what do those do then that neglect prayer that cast off prayer and restrain prayer or else do it by fits and starts when they have nothing else to do They restrain Family-Prayer and Closet-Prayer what shall we think of them do these please God or do they not go on in a way of displeasing God from day to day provoking the Lord to pour out his wrath upon them If there be any such here let them not go on any longer thus to provoke the Lord. But Brethren and beloved now that we have heard these directions about praying in Faith let none of us satisfie our selves with the hearing of these things but let us now endeavour to walk according to the Directions presented before us Do you not desire to please God in your praying or else what do you pray for Well would you not have your Prayers displeasing unto God day by day then be careful to pray in Faith and to that end remember these Directions that I have now laid before you And thus now I have done with this particular concerning praying in Faith It remains that we give you some Directions about exercising Faith in hearing of the Word and then to shew you how to partake of the Lords-Supper in Faith and then I may speak something by way of direction how we may exercise Faith in the businesses and concernments of this life in the matters of our particular calling for every thing must be done in Faith For without faith it is impossible to please God But thus much shall suffice for this time SERMON VIII Hebrews XI 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please him Doct. IT is impossible for any Soul to please God without Faith This is the Subject we have been about and shall now through the Lords assistance proceed in The last time I gave you some Directions how we should exercise Faith in Prayer so as we may please God I shall now through the Lords assistance proceed and come to lay down some directions how we may come to exercise Faith in hearing the Word of God that so we may please God For though we should hear the Word of the Lord never so often yet if we do not exercise Faith in our hearing we do not please God in it It is not enough that a man or woman have Faith in the habit the Grace of Faith in his heart whilest he is hearing the Word but it is requisite unto our pleasing of God in hearing his Word that we act and exercise Faith Says the Apostle in Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them Why not why did not the Word Preached profit them He gives this as the Reason of it not being mixed with faith says he in them that heard it They did not exercise Faith in hearing the Word therefore they did not profit by hearing for want of mixing Faith with it The word that is translated mixed it signifies an incorporation or a Composition as it were as there is in putting ingredients into a Potion As now suppose in a Potion if there want some special ingredient that is requisite to it the Potion will do little good nay possibly it may do a great deal of hurt it may not only not profit but it may prejudice it may be very hurtful Truly so this Faith is a special ingredient to our hearing the Word of God now if this be wanting this acting and exercising of Faith in hearing the Word we may be much prejudiced it is of great concernment for people to be acting and exercising of Faith in hearing the Word I do not deny but God may sometimes and doth ordinarily by the Word work Faith in those that were not Believers before for Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 Yet notwithstanding we cannot say though God may please to work Faith in those that have no Faith by hearing the Word yet we cannot say that their hearing the Word that have no Faith is pleasing unto God or that they do please God in their hearing no the Text seems to speak the contrary the Text says that without faith it is impossible to please God And truly this may be the great wound the great sore upon people the great impediment and hindrance and reason why people hear much and profit so little for want of exercising Faith in hearing Quest You will say then How shall we so act and exercise faith in our hearing the word that our hearing may be pleasing unto God and profitable unto us Answ In answer to this I shall come directly to lay down some Directions about hearing the Word of the Lord in a way of Faith that so our hearing the Word may be pleasing unto God And first of all we must be sure of this to be perswaded upon good grounds that those that we do hear dispensing the Word be called and sent by Christ to Preach or else we cannot hear them in Faith some may Preach and yet were never sent as the Lord saith in Jer. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they Prophesied A man may come that hath good parts and Preach the Word and yet may not be sent by the Lord and if he be not sent by the Lord truly then we cannot hear in Faith and if we be not perswaded that he is sent by Christ and called by Christ to Preach and dispense the Gospel we cannot depend upon it as an Ordinance of God we cannot expect the presence of Christ we cannot expect the blessing of Christ upon his Preaching There are Two things therefore that we are to attend to here 1. That those that we hear Preach the Gospel be sent and called by Christ to Preach And 2. We
yielded to them yet that doth not make it to be warrantable and lawful for us But in a word do we believe are we perswaded that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin If we be not fully perswaded of the lawfulness of a thing and yet do it it is sin And do we believe what the Text saith here That without faith it is impossible to please God Then if so be that we have not Faith to perswade us that such as do Preach are sent by Christ then I think we cannot act Faith in hearing the Word from them This is the first Direction about hearing in Faith namely that we be perswaded that those that we do hear be called and sent by Christ 2. A second Direction how to act Faith in hearing the Word is this namely we should be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder us in our hearing from enjoying the presence of Christ and our profiting by the Word for this is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of all lawful means to attain an end Faith will not expect the end but upon the use of means And so on the other side as it is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of means for the attaining of the end so to avoid all the impediments and hindrances that lye in the way to the attaining of the end when the Lord called Jacob to go to Bethel Gen. 35.1 2 3. that he might worship God there now Jacob that he might enjoy the Presence of God and Communion with God in Bethel in his drawing near to God there Jacob he removes impediments now he calls upon his houshold and all that were with him to put away the strange gods from among them and be clean says he and change your garments and let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make an Alter unto God c. And so at Mount Sinai God gave order to Moses that the people should be sanctified and purified when they should come to draw near to God and God should draw near to them Exod. 19.10 11. And so now when we are to draw near to God in the hearing of his Word we are to be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder our profiting by our hearing and this is the work of Faith Faith doth set a Soul a work to endeavour to remove all impediments Now there are divers impediments to be removed which will certainly hinder our profiting by the Word I shall name some few special ones which the Scripture hints to us As First This is one Malice in the heart to have the heart possessed with Malice towards one or another this will hinder us from profiting by the Word The Apostle Peter therefore expresly calleth upon us in 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice c. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As if he should say if you harbor malice in your hearts when you come to hear the Word you will not grow and profit by it if you entertain and allow malice in your hearts towards one another this malice may break out in the envy of the good and welfare of another and so the Apostle brings in that branch of malice envy and sometimes it breaks out in reviling and evil-speaking and therefore says the Apostle Lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking and so receive the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As in Prayer if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer so in this case if we allow any sin in our hearts any malice towards one or another when we come to hear the Word God will not listen to us and we shall not profit by the Word this may be one cause why people hear so much and profit so little If so be they do allow malice and envy in their hearts and allow themselves to speak evil of others they cannot hear the Word to grow and profit by it no we are to exercise love in our drawing near to God love to God and love to the Word and love to the Saints and love to one another for if so be that we do not love them that we have seen or do see says the Apostle how can we be truly said to love God whom we have not seen 1 John 4.20 Therefore this is one thing Let us be careful to lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking if we do desire so to draw near to God in the hearing of the Word as to profit by it Secondly Another impediment that the Apostle hath in the same place of Peter is hypocrisy and guile this also must be laid aside or else we shall not receive the Word so as to grow and profit by it if we come to the hearing of the Word and do maintain guile and hypocrisy in our hearts and allow of it then we cannot profit or grow by the Word The Apostle Peter doth plainly hold forth that all guile and hypocrisy must be laid aside and so receive the Word as new born babes that ye may grow thereby Guile and hypocrisy doth hinder our profiting by the Word for this is now a kind of stumbling-block we draw near to God and have a stumbling-block in our hearts and says the Lord in Ezek. 14.7 If any man setteth up Idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answer that man by my self Some do expound that place the word stumbling-block for the separating and withdrawing the heart from God Now there are two kinds of hypocrisy or guile that are to be laid aside in hearing the Word one is in respect of God the other is towards man the guile and hypocrisy towards God is this namely when as a man or woman doth seem to draw near to God in his worship attending upon his Word and yet notwithstanding the heart is not near God but afar off from him here is hypocrisy and dissimulation towards God This people says God draw near to me with their mouth and lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29.13 And so Christ tells the Scribes and Pharisees in Matt. 15.8 when as a man doth pretend to draw near to God as if he would know the Mind of God that he may do the Will of God and have no such intendment in his heart he comes to hear the Word what doth this hold forth but that he intends to do the word which he hears Now when the heart is not set to do the Will of God here is hypocrisy I remember Jeremiah speaks to that purpose in Jer. 52.20 For ye dissembled in your hearts says he when ye sent me unto the Lord your God saying pray for us unto the Lord our God and according to all that the Lord our God shall say to us we
hear the Word we should attend upon it and hear it as the very Word of God as if God himself did speak from Heaven and so receive it Object But you will say What shall we receive every thing that is Preached by Ministers as the very Word of God Indeed if they were infallible we might but men are not infallable in their Preaching as the Apostles were they are but men and they may err and mistake sometimes now are we bound to receive every thing from them as if God himself did speak it Ministers also you will say may differ sometimes in their teaching one man is of one opinion and another man of another opinion what are we to receive whatever one and another speak as the very Word of God as if God spoke to us how can this be Answ For Answer to this briefly 1. I say therefore it doth concern Ministers of the Gospel to take very great heed that whatever they speak it be according to the Mind and Will of God to speak nothing of their own heads but what they have warrant for from the Word and therefore we should usually back what we hold forth to the people for matter of Doctrine to be believed or for matter to be practised from the Word of God we should be very careful of that so that we may be able to say as the Apostle did 1 Cor. 15.2 3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received c. and so should we do And let me tell you I confess it hath been matter of some trouble to me fearing lest I should sometimes speak what I have not warrant for from the Lords mouth to hold forth according to his Will It hath made me sometimes to tell you plainly to wish that I were otherwise imployed and that the Lord might imploy those that might more fully declare and hold forth his Mind and Counsel to the people than possibly I may be able to do but this is that that lyes incumbent upon Ministers to be very careful to hold forth nothing but what they have warrant for from the Word of God But 2. Suppose what is held forth and delivered sometimes by Ministers be not expresly backed by the Word yet notwithstanding we should be very backward and slow to reject and despise what is held forth though we do not see at present what warrant there is for it in the Word possibly it may be according to the Mind of Christ in a consequential way it may be reduced from the Word And thus far further we should do we should be searching and inquiring whether those things be so or no like the Bereans in Acts 17.11 It is said that they were more noble than those in Thessalonica for they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched into the Scriptures dayly to see whether those things were so or no. The Bereans when they heard Paul Preach something possibly that they did not so well apprehend to be grounded upon the Scriptures they did not thereupon slight and despise what they heard but here was matter of further inquiry for them they searched the Scriptures to see whether it was according to the Scriptures or no and they were commended for it so should we do if any thing be held forth that we cannot see for the present express warrant and ground for in the Scripture we should not slight it and cast it off but be searching into the Scriptures to see whether there may not be some ground and warrant for it This is the third Direction if we would hear the Word of God in Faith we must be careful to receive it as the very word of God Fourthly If we would hear the Word in Faith so as it may be to profit and edification we should so hear it as to make a particular application of it to our selves as spoken to us in particular mark it I pray here is the direction we should not only hear the Word and receive it as spoken by the Lord as if God himself should speak to us but take it as spoken to us particularly from the Lord every one should take it to himself as particularly spoken to me and to me in particular as they said to Job in Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know it thou for thy good for thy good in particular And as Paul said in Acts 13.26 To you is the word of Salvation sent So to you and to every one in particular is this word sent and this is the very proper work of Faith to make a particular application of the Word that is spoken to its self This I say is the proper work of Faith for you know in Scripture the word of Command and the word of Promise lay in general now it is the very work and act of Faith to take the word that lies in common and general and apply it particularly to the Heart this is the very proper work of Faith or else Brethren the word will do us no good It will be just like a Table full of Meat the Meat will do us no good if it be not taken so long as it stands upon the Table it will do us no good if it be not taken and eaten down and applied particularly to us So in this Case so long as the Word lies only in the Scripture before us the word of Command or the word of Promise or whatever word it be if it lie before us as common and in general and there be no particular application of it it doth us no good at all we shall not profit by it but now when it comes particularly to be applied that God speaks this as a word of Command to me that this is my Duty and I must take it as if God did speak it particularly to me that which I am called to perform so if it be a word of Promise I should take it as spoken from the Lord to me the Lord calls me to accept of it and embrace it and Brethren though the Word of the Lord seems to lay in common yet it hath an eye upon every person that hears it it looks to every one just as a Picture if it be exactly drawn if there be a Hundred Persons in the Room the eye will be upon every one in the Room so the eye of the Word is upon every particular person that hears it and know it for your good that the Lord doth speak to everyone of us in particular when the Word is Preached and we should not say Well here was a word fit for such a one applying it to others and such a one was met with in the Word No no Brethren so long as we can apply the Word to others and not to our selves it will do us no good but this is our work and business when the Word is Preached in the Name of the Lord and according to the Will of God we
to come and partake of the Lords-Table then we must have some grounds to hope and perswade our selves that we have some right to it or else we cannot partake in Faith Object But you will say This may be a ground of discouragement to many a gracious heart Many a gracious Soul is exercised with scruples of Conscience and may Question whether they have a right or no and such by this Direction must be forced to with-hold from it Answ For Answer briefly we are to know that every doubt and scruple and Question that Christians may have about their coming to this Ordinance is not sufficient for them to withdraw from it or to withhold their presence in it no they are not presently therefore to withdraw and withhold from the participation of it What shall they do then You will say Answ Briefly I pray mind it because it may concern some that are scrupulous and to be exercised with Questions and doubts whether they have right to it or no therefore such are seriously to consider what the ground of their doubt and scruple is whether it be sufficient and warrantable to cause a withdrawment from this Ordinance amongst others the grounds of scruple in this case may be reduced to three heads First Possibly some do Question and scruple their coming to this Ordinance for fear they should eat and drink unworthily and so eat and drink their own damnation that is my fear saies one and therefore I dare not come I fear I may not come I pray now therefore consider this briefly for I may not inlarge but consider this whether a mans Questioning whether he shall eat and drink unworthily be a sufficient ground and warrant for him to withhold from the Lords-Table I pray mind and consider what the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 11.27 28. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat Mark doth the Apostle say that he that fears that he shall eat and drink unworthily shall therefore withhold no but let him be the more solicitous and careful to examine himself and prepare himself that he may not partake unworthily of it that the Apostle doth intimate The Apostle doth not give a liberty upon it to withhold Therefore I say that is not a sufficient ground because we fear we shall partake unworthily but therefore we should be the more Solicitous and careful to examine our selves and to be preparing our selves the more to partake of this Ordinance Secondly Ordinarily some do fear and doubt whether they may partake of this Ordinance or no by reason they find themselves so weak in Grace Oh! saies one my Faith is so weak and my other graces so weak that I fear I shall but sin if I should come to the Lords-Table Now I pray Consider whether this be a sufficient scruple or no for I pray mark Consider the end of this Ordinance and for whom it is appointed what is it appointed for those that are perfect in grace for those that are perfect in Faith and other graces Is it not appointed rather to be a means to perfect and strengthen our graces therefore the weaker we apprehend our graces to be the more need we have to draw near to Christ in this Ordinance for the further Communication of the Spirit and grace to us that we may be strengthened in our inward man and have our grace increased That is the second scruple Thirdly The third scruple may be this which commonly is the greatest of all but suppose that I have no grace at all as I question whether I have any grace in truth or no upon examination of my self I cannot find that I have any Faith is it for me to come to this Ordinance Mark I pray in a word briefly A Soul sometimes under Temptation may be ready to conclude it hath no grace at all but I pray consider thus much though a Soul cannot say that it doth truly believe on Christ yet if so be there be a real hungering and thirsting after Christ a real desire after Christ in such a case a Soul is to come and partake of this Ordinance Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Therefore though you cannot say certainly that you have Faith really wrought in you yet notwithstanding if there be a real hunger and desire and thirst after the enjoyment of Christ and communion with Christ in such a case a Soul may may come to partake of this Ordinance and such a Soul hath a right to it This is now a third direction how we may come in Faith to this Ordinance Namely to have some grounds to perswade us to hope that we have a right to it otherwise we cannot come in Faith Fourthly Take a fourth Direction which is this Namely if we would act and exercise Faith in this Ordinance then we must be careful to be found diligent in those things that are required towards our preparation to it I pray mind it it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon diligence in applying its self to the means for the obtaining of any end it is the proper nature of Faith to put a Soul upon the diligent use of means tending thereunto this is the proper nature of Faith indeed presumption if it have any hope of any Blessing or Mercy presumption leads a man to neglect the means but the proper work and nature of Faith is to lead a Soul to the diligent use of the means to obtain the Mercy or Blessing it hopes for I could give you divers instances in Scripture for this how Faith doth put a Soul upon the diligent use of means that are required for such an end I remember 't is said in 2 Chron. 20. concerning Jehoshaphat he was invaded by a foreignâ— enemy and thereupon he set himself to seek the Lord in wrestling by Prayer well the Lord is pleased to give him a gracious answer by the Prophet in the midst of the Congregation vers 14 15. And he said Hearken ye Judah and ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem thus saith the Lord be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not yours but the Lords Vers 17. Ye shall not need to fight in the Battel set your selves stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you O Judah and Jerusalem fear not be not dismayed to morrow go out against them the Lord will be with you Now Jehoshaphat having this promise his Faith did carry him out to set himself in Battel-aray as if they were to fight for it he would not neglect the means that God had appointed So you read of Paul in Acts 27. Paul was in danger by Sea in a great Storm in danger to be wrecked and it is said the Angel of the Lord came to him vers 23 24. For